The Big Furry Deal with Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye

When it comes to children’s books about furry creatures, we can think of DOZENS upon THOUSANDS like Paddington Bear, Richard Scarry’s world-building, Carl Barks with Uncle Scrooge. Funny animals are a tradition in comics! Within the last year, one particular series has got my goat over and over. Author (designer, general Renaissance woman) Colleen AF Venable and illustrator, Stephanie Yue have produced three books (and have three MORE coming out) via Graphix Universe called Guinea Pig: Pet Shop Private Eye.

With punny titles like Hamster and Cheese, And Then There were Gnomes, The Ferret’s A Foot, and this September’s release Fish You Were Here, the reader knows to expect some fun wordplay. The setting is simple. An absent-minded pet store owner, Mr. Venezi, regularly mislabels his pets. They rarely get sold (so no sweatin’ losing your favorite characters, kids!).

Sasspants is a guinea pig with a penchant for literacy. Hamisher is a hyper-hamster on the go, eager to please, eat, solve crimes. So as the crimes pop up, Hamisher must always convince the logical and critical Sasspants that she is indeed the Guinea P.I. (droppin’ that G) for the job. Stephanie Yue’s inherent sense of what is cute through her Rubenesque animal designs makes the reading a thrilling as holding soft mewing kittens. Stephanie and Colleen’s teamwork on the page is smooth and solid which Hamisher and Sasspants echo. The dedication to visual gags and lots of Hamisher hats run throughout each plot.

Perhaps the books work so well because Colleen AF has spent the better part of her professional life working with children’s books and comic books. She has been the designer for First Second Books for years, making great graphic novels land those one-two-BUY-ME punches. Colleen also has produced plenty of zines and comic anthologies which Guinea PI reflects in the permission-giving DIY nature of the two main characters. Children are already creative with their given tools and accessories, yet I like to think about them taking a tip or two from Sasspants and Hamisher.

As a cartoonist moonlighting as a librarian, I have given many lectures and tutored kids in comics. The Guinea Pig series is one they love to use for reference, for an example of what to do well, how to time comedy and all the little throw-away jokes thrill the parents as much as their kids.

I caught up with Colleen AF while she was trying to eat breakfast the other day and asked her a few questions.

JV: What do you think upon hearing that more and more guinea pigs are following the role of Sasspants and enrolling in the police academy and forensics schools?

Colleen AF Venable: I’m thrilled more guinea pigs are getting into careers of crime fighting. For a while there were those roving guinea pig gangs, you know the ones. Knocking over convenience stores, robbing banks, messing up piles of woodchips. I think I’m helping guinea pigs realize that there’s more to life than making trouble and pooping.

JV: How have your smaller fans reacted to the series?

CAFV: A boy once told me he loved my books but thought “there should be more pirates and sparta.” He had drawn me a picture of Sasspants and Hamisher hanging out with a bunch of guys with eyepatches and a gladiator. That kid was so right. More pirates and sparta. The advice I give any aspiring authors.

JV: You do a lot of comic workshops just like at 10:30 on Sunday, May 22nd at the Maine Comics Art Festival in Portland, ME. How can other people reach you if they want you for a school visit?

CAFV: They can contact me on my website for visits. I loooove doing school visits and workshops for kids, even Skype visits to schools that might not be able to afford an author to come and talk: http://www.colleenaf.com/contact

JV: And what other cons will you be at this year?

CAFV: I’ll be at Philly Wizard Con, NY Comic Con, and SPX (even if I’m just walking around). Now are you going to help me eat this French toast or what?

(The transcript ends there other than the sounds of gnashing teeth, pure Vermont maple syrup sloshing around and the sound of a wolf howling).

-Jen Vaughn