The Tri-Interview Spectacular! Winkler! Oliver! Santat! It’s a Detective Duck Interview Extravaganza

It seems to me that when you have a chance to interview Henry Winkler AND Lin Oliver AND Dan Santat, all at the very same time, that is a good move to make. The three worked together on a little book called Detective Duck in 2023. Now they’re back together again and doing the rounds (like so). Why? Because Detective Duck 2: The Case of the Missing Tadpole is out today (today!) and that’s worth celebrating with the rare triple interview.

Now interviewing three people at once? It’s a challenge but, by gum, not an impossibility! Watch! Amaze! Admire! As I talk with the creators of this series all at once!

---

Betsy Bird: Henry! Let us begin with you! And may I offer congrats on a second DETECTIVE DUCK book! I confess, I never found out where the first one came from. Why a detective series? And why a duck?

Henry Winkler: First of all, Detective Duck was the title of a book that Lin and I made up in the Here’s Hank series.

During the pandemic Lin and I discussed coming up with a wonderful series about a resourceful, smart and friendly girl-duck with big dreams.

The character we came up with loved solving mysteries.

BB: Oh! Well, Lin, congrats on the new DETECTIVE DUCK book, then! You’ve been doing books with Henry for years and years, but as far as I can tell this is the first detective series you’ve ever done. What’s that like? And have you done detective books for young readers before?

Lin Oliver: This is the first ever detective book I’ve written. Usually, I’m not compelled by who-done-it.  But in the case of Detective Duck, I loved the idea of our little duck being an environmental detective, looking for clues about how and why her beautiful pond is subjected to problems.  I think young readers love to be part of solving the story problem (and the global problem) even before the characters do, so following the clues and predicting the answer to the mystery is a great way to keep them interested and engaged in the story.  It empowers them to understand that no matter or age or size, you can work on environmental mysteries and make a difference.

BB: Well, let’s round this out then. Dan! Congrats on DETECTIVE DUCK #2! But of course I never quite learned about how you started working with Lin and Henry in the first place. Had you run into him before you started working with him? And I take it you already knew Lin, yes?

Dan Santat: Our history goes way back. I had met Lin from being a member of the SCBWI for a number of years, eventually working my way into teaching some breakout sessions and doing keynotes for certain chapters. The first time I met Henry was in the green room of the national conference of SCBWI NY. It was just the two of us in the room and I didn’t want to make a fuss because I assumed his entire life was, “Hi! I’m a huge fan EYYYYY! GET IT?!” kind of fan adoration. So I just sat awkwardly with him in the quiet room for like, 10-15 minutes. Over the years there were perhaps two or three offers that had come my way to work with them on some projects but had to decline due to scheduling issues.

Then one day Lin had emailed me asking me to come to the office and shoot some video but that there was also someone who she’d like to introduce me to, so I shot my video, walked to Lin’s office, and there in the corner of the room, sitting in a rocking chair, was Henry Winkler. He immediately got up onto his feet, walked straight up to me, shook my hands with both of his hands, stared me right in the eye and said, “I am such a huge fan of yours.” I remember looking around thinking, “He’s a fan of ME?” We chatted for an hour saying we would love to work together on something someday.

Maybe 5 years later I got an email from Lin towards the tail end of the pandemic hoping I had time to work with them both on Detective Duck and the dream finally became a reality.

BB: Well, Lin, that makes me wonder. You and Henry have been writing books together for years and years. I’m going to ask him this same question, but what’s the process like for you two to write together? What’s that look like? You must have it down to a science after all these years.

Lin: Henry and I write together, in the same room at the same time.  Since we both came out of television, where much of the script evolves collaboratively in a writers’ room, this is a natural process for us.  For most of our 30 plus books, we were face to face in my office.  Detective Duck was hatched (no pun intended, well okay, maybe a little one) during COVID, so our collaboration took place over zoom but still in real time.  We talk over the story carefully, then write it page by page, polishing jokes, debating over language, emoting with the characters.  We laugh a lot.  I deeply appreciate how in sync our senses of humor are, and also how much we both respect our kid readers.

BB: Now, Henry, let’s get your take. I’m so curious about your process writing with Lin. How do you two do it together from your perspective?

Henry: Where there’s a will there’s a way.  And we found our way.  I walk around Lin’s office and talk.  Lin types.  Then Lin has an idea, she types, I wait.  Lin then reads it back to me and we argue over every word.  Titles are very important to Lin.  She taught me that when a child picks up a book, we have a about 5 seconds for them to decide to take it home or not.  So, the title has to capture their imagination instantaneously.

BB: I’ve asked Lin and Henry but, Dan, what’s the process like for you working with Lin and Henry? Do you show them any preliminary sketches or do they see the end result along with the rest of us?

Dan: It’s not much different than what you see in any other working relationship with other authors these days. I think folks can sleep well knowing that working on a “celebrity book” with someone like Henry is a completely normal experience and that he and Lin both take the job very seriously but also trust me to do my end of the job well.

I do a preliminary round of sketches. I’ll get a few notes here and there but nothing too out of the ordinary. They don’t really see the end product until it’s finally in print and I’ll get a very gracious email from them both. It’s a beautiful working relationship. For what it’s worth, when authors acknowledge their appreciation for the artist it gives a little incentive to make the artist want to work harder on the material.

BB: Well, Henry, you’re one of our reigning kings of early chapter books for kids, no question. And it all started with Hank Zipzer. Of course, Hank had such autobiographical ties to you. You’ve just kept on making books for kids, which is amazing. What’s keeping you going?

Henry: I still cannot believe that writing these books with Lin has become a second profession.  It amazes me every time I see my name on a book cover.  I still have difficulty reading in the first place.  And to be a coauthor of all these books is one of the great achievements outside my family in my life.

As for the storylines, when we come up with a really good one, we cannot spin ideas fast enough. When we’re not inspired by the ideas, we have trouble coming up with any of the details for that story.

BB: Makes sense. Finally, here’s a question for all three of you: what else is on your plate? Y’all always seem to have some new book on the horizon. What’s next?

Henry: Lin and I just finished the newest Detective Duck which will come out next year.  And we have a fourth one to write.

Lin: I am in the midst of writing a four book series called The Kindness Crew, collaborating with Goldie Hawn.  It’s based on a program her foundation developed for children, that emphasizes how your brain influences your emotions and how mindfulness can help you regulate your emotional state and interactions, to experience  calm, kindness and empathy.  I love those themes and am happy to help translate them into fun and compelling books for middle grade readers.  That series is coming from Penguin Workshop in 2025.  And Nancy Paulsen Books is published a picture book of mine for very young children called ONE GRUMPY BABY.  I so loved writing LITTLE POEMS FOR TINY EARS, illustrated by my great friend Tomie de Paola, and this new book is very much in that vein.

And of course, after retiring as Executive Director of SCBWI, I founded the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund, which is doing charitable and social action work that centers the children’s book community, focusing on issues such as the freedom to read, availability of diverse books for all, and uplifting the contributions and legacy of our great community of children’s book creators.

Dan: Where to start? I’m finally working on three new Sidekicks graphic novels with Scholastic. I’ve also signed on to write and illustrate a fun and silly six book graphic novel series with MacMillan which hasn’t been announced yet. In the back burner I’m also working on my next memoir as well as a middle grade novel centered around AI, pop culture, and urban legends that revolve around Los Angeles. In terms of collaborations Lisa Yee and I are doing three more Misfits books in the series, I’m doing more choose your own adventure picture books with Laurel Snyder (the next one is about Greek mythology) I have a picture book with Joanna Ho and Caroline Kusin Pritchard called, “The Day the Books Disappeared”. Minh Le and I are working on our next picture book called, “Carousel” and even further down the road I’ve got picture book collaborations with YA author, Ally Condie, and another picture book with Candlewick.

Honestly, I may have missed a few but I can’t seem to remember.

BB: And who could blame you?

---

Loads of thanks to Henry, Lin, and Dan for taking the time to answer ALL my questions today. Thanks too to Mary Marolla and the team at Abrams for helping to put this all together! Detective Duck 2: The Case of the Missing Tadpole is, as I say, out today so find yourself an early chapter book reader in need of a new mystery series and introduce at will!

Filed under: Interviews