Being kind to others is one of the first lessons children learn, and for good reason: kindness and empathy are at the root of how we interact with the world around us. It forms the basis of the relationships we make in school, at work, and in our communities. Yet when practicing kindness towards others, children—and adults—can forget to be kind to themselves.
This is something explored in the latest title in the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, The Monster and Puppet Show!, the debut children’s book from actress and comedian Kate Micucci. The multi-talented artist recently took the time to sit down with me and talk about authoring and illustrating her first children’s book, collaborating with the legendary Mo Willems, and the importance of taking time to be kind to oneself.
Welcome to The Baby Bookworm, Kate! Everyone loves a puppet show! While readers wait for the book’s release in February, can you give us a brief introduction to the characters of The Monster and Puppet Show!, and how their story begins?
KM: Sure! I’d be happy to! Monster is a fun creature making his way through the city. Monster stumbles upon Puppet (who happens to be a dinosaur puppet) lying on the sidewalk. When Monster puts on Puppet, Puppet comes to life. You might say Puppet is VERY enthusiastic. And together, they decide to put on a show.
At first, Monster is enjoying putting on the puppet show, but when they begin to feel tired and overwhelmed, they find it difficult to say no to Puppet’s increasing demands. What inspired you to explore a story about setting boundaries in a children’s book?
KM: It feels odd to say, but I have struggled with maintaining boundaries and advocating for myself. When I started working on this book, Mo encouraged me to think about an issue that is important to me and explore it in a story. He had me ask myself a question that I didn’t know the answer to.
For me, that question was, “How do I know when to say ‘no’ and honor my own creativity? How do you live a creative life and have boundaries at the same time?” I’ve been working on this balance, and hopefully I’m getting better at it. Lately, I have heard more people talking about setting boundaries as an adult. I say, start them young!
It is important for kids to know they can stand up for themselves and that their opinion matters. For adults reading this book, I hope it is a good reminder that we are all in charge of our own stories, and that it is okay to say no!
There also seems to be a subtle lesson about consent: Monster is trying to express that they are uncomfortable, but Puppet is not listening. Why do you think voicing and respecting consent is such an important lesson for young audiences?
KM: It is never too early to reinforce in children that their voice and opinion matter. It’s about kindness and mutual respect. I have a five-year-old, so this is something that comes up, especially in social scenarios. Just the other day, a group of kids were learning to take turns with a skateboard. Some wanted to stand on it, some wanted to sit on it. There was a lesson in respecting each choice. And then feeling the joy of cheering each other on.
At the climax of the story, there’s a very clever plot subversion when Puppet points out that both characters are technically Monster. Do you think that being kind to oneself can be a tricky feat for readers of any age to master?
KM: Yes! I think it is tricky for a lot of people, including myself. So many of us learn that kindness should go outward. Also, we carry the weight of other people’s voices in our heads. I hope this book is a great reminder to be your own advocate. Be your own cheerleader. It’s hard to listen to our own needs, and it is totally wonderful and important to honor them.
You are a puppeteer yourself, often performing with your puppet counterpart, Camille. How much of your own experiences went into the creation of this story?
KM: Camille is my favorite puppet and the inspiration for the character of Puppet. Camille was a Christmas gift in 2001, and she has been with me ever since. From babysitting gigs to performing at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, Camille and I have been through a lot together!
Her arm has been re-sewn, her tongue has been glued numerous times, and now, we are about to celebrate this book together. In fact, she is sitting next to me right now. I could ask her what she thinks about all of this, but it looks like she is sleeping.
You also created the artwork for the book. What inspired the look of Monster and Puppet, and what was your process for creating the illustrations?
KM: I have been drawing little monster creatures for some time. It was a team effort in landing on a fun, simple look for both Monster and Puppet. I drew everything by hand, and then the art was colored digitally.
A few times, I went into the office with paper, pens, and my light board… and Camille! I was drawing like crazy, papers flying everywhere. It was such a fun, creative process, and at the end of the day, it was truly a collaboration to make my drawings pop off the page.
Actor, singer, songwriter, comedian, artist, puppeteer, and now children’s author! What made you want to try out this new medium, and how have you found the process?
KM: I have always wanted to publish a children’s book! I have been writing and illustrating books since I was a kid. However, I was never great about connecting the dots and making it happen for real. So now here I am at 45 years old with my first book coming out, and I am truly over the moon about it.
The process has been a blast. I loved working with Mo and the entire Union Square Kids team. Mo’s editor, Tracey Keevan, has been my guide all along, and now we’ve become great friends, so it’s just been fun all around.
The Monster and Puppet Show! is part of the popular Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, based on characters by children’s literature legend Mo Willems. Were you a fan of Mo’s work before starting this project, and what was it like working with him and his studio?
KM: Yes!!! I have been a huge Mo fan since I discovered Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! at a bookstore in Santa Monica back in 2004. I have been reading Mo’s work ever since. I babysat a lot in the early 2000s, so I was happy to be reading Mo’s books to the kids.
A little over 10 years ago, I performed in Mo’s show at Sketchfest in San Francisco, which was a total blast. We kept in touch, and I have been lucky enough to work with him a few different times, voicing some characters for animated projects as well as more live shows at Sketchfest.
At the risk of sounding really cheesy… okay, I’m just going to sound cheesy… working on The Monster and Puppet Show! with Mo has been a dream come true. I’ve learned so much, and I feel so lucky that my first book is in the Elephant and Piggie universe.
Are there more children’s books in your future? If so, what can fans look forward to in upcoming titles?
KM: I hope so! The things I make seem to lean toward children’s entertainment. In 2023, I released an album of children’s songs called My Hat (in fact, Camille is on the cover of the album). I’m about to launch my first collectible item, and I definitely want to put more books out into the world, so please stay tuned!
On your socials, you often like to create what you call “trash paintings.” Can you tell us about this artistic method and why it appeals to you?
KM: Yes! I love to make trash art! I was inspired by graffiti art… but I wanted to do it in a way that wasn’t so permanent. My solution was to make art on things that were being thrown away—a safe form of graffiti.
And then I moved into an apartment that had a back alley that was a constant junk yard. People loved to dump old furniture and refrigerators there. It was like Christmas all the time… so much great trash to make art on. I love the impermanence of it all. Maybe someone comes by and takes it home, maybe it ends up in a garbage truck. Most of the time, I’ll never know, and that is part of the fun!
We always love to ask creators what their favorite children’s books were when they were children themselves. Are there any books or series that influenced you as a young reader?
KM: I’m a huge Amelia Bedelia fan. I’ve always loved the comedy in those books. She’s so silly but has a big heart. I love mysteries, so I was a big fan of the Cam Jansen series and, of course, Encyclopedia Brown. One of my favorite books ever is Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch, which is on constant rotation at our house.
Finally, in honor of The Monster and Puppet Show!, what is your favorite way of being kind to yourself?
KM: I think I am happiest when I am making things. When I paint or write a song or draw a cartoon, whatever it is… something that is being made purely for the joy of creating, that fills me up big time.
About Kate Miccuci
Kate Micucci is an Emmy-nominated songwriter, comedian, and actor. She has voiced characters in numerous animated series and movies, including Scooby-Doo, Steven Universe, DuckTales, and Dog Man. Kate has been in critically acclaimed hit TV series, including The Big Bang Theory and Raising Hope, as well as in feature films. She released her debut children’s album, My Hat, in 2023. Kate has also performed live with her puppet, Camille, at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. She lives in New York City.
A huge thank you so much to Kate for taking the time to talk about her work and process with us. Be sure to check out The Monster and Puppet Show! when it hits storefronts and bookshelves on February 24th, 2026, or preorder it right now from Bookshop or Amazon!
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