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Reading Rockets Interview with Chris Van Allsburg

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Reading Rockets Interview with Chris Van Allsburg

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Biography

Chris Van Allsburg still seems surprised by his own success. As a sculptor who began drawing as a hobby, Van Allsburg never expected to find himself in the national spotlight. But his first book won a Caldecott Honor and his second book won the Caldecott Medal. In 1996 Jumanji became a Hollywood film. Van Allsburg's most recognized book, The Polar Express, is one of the bestselling children's books of all time.

Since 1979, Chris Van Allsburg's books have blurred the line between fantasy and reality. His stories leave unresolved mysteries up to the imagination of the reader. His illustrations are beautiful and eerie, often hinting at an alternate reality that might just be lurking behind the next page.

The accidental illustrator

Chris Van Allsburg was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1949. As a young boy, he loved building things with his hands, especially model cars and trains. Although he also enjoyed drawing the occasional picture, he never really considered himself a talented artist.

Van Allsburg studied sculpture at the University of Michigan and received a master's degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. For a few years, he successfully sold his sculptures to a New York City gallery. On nights when it was too cold to work in his studio, Van Allsburg began drawing pictures just to pass the time. But when his wife showed these sketches to children's publishing houses, the editors liked his work. They offered him stories to illustrate, but Van Allsburg preferred to come up with his own ideas.

Van Allsburg thought of his first book as a fun, one-time venture. But when The Garden of Abdul Gasazi received a Caldecott Honor and rave reviews, he decided to spend more time illustrating books and less time making sculpture. "If I could do something this well with so little experience in the art form," Van Allsburg thought to himself, "I should try it again, because I could probably do something better." Within six years, he had won two prestigious Caldecott Medals for Jumanji and The Polar Express.

Van Allsburg's most recent book, Zathura, is a Jumanji sequel with a space adventure twist. His holiday classic, The Polar Express, was refashioned into a feature film in 2004.

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A Video Interview With Chris Van Allsburg | Reading Rockets

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Chris Van Allsburg is the author and illustrator of many celebrated children's books such as The Polar Express and Jumanji. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Chris Van Allsburg talks about his big breakthrough, his books, and their transformation into movies.

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Scholastic EditorsMarch 26, 2021GradesPreK - 5

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This beloved author has written hundreds of books.

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Lois Lowry talks about the research she's done for Number the Stars.

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Lois Lowry talks about the research she's done for Number the Stars.

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A bookj made by Lois lowry

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Lois Lowry and her life.

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Subscribe to My E-letter Lauren Tarshis AUTHOR & EDITOR

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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Eve Bunting was born in Maghera, Ireland on December 18, 1928 (Palmquist, 2007; Fantastic Fiction, 2012). As a child, her father read to her constantly (Reading Rockets, 2012). Even though her father was a tough macho man and would never admit to anyone he loved poetry, he loved to read and discuss poetry with Eve (Reading Rockets, 2012). According to her interview with Reading Rockets (2012), Eve says her father would read something then ask her if she understood what the poet was saying. This was a special time for Eve and has impacted her love of reading.

Growing up in a little town in Ireland, the town did not have a public library (Reading Rockets, 2012). Eve's mother thought reading was important and the town's people needed to be literate (Reading Rockets, 2012). Her mother went to Belfast, which was the largest city close to Maghera, and asked if she could start a lending library (Reading Rockets, 2012). Her mother set up bookcases throughout the hallways in their house, and Eve had access to more books than she could imagine (Reading Rockets, 2012). Unfortunately, her mother was not a good lender and never kept track of who took which book, so then ultimately, the number of books dwindled and the small lending library closed (Reading Rockets, 2012). For awhile though, Eve loved having so many books to read at her fingertips (Reading Rockets, 2012). She would often sneak books from the shelves and secretly read them in her room (Reading Rockets, 2012).

Because of her mother and father, Eve was opened to the world of literature and books from a young age. Her father loved poetry and her mother thought everyone should read. These ideas of poetry and everyone reading would later impact her and how and what she writes.

In 1958, Eve and her husband, along with their three children, moved from Ireland to California (The Book Report, Inc., 2012). Eve helped raise her three children, but in her mid-thirties, she became bored because her children no longer needed her (Scholastic Inc., 2012). She decided to enroll in a community college in California and took a creative writing class (Children's Literature Network, 2007). It was in that class where Eve's love of writing began.

Eve recalls that she started writing when she was 36 and had her first book published around age 40 in 1971 (Scholastic Inc., 2012). Since then, she has had more than 200 books published and has no plans to quit (Scholastic Inc., 2012). Even with five grandchildren, Eve finds time to write almost everyday (Scholastic Inc., 2012). She no longer has the energy to do school visits, but she says she will continue to write as long as possible (Scholastic Inc., 2012).

After learning about Eve Bunting, I see many forces in her life that shaped her to become a writer. Her parents loved to read and read with her. Eve's father read her poetry, and now, Eve writes many of books in rhyme or with a rhythm. Both of Eve's parents thought reading was important, which encouraged Eve to read.

Having grown up in Ireland, Eve was used to stories of folk tales and folklore (The Book Report, 2012). From a young age, she learned the magic of words and how to draw listeners into a story (The Book Report, 2012). In some of Eve's stories like Ballywhinney Girl (2012), Green Shamrocks (2011), and That's What Leprechauns Do (2006), readers can tell Eve has a relationship with Ireland and the culture of Ireland. Having grown up in Ireland has influenced Eve to write stories about Ireland.

Eve writes many books about social consciousness and helping others. Many of her books show readers a fiction yet real picture of what people live and go through. For example, her book Fly Away Home is about a son and father living in the airport because they have no home. Even though this book is fiction, it makes children and adults think about others and how others may live. As a child, Eve grew up amongst diversity and prejudice (Cary, 1997). She remembers discrimination being accepted and thought there was nothing that could be done about it (Cary, 2007). As a Protestant, Eve was not supposed to affiliate with Catholics (Cary, 2007). It was against social norms. Eve's parents encouraged her friendship with a girl who was Catholic (Cary, 2007). I think this shaped Eve to want to write about topics that were tough to admit and discuss, but topics that need to talked about to create a better understanding between people.

Eve immigrating to the United States shaped her ideas about immigrants and writing about immigrants (Cary, 2007). Eve feels entitled to write about immigrants, because she is an immigrant and knows the struggles immigrants face (Cary, 2007).

Eve said in an interview that ideas for her books come from interesting newspaper articles or magazine stories (Scholastic Inc., 2012). She will think about something for a long time before she ever writes anything (Scholastic Inc., 2012). The idea for her book The Wall (1990)came to her, but she had to think about the topic for three years before she wrote the book. The idea for her book I am the Mummy Heb-Nefert (1997) started when she went with her daughter to a mummy exhibit at a museum (Cary, 1997). Eve remembers looking at a mummy and thinking that mummy used to be beautiful (Cary, 1997). After many months researching mummies, Eve had a book about a mummy once being beautiful (Cary, 1997).

A final force that continues to impact Eve is the pure love of writing. She loves to write. Even in her old age, Eve continues to write almost everyday (Scholastic Inc., 2012). She has a desk where she writes and she writes when she feels like it (Scholastic Inc., 2012). Eve does not force herself to write but enjoys doing it so much that she says she will continue to write as long as she can (Scholastic Inc., 2012).

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Eve Bunting was born in Maghera, Ireland on December 18, 1928 (Palmquist, 2007; Fantastic Fiction, 2012). As a child, her father read to her constantly (Reading Rockets, 2012). Even though her father was a tough macho man and would never admit to anyone he loved poetry, he loved to read and discuss poetry with Eve (Reading Rockets, 2012).

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Number the Stars is a work of historical fiction by the American author Lois Lowry about the escape of a family of Jews from Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II.

The story revolves around ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, who lives with her mother, father, and sister Kirsti in Copenhagen in 1943. Annemarie becomes a part of the events related to the rescue of the Danish Jews, when thousands of Jews were to reach neutral ground in Sweden to avoid being relocated to concentration camps. She risks her life to help her best friend, Ellen Rosen, by pretending that Ellen is Annemarie's late older sister, Lise, who was killed earlier in the war by the Nazi army because of her work with the Danish Resistance. However, her former fiancé, Peter, who is partially based on the Danish resistance member Kim Malthe-Bruun, continues to help them.

The story's title is taken from a reference to Psalm 147:4 in which the writer relates that God has numbered all the stars and named each of them. It coincides into the Star of David, which is worn by Ellen Rosen on her necklace and is a symbol of Judaism.

The novel was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1990 as the previous year's "most distinguished contribution to American literature for children."

Lowry traveled to Copenhagen to conduct research and interviews for the book. She took the photo of the girl used for the cover (shown in infobox), which was used on many editions of the book. The Swedish girl used for the cover of the book went by the name of Anna Caterina Johnson, and had been photographed when she was ten by Lois Lowry.

Annemarie Johansen and Ellen Rosen, two ten-year-old best friends living in Nazi-controlled Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II, are stopped on the street on their way home from school by German soldiers. Annemarie tells her parents about the incident when she returns home. She is told to be more careful, especially because Ellen is Jewish. The Germans soon announce that they will be "relocating" Denmark's Jewish population. At the local synagogue, the Nazis take the names and addresses of every Jewish family in Copenhagen. Ellen's parents flee Denmark with Annemarie's brother in-law, Peter. Ellen is forced to stay with the Johansens and pretend to be Lise, despite being half the age of the real Lise. One early morning, three soldiers enter the Johansens' apartment, believing the Rosens might be hiding there. Ellen tells them that she and Anne are sisters, with Anne's parents providing photos to prove this. The soldiers are suspicious of their story, but leave anyways.

Annemarie, Ellen, and Kirsti leave with Annemarie's mother the next morning for Uncle Henrik's house, which is across the lake from Sweden, a neutral country where Jews aren't persecuted. When they arrive, Henrik tells Annemarie that her Great-Aunt Birte has died, and a huge casket is placed in the middle of the living room. Annemarie doesn't believe she has a Great-Aunt Birte, but Henrik encourages her to be brave and keep this secret to herself, even from Ellen. The next evening, many people come to mourn "Aunt Birte", to Annemarie's puzzlement. Nazis come to the house and see start questioning the family. They explain that Great-Aunt Birte has died, and they are carrying out traditional rituals. When the Nazis order the casket to be opened, Mrs. Johansen lies that Great-Aunt Birte had typhus, a contagious disease, and the Nazis leave without further questions.

After they leave, the wake continues. Peter, who is present, reads to the group the beginning of Psalm 147 from the Bible, which describes the Lord God numbering the stars. Annemarie's mind begin to wander since she is unfamiliar with the psalm. After finishing, Peter opens the casket and gives the warm clothing and blankets stored inside it to the Jewish families. They leave in smaller groups to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Ellen says goodbye to Annemarie and her mother.

In the morning, Annemarie sees her mother crawling in the distance because she had broken her ankle. After helping her mother back to the house, Annemarie finds a packet of great importance to the Resistance. Mr. Rosen dropped the packet when he accidentally tripped on a flight of stairs. Mrs. Johansen tells Annemarie to fill a basket with food and the packet and to run as fast as she can. Annemarie runs off onto a wooded path in the direction of her uncle's boat. She is halted by Nazi soldiers with dogs. When they question Annemarie about what she is doing out so early, she lies that she is taking a basket with a meal to her uncle. The soldiers do not believe her, and one of them grabs at the basket. However, the soldiers eventually let her go, and Annemarie makes it to her uncle's boat. She gives Henrik an envelope that contains a handkerchief, and returns back home.

Henrik returns to Denmark later that evening from Sweden. He tells Annemarie that many Jewish people, including the Rosens, were hiding in his boat to be smuggled to Sweden. He also explains that the handkerchief in her package contained the scent of rabbit blood, which attracted the dogs, and the strong odor of cocaine, which numbed their noses, preventing them from tracking down the Jews. Several revelations are made, including that Peter is in the Danish Resistance. It also reveals that Annemarie's older sister Lise had not died from a car accident but from being run over by a tank because she was part of the Resistance.

Denmark is liberated two years after the wars end. Since then, Peter has been executed by the Nazis and is buried in an unmarked grave. Annemarie finds Ellen's Star of David necklace and decides to wear it until Ellen comes back to Denmark.

Critical and popular reactions were positive. Kirkus Reviews said that "...like Annemarie, the reader is protected from the full implications of events--but will be caught up in the suspense and menace of several encounters with soldiers and in Annemarie's courageous run as a courier on the night of the escape."

In addition to winning numerous awards, the book has been one of the best-selling children's books of all time. According to Publishers Weekly, it was the 82nd best selling children's book of all time in the United States with sales above 2 million as of 2001. Sales have remained solid, even years after publication.

The Only Way, a 1970 English language film about the rescue of the Danish Jews

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Number the Stars is a work of historical fiction by the American author Lois Lowry about the escape of a family of Jews from Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. The story revolves around ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen, who lives with her mother, father, and sister Kirsti in Copenhagen in 1943.

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It's Ethel Merman's birthday today!

Tomie loved to sing along with Ethel when she was singing on Sirius/XM. In fact, if Ethel was singing on Sirius/XM and Tomie wasn't singing, I knew he wasn't feeling well. No need to check his temperature. Off to the Emergency Room we'd go.

He had begun to forget the words to some of Ethel's songs, so for his last birthday, I gave him booklets of lyrics to Ethel's

Read more of this blog post "

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It's Ethel Merman's birthday today! Tomie loved to sing along with Ethel when she was singing on Sirius/XM. In fact, if Ethel was singing on Sirius/XM and Tomie wasn't singing, I knew he wasn't feeling well. No need to check his temperature. Off to the Emergency Room we'd go.

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Gary Paulsen is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people, including three Newbery Honor books: The Winter Room, Hatchet, and Dogsong. He won the...

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Website copyright 2004-2023 Kate DiCamillo. All rights reserved. Privacy policy. Site designed by Winding Oak. Photos and text on this website may not be re‑used electronically or in print without permission.

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Hatchet 1
Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below. It was a small plane, a Cessna 406-a bushplane-and the engine was so loud, so roaring and consuming and loud, that it ruined any chance for conversation.

Not that he had much to say. He was thirteen and the only passenger on the plane was a pilot named-what was it? Jim or Jake or something-who was in his mid-forties and who had been silent as he worked to prepare for take-off. In fact since Brian had come to the small airport in Hampton, New York to meet the plane-driven by his mother-the pilot had only spoken five words to him.

"Get in the copilot's seat."

Which Brian had done. They had taken off and that was the last of the conversation. There had been the initial excitement, of course. He had never flown in a single-engine plane before and to be sitting in the copilot's seat with all the controls right there in front of him, all the instruments in his face as the plane clawed for altitude, jerking and sliding on the wind currents as the pilot took off, had been interesting and exciting. But in five minutes they had leveled off at six thousand feet and headed northwest and from then on the pilot had been silent, staring out the front, and the drone of the engine had been all that was left. The drone and the sea of green trees that lay before the plane's nose and flowed to the horizon, spread with lakes, swamps, and wandering streams and rivers.

Now Brian sat, looking out the window with the roar thundering through his ears, and tried to catalog what had led up to his taking this flight.

The thinking started.

Always it started with a single word.

Divorce.

It was an ugly word, he thought. A tearing, ugly word that meant fights and yelling, lawyers-God, he thought, how he hated lawyers who sat with their comfortable smiles and tried to explain to him in legal terms how all that he lived in was coming apart-and the breaking and shattering of all the solid things. His home, his life-all the solid things. Divorce. A breaking word, an ugly breaking word.

Divorce.

Secrets.

No, not secrets so much as just the Secret. What he knew and had not told anybody, what he knew about his mother that had caused the divorce, what he knew, what he knew-the Secret.

Divorce.

The Secret.

Brian felt his eyes beginning to burn and knew there would be tears. He had cried for a time, but that was gone now. He didn't cry now. Instead his eyes burned and tears came, the seeping tears that burned, but he didn't cry. He wiped his eyes with a finger and looked at the pilot out of the corner of his eye to make sure he hadn't noticed the burning and tears.

The pilot sat large, his hands lightly on the wheel, feet on the rudder pedals. He seemed more a machine than a man, an extension of the plane. On the dashboard in front of him Brian saw the dials, switches, meters, knobs, levers, cranks, lights, handles that were wiggling and flickering, all indicating nothing that he understood and the pilot seemed the same way. Part of the plane, not human.

When he saw Brian look at him, the pilot seemed to open up a bit and he smiled. "Ever fly in the copilot's seat before?" He leaned over and lifted the headset off his right ear and put it on his temple, yelling to overcome the sound of the engine.

Brian shook his head. He had never been in any kind of plane, never seen the cockpit of a plane except in films or television. It was loud and confusing. "First time."

"It's not as complicated as it looks. Good plane like this almost flies itself." The pilot shrugged. "Makes my job easy." He took Brian's left arm. "Here, put your hands on the controls, your feet in the rudder pedals, and I'll show you what I mean."

Brian shook his head. "I'd better not."

"Sure. Try it . . ."

Brian reached out and took the wheel in a grip so tight his knuckles were white. He pushed his feet down on the pedals. The plane slewed suddenly to the right.

"Not so hard. Take her light, take her light."

Brian eased off, relaxed his grip. The burning in his eyes was forgotten momentarily as the vibration of the plane came through the wheel and the pedals. It seemed almost alive.

"See?" The pilot let go of his wheel, raised his hands in the air and took his feet off the pedals to show Brian he was actually flying the plane alone. "Simple. Now turn the wheel a little to the right and push on the right rudder pedal a small amount."

Brian turned the wheel slightly and the plane immediately banked to the right, and when he pressed on the right rudder pedal the nose slid across the horizon to the right. He left off on the pressure and straightened the wheel and the plane righted itself.

"Now you can turn. Bring her back to the left a little."

Brian turned the wheel left, pushed on the left pedal, and the plane came back around. "It's easy." He smiled. "At least this part."

The pilot nodded. "All of flying is easy. Just takes learning. Like everything else. Like everything else." He took the controls back, then reached up and rubbed his left shoulder. "Aches and pains-must be getting old."

Brian let go of the controls and moved his feet away from the pedals as the pilot put his hands on the wheel. "Thank you . . ."

But the pilot had put his headset back on and the gratitude was lost in the engine noise and things went back to Brian looking out the window at the ocean of trees and lakes. The burning eyes did not come back, but memories did, came flooding in. The words. Always the words.

Divorce.

The Secret.

Fights.

Split.

The big split. Brian's father did not understand as Brian did, knew only that Brian's mother wanted to break the marriage apart. The split had come and then the divorce, all so fast, and the court had left him with his mother except for the summers and what the judge called "visitation rights." So formal. Brian hated judges as he hated lawyers. Judges that leaned over the bench and asked Brian if he understood where he was to live and why. Judges with the caring look that meant nothing as lawyers said legal phrases that meant nothing.

In the summer Brian would live with his father. In the school year with his mother. That's what the judge said after looking at papers on his desk and listening to the lawyers talk. Talk. Words.

Now the plane lurched slightly to the right and Brian looked at the pilot. He was rubbing his shoulder again and there was the sudden smell of body gas in the plane. Brian turned back to avoid embarrassing the pilot, who was obviously in some discomfort. Must have stomach troubles.

So this summer, this first summer when he was allowed to have "visitation rights" with his father, with the divorce only one month old, Brian was heading north. His father was a mechanical engineer who had designed or invented a new drill bit for oil drilling, a self-cleaning, self-sharpening bit. He was working in the oil fields of Canada, up on the tree line where the tundra started and the forests ended. Brian was riding up from New York with some drilling equipment-it was lashed down in the rear of the plane next to a fabric bag the pilot had called a survival pack, which had emergency supplies in case they had to make an emergency landing-that had to be specially made in the city, riding in the bushplane with the pilot named Jim or Jake or something who had turned out to be an all right guy, letting him fly and all.

Except for the smell. Now there was a constant odor, and Brian took another look at the pilot, found him rubbing the shoulder and down the arm now, the left arm, letting go more gas and wincing. Probably something he ate, Brian thought.

His mother had driven him from the city to meet the plane at Hampton where it came to pick up the drilling equipment. A drive in silence, a long drive in silence. Two and a half hours of sitting in the car, staring out the window of the plane. Once, after an hour, when they were out of the city she turned to him.

"Look, can't we talk this over? Can't we talk this out? Can't you tell me what's bothering you?"

And there were the words again. Divorce. Split. The Secret. How could he tell her what he knew? So he had remained silent, shook his head and continued to stare unseeing at the countryside, and his mother had gone back to driving only to speak to him one more time when they were close to Hampton.

She reached over the back of the seat and brought up a paper sack. "I got something for you, for the trip."

Brian took the sack and opened the top. Inside there was a hatchet, the kind with a steel handle and a rubber handgrip. The head was in a stout leather case that had a brass-riveted belt loop.

"It goes on your belt." His mother spoke now without looking at him. There were some farm trucks on the roads now and she had to weave through them and watch traffic. "The man at the store said you could use it. You know. In the woods with your father."

Dad, he thought. Not "my father." My dad. "Thanks. It's really nice." But the words sounded hollow, even to Brian.

"Try it on. See how it looks on your belt."

And he would normally have said no, would normally have said no that it looked too hokey to have a hatchet on your belt. Those were the normal things he would say. But her voice was thin, had a sound like something thin that would break if you touched it, and he felt bad for not speaking to her. Knowing what he knew, even with the anger, the hot white hate of his anger at her, he still felt bad for not speaking to her, and so to humor her he loosened his belt and pulled the right side out and put the hatchet on and rethreaded the belt.

"Scootch around so I can see."

He moved around in the seat, feeling only slightly ridiculous.

She nodded. "Just like a scout. My little scout." And there was the tenderness in her voice that she had when he was small, the tenderness that she had when he was small and sick, with a cold, and she put her hand on his forehead, and the burning came into his eyes again and he had turned away from her and looked out the window, forgotten the hatchet on his belt and so arrived at the plane with the hatchet still on his belt.

Because it was a bush flight from a small airport there had been no security and the plane had been waiting, with the engine running when he arrived and he had grabbed his suitcase and pack bag and run for the plane without stopping to remove the hatchet.

So it was still on his belt. At first he had been embarrassed but the pilot had said nothing about it and Brian forgot it as they took off and began flying.

More smell now. Bad. Brian turned again to glance at the pilot who had both hands on his stomach and was grimacing in pain, reaching for the left shoulder again as Brian watched.

"Don't know, kid . . ." The pilot's words were a hiss, barely audible. "Bad aches here. Bad aches. Thought it was something I ate but . . ."

He stopped as a fresh spasm of pain hit him. Even Brian could see how bad it was-the pain drove the pilot back into the seat, back and down.

"I've never had anything like this . . ."

The pilot reached for the switch on his mike cord, his hand coming up in a small arc from his stomach, and he flipped the switch and said, "This is flight four six . . ."

And now a jolt took him like a hammerblow, so forcefully that he seemed to crush back into the seat, and Brian reached for him, could not understand at first what it was, could not know.

And then he knew.

Brian knew. The pilot's mouth went rigid, he swore and jerked a short series of slams into the seat, holding his shoulder now. Swore and hissed, "Chest! Oh God, my chest is coming apart!"

Brian knew now.

The pilot was having a heart attack. Brian had been in the shopping mall with his mother when a man in front of Paisley's store had suffered a heart attack. He had gone down and screamed about his chest. An old man. Much older than the pilot.

Brian knew.

The pilot was having a heart attack and even as the knowledge came to Brian he saw the pilot slam into the seat one more time, one more awful time he slammed back into the seat and his right leg jerked, pulling the plane to the side in a sudden twist and his head fell forward and spit came. Spit came from the corners of his mouth and his legs contracted up, up into the seat, and his eyes rolled back in his head until there was only white.

Only white for his eyes and the smell became worse, filled the cockpit, and all of it so fast, so incredibly fast that Brian's mind could not take it in at first. Could only see it in stages.

The pilot had been talking, just a moment ago complaining of the pain. He had been talking.

Then the jolts had come.

The jolts that took the pilot back had come, and now Brian sat and there was a strange feeling of silence in the thrumming roar of the engine-a strange feeling of silence and being alone. Brian was stopped.

He was stopped. Inside he was stopped. He could not think past what he saw, what he felt. All was stopped. The very core of him, the very center of Brian Robeson was stopped and stricken with a white-flash of horror, a terror so intense that his breathing, his thinking, and nearly his heart had stopped.

Stopped.

Seconds passed, seconds that became all of his life, and he began to know what he was seeing, began to understand what he saw and that was worse, so much worse that he wanted to make his mind freeze again.

He was sitting in a bushplane roaring seven thousand feet above the northern wilderness with a pilot who had suffered a massive heart attack and who was either dead or in something close to a coma.

He was alone.

In the roaring plane with no pilot he was alone.

Alone.

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Hatchet 1 Brian Robeson stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below. It was a small plane, a Cessna 406-a bushplane-and the engine was so loud, so roaring and consuming and loud, that it ruined any chance for conversation. Not that he had much to say.

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© Random House Children's Books
Gary Paulsen 74, a popular writer of young people around the world was born on 17 th May 1939 in Minneapolis; Minnesota. Paulsen was a book lover from his childhood. He developed love for reading at a young age. When he got the first book issued from the library he went to the basement of his house and read it without a stop. He then read several books in the basement of his house.

Paulsen didn't have actual family life, till the age of seven. He lived with different people, first with his grandmother then at the age of seven he went living with his mother, who took him to Manila, Philippines, where his father was already living. But every day bickering attitude and sometimes severe conflicts of his parents led Paulsen distressed. Gary could not tolerate his parent's disturbed life for long time and ran away at the age of 14 and worked on a sugar beet farm. He quit that job and spent the rest of the summer as a "carnie" in the carnival.

He came back home and studied high school; graduating in 1957 with a D- average. He could not study more than five months at a single school. Gary Paulsen acquired adventurous life throughout his youth time. He then joined the army and was honorably discharged after 3 years. He experienced rigorous chores on different farm houses, followed by miscellaneous jobs like, working in a Construction Company, a helping hand at the ranch, truck driver, sailor and competed in Iditarods twice.

Some accounts of his life can be collected in chunks and pieces in Guts: The true stories given in Hatchets and The Brian Books. Gary Paulsen had a narrow escape, he wrote that while strolling one day he reached the edge of the Dam wall and fortunately saved. Paulsen created most of his stories, based on his life experiences. Eastern Sun, Winter Moon, An autobiographical odyssey portrayed some very shocking and appalling sides of his life. The Quilt, a much known book by Paulsen contained many memorable moments of his life. In this book he tells about his golden days in his grandmother's house when he was six years old.

After rendering his services at an aerospace company he analyzed that he aspired to be a writer and quit his service. He started working as an editor proofreader in a publishing house. He commenced writing when he was working as an editor. He then moved to Minnesota and by the end of the summer he had completed his first novel. In 1967 his first book SOME BIRDS DON'T FLY came on the book stalls. Within Seven months he wrote and published his 2nd book MR. TUCKET. He wrote a great volume of work on his personal experiences

Paulsen wrote consistently for hours and hours that's why we have a great collection of his books. He wrote more than 175 books and also more than 200 articles. He believes in great potential of youth. Paulsen acclaimed as a writer for young adult readers.

His three novels Hatchet, Winter Room, and Dogsong are very famous amongst young generation across the globe and also won Newberry honor book medal. Gary Paulsen and his wife Ruth Wright Paulsen live in New Mexico. His wife is an artist who illustrated cover pages of many of his books and novels. Brian's Saga, Mr. Tucket Saga, Murphy series, Alida's series, World of Adventure, Tales to Tickle the Funnybone, and Culpepper Adventures are universally acknowledged work of Gary Paulsen.

Buy Books by Gary Paulsen

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© Random House Children's Books Gary Paulsen 74, a popular writer of young people around the world was born on 17 th May 1939 in Minneapolis; Minnesota. Paulsen was a book lover from his childhood. He developed love for reading at a young age.

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Kimberly Brubaker Bradley | Penguin Random House

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Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is the two-time Newbery Honor winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of several acclaimed middle grade novels, including Fighting Words, The War That...

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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Christian Robinson is the second author in our 2021 Author Study Challenge. He is primarily an illustrator, so I'm maybe cheating a little here, but he is also the author/illustrator of a few books now and his work is just so delightful I feel like he is someone everyone should know. Once you read the list below I bet if you weren't already aware that you love his books, you'll realize you've heard of or hopefully have read more than you realized. If not, I'm excited for you to meet him because wow, guys - his collection of published books is incredible.
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about the 2021 Author Study Challenge
Christian Robinson Author/Illustrator Study

Meet the Author

Christian Robinson is an author/illustrator. He has written and illustrated a couple books now, but he has also illustrated a whole stack of amazing books written by other authors. Christian Robinson is the 2016 Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor recipient.

Christian Robinson's website: The Art of Fun

Books Written AND Illustrated by Robinson

Another
Sly, playful, creative and Robinson's debut as an author-illustrator. Carefully crafted, this wordless book makes you wonder and begs you to turn the page as you follow a little girl and her cat. Full of imagination and adventure and just a touch of humor. This is unlike anything you've read before and is so much fun. Find Online
Activity Ideas:

Printable activity pages from Simon.

Cut out a bunch of circles and create a picture of somewhere imaginary or use dabbers to create circle art.

You Matter
This is so good. Bright, powerful, heart filled - this invites you to see how everyone is connected and how we all matter. It's about seeing the big and small pieces of the world and the range of different perspectives. Whimsical, subtle, and so full of heart, YOU MATTER is a message to all children that they matter. Find Online
Activity Ideas:
Books Illustrated by Robinson

Last Stop on Market Street
by Matt de la Pena

This is likely the book you're most familiar with on this list. It is the award winner that seems to be on every list right now. There is also a board book version now if you have little ones. It's a wonderful story, beautifully illustrated that depicts a relationship, socio-economic class, and story not often told in picture books. Find Online
Activity Ideas:

Little Penguins
by Cynthia Rylant

Adorable is how I would describe this one. It's obviously a great winter story, but it's just sweet and fun in general. Find Online
Activities:

Rain
written by Linda Ashman

This is my favorite, I think. I hate rain so the general plot resonates with me and I also love and identify with how the joy of others, especially my children, is infectious and impacts those around them. This is a wordless book and although it was "written" by Linda Ashman and she definitely created the concept - you can read what this looked like when she submitted it on her website - it is Christian Robinson's artwork that largely brings the story to life. Find Online
Activities:

Leo: A Ghost Story
by Mac Barnett

I mean, it's Mac Barnett. This is quirky, original, and funny just like you'd expect from Mac Barnett. Christian Robinson's illustrations only use a few colors which is different from his other books. Find Online
Activities:

Create a picture with only two colors. Robinson used only blue and black to illustrate LEO. Think of a story, moment, or feeling and then illustrate it with only two colors.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade
written by Justin Roberts

Can someone tiny make a big difference? That's the question posed by this book. I love the cheerful illustrations and the overall message about standing up against a bully. Find Online

School's First Day of School
written by Adam Rex

I thought this story was a work of genius when I first read it. The first day of school from the school building's perspective. So clever. Christian Robinson's illustrations here are just perfect. It's a warm, wonderful book perfect for reading at the start of a new school year.
Find Online

Gaston
written by Kelly Dipucchio

This is my next favorite on this list I think (it's so hard to pick things like that!) It's the story of a mix-up but also kind of about adoption and what family really means. It's a layered story that works with a little bit older kids, but it's also a sweet story about puppies that allows you to enjoy it with younger kids as well. Find Online

Antoinette
by Kelly Dipucchio

This is the follow up to GASTON and it's almost as delightful. It's more of an adventure, girl power kind of story. Antoinette is an adorable, charming poodle and she saves helps save Gaston's sister in this story. Find Online

Extension Ideas: After reading both GASTON and ANTOINETTE, learn how to draw some dogs. My kids love these drawing tutorials on Art Hub for Kids.

When's My Birthday
written by Julie Fogliano

This is an award winner that to me reads like a poem. The narrator excitedly lists all the things that will make her birthday the BEST birthday. It's a celebration of birthdays. Find Online
Extensions:

Write about what makes your best birthday.

Read this and ANOTHER and then make a picture that includes dots or polka dots.

Carmela Full of Wishes
written by Matt de la Pena

This is the same team that created LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET. This is another birthday book. Carmela finds a dandelion and has to make a wish but it takes her a while to think of the perfect thing. It is every day life in a neighborhood, an ode to family and dreamers, and it's about finding hope where you might now expect it. Find Online

Just in Case You Want to Fly
written by Julie Fogliano

Another by this pair, this is also poetic. It's gently funny, bright and lyrical. We own this one because I just love the message of love and empowerment. Find Online

The Dead Bird
written by Margaret Wise Brown

I said Mac Barnett was quirky but this one is even more unusual. I don't think I would have read this to my preschoolers, my children in particular are on the sensitive so I would caution you to read this to yourself first before you share it and trust your instincts, but it is an interesting, unique story. Find Online

Extension: Read some books by Margaret Wise Brown with this biography.

Josephine
by Patricia Hruby Powell

This is the story of Josephine Baker told in poems divided into acts. The words are as vibrant as a dance. The illustrations are bright and active. For a picture book this is long. You could also read this as a chapter book, but the poems are not quite as dense as you might expect from the thickness of the book. I'd recommend this for older elementary schoolers. A wonderful biography that captures the essence of Josephine Baker and her dazzling life. Find Online

Harlem's Little Blackbird: The Story of Florence Mills
written by Renee Watson

This is a great nonfiction book for older elementary schoolers. HARLEM'S LITTLE BLACKBIRD has more text than a typical picture book but not as long as JOSEPHINE above. It is the story of Florence Mills the Broadway singer in the 1920s who worked to support the work of fellow black performers. It is about the civil rights era, justice and following one's dreams. Find Online
Extensions:

Milo Imagines the World
written by Matt de la Pena

This one is coming out in 2021 - the third from this team. I can't wait!!
Link to Pre-Order

Book Club & Author Study Ideas

If you're reading a whole stack of Christian Robinson books, here are some activities you could do with any or all of them.

Vote on your favorite Christian Robinson book. Maybe create a graph.

Create art inspired by Christian Robinson's style. He loves using mixed media - which means a combination of styles and materials. He uses cut paper, he mixes collage with paint like in LEO, and sometimes creates in colored pencil like with THE SMALLEST GIRL IN THE SMALLEST GRADE and LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET.

Click Here to Get the Preschool Author Study Pack
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Share your favorite books and Christian Robinson activities on Instagram with the hashtag #2021authorstudychallenge.

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Christian Robinson Author/Illustrator Study - My Storytime corner

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Christian Robinson is the second author in our 2021 Author Study Challenge. He is primarily an illustrator, so I'm maybe cheating a little here, but he is also the author/illustrator of a few books now and his work is just so delightful I feel like he is someone everyone should know.

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Dav Pilkey is the best-selling author and illustrator of the wildly popular Captain Underpants and Dog Man graphic novel series, as well as many picture books, including Dog Breath and The Hallo-Wiener. He won a Caldecott Honor for his picture book The Paperboy.

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Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated numerous popular, award-winning books for children, including the Captain Underpants and Dumb Bunnies series.

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Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated numerous popular, award-winning books for children, including the Captain Underpants and Dumb Bunnies series.

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Home - Laura Ingalls Wilder Park & Museum

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In 1876, when Laura was nine years old, the Ingalls family left Walnut Grove, Minnesota, after suffering through two years of grasshopper plagues. They traveled to Burr Oak, Iowa, to help manage the Masters Hotel, owned by their friend, William Steadman, also from Walnut Grove.

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Get unlimited access to 40,000 of the best books, audiobooks, videos, & more for kids 12 and under. Try it free.

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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The official site of Christian Robinson, Maker of things, friend to simplicity.

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instant access to thousands of great kids books.

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Instantly access 40,000 high-quality books for kids

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The leading digital library for kids offering unlimited access to 40,000 of the best children's books of all time. Sign up for a free 30 day trial to instantly access high-quality online books for kids, ebooks, audio books, quizzes, videos, and more.

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Discover Mike Lupica's bestselling sports books for young readers.

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Mike Lupica is a longtime sports columnist and commentator who started his career covering the New York Knicks when he was just 23. In the past 30 years, he's written for newspapers and magazines, authored biographies of professional athletes, and appeared as a television anchor for ESPN. He has also coached his kids' basketball, baseball, and soccer teams and, in his spare time, writes bestselling middle grade and YA novels about, you guessed it, sports. When it comes to athletics, it seems there's nothing Lupica doesn't know or can't do.

Lupica's stories combine the best of team sports: suspense, hard work, dedication, cooperation, obstacles, victory, defeat, and life lessons that stay with you long after the game is over. His books engage hardcore fans, reluctant readers, rookies, and sports junkies because he uses his real-life experiences to create a fictional world of young boys striving on and off the field that feels relevant and deeply personal. Most importantly, Lupica's stories remind readers that sports is merely a part of our lives and that athletes are measured not just by their success on the field, but by who they are off of it. The world of sports, he says, "teaches kids about being on a team, being part of something greater than themselves if they play hard and well and unselfishly. If they can learn that, they can apply it to anything they do, in or out of sports, for the rest of their lives."

Lupica is the author of over 30 books for adults and children. We've compiled what we think is the "essential" list of his middle grade titles for the football, basketball, or baseball enthusiast in your family, including the recently released football story Lone Stars.

For Basketball Fans

by Mike Lupica

This sequel to Travel Team reminds readers that although Danny Walker is a small kid, he has a big game. Now Danny is going to summer camp with the best players in the country and he'll need to dig deep to overcome challenges he never imagined.

Did we miss one of your favorite Mike Lupica books? Tell us about your top pick in the comments below!

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An Introduction to Mike Lupica: Sports Stories and Life Lessons for Tween Readers | Brightly

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Mike Lupica is a longtime sports columnist and commentator who started his career covering the New York Knicks when he was just 23. In the past 30 years, he's written for newspapers and magazines, authored biographies of professional athletes, and appeared as a television anchor for ESPN.

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Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, the ENDLING series, CRENSHAW, WISHTREE, and, with her husband, the ANIMORPHS series.

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Species: Ivan, Western Lowland Gorilla

Passed Away: Aug 20, 2012

Zoo Atlanta was honored to be the final home of Ivan the western lowland gorilla, the inspiration for the Newbery Award-winning book "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate, as well as the film of the same name. Ivan was a cherished member of the Zoo Atlanta population from 1994 until his passing on August 20, 2012, at the age of 50.

Every life at the Zoo is a story worth sharing, but Ivan's story was once told so widely and passionately that it ignited a national movement that touched two coasts. From the jungles of Africa to the shores of the Pacific Northwest to The Ford African Rain Forest at Zoo Atlanta, his life is a symbol of the way animals shape our lives - and the power we have to shape theirs.

Ivan's Life

Circa 1962: Ivan and a female infant are born in the wild in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In an era in which many zoos still acquire baby apes directly from the wild, the infants are captured for their market value.

1964: Ivan and his companion are brought to the U.S. and sold by wildlife traders to the owners of the B&I department store in Tacoma, Wash. The female dies soon after their arrival, and he spends his early years as a pet in a human household.

1967: Great apes make poor pets, and Ivan is no exception. Although only 5, he is already too large, strong and boisterous for life with a human family. As a solution, Ivan is moved to an indoor enclosure inside the B&I department store. He will not go outdoors again for nearly 30 years.

1970s and 1980s: Ivan is the star attraction of the B&I store, and he becomes Tacoma's most famous non-human resident. Over the next two decades, he is visited by thousands of friends and fans, an adoring public who may not realize at this time that Ivan's lifestyle is utterly at odds with the physical, social and behavioral needs of his species. Meanwhile, across the U.S. in Atlanta, Ga., in 1988, another solitary gorilla, Zoo Atlanta's Willie B., enters a naturalistic habitat for the first time after more than 25 years in a small indoor enclosure.

1992: The B&I department store is facing bankruptcy, and finances aren't its owners' only woes. Riding on the cresting wave of a global push toward naturalistic settings for wild animals in captivity, Ivan's friends and fans now recognize that a 30-year-old male gorilla has specific social and spatial needs - needs that aren't being met within the confines of a glass-enclosed room.

1994: Ivan's solitary existence has by now provoked national outrage within the zoological and animal welfare communities, and in 1994, his owners donate him to Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo.

1994: Back East, Willie B.'s high-profile turn from longtime loner to successful silverback has lent national credibility to the gorilla program at Zoo Atlanta, which has by now seen a succession of births. With the approval of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), the Woodland Park Zoo sends Ivan to Atlanta on permanent loan in October 1994.

1995: Ivan explores The Ford African Rain Forest at Zoo Atlanta in spring 1995 - the first time he has been outdoors in more than 27 years. Sunlight, trees, grass and fresh air are sensory enrichment he has not experienced since 1967.

1995: There's another new experience, too - girls! Ivan makes his debut with females Molly and Kuchi, and he later meets Shamba, Kashata and Kinyani. While he socializes well with his female companions, and is even observed mating with the flirtatious Kinyani, Ivan sires no offspring.

2010: Ivan's 16th anniversary in Atlanta is observed at Zoo Atlanta. He is photographed holding a sign reading, "Ivan 'Hearts' Atlanta," and it's obvious that Atlanta "hearts" him, too.

2011: Ivan's last "roommate," Kinyani, leaves Zoo Atlanta for the Columbus Zoo - a departure Ivan hardly seems to notice. After more than 16 years in Atlanta, it's apparent that while he has never overtly rejected the presence of other gorillas, his most lasting social relationships have always been with his keepers, with whom he has formed close personal bonds.

Ivan at Zoo Atlanta

In the mid-1990s, Zoo Atlanta was chosen as a home for Ivan, famous as "The Shopping Mall Gorilla" from Tacoma, Washington, for a number of reasons. Zoo Atlanta already had established leadership in the care and study of western lowland gorillas, and in particular, had already been successful in the socialization of another longtime solitary gorilla, the beloved late Willie B. Zoo Atlanta offered Ivan not only this legacy of leadership, but also a new home in the landmark Ford African Rain Forest, a series of naturalistic habitats where he would have the chance to explore the outdoors for the first time in more than 25 years. Zoo Atlanta also offered Ivan another vital opportunity - the chance to meet others of his own species - allowing him to spend the remainder of his life as a gorilla who lived in much the same way as gorillas do in the wild.

Ivan's fans from the Pacific Northwest never forgot him. The Zoo still receives many letters and greetings about him and for him, and he remains one of the most asked-about individuals ever to live at Zoo Atlanta.

Ivan's legacy is profound, lasting, and far-reaching. The 2012 publication of "The One and Only Ivan," followed by the 2020 release of the film of the same name, have introduced new generations to his species and the conservation actions needed to preserve gorillas in the wild.

Zoo Atlanta's leadership in the care and study of western gorillas

Zoo Atlanta is an internationally-renowned leader in the care and study of this critically endangered species, with a program that dates back more than 50 years.

The Zoo is home to one of North America's largest populations of western lowland gorillas. As of 2020, 24 gorillas have been born at Zoo Atlanta since the opening of The Ford African Rain Forest in 1988. Notably, all of the gorillas born at Zoo Atlanta have been reared by their mothers or by a gorilla surrogate.

Zoo Atlanta has been a significant conservation partner of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International for over 20 years, providing headquarters space, information technology and financial support for the organization. Over the years, the Zoo has also provided the Fossey Fund with board leadership and program support, as well as shared scientific team members.

Research by Zoo Atlanta team members has influenced industry-wide improvements in the care of gorillas in zoos, as well as enhanced the world's understanding of gorillas, with more than 100 published papers on maternal care, reproduction, social behavior, and cognition.

Zoo Atlanta is the headquarters of the Great Ape Heart Project, the world's first effort to understand, diagnose, and treat cardiac disease across all four great ape taxa: gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos.

Zoo Atlanta was an early leader in the housing of bachelor gorillas and is a leader in the emerging field of geriatric gorilla care.

The Zoo is a Platinum Supporter of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Ape Taxon Advisory Group (TAG), a collective effort to preserve wild ape populations and to increase and sustain financial support from zoos for their conservation.

Zoo Atlanta was a 2011 recipient of the distinguished Edward H. Bean Award for Significant Achievement from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for its long-term commitment to western lowland gorillas.

Gallery

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Species: Ivan, Western Lowland Gorilla Passed Away: Aug 20, 2012 Zoo Atlanta was honored to be the final home of Ivan the western lowland gorilla, the inspiration for the Newbery Award-winning book "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate, as well as the film of the same name.

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NY Times Bestselling Author DAN GUTMAN on his 200th Book Release

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Brown Girl Dreaming, and her Newbery Honor-winning titles After Tupac and D Foster, Feathers, and Show Way. Her picture books The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly were NY Times Bestsellers. After serving as the Young People's Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, she was named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress for 2018-19.

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What's being done to improve the teaching of reading and writing in our secondary schools? And what can you do to teach reading and writing more effectively in your classroom? Learn more about the state of adolescent literacy, get practical advice on teaching reading and writing, and browse the library of research, reports, and guides.

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Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge, beginning with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Judy has also written novels for adults that include Wifey, Smart Women, Summer Sisters and her most recent In the Unlikely Event, all of them New York Times bestsellers.

Together, her 29 books have sold more than 90 million copies in 39 languages, and have been a touchstone for countless young readers, many of whom have been inspired, as grownups, to write their own books. Judy's knowing voice and honesty come with a price: the American Library Association has consistently placed Blume at or near the top of its list of authors most frequently banned. In turn, she has championed intellectual freedom by working diligently with the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) to support teachers and librarians who fight to keep challenged books on their shelves.

In 2009, the NCAC honored and paid tribute to Blume's longstanding defense of free speech and her courageous battles against all kinds of censorship. She was awarded the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in 2004 and the Library of Congress' Living Legends award in 2000. Judy is also the recipient of the 2017 E. B White Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters as well as the 2018 Carl Sandburg Literary Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation. In 2020, Judy was honored by the Authors Guild Foundation for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community. In 2021, Yale University conferred a Doctor of Letters honorary degree to Judy and the National Coalition Against Censorship's Free Speech Defender Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to her.

Judy serves on the board of the Key West Literary Seminar. Additionally, she is an advisory member of the board for the Authors Guild.

In 2016 Blume and her husband, George Cooper, longing for a bookstore in Key West where they live, founded the independent, non-profit Books & Books @ The Studios. She is proud to be associated with Mitchell Kaplan the Miami bookseller. These days Blume can be found working several days a week at her shop. "After 50 years of writing, I'm enjoying meeting so many readers and introducing them to some of my favorite authors."

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Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as Are You There God?

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Judy Blume writes stories about the issues that kids think about — things like sibling rivalry, freckles, friends, and school. Her approach to these stories is warm and understanding and grows from her own feelings and concerns as a shy child. Blume’s picture and storybooks, as well as the Fudge series, are beloved for their humor, while her books for young adults offer relatable stories about characters who are maturing physically and emotionally.In our interview Blume shares how books can be a gateway to talking about difficult subjects, why her own parents’ confusing explanation of puberty led her to write about the topic, and why she swears each book she writes will be her last.

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Interview with Tomie DePaola - Beyond Words

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Interview with Tomie DePaola - Beyond Words

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VideoLink lets you share videos on YouTube easily, without distracting third-party content or advertisements.