Author Interview

A Guest Review and Interview with Ona Gritz, The Shape of Wings Author

THE SHAPE OF WINGS

Written by Ona Gritz

(West 44 Books; Available in Hardcover, Paperback, and eBook,
Ages 14-18/Grades 9-12)

 

The Shape of Wings cover.

 

 

GUEST REVIEW BY KAROL SILVERSTEIN:

Newly connected with her biological sisters (having hunted down her sperm donor-dad on Ancestry), C.C. is loving getting to know them. But when talk turns to sports and other physical activities they all enjoy, C.C. chooses not to share that she has cerebral palsy, enjoying the anonymity of the Zoom room. C.C.’s friend group—which includes bestie volleyball star Paige—is all non-disabled. In fact, the only other disabled person C.C. knows is a local woman who’s a wheelchair user. That changes when Jasmine comes to the library where C.C. works. C.C. instantly recognizes Jasmine’s altered gait and assumes, correctly, that Jasmine has CP too. Jasmine’s astonished that C.C. has no disabled friends and is unaware of the nearby Judy Heumann Center, a gathering place for disabled kids and teens that offers adaptive sports and other activities.

Jasmine takes C.C. under her wing, taking her to the Heumann Center and introducing her around. The experience proves to be a revelation for C.C., who begins spending most of her time with Jasmine and the other disabled teens she meets. She even begins a sweet romance with Lucas, who’s blind, and starts learning adaptive volleyball. Meanwhile, C.C.’s been blowing off her other friends, and Paige is hurt and confused by how unavailable C.C.’s been all summer. Like keeping her CP a secret from her sisters, C.C. hasn’t shared her new friends or her budding romance with Paige.

When C.C. does finally hang out with Paige and her old friend group, she meets Paige’s cute cousin Jack, who takes an interest in C.C. Longing to “test the waters” of attracting a non-disabled guy, C.C. allows herself to be swept up in his attention and they kiss a little on her front porch at the end of the night. She instantly regrets her betrayal of Lucas and intends to tell him what she’s done. But Jasmine saw her kissing Jack, and is furious. C.C. knows she needs to come clean with all the secrets she’s been keeping—from Paige, from her sisters and from Lucas. Somehow she needs to reconcile the fences she’s put up and then broken and to bring the separate parts of her world together.

Like author Ona Gritz’s previous book that introduced C.C., The Space You Left Behind, this new novel is a hard-to-put-down page turner. It explores the benefit of leaning into one’s disabled identity and the power of having a community that understands you in a way those who don’t share your experience might not. C.C. swings from a disabled teen with no disabled friends to one who shuts out and nearly loses her long-time, non-disabled friends. Obviously, finding a balance and communicating more openly with her old friend group is essential for C.C. Seeing C.C.’s eyes open to all the disabled community has to offer was a thrill. The Judy Heumann Center was practically in her backyard, yet she didn’t know about—or about the disability activism of the center’s namesake.

Able-bodied parents of disabled kids often think treating their child “just like any other kid,” deemphasizing their disabled identity, is doing them a service. But it can deprive these kids of the opportunity to appreciate a significant part of themselves and to connect with other kids like them—in addition to their non-disabled friends. The Shape Of Wings is a loving, honest look at one teen’s journey of discovery and revelation around a part of herself she had yet to embrace as unique and powerful.

 

A Q&A With Ona Gritz by Karol Silverstein:

Karol Silverstein: Books are like our children’s. What excites you most about your latest?

Ona Gritz: The Shape of Wings is, in many ways, a love letter to disability friendships and community. I’m excited to share the depth of those connections, the fun to be found there, and how affirming and essential it is for disabled kids to have that particular part of themselves valued and understood from the inside out.

 

KS: Did you always envision (or hope for) a sequel to The Space You Left Behind?

OG: Not long after I began writing The Space You Left Behind, I realized I wanted more time with these characters. When we meet CC, she’s at the absolute beginning of her journey toward self-acceptance as a young woman with cerebral palsy and, by the end, disability pride and community are possibilities she’s just beginning to envision for herself. She was definitely ahead of me at 16 in that respect, but I hoped for an opportunity to fully immerse her in that world.

 

KS: Jasmine’s family leaned into her disability early on, connecting with the disability community and making sure she knew other disabled kids. CC’s parents did not. Which side of that coin landed face up for you growing up?

OG: Unfortunately, my family fell on CC’s side of that coin. I was the only disabled kid in my friend group growing up. As a result, I had no sense of disabled identity and tended to see myself as clumsy and lesser than because of the way my body moved and the physical things I couldn’t do. When I finally met my first disabled friend at 25, we had an immediate and breathless finish-each-other’s-sentences kind of connection. Soon after, I asked my mom why she didn’t seek out other families with disabled kids when I was small. She said it had never occurred to her.

 

KS: What’s your message to misguided disability allies—the “I don’t think of you as disabled” folks?

OG: That it’s not the compliment they think it is. Words like that not only discount our experiences and identity, but communicate a belief that disability is necessarily and solely a negative.

 

KS: Scoops seems like a fun place. What’s your go-to ice cream parlor order?

OG: Assuming they carry gelato, vanilla stracciatella.

 

KS: What books, shows, movies or music have you encountered recently that blew you away? Why?

OG: For books, Roxie in Color by Stacy Cervenka and Diane Debrovner is a unique and compelling story of a sighted 7 th grader with blind parents. My husband is blind, and the book felt authentic and true to our experience. It also happens to be a real page-turner. Another MG novel I loved was The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller. There’s something so fresh and surprising about Miller’s voice. She, and therefore her characters, have such a poetic and empathetic way of viewing the world. This is a book about books, friendship, and peer pressure that’s both heartbreaking and hopeful. I also can’t say enough good things about Against Breaking: On the Power of Poetry by Ada Limón. It’s a lyrical and inspiring treatise on the importance of poetry. As a poet and verse novelist, I return to it often for inspiration. A movie I was especially charmed by this year was Eternity. It offers a wonderfully quirky and imaginative version of the afterlife, plus it has a lot of heart. And since we’re KidLit people, I’ll add that I absolutely love the film adaptation of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. It was my first-ever favorite book, and I thought it was beautifully translated to film. Shows I’ve loved recently are Hacks, Shrinking, and All Creatures Great and Small. What all three share in common are dimensional and irresistible characters.

Author Ona Gritz photocredit Wendy Setzer
Ona Gritz, Photo Credit: Wendy Setzer.

AUTHOR BIO:

Ona Gritz holds a master of arts in poetry from the creative writing program at New York University. She is the author of the hi/lo young adult verse novels Take a Sad Song, a Kirkus Reviews’ best YA title; The Space You Left Behind, a Children’s Book Council Disability Pride Month Recommended Read; and its brand-new sequel, The Shape of Wings, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her books for middle grade readers include If You Find This Letter, recently featured in People Magazine for Disability Pride Month, and August Or Forever, a Reader’s Choice and Wishing Shelf finalist in middle grade fiction. She also writes poetry and nonfiction for adults.
Find out more at her website: www.onagritz.com.

Author socials:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onagritz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557125428404

Buy the book: Children’s Book World, Haverford, PA for signed copies, or Bookshop.org.

REVIEWER BIO:

Karol Ruth Silverstein (she/her/disabled) is an award-winning children’s book author. She’s
represented by Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary and lives in West Hollywood, California, with
two unmanageably fluffy cats. Check out www.karolruthsilverstein.com for more info.

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L is for Librarian Celebrates Los Angeles Central Library’s 100th Anniversary

L IS FOR LIBRARIAN:
The ABCs of Los Angeles Central Library

Written by Susan Lendroth

Illustrated by Alexander Vidal

(Angel City Press at LAPL; $18.99, Ages 4+)

 

 

 

L is for Librarian Cover Graphic of LAPL.

 

Publisher Description:

L is for Librarian: The ABCs of Los Angeles Central Library is an Amazing, Beautiful, Captivating, delightful, and Energizing tour of the Los Angeles Central Library. From Awesome Adventures to Zombies in the makerspace, readers of all ages will enjoy this alphabetical exploration of Los Angeles’s beloved icon.

 

Author Interview:

Welcome to the blog, Susan. It’s an exciting time at L.A.’s Central Library, so it’s wonderful you could join us!

GoodReadsWithRonna: Why did you write L Is for Librarian: The ABCs of Los Angeles Central Library?

Susan Lendroth: For the simple reason that library staff asked me to write it! I have been writing picture books for more than 20 years–this is my 10th book–so the organizers of Central Library’s 100th birthday celebration invited me to create an alphabet book for the centennial year. I wrote it as part of my job since I work for Los Angeles Public Library’s public relations department.

 

GRWR: How was it different writing a book as part of your “day job,” as opposed to writing one of your previous books?
 
SL: The first obvious difference is I worked on L Is for Librarian during my “day job” instead of squeezing my writing time into weekends or evenings. Plus, I knew from the start it would be published. What a wonderful feeling that was! I also worked with a small team on this book, who had the right of approval before it even went to the editor. I should add that they gave me free rein on structure, allowing me to make the Library itself the narrator of its story and to create dual-level text—a primary sentence or two for young readers for each letter, with additional facts in a smaller font below.

 

L is for Librarian int1 B
Interior art from L is for Librarian, written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Alexander Vidal, Angel City Press at LAPL, ©2026.

 

 

GRWR: With input from several sources, were there any lively discussions about which feature/aspect would be named for each letter?
 

SL: About 80% of my original letter subject choices made it to the finish line, with the other 20% being alternate suggestions from the team. I rewrote text for those letters. The “liveliest” discussion centered on the letter “O.” I discovered an octopus carved into a door lintel and fell in love. Others wanted O for Owls, which decorate the building in stone and metal. I won Octopus a place in the book, but the illustrator, Alexander Vidal, added multiple owls anyway, an “I Spy” game where the same stone owl is depicted as an earring or a book cover or one of the spots on a giraffe. The funny thing is, no one told him about the Owl versus Octopus debate!

 

GRWR: How did you decide on the approach of having Central Library itself narrate the book?
e
SL: Whenever I begin a new book, somehow I simply know how I want to structure it; it only works for me if I write it that way. Very early on I felt like Central Library wanted to tell its own story, sharing the building’s attributes and all it had to offer, and that developed into first-person text.

 

 

 

L is for Librarian int2 C
Interior art from L is for Librarian, written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Alexander Vidal, Angel City Press at LAPL, ©2026.

 

 

GRWR: Some of the ideas and terms in the book seem a little sophisticated for young children. How did you handle that aspect?
e
SL: Our goal was to present a full picture of Central Library, from its physical features to its history to how it serves the community. Whenever possible, I tried to find an angle that would appeal to young children, such as describing interesting animals in art, asking questions, or infusing action into the text: “D is for Down. Ride down, down, down to the bottom floor of the atrium …” Because I wrote the text at two levels, I tried to cover the more complicated elements in the secondary text. Also, I believe children are capable of learning more sophisticated words if those are explained, and pictures help younger readers/listeners grasp new concepts.

 

GRWR: Illustrators often add elements to a book that are not covered in the text. What are some of the elements added by Alexander Vidal that surprised and pleased you?
 

SL: The owls, definitely the owls. If you read a copy of the book and search carefully, you will find owls depicted in 18 different places, including a couple of duplicate illustrations on the endpapers. However, there are more actual owls than that because sometimes they repeat in a design!

 

GRWR: Your publisher, Angel City Press, is owned by Los Angeles Public Library. How did that relationship begin?

SL: A few years back, the couple who created and operated Angel City Press wanted to retire. They had worked for decades building a publishing house that celebrated stories connected to the Los Angeles area and wanted to keep that purpose, as well as the publishing house’s backlist, intact. So they donated Angel City Press to Los Angeles Public Library rather than trying to find a buyer.

 

L is for Librarian int3 G
Interior art from L is for Librarian, written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Alexander Vidal, Angel City Press at LAPL, ©2026.

 


GRWR: This is the first children’s book published by ACP. Did they take any special steps to add a children’s book to their list? 
 
SL: Because it was a new endeavor for them, they hired a freelance, experienced children’s editor to review the text and illustrations.
GRWR:  ACP released the book recently at Central Library’s Centennial Festival. How has it been received?
 
SL: The book definitely found a receptive audience with thousands of book and library fans! The publisher sold many copies of L Is for Librarian as well as several other titles. I enjoyed one of my best-ever encounters with a young fan there. A little girl named Evelyn approached the signing table. I complimented her sparkly jewelry and velvet dress, and she told me it was her “library outfit.” Ok, you’ve got my attention. Then, after I inscribed her book and said my writing might be a little hard to read, her father asked Evelyn to tell me what she calls cursive. “Fairy writing.” Awwwww. Definitely, that was one of the highlights of my day, especially when Evelyn ran back to the table a few minutes later and said, “I LOVE your book! It has a zombie in it.” Good old letter Z.

 

L is for Librarian int4 Q
Interior art from L is for Librarian, written by Susan Lendroth and illustrated by Alexander Vidal, Angel City Press at LAPL, ©2026.

 

GRWR: What’s next for you as a writer?

SL: As ever, I’m juggling multiple projects. I have a long list of ideas and a finite number of hours to write, so I’ll see where the road takes me. Though I have to say, writing an alphabet book was fun, and I’d definitely enjoy writing another.

 

Thank you for giving me the chance to talk about my new book. Proceeds benefit Los Angeles Public Library.

 

 

 

 

Author Susan Lendroth L is for Librarian.
Author Susan Lendroth at Los Angeles Central Library. Photo Credit: Gary Leonard

Bio:

Libraries have been Susan Lendroth’s second home for as long as she can remember, so joining the staff of Los Angeles Public Library a decade ago felt like docking with the mother ship. L Is for Librarian is her tenth picture book, following such titles as Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones, Hey Ho, to Mars We’ll Go! and Maneki Neko: The Tale of the Beckoning Cat. Find Susan on social media here: https://www.instagram.com/susanlendroth/

Website for illustrator Alexander Vidal: Alexander Vidal Illustration

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Happy Birthday, America! An Interview with Roxanne Troup and Jennifer Doehring

AN INTERVIEW WITH ROXANNE TROUP
AND JENNIFER DOEHRING

ABOUT THEIR NEW PICTURE BOOK,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!

(Albert Whitman & Co.; $9.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

Happy Birthday, America! cover fireworks display.

 

 

 

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:
Happy Birthday, America! | Albert Whitman & Company

On a hot summer day, a family heads to the local park, where everyone in town has gathered for a party unlike any other. There are games, music, food, and—best of all—a huge fireworks display! There’s a reason behind all of the fun and festivities, though: the freedom of the celebration reminds everyone why the United States was founded two hundred and fifty years ago.

 

INTRO:

Welcome to the blog today, Roxanne and Jennifer Doehring, and CONGRATULATIONS on Happy Birthday, America! I’m thrilled you could be here to give readers a preview and the opportunity to preorder the picture book before its release this May. Scroll down for details.

 

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ROXANNE TROUP:

GoodReadsWithRonna: Can you share what inspired you to write Happy Birthday, America! for our country’s semiquincentennial? And yes, readers, that’s a long one, and it means the 250th anniversary of our nation.

Roxanne Troup: I was actually working on an educational piece about the history of fireworks when the idea for this story came to me. I’d been contracted to write a middle-grade testing passage and needed a first-person narrative opener. I remembered my first fireworks display—the sharp scent, the noise (and then silence) of the crowd, the deep-in-your-chest report as the first firework explodes, the magic of moments-there colored lights—and drafted that experience. It was spare and emotive, and I couldn’t bring myself to give it up. So I set it aside and wrote something different for my contracted piece. Eventually, I came back to that drafted experience and built a picture book around it.

 

Happy Birthday, America! int1 thumbnail sketch 1
Thumbnail sketches for Happy Birthday, America!, written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Jennifer Doehring, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2026.

 

 

GRWR: It would be so helpful for teachers reading this to know how the book can be used outside of the holiday, extended to the classroom, etc. (especially this year). Is there an educator’s guide to accompany the picture book?

RT: There will be! I’m actually in the process of creating the educators’ guide right now (as well as fun craft activities). 

 

GRWR: What was your reaction when you saw the art for the book, and do you have a particular favorite spread?

RT: Seeing the art is always my favorite part of the book-making process! But I was charmed by Jen’s art the moment my AW editor told me her name. Her kid-centric vignettes are so relatable; I love the way she incorporates light into every scene.
I think my favorite spread is the firework finale. You have to turn the book to see it, and it takes me back to that moment of “inspiration” when I wrote about my childhood experience with fireworks.

 

GRWR: What are some of your upcoming promotional plans for Happy Birthday, America!? Will that include a blog tour or a local book launch? 

RT: We just learned that Albert Whitman is partnering with America250 to promote HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!. I’m not yet sure what all that will mean, but we are looking forward to it! 

I do have a blog tour scheduled and am currently reaching out to local venues about summer programming. It’s going to be fun!

 

Happy Birthday, America! int2 thumbnail sketch3.
Thumbnail sketches for Happy Birthday, America!, written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Jennifer Doehring, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2026.

 

GRWR: What do you and your family love to do when celebrating the holiday?

RT: In the semi-arid mountains where I live, personal firework use is often restricted, but our municipality always has a lovely show with live music. So we usually spend the evening with friends, then sit on the front lawn and watch the show.

 

INTERVIEW WITH ILLUSTRATOR JENNIFER DOEHRING:

GoodReadsWithRonna: Jen, can you please tell us about how you created the artwork? Do you work digitally, or do you have a unique approach to illustration?

Jen Doehring: With every project I take on, the first step in the process is research. Hours of research! I compile a file of images that relate to the subject of the book. In the case of Happy Birthday, America! I looked at a ton of summer scenes, park scenes, picnics, fireworks, crowds, families, flags, etc. Then I gather inspiration for colors and camera angles. Because I need to not only understand the subject, but design the art around the text. How to accurately portray the text on each spread is important. 

Will this scene be a full spread or a spot? Will the camera angle be low or high? Will the main character be small or up close? All of these things are carefully thought out and applied in the thumbnails. I illustrate digitally in Procreate and work in layers starting with a pencil sketch as a first layer and then adding background and color on separate layers.

 

 

Happy Birthday, America! int3 park.
Interior art from Happy Birthday, America!, written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Jennifer Doehring, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2026.

 

 

GRWR: Did you encounter any hiccups along the way? Was there an illustration that you found most challenging to complete?

JD: I think the biggest challenge on this project was the limited time frame. I have another picture book coming out this year and that time frame was much longer. There I had six months to complete sketches and another six months for final art. With Happy Birthday, America! I only had three for everything—from character sketches to final art! Luckily, the process of creating thumbnails flowed easily, and I very much enjoyed the sketching process. The real challenge so far has been adding color. Because of the full spreads and crowds of people, a ton of detail had to be added at this stage. The illustration that took the longest was the second spread when everyone is at the park—so many details!

 

GRWR: You definitely have a flair for creating scenes with light. How did you balance the light/dark of the fireworks scenes?

JD: Thank you! Roxanne’s simple and beautiful language, along with the firework scenes, immediately hooked me. I was thrilled to be able to play with light/dark and could envision just how the firework pages would look. My favorite thing to illustrate is the unique use of light, and I found this story really let me show off in that area which was super exciting! Imagining how firework light plays off of the skin and clothing was a fun challenge, and if you look closely you can see oranges, pinks, reds, and even purples on the characters and backgrounds during these scenes.

 

 

Happy Birthday, America! int4 quiet.
Interior spread from Happy Birthday, America!, written by Roxanne Troup and illustrated by Jennifer Doehring, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2026.

 

 

GRWR: Please tell us how you chose to focus on the elements you convey in the picture book’s memory scene at the end that highlights some of America’s symbols … where did the idea come from, as it isn’t depicted in the main text.

JD: Before starting to work on the thumbnails, Rick [the art director] and I talked about a few possibilities for this spread. We brainstormed and decided it might be nice to have a memory scene depicting some elements that show what it means to celebrate America’s freedom. Once we settled on that idea, I ran with it, and the layout for this scene made sense considering the main character is already in bed and getting sleepy. I thought it would be nice to have it all swirl together in a dream-like state to give the spread a magical, whimsical feeling.

 

GRWR:  What is your favorite way to celebrate Independence Day?

JD: I love going out on a boat with family and friends to enjoy this hot day on the water. It’s just the best!

 

THANK YOU!

My huge thanks go out to Roxanne and Jen for sharing their insights about the creation of Happy Birthday, America! I hope you’ll preorder a copy today to share with kids this May to get in the holiday mood as July 4th approaches.

 

PURCHASE OPTIONS:

(local) The Bookies – Denver https://thebookies.com/item/kMbJHuHIpylkyECUZgW_Qg 

Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/happy-birthday-america/d25854462c833c5d?ean=9780807531778&next=t& 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Birthday-America-Roxanne-Troup/dp/0807531774 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/happy-birthday-america-roxanne-troup/1149434594 

Books-a-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Happy-Birthday-America/Roxanne-Troup/9780807531778 

Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Happy-Birthday-America-Paperback-9780807531778/19596670059 

In bulk: Bulk Bookstore https://bulkbookstore.com/happy-birthday-america-9780807531778

ROXANNE’S BIO:

Award-winning children’s author Roxanne Troup writes kids’ books that celebrate wonder and can be used in the classroom. Roxanne lives in the mountains of Colorado and enjoys hiking with her family and exploring our amazing world through stories. Her favorite way to celebrate special occasions is with fireworks and a new picture book.

 

X: @RoxanneTroup

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/roxannetroup.bsky.social

Facebook: @RoxanneTroup

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxanne-troup/ 

 

Jennifer_Doehring_headshotJENNIFER’S BIO:

Jennifer Doehring is the author and illustrator of The Wanderer’s Journal series, a group of illustrated guided hiking journals, and an illustrator of children’s picture books. She received a fine art degree from the University of California, Irvine, and owns an art studio called Palette Passions, where she teaches painting and drawing. In her spare time, Jennifer loves to backcountry camp and gathers most of her creative inspiration from nature. She lives in Southern California with her husband and their English bulldog, Snickers.

 


e

X: @JenDoehring  // Jennifer Doehring Books

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jenniferdoehring.bsky.social 

 

 

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An Interview with Happy Friendsgiving Author Marcie Colleen

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH  MARCIE COLLEEN,

AUTHOR OF THE NEW PICTURE BOOK,

HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING

Illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera

(Doubleday BYR; $18.99, Ages 3-7)

 

 

happy friendsgiving cover found families around the table.

 

 

 

 

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Thanksgiving gets a fresh and friendly new look in this heartwarming picture book that celebrates the joy of friendship and community—at a table where all are welcome.

Capture the true essence of Thanksgiving through the lens of friendship and togetherness in this joyful and inclusive celebration of the holiday.

With its rhythmic text and vibrant illustrations, this book shows readers how family takes on many forms, as friends, neighbors, and relatives arrive for a busy day of cooking, crafting, sharing, and celebration. It also shows young readers how to remember and honor those who must work on the holiday so that others might celebrate, including transit workers and first responders.

This book is an ideal choice for friends and families who open their hearts and homes to everyone, cherishing the spirit of community and togetherness, and the simple pleasures of coming together over a meal.

 

INTERVIEW:

GoodReadsWithRonna: Welcome to the blog for the first time, Marcie. This interview is way overdue, so I’m excited to ask you a host of questions in honor of your latest picture book, Happy Friendsgiving: A Thanksgiving Celebration of Found Families, illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera.

 

GRWR: Talk about a feel-good book!  I really enjoyed HAPPY FRIENDSGIVING! It’s a timeless story that I can see kids wanting to read every holiday, and maybe even be inspired to ask their families to rethink their Thanksgiving plans in the future.

Reading Happy Friendsgiving filled me with such joy because it described exactly the kind of get-together that my family and I have attended over the years, though not quite as large. Have you ever participated in a celebration similar to the special one you’ve written about in this story?

Marcie Colleen: Thanksgiving hasn’t always been a holiday when I could travel—especially when I lived in New York City. I often had to work the Friday after, which meant there just wasn’t enough time to fly home. Because of that, Friendsgiving became my tradition. I’d gather with friends and neighbors, and sometimes I’d even host at my apartment.

Some of my closest friendships actually started at those gatherings—meeting new people around someone else’s table, sharing food and laughter, and realizing by dessert that we’d be in each other’s lives for years. Those celebrations always felt incredibly cozy: mismatched chairs pulled from every room, everyone bringing a dish, and that warm sense of belonging that builds when people show up for one another.

That feeling is really what inspired Happy Friendsgiving. The book is my love letter to the years when we created our own version of the holiday—one filled with community, gratitude, and the joy of making a place for everyone at the table.

 

 

happy friendsgiving int1 friends travel.
Interior spread from Happy Friendsgiving written by Marcie Colleen and illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2025.

 

GRWR: I love how your picture book focuses on found families and inclusivity. For multiple reasons, it can often be hard to find people to celebrate with. As Happy Friendsgiving beautifully conveys, welcoming friends, neighbors, and even those we don’t know very well provides an opportunity to build community while sharing gratitude. Did you feel a book like this was needed to show children the importance of opening up our hearts and homes? Are there other takeaways you’d like young readers to get from this book?

MC: Absolutely. I think so many of us—kids and grown-ups alike—know what it feels like when a holiday doesn’t look or feel the way we hoped. Friendsgiving, at its heart, is about creating belonging wherever you are and with whoever is around you. I wanted to show that family can be something you’re born into and something you build, one invitation or act of kindness at a time.

My hope is that young readers come away with a sense of warmth and possibility—that they see how small gestures (saving someone a seat, sharing food, making space at the table) can make a big difference. And maybe they’ll be inspired to start their own traditions, especially if their holidays look a little different from what they see in books or on TV.

Ultimately, I hope children feel seen, included, and empowered to create the kind of community they want. If Happy Friendsgiving helps a reader feel less alone—or helps them welcome someone else in—that feels like success to me.

 

 

happy friendsgiving int2 friends prepare.
Interior spread from Happy Friendsgiving written by Marcie Colleen and illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: The folksy illustrations shout autumn, my favorite season. They’re warm, inviting, and I wanted to jump into many of the spreads. Is there one that resonates with you most of all?

MC: I love the parade spread. It brings me right back to the years when my family and I went to the Macy’s parade. It was always so chilly, but there’s nothing quite like a parade to bring out that child-like sense of excitement and wonder. The music, the floats, the crowds all bundled up, and of course the moment when Santa arrives at the end—it felt magical every single time.

We’d huddle together with the masses, cheering and ooh-ing and aah-ing. One year, my mom pulled homemade turkey-shaped sugar cookies out of her purse to share with us, because she knew we’d get hungry with all that standing around. Moms always know.

That spread captures for me the coziness, the anticipation, and the shared joy of being surrounded by a community of people who are all celebrating. It feels like stepping right into one of my favorite memories and makes me crave Mom’s sugar cookies.

 

GRWR: When the meal ends, what is your holiday ritual: watch sports, go outside for a stroll in nature, play a board game, work on a puzzle, or do something else?

MC: I almost always go for a walk after the meal.

When I lived in New York, I loved wandering through my neighborhood after Friendsgiving, passing stoops decorated with pumpkins, seeing people gathered around their tables through glowing apartment windows, and feeling part of this bigger tapestry of celebration.

These days, our walks are around the neighborhood and often into Balboa Park. That little stroll lets me stretch my legs, appreciate the coziness of the holiday, and reflect on the people I’ve just shared a table with. It’s the perfect way to end the day—quiet, grateful, and connected to the world around me.

 

GRWR: Two Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving truths and a lie, please.

MC: I was once part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and even got to attend the rehearsal the night before.

One year, I invited someone to Friendsgiving that I’d only met once because they didn’t have anywhere else to go.

I once accidentally burned the entire Thanksgiving meal and we ended up eating only pie for dinner.

 

GRWR: Pumpkin pie or pecan pie; mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole; canned cranberry sauce or homemade; cornbread or dinner rolls?

MC: Pumpkin pie, sweet potato casserole, homemade whole-berry cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls.

 

GRWR: Recipe failure?

MC: Not really a failure” but last year I discovered—on Thanksgiving morning—that the turkey breast I planned to cook in my crockpot (my favorite method because it turns out so moist!) was far too large to fit. There was no amount of angling or wedging that was going to make it work.

So I did what any panicked holiday cook would do: I sent out an SOS to my neighbors. Thankfully, someone down the block had a much larger crockpot and was more than happy to lend it. Crisis averted!

It ended up being a perfect reminder that sometimes the best part of the holiday is how everyone pitches in—whether it’s sharing food, sharing space, or, in this case, sharing a very large crockpot.

 

happy friendsgiving int3 friends gather.
Interior spread from Happy Friendsgiving written by Marcie Colleen and illustrated by Laura Sandoval Herrera, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: Most memorable Friendsgiving/Thanksgiving and why?

MC: One of my most precious memories began in 2020, at the height of lockdown. That Thanksgiving, one of our neighbors baked fresh bread for everyone on our block and delivered it door to door. It was such a simple act, but after months of isolation, it felt like a lifeline. That gesture ended up sparking something beautiful and connected us all.

In 2021, as things slowly opened up, our block naturally started celebrating every birthday and holiday together—outdoors, distanced at first, but together. Kids, pets, grown-ups, new neighbors, longtime residents—it became this wonderfully mixed, diverse little community looking out for one another.

So when Thanksgiving 2021 arrived, it felt only right to celebrate what we had found. We set up a long Friendsgiving table right in a driveway. Everyone brought their favorite dish—different cultures, traditions, and flavors all represented. Neighbors who had barely exchanged more than a wave before 2020 were now swapping recipes and telling stories.

That gathering felt like pure gratitude in motion. We weren’t just sharing food—we were celebrating the community we had built, right outside our front doors. Moments like that absolutely inspire the spirit of Happy Friendsgiving.

 

GRWR: If you could invite anyone, from the past or present day, to join you at your next Friendsgiving gathering, who would it be?

MC: My dad. We lost him in early 2021, and because of the pandemic, I wasn’t able to say goodbye. What I wouldn’t give to share even one more meal with him—to hear his laugh, to have him sitting at the table, to feel that familiar sense of comfort.

Friendsgiving, for me, is all about gathering the people who make you feel at home, whether they’re family by blood or by choice. My dad loved good food and good company, and he had a way of making everyone around him feel welcome.

Inviting him would be a reminder of how important it is to cherish the people we love, and how meaningful it can be to share a table together, even for just one more meal.

 

GRWR: Is there anything you’d like to add that I did not ask?

MC: Just a thank-you for spending time with Happy Friendsgiving. It means a lot and I hope readers feel the same joy in reading it that I felt in writing it.

 

GRWR: A huge thank you to Marcie for her candor today and for writing this heartwarming story.  I hope you’ll pick up a copy for your family and another one to share if you’re able to. 

 

 

MarcieColleen RoxyanneYoung 2016.
Marcie Colleen Photo Credit: Roxyanne Young

BIO:
Marcie Colleen is the author of Happy Friendsgiving and numerous acclaimed books for young readers, including Penguinaut!, Love, Triangle, The Bear’s Garden, and Survivor Tree. Her writing spans picture books, chapter books, and comics, such as the Super Happy Party Bears series and the serialized comics Kitten Ninja and Time Buddies. No matter the format, her stories reflect a deep love of community, creativity, and joyful connection. For more information about Marcie’s projects, visit www.thisismarciecolleen.com. 

 

BUY THE BOOK:

Autographed copies of Happy Friendsgiving can be purchased from Marcie’s indie, Bluestocking Books. 
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An Interview with Author Tami Lehman-Wilzig

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH TAMI LEHMAN-WILZIG

A Guest Post by Michelle Orrelle

 

 

TLH Three Picture Book Covers.

 

 

INTERVIEW:

Michelle Orrelle: Tami, it’s such a pleasure to chat with you today! You and I live in Israel and share a passion for bringing authentic stories about Israel and Jewish life to young readers. Before we dive into your new books, I just want to say how much I admire your commitment to connecting children everywhere with our shared heritage.

Tami Lehman-Wilzig: Thanks so much, Michelle. Jewish content, which includes stories set in Israel, is definitely my niche. I cannot emphasize enough how important books connected to Israel are for young Jewish readers around the globe, especially now, during the troubled times we are living through. I am so grateful to PJ Library for sending out books tied to Israel and for all that they have done throughout our war. And we also have your wonderful initiative – the Am Yisrael Chai Children’s Books project, which you began after the horrendous events of October 7th, 2023, occurred, and Israel-bashing became rampant. Thanks to you, we have close to an additional 10 picture book titles connected to Israel being distributed to thousands of children throughout the United States through The JCC of North America.  

 

MO: Two of your new books – On the Wings of Eagles, and The Henna Helper – are part of what I call your Israel Lineup. Some of these books won awards, like Keeping the Promise and SOOSIE, The Horse That Saved Shabbat. Tell us a little bit about these books.

TLH: What you call my Israel Lineup are stories that are not just about Israel. They take place in Israel, reflect Jewish identity and values, and show Jewish children around the world that Israel is a country they can identify with. Take, for example, my book Stork’s Landing. The Jewish value of kindness to animals is reflected by the members of a kibbutz who nurture a wounded stork. SOOSIE, The Horse That Saved Shabbat has that element as well, but even more so shows how important Shabbat is on the weekly Jewish calendar. My new book, On the Wings of Eagles, reflects the eternal yearning of the Jewish people throughout the ages to return to Zion. Even two of my earliest books – Passover Around the World and Hanukkah Around the World are part of the Lineup because Israel was my open research lab. All of the customs in those books are still being practiced in Israel among the “tribes” that brought them over. By writing stories revolving around these traditions, the customs became accessible to all Jewish children. At the same time, they showed the mosaic that is Israel.

 

On the Wings of Eagles cover.MO: Let’s talk about On the Wings of Eagles—a powerful tale inspired by real events during Operation Magic Carpet, when nearly 50,000 Yemenite Jews were airlifted to Israel in 1949–1950. The story follows Haila, a young girl preparing to leave her village and fly to the Jewish homeland, capturing both the excitement and fear of that historic journey. The book is based on true people and events, and you dedicate it to Leah Ma’Udah, the real “Haila.” Can you share what it was like meeting her and how her memories shaped your storytelling?

TLH: Leah is such a special person. She has gone through a lot in her life, starting with her fleeing Rada, Yemen, when she was a little girl. Her entire world was her home and her city, and poof, it was shattered! Suddenly, she found herself being uprooted. That’s not easy for any child, and certainly the trek from Rada to Aden was terrifyingly difficult. It was riveting just sitting and listening to her. She remembered everything about her journey, including the robbery that figures into On the Wings of Eagles. She is a very soft-spoken woman, but her voice was full of intensity and passion while recounting the details of her trek. It helped me recreate her tale with a balance of factual accuracy and emotional storytelling.

 

The Henna Helper cover.MO: In your newest book – The  Henna Helper – you revisit the Yemenite-Israeli community in modern-day Israel and in a very different context. What do you hope readers—both Jewish and non-Jewish—will learn about Yemenite Jewry from this story?

TLH: I’m thinking Micro and Macro, so let’s start with the micro level of crafts and customs. The Jews of Yemen were the finest silversmiths in the land, and they brought their outstanding skill with them to Israel. During the early decades of Israeli statehood, Israeli jewelry was synonymous with Yemenite jewelry. Similarly, their gorgeous embroidery became another Israeli symbol. But let’s go to the macro level. The Henna Helper is a universal story about immigration. About new immigrants coming to a country with a totally different day-to-day way of life. Little Gali represents the immigrant who wants to integrate. Why does her cousin Yael have to hold a pre-wedding Henna ceremony? Who needs this old-fashioned custom? After all, Yael is a modern Israeli. Gali is at odds with her grandmother who holds on to tradition, who wisely shows Gali that one can be cool and with it while maintaining honored customs. I think that all children who have descended from immigrants who have contributed to their country can relate to this. Specifically for Israel, Yemenite Jews have made enormous contributions to Israeli culture – from music, jewelry, and fashion to cuisine.

 

Rembrandt's Blessing cover.MO: You have three new books. Let’s talk about your third new title, Rembrandt’s Blessing,  which just received a fabulous review from CLCD, Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database. I want to quote from it:  “This charming picture book gracefully introduces young readers to the world of the incredible master painter, Rembrandt van Rijn, and his unexpected relationship with Amsterdam’s Jewish community at the time … The narrative, grounded in historical fact yet told with a gentle fictional touch, explores themes of curiosity, respect, and cultural intersection.”
How does this story connect to your broader body of work?

TLH: I am in love with my Jewish heritage, and I want readers to understand that Judaism is more than just a religion. It’s a culture and a way of life that has a rich history, and Rembrandt plays into that. Rembrandt loved the bible and created over 300 works – paintings, drawings, and etchings – of biblical scenes. As my book shows, his close friendship with Sephardi Dutch rabbi Menashe ben Israel had a tremendous impact on his work. I discovered Rembrandt’s deep ties to the Amsterdam Jewish community around twenty years ago during my first trip to Amsterdam. I felt it was an important story for children because it shows a cross-cultural, inter-religious friendship that had a very positive effect. I think that Rembrandt’s Blessing fits in beautifully with two other books of mine that have historical connections: The Boston Chocolate Party and Luis de Torres Sails to Freedom.

 

MO: Let’s talk a bit about craft. You write primarily for older picture book readers, ages 5–9. What do you think first-time authors should know about the process?

TLH:  First and foremost, study the market. If you have a book idea, find out what’s out there. Maybe it’s already been done. If that’s the case and you still want to write the story, how will you make it different? Next, Vitamin P: Patience and Persistence. Writing a good story is not, as they say in Israel, “Chick-Chack” – something done quickly.

 

MO: That leads me to my next question. What has your experience been like working with editors, publishers, and critique groups?

TLH: Let’s start with critique groups: an absolute MUST. Develop the skin of an elephant because you want criticism. You want to know what should be changed, how can your story be improved. And don’t think the critique stops with your group. It is rare that a book is accepted and the editor does not want changes. I have learned so much from my editors. Let me take this opportunity to give a special shout-out to Aviva Lucas Gutnick, who was my editor for all my books at Apples and Honey Press. Her sharp eye and ear added so much to my stories.

 

MO: What are you working on now? What’s next for you?

TLH: I have a hyperactive brain so I’m juggling a lot of ideas, and even drafts. I’ve just finished the first draft of a bible story revolving around a character who has never been touched but is so very important to the Jewish story. I also have two other stories that I’m working on. One deals with a female Israeli scientist, and the other takes place in Italy. And I’m flirting with a story idea that takes place in Japan.

 

MO: Tami, thank you so much for sharing your time, insight, and passion with us.

TLH: Thank you for interviewing me. It was a special treat!

GRWR: Thanks to you both for this enlightening discussion! I hope readers will visit their local independent bookstore to purchase the books mentioned, or order online via Bookshop.org.

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Author Tami Lehman-Wilzig Photo Credit: Sharon Lapidot
Author Tami Lehman-Wilzig, Photo Credit: Sharon Lapidot

TAMI’S BIO: 

Tami Lehman-Wilzig is an award-winning author of sixteen picture books. Originally from Manhattan, she and her husband moved to Israel 48 years ago.  She served as one of Israel’s leading English language advertising copywriters for 35 years. Her career as a children’s picture book author began over 20 years ago during the second Intifada, which she hopes no Jew will ever have to go through again. At that time, business was down so she decided to see if she could turn her hobby of writing children’s stories into a second career.
For more on Tami and her books: https://www.tlwkidsbooks.com/

FIND TAMI HERE:

Author Michelle Orrelle Photo Credit Sarah Raanan
Author Michelle Orrelle, Photo Credit: Sarah Raanan

MICHELLE’S BIO: 

Michelle Orrelle is an Australian-Israeli children’s book author. Her debut board book Todah, I Am Grateful, and debut picture book Habima Magic will be published by Kar-Ben Publishing in 2026 and 2027.  Along with her husband, she founded Crew 972, an animation production company, and she is also a guide at ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, where she helps visitors connect with Jewish history, culture, and tradition.
For more about Michelle: www.michelleorrelle.com

FIND MICHELLE HERE:

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An Interview with Rebecca Gardyn Levington by Jan Epstein Schwaid

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH

PICTURE BOOK AUTHOR

REBECCA GARDYN LEVINGTON

BY JAN EPSTEIN SCHWAID

Finding Forgiveness cover sisters hugging apologizing in woods setting.

 

 

Written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington

Illustrated by Diana Mayo

(Farrar, Straus & Giroux; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

A loving, heartwarming picture book about empathy, sisterhood, and finding the courage to ask for forgiveness—and having the grace to give it—to others and to ourselves.

INTERVIEW:

Jan Epstein Schwaid: Hi, Rebecca! Longtime fan, first-time interviewer. I loved this book and its sweet, relatable message. What was your inspiration?

Rebecca Gardyn Levington: Thank you so much for your kind words, Jan. Very excited to talk to you!

This story actually started with a call for poems by Ladybug magazine in the summer of 2021. They were looking for poems about “traditions and rituals” and, since I love a good writing prompt, I started brainstorming about various Jewish traditions and rituals that I find meaningful. I’ve always loved the Tashlich ceremony, which takes place on the afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. It is a ritual that is all about finding forgiveness – by making amends with those we’ve harmed and by giving ourselves grace for our missteps. The original poem was 5 stanzas long and had a little sidebar about the ceremony. I actually remember being happy when Ladybug decided not to publish the poem because I was excited about the idea of playing with it more and maybe turning it into a picture book.

When I was invited to attend the inaugural PJ Library Summer Camp at Highlights for emerging authors in 2022 (where I met YOU!), I knew it was the perfect time to work on this. The feedback I received during that summer helped enormously with the revisions of this book.

 

 

Finding Forgiveness int1 Rosh Hashanah service.
Interior spread from Finding Forgiveness, written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and illustrated by Diana Mayo, Farrar, Straus & Giroux ©2025.

 

JES: How and why did you decide to add the backdrop of Rosh Hashanah to this story of sisterly forgiveness? Did you consider telling it without the Jewish holiday element?

RGL: No, I never considered telling this story without the Jewish holiday element. As I mentioned, the story started with a poem about Tashlich, and grew from there into a more universal story.

 

JES: Taschlich was a ceremony I only really learned about in college, where we’d throw bread into the campus fountain. Now, we throw rice paper into a pool! Did you grow up with the tradition of Taschlich? Do you practice it now? If so, how? 

RGL: It’s funny, I also never knew about Tashlich as a kid growing up in a Reform temple in the Bay Area of California. I’m not really sure why. My best guess is that after trying to keep two little girls quiet in temple all morning, my parents didn’t have the energy to take us to yet another service, at another location, but I should ask them!

I only learned about Tashlich as an adult because the temple I now belong to (here, in NJ) conducts the Tashlich service immediately after (and in the same location as) their “family service.” We’ve attended every year since my two boys were little. It has always been my and my family’s favorite parts of Rosh Hashanah because it is a short yet very meaningful service, it’s outdoors in a beautiful park setting, and it involves throwing bread into water (and what kid doesn’t like throwing things?)

 

 

Finding Forgiveness int2 Tashlich with breadcrumbs in hand.
Interior art from Finding Forgiveness, written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and illustrated by Diana Mayo, Farrar, Straus & Giroux ©2025.

 

 

 

JES: Your rhyming books flow so incredibly well and feel effortless. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing in rhyme? Do you have resources you’d recommend?

RGL: Thank you for that compliment! Honestly, the best advice I would give to anyone who wants to write in rhyme is to put in the time to learn the craft.

Some people think “cat” rhymes with “hat,” so what’s so hard about “that”? But in order to write a story in rhyme that FEELS easy and can be read flawlessly by ANYONE, it requires an understanding the mechanics of meter — how words have natural stressed and unstressed syllables and that by placing words in a particular order, you can create specific rhythms. Writing picture books (as opposed to poems) increases the difficulty because the story ALWAYS has to come first. You can have the most wonderful rhymes and perfect rhythms, but if the story doesn’t make sense or goes off on unnecessary tangents, it isn’t going to fly.

I’ve worked really, really, really hard over the last decade – taking classes, reading and studying thousands of rhyming picture books and poems, swapping manuscripts with other incredible rhyming authors, getting professional critiques, etc. — to truly master the ins and outs of rhyme, meter, and lyrical language. For those who want to put in the work, I will say that the absolute BEST thing I ever did for my career was to take Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab class. Renee also has a fabulous FREE YouTube channel. (And no, I don’t get any kickbacks from Renee. I’m happy to spread the word because I absolutely believe her class helped me take my writing to an entirely different level).

I would also say that if you don’t absolutely LOVE writing in rhyme, don’t. To me, a rhyming poem or picture book is one big puzzle. When, after hours of tinkering, I’m able to uncover the perfect word that exactly encapsulates the meaning and feeling I’m after AND perfectly slides into my meter, I get SUCH a high! But if you don’t feel this way, don’t make your life harder. It is more difficult to get an agent and more difficult to sell a rhyming picture book (for many reasons I don’t have time to go into here). So why put yourself at a disadvantage if it isn’t something you love?

 

 

Finding Forgiveness int3 embarrassed by my actions.
Interior spread from Finding Forgiveness, written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and illustrated by Diana Mayo, Farrar, Straus & Giroux ©2025.

 

 

 

JES: Do you ever write non-rhyming versions of your stories? Do editors ever ask for non-rhyming versions?

RGL: Because, as I said, story ALWAYS needs to come first, I know some people suggest writing out manuscripts in prose before “translating” it into rhyme, but that’s never really worked for me. These days I tend to write all my stories in rhyme from the beginning. Oftentimes that means I end up killing a lot of darlings along the way, as I realize that a certain stanza isn’t moving the story forward. It’s a bit torturous, but it’s just how I work.

That said, I definitely have written stories in prose that I intend to remain in prose. But doing so feels less comfortable than writing in rhyme, and none of those stories have ever sold. There’s something about the constraints of meter and rhyme that helps me focus. Having unlimited space and unlimited words to tell a story feels very overwhelming to me.

Actually, several people who critiqued early drafts of FINDING FORGIVENESS told me to take it out of rhyme. They felt like maybe the subject matter was a little too heavy for a rhyming story. So, I tried to change it into prose, but it never felt like “me.” So, I returned to the rhyme. It was definitely a challenge to get it right (I count 31 drafts) but I’m glad I stuck with it.

And no, I’ve never had an editor ask me for a non-rhyming version of a story they’ve acquired. All the editors I’ve had the pleasure of working with have been super enthusiastic about my work (which is why I love working with them!). That said, I have had editors pass on submissions because they didn’t “connect with the rhyme.” That kind of feedback stings a bit, but I’ve grown a pretty tough skin.

 

JES: You’ve written books about Passover, Hanukkah, and now, Rosh Hashanah! Are there other holidays you’d like to explore?

RGL: Indeed, there are!  In fact, I have a book about Shabbat, LOOKING FOR LIGHT, which is also illustrated by Diana Mayo (the same illustrator as FINDING FORGIVENESS) and comes out in early 2027, again with Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. And I have a book about Purim, BRAVE LIKE ESTHER: A Purim Story, illustrated by Asya Aizenstein, which comes out from Kalaniot Books in January 2027!

 

JES: Your moving books all evoke strong emotions. With what feelings do you hope young readers come away from this book? 

RGL: Thank you again for the compliment. I really hope that readers will come away from this book with feelings of empathy and understanding for both characters in the story.

Like the main character in this book, I too have a younger sister and our relationship as children was filled with arguments like the one depicted. I also now have two boys of my own and see similar frustrations and miscommunications creep up between them as well. Sibling relationships are tough for anyone to navigate, and it is particularly hard for kids, who are still learning that the world doesn’t always revolve around their own experience and point of view. One of the reasons I often write in the first person is because I want my readers to walk in my character’s shoes and try on all the feelings they are feeling, and find understanding for others when they encounter similar situations in their own lives.

 

JES: Do you have any advice for new picture book writers?

RGL:  Oh, I have a TON of advice! (Allow me to shamelessly plug my monthly newsletter, where I answer questions from subscribers and offer LOTS of advice every single month! You can sign up on my website and read all past archives on my “Resources for Writers” page here: https://rebeccagardynlevington.com/resources-for-writers/)

For now, I’ll offer these three nuggets:

 

  • Write the books YOU love to write. I love writing rhyming (often plotless) poem-picture books. But initially when I was starting out, I didn’t write these types of books because I thought I had to follow the “rules” — ex: “have a main character with a problem who tries 3 times to solve it,” “don’t write in rhyme,” etc. Not surprisingly, none of those drafts ever sold. It wasn’t until I listened to my heart (cute the 80s tune!) that my writing finally started feeling authentic and I began selling books.

 

  • Publishing is a BUSINESS. As I say in #1, first and foremost, write what you love! BUT, at the end of the day, you also need to think about how you will SELL that book to a publisher. So, what are your “hooks”? (Can it be sold during a particular holiday? Is it about a certain type of relationship? Is it SEL? STEM? Can you add sidebars or back matter?) Who will buy your book and WHY? (Can teacher’s use it in their classroom, for example.) After writing a first draft, I recommend writing your pitch and researching comp titles (other books with similar themes or styles). It will help you revise when you have a solid idea of what holes you feel your book fills in the marketplace.

 

  • Put yourself and your work out into the world as much as you can! You NEVER know where opportunity will arise. Enter ALL the contests, join ALL the groups, go to ALL the conferences and webinars you can, and enter ALL the mentorship programs. If I hadn’t applied for the (now defunct) #PB Chat Mentorship Program in 2019, I wouldn’t have connected with my mentor, author Lori Degman, and she wouldn’t have connected me with my editor at Sleeping Bear Press who ultimately bought and published my first book, BRAINSTORM!

 

JES: What’s coming up next for you?

RGL: Thank you so much for asking!

My next two books, both out on Sept. 9th, are SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND (Barefoot Books), illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova, and DINOSAUR SURPRISE! (Highlights Press), illustrated by Teresa Bellon. Here are the blurbs:

SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND is a lyrical picture book that encourages kids to be true to who they are, even when “who they are” is constantly changing. Like the wind, which on some days is “whirling and wild” and on others “mellow and mild,” we cannot be described, defined, or labelled in any one way. Each day, our moods, feelings and reactions to the world inevitably shift and drift depending on our circumstance, but we are always, on all days, uniquely ourselves.

DINOSAUR SURPRISE! is an interactive board book about… dinosaurs, of course! Babies and toddlers will delight in joining real dinosaurs in a rhyming story, and then—surprise!—lift the felt flaps to reveal silly ones. The last page features a mirror under the flap where little “babysaurs” can practice their silliest faces. This is the perfect book to help little ones develop early humor and fine-motor skills while they laugh and play with caregivers.

 

BUY THE BOOK:

[Words] Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ (my local indie, where I’ll be doing a Storytime and signing event on Sept. 6th at 11am for anyone who wants to stop by!): https://wordsbookstore.com/item/rLqtcQ170gxe_gcaB_Y1pw

Bookshop: https://tinyurl.com/3wjd3c6y

 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374392021?tag=macmillan-20

 B&N: https://tinyurl.com/2jxm89pc

 

Rebecca Gardyn Levington headshot Photo Credit: Joy Yagid.
Rebecca Gardyn Levington Photo Credit: Joy Yagid.

REBECCA’S BIO:

Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a children’s book author, poet, and journalist with a particular penchant for penning both playful and poignant picture books and poems – primarily in rhyme. She is the author of WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (which has been translated into nine languages and is the winner of a Crystal Kite Honor and a Northern Lights Book Award), AFIKOMAN WHERE’D YOU GO? and FINDING FORGIVENESS (both PJ Library Selections), BRAINSTORM!, LITTLE DREIDEL LEARNS TO SPIN, WRITE HERE WRITE NOW, SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND, DINOSAUR SURPRISE!, and I WILL ALWAYS BE… with many more books forthcoming. Rebecca blogs monthly for the Picture Book Builders and her award-winning poems and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives with her family in Summit, NJ, where she enjoys bouncing on a mini-trampoline, playing Mah Jongg, and eating chocolate-peanut butter ice cream (although not usually at the same time!). Find out more and sign up for Rebecca’s monthly newsletter at www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com. 

 

 

Schwaid Headshot Just Maggie Photography 2024.
Jan Epstein Schwaid Photo Credit: Just Maggie Photography.

JAN’S BIO:

A graduate of the University of Southern California’s screenwriting program, Jan Schwaid is an award-winning writer of short films, television, video games, podcasts, and children’s books. She currently writes for PJ Library’s scripted children’s podcast Beyond the Bookcase, now in its fifth season. Her debut picture book, The Shabbat Flood: A Texas-Sized Tall Tale, will be published in Fall 2026. She also teaches screenwriting at the Los Angeles branch of the New York Film Academy. Jan lives in Los Angeles with her husband, young daughter, a rescue pup Taco. Visit her online at janschwaid.com or on Instagram at @jan_schwaid_writing.

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The Traveling Taco by guest author Mia Wenjen, featuring a Giveaway

 

 

 

THE TRAVELING TACO
Written by Mia Wenjen
Illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong
(Red Comet Press; $19.99, Ages 5 and up)

 

 

 

 

Let’s welcome today’s guest author, Mia Wenjen. Her most recent picture book, The Traveling Taco, takes readers around the world with some surprising food facts.

 

Did you know many well-known dishes are food immigrants? The Al Pastor Taco traveled from Lebanon to Puebla, Mexico… French fries originated in Belgium… And pasta arrived in Italy long before Marco Polo visited China. This fascinating nonfiction book featuring rhyming text takes the reader on travels around the world to celebrate foods, their history, and surprising origins. [picture book, ages 5 and up]

 

 

We are also giving away a signed copy of her book. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

 

Now let’s learn more about The Traveling Taco!

 

What inspired you to write The Traveling Taco?

My husband and I like to watch food documentaries. We watched The Taco Chronicles on Netflix, which showcases a different type of taco on each episode. When I learned that the Al Pastor taco comes from Lebanese people who settled in Puebla, Mexico, and brought their shawarma tradition with them. They adapted it for what was available. Pork was swapped out for lamb. Spices were changed. Flatbread was switched to corn tortillas. I was fascinated by “food that traveled” and started researching food that you think is iconic to a country, but was actually introduced by immigrants. Like fish and chips!

 

What is your favorite spread in the book?

The Jerk Chicken spread is probably the one that we worked on the longest to get it right. Jamaica is portrayed in such a lovely way with the plants and trees, and the setting ended up being contemporary.

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Jerk Chicken from Jamaica featured in The Traveling Taco by Mia Wenjen

 

I heard there is a song about The Traveling Taco! How did that happen?

Daria World Music created this song for my book. She wrote the lyrics, sang the song, and hired an animator to create the video. I thought it would be nice to have if a teacher or librarian is using the book in the classroom. A song is a nice warm-up to storytime!

 

 

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

I hope readers realize that many of the foods we know and love would not be available if not for immigrants who so generously and graciously shared their food cultures. It is also fun to learn about other cultures through food, so I hope this encourages kids to be adventurous at the dinner table and be curious enough to want to learn more.

What’s next for you?

I have a few more picture books coming out:

Fortune Cookies for Everyone, illustrated by College Kong-Savage, comes out in October. It’s the story of who invented the fortune cookie, an American invention! It takes us back to WWII and Japanese Concentration Camps (also known as Internment Camps). It’s co-published with the Smithsonian and Red Comet Press.

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FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage, Published by Red Comet Press


Green Homes, Happy Planet: Sustainable Houses Around the World, illustrated by Mary Atwood and published by Sleeping Bear Press, comes out in February of 2026.

Barbed Wire Between Us, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación and published by Red Comet Press, comes out in March of 2026.

To Market, To Market … Around the World, illustrated by Peng Wu and published by Barefoot Books, comes out in the Fall of 2026.

Postcards by Malcolm X, illustrated by Keith Henry Brown and published by Red Comet Press, comes out in January of 2027.

 

BUY THE BOOK:

You can purchase a copy of The Traveling Taco and support a local independent bookseller

by clicking here: Newtonville Books

 

Author Mia Wenjen Photo Credit: Tai Lee.
Author Mia Wenjen Photo Credit: Tai Lee.

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Mia Wenjen blogs at PragmaticMom.com. She is the President and Co-Founder ReadYourWorld.org, a nonprofit that puts diverse children’s books into the hands of readers. Her picture books include The Traveling Taco, We Sing From the Heart, and Fortune Cookies for Everyone published by Red Comet Press; Food for the Future, published by Barefoot Books; and Sumo Joe, published by Lee and Low.

Honors for her books include: ALSC Notable Children’s Book, Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honoree, Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, Massachusetts Book Award Long List, Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner, California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner, Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year, and Junior Library Guild Gold Selection.

To learn more, check out her website, MiaWenjen.com, and follow her on social media (see below).

Mia’s children’s books:

We Sing from the Heart, The Traveling Taco, Barbed Wire Between Us, Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!, Food for the Future, Sumo Joe, and Changing the Game.

Connect with Mia:
Blog: PragmaticMom, Instagram: PragmaticMom,  Twitter/X /X: PragmaticMom, Pinterest: PragmaticMom, FaceBook: PragmaticMom,
LinkedIn: Mia Wenjen, YouTube: Mia Wenjen, TikTok: ReadYourWorld,
BlueSky: PragmaticMom, Threads: Mia Wenjen.

The Traveling Taco SIGNED book giveaway!

Cover Reveal for THE TRAVELING TACO by Mia Wenjen

 

We are giving away a signed copy of her book. Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter. We can only mail to U.S. and APO addresses.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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An Interview with Debut Picture Book Author Leah Schanke

AN INTERVIEW WITH

DEBUT AUTHOR LEAH SCHANKE

ABOUT HER NEW HISTORICAL FICTION PICTURE BOOK

FREEDOM AT DAWN

(Albert Whitman & Co.; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

 

Freedom_at_Dawn_cover_Smalls_and_Lizzy

 

 

 

 

INTERVIEW:

GoodReadsWithRonna: Welcome, Leah. Congratulations on your debut picture book, Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery. It’s terrific to have this chance to chat with you on the blog. I’m guessing most people don’t know about the courageous escape to freedom made by enslaved boat pilot or wheelman Robert Smalls during the Civil War. Can you tell us how you first learned about him and what inspired you to write about this historic event?

Leah Schanke: I first learned about Robert Smalls when I was researching another US Civil War story. Smalls was a Civil War hero, yet he was forced out of a streetcar in Philadelphia because of the color of his skin. I made a note to myself to learn about Smalls because I was not familiar with this important figure in US history. I was inspired by his daring, dangerous plan, his fearlessness, and his accomplishments after the escape to freedom. I also feel a personal connection to his story because of my family roots in South Carolina.

 

 

Freedom at Dawn int1 attack on Fort Sumter.
Interior spread from Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: I love how you’ve made Lizzy Smalls, the oldest of Robert Smalls’s two children, the narrator. It brings the reader right on board the Planter with the family. Did you try other approaches?

LS: In 2012, I wrote a picture book biography of Robert Smalls. There were already other picture book biographies, and mine didn’t stand out or offer anything unique. I put the story aside until 2020. My critique group did a brainstorming exercise, and one of the items was to tell a story from a different perspective. That is when I decided to try telling the story from Smalls’ daughter’s perspective.

 

GRWR: Readers learn from Lizzy that soon the Union will launch an attack on Charleston, meaning the harbor will be harder than ever to escape unless they leave right away. It helps that Smalls knows the secret whistle code to pass Confederate boats. You build tremendous tension in these scenes as Mama, Lizzy, and baby Robert wait for Papa’s boat to arrive. Then, once on board the Planter, Lizzy’s descriptions make my heart race with every read. “The guards on shore must think Papa is the real captain.” What would they do if they saw he was not white?. Was this one of the most challenging parts of the book to write, or was it when they raised the white flag?

LS: Writing the suspenseful elements of the story was a lot of fun. It was more difficult writing the part about raising the white flag. In an earlier version of the story, I gave Lizzy more agency in which she shouts to the crew to pull down the Confederate and South Carolina flags (and replace them with the white flag of surrender). I agreed with a critique I received that this deviated too much from the historical facts.

 

 

Freedom at Dawn int2 Someone's pulled the whistle cord.
Interior art from Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: What was your reaction the first time you saw Oboh Moses’ stunning artwork? He manages to capture the atmosphere on board and the strong emotions all the escapees are feeling as they hide below deck in this life-or-death situation. Do you have a favorite spread?

LS: When I first saw black and white illustrations, I was impressed at how Oboh Moses captured the story, but when I saw them with color, to say I was absolutely amazed is an understatement. My favorite spread is the battle at Fort Sumter (top illustration). The spread really shows a very important battle in US history in an engaging way. I hope it sparks curiosity in learning more about the US Civil War.

 

GRWR: How long did it take you to write Freedom at Dawn, and then how long to find an agent and sell the book? I applaud you for making it look easy.

LS: Writing Freedom at Dawn took about one month for the first draft because I already knew the story well from the traditional biography I had written years earlier. I had an agent when I wrote the story, who showed little interest in it and with whom I parted ways. I submitted to agents in the hopes of another agent relationship, but it didn’t lead to an offer. I sold Freedom at Dawn on my own through the fall 2023 Savvy Authors Pitchfest and engaged a literary attorney to negotiate the contract on my behalf.

 

 

Freedom at Dawn int3 I try to be brave.
Interior spread from Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: I learned even more about Robert Smalls from the backmatter. Are there any interesting facts that stand out to you after all your research?

LS: It was important to me to give information in the backmatter about Elizabeth (Lizzy) Smalls’ life since I told the story of the escape from her perspective. I was amazed that she lived to be 101 years old and had 11 children.

I had a timeline that had to be removed from the backmatter to maintain the 32-page format. It was very interesting to learn that in the summer after the escape, Robert Smalls traveled to Washington, DC, and met with President Abraham Lincoln, Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, and Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon Chase. Although the details of the meetings are unknown, it is believed Smalls was an instrumental voice in reminding them that African American men were capable and willing to join the fight against the Confederacy.

 

GRWR: What’s it like after so many years to finally have a debut? Does it seem surreal at times?

LS: It’s been a thirteen-year journey to reach this point! It does feel surreal, but I’m so glad I stuck with it and kept working on improving my storytelling craft. I hope my long journey to publication helps other writers to not give up. The submission process and passes or no response at all can wear you down. Sometimes it helps to recharge by disengaging from submitting, and focusing on writing stories and reconnecting to the love of writing for children.

 

 

Freedom at Dawn int4 Raising the white flag.
Interior spread from Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: What is your writing regimen? Do you write daily? And do you have a favorite place where your ideas can flow unimpeded?

LS: I work full-time and commute over one hour in each direction to the office. During the morning commute, I focus on anything writing-related, e.g., writing, revising, critiquing, and catching up with social media. I also go to the library on the weekend to do research and write.

 

GRWR: Have you always been focused on writing for children?

LS: Yes, I have always been focused on stories for children. I enjoy bringing stories about little-known but important figures and events in US history to a younger audience.

 

 

 

Freedom at Dawn int5 Mama with Baby Robert in her arms.
Interior spread from Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery, written by Leah Schanke and illustrated by Oboh Moses, Albert Whitman & Co. ©2025.

 

 

GRWR: Please let me know if there’s anything I didn’t ask that you’d like to mention.

LS: While the story is focused on the escape and Smalls’ skills and fearless leadership, he could not have pulled off the escape on his own. He needed the crew to operate the ship. There was a community of people on board who worked together and risked their lives for freedom. Everyone on the ship was brave. I’d like readers to understand that there are different ways to be brave, and that in the story Lizzy learns that she is brave too.

 

GRWR: Thank you, Leah, for sharing your perspective with us today. I’m excited for children to read Freedom at Dawn!

BUY THE BOOK:

Purchase copies of Freedom at Dawn here.

 

Author Photo Credit: Clifford Mason

BIOGRAPHY:

Leah Schanke is a children’s book author whose multicultural heritage and interest in U.S. history inspire her to write historical fiction and nonfiction books for children with a focus on little-known but significant figures and events. FREEDOM AT DAWN, illustrated by Oboh Moses, is Leah’s first children’s book. With family roots in South Carolina, she was especially intrigued by the idea of telling a children’s story about Robert Smalls’ heroic life. Leah lives on Long Island, NY, with her family.

Find out more at https://www.leahschanke.com

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FOLLOW LEAH:

https://www.instagram.com/leahschanke/

https://bsky.app/profile/leahschanke.bsky.social

ILLUSTRATOR OBOH MOSES INFO:

https://www.instagram.com/obohdraws

https://bsky.app/profile/obohdraws.bsky.social

Portfolio: https://www.agoodson.com/portfolios/oboh-moses/

 

 

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An Interview with Middle-Grade Author Margaret Finnegan

AN INTERVIEW

WITH AUTHOR MARGARET FINNEGAN

ABOUT

SUNNY PARKER IS HERE TO STAY

(Atheneum BYR; $8.99, Ages 8-12,
Now available in trade paperback)

Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Junior Title

 

sunny parker is here to stay cover sunny at her apartnment comples.

 

 

INTERVIEW:

GOODREADSWITHRONNA: Welcome to the blog, Margaret. I am a huge fan, but for readers unfamiliar with your four middle-grade titles, can you briefly reflect on them in general and tell us how Sunny Parker is Here to Stay breaks some new ground for you? 

Margaret Finnegan: Thank you so much, Ronna. It’s an honor to be here. One way or another, all of my novels (We Can Be Heroes, Susie B. Won’t Back Down, New Kids & Underdogs, and Sunny Parker is Here to Stay) include characters, often with special needs, who are struggling to find their place in the world and be accepted for who they are. My books are humorous and heartfelt, yet don’t shy away from complex and difficult themes. In Sunny Parker, a lot of those themes stem from the fact that Sunny lives in an affordable housing complex in an affluent area, and so that means the book deals a lot with things like class and economic opportunity.

I think the main way that Sunny Parker breaks new ground for me is that there are a lot of characters, and so creating a world that felt like a community, and not chaos, was a challenge. But it was a fun challenge, and I really like Sunny’s world.

 

GRWR: Sunny Parker is Here to Stay features a spunky, introspective, and independent-minded main character. How is she similar to and/or different from how you were at 11 years old? 

MF: I’m not sure if I would call eleven-year-old me spunky, but I was a little oblivious and socially awkward, and that might have looked like spunkiness to some people. I was introspective and independent. My family moved a lot, and I figured out quickly that I would need to entertain myself and be highly observant of the world around me. Sunny’s introspection and independence come from different sources. She is independent, in part, because she has this wonderful community where people look out for each other. But she’s introspective because her world is turned upside down, and she is exposed to realities she’s never considered before.

 

GRWR: Topics including affordable housing, hard-working low-income families and stereotypes, racism, Autism, physical abuse, and local law enforcement are sensitively and thoughtfully addressed. Was there one particular subject you found most challenging to write about? 

MF: If you are going to write about affordable housing, and you are going to do so honestly, you are going to have to tackle a lot of these issues. In the United States, housing, race, class, and disability are often braided tightly together. But that’s hard and complicated. As a white woman, I do understand how racial privilege has shaped my options and opportunities. I was like Sunny. I lived in affordable housing in an affluent area between the ages of about eleven and twenty-one. I may have been poor; I may have lacked designer labels and other physical markers of economic security and wealth, but I could still blend pretty well into the mostly white city of Palo Alto, California. But for the people of color who lived in my complex—and who live in Sunny’s—I think that was harder. That is something Sunny comes to realize much sooner in life than I did.

 

GRWR: Sunny’s mother died when she was young, and her dad, the manager of the Del Mar Garden Apartments, doesn’t speak about her much. He also expects Sunny to help him with certain chores around the apartments. He’s a complex character who does not like to make waves. His views ultimately clash with Sunny’s multiple times. Was it hard to get into Mr. Parker’s head? 

MF: It wasn’t too hard to get in Mr. Parker’s head; I’ve known people like him, people who might—at first glance—come off as a little neglectful or simply exhausted by life. But really, he is emotionally closed off. He has his own difficult backstory. He is doing the best he can. What really interests me about Sunny’s dad is Sunny’s response to him. She lacks the emotional maturity to truly understand him. Plus, she’s lived with him her whole life. She thinks he’s perfect, until she realizes that he is merely human.

 

GRWR: Readers see how Sunny loves her life at the Del Mar Garden Apartments despite not having many things her peers have, such as new clothing, yummy snacks at home, or the ability to attend summer camp. How has this influenced Sunny’s character?

MF: It’s hard for Sunny. She sees what her peers have, what they get to do. But she is not one to dwell on the negatives. In part, that’s because her father has convinced her that he needs her to stay positive. But no one can stay positive all the time. Part of Sunny’s arc is her learning that she can have a full range of emotions. But she also learns that there are things money can’t buy, including community, safety, and self-respect.

 

GRWR: The book beautifully portrays how it takes a village since Sunny finds surrogate moms in several women in her community. Is your empathetic portrayal a result of the positive experience you had as a child living in affordable housing? And does this factor into some of the crucial decisions that Sunny makes in the book? 

MF: I wouldn’t say I had surrogate moms. I was pretty attached to my own mom. But we did have many wonderful neighbors, and some tried hard to connect with me and broaden my world. One family took me to church. They introduced me to pierogis. Other families let me babysit their children. But I don’t think those experiences played into Sunny’s character or the decisions she makes. Mostly, I think I understood early in the writing process that the wonderful thing about Sunny is that she is really eager to connect with people. Many of her actions and decisions grow out of that intrinsic quality.

 

GRWR: I liked getting to know Haley, Sunny’s best friend. Then there’s Mrs. Garcia, who Sunny takes walks with along with her Autistic son AJ. I especially enjoyed Izzy, AJ’s sister who works at Yum Burgers. She, like Sunny, is full of opinions. All the characters feel so real. Do you have any faves? 

MF: Naturally, I’m fond of all of them, but I have a special place in my heart for Izzy. She is bitter, resentful, and hard, but she wants to do the right thing, and I think she will grow up to be just as warm and lovely as her mother.

 

GRWR: Names of characters like Sourpuss Scanlon, and the Ghost Boy, as well as catchy expressions you use like the bitter barn, were just SO good. Does it take you a long time to create these, or do they evolve organically as you write the story?

MF: Usually, they just find their way into the story. If you have fun when you write, fun things and fun expressions will happen. But I did “borrow” the phrase bitter barn from my friend Patty. I can’t even remember how it came up in conversation, but it is something her family says about a person who is not quite ready to let go of their bitterness and so, instead, they are staying in the bitter barn. I loved it so much that I just knew that I had to share it.

 

GRWR: What would you like young readers to take away from reading your novel? 

MF: My priority is always that readers enjoy the book. If you enjoy a book, you’ll read another book. Beyond that, if they come away from the story feeling more empathy for the people around them, I would be delighted.

 

GRWR: Can you share what other books you have in the pipeline? 

MF: I’m glad you asked! In May 2025, Atheneum Books for Young Readers will release my fifth middle-grade novel. It’s called Spelling it Out. It’s about a boy who spends a fateful summer studying for the National Spelling Bee as his beloved grandmother slips into a haze of dementia.

 

GRWR: Is there anything else I might not have asked that you’d like to speak to before we finish? 

MF: I’d love to take a moment to thank the bloggers, influencers, and readers who are embracing Sunny’s story. As you note earlier, Sunny is fortunate to have a village of people who care about her and each other. Kid lit authors benefit from their own village of people who passionately care about books for children. Thanks for being part of that village, Ronna!

 

BUY THE BOOKS:

Sunny Parker is Here to Stay
Spelling it Out

 

 

Author Margaret Finnegan Headshot.BIOGRAPHY:

Margaret Finnegan’s latest middle grade novel is Sunny Parker is Here to Stay (Atheneum Books for Young Readers). If she is not writing kid lit or teaching her students at Cal State LA, she is most likely walking her dog, having lunch with her friends, bingeing something funny with her family, or baking something that isn’t very healthy. Connect with her at www.MargaretFinnegan.com or on Instagram at FinneganBegin. Margaret’s next novel, Spelling it Out, will be released on May 13. It is available for pre-order here now.

PHOTO CREDIT: Steve Finnegan

 

 

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Picture Book Cover Reveal and Interviews – Goodnight Sounds

 

 

COVER REVEAL + INTERVIEWS

WITH MICHELLE JING CHAN + DEBBIE S. MILLER

GOODNIGHT SOUNDS

Written by Debbie S. Miller

Illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan

(Bloomsbury Children’s Books; $18.99, Ages 2-5)

Available for preorder now!

 

 

Goodnight Sounds cover campervan parked beside river at night.

Goodreadswithronna.com is delighted to host an author and illustrator interview and also share the cover reveal for Goodnight Sounds. Read more below.

 

INTERVIEW WITH DEBBIE S. MILLER:

Michelle Jing Chan: Debbie, what was your inspiration to write this book?

Debbie S. Miller: Growing up in the San Francisco Bay area, the harmonic sound of foghorns often soothed me to sleep. This comforting foghorn lullaby assured me that all was safe and well. The foghorns still sound beneath the Golden Gate Bridge as the fog rolls in.  In thinking about this, I wondered about other sounds that might help children fall asleep and give them comfort. Every child grows up in a surrounding with its own soundscape. While I couldn’t identify all the comforting sounds in the world, I set out to create a story that would represent many of them,  with different places and children hearing them.

MJC: What was your process for writing Goodnight Sounds?

DSM: In writing this book, I initially made a list of many environments and tried to think of the diversity of sounds associated with each place that I had experienced. Crashing waves on a beach, chirping crickets, wind whistling through the trees, the steady clicking of an old clock, or the sound of a train rolling down the tracks.  I included both urban and rural sounds to be as inclusive as possible. Then I tried to write lyrical words to complement each sound.  The goal was to create descriptive sentences and sound words that would flow from page to page, with the hope that every young reader would identify with the sounds of comfort to help them fall asleep. 

MJC: Can you please share your thoughts about when you first saw the cover? And what your favorite part of it is? 

DSM: When I first saw the cover, it took my breath away! Then I turned the pages and there were constant ohs and ahs and WOWS!  Michelle’s art is captivating and beautiful. She also came up with a brilliant idea of showing two scenes for each place in the story — outdoors and indoors, and the sounds associated with these two listening perspectives. What a fabulous idea! The art designers did a great job on the cover, with the text, layout, and choice of font, and I’m incredibly excited about the whole book and how it came together through a wonderful, creative collaboration, with editor Megan Abbate at the helm. 

INTERVIEW WITH MICHELLE JING CHAN:

DSM: Michelle, what made you say yes to the manuscript?

MJC: Reading bedtime stories is a tradition in my family! I grew up falling asleep to my parents reading my favorite books, and now as an adult, I love reading bedtime stories to my baby cousins when I visit them. When I first saw Debbie’s manuscript, her beautiful writing and soothing, lullaby-like descriptions made this feel like an instant bedtime classic that I would read to my cousins. I also loved that the manuscript showcases all sorts of different locations because landscapes are my favorite thing to illustrate. Debbie has a deep connection to nature as anyone can see from her amazing body of work, and this shone through in the manuscript.

DSM: Can you share your cover illustrating process? 

MJC: I started with some sketch ideas that incorporated a few different elements from various nighttime scenes in the book. Initially, I provided sketches for covers featuring an A-frame cabin in the Catskills, a lighthouse in Maine, the mountains of Alaska and Colorado, and the rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest. My amazing editor Megan Abbate and art director Jeanette Levy provided feedback on which scene was their favorite.

 

Copy of GOODNIGHT SOUNDS Cover sketches 001
Sketch #1 for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

 

Copy_of_GOODNIGHT_SOUNDS_Cover_sketches_002 Copy of GOODNIGHT SOUNDS Cover sketches 002
Sketch #2 for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

Copy_of_GOODNIGHT_SOUNDS_Cover_sketches_003 Copy of GOODNIGHT SOUNDS Cover sketches 003
Sketch #3 for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

Copy of GOODNIGHT SOUNDS Cover sketches 004.
Sketch #4 for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

Copy of GOODNIGHT SOUNDS Cover sketches 005
Sketch #5 for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

The two of them and the rest of the team at Bloomsbury liked the last option best, but wanted to rearrange the van to make more room for the title text. They also wanted to include some elements from the other options like the owl, river, and full moon.

Once the sketch was done, I colored the image!

 

Goodnight Sounds final approved artwork for cover.
Final artwork by Michelle Jing Chan for cover of Goodnight Sounds written by Debbie S. Miller and illustrated by Michelle Jing Chan, Bloomsbury Children’s Books ©2024.

 

DSM: What is your favorite part of the cover?

MJC: My favorite parts of the cover are the aspen trees and mountains in the background. I grew up in Colorado and loved including a little homage to my state and the majestic Rocky Mountains. Debbie also has a connection to these elements as her home in Alaska also has aspen trees and mountains!

 

PREORDER GOODNIGHT SOUNDS HERE

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Debbie S. Miller is the author of Survival at 40 Below, an NTSA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book; Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights; The Great Serum Race; and Big Alaska. www.debbiemilleralaska.com

ILLUSTRATOR BIO:

Michelle Jing Chan is a queer Chinese American author-illustrator who works on picture books and comics for kids and teens. Ever since she could hold a pencil, Michelle has loved using art to bring the daydreams in her head to life. Her work has been featured in the Wing Luke Museum, Buzzfeed, and Upworthy. When not drawing, Michelle is petting the neighborhood cats, obsessing over a book, or getting jump-scared by spooky TV shows. Visit Michelle at www.michellejingchan.com or on social media @michellieart.

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A Review + Interview – Karol Silverstein Interviews Author Elaine Dimopoulos

AN INTERVIEW WITH

MIDDLE-GRADE AUTHOR ELAINE DIMOPOULOS

BY KAROL SILVERSTEIN

 

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow (Book #1)

Written by Elaine Dimopoulos

Illustrated by Doug Salati

(May 16, 2023, Charlesbridge, Ages 8-11)

 

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow cover bunnies fleeing.

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The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow (Book #2)

Written by Elaine Dimopoulos,

Illustrated by Doug Salati

(May 21, 2024, Charlesbridge, Ages 8-11)

 

The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow cover rabbit chased by birds.

 

 

INTRO + REVIEWS:

I came to these wonderful books a little backwards—that is, I read book 2 first! The good news is you do not need to have read the first book to thoroughly enjoy the second. The even better news is that both books are equally enchanting!

 

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow int1 Rabbits in Root Room.
Interior art from The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow written by Elaine Dimopoulos and illustrated by Doug Salati, Charlesbridge ©2023.

In The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow, we’re introduced to expert storyteller Butternut. Storytelling is a way of life for her colony of rabbits, led by the wise Grandmother Sage. Along with storytelling techniques, Butternut and her many siblings are taught to stick to their own kind and avoid unnecessary danger.

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow int2 Fierce Owl Flying
Interior art from The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow written by Elaine Dimopoulos and illustrated by Doug Salati, Charlesbridge ©2023.

All that changes when Butternut befriends a joyful robin named Piper. Her new first and best friend believes that all creatures have good in them and crave one another’s company. Butternut’s anxieties—which she calls her “brambles”—spin into overdrive when Piper suggests they befriend a wounded faun, but the more she pushes past her fears, the more confident she becomes. When the need for the titular remarkable rescue arrives, Butternut must convince her family to be as brave as she’s become to help save a litter of coyote pups. The experience changes life in the meadow for the better.
★ Starred reviews – Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly

 

The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow welcomes back Butternut and all her meadow friends. But exciting new creatures, a traveling theater troupe of wild turkeys, enter stage right. The talented turkey thespians are marvelous storytellers, which makes Butternut a bit jealous. When the troupe enlists the meadow dwellers to put on a fabulous play, Butternut’s brambles tell her that something’s not quite right with these grandiose gobblers. She senses her friends and family are in danger but struggles to figure out what, exactly, the wild turkeys are up to and how thwart their plans.  ★ Starred review – Kirkus Reviews

 

The first-person storyteller style employed by author Dimopoulos for both books is pitch-perfect, as are Salati’s delicate illustrations. Butternut herself spins her tales with dramatic precision, utilizing tension, foreshadowing, plot twists, and character building as any great writer would. And though the books’ characters are animals, their emotions and motivations are very relatable to human listeners. In particular, Butternut’s “brambles”—which sometimes are overwrought and hold her back and sometimes grant her heightened and accurate insights—are a wonderful metaphor for young readers who are learning to navigate and interpret their own inner thoughts.

INTERVIEW:

I asked Elaine Dimopoulos to tell me a little more about the creation of this delightful duology. Here’s what she had to say:

Karol Silverstein: The tradition of storytelling, begun by Butternut’s Grandmother Sage, is a way of life for the rabbits of Milkweed Meadow. Why rabbits and why storytelling?

Elaine Dimopoulos: In 2017 I moved to a suburban home near a meadow and saw rabbits frolicking on our lawn every morning and evening. They delighted me and my family. I decided to write about a young rabbit who lives on the border of a lawn and a meadow and who grows curious about the human family in the house although her elders have told her to stick to her own kind. The emphasis on storytelling came from my many years teaching writing. I had been rolling craft concepts around in my head for so long—conflict, tension, voice, character growth—and wanted to create a narrator who was an expert storyteller and who commented metafictively on the story as she was telling it. I had a lot of fun creating Butternut’s narrative voice.

 

The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow int1 Butternut and Piper.
Interior art from The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow written by Elaine Dimopoulos and illustrated by Doug Salati, Charlesbridge ©2024.

 

KS: Butternut’s “brambles”—which readers will likely recognize as similar to their own worries and anxieties—are an important part of her character. Was her anxiety a characteristic you set out to explore from the beginning or did it develop as she revealed herself to you?

ED: I knew Butternut would have anxiety from the very beginning. I’d noticed an increase in anxiety in the students I taught and began to think about how many children out there were having anxious thoughts these days. I wanted to create a character they might see themselves in, who learns to manage her anxiety, act bravely, and live a full life.

 

KS: In the second book, a traveling theater troupe of wild turkeys comes to the meadow, and the Gobblers entrance the inhabitants with their theatricality. Why wild turkey and why theater?

ED: In addition to rabbits, I have gorgeous wild turkeys on my lawn! The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow is a sequel, and I really wanted to get turkeys into the first novel, but there wasn’t room. I’m so thankful I got the chance to include them in Book 2. Here’s a photo I snapped. They’re such divas!

 

Wild Turkeys in yard of Elaine Dimopoulos

 

 

As for theater, I acted through middle school, high school, and college. I love performing and knew I could write about it with expertise. I also loved the idea of the meadow creatures putting on a midsummer show.

 

KS: Redemption—and characters who change and/or turn out to be different than they first seem—is featured in both books. Why is it important to explore this theme in kids’ books?

ED: It seems to me these days that we are quicker than ever to criticize and slow to forgive. We all make mistakes, adults as well as children. If we change our mind about something and apologize, we should be able to earn forgiveness. This is an important part of human connection. We ought not to lose the ability to extend kindness to each other and to turn the page on the past.

The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow int2 Turkeys and Piper.
Interior art from The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow written by Elaine Dimopoulos and illustrated by Doug Salati, Charlesbridge ©2024.

 

KS: Was there always going to be a second book (or more)? If so, how much of the plot for The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow did you have set in place before publishing the first book? If not, how did you and Charlesbrige decide to continue Butternut’s story, and what sort of decision-making went into creating the storyline of The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow?

ED: I wrote the first novel wishing that I could continue the story of these characters. Nothing was guaranteed, however, so I didn’t focus on setting anything up for book 2. The sequel was happily greenlighted before the first book came out, so I was able to influence, of all things, the map endpapers. I figured out that there would need to be a little clearing in the oak forest where the performance in the second novel would take place and also a swing set clubhouse where Butternut and the little female human from the house would meet. Doug Salati was kind enough to add these elements to the endpapers of book 1 so there would be continuity.

I knew I wanted to include a theatrical troupe of turkeys in the sequel, but I was struggling with Butternut’s central conflict. My editor, Julie Bliven, helped me see that Butternut ends the first novel confident in her storytelling abilities, so it would be interesting if this confidence was shattered when a new art form entered the picture. I ran with this idea!

I hope to write even more stories set in Milkweed Meadow. The first two books are set, respectively, in spring and summer, so I’d love to complete a seasonal quartet and write an autumn and a winter book. We’ll see!

 

Huge thanks to Karol and Elaine for this informative interview!  – Ronna

 

BUY THE BOOK:

Belmont Books (signed & personalized): https://www.belmontbooks.com/book/9781623544270

Bookshop.org: The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow a book by Elaine Dimopoulos and Doug Salati (bookshop.org)

Publisher’s Page: The Perilous Performance at Milkweed Meadow – Charlesbridge

 

Elaine Dimopoulos Headshot Photo Credit Ars Magna Studio
Elaine Dimopoulos Photo Credit: Ars Magna Studio

AUTHOR BIO:

Elaine Dimopoulos is the author of several novels for children, including the critically acclaimed Milkweed Meadow series, Turn the Tide, winner of the Green Earth Book Award in Children’s Fiction, and the young adult fast-fashion dystopia, Material Girls. Elaine served as the Associates of the Boston Public Library Writer-in-Residence and has taught writing at Simmons University and GrubStreet. She lives in Massachusetts. She lives in Massachusetts with her spouse, two children, and a Balinese cat named Plato. www.elainedimopoulos.com

 

 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

• Author Elaine Dimopoulos

https://twitter.com/ElaineDimop

https://www.instagram.com/elaine_dimopoulos/

• Illustrator Doug Salati

https://dougsalati.com/

Doug Salati Photo Credit: Erin V Carr

ILLUSTRATOR BIO:

Doug Salati is the creator of the picture book Hot Dog, recipient of the Randolph Caldecott Medal and Ezra Jack Keats Award. His first book was In a Small Kingdom by Tomie dePaola, and his second, Lawrence in the Fall by his partner, Matthew Farina, was an Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator Award Honoree, a Society of Illustrators Original Art Show selection and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection. Doug lives and works in New York City.

 

 

 

INTERVIEWER BIO:

Karol Ruth Silverstein (she/her/disabled) is an award-winning children’s book author and longtime SCBWI member. Her debut young adult novel, Cursed (Charlesbridge Teen, 2019), was loosely drawn from her experience of being diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at thirteen and won the Schneider Family Book Award in 2020. Originally from Philadelphia, Karol now lives in West Hollywood, California, with two unmanageably fluffy cats. Find her online at
Author Karol Ruth Silverstein.

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An Interview with Nora Nickum, Author of This Book is Full of Holes

KATRINA TANGEN INTERVIEWS

NORA NICKUM,

AUTHOR OF

THIS BOOK IS FULL OF HOLES

Illustrated by Robert Meganck

(Peachtree; $18.99, Ages 6-9)

 

 
★Starred Review – Kirkus Reviews

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:

This book is chock full of holes—shallow and miles deep, microscopic and visible from space, human-caused and natural, mysterious and maddeningly familiar.

When you think of holes, what comes to mind? Maybe the irritating hole in your sock. Or the hole on the shelf where you plucked out this book. But did you know there are holes that suddenly devour entire gas stations? Big holes in the ocean that are visible from space? Small holes in balls that prevent a backyard home run?

A hole is a part of something where there’s nothing at all. Holes are investigated by scientists, used by artists, designed by engineers, and fixed by problem-solvers. They can be natural or human-made, big or small, plentiful or scarce, mysterious or painfully familiar. Many are important to our everyday lives, whether we give them credit or not.

 

INTERVIEW:

Katrina Tangen: THIS BOOK IS FULL OF HOLES is so fun and fascinating! You cover such a wide range of holes. How did you decide what to include and how to organize them?

Nora Nickum: Brainstorming all different kinds of holes was a fun part of the process. But the book did require a good structure so it wouldn’t be just a list. I was intrigued by the fact that a hole seems like empty nothingness, but in fact, it can be really useful, or annoying, or dangerous, or life-saving. And holes appear in all different STEAM disciplines, from engineering and ecology to music and art. I began writing about all the different qualities that holes could have, and eventually shaped it into a consistent opposite structure on every spread. Readers will find fascinating examples of how holes can be tiny or enormous, form slowly or quickly, be used to speed something up or slow something down, and so on.

 

KT: The idea of a hole is both really concrete and really abstract. For example, the idea that a hole can be closed on the bottom as well as open. I wouldn’t have said an indentation was a hole, even though there are other holes with bottoms that I do think of as holes, like golf holes. So it gets a little mind-bendy when you start thinking about what makes a hole a hole! Were there challenges in figuring out how to explain those concepts?

NN: That’s one of the things that made this topic so fun for me! I spent time researching definitions of holes, and felt like I got to a place where I had a solid one that wasn’t full of holes itself (haha). And I started the book with that definition: “A hollow place. An empty space. A part of something where there’s nothing at all.” 

 

KT: That’s such an intriguing definition! Which type of hole is your favorite? I was fascinated by blue holes and the holes in airplane windows—I hadn’t heard of either before!

NN: Those two kinds of holes were the genesis of the book! I used to travel a lot and often wondered why there was a tiny hole in the airplane window. And later, when I read about blue holes in the ocean and saw beautiful photos taken from the air, I was really intrigued and thought about doing a picture book focused on those, but it turned out there hadn’t been a lot of research about blue holes yet. Then a light bulb went off in my head and I combined them into a book about holes, which let me add lots of other fascinating examples. My favorite hole in the book is actually the seal’s breathing hole in the Arctic ice–I liked that I could make the same hole represent both of the opposing concepts, danger versus safety. And I love how Robert Meganck illustrated it with one scene carrying across both pages, with the seal and the polar bear.

 

ThisBookisFullofHoles int1 Seal and polar
Interior art from This Book is Full of Holes: Text © 2024 Nora Nickum. Illustrations © 2024 Robert Meganck. Used with permission from Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

 

KT: Wow, that’s such a fun origin story! I love it when things come together like that. Were there holes that didn’t make it into the final book?

NN: Yes, sadly. Buttonholes, groundhog burrows, swimming holes, and holes in pinhole cameras were on my list at one point or another, but ultimately cut. Some types of holes didn’t make it in because they didn’t fit the opposites structure as nicely as I wanted. Others were too straightforward to feel interesting or to merit any sidebar text. Fortunately, all of my favorites made it in! 

 

KT: I’m glad you didn’t have to cut any of your favorites! The illustrations are great and add so much humor. Did any of them surprise you?

NN: Robert Meganck’s illustrations are so creative and funny, while also being accurate in the ways that are important for a nonfiction book. The one showing a person threading a needle was his idea–I hadn’t been that specific in the manuscript, and I updated the sidebar text to reflect his art. And I love how Robert has hidden other kinds of holes in the background of several illustrations (see what you can find in the “speed something up…slow it down” spread). But the illustration that might surprise readers the most is the one they’ll find on the flip side of the book jacket–it’s a big hide-and-seek playground scene where kids can search for all different kinds of holes!

 

ThisBookisFullofHoles int2 car and wiffle ball.
Interior art from This Book is Full of Holes: Text © 2024 Nora Nickum. Illustrations © 2024 Robert Meganck. Used with permission from Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

 

KT: Kids will love that! I think my favorite is how the front and back cover play off each other. So clever! I also love the backmatter—how did it develop? Including hole-related idioms was such a good idea!

NN: The idioms in the back matter–like “loophole” and “square peg in a round hole”–were originally in the main text, but as my editor and I worked more on the opposites structure, we decided they didn’t quite fit there. I also revised the back matter later to discuss the actual holes that those terms refer to, like loopholes in castle walls, before talking about their current usages in English. I was so eager to see how Robert would depict those idioms, and of course his fabulously quirky art there is delightful.

 

KT: Do you have any suggestions for other great picture books that could be paired with yours?

NN: Definitely! A bundle of books about holes would be a whole lot of fun. I’m excited about Skylaar Amann’s new picture book, Alone Sometimes: Everybody Needs a Hole in the Ground, which also releases in March 2024. And I love Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s funny book Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. Melissa Stewart and Amy Hevron also have a wonderful nonfiction book about animals called Tree Hole Homes: Daytime Dens and Nighttime Nooks.

 

KT: What do you hope young readers will take away from your book?

NN: Some giggles, for one thing. But I also hope it will make readers look at the world around them differently, seeing holes and patterns and making connections they hadn’t made before. It was really fun for me to brainstorm different kinds of holes with my family, looking at things in our kitchen, outside on walks, and other places, and I think kids will have fun doing the same! 

KT: I know I definitely will! Thanks for sharing with us—it’s been a “hole” lot of fun!

BUY THE BOOK:

Click here to purchase a copy and support independent bookstores via Bookshop.org. 

Visit the Publisher’s Page here for more info.

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Nora Nickum is the author of This Book is Full of Holes (Peachtree, 2024) as well as the middle-grade book Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest (Chicago Review Press, 2023). Both are Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections. Her stories and articles have appeared in children’s magazines like Cricket, Ladybug, and Muse. Nora also leads ocean conservation policy work for the Seattle Aquarium. She lives on an island in Washington state. Learn more about her at www.noranickum.com. 

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AUTHOR’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

IG: https://instagram.com/noranickumbooks

Author website: www.noranickum.com

INTERVIEWER BIO:

Katrina Tangen lives in Southern California between Disneyland and the beach. At Harvard, she studied Folklore & Mythology, History of Science, Psychology, and Religion, so she knows a little bit about a lot of things. This turned out to be excellent training for writing nonfiction for kids! Her debut Copy That, Copy Cat!: Inventions Inspired by Animals (Barefoot Books, 2023) was a Bookstagang Book of the Year and a Cybils Award Finalist. Find her at katrinatangen.com.

Katrina’s Social Media:

Website: https://katrinatangen.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/katrinatangenauthor

Instagram: @katrinatangen

Twitter (X): @katrinatangen 

Threads: @katrinatangen 

Bluesky: @katrinatangen.bsky.social 

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Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour 2024- An Interview with Mari Lowe

 

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH MARI LOWE

WINNER OF THE SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD

FOR

THE DUBIOUS PRANKS OF SHAINDY GOODMAN

(Levine Querido; $18.99, Ages 8-12)

 

stba24 blog tour schedule banner

 

We’re thrilled to be back for another year, this time sharing a must-read middle grade novel, The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman by Mari Lowe. This novel not only addresses universal issues school girls deal with daily but one that brings the Orthodox Jewish community into the forefront in an insightful and meaningful way for readers of all backgrounds. Click here to see the full list of books and participants on the blog tour this week: 2024 Blog Tour: Sydney Taylor Book Awards – Association of Jewish Libraries

 

 

SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD WINNER
NATIONAL JEWISH BOOK AWARD WINNER

★Starred Reviews – Horn Book, Shelf Awareness
Kirkus Top 10 Middle Grade Novels for Fall ’23

PUBLISHER SUMMARY:

SHAINDY is a twelve-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl who struggles in school and has no good friends. She watches with envy as her next-door neighbor, GAYIL, excels socially and academically. They have little to do with each other, and it comes as a surprise when Shaindy looks out her window one September evening and sees Gayil staring out at her from her own window with a sign reading: want to know a secret?

The secret (at first) is that Gayil has a key fob that will allow them to break into their school after hours. Together, they set up a harmless prank in their classroom. But under Gayil’s instigation the mischief becomes malice, and Shaindy sees that the pranks and humiliations are targeted only at certain girls. But what could they have in common?

With the fear of Gayil’s fury and her own reluctance growing, Shaindy comes to the terrifying conclusion that if she can’t figure out how to stop it, the next target could be her.

INTERVIEW:

GOODREADSWITHRONNA: Congratulations, Mari, on winning the 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award for best middle grade novel, The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman. Two years and two wins in a row, has it sunk in yet?

MARI LOWE: It’s honestly been incredible. I never imagined that Shaindy would be so fortunate, and I’m still kind of shocked by the whole thing! But I’m also grateful that these books have left an impact and I hope that they will continue to do so– it’s every writer’s dream.

 

GRWR: I read that you came up with the story concept while at home with your family. Have they influenced your writing journey or did you always know you wanted to write?

ML: Well, I’ve always wanted to write! I read very young and started making up my own stories soon after that, and writing became as instinctive as breathing for me. But I don’t think that I really considered writing in this genre, with Orthodox Jewish characters, until my kids were old enough to read chapter books. And there were just so few where they could see themselves! What few portrayals there were of Orthodox Jews were fleeting and often inaccurate, and I wanted to give them mirrors– and, for other readers, a window into our world, where children are the same regardless of culture.

 

The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman cover Shaindy in Heelys.

 

 

GRWR: The premise of The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman is that 6th grader Shaindy would love to be friends with Gayil Itzhaki, “her tall, willowy with perfect hair” neighbor, so when Gayil surprisingly invites Shaindy to join her in pulling off a bunch of pranks, it’s hard to say no. While they are pitched as harmless “fun between friends” as the pranks increase in hurtfulness, Shaindy begins having doubts. It was clever how you included the class lesson on the four steps of Teshuva, especially given the significance of the girls’ negative actions as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approach. It helped ground the story. Can you speak to the dilemma that Shaindy faces?

ML: Those four steps of forgiveness feel so apt in all cases– because it isn’t about saying sorry, paying lip service or just regretting the way you’ve hurt someone, it’s about taking responsibility and vowing to do better moving forward. It’s about growth! For Shaindy, someone who has so often been overlooked and neglected by her classmates, there are two elements in the pranks: both the desire to belong, with Gayil, and this kind of underlying, dismissive sense of well, they’ll be fine, because they have what I don’t. It’s mean-spirited and petty, and I don’t think that Shaindy fully acknowledges that part of it until she really takes that step back midway through the book and evaluates not just the ways that she’s been hurt but the ways that she has hurt, in turn. She has to find strength within herself to break away from Gayil, but also to not become Gayil– someone who lashes out and seeks to continue that cycle of pain.

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GRWR: Your novel resonated with me which is why I could not put it down. Growing up I had a lot of Shaindy in me. That feeling Shaindy describes as “I’m the shadow, the girl no one notices …” And I knew girls like Gayil (“destined to shine” in Shaindy’s eyes) and her BFFs, Rena, and Devorah who seem to have it all. Now, looking back, would you say this story emerged as the result of any past experiences you’ve witnessed as a teacher or encountered yourself when you were in middle school?

ML: Oh, definitely! I’ve had a lot of classes like Shaindy’s, where the girls are all sweet and enthusiastic and a teacher’s dream– but there are those moments of unpleasantness when you know to look for them. There are the girls suffering at the fringes, and there is no easy way to pull them in from the outside, even as a teacher! Maybe especially as a teacher. I’ve spent a lot of time pairing girls up, encouraging new combinations, all in an effort to have every girl find her place. I don’t identify more or less with any of the girls in the book– I think I’ve had my moments when I’ve been each of them. But I definitely remember the Shaindy weeks, the times when I felt completely isolated and inferior, and I drew on a lot of those emotions to construct a girl who feels very universal to me. So many women and girls have told me that they identify with Shaindy. I think that Shaindy is who we feel like in our roughest adolescent moments, and I wanted desperately to give her strength of self in her story.

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GRWR: As writers we’re often told, write what you know, and you’ve done that by using Fairview, the purpose-built Orthodox Jewish community, as the backdrop of The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman. I appreciated the loving and respectful glimpse into the school, family, neighborhood, and home lives of the main characters yet did not feel I had to be more religious to understand the novel. The challenges Shaindy coped with were moral and social, things any middle schooler could relate to. Why do you think Shaindy often says her classmates are nice and are not bullies, that’s not something that would occur at Bais Yaakov middle school yet still feels lonely and socially othered?

ML: Thank you! I really try to find universality in my specific cultural experiences. I think that there’s a certain level of expectation in Bais Yaakovs that is inculcated young: that we must be perfect, respectful and kind and caring and inclusive, and it’s an admirable thing, of course! But at the same time, a lot of girls wind up focused on giving off the appearance of those traits, performing them without feeling them. Interestingly, my most religious classes tend to be better-behaved, but also much more competitive and sometimes more likely to ice out an outsider. They rarely bully others– that’s something that can be quantified as Bad, and they are never Bad– but there is a certain level of disdain for those who can’t fit into the perfect mold, who don’t have it all down like they do (and deep down, so few girls do have it all down, and they’re all a little insecure about it– a tale as old as time). And I wanted the girls to confront that, a bit, too, how you don’t have to bully someone to make them miserable.

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GRWR: There is subtle foreshadowing for readers about what’s to come and what big issue Shaindy will ultimately have to deal with, one in fact that I never expected. Did you outline the book so that you knew in advance what would happen to Shaindy and her relationship with Gayil? Or, as her character’s emotional development evolved, did it occur organically and present itself to you?

ML: I started the book knowing a few things– Gayil’s initial proposition to Shaindy, Gayil’s end goal for it, and Gayil’s motivations. I started it knowing very little about Shaindy! But I think that she was easy to understand and to drop into her head. She sees herself as unlovable, but as I spent more and more time with her, I really began to love Shaindy and see her strengths, too. And by the time we get to the moment when everything changes, I was clear on where she would go from there– because I genuinely knew that she had it within her! Though when I initially finished the book, it was with a sweet last few pages which resolved the conflict neatly and left everyone friends. My agent talked me out of that, though! It couldn’t be sweet and simple– it had to feel real to Shaindy’s character growth and the messages of the story. Forgiveness is one thing; friendship and trust are another entirely.

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GRWR: Tzivia is one of my favorite characters. It’s a shame that Shaindy cannot pick up on Tzivia’s friendly overtures because she’s too intent on being friends with Gayil, the “it” girl of the grade. Nor does Shaindy spot Gayil’s meanness (unlike Tzivia) until it’s too late. Shaindy’s loyalty does not serve her well. Are these common friendship errors girls make?

ML: Oh, there are so many girls I want to shake sometimes and tell these girls are not for you. I think that in middle school, it’s so easy to get caught up in the magic of the girls who seem to have it all, who are beloved and surrounded by friends, without realizing that you might just be a bad match. It isn’t about some girls being nice or mean– most girls, I think, are both and neither. But a strong personality might overpower a milder one. A girl who is self-conscious and comes off as competitive because of it won’t mesh well with another girl like that. There are power dynamics and personality conflicts at work in many middle school interactions, and it’s hard to find the right friends for you, even if that person seems like such a good friend to the others around her. And Shaindy is starry-eyed and caught up in Gayil because Gayil is so perfect, to her eyes, that she hardly notices Tzivia until the stars have dissipated. It’s very common, especially while girls are still figuring out who they are– because until you have that confidence of self, it’s easy to be drawn to the girls who are all confidence and overlook quieter, more reliable friends.

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GRWR: Over the course of the novel, Shaindy’s relationship with Bayla, her older sister, improves, and Shaindy also becomes less hard on herself, more open to new friendships. What can readers learn from Shaindy’s rollercoaster (or should I say rollerblades and Heely’s) ride from her brief and tumultuous false friendship with Gayil?

ML: Middle school is a time all about finding your place and yourself. We spend a lot of time searching around us for the key to it all– what will make us stronger, smarter, more popular, happier. Shaindy gets caught up in all of that, looking for the actions and interactions that can change her. But in the end, very few of those changes are really going to come from others but within. We get really immersed in friends and social issues these years because they feel like they’re what define us. But Shaindy comes to understand that it isn’t a friendship with Gayil or the class’s treatment or even her sister’s dismissiveness that defines her: it’s who she is, and what choices she makes. And once she grasps that, the rest falls into place. She finds her real friends, her confidence, and new maturity, and she becomes someone who can take back her own power.

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GRWR: Before I say goodbye, I’m curious what your menagerie of pets consists of and whether any pet in particular keeps you company when you write.

ML: Right now, I have NOTHING KIND to say about the cat who is stubbornly napping behind me so I can’t lean back (save my back, please). I’m kidding! He’s fantastic, except for his propensity to walk on the keyboard when I’m trying to write. He generally takes the clacking of my keyboard as an invitation to curl up and nap beside me.

It’s not much of a menagerie anymore. I have a fifteen-year-old friendly corn snake, and at the time of the bio, we had two adorable hamsters (gifted to my son as a sorry-we’re-not-getting-a-cat present) and a cat (who came soon after). Sadly, over two isolated incidents, several months, and accidentally ajar doors apart, we are down to a snake and a cat. Over the years, I’ve kept a variety of pets– frogs, mice, ducklings, kittens, and even, briefly, a hedgehog. We’ve been contemplating chickens– popular in the neighborhood, and I do consume a Gaston-level number of eggs a day, anyway– but none of those yet!

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GRWR: What a treat it’s been having this opportunity to chat, Mari. I hope everyone who reads this gets a copy of The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman and enjoys it as much as I did!

Support an independent bookseller and purchase a copy here.

Mari-Lowe-headshotAUTHOR BIO:

Mari Lowe has too little free time and spends it all on writing and escape rooms. As the daughter of a rabbi and a middle school teacher at an Orthodox Jewish school, she looks forward to sharing little glimpses into her community with her books. She lives in New York with her family, menagerie of pets, and robotic vacuum. Find her at Mari Lowe – Books by Mari Lowe and on Twitter (X) @marilwrites.

 

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An Interview with Author Christine Van Zandt

 

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH

MILKWEED FOR MONARCHS

AUTHOR CHRISTINE VAN ZANDT

Illustrated by Alejandra Barajas

(Beaming Books; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

Milkweed for Monarchs cover monarchs flying in milkweed plants.

 

 

PUBLISHER SUMMARY:

Bold, gold, the chrysalis gleams. And deep down inside . . . the butterfly dreams.

Every year, monarch butterflies migrate to warmer climates for overwintering months. However, changing environments make it continually more difficult to find food and places to lay eggs. In this nonfiction picture book, the monarch’s life cycle is detailed in lyrical verse as stunning art accompanies each stage in the butterfly’s life.

The most recognizable butterfly, monarchs are classified as a vulnerable species by the IUCN, and face drastic challenges when it comes to locating food sources–milkweed. Milkweed for Monarchs is the perfect resource for young readers to learn more about these beautiful insects and how they can foster monarch-friendly environments in their own backyard. Backmatter includes actionable ways for readers to help this vulnerable species.

 

INTERVIEW:

GoodReadsWithRonna: How did you decide to write about butterflies in your new nonfiction picture book, Milkweed for Monarchs?

Christine Van Zandt: During the pandemic, we bought a milkweed plant with the vague idea that we were helping butterflies in some way. Little did we know that our plant was loaded with eggs and soon we had a bunch of very cute caterpillars. Sadly, they were eaten by various predators in our garden, but that set me out on this journey, wondering about monarchs.


GRWR: What eats monarchs? I thought they were poisonous.

CVZ: When the monarch caterpillars eat milkweed leaves, they do retain some of the plant’s toxins. And they have the bright “stay away” body markings consisting of yellow, white, and black stripes. But they still end up being dinner for other insects, spiders, birds, lizards, and mammals. In our garden, we’ve seen ants carrying little caterpillars away; raccoons and birds pluck them off.

 

Milkweed for Monarchs int1 flitter flutter wings
Interior spread from Milkweed for Monarchs written by Christine Van Zandt and illustrated by Alejandra Barajas, Beaming Books ©2024.

 

GRWR: Did you encounter any obstacles trying to sell this book?

CVZ: It took me a while to figure out how to write it. I tried it in prose and verse, in fiction and nonfiction. The version that ended up working best was a short rhyming poem with facts in sidebars and in the backmatter.

An earlier version of this manuscript won first place at SCBWI-LA’s 2021 Writers Day and also earned me the annual Sue Alexander Grant. Even so, when the manuscript went out on submissions, some publishers passed stating they already had a monarch book on their list and they didn’t want to compete against their own products.


GRWR: So it sounds like butterfly books are considered evergreens like dinosaur, alphabet, or things-that-go books?

CVZ: Yes they are, so both my area of focus for the story and how I presented the text had to come from a fresh angle. I’m passionate about trying to help the monarchs. The western monarch’s population went from 4.5 million in the 1980s to fewer than 2000 butterflies in 2020. The just-in 2023 count shows the population is still ~95% down.

Monarchs need milkweed because that’s the only plant their caterpillars can eat; that became my focus, how the milkweed plant is essential for this insect’s survival. Milkweed plants are also amazing: they get eaten down to nothing and keep regrowing. I welcome munched-on plants in my yard because that means insects are being sustained through their life cycle which, in turn, benefits the larger food web.


GRWR: As picture book writers we’re often told not to write in rhyme unless it is extremely well executed. Was that a problem you encountered?

CVZ: I actually didn’t but I also feel my rhyme was solid by the time we sent it out on submissions because I’d applied the various checks such as scansion. However, writing in rhyme makes revisions much harder because each round with the publisher meant not just updating the text but also redoing the rhyme. Sometimes I had to scrap stanzas and write new ones.

And rhyming books have limitations because they are not as likely to be translated into a foreign language since so much more is involved in translating poetry, though it does happen. With my first book, A Brief History of Underpants—which was written in prose—a Korean-language translation came out not long after it was published. I’d love for Milkweed for Monarchs to be translated, especially into Spanish since many monarch butterflies overwinter in Mexico’s mountains and the butterflies have been part of Mexican culture for generations. Also because the gorgeous illustrations are by Alejandra Barajas who is from Mexico.

 

Milkweed for Monarchs int2 beyond human borders
Interior spread from Milkweed for Monarchs written by Christine Van Zandt and illustrated by Alejandra Barajas, Beaming Books ©2024.

 

GRWR: While the main text of the book is a short poem, the facts in the sidebar and backmatter are in prose, right?

CVZ: Yes, and that meant switching my brain back and forth as we worked through the various drafts!

GRWR: How did you do that?

CVZ: I would read through one pass focusing only on the poem, then on another pass, I’d work on the facts.


GRWR: Beyond being a gardener, are you involved with monarchs in other ways?

CVZ: We’ve had our garden designated a sanctuary which basically means that we promise to garden without pesticides, providing a certain number and variety of different kinds of milkweed plants including native ones, and also providing nectaring plants for the butterflies and other pollinators.

Beyond that, I’ve applied for and been granted free plants for a local LAUSD inner-city school and started their butterfly garden. I’ve also volunteered for Xerces for several years now, helping count the butterflies overwintering along the Southern California coast, and uploading that data to their central database.


GRWR: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

CVZ: I hope my book imparts a sense of wonder and a feeling of hopefulness. It doesn’t take much to make a difference whether for the monarchs or for other creatures in our world.


GRWR: Thank you, Christine, for sharing your amazing experience with us today. I’ve learned so much!

BUY THE BOOK:

Support independent booksellers by purchasing a copy of Milkweed for Monarchs here.

FOLLOW ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

•Christine Van Zandt 

Twitter (X): www.twitter.com/christinevz

Facebook: www.facebook.com/christine.vanzandt.9

Instagram: christinevanzandt9

Bluesky: christinevanzandt.bsky.social

•Alejandra Barajas 

Instagram: ale.barajas.illustration

•Publisher – Beaming Books

Twitter (X): www.twitter.com/BeamingBooksMIN

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BeamingBooksPublishing

Instagram: www.instagram.com/beamingbooksmn

 

 

Christine Van Zandt author photo
Author Christine Van Zandt Photo Credit: Marlena Van Zandt

AUTHOR BIO:

Christine Van Zandt is an editor, writer, and award-winning author. Her nonfiction picture books include A Brief History of Underpants (becker&mayer! kids, 2021) and, Milkweed for Monarchs (Beaming Books, 2024). She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her family. You can find her at www.ChristineVanZandt.com.

 

 

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An Interview with Maria Wen Adcock

 

 

CHARLOTTE CHENG INTERVIEWS

MARIA WEN ADCOCK,

AUTHOR OF

IT’S CHINESE NEW YEAR, CURIOUS GEORGE

ILLUSTRATED BY REA ZHAI

(Clarion Books; $9.99, Ages 0-4)

 

It's Chinese New Year Curious George girl CG playig with paper dragon

 

 

 

INTERVIEW:

Maria Wen Adcock is the author of IT’S CHINESE NEW YEAR, CURIOUS GEORGE [Clarion Books], which is a perfect book to introduce Chinese New Year traditions to little ones. In this interview conducted by Charlotte Cheng, author of NIGHT MARKET RESCUE [Rocky Pond Books], Maria discusses her process for writing the book, her experience seeing the book published, and much much more. 

Thanks for taking the time to share your author journey with us today! 

 

Charlotte Cheng: Curious George is such a household name. What was it like infusing this classic with your Chinese heritage?

Maria Wen Adcock: I grew up reading Curious George, so it was an incredible honor to work on IT’S CHINESE NEW YEAR, CURIOUS GEORGE. Children around the world are familiar with Curious George, so it makes learning about Chinese culture more accessible when children see him celebrating this holiday. I’m so proud to share my Chinese heritage with young readers through an iconic character like Curious George! 

 

CC: For those who are curious, what’s the difference between the terms Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year?

MWA: Lunar New Year is an overarching term for many Asian countries, beyond China, that celebrates the new year based on the moon cycle. Under the term Lunar New Year are subsets: Chinese New Year, Vietnamese New Year called Tet, Korean New Year called Seollal, Indonesian New Year called Imlek, and more. Each country has its own unique New Year traditions. For example, in China, when it is the Year of the Rabbit, in Vietnam it’s the Year of the Cat. Chinese New Year is celebrated with red envelopes, but Korean New Year does not. 

Chinese New Year refers to the holiday that Chinese people celebrate using customs specific to their culture. Though some countries may celebrate their new year in similar ways, such as getting together with families and eating certain foods, not all the traditions are the same. For example, one Chinese New Year tradition involves hanging a sign upside down on the front door. The word on the sign is Fú (福), a Chinese character meaning good luck and fortune. In Chinese, the word for “upside-down” is Dào (倒). This sounds similar to another word, also called Dào (到), which means “to arrive.” So hanging the Fu sign upside-down means good luck and fortune will arrive. This custom is very specific to Chinese New Year.

 

CC: Why did you choose to focus on Chinese New Year for the book?

MWA: The publisher wanted the book to delve deeper into the traditions and symbolism of Chinese New Year. They chose me to author the book so I could tap into my lived experience as a Chinese American to authentically speak to how the holiday was celebrated. Given the book only has seven tabbed pages to work with, space was a premium. I did the best I could to provide readers with as much information as possible about the Chinese New Year.

If this book had focused on the Lunar New Year, to be inclusive and accurate, we would have needed to mention all the different countries under that umbrella term and highlight their unique traditions. But given the limitations of space, we wouldn’t have been able to provide more depth – likely just a mention – and we thought this wouldn’t do it justice.

 

 

Interior illustrations from It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George written by H. A. Rey and Maria Wen Adcock, and illustrated by Rea Zhai, Clarion Books ©2023.

 

 

CC: Chinese New Year is celebrated in so many different ways since China is so diverse. How did you select which traditions to highlight in the story?

MWA: I was able to pull from my childhood growing up in a Chinese American household when deciding which traditions to include in the book. There were so many traditions to choose from. I narrowed them down to highlight the most commonly celebrated ones. 

 

CC: What was it like working on the book with the publishing team and what was your favorite part of the process? 

MWA: My editor, Bethany Vinhateiro, led the process and provided guidelines on format requirements for the Curious George series of tabbed board books. All of the books in this series featured 7 tabs with themes, and each tab included 4 stanzas in rhyme with 4 lines in each stanza. She encouraged me to ensure that Curious George’s personality came out in my story, which I was familiar with given that I had grown up with his stories.

Bethany worked with the illustrator, Rea Zhai, to bring my story to life. I did not directly communicate with the illustrator, which is typical in traditional publishing. Instead, Bethany sent me drafts of the illustrations so that I could ensure they accurately reflected the customs of Chinese New Year. I really enjoyed the process of seeing the illustrations, providing feedback, and then viewing the revisions.

 

CC: When you finally got to see the illustrations for the book, did you see any fun surprises in the images?

MWA: The cover took my breath away as it captured the heart and spirit of Chinese New Year. I was pleasantly surprised to see the title of the book printed in gold foil, which is one of the traditional colors of Chinese New Year in addition to red, which represents good luck. I loved how the Man in the Yellow Hat changed his usual yellow tie to a red one to celebrate Chinese New Year. The illustrations did an amazing job of bringing the holiday to life.

 

CC: What was it like launching your book during Chinese New Year? Any favorite memories from your launch party or school visits?

MWA: Launching my book during Chinese New Year was the perfect timing given its storyline. The weeks leading up to Chinese New Year traditionally include a lot of preparation and teaching the children about the holiday taught them how they could celebrate Chinese New Year with their own families at home. 

I was so thrilled with my launch party at Huntington Public Library where I work in the Youth and Parent Department for my day job. They provided incredible support, and there were over 150 people in attendance – the maximum the auditorium could hold. My sister flew in from Michigan to help me which I appreciated so much. 

The school visits were so fun. The kids were incredibly curious and engaged with my presentation which not only included a book reading but also provided interesting details behind the reasons for each of the traditions mentioned in the book. I really enjoyed interacting with the students!

 

CC: For those who are interested in writing children’s books, what advice would you like to give them? Where should they start?

MWA: I would recommend joining your local chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org). They offer workshops to hone your craft and access to many agents and editors. The organization can also help you find a critique group which is an invaluable tool for elevating the quality of your manuscripts.

CC: It’s been a pleasure learning about your experience Maria. Happy writing and congratulations on your book!

BUY  THE BOOK HERE:

Support local independent bookstores by clicking here to make your purchase.

e

Author Maria Wen Adcock Photo Credit Maria Wen Adcock
Author Maria Wen Adcock Photo Credit: Maria Wen Adcock

AUTHOR BIO:

Maria Wen Adcock is the author of It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George [2023] published by Clarion Books/Harper Collins. Maria is a first-generation Chinese-American writer and founder of the award-winning multicultural parenting blog www.BiculturalMama.com. She has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Bloomberg News, Newsday, and Huffington Post. Maria is a board member of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an organization supporting diverse parenting bloggers, and co-host of the annual event Multicultural Children’s Book Day.
Follow: Facebook |Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

 

 

e

INTERVIEWER BIO:

Charlotte has written and illustrated a variety of books including Night Market Rescue and BoBo Loves Dumplings. With over 20 years of EdTech experience, Charlotte has also written and published K-12 curriculum for a variety of companies including CodeCombat, Disney, and Wonder Workshop. You can learn more about Charlotte’s work at: www.charlotte.art. You can also find her on Instagram @charlottemakesbooks or Twitter @charlottedraws

ILLUSTRATOR LINKS:

Website: https://reazhaiart.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zhazhazhaart/

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