Hello, Picture Book Builders people.
If you know me, you know I love to write funny and often heartfelt books that star farm animals. Well, I love to READ those kinds of books almost as much. My latest farm animal book crush is Moo Hoo written by Audrey Perrott and illustrated by Ross Burach.
According to the book jacket…
Milton has a wonderful life.
But he cries…A LOT.
He cries when he’s sad. Obviously.
And also when he’s happy,
and scared,
and nervous,
and frustrated,
and, well, you name it.
Milton’s friends are baffled by his tears,
which only makes him cry more.
Until he meets Wanda.
Enticed?! I thought so.
WARNING: The joy of this book does not end with the final page.
Behold the back cover:
Genius, right?
But I’m not the only one who thinks this book is, well, moovelous. Check out this review:
“Kids may learn to laugh at themselves a little—and accept themselves, too.”— Kirkus Reviews
Today, Audrey Perrott is with us at Picture Book Builders. Let’s ask her some questions, shall we?
TS: Audrey! Welcome to Picture Book Builders. Where oh where did you get the idea for this funny tearjerker?
AP: It all started with my daughter. Like many preschoolers, she had a hard time pronouncing the “b” sound. She also had a very serious sense of humor and would love to make us laugh by pretending to cry. She would walk around saying, “Boo hoo! I’m crying!” Except it came out as “Moo hoo, I’m crying!” Add in my very empathetic son and voila! (Or should I say moo-la?) Milton was born.
TS: Moo Hoo is your very first book. What has your path to publication been like? Did you have to send any early manuscripts out to pasture before receiving your first YES?
AP: Abso-mooooo-tley! I was lucky enough to publish a few write-for-hire non-fiction for kids’ books while I was querying agents. MOO HOO was the first manuscript I wrote with the intention to get traditionally published and I, like many before me, sent it out waaaaaaaay too early. <sheepishly hides behind my fingers>.
As I continued to polish it, I churned out as many other manuscripts as I could, getting feedback, and soaking up the industry and craft. To my delight, MOO HOO garnered some awards, which led to a friend and illustration agent offering to take it out on a limited submission. More positive feedback and more polished manuscripts later, I queried again and was thrilled to sign with my agent in the fall of 2019. Because of the recent subs of MOO HOO, we decided to go on submission with a different manuscript first.Then March 2020 happened and as the world came to a halt so did momentum on that first manuscript. We ended up shelving it and then a second one too. Third times the charm, right? Kind of. We sent three different manuscripts out in different genres at that point and in the fall of 2021 sold my first picture book! Eventually, one of those other manuscripts sold and then MOO HOO did too.
TS: I, too, have had the pleasure of creating a book with the one and only Ross Burach. Were you as overjoyed as I was when Ross signed on to illustrate? Did you moo-hoo a bit? I know I sure did! Ross is so great at amping up the humor!
AP: Oh. My. Word. When my editor shared with me that Ross loved the story and was on board, I am not joking, I literally fell on the floor. There were squeals. There was laughter. There were definitely happy, grateful tears! I had no doubt Ross would knock it out of the pasture, and goodness, he did and then some. I met him over Zoom on World Read Aloud Day this February, and I had to work really hard to play it cool and not be a total fan girl!
[[[BONUS CONTENT: Click here for my Bunnies interview with Ross.]]]
TS: Please share your favorite spread.
AP: My favorite spread is the one where we learn that Milton cries when he’s happy, and it’s my favorite for a few reasons. First, I love surprising page turns and the contrast it offers to the previous spread of Milton’s sad tears.
Secondly, the text on this page includes something my son said verbatim when he was six while watching a special family movie of ours about his sister. Tears streaming down his face, he turned to me and said, “It’s so beautiful. You can’t help but weep with joy.”
Thirdly, I love that Ross used his love of drawing as the action for Milton in this overwhelming joyful moment.
Finally, the friends’ side comments crack me up every time and are so much fun to dramatize during read-alouds.
TS: Let’s get in the writing mooooood. If you could share one piece of advice with the picture book-writing crowd, what would it be?
AP: Use those page turns to amp up the drama or humor to your picture book. I like to think of each spread as a chapter in a novel and an opportunity to leave a cliff hanger, enticing the reader to turn the page to see what’s next and then surprise them with the unexpected, a punchline, or a beautiful reason to pause and soak in the scene.
TS: Scoop time! What’s next?
AP: My second picture book, A HAT FOR HOUSE, illustrated by the incredible Druscilla Santiago, comes whooshing onto shelves on November 12, and I have an early reader graphic novel series with the delightful Charlene Chua coming in 2026. There are a few other surprises coming in between, and I will forever be pinching myself that this is my real life!
BIO:
Audrey has dreamed about a career in children’s books since she was six years old. She studied English and Children’s Literature at the University of Florida and after an award-winning career in communications, she is now a full-time author and freelance copywriter. She loves to give back to the kidlit community and co-hosts The Joys of Booking, a foodie and bookie community. She believes funny books are just as important as serious books and writes both in her North Carolina home. You can find more about her and her books on her website at audreyperrott.com.
GIVEAWAY:
Audrey is giving a signed copy of Moo Hoo to one of you-hoo. For a chance to win, leave a comment on this post. For a bonus chance to win, please share the post on Twitter. (Yes, I will call it Twitter forever.). Please tag me in the post (@SauerTammi).
Love this post and cannot wait to read MOO HOO. It sounds so fabulous and fun!
What a fun and delightful book!
I love the humorous illustrations!
Congratulations!
So excited for Audrey’s books to be in the world!!
I love reading the inspiration for a story and this one is perfect!
Moo-velous!
Thank ewe Tammi & Audrey for your udderly delightful insights into this sweet sob-story! Love this divine bovine tail celebrating the joys of finding a woolly supportive kindred spirit!
Even the title cracks me up! Can’t wait to read the book. Love how everyday events can lead to great inspiration!
This book looks wonderful! Congrats and can’t wait to read it!
Oh, this is great! Milton! I love it! And crying for all the reasons. Perfect! Can’t wait to read this. Congratulations, Audrey! And Tammi, I took will forever call it Twitter. 🙂 Sharing this to Twitter.
Tammi and Audrey, thank you for a moo-velous interview. I just love that your son, so young, could weep for joy! Congratulations!!!
I can’t wait to read this book! I love the artwork and the humor–the back cover is awesome and how I feel often when I finish reading a novel.
So fun…thanks for sharing!
This book is so clever and funny! The illustrations are so much fun! 🤩
Yay, Audrey! Huge congrats on your debut and the announcement of Baa Haa. So cute and fun.
Love this!
Moo Hoo — I can’t stop smiling!!!
Moovelous, funny, and mooving! Congratulations Audrey!
Congratulations, Audrey! Great interview and I can’t wait to read your book!
What a lovely book. I can’t wait to read it.
Congratulations!
I think my kindergartners would LOVE this. Great interview, and congrats on your books, Audrey!
Wow, love this, it sounds funny *and* heartfelt–the holy grail for picture books! Congrats, can’t wait to read it!
This book is absolutely MOOtiful, and it’s fun to hear the story of how it began! Congratulations, Audrey!
Really great story time real aloud!
It would be-hoof my students to have herd of this story! (Sorry for the udderly silly puns. )
Super cute! Congrats, Audrey!
What a moo-ti-ful book! Thais is sure to become a kid favorite!
Congratulations! I requested this from my library and I can’t wait to read it!!!
Congrats, Audrey! Such fun to hear how it was inspired in part by your own kids. Bet they love that! Sounds, and looks, delightful!
I enjoy Audrey’s sense of humor. Sending extra thanks for her generosity in mentoring other picture book writers. (Post shared on Twitter.)
This sounds hilarious! As someone who cries both sad tears and happy tears, and whose family members do the same, I know we’ll love reading this!
Congratulations Audrey! This book is so very cute!
What a fantastic interview! I love Audrey’s advice. Thank you so much for sharing!!
I share this post on Twitter (I will always call it that, too!!)
Yay for Milton and his tears!
I can relate to Milton! Your book sounds like it’s filled with humor and heart! I can’t wait to read it!
I am falling in love with Milton and his tears.
I shared this moovelous heartfelt and funny post on Twitter.
Thank you, Audrey and Tammi.
Sounds like my kind of book! Loved the interview.
Congrats to Audrey!
How fun! I can’t wait to read it! Congratulations!
What a darling book! I love the illustrations! Congratulations! ♥️
I can’t wait to read this fun book! I love books filled with humor and heart.