Nalah from Anne Sawyer-Aitch's Nalah Goes to Mad House City

We’re thrilled to be talking to Nalah from Anne Sawyer-Aitch’s Nalah Goes to Mad Mouse City. It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Pimp That Character!

Thank you for your interview, Nalah. How old are you and what do you do for a living?

I’m seven. I don’t have to make a living. But my Mom says I make a lot of mischief. Oh, and I make a lot of messes. Well, actually, I don’t make them, the animals do. Tico the Tiger is the worst. But Mad Tooth the Mouse eats one of each kind of sock. And if I didn’t throw peas at Ernestina the Emu, what would she eat? No one believes me though. They think I’m making them up. Because I’m the only one who sees the animals.

Where do you go when you are angry?

I make a blanket fort and hide in it with my favorite toys. When I bring my flashlight in there, I can do a light show.

What makes you laugh out loud?

I like to watch Mad Tooth chase Tico around the house. Because even though he’s a tiger, he’s afraid of a little tiny mouse.

Do you think the author portrayed you accurately?

Well, Auntie Anne does her best. But she can’t always get all the awesomeness of my world down on paper. It’s really fun to be me.

What is your idea of a perfect day?

Funny you should ask that. I just had the most perfect day! I went to Mad Mouse City. It’s a really cool little town with a sock monster, and a mouse band, and all these weird little buildings made from junk. I’m the most important person there, because the city is in my sock drawer. They had a parade in my honor. And there’s a cheddar cheese statue of me in the town square. It doesn’t get much better than that. The only thing missing was ice cream.

What are three must haves when shopping at the grocery store?

Animal crackers, grape popsicles, and Cheetos.

If you could change one physical thing about yourself, what would that be?

I would want to have wings. Mad Tooth said a spell that helped me to shrink and have Tinkerbelle wings so we could get to Mad Mouse City. But when we got back, the wings weren’t there any more. Flying is the best! I’d fly to school every day if I could.

Who is your best friend?

Well, I can’t say that, or the animals might get mad at me, wouldn’t they? I mean, if I say Tico the Tiger, then Percival Prong the Polka Dot Pig might get jealous. And he’s very touchy. I just got Tico to stop going into Percy’s bathroom and squirting him with toothpaste.  The last time that happened, I had to sit in the bathtub with Percy and sing “Let it Go” a billion times in a row before he could calm down. Sometimes friends are so much work.

Someone is secretly in love with you.  Who is it and how do you feel about that?

Oogie. I might get cooties.

Do you like to cook?  If so, what is your favorite thing to cook?

I like to make spring rolls and Pho with Mom. But sometimes I like macaroni and cheese too. We put hot sauce on it.

About the Author:

Anne Sawyer-Aitch (pronounced like the letter “H”) is a puppeteer and stilt-walker. When she decided to create her first book, Nalah and the Pink Tiger, she began experimenting with different styles of illustration, and finally discovered a technique that uses her skills as a maker of color shadow puppets. She calls it “Illuminated Illustration”, and it involves cut-away designs, layering, and backlighting. In her capacity as a puppeteer, Anne creates puppet pieces of all kinds: parade floats, giant stilt puppets, and intricate color shadow shows. She is a MN State Arts Board Roster Artist, teaching puppetry all over the state, and has been touring around with her first book & her Nalah and the Pink Tiger show for the last two years. Nalah Goes to Mad Mouse City is her second book. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For More Information

• Visit Anne Sawyer-Aitch’s website.
• Connect with Anne on Facebook (author) and Facebook (book)
• Find out more about Anne at Goodreads.
• Contact Anne.

About the Book:

The adventures of Nalah continue! One day Nalah finds herself bored and lonesome because all of her imaginary friends have gone away on vacation. But wait – not all. Mad Tooth, the little mouse who lives in her sock drawer, is still busy munching away on her knee-highs. When she finds out why Nalah is sad, she offers to take her down through the sock drawer into a mouse metropolis. The result is a tale of wild dancing, cousins and mice, taffy and a sock monster.

“Gorgeously illustrated with a process I've only seen before in Anne Sawyer-Aitch's 1st book, Nalah and the Pink Tiger. My 4-year-old particularly enjoyed the x-ray view of the stilting guard of Mad Mouse City, and was inspired to make several of her own versions of the illustration. Another fun story with a relatable young girl as protagonist and vivid fantastic characters she encounters.” – E. Bestrom, Good Reads reader

For More Information

• Nalah Goes to Mad Mouse City is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

.