But how it all got started is interesting. Colleagues for more than a decade at the Langley School in McLean, Virginia, where Pamela is the school librarian and Henry teaches science, they happened to attend a 1993 children's literature conference together. It stimulated discussion and they began to talk over their own ideas for children's books. They developed a few proposals and visited publishers. Their first proposal Some Smug Slug was accepted by three publishers and they elected to sign with HarperCollins.
Detailed drawings depict other creatures who share the slug's world.
Some Smug Slug was selected by School Library Journal and Children's Literature as on of the best books of 1996. It was also featured on a CBS morning show. Interestingly, the first published book was Four Famished Foxes and Fosdyk which focuses readers attention on the letter 'F'. Cole's colorful illustrations complement and continue the fascination, in fact, Cole encourages readers to find the more than fifty 'F' objects hidden in the pictures. Also an American Booksellers Pick of the Lists selection in 1995.