My son has been wanting to build a lot of stuff lately: stuff on Minecraft, Lego houses, and a video game. He’s also been talking about a treehouse that he wants to build with me this summer. It is no surprise that his building obsession has come after Andy Griffiths visited his school and Sue Fliess’s Let’s Build book joined our bedtime rotation.
I have the honor today of interview Ms. Fliess today on my blog about her latest book Let’s Build.
5,4,3,2,1 Interview
Here are the rules:
1. I give the interviewee 5 questions
2. They have to answer
- 1 question with 5 sentences
- 1 question with 4 sentences
- 1 question with 3 sentences
- 1 question with 2 sentences
- 1 question with 1 sentence
3. They get to pick which question which question to answer with each number of sentences
4. Have fun!
INTERVIEW
1. Can you tell us a little bit about Let’s Build? 4 sentences
Let’s Build is a Daddy and son story about sharing quality time building something special—in this case a fort—together. They work as a team, drawing up the plans for the fort, going to the hardware store, hammering, sawing, and eating the ideal kid-friendly lunch. Finally they enjoy their finished product. I have a wonderful relationship with my Dad, and I know it’s because we built many things together when I was growing up.
2. What is your favorite thing about being a writer? 2 sentences
Getting to write about any idea I have, even the bad ones. And the writers, illustrators, and editors I’ve met or worked with over the years are among my favorite people.
3. What’s the hardest thing about being a writer? 1 sentence
Finding the self-discipline to meet self-imposed deadlines.
4. If you could spend one day inside the world of any book which book would you pick? 5 sentences
Wow, this is a tough one! I’m going to go with Arnold Lobel’s The Frog and Toad Collection. I realize that’s cheating a bit because there are several books in the collection, but whenever I read one of these stories, I always want more. I see myself in both Frog and Toad. I think being in their world would be a welcome change to the fast-pace, instantaneous world we live in now, and would allow me live in the moment more. And best of all, I’d be with two of the coolest amphibians I know.
5. What advice do you have for the young writers in my classroom? 3 sentences
It’s okay to make mistakes. Mistakes—in writing or in life—are how we learn and become better! Whatever you love to do, if you keep practicing, you’ll become an expert, and then you can do it forever.
sharpread 
For as long as I remember, I’ve had an affinity for building things, and when my son was little, I really thought he might become an architect! My dad was in construction, my brother did carpentry work and I know I’ve built a variety of things, including a life-size cardboard boardwalk lol
I think building things is something that’s innate in most/all of us on some level—one of the most basic ways to create. But there’s something about building something like a fort, clubhouse, treehouse, that feels incredibly satisfying in the doing and the results. I think it’s one of the best things for people to share, for sure, and Colby—your daughters may want to participate, too, you know 😀
Sue, I love the idea of this book and the illustrations are so charming. What a wonderful subject to encourage this wholesome, creative activity! Thanks for the review 😀
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Oh, and I forgot to mention: your son may love to watch the scene (NOT the movie itself) that’s in “Witness” with Harrison Ford, when the community is building a barn. I have ALways loved that—the people coming together to build something for a new family—the basic, hard work and the results. Just love it!
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These are my favorite interviews and I’ll be buying this book for my son and grandsons. Not that they need the reminder – they build things all the time together. but it’s nice to have a book to share about it also!
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