Q&A with Sonya Hartnett

Award-winning author Sonya Hartnett reflects on the inspiration behind There's a Chicken in the House, the joy of writing for young readers, and her enduring creative partnership with illustrator Lucia Masciullo.

1. What are you currently reading?

I’m not reading anything at the moment – I’ve spent the last few months working on a novel, and I never read while I’m writing. That’s a habit I developed many years ago. I won’t watch extended series, and I’m even leery of watching movies. The only thing that’s allowed in my head is the work in progress.

2. What book should everyone read at least once in their lifetime?

Everyone should read a DIY book. Everyone should be at least a little bit handy.

3. There’s a Chicken in the House starts with a wonderfully unexpected visitor. Where did the idea for this story come from?

I’ve kept chickens for decades. They always amaze me by how forthright they can be: a chicken’s #1 interest is always herself. They are bold and intelligent, nosy, cunning, and very social. Many chickens, if given the chance, will invite themselves into the comfort and prosperity of a human house. I wanted to write about this animal that is often overlooked and disrespected, and show the sort of characters they can be if you give them a chance.

4. This is your fifth picture book with illustrator Lucia Masciullo. How has your creative partnership evolved over the years, and what do you think Lucia brings to your stories that continually surprises or delights you?

Right from The Boy and the Toy, our first book together, Lucia seemed to me to be born to be a picture book illustrator. I like to strip the texts back to a minimum, and Lucia instinctively knows how and where to step into the spaces left behind: as I pull out details, her work puts them back in. A picture book is really about the pictures, and I think Lucia understands this. I feel like I could eventually pull out all the words, and her illustrations would tell the story perfectly anyway. She doesn’t need me as much as I need her.

5. Lucia's illustrations bring so much warmth and humour to your stories. What do you most enjoy about seeing her interpret your words?

Lucia has a great gift for expression, and she gives a character a whole life just in the way she makes them stand or smile. I love the way she depicts animals, particularly the Cat, from Come Down, Cat and Go Home, Cat, which I think is both our favourite personality from the books. She has such charm and lovability. I also like how Lucia often uses unusual points of view – her illustrations rarely take the easy path. Your eye travels all over the pictures in unexpected ways. She’s done this right from the start of our working partnership, and that confidence and daring delights me every time.  

6. Animals often play such memorable roles in your picture books, from curious cats to wild creatures, and now a very determined chicken. What is it about telling stories through animals that appeals to you, particularly for younger readers?

I have always liked animals, and when I was a child, animals were sometimes the only friends I had. I think that children and animals are often very similar in that they are powerless, living in a world in which they are not the main characters and have little control over their lives. I hope the animals I write about come across to the child reader as friends, and as individuals to respect, and that animals have a right to be here and to be treated kindly, as we all do. 

7. Looking back across your five collaborations with Lucia Masciullo, what keeps you excited to keep returning to this creative partnership?

Knowing that I can put a story in Lucia’s hands and being sure she will understand its needs immediately, that I can trust her completely, and that the work will be 1000 times better because of her. And that there’s sure to be some adorable detail that makes me marvel at how good she is at what she does.

8. There's a Chicken in the House celebrates the joy in welcoming the unexpected. Do you think children are naturally better at embracing surprise and curiosity, and what are you hoping readers take away from this book?

Children embrace surprise and curiosity better than adults because they are new to the world and many things are still surprising, I guess. To an adult, a chicken in the house means chicken poo to be wiped off the floor, but to a child, a visit from a chicken is an opportunity to experience their world through the eyes of another being. And I think that’s what I hope readers get from this book: the joy it is to look through the eyes of someone else.