An Interview With ‘Frankie And The Curious Cocoon Quest’ Creator Caitlin Rose Boyle

In the latest Frankie Fairy graphic novel, Frankie’s pet woolly bear Tuna has gone missing. As Frankie enlists her mom’s help in the search, an alternate explanation for Tuna’s disappearance is raised in Frankie and the Curious Cocoon Quest. With letters by Tom B. Long, here’s what author Caitlin Rose Boyle had to share about her third Frankie Fairy adventure:

Rachel Bellwoar: Tuna is a character who’s been around since the first Frankie Fairy book. Why did you feel it was time to put Tuna in the spotlight?

Caitlin Rose Boyle: I’ve known that I wanted to have a book that touched on the idea of embracing change via caterpillar metamorphosis since the very first time I drew Tuna. She’s missing in action for so much of Curious Cocoon Quest, so it helps that returning readers have a relationship with her already from the previous books — hopefully by now you miss her as much as Frankie does!

Bellwoar: Have you ever had to search for a lost pet like Frankie does in Curious Cocoon Quest?

Boyle: When my cat Burly was a kitten, she went missing a lot. She’s an indoor-only cat, and she was always in the house, but I found her in a new hiding place every time. It was like an extended game of hide and seek; she especially liked going behind the books in my bookshelf. Once she managed to get into my bed’s box spring??? Thankfully, she also got herself out again.

Bellwoar: One thing the search for Tuna provides is an excuse to see more of Frankie’s house. Did you enjoy the chance to fill each room with personal knick knacks?

Boyle: Absolutely! I have a very packrat-y living space myself, so getting to extend that to Frankie & her Mom is always a joy. I think Mom’s office was my favorite to decorate; she’s got lots of photos on the wall from their adventures to keep her company.

Bellwoar: Metamorphosis is often talked about in relation to butterflies. What made you want to show that other animals go through transformations, too (including insects readers might not know about like ladybugs)?

Boyle: I mostly wanted to show it off because it’s cool! What could be more metal than breaking down your entire body, just to reform into something new? I got to learn things about metamorphosis in the natural world that I didn’t know before I started researching this book – ladybugs were a surprise to me, too. I always love learning new things about the world around us when I’m putting these books together, and I hope readers do too.

Bellwoar: Ultimately the Frankie Fairy books are all about acceptance – both self-acceptance and acceptance of others. Why is that a theme you want to continue to explore with this series?

Boyle: Clearly, we’re living in a very fraught time. The world at large is scarier than ever. Trans kids are under constant fire, immigrant kids are in danger of deportation … I think it’s more important than ever that we let kids know that they’re okay just as they are — however they are, or however they want to be. If my little books can make someone feel a little more at home with themselves or in the world, then Frankie’s doing her job.

Bellwoar: What’s been the best part about getting to return to the world of Frankie Fairy and tell ongoing stories?

Boyle: I just love spending time with Frankie and her Mom! I love learning new facets of Frankie’s personality — how she reacts in situations, what she thinks about the world, it’s all a journey I get to go on as I break down the story. It’s as much a treat for me as it is for the reader.

Bellwoar: Frankie isn’t a character who has a set wardrobe like Charlie Brown and his zig zag shirt. For this one, was the stripe sweater meant as an homage to Tuna?

Boyle: Yes, you caught it! Tuna’s not around for much of this one, so Frankie’s sweater gets to stand in for her in the meantime.

Bellwoar: Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Caitlin!

Frankie and the Curious Cocoon Quest goes on sale March 10th from Oni Press. In the meantime, be sure to check out Frankie and the Creepy Cute Critters and Frankie and the Beastly Bog Song.