Please welcome author and illustrator Leejone Wong to Frog on a Blog! The third book in her Momma Comma and Friends picture book series, Queenie Question Finds a Key, came out last month. This series features adorable punctuation mark characters, cute animal characters, and bright colors. And the charming stories introduce kids to the concept of punctuation in a way that is entertaining and fun. Kids won’t even realize they’re learning!

These books would make great additions to an elementary school teacher’s classroom library. In fact, Leejone got feedback from teachers as she was writing the first book in the series, Momma Comma and the Soup Drama. She speaks about this below. I also asked Leejone about how the Momma Comma and Friends series got started as well as about her illustration process, something I always find fascinating when interviewing illustrators. Let’s hear from Leejone!

I love your MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS picture book series! Please tell my blog readers about the books.

LW: Thank you so much! The books are lighthearted mystery or adventure stories that introduce children, ages 4 to 8, to the concept of punctuation. Throughout the series, Momma Comma helps Queenie Question to find a missing pet and return a lost key to its owner or encourages Papa Period to save the neighborhood school. These aren’t (boring) grammar books, and some kids may not even realize that they’re educational!

At the same time, the stories do encourage children, even those who aren’t reading on their own yet, to notice and talk about punctuation. What are they called? Where do you find them in sentences? What role do they play in understanding what’s being said? The series is perfect for parents and teachers who are looking for vividly imagined picture books that make learning effortless and fun.

What inspired you to write the series, and which came first, the story concept or the characters?

LW: The concept for the series came first! Years ago, I tutored international graduate students at New York University who struggled to understand grammar rules. I discovered, over time, that it was helpful to them if I drew diagrams, used visuals, or read short stories aloud; they were then able to better see and hear how to use punctuation, if that makes sense. I guess there’s a similar concept at work in the Momma Comma and Friends picture books—but I didn’t think about creating the series until I became a mom!

My daughter inspired me when she was four years old! One afternoon, she pointed at a comma and asked me what it was; she wasn’t even reading or writing yet. I suppose ideas are born when they’re ready to be—and that’s when the Momma Comma and Friends characters popped into my imagination. I could actually see a picture book in my mind—and that book eventually became Momma Comma and the Soup Drama! That said, I sat on the idea until the COVID-19 pandemic required so many of us to isolate and stay at home.

How did feedback from elementary school teachers help shape the stories in your MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS series?

LW: When the idea for the books first got into my head, I brushed it aside because I assumed I’d find something similar to what I was envisioning in bookstores and libraries. Then when I didn’t find anything, I thought maybe it was because nobody cared or wanted books like these. Still, I really loved and believed in my idea, so I went ahead and put together a version of the first book, Momma Comma and the Soup Drama. I thought it was important to test the concept, and I was fortunate that a dozen or so elementary school teachers invited me into their classrooms to read it to their students.

I left a survey with the teachers, asking them for feedback. I wanted to know if the book was useful to them, how their students had responded to it, and if they all liked the story. Thankfully, there was only positive feedback and a lot of support—which was significant because it gave me the greenlight to move forward and told me that there was an audience and desire for my books.

Getting to read the book to kids was also helpful, and I made some small edits based on their reactions—for example, I changed the title to something a little more silly and intriguing, and in one scene, I felt that Nathan Exclamation’s teeth were a little scary, so I took them out. Overall, though, the published book is very similar to that early version!

Your characters are adorable! Can you share a little about your illustration process when working on the art for the series?

LW: I’ve always thought that each punctuation mark has its own personality. For example, in my mind, of course Nathan Exclamation is going to express strong emotions, and he’s going to love eating spicy food and engaging in exciting activities like bungee jumping! And Papa Period will naturally be more serious because he’s the Stopper of All Things, and Momma Comma will be the kind of person that likes to make lists and take meandering walks. In fact, the reason that Momma Comma is yellow is because, on a traffic signal light, yellow means “slow down.”  Papa Period is red because that means “stop.”  

When I designed each character, I wanted to make sure that their personality came through. That’s also why I include an “About the Characters” page in each book, which shares a character’s favorite thing to say or do. I’ll share a few development notes from my sketchbook so that you can get a glimpse into the process. When I’m just trying out ideas, the characters look more like doodles. After I settle on a direction, I sketch their outlines in pencil on Bristol paper.  The last step is to scan them into my computer, and then I use digital tools to refine them. In general, I work fairly intuitively on the computer and make a lot of decisions about color, texture, and composition at that point in time.

Currently, there are three books in the MOMMA COMMA AND FRIENDS series. Do you have plans to write more?

LW: Yes. I’m currently working on a book for Nathan Exclamation, and then I’ll write one about Aly Apostrophe. After that, I’ll see if my readers want any more! If you, blog readers, end up reading and liking my books, kindly let me know by writing a review. Momma Comma and the Soup Drama, Papa Period Versus Mega Rock, and Queenie Question Finds a Key—are the ones that are available now. Thank you!

Find more information about Leejone Wong and her books:

Website: https://www.mommacomma.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mommacomma

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leejonewong/

Leejone Wong is the creator of the Momma Comma and Friends picture book series; her third book, Queenie Question Finds a Key, was released through Immortal Jelly Publishing in May (2023). Before her life as an author and illustrator living in Los Angeles, Leejone previously taught writing at New York University, wrote film and art reviews, and created online content and games for television networks.