Memorium…Jane: Patrick McDonnell Discusses Jane Goodall

As the end of the year approaches and the days grow short and dark, thoughts begin to turn to the people we lost during the year. There are a lot of names, beloved by many, that come to mind. Diane Keaton. Robert Redford. David Lynch.

I think losing Jane Goodall was a particularly hard loss, though. Not simply because of the legacy of her life and work, but also because she served as an inspiration for so many. She even, if you’ll recall, starred in a Caldecott Honor winning picture book. Me…Jane by Patrick McDonnell is one of those books that may actually join the pantheon of classic children’s book literature in a few years time. Few books are capable of accomplishing what it has managed to do with such seemingly effortlessness.

When I heard of Jane’s passing, Patrick was the person I wanted to talk to about it. So today, a small memorial for a great women and a great book:

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Betsy Bird: Patrick! It’s been a day or two since last I saw you, so how the heck are you? And for that matter, can you believe that Me…Jane is a whopping 14 years old? Of course, you were one of the first people I thought of when I heard that Jane had passed. Since you knew her, I wonder if you could tell us a bit about what she was like to work with as you created a very small book about her early years?

Patrick McDonnell: Hi Betsy, it’s so nice to meet up again, and to talk of Jane.

Jane was a saint. And it’s really hard to say was. We were together in New York City just ten days before she passed. She was her radiant, dynamic self, sharing her vital message of compassion and hope.With her passing, a light has gone out in the world. 

Jane was an absolute joy to work with and very enthusiastic about Me…Jane. She said to me “It’s my life and your pictures”. That meant a lot. Always honest and direct, she told you exactly what she was thinking. And she was clear-minded and always right. Jane traveled around the globe 300 days a year advocating for her mission. You never knew where she might be when you tried to reach her. But whenever Jane was in New York she would make sure we got together. I cherish those times.

BB: I’m sure you’ve been asked this multiple times over the years, but I don’t think I know the story. How did Me… Jane come to be? And what was Jane’s reaction when she knew that you were working on it? For that matter, how did she feel about the final product? 

Patrick: Jane entered my life through a MUTTS comic strip. I had drawn a daily where my animal-activist kitten, Jules, called Jane his inspiration. Shortly after it ran in the newspapers, the Jane Goodall Institute reached out to inquire if they could use it on an invitation. Of course, I said yes, and offered to mail them the original art as a gift for Jane.

They replied, “Jane will be in New York next week. Why don’t you present it to her yourself?”

So, surprisingly, I had the honor and pleasure to meet Jane. I suggested that perhaps we could do a book together someday. Jane liked the idea but said it would have to wait until she finished the book that she was then currently working on.

I went home and reread her powerful autobiography Reason for Hope.

And there it was: a photograph of little Jane, one and a half years old, holding her beloved stuffed chimpanzee, Jubilee. In that single image I saw the story of her life. A brave, curious girl who dreamed of helping animals in Africa and, despite all odds, made her dream come true. That would be our book.

I created a dummy and showed it to Jane the next time she visited New York. She loved it with one exception: I had drawn a bow in her hair.  Jane informed me that she never wore a bow – just a sensible clip.  Of course, I didn’t want to argue with Jane but told her the bow was based on a photo of her from Reason for Hope.  She told me “That was the photographer’s bow.  I always wore a sensible clip”. So, in the final version, Jane is drawn with a small, approved, clip in her hair.

Jane also told me that as a child she, too, was an artist who drew studies of animals and nature. When I learned she had saved those drawings, we included some favorites in Me…Jane.

BB: I almost feel like I’m speaking to her biographer when I talk to you, you know. As such, I don’t feel silly asking you to tell me a little bit about what you feel her legacy is. How does her life live on after her death? 

Patrick: Jane brought awareness, hope, and inspiration to millions. She was our planet’s ambassador, and our environmental conscience. We were all blessed by her presence.

She was also a true pioneer in science, the first person to discover that chimpanzees use tools, and she forever changed the way we understand animals. She gave voice to their intelligence, their personalities, and their feelings, reminding us that they are not so different from us after all.

She believed fiercely in young people and was so proud of the work they did through her Roots & Shoots program. She planted seeds of empathy that will keep growing long after all of us are gone.

Jane’s optimism kept many of us, myself included, grounded through difficult times. She was an extraordinary force for good. She believed humanity could still awaken to our responsibility and heal the Earth before it’s too late.

So it’s up to each and every one of us to honor her legacy by carrying on her lifelong mission of love and compassion. As Jane often said, “Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.”

She had so much hope for saving this planet. We mustn’t disappoint Jane.

BB: Me… Jane has enjoyed a long life on and beyond its Caldecott Honor. In the intervening 14 years, what are some of the stories or encounters related to the book that have been the most meaningful to you?

Patrick: The most meaningful for me was actually becoming friends with Jane and sharing some precious time with her. The most memorable was when the Kennedy Center in Washington DC produced Me…Jane as a theatrical children’s musical. Earlier they had staged my first picture book The Gift of Nothing. The same creative team and I wrote, composed and directed Me…Jane. Despite Jane’s incredibly busy travel calendar, by some miracle Jane was scheduled to be in Washington DC on our opening night. I quite nervously sat next to her as Jane watched her young life story, including her beloved mother, materialize on the stage. I was so pleased to see her smile throughout the performance. Afterwards she asked to speak to the cast, crew and officials of the Kennedy Center. Jane grabbed a chair, hopped up on it, and addressed everyone. A therapy dog, who was in the back of the audience, crawled on his belly through the crowd and lovingly lay at her feet during her impromptu talk. That was the magic and power of Jane… Wherever she went, creatures of every kind seemed drawn to her, drawn to the stillness and grace of someone who knew profoundly what it meant to be part of all life.

BB: Considering just how extraordinarily good you are at such young nonfiction, is there any chance we could ever lure you to do something along those lines again? Or was Me… Jane a once in a lifetime opportunity? 

Patrick: Thank you for saying that. It would certainly be hard to top Jane Goodall.

I loved creating Me…Jane. Doing another biography would make sense on many levels, but my process is intuitive. I try to stay open to the universe. That openness has led me to some wonderful surprises: Me…Jane, my collaboration with the Dalai Lama (Heart to Heart), and even a graphic novel with the Marvel superheroes (The Super Hero’s Journey). That said I can definitely see another picture book biography in my future.

BB: Speaking of books of yours that have been out a while, THE GIFT OF NOTHING appears to be hitting the 20 year mark as well, which is awesome. I hear you’ve a companion book coming out called THE GIFT OF EVERYTHING. What inspired you to write such a book after all this time?

Patrick: The Gift of Everything is my joyful new book which was just published alongside The Gift of Nothing’s 20th anniversary edition.

Last Thanksgiving, my niece Erin joked, “You’ve done The Gift of Nothing. Now you should write The Gift of Everything!” We laughed at the time, but the idea stayed with me and germinated. Soon the story flowed out of my pen.

If The Gift of Nothing is about finding meaning within—realizing that friendship is the true gift—then The Gift of Everything is about looking outward with gratitude and recognizing, as Jane Goodall has shown us, the wonder and abundance that surround us every day. That everything is a gift.

Both books remind us that it’s not about presents. It’s about presence. They are sweet, fun holiday books that are meant to be shared.

BB: Finally, what else are you up to these days? What else is on your plate?

Patrick: My newly adopted ten-year-old dog, Rusty Jenkins, is keeping me pretty busy. Coincidentally, Rusty was also the name of Jane Goodall’s childhood dog, whom she often called her greatest teacher. I have a new MUTTS collection coming out next spring and, in the fall, two hardcover art books containing the entire first five years of MUTTS Sunday pages. I’ve also been creating a lot of big paintings recently.

And I’m very enthused about some new book ideas that are in their development stages right now. I’m curious to see which project rises to the top. It’s a fun part of the process.

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Big thanks to Patrick for taking the time to bring us a little closer to his memories of Jane. Thanks too to Victoria Stapleton and the team at Little, Brown for helping to coordinate this talk today.

Filed under: Interviews, Obits