Big Fish a Big Catch from Theatre Frisco

By Nancy Churnin

Somehow I managed to miss Daniel Wallace’s 1998 novel, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions, the 2003 film, Big Fish, written by John August and directed by Tim Burton, and the Broadway musical with a book by August and music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa.

And now I’m glad that I waited to have my first experience with this story at Theatre Frisco. Not only because this production, with direction by Scott Taylor and music direction by Joey O’Reilly, gleams like a jewel in the company’s small, simple black box space at Frisco Discovery Theatre in Plano. But because this was the right time for me to see it.

For Big Fish is, on the surface, a story of parent and child, but also a story of myth and truth, of mortality and the question of what we leave behind and whether what we leave will inspire the next generation to continue the next link of the chain that we have labored to pass on. After having lost my beloved mom on May 22 and remembering my late cousin, Billy Bickel, who joined me to see a stirring production of Man of La Mancha here in 2018, I was ready.

Edward Bloom is a traveling salesman who loves to tell his son — and anyone who will listen — big stories of the giants and mermaids and werewolves he has met and helped during his travels. At first his young son, Will, is entranced, but as he gets older, he is increasingly bothered by his father’s gaps between fact and fiction. What is the truth of his father? Is he making up stories to hide things?

The father and son story is at the heart of this drama and Cooper Powell’s Edward Bloom and Austin Jon Hines’s Young Will deliver with big heart, moving back and forth through time with emotional power, from Young Will’s wedding day when his father embarrasses him, to Edward’s illness when Young Will is running out of time to take his measure of what his dad has been trying to tell him with his stories all these years.

The space suits the central question of the story well. By being a simple black box with only the terrific onstage band elevated on levels of stage in Josh Hensley’s set design, Edward’s stories stand out all the more sharply, aided by a terrific, colorful ensemble who dance gracefully from fantasy to reality and back.

Christine Phelan brings a radiance to Sandra Bloom that shows us why she is his North Star. Kelly Hudson’s appealing Josephine Bloom — Will’s wife — challenges her husband to think and feel in more profound ways. Andi Allen casts compelling spells as the Witch. Theo Phelan lends an affecting sense of wonder to Young Will.

Shaun “Willow” Breland rises to the occasion (and the rafters) as an awe inspiring Karl the Giant. Sydnee Hawkins brings a sweet vulnerability to Jenny Hill, the high school sweetheart who never got over Edward. And Adam McMahon proves a worthy (and fun) lifelong adversary turned friend as Don Price. Each and every member of the ensemble shone — Clayton Truman as the very funny Zack Price; Landry Beckley as the ringmaster with a secret; Bailey Lund as the lovely Mermaid; Sinan Beskok as the caring doctor; Kyleen Milton as the sweet Little Lamb and Ki’Jon Robinson as the sturdy Strongman.

Kudos to Hensley for his evocative light and sound, to Alison Kingwell for her colorful costumes and Arianna Movassagh for her fun wigs. Prop designer Rachel Velasco clearly had a good time with the props, including lots of fish. The band was spot on. Compliments to O’Reilly for his direction and keyboard playing alongside the always great Scott Eckert on on second keyboard and Maristella Fuestle on guitar, Daniel Davidson on bass guitar and Randy Linberg on drums and percussion.

This is a show that sparks meditation on mortality, on what we learn from our parents, on what we pass on. In addition to thinking of my mother — and my father, too — I thought of my cousin Billy, whose favorite show of all time was Man of La Mancha, which is why he flew all the way from New Jersey to see it here with me on the fiftieth anniversary of the first time we saw it together. I remember sitting in these seats next to him. I felt him there as the connections between that show and this one thrummed.

Edward Bloom, after all, was very much a Don Quixote-like character, who didn’t see the world as it was, but as it could and possibly should be. Don Quixote lived in a world of fantastical creatures as Edward did and both strove to be the noble heroes of their life stories, helping those in need, righting wrongs, loving with all their hearts.

In Man of La Mancha, there are those who strive and temporarily succeed in bringing Don Quixote back to reality. But back there, where so many of us live, the colors aren’t as bright, the hope is not as strong, the light is not as brilliant and clear. The audience gets chills when the real people behind Don Quixote’s creations beg him to bring back the fantasies that give them courage to be their best selves.

Big Fish thrills with a similar joy when Will finally understands his father’s stories, picks up the thread and weaves a fresh tapestry. Because we cannot hold those we love forever in this world. But we can carry them in our heart when we understand and continue their work and wonder. Wherever you are in your life, this is a show not to be missed.

Big Fish continues through Aug. 9 at Frisco Discovery Center, Frisco. 972-370-2266. theatrefrisco@att.net

Urine Luck at URINETOWN, Another Hit from Uptown Players

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, as those great philosophers the Sherman Brothers (Robert and Richard), told us in their lyrics for Mary Poppins, the 1964 Disney film classic.

Urinetown offers sweetness in the form of wit, singing, and dancing, but there’s no mistaking the seriousness of the message in this 2001 musical by Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis, which deals with individual and corporate greed, political collaborators, misinformation, thugs, and genuine social problems that people don’t address because they are too busy capitalizing on or reacting to suffering.

The terrific production at Uptown Players, with brilliant performances and design, directed by Penny Ayn Maas with music direction by Vonda K. Bowling, makes this 25-year-old story seem fresh and new. Sadly, it no longer seems a stretch that there might be a water shortage (data centers, anyone?) or that corporations might try to capitalize on that shortage instead of helping people or treating the root cause. In a modern society where the cash register seems to be ringing at things we used to enjoy for free — watching shows on T.V., drinking clean water, checking bags and picking seats on airplanes — is regulating bathroom use really so unimaginable?

The premise of Urinetown is that because you need water to flush toilets, a corporation called Urine Good Company (UGC) charges people to go to the bathroom. Don’t have the money to pee? You’re out of luck. Try to pee outside the company toilets? The police are waiting to take you to a place called Urinetown where no one is heard from again.

The cast must be right on point to get the delicate balance of satire, sincerity and outrageous fun. These incredible performers do all that and more in one resplendent number after another. Max J. Swarner brings passion — and his spectacular tenor — to Bobby Strong’s journey from unsure young man to determined rebel leader. He meets his exquisite match in Emery Gray, who lends her compelling voice to Hope Cladwell, an idealistic young woman on a journey to follow her heart.

Everyone shines. Brian Hathaway’s delicious villainy as Cladwell B. Cladwell rivets. Mikey L. Abrams’ corrupt Senator Flipp is a sassy send-up of a bribable politician. Laura Lites suggests subtle shadows to the parsimonious Penelope Pennywise that sets up a tasty twist.

And in the two roles that require breaking the fourth wall, talking to the audience then returning to the action, David Lugo as Officer Lockstock and Taylor Nash as Little Sally, are a must-see. As a consummate comedian and actor, Lugo’s timing is always spot-on. It’s a delight to see Nash, as his young sidekick, meet and make every setup and punchline pop.

Maas’s direction, Bowling’s music direction, enhanced by Brian Christensen’s impeccable sound, Gabriela Ayala Yarbrough’s clever choreography, Dennis Canright’s grimy set design, lit to perfection by Julie Hohman, Suzi Cranford’s gritty and glamorous costumes and Michael B. Moore’s clever hair and make-up mine the marvelous musical spoofs with fabulous flair. Yes, you won’t be imagining those visual references to Les Misérables, West Side Story and Fiddler on the Roof.

A shout-out to ALL the company. Everyone glittered, a few in multiple roles. Yes, I’m talking about Linda Leonard as Josephine Strong; Raphael Agee as Tiny Tom; Jessica Humphrey as Little Becky Two Shoes; Kayla Renee Jackson as Nurse; Donovan Marie Lawson as Soupy Sue; Gena Loe as Cladwell’s Secretary; Logan Lowery as Dr. Billeaux; AJ Martinez as Mr. McQueen; Ben Meaders as Officer Barrel; Gabrielle Rollins as Billy Jo Bill; Gerald Taylor II as Robby the Rockfish and Keith J. Warren as Old Man Strong.

The orchestra, conducted by Bowling on keyboard, delighted with Andrew Goins on Bass, Joe Garza on trombone, Michael Ptacin on percussion and Catherine Conlin on reeds; Christian Gonzales will replace Conlin for the final weekend July 16-19.

The biggest point I’d like to make, besides GO SEE THIS SHOW, is to THINK about it. It turns out that there aren’t easy solutions to the problems posed in Urinetown, just as there aren’t easy solutions to the problems we face today. But we’re not going to make progress if we just act and react to fear and scarcity as these characters do. There are a few lines from Little Sally that can easily get lost amid the fun like medicine in sugar. But they are vital to remember.

Little Sally urges Officer Lockstep to examine hydration and irrigation as possible solutions to the water shortage that propels the cruelty and anger in their community. Whether these solutions will work is not the point; the ideas are a reminder to look for solutions rather than act and react to talking points as we do all too often today.

The policeman shrugs, shakes his head, and gets back to the singing and dancing which, to be fair, is the most enjoyable part of the show. But it’s also a wise and cautionary reminder to deal with our problems and not to entertain ourselves to death.

Urinetown, presented by Uptown Players, Thursday through Sunday, July 19 at Kalita Humprheys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas. 214-219-2718. uptownplayers.org Photos by Mike Morgan, Uptown Players

A Fabulous Fractured Fairy Tales from Uptown Players

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For actors, it’s important to read the room. After all, finding and moving with the rhythm and spirit of the audience in the moment is part of the sacred magic of helping people move through the story and feeling what the characters feel. Every year, with Broadway Our Way, the annual fundraiser for Uptown Players, the task is even bigger — to read the community with an original show woven around Broadway songs sung by same-sex couples. The concept, by itself, is a simple but profound reminder that love is love, that it belongs to everyone and everyone deserves to be seen and see themselves as heroes of their stories.

But with actor, director and writer B.J. Cleveland at the helm of this year’s joyful and funny Fractured Fairy Tales, the show at the Kalita Humphreys Theater that ends with a final performance Sunday, the show is all that and more. He takes us into a fairy tale-like world in a fresh way that reflects the fear we might have of looking for and claiming love in a time where threats and fears cackle around every corner.

The premise seems simple enough. The prince (Clayton Younkin who delivers a moving “First Time in Forever” from Frozen) is giving a ball in the land of Up. Everyone is looking for the key to something, but they’re not sure what. Most are searching for love or mischief, as they dance and sing their way from numbers familiar (Laura Lites as a very funny Rapunzel singing “Hair” (from Hair) with a spirited Kylie Stewart, Stephanie Felton and Ally Van Deuren as fellow fairy tale iconsto songs that were new to me (Peter DiCesare in a transcendent “Candle on the Water” from Peter’s Dragon).

Under the musical direction of Kelley Poché Rodriguez (who celebrates a birthday today, happy birthday Kelley!) and Adam C. Wright (who also did the lovely musical arrangements) the 22-person casts shines as they dance their way through Alli Betsill’s brilliant choreography for 28 glorious numbers, PLUS selections from the upcoming season which includes Urinetown and Together, a co-production with Bruce Wood Dance Dallas.

Shout-outs to the full company, who go by their first names in the program, which also includes Felton’s wild Goldilocks who sweetly terrorizes three scared bears (Quintin Jones, Jr., Carlos Strudwick and Tim Brawner) with “Never Ever Getting Rid of Me” (from Waitress). Erin Bowman’s elegant Cinderella gives a sly wink with “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” (from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) with the the terrifically sinister Arya J Valley as the Stepmother and crazy funny sisters Sophie DeYoung and Gena Loe, who don’t recognize Cinderella in her ballgown.

David Lugo pours on romantic longing in “How ‘Bout a Dance"?’ (from Bonnie and Clyde), while Micah Green and Lee Walter slay as evil queens in “I Want the Good Times Back” (from The Littler Mermaid). Geoff Lutz, Strudwick, Jones and Brawner put the howl in “I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn’t Like to Howl” (from Smash). Seth Paden delivers a marvelously mad Mad Hatter in “Mad Hatter” (from Wonderland). Linda Leonard, Brett Warner, Elizabeth Kensek, Valley, Stewart, Lites bring vulnerablity and longing to another lesser known song, “Lost in the Wilderness” (from Children of Eden) by the very well-known Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz.

And then there’s Cleveland, whose “bashful” dwarf from the Snow White story was clearly born to sing a very loud “Shy” (from Once Upon a Mattress).

Michael B. Moore’s stunning hair and make-up design complements Suzi Cranford’s clever costume design (with a powerful twist at the end). Dennis Canright’s set and Kyle Harris’ lighting design immerses us into the world of the dappled forest. Brian Christensen’s sound design is impeccable. The orchestra with Sam Walker on guitar, Sal Bollinger on bass, Chad Ostermiller on reeds and Michael Ptacin on drums is spot-on.

The bountiful talent, all of whom have donated their work to the fundraiser, reflects another thing I love about this company. Uptown Players has made a vital mark in Dallas as a company on a proud mission to amplify LGBTQ+ experiences, providing a place where everyone can be seen, respected, honored, and heard. At the same time, you will have no idea who in the cast is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and who is an ally because, guess what? They are ACTORS and their gift is portraying all people with dignity and love. In a world where people try to segregate and create caste systems, everyone here is welcome on the stage, backstage and in the seats. It is truly a microcosm of how the world should be.

In a world where we may feel hopeless and helpless, they also remind us that we can all make a difference. All donations are welcome. Money helps, of course, but they are also grateful for the talent donating their talent, for the people who volunteer to be ushers, for the community donating items for the auctions which raises money that keeps this important theater going.

I had the privilege of donating a copy of my picture book, Rainbow Allies, to the auction. It is truly a tiny donation, a drop in the ocean of the amazing things you will find on the tables in the lobby, but Uptown co-founders and co-producers Craig Lynch and Jeff Rane made me feel wonderful about giving this book from my heart, a true about a kids that rally to show their neighbors, who had been bullied, that they are loved. It’s another reminder that stories of love are welcome and met with love at Uptown Players.

One last performance at 2 p.m. It will soothe your soul and leave you with hope. Do your heart a favor and don’t miss it. Broadway Our Way: Fractured Fairy Tales at the Kalita Humprheys Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas. 214-219-2718. uptownplayers.org

Photos by Mike Morgan for Uptown Players.

Welcome, Susan Kusel and 'The Passover Guest'

Susan Kusel’s journey to The Passover Guest was long and winding, but every bit as wondrous as the tale at the heart of her story about a mysterious stranger and the joyful miracle he leaves for a little girl and a community both in want of belief and cheer.

A longtime librarian and buyer for a bookstore, who sat on Caldecott Medal and Sydney Taylor Book Award committees (including, full disclosure, the Sydney Taylor Book Committee that honored my Irving Berlin, the Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing with a Notable), Susan had a story she wanted to tell about a Passover miracle, but for a long time she wasn’t sure how to tell it or even when or where to set it.

But when she figured it out, bringing it back in time, to the Great Depression, but to her home in Washington D.C. — magic! Her book debut has received three starred reviews, from Kirkus, Booklist, and School Library Journal. Wowza! Welcome, Susan. Thank you for sharing your journey on The Kids Are All Write!

In your author's note, you talk about how you were inspired by ‘The Magician: an adaptation from the Yiddish of I.L. Peretz’ by Uri Shulevitz. What drew you to this story and made you want to tell it in your own way?

My mother read me this version of the story when I was a child and I just fell in love with it. I was captivated by the magic that happens in the story. And I was so taken with the fact that the main characters actually got to meet Elijah, which is something I always wanted to do. When I encountered the book again as an adult, I loved it as much as ever, but found myself wishing I could change several plot points. That sent me down the road of doing the adaptation.

How did the pieces come together for you of where and when to set the story? 

I wanted to take the story out of the shtetl, where it was originally set and move it somewhere more contemporary. My editor, Neal Porter, suggested the Great Depression as a good fit for a penniless family and I think this ended up working well. I also wanted to put the characters in a location that we don’t often see in Jewish picture books and my hometown of Washington D.C. seemed like a natural fit. I thought the cherry blossoms, white buildings, and vibrant Jewish community would add to the book.

The Passover Guest by Susan Kusel, illustrated by Sean Rubin (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House)

How long was your book journey from idea to completed manuscript? How much did it change along the way? 

It was long! It took about ten years from the first draft to the finished book I’m finally holding in my hands. Everything from the main character’s name to the location changed during the over fifty drafts. The main plot and message stayed the same throughout though. 

Did your story find a home right away? How did you feel when it was acquired?

The book has an unusual acquisition story because I only showed the manuscript to one editor, and that editor acquired it. I also didn’t have an agent at the time, although I got one soon after. That said, I had been working on the manuscript for about three years before Neal saw it and then we worked together on it for a while before he acquired it, so it was a bit of a process. I can’t even put into words how I felt when it was acquired, because I was so over the moon. It was beyond amazing. 

Which illustrations by Sean Rubin surprised or particularly delighted you?

All of them. I am really in awe of Sean’s work on this book and how he transformed my words into such beauty on the page. I could talk about how incredible every single illustration is. One of my favorites spreads is when after being hungry for so long, Muriel sees an enormous feast spread out in front of her. The abundance of food, mixed with her facial expressions and the gold-colored background make this page really special. I also love how the heads of the adults have been cut off from view, so the reader’s main focus is on the child. And on a personal note, this is a fun page for me because Sean modeled the blue china dishes on the table from pictures I sent him of my own Passover dishes. 

Susan’s Passover dishes (above). Below, Sean Rubin’s illustration with those dishes for The Passover Guest by Susan Kusel (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House)

This is quite an auspicious debut, to have your first book published by Neal Porter Books, and to have three starred reviews by School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. Does it make you feel as if Elijah might have sprinkled some magic your way?

It certainly feels that way! I am indebted to everyone who worked on this book: Neal Porter, Sean Rubin, Jennifer Browne, Marietta Zacker, Drew Seeger, everyone at Holiday House and so many others who helped and consulted on the book. Picture books are truly a collaborative effort and I am so lucky to have had such an incredible team bring this book to life. 

As a longtime librarian and member of awards committees, from the Caldecott Medal committee to the Sydney Taylor committee, you are used to critiquing other people's books. How does it feel to be on the other side, having your books reviewed and, possibly, being considered for awards?

I am definitely realizing how much work goes into book promotion and am gaining a lot of respect for how much authors do in this area. It is so humbling to see my book in the pages of review journals I’ve been reading for so many years. As for awards, I have to tell myself the same thing I’ve told many others through the years. The best you can do is make sure the book has been submitted and then hope that the committee sees something special in your book. 

Has his book journey changed you -- and if so, how so? 

It made me realize that I had the power to actually become an author and get a book published, even though it seemed like an impossible road at the start. 

The Passover Guest by Susan Kusel, illustrated by Sean Rubin (Neal Porter Books, Holiday House)

What do you hope children will take away from this story?

If I could impart a message through this book, it would be that hope is important even in the bleakest of circumstances and that even the smallest actions can make a difference, like putting a penny in a hat. 

Do you have any new books in progress or in the pipeline?

I’m working on several Jewish picture books, and a middle grade novel with a Jewish protagonist. It is very important for me to tell Jewish stories.

Thank you, Susan, for sharing your journey! You can visit Susan online:

On her website: http://susankusel.com

On Twitter: @susankusel

On Instagram: @susanhkusel

On Facebook: Jewish Kidlit Mavens

And for you faithful readers who have followed us this far, a special treat. Susan’s mom found a photo of Susan getting engaged at Passover. In Susan’s words: “ In the middle of the four questions (I was an adult but was still the youngest person at that seder)…. I said, ‘How is this night different from all other nights?’ And my boyfriend put a ring box on the table and said ‘Because tonight I’m asking you to be my wife.’ As you can see, I was a little overcome!”

Beth Anderson on Smelling a Good Story in 'Smelly Kelly'

I’ve had the good fortune of being in several book groups with Beth Anderson, a master at finding unusual stories that deserve to be widely known. Sometimes, in Lizzie Demands a Seat!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights (illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Calkins Creek, shortlist for Goddard Riverside CBC Youth Book Prize for Social Justice), it’s a true story about a brave woman who deserves to be more widely known. With An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin & Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution (illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley, Simon & Schuster, finalist for the Colorado Book Award), it’s the story of two famous people and a little known story about them — their quixotic pursuit of how to improve the English alphabet. Both books are Junior Library Guild selections and, guess what? So is her latest, which we’re going to talk about today: “Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses!

Beth is a former English as a Second Language teacher, with linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and penchant for untold tales. She lives in Loveland, Colorado where she laughs, wonders, thinks, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same. I’m excited to welcome Beth to THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE to give us a sniff at“Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses, illustrated by Jenn Harney, from Calkins Creek.

How did you hear about “Smelly” Kelly? What made you decide to write a book about him?

I happened upon a short article about James Kelly, the first subway leak detective, and was immediately fascinated by all the bizarre, humorous, and dangerous experiences he had. A man who could smell water? Wow! Leaks and stinks? Even more fun! An unsung hero? I’m in! As a country girl, I always wondered what was beneath all those grates and manholes on city streets. Such a mysterious world beneath the pavement, and so full of essentials for our daily living – water mains, electric lines, internet cables, sewers, steam lines, and natural gas lines. As an author I saw kid-friendly angles like smells and heroes, and as an educator I loved the intersection of science and social studies topics as they play out in the real world. 

The real“Smelly” John Kelly, using his famous nose. COURTESY HARPER COLLINS

How long was your journey from idea to book? How much did it change along the way?

 I researched for a couple months and began to write in April of 2017. It was subbed in August, received some rejections, and went under contract in March 2018. The publishing process took two and a half years. 

 As I researched, I learned about the times and found that 1920-1950 was the golden age of detective stories. I had the first subway detective – so I tried writing it as a detective story. But the story fell flat. I kept coming back to his nose and ears as “super powers.” Researching more, I found the emergence of super heroes in that time period. That aspect was loads of fun to write, but I still had to find the heart. That’s where the manuscript underwent some trial and error. After much brainstorming on heroes, I found my “heart.” Overall, there were few changes. One of my favorite scenes was left behind, and I moved the super hearing farther in to build the arc. Then I tightened and strengthened the connecting thread. 

Your research is impressive! Please tell us how you found your sources and how they helped shape your narrative.

I found only three sources: a magazine article, a newspaper article, and a chapter of a book. (A fourth article was found after we were in the publishing process.) All I really had to start working from were a collection of anecdotes. So basically, I had pieces of the midsection of the story. With so little on the main character, much of the narrative rested on understanding his world, both above ground and in the subway tunnels. One thing led to another as I googled and checked books, and any list of sources I found provided more paths. I consulted the New York Transit Museum, sought sources to help me learn about his tools and technology, and dug for diagrams of the infrastructure below ground.

I searched out New York City subway history, construction, the third rail, maps, public perceptions, and clandestine You Tube videos of subway tunnels. And I was fortunate to find an expert willing to answer my questions as they came up. Once I had an understanding, I could put myself there. But I needed to experience it as Kelly did with his super senses. How could I get that sensory experience? Never underestimate what’s online! I found an old stench map (late 19th c), industry map (1922), and sound map (1920s). The sound map had video links – a treasure trove! With all that I could begin to immerse myself in his world, as well as connect and enliven the scenes – with humor as well as heroism.

 Which of Jenn Harney’s illustrations surprised or delighted you most?

The first tunnel spread with the dramatic palette and the underground world she created knocked my socks off. I loved that underground world! A later spread that showed Kelly in the tunnel but also the construction work going on above ground, made the cause/effect relationships clear with the growing city creating dangers in the subway. 

I always think that every book I write changes me in some way. Did “Smelly” Kelly change you? And, if so, how?

 I agree! There are always writing lessons that come from the unique challenge in each story, but there are personal lessons as well, as you work with themes and characters. An Inconvenient Alphabet and Lizzie Demands a Seat affected me on a deeper level than “Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses. My biggest challenge in writing “Smelly” Kelly, connecting the scenes into a meaningful story, really came down to motivation and the force that drives us to do what we do—and consequently, brought some reflection on that. I think this book reinforced some ideas about finding one’s place in the world and providing opportunities for kids to shine. 

What do you hope kids will take away from this story?

I hope kids will see there are all sorts of heroes (many who go unnoticed) and what a great attitude and sense of humor will do for you. But most of all, I want them to internalize the take-away on the last page….no spoiler here J .

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thank you for hosting me on your blog and for sharing “Smelly” Kelly and His Super Senses! 

Thanks, Beth! Be sure to visit Beth on her website, where you can also find out about her upcoming books:

TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE; PANDEMONIUM AND PATIENCE IN THE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE, illustrated by S.D. Schindler, Calkins Creek, fall 2021.

REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE, illustrated by Susan Reagan, Calkins Creek, spring 2022.

FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, illustrated by Caroline Hamel, Kids Can Press, spring 2022.

THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE: BIAS, TRUTH, AND A MIGHTY MOOSE, illustrated by Jeremy Holmes, Calkins Creek, Fall 2022.

And follow Beth on social media here:

Website: bethandersonwriter.com

On Facebook:  Beth Anderson
On Twitter: @BAndersonWriter

On Instagram: @BAndersonWriter

On Pinterest: @BAndersonWriter

Emma Bland Smith On winning her battle to tell ‘The Pig War’

The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Alison Jay (Calkin Books; Boyds, Mills & Kane)

Sometimes, a writer seizes on an idea and can’t let go. That’s the way it was for Emma Bland Smith with The Pig War, How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share (illustrated by Alison Jay, Calkin Books; Boyds Mills & Kane). Emma knew this little-known story of a fight about a pig that brought two countries to the brink of war would be challenging to tell. She knew it would take more research than she’d done for her previous four books. She even knew she might not find an answer to every question that came up — and she found an ingenious way to acknowledge multiple possibilities while staying clearly in the realm of non-fiction.

It helped that Emma is a children’s librarian who already has wonderful books on her resume, including Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West, winner of Bank Street College’s Cook Prize and Northland College’s SONWA award. But I think the biggest reason she did such a great job is that she was compelled to tell this story. And we’re so glad she did. Thanks, Emma, for taking the time from your husband, two kids, one cat and one dog in your San Francisco, California home, to answer questions on The Kids Are All Write!

Emma Bland Smith

What inspired you to write The Pig War: How a Porcine Tragedy Taught England and America to Share?

I read about the historical incident called the Pig War when I was poking around the internet, researching another book. I initially didn’t think much more about it, but I must have filed it away in my brain, because I kept coming back to it. One day I just decided, “Yes, I think this would make a great picture book!” It was the first book of mine to require a great deal of research, and that was a real learning experience for me.

The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Alison Jay (Calkins Creek; Boyds Mills & Kane)

Tell us about your book journey. How much did the book change from the time you got your idea to when you finished the manuscript? Did it find a home right away?

The first editors of my story were my amazing critique partners, of course! After that, it did not change a great deal. I had it critiqued at a conference, and the critiquer recommended an editor—Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek, the American history imprint of what was then Boyds Mills Press (now it’s Boyds Mills & Kane). So when I turned the manuscript in to my agent, she submitted right away to Carolyn. Luckily, Carolyn liked it and acquired it! It was only my third picture book deal, so it felt very, very exciting.

How long did it take you to find your narrative voice — to figure out how to tell this story? I imagine you had a ton of information to sort through!

From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to use a slightly comic, folksy voice to tell this story. I love writing in that style, and it worked here because of the ridiculous-but-true aspects to the tale. There was indeed a lot of information to sort through, but one of the challenges and joys of narrative nonfiction is figuring out which facts move your story forward, and which should be relegated to the back matter.

Emma Bland Smith at the scene of the porcine crime

How challenging was the research? Did you go to San Juan Island?

I began with online research, but I told myself right off that if this manuscript were to be acquired, I would visit San Juan Island. The manuscript was acquired in February, and that summer my family and I spent a week in the islands. It’s not an easy place to get to: It requires flying to Seattle, taking a two hour bus ride, waiting several hours at the ferry terminal, then taking a ferry through the islands. But boy, was it worth it! Getting to actually walk around the areas the Pig War took place did influence my revision. I was better able to capture the physical characteristics of the island. Besides visiting San Juan Island National Historical Park, I spent an afternoon in the archives of the ranger station, searching for primary sources to back up every fact in my story. My editor is a stickler about primary sources, as well she should be, and I felt strongly about measuring up to her standards. I had a few quotes, taken from other reports, for which I was not able to find back up; I ended up taking those out of the manuscript. I also had an expert reader, Mike Vouri, who had written a scholarly book about the Pig War. I met with him twice in person, and we exchanged many emails.

Emma doing research at San Juan Island

Did you know from the start that you were going to lead off with questions about Lyman and his motivations or did you tell the story that way because you couldn’t find the answers to why he did what he did?

That is a sneaky but effective nonfiction technique I had fun with. In certain cases, when I didn’t know for sure how someone felt, or why someone did something, I wrote my assumptions in the form of a question or guess, or I used a qualifying word or phrase, such as “maybe,” “likely,” or “must have.” (This also added to the humorous tone in some cases.) Here are some examples:

• “Maybe Lyman hadn’t had his coffee. Maybe he’d slept poorly. Maybe he was looking forward to boiling those potatoes for his lunch. Maybe he was thinking of the many painful miles he’d rowed to buy the potato seed. But for whatever reason, when he saw that pig, he got cranky.” • “Hornby…likely felt a tad nervous himself at this point.”

• “The Americans must have sighed a breath of relief.”

• “Now, the two bosses, Harney and Douglas, may or may not have been cranky. We don’t know.”

• And lastly: “Did Lyman participate in these good times? Probably—he was known as a fun-loving guy. Did he feel just a teensy bit embarrassed about all the fuss he’d caused? Let’s hope so, for goodness’ sake.”

These techniques allowed me to get inside the characters’ heads and examine their motivations while still keeping the work legitimately nonfiction.

Did the fellow who lost the pig ever get paid anything?

Oh, what a great question! No, I sincerely doubt Charles Griffin received a penny from Lyman Cutlar! To think what cost and trouble would have been avoided if in the very beginning Griffin had simply quoted a reasonable price for the pig, rather than letting his ego and temper get the better of him and making such a fuss!

When did the islands officially become part of America?

1872

The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Alison Jay (Calkins Creek; Boyds Mills & Kane)

What illustrations are your favorites? Did anything surprise or delight you about Alison Jay’s approach to the story?

I could not have been more thrilled at learning that Alison Jay would illustrate this book. I’ve been reading her book to my kids since they were babies! I just adore her crackle painting technique. I think my favorite illustrations are the ones that show lots of charming, vintage everyday detail, such as the spread depicting the parties the Americans and Brits had together. Alison likes to include animals in all her illustrations, so I also enjoyed finding all the cats, dogs, horses, and pigs running around, as well as the whales and orcas in the ocean.

Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Robin James (Little Bigfoot)

How does this book compare with your earlier work, including your award-winning debut, Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West?

The Pig War was my first historical nonfiction picture book, and very different from my first few books. Both books, however, have an important message to impart. For Journey, it’s that we can all take action to help save endangered wildlife. For The Pig War, it’s that while one hostile action can ignite an argument and spiral out of control, it’s never too late to back down and turn things around.

Did this story change you and, if so, how so?

The book pushed me to write with a very different voice from what I’d used before. I had so much fun being cheeky and ironic. I learned that using a comic voice can be a good way to take on heavy subjects—the sugar to help make the medicine go down.

What do you hope kids will get from this book?

I truly hope that young readers will come away from this book a little less likely to want to fight issues out, and more interested in compromise and peaceful problem solving.

The Pig War by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Alison Jay (Calkins Creek, Boyds Mills & Kane)

Emma, thanks so much for visiting us on The Kids Are All Write! Is there anything you would like to add?

I appreciate your having me here, Nancy! You’re an inspiration to me with your own wonderful books!

My pleasure, Emma! Thank you for sharing your book and your journey here.

Remember to visit Emma on social media!

On her website: emmabsmith.com

On Facebook: Emma B Smith

On Twitter: @EmmaBlandSmith

‘zis vi honik’: Talking to Miriam Udel About ‘Honey on the page’

Honey on the Page, a Treasury of Yiddish Children’s Literature, edited and translated by Miriam Udel, illustrated by Paula Cohen (NYU Press)

I had the pleasure of meeting from Miriam Udel at Tent, a wonderful program sponsored by PJ Library at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, where she shared her translations of Yiddish stories that have now been published as Honey on the Page, A Treasury of Yiddish Children’s Literature, edited and translated by Miriam, illustrated by Paula Cohen and published by NYU Press. It’s the first comprehensive anthology of Yiddish children’s literature in English and it’s hard to imagine anyone bring more passion to this important project than Miriam, an associate professor of German Studies and Jewish Studies at Emory University, where she teaches Yiddish language, literature, and culture.

Miriam holds an AB in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations as well as a PhD in Comparative Literature from Harvard University and was ordained in 2019 as part of the first cohort of the Executive Ordination Track at Yeshivat Maharat, a program designed to bring qualified mid-career women into the Orthodox rabbinate. She is also the author of Never Better!: The Modern Jewish Picaresque (University of Michigan Press), winner of the 2017 National Jewish Book Award in Modern Jewish Thought and Experience.

Miriam lives in Atlanta with her husband and their three boys where she enjoys weight-lifting, salsa, tap, hip hop ad reggaeton. Thanks, Miriam, for taking time to visit The Kids Are All write!

How did you decide on the title, Honey on the Page?

I wanted to evoke the custom of slathering honey onto a child’s first school primer to make learning sweet. In my own Jewish education, we were told about this custom at the start of Hebrew school, but chocolate pieces were substituted for honey. Just as the chocolate was meant to stand in for the messier honey, so too I hope my translations and relatively neat categorization scheme will stand in for the splendidly chaotic, multifarious Yiddish originals.

How long was your journey with this book? Can you tell us how long it took to evolve from idea to completion? What were the challenges, surprises, delights along the way?

This book took the satisfyingly Biblical term of seven years from inception to publication. Three very serendipitous things helped move it along. One was that in 2013, when I was just getting serious about this project, the Yiddish Book Center inaugurated its Translation Fellowship. I applied for the first cohort and suddenly had access to expert, detailed instruction from professional translators as well as a peer group of Yiddishists looking to cultivate the craft of translation. So I would gain the skills to actually write the book I was proposing.

Every spring, Emory brings one literary agent and one scholarly press editor to campus for talks and individual meetings with faculty. In 2015 (I think!), they brought Eric Zinner of NYU Press. By this time, my agent had already circulated a proposal to trade presses and children’s editors. Nobody was interested or really saw the project’s potential—except for Eric. It helped that NYU had published a successful anthology of American leftist and anarchist literature called Tales for Little Rebels, so they had a template in mind. But I was dead-set on creating a volume that would appeal to children as well as adults, with copious illustrations. I wanted full color! I wanted an illustrator! I sent a lot of proposals to a lot of foundations and potential sources of funding and heard many polite variations of “no.” An entire year of “no” while the translations were basically done and I was busy with other things.

Then, I taught for my third time at the TENT seminar for Jewish children’s authors and illustrators, and the inexorable drive of Jewish matchmaking took over. Novelist Joanne Levy nudged her friend Paula Cohen approach me because I had mentioned I was looking for an illustrator. Paula’s work is incredible: joyous, whimsical, engaging, but also very precise: every line is just where she wants it. She was willing to work in black and white (also in incredibly vivid, eye-popping color for the cover). Once the book went into production and I had found an illustrator that everyone could see we were lucky to get, then things started falling into place with very generous support from Emory’s Jewish Studies program and some additional funds from my graduate department at Harvard.

You arranged the stories thematically, from school days to holidays. Was that the plan from the start? Did the stories you found fall naturally into these themes or did you find yourself looking for stories that fit these themes?

I’m chortling as I read this question, thinking of the tag line, “Maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s Maybelline.” I considered several different methods for organizing what proved to be an overwhelming amount of material: by chronology, geography, age of the target reader, etc. Each of those would invite certain audiences and turn off others. Historians might love the chronological approach, and scholars probing pathways of literary influence might love a geographical one. But what seemed to best invite the attention of a wide readership was organizing the stories and poems by theme.

I was encouraged by the fact that many anthologies from the 20’s and 30’s, the period to which most of my selections date, were organized in a very particular arc from the most distinctively and particularly Jewish content to more universal themes. I decided to emulate this. I remember sitting on the sofa with index cards spread all around me with about fifteen different thematic categories and smaller, cut-up index cards with each individual entry. Of course I wanted each one to fit naturally into a thematic category, but there was lots of potential overlap and a couple that got shoe-horned in. I hope most of the placements feel “just right” though.

Is there a quixotic element to learning Yiddish and translating these stories so that they can live on for future generations? It takes enormous effort on your part, that of other Yiddish scholars, and the Yiddish Book Center to keep alive a language that doesn’t have a home of its own.

Look what the Jewish community has invested in fostering high-quality, engaging children’s literature today. Look how many representations there are, both in kid lit and work for adults, of the shtetl, and look how much is simply being imagined, sometimes clumsily, for want of the knowledge of Yiddish. Doing anything with Yiddish felt more quixotic when I started studying it almost twenty years ago. But today, there is such a well-developed institutional structure undergirding the “Yiddish renaissance.” There are so many young adults, millennials and Gen Z, who are learning Yiddish and creating new work and new modes of working with it.

The stories span from the 1910s to the 1970s. Do the stories end in the 1970s because people stopped writing stories in Yiddish in the 1970s? Do you think we will see people writing in Yiddish again?

People are writing in Yiddish right now, both in the Hasidic world and in the more secular one! There is a wonderful little press called Kinder-Loshn (Child’s Language) that is publishing bilingual versions of Yiddish stories old and new. Yiddish is an officially recognized and government-supported language in Sweden, so there are new TV shows and children’s books and radio plays being produced there in the mame-loshn (mother tongue). My friend Arun Viswanath recently published a translation of the first volume of Harry Potter into Yiddish.

Obviously, these projects are all swimming against the current of linguistic assimilation, but at this point, I wouldn’t bet against Yiddish.

A Yiddish typewriter at the Yiddish Book Center

How did you find these stories? Did you discover any of them as an undergraduate or when you were completing your Ph.D. at Harvard University?

One thing that I reflect on in the introduction to the book I’m writing now, a critical study of Yiddish children’s literature designed as a companion to Honey on the Page, is that my Yiddish education included NO children’s literature. When I studied Spanish, Hebrew, and Arabic at earlier points in my life, kidlit was always part of the syllabus. It made me wonder whether there even WAS any Yiddish children’s literature out there, and the shock of finding it all sitting in plain sight (digitized even!) yet utterly neglected spurred me toward this project.

You are a rabbi in addition to being a professor, ordained at Yeshivat Maharat. What drew you to become a rabbi? Does being a rabbi lead you to seek stories with ethical and spiritual resonance as well as literary quality? Can you give examples of some of the stories that work for you on both levels and why?

The children’s literature that I include in the volume was a product of the Yiddish left, which understood itself to be broadly secularist. Authors’ attitudes ranged from Yiddishkeyt (Jewishness) is the ethical and aesthetic wellspring of our inspiration” to “all forms of religious expression are the opiate of the masses.” With the former group, I found it fascinating how invested they could be in telling tales that took traditional religious observance as a theme, such as the two Sabbath tales that open the book. I needed to figure this out so badly that I ended up exploring the topic in a couple of scholarly articles. I was also fascinated by the notable return to telling holiday tales in the 1950’s, when the Jewish liturgical year becomes a source of cultural preservation and consolidation after the disruption of the Holocaust.

How will you be using this book at Emory University, where you’re an associate professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture?

I will be using it this semester in my course on Children’s Literature and the Quest for Just Societies. I have been teaching my translations for about five years now, and it will be thrilling to be able to show my students nicely laid out book pages instead of just word processing documents that scream at the top “NOT FOR CIRCULATION. DO NOT SHARE.” I also teach courses focused on Jewish childhood and family life that will make use of some of these texts, as well as translations that ended up on the cutting room floor.

It was a joy meeting you and learning from you at TENT, the program at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst in 2019. I remember how proud you were of the book Good Night, Wind: A Yiddish Folktale by Linda Elovitz Marshall, because of the way Marshall found a contemporary way to bring a classic Yiddish tale to life. Can you tell us about the journey from the Yiddish story to Marshall’s retelling?

This is probably mostly Linda’s story to tell, but I was indeed quite thrilled when she used the story by Moyshe Kulbak “The Wind That Got Angry” as the basis for her beautiful Good Night, Wind. I had taught my translation and interpretation of the tale at YIVO in Winter 2015. She changed the second half of the plot a great deal, she said, because in contemporary children’s stories, children need to be the primary agents and heroes. So instead of having a single mother stand up to the angry wind for the sake of the children, she figures out how to have the children confront the wind themselves.

Good Night, Wind: A Yiddish Folktale Hardcover by Linda Elovitz Marshall, illustrated by Maelle Doliveux (Holiday House)

I was also especially gratified because she built my interpretation, that the blizzard the wind creates is the acting out of a tantrum, right into the retelling of the tale. As translators, we don’t always get to catch a glimpse of the bridges that we’ve built, but in this instance I did.

You’ve said that your three sons were a focus for the group. Do they have any favorites among the stories and do their favorites surprise you?

My older boys have particular appreciation for everything that rhymes because that’s where they see my hard work—or rather, they don’t see it but can intuit that it’s there. My preschooler loves all the funny ones, such as the couple Avrom and Mirtl, who allow their home to be cleaned out by thieves rather than either one caving and going downstairs to shut a door that wasn’t properly bolted on a windy night. He hasn’t heard all of them yet, but next week we’re going to rock his world with the calf that gets lost in a farmer’s beard.

Tell us about the companion book you are working on for Honey on the Page.

I am writing a book for grownups about why this corpus matters: how we cannot fully understand Jewish modernity until we understand the culture that Yiddish-speaking Jews were creating for their children. Moreover, I explore what a deeply feminist project it is to dig into the thought world that educators and parents, so many of whom were women, developed with and for the children in their care.

What would you like readers, young and old, to know about Honey on the Page?

This is a book for generations to share and talk about together. Kids will like some of it, adults will appreciate some of it—but the book really comes alive when it is shared. Part of the work I hope it does in the Jewish community is to empower and activate older generations as tellers of family tales.

Do you have any favorite Yiddish expressions or words to share?

I suppose it makes sense to share the expression “sweet as honey,” zis vi honik, and perhaps what we wish people at the start of any new endeavor or adventure: mitn rekhtn fus, or “on the right foot!”

Thank you so much for your time, Miriam! Is there anything you would like to add?

Since travel isn’t possible right now, I’m embarking on a virtual tour that includes lots of public events. I am trying to keep the list current on my website, miriamudel.com. I’d love to “visit” your community, whether to speak at a day school or Sunday school, to an adult ed audience or book club, or to craft intergenerational virtual events that people can participate in from anywhere. Thank you for such a wide-ranging and fun set of questions to tackle, Nancy!

So, nu, give Miriam a call! And in the meantime, visit her here:

On her website: miriamudel.com

At the Emory University website: german.emory.edu/home/people/faculty/udel-mirian.html

On Facebook: miriam.udel

On Twitter: @miriamudel

NYU Press: Honey on the Page

Yiddish Book Center Museum Store: Honey on the Page

Yiddish Book Center Museum Store: Harry Potter in Yiddish

Nancy at the Yiddish Book Center, attending the TENT program sponsored by PJ Library in 2019, where I had the pleasure of meeting and learning from Miriam Udel (and working on a picture book about Henrietta Szold, coming out in Fall 2021 from Creston Books/Lerner Books)

Of Roosters & Gratitude: Karen Rostoker-Gruber and ‘A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale’

A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale by Karen Rostoker-Gruber, illustrated by Kristina Swarner debuts from Albert Whitman & Company Oct. 1

Karen Rostoker-Gruber’s resume is as crowded as Farmer Earl’s home in her newest book, A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale. But the difference between Karen and Farmer Earl is that while Farmer Earl is looking for a little more room, Karen enjoys adding more books. Right now, she’s authored more than 16, with hundreds of thousands of copies sold. Farmer Kobi's Hanukkah Match (co-written with Rabbi Ron Isaacs, illustrated by C.B. Decker, Apples & Honey Press), was named a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and was awarded the 2016 Outstanding Children's Literature Award from the Church and Synagogue Library Association. Her books Bandit, Bandit's Surprise (both illustrated by Vincent Nguyen) and Ferret Fun (illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos), all from Marshall Cavendish, received starred reviews in School Library Journal.

Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (illustrated by Paul Ratz de Tagyos, Dial) and Bandit were International Reading Association Children's Book Council Children's Choices Award recipients. Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, Bandit, and Ferret Fun were chosen for the 100 Best Children's Books in the Bureau of Education and Research's Best of the Year Handbook. Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo and Ferret Fun were nominated for the Missouri Show Me Award; Bandit was nominated for the South Carolina Book Award; and Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo was a Dollywood Foundation selection in 2007 and 2008. Maddie the Mitzvah Clown (illustrated by Christine Grove, Apples & Honey Press), was a 2017 PJ Library book selection. This year’s books, Happy Birthday, Trees (illustrated by Holly Sterling, Kar-Ben) and A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale (illustrated by Kristina Swarner, Albert Whitman), are PJ Library selections for 2020. Karen is a member of SCBWI, has twice co-chaired the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature's One-on-One Conference, and is a co-founder of The Book Meshuggenahs. Welcome, Karen, to The Kids Are All Write!

When I looked at the rooster in A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale, I couldn't help thinking about your book, "Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo." Now, you didn't actually mention a rooster in the text, what did you think when you saw it in Kristina Swarner's illustrations?

When I first looked at the sketches and saw the rooster on the first page, I couldn't believe it! Illustrators and authors aren't supposed to talk about the book until the book is done because the publisher doesn't want the author to influence the illustrator's creativity. I wonder if Kristina looked me up and saw my book, Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, before she began her illustrations. I never asked her. One time, at a school visit, a little kid asked me if I wrote Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo because my last name sounds like rooster (Rostoker). I had never had that question before and it really stumped me. 😂

The roosters in each book couldn't be more different: Kristina Swarner's illustrations are whimsical and dreamy. Her colors are muted and soft and her work is very detailed--the feathers, the landscapes, the fabric on the wise woman's chair, the fur on the cats, the patterns on the wallpaper, etc. She also added humor into the book and elevated my words--take a look at the toilet paper page, the horses, ducks, and goats eating everything and the facial expressions of the cats, who are not amused at the crazy antics of the other animals in the house.

Kristina is a printmaker, so first she draws a sketch and transfers that sketch onto a linoleum block. Then she carves out all of the areas that will be white, inks the linoleum block, and makes a black and white print on heavily textured paper. Once the print is dry, she adds watercolors and colored pencils to the black and white print. Here she is working on the flaps for our book:

The rooster in my book, Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo, is cartoony and bright. I love each book and each rooster for different reasons. Paul Ratz de Tagyos, the illustrator for Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo worked in an advertising agency back then (in 2002), so his illustrations were done in marker. His drawings, he tells the reader on the copyright page, "were penciled, inked, and then colored with markers on marker paper. A teeny-weeny bit of color pencil was sometimes used, but that's cheating!"

His work is also very detailed--the wood on the barn, the pigpen, the fences, the grass, etc., which I could never understand. My marker comps never looked like that when I worked in an advertising agency. Back in 2004, when Paul wasn't working at the advertising agency, he was a Howard Stern impersonator. (I'm not kidding!) He really understood my understated humor and went above and beyond adding humor to each illustration. On one page he has the pigs reading magazines like: "Stench," "Pink," and "Filthy Living." 😂

How do you like the way Kristina's illustrations work with your words? Do you have a favorite spread?

Andrea Hall, at Albert Whitman, made a perfect choice for my book, as this was a folktale. I was hoping for an old-fashioned and whimsical feel and Kristina's illustrations fit that bill. My favorite part of the book is the toilet paper spread--perfect for COVID times. I had also asked that the duck, on the highest point of the house, take a bite out of the letter "A" in Folktale on the front cover. I don't know if anyone will notice that, but I see it every time I look at the book.

You and I are members of The Book Meshuggenahs. How do you feel this book fits with our mission?

Even though this book is based on a Yiddish folktale, I feel like the message is for everyone--especially now. Everyone should be grateful for what they have. One mission of The Book Meshuggenahs is to be able to supply teachers and parents with educational tools for each book that we publish. Since a lot of schools are going virtual, and students and parents are dealing with so many changes right now, I wanted to add an activity that focused on gratitude. It's so important to step back and find things that we are grateful for--even in the midst of a pandemic. So, below, I've attached a teacher's guide, written by Dawn Kiron, a licensed clinical social worker, for everyone to download with a coloring page and a gratitude journal. According to Dawn, "Keeping a gratitude journal or writing things down every day decreases stress levels and can make children and adults feel more grateful and happier over time."

Find the teacher guide here.

Find a coloring page here.

Find a gratitude journal here.

A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale is one of the books people can win by entering The Book Meshuggenahs Hanukkah Contest. Please give us the details of how to enter and win.

You can go to our NEW website, thebookmeshuggenahs.com, to see the exact details, but if you send a photo of yourself helping someone, you are eligible to win one, free, signed book. There will be 8 winners.

You have another book coming out in November, Happy Birthday, Trees, with Kar-Ben Publishing. Please tell us about that.

I was invited to a luncheon given by the PJ Library in New York a while back. They told everyone at the luncheon that they were looking for board books. When I went home that night I reworked an old manuscript, which at that time was called, Happy Birthday to the Trees! I sent it to the PJ Library and won their author incentive award ($2,000). Then, Karen Grencik (my agent at the time) sold the book to Joni Sussman, at Kar-Ben. Joni shortened the title to Happy Birthday, Trees, which I like a lot better. It's a board book about planting a tree with simple rhyming couplets and a repeated refrain. It's for the Jewish holiday Tu B'Shevat, which is very similar to Earth Day. Holly Sterling's illustrations are very lively and colorful! The characters in this book look like they are having so much fun!

Please share the inspiration for your ideas and stories, and the process about your latest project.

Every book goes through a different process. For my book, A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale, an editor told me to send her a folktale. So, I went to the library and took out a lot of folktale books--about 20 or so--borrowed more from friends, and bought some on-line. Then for weeks, I sat and read folktales from morning to night. I didn't skip any--just in case the one I skipped happened to be the perfect one. I kept looking for a folktale that I could simplify--folktales that no one reworked for a while--folktales that Disney didn't redo. I came across a Yiddish folktale that I loved. At 3am one night, after going over and over one of the folktales in my head all day long, I wrote this down on a sticky note:

In case you can't read my chicken-scratch (Hah!), it says: No room to sit, no room to pace, no room to rest, no extra space! That little rhyme was just what I needed as a starting point. I couldn't wait to begin working on it in the morning. I love repeated refrains, bits of rhyme, and lyrical writing. I'm also a sucker for a good animal pun, if it isn't forced. And, most of the time, I add in a touch of adult humor to my books. Also, after reading hundreds of folktales, I noticed that not one of them had a wise woman in charge. So, I put a wise woman in my folktale instead of a wise man. Times have changed. Once I finished the story, sent it to my critique groups, proofread it until I couldn't see the words anymore, I sent it to the editor that asked me to write a folktale for her. But, as luck would have it, by the time I wrote it, revised it, reworked it, and sent it her way, she had already acquired a similar story for her list.

This time though, unlike my previous 14 traditionally-published books, which I sold myself and negotiated with the help of Mary Flower (a book lawyer), I had an agent Karen Grencik . I ran it by her and she loved it. She sent it out on submission in March and we got a response in April! When my agent first submitted the book, it was called, No Extra Space, but my editor, Andrea Hall, at Albert Whitman, wanted to change it to have the word "folktale" in it, which was a great suggestion. It's now called, A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale. It's due to come out on October 1, 2020. I'm really excited about this one!

Where can we buy it?

You can get a signed copy of A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale, if you call my local bookstore, The Bookworm. I can sign them and The Bookworm can ship them! You can call The Bookworm at 908-766-4599 or visit their website here. If you don't need a signed copy, you can order it from Amazon here.

Thanks, Karen, for visiting us on The Kids Are All Write! You can visit Karen on social media.

On her website: karenrostoker-gruber.com

At The Book Meshuggenahs: thebookmeshuggenahs.com

On Facebook: Karen Rostoker-gruber

On Twitter: @karenrostokergr

On Twitter: @TMeshuggenahs

On Linked In: Karen Rostoker-Gruber

On Linked In: The Book Meshuggenahs

It's a Wendy! Editor Wendy McClure on her new picture book, 'It's a Pumpkin!'

Wendy McClure is a writer and a children’s book editor at Albert Whitman & Company. In fact, full disclosure, she’s been MY wonderful editor on four published picture books, with another on the way in 2021. Wendy has authored two picture books, the historical fiction series Wanderville, and worked on numerous books at Albert Whitman & Company. Her writing for adults includes the book The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie and work appearing in The New York Times Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, The Chicago Sun-Times, and the radio program This American Life. She has an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Chris. I’m thrilled she’s taken time out of her busy schedule to shmooze on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE. Welcome, Wendy!

​What inspired you to write It’s a Pumpkin!?

I've just always loved pumpkins. There's something a little mythical about them, the way they show up in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, but they're also so goofy in their way. My husband and I bought our first house in 2018, and of my favorite things about having a house is having a front porch for seasonal decorations, which in the fall means PUMPKINS. So I guess the story came out of some kind of idle meditation on pumpkins, and how they are so many things—decor, food, weird heavy projectiles, etc.

How long did it take to get from idea to finished manuscript?

This is very unusual for me: I wrote it in a single evening! The idea was knocking around in my head that afternoon at work, and I took five minutes to type a couple of lines in a document I saved to Dropbox. Then right when I got home I worked on it some more and had a finished draft by bedtime. But that almost never happens.

You're a longtime writer as well as an editor. But usually, you write for older children, young adults, and adults with books like The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie, I’m Not the New Me, and your humor book, The Amazing Mackerel Pudding Plan. Plus you do thrilling newsletter posts about the mysteries of your family history. How do you find time? And how can one head wear so many hats?

I published a couple of those books you mentioned fifteen years ago, so one answer to your question is that you can wear plenty of hats if you give yourself a long enough span of time! As for finding the time to write, it's mostly just that I love to write and so I make space for it in my life. Some years it's been more space, other years less—the year we bought a house, for instance, my only writing was my newsletter, which required only a few hours of work once a month. But really I'm no different from any other published author who also has a day job. I don't think enough people understand that this is the situation for most authors. It's funny how we don't talk about it, though: a lot of the authors I work with have full-time jobs but I don't know what they are! Not sure what that means: I think it's that we live our writing lives to the fullest in whatever space we have, and don't give much thought to what our colleagues do in their "other lives." It just happens that my other life as an editor is as visible to some people as my writing life. I don't think it means I do more!

The Princess and the Peanut Allergy by Wendy McClure, illustrated by Tammie Lyon (Albert Whitman)

The last picture book you wrote was the lovely The Princess and the Peanut Allergy in 2009 for Albert Whitman. Can you tell us how The Princess book came about and why it’s been so long between picture books for you?

That's a funny origin story. I was at work with my old boss, Kathy Tucker, and the other editors, and we were having our weekly meeting when we talk about upcoming seasons and the kinds of books we want to acquire. We wanted to publish another peanut allergy story but were having trouble finding something that worked and was different enough from another book we'd just done. And then we'd been hearing that princess books were popular, so we were casting about for one of those too. So I joked that all we needed was a book called The Princess and the Peanut Allergy, and Kathy looked up and said, "you should write that!" My husband has some lifelong food allergies, including a couple that are pretty rare, and I felt there was a need for a story about how to be a good friend to a person with food allergies, so that's the story I wrote. As for why it's been so long: well, as an editor, whenever I get that "this should be a picture book!" kind of notion, my first instinct is always to find an author to write it (or who has written something like it already) and publish THEIR book. Plus I get to see other people's great ideas become great picture books all the time, and being part of that process is deeply satisfying. So it's not often that a picture book story concept comes to me that I want to do all by myself.

How is writing picture books different from your other writing? How does it feel to be back in that world again?

In terms of process, it's sort of a cross between composing a poem and writing a short essay. For many years I did a column for BUST magazine, and my word count was around 800 words, and once I got used to that limit, it sort of changed the way I wrote those pieces: I'd know, after a couple of paragraphs, whether my pacing and structure was tight enough to work with that word count. If it wasn't, I'd start over. I find now that I do the same thing with picture books, because working with those texts as an editor has given me a feel for that length. It's funny, because I still believe in writing first drafts without worrying about word count, and that sometimes you need too much story at first to have enough in the end. But it's also useful to understand the sense of scale a picture book has. It's like figuring out what size paintbrush you need. As an editor of picture books, I'm always in that world to some extent! But it's a little different when it's your own manuscript. I liked letting my editor (Christina Pulles) make decisions about page breaks and jacket copy, and I was able to sit back more and watch the magic happen, which was fun.

Did you choose the illustrator, Kate Kronrief? What drew you to her work? Tell us about the images that delight you most and why.

I didn't get to choose her but I know what we were looking for in an illustrator was someone who could do cute woodland animals but had a touch of humor in their characters too, and Kate had just that. I love little details, like the knit hat on the chickadee, and the mid-century furniture in Woodchuck's burrow. And the scenes where the animals are dancing are just the best.

How would your writer-self describe the kind of editor you are?

Supportive, thorough, and maybe a little unpredictable. Sometimes I keep finding things in a manuscript that need attention, up to the last minute, and I imagine it can drive writers crazy.

How would your editor-self describe the kind of writer you are?

I AM AN ABSOLUTE DREAM TO WORK WITH.

Confession time: have you ever used a pumpkin as a chair, a table or a doorstop?

No, but I have always liked the saying, "I would rather sit on a pumpkin than a velvet cushion." I just looked it up and it's based on a Thoreau quote. But I heard it from one of the interior designers on that TV show Trading Spaces. (But I don't think they made furniture out of pumpkins.)

Would you share a favorite carved pumpkin picture with us?

Here's a really demented pumpkin I carved in 1986 when I was about 15. I made the eyeballs with melon baller and then decorated it with bolts, wire, skewers, a saw, and the temperature probe from our microwave oven. I think my mom was a little alarmed!

I think that photo is crying out for its own story! But while we’re waiting for it, visit Wendy:

On her website: wendymcclure.net

On Facebook: Wendy McClure Books

On Twitter: @wendy_mc

On Instagram: @wendymc

A 'Short & Sweet' interview with Josh Funk

Josh Funk has a long bio, a short bio, a very short bio, a bio where you can fill in the blanks, and a bio written by his cat, all on his website joshfunkbooks.com. Since there’s no way I can improve on all that, I’ll just let you know that Josh is a software engineer based in New England, the author of many funny, popular books and that I’m super excited that he’s made THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE one of his blog tour stops to talk about his fourth and latest adventure in his Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series: Short & Sweet. Welcome, Josh!

Congratulations on Short & Sweet, your fourth Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast book! Back in the day when you were still an aspiring picture book writer and you were inspired by your kids arguing about having French toast or pancakes for breakfast, did you ever think you would have a fourth book in a series about this?

Thanks, Nancy! And no! When I wrote the first book in this series, all fourteen drafts over a period of a year and a half, I was just hoping that I would someday get some book published. I was so far away from thinking about sequels, let along serieses or quadrilogies (is that a word?). And I still feel so fortunate to have published any books at all, let alone multiple. I don’t think the “pinch me” feeling will ever get old (I certainly hope it doesn’t).

What inspired this particular story? Part of the Short & Sweet plot hinges on Professor Biscotti accidentally turning Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast into toddlers and I couldn’t help wondering if the dad in you sometimes wishes you could do that to your kids, too — if just for a little bit.

Well, there are a couple things that went into the idea behind this. First and foremost, I’ve recently been getting the question, “How are Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast not stale yet?” from a number of readers. So I wanted to address that, as well as make it possible for them (in theory) to be able to live in the fridge forever. Secondly, I like the fact that each of the books in the series is sort of a different ‘genre,’ if you will. Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast is a race. The Case of the Stinky Stench is a mystery. Mission Defrostable is an action-adventure-thriller. I wanted to keep up the trend of switching genres. I like to think that Short & Sweet is a magical bodyswap / sci-fi comedy (think Big or Freaky Friday meets Honey I Shrunk the Kids or The Absent-Minded Professor). And thirdly, I wanted to try and throw it back a bit to the fast-paced madcap culinary chaos of the original and a little less dialogue than books 2 and 3. Putting it all together, this is what I cooked up.

You worked hard at your craft for a long time. You endured a lot of rejections in the beginning, mainly from literary agents. Then you decided to submit directly to publishers and boom! You had three books come out from 2015-16, have an agent you love and you haven’t slowed down since. What kept you from getting discouraged in the beginning? What made you persevere?

The writing community has been so warm and welcoming. I’d like to think that even if I never sold a book, I’d be so enamored with the friends I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had, it would still have all been worth it. But also, rejections are part of the deal. You know that going into it. It doesn’t hurt any less getting them. But I also knew that my writing was improving. I could tell that my stories were getting better, the more new ones I wrote - both because I was enjoying them more, but also because of the responses from my critique partners. Which brings it back to the community. Having the support of other writers going through the same experiences alongside you - and hopefully some ahead of you - is critical. Having more experienced writers around to be able to ask for support is something I was very fortunate to have (both regarding the craft of writing and about the business of writing).

What do you hope other writers learn from your experience?

It’s important to keep writing new things. My first manuscript was terrible. My next manuscript was a little less terrible. And my third was slightly better than the second. But I attended workshops and classes and webinars and kept writing new things. That first manuscript was flawed in so many ways and was never going to get published. But I needed to write it. And revise it. And submit it. And get rejections. I now know I shouldn’t have been submitting it, but it was all part of my journey, so I don’t regret it. I learned so much from that process. And I was able to take all that I learned and start new manuscripts with much better foundations. Also, don’t use ridiculous pseudonyms. Going as Papa J Funk definitely hindered me in getting an agent. Oops.

What drives and inspires you to write as much as you do?

I like to entertain. Myself. My kids. My friends. And hopefully strangers. I have fun writing things that a brilliantly talented illustrator will eventually render on the page. I want to entertain children, but also the adult readers in their lives. The way I see picture books is that adults will be reading them to children (in most cases). Teachers, librarians, parents, and so forth. As a parent, I wanted to be entertained as I read picture books - and if I wasn’t, I was likely not to want to give a book a repeat read. And so I want to create books that adults will enthusiastically enjoy with their children or students or patrons. I write books that I want to read. And hopefully children and their grown-ups will, too.

How long does it typically take you to take a manuscript from idea to acquisitions? Does the number of revisions vary from book to book?

It’s completely all over the place. Ballpark, I’ll write 5-10 drafts before sending it to my agent and if she agrees it’s worth moving forward with, we’ll revise a couple times before submitting to publishers. The truth is, most books don’t even get to my agent. And even those that do, only a little more than half ever go on submission. And of those, about half eventually sell, but not before some (or many) rejections roll in. All of these numbers are improving slightly over time as I realize which books are worth pursuing and which aren’t earlier on in the process. Here are the raw (vague, because it’s publishing) numbers. I have 12 published books, with a few more on the way. But if you take out sequels, books that were someone else’s intellectual property, and the two books that came out of slush piles before I was agented, my agent and I have sold a total of only 6 books in over 150 submissions to editors. That’s a 4% success rate with almost 150 rejections (or black holes).

Is it a challenge to find a work/life/writing balance? Where and how does your writing fit in with your time with your family and your work as a software engineer?

I write whenever I can fit it in. Coffee breaks, bathroom breaks, but mostly in the evenings and on weekends. Usually when I’m really into a story, I’ll work on it in ALL my free time for a few days or weeks or longer until it’s done. But I’m not one of the types that writes every day. Which is probably why I don’t write anything longer than picture books. I don’t have the mental stamina to handle that.

Do Brendan Kearney’s illustrations for this series crack you up? I love all the visual jokes, particularly the signs being held up in the final pages of this book, and am wondering if you two collaborate on that or if he is inspired by your text to come up with his funny stuff independently.

Brendan’s art is hilarious. The band names are all him - he’s been adding them since book #2 (The Case of the Stinky Stench) when Spuddy Holly and the Croquettes played on the final page (there’s always a party on the final spread before the gatefold). In Mission Defrostable it was The Peach Boys. And Juice Springsteen leads the way in Short & Sweet (but if you look closely, there are a whole bunch of other food bands on the festival poster - that you’ll have read the book to discover). I love that Brendan adds so much humor to the series. I’m so fortunate that Sterling found him.

What inspired Pirasaurs!, Dear Dragon, How to Code a Sandcastle and the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series?

The word “pirasaurs” came to me in the middle of the night back in 2013 and I wrote it down on a pad I keep next to my bed for just such occasions and went back to sleep. The next morning I saw it and started a first draft. Three and a half years later, Pirasaurs! became a book. I don’t know what I was eating or reading or watching before bed that previous night. But whatever it was, it worked.

Dear Dragon stemmed from my wife leading a pen pal postcard exchange with other middle school classes around the world - and my son being very into dragons when he was in preschool. Both were discussed on a car ride to a family theater production of Charlotte’s Web and somewhere along the way, the ideas melded together. When I wrote it, I thought it would be funny if both characters didn’t realize they were writing to different species. And I think it is funny - but the reason Penguin acquired it was because they loved that two characters with completely different backgrounds became friends. Which I didn’t realize until my editor explained that to me (even though I wrote the book). Writing is weird sometimes.

For the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, it was my agent who suggested I should try writing a book about coding, since it’s an important topic for youngsters and I write code for my day job. But taking a complicated topic and breaking it down into something digestible by the picture book crowd (or even my non-coder adult critique partners) was not an easy task. It took three and a half completely different attempts at writing a picture book about coding before I landed on How to Code a Sandcastle. But it was all worth it.

For the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series, I was mostly inspired by B.J. Novak’s The Book with No Pictures. I thought it was great that the adult reader looked foolish reading the book aloud to a child. And I thought, what if the characters in a book actually argued back with the person reading it. Add to that how characters in fairy tales often do very … let’s say ‘not smart’ … things. I mean, if a giant beanstalk grew in your backyard overnight, would you climb it … or call the police (or maybe a gardener)? If you lived in the woods your whole life, wouldn’t you know that animals would eat bread crumbs if you left them on the ground? And if you went to visit your grandmother and a wolf was in her bed, don’t you think you’d be able to tell that it wasn’t her?

Put those ideas together and you’ve got smart-alecky characters who talk back to the storyteller leading to (hopefully) lots of children laughing at the adult reader.

How did your Lost in the Library: Patience and Fortitude series come about? Writing stories about the lions in front of one of the most amazing libraries in the world had to be a thrill. Had you ever wondered about the lions in front of the 42nd Street Library growing up? How did their story come to you?

This also came about because of my agent - she is great at networking. She heard from an editor at Macmillan that the New York Public Library was partnering with Henry Holt (the Macmillan imprint) to make a handful of books about the library. One was a middle grade novel (which turned into The Story Collector series by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb), one was a coloring book, and one was a picture book about Patience and Fortitude. My agent pitched me the plot suggested by the editor (Patience goes missing and Fortitude goes searching for him in the library, getting a tour of the library and eventually finding Patience in the children’s room) and asked if I was interested in writing a sample. Of course, I said yes.

A few months later, I found out they picked mine and then I had to write the book (fast, in fact, as Macmillan told the library it would be out in the fall of 2018 and I didn’t officially get the go ahead until the winter of 2017. But I took a quick trip to get a behind the scenes tour of the library (Boston to New York to Boston via Amtrak all in one day in early January) and pretty much wrapped up the final draft of the text by the end of that month.

And why a sequel, you ask? That one was my idea - but it’s the library’s fault. You see, I wrote a draft of the backmatter describing all the different rooms and statues, etc that Fortitude met along his journey in the first book, Lost in the Library. I wrote this for the final bullet point: “Fortitude finally finds Patience in the Children’s Center, which is located on the ground floor just beside the 42nd Street entrance.” It was sent along to NYPL staff for fact-checking and to make any tweaks they deemed necessary. The NYPL appended this line: “As of 2020, the children’s library will be located at the newly renovated Mid-Manhattan Library across Fifth Avenue, which will be called the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library.” WHAT?!? As of 2020 the children’s library was going to be MOVED?!? I wrote this book based on a summary given to me and in two years, the book wouldn’t make sense any more?!? (thanks, Kirkus, for pointing this out in your review, btw… *eyeroll*).

However, I (several months later) realized that THIS could be the conflict for the sequel. Patience and Fortitude venture into the children’s room one night and all of the books are GONE! Voila - we’ve got Where Is Our Library?, in which Patience and Fortitude race ALL over the island of Manhattan searching for the books, racing by kidlit literary locales (like the Plaza and the High Line), visiting kidlit statues (like Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Andersen in Central Park) and other libraries (there are 92 branches of the NYPL) before eventually finding their library across the street. (Where Is Our Library?, illustrated by Stevie Lewis, comes out on 10/27/20). So…are your kids impressed? Do they take credit for your success? Do either of them write or give you ideas about what to write next?

When you’re searching for a new idea, are you ever tempted to encourage them to argue about something?

Ha! I always encourage children to argue - all children, not just mine - it makes for great story ideas. But no, they don’t really take credit for things. They’re a little impressed, but not much. I have a hard time getting them to listen to me when I want to read them new drafts (until I remind them that if they want to go to college, I have to keep selling books). And if they have ideas, I encourage them to write them. I’d never steal my kids’ ideas (but I’ll definitely take their critical feedback if they’re willing to offer it).

You caution people about rhyming for good reasons — agents and editors are wary of it, it’s hard to do well, it makes books a harder sell for foreign translations. And yet…you rhyme. All the time. Charmingly. Why?

I was stubborn at first and didn’t give up, despite hearing all the stigma attached to rhyming picture books. And because of that I made a ton of mistakes .. but eventually learned how to rhyme better (it took a long time - and I’m still learning more about writing in rhyme all the time). For me, I feel like there has to be a reason why I should be the one to write a book as opposed to someone else. I have to bring some element of charm that makes the book special. In the case of the How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, the charm is that the books are about coding. In the It’s Not a Fairy Tale Series, the charm is the meta aspect to the fractured fairy tales. And lots of other times, the charm is rhyme. I think I’m pretty decent at it, and hopefully people enjoy reading them.

What do you recommend for aspiring rhymesters?

Don’t write in rhyme. But seriously, I could talk about this for hours. I guess I’d say a couple things:

1.Rhythm is way more important than rhyme (and also harder to learn). Any kindergartener can rhyme. But nailing the rhythm is the tricky part.

2. Picture books are meant to be read aloud, often performed. And rhyming picture books are, after all, picture books. Picture books are a unique medium where the reader will likely have never read nor heard the words before (unlike a song, which one can emulate). So it’s important that the words are as easy to read (and PERFORM!) as possible. No adult wants to look foolish in front of children (unless that’s the intent of the book, of course).

3. It’s not about YOU and how YOU read the book - it’s about EVERYONE ELSE. And I mean EVERYONE who speaks the language. All accents. If it rhymes in New England it needs to rhyme in Texas. If the rhythm works in Seattle, it also needs to work in New York. Picture books are only about 500 words. I go through every syllable to try to make sure they’re the right ones. I recommend you do, too. Also, don’t write in rhyme.

You have always been a super helpful and supportive member of the kid lit community. You offer great free tips on writing on your website and generously boost other writers. Please share why that’s important to you.

As I mentioned, the kidlit community has been so welcoming since the very beginning. Living in New England, there are a plethora of writers and illustrators who’ve helped me along my journey toward publication. And I’ve learned a lot (although I know I still have lots to learn). I’d love to help folks avoid the mistakes I made along the way and hopefully give people a bit of a head start if possible. Also, you can only post ‘buy my book’ so often on social media before people will either tune it out or unfollow you. Or both. You have to provide some sort of interesting content. And at first, I didn’t really think I had any interesting content to share. So I wrote some blog posts about what I’d learned so far about writing and shared those. Eventually I cleaned them up and turned them into a Resources for Writers page on my website. And maybe, if it’s helpful to you, you’ll consider buying my books. *wink* I’m guessing you have another half dozen books in the hopper.

Can you tell us a little about what’s up next?

After Short & Sweet, I have two more sequels coming out, both on October 27th, 2020: Where Is Our Library?, as I discussed earlier, and It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood, in which Red questions the storyteller’s plan to have her walk in the woods ALL ALONE, the Wolf calls in sick (Captain Hook fills in), and basically nothing goes according to plan - illustrated once again, brilliantly, by Edwardian Taylor. And I do have a few more books in the pipeline … but unfortunately I can’t talk about them yet (and not all of them rhyme!). But follow me on social media and I’ll be sure to shout about them as soon as I’m able!

Is there anything you'd like to add?

I’d love to share a couple of my favorite recent books if you don’t mind. I really enjoyed Your Name Is a Song written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and illustrated by Luisa Uribe. It’s a great story that should be read in every classroom on the first day of school. And a terrific novel I read recently is The Wonder of Wildflowers by Anna Staniszewski. It’s a fantasy about a little girl named Mira who moves to a country of privileged citizens who are allowed to use a “natural super-drug” called Amber which is basically a liquid that makes you completely healthy and very smart. It explores privilege and immigration in a kid-friendly way. And thanks so much for inviting me to stop by and chat!

Follow Josh on his blog tour:

And follow Josh on social media!

On his website: joshfunkbooks.com

On Facebook: Josh Funk Books

On Twitter: @joshfunkbooks

On Instagram: @joshfunkbooks

The Moovelous 'Mootilda's Bad Mood' From Kirsti Call & Corey Rosen Schwartz & GIVEAWAY!

Mootilda’s Bad Mood by Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, illustrated by Claudia Ranucci (little bee books)

As a therapist, Kirsti Call knows a lot about people’s moods. As a children’s book writer, she’s expanded into bovine ones in Mootilda’s Bad Mood, with the help of her co-author and friend Corey Rosen Schwartz, the Warren, NJ-based author of The Three Ninja Pigs (illustrated by Dan State, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers) and several other rhyming picture books and fractured fairy tales.

Kirsti, who lives in Andover, Mass, is the co-coordinator of ReFoReMo, Reading for Research Month, which encourages picture book writers to revise with the help of mentor texts. Kirsti reads, reviews, revises and critiques every day as a 12x12 elf and a blogger for Writer's Rumpus, and has judged the Cybils Award for fiction picture books since 2015. Look for her upcoming books, Cow Says Meow (illustrated by Brandon James Scott, HMH Books for Young Readers) and Cold Turkey (Little Brown) in 2021. Thanks, Kirsti, for visiting The Kids Are All Write!

Kirsti Call

What inspired Mootilda’s Bad Mood?

Our own moooooods and our children's moooods---and the fact that I'm a therapist and my job is to help people with their moods.

Tell us about writing with Corey Rosen Schwartz. How did you two meet?

Corey Rosen Schwartz

Corey and I met on-line in various facebook writing groups, and then in person at the New Jersey SCBWI conference. Writing with Corey involves texting, messaging, talking on the phone, meeting on a google doc, and texting some more. The process is super fun.

You’ve each written books separately. Why did you want to write together?

Corey loves co-writing and when she asked me to write with her I already liked her as a person and knew she wrote phenomenal books. It was an easy "Yes!"

The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Dan Santat (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for. Young Readers)

I’ve heard you two have complementary Mootilda mugs. Can you share a photo of that and share how that came about?

We always joke about me being in a good moooood, and Corey being in a bad mooood. So we made Mootilda mugs with those lines from the book. My mug always makes me chuckle.

I notice you had another book about a cow called Cow Says Meow. Kirsti, is there something you want to tell us about your connection with cows?

Cow says Meow just happens to be my next book, coming out with HMH on March 16, 2021. I've written many manuscripts that do not feature cows--I don't know what to say, my cow books must be mooooooving!

Cow Says Meow by Kirsti Erekson Call, illustrated by Brandon James Scott (HMH Books for Young Readers)

How much fun did you and Corey have coming up with all that moo-ving word play? Any favorite jokes that didn’t make it in the book?

Our previous drafts of MOOTILDA had "hoof past eight", an apple-anche (or an apple avalanche), and Mootilda makes her creamy cold desserts "from scratch".

This book has a larger theme, too — can you share about that?

MOOTILDA'S BAD MOOD is about knowing it's okay to be in a bad mood, and at the same time, realizing your bad mood can affect others. And of course there are many ways to improve your moooooood!

How long did it take you to find a home for the book? Did it change much after it was acquired?

Our agent subbed MOOTILDA to three publishers and Courtney at Little Bee acquired it pretty quickly. We didn't make any major revisions after we signed the contract, but we deleted an entire character out of the book at Courtney's suggestion before she brought it to acquisitions. Sorry folks, there is no longer a coyote.

This coyote, who is NOT in Mootilda’s Bad Mood, is waiting for answers (and his own book)

What was your first reaction to Claudia Ranucci’s illustrations? Do you have a favorite spread?

I truly love how Claudia brought Mootilda to life. She used her daughter as a model for the cover! My favorite spread is Mootilda and the chickens saying: "We're in a bad mooooooood!"

What do you most hope kids will take away from Mootilda’s Bad Mood?

I hope kids will read the book, learn a few things about how to handle a bad mood, and when they're grumpy, I hope they say: "I'm in a bad mooood". (Or sing it! My daughter wrote a Mootilda’s Bad Mood song that will debut at our virtual book launches) And hopefully that will make them laugh.

Want to win a signed arc and stickers from Kirsti to any winner within the U.S.? Share this blog on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, tag @Nancy Churnin on Facebook and @nchurnin on Twitter or Instagram and leave a comment below by Monday, Aug. 31 to make sure I don’t miss your share.

Check out the links to the launch parties for Mootilda’s Bad Mood

Writer's Barn Launch

Unlikely Story Launch

Visit Kirsti Erekson Call on social media:

On her website: kirsticall.com

On Facebook: Kirsti Erekson Call

On Twitter: @kirsticall

On Instagram: @kirsticall

Visit Corey Rosen Schwartz on social media:

On her website: coreyrosenschwartz.com

On Facebook: Corey Rosen Schwartz-PB Ninja

On Twitter: @CoreyPBNinja

On Instagram: @CoreyPBNinja

Deborah Diesen's new picture book answers 'Equality's Call'

Deborah Diesen listens to her young readers — including her younger son. In fact, it was after a conversation with her son about voting rights that the Michigan-based author got the idea to write Equality’s Call. Deborah is the author of many children’s picture books, including the New York Times bestseller, The Pout-Pout Fish, the story about a fish that revolves to be fun instead of glum. Deborah loves playing with words and rhymes and rhythms.  She has worked as a bookseller, a bookkeeper, and a reference librarian.  We’re so happy she’s hanging out with us now on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

What inspired you to write Equality’s Call?

One day back in 2017, my younger son and I were discussing politics and voting, and he mentioned how relatively recently it was that women had gained the right to vote – that it hadn’t even been 100 years.  As I thought about that milestone, I started thinking about perhaps writing a children’s book about the women’s suffrage movement.  I figured a book about the passage of the 19th Amendment would coincide nicely with its ratification centennial in 2020.

 But as I began to learn more about the history of the right to vote, I realized that I couldn’t write about the 19th Amendment in isolation.  Limitations on the right to vote have been a significant part of our country’s history since its founding, progress has been at times uneven, and barriers to voting still remain.  The overall story of voting rights is complex, and the fight for the right to vote is ongoing.  To tell any part of the story, I would need to find a way to tell it all.

 When I realized that, I came close to abandoning my project.  I felt overwhelmed and underqualified to tell such a complicated story.  I was also concerned that the truth of the history might make for a discouraging book.  But I decided to try anyway.  I did my best to write a story that is honest about the inequities that have been present in our country since it began, but that is also celebratory and hopeful about the history-altering impact that people have when they speak up for rights and equality.

It is incredibly timely, with this year being a presidential election year along with increased scrutiny about whether everyone is getting an opportunity to vote. Was the timing of the publication intentional?

When I began submitting the manuscript, my hope was that it would be a 2020 book.  In addition to being a presidential election year, 2020 is also the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 15th Amendment, the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act.  Seemed like a good year for a book about voting rights!

 But really, any year is a year we should all be thinking about voting rights.  The work to secure and guarantee voting never ends.  New voting barriers, for example those created or worsened by COVID-19, need to be identified, worked through, and addressed on an ongoing basis.  The journey of democracy is never over!

 You did a wonderful job making a complicated concept — the right to vote over the centuries in America — accessible for kids. Was rhyming part of the way you made it accessible and had you planned to rhyme from the beginning?

Rhyming was part of my plan from the beginning, though I didn’t end up writing the story I initially set out to.  My initial thoughts on the story, focusing on women’s suffrage, had me playing with rhymes and rhythms that could work with the names of famous suffragists.  But as I began to shift toward the wider and longer story of voting rights history, equality became my main character.  The rhyme scheme, meter, and structure of the story developed around that.

 The structure imposed by writing the book in verse helped me in making choices about what to include and how to pace the book.  Limitations make writing both harder and easier!

 I am impressed by how you embraced rather than simplified the voting obstacles faced by different groups in America. Can you share your research process and how you decided what to include, what to leave out, what to feature in the back matter?

I learned so much when I was working on the book.  I had been naïve about our country’s history of voting rights.  There are so many ways in which voting rights have been denied that I had been unaware of.  And my knowledge base is still growing.  I thought at first my own steep learning curve should automatically disqualify me from writing this book.  But I realized that it actually gave me an important perspective – that of a learner.  If I could learn and then succinctly express what I learned, my experience could help kids (and their grown-ups) take a similar learning journey through the book.

 The rhyming text in the book is only 400 words long.  It paints the broad contours of voting rights history, but it definitely doesn’t cover all the ways in which the right to vote has been denied or all the people impacted.  The book’s introduction and backmatter provide some of those additional details.  My hope is that kids, classes, and families will use this book as an entry point in their journey to understanding – and to speaking up for -- the right to vote.

 Please share the journey from idea to finished manuscript. How long did it take to get it where you wanted it to be? How long did it take to find it a home?

 I started jotting some notes for the book in December 2017, and I worked on it in earnest in late January and early February of 2018.  I started submitting it later that February and had an offer by March.  That sort of timetable is extremely unusual:  my writing invariably takes much, much longer than that; and the submissions process often moves on a glacial timetable.  But it just all came together!  Andrea Welch, my editor for this book, guided me through some manuscript revisions as well as into the creation of the introduction and backmatter.  I’m extremely grateful for her wisdom, encouragement, and insight.  I also consulted with a wonderful historian, Marsha Barrett, who helped me better understand the history.  Her knowledge and assistance were particularly important and useful as I wrote the backmatter sections.  The book grew much the better for it!  Any mistakes are my own.

 Was there anything that surprised you about Magdalena Mora’s illustrations? Do you have any favorite spreads?

 I wasn’t sure how an illustrator would mix together the past and the present, but Magdalena did it seamlessly.  Her art is vibrant and strong and amazing, and I love it all.  I particularly love the final spread, which shows assembled together voting rights activists of the past with young people of today.  Each time we vote, we vote with them all!

 Do you think it will surprise fans of the New York Times best-selling Pout-Pout Fish to see you as the author of Equality’s Call? Is there anything that links the Pout-Pout Fish series with this new book?

Writing about voting rights history was quite different than writing about the adventures of a pouty talking fish, but many of the themes of The Pout-Pout Fish stories overlap with those of Equality’s Call, including:  helping one another; speaking up about what’s important; and working together to solve problems.

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

 As Mr. Fish and his friends know: Together, we’re the answer!

What do you hope children will take away from your book?

 I hope that kids who read Equality’s Call will be encouraged by the history of voting rights activism to use their own voices to speak up about the issues of our time.  The last section of the book’s backmatter provides brief bios of activists and then poses an important question, one for all of us to answer with our words and with our actions:

 How will you answer equality’s call?

Visit Deborah on social media!

On her website: deborahdiesen.com

On Facebook: Deborah Diesen

On Twitter: @DeborahDiesen

On Instagram: @deborahdiesen

‘Morning,Sunshine!’ Keely Parrack on the highs of haiku & Her pb debut

Morning, Sunshine! by Keely Parrack, illustrated by John Bajet (North Atlantic Books)

Keely Parrack has been an elementary school teacher in Nottingham, England, a science and language arts specialist, a day care director, a fashion retail manager, a waitress, a supermarket shelf stacker. and a freelance writer with work published in The Christian Science Monitor, The Contra Costa Times, Patch, Spider Magazine and mothering.com. Her best student job was at the movie theater, where she got to watch all the films for free. And now the British native, who lives in San Francisco with her husband, her son and a very demanding cat, has a new favorite grown-up job: debut picture book author. We’re glad Keely dropped by to share the unexpected literary twists and turns that led to Morning, Sunshine! Welcome, Keely!

What inspired you to write Morning, Sunshine!?

I was waiting on some feedback from my agent on a novel I’d written, so I had a little breathing space. And during that sitting around daydreaming time, I started noticing all the creatures that visited our garden; salamanders, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, squirrels, and I started writing poems about them for fun. Then I figured, I could make a picture book about a day in the garden, from dawn to dusk. But that seemed like such a long time, and to be honest, where I live it is quite hot in the middle of the day, so not much happens, which makes for a pretty boring story! Then an editor I chatted to suggested I narrow the time frame down. This idea worked really well for haiku, too. All I needed to decide then was which creatures and what time period. I love dawn, it’s a magical time of the world waking and always seems so full of possibility, so the that’s how the idea of Morning, Sunshine! taking place from dawn to sunrise came about!

Good Morning, Sunshine! by Keely Parrack, illustrated by John Bajet (North Atlantic Books)

Did you start off with this fascinating structure — a haiku about a creature, or aspect of nature, followed by a page of information? How did you come up with the idea to tell the story this way?

 I love science and nature, and when I was a teacher, the children I worked with did, as well. So I always wanted to have poems supported by facts. But I wasn’t sure for a while if the facts should come after the poems as back matter, or on the opposite page, as sidebars. In the end, I figured that the haiku were so small and focused that the back matter should just concentrate on the questions raised in the poems, so then it made more sense to have them together on the same spread, like a question and answer!

One of Keely’s inspirations for Morning, Sunshine! was this swaying mourning dove with her brood, nesting in the Parrack family hanging basket (photo by Keely Parrack)

In your back matter, you teach children how to write haiku and share how fun it is. When did you first learn to write and like haiku?

I have always written poetry for fun. My mom still has a faded one I wrote when I was six about a mouse. I really don’t remember when I first wrote haiku, to me it’s just a fun challenge—can you stick to just three lines, use 17 syllables total, and still say everything you want to say? It’s like a puzzle, and so satisfying when you make it work! I think children like playing with haiku as they are small, as it’s not intimidating and has understandable rules! (Haiku, not children!)

Keely’s very demanding cat contemplating her review of Morning, Sunshine! (photo by Keely Parrack)

Why did you pick the creatures you did? Do you have any favorites that you had to leave out of the final text?

I started with a whole load of poems, but knew I had to limit the number of creatures and events, to fit the number of pages I had to play with. My editor and I quickly realized we had to keep three things in mind for the books structure to work.

1 – the settings are in a repeated pattern, suburban, urban, rural.

We wanted it to be inclusive, representing urban, suburban and rural areas, so every child could see something similar to their own environment.

 2 – dawn to sunrise timeline

The creatures had to appear in the order that they would, no bees at dawn, or dawn chorus at sunrise!

3- variation of subject

The creatures and natural events needed to be spaced out from each other, so no bird after bird or insect after insect.  

We built a spread sheet to figure it all out and some of my favorite creatures had to go, like butterflies and raccoons. But they were replaced by some wonderful creatures like foxes and deer. It was a tough call!

Do you have your own favorite dawn-time creatures? Did you get up early up to watch some for research (and fun)?

One of my favorite experiences writing this book was getting up really early and going down to the end of an area nearby, where the road ends and turns into scrub land. There are a lot of houses, then a small patch of land with some trees and a grass walkway, next to a fenced-off water reservoir and a lot of overgrown bushes. While I was waiting for the sun to rise, rabbits hopped by my feet and birds called across the water, then suddenly from nowhere a deer family stepped out of the shadows. It was amazing, they’re so big up close, and to just step out from the shadows and suddenly be there seemed like a miracle. And that’s how the deer haiku pretty much wrote itself!

One of Keely’s inspirations: deer at dawn by her home (photo by Keely Parrack).

Some picture book writers shy away from challenging words, but I see you have found a way to introduce new words in context and have followed up with a rich glossary at the back. Was that part of your initial concept, too? Was it difficult to figure out which big words to feature?

 I have always been a big fan of not dumbing down for kids, so I always wanted a glossary, plus words are so much fun! The words were ones I thought could either use a little more explanation and context or were just excellent words that are wonderful to say like ‘crepuscular’ and binky! I do think there’s a sort of magical power in words, and it’s great fun to discover new ones. And here’s a secret, I’m actually a terrible speller, so having a glossary to quickly refer back to, for me as a child, was always wonderful!

What was your writing journey like from idea to finding a home for your manuscript?

 It was a long and winding road, with many different versions being written then abandoned. It started out as just fun for me, then every time I showed it to my writer friends, they’d love it, which gave me the motivation to carry on. But I mostly worked on other things and had stopped even thinking about it until an editor at North Atlantic Books mentioned they were looking to expand their children’s books.  asked if they would be interested in a non-fiction picture book written in haiku that took place from dawn to sunrise and she said yes, send it! From then it was full speed ahead.

Morning, Sunshine! by Keely Parrack, illustrated by John Bajet (North Atlantic Books)

Were you surprised by any of John Bajet’s drawings? Do you have any personal favorites?

 The team at North Atlantic Books were wonderful to work with and kept me very involved with the whole choosing the illustrator process, so I already knew how much I loved John Bajet’s work, but I was still surprised in a wonderful way when I got an actual copy of Morning, Sunshine! His art really brings the words alive, and I love the richness of his colors and textures. There are so many gorgeous details!

How does it feel to have a brand new picture book out in the world? Any feedback from your husband, son or cat?

It feels surreal and wonderful to have a book out in the world, but the best part is sharing it with children and talking about creativity and nature with them. My husband and son are super happy and proud about it. My cat loves it but feels she should really get more credit, being my constant writing companion and muse. As it came out during Covid lockdown she did have her own Morning, Sunshine! social media book tour around our house, which I think she enjoyed very much!

This snail was one of Keely’s inspirations for her book (photo by Keely Parrack)

As a former elementary school teacher, how do you envision teachers using Morning, Sunshine! In the classroom?

 I’m thinking as a teacher here, and how we would have used it in the school I used to teach in. We worked very collaboratively and built a theme-based curriculum together for years K, 1 and 2, so with Morning, Sunshine! as the inspiration, in music, we’d make our own dawn chorus bringing in different instruments, ‘birds’, in one by one until we were all playing together then gradually reducing it down again. For science, we’d go on nature walks around the school grounds, taking notes and drawings of our findings, maybe even recording the sounds we could hear, then coming back to the classroom, sharing findings, asking questions – what did we see, where, why do we think they were there what were they doing etc. We’d explore our local geography, maybe build a map, what do suburban, urban, and rural places look like, what do they have in common? What are the differences? Why could that be? For math lots of sorting creatures with the same number of legs, paws, wings etc. and multiplication, addition and subtraction of different creatures with different variables, such as amounts of legs, number of wings, etc. For Earth science we’d investigate light and sound waves, as well as how and why the sun appears to move across the sky, how the and moon and Earth orbit, and where the Earth’s axis and equator are and why! And of course artwork, both creative art and observational drawings. Oh, and we would build a shared role play area as a garden or a forest with the children, for them to play discovering nature in!

 All of that without even getting started on the language art elements of creative writing, poetry, note taking, fact finding, and discussions!

 So far, I’ve used Morning, Sunshine! to talk to children in grades K-5 about nature and poetry, and children in grades 6-8 to explore the creative writing process, and both have been equally engaged.

What do you hope children will find in the book?

 Hope, a fascination with nature, and a lot of fun!

 Anything you’d like to add?

 My website has downloadable materials for anyone to use, including a nature notebook, and how to fun sheets on how to make a spider and a snail out of paper bag handles!

Thanks, Keely! Be sure to visit Keely on social media.

On her website: keelyparrack.com

On Facebook: Keely L Parrack

On Twitter: @keelyinkster

On Instagram: @keelyinkster

Downloadable resources on Keely’s website: click here

Connect with Keely on social media!

On her website: keelyparrack.com

On Facebook: Keely L Parrack, Children’s Book Author

On Twitter: @keelyinkster

On Instagram: keelyinkster

A DREAM COME TRUE: DARLENE BECK JACOBSON'S JOURNEY WITH HER MAGICAL NEW BOOK

In Wishes, Dares, and How to Stand Up to a Bully, a boy named Jack catches a fish that seems to grant wishes. It’s an oddly perfect premise not just for this book, told through the eyes of a boy missing his faraway soldier father, but also about author Darlene Beck Jacobson’s journey in finding this story. It came to her in a dream, almost as if she’d wished on a fish for it; every day she went back to Jack and asked him to share his story about wishes, dares and bullies with her.

Darlene is a former teacher and speech therapist who has loved writing since she was a girl.  She is also a lover of history and can often be found mining dusty closets and drawers in search of skeletons from her past. She enjoys adding these bits of her ancestry to stories such as her award-winning middle grade historical novel Wheels of Change (Creston 2014). She lives and writes her stories in New Jersey with her family and a house full of dust bunnies. Be sure to check out her wonderful Darlene Beck-Jacobson website, with a blog that features recipes, activities, crafts, articles on nature, book reviews, and interviews with children’s book authors and illustrators.

Darlene Beck Jacobson

I found your book surprising, inspiring, lyrical and profound. In your Author’s Note, you say you woke in early June 2018 with the name JACK, the premise “of a boy who is missing his father who is at war” and the conviction that you would write it in free verse. What do you think inspired your dream of this character, this story and your certainty of how to write it?

I’ve wondered this myself and the more I ponder it, the more I realize divine intervention was at work. I had completed several projects since my debut book Wheels of Change (Creston) in 2014, but for one reason or another, they didn’t become books. I had finished a draft of an MG historical, but it didn’t feel ready to send out and I wasn’t ready to do any more revisions on it. There was nothing else percolating in my head, no grand idea, no voice crying out to be heard, nothing that excited me. I was empty of ideas. Until. When I woke up with Jack’s voice in my head, I tingled, and nearly vibrated with excitement. The more he talked to me, the more I realized I had to listen. For those out there who believe in God or a spiritual entity, you will know that when you leave space, when you are quiet and listening, there is room to hear. That moment of awakening, before anything can intrude, is a wonderful open window of possibility. Jack’s voice, so loud and strong, so raw and unfiltered, so sad and emotional, cried out to be heard. And I wanted to write his words the way I heard them, which ended up being a stream-of-consciousness style, perfect for the free verse format.

An illustration in Wishes, Dares, & How To Stand Up to a Bully by Darlene Beck Jacobson (Creston Books)

Can you tell us about the book’s journey? How many drafts did you write? At what point did you share it with your critique partners and your agent?

The first thing I did after Jack’s introduction, was develop a list of four letter words (The working title for the book was FISH, WISH, AND OTHER FOUR LETTER WORDS, hence the list). Each day I’d choose from the list and sit down with Jack and ask “What do you want to tell me about FEAR, DARK, KATY, JILL, SAFE, or whatever the word might be. When I was about 15 or so poems into the story I read the entries with two critique buddies at an impromptu sharing session. I just wanted feedback to see if it was something I should continue to pursue. They were excited and encouraged me to keep at it. I completed the first draft in a little over three months. I sent it to a couple of Beta readers for feedback, most of which had to do with rearranging some of the poems, keeping the main storyline of Jack making the right wish front and center, adding some scenes of tension and suspense, and ramping up the stakes for Jack and his friend Jill. After that series of revisions, I sent it to my agent, Liza Fleissig, less than six months after that wake-up call.

Did you always know it would take place in the 1960s and largely over the space of one summer?

When Jack began telling me his story, I wasn’t sure when and where it was taking place. As I got further into it, and his sister Katy and new friend Jill became larger and more fleshed out, I knew the story had to be during a more “innocent” — yet still modern — era of the past. No cell phones or electronic gadgets, no worry about kids being out all day unsupervised. A time when it was okay to be out riding bikes, playing, fishing, and hanging out without adults nearby. But also a time where exciting new things were on the horizon. Polio vaccines, space travel, Instamatic cameras, color television, were a few examples of the latest technology. The early sixties – the era that I grew up in — fit that criteria.

Darlene Beck Jacobson at 12

How long did it take you to find your editor and publisher? How much did the manuscript change along the way?

After I sent the manuscript to my agent, she sent it to her two editor/readers for immediate feedback. There were two differing opinions on it. One suggested that if I kept the free-verse format, I should try and expand on it and consider a contemporary time period for the story. The other editor suggested I try writing the story in prose. Frustrating to say the least. But while I pondered whether or not to make any changes, my agent suggest we send the manuscript to Marissa Moss at Creston Books since she’d published my debut novel and was looking for another one from me. It was now October of 2018. In early December my agent called and said Marissa wanted the story. I asked, “In historical free-verse, just as it is?” Absolutely, she said. And that was it. Eight months from idea to sale…the fastest turn-around I’d ever experienced in publishing.

What was your reaction to the book cover illustration? Was it what you envisioned?

I think the notebook idea is brilliant and all the credit for that goes to Simon Stahl, the art director and designer at Creston. He was very open to my feedback regarding what to include in the drawings and the colors as well. The notebook ties together Jack and his poems about the summer he spends with Gran and Pops, and also the notebook his dad wrote when he was Jack’s age. And the winking one-eyed fish A.K.A. FRED, who grants the wishes, was the perfect addition. Every time I look at it, with that sly smile, I wonder just what that fish is thinking, something Jack wondered too.

Wheels of Change by Darlene Beck Jacobson (Creston Books)

What are the challenges and rewards of writing in free verse? Are there chapters you labored over more than others?

The novel-in-verse format really gets to the heart of the matter. It allows the characters to bring conflict/worries/problems out into the open without a lot of scene setting and back story. Dialogue doesn’t have to be in quotes, and words can be laid out in unusual ways on the page. For me that was liberating, rather than confining. I felt like I was listening to Jack read his diary, since the things he spoke of were so personal and life-changing. There was also a freedom in re-arranging poems to be sure they were moving the story along at the right pace. I love the free-verse format and hope to work with it again.

One of the many things I love about Wishes, Dares, and How To Stand Up to a Bully is the way we learn about ourselves and the world along with Jack — with twists that make sense in retrospect. Did you know where you were going all along with the characters or were you yourself surprised as you were writing?

When I began, I knew about Jack and the journey he was going to take regarding how to cope with his dad’s MIA status. I knew he was upset having to spend the whole summer with his grandparents, instead of at home where things were at least familiar. I also knew this was going to be a friendship story. But, it wasn’t until Jack met Jill that I realized it was also about Jill’s struggles with her recently-turned-bully brother Cody. And, more deeply, how those struggles were part of Jack’s own struggles as well. Jack and Jill’s shared journey through the events of summer became clearer as they got to know one another. As I got further into the writing, it also became clear that five-year-old Katy would have a bigger role. And it wasn’t until half way through the story that I realized Jack needed something from Dad’s past to help him on his present journey – the notebook.

One of the most profound revelations for Jack is that people may be bullies because of insecurity and unhappiness and that they can change. What do you hope kids will take away from Jack’s journey?

I hope kids will realize that bullies can’t rule over us unless we give them our permission. That each of us has the power to stop someone from being bullied. That being kind is a powerful thing. That treating others the way we want to be treated means walking in someone else’s shoes and understanding how that feels. That talking about issues like bullying and loss of a parent is one way of shining a light on a difficult thing. Whenever we shine light on a problem, we give it meaning and a chance to be heard, and a chance to work toward a solution. As Jack says in the story, “Do the right thing, not the easy thing”.

You’ve created such a rich tapestry of characters and relationships. Are there any you relate to more than others? Any that borrow from people you know or have known?

Thank so much Nancy, for the kind words about the book! I think one of the reasons this story was easier to write than many others I’ve worked on is because I was able to channel my own childhood. I spent many summers with my younger sister in the 1960’s, doing the things the characters are doing in the story. Even with the undercurrent of serious social change and conflict, summer seemed like a carefree and mostly happy time. I wanted the story to reflect that, despite all the challenges and emotional issues that Jack, Jill, and their families experienced. Katy, Jack’s five-year-old sister, is one of my favorites because she sees everyone as family and reaches out with kindness, even when Jack, or the rest of us, might not think kindness is deserved. She understands on a basic, untainted-by-age level, that kindness always matters.

What’s up next for you?

I am working on a couple projects. One is an MG historical set in the 1920’s and my current WIP is a contemporary middle grade novel in verse.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes. Teachers should know there are activity sheets, curriculum guides, word search puzzles for both my books on my website.

Visit Darlene on social media!

On her website: www.darlenebeckjacobson.com

On Twitter: @DBeckJacobson

On Facebook: Darlene Jacobson

Marcie Wessels’ Outside the box search FOR 'The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box'

The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box by Marcie Wessels, illustrated by Beatriz Castro (Sterling Publishing)

Marcie Wessel’s journey with her new picture book biography, The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: the Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer, began with her son’s love for another book, blended with her husband’s love for video games and sprang to life with the discovery of an unpublished memoir by her subject. Fittingly for the San Diego, California-based author who likes to write about games, Marcie likes to play games — board games, specifically, with Scrabble as her favorite. And while Ralph Baer tinkered with and invented machines, Marcie tinkers with words and invents stories, starting with her debut picture book, Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime (illustrated by Tim Bowers, Doubleday Books for Young Readers).

How did you hear about Ralph Baer? What made you want to write about him?

The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box: The Story of Video Game Inventor Ralph Baer was inspired by my son. A bit of a reluctant reader, he fell in love with Whoosh: Lonnie Johnson’s Super Soaking Stream of Inventions (Charlesbridge, 2016), written by Chris Baron and illustrated by Don Tate. The subject of the book was so kid-friendly, it inspired me to look into the history of other toys and games. Like many kids, my son loves video games. “Who invented video games?” I wondered. As I began to conduct research about the history of video games, I came across Ralph Baer’s name. I had never heard of Baer before. Neither had my husband who had grown up playing video games.

Whoosh! by Chris Barton, illustrated by Don Tate (Charlesbridge) inspired Marcie Wessels to write The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box

The more I learned about Baer’s pioneering work, the more I felt his story needed to be told. Kids today have always grown up with video games but video games haven’t always existed. And Baer’s work was crucial to their creation. I’m not much of a gamer but I am a fan of Ralph Baer! Early on in the project, I was able to obtain a copy of Baer’s unpublished memoir from The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. It was a discovery that helped me connect with Baer in a completely different way.

I had read articles, watched interviews, and even read Baer’s book, Video Games: In the Beginning, but I never had the chance to meet him in person. Having his memoir, reading his story in his own words, helped me get a better feel for his personality. Baer was a fun-loving guy, a real Renaissance man, and a consummate story teller. On a personal level, I connected with Baer’s curiosity, his adventurous spirit, and his desire to create. Ralph Baer had such a long and distinguished life.

The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box by Marcie Wessels, illustrated by Beatriz Castro (Sterling Books)

How big a challenge was it to give a sense of his many inventions, while staying focused on his invention of the first video game?

A really big challenge! With over 150 registered patents, Baer’s life and accomplishments could easily fill the pages of a novel. But since I was writing a picture book, I only had 40 pages. In the earliest drafts of the manuscript, I tried to include more information, but these drafts turned out to be pretty dry. They read more like a newspaper article than a picture book. In conversations with my agent, we developed an organizer to help maintain focus. “Box” was the word that emerged. Playing with the word “box” and various idioms (“boxed in”, “think outside the box”, “idiot box”) helped the story arc became more focused and eventually led to the title of the book.

Your first sentence sets up the thread that weaves through the story beautifully: “On the streets of Cologne, Germany, a boy named Ralph Baer made his own fun.” Did you have that sentence from the start? If not, how long did it take you to find it?

Play was a theme from the very beginning but the first sentence was probably the last (or the second to last) sentence that I wrote. Baer obviously didn’t have video games growing up but inventing was a form of play for Baer. And even though technology has radically changed the way we play, the desire to have fun is a constant across generations. Baer wanted to create products that would delight and entertain, an impulse that stemmed from his own desire to play and to invent.

I was also impressed by how you acknowledged the enormous burden of being a Jewish child persecuted in Nazi Germany and yet stayed on task with what the story was about — a boy who thought outside the box to make his own fun.

Baer faced many challenges in his life. His early life experience undoubtedly shaped his personality and helped him develop the creativity and resourcefulness for which he is known.

Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code by Laurie Wallmark (illustrated by Katie Wu, Sterling Books) was another inspiration for Marcie Wessels

Can you tell us about your book journey, from idea to acquired manuscript? How long was your revision process?

I began working on the idea in the fall of 2016. I wrote numerous drafts and submitted the manuscript for critique at two SCBWI conferences. In the fall of 2017, my agent sent the manuscript out on submission. While we were waiting to hear back from editors, I read Laurie Wallmark’s Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer (2017), illustrated by Katy Wu. I noticed that Laurie’s book was a part of Sterling’s People Who Shaped Our World Series. People Who Shaped Our World? Ralph Baer certainly did that! My manuscript seemed like great fit for Sterling’s list. With my agent’s blessing, I submitted to Sterling via mail. A few months later, it was picked out of the slush pile. By early 2018, I had an offer.

The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box by Marcie Wessels, illustrated by Beatriz Castro (Sterling Books)

How do you feel about Beatriz Castro’s illustrations? Was there anything that surprised you? Do you have any favorite spreads?

I couldn’t be happier! Since the day my editor shared Beatriz’s portfolio with me, I’ve been a fan. She was the perfect choice to illustrate The Boy Who Thought Outside the Box! I love her color palette. Her interior scenes have such great detail. And Beatriz did an amazing job depicting the changes in hairstyle, clothing, and furnishing across five decades in two different countries. No small feat! My favorite spread is in the middle of the book. It depicts Baer and his fellow soldiers listening to the radio that he built from scratch.

Marcie Wessels sitting on the RALPH BAER MEMORIAL BENCH on May 10, 2019 in Manchester, New Hampshire after its unveiling and dedication in Arms Park. He is honored with a bench, she explains, because “Ralph Baer was sitting on a bench, waiting for a bus, when he wrote up the design documents outlining his TV gaming idea.”

You dedicated the book to gamers everywhere. Do you have any favorite gamers in your life who are getting a kick out this book?

Yes, my husband and son!

What do you hope kids will take away from this book?

I hope kids will enjoy learning a bit about the history of video games. More importantly, I hope it will inspire kids to be “out of the box thinkers” like Ralph Baer.

Marcie is also the author of Pirate’s Lullaby, Mutiny at Bedtime, illustrated by Tim Bowers (Doubleday Books for Young Readers)

Follow Marcie on social media!

On her website: marciewessels.com

On Facebook: @MarcieRinkaWessels

On Facebook: @MarcieWessels

On Facebook: @boyralphbaer

On Instagram: @mwessels

On Twitter: @MarcieDWessels

Baby Loves Political Science Democracy!...and her author, Ruth Spiro!

This is an election year and Ruth Spiro, author of the Baby Loves Science board book series, published by Charlesbridge, has a perfect new election-themed series that kicks off with Baby Loves Political Science: Democracy!

Ruth is a frequent speaker at schools and conferences, including the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Colorado Book & Arts Festival, Maker Faire Milwaukee, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the World Science Festival.

A lot of research goes into writing books that break down complicated topics into ideas a child can digest. We are thrilled that Ruth stopped by THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE to share her inspiration for her popular titles, including Baby Loves Aerospace Engineering, Baby Loves Coding and Baby Loves Gravity and now Baby Loves Political Science: Democracy!

What was your inspiration for Baby Loves Political Science: DEMOCRACY!

The idea for this new book actually came from the team at Charlesbridge. We’re always discussing ways to expand the series and they suggested I explore the upcoming election and how our government works.

Did you have any hesitation moving from science to political science? Did this present any fresh challenges?

When I begin each new book it always feels like an insurmountable hurdle, and this topic was no different! But I enjoy the research process and the challenge of figuring out the most important “nuggets” of information to include. I approached this new topic in the same way I have with all the others, but the hardest part was narrowing down my focus. There was so much more I wanted to include but had to maintain the same limit of ten spreads as with the other books in the series.

 The biggest dilemma was how to explain an election and the “every vote counts” message despite the confusing nature of the Electoral College. So, you’ll notice in the illustrations that we sidestep this problem by featuring a mayoral election.

Baby Loves Political Science Democracy! by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Greg Paprocki (Charlesbridge)

You’ve transformed what we think of baby books with your Baby Loves Science series. Can you tell how that series came about? 

Wow, that’s quite a compliment!

 Back in 2010, The New York Times ran the article “Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children” (www.nytimes.com/2010/10/08/us/08picture.html). It attributed a drop in overall picture book sales to the misguided choice some parents were making to bypass picture books for their very young children in favor of more “sophisticated” reading material. I was discussing the article with friends and wondered aloud, “What do these parents want, quantum physics for babies?” The more I thought about it, I realized this was an idea with potential.

 But while it seemed like a good idea, I knew that my books would need to be accurate and age-appropriate if they were going to have value. I learned that the best way to make the concepts less abstract would be to relate each topic to a familiar real-world experience or observation. I spent several months researching the science, in search of the best “story” for each book. Then, once I had a thick folder full of research and notes I began researching child development to learn more about my intended audience. I’d previously written picture books, but I envisioned these as board books for babies and toddlers. So, I read scholarly articles about the acquisition of language and early literacy, as well as piles and piles of board books.

I think the reason these books have become popular is that they work on several levels. They’re beautiful to look at and appeal to even very young babies who do not yet understand the words. As children grow and develop, they can relate the concept to something familiar, such as watching a bird fly or building a house with blocks. Importantly, they also appeal to the parents and caregivers who buy them because they feel they’re learning something too.

You have a knack for taking complicated, abstract ideas and making them simple and concrete for kids. Is your process as simple as the result? How much work does it take to boil these ideas down to an accessible essence?

As I mentioned earlier, I first need to immerse myself in research. The next step is to decide what’s most important and also most relevant to a young child’s world. Once I have these in mind, I set about creating a narrative thread that incorporates these points. The challenge is to make it all seem simple and seamless – and this often involves dozens of drafts and revisions!

How long was the journey from the idea for Baby Loves Political Science: DEMOCRACY! to finished manuscript? Did it change much? If so, what were the biggest changes?

Your question prompted me to look back through my correspondence and I’m shocked to see that from idea to publication, this book came together in less than a year. (No wonder last summer was a blur in my mind, I was busy working on deadline!) In fact, the schedule was so tight that we had to bring in another illustrator because Irene Chan was already working on three other Baby Loves Science books. Greg Paprocki stepped in and did an amazing job of maintaining a similar look, while adding his own unique style.

 Did you and your editor purposefully time the release for a presidential election year?

Yes, I believe that all along the plan was to release this book during the time children would be seeing and hearing about the upcoming election. We wanted to give parents and caregivers a way of explaining what was going on – rallies, political signs, election day – in a nonpartisan and age-appropriate way. But the nice thing is that while it’s especially relevant this year, the topic is also “evergreen” and important even without the backdrop of an election.

Baby Loves Science board books by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Grace Chan (Charlesbridge)

How do you like the illustrations? Do you have any favorite spreads?

I absolutely love the illustrations! I was apprehensive when I learned that Irene Chan couldn’t fit this book into her schedule, but Greg Paprocki is a seasoned professional and knew how to make it work. If I had to pick a favorite spread, I’d say it’s the last one.

What do you hope kids will take away from it?

As I was writing this book I was struck by the fact that many of our future mayors, governors, senators – even Presidents – have already been born. At this very minute they may be riding in a stroller or splashing in the bathtub! Today’s children are our future voters and future leaders, and I want them to feel empowered to use their voices and make a difference in the world.

What’s up next for you? Should we expect Baby to explore more political science and other subjects, too?

I’m happy to report that yes, more Baby Loves books are in the works. First, Baby Loves Political Science will be a four-book series! Look for the next titles to be released in late 2020 and early 2021.

Baby Loves Political Science Justice! by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Greg Paprocki (Charlesbridge)

Also, last fall the first two books in the new Baby Loves the Five Senses group (Hearing, Sight) came out and the remaining three (Taste, Touch, Smell) will be released this August, along with a boxed set of all five together.

Baby Loves the Five Senses: Sight! (Baby Loves Science) by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Grace Chan (Charlesbridge)

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yes. I’m tired! (LOL)

Visit Ruth on social media!

On Facebook: Ruth Spiro Author

On Twitter: @RuthSpiro

On Instagram: @RuthSpiro

TWIRLING with Valerie Bolling and her PB debut: Let’s Dance!

Talk about something to dance about! Valerie Bolling had a dream, a tweet and now a debut picture book, Let’s Dance!, thanks to an editor who saw and loved that tweet. Valerie has been an educator for more than 25 years. She graduated from Tufts University and Columbia University, Teachers College and currently works as an Instructional Coach with middle and high school teachers. In addition to writing picture books, Valerie writes a Monthly Memo for teachers that she publishes on Twitter, and has been published in The National Writing Project’s Quarterly and NESCBWI News. Valerie is a member of NCTE, SCBWI, the NESCBWI Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Authors Guild, the WNDB Mentorship Program, #12X12PB, 2020 Diverse Debuts and 20/20 Vision Picture Books. She and her husband live in Connecticut and enjoy traveling, hiking, reading, going to theater, and dancing. Welcome, Valerie. We’re excited you’re sharing your amazing journey on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

You’re a debut picture book author — congratulations! — but you date your love of writing back to when you were four. Please share that lightbulb moment when you decided you would become a picture book author and what that journey has been like.

Though I’ve always been a writer, Nancy, I didn’t decide until three years ago that I wanted to explore the world of picture book writing and the possibility of having a book published. Inspired by a visit from my nieces in December 2016, I wrote two stories in which each of them was the protagonist (I Do and The Greatest Gift). I also found a story I wrote when I taught 5th grade (Come In! Come In!) as well as a story I wrote a number of years before (Play Date), and I revised them. Then, I began to pursue my goal of becoming a published writer. I spoke to people who I believed could be helpful resources – and they were – and I wrote and wrote and wrote. And revised even more. In June of 2017, I started writing query letters to agents and editors and participating in Twitter pitches. Let’s Dance! was “liked” in a Twitter pitch, and a couple of weeks after sending the manuscript to Jes Negrón (an editor at Boyds Mills & Kane), she expressed interest in publishing the book!

Valerie with her nieces (and fans) Anyah and Zorah

What was your inspiration for Let’s Dance!?

Who doesn’t like to dance? I realize there are some who don’t, but most of the people I know love to “get down.” I wanted to write a book depicting the joy of dancing. Whenever music is played, children start to dance, including my nieces, Zorah and Anyah. Babies who can barely walk will sway and/or raise their hands. This book also celebrates the universality of dance. After all, dance is a language we all speak, even though we have different “accents.”

Tell us more about the Twitter pitch that caught Jes Negrón’s attention. Why did you participate in the PB Pitch, how did you craft your pitch?

I’m a big supporter of Twitter pitches, Nancy. They present a fabulous opportunity for writers to get noticed, and it’s so easy to participate. I participate in Twitter pitches (#PBPitch, #PitMad, #DVPit, and #FaithPitch) whenever they’re offered. You need a succinct, snappy pitch for your manuscript. The words must fit together, convey what the book is about, and fit within certain confines (280-word maximum). Sometimes a pitch has to go through about as many revisions as a story! And don’t forget to add appropriate hashtags! Here’s my #PBPitch pitch for Let’s Dance! that received a “like” from Jes Negrón at Boyds Mills & Kane: A girl dances the cha-cha-cha; a boy zig-zag-zigs in his wheelchair. Dancing is a universal language, even though we all have different "accents." This is a story that leaves no doubt that dancing is for everyone! #PBPitch #POC #OWN #DIS That Twitter pitch was in June of 2018. I sent Jes my manuscript on June 18, 2018, and she emailed me two weeks later on July 2, requesting to have a conversation. During “the call,” Jes expressed her interest in acquiring the story!

A girl dances the cha-cha-cha; a boy zig-zag-zigs in his wheelchair. Dancing is a universal language, even though we all have different "accents." This is a story that leaves no doubt that dancing is for everyone! #PBPitch #POC #OWN #DIS

Valerie Bolling’s Twitter pitch that led to the acquisition of Let’s Dance!

Please share the journey from pitch to finished book.

Once the book was acquired and the contract signed, Jes asked me to share my vision for illustrations, which she liked. Three months later, however, she shared that she felt my words could be matched to cultural dances to make the book more global. I thought this was a fabulous idea! I didn’t have to change any of my words or make edits to coordinate with this new vision. In fact, the only “edit” to the original manuscript was the deletion of two stanzas. Though I never communicated with Maine Diaz, the phenomenal illustrator, Jes included me in the decision to select her as the illustrator, shared her sketches with me throughout the process, and used my input to suggest revisions. Later on, Jes asked me to write back matter for the book, two-sentence descriptions about each dance. I feel so fortunate to have had Jes as an editor, especially as an unagented debut author. She’s amazing!

Valerie Bolling presenting her book, Let’s Dance!, illustrated by Maine Diaz (Boyds, Mills & Kane)

How long did it take? How did the manuscript change along the way?

I wrote my first draft of Let’s Dance! in June of 2017, at which time it was entitled I Love to Dance, as this line was repeated throughout the book. When I shared it with Marianne McShane, a friend, who is a writer, storyteller, and retired librarian, she suggested I read Watersong by Tim McCanna as a mentor text and that I start the story with a line that appeared later in the text: “Tappity-tap/Fingers snap.” Her recommendations helped significantly in revising the book. Since I started querying it in January of 2018, it took six months.

Watersong by Tim McCanna, illustrated by Richard Smythe (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books), was a mentor text for Valerie as she worked on Let’s Dance!

Did you envision from the start the diversity of kids that are evoked by Maine Diaz’ illustrations? Are there any illustrations that particularly surprised or delighted you?

I made clear to Jes from the beginning, Nancy, that I wanted this book to feature children of color and those who are not often seen in picture books. I wanted to ensure that Let’s Dance! would be inclusive, and Jes assured me that she would honor my vision, which she did. I explicitly said for the ballet spread, “I want a boy wearing a tutu!” That illustration particularly pleased me because the gender of the child is indiscernible, which is even better! (The tutu and shoes are blue, however.) The entire ballet spread is not what one typically imagines when thinking of a ballet dancer. I absolutely love it!

You have been an educator for more than 25 years. How does it feel to have your very own book to share with students?

It’s been fabulous! My former students have been particularly supportive. They have congratulated me on Facebook, and a number of them came to my launch celebration, some with their own children! That was incredibly special for me! Having the opportunity to share my book with students in the school district where I’ve been an educator for 27 years has also been fantastic. My first audience for Let’s Dance! was at the middle school where I last held a classroom position. (I now work as an Instructional Coach.) What’s interesting is that though the book is suggested for ages 3 – 7, those 6th graders were excited about Let’s Dance! and asked great questions during the Q & A. After the reading, a media specialist told me that one of the students asked to check out the book. That certainly made my day! Later that day, I read to 5th graders at another school who also enjoyed the book. I share these examples to illustrate that just as anyone can enjoy dancing, regardless of age, anyone can enjoy a book, regardless of the age group for whom it’s intended.

Valerie reading Let’s Dance! to students

What has your family’s reaction been like? What do your nieces think?

My family has been supportive, as one would hope. My husband says he’s my “number one fan,” and my mother is proud. My nieces are happy for me, too. Anyah, who is six, told her teacher that she’s famous because her name is in a book (in the dedication). At my launch celebration, Zorah, who’s eight, asked if I do school visits because she wanted me to come to her school. I was planning to take a personal day, so that I could do that, but then the pandemic hit. Who knows when any of us will return to school now?

How do you hope parents and educators will use Let’s Dance! with their kids?

There are so many possibilities, Nancy. Educators and parents should use the book in the way that most meets their children’s needs, just as they would with planning any assignment/activity. Most recently, I’ve been “marketing” my book as a great distance learning movement break. Parents can read Let’s Dance! while children act out the words. Of course, there can be musical accompaniment, too! A few other ideas are: Locate on a map the countries from where the dances originate; write about or draw a picture of a dance not represented in the book; research more about a particular dance or dancer. I’m currently in the process of writing an activity guide for the book where I’ll share more suggestions. Most of all, I hope adults enjoy this book as much as children and will create their own ideas to complement Let’s Dance! and I hope they’ll share them with me! What are your favorite dances to do and watch?

Do you have any pictures of yourself dancing that you can share with us?

I enjoy all forms of dance; I’m not sure I have a favorite. I’ve taken African and Modern dance classes. Of course, one doesn’t need formal training to dance and have fun. Play music that gets you going and groove! For myself, certain rhythms and beats call to me, and I have to respond. (I’ve included some pictures of myself dancing.) I enjoy watching dance performances, too. I love Alvin Ailey, especially “Wade in the Water,” and I like “Stomp,” ballet performances, and seeing dancers in musicals. Professional dancers are extremely talented! It’s been challenging for all of us who are picture book authors to have books releasing books during the shutdown for this pandemic.

Valerie dancing!

Valerie dancing with her husband.

How have you been coping and adjusting to plans that have changed?

It has been challenging, Nancy, having events cancelled, but I’ve been exploring other ideas, particularly virtual events. I’m grateful for these opportunities, but they aren’t a substitute for being physically close to young readers and signing books for them. Fortunately, I was able to experience a few events – including my book launch celebration – before the pandemic, and I look forward to more when it’s safe to interact with one another again.

What’s next for you?

I’m always revising several manuscripts at a time, so that’s the majority of my work. I wrote a new manuscript a couple of weeks ago, and I’d like to write a picture book biography about an inspirational female. I’m also writing responses to interviews (like this one!), working on an activity guide, and, as I said in the previous question, re-imagining how to get the word out about Let’s Dance!, virtually, since my in-person events have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Is there anything you would like to add?

The only thing I’d like to add, Nancy, is that I hope people enjoy my book and, if so, that they’ll write a review and post it on Amazon and Goodreads. Positive reviews are beneficial in marketing a book. Especially during the pandemic when my face-to-face events have been cancelled, I’m trying to figure out other ways to share Let’s Dance! with children. Since parents are the ones who purchase books, they may be more selective now about which ones they buy, so reviews matter. Thank you for taking the time to interview me, Nancy, and I thank your readers for taking the time to read this detailed interview. If they’ve read through this entire interview, they should take a dance break!

Valerie and her husband taking a dance break!

Thanks, Valerie, for dancing with us. Visit Valerie on social media!

On her website: valeriebolling.com

On Twitter: @valerie_bolling

On Instagram: valeriebollingauthor  and letsdancebook

Annette PimentEl and Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins GO 'All the Way to the Top'

Annette Bay Pimentel loves to write about people who are still alive — that gives her the chance to talk with the and include first-hand stories and words in her books. For All the Way to the Top (illustrated by Nabi H. Ali; Sourcebooks), she interviewed Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins multiple times about what it was like growing up in a wheelchair and what gave her the courage and determination to fight for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandated equal access for people with physical challenges. She interviewed Bobbi Gibb for Girl Running (illustrated by Micha Archer,;Nancy Paulsen).

Annette’s books have won many awards. Girl Running was a 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection, NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book, 2019 Golden Kite Honor, LDSPMA 2019 Praiseworthy Award, Texas Topaz Nonfiction Title, Maine Chickadee Award nominee, Vermont Red Clover Book Award nominee and a Maryland Black-eyed Susan Award nominee. Her Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook up the National Park Service (illustrated by Rich Lo; Charlesbridge) won the Carter G. Woodson Award from the National Council of Social Studies, was a Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Notable Children’s Book and 2016 Eureka! Honor Book from California Reading Association.  Annette lives in Moscow, Idaho. One more fun fact: she’s the fifth child of a fifth child of a fifth child; she married a fifth child and she has 5 + 1 children. Welcome, Annette, to The Kids Are All Write!

Annette Bay Pimental

How and when did you learn about Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins? What inspired you to write her story?

Of all the laws that have passed in my adulthood, I believe the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has had perhaps the most pervasive impact on our culture. It brought not only sidewalk curb cuts and Braille elevator panels but also much deeper changes. My elementary school certainly didn’t accommodate children with disabilities, but my children attended school with kids with all sorts of disabilities.

A book about a law sounded dry, but I knew lots of people had worked to get the ADA passed. And stories about people are never dry! I considered writing about several different activists, but when I stumbled across Jennifer’s name and read her story, I knew my search was over. I could write about the ADA from a child’s perspective and show what a difference a single child can make.

Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins

Jennifer wrote a moving foreword to your book. How did that come about? How involved was she in the development of All the Way to the Top? 

While I knew I wanted to write Jennifer’s story, I also realized I needed her voice to be part of that story. After some false starts, I managed to contact her online. She graciously welcomed me, a stranger, into her life. I interviewed Jennifer and her mom several times and came back to them repeatedly with questions. They dug out their old photos and mementoes. And they did all this while Jennifer was working on her final college courses!

One reason I wanted to publish with Sourcebooks is that they were, from the beginning, enthusiastic about having Jennifer write part of the text for the book. She worked separately with our editor, Kate Prosswimmer, on the foreword.

And then, just when the text was done, Jennifer faced an entirely new set of questions from our artist, Nabi Ali.

I have loved being able to work so closely with the subject of my book. All those niggling details I’m dying to know? I can just ask!

Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins

Did you have the title from the start? Was there an aha! moment when it came to you?

Ha! When the manuscript was finished and I needed to finally settle on a title, I spent days brainstorming. I have eight pages of possible titles.

I eventually settled on All the Way to the Top because it literally describes what happened—Jennifer climbed all the way to the top of the steps at the US Capitol—but it also figuratively describes what she was trying to make possible for children and adults with disabilities.

While I was working on the book with Jennifer, artist Gina Klawitter, did a sculpture of Jennifer. Neither of us conferred with the other on titles—we hadn’t even met yet—but Gina titled her sculpture All the Way to Freedom.

All the Way to Freedom is a sculpture by Denver artist Gina Klawitter formed directly from the posed body of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins.

What was your biggest challenge in writing the story?

I struggled with the story arc. Jennifer participated in soooo many demonstrations and protests as a child! One of my favorite was a cafeteria sit-in that she and her sister led in their elementary school (and got suspended for!), to protest kids with disabilities being barred from eating lunch with everyone else. I wanted to include all the great stories Jennifer told me, but ultimately a picture book needs to be tight and focused.

Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins

What was your greatest satisfaction?

I loved working with Jennifer. I loved interviewing her. She believes passionately in what kids can do. I feel honored to be the one to translate that passion and her story into text.

My favorite part of the manuscript to work on was the part that tells about Jennifer’s actual climb. I kept putting off that section of the manuscript because I felt intimidated, knowing it would be important to the book. But once I forced myself to get it down on paper, it was easy. I’d heard Jennifer tell the story enough that I felt like I was there, recording what I was seeing and hearing. That section of the story never did change much in the editing process.

Can you share the journey from idea to acquisition? How long did it take? How much did it change?

I contacted Jennifer in May of 2017. We received an offer from Sourcebooks in April of 2018. The story arc was in place by then, but my editor and I worked on the way kids’ understanding was scaffolded and on the refrains and repeated words in the book.

Nabi Ali illustrated ‘All the Way to the Top,’ by Annette Bay Pimental (Sourcebooks)

What did you think of the illustrations by Nabi Ali when you first saw them? Do you have a favorite spread?

I’m always surprised when I see illustrations for the first time! I was very excited to see how he had used reference photos to create entirely new images that still captured the spirit of the original photos. I especially love the spreads that show Jennifer at public protests. He manages to convey the feeling of a crowd but still keep our focus on Jennifer.

I love the repetitive use of the word GO in your book. Is that there as a reminder of how unstoppable Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and others who have physical challenges are?

Jennifer is, of course, indomitable. But she has spent many years being stopped by physical barriers. People with other types of disabilities also get stopped by attitudes and by organizational structures that don’t take disability into account. I hope the refrain of “GO” pays tribute to Jennifer in particular but also reminds my readers that they have a role in pushing for a world where people don’t get stopped simply because they have a disability.

Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins at Mobility of Denver

This is as much a story about the American Disabilities Act as it about Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, evidenced not only in the book itself, but the double timeline, one for the ADA and one for Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins. How challenging was it to interweave these stories into one in a story manageable and accessible for young readers?

One of the challenges of writing nonfiction for children is giving kids enough background to understand the story I have to tell. It makes me happy that I had to work so hard to try to explain how kids with disabilities were sidelined and ignored at the time of this story.

Your back matter is very thorough. What went into preparing and writing that?

I love back matter in nonfiction picture books and always end up with way more than I can use. My editor encouraged me to edit my back matter to make it very kid-friendly, rather than having it be a gloss on the text for adults.

What do you hope kids and their adults will take away from All the Way to the Top?

I hope they will know that kids can—and do—change our world.

Like many of us authors, you released your wonderful book in a year we had a pandemic that prevented you from presenting it in person in as many places as you might have liked. How do you feel about that challenge? How have you handled it and what is the best way for folks to help get the word out?

Jennifer has been very involved with me in promotion. The week the book came out, we had four wonderful days doing school visits and public events together. Then governors began issuing shelter-in-place orders. We’ve had a few events moved online and many more postponed.

We are participating in the Everywhere Book Festival https://everywherebookfest.com/festival-info/schedule/#day2sched and would love to have you join us there. Our book is still available wherever you buy books, and it’s always helpful when readers tell friends about All the Way to the Top either by word-of-mouth or by review on book sites.

Plus, Laurie Wallmark and I are doing a free online book party on May 15 with The Writing Barn and Book People of Austin. You can sign up by clicking here.

Is there anything you would like to add?

July 26 is the 30th anniversary of the ADA. The events that were originally planned to commemorate it are up-in-the-air now, but Jennifer and I are hoping to celebrate the way it has transformed our world. We hope others will look for ways to celebrate the ADA, too, and all the ways it has invited people to participate in our society.

Thanks, Annette, for sharing your story on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE! You can visit Annette on social media.

On her website: annettebaypimental.com

On Facebook: Annette Bay Pimental

On Twitter: @AnnettePimental

On Instagram: @annettebaypimental

Learn more about Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins on her website at jkclegacy.com. From the Sourcebooks page: Jennifer joined the disability rights movement at the age of six and has been a passionate advocate ever since. In 1990, she received the Americans With Disabilities Act Award. Jennifer received her GED in 2002 before earning a B.S. in Family and Human Development from Arizona State University, which she plans to use to help children with disability rights advocacy. She lives in Colorado with her mother, Cynthia Keelan, and her service dog Mya.

Girl Running by Annette Bay Pimental, illustrated by Micha Archer (Nancy Paulsen Press)

Mountain Chef by Annette Bay Pimental, illustrated by Rich Lo (Charlesbridge)

Taking Flight: Kirsten w. Larson and 'Wood, Wire, Wings'

Kirsten W. Larson’s journey to her debut trade book began with, you guessed it, a book. The name Emma Lilian Todd, mentioned briefly in the back of another picture book, grabbed her imagination and wouldn’t let go. Nothing deterred her, not even the challenge of collecting hard to find information on her subject. Or was it the challenge that made her want to do it even more? In any event, Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane (illustrated by Tracy Subisak, Calkins Creek), was the perfect fit for Kirsten, who used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Best of all, there’s more to come with her next book also taking kids up into the heavens with The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle, Fall 2021). We’re glad that Kirsten, who lives near Los Angeles with her husband, lhasa-poo, lots of LEGOs and two curious kids, found time to visit us on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

What was your inspiration for Wood, Wire Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane? How did you first hear about her and why did you want to write a book about her?

I first heard of Emma Lilian Todd in Andrea Beaty’s picture book, Rosie Revere, Engineer (Abrams Books). Towards the back of the book, illustrator David Roberts included a list of female firsts. He mentioned Lilian Todd as the first woman aircraft designer, with an image of her airplane. I was instantly intrigued.

Reading ‘Rosie Revere, Engineer’ by Andrea Beaty (illustrated by David Roberts, Abrams Books) inspired Kirsten W. Larson’s ‘Wood, Wire, Wings’ (illustrated by Tracy Subisak, Calkins Creek)

Why do you think she’s not been well known up until now? While you used diary citations, magazine articles and websites, there were no biographies devoted specifically to Emma Lilian Todd in your credits. Is your book the first biography devoted exclusively to her?

Nancy, you are such a close reader! You are right: this is the first biography of Lilian Todd for adults or children. Most of my research focused on primary sources, especially magazines and newspapers, as well as secondary sources about the early days of aviation. Why was Lilian Todd been lost to history? It’s a mystery, because her work was covered extensively by newspapers of the day. If I had to guess, I would say it’s because we often tell the history of science and invention as one of success stories. If someone isn’t first or fastest or best, we often write them out of the story, instead of acknowledging that people contribute to discoveries and help build bodies of knowledge in different fields.

‘Wood, Wire, Wings’ by Kirsten W. Larson (illustrated by Tracy Subisak, Calkins Creek)

Your bibliography was incredibly extensive. How long did the research take you? Did you face any challenges in locating these sources? Were there any unexpected discoveries that helped you?

The research process never really stops for me. After about seven months of research, I had written a couple of drafts, but every time I revised, including with my editor, we’d find new areas I needed to research to flesh out a scene or to make sure the book was as accurate as it could be. I will be forever grateful I connected with two researchers, Bill Rogers, who studied Lilian as a passion project, and historian Michael Smith at the National Model Aviation Museum. We shared every scrap of information we could find about Lilian. One huge disappointment was not being able to see Lilian’s personal scrapbook, which sold on eBay years ago. After several years I was able to trace and contact the buyer, but he refused to let me view it, even watermarked images of the pages. I hope he’ll make it available to a museum some day.

Tell us about your book’s journey from idea to acquired, edited manuscript. Did it go through many changes? How would you contrast the manuscript at the start of your journey to the finished book?

I think the spirit of the book is essentially the same as when I first wrote it 2014. I always saw Lilian as a tinkerer at heart, a person who couldn’t help but make things. Her persistence was always a big theme too, even in 2014. Yet there isn’t a single line that survived from first draft to published book. After the first draft, I wrote the book several different ways over a couple of years. Carolyn Yoder, my editor at Calkins Creek, critiqued the draft at two different conferences. Even then, she bought it only after I revised and resubmitted the draft my agent sent to her. After Carolyn bought the book, we did another round of edits. When illustrator Tracy Subisak finished her dummy, I cut quite a bit more since many of my words were no longer needed. The whole experience was a good lesson in tuning into the heart of the story, learning to write in scenes, and understanding how much of the book illustrations can carry.

I love the way you built a picture of her as someone who liked to tinker with things from the time she was young. You also took care to show in her dismantling of the clock and putting it back together that she was not always successful. Did you include this particular anecdote purposefully to create tension about whether or not she would succeed with her airplane?

What I came to understand by writing this book is that failure is the lifeblood of invention and engineering. Nobody succeeds on the first try. What really counts is what you do in the face of failure. Do you give up? Or do you keep going. I wanted to show that Lilian had grit and inquisitiveness even as a child. She wasn’t afraid to dive in, get dirty, take risks, even if it meant ruining the family clock or dulling her mother’s sharp scissors. I also wanted to show what tremendous support Lilian had from her mother, which was quite unusual for that time period.

Wood, Wire, Wings by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek)

You also had a wonderful page about inventions during her lifetime on a page that’s spare on text. Did you always conceive of that page as being illustrator driven?

That was one of the pages where we realized we could cut most of my text after we saw Tracy’s amazing illustrations! Originally my text went something like this: “As she was growing up, newspapers across America brimmed with stories of brand-new creations: telephones and typewriters. Subways and sewing machines. Inventions making life faster, safer, or easier.” When we saw Tracy’s dummy we deleted my text and opted to add dates and labels to the illustrations so readers would know what they were.

How did your journey with this book change you personally?

I really learned to write working on this book, and I’ll be forever grateful to Carolyn for pushing me to capture the emotional truth, not just the facts of the story. My first drafts were so much like a research paper. I had much to learn about pacing, how much of the story illustrations can carry, how to write in scenes. At the end of the day, I think Lilian’s story resonates with me personally because my writing process is so much like her engineering process — design, test (send out to readers), tweak (revise). And you have to decide what you’ll do in the face of failure (rejection). Will you give up? Or will you redesign and make your story stronger? Like Lilian I’ve learned to redesign and forge ahead in the face of failure.

Emma Lilian Todd, courtesy of aircharterserviceusa.com

How did it change your idea of what makes a picture book take flight? In working on this book, did you identify with Emma Lilian Todd in that you had to figure out how a picture book works even as you helped this very complicated — and lovely — work of art soar?

I’d written almost 25 work-for-hire books before this book sold, so I had an inkling that books are a team sport. But I didn’t realize how big a picture book team is — from editors to art directors, fact checkers, the illustrator, and of course sales and marketing who help get the book into readers hands. In order for a book to take flight, you truly need a well-oiled team.

What do you hope readers will take away from Wood, Wire, Wings?

I hope the book will normalize failure as part of the creative process whether it’s writing or inventing. I want students to realize nobody gets it right the first time. Passion and perseverance will carry you through.

What’s up next for you?

I am looking forward to THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of (Chronicle Books), the dual narrative of the formation of stars and of astrophysicist Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. I have a third picture book under contract. I’ve also been working on a graphic novel (a picture book “failure”) and several more picture books, as well.

Check out this engineering design activity with Kirsten here and visit her on social media on the links below!

On her website: kirsten-w-larson.com

On Twitter: @kirstenwlarson

On Instagram: @kirstenwlarson

On Pinterest: @kirstenwlarson

From A Teacher’s Heart: Rita Lorraine HUBBARD’s ‘The Oldest Student’

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora (Schwartz & Wade)

As a former teacher, Rita Lorraine Hubbard encouraged many students over the years. Now as an acclaimed author, she encourages them through the books she writes. And while all those books are special, The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read (illustrated by Oge Mora, Schwartz & Wade), holds a unique place in her teacher heart because it reminds us we can be successful students at any age. Plus, it’s a story she’s been thinking about for a long time — since elementary school! Rita Lorraine is also the author of Hammering for Freedom: The William Lewis Story (illustrated by John Holyfield, Lee and Low) and African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes (The History Press). She manages a website called The Black History Channel and Picture Book Depot, a children's book review site. I’m so glad to have Rita Lorraine here on THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

Rita Lorraine Hubbard

What inspired you to write this book?

When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, my teacher took our class on a field trip to the Mary Walker Foundation to tour a replica of the cabin Mary lived in when she was a slave in Alabama. The tour guide told us that Mary was 116 when she learned to read and that she died at age 121. This age didn't seem so unusual to me because when you're in fourth or fifth grade, everybody seems old. But I remember being struck by the starkness of the cabin. There were no pictures on the wall, the floors were made of long planks, and there were no room dividers; it was just one room with an old hearth, a stark and rather rigid looking bed, and one lonely rocking chair. At that moment, I wanted to know more about slavery and more about the woman who became well-known enough that someone started a foundation in her name.

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by Oge Mora (Schwartz & Wade)

What was the biggest challenge and what kept you going when the journey seemed uncertain?

The biggest challenge was filling in the gaps in Mary's life. She lived and worked anonymously until the day, at age 116, that she walked out of her apartment and into the C.A.L.M. (Chattanooga Area Literacy Movement) reading class. I had to make multiple visits to the local history microfiche, where I located her obituary and then began to work from the info included within it to track her movements. I also had to track down the elusive John L. Edwards, son of the (late) man who founded the Mary Walker Foundation. Once I located him and managed to convince him to sit still for an interview (he's very involved in the Chattanooga community, so he doesn't sit still for long), he provided many answers. He also gave me the transcripts to a very long interview someone had with Mary. But even though the interview was done decades after slavery, Mary was still hesitant to answer questions about what slavery and life for black people was really like. What kept me going was that as I located more and more information, the book seemed to begin to write itself. I was fascinated with the way everything came together and I felt that EVERYONE deserved to know Mary's story.

Hammering for Freedom by Rita Lorraine Hubbard, illustrated by John Holyfield (Lee & Low)

What’s the most important thing you hope children will learn from your book?

When I was a teacher, I met students from all walks of life, and many of them had been through harrowing circumstances. Many felt that the odds were stacked too high against them and they would never overcome the obstacles before them. I hope The Oldest Student will show children that no matter what the circumstances, no matter what odds you face, it's never too late to pursue your goal, and, in Mary's words, "You're never too old to learn."

A great message! Thank you, Rita Lorraine, for visiting THE KIDS ARE ALL WRITE!

Visit Rita Lorraine on social media!

On Facebook: Rita Lorraine Hubbard

On Twitter: @RitaLorraine

On Pinterest: @RitaLHubbard

On her website: https://RitaHubbard.com

On Picture Book Depot: picturebookdepot.com

On the Black History Channel: theblackhistorychannel.com

African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes by Rita Lorraine Hubbard (The History Press)