Who’s Your Real Mum? An interview with Bernadette Green

Who’s Your Real Mum?

Bernadette Green is the debut author of the whimsical new picture book Who’s Your Real Mum?

Filled with humour, heart and bright imagination, the book explores the question of what makes a family. In this interview, Mary Martin bookseller Suzy finds out about the inspiration behind the story, the creative process and the path to publication.

Who's Your Real Mum? is easily a favourite of ours in 2020. Where did the inspiration come from?

The inspiration came from my children and their experience of having two mums. When they were in primary school, they were asked which of their mums was their real mum. It’s a confronting question and I wanted to answer it in a way that took some of the pressure off kids from same-sex parented families, while also responding to the natural curiosity in children wanting to understand a family different to their own.

Writing this book was also my response to questions that I’ve been asked about which of my daughters is mine. I’m the biological mother of one of my children but a mother of them both. Their biology is part of their story but it’s not all their story.

Bernadette’s daughter’s illustration for the mock-up of the picture book.

Can you share a bit about the writing process?

I wrote Who’s Your Real Mum? while studying children’s writing as part of RMIT’S Professional Writing and Editing program. Up until then, I’d mainly written middle-grade and young adult fiction where I was the sole creator. But in picture books the writing is only half the story. I needed to learn to leave air for the illustrator to create the other half.

As part of my studies, I was asked to produce a dummy book, which is a mock-up of a picture book. This was helpful as it was a physical reminder of how the book would be read, with a pause between each page as the reader took in both text and images. This effected the text and encouraged another round of edits. My youngest daughter was seven at the time and she drew the pictures for the dummy book, so it’s become a bit of a treasure.

How did the book deal come about?

Author Kate O’Donnell was a guest lecturer in a young adult writing class at RMIT. In her introduction she mentioned she was the publication editor at Scribble, the kid’s imprint at Scribe Publications. Immediately I thought about my manuscript. Our lecturers always encouraged us to network and take a risk. While I normally find that sort of thing hard, it was too good an opportunity to pass up. I approached Kate during the break and asked if I could pitch my manuscript to her. Kate was extremely friendly and a few days later I received an email asking if I’d like to send in the manuscript.

Anna Zobel's illustrations are so delightful and capture the whimsy of the book beautifully. Did you work together to bring the book to life?

I didn’t meet Anna in person until the book was at the printer, but I felt I already knew her through her wonderful images and her take on the story over the previous eighteen months. Our editor, Kate, sent me Anna’s early character illustrations and scene sketches and always asked for my feedback.

Once Anna came on board more of the text was able to be dropped as the illustrations were enough. The setting also changed. While I originally imagined it in a school yard, Anna played with different settings, including an amusement park and a camp site. I think the final domestic setting she chose is perfect, it’s warm and relatable. I couldn’t be happier with her illustrations, she’s brought the two children in the story to life with so much love and fun, and together they’re easily able to tackle the question in the title.

What are your favourite picture books?

I recently read and loved another Scribble title, The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade, written by Davina Bell and illustrated by Allison Colpoys. Alfie’s anxious and sometimes things are too much but given time, he finds his own way to join in.

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan is one for all ages.  It reminds me that sadness can sometimes visit without an understanding of why and it can leave again in the same way. One of my kids’ favourite books when they were younger was Fiona the Pig by Leigh Hobbs.

And lastly, for parents who love to put on voices when they’re reading, Scarface Claw by Lynley Dodd, is a lot of fun.

Are you working on anything at the moment?

I’m currently writing a queer middle-grade fantasy trilogy. It’s centred around Nuwa, a reluctant and anxious hero and her feisty younger sister, Joni.

Thank you to Bernadette Green, Scribe Publications and Meghan at Piccolo Angelo Photography for the images.

RRP $24.99