Kelly Rice Schmitt

An Interview with I Ship Author Kelly Rice Schmitt

 

SHANNON ANDERSON INTERVIEWS

KELLY RICE SCHMITT

AUTHOR OF

I SHIP:
A CONTAINER SHIP’S COLOSSAL JOURNEY

Illustrated by Jam Dong

(Millbrook Press; $19.99, Ages 5-9)

 

 

I Ship COVER container ship at port

 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:

Come aboard a massive container ship as it pulls into port, loads up with cargo, and heads out to the open ocean. The ship’s voyage includes starry skies and stormy seas, swift currents and unforeseen delays. Through it all, the crew keeps working—with goods to keep the world going, they must carry on.

Rhythmic text from Kelly Rice Schmitt and delightfully detailed illustrations from Jam Dong provide a riveting look at the journey of one mighty ship.

 

INTERVIEW:

Shannon Anderson: Congratulations on your new book, I SHIP: A CONTAINER SHIP’S COLOSSAL JOURNEY. This is even more exciting because it’s your debut! This is a story about a ship’s journey, but what was the journey of this manuscript? How did it get acquired?

Kelly Rice Schmitt: It’s fun to think of my writing journey paralleling the journey of Ship. Just like a container ship, it takes a lot of people and a lot of preparation to launch a book. I SHIP’s publication journey began with an amazing online retreat put on my SCBWI Ohio-North called the Triple Scoop ReTreat. I highly recommend this conference if they ever do it again. Attendees met with a published author mentor in small groups (created by the hosts according to MS style/ appeal, etc) for 2 Saturdays in a row, getting live feedback on an MS and then having time to revise in between in order to prepare the story for a live reading and feedback with an editor. My editor, Carol Hinz, loved the first version of I SHIP, which was originally focused specifically on the 2021 Suez Canal Crisis, where the Ever Given container ship was stuck in the canal and halted global trade for weeks. She thought the story would be more timeless if it were a general shipping book. The final option of the conference was the chance to add on a paid critique follow-up with the editor after you have revised with their notes. Carol had a few more suggestions and invited me to revise and then submit it to her! I did, and she acquired I SHIP. It was very exciting!

 

SA: What inspired you to write about a container ship?

KRS: After having multiple jobs related to energy ships in my energy trading and supply career, I knew I just HAD to write something about shipping for kids. I loved the idea of a shipping process book, but it took many years to find the right way to tell that story. It wasn’t until a critique partner, Christine Abely, suggested writing about a container ship getting stuck, like what happened in the 2021 Suez Crisis with the Ever Given, that I had a path forward with specifically writing about a container ship. 

 

I Ship int1 container ship bridge
Interior spread from I Ship: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey written by Kelly Rice Schmitt and illustrated by Jam Dong, Millbrook Press ©2023.

 

 

SA: This story is told from the ship’s first-person point of view. What caused you to choose this perspective?

KRS: I was inspired to use a first-person point of view while participating in Vivian Kirkfield’s #50preciouswords challenge, in which writers must tell a compelling story using only 50 words. While writing what is now going to be a follow-up to I SHIP (yay!) I was pushing myself to distill a very complex topic for kids into something simple and relatable. With only 50 words, I realized I could be both brief and emotional by telling the story through the eyes of the subject matter! I felt it also added a connection point for kids, bringing them more directly into that world.

 

SA: There is SO much to learn from this book. Readers can not only learn throughout the pages of the story but also through your glossary of shipping terms and STEM back matter information. What was your research process like for this book?

KRS: In addition to reading many adult books and watching media on the history and technology of container shipping, I also consulted with Youtuber Bryan Boyle to help us with accuracy. I loved his content (Youtube: @bryanboyle) following his journeys at sea as a U.S. Merchant Marine and thought he could help us convey this story with details that would resonate with people like him who work on these gigantic ships and, also, in the land-based jobs that support them. Bryan helped us make changes to both the text and art to better reflect real-life shipping. He was extremely helpful, and I hope we achieved that goal. I love back matter, and I had a lot of fun creating it for I SHIP. I hope everyone checks it out! There is also an activity guide that can be found here (https://lernerbooks.com/teaching_guides/804) with more fun activities, experiments, and coloring pages for PREK-5th graders to interact with the book. 

 

I Ship int2 container ship en route the world is waiting
Interior spread from I Ship: A Container Ship’s Colossal Journey written by Kelly Rice Schmitt and illustrated by Jam Dong, Millbrook Press ©2023.

 

SA: What do you hope readers will learn or take away from reading this?

KRS: I hope readers of all ages discover details about the amazing shipping process that enables 80 to 90% of global trade. Container ships, their ports, and the incredible teams that run them are the backbone of the global economy, and we can see the ripple effects in the supply chain when elements of their journey are interrupted. Urgent medication and vaccines may be delayed, toys may not arrive for a holiday, certain produce may not be available due to weather conditions on the journey at sea, in publishing—books due for a release date are delayed. Surprisingly, many of us know little about an industry that fundamentally impacts our daily lives.

 

SA: Do you have other projects ready to deliver to the world?

KRS: You have such great puns today, Shannon! I’m excited to share that I SHIP is the first in what will be a series of STEM books, all told in first person tense. The second book will be released in Fall 2024 and hopefully will be announced soon! I also have an unannounced forthcoming fiction picture book in progress with Knopf Books for Young Readers (a PRH imprint).

 

BUY THE BOOK:

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AUTHOR BIO:

Kelly Rice Schmitt Headshot Photo Credit Kyle Murphy
Kelly Rice Schmitt Photo Credit ©Kyle Murphy

Kelly Rice Schmitt is a former energy trader and children’s writer who loves getting small humans excited about big ideas . . . like container shipping! Although she has scheduled ship logistics and tracked energy shipments around the world, she has never worked on a container ship. Kelly lives in North Carolina with her husband, young children, and many stacks of books. I Ship is her debut book.  Keep up with Kelly at www.kellyriceschmitt.com or follow her on social media.

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An Interview with Author Shannon Anderson

 

KELLY RICE SCHMITT INTERVIEWS

SHANNON ANDERSON,

AUTHOR OF

HEROES DON’T HAVE TO FLY

ILLUSTRATED BY  OLGA DEMIDOVA

(Clever Publishing; $13.99, Ages 3-7)

 

 

Heroes Don't Have to Fly cover bird on scooter

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION:

Scooter the bird has always wanted to fly around and use words to help others just like his favorite author, Wendell. The only problem is that he can’t fly, so he uses a scooter. Bully bird Squawk teases him and the other birds. “Are you even a bird?” Squawk says meanly to Scooter. And Scooter knows how much words can hurt, so he takes some advice from Wendell’s book and decides to stand up to Squawk and help his friends—by using positive words! One day when Scooter finds himself in a dangerous situation, to his surprise it’s Squawk who offers words that help him. Knowing the power of positive words, Scooter makes a friendly offer to Squawk that hopefully will get Squawk to change his bullying ways.

INTERVIEW:

Kelly Rice Schmitt: I love the idea of a bird who cannot fly! What a great main character. And he is so cute! What was your inspiration for Scooter? 

Shannon Anderson: When my oldest daughter, Emily, was younger, she created this fuzzy, colorful bird riding a scooter. I fell in love with him and told her he needed to be in a story. I named him Scooter and started brainstorming what this little bird was going to do. I had been wanting to write a story about the power of our words – how they can help or hurt someone. I came up with the premise that it isn’t the size of your wings that matters as much as the size of your heart. From there, the story developed. Scooter admires a hero in a book who champions kindness. When a new bird moves into the area who is not kind at all, Scooter makes it his mission to help the bully be a nicer feathered friend.

 

Heroes Don't Have to Fly int1 Scooter Couldn't Fly
Interior spread from Heroes Don’t Have to Fly written by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Olga Demidova, Clever Publishing ©2023

 

KRS: Wow! How cool that your daughter’s creation was able to inspire the illustrator! What was your reaction when you first saw Olga Demidova’s depiction of Scooter?

SA: I feel very blessed that I had the rare opportunity to share my daughter’s drawing with the editor. Olga used Emily’s art to create the character for the book! It makes this project so much more meaningful for our family. I love Olga’s bright use of colors, and her art is just beautiful.

 

Heroes Don't Have to Fly_int2 Scooter boosting bravery
Interior spread from Heroes Don’t Have to Fly written by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Olga Demidova, Clever Publishing ©2023

 

KRS: In addition to the colorful art, HEROES DON’T HAVE TO FLY is also a wonderfully layered text touching on themes of bullying, kindness, and the power of your words, all while featuring characters that beat to their own drum. What was your intent behind the themes of this book?

SA: I started with the power of our words. I was an elementary teacher for 25 years and witnessed the power of our words on a daily basis. (From what I said to the kids to what they said to each other.) We truly can encourage or discourage others based on what we say. 

It seemed natural to focus the story on characters being kind or unkind to launch discussions readers can have about the characters and their feelings. 

I wanted to present a wide array of characters that kids can possibly identify with. For example, Scooter was born with a physical challenge, Skeeter is going through an awkward growth spurt, and Squeak is shy. I try to find ways that kids can see themselves in books and relate to the characters.

 

KRS: What a great message— and entry points for kids to relate to this story! Additionally, you are quite the wordsmith! Your text shines with playful language that makes this such a fun read-aloud. Do you have any tips for emerging writers on how you use figurative language and polish your manuscripts to make every word count?

SA: I love playing around with words! I have led a lot of creative writing camps and clubs over the years for kids and adults alike. If we can figure out a unique way to bring words to the page or make our writing lyrical, I think readers enjoy it more. I know I do. It is also way more fun to come up with interesting ways to describe characters, settings, or situations. I make lists of words, phrases, names, idioms, puns, and possible figurative language I want to use for a story. It becomes a challenge to see how many times I can perk up a page with a new way to say something.

 

Heroes Don't Have to Fly int3 Fly Out and Make a Difference banner
Interior spread from Heroes Don’t Have to Fly written by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Olga Demidova, Clever Publishing ©2023

 

KRS: What do you hope young readers will take away from this book?

SA: I hope the characters will be loved and memorable. I hope readers will understand the power our words can have. It would be amazing if they read the story and then they want to make a difference with their own voices in the world too. Kindness projects would be the perfect extension activity for classrooms and families after reading the book.

 

KRS: So, what next for you? Any forthcoming works or events?

SA: Yes! I have a book through Cardinal Rule Press coming out in 2024: Do it Yourself Dollhouse. Also, in 2024, through Free Spirit Publishing, B is for Belonging will release. In 2025, the sequel to my most successful book, I LOVE Strawberries! will hit shelves. It is through Feeding Minds Press and is titled, I LOVE Blueberries! 

Having new books come out is always a thrill, but my favorite part of writing them is going to schools around the country to talk about the stories behind the stories. I love getting kids excited about reading and writing. I recently hit my 300th author visit and am looking forward to many more. 

You can check out my books, find out more about my school visits, or contact me on my website: www.shannonisteaching.com.

BUY THE BOOK HERE:

Shannon Anderson Author Photo Credit Samantha Mitchell
Author Shannon Anderson Photo Credit: Shannon Mitchell Photography

AUTHOR BIO:

Shannon Anderson taught for 25 years, from first grade through college level. A highlight of her career was being named one of the 10 teachers who “awed and inspired” the Today Show in 2019. Shannon is also an award-winning children’s book author of over a dozen traditionally published books and served as the regional advisor for the Indiana Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. You can learn more about her at www.shannonisteaching.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR AUTHOR SHANNON ANDERSON:

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS FOR ILLUSTRATOR OLGA DEMIDOVA:

 

ABOUT INTERVIEWER KELLY RICE SCHMITT:

Kelly Rice Schmitt is a mom in STEAM writing for curious kids of all ages! She loves getting little humans excited about BIG ideas and believes that children are often far more capable than grown-ups assume. A former energy trader, Kelly is an advocate for girls in STEM and business. She writes to spark curiosity, courage, and joy in readers, and hopes to inspire the next generation of leaders and innovators.

Kelly lives in North Carolina with her husband, young children, and many stacks of books. Find Kelly on social media at @krschmittwrites. I SHIP (Lerner, October 3) is her debut picture book.
Social handles: @krschmittwrites on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

 

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