Dede always wanted to write a children’s book, but she never wanted to write just a silly story for children. Instead, she wanted her book to help children with problems, and to help children understand a part of their world just a little bit better. So, Dede invented Grady – a rabbit with glasses. For 11 years, Dede and Scott had a pet bunny named Binky Rittman, so it was only natural that the main character in her book would be a bunny. Binky was actually a birthday gift to Dede from two of her English classes! Because Dede adored her students and always called them her “bunnies,” two of her wonderful classes bought her the best pet, Binky Rittman, so she could have a real bunny. Binky Rittman was litter-box trained and came when called. She knew words, rode in Dede’s convertible, and sometimes even slept in bed with Scott and Dede. Dede hopes that Grady becomes a friend to the reader the way her characters in her favorite books became friends to her.