Springtime Storks: Interview with Author Carol Joy Munro

As the fall migration comes to a close in New York City, I am loving Springtime Storks by Carol Joy Munro and Chelsea O’Byrne.

In this lyrical tale of love and resilience, a flock of storks is migrating to warmer climates when Katerina is wounded by a hunter. Her mate, Luka, stays behind as long as he can, but Katerina urges him to continue on, while she remains in the care of the humans who rescued her. As Katerina heals, she never stops thinking of Luka, and to her delight—and mine—Luka returns to her “when the magnolias bloom.” The tender text pairs beautifully with warmly-illustrated scenes in a pastel palette. Today, I am excited to welcome author Carol Joy Munro to Picture Book Builders to talk about this stunning story.

Sara: Welcome to Picture Book Builders, Carol! I’m so excited to hear more about this book. We learn in the back matter that Springtime Storks: A Migration Love Story is based on a true story. How did you first come across this story and how did you know it would make a great picture book?

Carol: A video about Malena and Klepetan, two storks in Croatia with a long distance relationship, popped up in my Facebook feed. After watching it, I couldn’t stop thinking about their devotion and how difficult it must have been for Malena to stay behind in Croatia whenever Klepetan migrated each autumn to South Africa. Their story inspired me to write a free verse poem about them. I never intended for it to be a picture book, but after re-reading the poem, I realized the potential.

Sara: Although Springtime Storks is based on a true story, it’s a fictionalized account. What made you go this route and what can you share with us about what is fact and what is fiction?

Carol: I wrote the poem in first person from Malena’s point of view, imagining the emotions she experienced. When I decided to revamp it as a picture book, it had to be fictionalized. There was no way for me to interview her, of course, and there’s no way a human could fully know how an animal truly feels. Besides, I’m not brave enough to do all the heavy research necessary for a non-fiction story. Kudos to those who can! There also would be a language barrier if I had interviewed anyone involved in caring for Malena. So I kept it a fictional story inspired by truth. The differences? Her caregiver, her nest location, and her ability to fly. Malena’s primary caregiver was Stjepan Vokić, a school custodian, who had rescued Malena when she was shot. I believe he was alone when he found her and took her home. I needed to bring a child into my story, so I gave the caregiving tasks to a girl and her grandfather.

Vokić built a nest for Malena on the roof of his house, which included ramps for Malena. Her wing was so badly injured she could never fly. However, in my story, the child helps Katerina build a nest on the roof of her Grandfather’s barn, and Katerina could manage to fly the short distance from ground to nest.

To tell the true facts about Vokić, Malena, and Klepetan, I included an author’s note in the back matter.

Sara: The first line of the book is simply, “BANG!” It’s the sound of the gunshot that injured Katerina. It’s extremely powerful and immediately intriguing. Can you talk about how you developed the beginning of this book? Did the book always start this way?

Carol: The poem started out with a bang. When I began to revise it as a picture book, I worried about
leaving it in. I mean, isn’t it difficult enough to sell a picture book manuscript without complicating it with gun violence? But the issue of illegal hunting was important for me to include in this book, and it’s the reason for Malena’s/Katerina’s predicament, so I couldn’t avoid the BANG! I kept it in and explained it in the back matter. I also wondered how kids might relate to Katerina being shot by a gun, considering the worry we all have about school shootings. I hope they see how Katerina lives a full life even with her injury.

Sara: There aren’t a ton of picture book love stories. How did you approach the love story between Katerina and Luka to make it relatable to young readers?

Carol: The love angle itself was impossible to avoid. Really, how sweet is it that two storks reunite every spring? But I actually wasn’t focused on the love story. Instead, I wrote about separation, which kids experience all the time — a friend who moves away, parents who leave for work, a grandparent who lives elsewhere. I wanted readers to see that it doesn’t have to be permanent. I also wanted to raise the emotional response of readers to encourage them to be more empathetic toward animals and each other.

Sara: Where can we learn more about the two amazing storks who inspired this story?

Carol: Malena and Klepetan’s story was followed by millions of people who watched for Klepetan’s return each March via a live-cam. If you search “Malena and Klepetan” you can go down a very deep rabbit hole reading articles and watching videos about them. Some years ago, a documentary about Stjepan Vokić and the storks was produced, which premiered in a theater where he received an award. And there had been a Facebook group where fans could follow the storks’ activity. If only my book would be as popular!

Sara: Thank you for joining us at Picture Book Builders today, Carol!

Carol: Thanks for inviting me to Picture Book Builders, Sara!