A moving, thoughtful meditation on life and loss.”
Kirkus Reviews
In Kathy Stinson’s new picture book The Rock and the Butterfly, a butterfly finds peace in the memories left behind by its friend, the rock. Hear from the author on what inspired this meditative book and what she hopes readers will take away from the story.
What inspired you to write The Rock and the Butterfly?
Quite simply, it was the death of an old friend, graphic designer Blair Kerrigan. He was the husband of Heather Collins. She and I had become friends while she was illustrating the original Bare Naked Book back in the 1980s. I wanted to write her a letter of condolence, partly because Blair died during the COVID pandemic shutdowns.
How did you decide on a rock and a butterfly as main characters of the story?
The decision was made for me, really. While walking in the woods near my home, thinking about what to say in my letter to Heather, I remembered her telling me early in our friendship that she was the butterfly in her marriage to Blair, and he was the rock. A story began to take shape in my head about what might happen to a butterfly when the rock it depends on disappears. I sat down to write a first draft as soon as I got home.
What was it like working with your long-time friend, Brooke Kerrigan, the daughter of Blair and Heather?
In a word, awesome! But let me backtrack.
Early in 2021, I started wondering if there might be potential for a children’s book in my story for Heather, but I was concerned it might seem exploitative or at least distasteful to even consider the idea. Around that time, Brooke was corresponding with my partner Peter Carver (she’d worked with him on three books while he was editor for Red Deer Press), and she mentioned to him that her first reaction, when her mom read the story aloud to her, was that she wanted to illustrate it. Peter suggested that Brooke and I should chat.
Once we knew that Heather liked the idea that Brooke and I had come up with independently, we met by Zoom. We had a great back-and-forth about things like how a rock could just disappear. Was it in a garden where a person could come along and remove it? Or on the edge of a cliff where it could roll into the sea? We talked about the challenge of maintaining interest in a series of images of a rock and a butterfly, not the most visibly expressive of characters! I was open to Brooke’s thoughts about the text, and she to mine about the art.
Brooke rose to the challenges of the manuscript brilliantly. I couldn’t be more pleased with what she’s done. I think the book is a lovely tribute to Brooke’s parents and the love between them. My only wish is that we lived closer to each other so we could celebrate our book together—along with her mom, perhaps near the rock that’s been placed on a dune in one of Blair’s favorite places in the world.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
That it’s possible to be friends with someone very different from yourself. And that whatever kind of dent/impression/impact someone makes in their lifetime can help sustain those left behind, after that someone is gone, whether their disappearance comes about through their death or for some other reason.
Who do you think needs to read this book?
The format of the book suggests it’s for children, and it is, but I’ve heard from a number of people who have given it as a gift to an adult who has received it with deep gratitude. It’s a moving story, accompanied by beautiful art that supports its emotional content, so I can’t help thinking that anyone who has experienced the loss of someone dear, or who might in the foreseeable future, could find some measure of comfort in it.
My thanks to Heather Collins for giving this book her blessing.
Kathy Stinson has loved reading all her life but was almost thirty when she discovered she loves writing too. She is the author of over forty books for young people, including the classic Red Is Best and the award-winning The Man with the Violin. When not reading or writing, she enjoys photography, jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and walking in the woods and fields near her home in Rockwood, Ontario.