Author Nell Cross Beckerman on Connecting Children with Nature -PLUS A GIVEAWAY!

Hello world!!

Welcome to my blog, Blissfully Bookish. I’m so excited today because I got to interview an author who writes extraordinary nonfiction books that really speak to children. Also, she’s very friendly! Please welcome Nell Cross Beckerman as she chats about her new picture book, From Park to Playa: The Trails that Connect Us. It’s illustrated by Sophie Diao and published by Abrams/Cameron Kids.

BUT first- YAY! Nell is generously giving away a FREE copy of her book. To be eligible to win, please enter the Rafflecopter contest by clicking HERE. Contest ends May 3, 2024, US only.

Please describe the journey to publication for FROM PARK TO PLAYA: THE TRAILS THAT CONNECT US

I had an idea about a child following a bunny on a hiking path and pitched it to my editor, Amy Novesky, at Cameron Kids, who immediately saw potential in it becoming a companion to our other book, DOWN UNDER THE PIER. We collaborated on the text and called it UP ABOVE THE CITY. She took it to her acquisitions meeting at Abrams where…it was rejected.

BUT the team was interested in a more general urban hiking book. I said to her, “Well, the path I was describing in the book is part of a much longer path called the Park to Playa trail.” Amy said, “I love that! It could be the title!”

I did more research and found out the Park to Playa trail was a 20 year effort to connect smaller trails and a bike path from Crenshaw to Playa del Rey, going through Kenneth Hahn State Park and Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook. They even built a pedestrian bridge over a busy street to make the connection. I spent a day with my husband and my dad, who is a biologist, exploring each part of the trail for inspiration and research. We had a blast. I also talked to park officials that helped in the project.

For structure, I made it day-to-night, with different kid-friendly scenes in each section, while also including plants and animals for education. We start with an early walk wondering who ate a pinecone where we encounter a dessert cottontail bunny, then move on to a birthday party at a picnic area, then blowing a dandelion wish at a hilltop viewpoint, then biking at sunset along a creek, to a full moon beach bonfire and grunion run.

After a LOT of back-and-forth edits, Amy felt it was ready to try again at acquisitions…thankfully she came back with better news!

I was lucky enough to be asked for illustrator suggestions and was involved in discussions for different artists. As I was writing the story, I always thought about David Hockey’s massive painting, MULHOLLAND DRIVE: THE ROAD TO THE STUDIO, which I have a framed print of in my living room. Although it seemed crazy, I asked Amy if we could pitch the project it to him. She laughed but said go for it. So I did! They sent me a very kind rejection. Hey—at least I tried!

I am a huge fan of I AM THE WIND by Michael Karg and illustrated by Sophie Diao. Sophie’s illustrations really made me swoon, so I had her name tucked away should a project ever seem right for her. Amy also was interested in finding a California based illustrator to keep the feeling authentic to the text. When Sophie said yes, I was ecstatic! I went to the LA Times Book Festival where she was presenting I AM GOLDEN with Eva Chen and sat in line to meet her in person. She was so warm that I invited her to stay at my house to do research and loved that she accepted my invitation! We went all over the trail together. She even borrowed a bike to ride on the bike path.

While the book is very recognizably set on the Park to Playa trail, I think we did a good job in picking experiences that are universal to parks and trails, and we give resources in the back to encourage everyone to enjoy their local nature resources.

Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?

In 2021, I moved to a new house in Culver City where I was able to move from a desk in a closet to having my own office. After I unpacked, I sat down to work and…nothing happened. I felt totally blocked. I started to panic—what if all my “writing magic” was in that cloffice? I went for a hike to clear my head. Luckily, at my new house I can walk to my favorite hike that I used to have to drive to.

As I was hiking, a bunny crossed the path and froze as we made eye contact. I held my breath, caught in the magic of the connection. On the other side of the bunny, another hiker appeared and also froze, looking at the bunny, then making eye contact with me. The silent connection of nature, animal, and stranger, all brought together in this moment, inspired this story. I came home ready to write!

Paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book:

My park to playa
is a bike path,
fast and flat,
at twilight.
Why are the geese honking and squawking?
We pump up the hill,
breathless,
then coast
the concrete creek.
Murals pass in a blurred flash.
Wind roars.
We are free.

Now that I’ve read several of your books (love them all), I appreciate how to write in a very
child-centric way. You somehow manage to relate the information directly to your audience. Does your mind naturally work that way or how do you get yourself into the zone?

Thank you so much for saying this—it really means a lot as it speaks directly to my goals as an author. So much of my call to this type of writing is a fight against the distraction of screens, and the commercialization of our leisure time (I live in the land of theme parks!) So, I’m pretty much always wondering how to “sell” nature to kids and families that wouldn’t otherwise feel compelled to go out and experience it.

My kids needed a lot of cajoling to go on nature excursions and would get bored easily, so it really made me learn how to step up to keep them interested. Look! A bunny! Look! Let’s blow dandelion wishes! I also have a very childlike side, which probably helps. I’m the adult who will awkwardly crawl into a bouncy house because I still think it is fun to jump around. I still get really excited when I see a candy store. A lot of my process is just engaging in life and going out and doing things, and noticing what makes me excited, and then calculating if that would be exciting to a kid as well.

The business side of my brain knows that being able to include an educational layer brings a lot of value to the book, and makes it a more useful tool for teachers and librarians. Plus, it’s just fun to learn new things—that’s what books are for, right? So I really try to hook readers in with something FUN, and then slide in the educational facts once their interest is hooked.

Please share your favorite nonfiction books from 2022-3 that inspired you.

Leslie Barnard Booth ONE DAY THIS TREE WILL FALL is gorgeous. I love all of Maria Gianferrari’s work, like FUNGI GROW. Kirsten W. Larson’s THE FIRE OF STARS is amazing—Katherine Roy’s art is fantastic. And of course Melissa Stewart has so many—THANK YOU, MOON and WHALE FALL are both wonderful.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to other writers?

Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself—from conferences, freelance editors, classes. I see people who spend easily on enrichment for their kids have a hard time doing the same for themselves or allowing themselves time away from their children. Do it, you’re worth it!

And a bonus question just for kicks! What was your favorite book when you were a child?

I had many but one that jumps out is CORDUROY. I loved everything about it!

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BIOS

Nell Cross Beckerman writes award-winning books for kids inspired by nature, wonder, and awe. A former documentary and reality TV producer, she lives in Culver City, CA, where she can see a 94-foot high rainbow every day on the Sony Studios lot. Titles include DOWN UNDER THE PIER, CAVES, WHEN THE SKY GLOWS, and VOLCANOES. Visit her at www.nellcrossbeckerman.com to find out about her nature writing classes for adults.

Socials:

IG @NellCrossBeckerman
Purchase signed copies https://www.childrensbookworld.com/author-nell-cross-beckerman-personalized-books
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nell-Cross-Beckerman/author/B084H12YG3?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1711745894&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true