At a recent school visit, a 2nd grade boy handed Janine this note.
Janine is my idol too!
Below is an interview that was posted on Albert Whitman's Blog, the publisher. It will give you a little insight in the making of the books.
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We were lucky enough to sit down with Maryann and Janine to chat about Janine and the Field Day Finish, inspiration, and optimism.
MARYANN, what was your inspiration for Janine and the Field Day Finish?
MCL: Janine
and the Field Day Finish is the sequel to
the first book, JANINE, which introduced this spunky character. Both books and
the ideas behind them, were inspired by my daughter Janine, who as a child with
disabilities focused on the positive while navigating life.
Being a Winner is not always about being Number One is the message in Janine
and the Field day Finish. The event behind the book was actually not on a field
BUT in a pool. It went like this…Janine has CP (cerebral palsy) and has
difficulty with all sports. After years of
physical therapy and private swimming lessons, she finally learned to swim. At
the local pool “Swim Meet” she was determined to swim one length of the pool.
It was a relay race. Janine was dead last and soon the only child left in the
pool. Most people cheered her on…but I heard several negative comments…”Who let
her on the team?” “Now they‘re going to lose”. As a parent, I was saddened by
these remarks. When Janine touched the end of the pool, we were thrilled, as
was Janine. She did it! I then
noticed that several kids were crying because they didn’t win. That moment
stuck with me. For Janine and for many children, it is not about winning…it’s
about finishing… it’s about supporting each other…it’s about trying your best. In Janine
and the Field Day Finish, I expanded the storyline and recreated this moment
on a school field instead of a pool, so that all children could relate.
In both books, you never mention what exactly
Janine’s disability is- WHY?
MCL: This question was the center of
many editorial discussions. From the beginning I thought it was important NOT
to mention the disability. First off, every person, child or adult, wants to be
seen as the person they are, not a label. Secondly- in reality, kids don’t care!…they
relate to each other as KIDS.
Every child has weaknesses and strengths and everyone need help now and
then.
How does using inspiration from a real person
differ from a character that is imagined?
MCL: Unlike
an imagined character, when I write and draw the Janine books, I need to be
true to my then 8 yr old little Janine. I keep asking myself---how would “kid”
Janine handle this? What would she say? What would she wear? I look to my, (now
31-year-old) daughter Janine for character guidance, but as her mom, I can
bring myself back in time to visualize her spunkiness, her quirks and pay
homage to this courageous, happy child. Even today, Janine has a great attitude
about life, never complains and is always supportive of others, even when she
doesn’t “make the team”.
JANINE- why
did you give your mother permission to create a character based on you and your
experiences?
JML- I hope by
sharing my story I will inspire others to be more tolerant and accepting of
people’s differences and to inspire children who have
disabilities.
In the Janine books one of the big lessons is self-advocacy; standing up for
yourself and loving who you are. Another is standing up for those who are being
treated unfairly. These
are very important messages to share with students in any age group since
bullying is such a prominent issue these days.
I
grew up with various disabilities and challenges. Instead of being down on myself, I have spent my whole life
focusing on being positive and thankful. When people had doubt in me, my faith in myself has
remained strong. Someone recently asked me, “If you could erase your
disabilities- would you?” My
answer is a big NO. Sure, I’d like to be able to drive, but my disabilities
have made me the person I am, and I don’t want to change. In the words of “book
Janine”- I LIKE ME!
I
hope kids learn to love who they are and don’t feel pressure to change to fit
in.
