Holiday Book Drive - Year Five!

Holiday Book Drive Chi is back for year FIVE, woohoo! And I have the best news: We get to deliver book joy to young readers in person again! In 2020, in partnership with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy in Chicago and literacy supporters across the country, we collected and donated more books than ever before - 728 titles!

But we really missed being able to talk to students and bring stories directly into classrooms. This December, we will be able to make deliveries face-to-face, in accordance with all district social distancing and masking rules, of course!

When Pastor Neal and I met this week to talk through the details for Delivery Day 2021, I also got to pass along our first book joy bundle of the season! An incredible gift of an entire classroom donation of BE STRONG from New York Times bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller. Thank you, Pat!!

BE STRONG by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jen Hill (Roaring Brook Press) is a follow-up picture book to the international sensation BE KIND. The book released this August and is just as fabulous as the story that came before it. I’m so excited that the readers served by Leading with Literacy will be getting BE STRONG for their home libraries!

What will Holiday Book Drive 2021 bring? It’s hard to say, but I’ve learned over the past four years that our hopes and dreams for what we might be able to accomplish together are never as big and beautiful as what springs forth from the simple goal of placing new books into children’s hands. I asked Pastor Neal a bit about the impact of Holiday Book Drive 2020, in the height of covid. Here’s what he had to share!

Like the rest of the world, 2020 brought about so many challenges and at times feelings of being overwhelmed. While we all grappled with the pandemic and its effects, I felt especially concerned for our young scholars. Not only were they forced to navigate virtual learning, they missed out on being in class with other students .

As usual and especially last year, the literary heroes from our Holiday Book Drive came through, and each donation lifted our spirits and allowed love to overshadow covid -19. At times, the delivery had to be creative… meeting teachers in parking lots, driving by in front of homes for contactless delivery, and leaving boxes with security in student-less schools. We are grateful and looking forward to serving students in person by delivering awesome love from our heroes directly to them.

---

Starting on October 1, we are officially open for donations for Holiday Book Drive 2021! Here’s how you can be part of this year’s effort - we so hope you join us!

• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - are all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.

• Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!

• Book-Skype Combo: Also, authors! If you’d like to donate a copy/copies of your book to a class, and offer a free virtual visit alongside it, that would be terrific! I’d be happy to help make those arrangements.

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too. Whatever works best for you!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2021. On Delivery Day, we will bring your donations to schools all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Let’s make this a holiday full of JOY again in 2021!

---

Below, you’ll find all of the books donated for Holiday Book Drive 2021, so far!

Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive with an entire classroom donation of…

BE STRONG

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Jen Hill, Roaring Brook Press)

---

Thank you Beth Anderson for donating an entire classroom set of…

TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE

(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by S. D. Schindler, Calkins Creek)

---

Thank you Jarrett Lerner for donating an entire classroom set of…

GEEGER THE ROBOT TO THE RESCUE

(By Jarrett Lerner, Illustrated by Serge Seidlitz, Aladdin Quix)

---

Thank you Lisa Katzenberger for donating an entire classroom set of…

IT WILL BE OK

(By Lisa Katzenberger, Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, Sourcebooks)

---

Thank you Bradley family for donating an entire classroom set of…

BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA

(by Lauren Wolk, Dutton Books for Young Readers)

---

Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer for donating an entire classroom set of…

A SCARF FOR SQUIRREL

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Clair Rossiter, Highlights Puzzle Readers)

---

Thank you Two Lions for donating an entire classroom set of my debut picture book…

DANCING WITH DADDY

(By Anitra Rowe Schulte, Illustrated by Ziyue Chen, Two Lions)

---

Thank you Two Lions for donating 30 copies of your books…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(by Lauren H. Kerstein, illustrated by Nate Wragg)

HUDSON AND TALLULAH TAKE SIDES

(by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant)

BETWEEN THE LINES

(by Lindsay Ward)

JULIUS AND MACY

(by Annelouise Mahoney)

COMET THE UNSTOPPABLE REINDEER

(by Jim Benton)

… and A SARI FOR AMMI

(by Mamta Nainy, Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat)

---

Thank you Norene Paulson and Albert Whitman for donating an entire classroom set of…

WHAT’S SILLY HAIR DAY WITH NO HAIR?

(By Norene Paulson, Illustrated by Camila Carrossine, Albert Whitman)

---

Thank you Laura Renauld and Beaming Books for donating an entire classroom set of…

SQUIRREL’S SWEATER

(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)

---

Thank you Raven Howell for donating an entire classroom set of…

EEK! MY INK!

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Anke Rappen, AcuteByDesign)

---

Thank you Amber Hendricks and Beaming Books for donating an entire classroom set of…

SUPERHEROES DON’T BABYSIT

(By Amber Hendricks, Illustrated by Kyle Reed, Beaming Books)

---

Thank you Michal Babay for donating an entire classroom set of…

I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG

(By Michal Babay, Illustrated by Ela ´Smietanka, Albert Whitman)

---

Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating an entire classroom set of…

HIDE AND DON’T SEEK: AND OTHER VERY SCARY STORIES

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Quill Tree Books)

---

Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating an entire classroom set of…

ANNA, BANANA, AND THE FRIENDSHIP SPLIT

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Illustrated by Meg Park, Simon & Schuster)

---

Thank you Dows, Rowes, and Schapers for donating an entire classroom set of…

TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A WHOLE IN THE SKY

(By Kwame Mbalia, Rick Riordan Presents)

---

Thank you Moran Family for donating an entire classroom set of…

CHANGE SINGS: A CHILDREN’S ANTHEM

(By Amanda Gorman, Illustrated by Loren Long, Viking)

---

Thank you Dinslage Family for donating an entire classroom set of…

JADA JONES: CLASS ACT

(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, Penguin Workshop)

---

Thank you Annelouise Mahoney for donating 25 copies to create an entire classroom set of…

JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT

(By Annelouise Mahoney, Two Lions)

---

Thank you Lindsay Ward for donating 25 copies to create an entire classroom set of…

BETWEEN THE LINES

(By Lindsay Ward, Two Lions)

---

Thank you Norene Paulson and Imprint | Macmillan for donating 24 copies of…

BENNY’S TRUE COLORS

(By Norene Paulson, Illustrated by Anne Passchier, Imprint | Macmillian)

---

Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, Page Street Kids and Harper Kids

for donating a total of 20 copies of the books…

BESS THE BARN STANDS STRONG

(By Elizabeth Gilbert Media, Illustrated by Katie Hickey, Page Street Kids) and

BALOONS FOR PAPA

(By Elizabeth Gilbert Media, Illustrated by Erika Meza, Harper Kids)

---

Thank you Sue Lowell Gallion for donating a total of 20 copies of your books…

PIG & PUG AND FRIENDS

(By Sue Lowell Gallion, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, Beach Lane Books) and

OUR WORLD: A FIRST BOOK OF GEOGRAPHY

(By Sue Lowell Gallion, Illustrated by Lisk Feng, Phaidon)

---

Thank you Jodi McKay for donating a total of 20 copies of your book…

PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE

(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman)

---

Thank you Lauren H. Kerstein for donating a total of 20 copies of your books…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE MAKE WAVES

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions

HOME FOR A WHILE

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Natalia Moore, Magination Press)

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions

---

Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating 15 copies of your book…

ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Quill Tree Books)

---

Thank you Laura Gehl for donating 14 copies of your books…

BRILLIANT BABY: Does Math, Explores Science, Plays Music and Fights Germs

(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Jean Claude, little bee books)

BASEBALL BABY and SOCCER BABY (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Reggie Brown, Little Simon)

PEEP AND EGG: I’m Not Hatching (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, FSG)

---

Thank you Michelle Schaub and Cardinal Rule Press for donating 12 copies of your book…

KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Claire LaForte, Cardinal Rule Press)

---

Thank you Richard Ho for donating 10 copies of your book…

THE LOST PACKAGE

(By Richard Ho, Illustrated by Jessica Lanan, Roaring Brook Press)

---

Thank you Kira Bigwood for donating 10 copies of your book…

SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY

(By Kira Bigwood, Illustrated by Celia Krampien, Atheneum)

---

Thank you Mikuta Family for donating 10 copies of…

STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME

(By Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Raúl the Third, A Caitlyn Dloughy Book / Atheneum)

---

Thank you Bea Birdsong for donating 9 copies of your books…

SAM’S FIRST WORD (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Holly Hatam, Little, Brown)

HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming, Rodale Kids) and

I WILL BE FIERCE! (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, Roaring Brook Press)

---

Thank you NoNieqa Ramos for donating 8 copies of your books…

HAIR STORY (By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Keisha Morris, Carolrhoda) and

THE TRUTH IS (By NoNieqa Ramos, Carolrhoda)

---

Thank you Nalini Raghunandan for donating 8 copies of your books…

FANNY THE CHAMP and FANNY SAVED THE DAY

---

Thank you Mike Wu for donating 6 copies of your books…

ELLIE MAKES A FRIEND (By Mike Wu, Disney-Hyperion)

HENRI’S HATS (By Mike Wu, Disney Press) and

ELLIE (By Mike Wu, Disney-Hyperion)

---

Thank you to an anonymous donor for giving 6 copies of…

WHEN YOU ARE BRAVE

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, Little, Brown)

---

Thank you Robin Newman for donating 5 copies of your book…

DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT!

(By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Susan Batori, Sleeping Bear Press)

---

Thank you Andrea Hall for donating 5 copies of your book…

SHE’S ON THE MONEY

(By Andrea Hall, Illustrated by Li Zhang, Albert Whitman)

---

Thank you Alastair Heim for donating 5 copies of your book…

QUIET DOWN, LOUD TOWN!

(By Alastair Heim, Illustrated by Matt Hunt, Clarion Books)

---

Thank you Christine Van Zandt for donating three copies of…

A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNDERPANTS

(By Christine Van Zandt, Illustrated by Harry Briggs, becker & meyer kids!)

---

Thank you Gabi Snyder for donating two copies of…

LISTEN

(By Gabi Snyder, Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, Paula Wiseman)

---

Thank you Debra Kempf Shumaker for donating two of your books…

TELL SOMEONE

(By Debra Kempf Shumaker, Illustrated by Tristan Yuvienco, Albert Whitman)

FREAKY, FUNKY FISH

(By Debra Kempf Shumaker, Illustrated by Claire Powell, Running Press Kids)

---

Thank you Kristy Everington for donating a copy of…

ISOBEL ADDS IT UP

(By Kristy Everington, Illustrated by AG Ford, Random House Studio)

---

Thank you Leah Rose Kessler for donating a copy of…

RAT FAIR

(By Leah Rose Kessler, Illustrated by Cleonique Hilsaca, POW! Kids Books)

---

Thank you Melissa Stoller for donating a copy of…

PLANTING FRIENDSHIP: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM

(By Callie Metler, Shirin Rahman and Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Kate Talbot, Clear Fork)

---

Thank you Anna Lazowski for donating a copy of…

T. REXES CAN’T TIE THEIR SHOES

(By Anna Lazowski, Illustrated by Steph Laberis, Doubleday Books for Young Readers)

---

CURRENT TOTAL:

828 BOOKS

Thank you for coming along on this journey and being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars!

I can’t wait to see what we do together this holiday season!

Miss E's 2021 Halloween Costume Pick

I can’t believe I’m even typing this, but… we’re kind of on the ball this year with Halloween! Now that the girls are back in school full-time, I’m channeling my inner Marvel Black Widow, attacking my to do list with swift roundhouses and lethal jabs… and that includes costumes. Getting stuff done never felt so good!

Yep, our girls’ trick-or-treating ensembles are coming together, with new components arriving on the stoop almost every day. Miss L wanted to be “a grandma,” complete with little gold glasses and a white wig, to match her friend across the street, who will be “a grandpa.” Miss L has been bringing her cane prop to the dinner table and on car rides and even tucked it under the covers with her last night. She looks more like Little Bo Peep than a Golden Girl, but she’s in deep method mode, and I’m not going to be the one to break her concentration.

Miss C will be Violet Baudelaire from Lemony Snicket’s "A Series of Unfortunate Events,” in all her big sis Victorian Goth glory, garb and charm. I actually would like an adult-sized version of her entire costume, from the Peter Pan collared floral A-line dress to her cozy fuzzy cardigan. Even the black wig with bangs is pretty stinking cute.

And what about Miss E? What does she want to be? We sat down to peruse our options…

I’ve enjoyed sharing her single-elimination costume tournament in the past and thought you might like to join us again this year! It also gives me a chance to share how Miss E uses alternative communication and images to make choices, which is fun!

First, I modeled the activity in her PODD book:

• I have something to say

• Let’s do something

• It’s happening now

• Clothes

• Your, Clothes

• Categories, Special Events

• Special Events, Turn the Page

• Halloween

Then it was time to survey the options!

We’ve had great success with Target’s costumes in the past. Their pictures are so vivid and clear on the screen, which makes it easy for me to create boom-card style screen grabs. So this year, we went straight for the red bullseye. (PS, I’m super excited to share that Target is carrying my debut book DANCING WITH DADDY, for pre-order! That’s worthy of a Halloween shriek - Eeeek!)

Well, I can tell you this. After checking out the options, Miss E was not interested in any of the princesses. The past two years were much the same, as she chose more whimsical and book-based characters, such as Pinkalicious and Cindy Lou Who. She weighs in on her 2021 choices in this vid…

So what made the line up this year? Unfortunately that cute Monster costume she liked wasn’t in her size. So Miss E picked an alternate, resulting in these six spunky favorites:

Group A: The Grim Reaper, Dalmation Girl, and Gogo Dancer…

Group B: Bat Girl, Mermaid, and Werewolf

Then, from those six, she narrowed her choices to two:

Dalmation Girl and Mermaid

What did Miss E choose?

You might notice that both of her finalists are found in beloved stories, again! (101 Dalmations and The Little Mermaid, respectively.)

She ultimately dove into this shiny, swishy ensemble…

Luckily the weather stayed nice for a while - we didn’t have to bundle until the sun went down. She gripped a Twix bar most of the night - which was really exciting, because sustained grasp is something that we’ve been working on for a long time! That’ll be the first thing we taste, after trick-or-treating.

Hope you had a Happy Halloween and enjoyed seeing all costumes! So much work, right? But so stinking cute.

Author Spotlight: Rajani LaRocca

As many of you know, my eldest daughter was born with a chromosomal deletion (4p-), also know as Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Before the day of her birth and the date of her diagnosis - about 10 years ago - I hadn’t given DNA too much thought. Suddenly, my husband and I were being asked so many questions… and asking so many, too —

Are you a carrier of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome?

How big is her deletion?

Chromosomes have arms?

(The last question was mine!)

So much to learn. And yet, so much that simply was and is - the unique beauty and design of each person and each living thing.

Due to its complex nature, DNA is something that I haven’t discussed with our three girls, but I want to! I want them to better understand themselves and others and the natural world. Now, thanks to a new picture book on this very topic, I have an excellent way to start the conversation.

Meet THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU: ALL ABOUT YOUR DNA by Rajani LaRocca, MD, illustrated by Steven Salerno (little bee books), which publishes this week on Sept. 14, 2021.

I first encountered the work of author Rajani LaRocca last year, when I was compiling my annual Picture Book Picks blog feature. Author Hayley Barrett recommended LaRocca’s SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS as her favorite picture book of 2020, describing it as “visually gorgeous and delightfully intelligent, not to mention heartwarming.” I had to pick it up and check it out!

Like Hayley, I found LaRocca’s story to be completely exquisite. Rich, compelling and smart, while also warm and familiar. So when I learned that LaRocca had written a new picture book about DNA, I needed to know more. I noticed the MD behind her name and looked closer still to find that LaRocca attended Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, trained in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and has been working as a primary care physician since 2001.

MD, indeed!

LaRocca also is an incredibly prolific author of books for children. She has six (…SIX!) books coming out this year alone. I can’t wait to read these titles:

• RED WHITE AND WHOLE (February 2021) - a novel

• BRACELETS FOR BINA’S BROTHERS (April 2021) - a picture book

• MUCH ADO ABOUT BASEBALL (June 2021) - a novel

• WHERE THREE OCEANS MEET (August 2021) - a picture book

• MY LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS (August 2021) - a picture book

And now, LaRocca is celebrating the book birthday of THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU, a September release. An an author to watch, no doubt!

THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU is a non-fiction picture book about the design that makes each living creature unique. The story begins with an array of animals. In rhyme, LaRocca asks readers why aren’t you “fuzzy” like a dog or “buzzy” like a bee? Why you aren’t you “leapy” like a frog or “creepy” like a spider? As children ponder the differences between humans and animals, it’s clear that something inside of us is making us different.

But what is it?

Enter DNA - the secret code inside us. LaRocca’s clear descriptions and catchy lyricism make a topic foreign to many children (and adults, like me!) easy to grasp and retain. And Salerno’s colorful, detailed, active art is both scientifically informative and energetically animated. A favorite line, about DNA: It looks like twisted ladders, or tiny twirling noodles. It makes us into people, instead of into poodles.

THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU concisely shares essential facts, then immediately connects the concepts to children’s curiosities and life experiences. This fantastic balance allows the story to inform and entertain, in equal parts, much like half of each biological parents’ chromosomes make a beautiful one-of-a-kind whole.

THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU contains a message, as well. That while your DNA tells your body how it will appear and assigns certain attributes and abilities, that isn’t the end of the story. You decide where to look and how to play. You choose what you’ll be. The reader leaves this story empowered to make choices that fulfill their own wishes and dreams - stepping outside the bounds of design to design their own destinies.

I was eager to learn the story behind this story, and how LaRocca made this special book sing with science and inspiration. Lucky for me, she was able to make a stop by the blog on her busy launch week! I hope you enjoy my Author Spotlight with Rajani LaRocca:

---

3 Questions with Rajani LaRocca

Why did you want to tell this story?

 I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that the “blueprint” for every living thing lies in our cells, and how DNA is a code that must be translated in order for life to exist. In my medical career, one notion that often comes up is “nature vs. nurture”: what traits are predetermined, and how do our actions influence our health? In a book that explains genetics for kids, I wanted to explain the basics of genes, but also make sure to touch the importance of our choices in determining who we are.

How did you arrive at rhyme when drafting this manuscript? 

This manuscript started off rhyming, and no matter how many times I tried to de-rhyme it, it kept coming back in rhyme. Part of the reason is that the idea for this book came to me as a refrain: “There’s a secret code inside you / a code called DNA / A code that tells your body’s cells / what they should do each day.” 

It was only years later that I realized there’s another reason I had to write the book in rhyme. DNA nucleotides always pair up in the same way—adenine with thymine, and cytosine with guanine—and this is similar to how lines “pair” in rhyming manuscripts! My subconscious had decided long ago that this was how this book needed to be written. And it makes perfect sense, because to me, science is poetry.

What do you hope that children take away from the experience of reading this book?

I hope that kids come away fascinated and full of wonder about the science of DNA and genetics. And I hope they understand that their choices also very much determine who they are and who they become.

---

Thank you for visiting the blog, Rajani!

Rajani LaRocca was born in India, raised in Kentucky, and now lives in the Boston area, where she practices medicine and writes award-winning books for young readers. She’s always been an omnivorous reader, and now she is an omnivorous writer of fiction and nonfiction, novels and picture books, prose and poetry. She finds inspiration in her family, her childhood, the natural world, math, science, and just about everywhere she looks. Learn more about Rajani and her books at www.RajaniLaRocca.com and Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. She also co-hosts the STEM Women in KidLit Podcast.

---

*** Win THE SECRET CODE INSIDE YOU **

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Tag a friend

4. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 9/17/21 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!

Kidlit Spotlight: LISTEN

The sounds of a new school year are here, all around us. A cascade of morning alarms. Cereal tumbling and tinging in the bowl. Papers shuffling. Zippers zooping. Storm doors slamming. Then out, into spaces and places both familiar and new…

… where more sounds await. On and on, everywhere. Until light switch click.

The auditory imprints of our day create song and soundtrack - intro, verse, chorus, and refrain - as we move from activity to activity. Is the information inundating our ears merely noise? Or is it, when parsed, meaningful and connective? When it’s all jumbled together, layered and mixed, it can be hard to tell.

New picture book LISTEN is a story about slowing down and tuning in to the multitude of sounds that hearing people receive each day. Here’s the calm, gentle cover of this thoughtful, tempered tale by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster), which arrived on shelves this summer, just in time for a boisterous, bustling school year.

LISTEN is a picture book about recognizing and separating the sounds of the world - each woof! beep! and vroom! - to better learn about your environment and your place within it. Palette, purpose and repetition work in tandem to deliver a story that encourages reflection and mindfulness. Here are three things that I love about the new picture book LISTEN…

---

Impactful Palette

What is the color of calm and observation? Of care and concentration? Illustrator Stephanie Graegin washes the cover and pages of LISTEN in a soft, steely, teal that’s rich in detail but serene and familiar. It instantly lowers the volume on the story and encourages the slow, deliberate experience that’s also requested by the title: Listen.

Art by Stephanie Graegin

With this mood established, readers meet a young girl as she begins her journey through the day. She stands on the doorstep of her home, looking out upon the street. Her posture and pose are open and receptive, but also a bit anxious and on alert. The girl is in full vibrant color, whereas the setting behind her by contrast is blue-gray, conveying things that are well known and understood. This style centers the girl and also sets the stage for new and distracting sounds to come. And they do…

Art by Stephanie Graegin

---

Purposeful Appeal

With father and sibling by her side, the girl heads toward school. Brightly rendered objects continue to emphasize new things and people crossing the main character’s consciousness: Unfamiliar faces, fresh popping blossoms, colorful cars rolling by.

Author Gabi Snyder’s rich writing takes off, detailing the sounds that are registering in the girl’s mind. Appealing directly to the reader, the narrator asks, “Do you hear a dog yip-yip-yapping from window to yard to passing car.” These questions in the text ask readers to take stock and take note - of what they hear, where sound is coming from, and where it’s going next.

Art by Stephanie Graegin

---

Repeated Reminder

Playground hollers. Gravel crunch. Sidewalk chalk scrape. The narrator asks the reader, can you hear each of these things? The continual queries encourage readers to place themselves in the situation as both observers and present, active participants. Then, after setting each sensorial scene, the text reminds again: Listen. The refrain, set off in orange type, is less a command, and more a centering call to action. As sounds swirl around the girl, this simple repeated word brings focus.

Art by Stephanie Graegin

The reminder to listen in this story isn’t merely environmental. It extends to interpersonal relationships, too. To joyful stories and hurtful words. To sobs, sighs, and even silence. In the end, the invitation to listen is about being aware of the needs and feelings of others, as well, so that you can play a role in righting wrongs and bringing comfort to others. Then, as the girl’s day concludes, the narrator asks a question of quiet reflection. In the stillness of your room, “Can you hear the voice inside you?”

Today, many children return to school amidst prolonged and ever-changing extenuating circumstances. From masks to no masks, to community tensions and continued school precautions. Sounds and words of worry and anger mix with excitement and joy and new things to learn. It’s all so, so much. As students struggle to process the endless parade of stimuli, LISTEN facilitates meditation and conversation - an incredible resource and tool for parents and educators alike in this current moment.

---

The Creators

Gabi Snyder’s debut picture book, TWO DOGS ON A TRIKE, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal, released in 2020 from Abrams Appleseed. Her second picture book, LISTEN, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, came out in July 2021 from Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books. Gabi studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at gabisnyder.com.

​Born during a blizzard on Groundhog’s Day in Chicago, Illinois, Stephanie Graegin spent her childhood drawing and collecting fauna in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Houston, Texas. She received her BFA in Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. She later attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking. Stephanie now lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she writes and illustrates children’s books. Learn more at graegin.com.

---

One lucky reader will win LISTEN,

signed by Gabi Snyder!

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 9/3/21 

GOOD LUCK!

An Interview with The Picturebooking Podcast

Talking picture books is pretty much my favorite thing, so it was an utter delight to sit down with one of my very favorite podcasters to talk about DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen, which comes out on Dec. 1 (Two Lions).

A huge thank you to Nick Patton for having me on The Picturebooking Podcast, which has interviewed all-time kidlit greats, such as Marla Frazee, Sophie Blackall, Grace Lin and Dan Santat, and many, many more.

Nick and I chatted about EVERYTHING, from my childhood young author’s club and journalism years, to Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome and writing craft. Here’s the link to the episode!

I hope you enjoy the interview - thank you for listening!

Be sure to check out Nick’s other amazing Picturebooking interviews HERE! And a little reminder that DANCING WITH DADDY is available for pre-order now! You can message independent bookstore Harvey’s Tales in Geneva, IL, and request a signed copy HERE. Or you can order one HERE, as well.

THANK YOU, as ever and always!

Kidlit Spotlight: EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO!

You can’t outgrow fear, no matter your age. As a mom, I get scared of all sorts of things every day - mostly activities involving my children. I worry about them getting hurt as they try something new. I also worry about my girls being embarrassed or crushed when I’m not there to help them navigate their emotions.

Yep, the worry is pretty much non stop, interwoven into all of life’s moments - from the scary and unpredictable, to the beautiful and epic.

My girls have fears, too, of course. They usually surface at bedtime, right as we’re winding down for the day. Their worries come rushing in like powerful waves. We brace for the crash, then I do my best to help them to see the shoreline. The dry, safe surface is almost always within reach, even though it can feel far away.

New picture book EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! is a story about growing into, and working your way through, new kinds of fear. Not the fear of monsters in your room. But big-kid fears of unfamiliar experiences and the unknown world. Here’s the bright, endearing cover of this touching story by Donna Barba Higuera, illustrated by Juliana Perdomo (Abrams Books for Young Readers), which arrived on shelves a little earlier this month.

EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! is a picture book about a boy named Ramón and the monster in his room, El Cucuy. As Ramón and El Cucuy chat and swap stories, it’s clear that - despite their fears - these friends have prepared each other for harrowing life moments ahead, including Ramón’s first day at a new school. Here are three things that I love about the new picture book EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! …

---

Balance of Bright & Dark

EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! begins at night. White stars twinkle upon a black sky as the story’s characters wrestle with the same trouble: Sleeplessness. El Cucuy, a sweet little bedtime monster, attempts to startle Ramón with his best scare. But the creature fails to elicit a jump from Ramón, as it did when Ramón was younger. The little boy has something else on his mind. “Other things are scarier to me now,” Ramón says. “Yo también,” El Cucuy sighs.

From page to beautiful page, bright striped textiles and familiar objects surround Ramón and El Cucuy. The brilliant tones and patterns provide a lovely counter balance to the heavy emotions the characters discuss, evoking cheerful and buoyant feelings in the reader, even as they process big feelings and worrisome things.

Art by Juliana Perdomo

---

Parallel Journeys

Thought bubbles whisk readers into memory, as Ramón and El Cucuy picture home. “I miss our old casita,” Ramón says, as El Cucuy imagines the desert wind and the coyotes singing. The characters mirror each other on either side of the book’s gutter (center binding), a composition that emphasizes their parallel journey, as well as physical similarities between Ramón and El Cucuy: round faces, sweet smiles, and cross-legged posture. El Cucuy seems in this moment to be a reflection Ramón’s childhood loves, joys and self.

Soon the characters begin talking about school, which starts the next morning. As Ramón shares worries, El Cucuy follows suit. Whenever El Cucuy expresses a fear, Ramón comfortingly reassures the monster, demonstrating that he’s learning to distinguish between fears that are imagined and those that are very real, yet harder to define.

Art by Juliana Perdomo

---

Constant Companion

Just when it seems that Ramón has it all figured out, it turns out that he needs reassurance, too. Ramón worries that he won’t fit in at school. “What if my clothes are not like theirs? What if they make fun of the way I speak?” El Cucuy understands, although he worries that people in this new place won’t even know to fear him.

It’s when comforting El Cucuy that Ramón finds his courage: “Eres fuerte… and brave. You will make new friends.” As Ramón and El Cucuy continue sharing memories and fears aloud, it’s evident that Ramón has never been alone. El Cucuy has been beside him all throughout his childhood, helping him develop strategies for handling fear, such as singing favorite songs and shining a flashlight directly upon the source of a scare.

Art by Juliana Perdomo

Ramón and El Cucuy’s bond shows the tremendous power that imagined companions can have in childhood development. In many ways, EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO! is an ode to imaginary friends, with an incredibly positive underlying message to children who will be coming to a new town or country, or starting over this new school year…

You are brave. You are more equipped than you know. The tools you’ve used to confront your fears in the past are still available to you today. And - perhaps most poignant of all - shine light into dark places, so you can face your fears head on. They might not be so scary, after all.

---

The Creators

Donna Barba Higuera's middle grade and picture books are about kids who find themselves in odd or scary situations, and characters who tackle more than just the bizarre things that happen to them in their lives. Donna likes to write about all things funny, but also sad, and creepy, and magical. If you like those things, read her books, found HERE! Donna lives in Washington State with her family, three dogs and two frogs. 

​Juliana Perdomo has a background as a psychologist and an art therapist, but her passion is in children’s literature. Her work is diverse, heartfelt and personal, folkish, a bit retro, and joyful, with a Latin touch. She has participated in many beautiful projects, including books (found HERE!), puzzles, animations, branding, family portraits, and magazines. She lives with her amazing son Luca, rocker partner Iván and crazy old dog Menta.

---

One lucky reader will win EL CUCUY IS SCARED, TOO!,

signed by Donna Barba Higuera!

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 7/30/21 

GOOD LUCK!

Kids Day Story Time in Geneva, IL

A year ago, in-person story times seemed a distant dream.

This summer, that dream is coming true!

So far this year, I’ve had the chance to be a part of three live story time events - a lifelong wish and hope fulfilled. The first was at an inclusive playdate put on by Rising Lights Project at Happy Hooves Farm. (Read about that HERE!) And the second was at Kids Day, a Swedish Days event in Geneva, Ill.

Kids Day was canceled last year, due to Covid. But in early spring of 2021, it looked like the event would be a go. At brainstorming meetings with representatives from the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, Geneva Public Library and Rising Lights Project, my wheels started turning with ways to make this year’s Kids Day, planned for the brand new Geneva Public Library site, inclusive and exciting.

There are so many incredible authors within a few-hour’s drive of Geneva, so I reached out to some fellow creator friends to see if they might be willing to come to the library for a morning of story times. Joy of joys, eight said YES, making nine in our Kids Day Story Time group.

We planned to have our event outdoors, but rain moved us in. Nevertheless, the show must go on - and it did, with an incredible crowd!

Patricia Toht read her book DRESS LIKE A GIRL, illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean.

Norene Paulson read her book WHAT’S SILLY HAIR DAY WITH NO HAIR?, illustrated by Camila Carrossine.

Sarah Aronson read her book JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG, illustrated by Robert Neubecker.

I read my book DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen, which comes out Dec. 1 .

(Available for pre-order HERE!)

Jacob Grant read his book NO PANTS!

Sara Shacter read her book JUST SO WILLOW, illustrated by Stephanie Laberis.

Ruth Spiro read her book MAXINE AND THE GREATEST GARDEN EVER, illustrated by Holly Hatam.

Lori Degman read her book TRAVEL GUIDE FOR MONSTERS, illustrated by Dave Szalay.

And Kira Bigwood read her book SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY, illustrated by Celia Krampien.

Being in front of readers, and being together, was the absolute best.

And the event gave me the chance to meet my PB Debut Troupe 21 buddy Kira, too!

We are so grateful to all who came out for Kids Day Story Time, including the volunteers who made it possible - my best friends and critique partners Kate Twohig, Heather Klaus and Chaz Baechler.

Many of the authors donated signed copies of their books for a raffle, and the funds raised went toward the donation of TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY, a novel by Kwame Mbalia, for young readers served by Leading with Literacy, my partner for Holiday Book Drive Chi, a book giving event that’s about to enter its 5th year.

Thank you, Geneva Chamber, Geneva Public Library and Rising Lights Project, for supporting and hosting this event - it’s quite is clear from on our faces that the rain couldn’t dampen our book joy.

And thanks, too, to the organizers of Swedish Days Family Fest at Geneva Commons the following day, June 26, and for author friend Norene Paulson for joining me at that event, as well.

Please check out the books shared over the Swedish Days weekend that are noted in this post - at your local indie bookstore, or at your local library - all are excellent. Happy summer reading!

Kidlit Spotlight: HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND

During more than a year of pandemic-related separation, lots of parents have worried (rightly so!) that their children might have trouble reconnecting with peers and forging new relationships. It’s hard to know how this extended isolation will impact our children’s social and emotional development, in the short or long term.

But so far, to my great relief, spending time in close relationship with others has come back pretty smoothly for our girls. That’s partially because our kids have each other as friends and an established neighborhood bubble. But the girls also have made close friends with brand new classmates - children they didn’t even know until very recently.

Maybe that’s because spotting a friend can be easy, if you know what to look for. As an author and writing consultant who works almost exclusively from home, I get a front-row seat for many of my girls’ special friendship moments. Through their words and actions, it’s clear to see what makes a friend a best friend.

A best friend watches you pick out your dream doll, without getting jealous.

A best friend keeps you company, when it seems dinner will never be ready.

A best friend finds you breeze, on a sweltering day at the park.

A best friend shares the load, when your arms are wary from a swim.

A best friend fires up an extra set of wheels, to double the fun.

New picture book HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND is filled with beautiful moments such as these: Specific gestures of generosity and kindness that can be mistaken for nothing other than bold, true friendship. Here’s the sweet-as-can-be cover of this story by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Lucy Fleming (Rodale Kids), which skips onto shelves this week on June 22.

HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND is the recognition of the small-but-mighty gifts given to us by our friends, and an invitation to be a great friend to others, too. Here are three things that I love about the new picture book HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND…

---

Charming Premise

HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND whisks readers right into a little girl’s quest. “Today, I will find a best friend!” she proclaims, and sets out to do just that. Mama tries to temper her expectations. “It’s only the first day of school,” she says. But the girl embarks on her journey with a wide stride and nothing but confidence.

Flowers pop with positivity as the girl walks to school, and it doesn’t take her long to spot a best friend, or two, or three. From the moment she arrives in her classroom, she sees markers of friendship and best friendship everywhere. Hues of bubblegum pink, sunny gold and vibrant violet, rendered in joyful, playful textures and patterns, create a happy setting where the promise of something worth smiling for is around every corner.

Art by Lucy Fleming

---

Positivity & Specificity

As the main character moves from activity to classroom activity, she meets new friends, keeping her eyes peeled for kids with best-friend potential. With her positive attitude, she finds best friends everywhere. One friend works with her build a tower, then helps her rebuild it after a crash. Another friend performs a magic trick, and then goes a step further to share the secret behind it.

Each act of generosity shows how a best friend goes beyond what’s expected to add a special thoughtful touch. Birdsong gives these above-and-beyond moments such lovely, tender specificity. For instance, when the class listens to a spooky story, Birdsong writes: “A friend sits next to you when it’s time for a story. A best friend holds your hand during the scary parts.”

Art by Lucy Fleming

---

Inclusive & Celebratory

HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND continues in this pattern, showing readers first how to be a friend, then expanding the idea of friendship to demonstrate how an excellent friend often steps back in order to share the spotlight. While “friendship” is the meaningful umbrella, and a very age-appropriate one, it’s worth noting that these selfless acts are also early glimpses and models of leadership.

The darling cast of characters illustrated by Fleming allows many children to feel seen, and also demonstrates to young readers that kindness is something to be given to all. The stakes of these pre-school and early-grade encounters may seem low, but make no mistake, the actions that these students make and take are bold and, at times, downright brave.

Art by Lucy Fleming

Best friends can be anywhere. The sister in the bunk bed above you, or the buddy next door. The child passing by your house on a scooter, or swimming beside you in the shallow end of the pool. The ever-present possibility of friendship is something kids embrace fearlessly every day, in a myriad of circumstances. HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND celebrates the beauty of this love, which steps outside of what’s expected to extend a hand to someone who needs it.

Children will identify with classmates in these pretty pages and also be affirmed that there is great value and power in their mighty moves of friendship. And, as a grown-up kid, it reminded me that a new neighbor a few blocks down needs a brownie delivery… STAT!

---

The Creators

Bea Birdsong is the author of I Will Be Fierce, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani and published by Roaring Brook Press, Sam’s First Word, illustrated by Holly Hatam and published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, How to Spot a Best Friend, illustrated by Lucy Fleming and published by Rodale Kids/RHCB, Goat Is the Goat, illustrated by Kelly Murphy and published by Nancy Paulsen Books, and Boop!, illustrated by Linzie Hunter and published by HarperCollins Children's Books. Bea is also a writer for the education market and a former teacher, who believes in the awesome power of books to educate, entertain, and empower. She lives in North Carolina with her family. Bea is represented by Melissa Edwards of Stonesong Literary Agency.

Lucy Fleming studied illustration at the University of Lincoln, then started her career as a children's book illustrator with a love for story-telling, magic and creating art. She is represented by the Bright Agency and has illustrated books with publishers such as Bloomsbury, Simon & Schuster, Walker Books, Harper Collins and more. Her first author/illustrator picture book, Ella's Night Lights, was published by Walker Books in 2020 and has been published in several languages world-wide. Lucy has always been an avid doodler and day-dreamer and never quite grew out of having her head in the clouds. When not beavering away creating books, you'll find her spending time outdoors surrounded by plant-life, sipping a hot cup of tea with her little cat playing close by.

---

One lucky reader will win HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND,

signed by Bea Birdsong!

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 6/25/21 

GOOD LUCK!

Very First Story Time!

Last week brought a super exciting event! My dear friend Jaimie Valentini, founder of the Chicagoland non-profit Rising Lights Project, hosted an inclusive playdate at Happy Hooves Therapeutic Farm, and our crew got to be a part of the fun. Families gathered in the stables and all over the Happy Hooves grounds to meet goats, chickens, pigs, bunnies and horses…

… including this pretty one, Elsie.

Wait, Elsie?

Yes, ELSIE! The name of the main character in my debut picture book DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen (new pub date, Dec. 1, 2021). This day at Happy Hooves marked my very first story time, ever! To see an Elsie, right before I read about my Elsie, felt like more than a coincidence.

When Jaimie and Rising Lights Project invited me to read DANCING WITH DADDY at its inclusive playdate, I couldn’t say yes fast enough! DANCING WITH DADDY is inspired by my family. The main character, Elsie, has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, just like my oldest daughter.

I’m always excited to be a part of events that support disability awareness and foster friendship (such as The Nora Project - read about it here!). This playdate was exactly these things. Jaimie introduced me, sharing a bit about my upcoming books (including WILLOW & BUNNY, illustrated by Christopher Denise), plus my favorite color, favorite animal and love of musicals.

A huge thanks to my sister Betsy and best friends Heather, Chaz and Kate for snapping pictures of the day! I chatted about the cover and revealed the special alternate cover UNDER the jacket - one of my favorite surprises in the book. Then I read DANCING WITH DADDY from this sweet rocking chair. I couldn’t believe that seat was for me! (Am I a real author now?)

The story time audience included disabled children, who use the very tools that Elsie uses in DANCING WITH DADDY, including a wheelchair, alternative and augmentative communication, feeding tubes and syringes. I hope with all my heart that these young readers and their parents were able to see themselves in the story and its characters.

One of the scenes in DANCING WITH DADDY includes a G-tube feed. So after I finished reading the story, I demonstrated how a G-tube extension and syringe connect and deliver food directly into the stomach. Whenever my daughter is eating in public, her G-tube feeds always catch the attention of children, who are curious to know what we are doing and how it works. It was SO nice to talk about this important part of our family life in such a positive, welcoming atmosphere, among new friends. (You’ll notice my girls aren’t watching - they’ve seen this about a million times, LOL!)

Speaking of my girls (who inspired the characters Elsie, Rosalie and Daphne in DANCING WITH DADDY), they were the VERY best audience and coaches as I prepared for the read aloud and toyed with a few interactive elements. As the Beach Boys say, God only knows what I’d be without you, girlies!

Also in the crowd were the Jarvises! Miss E and Miss L are classmates. But more than that, the Jarvises are family. We walk the Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome journey together in near-lockstep.

Hillary also happens to be my fitness instructor via her amazing online Hillary J HIIT workouts. Check her out here! Her Patreon platform got me through quarantine, without a doubt. And now she’s up for the cover of MUSCLE & FITNESS HERS. Yes, Hillary is amazing! Vote for her HERE - if Hillary wins Ms. Muscle & Fitness, she’s buying a new wheelchair accessible van for her family!

The event with Rising Lights Project is the first of three live-and-in-person read alouds I’ll be a part of this month - yay! So if you didn’t make this one at Happy Hooves, and would like a sneak peak at DANCING WITH DADDY (which publishes Dec. 1), please come to the one at Swedish Days Kids Day in Geneva, IL!

From 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on Friday, June 25, right outside of the Geneva Public Library, nine regional authors will read their picture books and meet young readers. Don’t miss it! Creators attending include Jacob Grant, Norene Paulson, Sarah Aronson, Lori Degman, Sara Shacter, Ruth Spiro, Patricia Toht and Kira Bigwood… and me! (I hyperlinked everyone’s name to their website, so you can check out their work.) I’m so excited to see these incredible children’s book makers in real life again. If you live in the area, please come out and say hello!

If you haven’t had a chance to pre-order DANCING WITH DADDY, you can message independent bookstore Harvey’s Tales in Geneva, IL, and request a signed copy HERE. Or you can order one HERE, as well. Your support has completely blown me away. Thank you!

Happy summer - catch you back here soon!

Author Spotlight: Tammi Sauer

I hope all the mommas out there had a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend! My unintentional two-day celebration (a practice I’d be happy to make a tradition) included a date night with Dan, brunch the following day, church with my family, the sweetest homemade gifts, cousin + sister fun, porch swinging, and writing time. So, you could say my tank is full. Sending extra hugs to my mom, Cheryl Rowe! We clearly share a love of the loose fit trouser.

Speaking of mothers…

I don’t think a mom ever forgets the first book her child reads independently. That’s why I’m so emotionally linked to the picture book GO FISH! by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Zoe Waring (HarperCollins). GO FISH! was the first book read alone by not ONE of my daughters, but TWO! I shared the magic of my youngest daughter’s first solo story mission in this ‘lil tweet…

All three of my girls are now avid readers - a dream come true! - and as an enthusiastic passenger on their reading-life journey, I can clearly see the link between their first cherished book and these enduring feelings of literary ownership and confidence.

If you wanna grab the attention of young readers and show them just how fun and engaging stories can be, look no further than the books of Tammi Sauer. Story after story delivers pure reading joy. Her character-driven narratives are brimming with witty delights, silly sentences and perfectly time punch lines, evoking smirks, smiles and allllll the LOLs.

So get ready to guffaw because Sauer’s latest picture book - NOT NOW, COW, illustrated by Troy Cummings (Abrams Appleseed, April 2021) - delivers precisely the color, charisma and comedy that fans of Sauer’s stories have come to enjoy. Here’s the season-defying cover… (PS: We ALL know cow, don’t we?)

NOT NOW, COW is a super funny story about a cow, who (despite many signs and signals from nature) cannot get on board with the weather. The book opens in the midst of cheery, bright, blossoming Spring. Spirited animals skitter across pink, yellow and green scenes, doing seasonally appropriate things. Duck happily waters budding plants. Sheep leaps and flies a kite.

Goat splashes through puddles, umbrella in hand, as a rainbow stretches across the sky. And Cow…

Well, Cow is… not on the same page.

NOT NOW, COW tickles funny bones with bouncy, playful rhyme, a cast of familiar-feeling friends, and humor that grows funnier and funnier with each page turn. Sauer tees up jokes just so, then WHACK! Anticipation soars up, up, up and… plop! The punch line lands in perfect position on the literary green. Often, for a hole in one.

Sauer is truly a master of the craft. I had the pleasure of attending an SCBWI conference a few years back, where Sauer presented and offered critiques. Her remarks - both in person and in the margins of my story - were dynamic, kind, exceedingly helpful and unforgettable. I’ve long hoped to have her on my blog, and… here she is! I hope you enjoy my Author Spotlight with Tammi Sauer:

---

3 Questions with Tammi Sauer

Several of your books - such as NOT NOW, COW and GO FISH! - are perfect for new readers. How do you approach crafting stories for the very youngest among us?

For books like Now Now, Cow and Go Fish!, I had a specific audience in mind. I wanted to give young kids who are at the very beginning stages of reading opportunities to feel like accomplished, real deal readers. To do this, I kept the text in these books to a minimum and invited the art to tell most of the story. I also made the stories a bit silly because I think little kids are often big fans of silliness.

An added perk to Not Now, Cow is that it rhymes. Paired with the art, the simple, rhyming text invites young readers to make successful  predictions. When young readers find the confidence that comes from reading a book like Go Fish! or Not Now, Cow, they are more likely to reach for the next book.

Covid has made connecting with students in person super challenging. How have you adapted your author visits, since last spring, and what does 2021 hold? 

It turns out it took a PANDEMIC to get me to do virtual visits. Kate Messner's webinar series "Reinventing the Author Visit" helped me to see it was doable, and Janee Trasler, one of the members of my critique group, acted as my personal guide as I learned how to navigate my way through Zoom and Google Meet. In addition, it was comforting to know there were a lot of people who were in this very same boat. The Facebook group called "Create Engaging School Visits" has been around since before the pandemic, but, this past year, it's been especially helpful for us authors and illustrators to have a place to share strategies for developing and doing virtual visits.

Even though I can't feed off the audience like I would normally do in an in-person visit, I always go into a virtual visit with the idea that I am presenting to the most engaged kid in the world. I have also made parts of my presentations interactive, and that has worked out well despite the confines of a virtual visit.

I'm hopeful that the 2021-2022 school year will bring with it a return to in-person visits. I already have a lot of visits on my calendar! I will, however, continue to do virtual visits as they are an easy, affordable way for schools to connect kids with authors.

Look at that stack of books! What advice can you share for picture book writers, who dream of writing many (many!) stories for children?

My favorite bit of picture book advice comes from a Cynsations interview that I was lucky enough to discover early in my career. Cynthia Leitich Smith had asked author Lynne E. Hazen a question regarding her main considerations in writing a picture book.

And THIS was Lynne's response:

"My main considerations for any picture book are humor, emotion, just the right details, read-aloud-ability, pacing, page turns, and of course, plot. Something has to happen to your characters that young readers will care about and relate to. Oh, and you have to accomplish all that in as few words as possible, while creating plenty of illustration possibilities. No easy task."

So good, right?!

I think about this quote every time I write a picture book.

---

Thank you for visiting the blog, Tammi! (That quote is going on the wall in my writing space!)

Tammi Sauer, a former teacher and library media specialist, is a full-time children's book author. She has 30 picture books with more on the way. In addition to winning awards and earning starred reviews, Tammi's books have gone on to do great things. Chicken Dance, Your Alien, and Nugget & Fang were made into musicals that toured the nation. Wordy Birdy was named a Kids’ Indie Next List book, the 2021 Book Choice for Read Across Oklahoma, and a Bank Street College Best Book of the Year. And Your Alien, an NPR Best Book of the Year, was released in Italian, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, and French which makes her feel extra fancy. Visit Tammi’s website at tammisauer.com, and be sure to follow her on Twitter at @SauerTammi.

---

*** Win NOT NOW, COW ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Tag a friend

4. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 5/14/21 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!