An interview about Kitty Caterpillar by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, presented by The Children’s Book Review.
We’re excited to welcome co-authors Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White for a playful, behind-the-scenes conversation about bringing Kitty Caterpillar to life.
When co-authors turn the spotlight on each other, the result is a conversation full of humor, heart, and creative insight. In this lively exchange, Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White share the journey behind Kitty Caterpillar, from dreaming up their delightfully quirky, ten-legged heroine to capturing the balance of cozy comfort and big adventure. They reflect on writing their first fiction picture book, collaborating with illustrator Brigette Barrager, and how parenthood shaped the heart and humor of the story. Along the way, they reveal the joy of crafting a character kids can truly connect with—and why sometimes the best storytelling moments come without a single word.
Connor White (CW): Annabeth, I hope you’re as excited as I am to talk about our brand-new picture book, Kitty Caterpillar! We’ve published several kids’ books together, but we’ve never had the chance to interview each other. This is going to be fun. Can I ask the first question?
Annabeth Bondor-Stone (ABS): Go for it.
CW: That was my question. Your turn!
ABS: We’ve been spending a lot of time lately reading Kitty Caterpillar to kids and we’ve gotten a lot of excellent questions about the book. I’m going to start this interview off with one of my favorites, from a first grader in Oakland who asked us: “Why? Just… Why?”
CW: It is a great question. And my answer is, why not? We wanted to dream up a new best friend for kids to find on their bookshelves, and we thought that a 10-legged creature that could give a full-bodied hug would be a good place to start. Once we had the image of Kitty Caterpillar in our heads, we started diving into her personality, particularly the contrast between the kitty and the caterpillar. Kitty Caterpillar is a blend of cozy and excitable; adventurous and highly particular. At the beginning of the book, she’s never been outside before—why would she? She’s the Queen of her Kittydom! But then her kittycat curiosity leads her outside for the very first time. Like all young kids who are just beginning to explore the big world, Kitty Caterpillar discovers that stepping outside your comfort zone can be exciting and a little overwhelming, but the ones who love us will always be there when we get home, waiting to wrap us up in a cozy purr-ito.
CW: We started our career writing middle grade and chapter books. What was it like for you writing our first fiction picture book?
ABS: It was really helpful that in addition to being authors we’ve spent so much time writing for animation because that’s such a visual medium. When we were first writing the manuscript for Kitty Caterpillar, it almost felt like writing an animation script one frame at a time. There’s so much room for interplay between the words and the images. Then there was the absolute delight of seeing the illustrations for the first time, which Brigette Barrager knocked out of the park. A kid reader recently told me her favorite part of the book is when Kitty Caterpillar goes outside for the very first time.
That’s the one spread in the book that doesn’t have any words, and it’s gorgeous. I guess sometimes the best thing you can do as a picture book author is not say anything at all.
CW: No comment.
ABS: What did you want to be when you grow up and how is your current path similar or different?
CW: Well, I’ve often been asked how being a children’s book author is similar to being the starting center for the Chicago Bulls. Both involve a lot of teamwork. And when we’re on the road, I do spend a ton of time running around school gymnasiums. But crucially — collaboration is key. Whether we’re working with our editor, illustrator, or any one of the brilliant minds that help bring our books to life, it’s important to not be overly precious about every idea but stay true to the overall vision and the little nugget of inspiration at the heart of the story.
CW: Now, should we talk about the ten-foot-long Kitty Caterpillar in the room?
ABS: Absolutely. I can’t exactly remember how we came up with that idea… I think I just burst into the living room one day and said, “We need a giant Kitty Caterpillar puppet.”
CW: I remember that. It was jarring.
ABS: Luckily, we have a very crafty friend, Sarah Hayden, who agreed to bring Brigette’s illustration to life by crocheting Kitty Caterpillar into an oversized stuffed animal that we get to take with us on the road. It’s been amazing to bring the giant Kitty Caterpillar to schools and add an extra boost of wiggly joy and delight to our book readings. We give everyone a chance to pet it, and it’s so sweet to see that there’s always one kid who goes in for the full-body hug.
ABS: This is the first book we wrote together since becoming parents. How did that affect your thinking as we were writing Kitty Caterpillar?
CW: As a parent, you definitely have an extra appreciation for the importance of a great read- aloud. I always had that in mind while writing Kitty Caterpillar, especially her catch phrase “Slink… slink… pounce!” It was fun to play around with the catch phrase, making new variations throughout the book so it’s almost like a guessing game for kids how the catch phrase might change.
Also, as a parent, I’ve noticed that our kids return to certain books over and over because they can see themselves being friends with the characters. No matter what we’re writing, we always try to inject humor wherever we can, but if the story doesn’t have heart, kids won’t forge a bond with the characters. Oh, and having a world-class illustrator who can bring the story to life in ways you never could doesn’t hurt!
CW: Speaking of that, how did we manage to get New York Times bestselling illustrator, Brigette Barrager to join the project?
ABS: Well, there was a little bit of fate involved. We’ve named so many characters in books and TV, but we waited a long time to name a character after our daughter, Hazel. We finally went for it, naming Kitty Caterpillar’s favorite human Hazel. When we heard our agent was sending the manuscript to Brigette, we were so excited because she was our dream illustrator for the project. And it turns out she has a daughter named Hazel, too! I guess it was meant to be.
CW: What we’re saying is, name your children the same name as the children of the people you want to work with the most. When you think about it, it’s a pretty straightforward strategy.
ABS: Before we wrap up, do you want to talk about what we have coming up next?
CW: Yes! I’m very excited to share that there’s another Kitty Caterpillar adventure coming in February 2027 called Kitty Caterpillar: The Surprise Sleepover. In this book, a new puppy pal arrives to spend the night. We can’t wait for readers to see what happens when Kitty Caterpillar’s precious Kittydom is turned upside down (hint: she’s not pleased).
CW: Last question, have you seen my keys?
ABS: I think we’re done here!
About the Book
Kitty Caterpillar
Written by Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White
Illustrated by Brigette Barrager
Ages: 3-6 | 40 Pages
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (2026) | ISBN: 978-1250392893
Publisher’s Book Summary: Meet Kitty Caterpillar: She is a part kitty-cat, part caterpillar, 100% irresistible. Created by an Emmy-nominated writing duo and illustrated by the New York Times bestselling artist of Uni the Unicorn, this is perfect for fans of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn and The Bad Seed.
Kitty Caterpillar has the purr-fect life. She’s the queen of her kittydom, where she enjoys gourmet meals, catnaps, and the best hugs from her favorite human, Hazel.
Then one day Kitty Caterpillar discovers an exciting new world: the outdoors! But as thrilling as it is, there’s no place like home – and nothing better than a best friend.
Illustrated with gorgeous jewel-toned art by Brigette Barrager, this is the ideal book for young cat lovers.
Buy the Book
About the Authors
Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White combine their unique experience in books, tv, and live performance to create innovative entertainment for kids and families. They are the authors of multiple books for all ages, including the Kitty Caterpillar series, the Shivers! The Pirate series, Jaclyn Hyde, and Quest for the Crystal Crown. Their books have been translated into multiple languages, received starred reviews, and been featured on the Chicago Public Library’s Best Fiction for Young Readers list. Emmy-nominated television writers, they have developed and written for numerous projects for Apple TV, Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Sesame Workshop, PBS, and Disney, among others. They live in Los Angeles with their children and their pug.
To learn more, visit annabethandconnor.com.
This interview—Interview with Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White, Authors of ‘Kitty Caterpillar’—was conducted between Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White.
