Get Inspired to LOOK UP with Fontaine, the pigeon

Picture this: Fontaine, a small pigeon with a beanie, is fed up with everyone being glued to their screens. So, he rounds up a gang of birds and leads an ICKY revolution. Their mission? Make people ditch their phones, look up, and reconnect with nature (and each other). With its catchy rhymes and funny illustrations, Look Up! is a hilarious, cautionary tale for storytime, a picture book that helps families spend time together, unplugged and reading. At its heart, Look Up! Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution all about reminding us to take a tech detox and appreciate the world around us.

How did this quirky book come to life? Let's peek into the minds of the author, Britt, and illustrator, Amanda, as they share their (all-too-relatable) experience that bred inspiration for the book as well as their passion for championing unplugged moments for modern families. 

The inspiration behind Look Up! Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution

By Britt Gondolfi and Amanda Romanick

When we were new mothers, we would spend hours and days together with our new babies, feeding them, feeding us, and feeding our brains with series and doom scrolling. In our defense, new motherhood was stressful, and we were two Louisiana women with two new babies in Atlanta. We had babies, rentals, and relationship woes. We found solidarity in our circumstances of both being on the verge of being single moms. (Side note: we genuinely dislike the expression “single mom”. We are just moms who happen to be doing a lot of work solo, and we shouldn’t be forced to identify our relationship status...) We were always told, “it takes a village”, only to face the harsh reality that that village, for many of us, only exists on Instagram. But, that online village kept us from fully connecting with our children, and the mom-guilt was real. It’s no wonder we spent a lot of time on our screens!

I still struggle with my cell phone, probably now more than ever. On the eve of this long-held poem and dream coming to life, I find myself simultaneously on my screen now more than ever and more filled with a desire to live most of my moments in real life. I sometimes feel like a hypocrite because I still haven’t figured out how to find a balance between using technology and the technology abusing me.  

I wrote this poem to laugh about the absurdity of how humanity, myself included, has surrendered our attention spans to the screens.

With this technology, we can educate ourselves, collaborate on solutions for all of our collective problems, and organize for a more abundant and just world. I just fear that right now most of us are using these screens to distract ourselves. I know I am guilty of it. 

I’ve heard the best way to handle the desire to change an undesirable habit is to acknowledge its existence with grace and humor. That is what I was doing for myself when I wrote this story—making a joke about one of my biggest struggles. I am the mom that hears the “bizarre scream” who is lost looking down at her phone. 

This book is for parents who want to raise children who are not addicted to digital devices and who have the desire to play a part in healing this planet. 

I hope that by laughing over our shared struggles with looking down, we can remind ourselves and our loved ones to Look Up more. Otherwise, the birds may strike back. 

Parenting in 2024 is a juggling act. With technology woven into every aspect of our lives, finding the right balance is key. 

As Britt and Amanda explain: in today's fast-paced lifestyle, guilt often accompanies our screen time. It's alright to let that guilt go! Watching T.V., playing on our tablets, and scrolling for news on our phones is an important part of our culture. We, as parents and caregivers, can still be a part of that culture while also recognizing that setting boundaries with technology is crucial. When all is said and done, we want to encourage our little ones (and ourselves) to explore the world, both pixelated and beyond.

So, if you’re looking for a distraction today, try fighting the instinct to grab your phone.Take a break from your device, lift your head up, and look outside at the birds. Take time to be with your family, crack a joke, or maybe even write a book. You can always come back to your phone later.

What do you think? Will you be looking up with Britt, Amanda, and Fontaine? We hope so. When you’re finally plugged in again, you can find Look Up! Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution anywhere, from your local independent bookseller or library to Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Be sure to watch the book trailer on www.fontainethepigeon.com.

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