When asked as a young child, What do you want to be when you grow up? Gussie responded, "Momma, I want to be an otter who writes books." After graduating with a BA, Gussie Hanes decided to focus on illustration. While she searched for a friend or a family member for a story, her mother told her of a dream that her grandmother, who died before she was born, wanted to write a story "about a snake that wished to change its scales." Gussie had to improvise the rest of the story and illustrations, she but feels as though she has collaborated on the book with her late grandmother.