"Publisher's Weekly" interviews Australian author Mem Fox, and her England-based illustrator Helen Oxenbury, as the two set out on a publicity tour of the US in October.
Surely your collective fan base is wondering, What took so long? Had teaming up ever been suggested before?MF: Needless to say, because Helen is the grande dame of picture books, Allyn had previously sent her several manuscripts by me and by other authors, but Helen turned them all down until Ten Little Fingers moved her to say yes. I think it was the simplicity of the text that she liked.
HO: I suppose living at opposite sides of the world doesn't help, as proved to be the case as I am so computer illiterate, hate the telephone and am lazy at letter writing. Allyn Johnston had sent me picture book texts by different authors for some years but nothing had taken my fancy, until that is, she sent me Ten Little Fingers.
