Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Martin Stewart and Illustrator David Habben (Bridget Vanderpuff)!
Meet the Author: Martin Stewart
Martin Stewart is an award-winning Scottish author and former secondary school English teacher who likes to eat a lot of cake.
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Meet the Illustrator: David Habben
David Habben is an illustrator and fine artist based in Salt Lake City, Utah.
About the Book: Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape (#1)
In BRIDGET VANDERPUFF AND THE BAKED ESCAPE, readers will meet Bridget, a whip-smart inventor, amateur sleuth, and the very last orphan at the Orphanage for Errant Childs. When Mr. Vanderpuff, the village baker, arrives at the orphanage in search of a child to care for, Bridget envisions a future filled with all the pastries her heart desires. But Bridget soon realizes that baking isn’t such a piece of cake, and now her new family may be in danger…
About the Book: Bridget Vanderpuff and the Great Escape (#2)
The adventures continue in BRIDGET VANDERPUFF AND THE GHOST TRAIN, as Bridget must investigate the ghost train that has arrived in town—and caused townspeople to disappear.
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
At the very heart of it, it was the birth of my first child. Tessie was a tiny wee pop – just 4lbs 15oz – so the midwives insisted she be bottle fed, the better to record every millilitre of milk. Every night I would race downstairs to prep the formula, then my wife would feed Tessie on her lap while we binged the entire Great British Baking Show on Netflix.
Having never watched it before, I found it gentle, funny, warm, and perfect for this dreamlike space: nodding off mid-episode and wake hours later in the middle of an unexpected Bread Week. Thus were the seeds of children, family, love, and baking sewn.
As soon as she was big enough, Tessie and I made banana bread together, we made her birthday cakes together; when her brother Milo arrived, he baked with us. It struck me that some of my earliest memories (those core, Inside Out memories) were of standing on a dining chair, licking clean a sticky spoon – and how universal an experience that was.
Bridget was inspired by my children’s fearlessness, curiosity and sense of adventure. She can do anything: solve crimes, leap from rooftops, escape the dungeon!
What she needs is love – and she finds it.
Mr Vanderpuff’s Bake Shop becomes her home because baking with our children – creating together, getting excited together, eating together – is such a powerful expression of love.
Prior to Tessie’s arrival, I’d done a couple of books for older readers (Riverkeep and The Sacrifice Box), and I really wanted a story she’d be able to read with her friends right at the start of her journey as an independent reader.
At first, this came out as a much shorter book – like a first chapter book, just over 15,000 words – which was… fine. But Bridget needed more space, and I needed time to really capture her voice. This took nearly five years, and another four full versions of Bridget’s narrative until that first creative impulse, with all its silliness, heart and fun, had been realised.
YABC: What research did you do to write this book?
I read a lot of recipes! I didn’t bake before I had my kids (I now make a very good scone – best US comparison is, I think, a biscuit?) so the processes and little tips and tricks Mr Vanderpuff uses had to be authentic. I think that kind of detail being accurate really grounds the moments of magic and imagination in the story, and gives them a platform from which they can take flight.
For the second book, I did research on steam trains; for the third and fourth I walked the streets of Paris with my family, and Swiss mountaintop villages on street view.
I love doing that kind of research. The trick is not putting too much of it on the page, otherwise it gets in the way of the story.
YABC: If you could only write one genre for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I’ve worked across so many different genres, so this is hard! If I had to choose, I’d go for mystery. They’re so fun to build, and in many ways I think they’re the ultimate form of narrative storytelling: the seemingly impossible puzzle into which the reader is invited; the genre elements and tropes; the red herrings – and the glorious moment when order is conjured from chaos, and all the apparently disparate threads are pulled into place. Wonderful!
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?
Lots of fun, plenty of jokes, characters with heart who love each other, fast-paced stories, and a sensory world you can smell and taste, with cakes you really want to eat.
YABC: Which was the most difficult or emotional scene to narrate?
The one where Mr Vanderpuff is telling Bridget all the things he loved about his late wife, Etta. I channelled the very sudden loss of my mother into this scene, and gave Etta Vanderpuff many of my own wife’s qualities and characteristics to breathe as much life into this moment as I could. Mr Vanderpuff’s loss is terrible and great, and so we learn what he needs from Bridget, which is exactly the same thing she needs – family and love.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
Coffee and biscuits. When I say biscuits, I mean in a Scottish/UK sense – like a cookie. I have a very sweet tooth, and one of the problems of writing full time is that I’m in the house, all the time, unsupervised, and because I’m a grown up nobody can stop me having as many cookies as I want!
The thing I’d most love to eat from Mr Vanderpuff’s bake shop would be the pastries. I absolutely love pastry in all its forms. A warm croissant, with a little strawberry jam and a short, black coffee, please. If I can eat that sitting at a sidewalk table in Paris, so much the better!
YABC: If you could time travel what would you want to see?
I’m a huge history fan (my favourite podcast is The Rest is History, which I listen to all the time) so my instinct is to go back the way… I’d love to see ancient civilisations like Egypt and Rome, watch the great ships of the 18th century under their enormous sails, and experience the fin de siècle moment before the first world war. Once I’d done that, I’d hop into the 1940s because I’m a huge World War II buff, then go to America in the 1950s…
Then I’d jump two hundred years in the future, which is just so fascinating I can hardly comprehend it.
YABC: What other age group would you consider writing for?
Having recently written a bunch of picture books, I’ve now written for every age group except lower MG – kids between four and seven years old. So, it would need to be something for those guys – my son, Milo, is five, and we’ve just started reading Dog Man together. He absolutely loves it, and it’s giving me ideas!
YABC: What daily thing do you see that brings you joy?
What a beautiful question. Other than the faces of my children, it would be the sea. I live on the west coast of Scotland, about four hundred yards from the beach. In the mornings I take my dog, meet my friend and the three of us go for a run along the sand. The sea is very important to me – I find it incredibly settling. The Isle of Arran lies just off the coast, which is where my grandmother was evacuated from Glasgow during the Second World War, and where my family took every childhood holiday. I’ve borrowed and reused its geography so many times in different books – that island is, essentially, where my imagination lives.
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
Oh, man, lots of things! I’m a great procrastinator – perhaps one of the finest procrastinators in Europe. I research, edit what I wrote yesterday, tidy the house… something I can’t stand is when I check Instagram and end up scrolling through reels and memes. It feels like its tricking me into stealing my time, and I get so frustrated with myself!
YABC: What’s a book you’ve recently read and loved?
I’ve just finished reading The Wager by David Grann. It’s a non-fiction book about the 18th century shipwreck of the titular boat, and the subsequent fallout and mutiny. It’s so up my street, and it was brilliantly written. I struggle to read new fiction when I’m writing (I can re-read) and at the moment I’m writing all the time, so this was such a treat.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
I’m passionate about children’s reading, and do a lot of work with the Scottish Book Trust in terms of visiting schools and working with young readers. And I’m a big supporter of various cancer charities here in the UK: I run a golf event every year where we raise around £1000 to donate in memory of my mother.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
The first book in my new children’s series – Sandy Fin: Operation Splash Landing! – which will be out in the UK next summer. Sandy lives in the village of Portwhistle, which is just down the coast from Mr Vanderpuff’s village of Belle-on-Sea, in the Museum of Seaside Stories. He gets up to all sorts of mischief and adventure around the coast and under the sea, and I’ve had a great time bringing him to life. After that I’ll be writing the sequel to my novel for adults (Double Proof), and I’m planning another series of stories for younger readers. Busy times, which is wonderful!
~Illustrator Chat~
YABC: What is your favorite thing to draw?
I love coming up with new characters of all kinds, especially sci-fi and fantasy characters. Some of my favorites are wizards, knights, and other magical folk.
YABC: Do you doodle?
All the time! I keep a sketchbook with me everywhere I go, so I’m always ready to draw whatever pops into my head. I also make sure to have a few different kinds of pens, markers, and watercolor pencils with me, to keep variety in my work and to learn how to use those tools better.
YABC: What advice would you have for aspiring illustrators?
Keep drawing! Draw every day and don’t get bogged down by perfectionism. Your drawings should look like you drew them and aren’t just copies of someone else’s style. Experiment and play and you’ll be surprised by how much more fun you’ll have.
YABC: How long did it take you to create the artwork for this book?
These books were drawn over a couple of years, each one taking several months to get just right. I worked with an amazing team of art directors and designers who would trade notes with me about how to make the drawings really fit the great characters that Martin created.
YABC: What inspired you the most for the artwork in this book?
Martin’s writing was essential for the artwork. His descriptions of the characters, foods, and places was so distinct and offered a great jumping off point for the artwork. I was also inspired by my own children who love to create, imagine, and, of course, bake!
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
Anytime I was able to draw Brigdet as the strong, imaginative, and courageous person she is, I was grateful. I knew the readers would be able to look to her as an example of overcoming fears and being themselves. There’s a scene in The Ghost Train where Bridget is hanging from a gargoyle that was particularly fun to draw for that reason. She’s fearless! There’s also several moments of her working with her friends and I think those are always especially tender moments.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
Oh, that’s a tough one! I think Pascal is pretty fun though, and he was especially fun to draw.
YABC: What do you do when you feel stuck or when you want to procrastinate?
That’s such an important question for every artist to figure out. Sometimes I just need to take a break and give myself some time away from drawing. When there’s work to be done though, I found that I can get myself focused with space to myself and some of my favorite music to keep me calm and creative.
YABC: When did you start drawing?
I was fortunate to grow up in a home where drawing was celebrated, so as far back as I can remember, I’ve been making pictures.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be an illustrator?
I knew I wanted to make art, but it wasn’t until I was a university student that the idea of illustration became a real focus for me. There so much opportunity to explore different techniques and ideas within the world of illustration!
YABC: Do you have a favorite genre to illustrate?
I love to illustrate just about anything, but I’m especially drawn to stories that are meaningful, encouraging, and uplifting.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
Celebrating the US release of Bridget Vanderpuff of course! I’ve also got a couple of new projects in the works and I’m always on the lookout for the next book opportunity.
YABC: What would you say is your superpower?
I think exploration and imagination are two attributes I have more strength in. There’s so much left in the world to discover and we can do so much more if we allow ourselves to think more openly.
YABC: Is there an organization or cause that is close to your heart?
There are quite a few, but I’m especially interested in how we can alleviate poverty. I’m appreciative of the many organizations that address this worldwide challenge and hope to use my artwork in ways that serve that effort.
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Working with Martin on the Bridget series has been a real gift, and I can’t wait for everyone to enjoy his wonderful stories! I’m thrilled that Penguin is sharing these books and I’m also very grateful to the team at Bright Illustration for connecting me to Head of Zeus publishing and their imprint, Zephyr.
Title: Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape (#1)
Author: Martin Stewart
Illustrator: David Habben
Release Date: January 28, 2025
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Genre: Mystery
Age Range: 8-12
Title: Bridget Vanderpuff and the Great Escape (#2)
Author: Martin Stewart
Illustrator: David Habben
Release Date: January 28, 2025
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Genre: Mystery
Age Range: 8-12
