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Squashed: A Graphic Novel Awareness Tour is sponsored by The Children’s Book Review and Dooney Press.

Squashed: A Graphic Novel

Written and Illustrated by Meaghan Tosi. Based on a Story by Thomas Tosi.

Aah! Dude! It moved! Can the mysterious shuddering pumpkin the three kids found in the forest be alive? They’re going to find out when they lift it from its resting place and carry it home. But what happens if someone or something comes looking for it?

This evocative graphic novel is spooky yet ultimately gentle and charming. It presents a tale of unfounded fear of those who are different and the similarities we all share. Told in richly stylized full-color artwork from illustrator Meaghan Tosi whose previous work Kirkus Reviews praised as delightful. Ages 6-12.

The graphic novel “Squashed” is based upon a short film produced almost twenty years ago. Thomas Tosi made the film, and it starred his children and their friend, including Meaghan Tosi. Meaghan would grow up to earn an art degree in traditional animation from Laguna College of Art & Design and adapt the film as a graphic novel.

Squashed: A Graphic Novel is available on Amazon

Interview with Author Meaghan Tosi and Thomas Tosi

Can you tell us what went into deciding to write about a pumpkin in the forest?

[THOMAS]: Fall is my favorite season—especially living in New England. I love all the trappings, the colorful foliage, scarecrows, pumpkins, corn stalks, hot mulled cider, and spookiness. I get the imagery of all those things swirling around in my head, and they start melting into each other. [SPOILER ALERT] In 1983, while in college, I made a short B&W 16mm film called “The October Garden” that contains a scene in which a person is reborn from a pumpkin. The ghost of that one idea must have been dragging chains around, haunting my brain because it apparated many years later. In 2003, I had just purchased a new video camera and was trying to think of a project to do with my kids. This time, I asked myself, “What if scarecrows are born from pumpkins, emerging as though from an eggshell?” That question led to the making of the short film “Squashed.” Here we are, almost twenty years later, and Meaghan has adapted that film into a graphic novel.

What was your favorite part of writing this book?

[MEAGHAN]: Not writing, but I think my favorite part of illustrating this book was getting to draw characterized child versions of my brother and myself. It’s fun to open a book, show it to my brother and say, “look, that’s little you!”. I can’t say he likes it as much as I do, hahaha.

[THOMAS]: Although I’ve written six feature-length screenplays, a chapter book, and am working on my third novel, “Squashed” (the original film) wasn’t written as a book—or even a screenplay. Because I intended it as a short film with virtually no dialog, I shot-listed “Squashed.” I have a checkbox list that’s single-spaced and fills four pages. Each line describes one shot in the film (e.g., CLOSE-UP twig floating in the stream). To answer the question, my favorite part of “writing” was making the film with the kids.

Did you suffer from writer’s block at any point?

[THOMAS]: Not really. Of course, as I said, “Squashed” wasn’t “written.” On other projects, I get distracted by life, but I wouldn’t say I’m blocked. These days, I have some health issues that only allow me to concentrate and write on good days. When I can write, I write.

How long did it take you to write this book?

[THOMAS]: Well, if you count back to the short film on which the graphic novel is based, you could claim it was nineteen years!

How did you celebrate when you finished writing the book?

[THOMAS]: You’ll have to ask Meaghan that one. She did all the heavy lifting on the graphic novel “Squashed.”

[MEAGHAN]: When I finished all the illustrations/pages, I baked myself some cookies and then looked into moving on to my next project. I think we still had to do a little editing to get it ready for print, but it’s not uncommon to be working on more than one thing at a time. I figured I’d do most of the celebrating on the official release date!

How long have you been writing?

[MEAGHAN]: That last answer took me about two minutes (kidding). My parents would have to confirm, but I think I’ve been drawing things pretty much since I could hold a pen. I remember starting to draw some comics in fifth grade with a friend. It’s been a while, but I think they involved aliens and a bunch of wonky characters with disproportionately large heads. Now I’m grateful to do it for a living (except with fewer aliens).

[THOMAS]: I used to write short stories, plays, and even comic books with my friends in elementary school and junior high. I became passionate about filmmaking in high school, majoring in film at Boston University. I was fortunate enough to have my capstone short film win at some prestigious festivals and air on national television in the U.S. After writing several feature-length screenplays, I produced and directed one of them. Approximately ten years ago, I returned to writing prose.

What advice would you give an author just starting out?

[THOMAS]: There are three pieces of writing advice that I repeat to myself like a mantra, and they’re all related. One I picked up from my high school English teacher is writing is rewriting. Another is from “The Screenwriter’s Workbook” by Syd Field; allow yourself to do some terrible writing. Finally, something I saw attributed to New Hampshire author Jodi Picoult, you can’t edit a blank page. I don’t have any advice on landing an agent, signing a contract, and making a mountain of money (or even a living). But, if you understand that writing is rewriting, it’s easy to permit yourself to do some terrible writing, resulting in having pages to edit. Rinse and repeat.

Can we expect to see another book from you soon?

[MEAGHAN]: Right now, I’m working on a new graphic novel that’s sort of a sequel to my short comic “Dweedy: The Imagined Adventures of my Deceased Cat,” except this story is much longer. It will also be printed in color, unlike the original I did in a black and white ink-wash style. In the new book, Dweedy meets a threat from a world previously unknown to her and makes a lot of quirky new friends along the way.

[THOMAS]: Yes. I’m working on another middle-grade novel with the same setting and characters as my previous book, “Six Thousand Doughnuts.” This one will be told from a different character’s point of view. For me, this work is a little slower for the reasons mentioned earlier, but I’m thrilled that Meaghan will again be supplying the illustrations.

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