An interview about Mrs. Gourd by Jody Bucher, presented in partnership with The Children’s Book Review.
When bedtime chaos reached its peak in Jody Bucher’s household, an unexpected character stepped in to save the day: Mrs. Gourd.
What began as one exhausted mom’s attempt to regain control of a particularly unruly bedtime eventually became Mrs. Gourd, a charming picture book celebrating imagination, connection, and the beauty of imperfect family moments. In our conversation, Jody Bucher reflects on the real-life inspiration behind the story, how a spontaneous character became a beloved family tradition, and what she hopes both children and caregivers take away from Mrs. Gourd’s adventures. Along the way, she shares insights into writing for read-aloud audiences, navigating the self-publishing journey, and discovering joy in the middle of life’s everyday chaos.
Mrs. Gourd is every mom’s dream alter ego — proper, persnickety, and completely in command. Where did she come from? Was she inspired by a real person, or did she emerge fully-formed from your imagination?
Jody Bucher (JB): What a great question! Mrs. Gourd is a story based on the real-life events of my children’s chaotic bedtime. My daughter was 6 and my twin boys were four at the time. We were all giggling and having fun and doing everything but getting ready for bed and I remember looking at the clock thinking I know my friend next door has her children in bed at her set time like clockwork every night and I can hardly get these guys in their pajamas! I was feeling defeated. I was just a Mom in a state of complete overwhelm. At that moment, I knew I needed a break, so I silently slipped into the bathroom and took a deep breath. When I was ready to get back into the mix, I opened the door and spontaneously became this character. It even surprised me! I called the room to attention in this very authoritative British sounding voice and all three children stopped in their tracks (so did our two golden retrievers!). The children began asking me my name to which I exclaimed, “Mrs. Gourd!” Completely unplanned, Mrs Gourd had made her debut in that moment of absolute chaos.
It’s so interesting you’ve connected Mrs. Gourd to every mom’s alter ego. I’ve often thought about that moment and looking back it was almost like a good cop bad cop situation. I (mom) was having trouble wrangling in the fun and Mrs. Gourd was able to bring order to the less than orderly. I was conflicted. I was having fun with the children too, but I knew it was time to wrap things up and get them to bed. So looking back now, I see Mrs. Gourd was a way for me to have some fun but also be a little more stern than maybe I was comfortable being at that time. She also gave me permission to step into my imagination and have some fun during a nightly parenting moment that I was struggling with. She showed me how a well-timed pause can change everything. What an interesting question to begin this interview with. Thank you for noticing that.
So, the illustration hints that Mrs. Gourd is Mom, which makes the dynamic between Mrs. Gourd and Mom interesting — Mom isn’t a failure, but she does seem to need a complete change of face to regain control. How important was it to you to portray a mother who doesn’t always have it altogether?
JB: This was a true “Mom Moment” in so many ways. First, we can all relate to the pandemonium with children at bedtime or any time and being that this is a true story and retelling of actual events in a children’s picture book way, I was simply presenting me, a mom, who at least in those moments felt like I was holding everything together with the one bobby pin left in my hair after a long day at work! I slipped into the bathroom to take a few deep breaths (and hide for a moment) feeling like everyone had this bedtime routine mastered but me! I was convinced that every other mom at that moment had their children all snuggled in and sleeping when they needed to be and my night time routine felt like a complete disaster.
Stepping away gave me the pause I needed to shift my perspective. It’s so wonderful to look back and see how a moment of feeling completely out of control turned into one of my greatest successes and lessons as a mom. Like the superhero who steps out of the phone booth transformed, mom slipped into the bathroom for a few moments that ultimately changed everything.
Speaking of superhero transformations…
If you’ll notice throughout the story, mom is still in her work clothes throughout the story! That was my life as a mom with three little ones working full-time in a marketing career that I loved. I would run in, kick off my shoes and in an instant turn into mom again. So often that meant I just didn’t have time to change. Another universal theme for us working moms out there! Mom was anything but a failure in those moments. She was a superpower!
The language of the book is rhyming and musical — so important for writing a book with the read-aloud dynamic needed for interactive shared and performative reading. Can you talk us through your process for getting the rhyme and meter right? Did you practice reading it aloud with your own kids, or other young audiences?
JB: The way I naturally speak, especially with my children, can sometimes be a little sing-songy, so writing feels very much like composing a song to me. As I work through a story, I can hear the words in my head and I’m searching for the right notes. The right words have a musical quality to them and each line carries its own rhythm when you read it aloud. At the same time, I’m visualizing the illustrations on the page, almost like the melody that will bring those words to life. So, for me, just as important as choosing the right words is imagining how those words can be transformed through the illustrations.
The words, the way they come together and the illustrations all create the full composition. And when they blend together in just the right way, that’s when the magic happens. It creates the symphony.
At times this can be challenging…
On the night that inspired the story, I used Mrs. Gourd’s silly character to read the children’s picture books, but when writing the book, I wanted the reader to be able to read something in Mrs Gourd’s voice which wasn’t just Mrs. Gourd’s dialogue written by me, or a story written by another author. To do this, I came up with a silly limerick. I followed the same process developing the limerick in my head almost as a song. I needed to find the right rhythm and the right length that would give the reader enough time to have fun reading as Mrs. Gourd. The limerick is the opportunity for the reader to take on the character and get into the fun so at the point in the book where Mrs Gourd reads the silly rhyme, it’s actually an opportunity for the reader to become immersed in the character and bring her to life in their own way. It’s an invitation to participate in the story in real time and based on my children’s and little test readers’ giggles, I knew I had found the perfect notes.
The bedtime power struggle between parents and kids is one of the most universal experiences in family life. What made you choose this story for your book, and what does your own experience of bedtime look like?
JB: I didn’t choose this story for the book, the story chose me! Because Mrs. Gourd is based on the actual events of my children’s chaotic bedtime, I simply told the story of what happened that night. And, you are absolutely right, Jennifer! The bedtime struggle IS one of the most universal experiences in family life! And there is so much information out there. So many books and articles and everyone has a piece of advice to help it go more smoothly. My own experience as a mom trying to put my three little ones to bed was the classic combination of routine and chaos. It was organized chaos! There is a lot of pressure on parents and at times, you start to feel like you must be doing something wrong. I could never get my children to nap, for example. Everyone could get MY children to nap except ME and I always felt like the clock was ticking.
Mrs. Gourd’s unexpected arrival not only turned around bedtime that night but showed me that it’s o.k. to step away from the clock and into the present moment. I hope this story resonates with working parents, caregivers, and families looking for connection rather than perfection.
For many children, the appeal of a book like this is that it mirrors their own behavior back at them with a wink. What do you think young readers get out of seeing their bedtime resistance reflected in the children in the story? What do you hope they can take away from the story?
JB: I love that. Yes—the wink! There are so many winks throughout the book! The biggest wink of the story is on the last page! From the very first page though, my goal was to immerse readers in the story by giving them a bird’s-eye view of all the shenanigans unfolding. The illustrations really help readers, young and old, feel the energy swirling around the room, sweeping them right into the story.
Young readers can see themselves in the three children and their antics, but they’re also given a chance to experience the story from another perspective. I hope they come away with a better understanding of what Mom, Dad, or any caregiver might be feeling in moments like the one captured in the story and maybe even a little more empathy for the grown-ups caught in the chaos.
I also hope Mrs. Gourd sparks their imagination and reminds them that a little creativity can turn an ordinary moment into something magical. Mom didn’t come out of the bathroom dressed up as a different character. She BECAME Mrs. Gourd by embracing the character’s persnickety personality, speaking in a silly voice and wearing her glasses down at the end of her nose. No feather boas were required!
Mom had fun with it, and I hope that encourages children to use their own imaginations and find their own ways to create something uniquely theirs!
I also hope they connect with the three children in the story and are eager to read more of their true tales!
Of course, parents and caregivers are reading this book too, often at the end of a long and exhausting day. What do you hope the book gives them?
JB: I hope parents and caregivers take away the reminder that some of the most meaningful family memories often come from the moments we never planned. What started as a playful bedtime improvisation became a beloved family tradition, and eventually, this book.
Mrs. Gourd was born on one of those nights every parent knows well—the kind where you’re exhausted, your kids aren’t tired, and bedtime feels impossible. I hope parents see a little bit of themselves in the story and are reminded that it’s okay to step away for a moment, take a breath, and come back with a fresh perspective.
Mrs. Gourd shows us that the wild energy of everyday family life can be transformed into something meaningful when it’s guided by presence, intention, and imagination. I hope Mrs. Gourd inspires families to create their own version of magic, whether that’s a Mrs. Gourd, a Mr. Gourd, or another imaginative tradition all their own.
I love Mark Twain’s quote, “No word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.” I hope Mrs. Gourd leads others to find the beauty, opportunity, and a lot of fun that can exist amidst life’s chaos. They might just find it somewhere in the middle of that pause. They just need to take one.
You published Mrs. Gourd through Ingram Spark rather than via a traditional publishing house. What led you to that decision, and what has the self-publishing journey taught you about what it takes to get a children’s book into the world?
JB: One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned throughout this entire experience—from writing Mrs. Gourd, creating the book, and now sharing it with the world, is that there is so much joy in the journey! There have been so many twists and turns along the way, and I truly feel like this adventure is just beginning. It feels fitting that the heart of the story is about finding joy and connection, because that’s what I’ve found every step of the way.
When I was deciding whether to self-publish, I spent a lot of time researching and thinking about the best path forward. Someone shared a phrase at a pivotal point in my journey that became a guide for me: “That which is seeded in joy can only result in joy.” That idea really resonated with me. I believe that when something begins with the right intention, passion, and purpose, it has a way of leading you down the right path.
Ultimately, self-publishing became a way for me to share the Mrs. Gourd story with the world. People with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to share something with the world have more opportunities and channels than ever before. How lucky are we to have these options available to us as authors?
My hope is that Mrs. Gourd’s message of presence, imagination, and finding joy in the middle of life’s chaos travels around the world and back. If we can continue to fuel that journey with joy, creativity, heart, and a little Mrs. Gourd magic, I’m confident we can do just that.
What advice do you have for parental readers who are struggling with the exhaustion of difficult bedtime after difficult bedtime?
JB: I hope Mrs. Gourd helps parents struggling with unpredictable bedtimes discover the peace and calm that can come by simply taking “the pause.” Take a moment if you need one. Stepping away is o.k.! I had a teacher say once, “how long a minute feels like depends on what side of the bathroom door you’re on.” I’ve found that no matter how crazy the bedtime festivities might be, both sides of the door can be as wonderful.
What are your favorite childhood bedtime memories, and are there books or stories associated with them that you would recommend to readers who have enjoyed Mrs. Gourd?
JB: Most of my favorite childhood bedtime memories included a book, improvising and having fun with characters, so it’s interesting then, that all of those pieces have come together in Mrs. Gourd. My recommendation to readers who have enjoyed the book is to use Mrs. Gourd’s story as an invitation to create their own. Whether it’s through her character, a character they invent themselves, or something completely different, like a song, a poem, or just reading stories in a silly voice, it’s all about creating connection and those moments that bring us closer together.
Will there be any more books about Mrs. Gourd? What’s next in your writing plans?
JB: Oh yes! There are many more true tales to tell! Soon, the world will be introduced to Mrs. Gourd’s sister, Ms. Cantaloupe! I can’t wait!
About the Book
Mrs. Gourd
Written by Jody Bucher
Illustrated by Monica Violet Joy & Asha Butler
Ages: 4+ | 40 Pages
Publisher: Ingram Spark (2026) | ISBN: Hardcover: 979-8-9894987-1-0 Paperback: 979-8-9894987-0-3
Publisher’s Book Summary: Anyone who’s had to put children to bed knows how unpredictable the routine of bedtime can be. Enter—Mrs. Gourd.
When Mom finds herself at her wits’ end, Mrs. Gourd’s unexpected arrival changes the course of bedtime—in a good way. Taking charge in her persnickety, silly way, Mrs. Gourd wrangles in bedtime, leaving the reader amused, and best of all, those little ones drifting off into dreamland.
When all else fails, it’s Mrs. Gourd to the rescue!
Buy the Book
About the Author
Jody Bucher (Levar) learned to improv while tap dancing in her grandparents’ kitchen as a child. She has loved writing for as long as she can remember, but her life experience as a mom led her to write this, her first book. A working mom of three (a daughter and twin boys), she has channeled her artistic and linguistic talents as a brand-builder, copywriter, and creative director but considers her children her greatest work of art.
One of the most memorable gifts she has received was from her mother, who discovered a play she had written for an elementary school project.
The three little ones who inspired this book used the original manuscript to perform the play that year as a Christmas gift. Jody hopes Mrs. Gourd will lead the reader to their own discoveries and inspire others to find beauty and opportunity in the midst of life’s chaos.
Originally from Ontario, Canada, Jody currently calls Richmond, Virginia, home with her husband, three children, two golden doodles, and Mrs. Gourd.
To learn more, visit www.mrsgourdbooks.com.
This interview—Interview with Jody Bucher, Author of ‘Mrs. Gourd’—was conducted between Jody Bucher and Dr. Jen Harrison.
