Local Author Spotlight: Erin Frankel

By Emily King

Photography By Kelly Perkovich

Meet Erin Frankel, children’s book author and Pittsburgh transplant. Originally from South Jersey, she has lived here for over a decade, which officially makes her a Yinzer. Her beautiful books inspire empathy and wonder, introducing children to extraordinary people and their stories.

Frankel's earlier works include the Weird! series, which explores bullying, and Remembering Barkley, a story about pet loss and grief. Her more recent picture book biographies include A Plate of Hope, about chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen, and Mary Oliver: Holding on to Wonder, celebrating the beloved poet. Her newest release, Piece by Piece: How Stephen Sondheim Made Musical Puzzles Come Alive, introduces young readers to the legendary composer and lyricist, encouraging them to embrace their own creativity.

Frankel has also taught ESL at the University of Pittsburgh and Spanish in K–12 classrooms.

Q. What do you enjoy most about living in Pittsburgh?

A. When our family moved to Pittsburgh, we felt very welcome and enjoyed exploring all of Pittsburgh’s wonderful neighborhoods. I am a big nature and animal lover and love the ease of access to nature just outside my door. Many ideas and stories haven taken shape while walking in the woods with our beloved dog Bella near our home in South Hills.

Q. Have you always wanted to write children’s books?

A. I have always thought of myself as a writer. As a child, I was tapped into how words felt poetic even before knowing what poetry was. Music lyrics and picture books were my early teachers, and that deep connection with images and words stayed with me. When I wrote a story that I thought might make a real difference to a child on the other end, I knew it was time to step more boldly into my dream.

Q. What inspired you to write about Stephen Sondheim?

A. I have always loved musical theater. I was a musical theater major for a short time when I started out at college. Even though I chose a different career path, my love and gratitude for theater remained. When Stephen Sondheim passed away, I went deeply into his work and background and found myself endlessly curious. I knew that writing a picture book biography on Sondheim would be the ultimate challenge, but I was excited by the prospect of trying and by all that I would experience in doing so.

Q. Why did you compare Sondheim’s creative process to solving a puzzle? What fascinated you most about his work?

A. While researching, I understood why the puzzle metaphor is so frequently associated with Sondheim and why Sondheim liked to use it himself. As a master puzzler, the thrill of figuring out the pieces was at the heart of Sondheim’s work, so it really was what the story called for. My job was to listen. I was fascinated by Sondheim’s persistence in getting every note and every word just right. No detail was too small for Steve.

Q. How did you make Sondheim’s story accessible and engaging for children?

A. I like to take readers back to a person’s childhood because I think it is a very relatable and emotional place for most of us. In Piece by Piece, readers get to see and imagine Sondheim’s childhood hardships including the challenges he faced as he developed his craft. I thought that kids would have fun putting themselves in Sondheim’s shoes and wondering about the many questions that he pondered during his writing process.

Q. How did your collaboration with illustrator Stacy come about?

A. Stacy really brought the story to life. I believe he matched Sondheim’s genius with his incredible art. The illustrations took my breath away. At the time when I wrote manuscript, Stacy and I had the same agent, and she and the editor shared a vision for what Stacy and I might bring to the story if we worked together. I had already met Stacy on several occasions because he is actually a local Pittsburgh artist as well and lives in the same town.

Q. What do you hope young readers take away from Piece by Piece?

A. I hope the story ignites curiosity in readers and that they feel the thrill of the creative process. I hope they feel inspired to figure out the pieces in whatever their own creative pursuits might be. When I visit students at schools, we talk about the great joy that is felt when the hard work and heart you put into something comes together. There is no shortcut to that feeling, and I urge people of all ages to not let anyone take that experience of doing the work they love away from them. I hope readers hold on to wonder.

To learn more about Erin Frankel, you can visit her website at www.erinfrankel.com .