As any kid (or former kid) knows, one of the fundamentals of social-emotional development is learning how to share. Whether it’s sharing a toy or snack, attention from others, or even one’s feelings, sharing with others is the bedrock of cooperation and social connection.
Even Steven, the titular protagonist of Carrie Finison’s new picture book, believes this; however, as he and the reader soon find out, Steven’s understanding of sharing and fairness—in which he evenly divides absolutely everything—can have its flaws. We had an opportunity to chat with Carrie about Even Steven, how to pair good intentions with thoughtful actions, and balancing the work and fun of creating for young audiences.
Welcome to The Baby Bookworm, Carrie! For those unfamiliar with the main character of Even Steven, can you introduce him and his initial philosophy on fairness?
CF: Steven is a child who, like many, wants things to be even and fair. However, he’s somewhat of a “naïve” character, in that he is a bit confused about the best way to make that happen.
You can easily break a cookie in half, but what about a book? You can take turns with a swing, but taking turns with a lollipop is a no-go. And what about a big pile of blocks? Or a bedroom? Or a best friend? That’s when things start to get complicated!
As the book points out, equal division doesn’t always take an individual’s needs into account. What made you want to explore the nuances of equality versus equity in a picture book?
CF: I remember my daughter, at age 4, being very upset that she only got a small dish of ice cream while her dad got a large one. Never mind that she couldn’t even finish a small! Getting the exact same thing might feel “equal,” but it isn’t always appropriate or fair.
I think it can take kids (and even adults!) a long time to understand that. While no single book can do it all with a big topic like sharing, I hope that this book will help spark discussions between kids and adults about equity and how that doesn’t always mean “the same.”
Steven’s story finds some clever flaws with absolute equal division; you can’t split a nickel in half, for instance, or take turns sharing the same lollipop. How did you come up with the humorous examples that illustrate these contradictions?
CF: I wanted the examples to be humorous and recognizable to kids, so I tried to stick with everyday items and scenarios that they’d be familiar with. I thought about things my own kids liked, and got great suggestions from critique partners—as always! I also researched using author Tara Lazar’s list of 500+ Things That Kids Like. (Thank you, Tara!)
Was it important to you that Steven’s wish for fairness was rooted in good intentions, even if his methods are initially imperfect?
CF: It was important, because sharing is such a huge topic and I wanted to delve into a specific part of it—the actual mechanics of sharing and how to do that in a way where people (like Steven) can start to let go of the notion that everything should always be exactly even. The story wouldn’t have worked if Steven was a grumpy or selfish character who simply didn’t want to share anything, so I needed him to start with a certain level of willingness. Luckily, he cooperated!
This is your second book with illustrator Daniel Wiseman, with whom you previously collaborated on Don’t Hug Doug: (He Doesn’t Like It). Were you excited to work together for another book on empathy and social-emotional themes?
CF: Daniel did such a great job with Don’t Hug Doug. I hadn’t initially envisioned that book with comic-style panels, but seeing how Daniel put all the pieces together was amazing.
In fact, I had been stuck on how to make Even Steven work as a story. I didn’t initially think of it as a sequel or companion book to Don’t Hug Doug, but seeing the format for that book gave me the inspiration that the same format might work for Even Steven as well.
Equity versus equality is a concept that feels highly relevant in the current climate. What do you hope readers of any age take away from Even Steven?
CF: This is tough stuff—even for adults! I hope that readers will come away from the story with some tools to think about how to share, a willingness to talk it through when they disagree, and maybe a realization that “equal” does not always mean “equitable.” Sometimes we need different things, and that’s OK.
On your website, you talk about how much you love doing events and storytimes with young readers. Are there any memorable moments from these events that never fail to make you smile? Or made you think, “this is exactly why I love to write for kids”?
CF: It’s always a delight to share my books with kids. At one of my most recent school visits, I talked about the process of revision. Afterwards, a second grader came up to me and told me he’d only ever written one draft of a story, but now he was inspired to write a second draft. Welcome to the writing life, kid!
You also offer a lot of advice and inspiration to aspiring writers. If there’s one piece of advice you could give to someone looking to get started in children’s literature, what would it be?
CF: My advice would be to read a lot of current books in the genre that you’re interested in and write a lot. Don’t get too caught up in what I call “writing adjacent” activities—researching the publishing process, social media, making a website, etc.
Whatever time you have in your life to devote to writing, try to spend the majority of it actually writing or revising. It’s the only way to improve.
Lastly, in honor of Even Steven, what is your favorite way to share a day with the people you love?
CF: We’re just coming out of winter, so I’m dreaming of a family day at the beach! I love swimming in the ocean, doing a little boogie boarding in the waves, and then heading home in late afternoon to play a board game or watch a movie together.
About Carrie Finison
Carrie Finison writes poetry, stories, and books for kids, including the picture books Dozens of Doughnuts; Plenty of Pancakes; Pigs Dig a Road; Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It); Lulu & Zoey: A Sister Story; and Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School!
A huge thank you to Carrie for taking the time to talk about her work with us! Visit her on her website at CarrieFinison.com, and on Instagram! Lastly, be sure to check out Even Steven: A Book About Sharing on bookshelves everywhere, March 14th!
The Baby Bookworm 