A Big Question for Little People…

By Sharon Giltrow

Where does belly button fluff come from?
 
In his book BELLY BUTTON FLUFF, Aussie Authorstrator Dave Atze provides the answer to one of life’s biggest questions. It comes from your ‘tummy pouch’ aka belly button. Something that we all have.
 
Dave has used the funny premise of ‘belly button fluff’ to create a super hilarious book. A book that shows us that we are all connected (well we once were, to our mothers) by our belly button. While at the same time reminding us that sometimes ‘kids (and adults) just want to have fun.’

Belly Button Fluff
Written and illustrated by: Dave Atze
Published by: Big Sky Publishing, September 15th 2021
Scarlett Von Scruff is a little girl who loves to collect weird stuff. Now she’s discovered something fluffy, soft and a little bit smelly in Dad’s belly button and she wants to find more. No belly is safe as Scarlett goes on a fun-filled, fluff-gathering adventure. So, kick off your shoes and lay on the couch, let’s have a look in your tummy pouch.

Here are two of Dave’s favourite pages from BELLY BUTTON FLUFF, and his reasons for choosing them.

D- “This was actually the first image I ever had in my head when I had the idea to write Belly Button Fluff. I loved the idea of her quite literally mining for the fluff and the shock on the bunnies face and Scarlett being like Ahh Haa!!”

Here Dave introduces the reader to a funny character, and one of my favourite ones in the book – Belly Button Fluff Bunny. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for this adorable character on each page.

D- “This Montage of Scarlett as a ninja stealthing herself around the unknowing people of the bus stop. I can just imagine this as an animation with some pink panther music playing in the background. From appearing out of nowhere from behind the pole, the abseiling to the shifty eyed Scarlett in the foreground, I mean comedy gold, Am I right?!”

In this spread Dave has allowed the illustrations to add to the story, as we follow Ninja Scarlett around the page on her daring adventure. Dave has also cleverly matched each person’s belly button fluff to the colour of their hair.

Great work Dave!
 
Well, that’s it from me this month, see you in October, with another great Aussie book.
 
Share a laugh, and connect with someone today.
 
GIVEAWAY
For a chance to win a copy of BELLY BUTTON FLUFF,

1. Comment on this blog post
2. Share this blog post on social media
3. Follow Sharon on twitter
4. The winner will be announced on twitter on Monday 4th October
   

BIO:
Sharon Giltrow grew up in South Australia, the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children and a tiny dog. Sharon has taught for all of her career. Previously a teacher of children who are hearing impaired and Deaf-Blind, she now teaches young children with Developmental Language Disorder. Her humorous debut PB, BEDTIME DADDY! released May 2020 through EK books. Sharon’s humorous follow up PB, GET READY, MAMA! Is due to be released through EK books in April, 2022. Her third PB, LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA! is due to be released through Dixi Books in 2022. She was awarded The Paper Bird Fellowship for Writers in 2019, during this time she wrote her early middle grade book SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILITY BELT, which will be released in 2021 through Clear Fork Publishing’s new imprint &MG. She was recently awarded a U-15 K Arts Grant to further develop her early middle grade series – THE UTILITY BELT.