Fiction
Author Kaye Baillie on the Power of Revision plus a GIVEAWAY
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome author Kaye Baillie who released her picture book entitled Boo Loves Books, illustrated by Tracie Grimwood and published by New Frontier Publishing (Australia)/Lerner Books (USA). Take a look at her writing journey below.
But first, YAY! Kaye is generously giving away a PB critique (fiction or nonfiction, no rhyme, under 1,000 words)-simply comment on this blog post to enter, contest ends November 30, 2020.
Please describe the journey to publication for Boo Loves Books.
In 2016 I read an online article about kids reading to cats at an animal shelter. I wrote a story based on the article and one month later sent it to an agent. Silent rejection. Did I get the story critiqued beforehand? No, I didn’t. I still had much to learn even though I had been writing for years and had one picture book contract with an Australian publisher. One month later I submitted to an Australian publisher and one more agent. Two more silent rejections.
The following month I paid for a critique with an editor at a publishing house in the US. I received encouraging feedback but no offer. Feeling discouraged, I put the story away for over one year. I decided to take another look at the editor’s comments. I decided to rework the story. I sent it to my new critique group formed through SCBWI. With their feedback I renamed the story, did more edits and prepared to submit it again. So then, two years after I wrote the story, I submitted it to four publishers – 3 Australian and 1 small US one. Almost four months later, one Australian publisher replied and said my story was delightful and asked if it was available! I replied ‘yes’! The book was released 1 May 2020 in Australia, UK and New Zealand and 6 October 2020 in the USA.
Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
As a children’s author, I’m always looking for inspirational true stories to write about. One day I read in the Huffington Post about a Book Buddies program where primary school students read to homeless cats at the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania. What captured my attention was the transformation of a boy who took part in the program and his loving attitude towards the cats.
What is your writing process, and does it vary depending on the project?
It does vary. My process for writing picture book biographies involves lots of research. Once I have completed my research which can take months, I begin sifting through the facts and events to figure out what to put in the story. I also use mentor texts to look at page turns, language, words per spread, first and last lines etc. When writing fiction, I use mentor texts in the same way. A fictional story may require some research, but the writing isn’t restrained by telling the truth as it is when writing non-fiction. And the time to write a fictional story is usually a lot less. I do writing related tasks usually for 2-4 hours a day and I write in my studio out the back. When I have the story in good shape, I get my critique group to look at it and also send it to Rate Your Story. When I’m getting close to finished, I get a paid critique. Then, after final revisions I send it to my agent.
What differentiates your book from others with similar content currently on the market?
Boo Loves Books is about anxiety, being afraid or embarrassed about making mistakes and realizing that you can do things at your own pace in your own way. The story differs to others on the market as it has two settings: school and an animal shelter. Phoebe the main character sees that Boo also has fears and I think the way she solves the situation is heartwarming and extremely empowering for children. Plus, the story is based on a real program for reading to animals.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
“This dog is a little bit scared. But he would never hurt you.”
Scared, thought Phoebe. Of me?
“Talk about the pictures,” said Miss Spinelli. “Your voice is all he needs”.
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I have had three picture books released in Australia over the last two years. Boo Loves Books was originally released by New Frontier Publishing Australia, and they also released it in the UK, New Zealand and now it has been released in the US. My fourth picture book comes out in Australia, March 2021. After I signed with literary agent Essie White of Storm Literary in 2019 after meeting her at the SCBWI conference in Sydney, Australia, she sold my first picture book biography which is due out at the end of 2021 with The Innovation Press. I’m very lucky to have an agent who is happy to represent me just for those. I write picture book biographies and also fiction. Several stories are out on submission and I have just sent Essie my latest PB biography. I intend to keep writing picture books. It’s what I love to do.
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
Classic – ‘Goodnight Moon’ by Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd. I adore the mood created in the story and the gentle lyrical language. It’s also quite a mysterious book which sets it apart from others.
Contemporary – ‘Windows’ by Julia Denos and E.B. Goodale. I love this simple yet gentle story of a boy walking through his neighborhood at night. It’s lyrical (I love lyrical) with minimal word count and it has a warm comforting ending.
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Read your work out loud – OFTEN! Listen to its rhythm, voice and page turns. Rework the parts you are not happy with.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
Licorice because it’s a bit different and I love it.
BIO
Kaye Baillie completed a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing in 2005. Her favourite subject was Writing for Children and she eventually switched from her role as an executive assistant to children’s author. Her first picture book Message in a Sock won in the History Category in the Northern Lights Book Awards USA (2019) and was shortlisted in the Western Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards and the NSW Premier’s History Awards (2019). She has a passion for telling stories about remarkable people.
In 2020 Kaye had two picture books released. The Friendly Games with MidnightSun Publishing and Boo Loves Books with New Frontier Publishing.
In 2021 Kaye has two picture books due for release. When the Waterhole Dries Up with Windy Hollow Books and her USA debut Olive Dennis, Train Engineer with The Innovation Press.
She is an active member and the Assistant Co-ordinator of SCBWI Victoria, Australia and is a member of the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Kaye lives in a Victorian coastal town with her family.
LINKS
https://www.instagram.com/bailliekaye/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/kaye.baillie.5
https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/20570 for book purchase
SCBWBI Bookstop Page https://www.scbwi.org/scbwibookstop-display/?id=701277
Author-Illustrator Jarrett Lerner on Mapping out your Career
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome a super talented author-illustrator: the one and only Jarrett Lerner! The EngiNerds series is a personal favorite of mine, and now he has a new book and activity book coming out shortly. Check out his journey below:
EngiNerds is a favorite in our house. Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
Thank you! That’s so great to hear. Regarding the book’s inspiration – I think it came from a number of sources, as inspiration often does. But the first spark, the thing that really lit a fire under me, was this idea to write exactly the sort of book that I would’ve been in love with as a 10 year old. So: farting robots and tests of friendship.
Your new book, Geeger the Robot: Goes to School!, comes out this September. What excites you most about this one?
I love how it looks. The text is stylized, with some words being bold, some being bigger than others, some being angled or otherwise contorted. Also, there are TONS of awesome illustrations. I got to work once again with Serge Seidlitz – the brilliant, bonkers artist who created the covers for all three of my EngiNerds books. His work in these books really shines, and I am so honored and excited to have it in there.
You also have an activity book coming out in December, what can children expect in this one?
If you’ve been to my website (www.jarrettlerner.com), you’ll find an ACTIVITIES page. There are, I think, nearly 200 activity pages on there that you can download and print for free. The activity book – Give This Book A Title – is a collection of 140 more such pages, though many of these pages contain multiple activities. There are “How to Draw” pages, “Finish This Comic” pages, and general writing and drawing prompts. I put a lot of time, energy, and thought into crafting and organizing this book, and I hope kids leave it feeling more confident artists and writers than they entered it, and that they never again sit down at a blank piece of paper and can’t figure out what to write or 
draw. I also hope they have TONS of fun.
What is it like being both the author and illustrator?
Well, I really don’t know any different. Ever since I was a kid, I expressed myself both visually and verbally, often together. My teachers didn’t always recognize that, or accept it, and I often had to refrain from communicating and expressing myself visually in the classroom – which is a shame. But stories, ideas – for me, the visual and verbal is always jumbled together. I always start projects on paper, in a notebook or sketchbook, because both words and images come at me at once, and I don’t want to have to jump back and forth between a pad and a computer in order to get them both down.
One thing that might surprise people about me, though, is that I LOVE working with other illustrators. There are certain projects of mine that I feel strongly about illustrating (such as my activity books, or my graphic novels – my Hunger Heroes series of graphic novels launches next summer). But there are other stories of mine that I am not attached to illustrating, and some that I actually think would benefit from having someone else illustrate them. The story comes first. The reader matters most. I work in service of those two things, primarily. If I know, deep down, that a book will be better with the inclusion of another artistic voice, I don’t hesitate to let my publisher know and hand over that part of the project.
What’s your artistic process, and does it vary depending on the project?
As I mentioned above, it always begins in a notebook or sketchbook. But from there, I really try to experiment, to PLAY, and let the story dictate as much as possible. I always encourage people to allow their process to change, evolve, shift, and I try to remember that as much as possible myself, especially when I start getting precious about any of my own routines or tendencies. In a way, I think each unique story needs a unique approach, and that it’ll ultimately only benefit from that. If I’m ever feeling stuck or uninspired, I switch things up. I’ll go from writing on lined paper to writing on construction paper. Or instead of a pen, I’ll use a crayon. I’ll write on sticky notes, or napkins – whatever. I think this sort of approach and spirit gives your creativity, imagination, and any particular idea you’re hunting down the most space to breathe and properly, fully emerge.
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I am always working on four, five, sometimes six projects at any given time. Usually, some of those are contracted books that I really have to be working on, and some are in other stages of completion. I thrive off of having lots of irons in the fire – or maybe even having multiple fires to tend to. Sometimes things get out of hand, but usually the jumping around keeps me excited and inspired. I usually don’t talk publicly about projects until they are under contract, as I don’t want any reactions of feedback to influence my process, so I’ll just say that I’ve got LOTS of more stuff in the works and on its way.
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. 
I love the work of Ed Emberley. His approach to creativity and creation, his spirit, his openness, his embrace and mastering of the power of simplicity – I could go on and on. I regularly reach for his work when I want or need a surge of inspiration, and I think that several of his books get just about as close to perfect as a book can be. In terms of contemporary books – Jarod Roselló’s Red Panda & Moon Bear graphic novel and Remy Lai’s Pie in the Sky both really rocked my world when I read them. Both books I’ve read multiple times. Jarod’s always reminds me of what I love most about stories and storytelling. Remy’s reminds me to, as I spoke about above, let the story dictate both process and product. And aside from that, both books are incredible in about a thousand other ways.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Dive deep into your projects, and try to get each one to a place of near-perfection (because that’s as much as we can ever hope for), but don’t forget to take also regularly step back. Think about your next project. And the one after that. Think about your career as a whole. Think about where you are headed, and where you want to be. Also: READ.
And a bonus question- If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
I think I’d be snot-flavored, to prevent anyone from eating me!
BIO
Jarrett Lerner is the author of EngiNerds and its sequel, Revenge of the EngiNerds, as well as the author-illustrator of the upcoming activity book, Give This Book a Title. Jarrett is also the author of the forthcoming Geeger the Robot early chapter book series, the forthcoming third book in the EngiNerds series (The EngiNerds Strike Back), and the author-illustrator of the forthcoming Hunger Heroes graphic novel series (all published by Simon & Schuster/Aladdin). He cofounded and helps run the MG Book Village, an online hub for all things Middle Grade, and is the co-organizer of the #KidsNeedBooks and #KidsNeedMentors projects. He can be found at jarrettlerner.com and on Twitter and Instragram at @Jarrett_Lerner. He lives in Medford, Massachusetts, with his wife, his daughter, and a cat.
Social Media
www.jarrettlerner.com
Twitter and Instagram: @Jarrett_Lerner
My books can be purchased anywhere books are sold, but if they are purchased from my local indie, Porter Square Books, I’ll go in and sign/personalize them:
https://www.portersquarebooks.com/search/author/%22Lerner%2C%20Jarrett%22
Author Antwan Eady on Starting Where You Are
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, I stumbled upon a very inspiring thread written by author Antwan Eady. I was so moved by it that I contacted him right away, and asked for permission to post his inspiring words on my blog. He said yes! Here’s the thread that I think many of you will relate to:
Sometimes you just have to start where you are.
As a writer, I stood in my own way for so many years. A decade really.
I wrote my first PB in ‘07. I started a novel in ‘11. I wrote poetry all of my life but stopped in ‘11 or ‘12.
I was waiting for the “perfect” environment. The “perfect” desk. A new laptop. Etc.
Last year woke me up in the best possible way. I couldn’t believe the excuses I’d used.
But instead of focusing on the excuses, I got started. Without a desk. On an ancient laptop that was given to me (one that couldn’t hold a charge and had to be plugged in to work). I…got started.
Day job hours start at 10.5 hours and can go up from there. Many days I wrote/write before work, during lunch, and after work, dedicating my weekends to writing, too. Saying “no” to other things. I sacrificed in an effort to cultivate my passion.
For me, I just had to get started. Wherever I was at…I had to start.
With the laptop that couldn’t hold a charge, the one that became too hot on my lap, I started writing.
It gave me manuscripts. Gave me agent offers. And more. No desk. No noise canceling headphones. No printer. No “perfect” place.
For reference, that laptop was so big that I was embarrassed to carry it in public after a guy approached me and asked if I was a gamer. I assume gaming laptops are massive. 😅.
And because that laptop couldn’t hold a charge, I had to sit wherever outlets were. It owned me. Now the other way around. My perfect “spot” was wherever a free outlet was.
But here’s the end. I have a new laptop now. I have a desk (not a writer’s desk…but something for 30 bucks that I found, and I’m glad I did because I immediately cancelled my order for a “writers” desk.)
And I’m creating a space in my place where I can write how I’ve wanted to write for so long. So this thread comes from a place of appreciating what I have now, but being grateful for getting started when I did…how I did.
Gratitude really does unlock the fullness of life.
I met my writing halfway. The stories were there, waiting for me. And there are stories waiting for you too.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I had to know more about the author of these wise words, so I invited him to talk about his forthcoming book, NIGEL AND THE MOON.
Where did you draw inspiration for NIGEL AND THE MOON?
NIGEL AND THE MOON was inspired by the young, Black boy that I was afraid to be. Fear drove me to write this story because, even as an adult, there’s so much unlearning we have to do, right? In my home, I was allowed to dream. My parents supported every idea, every interest. But it was sharing those dreams with the world that shook me to my core. I drew inspiration from that experience. I’m inspired by having a book out there that will tell kids early on, “Dream. And dream without limits.” I also drew inspiration from the kids around us, Black and LGBTQIA+ kids especially – those that are with us and those that no longer have the chance to live out their dreams as a result of homophobia, racism, and other injustices. NIGEL represents the kid I was once and the kid I wanted to be.
What is your writing process, and does it vary depending on the project?
Whew. This question makes me feel like I should sit up straight. I guess this is happening. I’m a soon to be published author now. My writing process (pre-COVID) was writing when I could – before work (5am sometimes), during lunch, and after work. I frequented my local B&N Cafe here in Savannah. I struggled with flexing my writing muscles. Again, I was stuck on the “perfect” setting, but I’m learning to just write whenever, wherever.
When writing picture books I tend to start with an opening line. This comes to me before anything else. I have a ton of picture book ideas, but there are a few that are harder to ignore than others. So I go with my heart on those. I tend to handwrite, use my Notes app, and I write on my laptop. Occasionally, there are post its around as well. I get the story out then I’ll revise. Once I’m “done” revising, I let my stories sit. I don’t have a set time on this. I just let them sit until I can approach them again with fresh eyes and without anything that feels forced. I also find value in critique partners.
Overall, my writing process does vary depending on the project. For my YA, I’ve outlined. I’m in the process of outlining an MG now as well. Outlining doesn’t come natural to me, so I’m trying it out because I’d rather finish these in a decent amount of time without losing my creativity in the process.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
“At night he tells the moon his dreams.
And here his dreams are safe.”
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention? Great question. I want to receive all the good that publishing has for me. I see my career heading in a direction that will allow me to open doors for others, but in a way that affords me the opportunity to keep those doors open. Having founded #BlackCreatorsInKidLit with an amazing team of Black creators and illustrators is just the beginning. I’m from the dirt roads of South Carolina, so to have made it this far, I’ve got plenty to tell and plenty to gain. I need more southern Black, gay representation. I have Gullah Geechee stories I want to tell. Sooo much.
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
Classic – WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak. Funny enough, this one scared me as a kid. I don’t know when I overcame that fear, but when I did, I started to appreciate the illustrations and the story. This one moved me because it taught me the possibilities of our imagination. One second Max is in his bedroom, having a temper tantrum, and the next second, he’s sailing to an island filled with creatures only to be brought back home by the smell of dinner.
Contemporary – THE DAY YOU BEGIN, written by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez. I was moved from the first sentence, “There will be times when you walk into a room and no one there is quite like you.” It brought tears to my eyes as an adult. It was such a nurturing moment, and it was one that validates me as a reader. It’s telling me that whoever I am is okay and that I will enter rooms and that may not reflect my background but that’s okay. It’s one of my favorites of all time.
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Don’t deny your reader. Start where you are.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why? Vanilla ice cream! Easy question. It’s my favorite. If it isn’t available, I’ll go with Butter Pecan. But vanilla’s my favorite because it seems so simple, but there’s so much more to it. It’s sort of like the “still water runs deep” saying. Vanilla ice cream has depth. Haha.
BIO
Antwan Eady grew up in Garnett, SC, where he spent most of his days riding four-wheelers, fishing, and imagining a world without limitations. Eady is the founder of #BlackCreatorsInKidLit which aims to bridge the gap between publishing professionals and Black creators (authors and illustrators). When he isn’t writing, he’s searching for the best LowCountry boil in Savannah, GA where he currently resides. You can find him on Twitter @antwan_eady and on instagram @antwan.eady.
Website: www.antwaneady.com – be sure to subscribe!
Author Teresa Robeson on the Importance of One’s Culture – PLUS GIVEAWAY!
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome an author I respect and admire: the wonderful Teresa Robeson! Here she is, discussing her books Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, illustrated by Rebecca Huang and published by Sterling Children’s Books, as well as Two Bicycles In Beijing, illustrated by Junyi Wu, published by Albert Whitman & Company. Teresa also won a prestigious APALA Award, but I’ve been a fan of her work long before that happened. Check out her journey below.
BUT first- YAY! Teresa is generously giving away a FREE copy of either of her books!! All you need to do is comment on this blog post. US residents only, contest ends August 28, 2020.
Please describe the journey to publication for Queen of Physics.
Thanks so much for inviting me into your blog-world, Lydia! I wrote the first draft of Queen of Physics back in the early 2010s. It got me my first agent who, sadly, not only couldn’t sell it but also quit the business after a year. Two interminable years rolled by—my darkest days—but to my delight, Jane Yolen picked the story to work with when I submitted it to the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship program. When we were done revising, I sent it out to editors (via SCBWI conference opportunities) and agents. Christina Pulles, then at Sterling, expressed an interest which I took to agents with. And with that interest I got my second agent. Just short of two years after signing the contract, my book debuted.
You used to be a research associate, how does that help you as a writer?
Well, certain things don’t seem to carry over—like running statistical analyses and working with Adobe Morph to create experimental images. But other skills, like writing carefully worded scripts, did help me to learn how to phrase things properly and with precision.
You won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Queen of Physics, can you please comment on how important it is for you to represent your culture?
My parents never wanted me and my sister to forget where we came from after immigrating, so they taught us Chinese reading/writing and history when we were growing up. But as a kid, I never fully appreciated my culture. It’s not until I aged that my cultural background began to become more meaningful. In a country where being a person of color is considered something less-than, educating others about my culture is an obligation I want to fulfill. So, being recognized by the APALA for my work in which I honor someone of my heritage is truly the best award I could possibly win.
Where did you draw the inspiration for Two Bicycles In Beijing?
Several things came together to birth this book: my growing interest in my cultural background in the past couple of decades and also a trip to China that my family took with my dad back in 2013. I was thinking about all the bicycles in Beijing one day, a few years after the trip, and the idea was born.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from either of your books.
And, oh, physics!
Physics, the study of the very matter
and energy around her,
the study of things that could be seen or felt
–heat, sounds, light, electricity, and motion–
and of things too minuscule to be seen or felt
–atoms and even tinier parts of atoms.
Physics captured her heart.
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I would like to continue to write picture books about science and my culture, but I also really want to finish a few novels, both MG and YA. They’re both own-voices though one is contemporary and the other is alternate history. The YA idea won the Pitchapalooza contest at the 2017 NESCBWI conference, and I’m still working on it.
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
Classic would have to be SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keats. The language is spare and yet you sense Peter’s joy and wonder and the unconditional love from the mom when he gets home. A contemporary book that I’ve used as my mentor text for QUEEN OF PHYSICS is SWAN by Laurel Snyder. Laurel has a magical way with words—so lyrical and lovely. She is one of my favorite authors!
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Read voraciously, write fiercely, and trust that your voice will emerge.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
I would go for a fruity gelato or a Kohr Bros frozen custard any day! As for ice cream, I really adore cherry/black cherry, but I’m also partial to vanilla. People think of vanilla as “plain and boring” but they don’t realize that vanilla (at least the real stuff) comes from orchids and was once exotic and hard to get. But if I could have only one frozen treat for the rest of my life, I’d choose orange creamsicle. I’m addicted to the stuff, and am drooling now just thinking of it
BIO
Teresa Robeson draws upon her Chinese heritage, Canadian-American sensibilities, as well as her background in science and love of nature when she writes. Teresa’s picture book biography, Queen Of Physics (Sterling Publishing) won the 2020 APALA Picture Book Award, in addition to being named a 2019 NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book. Her second book, Two Bicycles In Beijing (Albert Whitman), released in April 2020. A 28-year member of SCBWI with many magazine bylines, Teresa served as the Illustrator Coordinator and now as the Co-Regional Advisor for the Indiana SCBWI chapter.
Social Media
Website: tereasrobeson.com
Twitter: @teresarobeson
Instagram: @tmrobeson
Author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on the Power of Names
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow. Here she is , discussing her new picture book Your Name is a Song, illustrated by Luisa Uribe and published by The Innovation Press. Kane. Interestingly, she found a publisher and a book contract first, and got an agent after! Check out Jamilah’s journey below.
Please describe the journey to publication for this book.
Your Name is a Song was a manuscript I wrote in early 2017 for the 12×12 picture book challenge. It was very long. Because the book explores the ways people demean names and because there are numerous ways that people can do that demeaning, I had a text that was almost 2000 words at one point. Then, there was the issue of researching the names and then writing out their pronunciations. This book took dozens of revisions and many hours of research before I felt it was ready for submission. I got an offer for it from The Innovation Press in late 2018 after several months of trying agents and then editors. I started hearing back from interested agents around this time and my editor, Asia Citro, at The Innovation Press also referred me to agents. Her referral is how I connected with Essie White, and I am forever grateful. It has been such an amazing partnership!
Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
A name inspired it. I was a teacher at the time and a student shared that his middle name was Olumide. I remember thinking his name was musical like a song. And then I thought “Your Name is a Song” would be a great title for a book. I worked backward to figure out what a book with that title should be about. “Olumide is a melody” became a line in the book.
What is your writing process, and does it vary depending on the project?
Once I have a spark of an idea, I like to gather things. I create a file on the computer or a section of a notebook to write scattered ideas. I’ll write down random sentences or lines of dialogue, titles, names, concepts, and themes. I’ll add free-writes of all sorts of things: scenes I’m picturing, character descriptions, logistics of the plot, etc. Once I have a lot of this material and I feel like I have a solid sense of the story, I start writing.
What differentiates your book from others with similar content currently on the market?
Well, I think mine is the only book about names that tries to include so many of them! I also think that it is probably the first book to explicitly celebrate Black American names. When we talk about appreciating names of diverse cultures, most people think about names from other countries but not necessarily American names like Latoya, Shauntaya, and Daquan. I make space for these kinds of names in my book.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
“What about the kids at recess who said my name sounds made up?”
Momma pointed up. “Tell them that made-up names come from there.”
“From the sky?” the girl asked.
“Made-up names come from dreamers. Their real names were stolen long ago so they dream up new ones. They make a way out of no way, make names out of no names—pull them from the sky!”
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I want to continue writing more picture books and other kinds of kidlit. While this time during quarantine hasn’t been ideal for many reasons, it has given me additional time to focus on producing more writing. I have a couple new picture books coming soon. One that has been announced is Abdul’s Story, which will be out in 2021.
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
One classic I love to study is The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton and Leo and Diane Dillon. I love that one because I feel like it translates the feel of oral storytelling into an actual picture book. It infuses that African artform into a picture book and I want to learn how to do that more. I don’t have a favorite contemporary children’s book because there are so many that I love and study. However, one picture book I have been lookin
g at a lot lately as a mentor text is Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story by Zeena Pliska and Fiona Halliday. I think this book is good for learning a lot of things, including lyrical writing, creating a sense of wonder in a picture book, and how to write about difficult topics for children delicately and yet honestly.
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Write the thing you’re scared to write—you know exactly what that is.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
I would be vanilla with hot fudge slung on top because it’s messy, but the messiness is good.
BIO
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, M.S.Ed is a Philadelphia-based children’s book author and educator. Her books, which feature young Black Muslim protagonists, have been recognized and critically-praised by many trusted voices in literature, including the American Library Association, School Library Journal, and NPR. A curriculum writer, community educator, and former English teacher, she’s educated youth in traditional and alternative learning settings for 15 years.
Social Media
Webpage: https://jamilahthewriter.com/
Follow on twitter: https://twitter.com/jtbigelow
Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjamilah/
To buy:
https://bookshop.org/books/your-name-is-a-song/9781943147724
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-name-is-a-song-jamilah-thompkins-bigelow/1132933989?ean=9781943147724
Author Laura Purdie Salas on Writing Nonfiction and Fiction (plus giveaway!)
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. I’m particularly excited for this Q & A, because I get to introduce an author who is not only a mentor to me, but who’s also one of the nicest and most approachable people on the planet: Laura Purdie Salas. For years, I have read her nonfiction books, and now she’s releasing a brand new fiction picture book, Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten! published by Two Lions. Check out Laura’s journey below.
BUT FIRST- yay, a giveaway: Laura is generously giving away a SIGNED copy of her book to one lucky winner. Simply comment on this blog, contest ends July 24, 2020 (US only).
Please describe the journey to publication for this book.
I listened to the All the Wonders podcast where Matthew Winner interviewed Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant about their book, I Am (Not) Scared, back in 2017. They talked about writing about a common fear. Afterward, I asked myself, “What would be the most Uncommon fear a kid could have?” The answer that popped into my head was “a pile of puppies!” Here’s what I wrote in my Ideas file.
3/23/17: Not Puppy Kindergarten! A puppy is terrified of starting kindergarten and has all sorts of fears. What if everyone laughs at my spots? What if the other kids bite me? What if the snack is liver? What if I do everything wrong? This could be really funny, I think, and a good analogy to kids starting school. And what if everything bad really happened? Hmmm…While listening to All the Wonders episode with Anna Kang and her husband.
I started playing with that, and the puppies morphed into kitties, and in just 10 or so drafts and with help from my Wordsmiths critique group, I created a manuscript I felt good about submitting. Over a few months, I sent it to four editors. Meanwhile Marilyn Brigham at Two Lions rejected a different picture book manuscript I had sent her. In her kind rejection note, she described the kind of manuscript she was looking for. I felt like Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten fit the bill, so I sent it in. She asked for a couple of revisions before acquiring it, but then everything moved forward quickly, with Hiroe Nakata coming on board to do the fabulous illustrations. And I realized somewhere during the acquisition process that Two Lions was the publisher who did I Am (Not) Scared! What a lovely feeling of coming full circle.
Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
Oh. This would be the point where I say to myself, “I should have read all the questions first!” Hehe.
I will share that the inspiration for the sets of three rhyming lines appearing occasionally throughout the prose story came from Tammi Sauer’s text for Mr. Duck Means Business (Paula Wiseman Books, 2011). I loved the effect and set out to use it from the start. It disappeared from some versions as I tried different approaches, but it kept popping back up. Mentor texts, often for structure or voice or some specific technique like this, often play a role in my writing.
What is your writing process, and does it vary depending on the project?
It does vary, but a few things hold true 99% of the time.
- An idea percolates in my heads for weeks or even months before I start writing.
- I write a LOT of drafts circling around the topic or character, getting (hopefullyl) closer and closer as I try different things.
- In many drafts, I focus on one or two things, e.g., Make all of Clover’s reactions more over the top in this draft or Use more cat-related wordplay in this draft.
- The ending doesn’t usually fall into place until…the end. I struggle with endings, and it’s almost always the hardest part of the book for me to write.
What are the key differences in writing fiction vs nonfiction? Can authors write both?
Yes, authors can write both! Many of my favorite authors, like Joyce Sidman, Kate Messner, and Nikki Grimes, write in multiple genres! It might require different writing processes for each genre/form, but you learn as you go. For me, the way I figure out the structure is the biggest difference between writing nonfiction and writing fiction. In nonfiction, I spend more pre-writing time percolating. I play with ideas for different structures. I often even sketch or storyboard them out and discard most before ever writing an actual draft. But in fiction, I just have to dive in to actual full drafts, because I can’t figure out the pacing and narrative structure of the story until I actually start trying to write the scenes.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
Clover could not wait for nap time.
But nap time was a disaster. Ms. Snappytail’s purrrrrfume stank like licorice.
“Sweet dreams, Clover,” said Oliver.
“Nap time!”
“Share my rug!”
“Rock-a-bye, kitty, in the treetop…”
A treetop! Clover’s belly swayed, and she couldn’t sleep on her scratchy mat. She tried. She sighed. Clover Kitty quietly cried.
School felt nine lives long.
Maybe ten.
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
These are tough times for book creators, especially if you’re not a big name. I hope to continue working on picture books of all kinds—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. And I love easy readers, too! I also have a Patreon group where I share information with children’s writers. I’d like to grow that enough to make it sustainable, as I love to share information and inspiration with writers. We’ll see what happens
My books coming out in the next few years include:
If You Want to Knit Some Mittens (illus. by Angela Matteson, Boyds Mills Kane, 2021)
We Belong (illus. by M Kawashima, Carolrhoda, 2022)
Zap! Clap! Boom! (illus. by Elly McKay, Bloomsbury, 2022)
Please share your favorite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
Does Dav Pilkey’s God Bless the Gargoyles (Voyager Books, 1999) count as a classic? This haunting, rich, rhyming picture book was one of the first that made me think, I want to create books like this. I thought of this book while writing We Belong for Carolrhoda (coming in 2022). Mr. Duck Means Business, by Tammi Sauer and Jeff Mack (Paula Wiseman Books, 2011), inspired me with its wry humor and the way so much is left unsaid, but a lot happens. This was definitely a mentor text for me for Clover Kitty. So many poetry and nonfiction picture books have been mentor texts for me, but this might be the first time I’ve acknowledged these two publicly!
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
Writing a picture book draft is like taking one step up Mt. Everest. That step might not place you at the summit, but it gets you to the next step, which gets you to step after that. And you can’t summit without all those steps. Also, donuts. They make every kind of climbing more fun.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavor of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
Caramel Caribou: toffee ice cream, caramel-filled chocolate cups, and swirls of caramel. Because I think life is short and you should make yours a celebration. This ice cream says celebration to me
BIO
Former teacher Laura Purdie Salas believes reading small picture books and poems can have a huge impact on your life. She has written more than 130 books for kids, including Lion of the Sky (Kirkus Best Books and Parents Magazine Best Books of the Year), the Can Be… series (Bank Street Best Books, IRA Teachers’ Choice), and BookSpeak! (Minnesota Book Award, NCTE Notable). Visit Laura at laurasalas.com.
Social Media
• site: www.laurasalas.com
• Clover Kitty page with lots of downloadables: laurasalas.com/clover
• order personalized copies of the book through Red Balloon: laurasalas.com/clover
• blog: laurasalas.com/blog
• Twitter: @LauraPSalas
• Instagram: LauraPSalas
• E-letter for educators: tinyurl.com/p5q54g8
• Patreon: patreon.com/LauraPurdieSalas
Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten is an Amazon First Reads pick, which means it’s at a huge discount for July only. Anybody can get the Kindle edition for $4.99 or the hardcover edition for $6.99. (And Prime members can get the Kindle edition free.) That link is https://amzn.to/31QKWMz
AND, through the end of July, there’s a Goodreads Giveaway! Hardcovers will be sent to 20 winners. That link is https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/309060-clover-kitty-goes-to-kittygarten
With both of these, the idea is to get Clover Kitty into more hands and hopefully get lots of honest reviews. I’m extra grateful to folks like you who help spotlight books in a big way, but I also really appreciate anyone who reviews the book on their platform of choice. Finding our way to readers is an extra challenge right now!
Happy Birthday, Bear and Rabbit! Plus, GIVEAWAY!
Happy birthday, Dear Bear,
Happy birthday, Dear Rabbit,
Happy birthday, Happy birthday.
Happy 1st book birthday to you!
YAHOO! My book, No Bears Allowed, illustrated by Tara J. Hannon and published by Blue Whale Press (Clear Fork) is one year old today! It’s hard to believe a full year has gone by, and yet it took many years for this book to come to life and be published. The journey has taught me many valuable lessons, like learning how to trust my words and leave space for the illustrator, and also, how to create character driven stories.
Each book is wonderful step on this journey, and now it’s time to celebrate!
In honor of this book birthday, I’m giving away a FREE signed copy of No Bears Allowed along with some bookmarks. How can you enter this giveaway contest, you may ask? Easy- leave a comment on this blog and name your favorite character driven picture book of all time. The lucky winner will be picked on July 10, 2020. Good luck to all!
Author Julie Falatko on Creating Chapter Books
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome the talented writer Julie Falatko. I consider her one of my favorite fiction authors, so this is exciting! I first fell in love with her work when she created the Snappsy the Alligator series, and now she’s out with a new chapter book series, Two Dogs and a Trench Coat, published by Scholastic. Let’s support her by buying her books and/or reviewing them!
Please describe the journey to publication for this book series.
I had written picture books but nothing longer yet. I knew I wanted to – I overwrite my picture books to get the story down, and have to cut away 75% of what I write. I liked the idea of trying to write a story that would let me keep a few more of those jokes in.
Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
At the time, I had two dogs (I’m down to one now, alas), and spent a lot of time narrating what I thought the dogs would be saying to each other. I think all pet owners probably do this. But it became a bit of a competition in my family, to try to do it in the best, funniest, most pun-filled way. A lot of it was the dogs trying to get the idiot humans to give them large piles of meat.
What is your writing process, and does it vary depending on the project?
My writing process is the same for every project. I do a mix of writing longhand and typing into the computer. I write some and then go for a walk and think about the problems I’ve run into with what I’m working on (and write possible solutions or good sentences on an index card I keep in my pocket). And I do my best work early in the morning. It has gotten really bad, my ability to work past a certain time of day. It keeps getting earlier and earlier. At this point, my best work is done before 9 am. I can’t do any creative idea generation at all after 2 pm.
We’re always hearing about how chapter books are a difficult market. How did you manage to break into this genre?
It was a combination of hard work, luck, and being in the right place at the right time. I’d written a chapter book collaboratively with two other authors, which was honestly the funniest thing. And no one wanted it. But I kept working on picture books, and various other longer things. I read all the time. I did what I think is probably technically called “making connections” or “networking” but was really just me wanting to talk kids books with other people who were happy to have a long discussion about books with me. I met my Scholastic editor because of all of those things. We’d known each other as industry acquaintances for a few years before we talked about working together on Two Dogs in a Trench Coat.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
My favorite scene in Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Enter Stage Left is when the acting teacher is trying to lead the students in a relaxing breathing exercise and the kids and dogs have absolutely no idea what’s happening:
“Everyone, take a deep breath,” said Mr. Rollins.
“Why?” said Bax.
“We are going to practice being in a play where we are breathers,” said Waldo.
“I took a breath in, and then I breathed out,” said Piper. “Is that okay? Or do you want me to hold my breath?”
“You should definitely breathe out,” said Becky. “I did, at least. Wait, can we breathe in again?”
“Listen to Mr. Rollins,” said Charlie. “He’s teaching us a special way to breathe. If you breathe in, and out, then in again, you’re just breathing like you always do.”
“Salty is breathing in and out very fast now,” said Bax. Waldo was, in fact, panting. “I’m going to do that. That seems more fun.”
Susan made a squeaking noise. Her face was very red. She exhaled noisily. “Why did you have us hold our breath?”
“I’m just trying to get you to relax,” said Mr. Rollins.
“Try harder,” said Bax, nearly out of breath.
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I want to keep making books, especially books that I would have liked to read when I was a kid. I have a few projects in progress that I can’t talk about yet, but I can tell you that my next picture book will be Dear Sirs, out next year from Cameron Kids, which will be illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo.
Please share your favourite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you?
What I love in classic books is the way the format allowed them to take their time with the story. You look at a book like One Morning in Maine that takes a full 45 minutes to read aloud. And it’s perfect. It would never fly today, and that’s fine, but I do love reading a book that talks for pages about a spark plug, or books like Bread and Jam for Frances with that whole long exalted description of Albert unpacking his lunch box. It’s so delightful to encounter those picture books that slow down so much.
That said, I always name Amos & Boris by William Steig as my favorite classic picture book. The characters are perfectly set up, the language is beautiful and lyrical, and the plot is done in such a way that you have a real moment of despair wondering how it’s all going to be fixed and that allows you to feel joy at the absurd and somehow completely right way it’s all resolved.
Now, a contemporary book. The coronavirus pandemic has really taken a number on my knowledge of the most recent picture books. Or, I know about a lot of them, but haven’t read them yet, since I often got them from the New Releases shelf in my local library. I know there are many incredible picture books that were published in the past three months. The children’s book industry is an incredibly kind business to work in, and it’s one where you make a lot of genuine friends, so this question feels a bit like a bizarre award acceptance speech, where I want to name all my friends and the brilliant books they’ve written. Given that, I’ll throw that all out the window and name a book by an author I don’t know: Sweety by Andrea Zuill. It was the last book I read that really wowed me as far as the plot and the characters and also instilled a deep annoyed jealousy in me that she made a book so hilarious and perfect.
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
The hardest part of being a writer, and the thing that will ensure your success, is doing the work. 100% of people with books out in the world did the work. They faced rejection and failed manuscripts and being stuck, and still they kept at it, and did the work.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavour of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
I am probably a weird, potentially terrible, flavor, like gummy bear or salted grapefruit, where you try it because it’s so ridiculous and think, “I think I actually love this?”
BIO
Julie Falatko is the author of eight funny books for kids, including Snappsy the Alligator and The Great Indoors. She lives in Maine with her family.
Social Media
Website: http://juliefalatko.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieFalatko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julie_falatko/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JulieFalatkoAuthor/
Local indie where you can order signed books: https://www.printbookstore.com/falatko
Author Nancy Churnin’s Nonfiction Mentor texts
Hello world!
Welcome to my book blog, Blissfully Bookish. For this Q & A, please welcome the multi-talented author Nancy Churnin. She tells us about her latest book, Beautiful Shades of Brown, the Art of Laura Wheeler Warin, published by Creston Books.
Can you describe the journey to publication for this book?
I began working on this book in 2016. I took it to workshops, submitted it to editors that told me it was too quiet which is funny in a way because Waring was a quiet person and some people think she didn’t get her due because she preferred to speak through her paintbrush. I put it aside. My agent, Karen Grencik, connected with an editor who was looking for “hidden voices” – people that had been overlooked and were deserving of having their stories told. The editor loved it and we worked on revisions before going to acquisitions. We didn’t make it through acquisitions, but the very next editor I sent the revised manuscript to Marissa Moss at Creston Books, who loved it and felt it was good to go. I was thrilled when she found Felicia Marshall to do the illustrations. Felicia channels Laura Wheeler Waring’s heart, style and brilliance with colors. I am happy that Beautiful Shades of Brown found the right home and the perfect illustrator.
Where did you draw the book’s inspiration?
I fell in love with a painting of Marian Anderson. I had been wondering why there weren’t more books about female painters. When I discovered this painting I loved was by Laura Wheeler Waring, I felt compelled to learn everything I could about her. The more I learned the more I wanted to know and the more I wanted to share what I knew about this amazing artist who used her paintbrush to change perceptions of African Americans in segregated America and whose artwork can now be seen and enjoyed in major museums, including the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian Art Museum in Washington D.C. and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pa.
What is your writing process like, and does it change depending on the project?
The process changes depending on the project and where I am on my writing journey, but some things do remain the same. I research until I find the heart of the story – the part that resonates with me and that I hope will resonate with the kids. I make notes. I write through. I edit and research more. I rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, sometimes on my computer, sometimes in longhand. When I feel I’ve taken it as far as I can, I run it by my critique partners to get their feedback and revise again.
What draws you to the world of nonfiction? Do you ever write fiction?
I am drawn to the forgotten people, the people who were left out of the history books that deserve to be known. I feel a personal mission to shine a light on them. I have recently been increasingly drawn to the world of historical fiction, which would allow me to embroider stories that might have happened against a historical backdrop. That’s one of the genres I hope to work on more going forward. As for fiction, I love to read it – who knows – maybe one day I will write that, too.
Please paste a short and compelling excerpt from your book.
“Laura looked at Marian and saw again the teenager singing so soulfully years ago. She heard again the music in all its beautiful shades of brown. She felt the melody travel down her fingers as she dipped her brush into the paints of her palette and found the exact luminous shade of Marian’s beautiful brown skin, her gown, the room.”
Where do you see your career headed? Do you have other WIPs or projects in the pipeline you would like to mention?
I have a second book coming out in 2020, For Spacious Skies, Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for “America the Beautiful” (April 1 from Albert Whitman & Company), which tells the story of the poet, professor and suffragette who fought for equal rights, including a woman’s right to vote, and gave her poem, “America the Beautiful” to America as a gift. I have a new book, A Queen to the Rescue: the Story of Henrietta Szold, coming out in fall of 2021 from Creston Books/Lerner Books. I hope to keep writing, creating, visiting, sharing and empowering children. I offer free teacher guides and create projects for each book. I would love to see myself both sharing stories about heroes and encouraging kids to be heroes of kindness in their schools and communities.
Please share your favourite books that have inspired you and served as mentor texts. Pick one classic and one contemporary book. What is it about them that moved you? For classics, The Hobbit is a wonderful example of a quest story You have an unlikely hero that inspires no confidence in anyone (including himself); only the wise wizard sees past appearances. He faces challenges on the way to achieving his goal. He achieves the goal in an unexpected way that changes his perception of the world and who he is. Finally he returns home, but in the spirit of T.S. Eliot: “…the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” For contemporary books, one of my favorites is The Color Purple. That, too, is a quest story of sorts, with the heroine on a journey to discover her own strength and self-worth.
What is the best (one) piece of advice you would give to other writers?
If your heart beats with your characters, your heart will continue to beat in that story after you send it into the world — and children will pick up that beat and know it for their own.
And a bonus question just for kicks! If you could be any flavour of ice cream, which one would you be and why??
Vanilla with dark chocolate covered almonds because it’s crunchy, mellow and CHOCOLATE.
BIO
Nancy Churnin is the award-winning author of eight picture book biographies, with a ninth on its way, including a Junior Library Guild selection, a Sydney Taylor Notable, a South Asia Book Award winner, an Anne Izard Storytellers Choice Award pick, a Notable Book for a Global Society selection and two National Council for the Social Studies Notables and two Silver Eureka Award winners. Her books have been on multiple state reading lists and she has presented at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, the Ruby Bridges Reading Festival at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., the Tulisoma Book Fair at the African American Museum in Dallas and the New York City School Librarians Conference. Nancy graduated cum laude from Harvard University, has a masters from Columbia University and lives in Plano, Texas with her husband, their dog named Dog and two cantankerous cats.
Links
Website: https://www.nancychurnin.com/
Blog: https://www.nancychurnin.com/thekidsareallwrite
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyChurninBooks/
Titter: https://twitter.com/nchurnin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nchurnin/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Shades-Brown-Wheeler-Waring/dp/1939547652
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beautiful-shades-of-brown-nancy-churnin/1133250747?ean=9781939547651
Interabang Books: https://www.interabangbooks.com/book/9781939547651
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder
Lerner Books: https://lernerbooks.com/shop/show/19649
Express Booksellers: https://expressbooksellers.com/kids-books/
Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Yay! It’s the 7th edition of Multicultural Children’s Book Day! A quick word about this wonderful initiate:
“Our mission is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries. Children’s reading and play advocates Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom have teamed up to create an ambitious — and much needed — national event. On January 27th five years ago, Jump into a Book and PragmaticMom created the first ever Multicultural Children’s Book Day as a way of celebrating diversity in children’s books.”
Click HERE to find out more information.
I’m participating in a few different ways this year. A few bloggers will review my book A Real Live Pet.
Book synopsis
JJ’s little sister, Nala, loves her pet stick. But JJ wants a real pet for his birthday. So when he catches a frog at the pond, he’ll do anything to keep it―but will his parents let him?
Kane Press’s Science Solves It! series merges fiction and science in storylines that intrigue youngsters and encourage them to observe, investigate, predict, and experiment! Young readers ages 5–8 will be inspired by the relatable characters in each story as they solve kid-sized mysteries and dilemmas.
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Real-Live-Pet-Nonliving-Science/dp/1635920094
I also have the pleasure of reviewing two diverse books to honor Multicultural Children’s Book Day, so let’s get to that!
Book 1
The School Science Competition by Avril O’Reilly
Book synopsis
Uh oh. We have a problem. Mum and Dad want to go for a romantic dinner but who will look after Bekki the Fairy? Bekki’s naughty magic spells have frightened away most of the babysitters. Mikita the science student and physics genius agrees to help but she has a lot of homework to do. Is Bekki going to have a very boring night or can she use her magic to brighten up the evening? Those poor baby-sitters. All they want to do is get on with their science projects.
At the back of the book is a real-life scientist, Mumbi, who makes products for black hair. The baby-sitters all do STEM subjects and would love to be scientists like her when they grow up. What a cool job!
My Honest Review
(this book was gifted to me and the opinions expressed are my own)
Bekki the Fairy is helpful. Or at least, she tries to be. That’s what makes her character so endearing and charming. I had a good laugh reading about how she scared away almost all the babysitters, until Mikita came along. I appreciate having strong female characters who are smart, and well versed in subjects such as science and physics. Little girls, especially from a diverse background, should be reading books with positive role models. As Mikita tries to fix her science invention, Bekki tries to help. I like the way science facts are peppered through the story without it being too preachy or “educational” in tone. This is a great example of informational fiction, where kids can learn about various concepts such as what particles are. I also enjoyed the illustrations, which were photos of the characters in real time. Very original!
Author quote
“I wanted to make books for the kids in London who I felt did not have any books with girls on the cover who looked like them.”
-Avril O’Reilly
Avril’s Social Media
https://twitter.com/Avrilfrances
https://www.facebook.com/AvrilsStorybooks/
Book 2
This is the Earth, by Deedee Cummings, illustrated by Charlene Mosley
Book synopsis
A recent Purple Dragonfly Award First Place winner, Cummings uses bold and bright illustrations in This is the Earth to share a message of peace, love, respect, compassion, and inclusion. Published in early 2019, the book’s core message is this: peace is meant for all of us and it is everyone’s responsibility to care for each other like the family that we are.
This vibrant diverse picture book encourages people of all backgrounds to unite together and create a force of peace and respect for all instead of viewing their part of the world as a secluded island. Kids and adults will love the lyrical message and thoughtful artwork that reinforces the fact that every human being is our neighbor and part of a larger family.{ages 2 and up}
My Honest Review
(this book was gifted to me and the opinions expressed are my own)
The book This is the Earth begins with a poignant quote:
“We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
What a beautiful planet we live on, yet discrimination and prejudice still run rampant. This is the Earth celebrates each individual, while respecting diversity. It’s okay to be different, is one of its central message. In fact, we should celebrate our differences. At the same time, we need to be cognisant of the earth we stand on each day, and give our respect to Mother Nature.
The book is filled with charming rhyming passages, simple enough for very young ones to understand. The message is positive and one that’s instilled in harmony. At the end, the author discusses the various notions of peace and encourages the reader to discover what peace can mean for them. A great read to share with the family!
Author quote
“My hope for This is the Earth is that it will spark conversations in schools and day cares, around dinner tables and during bedtimes,” Cummings noted. “These conversations can include discussions about why it has been so hard for humans to exist on the same planet together and how we can change that. I hope children read the story, look at the pictures, and are able to feel peace. My hope is that This is the Earth also helps readers of all ages understand that feeling ‘at peace’ and learning about each other with an open mind is a better way to go through life.”
-Deedee Cummings
Author Bio
Deedee Cummings is a veteran author of 11 diverse picture books and CEO of Make A Way Media. She is also a long-time MCBD Sponsor and a (for the second year!) is our exclusives SUPER PLATINUM SPONSOR for MCBD2020. The book she is focusing on this year is the multi-award-winning This is the Earth.
Deedee’s Social Media
Lydia Lukidis 