From the Publisher: “… all you need to have the very best day are the people you love.”
More info About the Author: “All Victoria ever wanted growing up was to be a mom. After two years of struggling with infertility, she was given the greatest gift of all, a son. Since then, it’s been nothing but laughter, chaos, and love. Watching her parents become grandparents has been an unbelievable joy. This book is dedicated to them.
Victoria and Rob were both born and raised just south of Pittsburgh and still live there today – close to family. Together, they look forward to traveling and introducing their son to their favorite destinations. Victoria is also a local infection preventionist and loves working to make healthcare a safer place for all.”
You grew up in a small town outside of Pittsburgh, where you still live…
I absolutely love Pittsburgh; it’s always been my home and where my heart lies. There’s just something about this city, a deep-rooted pride that connects us with a true sense of belonging. Our families live here as well and we knew we wanted to remain close to our support system. Pittsburgh will always be home.
Why did you decide to write a children’s picture book?
Watching my parents become grandparents was the ultimate reason I wrote this story. I wanted to find a way to honor and preserve the beauty of them falling in love with this perfect little boy. “Jumpy chunky monkey” was a game my dad made up for him and Robby to play. Even now, if you sing or hum the tune, Robby will dance and jump and laugh. My husband was so supportive, he didn’t even hesitate when I told him my idea, just said “let’s do it”. I still can’t believe we made it into a real thing! It’s not just a story for us, it’s a glimpse into our lives and we’re so excited to share it with the world.
What special details would you like readers to know about this book before and as they read it?
When I say it’s not just a story for us – I totally meant it. We wanted to make this book as personal as possible so we sprinkled as much of the “real us” into it as possible. The characters were designed after our actual likenesses, down to the color of the outfits. Robby used to nap on my dad’s chest, it was the sweetest thing, and my favorite illustration in the book. Probably our favorite detail is the title – it’s actually my dad’s handwriting. Growing up, my dad made Easter eggs for me every year based on whatever I was into at the time. Being a true yinzer, it ended up being about a dozen hand-dyed football eggs (he became a pro at making the perfect shade of brown). When Robby was born, his first egg was their favorite game:
What do you want both adults and children to get out of reading this book?
I think just a reminder that in this fast-paced and crazy world, it’s the simplest things that mean the most. Having a family that supports and loves you is really what matters.
So, how important is family to you?
It’s everything really… we’re so lucky to have such a strong support system. And Robby is so lucky to be this close to all of his grandparents. As we got older and the world got bigger, it became more apparent that our immediate surroundings – our family, friends, and home – are the most important thing to us.
Will you write other books with these characters?
We would absolutely love to! If this is successful and we have the opportunity – we would in a heartbeat. We already have ideas for other storylines that we’d love to bring to life.
If you’d like to get in touch with Victoria, email victoriacrallwrites@gmail.com!
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