Step into the quiet magic of the library with Pio, a small, round piglet on a big bookish adventure.
In this exclusive Q&A, author-illustrator Susie Oh shares the inspiration behind A Book for Pio, a heartwarming picture book that celebrates curiosity, bravery, and the joy of finding that perfect story. Susie offers a delightful behind-the-scenes look at how her love of libraries — and pigs — brought Pio’s story to life.
A Book For Pio is available now from all good bookshops, order online from Amazon | Waterstones | Bookshop.org
Let’s start from the beginning — what inspired you to create A Book for Pio?
It started with a pig. I pretty much always want to draw a cute animal, but the want became a need after I saw some “missing pet boar” posters* around our local park. I sketched my pig into a library because I love books; I also liked the image of a piglet’s tiny hooves pitter-pattering down a library’s quiet halls, and I was (and still am) distressed by the budget cuts and book bans that threaten these invaluable public institutions.
*It ended up being a hoax, so we need not worry that someone’s beloved pig is on the lam.
Pio’s journey through the book perfectly captures the childlike wonder of being in the library for the first time. How important was it to make the book feel like that?
Pio experiences doubt and anxiety, but his fears are internal; the library itself has to be a place of wonder and safety, because I want children to feel inspired to go on their own library adventures.
Pio is a very small pig in a very big library — do you think this helps little ones relate to him?
It can be easier to relate to animal protagonists because you don’t get caught up on specific human traits like hair or eye colour. I wanted Pio to be relatable to all children who might be overwhelmed or anxious as they take their first tentative steps into trying something new or something on their own.
The book is illustrated in a really unique way, using pops of yellow with otherwise monochrome artwork. What was the thought process behind this?
I was flipping through a battered, ancient copy of ‘What Whiskers Did’ and saw that I had graffitied all the stark charcoal illustrations with a green marker. The evidence of my early vandalism inspired the idea for illustrating my own book in grayscale with little touches of pigment. Of course, I invite readers to add their own colours to my art!
For any reader, finding the “perfect” book in the library is a triumph. How do you think A Book For Pio celebrates that?
I remember how “seen” I felt as a child when I found the right book at the right time. I’m not sure how to word it better, but that feeling was the antithesis to loneliness, like the universe was saying, “here you go, this is the story for you” as it placed the perfect volume in my path.
Pio finding the perfect book is an even greater feat, because he has one big limitation — but I don’t want to spoil the book.
Pio has to be curious and brave at various points in the book. How important do you think teaching children these traits is?
Very important! You can’t learn without cultivating your curiosity, and you can’t grow without taking a risk or two. But Pio’s bravest act isn’t acting on his own; it’s being honest — with himself and others — about his limitations, because admitting you have a problem is the first step to getting help.
We hope A Book For Pio helps spark children’s love for reading and going to the library. What book or experience did that for you?
I fell in love with New York City when my dad first took me to the New York Public Library’s flagship building in Midtown. It was a cinematic experience, walking past the two iconic marble lions, up grand stairs, and into a temple for books.
Living in New York City you now have one of the most incredible libraries in the world on your doorstep. How does that feel?
It’s the best. I recommend all visitors pay their respects to the real Winnie the Pooh (and his ragged cohort) at the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building and look for ghosts in the Victorian Gothic courthouse that’s now the Jefferson Market Library.
A Book For Pio is available now — can you tell us why you think kids (and adults) will enjoy Pio’s story?
If you like books enough to like books about books, and if you like cute, small, rotund animals — ESPECIALLY pigs — then you might enjoy ‘A Book for Pio.’
A Book For Pio by Susie Oh is available now from Amazon | Waterstones | Bookshop.org
