'Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee'

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Renée Graef (l) and Barbara Joosse (r), authors of Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee

In their new book, Lulu and Rocky in Milwaukee, Barbara Joosse and Renée Graef capture the city’s rich history, charm—and a bit of magic. The book’s characters enjoy a stay at the Pfister, a visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum, cheese curds and polka. In their long and fruitful careers, Joosse, a Mequon resident, and Graef, a Milwaukee native who now lives in California, have written and illustrated over 130 books for children, including Mama, Do You Love Me?, titles in the American Girl series and The Nutcracker, published by HarperCollins. Off the Cuff caught up with Joosse and Graef to ask them a few questions about Lulu and Rocky, published by Sleeping Bear Press of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

How did you come up with the idea for Lulu and Rocky?

BJ: Other children’s books are about a city’s sites, but don’t show the spirit of the city. Renée and I are crazy about Milwaukee, a city that can be very sophisticated but is also down-to-earth at the same time. The book is our love letter to Milwaukee, and we really wanted to make our city look good.

RG: I think that Milwaukee is such a special place, and I’m honored to illustrate this book.

How were the characters of Lulu and Rocky developed?

BJ: Lulu is my granddaughter’s name. Originally, Lulu and Rocky were going to be human characters, but we decided to make them foxes because they are curious and cute. Lulu and Rocky are also cousins. Other characters, such as Aunt Fanny (to whom the pair write letters, but you never see), and Norman the Doorman (a bear who acts as a sort of paternal figure), were added as time went on.

Can you talk about the book’s locations?

RG: We tried to include classic landmarks, such as the Milwaukee Art Museum (which I feel embodies the spirit of Milwaukee), that will be around for generations to come. I just love that Milwaukee will be in the limelight. People don’t realize what a gem we have.

BJ: When kids read books, they tend to focus on illustrations. If you read a book often, you start to focus on details you didn’t see before. In our book, for example, you can pick out a Colectivo Coffee mug or the Gas Company flame.

What are your future book plans?

BJ: We have begun work on the second book in the Lulu and Rocky series. This one will be set in Detroit. We also have a number of book signings and other events coming up.

RG: I’m happy that the first book of the series is set in Milwaukee. I’m just thrilled that people are seeing what a wonderful city Milwaukee is.

For a list of book signings and other author/illustrator events, visit reneegraef.com.