Beloved picture book author, Maddie Frost, has quickly wormed her way into my heart with her highly-anticipated middle grade debut Really Rubie, following a hilarious and artistic kid, Rubie Fox. In this first installment, Rubie and her best friend, Riley, are going to sleepaway camp for the first time! But when Riley gets injured, Rubie has to go alone. Apprehensive at first, it’s here at summer camp where Rubie realizes she’s capable of standing on her own two feet, facing awkward obstacles head-on. Independence is a huge part of growing up, so in the spirit of Really Rubie, I was brave, broke out of my shell, and chatted with Maddie Frost for my first Musing interview! There was nothing to be scared of!
— Abigail Wells, Parnassus bookseller
Abigail Wells: In true summer camp fashion, let’s start off with an icebreaker! You begin Really Rubie by creating a strong sense of characterization for our titular character, Rubie Fox. Her love of watermelon slushies, distaste for raisins, and introducing us to her PIC (partner in crime) Riley Swisher allows kids to get an idea of Rubie’s personality from the jump. So, since this is your first middle grade book, introduce yourself to us! What are your top likes and dislikes? Who is your real life PIC?
Maddie Frost: Hi, hello! I’m going to let the chicken-duck out of the bag right away and say Rubie is just me. I could have called the book Really Maddie, lol. And anyone who knows me says the same thing. This book is my fingerprint on paper. Rubie is me at her age, and Rubie is me as an adult. Although my adult struggles are much different than my tween ones. Think new-motherhood vs. stealing my best friend’s crush. Messy, but different.
Present-day Maddie DOES indeed love watermelon slushies, and is truly not a fan of raisins. Unless coated in at least 3 layers of chocolate. I grew up and live in Massachusetts (like Rubie) and have been making books for over a decade. I had a childhood BFF who was my Riley; we will call her Elena. Elena and I were attached at the hip and functioned like sisters. We could communicate in facial expressions and one-liner inside jokes. But also, like sisters, we fought a lot. More on Elena later.
My favorite things in no specific order are: Writing, making art, yoga, coffee, sushi, summer time, morning time, thrifting, dogs, and SpongeBob. I live in Grafton, MA, with my PIC, Toby, our daughter, Birdie, and our doggo, Mozzy.
AW: I can imagine fictionalizing parts of your childhood in order to create Rubie’s character was a super fun process! In what ways did the creation of Really Rubie allow you to connect to Younger Maddie? How is Younger Maddie different from Rubie? As an adult today, what advice would you give them both?
MF: It was important for me to make sure Rubie came across as honest and vulnerable as possible. And not just because she was out of her comfort zone. But also because she was trying to find her people at camp. Trying to make friends is the epitome of awkward and uncomfortable. The Pinkies are so sweet, but sometimes you meet people as a kid (and adult!!) that you just don’t necessarily vibe with right away. Like you are both trees, but not the same kind of tree. Which is totally OK. I felt that a lot growing up. I had a wacky sense of humor, was super sensitive, observant, anxious, internalized everything, and loved art when most kids loved sports. Elena had different interests but we had similar personalities. We were the same kind of tree. Which is why we were so close. And why I never really felt the need to branch out (pun intended) and make new friends. Elena and I DID go to summer camp for a month in Vermont. I thought it would be the BTE (best time ever), but we fought so much and she got jealous when I started hanging out with the “Eliza” I met there. This story was the product of imagining the kind of experience I would have had if Elena hadn’t gone with me. I do think Rubie is more of her own person, she feels like she knows who she is and what she does and doesn’t like. Younger Maddie was more of a chameleon, especially when it came to Elena. I didn’t know how to think for myself, a trait I wanted for Rubie. I don’t think I really knew who I was until my thirties. Yikes, I know. The struggle is real, man. If I could tell Rubie and little Maddie one thing, it’s to be yourself. What are you like when you are totally alone? Be that. And don’t apologize to anyone for it.
AW: Let’s talk shop! Really Rubie takes on the beloved diary-style format. Why did you choose to embody Rubie’s story in this way? What affordances do you think the diary genre allows you, especially when it comes to incorporating doodles and illustrations?
MF: I only ever envisioned this story and this character in a diary. Two reasons. One, I have done a few graphic novels and full disclosure, they kicked my butt. They are like an illustrator marathon. I praise creators who do them regularly. They must be robots, right? So, I knew Really Rubie would not be a graphic novel. Plus, I heard her loud and clear as a stream of consciousness, talking without taking a breath in first person. I kept diaries as a tween; my drawing style lends itself well to chaotic doodles. It was a no-brainer. The reader is so much more immersed in the main character with a diary format. It’s like we’re in her brain, along for the ride, holding on for dear life. Her doodles added a whole other layer to her personality. An absolute field day for me because I could leave little mistakes and let the art intentionally be imperfect, as it’s drawn by an emotional eleven-year-old girl. Wink, wink.
AW: I can always tell when I have a Maddie Frost book in my hand. Not just because of your signature art style, but because your books have a strong sense of voice. For instance, Bear in a Bathrobe is goofy yet heartfelt to the core, just like Rubie. In terms of developing comedic elements through narration and dialogue, how fun has it been to expand creatively? Going from the picture book genre to chapter books, I’d assume you have more room to play around with ideas! And considering your other books, which of your picture book characters would share the biggest laughs with Rubie?
MF: This is an amazing question. First of all, thank you! That’s so nice to hear. It’s been life changing to expand creatively. Artists tend to feel like they need to put themselves in a box to be known for “their thing.” But boredom and curiosity have proved me wrong. I would rather eat a soggy tuna sandwich from summer camp EVERY DAY than be put in a box. I’ve grown so much as a writer by trying new things and challenging myself. It’s okay to fail. Worst case scenario, I fail. I still have air in my lungs. It was so fun to approach this project as a series of moments. I was able to dig so much deeper into situations, and feelings, and reactions. It played out in my head like a movie. I couldn’t write fast enough as the chapters effortlessly strung together like beads on a friendship bracelet.
I could see Capybara from Capybara Is Friends with Everyone vibing and LOLing with Rubie. Instant besties I bet.
AW: One of the main themes in Really Rubie is breaking out of your shell and trying new things, especially when you have to go it alone. For example, Rubie is worried about attending camp without Riley, but she ends up making friends despite the nerves! In a similar vein, you have been publishing picture books since 2018; however, with this being your first middle grade novel, how have you, Maddie, been pushed out of your comfort zone through the experience? Any nerves or worries that ended up being unfounded, just like Rubie’s?
MF: Wow, we’re going deep! I love it. I think just trying to write middle grade was way out of my comfort zone. I never studied writing, am not an avid reader. Who the heck was I to try and do this? It would have been easy to listen to the doubt and fear in my head telling me I was out of my lane to put a middle grade in the world. After I wrote the first chapter, thinking of writing the rest felt so daunting, so far out of reach. It was VERY uncomfortable to wake up every morning and force myself to keep going, to see the story through until the last sentence. In order to overcome that feeling of uncertainty, I made a promise to Rubie. No matter what, I promised her I would finish her story. Jim The Duck is Rubie’s security blanket (or stuffie) and I kept a copy of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret on my desk as my own source of comfort. I’ve been an admirer of Judy Blume for a long time, she was my lucky writing charm. Thanks Judy, if you ever read this!
AW: Something I picked up on in this book is that Rubie’s personality may be slightly more tomboyish, but she never disparages Riley for being athletic or enjoying “girlier” things. Similarly, Rubie may not share the Pinkies’ love of makeup, or Helen and Sophie’s horseback riding skills, but these never become points of tension or reasons for Rubie to pick on her peers. If anything, their differences bring them closer! Were sisterhood and female friendship original themes in this work, or did they develop overtime? How did you begin crafting Rubie’s friendships, and did they change over time, too?
MF: You know, it’s really just Rubie’s good heartedness. It wasn’t something I forced, she naturally came onto the page that way. Very empathetic, and non- judgmental. Someone you want to be friends with. Someone you want your child to be friends with. The female friendships in this book was definitely a theme and crucial to Rubie’s growth. Navigating girlhood at this age is tricky because you don’t really know who you are yet, and you don’t really know where “the you you think you are” fits. But if you stay optimistic and kind, you never know where you will find connection. Often, it is in the least likely place. Even though Rubie is nothing like The Pinkies, they became her fairy godmothers, helping her feel confident and beautiful. Helen and Sophie helped Rubie get back on the horse, literally. I crafted these friendships to be uncomfortable on purpose at first, because let’s be honest, all new relationships are. But with a little time, they can blossom into something you didn’t know you needed.
AW: Just like Rubie juggling a busy schedule at Camp Pineview, you’ve got a busy summer ahead, too! Not only does Really Rubie debut on June 2nd, but so does your new brand picture book, Farm Shark, in collaboration with author Bill Canterbury. On the itinerary the week after, June 9th, your solo project The Stuffie Stand enters the world! Woah! Has it been hard to juggle these projects? How have you managed your time? Any tips for kids with a schedule as busy as yours?
MF: June really is “The Month of Maddie” as one of my bookseller friends says. I definitely didn’t plan to have three books out in the same week, but here we are. It feels like having triplets and they are all crying for attention at once. “Mommy is coming!!!” The one major thing I’ve learned about books coming into the world is that there really is only so much I, the author, can do. They will take on a whole new life, maybe good, maybe not so good. It’s out of my control. There’s a lot of comfort in that fact. The best I can do is wish them well. I did the best I could crafting them, and I hope readers enjoy reading them. Promoting new books is a job in itself. It’s something I might never feel comfortable with to be honest. Why? I don’t know. Imposter syndrome is the devil? I’m also working on new books while promoting published books so it’s like being two places mentally at once. I have tried to wrangle time and manage it the best I can, to meet deadlines and be at events, and reply to wonderful Q&As, but it’s hard. Sometimes I miss the days of making art just for fun. Not that what I do isn’t fun, of course it is. But there is something so magical and pure about creating art for your heart and eyes only. I have to constantly stop and remind myself I’m living my dream, and it doesn’t get more incredible than that. My best advice is to breathe, do what you can when you can, and know that the work always gets done. In the wise words of Jim, “YOU GOT THIS!”
AW: Before we wrap up, since Really Rubie has a summer release date, share your best or worst summer camp story, if you have one! Maybe something you didn’t include in Rubie’s diary!
MF: Hmmmm. Ok I got it. At the REAL summer camp I went to when I was Rubie’s age, I was so excited to be in the sailing activity. We got to learn how to sail a little tiny boat around the lake. I felt like Moana, if Moana existed in the early 2000s. It was the first time campers could go out alone on their boats, and I was pumped. I was cruising and totally vibing with the wind in my hair, like YES, look at me go. At some point a huge gust of wind blew and I pulled the sail the wrong way. The boat tipped, then capsized, then turtled upside down. There was indeed a “Hot Ben” at my camp. Guess who came out on a motorboat to rescue me? Yeah, the hot Ben. It was a whole scene with campers and counselors crowding the dock. Was I hurt? (I wasn’t). I could care less. All I felt was MEGA EMBARRASSMENT VIBES!
AW: Finally, it wouldn’t be a Parnassus Musing interview without asking this one essential question: What do you love about independent bookstores? (Give a shoutout to your local bookstore in MA!) What do you think they provide young readers that they can’t get anywhere else?
MF: What ISN’T there to love about indie bookstores? They are such a vital part to a community. It’s like an extension of home. Shout out to Silver Unicorn Books in Acton, MA, who have supported me from the start. And to Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA! I heart you guys! They support their local authors in a way that makes them feel seen and loved. Shopping in indie bookstores makes time stop, the world quiet. Where the only thing that exists is a shared human experience for the love of literature. Young readers will never feel judged for their interests and curiosity. All are welcome. The real heaven on Earth.
A BONUS NOTE FROM MADDIE FROST
I’m currently working on Really Rubie BOOK 2. It will come out in 2027, and let’s just say things get even more REAL. So much happens! Rubie starts sixth grade, she turns twelve, Riley has a new BFF, Rubie has a new crush, and to top it off there is one big fat LIE that just might ruin Rubie’s life forever. Until then, thank you to my readers of Really Rubie. I hope she has landed into a special place in your heart.
Really Rubie hits shelves on June 2. Pre-order your copy now!
Musing 