Welcome to #TheQuickSixInterview with Felice Arena!
It’s a huge honour to welcome the superlative Felice Arena to our blog; popular author of so many great titles including the bestselling Specky Magee books and his previous scrumptious picture book, PASTA!. Without sounding too cheesy, Felice’s next book is as tasty as the last (oops, that was cheesy!), but here is the perfect companion because ‘you can’t have pasta without CHEESE!‘. For all the foodies out there, this is a culinary, cultural delight that is sure to have you salivating as you share your way around the world of yummy, versatile, colourful, and even stinky cheeses in a cracker of a rhyming feast. Honestly, some of those cheeses are a mouthful to pronounce, but enticing enough to make you hungry to learn more. The deliciously vibrant, smooth and creamy, retro-style illustrations by Beatrice Cerocchi melt with heart and ooze with cheer. CHEESE, yes please!
Thanks so much, Felice! 🙂
About the Author
Felice Arena is one of Australia’s best-loved children’s writers. He is the author and creator of many popular and award-winning children’s books for all ages, including the acclaimed historical adventures The Boy and the Spy, Fearless Frederic and A Great Escape, the bestselling Specky Magee books, a cheeky read-aloud picture-book Poo
and Other Words that Make Me Laugh, and the popular Andy Roid and Sporty Kids series.
Please find Felice Arena at his website: Felice Arena – Official Site and on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X
About the Illustrator
Beatrice Cerocchi is an illustrator and architect based in Rome, Italy. She has won the 2017 AOI World Illustration Award and the 2018 Bologna Children’s Book Fair Award.
CHEESE! is available for purchase from Affirm Press.
Thanks to Affirm Press for providing a complimentary copy of this book.
WHO wrote, illustrated and published this book?
I wrote the text, Beatrice Cerocchi illustrated it. It’s published by Affirm Press.
WHAT is it about?
Using lyrical rhyme and rhythm, this book is a celebration of one of the foods we love to eat – Cheese! It’s a follow-up to the much-loved PASTA! picture book.
What is your favourite part of this book?
As with PASTA! this book begs to be read aloud. So, my favourite part while reading this is when the sing-song text hits the joyous beat and repeated chant of “Cheese? Yes, please!” But I also enjoyed writing the following passages: “A smear of Mondseer, or Paneer? Yes, dear!” And “I’m never gloomy with a plate of fried Halloumi!” and “Some Brie? Mais oui! Ooh la la, how fancy! Camembert, Gruyére, Fourme d’Ambert… there’s plenty to share!”
WHEN did you begin writing this book?
I wrote PASTA! and CHEESE! around the same time, way back in 2021 when we were all in lockdown. PASTA! was signed on in 2022 and released in 2023. And CHEESE! was signed on soon after, and released, well, now! Yes, you need to be patient in the world of publishing.
When is its release / launch date?
24 September 2024.
WHERE did the inspiration for this book come from?
PASTA and CHEESE – actually food in general – played a prominent role in my big Italian family. We seemed to be celebrating food all year round. Some of my fondest memories were of sitting around the kitchen table. The simple and joyful act of grating Parmigiano Reggiano on a big bowl of homemade pasta, or remembering my Nonna slathering fresh ricotta on toasted focaccia bread for an afterschool snack will stay with me forever. So, I guess the inspiration to write an ode to food we all love, has always been there. It was just a matter of time before I was going to serve it up (excuse the pun) in the form of a fun read-aloud book.
WHY is this book meaningful to you?
I love words. I love playing with words. I love adding joy and play in the way we say words, especially when given the chance to read them aloud. I wanted to write something that would be fun for parents and teachers to read to their little ones. I wanted the text to illicit a joyous response from the child. Nothing beats a kid smiling and possibly falling in love with reading for the first time. This is why this book is so meaningful to me.
Why would its message resonate with readers?
What kid (or adult) doesn’t love a melted cheese toastie? Or finding string cheese in their lunch box? If you know a child who is mad about eating cheese, then this will totally resonate with them.
HOW do you feel about the illustrations / cover design? How do they convey the feeling or mood you envisioned?
Beatrice’s illustrations are vividly stunning. They have a retro and timeless feel to them. She conveys joy, comfort, gathering, friendship, and family in each striking spread. Her images in both PASTA! and CHEESE! ooze joy. She captured the glee in my text, far exceeding what I had envisioned.
How have you promoted this book and how can we find it?
I have just ended a six-week tour of schools – reading aloud to thousands of kids and their raptured cries of ‘CHEESE, YES PLEASE!’ and ‘PASTA!’
You can find CHEESE! in your local bookstore. Or… visit my site felicearena.com or Instagram.com/felicearenabooks where you can find direct links to online stores.
Congratulations, Felice! Il formaggio è delizioso! 🙂
#thequicksixinterview #CHEESE #PASTA #family #food #picturebooks #justkidslit
