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| Rabbit and Bear Illustration by Tara Shannon |
A book is a wonderful gift that will never go out of style. It may get a little dusty or the pages may wrinkle over time, but it’s often a treasure worth keeping. Once you open that first page, your heart skips a little beat because there’s an adventure waiting just for you and that’s pretty exciting. A book is also like your own personal travel companion, as it goes wherever you go, no questions asked.
Tara Shannon is an Ontario-based children’s author who recently published her exciting book Rabbit and Bear Make a Wish that sprinkles a little extra magic in every page, filled with hope, comfort and endless possibilities. It teaches us connection and helps to unravel those uncomfortable emotions that get stuck. The illustrations are simple and combined with meaningful verses in every line, Rabbit and Bear become your best friends and that will warm anyone’s heart.
Tara's book Rabbit and Bear will also be showcased April 1, 2021 by Miss Kate – the librarian, on The Giggle Mat , so you’ll want to tune in for that here: Episode 3: Bunny Tales
Enjoy my Q&A with Tara below.
1. For your book, you chose an interesting pair; a rabbit and a bear. What’s the connection for you with these particular animals?
Rabbit came along out of the blue one day, or so I thought. About 2 years ago, I was looking for a way to relax and calm my anxiety and express my creativity. I decided to try and draw a rabbit and I searched Pinterest for photos. Surprisingly, my first few rabbits turned out well, so I kept going. I was adding to each image some dialogue with another animal, insect or element of nature. One of the friends I paired rabbit with was a bear and people really seemed to like the two of them together.
It wasn’t until later that I realized the personal connections... there are a few. Bear was my nickname as a child (I couldn’t pronounce the *T* in my name and it came out sounding like a *B*) and I still have some family who call me that. I used to hate it but actually like it now because it’s a link to my childhood and my family.
My parents died several years ago in 2011 and 2013. I also lost a pregnancy in 2009. Those combined losses affect me to this day. One of the gifts I received during my pregnancy was a toy rabbit. So, Rabbit and Bear are equal parts the younger and older version of myself and representative of those I have lost. My parents and grandparents in Bear and my baby in Rabbit.
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2. Let’s take a trip back to a nostalgic time. Do you remember your favourite childhood book?
I enjoyed Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit and A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh but it was the Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams that had me by both heart and mind. I remember when my mom read it with me... it was so sad but so beautiful. Like life can be.
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3. One of your illustrations went viral around the world, which is amazing. Why do you think this particular drawing resonated so much with a global audience?
It tapped into the collective consciousness worldwide at the outset of COVID-19. I created that particular piece several months before it went viral, based on my struggles with anxiety and depression and my husband's struggle to know how to be there for me. At the time that I first shared it, it received a few likes and shares. Then, with COVID it seemed overnight hundreds of thousands of people understood anxiety, fear and depression in a way they maybe hadn’t before. They needed someone to sit with them. Rabbit and Bear were there.
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4. Another passion you have is cooking. I read that you were dipping your toes in culinary adventures in Dublin, Ireland. So of course, I need to ask, what is your number one comfort food that you like to make?
Yes! That was an amazing adventure that I will treasure always. I went to Dublin in 2016 for three months and stayed with my Aunt (my dad was from Dublin and much of his side of the family are still there) and earned a professional cookery certificate. Pretty well everything we made and ate was amazing but my go to for comfort food has to be just about anything with fresh pasta or mashed potatoes. That or Indian food. Absolutely love eating and making Indian food.
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| Tara in the kitchen |
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| The finished dish. Yum! |
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5. What is one piece of sage advice you’d like to share with anyone who is going through a difficult time?If you feel you are out of your depth, ask for help.
I’m pretty much a die-hard introvert and I am stubborn but there have been times when I couldn’t go it on my own. My grief, anxiety and depression were too great and I was out of my depth. I had to ask for help. Sometimes we need help to get through difficult times. Don’t feel bad or ashamed about that. Ask for help. Reach out to a friend, family member, doctor or therapist. Pick-up the phone or send a message.
💜You can find Tara’s book to purchase on Amazon, Indigo.
💜Website: https://www.tarashannonwrites.com/
