Let's play Quacky Baseball!

There's a new picture book out just in time for spring training. QUACKY BASEBALL stars a lovable baseball player named Thumby Duckling. Thumby has kindly agreed to sit down for an interview.

*Thumby fluffs his feathers and sucks his thumb*

Me: Thumby, thank you for stopping by. Can you tell us how you got your adorable name?

Thumby: I actually wanted to have the nickname "Butch" but I learned that it's hard to give yourself your own nickname. Others give it to you. In my case, other ducks supposedly caught me sucking my thumb.

Me: Thumby suits you much better than Butch anyway. Why do you play baseball?

Thumby: Baseball is fun. And I love the sounds of baseball - crack of the bat, whistle of the ball as it zooms by, chatter of the infielders. "Hey batta batta" - that kind of thing.

Me: And we can’t forget the hot dogs and peanuts! Thumby, what does it feel like to play in a real game with people cheering you on?

Thumby: Scary and great at the same time. And I don't want to give away what happens at the end of Quacky Baseball, but it was a wonderful feeling.

Me: I agree, Thumby. The ending of Quacky Baseball made me want to stand up and wave my foam finger. Tell us about your teammates.

Thumby: What a team! Take Flakey Duckstein. He twitches. And there's Manny El Pato, who flew in from the Dominican. No one understands him in any language. And don't forget the mighty Medwick Ducky. There's a secret to his name - you could look it up.

Me: Oooh, a riddle in your answer. Nice. *pulls up Google search* Thumby, tell us about the author of Quacky Baseball, Peter Abrahams.

Thumby: He's some sort of writer, doesn't sound very interesting to me.

Me: *gasps* A writer who is not interesting? Impossible! Thumby, thank you for taking time from your hectic baseball season to chat with us about Quacky Baseball.

Quacky Baseball was written by Peter Abrahams and illustrated by Frank Morrison. Please stop by the following blogs for the Quaky Baseball tour.

Monday, March 28 - Megan Frances Abrahams - On Beyond Words & Pictures - interview with Kristin Daly Rens, Senior Editor, Balzer & Bray

Wednesday, March 30 - Corey Schwartz Corey Schwartz - author Peter Abrahams on the genesis of Quacky Baseball

Thursday, March 31 - Diane Browning - Out of the Paintbox - interview with illustrator Frank Morrison

Friday, April 1 - Hilde Garcia Pen & Ink - interview with author Peter Abrahams

Saturday, April 2 - Lori Walker L.H. Walker - book review/synopsis with input from Lori's children

New York Times bestselling author Peter Abrahams has had 25 published novels - three as Spencer Quinn, and 22 as Peter Abrahams. His YA thriller, Reality Check, won the 2010 Edgar Award for best young adult novel. His latest YA thriller, Bullet Point, (Harper Teen) was released April, 2010. Peter also wrote the Echo Falls series - three YA mysteries. The first in the series, Down the Rabbit Hole, was the 2006 Agatha winner for best children's Young Adult fiction, and the next two were both Agatha Award nominees.