Interview with Alessa Ellefson, Author of ‘Mighty Pax’s Misadventures: A Christmas Tail’

An interview about Mighty Pax’s Misadventures: A Christmas Tail by Alessa Ellefson, presented in partnership with The Children’s Book Review.

Alessa Ellefson joins us to discuss Mighty Pax’s Misadventures: A Christmas Tail, a cozy holiday tale about one resourceful pup, one shivering kitten, and a journey to discover what “home” truly means.

Mighty Pax’s Misadventures: A Christmas Tail is a heartfelt holiday story that invites young readers to look beyond walls, labels, and expectations to discover what home really means. In this interview, Alessa speaks to intentionally crafting an inclusive world filled with animals, the spark of confidence that comes from feeling chosen, and the quiet comfort of knowing love doesn’t have just one shape or address. Gentle, hopeful, and sprinkled with Christmas magic, Pax’s story reminds us that there is room—and home—for everyone.

Pax feels like the perfect canine hero—is he based on a real dog you’ve known?

Alessa Ellefson (AE): Yes, Pax is inspired by my own dog, a French bulldog also named Pax, who is now six years old! He hasn’t had to rescue any kittens, but he has lived through many a (mis)adventure himself. You can see pictures of him on Instagram.

Why do you think it is important for children today to think more deeply about what “home” means?

AE: People often conflate house with home, but a home evokes something much deeper than just four walls and a roof. It represents a place where you are safe and loved, no matter who or what you are. And, for that reason, home can mean vastly different things to different people.

What I wanted to allude to with this story as well is that life can hit hard and in unpredictable ways. A forced move, a divorce, a fire, the loss of a job… There are so many ways one can lose their house. But your true home will always be waiting for them wherever their heart soars freely.

In the story, Huey doesn’t even realize she doesn’t have a proper home. What would you like readers to learn from Huey’s change of perspective?

AE: This ties back to what I was saying about the concept of house vs home: Huey did not get to grow up in a warm and loving home. All she had was an old cardboard box by the bridge. Thanks to a very friendly neighborhood, however, (except perhaps for Mr. Curmudgeon), like the flower shop, she was always fed. But that, Huey realizes over the course of the story, is far from sufficient. What Huey needs is a place to call home, and that, in her case, she can only find with one person—Baby Girl.

One of my favorite things about this book is the wealth of Christmasy detail in the illustrations. Can you tell us a little bit about how you developed the artwork for the book?

AE: Thank you! I spent a lot of time illustrating this book and making sure I added all the elements that would bring the feelings of coziness and cheeriness that I always associate with Christmas.

The way I developed the artwork for the book was in parts intuitive (except for Pax—since I have my dog to model for me), and in parts testing several ideas with my friends to see which illustrations would resonate. When I write out my children’s books, I envision some of the scenes. That’s when I let my intuition lead me. But what I most often do is test out various concepts for each illustration with thumbnails. These are small squares where I sketch out different ways I could represent what is happening in the scene. I then send these thumbnails out to some friends who will vote on their favorites. The ones with the most votes are generally the ones I pick to develop more fully.

Adding all the Christmasy elements was then like adding icing to a cake, where I got to choose what pieces would bring the warmth of the holiday to the pictures.

One of the most important messages in the book is that home can mean different things for different people, but it should always be a place of love. How do you think this message might be received by readers whose home life is complicated?

AE: Yes, that was the key message I tried to convey throughout this book. My hope, in writing this story, is for readers to realize that, no matter where they’ve been or are in life, they can find a place that feels like home to them, and that it’s OK if it doesn’t look like what everyone might think it should look like.

Some people prefer to be alone with their studies, as with Rupert the bookworm. Others find their home among their friends, like Melvin and his band of merry chirpers. Sometimes, it’s with an entirely different family than the one you were born with, like with Huey, who ends up, after lots of mishaps, making her home with Baby Girl’s family.

I love the fact that the choice of animals as characters in the story allowed for a very inclusive and flexible definition of family and home. Was this a deliberate decision?

AE: Absolutely! I made sure to pick very different animals for this exact reason. When it comes to animals, there are a lot fewer prejudices against them, so it’s easier to accept that they each have their own approach to life and their own needs—though I did make sure they were all animals that you could find in Belgium (including the parakeet).

In the story, Huey gets a bit of a makeover to help her new family accept her. What message would you like readers to take from this detail about appearances?

AE: Once Huey realizes what she wants—a home with Baby Girl and her family—she suddenly gets very self-conscious. That’s why Pax suggested she do a quick cleanup and put a little Christmas bow on her. Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to get that little boost in confidence you need to ask for what you truly want. In the end, Baby Girl only cared that it was Huey at her door—bow or no bow!

What advice do you have for readers who are desperately hoping for a pet this Christmas?

AE: Oh, how I understand that hope! That was also one of my most ardent wishes growing up. 

But pets are a big responsibility. They need love and food and daily attention, including regular doctors’ visits… And, if they can’t go on vacation with you, they need a safe place to stay while you’re away.

So having a pet is something that the whole household has to agree on, and the choice of a pet will then need to be adjusted based on what everyone is willing to take on.

Cats are more independent, but you do have to clean up their litter regularly. Dogs are generally cuddlier, but they also need to be walked outside several times a day (and the bigger the dog, the longer the walks). Cockatoos can live up to 70 years, ducks need to have regular swim, it’s best to adopt rabbits in pairs (or they get really sad), while cows (who also prefer to be together with their BFF) take up a LOT of space… All of these items need to be taken into consideration when adopting a pet into your family.

Otherwise, if it’s currently not possible to share your house with a pet, you could ask to spend time around animals in other ways. Perhaps at a friend’s house, who has a pet who would love to play with you, too. Or you could volunteer at a shelter or a rescue farm. Otherwise, you can also learn to observe animals in the wild—like wildlife photographers, or bird watchers!

What are your favorite childhood stories about home that you would recommend to readers who have enjoyed reading the first book in the Pax series?

AE: One of my absolute favorite stories about home, to this day, is Disney’s The Rescuers. I still have the book I received when I was five! To stay on the same theme, there’s also a book that I discovered after A Christmas Tail came out, that explores the same concept, called Let’s Go Home, by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin.

Another series of books that I really enjoyed is the Belgian series Boule et Bill, about a young boy and his cocker spaniel dog, and their adventures. But it’s in French and for slightly older children. I also loved the story of Belle et Sebastien, which is also about a boy and his dog, though these have their adventures in France, instead of Belgium. 

Can you give us a sneak peek at the next book in the series?  What problem will Pax be tackling next?

AE: There are two other books in the series that are already out. The Big Booboo is the story behind Pax’s own health problems, when a herniated disc made him unable to walk, and he had to be operated on. The story explores the topic of the fear of not being loved and accepted anymore because we think we’re no longer good enough or less than what we once were.

The third book, Attack of the Fluffbutts, finds Pax having to confront his fears so he can rescue his friend from a haunted house. This one is a lot more light-hearted!

Next year, Pax will be going on a very different kind of adventure, where he’s confronted with his feelings of sadness on a day when he finds himself all alone at home.

About the Book

Publisher’s Book Summary: Everyone deserves a home, especially at Christmas!

That’s what Pax is off to prove when he finds a shivering kitten on his back patio. But what is a real home anyway? Thankfully, Pax is very resourceful and has lots of friends who can help him…

Buy the Book

About the Author

Alessa Ellefson is a storyteller who lives in Belgium, the land of the Smurfs, fries, and chocolate pralines. She loves to make up stories while the real-life Pax snores happily away next to her! They also enjoy going on long walks together (preferably with Pax i n his stroller), playing tag, and taking long naps on the couch. Alessa is the author and illustrator of the Mighty Pax’s Misadventures series, and also writes for older children.

To find out more about Alessa’s and Pax’s many shenanigans, visit www.alessaellefson.com.

This interview—Interview with Alessa Ellefson, Author of ‘Mighty Pax’s Misadventures: A Christmas Tail’—was conducted between Alessa Ellefson and Dr. Jen Harrison.