Interview with Lisa Dunn-Dern
Reader Views speaks today with Lisa Dunn-Dern, author of highly acclaimed children’s book “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow.” Lisa is interviewed by Juanita Watson, Assistant Editor of Reader Views. Juanita: Lisa, we are very excited to be talking with you today. Your book “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” is getting rave reviews. Please give us an idea of the story in your book.
Juanita: What inspired you to write this unique children’s book with the backdrop of an interracial family? Lisa: My inspiration came from wanting to walk into a children’s bookstore and find a book with a family that looked just like mine. Juanita: That really is a significant statement. Do you think we will begin to see more and more children’s books that express the diversity of families today? Lisa: Yes, I do. My mother use to say “Don’t let tradition masquerade as the truth”. More publishers need to take a closer look at how many multicultural consumers are really out there and respond. When I appear at book festivals, I have so many families, some obviously diverse and some not so obvious, come to my tent and buy my book, it’s incredible. Juanita: What is the reading age for “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow”? Lisa: Ages 4-8 will enjoy the story. Lisa: Yes. When my daughter was three, she tried to give her dad hair using Play Doh Juanita: How old is your daughter now and what have her comments been about “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow”? Lisa: My daughter is now thirteen. When she first saw the galley of the book, I think it felt very soothing to her soul, to see our image on the cover. When she would accompany me to book signings, she would just beam with pride, especially when the children in the audience would sit so captivated and listen to me read the story. Now she gets a little suspicious when I asked her what’s new with her friends…the latest drama…she always asked if I’m planning on putting it into a new book, before she fills me in. Juanita: Did you have any special rituals growing up, similar to the Saturdays in “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow?” Lisa: My mother and I had weekly manicure appointments and then lunch at Farmer’s Market, a famous spot in Los Angeles. Juanita: What are your thoughts on parenting and the nurturing of a child’s creativity? Lisa: The cornerstone of our parenting philosophy is to teach our daughter that there is an abundance of whatever she needs in life. An abundance of love and a bounty of support. We all watch the news and know that there is also an abundance of hate and selfishness but we feel, if we teach her to believe in abundance, even when it’s not always obvious, she will have the tools to go out in the world and help those who have a shortage of what they need find their bounty. As far as creativity, she has put glitter and fairy dust on almost everything in her room except our dog, and we applaud it. Juanita: You have included the theme of equality within a family, particularly between the parents. What are your thoughts on the equality of the sexes? Lisa: If you want to raise men who love and respect woman, they have to see their fathers or a positive male figure cherishing women, not trying to control them…and if you want to raise women who love and respect themselves and men, they need to see women who know their worth. If that happens, you remove chauvinism and fear which helps create equality. Juanita: What do you hope your book conveys to its readers? Lisa: That families come in all types of compositions Juanita: The beautiful illustrations in “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow” are winning over many readers. I’ve heard comments like playful, vibrant, colorful, and detailed. Who was the illustrator and what are your comments on how they brought this story to life? Lisa: The illustrator’s name is Virgo Evans. She is just incredible. I described what I thought the family should look like and she just got it on the first take. The facial expressions, the details of the house and beauty salon, everything is how I envisioned it. Juanita: Are you planning any more books with stories of this family? Lisa: Yes, book two will be out in a few weeks. It’s about the same family; they get a rescue dog, who is a volunteer at Children’s Hospital. Juanita: Lisa, you started your career writing for a TV series and then went on to direct children’s theatre. Would you please tell us of your career pursuits that have led you to this point? Lisa: There is a saying that says “We teach what we want to learn.” I think learning new things, even if they are hard lessons, can be very healing (after a lot of time has passed). I think children are the best teachers on the planet. When I direct the children’s theater, sometimes I will tell the kids to take a juice break, but what I’m really doing is listening to them interact with each other. Even when they are not so nice to each other, they are always fair about their observations, comments, and exacting payback and punishment; the time always fits the crime. “Dakota, you were very mean to Morgan at snack today, so tomorrow at snack we will be mean to you.” By day three, Dakota has learned a good life lesson. It just works. So I guess what led me to this point is wanting to keep learning about life even when the curriculum is constantly changing. Juanita: Thanks for talking with us today Lisa. We look forward to seeing more books about this family in the near future. How can readers find our more about you and your endeavors? Lisa: My website will be up soon, and the web address is www.derngoodbooks.com. In the meantime readers can E-mail me at derngoodbooks@aol.com.
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Lisa: The story takes place on a Saturday morning, after a big pancake breakfast. The little girl’s mother leaves for her weekly standing hair appointment. The little girl spends time with her father, trying to create hairstyles for him, but the problem is, he is bald.
