Meeting the real Holly Hobbie

Last Saturday, our local bookstore World Eye Bookshop was sponsoring a booksigning with none other than Holly Hobbie, the author of the fabulous Toot and Puddle series of children's books about two adorable pigs. Holly Hobbie lives somewhere around here and so for the past seven or eight years, I have taken Julia to meet her as she introduces yet another Toot and Puddle book to our local area and the world.

This year, as in the past couple years, Holly Hobbie has recognized Julia as she walked in the door to buy two signed books – one for herself and one for her cousins. The welcome reception she got made her feel so special – it was sweet.

Many of you probably recognize Holly Hobbie’s name because of the “little girl” illustrations she did back in the 1970’s. I grew up surrounded by these images, as many young girls did. You can read more about my memories here. It is so refreshing to see an artist move on and find success with a second style of illustration. (It's difficult to do because the public just keeps wanting more of the same, as do publishers who are earning money from an author's past continued success.) The Toot and Puddle series has been extremely successful throughout the world of children’s books for the past ten years. The stories are simple and sweet – about friendship and family - and the pigs are beautifully represented by Holly Hobbie’s delicate and colorful watercolors.

Last year, she told us this new book Let It Snow would be her last in the T & P series. This year, we found out that Holly Hobbie has just finished a new book about a little girl named Fanny and it will be out next year. I’m not sure if Julia will have outgrown picture books by then but I doubt it. She loves to meet and talk with the authors that she has been fortunate enough to meet as do I. And yes, Holly Hobbie is delightful.