Andi Green (the creator of The WorryWoo Monsters) is 32 years old and lives in Jersey City NJ with her dog cat and bird. She is a fulltime Creative Director and monster maker extrodinaire by night. She has just received The MoonBeam Children’s Book award for Best Children’s Book with a product and is continuing to grow her ever popular series to new heights. Below are some common questions she has been asked:
Q: How long have you been working on The WorryWoo Monsters?
I’ve been drawing characters like this since I can remember but the actual series has been about 7 years in the making.
Q: What made you create a series about emotions?
I think we live in a very emotional world and sometimes it is hard for people to express what they are feeling. My goal is to get children/adults to open up about their emotions. We shouldn’t have to hide our feelings all the time. It is ok to feel sad or lonely, and I think it is important that children know that they are not alone and can discuss what they are feeling.
Q: Your characters have been called strange and bizarre looking, how do you feel about that?
I love it! It makes me proud to think I have created something that causes people to take the time to really investigate and enjoy it. People have also called them cute and cuddly. That is what I think is so wonderful about creating characters… they leave the imagination open to interpretation.
Q: Why the name WorryWoos?
Because each character is based on an emotion, I wanted to find a name that related to this thought. The original series was called the Monsters in My Head, but I wanted a softer name one that had a little more fun to it. So, after tons of brainstorming and a lot of help from my friends we decided these little guys love to Worry and they have tons of Woes... so I switched woe to woo and that is where the name came form.
I’ve been drawing characters like this since I can remember but the actual series has been about 7 years in the making.
Q: What made you create a series about emotions?
I think we live in a very emotional world and sometimes it is hard for people to express what they are feeling. My goal is to get children/adults to open up about their emotions. We shouldn’t have to hide our feelings all the time. It is ok to feel sad or lonely, and I think it is important that children know that they are not alone and can discuss what they are feeling.
Q: Your characters have been called strange and bizarre looking, how do you feel about that?
I love it! It makes me proud to think I have created something that causes people to take the time to really investigate and enjoy it. People have also called them cute and cuddly. That is what I think is so wonderful about creating characters… they leave the imagination open to interpretation.
Q: Why the name WorryWoos?
Because each character is based on an emotion, I wanted to find a name that related to this thought. The original series was called the Monsters in My Head, but I wanted a softer name one that had a little more fun to it. So, after tons of brainstorming and a lot of help from my friends we decided these little guys love to Worry and they have tons of Woes... so I switched woe to woo and that is where the name came form.
Q: There are a lot of books out there that tackle emotions, what sets yours apart?
There are definitely a lot of great books out there about emotions, I feel my series is different in that the characters themselves are the emotion. I tried to really convey what goes on in ones mind when they feel lonely, the emptiness the sorrow, I think kid’s need to see others experience and or understand this painful feeling and it’s ok and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s just hard sometimes.
Q: You write and illustrate these books and the illustrations are very unique, Can you tell us a little about them?
My goal is to enjoy drawing, I don’t worry if the lines aren’t straight or all the areas aren’t colored in neatly. I strive to draw what I feel when I think about each line of the story. I want the illustrations to be as emotional as the stories themselves. I also love texture and enjoy trying to create a 3-D effect with the watercolor and light weight paper.
Q: Where do you see this series in 5 years?
I hope the 6 WorryWoos are complete and I am making even more. The big dream would be to turn these characters into gigantic puppets and animate them old school style… I am a huge Henson fan!
There are definitely a lot of great books out there about emotions, I feel my series is different in that the characters themselves are the emotion. I tried to really convey what goes on in ones mind when they feel lonely, the emptiness the sorrow, I think kid’s need to see others experience and or understand this painful feeling and it’s ok and there is a light at the end of the tunnel, it’s just hard sometimes.
Q: You write and illustrate these books and the illustrations are very unique, Can you tell us a little about them?
My goal is to enjoy drawing, I don’t worry if the lines aren’t straight or all the areas aren’t colored in neatly. I strive to draw what I feel when I think about each line of the story. I want the illustrations to be as emotional as the stories themselves. I also love texture and enjoy trying to create a 3-D effect with the watercolor and light weight paper.
Q: Where do you see this series in 5 years?
I hope the 6 WorryWoos are complete and I am making even more. The big dream would be to turn these characters into gigantic puppets and animate them old school style… I am a huge Henson fan!
