There’s nothing more fun than a book that is a shape! The first book of the nonfiction board book series by Sue Lowell Gallion and Lisk Feng (Phaidon Press) caught my eye immediately. It looks like a globe and stands up! One thing I didn’t think about was what that means for the writing. So … More Behind the Scenes: “Circular Thinking” by Sue Lowell Gallion
When I picked up THIS IS TAP, I was delighted by this lively, lyrical, rhythmic, toe-tapping, sparsely written, standout biography. So I reached out to Selene Castrovilla wanting to learn about how it came to be. Here’s a terrific post from Selene about how an idea in her heart found its way to the page … More Mining For Heart: “THIS IS TAP: A Nineteen-Year Breech Birth” by Selene Castrovilla
Stories of inanimate objects offer their own special challenge. As with all stories, I think the secret is to find a meaningful personal connection that also connects to children. In Jessica Stremer’s new book, GREAT CARRIER REEF, she was drawn to the idea of transformation. Read on to find out how this idea played out … More Mining for Heart: “A Transformation Invites New Life” by Jessica Stremer
In today’s post, Donna McKinney hits one of my favorite topics—structure. I’m fascinated by the way playing with structure can open up your thinking and writing. Her book LIGHTS ON! started with a list of fascinating undersea creatures, but then she needed to find a way to shape the information to be engaging for kids. “What’s the … More Behind the Scenes: “What’s the Big Idea?” by Donna McKinney
While every historical rabbit hole offers interesting tidbits and discoveries, there’s always the challenge of accuracy. It takes time and perseverance to sort it all out, but somehow, for me, it’s nerd-ily fascinating. In this post, Cathy Ogren shares how she searched out the facts for PEW! THE STINKY AND LEGEN-DAIRY GIFT FROM COLONEL THOMAS S. … More Behind the Scenes: “Separating the Curds from the Whey in Search of Accurate Information” by Cathy Ogren
How do you make a story about math and electricity comprehensible and relatable for kids? Author Jan Lower knew she needed to “show don’t tell,” but how? Finding connections for elementary aged children in the main character’s actions and processes, she crafted each sentence to build a child-friendly and engaging text. Here’s how Jan did … More Behind the Scenes: “Making the Moment of a Calculator’s Invention Relatable for Kids” by Jan Lower
Voice—mysterious, essential, unique—that quality that every editor wants, the “flavor” bestowed by the author that makes a story come alive. Here Caitlin DeLems shares her struggle to find voice in her nonfiction book PITCH PERFECT AND PERSISTENT! THE MUSICAL DEBUT OF AMY CHENEY BEACH. And you’ll see that even Caitlin’s blog article has voice! GIVEAWAY! … More Behind the Scenes: “Discover the Victorious “V” in Voice!” by Caitlin DeLems
Thank goodness for dishwashers! Did you ever wonder who created this time-saving invention? Here’s how author Kate Hannigan found a story of more than the invention. And we have a GIVEAWAY! Just leave a comment below to get in the drawing for a copy of JOSEPHINE AND HER DISHWASHING MACHINE. Dishwashing Machine Inventor Josephine Cochrane, … More Mining for Heart: “Dishwashing Machine Inventor Josephine Cochrane, Original Boss Lady” by Kate Hannigan
Once in a great while a title jumps onto the page. But mostly, titles are tough! Seldom is the title you start with the final one. It evolves with the writing and story. Here’s a post from Gretchen Woelfle about her quest for just the right title and how it became A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL BLAZES … More Behind the Scenes: “Searching for Just the Right Title” by Gretchen Woelfle
I absolutely loved Debra Shumaker’s book, FREAKY, FUNKY FISH, so when I learned of her new one, PECULIAR PRIMATES, I invited Debra back in hopes she might share something about it. Her topic in this post is valuable not only for authors, but educators, too! I get stalled way too easily and frequently on imperfect … More Behind the Scenes: “Using Placeholder Words and Stanzas until the Lightbulb Moment” by Debra Shumaker
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 