Author Judi Barrett visits Stepney — Brings tales of monstrous meatballs and flying feasts

Written by Marla Hoffman
Thursday, 22 October 2009 13:20

As a child growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., Judi Barrett wrote fanciful stories, sewed peculiar dolls and created fantastic toys.

She made a clown out of a sheet and an old quilt, a doll of peanut shells, and interesting characters out of boxes — a whole world made from strange and odd objects.

In third grade she wrote her first of many books about an unhappy little turtle who was sad because he couldn’t fly or hop or run or slither like the other animals. Then one day he realized that he could take his home anywhere he wanted, right in the shell on his back, and he became happy to be who he was.

Today, Barrett is still creating, and telling thrilling and wonderful tales to children. She has written more than 20 children’s books, including the 1978 book that inspired the 2009 film, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”

Barrett met with students and teachers at Stepney Elementary School Oct. 16 to share the stories and inspiration behind her books.

“I think all the time about book ideas,” Barrett told the children. “I take notes, and I collect them, and sometimes I go back and use those ideas in my writing.”

Barrett told the children how she comes up with book ideas using some unconventional methods — she often starts with a title, writes the beginning and end, then fills in the middle.

“If you know the end it’s easier to figure out what happened in the middle,” she said. “And I just like naming things.”

She told the children that every author has their own way of doing it, and encouraged them to be creative when they write. “That’s just the way it works for me.”

Barrett said that when she wrote “Cloudy,”, she first had a story idea, which became the premise of the book: “Henry went outside and got hit in the head with a meatball.”

When asked why she used food, Barrett said, “A lot of my books have food in them. I think it’s because I like food.”

In 2000, Barrett published a “Cloudy” sequel: “Pickles to Pittsburgh.” She is currently working on a second sequel.

Barrett said she has always related to children, which may be why she began writing children’s books. Her many appearances at schools and events has brought her closer to her audience.

“The children are pretty wonderful,” she said. “I’m always surprised at how much they know about my books, and I enjoy hearing them laugh and getting the jokes.”

Now that her book inspired a major motion picture, seeing her ideas on the big screen has created a whole new element to what she does.

“It’s mind boggling and terribly exciting,” she said. “I always thought that ‘Cloudy’ would make a good movie, but to see it happen is a monumental experience.”

The movie story is a bit different from the book, said Barrett. The producers took her concept and wrote a whole new script with new characters.

“It’s really all their movie, but they were wonderful about consulting with me and taking my opinions and suggestions,” she said. “I’m happy with the way it came out.”

For the Stepney teachers and students, this was a learning experience.

“When they hear about her ideas from when she was a youth I think it inspires them,” said Debbie Walls, reading coordinator.

Because they do their own writing in the classroom, the children can connect with the authors who come to speak with them, Walls said.

“Our kids keep notebooks with them to write down their own ideas,” said Sue Austin, principal. “She told them about how she is always writing ideas down too, so that makes them relate to her as a writer.”

In addition to reading from both “Cloudy” and her newest book, “The Marshmallow Incident,” Barrett answered questions from the enthusiastic audience.

Her favorite book ever: “Winnie the Pooh.”

Predictable as a flying pancake with all the trimmings at breakfast time, her favorite book of her own creation: “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.”