Six Questions with Lydia Lukidis

Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 60+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include Up, Up High: The Secret Poetry of Earth's Atmosphere (Capstone, 2025), Dancing Through Space: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), and Deep, Deep, Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner for the Canada and North America division, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, a Cybils Award nominee, and winner of the Dogwood Readers Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. Her most recent book is Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from Aevitas Creative Management. Visit Lydia's website to learn more about her work.

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1.     Who was your favorite author when you were a child? Why?

Judy Blume was my favorite author as a child and remains my favorite today. Her books feel honest, funny, and real. Plus, she writes about the things kids actually wonder about: growing up, friendships, embarrassing moments, and all the confusing feelings that come with them. Her character creation skills are also top notch, with one of my all time favorite kidlit characters being Fudge, the funniest toddler you ever met. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing is a book I find myself constantly re-reading!

2.     Did you have a favorite teacher when you were a child? What made them so special?

Mrs. Bloom was my favorite elementary teacher because she made English class exciting and showed me just how deep my passion for writing went. She encouraged us to let our imaginations run wild and made creative writing projects feel like an adventure. Thanks to her, I realized I could write stories, novels, and even comics, not just poetry. Her enthusiasm for words and her belief in my potential gave me the confidence to try new things with my writing. Mrs. Bloom didn’t just teach English, she helped me discover that I was a writer.

3.     How do you define success for yourself at this stage?

Many simplify success as tangible milestones like making a lot of money or acquiring good reviews or making it onto the New York Time's best seller list. It's great to have such goals. But this is a tough industry. If you’ll only be happy when achieving such goals, you may be in for a rude awakening. At this stage of my life, I define success in a more flexible, realistic, and fulfilling way. For me, I feel success each time I sell a book, because that’s a feat in itself. I experienced other magical moments when children I didn’t know wrote me fan mail or when I was invited to present Deep, Deep Down at the Natural History Museum in Washington DC for World Ocean Day.

4.     Where did you get the idea for this newest book? What was your inspiration?

The idea for Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog started back when I was writing comics for my school newspaper in fifth grade. I loved coming up with funny characters and silly situations that would make people laugh. One of my biggest inspirations was Garfield; I was always drawn to the sarcastic humor, the grumpy-but-lovable main character, and how much personality you could pack into a simple comic strip. That stuck with me, and eventually, it sparked the idea for Groucho, a grumpy groundhog with a sharp wit and a knack for getting dragged into ridiculous adventures. It all grew from those early comics and my love for characters who might be cranky on the outside, but deep down, they care more than they let on.

5.     How was the editorial process? Did you do any revisions? Did you have a lot of collaboration with the illustrator?

First off, it took me three years to fully create Groucho’s character and world. In relation to the text, there were many revisions. I went through about 10 rounds on my own, then set the story aside to breathe. After that, I shared it with my critique group and eventually with Tara, my illustrator. Her illustrator's perspective was invaluable and she offered great feedback. There were many more rounds of revision at that point. Once Andrews McMeel bought the book, our editor suggested a few light edits but liked the overall flow. Graphic novels are tough to submit as an author-only, so that’s why I teamed up with Tara, who I'd worked with before. Thankfully, she loved the idea and took a chance on it.

6.     If you read this book to a room filled with kids, what message would you want them to leave with?

If I read Groucho the Grouchy Groundhog to a room full of kids, I’d want them to leave with the message that you don’t have to be perfect, or even cheerful all the time, to make a difference. Groucho is grumpy, reluctant, and not your typical hero, but when it matters most, he steps up (even if he grumbles the whole way). I want kids to know it’s okay to feel annoyed, frustrated, or unsure, you can still be brave, still help others, and still be the hero of your own story, just the way you are. And, of course, I’d want them to leave laughing, too!