In August 2017, Truck, Truck, Goose! debuted. I wrote this book about Goose and his pals, and Zoe Waring illustrated it. Last summer, Zoe was kind enough to stop by Picture Book Builders. She answered some questions and told us a little about her process. You can find that interview here.
I sold this book in a two-book deal. Jill Davis, my editor at HarperCollins, asked for a companion book for Truck, Truck, Goose! She wanted me to use the same cast of characters and to base the title of this second book on another childhood game.
It took a lot of brainstorming (and a couple of failed efforts) for me to land on the perfect game, but, in a few short days, Goose and some of his buddies return for their second splash onto the scene in GO FISH!
This is what Kirkus has to say about the book:
“Sauer’s minimalist wordplay and Waring’s rotund, cheery friends brighten up a favorite pastime. A slight educational aside: Some of the unusual items they catch (although exaggerated) could be a conversation starter about pollution.
A fun summertime romp—hook, line, and sinker.”
For both Truck, Truck, Goose! and GO FISH!, I had a specific audience in mind. I wanted to give kids who are just starting to read the opportunity to feel like accomplished, real deal readers. To do this, I kept the text in each book to a minimum. Aside from Goose’s picnic to-do list in Truck, Truck, Goose!, the only other words in the entire book are truck, goose, and moose. In GO FISH!, with the exception of final two spreads, the only words used are go, fish, no, oh, whoa, and hello.
Because of the limited text, I included quite a few art notes in the manuscript. These were necessary since the art in GO FISH! tells most of the story.
What follows is an excerpt from the first page of the original manuscript. The art notes are presented in brackets in an effort to set them apart from the actual text of the story.
_________________________________________
End Pages
[Goose packs his fishing gear (pole, tackle box, lots of fishing line, etc.)]
Title Page
[Goose leaves a sign on his door that reads, “GONE FISHIN’.”]
4/5
[Goose and the other characters from Truck, Truck, Goose happily head to a pond for a day of fishing.]
6/7
Go fish! [Everyone casts a line except for Goose. He is preoccupied—perhaps he’s tangled in his fishing line.]
8/9
No fish. [No one catches anything except for one animal who reels in something like a boot.]
_________________________________________
In addition to the art notes, I also specified the pagination. I don’t normally include the page breaks in a manuscript, but, because the text was limited, I felt I needed to show these breaks so that the editor would better understand the pacing of the book.
Zoe took this information and helped to create a book that offers all the important elements readers have come to expect from a story including characters, setting, and conflict. Her art also played a big role in showcasing the heart and humor of GO FISH!
Zoe and I really enjoyed creating another adventure for Goose and company. We hope you fall for GO FISH! hook, line, and sinker.
_______________________________________
GIVEAWAY:
One lucky duck commenter will receive a copy of GO FISH!
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I cant wait to see another book with these characters. And thank you, Tammi, for sharing some of the manuscript. Seeing how you handle the art notes is really helpful.
You’re welcome! 🙂
I love the economy of language in these books. The perfect step for beginning readers. Thank you for sharing a little bit of how you handled illustration notes!
You’re welcome, Shirley!
Adorable! So happy to see Goose and friend, again. Can’t wait to read it!
Thanks, pal. 🙂
So excited to read the sequel! We love TRUCK TRUCK GOOSE!
Thanks Lindsay! 🙂
What a challenge to find another game and turn it into a book. Can’t wait to see how you did it!
Thanks, Susan!
How fun! Thanks for sharing some of your process with us, Tammi. Congratulations!!
Thanks, Judy!
Very happy to see all the lovely characters !!
I’m so glad that I got the chance to give these characters another story!
A great way to get early readers involved in the reading process. I love that it is combined with childhood games.
Thanks, Gayle!
Adorable! Congratulations!
Thanks, Angie! 🙂
I adore Tammi’s books and check them out of my library. This book looks fun too.
Thanks, Danielle! 🙂
What fun!
Thank you! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your process and adorable characters! Can’t wait to pick this one up. So happy for your success! 🙂
Thanks, Danielle! 🙂
Very clever! This would be a great confidence-building book for my granddaughter, who is learning to read but tends to get frustrated and give up easily.
Thanks! Have her give Truck, Truck, Goose! a go, too. 🙂
Very clever! This would be a great confidence building book for my granddaughter, who is learning to read, but is easily frustrated and gives up. Thank you!
Congratulations Tammi! Go Fish! looks just as delightful as Truck, Truck, Goose! Sharing how you formatted your manuscript and your illustration notes was very helpful!
Thanks, Judy! 🙂
Love this! Congrats!
Thanks, Lori! 🙂
What a grand experiment for a book! The limited vocabulary sets a great challenge for you, the writer, and accompiishment for beginning readers. I’d love to win this, Tammi.
Thanks, Kathy! 🙂
I love the concept for this book! Ecology plus fun! And I will definitely check out Truck, Truck Goose. What an inspired concept! Thanks for sharing your process with us, Tammi.
Thanks, Marcia! 🙂
Awesome!! So excited to have a second book with these awesome cast of Characters! My son’s favorite book is Truck, Truck Goose so can’t wait to purchase this one!
Thanks so much for sharing that! I hope your son loves GO FISH!, too. 🙂
I love that emergent readers can access complex comprehension through the pictures in this text. Thank you for giving insight into how you create a book and your thought process!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Tami I love that you showed the first page of submission. And of course I’m itching to ‘catch’ and read this book!
Ha! I see what you did there. 🙂
Both these books look A-dorable!!
Thanks, Tracy! Zoe did such an amazing job. 🙂
So original! Both books are keepers! And such fun for beginning readers!
Thanks, Mary! 🙂
What a fun companion book to Truck, Truck, Goose! I can’t wait to go to Red Balloon Bookshop and buy a copy!
Oh, I LOVE that store! Thanks, Mark! 🙂
Love it!
Thanks! 🙂
It sounds like your sequel will live up to the original…not an easy feat! Thanks for all your hard work and for sharing these behind-the-scenes glimpses. Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Joanne! 🙂
Thanks for sharing more about this journey!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Lovely idea!!! Great message. beautiful illustrations.
Thanks, Laurel! 🙂
Sounds so adorable! Loved hearing about the process!
Thanks, Penny! 🙂
Looks like another winner! Thanks for the show and tell on presenting your manuscript. So helpful!
Glad the post was helpful! 🙂
Tammi, your books never disappoint. This is another winner!
Thanks, Kathy! 🙂
What a terrific premise! Trust Tammi to come up with something so funny (and educational) in so few words. 🙂
Ha! 🙂
They both looks like so much fun!
Thanks, Quinette! 🙂
early readers need fun books and these look great, Tammi.
THANK YOU! 🙂
My Preschool class would love this book. The illustrations are so sweet and engaging.! Thank you for sharing such a nice giveaway.
Yay! This book is the perfect fit for your audience.
I used to teach prek. They’re my people. 🙂
Even in this post you packed so much helpful information in a very few words! This book would be perfect for my youngest two… thanks for sharing!!
Yay! 🙂
Thank you for the helpful hints for illustration notes. Love the cute minimalist language.
Thanks, Carol! 🙂
This book looks so cute
This looks so cute and the illustrations are adorable! I’m looking forward to reading it!
Thanks, Stacy! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
How fun! Thanks for sharing your first page with us and explaining how you did the art notes.
And thank YOU for always stopping by PBB! 🙂
You inspire, Tami! Thanks for sharing these cute books and how you handled the art notes for your manuscript.
You’re welcome! 🙂
Tammi, thank you for sharing a peek at your manuscript and art notes! And those illustrations are adorable! Congrats!
Thanks, Amanda! 🙂
Sounds like a lot of fun – can’t wait to read it!
Thanks, Rimna! 🙂
Thanks Tammi! I really appreciate seeing a bit of your ms. The story looks so cute!
Thanks, Mary! 🙂
Thanks for sharing a little bit about your process! I’ve been looking into different methods authors use for minimal text manuscripts, and I really appreciate your example! Looking forward to reading this one!
Thanks, Joy! Go to Linda Ashman’s website. She has some great examples of this. 🙂
Thank you for sharing! I have been looking into different ways people use illustration notes with manuscripts with minimal text, and your example is so helpful! Looking forward to reading this one!
Oh, I’m so excited for this! Congratulations, Tammi and Zoe. Tammi, thanks for sharing a bit of the behind the scenes and your first page manuscript.
Thanks, Katrina! 🙂
Congratulations on this new book! People rarely realize how difficult spare, simlple language is to write. Kudos on a job well done. It would be just ducky to win a copy.
Thanks, Kathy. 🙂
Thanks for sharing! I look forward to reading and then typing this one out as a nearly wordless mentor text!
Hooray!
Oh my gosh, this is so cute! I gave the grandgirl a copy of TRUCK, TRUCK, GOOSE and she adores it. I can’t wait to add this one to her stash. You two are quite the clever duo!
Oh, yay! I’m so glad she’s a fan of Truck, Truck, Goose! 🙂
Loved the clever minimalism of TRUCK, TRUCK, GOOSE. Looking forward to reading this silly companion!
Thanks, Laura! 🙂
Looks like another winner for kids just learning to read!
Thanks, Jennifer! 🙂
Can’t wait to read it! Congrats
Thanks, Jenny! 🙂
I plan to get Go Fish! And Truck, Teuck, Truck, Goose for my little nieces. These books will also be great for my emergent readers.
Thank you so much, Kathleen! 🙂
You are so creative. Wow!
Ha! Thanks. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your sample ms pages. Love books for beginning, real-deal readers that are FUN!
Hooray! 🙂
I love your concepts, pacing and word play!
Thanks so much, Manju! 🙂
Looks so good, Tammi. I really love the humor and pacing you inject into your books.
Honored!
And, just so we’re clear, I’m a Mike Boldt Superfan. 🙂
Looks good. I’m curious to see what they fish out. Thanks for including your examples of the art notes. So helpful!
Ha! They definitely reel in a variety. 🙂
Looks like a sweet story! I’d love it for my 6 year-old who is learning to read.
Yay! 🙂
Thank you Tammi for sharing your process and art notes. I cannot wait to read this.
Hooray! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Bravo, Tammi and Zoe, you’ve done it again. This is one fish (story) I won’t let get away.
Ha! Thanks, LeeAnn. 🙂