ANDREW DADDO’s Bitza is a heartwarming and fabulously funny junior fiction series for girls and boys, told from the point of view of a dog looking for a new family.
Read on for a Q&A with the author.
MEET ANDREW DADDO
What drew you to telling a story from the perspective of a dog?
I love dogs – almost all of them – and dogs most definitely talk. Sometimes in words, sometimes in looks, sometimes in actions. Our dog Peggy is a big talker. Lots of excited, howling type ‘aroooooos’ when she’s ready to head out, she’ll literally mutter to other dogs when she walks and her contented sighs during a cuddle speak volumes.
Most importantly, the thought of writing from Bitza’s perspective was fun trying to figure out what Bitz might be thinking, and how he interprets what Jas and Dad are saying, and not saying.
Was there a real-life dog who inspired Bitza?
Bitza’s a combination of Skozz, Flog, Spud and Peggy – the dogs in our lives for the last 40 or so years. Mostly Peggy, she’s a beautiful, deeply sensitive dog who was found by our beautiful, deeply dog sensitive daughter, Jas. There was no way she was coming home with us. We were looking for a smaller dog and her feet were huge. Her mum was a hair shedder and it was impossible to know what kind of dog she might have been. And yet, there she was in the back of the car cuddled up with our daughter and me wondering how that just happened. Peggy can talk – with her voice, her eyes, her strut and her ability to say everything by doing nothing. And she’s a Bitza. Everyone tells us what they think she is, we know she’s unreal.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The best bit was being dragged along by the story. I knew the start, and bits of the middle, but the end of the story came as a complete surprise. In fact, Bitza grew in personality as the story progressed. It’s almost as if he helped to write the story, and there’s something very special about that.
And of course, teaming up with Stephen Michael King, who’s done stunning drawings (again) is a big dog lover.
Describe this book in three words.
Fun. Emotional. Heart-warming.
What’s next for Bitza?
Bitz has to learn to settle in to her new family. She’s come from living with an older man to a younger girl and her Dad, so things will definitely be different. There’ll be rules, of course. A new neighbourhood full of new smells and places to find things. And, having Jas in his life means he’ll have to try new things.
Read an extract from Bliza: Book 2
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Daddo has managed to have a crack at just about every aspect of the entertainment industry. He’s appeared on TV and stage, presented radio programs and podcasts, and even made movies. Best of all, Andrew is an accomplished author. He has written 25 books including picture books, chapter books, short story collections, novels and a vague biography – he’s hard to pin down. He also talks up literacy in schools.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Stephen Michael King has been described as an artist who ‘draws from the inside out’, and it is this gentle, intuitive truth that gives heart and playfulness to his work. Stephen Michael King is an internationally renowned, award-winning author and illustrator whose career has spanned over 30 years, producing more that one hundred titles. He has worked with a stable of Australia’s best children’s book authors including Glenda Millard, Margaret Wild, Nick Bland, Peter Carey and Tim Winton. Books that Stephen Michael King has written and illustrated include: Three; Rainbow Bear; Mutt Dog!; Leaf; and Milly, Jack and the Dancing Cat. His books have been translated into over twenty languages, and he is frequently honoured in children’s book award categories – including winning the CBCA Book of the year, and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award.
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