Behind the scenes

Ricky and Monique in real life:

Ricky and Monique from Ricky the Time Traveling Trash Panda were real raccoons that would always travel together and visited us for years. Ricky had reddish-brown fur and really walked with a limp. Monique had greyish-brown fur and a cloudy eye – these features made them easy to spot and tell apart. They were incredibly friendly, especially if you had cookies or grapes to share!

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Here is a short video of Ricky enjoying some snacks. Like humans, they shouldn’t have too many sweets, but once he got a taste for the Oreos he decided that he didn’t want any more bread!:

Raccoon calling…

One night we were surprised to hear the doorbell ring at a very late hour. When we looked outside, we were shocked to see Monique climbing up to ring the bell! You can see her paw marks on the wood here.

Feed me!

Robert the opossum (and Monique):

Robert is a very friendly guy, so Ricky and Monique don’t mind sharing. Did you know that opossums are immune to rabies and snake venom? They also help stop the spread of Lyme Disease because they eat about 5,000 ticks in a single season! Read more fun opossum facts.

Minka the cat:

Minka may seem a little aloof to start but is a very sweet kitty once she has decided that you are an acceptable friend.

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Jake the squirrel:

This little guy was rescued from a busy street near us after his mother was hit by a car. We brought him to a local wildlife rehabilitator who took great care of him.

Sketches

A few rough drawings that were created during the writing of the first book.

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