Why My Mom Left Me Out Of Her Book

Frank and Lucky Get Schooled is a new children's book by author Lynne Rae Perkins. It's about a boy and a dog. And it's based on real life — her son Frank and their dog Lucky.

But there's another person in the family who got left out — her daughter Lucy. And Lucy Perkins happens to be a producer at NPR.

Lucy decided to ask her mom about the new book and why she got left out of the story.

Interview Highlights

Lucy Perkins: So you have a new story out and it's called Frank and Lucky Get Schooled. Can you tell me what it's about?

Lynne Rae Perkins: It's about a boy and a dog who become fast friends and they explore their world and they learn a lot of stuff together.

Lucy Perkins: Yeah, I know. It's based on us getting Lucky, our dog, and Frank, my brother, your son.

Lynne Rae Perkins: And I know that in real life, you were there also. But it's interesting how books happen. You know, I had been thinking about doing a book about school subjects and I was thinking of it as something that preschoolers would look at while their older siblings went to school.

And then I was walking our dog a lot, who was very old. And I was thinking about his life. And Frank must have been home from school and walking the dog and all of a sudden the title popped into my head. It's a complicated book and I think I had to simplify it by having only one child and one dog. Does that make you feel better?

Lucy Perkins: Yeah I liked the book a lot; I think it's very sweet. Can I read you a part that I really like?

Lynne Rae Perkins: Yeah.

Lucy Perkins: OK.

"Both Lucky and Frank loved math. Math is how much and how many. Let's say a dog comes in from outside and gets one biscuit. But there are three people in the living room. How many more biscuits should the dog receive? A: two. B: a lot, probably five. Or C: maybe infinity. The answer is C: infinity. Infinity means that whatever the biggest number you can think of is, you can always add one more, and make an even bigger number. That is the number of biscuits that Lucky was willing to eat."

Lynne Rae Perkins: That was fun to do.

Lucy Perkins: Are you going to write one for me next?

Lynne Rae Perkins: Funny you should ask. I'm writing a chapter book about two sisters on vacation at the seashore, which has some roots in you and your relationship with your cousin Carly.

So, I mean, would you like me to make a list of all the places you appear in my books?

Lucy Perkins: No, you don't need to make a list, Mom, I feel better.

Lynne Rae Perkins: I'm just saying that you're there. You're in all my books. But if you prefer to have one with your name in it, I can work on that.

Lucy Perkins: Thanks, Mom.

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