One of the questions I get asked most is, “where do you get your ideas for stories?” As a nonfiction nerd, I’m always on the lookout for bits of history few know about—events that open our minds to understanding the past and the present. But there are all kinds of books and all kinds of ways a story idea happens. Here’s a post from Nell Cross Beckerman on a very special moment that led to her new book FROM PARK TO PLAYA: THE TRAILS THAT CONNECT US.
GIVEAWAY! Nell is offering a spot in her writing class, “From Brain Freeze, to Bunnies, to Book: Lessons Learned Writing From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us.” If you’d like to get in on the drawing, please let us know in a comment below.
Congratulations to Kim Larson, winner of Summer of L.U.C.K. from Laura Stegman!
Inspired by a Magical Moment with a Bunny
by Nell Cross Beckerman
It isn’t often that Los Angeles is depicted in children’s picture books, which is one of the many reasons why I am particularly proud of my newest book, From Park to Playa: the Trails That Connect Us, illustrated by New York Times bestselling illustrator, Sophie Diao, and published by Abrams/Cameron Kids.
The Park to Playa trail is a 13-mile hiking and biking trail stretching from Crenshaw to the beach. Family-friendly stops include Kenneth Hahn State Park, the exciting pedestrian bridge over La Cienega, the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook view, and the bike trail along Ballona Creek.
But I was inspired to write this story because of a shared moment with a bunny and a stranger. I was hiking in Culver City when I saw a bunny on the trail..
The bunny froze. I froze.
A fellow hiker saw the bunny too, and for a moment we were all still, holding our breath, connected in the magic of the moment. Then a helicopter flew by and the bunny ran away. The hiker and I exchanged smiles and continued on our hikes.
Right then, I thought of the idea for the book. It is a celebration of urban nature—yes, we are in the middle of a huge city— but you can still have meaningful experiences in nature. You can connect to other people in your community. I hope readers will be inspired to find parks and paths where they live (we give resources in the backmatter) and appreciate nature is everywhere, even in dense cities. Our public natural spaces bring us together.
LA natives and visitors will have fun recognizing the Expo line, a fruit cart vendor selling “five dollars of fruit drenched in lime and spices,” the Sony Studios rainbow (built to commemorate the filming of The Wizard of Oz), the twinkling lights of Santa Monica Pier, and will even get to experience a nighttime grunion run at the end of the trail, all depicted with beautiful illustrations by Diao.
My kids, like many kids, aren’t particularly fond of hiking. As a parent, I always put a lot of energy into pointing out interesting animals and plants to keep them engaged. This book will help parents who want their family to be more outdoorsy, and give opportunities to reflect on other trails and parks visited together.
Picture book authors who are interested in learning how I revised and structured this story can take my writing class, “From Brain Freeze, to Bunnies, to Book: Lessons Learned Writing From Park to Playa: The Trails That Connect Us.”
GIVEAWAY! Please let us know in a comment below if you’d like to enter the drawing for a spot in Nell’s class. (link above) [winner announced 5/31]
AND if you enjoy a book, please support authors and illustrators by leaving online reviews. 😃
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 
I enjoy nature in my backyard–everything from chipmunks to bunnies, bees, and birds (even a bald eagle, once!), but have not given much thought to more urban settings. This story sounds delightful–and needed.
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Dynamite, Nell! Do you know I’m hitting those stairs tonight?? This trail is a mainstay in my life, and I can’t wait to read your book about it. Congratulations! And thank you, Beth!
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What a fun book. I love the author’s comment about ce;ebrating urban nature. Kids will love this story and be on the look-out.
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Another cool book by Nell…what fun! The art is gorgeous, too. My kids are way more into hiking than I am because of my husband’s influence, which is great. As for wildlife, we have so many rabbits, raccoons, squirrels, and deer on our property that we’re more annoyed than entranced by them. LOL! We do love and appreciate when we hear/see coyotes, foxes, and most species of birds though. One of the most amazing things we watched was when a couple of coyotes took down a deer right in front of our house.
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This book is right up my alley and a new favorite! When I walked over to the local bookstore for a copy I sparked a little excitement over the book with the employees too. It’s so good! Thanks for sharing this amazing post, Beth and Nell. (And yes, I’d absolutely love a chance at the Giveaway!)
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This would be an amazing opportunity.
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