The Magic of the Road: Five Questions for Cleo Wade, Author of What the Road Said

What the Road Said is such a beautiful and uplifting spotlight on the virtues of taking chances and believing in yourself. As a poet, artist and activist working on your first picture book, did anything surprise you or catch you off guard?   
When I began writing this book, I spent a lot of time revisiting my childhood and thinking about the experiences I went through as a child. So much of this book was written as a love letter to myself as a little girl who was afraid to use her voice, take chances, and ask big questions about the world. I was really surprised by how much healing The Road has given me personally. When I set out on this journey, I really didn’t know I would write a book that felt equally as helpful to adults as it does children.
Illustrations are such a vital part of storytelling — particularly with picture books. And the illustrations in What the Road Said are breathtaking. What was it like collaborating with Lucie de Moyencourt?   
Choosing an illustrator was one of the scariest parts of the process for me! I really wanted to create something that felt like a classic children’s book that was water-colored by hand, which is not a visual style that is particularly on-trend right now, but I wanted the reader to feel like they were being transported into a moving painting. I saw dozens and dozens of portfolios but Lucie, someone I didn’t know but happened to follow on Instagram, stayed in the back of my mind. Finally, one day Jean, my editor said, “why don’t we just ask her! The worst she can do is say no.” And I feel really lucky that even though Lucie had never done a children’s book before, she said yes!
Picture books can be magical, regardless of age. But did you write this book for a particular audience? What do you hope readers take away from this story?  
I wrote this for anyone who feels a little lost or a little lonely. No matter who they are, how old they are, or where they come from. I created The Road as a friend who helps you connect to yourself regardless of what you are going through or where you are on your journey.
Building a child’s first library is much like building their first introductions to the world. What are some books you’ve enjoyed reading with your little one and would recommend to parents and caregivers for those early years? 

We build our daughter’s library with three things in mind. We collect books that either teach her to believe in the magic of silliness and joy, teach her to believe in herself, teach her about the experiences of others, or teach her all three.
She loves Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, the illustrations are so mesmerizing, I swear she could look at this book all day. We enjoy classic books like Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown at bedtime, we love Little Red and The Very Hungry Lion by Alex T. Smith, The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, and Fry Bread by Kevin Noble Maillard.
We must ask: Who are you personally reading and recommending right now?  
I have been reading a lot of Bell Hooks lately. And of course, lots of poetry — Lucille Clifton, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Mary Oliver.