Given that this is based off of fairy-tales, there's plenty of shout-outs in the book.
- The Grace siblings were said to be modeled after children in fairy-tales with their pale skin and black hair.
- The jabbeer who the Grace siblings find in the tree is confirmed by DiTerlizzi to be a shout-out for the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland, and some of his previous sketches had the creature look more like a cat.
- Even the creatures mannerisms and confusing advice is a clear nod towards the odd cat, especially after it vanishes.
