NPR's Book of the Day

Episode: ‘Papilio’ and ‘Chooch Helped’ are children’s books brought to life by friendship
Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Andrew Limbong

Episode Overview

This episode of NPR's Book of the Day explores the collaborative creation of two standout children’s picture books: Papilio, a story of metamorphosis, friendship, and creative teamwork; and Chooch Helped, a Caldecott Medal-winner celebrating sibling bonds and Cherokee family traditions. Through interviews with authors and illustrators, listeners gain insight into the creative processes, challenges, and emotional resonances that bring these stories to life.

Segment 1: The Making of Papilio (00:45–11:04)

Introduction and Book Concept (00:45–01:27)

• Papilio is the story of a caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly, told in three parts (egg/caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly), each crafted by one of three friends: Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chow Musser.
• The story serves as both a narrative about change and a reflection of creative collaboration.

The Collaborative Creative Process (02:27–04:32)

• The three authors discuss how their decade-long friendship naturally led to artistic teamwork:
  • “Andy and I were already making some books together and we had so much fun doing that that we went, what would happen if we added another friend into the mix?” – Ben Clanton (02:54)
  • Corey Tabor describes late-night inspiration: “I woke up in the middle of the night and I had this idea of the stages of a butterfly. And we each write and illustrate a different stage.” (03:20)
• The choice to focus on the black swallowtail butterfly for its unique and understated beauty is discussed:
  • “I want a fantastical looking butterfly, but I also want one that is maybe a little bit unexpected...what if we chose a butterfly that had almost no color at all?” – Andy Chow Musser (04:07)

Defining Each Stage: Artistry and Storytelling (04:32–06:28)

• Ben Clanton describes embodying childlike wonder in the caterpillar phase:
  • “I was inspired by my youngest son and just this unstoppable wonder and curiosity he had.” (04:32)
• Corey R. Tabor tackles the challenging chrysalis portion, where physical inactivity led to creative external adventures for the character:
  • “When they go from caterpillar to chrysalis they kind of dissolve into goo...the challenge with that was the character can’t really do anything.” – Corey R. Tabor (05:09)
  • Collaborative creativity led to the idea of the chrysalis traveling with a bird’s help while the caterpillar remains oblivious.
• The story shifts from focusing on transformation to a nuanced exploration of growing up:
  • “Originally, our idea was just change and transformation...as we worked on it, it became more a story about growing up.” – Corey R. Tabor (06:05)

Crafting Personality and Humor (06:28–07:45)

• Andy Chow Musser reveals the comic struggle of learning to fly:
  • “Flying is a lot harder than Pilio expected...Corey had a great idea. He’s like, what if Pilio curses by saying sluggety slime?” (06:28)
• Ben Clanton performs a catchy, improvised song from the book:
  • “‘Got a full belly. Time to turn to jelly.’ I imagine it’s like, you know, like a little kid at that point, kind of just making up as she goes.” – Ben Clanton (07:26)

Visual Style and Artistic Choices (08:02–09:47)

• Each artist brought a distinct style reflecting the story’s stages:
  • “Soft pastel tones, a bit impressionistic...some areas feature a lot of collage.” – Andy Chow Musser (08:20)
  • “My section tends towards cartoony at moments. Cartooning is kind of my go to.” – Ben Clanton (08:20)
  • “Yeah, it’s color pencil and watercolor. I think I wanted it to have kind of like a loose, wild feel to it, to kind of match the adventure.” – Corey R. Tabor (08:32)
• The changing art styles mirror the protagonist’s transformation:
  • “One idea is that we would kind of retain our own illustration style and that the idea that Popilio is changing, and so each stage of life, she sees the world a little bit differently.” – Corey R. Tabor (08:47)

Themes: Tenacity, Growth, and Friendship (09:47–11:04)

• Pilio’s journey underscores learning through failure and persistence:
  • “I think Popilio really learns that it’s okay to fail and that practice is really important. And that being tenacious and trying something over and over again pays off.” – Andy Chow Musser (09:32)
• The story champions collaboration—within the book and among the creators:
  • “That friendship, I think, reflects our own sort of friendship too in the making of the book.” – Ben Clanton (10:22)
  • “I hope it encourages [readers] to collaborate with the people around them instead of seeing other people or friends as competition.” – Andy Chow Musser (10:46)

Segment 2: Behind the Scenes of Chooch Helped (11:42–18:31)

How Chance Sparked Award-winning Art (11:42–13:29)

• The creation of Chooch Helped began when author Andrea L. Rogers and illustrator Rebecca Koons met serendipitously at the Cherokee National Holiday:
  • “The Caldecott winning picture book Chooch Helped only exists because Andrea L. Rogers and Rebecca Koons happened to bump into each other at the Cherokee National Holiday.” – Andrew Limbong (11:42)
• Both collaborators express disbelief and pride in their unexpected but successful partnership:
  • “It is wild and incredibly unusual and atypical, and I am in awe.” – Rebecca Koons (13:23)
  • “Pretty much every couple of days I tell my husband, hey, you know what? A book I wrote won the Caldecott because I don’t know if I believe it yet.” – Andrea L. Rogers (13:29)

Story and Family Dynamics in Chooch Helped (12:00–12:46)

• The book centers on the misadventures and love between siblings:
  • “This story is about two siblings sort of figuring out their relationship...there’s some yelling, but then there’s forgiveness and there’s understanding.” – Andrea L. Rogers (12:46)
• The narrative is autobiographical in spirit, rooted in Rogers' own experience as a sibling and parent.

Artistic Approach and Cherokee Cultural Roots (14:38–16:05)

• Koons breaks down her layered, collage-hued style:
  • “A little bit of collaging, some painting, a lot of line work...sometimes the layers and textures are somewhat translucent. And then I collage in different elements.” – Rebecca Koons (14:38)
• Rogers highlights the importance of authentic cultural representation:
  • “There was stuff I didn't have to explain. Like if I mentioned what gigging was, she knew what gigging was, and she could show it.” – Andrea L. Rogers (14:19)

Creating Scenes Unique to Place and Tradition (16:05–17:08)

• Koons describes infusing the book with Oklahoma’s visual warmth and everyday activities:
  • “When I think of Oklahoma...I think of that warm color palette, earth tones, warm colors. I wanted a lot of light and sun. And so those colors kind of came to me naturally when I thought of the characters in the story.” – Rebecca Koons (16:05)

Universal Resonance and Emotional Impact (17:08–18:31)

• Rogers equates messy family traditions with invaluable cultural bonding:
  • “If they're not involved from the beginning in their own culture, then when they grow up, they're not going to be as invested in their own culture. And so there has to be patience and grace on the part of everyone in a family for the family to work together.” – Andrea L. Rogers (17:08)
• The book gently champions kindness and tenderness within families:
  • “This book speaks a lot to kindness and care...tenderness is still okay for boys and girls, and we can have disagreements and still love each other and care for each other.” – Rebecca Koons (18:10)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “I think we all agreed at the beginning that we like hapless heroes. That helped set the tone a bit.” – Ben Clanton, Papilio (07:45)
• “Just if something sounds fun, that's a good enough reason to try it.” – Corey R. Tabor, Papilio (03:06)
• “I hope it encourages them to collaborate with the people around them instead of seeing other people or friends as competition.” – Andy Chow Musser, Papilio (10:46)
• “If they're not involved from the beginning in their own culture, then when they grow up, they're not going to be as invested in their own culture.” – Andrea L. Rogers, Chooch Helped (17:08)
• “Kindness and care...we can have disagreements and still love each other and care for each other.” – Rebecca Koons, Chooch Helped (18:10)

Episode Takeaways

• Collaboration in children’s publishing can yield uniquely poignant and playful work, as seen in the multi-voiced, multi-styled Papilio and the serendipitous pairing behind Chooch Helped.
• Transformation and growth—whether in nature, art, or relationships—require patience, trust, and sometimes messy trial and error.
• Cultural traditions and family bonds are strengthened when shared openly with younger generations, even when the process is imperfect.
• Both books emphasize joy, resilience, and connection: the heart of children’s literature at its best.

For more on these stories and authors, listen to the full episode of NPR’s Book of the Day.