1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Seven too Weekend Breakfast the Literature Corner. 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:07,520 Speaker 2: It's fifteen minutes before ten o'clock. Welcome back to seven 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 2: oh two Weekend Breakfast with Meggs and time for us 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 2: to wrap up the show in the Literature corner. And 5 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 2: as mentioned this morning, we're speaking about a new kiddies 6 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: book called Hugged by the Night. It's written by Harold 7 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,599 Speaker 2: Green and it is illustrated by acclaimed illustrator and graphic 8 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 2: designer Gotaba Bob. You've probably seen her work somewhere. You 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: probably own a piece of her work in some way. 10 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 2: She's been prolific in the South African space. And this 11 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 2: time she adds to her accolades a children's book. And 12 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,200 Speaker 2: Gottable joins us in the studio this morning. Got about 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 2: a very good morning to you. Welcome to Weekend. 14 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:42,400 Speaker 1: Breakfast Morning Google, thank you so much for having me. 15 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:44,280 Speaker 2: Thank you for having us. So you've done some really 16 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 2: cool stuff with some really cool brands, like you have 17 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 2: Nike on your list, you have KFC on your list. Yes, 18 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 2: why the decision to do a kiddies book. I'm gonna 19 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 2: say it is a beautiful book. It's my favorite color. 20 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 2: It's purple. The cover which is stunning. 21 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 3: Thank you. 22 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 2: Why the decision to do a kiddies book? And I 23 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: guess right now in your career. 24 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 3: I think for me what really caught my eye with 25 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 3: doing a children's book was the fact that I've never 26 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 3: done anything quite like this. If you look at my 27 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 3: work and look at my style, you wouldn't think I 28 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 3: would be the first choice for being a children's book 29 00:01:16,080 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 3: illustrator because my content is like very bold, it's very. 30 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: Agy. 31 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 3: There's a lot of things actually going on, and children's 32 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 3: books take to be a lot softer. So then I thought, actually, 33 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 3: we I get this opportunity to make a children's book 34 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 3: like none other. And then that children's book is also 35 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 3: written for people that look like me, and I grew 36 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 3: up like me, so everything about it was just like 37 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 3: I need to be a part of it. Yeah, it 38 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 3: feels like a part of history of it. 39 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 2: It's interesting that you say, given your particular kind of silence, 40 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 2: very bold, and it's like, you know, like very distinctive, 41 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 2: Like you know, even if you haven't seen that it 42 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 2: was done by you, your style is very distinctive. 43 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 1: Right. But when I saw it. 44 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 2: As like the children's book, it seemed like it was 45 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: meant to be that way. It worked precisely because it's 46 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 2: all like edgy and bright and all that feels like 47 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 2: the right kind of thing for a Kiddi's. 48 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 3: Book, exactly right, especially for I think contemporary children's book 49 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: as well. Even though I call it a children's book, 50 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 3: I feel like it's a book for all ages because 51 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 3: parents are going to be reading it. My dad read 52 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:26,240 Speaker 3: to me a lot when I was growing up, so 53 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 3: then having something that the parents would be able to 54 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 3: take away from or was also really important. So striking 55 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: that balance between the appeal for a younger generation but 56 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,359 Speaker 3: then also for an older generation was like the challenge 57 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 3: that I don't know, I just thrive when I find 58 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 3: a challenge. Really, that's where you'll see me at my best. 59 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, And so how did this collaboration come about? Was 60 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: the book written already when you were approached or was 61 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: the book in the process? How did you and Harald 62 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: end up working on this book? 63 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: So interesting story. 64 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,839 Speaker 3: This book book was actually a poem that Harold Green 65 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 3: had written, and then him and Chronicle Books decided that 66 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 3: they would turn the poem into a children's book. So 67 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 3: they thought, since Harold is not a conventional children's book writer. 68 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 3: He's more of a poet and an author. They want 69 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:22,639 Speaker 3: to go with an unconventional illustrator. And then that's when 70 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 3: Harold and Chronicle Books approached me, and it was a 71 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 3: very easy yes. They sent me an email that had 72 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 3: an attachment with like Harold Green's voice reading the poem, 73 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 3: and I don't know. 74 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: It just sounded like mufassa. 75 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 3: It just felt like that linking moment where everything just 76 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 3: connects and we're just like ready to go. So yeah, 77 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 3: that was the fastest email I wrote, because I said, 78 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 3: cut me in. 79 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 2: Me tag me in, and so tell us about that 80 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 2: process then? So the poem already existed, and so did 81 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: you then get once you said yes, and you know 82 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: all of that stuff is that, did you then get 83 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 2: a copy of the poem and you were asked to 84 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 2: then illustrate the poem? How did it kind of that 85 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: process work? 86 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 3: So I received the voice note of Harold reading the poem, 87 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 3: and then they sent me the book and then they 88 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 3: said we'll see you in two months. So they didn't yes, 89 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 3: So they didn't give me really much of a brief 90 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 3: and I really enjoyed that because I was able to 91 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 3: experiment as much as possible. When you hear the title 92 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 3: Hugged by the Night, there's curiosity. It's night, A person 93 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 3: is night, a place is night, a time of day. 94 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: So I got the opportunity of determining what night would 95 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 3: look like. And it feels like Night encompasses all three. 96 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 3: Night is a person, a place, and a time of day, 97 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 3: and it aims to soothe all of the misconceptions of nighttime. 98 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 3: And then also when you look at it, there's the 99 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 3: symbolism of identity and the I don't want to give 100 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 3: the whole book away, but you see a great match 101 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 3: between the metaphor and night and then black identity as well. 102 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 3: So yeah, I got to determine how I wanted the 103 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 3: book to look, what colors to use, and I did 104 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 3: a lot of research and realized that these colors aren't 105 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 3: really seen in children's books. So that's what I really 106 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 3: wanted to push forward, and I decided to make Night 107 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 3: a person. I thought all of my identity and heritage 108 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 3: was something that I feel I inherited and was imprinted 109 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 3: by the people in my life, my mom, my dad, 110 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 3: and the idea of hugging was something that I really 111 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 3: associated with my. 112 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 1: Mom and my aunt and all the women in my family. 113 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 3: Like, if you look at me, I'm one hundred and 114 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 3: seventy six centimeters. 115 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: I'm the smallest one at home. Really wow. 116 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 3: I feel tall in the world, but I am the 117 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 3: smallest one at home. Really. Yes, So my mom wore 118 00:05:57,240 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 3: size ten shoes, and like, I from a family of giants, 119 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,680 Speaker 3: So I just saw Night as this giant that would 120 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: be providing the soothing and then imprinting the pride in heritage. 121 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,239 Speaker 1: So you said, it looks like the woman in my family. 122 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 2: And so you said with the colors, you were kind 123 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 2: of thinking about these are the colors you don't normally 124 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 2: find in children's books, which is so interesting because I 125 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 2: think if you kind of think of a child like 126 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: a kiddies book, you think it's quite bright, and there's 127 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: blues and pinks. 128 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: And yellows, pastel colors. 129 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, and so what were the colors you thought you 130 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,080 Speaker 2: wanted to have in this book that aren't kind of 131 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,799 Speaker 2: the regular standard or expected children's book colors. 132 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 3: So I got excited that they wanted to come to 133 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 3: an unconventional children's book illustrator, I guess, because then it 134 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 3: means I can experiment as much as possible. I thought, 135 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 3: if I'm someone that would be creating this book for 136 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 3: the African continent and those part of the African diaspora 137 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 3: as well, those muted colors don't feel like something that 138 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 3: is iconically as if you look at anything traditional throughout Africa, 139 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,400 Speaker 3: as diverse as it is, I find like the Terra 140 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 3: cottas like that color just has like such a punch 141 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 3: if you look at like Zonga Chevelin is like the 142 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: isn't We're not afraid of like the bold colors. So unintentionally, 143 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 3: it seemed like going bold was the right thing to 144 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 3: do if we were creating a book that specifically meant 145 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 3: for us and is coming from us. Yeah. 146 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So who is the story for just in terms 147 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 2: of the age, like is it for preschoolers? Is it 148 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 2: for people who are younger than that? Who is this aimed? 149 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 2: And of course parents will also be involved reading the story? 150 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: But yes, who was the reader in mind for this book? 151 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: The reader in mind? 152 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 3: I looked at my nieces, so they range between. 153 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: Three and eight. 154 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 3: So I think it provides a really good opportunity for 155 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,119 Speaker 3: like the three to five year old before you really 156 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 3: start reading, to like sit and listen during story time 157 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 3: and then it's also a little bit to entice the 158 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 3: seven and eight year old when you're starting to read more, 159 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 3: to actually take the book and now be able to 160 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 3: read it for yourself. So it's in that transitioning part 161 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 3: of like listening to story time and then being a 162 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 3: part of story time for yourself and reading it then. 163 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 3: So I looked at like the three to eight so 164 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 3: we could push it to ten. 165 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 2: Have your nieces seen the book? 166 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: They love the book. 167 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 3: They actually got before before my submission, so they were 168 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:51,080 Speaker 3: my test. Yeah, rabbits, I guess, so yes, I read 169 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 3: the book to them. They loved it. They asked me 170 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,120 Speaker 3: to continue reading it. Oh yeah, that same day. 171 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: But then thak you, I'm thrilled for them exactly. 172 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,839 Speaker 3: So when we were getting the test Prince sent from 173 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 3: the US, I'd be like, okay, guys, and Tokeeta was 174 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 3: coming and I'm going to show you how the book 175 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 3: is looking. And then I would ask him questions like 176 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 3: are you scared when you read this book? And they'd 177 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 3: be like, no, Auntie, I get excited when I read it, 178 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 3: especially when you read it. So I thought, okay, around 179 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 3: the color scheme, because nighttime can be something that's seen 180 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 3: as scary for kids, you know, for adults sometimes I 181 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 3: want the light on at night. But yeah, my main 182 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 3: thing was like not having kids that read it and 183 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 3: experience it see it as something scary, but as a 184 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 3: time to discover things that you can't discover during the day. 185 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: That was a lesson. 186 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 3: Yes, that was a lesson that my dad taught me. 187 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 3: There's no reason to be afraid of the night because 188 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,960 Speaker 3: that's when you can see the stars and the constellations 189 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 3: and nocturnal animals come to life at nighttime. So I 190 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 3: saw nighttime as a time of discovery, and that's what 191 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: I wanted when well, that's what I want anyone that 192 00:10:07,440 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 3: reads the book to kind of take from like nighttime 193 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 3: is like this time of discovery and you see all 194 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,840 Speaker 3: the beautiful things that you aren't able to see during 195 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 3: the day, and it deserves just as much recognition and 196 00:10:19,280 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 3: excitement as daytime. So the book is out, Yes, Wait, 197 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 3: can we find it wherever books are sold? We are 198 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:34,319 Speaker 3: doing nationwide, worldwide, global release. So if you go to bookstores, 199 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: exclusive books, bargain books, Amazon, I'm not sure if it's 200 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 3: on take a lot, but you will be able to 201 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 3: find it wherever books are sold. 202 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 2: Great got almost Thank you so much for joining us this. 203 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: Morning, Google, I can check you wonder wonderful. 204 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 2: We must bring you back. 205 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: We must have your back for something longer, anytime. Thank 206 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: you so much for joining us. Thank you for having me. 207 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:57,319 Speaker 2: That's highly acclaimed as illustrator and graphic design. I got 208 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: up a book be joining us this morning. The book 209 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 2: is called Hugged by the Night.