How do you say "blob" in Italian?

Did you know that “blob” in Italian is “macchia”? I didn’t know that either, and I am relying solely on the internet here, so I could be very wrong.

I do hope it’s right because I just translated “The Blob Book” into Italian, and now it’s full of “macchia/e.”

One of my favorite baby gifts is a picture book about a little red fish. It is a Japanese picture book that my friend translated by hand into French. (Karine translates Japanese manga into French for her work, so she knows what she’s doing!) I’m not sure the toddler realizes that when I ask her, “Où est le poisson rouge?” and she points to the red fish, that I am speaking to her in French. Maybe someday she’ll have an aha moment and tell me it’s not a poisson rouge, it’s a red fish!

This week I was in search of something to send along to my “Italian parents” who hosted me almost 20 years ago for six months of high school. When host mom Gabriella first picked me up at the train station, she didn’t speak English and I could only say “pasta,” “pizza,” and “spaghetti.” (This was also all I envisioned eating while I was there.) We spoke in French as she drove me “home” and showed me around the house for the first time.

I didn’t say much at the beginning, as I was trying to absorb as much Italian as I could. I would sit in my tiny room using my Italian-English dictionary conjugating verbs in Italian and then practice speaking with 3 year-old Pietro whose language was only slightly more advanced than mine.

Blobs were never part of my vocabulary back then, but I did absorb enough Italian eventually to be able to translate this little book (ok, ok, I did get a little help from the internet). In retrospect, it would have had some helpful messages for a high schooler who gets plopped into a different culture, where she doesn’t yet speak the language.

This was one of the first handmade books/zines that I made, as I was slowly developing a style and creative confidence as an adult. It’s still one of my favorites, and I would love to turn it into a board book one day.

Picture of front page of "the Blob book" translated as "Il Libro della Macchia."

Photo of spread that says, "feeling stressed? focus on a single blob." Translated, "Ti sent stressato? Concentrate su una singola macchia."

Photo of spread that says "Does the world feel too big? Start small. One blob at a time." Translated, "Il mondo ti sembra troppo grande? Piano, piano! Una macchia all Volta."

Photo of book that says, "Worried it's just not 100% right? Imperfect blobs are beautiful too." Translated, it says, "Hai para che non sia perfetta 100%? Anche le macchie imperfette sono bellissime.

Photo of a spread that says, "Feeling blue? I have a blob for you." Translated, it says "Ti senti gin'? Ho una macchia per te."

Photo of a picture book spread that says, "Feeling out of place? Don't worry. You'll find your blobs." Translated, it says, "Ti senti fuori posto? Non preoccuparti. Troverai le tue macchie."

Phot of spread that says, "Feeling stuck? Blob any which way!" Translated, it says, "Ti senti bloccato? Macchia in qualsiasi modo!"

Photo of a picture book spread that says, "Feeling alone? Join the blob party!" Translated, it says, "Ti senti solo? Vieni alla festa delle macchie.

Oh, I also translated the Book of Mom, which I’ve shared here before. The mom saying “MANGIA” is even more true in Italian than in English. They never really had to force me to mangia my pasta, but “mangia le verdure, Maddy!” (vegetables) was definitely one I heard many times. I do mangia my verdure now, for the record.

Lakes Lakes Lakes

I put up with the mosquitos and the winters for these. Love them.

Folded zine by Maddy Buck showing a blue collaged blob. Text says “Lakes by Maddy Buck.”

Tiny picture book by Maddy Buck, with watercolor collage blobs. This spread says “Lakes of all kinds.”

Picture book illustration by Maddy Buck about lakes. Illustrations made of watercolor collaged blobs, in blue. Text, in pen, says “I like them ALL.”

Last page of tiny picture book by Maddy Buck shows a single, circular blue blob. “Maddy Buck” is written around the circle, as is “2021.”

Image of folded accordion book with blue blobs. It shows the whole book.

When Are They Coming Back?

I feel most creative when making things in physical handmade books. Accidental things can happen and when I know I don’t have to make something sleek and perfect, it seems to turn out more fun. So when these words popped into my head, I decided to go back to the book format, which I hadn’t been doing as much lately.

I seem to be having the “When are they coming back?” conversation over and over and over again lately in every social context, so I had to poke fun at it a bit. I hate and I love this conversation at the same time.

A few years ago I made a Minnesota-shaped book about how everyone seems to move away from Minnesota, so this is the sequel!

Cover shows two women hugging hearts. They are standing inside the shape of Minnesota and from them are dotted lines in all different directions connecting to more hearts. The cover says, “When are they coming back? By Maddy Buck.”

Text says, “Minnesotans LOVE being from Minnesota.” Illustration shows two people with MN shirts on, with a thought bubble thinking of Minnesota.

Picture book text says, “Yet so many of us get lured away.”

Illustration shows different states outlines with arms and legs all saying “this way, this way, you do you, you know you want to move here!”

Picture book text says, “prestige, opportunity, adventure, heat pull them away.” Under each word is an illustration of that concept.

Picture book text says, “Meanwhile, their people back home have one thought:” Illustration shows some parent heads thinking about their kids in California and New York.

Illustration shows three women holding drinks, chatting, all of them saying in the same text bubble, “When are they coming back?!”

Illustration shows a tiny person saying, “How long has he been out there now?” And another tiny person is saying “when was it she moved away?”

Illustration shows for tiny people, each in a corner of the picture book, all saying together, “WHEN ARE THEY COMING BACK?!”

Picture book text says, “Great schools, humane voting, lots of lakes, nice summers,” Illustration shows a bunch of collaged pieces of blue paper, denoting lakes.

Picture book text says, “Why wouldn’t they come back?!!!” Below is a person bundled up in their warm jacket, scarf, and mittens, with the words, “blizzard, brr, cold, chilly, ice, 10 below” floating around them.

Picture book text says, “That’s great that they’re thriving, that they have a life, a career, a community, out there…but…”

Picture book text says, in large text, “WHEN ARE THEY COMING BACK?” Illustration shows a very distraught mother.

Picture book text says, 2 year, 10 years, 30 years away, when are they coming back? Illustration shows shocked people.

Picture book text says, “Some of them return! We celebrate, we sing! Then we shift our focus…there’s hope for the rest of them yet!” Illustration shows a gleeful person, saying “You’re back!”

Picture book text says, “Our yearning may be annoying. It may hurt the cause. It may be futile.” Illustration shows a person pushing their cell phone away, saying “Stop!” The cell phone is saying, “WHEN?! COME BACK! We miss you!”

Picture book text says, “But we can’t help it.” Illustration shows woman with funny face, in “I heart MN” shirt, shrugging her shoulders.

Picture book text says, “We want all our people BACK!” Illustration shows a woman standing inside a square of houses, thinking “everyone I love in 1 square mile, k, thx, bye!”

Picture book last page shows more heart that connect to the first page illustration.