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Conversations With Yourself by Anna Forrester 

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Conversations With Yourself by Anna Forrester 

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Conversations with Yourself

When I began writing picture books, my first move was to join a picture book critique group. I found a group of interested and committed people, we figured out a schedule, we set some guidelines and then, together, we came up with a form to use for critiquing each other's work. Though we discovered our questions to be more effective for some sorts of picture books than others, we have kept to its basic structure and questions for 3+ years now.

My crit group's critique form and its questions are like magic - they give us all the super of a sort of second sight. Seriously. When I read a manuscript with the form's questions in mind, I have to work to find good answers and I read more closely than I ever, otherwise would. As a result, I see so much.

Being forced to ask and answer particular questions about a project, we see richness and potential and challenges and hurdles we otherwise would miss. And our answers help move one another's projects forward by leaps and bounds.

But the form has another super-power too - and it is not a good one. In fact, it is a bit kryptonite-like in a reflexive way: the form will not allow a person to use it to critique his or her own work. (Actually, I've never tried to. Which just goes to show you how formidable it's power is!)

I could claim that using that form on my own manuscripts doesn't fit into my process (though how hard would that be to change?!) or that it is just symptomatic of how terribly difficult it is to give yourself distance from your own work, or of how tightly we hold onto our little darlings.

Interestingly, I've talked to my crit partners and the fact is, none of us apply the form's questions to our own work!

Who knows: maybe because I am finally admitting this here, to you, I will finally bite the bullet... or not. But I have discovered another practice that is a near cousin - and I find it much easier to actually do.

When I committed to writing, in addition to joining a crit group I did another thing: I committed to writing. Daily.

The great Kate DiCamillo writes two pages every morning, rain or shine. In this interview I heard, she mentioned writer Julia Cameron's practice of "morning pages."

Adopting my own, uninformed version of "morning pages," I took up writing 30 minutes every morning or - it interruption was an unavoidable part of that particular morning - 1000 words.

Before finally, actually reading Cameron's THE ARTIST'S WAY I beat myself up if my writing wasn't rich in sensory detail and great, evocative language. The $8 that I finally spent on a used copy of the book was a small price to pay for the loosening in my chest that came from reading Cameron's description of morning pages:

There is no wrong way to do morning pages. These daily morning meanderings are not meant to be art. Or even writing... Pages are meant to be, simply, the act of moving the pencil across the page and writing down whatever comes to mind. Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included.... Although occasionally colorful, the morning pages are often negative, frequently fragmented, often self-pitying, repetitive, stilted or babyish, angry or bland - even silly sounding. Good! I let up on myself, and in my morning pages - especially when I was toying with a new idea or stuck somehow with an old one - this practice emerged that I've dubbed "conversations with myself". In these conversations, I ask myself a lot of questions.

I let up on myself, and in my morning pages - especially when I was toying with a new idea or stuck somehow with an old one - this practice emerged that I've dubbed "conversations with myself". In these conversations, I ask myself a lot of questions.

Here's an example. For a while, I was playing with an idea for a picture book biography of a particular poet...

It seems like her experience of being an outsider (in part as an immigrant) is a universally relatable one. And her near-blindness - and the resulting importance of story and language in her early life- give her a really unique worldview and connect to her becoming a poet. But her poems are so full of anger - would kids really connect to them? If you're going to write a picture book about a poet, does the poetry have to resonate with a child, or can you just rest on the fact that she overcame so much and became a poet? Is there a way I could pull/use particular lines or images from her poems w/o using them in their entirety - or would that be a cop-out?

Other conversations have to do with character or plot. This one revolves around Willa (a lonely young whale with the bad habit of swallowing things) and Cedrick (a stray cat who is adrift at sea in a crate)...

Who's story is it - Cedrick's or Willa's? Willa is so lonely, but she can't stop swallowing things, which scares all the other sea creatures away. Cedrick seems to only care about finding a home. But for the story to work Cedrick has to care about connection/friends too. How do you convey that w/o overshadowing his desire for a home? IS it maybe a friendship book (2 MC's) rather than one or the other's story?

These written conversations are not a substitute for running a manuscript through the gauntlet of critique questions, but they do embody a similar - of less targeted - sort of and self-questioning and self-reflection.

If you try writing a "conversation with yourself" sometime and want to share, please do. I'd love to hear weather and whethermoves others' work along too!
Anna Forrester has taught kindergarten and second grade. Her debut picture book, BAT COUNT came out with Arbordale Publishing in, February 2017. In BAT COUNT, Jojo is excited to curl up by the campfire with her parents and brothers to count the bats flying out of the family's barn. She is worried, too, because the colony has been shrinking. BAT COUNT introduces bats, white nose syndrome, and the empowering practice of citizen science in a story of action, reassurance and hope. Giveaway Information (from Stacey): Visit Anna online at www.annaforrester.com, at her blog Hmmmmm, or on Twitter @annaforr.

This giveaway is for a copy of . Many thanks to Arbordale Publishing for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of , please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Arbordale will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - BAT COUNT. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Vanessa Vaile's commenter number was selected using the random comment generator so she'll receive the copy of Bat Count.

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When I began writing picture books, my first move was to join a picture book critique group. I found a group of interested and committed people, we figured out a schedule, we set some guidelines and then, together, we came up with a form to use for critiquing each other's work.

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Building a House of Fiction on a Foundation of Nonfiction by Lester Laminack 

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Building a House of Fiction on a Foundation of Nonfiction by Lester Laminack 

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Building a House of Fiction on a Foundation of Nonfiction

Perhaps you have been on a tour of homes and admired all the beauty of the craftsmanship, the detail in the architecture, or the layout of the interior. Chances are that for all you did notice you gave little or no thought to the foundation or the invisible structural supports that made those homes solid and sturdy. I suspect that is true for what we notice about story as well. Many readers connect with the character(s), or have an affinity for the setting, or even admire the writing, but I suspect that few give thought to the foundation upon which the story is built.

The King of Bees is a house of fiction built upon a solid foundation of nonfiction. I knew from the first moment this story would have to be built upon a solid footing of facts. The story is built on the relationship between Henry and his aunt Lilla, but all the action centers around the beehives on their property. When I began writing I knew only surface information about honey bees, and some of that, I learned later, was more myth than fact. As I began trying to lay out the story it quickly became clear that I would have to put everything on hold and build my own vocabulary, background knowledge, and schema about honey bees before I could even begin to write this story with any veracity.

I launched an inquiry into the lives of honey bees by searching university entomology websites, general Google searches on honey bees and some specific searches to find or verify facts I'd run across. It wasn't long before I had pages and pages of notes. And it became increasingly clear that I was searching in the wrong places. The information I was gleaning was personally fascinating, but too in-depth, too technical for the information that would become the backup singers if the story were to take center stage. I learned more about bees, specifically honey bees, than most adults carry around in their heads. While this made for interesting party conversation (for me at least) I did not find it particularly helpful for the purpose of writing this story.

I backed away from those searches and spent the better part of a day going through my personal library of picture books (about 3,000 titles) pulling every title on bees or insects in general. I read Gail Gibbons, and Melissa Stewart, and books from Weekly Reader, and Time for Kids, and Backyard Books, and Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science books, and titles from Read and Wonder, and more. I read everything I had in my library. It made sense to ground myself in the information written for children since Henry (my main character) is a child and my primary audience is about his age. After reading the first few titles it became clear that this was indeed the route to take. When I finished my personal collection I began a quick search for other children's books and ordered all of them. These included everything from introductory level books with very minimal text paired with great photography to deeper, more dense and more complex texts. I learned a great deal about honey bees and discovered how very important these very small creatures are to our own existence on this planet.

Taking the time to read, question, reflect, and gather more information was essential to building a story that is true to the character and location as well as to the scientific facts about honey bees. I found myself in a cycle of reading the least complex, most general texts first to build vocabulary and slowly layer conceptual understandings to solidify my knowledge. Each new text gave me more tools to craft this house of fiction on a solid foundation of nonfiction and to move onward to the next more complex, more specific text. I also found that the more I read the more specific my questions became. Layer upon layer information formed a solid foundation of fact strong enough to support this house of story.

When I began I had the essence of the story. I had the characters and the rhythms of their speech. I had intimate knowledge of the South Carolina Lowcountry. I had the events in the plot and the tension. What I did not possess in the beginning was the vocabulary, the conceptual understanding, and the facts that were necessary to make the fiction believable. I needed the nonfiction background to make that happen in this story.

As I began to construct the story I had conversations with children and adults about honey bees. I made note of misconceptions, myth, and questions. I listened to personal stories of interactions with honey bees. All of that informed the curious nature of young Henry. His curiosity and his questions, his love of nature and wonder, and his deep and abiding love for Aunt Lilla drive his need to know. Aunt Lilla, a beekeeper, a strong and independent woman held the knowledge but knew how to layer it so that Henry could take it in slowly and meaningfully. The King of Bees builds on the interplay of fact and fiction, of story and information.

I take it as a great compliment when a child asks, "Is that real?" or "Did that really happen?" or "Are you Henry in that story?" It seems to me that the hallmark of good fiction is that it causes the reader to suspend judgment, to fall inside and live through events with the characters, to believe-at least for a while-that it is all true. Toward that end as a writer I build the house of story on some set of truths. Those truths may be part of my personal life experiences. They may be growing out of some universal truths or they may be grounded in some historic events, or some place known to me or to the general population. Those truths form the foundation strong enough to support the fiction, the house of story.

Lester Laminack, Professor Emeritus at Western Carolina University, is a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the US and abroad. He is the author of several books for teachers and children. You can find out more at www.LesterLaminack.com or find him on Facebook and on Twitter at @lester_laminack.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Many thanks to Peachtree Publishers for donating this prize. For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - LESTER LAMINACK. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Kristina Weller's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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Building a House of Fiction on a Foundation of Nonfiction

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Perhaps you have been on a tour of homes and admired all the beauty of the craftsmanship, the detail in the architecture, or the layout of the interior. Chances are that for all you did notice you gave little or no thought to the foundation or the invisible structural supports that made those homes solid and sturdy.

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Finding the Hook in Writing Biographies by Doreen Rappaport

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Finding the Hook in Writing Biographies by Doreen Rappaport

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Finding the Hook in Writing Biographies

When I chose a person for a biography, I have no idea of how I am going to write that person's life. Research is the opening key on to how to do this. I gather all the information I can about the subject and the period in which he/she lived. We need to understand the historical period to place a person's accomplishments in context. By the time I finish my research, I have files and files and files on my computer of information. My goal is not to write an encyclopedia article with lots of facts. My goal is to illuminate the meaning of someone's life.

A good biography presents an interpretation of the facts. I call that "the hook." My "hook" may differ from someone else's interpretation, and it should, because each of us is unique and sees the world differently. To find the book, I delve into my research files, categorizing them, looking for a theme that will illuminate my subject's life.

One of my first picture book biographies was on Martin Luther King, Jr. For about three months, I lived in the Schomburg Center for Black History and Culture in Manhattan. This was in the days before the Internet. I had been in the Civil Rights Movement but I really had no idea how I was going to tell Dr. King's life. I read all his speeches, sermons, interviews, and exhaustive biographies by Taylor Branch and others. And still I had no idea how to tell his story.

Then I read Dr. King's autobiography: he explained that in his childhood, he felt humiliation, upset, and anger at seeing the ugly words, "White Only," everywhere in Atlanta. But he also wrote about the strength of the words he read in the Bible, the lyrics of hymns, and his father's sermons. This contrast made me think about the power of words to hurt us and to elevate us. At that moment, I had found my hook. I was going to alternate my narrative with Dr. King's words, and so "Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr." was born.

I have written a number of other biographies using that technique, but I have also found other styles for telling a life. I spent a good number of months in the archives on Liberty Island in Manhattan researching the Statue of Liberty. My research led me to a host of individuals responsible for the building and delivery of this statue. I met Edouard de Laboulaye, whose idea it was to give a present to the United States on the one-hundredth anniversary of its birth. I met the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi; Marie Simon, the assistant sculptor, (whom I originally thought was a woman); Gustave Eiffel, the structural engineer; Joseph Pulitzer, the publisher of the New York World, whose led a tireless campaign in his newspaper to raise the money for the pedestal and foundation; and ten-year-old Florence de Foreest who offered her pet bantams to be sold for the cause. It became clear to me that these people should tell the story of their part in the building of the Statue. And so "Lady Liberty: A Biography" came into being.

When I approached writing "42 Is Not Just A Number: The Odyssey of Jackie Robinson, American Hero," I was already acquainted with Robinson's baseball exploits. When I was about nine, I became an avid Jackie and Dodgers fan. I gobbled up the daily baseball statistics to see how he was doing. I knew how many singles, doubles, steals, RBI's that he had, but I was really too young then to understand that the real significance of his life was not just his outstanding athletic ability.

In researching Jackie's life, I had a great advantage because many authors already had written about his life, approaching it from different angles, and Robinson had written two autobiographies and given hundreds of interviews. One biographer, Arnold Rampersad had access to personal material not available to others. I tracked down the footnotes in his book to find the original sources- footnotes are the "juice" of new information. The footnotes led me to letters never published before, citations for newspaper articles, and personal reminiscences. Many of the original sources of these footnotes were found on the Internet, but trips to the Schomburg Center for Black History and Culture were essential. I had the most fun finding a website that detailed every game that Jackie played in so I could recreate them on paper.

As I went over my research and outlined the key events in his life, it was crystal clear that courage and defiance were bred into his very being from his early years. And so the title came to me: "42 Is Not Just A Number." No players are allowed any longer to use the number 42. It is baseball's tribute, and perhaps the world's tribute to the man who opened major league baseball to athletes of all races.

Doreen Rappaport is the author of 63 nonfiction books. She has said all her books may have different formats, but they all have the same theme-that we are all capable of empowering ourselves.

Among her award-winning books are Martin's Big Words: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr., published by Hyperion Books for Children, and Lady Liberty: A Biography and 42 Is Not Just A Number. You can read about her other books on her website, www.doreenrappaport.com.

This giveaway is for a copy of Many thanks to 42 Is Not Just A Number. Candlewick Press for donating this prize. For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - DOREEN RAPPAPORT. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Renee Allen's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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When I chose a person for a biography, I have no idea of how I am going to write that person's life. Research is the opening key on to how to do this. I gather all the information I can about the subject and the period in which he/she lived.

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Slippery Things: The Process is Writing by Jeff Anderson 

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Slippery Things: The Process is Writing by Jeff Anderson 

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Slippery Things: The Process Is Writing

Life is full of things we try to grasp onto-happiness, peace, success, and long uninterrupted chunks of writing time. But all these things are fleeting and slip through your fingers like a waterfall of emails flooding my inbox. And all these gifts come and go like deep sadness, anxiety, failure. I'm happy these are fleeting.

Being a writer is a slippery thing.

The trick is, there is nothing to grasp on to or let pass. There is only writing. Writing when you want to, when you don't want to. Yes, you can take a walk or take an afternoon off.

But don't put it off too long. Putting off kills momentum. Putting off stops us from finishing. And what is not finished goes on a shameful stack of almosts or might-be-somedays.

But today I write. That's my process.

I don't talk about what I want to write. I do it. There is no success level I will reach that will satisfy the little boy who never felt like enough. Not smart enough. Not coordinated enough. Not loveable enough. That hole cannot be filled by slippery things like praise or blessings of my work.

For me to be a success, I have to write. I can't spend my time or energy investigating what others think of my writing. I must write.

And it's a slippery thing being a writer. Instead of reading about or spending energy trying to please the right people. Write. Writing stays. Writing lives on beyond how many stars so-and-so gave your heart and soul.

Writing is a slippery thing, If you are writing, if you are revising, if you are editing, if you are talking to the real children you write your children's books for, then you are winning. A smile of the child that stays, that holds, that doesn't slip away.

When teachers share a joy you sparked, that's more than stars. That's breath. That's life. That makes a difference.

When I heard, "Write for yourself, not other people," I was perplexed. But now I get it.

If you write what is true to you, it will be true to someone. Probably not everyone, but when you write, when your words flash across a screen, you win. You win against the voices in your head. These days everyone loves giving or not giving stars to every thing, every experience, every creation.

I write for children. I write for adults. I write what is true to me. Not for stars. Not for sales. But connection. I do not write to impress, but to express. There is only one way. Write. Revise. Write. Revise. Edit. And submit. Write again.

But it's a slippery thing.

Writing.
Find Jeff Anderson on Twitter @writeguyjeff or the web at writeguy.net. View videos of Jeff teaching and book trailers for his middle-grade humor Zack Delacruz series Just My Luck and Me and My Big Mouth. Book 3 Upstaged will be out in October 2018. His latest book for teachers is Patterns of Power: Inviting Young Writers into the Conventions of Language, Grades 1-5. He lives in San Antonio, Texas with Terry, Carl, and Paisley.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a 20-minute Zoom session with Jeff, a copy of Zack Delacruz Me and My Big Mouth , and for a copy of Many thanks to Jeff Anderson, Sterling Publishing, and Stenhouse Publishers, respectively, for donating these prizes (one winner receives all three prizes). Patterns of Power.

For a chance to win this prize package, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.) U.S. mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winners of this print or the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - JEFF ANDERSON. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator andJanie Rodriguez's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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Life is full of things we try to grasp onto-happiness, peace, success, and long uninterrupted chunks of writing time. But all these things are fleeting and slip through your fingers like a waterfall of emails flooding my inbox. And all these gifts come and go like deep sadness, anxiety, failure.

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The Essence of Ada: The Story Behind a Picture Book Biography of Ada Lovelace by Tanya Lee Stone 

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The Essence of Ada: The Story Behind a Picture Book Biography of Ada Lovelace by Tanya Lee Stone 

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The Essence of Ada: The Story Behind a Picture Book Biography of Ada Lovelace

I love stories about women, and I love a challenge. That's why my ears perked up when I learned about a woman who had basically invented computer programming 100 years before computers were invented! I couldn't wait to get started, and to find a way to make this fascinating and complex woman's life accessible to children.

I had to read a lot of books outside my comfort zone to get a handle on how Ada's mind worked, and start to understand the world in which she lived. I needed to know enough about Ada's childhood, her relationship with her mother (which was inextricably linked to her mother's relationship with the brilliant but badly behaved poet, Lord Byron), the tutoring Ada received, and the friendship she made with Charles Babbage. I read scholarly books for adults about Lovelace and Babbage and the dawn of the digital age, all the while ferreting out the parts about Ada's personality I thought would be fascinating to young readers.

To write a gratifying picture book biography-in my opinion-an author has to excite young readers about someone without trying to take on that person's entire life story. It's the essence of the person I am always trying to get across, as well as the importance of his or her accomplishments. Honing in on the details that will interest kids as well as trying to encapsulate the broad strokes of why what they did was important is the goal.

Ada's life path was directly impacted by the relationship between her mother and father. We have no way of knowing what might have developed if both of her parents had raised her. But her mother was so determined not to have Ada grow up to be anything like her father that she shaped her education intentionally, making sure Ada had plenty of math and sciences in her exhaustive tutoring sessions. Ada's mind was remarkable and she had a natural gift for mathematics and science, so it is no wonder that she took so quickly to the opportunities her mother provided. It is interesting to note that no matter how estranged her parents were, Lord Byron also expressed a desire that she not end up like him. Before he died, Byron said, "I hope the Gods have made her anything save poetical-it is enough to have one such fool in the family." So, from the time she was four years old, Ada had tutors. By the time she was eight, she was studying French, math, and music more than six hours a day. And there was no keeping her poetic, creative spirit down. She loved to paint, draw, write, sing, and play the violin and piano! So, try as Ada's mother might to keep the poetical imagination of her daughter in check so she didn't grow up to be wild like her father, it was to no avail. Because invention and science take imagination, and Ada had it in spades.

In the decade between the time Charles Babbage first thought of the Analytical Engine and Ada published her notes about it, she also married William King in 1835 and had three children within four years. Ada was most certainly the dominant figure in the household, with William happy to let her take charge. He was quite aware that she was smarter than he, and it didn't seem to bother him. She, however, did grow tired of his lack of ambition. She craved a partner who was her intellectual equal and wanted to do great things. Fortunately, she found that in her friendship with Charles Babbage. The combination of those two relationships seems to have brought her happiness, and Charles was a frequent visitor to the family's home. Ada also loved the massive soirees Charles held in his own home. Those parties provided her with the intellectual company she craved. Guests included celebrities of the day such as Alfred Lord Tennyson, Mary Somerville, Charles Dickens, Florence Nightingale, and Charles Darwin.

Ada also packed a lot of life into her short years on earth. She had joys and adventures as well as times of financial hardship. Sadly, she dies from what is believed to have been uterine cancer just before her thirty-seventh birthday. But the work she accomplished laid a foundation for scientists to draw upon in the future and she is credited with being the first computer programmer-100 years before the invention of the computer. It is extremely gratifying to be able to encapsulate her story in order to share it with the youngest readers, and have my text be accompanied by Marjorie Priceman's vibrant, inviting, wonderful illustrations so that kids can be as enchanted by Ada Lovelace as we are!

Tanya Lee Stone was an English major at Oberlin College and received her Master in Science from Southern Connecticut State University. She loves to write about women pushing boundaries, as well as little-known stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. She published her 100th book for kids and teens in 2017, and her work has received such accolades as the ALA Robert F. Sibert Medal, the NAACP Image Award, and the Golden Kite. Her books include Almost Astronauts, Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?, Elizabeth Leads the Way, Girl Rising, The House that Jane Built, and more. Stone travels to speak at conferences and conduct school visits around the country. To contact her, email tanyastone@tanyastone.com
Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a 20-minute Skype session with Tanya and for a copy of Who Says Women Can't Be Computer Programmers? Many thanks to Tanya Lee Stone and Henry Holt, respectively, for donating these two prizes (one winner receives both prizes).

For a chance to win this copy of the print or the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winners of this print or the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - TANYA LEE STONE. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Kimberly Peterson-Watson's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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The Essence of Ada: The Story Behind a Picture Book Biography of Ada Lovelace

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Did you know that Ada Lovelace was able to imagine how a machine could not only calculate any number you gave it, but also create music and visual images--100 years before computers were invented? Read the story behind the story with author Tanya Lee Stone who steps into our Author Spotlight today.

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Teachable Concepts for Young Kids Through Cooking by Melissa Iwai

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Teachable Concepts for Young Kids Through Cooking by Melissa Iwai

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Teachable Concepts for Young Kids Through Cooking

As a child, I was always drawn to conceptual stories that taught things about the real world. I often spent hours poring over Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, The Little Family books by Lois Lenski, David MacCauley's The Way Things Work, Piero Ventura's Cities books, to name a few. I was fascinated by how things worked and how people did things in the world.

When I wrote Soup Day, I realized it was my way of teaching kids something about the real world: the process of making soup. It is also an expression of my love of cooking with my then four-year-old son, Jamie. When we shopped for ingredients, prepped them at home, and cooked them together, I realized there were so many teachable aspects to explore, such as counting, observing, and following a series of steps. There are also the hand-eye coordination based skills involved, such as washing, cutting, stirring, pouring, and the cognitive ones, such as counting, observing shapes and colors. I wanted to write a story that captured all of these aspects but in a fun way. And kids are more likely to eat what they are involved in making, even if they are picky eaters, like my son was.

Cooking involves the five senses, so I wanted to include that in the story as well. For example, sight ("...it's important to choose the freshest ones with the brightest colors..."), touch ("I get to cut the mushrooms and zucchini because they are soft. Mommy helps my hand"), hearing ("Then we fill the big pot with broth. "Ssssss!" It makes a loud sound."), smell ("Before long, our home smells like yummy soup..."), and taste, of course ("Mmmm!")!

Pizza Day is a companion book, and it features similar themes, but the story takes place in summer in the suburbs with a dad and son making the pizza for lunch with mom.

Because a book about cooking and food seemed to provide so many opportunities for teaching, I reached out to Marcie Colleen, an experienced curriculum guide writer (and fantastic children's book author in her own right), to create a teaching guide for Pizza Day. This guide is a free downloadable and features all kinds of activities based on the subjects of English Language Arts, Math, Science, to Social Studies. It is available here http://www.melissaiwai.com/activity-kit-and-teaching-guide/.

By far the most gratifying thing about being an author and illustrator is meeting the children and families who have read your books and share their experiences with you. I love hearing stories of children making the soup and pizza (recipes are in the back of books) and eating and trying new vegetables in the process! I'm also happy to report that my son, who is now thirteen, still loves to cook and he occasionally makes meals for the whole family on his own!

For more about Pizza Day:

Bio:
Melissa Iwai has illustrated over twenty books and is the author of Soup Day and Pizza Day (Henry Holt 2017), which is a 2018 Kansas NEA Reading Circle Master List book. More about her books, and downloadable craft and recipe ideas can be found on her website. Her cooking blog, The Hungry Artist, chronicles her cooking adventures with her young son and features many recipes that can be made with kids. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of . Many thanks to Macmillan for donating this prize. For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - MELISSA IWAI. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Johanna's commenter number came up so s/he won this giveaway.

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Teachable Concepts for Young Kids Through Cooking

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As a child, I was always drawn to conceptual stories that taught things about the real world. I often spent hours poring over Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, The Little Family books by Lois Lenski, David MacCauley's The Way Things Work, Piero Ventura's Cities books, to name a few.

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A Peek Into Our Process by Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan 

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A Peek Into Our Process by Clare Landrigan and Tammy Mulligan 

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A Peek Into Our Process

We are both living the dream - kids, community commitments, a day-job we love, great friends - the list goes on. Although we wouldn't change a thing, writing can take a toll and can easily slip by the wayside if we do not plan for it. We prioritize it, and we make sure we set real but achievable goals for ourselves, so writing does not throw off the balance of our lives (or at least not too often)! One might think that after twenty-four years of collaboration we no longer need a process - not the case! In fact, we find the more we write, the more we pay attention to our process. So, here's a peek into our process:
Practice What We Preach
We tell kids that writing is talking, drawing, acting, building and creating. So, we broaden the definition of writing for ourselves as well to include talking, drawing, sketching, post-it notes, voice notes, and words jotted on a notepad in the middle of the night. We draft in all of these ways, and we believe it helps us feel more productive. In the past, we only counted words typed as our "writing," and this made it difficult to re-enter the process the next day or week. Recognizing the thinking and various ways we draft helps us synthesize our thoughts and be more productive once we do sit down to put words to paper.
Create Space
If it is not on the schedule it often doesn't happen. We schedule time in both our personal and joint calendars to write. At times this may be a few hours, and for longer projects, we may take a long weekend or week away to write. We find that we need dedicated time to dig into the writing without distractions. The intense, uninterrupted, dedicated time writing gives us the space we need to draft and to figure out how to structure our thoughts. We find that creating space to write also creates space for us to get away from our writing. When we are working on larger projects, it helps us to set it aside for a bit and then when we get back to it we can see it with fresh eyes. Even with smaller pieces, when time permits, we find it helps to get away from the writing for a bit and then revise with fresh eyes!
Talk it out!
We NEVER start writing until we have spent many sessions talking together. Sometimes we do this over the phone, but we tend to work best when we are moving. We go for a run, a hike with the dogs, or a walk on the beach. We view this as a time to truly generate content, think of possibilities, and work through difficult ideas. We do not bring paper or pens with us when we talk it out. We find the impulse to "write it down so we will remember" gets in the way of the creative process and limits us. This helps us listen to each other and to think outside of the box. Whenever the going gets rough in our process, we get outside and get moving. It works every time!
The Power of Feedback
We do not typically write - physically put words to paper - together. Once we have ideas for an article, post, or chapter, one of us takes a shot at a first draft. We use Evernote to keep the process collaborative at this stage. We have a notebook for each project we are working on, and it is shared between us so we can check in with each other and provide feedback along the way. We always include a voice note with any piece of writing we share with each other. It helps us to hear each other's thinking - purpose, reflections, and questions - before we read the draft. We leave each other a voice note in return as well as comments in the document itself with track changes. While the feedback in track changes via google docs is helpful, we find hearing each other's voices helps bring clarity to the feedback process. We even leave ourselves voice notes at the end of a writing session and then listen to our own voice to help us get back into the process and remember where we left off. The quality of one's voice triggers memory, feeling, and purpose in a way written notes do not. Voice notes have been a game changer for us in our writing process.
Ambiance
We do spend some time setting the stage for our longer writing sessions. It sounds trivial, but creating a space that feels inviting is motivating. We always have chocolate, flowers, candles, a variety of pens, paper, mentor texts, tea, coffee and yes - wine - on hand. Writing is not for the faint of heart, and it is important to have the tools you need, the rituals you expect, and the treats you want ready and available.
Celebrate
Just as we plan to work, we plan to celebrate. We set small goals for ourselves and decide what we will do once we meet our goal - antiquing, cross-country skiing, a walk, cooking, dinner out or even a nap. Setting real but achievable goals helps us stay productive and reminds us we are making progress even when it feels like we are writing against the tide. It is important to recognize the work being accomplished in the process even when you may not have a product to show for it. It is easy to focus on what is not done yet ... scheduling time to celebrate helps us embrace the joy in the process.

Thank you - TWT and Slice of Life community - you continually support our process through providing a purposeful, meaningful and authentic audience to write with weekly. You are an inspiration to us - thank you for all you do!

Tammy Mulligan and Clare Landrigan are staff developers who are still teachers at heart. They began their work together twenty-four years ago co-teaching in an integrated first and second-grade classroom at the Eliot Pearson Children's School in Medford, MA. They now lead a private staff development business, Teachers for Teachers, and spend their days partnering with school systems to implement best practices in the field of literacy. They have co-authored two professional books, It's All About the Booksand Assessment in Perspective.You can find them online at TeachersforTeachers where they blog about books and the art of teaching, and on Twitter @ClareandTammy.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of It's All About the Books . Many thanks to Heinemann Publishers for donating this prize. For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. + Canada mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - CLARE AND TAMMY. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Paula Ruedebush's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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We are both living the dream - kids, community commitments, a day-job we love, great friends - the list goes on. Although we wouldn't change a thing, writing can take a toll and can easily slip by the wayside if we do not plan for it.

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Embracing Rejection: It's All in the Attitude by Mike Leannah

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Embracing Rejection: It's All in the Attitude by Mike Leannah

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Embracing Rejection: It's All in the Attitude

I developed a serious interest in writing during my days as an elementary school teacher. I filled notebooks with humorous observations, opinion pieces based on current events, poetry, song lyrics, and - because I was a teacher and a dad - lots of stories for children. The stories weren't very good at first, but eventually, some of them compared well with the ones in the libraries and bookstores. I thought one of my stories was so clever and well-written that I decided to send it to a major picture book publisher.

This was back in the days before email, when authors submitted hard copies through the U. S. Postal Service. I live in Wisconsin, so, allowing time for delivery to New York and back, I expected a response in five or six days. I started eagerly checking the mail every day.

Six months passed and still no word. Maybe my envelope had gotten lost in the mail. I hoped so because now I was so thoroughly filled with doubt over the quality of my story that I didn't want an editor reading it anymore. But one day, there it was in my mailbox-the self-addressed envelope with my familiar handwriting.

This was it! The children's story that could pave the way to my new career as a writer. I ripped open the envelope and pulled out a small slip of paper. On it was a list of statements, with a check mark in the box next to the one that said: "Not for our list."

What was that supposed to mean?

The whole thing was enormously discouraging. Looking back, I don't know why I persisted at this horribly unpleasant game, the rules of which were simple: 1. Take months to write a story, fixing and changing it until it was "perfect." 2. Send it in. 3. Receive a rejection slip with no explanation. 4. Repeat.

What fun!

But something kept me going, and my prospects improved. The rejections continued, but on one of them, an angel in a distant office building, had scrawled a few words of encouragement. "I love your main character, but sorry, I must pass. Good luck with it elsewhere."

A few weeks later, a similar note was written at the bottom of a different rejected manuscript, with some additional words I had never seen before: "Feel free to send me something else." I took the family out to dinner to celebrate that rejection.

Then a few acceptances came. A teachers' magazine purchased an article. A local history was published by the state historical society. Stories appeared in Highlights for Children and Ladybug magazines. There were also, of course, many rejections, but, offset by occasional acceptances, they didn't hurt so much anymore.

Through it all, I learned that rejection is a big part of the writing process. We are going to hear 'no' much more often than 'yes.' You don't catch a fish every time you put your hook in the water, and that's the way it's supposed to be.

Every writer is a bit nervous when first sending a submission for publication. Is it good enough? Will the editors like it? What if they hate it? What if...? What if...? What if...? Excellent questions.

The fact is, a writer's first submission to a publisher is (almost certainly) going to be rejected, and the rejection is going to hurt. But we are not bumbling teenagers, teetering on the edge of emotional devastation, asking for a date to the big dance. We are serious writers asking a publishing company to enter into a business agreement with us. The editor is going to say yes or no, plain and simple. If he doesn't want our story, all right. No hard feelings. Just another business deal that didn't work out. There'll be other opportunities.

It isn't easy, but we must try to keep a lid on our emotions. When we shop in a clothing store and leave without making a purchase, the clerk doesn't collapse in grief over our decision to not buy a shirt. Similarly, editors are shopping for stories to publish. If they choose not to buy from us, we can be like that clerk.

Let's not forget, there are numbers of reasons why a publisher passes on a manuscript. We don't have to assume that they hated it. Or that they think we are terrible writers. If we must assume, why don't we assume something more positive?

They already had something similar.

They liked it, but the timing wasn't right.

The market was down, and I caught them at a bad time.

The editor didn't have a good eye for adventure, or the right sense of humor.

The editor was having a bad day and made a mistake. (In 1962, an executive at Decca Records turned down the Beatles, saying, "Guitar music is on the way out," which is proof that decision-makers can be wrong.)

Rejection continues to be a part of my life - I still hear 'no' more often than 'yes'- but in the life of a writer that's the way it's supposed to be. It wasn't until after I was offered my third picture book contract that I started expecting my submissions to be rejected. What a liberating change that was for me. Now, when the expected occurs, there's little negativity. And when the unexpected happens - an acceptance - time to celebrate!

It's all in the attitude.

The last time I had a story rejected, I'll admit I was disappointed...for about two minutes. Then I rejected the negative feelings and sent the story to a different publisher, with the hope that the next editor would show better judgment.

Mike Leannah is a former elementary school teacher, a father and grandfather, and a writer of fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. He is the creator of We Think With Ink®, a series of instructional books for writing teachers. His picture book Most People, published in 2017 by Tilbury House, won the Moonbeam Children's Book Award in the Peacemaking category. Another picture book, Goodnight Whispers (Familius), is being published in the summer of 2018. Mike lives in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, with his wife, Geralyn, and dog, Tonto. You can find Mike on Twitter @MikeLeannah. Please visit www.michaelleannah.com.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of . Many thanks to Tilbury House for donating this prize. For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - MIKE LEANNAH. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Trina Haase's commenter number came up so she won this giveaway.

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Embracing Rejection: It's All in the Attitude

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I developed a serious interest in writing during my days as an elementary school teacher. I filled notebooks with humorous observations, opinion pieces based on current events, poetry, song lyrics, and - because I was a teacher and a dad - lots of stories for children.

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The Amazing Search for Joseph Cornell by Candace Fleming 

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The Amazing Search for Joseph Cornell by Candace Fleming 

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The Amazing Search for Joseph Cornell

I remember it clearly, the day the inspiration for The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell found me. I was rambling through the Art Institute of Chicago - something I frequently do - when I found myself in a little-visited, corner gallery. What were these? Boxes... dozens of them! Handmade and wooden and filled with surprising things - flowers, feathers, soap bubble pipes, cut-outs of parrots, brass hoops, plastic ballerinas that once had spun inside a jewelry box but now twirled across a dark blue, night sky. Those boxes lured me to them. They beckoned, inviting me not just to look inside each one, but also to become part of what I discovered there. Dream-like and other worldly, they gripped my imagination... and my curiosity. What kind of person could create something so special and transcendent? I had to know more about the artist, Joseph Cornell.

Thank God for smartphones! On the EL ride home from the museum, I did a quick, online search. By the time I reached my stop, I'd gleaned the basics of his life, ordered the most recently published books about him, and jotted down the names and email address of a half-dozen Cornell experts for future reference. I was on my way!

Over the next few months, I read his published diaries and letters. I plowed through reams of critical analysis about his work. I visited galleries and exhibitions. I even uncovered a forgotten interview one of his assistants gave more than twenty years earlier detailing what it was like to work with Cornell in his dark, cluttered house. But here's the rub - none of my discoveries felt picture book appropriate.

I'd decided early on in my process to write a picture book biography of Cornell. His work has so much child appeal. But the material I'd collected to this point was more the stuff of a YA book. Cornell, I learned, was stunted emotionally, retreating as an adult into his internal world. Simply put, he never grew up. Instead, he remained childlike in innumerable ways from his eating habits (he ate sweet likes brownies and cherry pie for every meal) to never moving out of his mother's home. He cultivated no close friendships, no love interests. He did form obsessions about women - usually actress and ballerinas. Then he would send them letters written in French or perhaps a box he'd made in their honor. But he refused to ever meet them in person. He was too shy and vulnerable. A benign eccentric, he lived timelessly, often seeming to be in another world. He took naps as he needed, living and working through day and night with no regard for the clock. Hmmm... you see my dilemma, right? His adult life simply wouldn't work for the picture book set.

Still, I attempted a few drafts. They were clumsy and wooden, nothing more than a string of facts. But good history, that is, history that connects with young readers, requires a human viewpoint. What I'd written was nothing more than an emotionless encyclopedia entry.

So I abandoned the project. It hurt to do it. I felt as if I was turning my back on Joseph Cornell... and the hundreds of hours I'd already put into the project. But without a way into the human story, without that bridge linking his life to the life of my readers, I just didn't have a story.

Three years passed. I worked on other projects. Then one day I learned that the American Art Museum in Washington D.C. was exhibiting a retrospective of Joseph Cornell's work. I went to see it. To my astonishment, more than his work was on display. A cross-section of his collection was also exhibited, plucked from his house in Queens and put down in the third-floor gallery - piles of stuff, and little special objects and collages all jumbled together and messy. And - I'll never forget the wild, tingling feeling I got when I saw it - a ticket made by Cornell when he was just a boy, inviting his family to his "Relic Museum."

Joseph had put on an art show? As a kid? Created from an assortment of objects he as already obsessively collecting?

I whooped right there in the gallery. This was it, the bridge, the connection, the very thing I'd been missing. I began my research anew, digging into Cornell's childhood. I had so many questions. Why had he thrown that art show? What had it looked like? What memories and experiences had he drawn upon? Soon, I had the outline of a story.

Still, it had holes. Despite all my research, I couldn't document Cornell's childhood feelings about his collecting habits. Sure, I could make an educated guess, but a guess isn't nonfiction. And while I had evidence of his close relationship with his family, I had few concrete details about how that closeness looked.

What to do? I decided to tell a different story - part his and part mine - using those few, known fragments from history, and filling in the rest with my imagination. No, it wasn't the book I set out to write. But in the end, it might be a better one. It is not just a tale about a famous artist. It's about acceptance, and the creative impulse and the unwavering faith of a loving family.

I can't document it, but I know Joseph Cornell possessed all three.

Candace Fleming is the author of more than forty books for children, including picture books, middle grade novels, and biographies. Her most recent titles are the middle grade novel Strongheart Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen and the picture book The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell. She is the recipient of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the Orbis Pictus Award, as well a two-time recipient of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, the ALA Sibert Honor, and the SCBWI's Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction. Follow her on Twitter @candacemfleming or check out her website, www.candacefleming.com.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for three copies of The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell. Many thanks to Penguin Random House for this prize (for three separate winners). For a chance to win this copy of the book, please leave a comment about this post by Sunday, June 3rd, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Wednesday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of this book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - CANDY FLEMING Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this blog post.

I used a random number generator and Gaye Stuchly, Kim Burris, and Jean McGinnis's commenter numbers came up so each one has won a copy of this book.

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I remember it clearly, the day the inspiration for The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell found me. I was rambling through the Art Institute of Chicago - something I frequently do - when I found myself in a little-visited, corner gallery. What were these? Boxes... dozens of them!

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How to Write in a Pandemic by Laurel Snyder 

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How to Write in a Pandemic by Laurel Snyder 

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Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of Charlie & Mouse Outdoors + a 20-minute Zoom/Skype Call with Laurel Snyder.

When, in January, I agreed to write this blog post, I thought I knew what I would have to say to teachers and students about writing, and my life as an author. I've written a lot of posts like this in the past, and I try to keep them distinct, but the truth is that I end up circling back to the same ideas a lot. I often talk about the importance of boredom in the creative process, or how I began writing as a kid because my life was kind of hard, and writing was a way OUT of the bad days. I talk a lot about the importance of disconnecting from technology, so that our brains have a chance to get quiet. And I talk about failure, how important I think it is to accept that being an artist means failing a little better every day. I have plenty of subjects I like to revisit...

So, yeah, I wasn't nervous about writing this post in January. I had things to say that I'd said before. Things I knew how to say. Things I believed to be true. No problem. I knew I could figure something out.

Then the world changed.

Everything changed.

Our lives and habits and homes and families turned upside down. So now I'm sitting here, trying to think of what I can tell people that makes sense, in light of the pandemic gripping our planet. Who am I to tell bored kids, stuck at home day after day, to embrace that boredom? Who am I to tell them to set down the video games and laptops and iPads that connect them to their friends, and read poetry instead? Who am I to imagine I know anything about what anyone else is going through, as they attempt to attend school at home, while their parents work in the background (if they are lucky enough to still have jobs), and (maybe) a toddler screams for more Elmo? Or if, God forbid, they're already in mourning?

So yeah, I found it hard to sit down and type this post. I found it impossible to be instructive, to sound authoritative, to imagine that the particular experiences that I, Laurel Snyder, have had... would mean anything to anyone right now. It just felt wrong.

But do you know what I realized? That my own sense of inadequacy is a really good argument for YOU writing. For everyone writing. Most especially kids.

This is a moment that calls for writing as a record. Because this-what is happening right now, today-is historic. And while each afternoon may feel dull or tired or just like yesterday, we will absolutely need YOUR stories, documents that will help us all remember and reflect on what this very weird year was like.

If you are scared, write about being scared. If you are bored, write about being bored. If you are tired of your brother's annoying screechy YouTube channel in the next room, tell the world that story. And if you are desperately craving a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Sundae, write about how good it would taste. Those details are what the future will want to know, believe it or not. The tiny things that made each day feel real.

Have you ever watched a documentary? Maybe with your parents, or in school? If you have, maybe you remember that at some point in the movie, you perked up and paid closer attention, because suddenly there was a voice speaking that sounded like you, like a KID. Because someone had found an old letter, or a diary, and the details of what that KID had to say were different than all the things the grownups bothered to write down. They talked about their favorite candy, or their uncomfortable dress clothes or their itchy long underwear, and you thought, "Ha, yeah, that sounds familiar!"

The truth is that, for much of history, kids got left out of most storytelling. Which means that what we know about the children of the past are mostly the recollections of adults, trying to reach back in time, or to guess about the thoughts and feelings of the children around them. But of course, most grownups see the world differently from kids, and that is why it's so important that you record your voice. Tell your story. So that in ten or twenty or a hundred or a thousand years, people will be able to look back and know what it was like in the Pandemic of 2020, for someone like you. What it was really like.

Beyond that, write about the things this moment is decidedly NOT. Write about the places it takes you in your dreams at night, your imaginary games, your flights of fancy. Build worlds of your own, invent people to talk to. Reach beyond your current moment, and down deep into what you have always carried inside yourself. The physical limitations of this pandemic have no power over your imagination, where you can wander anywhere you like.

How you choose to tell your story is up to you! Write it with a pencil or type it in word document. Take pictures for an Instagram post, or paint it with watercolors, or write a song and share it online (with a grownup's permission, of course). But do it. Please?

I say this to you, as an author of books for children, as someone who strives to remember childhood, and spends lots of time with kids. As someone who has a dollhouse in her "office." There are stories that only YOU can tell. No author or parent or any other kind of grownup can capture this strange year as you can, or imagine what might spring from it.

So we need to hear that from you.

***

Laurel Snyder is the author of many books for children, including middle grade novels, picture books, and the Charlie and Mouse early chapter book series. You can find her online at http://laurelsnyder.com or on Twitter: @laurelsnyder.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of Charlie & Mouse Outdoors. Many thanks to Chronicle Books for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Charlie & Mouse Outdoors, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - SNYDER. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Roselinda Ponce is the winner of today's giveaway.

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When, in January, I agreed to write this blog post, I thought I knew what I would have to say to teachers and students about writing, and my life as an author. I've written a lot of posts like this in the past, and I try to keep them distinct, but the truth is that I end up circling back to the same ideas a lot.

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One Little Bag, One Little Story by Henry Cole 

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One Little Bag, One Little Story by Henry Cole 

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One Little Bag, One Little Story

Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey + a 20-minute Zoom/Skype call with Henry Cole.

On the very first Earth Day, I walked to school, which I did most days, across the fields of our farm and through our woods. But that day I noticed how quiet it was along the way. Instead of the usual buses and cars, kids were walking, or biking, or riding horses. There were few cars in the school parking lot. Some kids had even hit the road very early to get to school on time!

There was an assembly that day about pollution and pesticides, informing us about what we could do to help the planet. It was the first time many of the students had ever thought about this. And in my art class, the teacher had us paint watercolors in the 'pleine air' ... of the trees and the wildflowers along the fence rows. I loved it.

For lunch I had carried my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a brown paper bag, as I always did. But on that day, inspired by my new-found Earth Day consciousness, I folded up the bag and put it in my back pocket, and brought it home.

The next day, I gave the bag to my mom to use again for my lunch. And so it went, all through high school; same bag (and same lunch! I'm a man of habit!) every day! When I graduated, I 'willed' my well-used bag to my friend Susan, who was a junior. By that point, though, the bag was more of a thing that you carried around gingerly than a functioning paper bag. It was soft and velvety; written on and taped and stapled together. More legacy than utility.

I didn't think much more about that little bag, until years later when I was teaching at an elementary school. A colleague and I were talking about packing lunches for our 'secret angels' at Christmas time. I mentioned the bag to my friend and she said, "That would make a great picture book!"

I tucked the idea in the back of my mind. I loved the idea of making this into a book, but how would I do that?

Later still, while having a conversation with my editor at Scholastic, Dianne Hess, who called to discuss my next book, I thought of my friend's comment. Dianne loved the idea, "But what would the story be?" she asked. I thought for a few days. Then, thinking about the process of that little paper bag's long life, from pine tree in a Southern forest to my back pocket, I sent some sketches to Dianne. She loved what she saw, and we ran with it, enhancing and lengthening the story and turning it into something much richer and more poignant.

Dianne as well as my Art Director, Marijka Kostiw were on the journey with me as many more sketches developed. Images from my childhood started appearing in those sketches: the farmhouse kitchen I loved so much, my Dad's favorite chair, Mac's Market (the tiny grocery store in my hometown, complete with wooden floors and a screen door), a brother's cherished VW bus, another brother teaching himself guitar on a salvaged and refurbished Gibson, the trees in our yard. I even found inspiration in Norman Rockwell's wonderful magazine covers for visual storytelling.

Finally, with the storyline developed and sketches in order and approved, I could begin the final illustrations. (And now the music could begin ...in this case I listened to all my usual favorites while I worked on the finished pen and ink artwork: Joni Mitchell, Laura Nyro, Sarah Vaughan, and Judy Collins, with some opera thrown in: Faust, Don Giovanni, The Magic Flute, Tosca.)

Many of the illustrations for the book came easily for me. After innumerable forays in the field and woods around the farm, I was very familiar with different types of wildlife. A degree in Forestry was helpful, as was work during college at a Union Camp Paper Company wildlife preserve, where we raised wild turkey and quail. That's a South Carolina pine forest at the beginning of the book.

Then came Marijka's magic, tying everything together in a thoughtful and handsome way. Dianne, Marijka, me...we're a team! Think: 3-legged stool.

For me, the theme of the book is two-fold: one is the story of generational love and caring, with a simple brown bag as a totem of that love. Many things can get passed down from parent to child... a necklace, a painting, an heirloom of some sort. But that paper bag is something I remember as a link between my mom and me. It wasn't some priceless object, but over time it became something of worth. It created an inside smile between the two of us.

The second theme, of course is recycling, using something over and over and over...or at least more than once. I don't like to waste things. In my family growing up we would think twice before throwing something away. There wasn't as much plastic to toss back then. Peanut butter came in a glass jar...so did jelly...not plastic like they do now. We'd wash out those glass jars and use them again for storing things or collecting things...they were useful. The Pepsi bottles were returned for a deposit. Newspapers were used for all kinds of things. Ice cream came in paper containers. So much more of what we consumed was biodegradable.

Those of us who can actively recycle, compost, and buy thoughtfully have found that we have very little waste to leave at the curb or throw down the trash chute.
Henry Cole is the son of a Virginia dairy farmer. After having been a beloved elementary science teacher for many years he switched gears to become a children's book author and illustrator. He lives in Florida.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey + a 20-minute Skype/Zoom call with Henry Cole. Many thanks to Scholastic for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey + the call with Henry, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - COLE. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Cathy Miller is the winner of this giveaway.

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On the very first Earth Day, I walked to school, which I did most days, across the fields of our farm and through our woods. But that day I noticed how quiet it was along the way. Instead of the usual buses and cars, kids were walking, or biking, or riding horses.

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The Story Behind WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS and Writing Lyrical Nonfiction by Carole Lindstrom 

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The Story Behind WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS and Writing Lyrical Nonfiction by Carole Lindstrom 

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Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of We Are Water Protectors + a 20-minute Zoom call with Carole Lindstrom.

Miigwech, for inviting me to share a bit about my inspiration for We Are Water Protectors. I'll also briefly touch on how I go about writing a nonfiction story that reads a bit like a fiction story.

I wrote We Are Water Protectors as a love letter to Standing Rock and all Indigenous People's fighting for clean water and for the health of Mother Earth. I was inspired by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's protection of their land and water against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). A pipeline which would carry crude oil in pipelines underground.

A camp was started by a few tribal members from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in April 2016 near the Cannonball River in Fort Yates, North Dakota in opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline. This movement of water protectors grew as word spread about the tribe's struggle against DAPL.

I became aware of the situation in late May 2016, through social media. It had a profound effect on me, in terms of my identity - being a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. A tribe also located in North Dakota. As well as being a fellow water protector and steward of the earth.

In Ojibwe culture women are the protectors of the water. I'm sure that is a strong reason why I felt compelled to help and offer my support. Traveling to North Dakota from my home wasn't possible. But I knew what was! Using my voice to tell a story. A story about this important movement and how it impacted the world by bringing together over 500 Native Nations from all over the world to stand for clean water.

The Ojibwe have a prophecy (as do many tribes), called the "Seven Fires Prophecy." It foretold of a black snake that would come to destroy the earth if humans do not treat it with kindness and care. The prophecy is coming to life right before our eyes.

Art (c) Michaela Goade
Courtesy of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.
Click on the image to enlarge.

This is not just a Native American issue. This is an issue all living things on our planet face.

Sadly, the pipeline has been built, despite DAPL having failed to provide an Environmental Impact Statement as to how the pipeline would affect the environment should there be a leak. And there was a leak, even before the last pipe was laid in the ground. These pipeline leaks cause considerable environmental damage on a daily basis.

Most tribes and their allies continue to fight pipelines and the extraction industry.

I have hope that the next generation, YOU, will continue to see the importance of preserving our precious planet by pledging to be a water protector with me!

When I write picture books, I have to be very careful of every word that I choose. Because I am limited to usually 500 words, I have to make sure each word is chosen with care. At the same time, I need to make sure to allow room for the illustrator to interpret my words in their own way. Because, as creators, it is both of our stories.

When it comes to writing nonfiction stories, for me, I like to tell a story first. Whatever and however that comes to mind. I like to use words that draw emotions and a reaction from the reader in some way. I prefer to leave the factual information in the back matter. I don't think most children necessary are drawn to that. I think they are drawn to a story first, like I was as a child, and still am today. Then I like to delve into more about the person, place, event, etc.

Carole Lindstrom is an Anishinaabe/Métis author, who is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She writes books for children and young adults. Carole studied writing at The Institute of Children's Literature. Her debut picture book, Girls Dance, Boys Fiddle, based on Métis culture, was published with Pemmican Publishers in 2013. Her poem, Drops of Gratitude, is included in the anthology, Thank U: Poems of Gratitude, edited by Miranda Paul and Illustrated by Marlena Myles, (Lerner/Millbrook - Fall 2019). Her picture book, We Are Water Protectors, inspired by Standing Rock, and all Indigenous Peoples' fight for clean water - illustrated by Michaela Goade, (Roaring Brook Press - March 2020). She lives with her family in Maryland. Learn more about her by visiting her website, website www.carolelindstrom.com, or by following her on Twitter @CaroleLindstrom.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of We Are Water Protectors + a 20-minute Zoom call with Carole Lindstrom. Many thanks to Roaring Brook Press for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of We Are Water Protectors + the call with Carole, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - LINDSTROM. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Kristen Picone is the winner of this giveaway.

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The Story Behind WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS and Writing Lyrical Nonfiction

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Carole Lindstrom discusses the inspiration behind WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS and talks about how she approaches nonfiction stories.

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Writing About Your Past by Helena Ku Rhee 

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Writing About Your Past by Helena Ku Rhee 

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Writing About Your Past

Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of The Paper Kingdom + a 20-minute Skype call with Helena Ku Rhee.

My latest picture book, The Paper Kingdom, is loosely based on my early childhood. My parents worked as night janitors in a corporate building in Los Angeles when I was little. And on most nights, they took me with them to work, where they turned drudgery into magic. They told me funny stories about the people who worked in the offices by day and they encouraged me to use my imagination so that I wouldn't get too bored or cranky.

I never considered writing a story about that experience, partially because it didn't seem all that special. Like many of the hardworking families who lived in our apartment complex, we made the most of an unpleasant situation simply because we had to.

But one night about five years ago or so, I was driving along Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles when something about the city lights and the empty street triggered long-ago memories. What stuck out about those memories was the incredible power of imagination, as well as the love within our small family unit. I knew I wanted to capture that magic, wonder, and warmth in a story for kids... but how?

I started by asking myself a series of questions. Since the story would be based on my personal history, should the protagonist be me? Or should the main character be any kid out in the world, perhaps even a little boy? I went with the latter choice because I didn't want the book to be an autobiography-instead, I wanted the character to be Any Kid in order to expand the experience. I wanted the reader imagine whomever they wanted.

Also, how could I conjure a sense of wonder and magic in less than 1,000 words? I knew I had to incorporate lots and lots of paper into the story. Why? Because my parents cleaned a law firm with mountains of paper. And I also knew that kids love dragons. After all, I loved dragons as a child (and still do!). So putting all that together, I came up with the idea of having my characters imagine a paper kingdom within the office building. The construct of a paper kingdom with a king, queen and dragons came quite quickly to me. It was truly a gift, the power of imagination at work again.

Incorporating a kingdom allowed me to weave in subtle social commentary about the haves and have-nots, and also highlight the invisible but very essential workers in our societies. With a king and queen standing in for the boss and executives, and with the dragons representing the workers, I had fun setting up an imaginary world within the real one of the office building.

NPR interviewed me and illustrator Pascal Campion about The Paper Kingdom. In the interview, we talk about our respective creative processes. The interview must've struck a chord because I received an outpouring of messages from strangers telling me that they found themselves weeping in their cars, garages, kitchens. Click here to listen to the six-minute interview.

I believe that some of the most powerful and emotionally resonant stories come from our personal histories. If you're writing for children, the key is to figure out why certain memories keep resurfacing at various moments of your life. Then use your imagination to make those memories even more magical and wondrous.

Helena Ku Rhee is a writer based in Los Angeles. You can read more about her books and writing process here at HelenaKRhee.com. If you want to keep posted about Helena's events and news, subscribe here. All new subscribers will receive a free dreams-to-reality worksheet Helena put together to achieve her writing dreams. You can also follow Helena on Instagram (@helenakurhee) and Twitter (@HelenaRhee).

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of The Paper Kingdom + a 20-minute Skype call with Helena Ku Rhee. Many thanks to Random House Children's Books for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of The Paper Kingdom + the call with Helena, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - HELENA KU RHEE. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

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My latest picture book, The Paper Kingdom, is loosely based on my early childhood. My parents worked as night janitors in a corporate building in Los Angeles when I was little. And on most nights, they took me with them to work, where they turned drudgery into magic.

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The Threads of Writing a Picture Book Biography by Kelly Starling Lyons 

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The Threads of Writing a Picture Book Biography by Kelly Starling Lyons 

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The Threads of Writing a Picture Book Biography

Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of Dream Builder.

Having a picture book biography published had been a goal of mine for years. I kept a running list of people whose lives would inspire kids. My computer held manuscripts in different stages of development. But another writing project always seemed to come first. Then, in the spring of 2017, my agent let me know that Cheryl Klein, editorial director of Lee & Low Books, was interested in seeing a nonfiction story about an architect who created the National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC). Here was my chance: Philip G. Freelon, the lead architect, lived nearby in Durham. I was excited about the possibility of celebrating his journey and incredible work of which the pinnacle was NMAAHC, a dream a century in the making.

Calling North Carolina home for more than a decade, I knew Mr. Freelon's name and some of the beautiful museums and public spaces he designed, but I didn't know his path to his calling. I began by reading articles about life and achievements. Immediately, I was intrigued and inspired. He grew up in Philadelphia, part of a strong family that sparked and nurtured his love of art. His mom was a teacher. His grandfather was not only a Harlem Renaissance painter, but an educator and thinker. His father, a businessman, attended the March on Washington. This was a story of a Black man's beginnings that isn't centered enough.

I reached out to ask if I could interview him. Mr. Freelon kindly agreed. I crafted a list of questions that included exploring the sights and sounds of his youth, his struggles and motivations, journey to architecture and how the Civil Rights Movement helped shape his mission. He and his wife, Grammy-nominated composer and singer Nnenna Freelon, welcomed me to their home. They painted a picture that pulled me into his world: Early struggle with reading. Finding strength in art, math and science. Showing genius at building and rotating images in his mind. Feeling proud of being Black and wanting to celebrate our history through his designs. They answered every question and welcomed me back to continue learning. Each interview and interaction reminded me that his story could inspire all children to build their dreams and those of others.

But finding the thread that tied everything together was another matter. I transcribed hours of interviews. I took notes on articles about his life and NMAAHC. How would I hook readers and take them on a journey that was compelling, authentic and organic?

I knew I wanted to start with the idea that art was all around him as a kid. It called him to create. I also wanted to focus on how his grandfather taught him to experience the world through all of his senses and develop a special kind of sight. A theme began to emerge that Mr. Freelon could see between the lines. I liked it and wrote a draft. I revised and revised, but it lacked the spark that lets you know you've made magic.

I don't have a critique group, but value the feedback and guidance of my children's book writing mentors and friends. Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford looked at the story and thought it was promising, but agreed that it needed something more. She asked if I had played with the idea of structure. What if I used subheads that were related to the architectural process? All of a sudden, everything fell into place. I talked through the stages that came to mind - Vision, Foundation, Frame, Form, Dream. Then a title flashed in my head - Dream Builder. Phil wasn't just building museums, he was building dreams. I got busy. I made tweaks to the manuscript to fit that new idea. I shared my revision with her and got her blessing.

I sent it off to my agent and editor who helped me sharpen the story and polish it. Cheryl's thoughtful editing encouraged me to expand certain ideas and trim lines that didn't serve the story to best effect. Along the way, I shared a draft with the Freelons to make sure everything was accurate. When the story was final, illustrator Laura Freeman blew us away with her sketches and finished art.

Looking back, having the chance to interview the Freelons was priceless. I researched Mr. Freelon's life, but hearing him share experiences first-hand and being able to ask questions that helped me bring his world to life for young readers makes me feel like he's part of every page. It was so rewarding to shine a light on a contemporary Black hero that could offer kids a mirror of possibility and achievement.

Sadly, Phil Freelon passed away last July from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He got to see the cover of Dream Builder, but didn't get to hold the finished book in his hands. His brilliant legacy of centering the Black experience, creating beauty in every-day lives and blending art with utility lives on. He is there in his family, the stunning museums and public spaces he created and everyone he touched. I picture him smiling every time I share his story.

Kelly Starling Lyons is a teaching artist and award-winning children's book author whose more than a dozen titles span picture books, easy readers and chapter books, fiction and nonfiction, standalone and series. She counts starred reviews, Junior Library Guild and Bank Street Best selections, National Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies and Scholastic Reading Club picks among the accolades her books have received. Titles include Tiara's Hat Parade, Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon, Sing a Song: How Lift Every Voice & Sing Inspired Generations, Going Down Home with Daddy and the Jada Jones chapter book series. Learn more at http://www.kellystarlinglyons.com.

Take a peek inside of Dream Builder:

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of Dream Builder. Many thanks to Lee & Low Books for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Dream Builder, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - LYONS. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

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The Threads of Writing a Picture Book Biography

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Having a picture book biography published had been a goal of mine for years. I kept a running list of people whose lives would inspire kids. My computer held manuscripts in different stages of development. But another writing project always seemed to come first.

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Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable in Writing a Professional Book by Katie Egan Cunningham 

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Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable in Writing a Professional Book by Katie Egan Cunningham 

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Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable in Writing a Professional Book

Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of Start with Joy by Katie Cunningham.

They can say they can say it all sounds crazy They can say they can say I've lost my mind I don't care I don't care if they call us crazy We can live in a world that we design "A Million Dreams", The Greatest Showman

If you were standing at the edge of a high dive, a ten meter tower, would you jump? Some of us would get to the top and climb back down overwhelmed by our fears. Some of us would spend time weighing the options going back and forth about what to do. Some of us would take a deep breath, trust what's to come, and jump.

Much like jumping off a high dive, the act of writing is a vulnerable process from start to finish whether you are a Kindergartener or aspiring professional writer. The moment your pencil touches the paper or your fingers grace the keyboard, excitement can easily become squelched by fear and doubt. What if my ideas sound crazy? What if the words I string together sound trite? What if others don't value what I write? Here I share my experience with writing professional books and what I think it takes to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Step One: Having the Courage to Start
The courage to climb the stairs of the high dive starts with the first step. The courage to write a professional book starts with the first word. When I start a new book project, I like to remind myself of Vashti's teacher from Peter Reynolds' The Dot. Her now famous lines, "Make a mark and see where it takes you" can give us the courage to start, however imperfectly. The etymology of the word courage is the Latin "cor" meaning heart. The courage to climb the stairs or to write that first word will take your whole heart. It helps to have at least one other person rooting you on. Who is your version of Vashti's teacher? Who can you talk with about your ideas over lunch or coffee? Who can you share your first chapter with to get feedback early on? It takes courage to make your mark and see where it takes you.
Step Two: Asking What Should I Do
On the edge of the diving platform, it's natural to ask: What should I do? Is it worth it? Do I have the courage to go on? Throughout the writing process, I often wonder the same questions. My writing process includes fits and starts and lots of sticky notes spread across my dining room table. From there I make a Table of Contents and strive for a repetitive framework that will be easy for readers to follow and that will make my writing process sustainable. With a structure in place, I'm able to start telling stories and offering strategies to readers. From there, I'm able to find relevant research that directly connects to the book I want to write. If making your mark takes courage, continuing with the process requires vulnerability. You may question your purpose or why you even started. It's helpful, again, to turn to a trusted colleague or friend to talk through your ongoing questions about what to do. Be open to listening and be willing to let go of some things you originally planned to make your book more relevant and useful to readers.
Step Three: Saying Yes to the Unknown
In order to jump from the ten meter, you have to say yes to the unknown. If starting a project requires courage and continuing down the writing road requires vulnerability, delivering your manuscript draft to a professional publishing house means getting comfortable with humility. Once your manuscript is received, it will typically go to at least two blind reviewers. You will likely never learn the identity of those reviewers but they will learn a lot about you. Once you receive the reviewers' feedback, you have an opportunity to revise and respond. Some feedback will be eye opening. Some may be difficult to swallow. Some you may simply reject. It's helpful to think about what you can say yes to from the reviewers' feedback from a place of humility. Yes, I need more relevant research. Yes, I need more classroom stories. Yes, I need to restructure the chapters. Whatever you decide, it will make your book stronger and your ideas will resonate more with readers.
Step Four: Celebrating the Process
Coming up for air after jumping from the platform requires celebration and a whole lot of whoops and shouts. Finishing the draft of a professional book is no different. Give yourself moments to celebrate along the way. Celebrate when you finish your Table of Contents. When you finish the first chapter. When you finish the References. Many people will have ideas for books, but few will see the process through to the end. You deserve to whoop and shout in celebration. When we take the time to celebrate, it helps us enjoy the process along the way.

Writing a book for fellow professionals can be a joyful process, but it requires getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. Know your ideas are worthy of sharing with the world. Step up to the edge of the platform and jump.

Katie Egan Cunningham is the author of Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness and Story: Still the Heart of Literacy Learning and co-author of Literacy Leadership in Changing Schools: 10 Keys to Successful Professional Development and The Classroom Bookshelf blog. Also, she is an Associate Professor of Literacy and English Education at Manhattanville College. Katie lives in the woods in Connecticut with her husband, two high-diving boys, and a Mini Golden Doodle named Sandy. You can find Katie on Twitter, @kegancunningham, or by visiting her website.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness. Many thanks to Stenhouse for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Start with Joy: Designing Literacy Learning for Student Happiness, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - CUNNINGHAM. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Donnetta Norris is the winner of the giveaway.

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Getting Comfortable with the Uncomfortable in Writing a Professional Book

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Writing a professional book can feel like jumping from a high-dive. Author Katie Cunningham explains how it requires getting comfortable with the uncomfortable including having the courage to start, the vulnerability to keep going, and the willingness to receive feedback from a place of humility.

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The Keeper of Wild Words: Celebrating the Lost Words of Nature by Brooke Smith

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The Keeper of Wild Words: Celebrating the Lost Words of Nature by Brooke Smith

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The Keeper of Wild Words: Celebrating the Lost Words of Nature

Leave a comment on the bottom of this post for the chance to win a copy of The Keeper of Wild Words by Brooke Smith.

Several years ago, I learned that the Oxford Junior Dictionary had decided to remove over 100 natural words from its pages-common words, like apricot, lavender and porcupine. The editors no longer felt they had relevance for today's children.

At first I was angry, then disillusioned and ultimately very sad. But the power of being a writer is that you can create a world you want to see. I decided to write a book where some of these lost wild words would be celebrated and recognized beyond the pages of the dictionary. To make sure they always stayed an integral part of our language and our children's stories.

Nature has always been a crucial part of my life, and my daughter Mimi's, too. We were fortunate enough to raise her on our property in Bend, Oregon that had many of these wild words naturally present. I wanted to write a book that would allow children everywhere to experience the beauty of nature and feel what it's like to wander and explore.

I also wanted to write it from the point of view of a grandmother and her granddaughter. Why? Grandparents play such a special role in children's lives. My dad was a touchstone for my daughter growing up. He gave her a nature backpack when she was very young, and the two of them would walk down our long cinder lane, exploring for hours. His patience with her was such a gift, and watching the two of them together was one of my favorite parts of her childhood.

It's absurd to think that nature could ever be irrelevant to children. In fact, I'd argue that in the technology-filled world we now live in, nature plays a more important role than ever to provide a place to dream, rest and wonder. I hope parents, grandparents, libraries, and schools will all become Keepers of Wild Words by sharing this book-and most importantly, the words it celebrates.

"I decided to write a book where some of these lost wild words would be celebrated beyond the pages of the dictionary. To make sure they always stayed and integral part of our language and our children's stories." (Pull out quote)

Brooke Smith is a poet and children's book author. She lives in Bend, Oregon, at the end of a long cinder lane. She writes daily from her studio, looking at the meadow and the natural world that inspires her. She loves writing for children, because they find beauty and wonder in small, ordinary things and allow her to do the same. You may find her on Instagram @brookesmith_author.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of The Keeper of Wild Words. Many thanks to Chronicle Books for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of The Keeper of Wild Words, please leave a comment about this post by Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Stacey Shubitz will use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name she will announce at the bottom of this post, by Tueday, May 26th. You must have a U.S. mailing address to enter the giveaway.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so Stacey can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. NOTE: There may be a shipping delay due to shipping-related issues caused by the novel coronavirus.

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - SMITH. Please respond to her e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Chris Cherney is the winner of this giveaway.

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The Keeper of Wild Words: Celebrating the Lost Words of Nature

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Several years ago, I learned that the Oxford Junior Dictionary had decided to remove over 100 natural words from its pages-common words, like apricot, lavender and porcupine. The editors no longer felt they had relevance for today's children. At first I was angry, then disillusioned and ultimately very sad.

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True Confessions of a Professional Writer by Trudy Ludwig 

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True Confessions of a Professional Writer by Trudy Ludwig 

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Trudy Ludwig: True Confessions of a Professional Writer

As the published author of nine children's books, I have a confession to make: When I present at schools and conferences, I rarely give talks on the craft of writing. Over 95 percent of my presentations focus on friendship / bullying issues and how to promote kinder, more inclusive school communities. While I'm being totally honest here, I must also confess that I don't think I have any particularly noteworthy "how to" writing tips that you haven't heard or read before. What I can do is share with you my general thoughts on the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly when it comes to the writing process itself.

Allow me creative license to work backwards by dealing with the Ugly first. That's right-I'm talking about the big ole elephant in the room: Writer's Block.

"Writing is easy. All you do is sit staring at a blank sheet

of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead."

- Gene Fowler

I'll never forget the advice renowned author Richard Peck gave to students and teachers at a speaking engagement I attended years ago: "Your story is only as good as your first sentence, so make sure it's a great one."

Sheesh! Talk about pressure! That advice, while powerful and true, has caused many a writer (including me) to stare anxiously at a blank page as the clock tick-tocks away. Hear that knock, knock, knock on your door? Hello, it's Writer's Block's BFF, Procrastination.

Where did I put those yummy toasted almonds? Oh, look-chocolate!

Hmm...I wonder how many people my recent Facebook post...

I'm soooo #bored. Need #inspiration!

Aww....who's a good girl?! You are! Yes, YOU are!!

It wasn't until I was trying to help out a fellow author that I had an "aha" moment, allowing me to approach Peck's sage advice from a different angle:

"I'm stuck on how to begin the book," my friend shared with me. "I can't seem to write that first crucial sentence."

"So don't start with the first sentence," I told him. "Write the second one and go from there. Maybe your first sentence is waiting for the other sentences to be written."

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I never thought it of that way before!" Well, frankly, neither did I until I said it!

Another author recently shared with me her wonderful epiphany: If you're experiencing writer's block-it's not you that's blocked; it's the direction you're going with your writing. Simply rewind and try a new direction.

All Writers Have Bad Days

Yes, indeed, we do. Often, those bad days are not of our own choosing. Our hearts are in the right place, but our brains refuse to cooperate. We find ourselves using the <del> key more often than the <CTRL + S> command.

Don't focus on writing The Perfect essay, article, story, or blog post. Just write. Then step away from your draft. Go for a walk. Take a hike. Meet with friends. That break away from your work will refresh your mind and allow you to see your text in a whole new light and make edits accordingly. It takes several rounds of edits to make the chorus of words, sentences, and paragraphs sing harmoniously on a page.

Another way we writers can have bad days is when we allow ourselves to be our own worst enemy by constantly comparing ourselves to others. Please stop. Here's why:

Instead of comparing how well your writing stacks up against your peers' works, focus on how your writing compares with your previous works. You achieve success as a writer when you improve your personal best every time you write.

Who Doesn't Like a Good Ending?

If you were to ask 30 writers what is the best way to write, chances are you'll get 30 different answers. Every writer's path is as different and unique as the story, article, essay, blog post, etc., he/she writes. And that's good news because it allows each of us to find the technique, style, and voice to effectively express what we need to share with our readers. So keep on writing...and improving your personal best!

Trudy Ludwig is an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that explore the colorful and sometimes confusing world of children's social interactions. She has received rave reviews nationwide from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing relational aggression - the use of relationships to manipulate and hurt others. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences around the country and educating students, parents, and teachers on the topic.

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Trudy Ludwig: True Confessions of a Professional Writer

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As the published author of nine children's books, I have a confession to make: When I present at schools and conferences, I rarely give talks on the craft of writing. Over 95 percent of my presentations focus on friendship / bullying issues and how to promote kinder, more inclusive school communities.

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Patience + Perseverance + Passion= Publication by Karen Beaumont

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Patience + Perseverance + Passion= Publication by Karen Beaumont

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Patience + Perseverance + Passion = Publication

In this age of quick fixes and instant gratification, an important virtue and spiritual skill is being lost. PATIENCE. If there is no immediate reward, there is little interest. The ego, which thrives on instant gratification, silences the spirit, which knows that anything worthwhile, anything of real value - like love, healing, enlightenment, character building, raising children, etc. - requires patience.

And so it is with writing. It's a journey. A journey that requires not only patience, but perseverance, and passion. The three Ps of writing, I like to call them. My own personal "formula" for success:

Patience + Perseverance + Passion = Publication

I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up. But I soon discovered that I couldn't stand the sight of blood. Or needles. So I decided to become a jockey instead. I was crazy about horses and loved to ride. But by age nine, I had grown too tall to be a jockey. So I decided to be a teacher. Teachers can be tall. And lucky for me, writers can be tall, too!

Throughout my life, writing has been a source of joy and empowerment for me. My first grade teacher asked me to read one of my stories to the PTA. It was about a little girl named Sally who painted herself and her dog with red lipstick. My teacher's recognition of my humble attempts fueled my confidence and nurtured the seed that I'd been born with. In my 9th grade autobiography I wrote: "My greatest interests lie in writing, and helping others live a better life." In college, my creative writing professor, award-winning playwright, Mark Medoff, wrote on one of my manuscripts: "A nicely conceived bonbon. Should you ever decide to devote the time to it, I think you could make a writer. You have a very fine natural voice." I sometimes wonder if these teachers have any idea how much their encouragement helped to shape my future.

After I had children, the thread of destiny slowly began to weave itself into a tapestry. Disappointed by many of the books I read to my kids, I decided that this might be an arena in which I could, possibly, make a contribution. So I began to write. My muse was excited to be back on that "giant imaginary playground" I'd enjoyed so much as a child. But being a mom of two very young girls by day and a teacher at night left little time to pursue my passion. Especially after I became a single mom! I had moments of absolute desperation, and often felt that I might be crushed by the weight of the responsibility I had. I even fantasized about robbing a bank to deliberately land me in prison - just for some uninterrupted writing time - so I could have half a chance to fulfill my destiny. And provide my children with the life they deserved.

After collecting over 135 rejection slips on various manuscripts, I finally received the news that I'd been dreaming of for so many years. My first book, Louella Mae, She's Run Away! was accepted in 1994. I have sold 18 books since then, and have many, many more in various stages of development.

I can honestly say that I have given my heart and soul (and then some!) to this career. Not for fame. Nor fortune. Nor any other ego-based pursuit. My spirit thrives on the fact that I am able to contribute positively to children's lives through my books and author presentations. The rewards, most visible from an inner, soul perspective, have been worth the effort. But without patience, I could never have hoped to prevail.

My latest picture book, Wild About Us!, illustrated by Janet Stevens, just released in April. Through comparisons with his zoo animal friends, Warty Warthog delivers a powerful message about the inherent beauty in each and every one of us. My next book, Crybaby, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, comes out in August. It's a comical, cumulative tale that celebrates family, and reminds us all that it really does take a village to raise a child!

My final bit of advice? Never give up! EVER! Trust that your deep desire to write is rooted in the world's need to hear your voice. Honor that. Be courageous enough to be true to your calling. With patience, perseverance, and passion, you, too, WILL prevail! I wish you all the luck in the world!

Disclaimer: To avoid influencing impressionable minds in any unintentional way, perhaps it's best not to share my "bank robber" anecdote with youngsters. I wouldn't want them to misinterpret the fantasy vs. reality aspect of my experience.

KAREN BEAUMONT is known for her lively and celebratory picture books, including I Like Myself! and the New York Times best-seller I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!, both illustrated by David Catrow, as well as No Sleep for the Sheep!, illustrated by Jackie Urbanovic. She lives in Northern California. For more information, visit www.karenbeaumont.com. Click here to learn more about Wild About Us.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

This giveaway is for a copy of Wild About Us. Many thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Wild About Us, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, June 10th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 12th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at HMH will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - WILD ABOUT US. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

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Patience + Perseverance + Passion = Publication

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In this age of quick fixes and instant gratification, an important virtue and spiritual skill is being lost. PATIENCE. If there is no immediate reward, there is little interest. The ego, which thrives on instant gratification, silences the spirit, which knows that anything worthwhile, anything of real value - like love, healing, enlightenment, character building, raising children, etc.

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Being an Illustrator on Both Sides of the Fence by Mike Curato 

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Being an Illustrator on Both Sides of the Fence by Mike Curato 

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Being an Illustrator on Both Sides of the Fence

I am an illustrator and an author. I have created books wearing both hats, and some solely as the illustrator. The processes are quite different.

Little Elliot, Big City came about from several personal pieces I created featuring a small polka-dotted elephant. Though I did not create these images with a story in mind, there was definitely a strong narrative quality to the work. They were pictures that kept resurfacing in my mind frequently enough that I had to commit them to paper. This page from Big City started out as a sketch six years ago. Where did it come from? Freud is not around to tell me. Why did I want this small elephant looking into a bakery? Maybe it's because I have a sweet tooth. Maybe because I have a penchant for old New York storefronts. The important thing is that it conveys emotion. It reflects how I was feeling at the time. In the process of making the image, I decided that the bakery should be called Speranza, which means "hope" in Italian. This was about being on the outside looking in. Did I know at the time that it would become part of a larger story? No. But when I started writing Big City, all the emotions were there: hope , desire, struggle, loneliness, and feelings of insignificance.

The words started to come when I asked myself questions about the piece. How did he end up there? What is it he wants? How is he going to get it? The story finally started taking shape once I recalled a past experience. When I was a child, I was sent to the deli on an errand, and I was too short to be seen over the counter. I felt unnoticed, insignificant, and hopeless, until someone helped me. I had my crux. Then the process became a dance between images and words. Both were edited up until the end because one influences the other and vice versa. It's been noted that my text is very spare, and that's because I've edited out anything that I felt was already being communicated via the imagery. Since picture books are made specifically for people who are usually beginning readers, I feel the images should do the heavy lifting, and the text steps in only when the image needs help completing the full story. That is my perspective in any case.

Meanwhile, when I illustrate the work of others, it's much simpler. The text is set. It's not mine, so I cannot make changes. It is limiting, but limitations can be quite liberating. The emotions and plot should already be there. It's up to me to amplify the emotion and help enrich the plot in a way that the text is not already doing. For example, I can add depth to a character through his or her appearance, expressions and gestures. I can alter mood through the use of color. I can create drama through the use of scale and proportion. I do this when I illustrate any book, but when I receive someone else's manuscript, I am able to be much more objective with my approach. That being said, I've also only worked with manuscripts that I felt I connected with emotionally on some level (since I am dedicating a good chunk of my life to working on it!).

One other note about character: I had drawn Elliot for a decade before the idea of Big City existed, so I knew who he was before I sat down to write it. The Little Elliot books have been easier in terms of character development. I'm writing and drawing and writing and drawing, but everything I do goes back to the character I already know. Would Elliot do this? How would he react in this situation? How would he feel? When I work on someone else's story, the first thing I need to do is get to know these new characters. So in this case, I read and draw and read and draw in order to find a visual interpretation that I feel accurately reflects the character that has already been written.

This brings up my final point: drawing is my thinking process. So, no matter what the project is, the bulk of the work happens in the disaster zone that is my sketchbook. Should you ever see it (and I promise you never will), you will see the ugliest thumbnail sketches, incoherent scribbles, and an occasional word with a question mark. To the outside viewer, it's nonsense. But to me, those absurd lines are the foundation of everything I do.
Mike Curato wrote and illustrated Little Elliot, Big City and its follow-up story, Little Elliot, Big Family with Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (available October 6th!). He also illustrated a self-published book, Mabel McNabb and the Most Boring Day Ever by Amy Jones, and an upcoming title, Worm Loves Worm by JJ Austrian with Balzer + Bray (available January 5th!). You can see his work at www.MikeCurato.com.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Little Elliot, Big City. Many thanks to MacMillan for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Little Elliot, Big City, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, June 24th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 26th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at MacMillan will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - Little Elliot. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. I used a random number generator and drew mbhmaine's commenter number. She'll win a copy of Little Elliot. Here's what she wrote:

This has been on my TBR pile for ages and now I'm even more interested in reading it. I enjoyed reading about the illustrating process from both perspectives. If we had a few more days of school I would share some of Mike Curato's words with my students - "everything I do goes back to the character I already know. Would Elliot do this? How would he react in this situation? How would he feel?" Perfect words for first graders creating characters in realistic fiction. Thanks for sharing!

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Being an Illustrator on Both Sides of the Fence

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I am an illustrator and an author. I have created books wearing both hats, and some solely as the illustrator. The processes are quite different. Little Elliot, Big City came about from several personal pieces I created featuring a small polka-dotted elephant.

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How I Became an Author by Ralph Fletcher 

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How I Became an Author by Ralph Fletcher 

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How I Became An Author

Today I'm an author of books for young readers, but the journey I took getting there was an improbable one. It started in New York City when I began the MFA writing at Columbia University. Our program had a high-powered faculty: Gail Godwin, Richard Price, Joseph Brodsky. I even got to take a seminar with E. L. Doctorow! I dreamed of writing fiction in the tradition of Ken Kesey, Raymond Carver, and Wallace Stegner.

One day I strolled from Columbia University uptown to Teachers College on 120 th Street. Eventually I wandered into the office of a woman named Lucy Calkins, who had just started her career at Teachers College. After speaking with Lucy, I signed up for her course on the teaching of writing.

I loved that class. What a professor! The woman was on fire. Lucy would become an important mentor me, as she has to many others. One day she told me: "You know, Ralph, you could be a leader in the field of literacy."

Me? Me? You could have knocked me over with a sheet of paper.

A few months later Lucy invited me to teach at the Teachers College Writing Institute. I found that I loved working with teachers, helping them discover themselves as writers.

When I graduated from Columbia I started working full-time at the Teachers College Writing Project. I worked in classrooms all over the city, helping teachers fine-tune their writing workshops. I dragged around a big canvas bag stuffed with picture books. What books did I have in that bag? Owl Moon by Jane Yolen. Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger. Dear Al by Arthur Yorinks. Brave Irene by William Steig. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Gorilla by Anthony Browne. My bag included many books by Cynthia Rylant-The Relatives Came and Birthday Presents, just to name a few.

Whenever I did a demonstration lesson I shared those books with students. After we closed the book I told them: "See what this author did? You could do something like this in your own writing...."

Here's where the story gets interesting, at least to me. As I shared those books, day after day, I began to fall in love with them. Falling in love isn't something you can plan for-it just happens-and it happened here. These picture books moved me deeply. They spoke to the child within me, but also me as adult. I was struck by the beauty of the writing. I watched those kids react, enthralled, to the powerful language.

Until now I had aspired to be the next Ken Kesey (no, I have never quite given up on that goal) but now I saw that writing for children might also be an honorable way to live as a writer.

So I set my goal-I would write a picture book and get it published. I wrote three, four, five different manuscripts, stories that I considered QUITE good, thank you very much, and sent them off.

These manuscripts got rejected. Rejection wasn't new to me. I was tough inside. I tended to reject rejections and keep on submitting, except in this case the rejections all had a similar theme. The readers told me that my stories were too didactic.

I met with the great Adrian Peetoom, a man who had been kind enough to read my work. Adrian told me the same thing.

"You've written lessons instead of stories," he told me. "Kids don't want a lesson. They want to be captured by a marvelous story."

I chewed on that for several weeks. Then I went back to the drawing board, and revised those stories. Meanwhile I had written a collection of poems, Water Planet, and decided to publish it myself with the help of a high school friend.

During that time I had started speaking at various educational conferences where I got the chance to meet my heroes: Bill Martin Jr., Jane Yolen, Cynthia Rylant. When Water Planet got published I sent a copy to those authors.

At first nothing happened. Then a month later I got a letter from Bill Martin-the author of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom had written to me!-saying that he liked one of my poems, "A Rainbow in Ice." He asked if he could reprint it. You bet he could!

A few weeks later I received a formal permissions request from Bill's literary agent, Marian Reiner. I picked up the phone and called her.

"Do you represent other authors?" I asked. "Because I, uh, well, see, I've got a bunch of material, stories and such, that I'm trying to sell."

"Send them to me," Marian said.

So I sent her some of the chapters for a book I was working on.

A few days later she called me up, laughing.

"These stories are hilarious!" she exclaimed. "I can't promise anything, but I'll do my best to sell them."

My new agent sent those stories to Nina Ignatowicz, an editor at Clarion Books. Two weeks later Nina telephoned me.

"These stories are wonderful," she said, "though they don't quite work. Not yet."

I tried not to get defensive. "No? What's wrong with them?"

"Well, the stories have a reminiscent quality to them," Nina replied. "It sounds like an adult looking back fondly at his childhood."

Which, I realized, is exactly what I had done.

"That reminiscent tone rings false to children," Nina continued. "Kids aren't looking back on their childhood. They're IN it. So these stories have to feel more immediate and dramatic. Understand?"

"Sort of," I murmured.

"One more thing," Nina said. "The narrator, Cliff, is the least developed character in the book. He tells the story but he doesn't really participate or react. We've got to know what he thinks and feels."

"Oh, right," I said, trying not to sound too crushed.

"Take another crack at it," Nina told me. "You've got great material...now your job is to bring it alive."

So I did. Nina liked the revisions enough to offer me a contract for Fig Pudding. Nina was my editor for Spider Boy, Flying Solo, Twilight Comes Twice, Grandpa Never Lies, and The Circus Surprise.
There's a Ralph Fletcher who writes books for writing teachers, and a Ralph Fletcher who writes books for young readers, and yes they are the same person. Ralph's newest professional book, Making Nonfiction From Scratch, will be published this fall by Stenhouse. Right now, he's working on a new collection of Marshfield Dreams stories to be published by Henry Holt. When he's not writing, traveling, or working with teachers, Ralph enjoys taking photos and hanging out with his grandson Solomon. Ralph blogs at The Writer's Desk and tweets @FletcherRalph.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy Making Nonfiction From Scratch, which will be published this fall.Many thanks to Stenhouse Publishers for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Making Nonfiction From Scratch, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, July 8th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, July 10th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Stenhouse will pre-order Ralph's book for you. You will be one of the first people to receive his book when it gets published this fall. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - Making Nonfiction from Scratch. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment about Ralph's forthcoming book. Laurie Pandorf's commenter number was selected so she'll receive one of the "hot off the presses" copies of Making Nonfiction from Scratch. Here's what she wrote:

What a nice surprise! I met him once when he keynoted at TC writing. He was eating lunch in the lounge; I pulled up my chair and we had a great conversation. His books are a mainstay in my writing workshops, especially the ones on fiction and nonfiction writing. Can't wait for this new one, which I am sure will be just as dog-eared as the others!

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Today I'm an author of books for young readers, but the journey I took getting there was an improbable one. It started in New York City when I began the MFA writing at Columbia University. Our program had a high-powered faculty: Gail Godwin, Richard Price, Joseph Brodsky.

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How Not to Publish a Picture Book by Val Jones 

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How Not to Publish a Picture Book by Val Jones 

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How NOT to Publish a Picture Book.

In 2010, I was forced to retire from my position in Data Management. I didn't have the stomach to compete with fresh-faced, energetic graduates clambering for the precious few job openings...now what?

My cousin Tina is a retired school teacher and loves children's books. She started on-line writing courses and since I had freelanced when my daughters were small, I could be her illustrator (of course!). We joined Eastern PA's chapter of SCBWI and signed up for the Fall Philly Fest. Tina wrote a story and painted a couple of illustrations. I also wrote my own story and created a dummy. We were ready for our contracts!

At the Fall Philly Fest an author spoke about her submissions to publishers, while unraveling a roll of rejection letters that stretched from one side of the room to the other. But she was a YA author, nothing to do with me, (right?). I checked my watch. Only minutes to go until my first critique...I was about to be discovered!

My 'Mouse Potato Pie' had no storyline, no pacing, no arch. Thanks to my corporate background, (where sharks eat their young), I listened carefully to my critique, thanked the Author/Illustrator, and calmly left the room before bursting into tears. I recovered and re-wrote 'Mouse Potato Pie', this time in rhyme (brilliant, right?).

April 2011 we attended SCBWI EPA's Pocono Retreat held in Shawnee. Tina brought her story and my rhyming masterpiece was in the bag. Judy Schachner was the keynote speaker and coincidently, Tina had sat next to Judy's daughter on a flight to Utah earlier that year. Tina had an opener and chatted happily with Judy as I clutched my wine glass, star-struck-dumb by the Mother of Skippyjon Jones! Later that evening Judy graciously looked at 'Mouse Potato Pie.' Her comments were kind but truthful. (86 the rhyme...)

During that weekend, I was invited to join a wonderful critique group of 'Illustrators Who Want to Write.' Over the summer, I wrote 'Pity the Kitty,' 'Fuzzy Legs Brown,' 'The Christmas Pony,' 'YAWN' and 'Here's the Thing.' As Tina's interests turned away from writing, I began to research workshops I could apply to my 'Master Plan' to become an author/illustrator.

In the fall, I qualified to attend the 'Advanced Illustrators Workshop' presented by Highlights in the spanking-new Barn and cabin facilities in Honesdale, PA. It was MIND-BLOWING! Days of hands-on workshops delivered by super-talented illustrators - even Caldecott winners! The first evening featured an illustrator's exhibit. I gazed down the tables covered with stacks of published picture books by attendees - as I stood by my homemade Christmas cards and (huge) portrait of my dog, Fergus.

Lindsey Barrett George was one of the presenters and she was (literally) stopped by Fergus's oversized painting. She asked about my dog's tail and suggested I write his story..."write what you know." (What a concept!) That evening I began to write a children's version of Fergus's adoption.

Throughout 2012, I faithfully met with my critique group, attended local SCBWI events and signed up for a Highlights workshop in the fall. My critique at the workshop was with an agent. She liked my dog story, but she needed an agreement from her partner (WOW!). During the workshop Lindsey BG stopped by. I mustered the nerve to ask if she would look at the story dummy she had encouraged me to write last fall... she graciously agreed. Lindsey was to the point... too much story and (by the way) the main character is supposed to solve the problem. (Who knew?)

The Agent's partner gave my dummy a thumbs-down, but I was still encouraged. I emailed a 'thank you' to Bobbie Combs up at Highlights, who had set up my critique. To my astonishment, Bobbie replied that she liked my dummy and she knew an agent who might be a good match. (Agents should be good matches?) Bobbie offered to introduce me to this agent when the revisions to my dummy were complete.

About a month later ' Who Wants Broccoli?' was ready and Bobbie introduced me to Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary Agency. (Incredible!) Karen kindly replied that she was not taking new clients BUT she really liked Broccoli and graciously agreed to do an Agent Submission. I could not have asked for anything more.

Enter the Twilight Zone. Three hours after Karen submitted to a handful of publishing houses, Nancy Inteli, Editorial Director of HarperCollins Childrens Books loved Broccoli! It was the fastest response Karen ever had! She cautioned me the acquisition meeting was the next big hurdle. (Note to self: look up acquisition.)

May 2013 the SCBWI Pocono Retreat was held in the Highlights Barn in Honesdale. Karen hadn't heard anything from HarperCollins for a few weeks so we agreed it would be okay to display my 'Broccoli' dummy during Friday's Visiting Editors Event. One editor was from HarperCollins and she was surprised to hear ' Who Wants Broccoli?' was on Nancy Inteli's list. Harper's acquisition meetings were on Fridays, three Fridays had passed and she hadn't heard anything about Broccoli. (Sigh.)

The Barn in Honesdale is the perfect retreat location. Cell phone service is nearly impossible, but I did have a wireless signal on my iPad. Late that Friday night after the editors event I opened my email and my heart almost stopped. My agent, Karen, had been trying to call me all day!

Saturday morning, surrounded by SCBWI and Highlights friends, I shared the unbelievable news. HarperCollins Children's Books was going to publish 'Who Wants Broccoli?!!!!! (It was May - looks like a Christmas release, right?)

...almost two years later, 'Who Wants Broccoli?' was released.

(Now, what's all this about marketing... the publisher does that, right?)
Val Jones lives in Pennsylvania with her husband Bob, their dog Fergus, and Pity the Kitty. Please visit Val online or "like" her on Facebook.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Who Wants Broccoli? by Val Jones.Many thanks to HarperCollins for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Who Wants Broccoli?, please leave a comment about this post by Tuesday, June 30th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Wednesday, July 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at HarperCollins will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - Val Jones. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed.

Thanks to everyone who left a comment. And a special thank you to Val who stopped by to respond many times!

Paulina Tawil's commenter number was chosen so she'll receive a copy of Who Wants Broccoli? Here's what she wrote:

What a great story! I love to share with my students the tireless work that goes into publishing books. I can't wait to get this book on my shelf, The illustrations are beautiful. Congratulations to Val, I will keep an eye on whats to come.

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In 2010, I was forced to retire from my position in Data Management. I didn't have the stomach to compete with fresh-faced, energetic graduates clambering for the precious few job openings...now what? My cousin Tina is a retired school teacher and loves children's books.

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To Edit or Not to Edit? by Ashley Spires 

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To Edit or Not to Edit? by Ashley Spires 

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To Edit or Not to Edit

Recently a student with aspirations of becoming an author/illustrator asked me the simple question, "What one piece of advice would you give to a new author?"

"Get used to criticism," I said. "You're going to get a lot of it."

We creative types tend to be precious about our work. The very idea that we might have to change the story, the theme, the illustration style, will get our backs up faster than a cat on Halloween.

"Change it?" we ask indignantly, "Are you kidding? It's a masterpiece. How dare you?!"

It's a bit of a shock the first time your editor sends you a three-page cover letter of general notes accompanied by a twenty-page PDF of detailed notes on your 500-word picture book.

That can be soul-crushing, but I've learned to take a deep breath, walk it off, cuddle the cat, drink a cup of tea and then come back with an open mind. I ask myself, "Will this make my book better?" and usually the answer is yes. Sometimes what we are trying to accomplish isn't coming out as intended. The editor's feedback is meant to help clarify what our story is trying to say. A good editor, an editor that you trust, will help you shape your story into something that is even closer to your vision than anything you could have done on your own.

That is what I told the student. For about a week after I sent my response, I felt really proud of myself. I gave myself a big pat on the back for my beneficence, passing on something I had wished I'd known when I was just a little "authorling."

But, as is always the case with life, I realized that my answer was kind of wrong. At the very least, it was severely oversimplified.

Early in my career, I had experiences where an editor removed every bit of humor, meaning every bit of me, from my manuscript. I had an art director give me sketches ( their sketches that they drew) to show me what they wanted me to draw. And I went along with it. I made the changes and removed any ounce of my voice and my perspective from my own work. I remember seeing the finished product and wondering how my name could be put on something that was so NOT mine.

I, like so many creative types, was so darn happy that someone was paying me to create, that I didn't want to upset them lest they rethink the whole paying-me-to-make-stuff thing. If I had said, "Um, why did you hire an illustrator if you were just going to draw my drawings for me?" they might not want to hire me again. I wasn't about to rock that boat. THEY WERE PAYING ME TO MAKE STUFF!

It's easy to defer to someone who has been doing this a lot longer than you. And you probably should, in most cases. But even when you've been doing this for a while, you still might find that you are asked to make edits that make you question if it's time to fight for your vision or change your vision.

I used to think that standing up for your project was akin to being a petulant child.

"I don't wanna change it!" we shout as we stamp our feet.

But I've since learned that it's not about whether or not you want to change it (I think I've proven over the years that I'm delighted to change my story if it will improve it) but whether or not you should change it. I'm all for stretching my boundaries and trying new things, but sometimes the things they want me to do with my words or my drawings are simply not my jam.

Making books is an art form and, like all art, it's highly subjective. My editor might think that The Adventures of Ethel Pert Butter Churner* is the best thing ever written, while I might think it's dull, has terrible illustrations and is a bit insensitive towards lactose intolerants everywhere. How can someone with such a different sensibility guide my work to be its strongest?

In a perfect world, we would all find our editor/art director soul mate. Someone who shares your brain and your vision. I've had the great fortune to work with a few creative soul mates. And I've been lucky enough to work with others who, while they didn't share my vision, did manage to help me create work that I didn't know I was capable of.

The next time a hopeful creator asks me for advice my answer will be different. I will say create from your heart but don't let your feelings get hurt when your creation needs to change. Creating a book with a publisher is a collaboration and, as with all collaborations, be prepared to both make compromises and to stand up for your vision. Finding a publisher soul mate takes time and know that you will likely have to make a bunch of mistakes along the way. Just go out there and try your best.

I can't wait to see what you create.

*Not an actual book. Yet...
Author and illustrator Ashley Spires is known for providing readers, young and old, with a good laugh. She is the creator of the Binky The Space Cat series of graphic novels and the bestselling picture book, The Most Magnificent Thing. She can often be found jogging with her dog Gordon or cuddling her cats, Fran, Penny and Mina at her home in Ladner, BC. You can find Ashley on Twitter @ashleyspires. Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a 20-minute Skype session with Ashley Spires and for a copy of Ashley's newest book The Thing Lou Couldn't Do. Many thanks to Ashley and Kids Can Press, respectively, for donating these two prizes (two winners with one prize for each person).

For a chance to win the Skype session or the book (USA and Canada mailing addresses only for the book), please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 2nd.

Please be sure to leave a valid email address when you post your comment so I can contact you to coordinate your prize if you win. From there Ashley will coordinate with you to find a mutually convenient time for the Skype Session or Kids Can Press will ship the book out to you. (NOTE: Your email address will not be published if you leave it in the email field only.)

If you are the winner of the Skype session or the book, I will email you with the subject line TWO WRITING TEACHERS - ASHLEY SPIRES. Please respond to my email with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Congratulations to sharwood who will receive a copy of this book and to Barbara who will receive the Skype session.

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Recently a student with aspirations of becoming an author/illustrator asked me the simple question, "What one piece of advice would you give to a new author?" "Get used to criticism," I said. "You're going to get a lot of it." We creative types tend to be precious about our work.

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Keeping It Real: Writing Realistic Fiction For Teens by Renee Watson 

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Keeping It Real: Writing Realistic Fiction For Teens by Renee Watson 

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Keeping It Real: Writing Realistic Fiction for Teens

"Is this part about me?" one of my former students asked. She had just finished reading Piecing Me Together and had the book earmarked with post-it notes. I had been a writer-in-residence at her school the previous year and now I was back for an author visit. Before I even looked at the passage she was referring to, I smiled and told her, "No." "Are you sure?" a classmate chimed in. "I swear this sounds like our school." I told them I was sure because the book was written before I even met them.

I don't think they believed me.

It was the biggest compliment a reader could give me. What they were telling me is that they saw themselves in Jade. They'd met people like Maxine and Sam. They knew mothers who were economically poor and hardworking. They knew what it was to be stereotyped, misunderstood. They had seen too many names of black boys and girls next to a hashtag. They were coming into their own realizations that they are whole beings-that their race, class, and gender were intertwined and that sometimes they had privilege and other times they did not.

As a writer of realistic fiction, I believe it is my responsibility to include what is happening in the world on the pages in my books. I don't write for young people to escape reality. I write to help them cope with it. I hope my books provide a space for readers to grapple with social issues, empathize with characters who may be different from them, and validate their experiences.

When I was a teen growing up in Portland, Oregon, I didn't have the language to name some of the things that were happening around me. Adults weren't asking my friends or me how we felt about the Ethiopian man who was beaten to death by skinheads with a baseball bat, no one challenged the stereotypes my seventh-grade science teacher had about girls who looked like me, who lived in neighborhoods that were labeled "at-risk." And so I carried a lot of questions and self-doubt: Was anyone else seeing this? Did anyone else need to talk about it?

I believe realistic fiction can bare witness to the lived experiences of our young people. Books can be a space for children to be validated, to be seen. They can support educators and parents who want to have difficult conversations with youth.

This isn't to say that realistic fiction should only be about painful or serious topics. I believe, like in real life, stories should be balanced with moments of sorrow and joy, struggle and celebration. That's just good writing, yes. But it is especially important for me to do this because I want readers to understand that life is both bitter and sweet at the same time and that they can have the capacity to hold both truths. I want them to have examples of teenagers who stand up for what they believe, who are flawed but willing to ask for forgiveness, willing to try to be better.

As a young reader, I was drawn to poets and writers who resisted, who asked our country to live up to its promise, who celebrated unsung heroes, and humanized people from places that are often misunderstood and underrepresented. Writers like Sherman Alexie, Sandra Cisneros, and Langston Hughes are masterful at capturing the humor and sorrow of everyday life. The way their prose and poems are never about an issue, per se, but rather a character who is living in a complicated world and is being affected by that world.

James Baldwin wrote, "You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. [Books] taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive."

Keeping it real-writing books that mirror what is happening in our world-is my way of trying to connect myself and my readers to all the people who are alive, or who have ever been alive. It is a way of saying to a reader, Yes, I see it too. I see you.

...

Renée Watson (@reneewauthor) is an author and educator. Her books include Piecing Me Together, This Side of Home, and Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills. She teaches Writing For Children for the Solstice MFA writing program at Pine Manor College. She has given readings and lectures on the role of art in social justice at many renowned places including the United Nations headquarters and the Library of Congress. To learn more about Renée and her books visit her at www.reneewatson.net or follow her on Twitter @reneewauthor.
Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Piecing Me Together. Many thanks to Bloomsbury for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Piecing Me Together, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Bloomsbury Children's will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - PIECING ME TOGETHER. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Scott Fillner's commenter number was selected using a random number generator.

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Keeping It Real: Writing Realistic Fiction for Teens

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"Is this part about me?" one of my former students asked. She had just finished reading Piecing Me Together and had the book earmarked with post-it notes. I had been a writer-in-residence at her school the previous year and now I was back for an author visit.

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Tackling Difficult Subject Matter in a Picture Book by Suzanne Del Rizzo 

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Tackling Difficult Subject Matter in a Picture Book by Suzanne Del Rizzo 

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Tackling Difficult Subject Matter in a Picture Book

Sometimes a picture book idea picks you. This was the case with my latest picture book, my first as author and illustrator, My Beautiful Birds. I was researching the Syrian crisis online to find kid-friendly resources to help explain the situation to my children. I found many helpful and insightful articles, but it got me thinking...these were great resources but we really need more picture books that tell these stories in an honest yet hopeful way. I stumbled upon a short article about a boy who found solace in birds at Za'atari refugee camp. That article is referenced in my extended Author's note. I just couldn't get these heartbreaking and moving images and stories out of my head. Although there was some good age-appropriate information online, I wished for more. All of this research inspired me to write My Beautiful Birds, a picture book about a bird-loving Syrian boy who must flee to a refugee camp.

First things first, I knew I had a ton more research to do (not being Syrian myself) to ensure my story was informed, accurate and respectful. I included an Authors Note at the end of my book with more information on the Syrian Crisis and an extended Author's note is included on the Pajama Press website.

Secondly, I wanted to create a story that not only depicted the Syrian crisis in a real yet age-appropriate way but also focused on universalities that all children share- feelings of loss/grief, displacement, affinity for animals/pets, love of play, love of art and crafts, etc. I wanted this book to be a window into another part of the world but also feel relatable to all children, such that they could not only identify with the character but embrace his sense of hope and empathy.

I chose to tell the story from the first person POV of a young Syrian child, Sami, showing his world, fears, struggles, and experiences through his eyes. Kids are resilient and eternally optimistic so although he struggles initially, he displays an ability to adapt and find hope amidst the uncertainty of refugee life.

Because my story may introduce children to a part of the world and circumstance for which they may not be familiar, I chose to introduce, several relatable experiences which I think are universal to all children: animals (in this case birds), art, and play. All children have a natural curiosity, and affection for animals, be it their pets, backyard critters or animals in nature. I bet if we think about it for a moment we can all recall a tender animal encounter from our childhood? Here's one of mine: My Dad had a huge aviary in our backyard where he bred and raised finches. I loved watching them and especially enjoyed going into the aviary to help add shredded Kleenex to their nesting boxes and seeing the birds swoop around me. And of course, don't forget the initial inspiration for the book came from that little article I read about a boy and his love for birds.

During my research, I came across various non-profit groups that visit refugee camps all over the world to provide art therapy to the children. I chose to include an aspect of this in my story because children are also naturally very creative. Art is a fantastic form of self-expression which can be used to help displaced children, many of whom suffer from PTSD, work through their grief and feelings. Art itself is magical in how it transcends language and conveys emotion. Being an illustrator, I love telling portions of the story wordlessly through the illustrations, thereby allowing the reader to make their own inferences and interpretations of the visual images. In an emotionally impactful moment in the book, I felt it was a more effective to convey Sami's PTSD by illustrating him smearing black paint all over his painting and running outside in a moment of despair.

To take this idea of art and self-expression a bit further, I also had my children and their young friends paint pictures with the simple prompt: how would you feel if you were forced to flee your home and could not go back? All kids at one time or another have encountered some form of displacement, such as moving homes, divorce, escaping the Alberta wildfire, etc. I incorporated the resulting images (and aren't they amazing!) into the book's artwork and endpapers.

As mentioned above, all children love to play. Don't we all? In my story the refugee children play soccer and fly kites, to bring back some fun into their lives. It is my hope that readers will come away from My Beautiful Birds thinking about the commonalities they share, they too like to play, be with animals and create art. Finding a common ground will naturally elicit empathy, and lend to a deeper emotional investment in the main character because the reader may see a little bit of themselves in Sami. It is my hope, as a main take-away from the book, that when children encounter new immigrants or new people in general, they will look past the differences and seek out the similarities they have in common and make a new friend.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey): Suzanne Del Rizzo has always loved getting her hands messy. She traded her job in scientific research for a career in children's illustration with her first picture book, Skink on the Brink, which won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award and was a finalist for the Rainforest of Reading Award. Known for her dimensional illustrations that use Plasticine, polymer clay, and other mixed media to bring rich texture and imagination to her books, Suzanne is adding "author" to her resumé with My Beautiful Birds, a picture book highlighting the struggles of children in the Syrian civil war. She lives in Oakville, Ontario with her husband and four children. You can find Suzanne on Twitter @SuzanneDelRizzo.

Many thanks to Suzanne Del Rizzo and Pajama Press, respectively, for donating these two prizes (two winners with one prize for each person). This giveaway is for an 8.5×11″ photographic print of original art, printed on matte paper with archival inks of Sami and the Birds (the cover illustration of My Beautiful Birds) and for a copy of My Beautiful Birds.

For a chance to win this copy of the print or the book, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Friday, June 2nd.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, Suzanne and Pajama Press will ship your item out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)
U.S. and Canadian mailing addresses only for the book.

If you are the winners of this print or the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - MY BEAUTIFUL BIRDS. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. A random number generator was used. Emilia won the 8.5×11″ photographic print of original art, printed on matte paper with archival inks of Sami and the Birds (the cover illustration of My Beautiful Birds). Lisa won the copy of My Beautiful Birds.

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Tackling Difficult Subject Matter in a Picture Book

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Sometimes a picture book idea picks you. This was the case with my latest picture book, my first as author and illustrator, My Beautiful Birds. I was researching the Syrian crisis online to find kid-friendly resources to help explain the situation to my children.

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Reimagining Mentor Texts: A Collaborative Journey by Lynne Dorfman and Rose Capelli

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Reimagining Mentor Texts: A Collaborative Journey by Lynne Dorfman and Rose Capelli

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Reimagining Mentor Texts: A Collaborative Process

It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since Mentor Texts was published. Our process for collaboration on that first book involved endless hours of study - pouring through picture books and student work to imagine the possibilities for using children's literature in writing workshop. Our process for the second edition was much the same, but we had new questions. What would be most helpful to today's teachers? What new mentor texts did we discover? What did we see students struggling with as they composed?

We believe that teachers of writers need to be readers of professional books as well as children's literature. Teachers need mentors, too, that will stand beside them as they teach the writers in their classrooms. Since many professional learning communities promote study groups and book discussions as a way to network and learn collaboratively, we decided that each chapter should close with a new section. "Think About It -Talk About It -Write About It" was imagined early on with the idea that teachers rely on their colleagues to think through new ideas and problem solve together. After we revised each chapter, we returned to look for places where we felt teachers might benefit from a layered reflection with colleagues and an opportunity to try something out. These sections add a new dimension for all learners, including preservice and graduate students.

One of the most engaging features of both books is the Treasure Chest, an annotated list of books. This final chapter helps teachers choose mentor texts for writing instruction. In working on the revised edition, we realized we would need to examine a collection of books gathered over a decade ago and update it to include titles that represent today's diverse classrooms and writing challenges. We removed books that are currently out of print. We replaced them with titles that could do the same work and also add a new dimension to the existing collection. Searching for a variety of styles and formats that would inspire students, we took a close look at the authors and illustrators, too. Since many teachers have asked us, "How do you decide if a book is a true mentor?" we give them a peek into our process. We began the Treasure Chest with a discussion of Toad Weather by Sandra Markle, demonstrating how we look at a book as a mentor text.

Feedback from teachers often centered on the Your Turn lessons as a way to experiment with the writing strategies discussed in each chapter. The gradual release of responsibility model, including reflection, helped teachers become more confident and relaxed about teaching writers. Our Stenhouse editor suggested we add additional Your Turn lessons for each chapter. This request raised a new question - What should we focus on? For the past several years we have benefitted from working with students in many schools and districts. This gave us a chance to reflect on what writers across grade levels struggle with the most. As we planned, we talked about writing new sections for the second edition that would specifically address these needs. One area we wanted to address was the use of dialogue, a key element of story. A big discovery for us was that teaching students how to punctuate dialogue should not precede teaching them why conversation is valuable to a narrative. Our new section, "Dipping into Dialogue" and the Your Turn lesson at the end of the chapter will help teachers lead students to a deeper understanding. We heard the familiar cry "I don't have anything to write about!" everywhere. To help students get started, we introduced "What If?" stories and "Neighborhood Maps" as two additional ways to find writing topics. New sections with accompanying Your Turn lessons that ask students to take risks and grow as writers appear in every chapter.

We learned a great deal about writing professionally when we tackled that first book, and through the years we have continued to grow as writers and teachers of writers. We remain constant in our belief that children's literature as mentor texts can help writers of all ages experiment, grow in sophistication, and delight audiences. We invite you to imagine the possibilities with us.
Lynne Dorfman is a co-director of the PA Writing and Literature Project. Currently, she is co-writing a book about writing workshop with Stacey Shubitz. She tweets @LynneRDorfman. Rose Cappelli is an independent literacy consultant and current president of the Keystone State Reading Association. She tweets @RoseCappelli. Find Lynne and Rose at www.mentortextswithlynneandrose.com.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children's Literature, K-6, 2nd Edition. Many thanks to Stenhouse for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Mentor Texts: Teaching Writing Through Children's Literature, K-6, 2nd Edition , please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Friday, June 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Stenhouse will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - MENTOR TEXTS. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. A random number generator picked Leigh Anne's commenter number so she'll receive the updated edition of Mentor Texts.

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Reimagining Mentor Texts: A Collaborative Process

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It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since Mentor Texts was published. Our process for collaboration on that first book involved endless hours of study - pouring through picture books and student work to imagine the possibilities for using children's literature in writing workshop.

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What Trouper (The Three Legged Black Lab) Has To Teach About Poetry by Meg Kearney 

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What Trouper (The Three Legged Black Lab) Has To Teach About Poetry by Meg Kearney 

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What Trouper (The Three-Legged Black Lab) Has to Teach About Poetry

Hundreds of children and adults have told me how much they love Trouper, which makes my heart sing. Parents and teachers alike say their number-one reason for liking this book so much is that it teaches compassion without overly highlighting what makes Trouper different from his friends: he's missing his back right leg. Beyond just falling for the soulful handsome Trouper and his friends, children might like the story because it's simply fun to read (or heard read aloud).
Here are a few simple ways Trouper can be used in the K through 6 classroom: Not all poems rhyme, but this one does.
When presenting Trouper to any group of children, I ask if they can tell that I wrote it as a poem, even though it no longer looks like one. Without fail, they tell me that's obvious: they hear the rhymes. Some students say the words have rhythm. Yes! Not all poems rhyme, but this one does; and any good poem has to have rhythm.

The original Trouper manuscript was written in terza rima, an Italian form that Dante used when he wrote The Divine Comedy. Early on, the form worked as my way in to telling this story about a three-legged dog; terza rima is written in tercets, or three-line stanzas. This might be taking the notion of form and content to an extreme, but it worked! Later on, once I was revising with my editor to spread the text over the thirty-two pages of a picture book, I wound up breaking the form for the sake of story-but much of the sentences and many of the rhymes remained.

With Kindergarteners and first-graders, having them discover the rhymes on each page can be a fun way to teach about this simple poetic tool. For second graders and beyond, I see if they can remember any of the rhymes after hearing the story read-and then review a page or two if they're stuck. But I don't linger too long on this subject, as Trouper has more to teach about poetry (and writing in general) than rhyme.
Make it concrete.
Most poets tend to use concrete rather than abstract language in their work, which is something even adult students who are newcomers to poetry need to focus on. The way into concrete language is through the five senses. After a quick review of these, I talk about how concrete words are ones we can see, taste, touch, smell, or hear; and sometimes we get two senses for the "price" of one word!

Poems don't talk about experience, they recreate it-as Robert Frost said, "No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader." Through concrete language, poets are not only painting pictures in our reader's minds (no need for illustrations!), we're also planting sounds, tastes, textures, and sounds-all of which make the story memorable. I ask students, what images do students remember from the book? They name all sorts of things, some of which come from the illustrations (e.g. Trouper on the boy's bed), but many of which come from the words themselves. Inevitably someone mentions the stones thrown by boys in the beginning of the story, and the snow that Trouper and his pal run through at the end. Words like "stone" and "snow" are wonderful concrete words, as just by saying them we see a color (grey, white) and we feel something physical (rough/hard, cold/wet).

Along the same lines, one could choose any other of the five senses and explore where they pop up in the story. Sound is a favorite-students remember dogs "howling and growling," the dog catcher's truck door "slamming," and the woman at the shelter who "clucked like a chicken" when she first laid eyes on Trouper and his friends. These sounds stick with readers because they actually hear them as the story is being told-because they are concrete.
What metaphor is for...
Young people especially can find themselves full of powerful feelings and thoughts that they find difficult to express. I tell them, that's what metaphor (and simile) is for!

At what point in the story do we know that Trouper is very sad, and maybe a little scared and lonely? Every student raises her hand at this question, knowing it's the moment when all of Trouper's buddies have been adopted but him, and he's left friendless at the shelter. Does Trouper actually say, "I was sad and scared and lonely"? No. What does he say instead? Working together, most students (especially third grade and up) can remember parts if not all of the line, "My heart was a cold, starless night." Would the story have had had the same emotional impact if instead Trouper had used the words "sad" etc? Students also know the answer is No, and the metaphorical light bulbs gleam between their ears. There are all kinds of sad-it's an abstract word. One could be sad because her helium balloon floated away, or because grandma is in the hospital. In order for anyone know what's meant by "sad," it has to be compared with something else.

Making metaphors and similes works with any age student. In the story, Trouper says of the boy who adopts him, "You were skinny as a string bean." Children have fun making up other similes for "skinny" as well as other abstract words like "beautiful" and "dark." And then we get back around to how Trouper's heart was feeling at that "starless night" moment, and students write about how their hearts feel. "My heart is a full moon on a night without clouds" might be my favorite (by a fifth grader) so far! This kind of metaphor-making can also lead to short, but full-blown poems using this kind of structure:

Today my heart is [a] ______________

because ____________________. Maybe

tomorrow it will be [a] __________________.

This is just the beginning of writing poems with children-there's so much more that can be done, especially with grades two and up-but this a great strategy for a fun and memorable start.

[Note: I always suggest that teachers and parents show children the three-minute video about the making of the Trouper book, so they can "meet" the dog who inspired the story. It's found on www.megkearney.com.]
Meg Kearney is author the picture book Trouper, winner of the Kentucky Bluegrass Award and the Missouri Show Me Reader's Award; three novels-in-verse for young adults: The Secret of Me, The Girl in the Mirror, and When You Never Said Goodbye; and two books of poems for adults, including Home By Now, winner of the PEN New England L.L. Winship Award. Meg is Founding Director of the Solstice MFA in Creative Writing Program of Pine Manor College. (Meg loves to visit K-12 schools! Find her at www.megkearney.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @KearneyMeg.) Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Many thanks to Scholastic for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of , please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Scholastic will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - TROUPER. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. The random number generator picked margaretsmn's commenter number so she'll win a copy of Trouper.

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What Trouper (The Three-Legged Black Lab) Has to Teach About Poetry

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Hundreds of children and adults have told me how much they love Trouper , which makes my heart sing. Parents and teachers alike say their number-one reason for liking this book so much is that it teaches compassion without overly highlighting what makes Trouper different from his friends: he's missing his back right leg.

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From Library Desk to Library Shelf: My Ten Year Path to Publication by Augusta Scattergood

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From Library Desk to Library Shelf: My Ten Year Path to Publication by Augusta Scattergood

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From Library Desk to Library Shelf: My 10-Year Path to Publication

Soon after my 2015 book was released, I made a pilgrimage to one of my very first schools. By that I don't mean where I attended kindergarten. I visited the school where I first worked. Where I learned-in the trenches- to be a librarian.

Although the neighborhood looked unfamiliar and the streets were busier, once inside what we called the Library Resource Center (LRC), the years melted away.

Could I dig deep into the "Everybody" shelves and uncover a copy of Caps for Sale I read more than once to first graders? Was there a dusty World Book volume bearing my fingerprints lurking in a backroom? Standing in front of kids in every possible shape and color, sitting exactly where I'd first seen their parents' generation, something seemed very right.

I wasn't introducing the visiting author. I was the author.

How had this happened?

Although in fifth grade I knew I wanted to be a librarian (I know, geeky kid and proud of it), I also loved to write. I was blessed with teachers who encouraged me to read, parents and grandparents who were storytellers, and librarians who inspired me. When I was in fourth grade, I won our newspaper's poetry contest. In high school, I was an editor for the school newspaper. Childhood diaries and recent journals have trailed me from one state to another.

But a book? I never dreamed I could write a book! A book was what I opened with the tenderest of care, unpacking new boxes full at the beginning of each school year, stamping them, covering them, shelving them. A book was big time.

I had no clue how to begin.

I did have a dream though. And I had role model books. Mentor texts. Once I dissected my favorite middle-grade novels set in the South- books like Because of Winn-Dixie, Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia, Missing May, Shiloh - I understood how a setting that was such a part of me might intrigue kids, too.

Could my own experiences with Freedom Summer and my own childhood in a small Mississippi town be a story worth telling?

I left the library world.

I joined SCBWI and a critique group.

I took a class and a workshop or two.

Bird by bird, right?

One of my favorite bird-by-bird techniques evolved from Kirby Larson's suggestion to write scene ideas on 3X5 cards.

(I had stacks and stacks- abandoned catalog cards!)

After a while, those cards morphed into Scrivener notes and folders, writing software I dearly love.

And I finished an untidy manuscript: "Junk Poker." Over the next five years or so, I revised and re-titled it. I sent it around and around and around. When it finally found a home, it had been almost ten years since I'd booktalked or shelved or cataloged a library book.

What did I learn on this journey? Well, first of all, hard work does pay off. Reading many, many books is a good thing. And your name doesn't have to be on a book to make you a writer. I know now that I was a writer when my teacher posted my poems. I was a writer when a critique partner praised a sentence I'd struggled to perfect.

And seeing that spine label and library stamp on The Way to Stay in Destiny and Glory Be where I'd started my career? Icing on the cake and a cherry on the ice cream. Truly, it doesn't get any better.

(Posted by Stacey.)

This giveaway is for Augusta Scattergood's books, and The Way to Stay in Destiny. Many thanks to Scholastic for donating her books for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of and The Way to Stay in Destiny, please leave a comment about Augusta's blog post by Wednesday, May 20th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, May 22nd.
You must have a USA mailing address to be eligible for this giveaway.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Scholastic will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - SCATTERGOOD. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Congratulations to Susan whose commenter number was chosen.

Updated on 5/29/15: I didn't hear back from the original person whose number I drew so I did another drawing. This time the book will go to wahooteacher.

There were so many things that I appreciated about this post because it has inspired me in so many ways! First, the reminder that the journey to publication takes time is something that is so easy to forget. This sentence also captured my attention: "I understood how a setting that was such a part of me might intrigue kids, too." The power of the setting cannot be underestimated.

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From Library Desk to Library Shelf: My 10-Year Path to Publication

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Soon after my 2015 book was released, I made a pilgrimage to one of my very first schools. By that I don't mean where I attended kindergarten. I visited the school where I first worked. Where I learned-in the trenches- to be a librarian.

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Crafting Nonfiction: Conducting Research and Organizing Information by Melissa Stewart 

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Crafting Nonfiction: Conducting Research and Organizing Information by Melissa Stewart 

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Crafting Nonfiction: Conducting Research and Organizing Information

When I do school visits, I tell students that researching a nonfiction book is a lot like researching a report for school.

Most of the time, I start out by using my library's database network to find books and articles related to my topic. I may watch documentary films and listen to news stories in the National Public Radio archives. In many cases, I observe animals in their natural setting or at a zoo or aquarium.

When I've exhausted these sources, I begin interviewing experts. Since I write about science, I usually consult scientists. They are the best source of up-to-date information, and they often share interesting tidbits that haven't been published.

How do I find experts? I use the Internet. When I google "university of" and my topic, the names of scientists pop up. I look at their websites and review their resumes. I track down their scientific papers and read them. Once I decide which scientists can best answer my questions, I contact them.

As I gather research, I type notes into a Microsoft Word file, always using my own words to avoid any possibility of plagiarism.

When I think I have most of the information I'll need (There are always gaps to fill in along the way.), I save the research file as is, so I can use it later to create my bibliography. Then I make a copy of the file and dive into the next step in my process. I call it Chunk and Check.

To organize my material, I think about the big ideas I'd like to include in the book. What's most important for readers to know? What will surprise or fascinate them most? As I answer these questions, I jot down a quick list.

This list is not an outline. There is no order to the ideas at this point. While some of the ideas on the list will probably become section headings in my table of contents, others may be subsections. And some may not end up in the book at all. After all, this is just my first stab at wrangling the information.

My list guides me as I cut and paste, cut and paste, creating chunks of related information. For example, if I'm writing a survey book about dolphins, my chunks would probably include What Dolphins Eat, Where Dolphins Live, How Dolphins Raise Their Young, and How Dolphins Communicate. They might also include Dolphin Tricks or Record-Setting Dolphins.

During the chunking process, I often highlight text blocks in different colors. It helps me make connections between bits of information. Plus the colors are just fun. I always use the color blue to mark facts that I'd like to double check for accuracy.

When I spot facts that appeared in two or more sources, I delete the redundant information. By the time I'm done chunking, a forty-page research document might be whittled down to twenty pages, which is much more manageable.

Finally, I'm ready to write.

Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 150 nonfiction books for children, including No Monkeys, No Chocolate; Feathers: Not Just for Flying, Under the Snow, and Animal Grossapedia. She is the co-author of Perfect Pairs: Using Fiction & Nonfiction Picture Books to Teach Life Science, K-2 and blogs about the nonfiction writing process and creative ways to integrate science and language arts instruction at Celebrate Science. Melissa also offers school visits and teacher in-service programs.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
(A note from Stacey.)

This giveaway is for three prize packages, each of which includes copies of Deadliest Animals and Meteors, by Melissa Stewart, as well as a Super Readers fold-out poster. Many thanks to National Geographic Kids Books for donating these prize packages for three separate commenters.

For a chance to win one of these three prize packages, please leave a comment about this post by Thursday, May 27th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Sunday, May 31st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at National Geographic will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - MELISSA STEWART. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. A new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Congratulations to hmq11, mrssokolowski, ReadWriteThruLife whose commenter numbers wereselected to win the prize packages.

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Crafting Nonfiction: Conducting Research and Organizing Information

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When I do school visits, I tell students that researching a nonfiction book is a lot like researching a report for school. Most of the time, I start out by using my library's database network to find books and articles related to my topic.

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Writing and Illustrating Stories by Bob Graham 

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Writing and Illustrating Stories by Bob Graham 

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Writing and Illustrating Stories by Bob Graham

I try to plan as little as possible, either in my life or my daily work writing and illustrating picture books as I have been doing since the publication of my book Pete and Roland back in 1981.

When home on a sick day from work I started penning a few words and pictures to a story happening in our house. It just seemed a good idea at the time, (and I can't have been all that sick). It was certainly no career move, or anything like that.

A small parakeet had flown in exhausted over the back fence, our son Pete had put the bird in his hat; he called him Roland and Roland had a short but memorable stay with us. I had no ending in mind when I started but during the course of my making the pictures ....Roland flew out the window.

Well, of course there was my ending!

I took the small book that I made to the publisher William Collins, only because it was close to the bus stop on my way home from work, (you could do that sort of thing back then). To my great surprise they loved the book and published it, and the publisher said "can you do another story for us for next year?" And I replied, "I don't think I can possibly think of another."

And it is still going on pretty much like that 35 years later.

I have no formula for writing and illustrating stories. They start from a scrap of paper, a note, a memory, a certain look in a dog's eye or a few words lying dormant in my notebook for many years. The pictures follow the words, or the words follow the pictures, or they appear at exactly the same time. The stories can start at the middle or the beginning or the end. It's tricky to even know they have started. There is lots of looking out the window, lots of waiting. My advice might be to just turn the clock to the wall if you are going to make a picture book. Imagine me running

Workshops around that!

My most recent book, How the Sun Got to Coco's House, started with a picture. Many years back I had made a story around a small girl and her imaginary adventures. Despite many weeks work and some quite developed pictures it just wasn't working and it joined lots of other things in my bottom drawer, a drawer that sometimes provides spare parts for later books; sometimes words, other times, pictures. There was a drawing of a polar bear in that failed book that still lodged in my memory. So there's where I started! I had my polar bear and I asked myself, (as I think do many authors in constructing their stories,) "what happened next?" Or also "what happened before?"

When I added a rising sun behind my bear and her cubs my story had a trajectory of its own. I just followed the sun that was following the night and it then seemed inevitable that it, the rising sun, would finish up busting right through Coco's window on the other side of the world.

And that event happened a long way from where I usually find my stories i.e. within arm's reach of my desk down here in Australia.

Bob Graham is the author-illustrator of many extraordinary books for children, including How to Heal a Broken Wing and The Silver Button, about which School Library Journal said in a starred review, "Graham celebrates what can happen in a single moment and reminds readers to pause and observe." Bob Graham lives in Australia.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy How the Sun Got to Coco's House . Many thanks to Candlewick Press for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of How the Sun Got to Coco's House , please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Candlewick Press will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - BOB GRAHAM. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. Moolabell's commenter number was chosen so she'll win a copy of Bob's book.

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Writing and Illustrating Stories by Bob Graham

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I try to plan as little as possible, either in my life or my daily work writing and illustrating picture books as I have been doing since the publication of my book Pete and Roland back in 1981. When home on a sick day from work I started penning a few words and pictures to a story happening in our house.

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Becoming a Close Writer by Paula Bourque

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Becoming a Close Writer by Paula Bourque

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Becoming a Close Writer by Paula Bourque

To be a successful teacher of writing, teachers must write themselves. - Donald Graves

I have always written. I've kept a journal most of my life, I have multiple writers' notebooks, and blog about my teaching and learning on a regular basis. But I hadn't truly put myself through the same writing process I expected of my students until I signed a contract to write a book for Stenhouse. That was a game changer. I learned so much about the writing process, teaching pedagogy, and myself as a writer.

My journey as a writing teacher is a long one. During the past 29 years, I've been a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, literacy specialist, and instructional coach. I've dedicated my life to nurturing literate lives for our students. One way has been to network with other educators to share ideas and collaborate. It was just such an encounter with a colleague that started me on my latest journey. Jennifer Allen is a literacy coach in a nearby town, as well as an accomplished author for Stenhouse. We got together two years ago, and I shared my concerns about students who don't closely read their own writing and my ideas for supporting them. She asked if I had considered writing about it, and would I mind if she shared my idea with Philippa Stratton. Of course, I didn't mind, but I had no idea Philippa was the president of Stenhouse, and an editor would soon contact me to discuss my latest thinking.

That is when I met the best writing teacher of my life. Maureen Barbieri, an author, teacher, and editor liked my ideas and encouraged me to submit a proposal. I spent that entire summer vacation researching, writing, and revising that proposal. It was exhausting, and at times anguishing. I was filled with doubts. Who was I to teach so many talented teachers about writing? It was Maureen who encouraged me just to tell my story. I wasn't writing a college textbook or dissertation on close reading in writing; I was sharing my ideas and experiences. I was telling my story, not the story.

I realized what Tom Newkirk said in his book Minds Made For Stories, was true for me. "We seek companionship of a narrator who maintains our attention, and perhaps affection. We are not made for objectivity and pure abstraction-for timelessness. We have 'literary minds" that respond to plot, character, and details in all kind of writing. As humans, we must tell stories." I wanted teachers to see themselves and their students in my stories. I wanted to bring the teaching and learning going on in my schools to life. I just needed to tell my story.

Once I submitted my proposal, I had to read and respond to reviewers hired by Stenhouse. That was tough. They pushed, challenged, and questioned my ideas. I had tremendous empathy for my student writers as I read these reviews! It was important not to be defensive, but to reflect and respond. Some of those comments were incredibly helpful, once I had time to digest them. I addressed the concerns and queries with my editor, and she presented my proposal to the editorial staff. Then I waited.

I was at my son's soccer game when I got the email from Maureen titled "Congratulations!" To say I was excited would be an understatement. It was incredibly surreal. I was elated and yet a bit terrified. Now the real work would begin. I'd be putting a piece of myself out there for the world to examine-I needed it to be my very best.

During that writing year, I kept notebooks beside my bed as I woke with ideas swimming in my head. I would try things out in classrooms and see where that led. I would teach all day and write all evening (and weekends). I realized stamina wasn't always steady. There were fits and starts and painful lulls. I began noticing what I was experiencing as a writer playing out more obviously in our writing workshops. I realized close reading was important to my writing, but so was some occasional distance. I talked to dozens of authors about their process and noticed many commonalities as well as idiosyncrasies. I saw firsthand that there is no one right way to be a writer and thought about those implications for my teaching.

The funny thing is, the story I started out to tell wasn't the same one I finally told. Another belief I held as a writer became self-evident: Writing doesn't just reflect thinking, it shapes thinking. The more I explored the idea of close writing with my teachers and students, the more questions I wondered, the more epiphanies I uncovered, and the more ideas evolved. My proposal centered around teaching students to closely read their writing, but developed into so much more. How could we help our students develop a relationship with their writing and explore their writing identities? Closely reading their work was just the first step.

All the while, my editor Maureen never told me what or how to write. She asked questions, reinforced what she thought was strong, reminded me of my focus, and shared her experiences. She let my story unfold, and we made discoveries together, just like the best writing teachers do. I was experiencing the writing process from both sides of the desk, and it was fascinating.

I also had to accept the concept that Writing is never done; it is only due. I had deadlines, the way our students do. Even on the day I handed over the manuscript, I was still exploring close writing ideas in our classrooms. That story is still growing.

I know many of you have stories to tell. Wonderful stories are unfolding in classrooms all across the world, waiting to be told. I encourage you to share them. Hone your craft as a writing teacher and walk the talk. Be a close writer! I am sure you will make discoveries on your journey the way I have. And you just never know where that journey will take you. I certainly didn't.
Paula Bourque is a K-8 literacy coach in Augusta, Maine. She has been a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, literacy interventionist and adjunct professor in her 29 years in education. She is the author of Close Writing: Developing Purposeful Writers in Grades 2-6 (Stenhouse, 2016). She lives in Maine with her husband, two teens, and a houseful of pets. You can follow her blog at LitCoachLady.com or website at PaulaBourque.com.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Close Writing: Developing Purposeful Writers in Grades 2 - 6 . Many thanks to Stenhouse Publishers for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. We'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names will be announced at the Close Writing: Developing Purposeful Writers in Grades 2 - 6 bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.
Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Stenhouse will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - CLOSE WRITING. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. A random commenter number was used and bennisbuzz's commenter number was selected so she'll win a copy of Close Writing.

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Becoming a Close Writer by Paula Bourque

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To be a successful teacher of writing, teachers must write themselves. - Donald Graves I have always written. I've kept a journal most of my life, I have multiple writers' notebooks, and blog about my teaching and learning on a regular basis.

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Writing With All the Feelings by Liz Garton Scanlon 

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Writing With All the Feelings by Liz Garton Scanlon 

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Writing with All the Feelings by Liz Garton Scanlon

At nearly 50, I hale from the "chin up and cheer up" generation. When I was a kid, feelings weren't something to be discussed so much as dispatched with. Being good meant being happy - or at least acting happy.

But here's the thing. Those feelings - the other ones - the ones like jealousy and worry, anger and fear? They never went away; they just went into hiding. (And ended up making some of us feel repressed or explosive or both!)

Flash forward to raising my own children. "Cheer up" is a hard habit to break. These are not easy-to-embrace emotions we're talking about, especially if they roll out in the form of a four-year-old having a total conniption in the paint aisle at the Home Depot. And I'm speaking from experience here.

But one of the ways I've been able to practice being a little more emotionally inclusive is through my work. It's there that I'm able to see and express all the complicated stuff - even in the littlest of people - the stuff that maybe isn't the easiest or most attractive but, in the end, is the realest, the most true. And isn't that what we're all aiming for in literature? That no matter how fantastical it gets - no matter how futuristic or dystopian, no matter how many talking animals or magicians or muggles - it feels, at its heart, true.

Recently, I had a student ask me if I thought she'd be better at writing funny picture books or tender ones - as if a single book couldn't be both and as if, god forbid, there were no other options in between. What about books in which the main characters are sad or ashamed, what about when they're wry or shy or just plain upset?

In my various picture books, I've created characters who are pissed off and rather petulant (The Good-Pie Party), way too self-deprecating (), a little bit timid and confused (Happy Birthday, Bunny!).

The picture books I most love to read and learn from are equally mucky emotionally -Victoria Chang's , Deborah Underwood's The Quiet Book, Audrey Vernick's First Grade Dropout are all stellar examples.

There's no "chin up" mandate here - it's come-as-you-are, or as the kids say these days, "you be you." It sounds flip, but honestly, they use that phrase because that's what they want us to say to them! And that authenticity they're hoping for in real life? It seems like we ought to give it to them in books too.

Ditto novels, by the way. This is not just a picture book experience. When I read reviews for middle grade and young adult novels, the phrase I'm always on the lookout for is "too easy" because that usually means it's pat, easily resolved and not, at its heart, true. In my book The Great Good Summer, Ivy Green reckons with grief, worry and doubt, and she expresses herself with everything from sarcasm to selfishness, sweetness to rage. She's twelve, and not everyone loves to see all of these things in a budding adolescent. But if I'm honest, they are some of the things I remember most about being twelve, and I'm not going to pretend for Ivy the way I pretended for me.

Still, censorship's not dead and there are lots of well-meaning people out there - mostly parents - who are so worried about exposing their children to things that are painful or scary or sensual or, well, just complicated, that they want books to cheer up or shut up.

I get the fear and worry - really, I do. But I'm more worried about what all these kids are going to do with feelings and truths they're not able to share, get help with, or fully understand. There's a lovely quote I've heard echoed often in Buddhist circles that goes like this:
Three things cannot be long hidden. The sun, the moon and the truth.
That makes this whole thing pretty inevitable, right? Who we are, as people, will be revealed, it just will. And I think part of my job as an author is to help with that revelation - carefully, consciously and responsibly. In that way I'm writing for the child I was, the children in my books if they were real, and all the other children - yours and my own - who are wholly real, imperfect, emotional, inspiring and deeply lovable.
GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey): Liz Garton Scanlon is the author of numerous beloved books for young people including the Caldecott-honored All the World and her debut middle-grade novel, The Great Good Summer. Liz lives in Austin, Texas, with her family, and is a frequent and popular presenter at schools, conferences, and literary festivals.

This giveaway is for autographed copies of The Great Good Summer and In the Canyon. Many thanks to Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster for donating the copies of Liz's books for four lucky winners (one book per winner).

For a chance to win this copy of either of Liz's books, please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. We'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names will be announced at the bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, Liz will sign your copy of her book and will ship it out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner one of the books, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING - LIZ GARTON SCANLON. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. And thanks to Liz for responding to some of the reader comments! The following people's commenter numbers came up when I used the random number generator (i.e., Mari Miyagi, Maureen Ingram, Meg Ouellette, and Vanessa W.) so they'll win one of Liz's books.

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Writing with All the Feelings by Liz Garton Scanlon

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At nearly 50, I hale from the "chin up and cheer up" generation. When I was a kid, feelings weren't something to be discussed so much as dispatched with. Being good meant being happy - or at least acting happy. But here's the thing.

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Do Your Best Writing- Kick Down the Bumpers by Julie Falatko

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Do Your Best Writing- Kick Down the Bumpers by Julie Falatko

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Do Your Best Writing: Kick Down the Bumpers by Julie Falatko

Sometimes my family goes bowling on Sundays. The first time we played, there were no lanes available with bumpers, those little guardrails that stop your ball from rolling into the gutter. My youngest kids are 5 and 7, and their balls rolled into the gutters more often than not.

It didn't matter. We got French fries.

The second time we went bowling, we scored a bumper lane. No more gutter balls! We were all winners! My 5-year-old was knocking down all the pins! My 7-year-old perfected a technique of ricocheting the ball off the bumpers like a pinball!

And then my 12-year-old turned to me and said, "This is dumb. There's no challenge."

And he was right.

Every time I knocked down all the pins, but I knew some of my balls would have been gutter-balls if the bumpers had been down, I felt like a cheater. It wasn't earned.

Life has to include failure. I tell my kids all the time (about playing instruments, and sports, and complicated hobbies), "It's supposed to be hard. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and it would be no big deal. And think of how proud you're going to be when you work so hard and succeed."

Sometimes you need some help, sure. Training wheels. Bumpers in the bowling lane. But you can't rely on them forever. At some point the success has to come from only you.

As adults, we sometimes forget this. We live in a world where so much is handed to us. I want to see a video of a skateboarding goat, I want to know what's the capital of Botswana, or how to make Baked Alaska. I can find all these in seconds. I can drive to the grocery store to buy gelato. I can get Band-Aids with Mickey Mouse on them. I can hear a song I like on the radio and then buy it and find the lyrics and sing along (a significant upgrade from when I was 8 and got the song by holding my cassette recorder up to the radio speaker, and got the lyrics by carefully transcribing them).

The world is a wondrous place.

But you know what? The things that are most worth doing, the things you will feel proudest of, are still things that are hard and fraught with potential for failure.

"I want to write a children's book!" people tell me, as if, in this world of ours, they can buy their already-written book from the internet.

"I wrote this book!" they say, holding out a 4,000-word poorly-rhymed story that teaches a lesson about tooth brushing. "How do I get it published so I can be a millionaire?"

Those are the easy ones to point at. You're all shaking your head now. You've met those people.

I do it too though, when I hope it'll all be easy. Writing is hard. Sometimes it's unimaginably hard. And it's made harder by the fact that maybe, just maybe, it doesn't matter. Writing is imaginary. It's words from my head on imaginary paper on my computer. It's ones and zeroes and nothing at all. I'm not a doctor, I'm no air traffic controller. No one will die if I delete my entire book. No one perishes if I leave my story languishing.

But it's my job and it's what I love to do, and if you're in that position about anything, you have to do it well. You have to do your absolute best. Don't turn in half-baked garbage. Who is that benefitting? You might think it's allowing you to check off a box that says DONE, but it's not. If you know it could be better, then take the time to make it awesome. Why would you not?

My first published picture book, Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), came to me fairly easily. I got lucky on that one. No gutter balls. My second book was different. The characters changed and then the plot changed and it changed again and at one point my editor let me know gently that it still wasn't working and I wrote five completely different versions in a week. I spent a lot of that week lying in bed, curled on my side, moaning. The writing was giving me cramps. It was the hardest writing had ever been.

What kept me going was the firm desire to do my very best. If I make a book, and my name is on that book, it had better be the best darn book I can make it. That second book, which is called The Society of Underrepresented Animals , was so hard to write, and I am so proud of it.

Because you can't be proud of something you got handed. You can't be proud of it if your final finished product didn't take any work or skill on your part.

It's worth it. You can do it.

My family bowled with the bumpers and it was fine but felt fake. And then we realized that we could push the bumpers right down. It's an old bowling alley and not very mechanized and the way to get rid of the bumpers is to kick them gently with your foot, and they slide right back down.

Our score was a lot lower after that, but we earned every single pin we knocked down. My 7-year-old knocked down 8 pins with no bumpers, and did a little dance. She'd earned it.

Look at your work, at your writing. Are you pushing yourself to make each story better than the last? Are you pushing yourself to make every story as good as it can be?

Take your time. There's no rush. The bumpers are the thoughts in your mind that say you can't do this. They say you'll never get any better. The bumpers are liars. Once you kick them down, they cease to exist, and that scares them.

Kick down the bumpers.
Julie Falatko is the author of Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), illustrated by Tim Miller (Viking) and two more upcoming picture books from Viking. She lives in Maine with her family, where they always kick the bumpers down. GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book). Many thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) , please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Viking will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - SNAPPSY. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. A special thank-you to Julie for taking the time to respond to so many of our readers' comments!

I used a random number generator and Susanne's number came up. Therefore, she'll win the copy of Snappsy.

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Do Your Best Writing: Kick Down the Bumpers by Julie Falatko

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Sometimes my family goes bowling on Sundays. The first time we played, there were no lanes available with bumpers, those little guardrails that stop your ball from rolling into the gutter. My youngest kids are 5 and 7, and their balls rolled into the gutters more often than not.

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Salchows and Semicolons  by Isabel Bandeira 

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Salchows and Semicolons  by Isabel Bandeira 

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Salchows and Semicolons by Isabel Bandeira

About ten years ago, I was recovering from a torn Achilles tendon which meant I hadn't been able to walk for months and I was going stir-crazy. So, being the very logical engineer I am, I decided it was the perfect time to try figure skating, even though the thought of strapping blades to my feet and stepping on ice terrified me. I found an adult learn-to-skate class, bought a pair of skates, and stepped into the weird but wonderful world of twizzles and salchows and spins.

About five years ago, I went to a book signing for a favorite author and the experience of meeting her and listening to her talk about her publishing journey made my fingers itch to write my own story. So, being the very logical engineer I am, I decided that I was going to write a book, even though bad advice from a famous author I met in high school made me abandon my dreams for over a decade. I bought a new laptop, outlined my story, and stepped into the incredibly weird and sometimes incomprehensible world of publishing.

It's funny how much this skating journey teaches me about my writing journey and how easily the little tidbits of advice my skating coaches give me adapt to the writing world.
"You have to find a coach that fits your learning style. Not every coach is right for every student."
I know that when my coach says "I know you can do it. I'd never tell you to do something if I thought you would fail," the scary new jump or spin will be okay because I trust her one hundred percent (and she's right every time).

One of the harder parts of the writing journey was finding critique partners who clicked with me. I remember trading chapters of my (admittedly cringe-worthy) first manuscript with other very talented writers to see if we were a good fit. It didn't always work out-in fact, there were more bad fits (from personality to critiquing style) than good. Once we found each other, I felt comfortable taking critiques and advice from them. Because we fit, I was able to trust them when they said my book looked ready to query.

Later, when querying agents, this popped into my head again. It was easy to get frustrated when I'd get months of "just not for me" rejections, but I had to remember that I was looking for the right fit and so were the agents. When offers of representation came in and I had to choose between two equally wonderful agents, I had to figure out who clicked best with me and whose plan for my career fit best with my goals. Luckily, Carrie Howland was that person.

My book deal was similarly all about clicking with my editors and press-I already loved the books Spencer Hill had been publishing and found out on my call that Patricia and Asja, my editors, had edited some of my favorites from the press. When we talked about their vision of revisions for Bookishly, I knew they were a perfect fit for me. It was easy to accept their offer.
You can't control the judges, only your skating. So just skate the best you can and skate for yourself. If you place, even better. and Getting up after a bad fall and skating again already puts you a step ahead of those who are too afraid to try again.
Totally self-explanatory when it relates to querying or being on submission.
The easier it looks, the harder it probably is.
One of the newest banes of my skating existence are cross-rolls, which, when done right, look really easy, like a flirty walk on the ice. It took years of work on my edges and balance to get to this point. When I started writing, I knew I had to put in the work and invest in the tools I needed to "make it look easy." My personal toolbox is filled with years of Eastern PA SCBWI Poconos Retreats and writing workshops teaching me about plot and characters. Because writing is harder than it looks, it was invaluable to have a community other writers on the same journey to talk to, commiserate over rejections, and celebrate successes. I call Bookishly Ever After my Poconos book for good reason-three retreats touched it, from sparking the idea to building to plot, to revising the final manuscript. The faculty and fellow writers at those retreats, along with my critique partners and editors, helped me shape this book into the best book it could be.

Sometimes, if your body wants to move a certain way, you just have to go with it.

There's no point in fighting what comes naturally, and I've learned that some of my most beautiful spin positions come from mistakes where my arms or legs didn't quite follow directions. When I try to force myself to write something that's not me, it's stiff and uncomfortable compared to when I let go and write what my brain wants to write. I wrote Bookishly Ever After for myself and for fun to pass the time while I was querying another manuscript. Because I let myself write "my" way, it was such a wonderful experience compared to when I was writing in a genre and style that wasn't me. I hope that joy comes across in the text.
Enjoy the flight
Once in a while, when everything clicks and Coach can see I have a perfect take-off on a jump, she tells me to "enjoy the flight." There can be a lot of frustrations and falls along the way, but when everything clicks and the words fall together, it's magic. We are word alchemists. We make gold out of nothing, and that's an incredible gift that we have as writers. Enjoy the flight.
Growing up, Isabel Bandeira split her time between summers surrounded by cathedrals, castles, and ancient tombs in Portugal and the rest of the year hanging around the lakes and trees of Southern New Jersey, which only fed her fairy-tale and nature obsessions. Even though she's a Mechanical Engineer and tones down her love of all things glittery while designing medical devices during the day, it all comes out in her writing. In her spare time, you'll find her at the dance studio or at the rink, working on her jumps and sit spin. Isabel lives in South Jersey with her little black cat, too many books, too much yarn, and a closetful of vintage hats. You can find her online at http://www.isabelbandeira.com or on Twitter @emberchyld.
Giveaway Info (from Stacey):

This giveaway is an autographed copy of please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. We'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names will be announced at the Bookishly Ever After. For a chance to win this copy Isabel's book, bottom of this post, by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, Isabel will sign your copy of her book and will ship it out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner one of the books, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING - BOOKISHLY EVER AFTER. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. Nikki Evans's commenter number was selected using a random number generator so she'll win the copy of Isabel's book.

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Salchows and Semicolons by Isabel Bandeira

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About ten years ago, I was recovering from a torn Achilles tendon which meant I hadn't been able to walk for months and I was going stir-crazy. So, being the very logical engineer I am, I decided it was the perfect time to try figure skating, even though the thought of strapping blades to my feet and stepping on ice terrified me.

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Creating Characters As Real as Spit by Maribeth Boelts

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Creating Characters As Real as Spit by Maribeth Boelts

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Creating Characters as Real as Spit by Maribeth Boelts

At a workshop I attended years ago, a children's book editor advised the writers to create characters "as real as spit". A graphic illustration, for sure, but one that has stuck with me for over 20 years of writing for children.

It's not always easy to tell if you've created a character this real, is it? How do you know if your main character is believable? Or if he/she could walk off the pages of your story and live out an authentic kid life?

For me, it often comes down to empathy and visualization. How completely is my heart engaged in this kid's story? How well can I visualize the scar on his knee, his strivings, his sense of humor? How vividly can I imagine what it would be like to live in her family, go to her school, experience her wins and losses?

In my new picture book, A Bike Like Sergio's, Ruben longs to get a bike like his best friend's. Even with his birthday around the corner, Ruben is certain his parents will not be able to afford such an extravagance. Standing in line at a local grocery store, Ruben sees a woman drop a dollar bill. Feeling frustrated by his bike-less state, he scoops up the dollar and shoves it in his pocket, without trying to return it to the woman. At home, he pulls the bill out of his pocket and discovers it is not one dollar, or five, or ten. It is one hundred dollars- enough for a bike like Sergio's. What will he do?

I experimented with characterization in this story, at first attempting to tell the story of found riches in an animal world. Cow, Chicken, Horse - a treasure chest in an open field. Sounded straightforward enough. But telling a good story isn't about ease-it's about authenticity. And no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't empathize with or visualize my animal characters very well, and my heart would simply not engage. I scrapped this version of the story, and asked myself the key question... (man, I talk to myself-do you??)
"What is the story you REALLY want to tell?"
That question brought a boy to mind. A skinny, curly-haired, brown-eyed boy. A boy with a three little siblings, and a mom and dad with lots of love but stretched thin financially. I could see him. I could visualize his full-to-overflowing, kid-worn apartment, and the corner grocery he visited with his best friend. I could sense his longing. And I tried to tell his story, not to deliver a message, but to make a child with a similar longing feel understood. Once I had the loose bones of my character in place, I could get to work on the plot of his story.

For me, a sense of the character is developed through the writing of the story, not in advance of the story with character sketches. For other writers, the character is fleshed out thoroughly in advance, and launched into the story. Personally, I like the mystery of letting a character unfold and not knowing exactly how he or she will respond to the plot around the corner.

Here are a few tips to creating authentic, unforgettable characters:

Mine your own life for succinct, personal details. Who were you as a kid? What made you belly laugh? What kept you awake at night? Or filled you with fury? Or made you nearly burst with pride? Why did you keep certain secrets? "We see from where we stand" is such a true adage, and we "write from where we stand" as well.

Tune into the kids in your inner circle. These may be your own children, a particular student, a niece, nephew, or neighbor. Do your very best to understand these inner circle kids, the way they are wired, their light and their shadow. Imagine yourself in their shoes, going about their day, experiencing their joys and sorrows, capitalizing on their strengths, and dealing with their challenges. Let your affection for these kids fuel your imagination. And let that powerful, inspired imagination lead you right into a story!

Collect and study examples of great characterization. (Mentor texts, anyone?) Some of the amazing examples on my shelf: The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, and Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate. For picture books, Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman, A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, Last Stop of Market Street (particularly the grandma) by Matt de la Pena. This is just a snippet-there are so many awesome books that do this well, and are just asking for you to parse out how the author has created unforgettable characters.

Experiment with first person point of view. While there are limitations, first person POV can have a magical way of unleashing your own imagination, empathy, and visualization which will help you sink right down into your character, and unfold his story.

We often swoon over a certain book because we love its main character. That main character has become as "real as spit" to us because of the intentional, intuitive way the author has fought to make that happen. And that fight is worth it!

I am dazzled by the continuing inspiration and encouragement this writing and teaching community provides to so many, including me! Thank you, thank you!
Maribeth Boelts is the Iowa author of 35 books for children, including Those Shoes, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, and Happy Like Soccer, illustrated by Lauren Castillo. Her new Candlewick Press picture book, A Bike Like Sergio's will be released September 2016, along with two Random House early readers, Pupunzel, and Ivy, the Fairy Dogmother. With a teaching background, Maribeth loves to present to and work with young writers throughout the United States. Contact: http://www.maribethboelts.com/.
Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for three copies of A Bike Like Sergio's . Many thanks to Candlewick Press for donating three copies (one book for three different readers) of Maribeth's forthcoming book.

For a chance to win this copy of , please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. We'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names will be announced at the bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so we can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, our contact at Candlewick Press will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, Stacey Shubitz will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - A BIKE LIKE SERGIO'S. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. A special thank-you to Maribeth for taking the time to respond to so many readers' comments!

I used a random number generator and freegriffa's commenter number came up. Therefore, she'll receive a free copy of A Bike Like Sergio's.

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Creating Characters as Real as Spit by Maribeth Boelts

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At a workshop I attended years ago, a children's book editor advised the writers to create characters "as real as spit". A graphic illustration, for sure, but one that has stuck with me for over 20 years of writing for children. It's not always easy to tell if you've created a character this real, is it?

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Research is My Friend by Lauren Castillo 

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Research is My Friend by Lauren Castillo 

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Research is My Friend by Lauren Castillo

Research. I could not make a book without it. No matter what type of a book I am working on-fiction or nonfiction-it helps to do as much research as possible before sitting down to illustrate a story. Whether it's the onesie pjs on my little character, a bustling beach town setting, or the childhood barn of a famous author, I try to collect as much information on the subject as I can. The time and energy spent on this stage of the bookmaking process helps me to build a personal connection with the text, and I am therefore better prepared for that long art-making road ahead. Research leads to inspiration, and inspiration leads to my best, most authentic illustration work.

I might collect photographs online, check out books from the library, take photo reference of my subject matter, conduct interviews and draw on location. . . all forms of research that I use to begin my art. For my newest book, Twenty Yawns, written by Jane Smiley, I took my research to the next level-I picked up and MOVED to the town where the story would take place. I relocated to Southern California for eight months.

In the past, I've traveled to cities to collect visual inspiration for books (ex: ), but I never moved to a new location for the sake of a project. Reading the manuscript for Twenty Yawns, I immediately imagined a beach town on the west coast, and something told me I needed to spend time out there. It's no secret that travel builds visual vocabulary, and whenever I go somewhere new it helps me grow as an artist. Immersing myself in the beach town community would help me to connect with the story better, and that would hopefully be reflected in my visual storytelling.

I made all the illustrations for Twenty Yawns while living in a tiny beach house rental in North County San Diego. I sketched at the beach, in coffee shops, and on the floor of my little bungalow. Working in a foreign location was a challenge, but a great one, which helped me realize just how important it is to take risks and get outside of my creative comfort zone.

I now live back on the east coast, in Harrisburg PA (yes, a very different atmosphere than SoCal!), and am in the process of illustrating a picture book biography about the incredible and legendary author, E. B. White, written by Barbara Herkert. I have been happily living in 'E. B. White World' for the past few months; reading everything he ever wrote, and everything written about him. I have researched his family, homes and workplaces, as well as the historical timeline and era in which he lived. My heart is so connected to this beautiful story, and I cannot wait to put pen and paint to paper.

Research can be a tedious and stressful part of bookmaking, but it is also one of the most rewarding. I am grateful for all that I learn with each illustration and every book that I make.
Lauren Castillo studied illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art and received her MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She has written & illustrated over 15 books for children, including the critically acclaimed Melvin and the Boy, The Reader by Amy Hest, Yard Sale by Eve Bunting, Happy Like Soccer by Maribeth Boelts and What Happens on Wednesdays by Emily Jenkins. One of her most recent books, Nana in the City, was awarded a 2015 Caldecott Honor. She currently draws and dreams in Harrisburg, PA. Twitter: @studiocastillo Instagram: studiocastillo Website: http://www.laurencastillo.com/
Giveaway Information (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for five copies of Many thanks to Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley and Lauren Castillo. Two Lions for donating a copy for five different readers.

For a chance to win this copy of Twenty Yawns , please leave a comment about this post by Saturday, June 4th at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winners, whose names I will announce at the bottom of this post , by Monday, June 6th.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Two Lions will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - LAUREN CASTILLO. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. A special thank-you to Lauren for taking the time to respond to some of our readers' comments!

I used a random number generator and the following people's commenter numbers came up: Abigail, debkrygeris, Anne Lenox, mbhmaine, & Karen Sproul. Therefore, each of them will win a copy of Twenty Yawns.

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Research is My Friend by Lauren Castillo

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Research. I could not make a book without it. No matter what type of a book I am working on-fiction or nonfiction-it helps to do as much research as possible before sitting down to illustrate a story.

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Writing Things To Do Poems by Elaine Magliaro 

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Writing Things To Do Poems by Elaine Magliaro 

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Writing "Things to Do" Poems: It's All About the Action Words!

One of the most creative aspects of writing "things to do" poems for me is imagining what it might be like to be something other than myself. As I was writing poems for my book THINGS TO DO, I wondered what I would do if I were certain animals, elements of nature, and inanimate objects-including the sun, sky, rain, birds, a snail, an acorn, an eraser...even a pair of boots splashing in puddles. I focused on the actions of the subjects of my poems...and tried to select the most dynamic/strongest verbs to describe those actions.
Here are some of the things I said that dawn, a honeybee, an acorn, the sun, crickets, and the moon should do:
* Dawn: Rouse resting roosters./Set songbirds singing...
* Honeybee: Flit among flowers/Sip nectar for hours...
* Acorn: ...snap from your stem.../Fall to the forest floor below./Tempt a scavenging squirrel.
* Sun: Shower down warm yellow rays./Rule the sky on summer days.
* Crickets: Rub wings/and sing/a lullaby.
* Moon: Wax and wane/in you starry terrain.../Hang in the darkness./Dazzle the night.

In my poem Things to do if you are RAIN, I chose verbs that I thought would help readers to hear sounds that rain makes and to visualize things that it does:

Polka dot sidewalks.
Freckle windowpanes.
Whoosh down gutter spouts.
Gurgle into drains.
Patter 'round the porch
In slippers of gray.
Tap dance on the roof.
Then...
Go away.
A CLASSROOM LANGUAGE ARTS EXERCISE
One of the poems that I cut from the manuscript for my book THINGS TO DO is about a stapler. It's an object that I used every day when I was teaching in an elementary school. In the poem, I imagined that the stapler had jaws and teeth and could bite!
Things to do if you are a STAPLER
Click your metal jaws together.
Grip my papers
with your teeth of steel.
Then bite down hard
with all your might
and bind them together
tight....tight...tight!

Share my stapler poem and the other poems from my book with students. Tell them to listen for verbs that describe the actions of the subjects of the poems. After reading each poem, ask students to name the verbs I used. Make a list of their responses on chart paper.
WRITING THINGS TO DO POEMS
I taught elementary school for over thirty years. My students wrote lots of poems. I often coordinated their poetry writing with the science units that we were studying in class. My students especially enjoyed writing "things to do" list poems about animals.
Before asking my students to write their own "things to do" poems, I gathered them together and had them collaborate on writing a class poem. First, we would decide on an animal to write our poem about. Then I'd talk to them about trying to select verbs that best described the actions of that animal. I told them we'd try to begin each line or sentence of our class poem with a verb.
On a large sheet of chart paper, I'd write down the rough draft of our poem. Next, we'd read through it-sometimes adding to the poem or making changes as we did. Then I'd give my students a day to reread the poem to themselves...and to think about any changes they'd like to make to the class poem.

The following day, as we worked on revising our class poem on another sheet of chart paper, we'd try to think of more dynamic verbs that could be used in place of the ones in our first draft. After we finished, we read aloud the final draft of our class poem. Then I sent students to their desks to write their own individual "things to do" poems.

Here are some examples of verbs that my students used in their "things to do" animal poems
Shark: speed, dart, catch
Dolphin: dive, fly, jet
Manatee: nibble, nuzzle, fold up
Bald Eagle: soar, feel, swoop
Butterfly: flutter, show off, find, settle, sip
Vampire bat: lap, slip, swoop, terrorize
Rattlesnake: slither, stick out, rattle, bite, swallow, slip, coil
Shark: glide, bite, gobble, sneak, scare
Penguin: dive, speed, dart, catch, waddle
Kitten: pounce, tear, climb, fiddle, hide, curl up, rocket, sharpen

Having my students write "things to do" poems was not only an enjoyable creative writing activity for them-it was also an excellent language arts exercise. Being thoughtful about their verb selection helped to make their writing stronger.
ONE MORE THING
I encouraged my students to focus on the meaning/sense of their poems rather than on trying to make them rhyme. With that in mind, I have two examples of my own "things to do" poems (PENCIL and NIGHT) that do not rhyme-as well as a collaborative class poem (WITCH):
Things to do if you are a PENCIL
Be sharp.
Wear a slick yellow suit
and a pink top hat.
Tap your toes on the tabletop,
listen for the right rhythm,
then dance a poem
across the page.
Things to do if you are NIGHT
Be the shadow of day.
Put the sun to bed and light the moon.
Rouse sleeping raccoons and owls.
Paint oceans black.
Sprinkle stars across the sky.
Slip softly away before dawn.
Things to Do if you are a WITCH
Wake up at midnight.
Fly around the moon
on your magic broom.
Zoom around a haunted house.
Swoop out of the dark sky
and scare children.
have a huge purple wart
on the tip of your long, pointy nose
and skin as green as grass.
Wear a tall black hat
pointed as a thumbtack.
Make yucky snake skin potions
in your kettle.
Cast nasty spells on princes
and turn them into toads.
Eat vulture leg stew, bat wings,
and frog eyes for lunch.
Throw bat noses into the air
and catch them in your mouth.
Go to sleep in a graveyard
before the sun comes up.
More about my Book Things to Do and Me from All the Wonders Elaine Magliaro worked as an elementary school teacher for more than three decades and as a school librarian for three years. She also taught a children's literature course at Boston University from 2002-2008. She served on the advisory board of the Keene State College Children's Literature Festival from 2006-2008 and as a member of the NCTE Poetry Committee from 2009-2012. Elaine is now retired and writes poetry for children. THINGS TO DO is her first children's book. GIVEAWAY INFORMATION (from Stacey):

This giveaway is for a copy of Things to Do. Many thanks to Chronicle Books for donating a copy for one reader.

For a chance to win this copy of Things to Do, please leave a comment about this post by Wednesday, May 31st at 11:59 p.m. EDT. I'll use a random number generator to pick the winner, whose name I will announce at the bottom of this post, by Friday, June 1st.

Please be sure to leave a valid e-mail address when you post your comment, so I can contact you to obtain your mailing address if you win. From there, my contact at Chronicle will ship your book out to you. (NOTE: Your e-mail address will not be published online if you leave it in the e-mail field only.)

If you are the winner of the book, I will email you with the subject line of TWO WRITING TEACHERS - THINGS TO DO. Please respond to my e-mail with your mailing address within five days of receipt. Unfortunately, a new winner will be chosen if a response isn't received within five days of the giveaway announcement.

Comments are now closed. Lehua Gerboc-Naulangi's commenter number was selected so she'll win the copy of Things to Do.

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Writing "Things to Do" Poems: It's All About the Action Words!

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One of the most creative aspects of writing "things to do" poems for me is imagining what it might be like to be something other than myself. As I was writing poems for my book THINGS TO DO, I wondered what I would do if I were certain animals, elements of nature, and inanimate objects-including the sun, sky, rain, birds, a snail, an acorn, an eraser...even a pair of boots splashing in puddles.