8 Questions for Aaron Blabey

Aaron Blabey is best known for his book series The Bad Guys. The first book in his new series, Game of Pets, came out on September 29. TFK Kid Reporter Shaiyar Dhillon spoke with the Australian author.

1. What are the book’s themes?

The book is about a kid who gets a pet axolotl. Unfortunately, the axolotl can talk. The kid doesn’t much like what the axolotl has to say. It tells him that pets are not what they seem. They’re actually part of an intergalactic × intergalactic relating to outer space; between galaxies (adjective) game show. They’re avatars that are talking to all of us without our knowing and getting us to make terrible ecological × ecological relating to the environment or ecosystems (adjective) choices to destroy our planet. So there’s an underlying environmental message in the middle of a pretty chaotic action-adventure story.

2. What made you want to write about pets?

I had a series called Pig the Pug for little kids. I like that he looks cute but is actually diabolical. I thought it would be fun to play with the idea. We all love our pets, obviously. I thought it would be fun to give them something sneaky that they’ve been up to the whole time.

3. How did you think up the idea of pets that spy?

I’m not really sure, to be honest. My brain does things I don’t fully understand. It’s a bit like Lego pieces that don’t belong together, but if you click them together in a certain way, they suddenly make sense. Ideas can be like that for me. I was thinking about pets. I was thinking about the environment. Somewhere from my brain came “intergalactic TV game show.” I don’t know how I got from here to there. And it struck me as funny that the cuter the animals are and the more dastardly the thing they’re up to, the funnier it is.

4. You use a lot of humor. Why does it work for kids?

I have a sign in my studio that says “Don’t be boring.” I think that’s really important when you’re writing for kids. Keep it as entertaining as possible, even if it has a big message about something serious, like saving the planet. That makes it fun to read, you know?

5. Is there a character based on your cat, Maude?

Maude inspired her own series, Cat on the Run. But we also have a little puppy now, Dorothy. She’s a Pomeranian who’s like a ball of fluff with tiny legs. She hasn’t made an appearance [in a book] yet. She might get a role at some point in the future.

6. Will there be more Bad Guys books?

No, all done. All done. I sort of knew how it was going to finish, years ago. So I was just leading my way there. It took 10 years to do all the Bad Guys books.

7. Did you get a chance to voice a character in the Bad Guys movies?

No, no. I was very happy for good actors to do that.

8. What will you be working on next?

There will be more Game of Pets. And I have another middle-grade series that I’m looking forward to, called the Awfuls. It’s really gross.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.