Francinelee Hand was raised in Miami Beach and as an adult relocated to New York City, where she met and married her husband, David. Thirty years later they came to Miami and today they split their time between South Florida and Colorado, where their daughter and grandchildren live. A longtime patron of the arts – she’s a committed supporter of not just Miami Book Fair, but Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony, among other cultural entities – this year she’ll take on the mantle of presenting author at Miami Book Fair 2023, when she shares her children’s book series based around the adventures of Claybe, a sweet and thoughtful monkey.
You support a lot of arts and cultural organizations – why did you choose to support Miami Book Fair?
Miami Book Fair is phenomenal! One, it’s free. Two, it is an enormous community-driven event. And three, it requires nothing of attendees other than showing up. It crosses all generations, interests, religions, and genres. When I found out that Miami Book Fair served so many thousands of children, that’s a very powerful thing. Miami is still known as a town that’s primarily devoted to entertainment and recreation, not literacy or culture. So you have to have the latter with the former, you have to show people both. Miami Book Fair – the biggest, most successful book festival in the United States – does that. That’s no accident. And in my small way, I want to contribute to that.
Tell me about Claybe – how did the collection come about?
Being embarrassed, being lonely, being sad – they’re emotions we all feel, including children, but sometimes we unintentionally teach them that any feelings they have that aren’t “happy-time feelings” are feelings that shouldn’t be shared. But they’re all absolutely valid and a part of who you are, and they help you navigate your way in the world. I want children to know there’s nothing wrong with having those feelings, and that they bring important life lessons.
Take being afraid, for example. Every human being has felt afraid at one time or another, and being afraid can be a good thing because it tells you to be aware, that something out there is challenging – you need to open up your eyes and ears and pay attention. If we don’t allow children to understand how valuable it is to honor what they feel, and to deal with it and share it, we cripple them.
So I wrote the six Claybe books for children. They’re about a happy little monkey who lives in the jungle, and in each he has an experience that every child has had. In one book, he’s afraid; in another, he’s ashamed. In another, he feels pain and must go to the hospital. And at the end of each story there’s a page that says, “Claybe would like to know …” It’s a worksheet of sorts with about five or six questions that the child goes through with their adult, asking what experiences the child has had that are anything like the experience Claybe had. How did it make them feel? What did they do about it?
What’s one specific lesson Claybe learns about in the books?
In one book he’s feeling lonely; he’s an only child and he asks his mother if he can have a little brother. She holds him in her arms and she tells him, “You can live without a brother, but not without a friend.” And the story develops to show the reader what Claybe did about that. Each book brings him to understand that it’s OK to feel the way he’s feeling, and how he can make things better – and in each book he does. That teaches children they can do the same.
The stories are so charming, and the artwork is wonderful. How did you come to work with your illustrator, Laura Mastrangelo?
Oh, the artwork is spectacular – there’s no one like her! She was my husband’s legal assistant for years, and he discovered she had enormous artistic talent. He said to her, “Well, what are you doing in a law office? You should be out there creating beautiful things!” So after he sold the practice that’s what she did. And they were sold at Bendel and Bergdorf (Goodman) and all the big stores in Manhattan. Then a few years ago she illustrated a children’s book; I have grandbabies so she sent me a copy. When I called her to say thank you, she asked me what I thought of the book. I told her I thought the illustrations were fantastic but the book was stupid. [both laugh]
One of the things I learned in Manhattan was to cut to the chase. That doesn’t give you license to be unkind, but telling the truth is important. Anyway, we were on speakerphone during this conversation so my husband could hear us, and he turned around and said, “You guys should collaborate; why don’t you get together? Francinlee will write the books and Laura, you can illustrate them.” And we did.
You mentioned your grandchildren. Have they inspired any of Claybe’s adventures?
Yes, and Claybe is also named for my grandson, Clay. He’s 9; my granddaughter Laurel Harper is 11.
Are you a big reader?
You know, I never was until I married. I always read about fashion and I read newspapers but I never read books for pleasure. Then I met my husband and he had a library you wouldn’t believe – floor-to-ceiling books, there must have been 10,000. He was never happy without a book and I thought, “He’s having all this fun and I’m not.” So I started reading and now I’m just like he is. If I don’t have a book waiting for me I’m miserable.
What are you reading right now?
Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water. It’s so fascinating that I feel like propping my eyes open with toothpicks so I can read all night long. [both laugh]
What’s waiting on your nightstand?
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. It’s about a woman of color who served as J.P. Morgan’s private librarian and curator.
Are you drawn to one genre in particular?
I love poetry. Shel Silverstein and Judith Viorst are two favorites. I also write my own poetry; I started when I was around 19, mostly limericks. My first poetry collection, “Rhymes from the Sunshine Ritz,” is actually in production right now and will be out in the spring.
Are you looking forward to presenting at the Fair?
I can’t wait!
Interview by Elisa Chemayne Agostinho; responses have been edited for space and clarity.
