Meet Our 2021 Shortlist: The Littlest Yak

Our penultimate shortlistee is The Littlest Yak by Lu Fraser and Kate Hindley (Simon & Schuster Children’s Books) so let’s get to it and learn more about Lu, Kate and little Gertie in our fourth spotlight on the 2021 shortlisted authors.

About the Book

The Littlest Yak is a story about being confident about exactly who you are. Teaching little ones to celebrate their own unique talents, The Littlest Yak follows the journey of Gertie, the tiniest tot in her whole herd. Gertie is bursting to grow big but soon learns there are things only she can do and it’s precisely her size that makes her such a big character. A heart-warming and uplifting story sure to make kids feel more comfortable in their own unique shoes.

What the Judges said:

“This book is full of beautiful illustrations and deceptive simplicity. It's about worries too, so if you had a child who felt a little bit different or who felt they didn't fit in you could use it in a lovely, positive way.” – Lorraine Kelly

About Lu Fraser

Lu Fraser is a hugely exciting new voice in children’s picture books. She is based in Hampshire, where she lives with her husband and daughter, and writes in a shed in the garden. The Littlest Yak is her picture book debut.

Lu Q&A:

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

The funny thing is…I didn’t really have any picture books when I was little! I had a ‘rag’ book that I loved and, later on, a few Blackberry Farm books by Jane Pilgrim – wonderfully illustrated but with significantly more text than the picture books we have today. We didn’t go to the library and I didn’t go to school until I was a little bit older than everyone else so the picture books of that era slipped by without me knowing them! The first time I saw a picture book I must have been about 8 – we had a visitor to stay from the USA and they showed me ‘In the Night Kitchen’ by Sendak. I had absolutely no idea that books could look like that!

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

Giving a child a picture book is the equivalent of flinging open the door and showing them the wider world – it’s the most incredible, significant, powerful thing. Not only do you get to introduce them to all sorts of amazing wonders (like Yaks, for example!) but you can really kick-start the imaginative process, too, and, of course, a picture book is the very first step on the road to reading and learning. What I really love about picture books, ‘though, is what happens in the physical act of reading them – a grown up and a child taking time-out, together, to sit side by side, and lose themselves in an adventure. It’s nothing less than magic, frankly - it makes the sort of memories we treasure for a lifetime.

What was your favourite thing about writing the book? 

That’s easy – meeting Gertie! For me, creating a character is exactly the same as meeting a ‘real’ person for the first time; you shake hands, take a good look at each other, maybe have a cup of tea and a chat. Little by little, they show you who they are. It’s the most terrific part of the whole process! Now, Gertie is a part of our family – we can hear her voice, we know her quirky way of thinking and all her mannerisms. When I write it feels a bit like she’s sat on my desk with her little hooves sticking out, peering over my shoulder, munching her veggies and dropping crumbs everywhere. I will never be without her now!

What’s the best thing about this book?

The best thing about The Littlest Yak is, without doubt, the one thing I never expected – how readers have reacted to it. I was completely unprepared for how both children and grown-ups, alike, have taken Gertie into their hearts. I get a lot of messages from readers about the book and so many of them are about very personal moments where Gertie has made a difference in some significant way. One of my favourites was the little girl who was nervous on her first day at nursery but told her Mummy it was all going to be ok because she knew she had ‘BIGNESS inside’, just like Gertie.

What was your inspiration for the story/character?

Although Gertie isn’t based on my daughter she was created as a direct result of her. We were sat on a delayed flight to Edinburgh one dismal, rain-sodden October and yet the thought suddenly struck me that the moment was oddly perfect – here I was, taking some time-out, a whole week with my daughter ahead of me, and I never, ever wanted that moment to stop. At the same time I could see, not only how much she had grown but also how much she wanted to grow – to get out into the world and really DO things. It was the strangest moment of balance – both happy and sad. By the time the plane took off the story was done…

What are you working on next?

Oh, I’m hugely excited by the books I’m working on with Simon & Schuster! My next book with them is out in Spring ’22 with an incredible new illustrative partner (watch this space!) and I’m deliriously happy to say that I’m also working with the brilliant Kate Hindley on a follow-up to The Littlest Yak! I am just in the final edits on GERTIE – BOOK TWO (I promise I will come up with a better title before publication!).

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

Looking at social media it feels like there’s been a definite increase in ‘family’ reading time and I think we’ve become very imaginative in the way we approach it, too. I’ve seen such lovely photos and videos of a huge range of family members reading stories – grandparents reading remotely to grandchildren they can’t visit, etc – and there have been some tremendous reading resources to support families from publishers, booksellers, educational supporters and organisations like The National Literacy Trust – families have really got involved, together, as a result. On a personal note, I’m completely in awe of the illustrators and their phenomenal online draw-alongs and activities – I’ve had a go at some of their drawing classes with one of my Goddaughters (she was much better than me!).

I also think, pre-lockdown, we sometimes have a tendency to gravitate towards the ‘easy’ or the obvious when we visit a bookshop with children and one of the things that has been wonderful to see in these terrible times is how lockdown has pushed us to dig a little deeper in the bookshelves, to have a really good rummage all the way from A to Z and discover new writers and illustrators, to try out new things, to be a bit bolder and braver (I know I’ve discovered some brilliant new authors / illustrators, too!).

About Kate Hindley

Kate Hindley is the much-loved illustrator of both picture books (including the award-winning You Must Bring a Hat, written by Simon Philip) and fiction (The Royal Rabbits of London, written by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore), as well as the author-illustrator of new board book series, Treacle Street. She lives in Bristol.

Kate Q&A:

What was your own favourite picture book as a child?

One of my favourite picture books as a child (and of all time) is Colin McNaughton's You'll Never Guess Who's Just Moved In Next Door To Us. So many stories on every page and a MONSTER gatefold! 

What do you think the best thing about picture books is?

My favourite thing about picture books is sharing a story. It's amazing how even some of the most simple stories will get a different reaction and raise new questions depending on who you share it with. It can make things very fun and unpredictable reading at schools and events! 

What was your favourite thing about drawing the book?

I really like all the doodling at the very beginning when it feels like there are endless possibilities, and getting to know the characters for the first time. 

What’s the best thing about this book?

The best thing about The Littlest Yak is Lu's amazing read-out-loud rhyme (and the perfect excuse for me to draw lots of woolly knitwear.) 

What was your inspiration for the story/character? 

The Himalayas! I'm not much of a traveller (I'm lucky if i get as far as the supermarket) but from what I've seen in pictures it's a pretty impressive landscape.

What are you working on next?

I'm currently taking a break to look after our new small addition, but I'm looking forward to some very exciting secret projects when I return to work in the summer.

And finally, what do you think has been the best thing about reading with small children during the lockdown?

I've had the pleasure of sharing picture books with our new small since the second lockdown, and I have to say I think at the moment it's been mostly for my own benefit! I have a smashing time over egging it all and he is being a lovely, obliging little audience.