The book follows Jamie and her trusty robot companion through a delightful adventure that showcases how even ordinary items, like socks, can spark extraordinary moments.
Rusu’s book is
filled with playful humor, vivid imagery, and a creative blend of the real and
the imaginary, making it a perfect read for young children and their parents
who are navigating their own big feelings.
One of the standout features of this graphic novel is how themes of comfort, emotion, and the occasional chaos of childhood are wonderfully mixed.
Through the imaginative
lens of a child’s world, Rusu touches on separation anxiety, the need for
routine, and the importance of emotional expression, all with a charming robot
by Jamie’s side. The vibrant illustrations by Martín
Morón bring Jamie’s world to life with bright colors and whimsical designs,
perfectly complementing the story.
Now, let’s hear from the author herself, Meredith Rusu, as she shares insights into the inspiration, characters, and creative process behind There’s a Robot in My Socks in our exclusive KBR interview:
1. Inspiration: What inspired the idea of a robot being found in socks? Was there a specific event or moment that sparked this creative concept?My two boys have always had favorite stuffed animals or lovies they use for comfort. And I’d see their preschool classmates insisting on wearing certain shirts or headbands no matter the weather. (Such as a sleeveless dress in winter!) I liked the idea of a little girl’s 'comfort' piece of clothing being her socks, and I loved the idea of a robot with very specific programming being her imaginary friend that keeps things going just right!
2. Character Development: The characters are fun and unique—did you base any of them on people from your own life? If so, who and how did they influence the story? The grandma in the story is very much inspired by my boys’ grandmothers! Grandma (my mom) and Buni (my mother-in-law) have always been so wonderful at trying to make things 'perfect' for the boys. (Or as perfect as possible.) Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. The part in the story where Jamie can’t fall asleep without her snuggly is a 100% true story from our lives.
2. Character Development: The characters are fun and unique—did you base any of them on people from your own life? If so, who and how did they influence the story? The grandma in the story is very much inspired by my boys’ grandmothers! Grandma (my mom) and Buni (my mother-in-law) have always been so wonderful at trying to make things 'perfect' for the boys. (Or as perfect as possible.) Of course, things don’t always go according to plan. The part in the story where Jamie can’t fall asleep without her snuggly is a 100% true story from our lives.
3. Themes: What core messages or themes did you want readers, especially young ones, to take away from the story? Big feelings are a part of life—and that’s okay! Finding ways to share those big feelings in big, loving ways (like using larger-than-life creatures, such as yetis and robots) are a great tool to help little ones identify with their emotions and grow with them.
4. World-Building: The world you’ve created with robots and everyday objects seems imaginative and relatable. How did you balance the whimsical elements with the story's everyday setting? I tried to picture how Jamie’s robot would interact with the situations Jamie encounters in her daily life. When Jamie doesn’t want mom to go, her robot comically wraps its extendable, mechanical arms around mom. And when it starts to rain, of course Jamie’s robot will shut down, because robots can’t get wet! It was fun imagining how a robot would behave, and then making that behavior an extension of Jamie’s own emotions.
5. Process: What was the most challenging part of writing this book? How long did it take you from the initial idea to publication? The most challenging part for me was figuring out rhymes that would work with what I wanted to say. I had lots of running versions of stanzas saved as notes on my phone. Sometimes the rhythm and rhyme came easily. Other times, it was a challenge. The first full draft of the book took a few weeks to write, but I polished the finished manuscript over several months with my fantastic agent (Elizabeth Rudnick) and editor (Gary Jansen) at 4U2B Books and Media.
6. Illustrations: The illustrations add so much to the story—how closely did you work with the illustrator, and did any of their art shape the narrative in unexpected ways? Martín Morón’s illustrations are incredible. His ability to connect with the story and bring out silly, zany details in every scene bring the entire book to life. It’s like his artwork is bursting with joy. I’ve never actually met Martín, though we have corresponded over email. I provide art notes for each Mighty Moods story, and then Martín really takes the lead and decides where each scene is going to go.
7. Humor: The book has a lot of humor. How do you approach writing humor for kids? Do you test your jokes on younger audiences? This question made me laugh, because the humor in the book is derived from our everyday lives with our boys. Simply put, kids are WEIRD. They do things you can’t make up, both frustrating and ridiculous. And as we’ve grown with our children, I’ve learned that it’s incredibly helpful to try and find the joy in the chaos of life with young kids.
8. Technology & Innovation: The robot concept ties into technology. What inspired you to introduce a robot into the story, and do you have a particular interest in tech or robotics? I do love technology (I’m a big sci-fi fan.) But the idea of a robot was really derived from the way young children can be almost robotic in needing things to be an exact way in order to cooperate. I also think kids in general enjoy robots (they’re cool after all!) and I wanted the larger-than-life creature in the book to be one kids would resonate with.
9. Target Audience: Who do you imagine as the ideal reader for There’s a Robot in My Socks? How do you hope it will resonate with them? The target audience for There’s a Robot in My Socks and every Mighty Moods book is preschool through first grade. Big feelings don’t go away as kids get older. But the preschool / early elementary years are the ones where it can be really challenging for children to regulate and control them. My hope is that the Mighty Moods series will give kids (and parents!) a fun way to grow in their big feelings together.
10. Sequel or Series: Can readers expect more adventures with these characters, perhaps a series? Do you have any plans for a sequel? Yes! There’s a Robot in My Socks is the second book in the Mighty Moods series. The first book, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy, came out last year. And the third book in the series will be publishing next year—so stay tuned!
11. Personal Connection: Is there any part of the book that holds personal significance to you—perhaps a scene or a character? This entire series is deeply personal to me. It was inspired by my two young sons when they were three and five and were the original yetis and robots. They’re seven and nine now, and while the big feelings have matured, they’re 100% still there.
12. Robot Design: How did you come up with the design and personality of the robot? Did you imagine it as a metaphor for something in real life, or was it purely for fun? Martín did several robot character sketches for the editorial team and me to consider. They were all super fun and wacky, so it was hard to choose! But the robot in the final book was the one we loved the most. Since the robot is an extension of Jamie’s feelings of separation anxiety and nervousness with change, Martín added lots of nice touches to connect it back to her. He even made the robot red like Jamie’s hair!
13. Moral Lessons: Are there any specific moral lessons you hope kids will take from the story, like teamwork, creativity, or problem-solving? I think the most important message in the Mighty Moods series is that big feelings are okay! We don’t have to push them down or hide them. The goal is to express them in loving ways so we can grow together.
14. Kid Inventors: The story taps into kids' natural curiosity and problem-solving. Were there any real-life kid inventors or innovators who inspired some of the ideas in the book? There weren’t any specific kid inventors that inspired the story, per se. But the story and series are 100% inspired by my experience as a mom of two young, extremely rambunctious boys, as well as my role as an aunt to many nieces and nephews and just general observations of the boys’ friends in school.
15. Writing Advice: What advice would you give to young readers who want to become writers or are interested in creating their own imaginative worlds? My biggest advice for kids who are interested in writing is to keep writing! Whatever inspires you, use that to create your own stories however works best for you—in a journal, as a comic, or even on the back of a napkin! My second biggest piece of advice for young adults who want to make a career out of writing is to treat it like any other job. You need to practice, apply yourself, and seek out opportunities and connections. Write for your school newspaper. Enter writing competitions. Find people who are doing what you want to do and ask them what steps they took to get started. Very few writers are 'discovered' overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of failed attempts to become a published author. But if it’s your dream job, then you keep working toward it one step at a time.
4. World-Building: The world you’ve created with robots and everyday objects seems imaginative and relatable. How did you balance the whimsical elements with the story's everyday setting? I tried to picture how Jamie’s robot would interact with the situations Jamie encounters in her daily life. When Jamie doesn’t want mom to go, her robot comically wraps its extendable, mechanical arms around mom. And when it starts to rain, of course Jamie’s robot will shut down, because robots can’t get wet! It was fun imagining how a robot would behave, and then making that behavior an extension of Jamie’s own emotions.
5. Process: What was the most challenging part of writing this book? How long did it take you from the initial idea to publication? The most challenging part for me was figuring out rhymes that would work with what I wanted to say. I had lots of running versions of stanzas saved as notes on my phone. Sometimes the rhythm and rhyme came easily. Other times, it was a challenge. The first full draft of the book took a few weeks to write, but I polished the finished manuscript over several months with my fantastic agent (Elizabeth Rudnick) and editor (Gary Jansen) at 4U2B Books and Media.
6. Illustrations: The illustrations add so much to the story—how closely did you work with the illustrator, and did any of their art shape the narrative in unexpected ways? Martín Morón’s illustrations are incredible. His ability to connect with the story and bring out silly, zany details in every scene bring the entire book to life. It’s like his artwork is bursting with joy. I’ve never actually met Martín, though we have corresponded over email. I provide art notes for each Mighty Moods story, and then Martín really takes the lead and decides where each scene is going to go.
7. Humor: The book has a lot of humor. How do you approach writing humor for kids? Do you test your jokes on younger audiences? This question made me laugh, because the humor in the book is derived from our everyday lives with our boys. Simply put, kids are WEIRD. They do things you can’t make up, both frustrating and ridiculous. And as we’ve grown with our children, I’ve learned that it’s incredibly helpful to try and find the joy in the chaos of life with young kids.
8. Technology & Innovation: The robot concept ties into technology. What inspired you to introduce a robot into the story, and do you have a particular interest in tech or robotics? I do love technology (I’m a big sci-fi fan.) But the idea of a robot was really derived from the way young children can be almost robotic in needing things to be an exact way in order to cooperate. I also think kids in general enjoy robots (they’re cool after all!) and I wanted the larger-than-life creature in the book to be one kids would resonate with.
9. Target Audience: Who do you imagine as the ideal reader for There’s a Robot in My Socks? How do you hope it will resonate with them? The target audience for There’s a Robot in My Socks and every Mighty Moods book is preschool through first grade. Big feelings don’t go away as kids get older. But the preschool / early elementary years are the ones where it can be really challenging for children to regulate and control them. My hope is that the Mighty Moods series will give kids (and parents!) a fun way to grow in their big feelings together.
10. Sequel or Series: Can readers expect more adventures with these characters, perhaps a series? Do you have any plans for a sequel? Yes! There’s a Robot in My Socks is the second book in the Mighty Moods series. The first book, There’s a Yeti in My Tummy, came out last year. And the third book in the series will be publishing next year—so stay tuned!
11. Personal Connection: Is there any part of the book that holds personal significance to you—perhaps a scene or a character? This entire series is deeply personal to me. It was inspired by my two young sons when they were three and five and were the original yetis and robots. They’re seven and nine now, and while the big feelings have matured, they’re 100% still there.
12. Robot Design: How did you come up with the design and personality of the robot? Did you imagine it as a metaphor for something in real life, or was it purely for fun? Martín did several robot character sketches for the editorial team and me to consider. They were all super fun and wacky, so it was hard to choose! But the robot in the final book was the one we loved the most. Since the robot is an extension of Jamie’s feelings of separation anxiety and nervousness with change, Martín added lots of nice touches to connect it back to her. He even made the robot red like Jamie’s hair!
13. Moral Lessons: Are there any specific moral lessons you hope kids will take from the story, like teamwork, creativity, or problem-solving? I think the most important message in the Mighty Moods series is that big feelings are okay! We don’t have to push them down or hide them. The goal is to express them in loving ways so we can grow together.
14. Kid Inventors: The story taps into kids' natural curiosity and problem-solving. Were there any real-life kid inventors or innovators who inspired some of the ideas in the book? There weren’t any specific kid inventors that inspired the story, per se. But the story and series are 100% inspired by my experience as a mom of two young, extremely rambunctious boys, as well as my role as an aunt to many nieces and nephews and just general observations of the boys’ friends in school.
15. Writing Advice: What advice would you give to young readers who want to become writers or are interested in creating their own imaginative worlds? My biggest advice for kids who are interested in writing is to keep writing! Whatever inspires you, use that to create your own stories however works best for you—in a journal, as a comic, or even on the back of a napkin! My second biggest piece of advice for young adults who want to make a career out of writing is to treat it like any other job. You need to practice, apply yourself, and seek out opportunities and connections. Write for your school newspaper. Enter writing competitions. Find people who are doing what you want to do and ask them what steps they took to get started. Very few writers are 'discovered' overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of failed attempts to become a published author. But if it’s your dream job, then you keep working toward it one step at a time.
Meredith
Rusu lives in New Jersey with her husband and two young sons. She is
the award-winning author of more than one hundred children’s books,
notably There’s a Yeti in my Tummy (the first picture book in
the Mighty Moods series), Anna, Elsa,
and the Enchanting Holiday, Silenzio, Bruno!, and The DATA Set series
under the name Ada Hopper. She has also written for many popular licenses
including LEGO, Disney/Pixar, Peppa Pig, and Star Wars. When she isn’t writing,
Meredith enjoys singing karaoke, spending time with family, and going on the
occasional adventure or two.
Connect with Meredith via Instagram.
