An Interview with “Father Goose”

Charles Ghigna is not only a well-known Birmingham local, but an award-winning author! He has written over 5,000 poems and 250 books and anthologies, including many popular children’s books. His books have been published by Disney, Random House, Red Comet, Schiffer, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Time, Inc., and more. Moreover, his books have been featured on NPR, PBS, and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Recently, Charles agreed to answer a few questions about his journey and the inspiration behind his work. Keep reading to find out what he said!

What initially inspired you to start writing children’s books?

Charles: My son. I started writing little poems for him in the early 1990s not long after he was born. Tickle Day: Poems from Father Goose was the first of four books I wrote for him published by The Walt Disney Publishing Company. My second book for him was a collection of Riddle Rhymes, followed by a pair of zany flip-books titled Good Cats Bad Cats and Good Dogs Bad Dogs.

What is your favorite book you have written? Why?

Charles: Ha! That’s like asking a parent, “Who is your favorite child?” I love all my books. The newest ones often get the most love. Right now my two most well-loved books are The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry: 101 Favorite Poems for Children and Bound to Dream: An Immigrant Story.

“Father Goose” is such a fun title! Can you tell us more about how the name came about and what the book represents to you?

I always enjoy speaking at schools and libraries. Years ago students and teachers started calling me “Father Goose.” The name stuck. The Walt Disney Company invited artist Cyd Moore to create the first image of Father Goose that appears on the cover and inside Tickle Day: Poems from Father Goose. Other artists who illustrated my books over the years have also added their original illustrations of Father Goose. My new book, The Father Goose Treasury of Poetry, contains several abstract images of Father Goose illustrated by Italian artist Sara Brezzi. There are dramatic paintings on the cover and several others throughout the book. A striking image of Father Goose appears on the last page. Below him is another younger Goose. They are flying off the page together, suggesting that the younger Goose will carry on where Father Goose left off.

Where do you find inspiration for your stories and poems? Are there any specific sources, like your childhood or your own experiences as a parent?

Like most writers and artists, I find inspiration around me everywhere, every day. Little things. Quiet moments. Memories. Long walks. Watching and listening to family and friends. Imaginings. Dreams. I keep paper and pens around the house. In the kitchen. Living room. Bedroom. I’m especially inspired by Nature. From upstairs here in my treehouse, I look out at the treetops. I see maples. Pines. Crepe Myrtles. A Mulberry tree. I see hawks circling. I see hummingbirds. Butterflies. Squirrels. Some days a chipmunk or two. I try to look out and see the world brand new.

What is your writing process like? Do you follow a routine, or is each project unique?

I write most every day, all day. Morning. Noon. Night. Mostly at night. Some of my best ideas come to me in the middle of the night. I jump out of bed and write. The next morning, I take a second look over my first cup of coffee. If the new idea seems worthy, I take it up here to my treehouse and begin playing with it on the computer to see what adventure it might take me that day. Most inspiration comes very early in the morning and late at night. I use the afternoons to do my editing and rewriting. Lots of rewriting.

Do you have any advice for parents trying to encourage their children to read more, especially in today’s digital age?

When you open a book with a child, you open the door to a lifelong love of learning. One of the best ways to coax the reading bug in children is to read to them. Real books. Not just screen reading. It’s also important for them to see you reading to yourself. That lets them know that books and reading are a natural part of your everyday life. And theirs. Taking family fun trips to the library and bookstores is also a great way for them to pick out their books to bring home and enjoy. That also provides kids and parents with a fun bonding time away from phones and screens … says the old Goose who is probably the only person on the planet over the age of twelve who does not have a cell phone.

As an author who has been writing for many years, how do you keep your ideas fresh and engaging for new generations of readers?

When I was a kid, I woke up every day excited to see what new adventures await me. What new adventures I might create, what good trouble I might find. I try to remember that and keep that curious, risk-taking, fun-loving kid alive in me. I try to look through the eyes of my eight year old self. When I talk to groups of writers who want to write for children, I like to tell them that when you write for children, don’t write for children. Write from the child in you.

What do you hope children and families take away from your books, and how do you want your work to impact their lives? Looking back on your career, what has been the most rewarding part of being a children’s author?

Those are great questions! How lucky I am to be able to provide for my family by doing what I love. The greatest reward for any children’s author is in knowing that our books might stir the minds and hearts of young readers with our words. Books provide them with a vision of the world and themselves that may be new to them or reveal something already familiar in new and enlightening ways. There’s nothing like watching a child discover the magic and wonder of reading. Once they are hooked on books, their world opens to new and exciting heights, new and exciting possibilities.

Do you have any other advice or things you want to share? Are there any books in the making or other events to look out for in the coming days?

Thank you so much for this opportunity to share a little bit of my book world with your readers. I appreciate your asking about my new projects. I have four new books on the way for 2025: Southern Bred: A Memoir of Poems, a 100-page collection of poems for adults; Sweet Dreams: Moon Poems, a 32-page picture book; Puns Not Guns, a 280-page book of humorous light verse for adults; Kids Love Coins: An Introduction to Coin Collecting for Children, a 32-page picture book. I’m also working on three new books for 2026, including my 250-page magnum opus for adults, The Lost Book of Life: New & Selected Poems.

For more on Charles Ghigna, check out his website: charlesghigna.com