“Finding a way in” is one of the challenges for an author. But it was also the challenge for the subject of author Jeanne Walker Harvey’s biography of architect I.M. Pei which focuses on his process of creating a way into the Louvre in Paris. You’ll be fascinated by this story behind the story of … More Behind the Scenes: “Finding a Way into the Story” by Jeanne Walker Harvey
When author Marsha Diane Arnold discovered a tale of a steam engine that seemed to have a ready-made story arc, she still had to find a way to embed “heart” to emotionally connect readers to the story. How do you do that with a huge steel machine? Check out Marsha Diane Arnold’s post and… Be … More Mining for Heart: “Finding the Heart of a Locomotive in BIG BOY 4014” by Marsha Diane Arnold
One of the challenges in writing for children is finding a creative way to frame meaning, along with everything else you want to do. In this post, author Ginny Neil shares how she found a structure that would bring home the meaningful hook she wanted to convey. GIVEAWAY! Ginny is giving away a copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “Finding the Magic in Structure” by Ginny Neil
People often ask authors where book ideas come from. The answers can be wide ranging. While some ideas require tons of research, others are right in front of us. How do you dig into the familiar and see it in new ways, with new eyes? Here, Nancy Castaldo shares how two new books came from … More Behind the Scenes: “Write What You Know” by Nancy Castaldo
Today’s nonfiction picture books invite young readers in with a huge range of creative ways to share information. Here’s how author Lydia Lukidis went after finding an effective format, point of view, and structure for her newest release, UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere. Writing Nonfiction with Kid Appeal by Lydia Lukidis Thanks … More Mining for Heart: “Writing Nonfiction with Kid Appeal” by Lydia Lukidis
Author-illustrator Jonathan Roth found a unique and fascinating object to take a reader on a special journey through time. But ALMOST UNDERWEAR: HOW A PIECE OF CLOTH TRAVELED FROM KITTY HAWK TO THE MOON AND MARS has more than a piece of cloth tying history together, Jonathan found a special emotional element to pull through … More Mining for Heart: “The Inspiring Fabric of Community…and Underwear!” by Jonathan Roth
One of the great changes in nonfiction for kids is that, unlike the old days with a standard, sterile, informational text format, now we see all kinds of engaging nonfiction, including informational fiction, creative nonfiction, and narratives. Creative approaches broaden understanding by allowing kids to see a familiar topic in new ways, as well as … More Behind the Scenes: “Making Your Book Stand Out in a Crowded Market” by Suzanne Lipshaw
In this post, author Donna McKinney addresses the challenge of finding the essential tension needed to pull readers through a nonfiction story and keep them turning pages. GIVEAWAY! Donna is giving away a copy of TINY TERN TAKES FLIGHT to one person who comments below! Congratulations to Lillie Pardo , winner of a copy of … More Behind the Scenes: “Building Tension in Nonfiction Picture Books” by Donna McKinney
As an educator, it was truly exciting to watch as kids discovered their agency. Here’s a great post from author Laura Perdew with a super new book and activities to inspire children to adopt sustainable habits, discover how they can make a difference, and become agents of change. Please share this post with teachers, parents, … More Especially for Educators: “What Can I Do? Using Books to Inspire Action” by Laura Perdew
Today’s post features another fantastic nonfiction book for kids from the STEAM TEAM. Read on to learn how author Patricia Newman created the heart of GIANT RAYS OF HOPE using text and photos. And don’t miss the book trailer linked at the end of the post—it gave me goosebumps! Congratulations to Marcia Strykowski, winner of … More Mining for Heart: “How Text and Photos Work Together to Dive to the Heart of a Book” by Patricia Newman
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 