Same Same

Author Jennifer E. Smith and illustrator Leo Espinosa are the team behind The Creature of Habit. Readers of the book meet a large creature and a small one. The large creature does the exact same thing every day. He likes routines. The small one does not. He does something different each day. The large creature thinks this is absolute madness. That is, until he tries something new.

Smith thinks the story is relatable. There’s never a time when “trying something new isn’t a little bit scary,” she told TFK Kid Reporter Dylan Landaw. Smith says she’s like the large creature. She thinks most people are like one or the other. Some people have trouble adjusting to change. Others are like the little guy. They’re up for anything.

Espinosa says he’s like the big creature, too. But “it’s good to have that curiosity of that little creature,” he says. “That’s when you get out of the comfort zone.”

Espinosa had fun illustrating this book. “I can go really silly,” he says, “because they’re imaginary creatures.” Espinosa and Smith enjoy working together. Their next book is The Creature of Habit Tries His Best. It comes out on November 19.