Today we are very excited to share an interview with Molly B. Burnham (THE INFINITE QUESTIONS OF DOTTIE BING)!
Read on to learn more about her, her book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: Molly B. Burnham
Author Bio: Molly B. Burnham has been a dog walker, ice-cream scooper, and elementary school teacher. The author of the Teddy Mars series, she earned an MFA in children’s writing from Hamline University and was the 2016 winner of The Sid Fleischman Award for Humor. Molly lives in Massachusetts with her family.
About the Book: The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing
An enchanting middle grade about navigating the odd spaces between grieving and everyday living, and learning to carry sadness in one hand, and joy in the other.
Ten-year-old Dottie Bing is a problem-solver and question-asker who is never more gleeful than when she’s encountering a new dilemma– whether it’s her own, or someone else’s. But when her Grandpa Walter comes to stay (and stay, and stay!) he brings the biggest question that Dottie has ever encountered: How do you heal a broken heart?
You see, Grandpa Walter is grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Dottie’s Grandma Ima. Even though she knows every solution starts with a question, for the first time in her life, Dottie isn’t sure what to ask.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
The inspiration for the book came from three things. First, my lifelong interest and curiosity about death. Second, a story I heard years ago on the podcast, This American Life, about a Japanese town that had suffered terrible losses after a tsunami hit and the phone box that people found where they could sit in and talk to their loved ones who had died. And third, I had a great-aunt (who I never knew) who, after she was cremated, was kept in a Chock Full O’ Nuts can. I always loved this, but I never thought it would end up in a book.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
You don’t really want an answer to this question, do you?
I love all my characters. I will say, it was fun to write about Ima because Dottie and Grandpa Walter love her so much. It’s a joy to find the parts of her that they connected with and what they remember about her. She is also an inspiration for how I would like to behave right now. Besides that, MacFurry was fun to write about. He is inspired by our cat, Gesar (Gae-sar). He’s feisty and adores attacking my ankles.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
If I told you, I would be giving away perhaps the most important plot point, but with that clue, you can now figure it out!
YABC: Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?
To stay open to the exploration of a story. I might have an idea, but it’s always fun see where the characters want to take me, what they have to say, and what story they have to tell me.
YABC: What do you like most about the cover of the book?
I love the joy on Dottie’s face. I am a big, big, big comedy fan, and one of the key points of comedy is to have a character who is open to the world. That is Dottie’s secret power. (I also adore the cat in the letters. That’s pure genius!)
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Probably a cup of coffee. Oh, and writing a new book about a kid who loves comedy.
YABC: Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?
Grandpa Walter because he is sad and often times sadness makes people pull inwards, protect themselves, and hide away. In a book, that can be sort of boring.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
Can I only choose one? My superpower is my love of playing. By playing, I stay happy, engaged, and find options. Play also keeps me optimistic, adventurous, and chaotic (which are my other superpowers).
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
Lonely Worm Farm—a permaculture farm for people who identify as having a disability. And social justice organization, The David Ruggles Center for History and Education in my town of Florence.
YABC: What advice do you have for new writers?
Write so you can figure things out about the world, not so you can sell a book.
Title: THE INFINITE QUESTIONS OF DOTTIE BING
Author: Molly B. Burnham
Release Date: January 17, 2023
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0593406663
ISBN-13: 9780593406663
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction
Age Range: 8-12
~ Giveaway Details ~
Three (3) winners will receive a copy of The Infinite Questions of Dottie Bing (Molly B. Burnham) ~US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*
gosh this sounds like a great book
Such a new idea for a plot!
The cover is cute and this book sounds emotional and important for readers.
This sounds like an helpful book for readers who are dealing with the loss of a loved one.
This has a really sweet cover and I love that it tackles a difficult but important topic.
I really like the way the cat is perched on the title. This sounds like a wonderful tool for dealing with grief of losing a loved one.
Sounds like a terrific book, and the cover is really cute!
Looks so cute