A member of SCBWI, author Jodi Kendall grew up in Columbus, Ohio (the setting of her books) and she currently lives in New York City. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and was a freelance writer for the National Geographic Channel digital media team right when Nat Geo Wild was just getting off the ground, where she contributed content for them. Jodi has two books with HarperCollins. The first, published in 2017 is called The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, and is a story that follows Josie Shilling and her family as Josie tries to find a new home for a very rapidly growing piglet named Hamlet.
We’re
here today to talk about her second book, DOG DAYS IN THE CITY, which is
available everywhere October 2!
Hi Jodi, and welcome to Twenty by Jenny. You have a new middle grade
book out with HarperCollins! DOG DAYS IN THE CITY, which is a follow-up story
to THE UNLIKELY STORY OF A PIG IN THE CITY.
Yes!
I can’t wait for it to finally be on shelves!
In The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City, we meet the
Shilling family, and the main character, Josie Shilling, is tasked with finding
a home for a very fast growing piglet named Hamlet. What can readers expect to
find in your new novel, Dog Days in the City?
The
sequel picks up seven months after the first book ends. It’s summertime and
now-12-year-old Josie Shilling has quit the gymnastics team and volunteers at
the local animal clinic, the one place she truly feels like herself. But then a
mysterious box appears on the clinic’s front steps, and Josie suddenly finds
herself in charge of a litter of adorable, mischievous puppies! There’s no way
her parents will let her keep them. So Josie has two weeks to find them a
forever home. But finding one home for Hamlet the pig was hard enough—and now
she needs seven. On top of that, her family dog Sugar is getting older,
and Josie’s family is fighting more than ever, and being twelve isn’t all it’s
cracked up to be. This summer will bring unexpected changes for Josie, as she
learns about growing up, letting go, and loving your pack no matter what. DOG
DAYS IN THE CITY is dedicated to my beloved dog Moose, who we adopted as a
puppy and passed away last fall at the age of 14, and for anyone who’s ever
loved a dog.
What new characters are you excited for your readers to meet? What
about old characters—how have they changed?
Oooh,
this is a great question. My favorite character to write is Josie’s oldest
sibling, her brother Tom. He’s funny and his dialogue practically writes
itself. I love when he and his sisters banter back and forth. The first book
has a lot to do with family character growth, and the second book has a deeper
focus on Josie’s friendships. She’s having a bit of a falling out with her best
friend, Lucy, and then there’s drama with someone moving OUT off the block and
someone new moving IN. Hamlet makes an appearance, so I know a lot of readers
will be happy to see her again! But I really can’t wait for everyone to meet
the adorable rescue puppies… they’re so fun and mischievous and they need good
homes!
It is clear from reading these books that you are an animal lover! How
many pets have you had? Did you have a lot of pets growing up?
Animals
have always been a big part of my life, both personally and professionally. I’m
fascinated with human-animal relationships and I’m sure I’ll continue exploring
this theme in future books. I grew up with a lot of pets including fish, dogs,
hamsters, rabbits, ducks, a green iguana, and even a pet pig! In my adult life,
I’ve owned three dogs. We just have one dog right now. One day, I’d love to own
a big farm and adopt all kinds of animals.
Here's a throwback video of our family pig!
You are also passionate about animal rescue, all the way from dogs to
horses. What animal rescue efforts are you involved in, and can you explain why
it is important to “Adopt Not Shop”?
Approximately
3.5 MILLION dogs enter U.S. animal shelters every year... and nearly 1 million
of them are euthanized. It breaks my heart. We’ve
adopted three dogs in the last fifteen years and they’ve each been an
incredible blessing to us in their own ways. If anyone reading this is
considering a new family pet, PLEASE consider adoption first! Check out petfinder.com, or visit your
local shelter, or contact the nearest reputable rescue. Fostering is also a
great option for helping care for homeless animals, especially if you can’t
make a full-time commitment to pet adoption. And non-profits always need
volunteers and donations, so there’s a variety of ways animal advocates can
chip in and make a difference! Our current rescue dog is a 2yo Chihuahua that
was saved from a hoarding situation out in California. We adopted him from
Waggytail Rescue, and we’ve fostered a couple of dogs for them too over the
last year. I’m also very active in equine rescue, primarily with the equine
non-profit Rocking R Ranch & Rescue in Mississippi. I’ve flown down twice
this year to attend an auction and help bid on horses destined for the
slaughter pipeline, and also to help out the rescue with general horse care,
from grooming and bathing and feeding to clean-up around the ranch property. I
also aim to fundraise for the non-profit and get the word out about these
incredible horses, donkeys, and mules that are up for adoption. Donations
really do make a world of difference in saving the lives of animals, and I’ve
seen it for myself on the frontlines.
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| This horse "Birdie" is a gaited Saddlebred pictured on the day she was saved from a kill buyer and transported to the rescue non-profit's ranch to receive veterinary care and rehabilitation. |
What are some of your favorite “animal” stories
for children?
Oh,
so many! THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate, PAX by Sara Pennypacker,
CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White, and THE BLACK STALLION by Walter Farley to name
a few. If readers are interested in learning more about my childhood favorite
books, stay tuned for my contribution to “The List” on HarperCollin’s
website – It’ll publish on the
website very soon!
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| Jodi speaks to a young reader at Lemuria Books in Jackson, MS |
What do you love about writing for this
age group?
There’s
so much to love about 8-12 year olds. They’re becoming more aware of themselves
and how they relate to their peers and family members. They’re curious and
funny and contradictory and brave. I do a lot of author school visits, and I
always feel so grateful and impressed when in their company!
Of the 7 puppies in Dog Days in the
City up for adoption, which one would you take home?
That’s
a tough one! Probably Speedy. She’s the smallest of the litter, but she’s
clever and lightning fast so don’t underestimate her! She’d be a very loyal
companion and always up for any adventure.
Don't miss reading DOG DAYS IN THE CITY! And be sure to enter the giveaway below!
Leave
a comment below for a chance to win a signed hardback copy of DOG DAYS IN THE
CITY plus some fun bookmarks and paw print stickers!
