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Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day with Katy Duffield!
- Heather Macht
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
Hi readers, writers, and ATV-lovers, too! Today is Random Acts of Kindness Day - a perfect time to celebrate kindness in action. There's no better way to celebrate than with multi-published author Katy S. Duffield and her new book, Start Your Engines!
Frankie the ATV loves racing over rocky hills and muddy tracks. But when his friend Pipsqueak gets stuck just before the finish line, Frankie must choose whether he wants to win the race or be kind and help a friend.
Want to know more about Katy and her new book, PLUS want a chance to win a copy of her book and book swag? Read on... 🚗💖
Q: Thanks for joining SeasonsOfKidLit.com! We’re thrilled to feature you and hear all about you and your book! Please share the inspiration behind Start Your Engines! and a little about your path to publication?
A: Thank you so much for having me! I always love diving into Seasons of KidLit blog posts—peeking into authors’ heads and getting a look at what fun new books are out there.
As for the inspiration behind START YOUR ENGINES!, a couple of ideas meshed in order to bring this book about. “Truck” books are so popular for picture-book-aged readers, but I knew I needed something different—something that would stand out from the crowd. Our family has ridden 4-wheelers for many years, so I thought: what about a book with ATV characters? After doing some research, I noticed that there were few, if any, fictional picture books featuring ATVs. Just what I’d hoped to see!
ATV characters would create a strong hook in the crowded “vehicle” arena, but I wanted more than simply a “truck” or a “race” book. I needed a strong story arc and an emotional pull as well. That’s where the next idea came in.
No matter what the game—cards, video games, bowling, board games, basketball, whatever—my grandson, (like many young people), LOVES to win. So, what if I had a win-at-all-costs ATV character that had an important decision to make? What if that character had to give up a chance to win to help a friend? What would he do? Ahhhh… instant conflict and emotion!
Once I had the characters, the overall plot, and the resolution, I was ready to write. And, surprisingly, the words started coming out in rhyme. Yikes. (more details on that in “Ask Yourself Anything” below). This made the writing a little trickier, but the story fell into place pretty quickly—and it was off to my agent and was then picked up by editor Wendy McClure at Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky.
We love this - thanks so much for sharing this insight with us!
Q: How did it feel to write your first picture book in RHYME?
A: I have a one-word answer for that: SCARY! I didn’t plan to write Frankie and Pip’s story in rhyme, but when I started writing, these fun little rhyming couplets kept popping out. I resisted. Oh boy, did I resist, but in the end, I decided to go for it.
I know conventional wisdom says: Don’t write in rhyme. Editors don’t want books in rhyme unless they are perfectly done. But I’m here to say it IS possible. I did not take on the project lightly though. I worked, read, studied, wrote, and rewrote to learn all I could about rhyme, rhythm, and meter. And even more importantly, I sought out expert writer friends to guide me along the way. Just as Pip couldn’t have finished the race without Frankie, I couldn’t have completed this book without my friends. Thanks, writing buddies!
Interestingly, my forthcoming nonfiction picture book, WE ARE THE KEYSTONES, (illustrated by the amazing Hannah Salyer and coming from S&S/Beach Lane in Sept. 2026) is also written in rhyme. And if I thought writing fiction in rhyme was hard, I discovered writing nonfiction in rhyme is even more difficult!
Q: What’s your favorite spread from the book and why is it your favorite? PS - they're ALL adorable. :)
A: Oh, it’s so difficult to choose a favorite. Illustrator Chiara Galletti’s art is such a delight! She employs such bright, fun colors and does a wonderful job showing widely varying emotions on the ATVs “faces.” And, as a bonus, I absolutely love that there is a cute little googly-eyed snake that makes an appearance on many of the pages! See where you can find him.
But if I have to choose one illustration, I think I’ll go with this one…The colors, the background stars, the sheer joy of Frankie and Pip’s expressions are such an absolute delight. It’s what friendship looks like, right?
Q: What tip would you like to share with readers who are stuck in the query trenches?
A: If you are a picture book writer, I have a tip that I believe has made a difference in my work. Choose some favorite picture books and type them out word-for-word in standard manuscript form, leaving an extra double space for page turns. Use the word count feature in your word processor and include the word count at the top of the document.
Then, as you’re working on your own manuscript, if you’re having trouble with transitions, for example, take a look at how the author handled the transitions in his/her manuscript. Or, if you’re struggling with finding strong verbs to convey action in your story, highlight all the verbs in the typed-up story. Or, if your story is too long, study what the author of the typed-up manuscript left out. What did they leave for the illustrator instead of putting into words? For more tension, check out how the author uses page turns to their advantage.
You can, of course, do many of these things just by looking at physical picture books, but the actual typing-out of manuscripts and seeing published books in manuscript form unlocks something for me–and you can mark them up as needed, which you wouldn’t want to do in the actual book.
What an excellent idea - thanks for sharing!
Q: What will readers enjoy most about your book? Why is your book a perfect fit for every season?
A: I think a big part of the appeal of START YOUR ENGINES! is that kids love things that go, and, as I mentioned, there are very few, if any, picture books starring ATVs.
But what I hope will set the book apart—and that readers will enjoy as well—is that it’s much more than just a “truck” book. At its heart is a story about being a good friend and a good sport. I hope it promotes empathy along with the thought that putting others first is often the best and most satisfying choice.
As for seasonal tie-ins, during the winter holidays, it could make a great gift for a bestie. In the fall, a fun campfire read-aloud. And for spring and summer, why not take it along on your ATV ride–even if there’s a little mud involved! Actually, for any time, it could be the perfect way to simply celebrate friendship. Because friendship is always in season, right?
We couldn't agree more!
Q: Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?
A: A treat! I’d love to share a signed copy of START YOUR ENGINES! along with a little ATV race swag.
Wow! Thanks for such an amazing treat. And thanks again for joining us today - we loved getting a closer look at your book!
Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win Katy's Book + Book Swag giveaway, 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by.
Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 03/20!
Books will be shipped in the US only.
About Katy Duffield:
Katy Duffield is the award-winning author of more than forty books for children. She writes both fiction and nonfiction on a wide range of topics including books about a farmer who lost his cows, a house looking for a home, orangutans, venom extractors, penguin protecting dogs, an alien with a cold, a little gal with a big voice, and many others.
Katy has a soft spot in her heart for animals of all kinds. She loves spending time outdoors, hiking, and camping. She also enjoys observing and photographing the birds, deer, possums, (and once even a fox family!) that visit her backyard.
For more about Katy, check out the below links:
Website: https://www.katyduffield.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katy.duffield
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katysduff/
Sourcebooks Kids website: https://www.sourcebooks.com/9781464223457-start-your-engines-hc-pic-bk.html
Illustrator Chiara Galletti website: https://www.chiaragalletti.com/portfolio-collections/my-portfolio
Purchase your copy at Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/p/books/start-your-engines-katy-s-duffield/1c4cc48b13eebb4d?ean=9781464223457&next=t or at your favorite independent bookstore!
