Inside PBS Blog

Last week we invited Susan Meddaugh, children's book author, to be our guest on the latest edition of "Five Good Questions." Today, we have her answers to your questions.

Susan Meddaugh was an editor and art director before writing and illustrating her own books. Meddaugh helped bring her award-winning "Martha Speaks" books to animated life here on PBS KIDS.

Take a look at her answers and feel free to continue to conversation below.

1. If you, like Martha, had a chance to speak after not having the ability to, who would you like to speak to and why? Donna

Great question.  I had to think about this one.   If I was just like Martha, I would have to be young enough not to be able to read and write.  So I'm about 5 years old, and suddenly I can speak.  That would actually make me younger than Martha in terms of experience, and therefore I would probably want to speak to my parents, definitely my little brother, and any good friends.  I would have a lot of "Whys" for my parents.  For instance, why I do I have to eat everything on my plate when I really hate that baked potato sitting there.  I would let my brother know that I was the alpha child in the family, and that I would protect him in all areas except when he blamed me for something I didn't do.  Or did do.  

2. Susan, how do you think the story about Martha would've been different if told by your son, Niko, when he was seven? Jen

If my son Niko had told the story at age 7, he would have done it in pictures because that's what he always did first.  He also would have given her more powers than the gift of gab.  Martha would definitely have been ‘SuperMartha", with elaborate armor, and probably weapons to fight monsters who would be equally ferocious, and drawn with similar great detail.  He probably would use speech bubbles instead of writing the story below the picture.  He would let the drawings tell the story, and Martha would be victorious.

3. I understand the idea came from your son, but is Martha based on a real-life dog? How did you choose her personality traits? Tracy

There was a real Martha, and she really was our first dog, but I didn't exactly choose her traits. For the stories I wrote, I chose to recognize the traits she already had.  She was always expressive in terms of showing her happy, sad, angry and other emotions.  She was friendly, confident and a definite alpha dog to our other real dog, Skits.  As in the series, Skits was always the more submissive, silly and uncomplicated one.  Dogs have such differences in personalities, depending on breed and experience.  You really see it when you live with them.  I just had to record them doing what they did naturally.

4. Do you find that when you watch your stories in live action that it inspires you to write new stories? Cassandra Zimmerly

Sometimes, a part in a story will suggest another story that could be done, but the series is keeping me so busy that any ideas I get will have to wait for a later date.  That's one of the fun things about making stories.  There are so many places that you can take an idea.  The key for me is know when I've gone the right way. 

5. My dog Cally was hospitalized because she ate some grapes. She got very sick and our vet was able to get her better. My family didn't know that grapes were toxic for some cats and dogs. I enjoy watching your show every moning and I thought that it would make a good story that Martha could dicuss on your show and it might save some lives of cats and dogs. Aya Henry

You'll be happy to know that there is already a story in the works that deals with exactly this problem.  The story is called The Trouble with Teddy, and I don't know exactly when it will be on TV, probably next year.  But I had no idea that grapes could be dangerous to some dogs and cats.  I'd like to suggest that you write your own story about Cally.  It would be a very good thing for other kids to know about.

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