I just found this short video that Oprah recently did on Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, the subject of my manuscript ONE IS ENOUGH. I’ve been working on this story, in some form, since I first heard about it in 2005, and I still find it inspiring. I hope you will, too.
If you’d like to read more about Emmanuel and his mission or find out how you can help, please visit his foundation’s web page here.
You can also read about him:
For various reasons (health, chronic pain, an aging pet, volunteer commitments, and the Pacific Northwest weather), I’ve spent the winter pretty much chained to my desk. Whenever I had a spare moment I tried to force myself to sit down and write—right now! As you can probably guess, I was supremely unproductive. And frustrated.
You know how if you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting? Well, today I decided to try something different. I shrunk my manuscript (with the gaping hole in the middle) and my research notes so that they’d fit on one page each, I grabbed a pencil, and I went for a walk.
Wouldn’t you know it, my creativity was hiding in the woods! I found her right about here:
Once I found her, the manuscript practically wrote itself. And I got to walk (hooray, exercise!) in the sunshine.
We even stopped to make a few new friends on the way home…
On Friday, Andrew Karre from Lerner/Carolrhoda gifted a group of our region’s nonfiction writers with over five hours of his undivided attention. And, wow, was it an afternoon to remember! He brainstormed with the group and helped us hone our ideas into something marketable. He gave feedback on our short proposals and/or first pages. And he gave insight into Lerner, the broader industry, and what makes for great nonfiction for kids. Here are a few of the gems from my notes:
I feel so lucky to have spent this time with Andrew and some of our region’s nonfiction authors. I have a slew of exciting ideas and a boatload of new inspiration and enthusiasm and for the work that we do. And I can’t wait to see the drafts that come out of it (my own as well as everyone else’s!). Happy [nonfiction] writing!
Last week I posted this review of Darcy Pattison’s moving new picture book, WISDOM, THE MIDWAY ALBATROSS. Today, Darcy stops by to discuss it!
LT: Hi, Darcy! I’m so excited to have you visit. Can you tell me how you first become interested in writing about Wisdom?
DP: I have been interested in writing more nature/science related books, so a couple times a month, I read the Fish and Wildlife Service blog at http://www.fws.gov/news/blog/, just trolling for topics. After the earthquake and tsunami last year, I saw information on the oldest wild bird in the world, who survived the tsunami and had to learn more.
LT: Although you’re traditionally published many times over, this book is published by your own independent publishing company. Congratulations on what must have been a huge effort to pull everything together! Can you talk about your decision to go that route with this book?
DP: I created the Mims House publisher to address timely stories like that of Wisdom. Traditional publishers work on a very long lead time, often taking two or three or four years to bring a picture book to the marketplace. With print-on-demand technology, I can do it much quicker. For marketing, I can shout very loud online, ‘Read all about it.’ Traditional publishers will always hold the lion’s share of the marketplace, but there’s also room for niche publishers, supported by new technologies.
LT: Can you tell us about Kitty Harvill’s illustration process? How did she capture Wisdom in her art?
DP: The Fish and Wildlife service makes photos available as public domain material at http://digitalmedia.fws.gov/, so it was very easy to find images for Kitty to use as photo references as she did her watercolors.
LT: I think every book teaches us something new, about the world, about ourselves, or about the craft of writing. What have you learned as a result of writing this book? What surprised you the most during the process?
DP: I was totally surprised that birds could still be laying eggs at the age of 61. But Wisdom just laid a new egg in December, 2011.
LT: Are there any tips you would like to share with aspiring children’s book writers, especially those writing nonfiction for kids?
DP: Talk to the source. When I realized I wanted to write about Wisdom, I went directly to the biologist who lives and works on Midway Atoll, Pete Leary. He was invaluable in giving me information and vetting the manuscript. The other tip is to dig deeper. This story is exciting partly because of Wisdom’s longevity. I did a timeline of her life and times to understand what she has lived through. If I had only told the story of the tsunami, it wouldn’t have been as powerful as the story of over 60 years of survival.
LT: I’ve always said that I will know I’ve made it when I receive one letter from one child saying that something I wrote made a positive difference in his or her life. How do you define success? Do you feel
like you’ve achieved it? If not, what’s left on your to-do list?
DP: I have loved every part of Wisdom’s story and chronicling it for children. I take it one project at a time, and if I can say that I did the best job possible, then I am happy. On my to-do list? Finding more equally stirring tales about nature.
LT: What are you working on now?
DP: My new book, DESERT BATHS (Sylvan Dell) comes out in August 2012. It’s a story about how desert animals take a bath–lots of fun!
LT: What would you most like people to know about you?
DP: I love to write.
LT: And it shows! It’s always inspiring and helpful to get a “peak behind the curtain” of the writers I admire. Thanks again, Darcy!
And, if you’d like to read an interview with the illustrator of WISDOM, Kitty Harvill, please click on over to this post at Archimedes Notebook.
Wisdom, the Midway Albatross
by Darcy Pattison (illustrated by Kitty Harvill)
Mim’s House, February 1, 2012
32 pages
Reading level: 840L (grades 3-5)
How does a bird in the middle of the Pacific Ocean survive the 2011 Japanese tsunami and other dangers for over 60 years? No one really knows, but we do know for sure that Wisdom–the oldest known wild bird in the world–has.
This book introduces young readers to a single very special member of a largely unfamiliar species, the Laysan Albatross. Through this riveting survival story we not only grow to care about Wisdom herself, we also learn about the life cycle, habitat, and behavior of her kind. We see the many dangers they face, both natural and man-made. We learn how scientists are carefully studying them. And we cheer for the particularly resilient gooney bird who is eventually dubbed Wisdom.
Pattison does a great job of incorporating rhythm and repetition to make this an excellent choice for young readers and read alouds, and Harvill’s art is both beautiful and detailed, adding to the story and bringing Wisdom to life on every page. Children will be quickly swept up in the drama and suspense of Wisdom’s trials and will keep reading (or listening) to find out what happens to her next. Then, they’ll sigh with relief at the happy ending when Wisdom–somehow–still survives.
The book also includes acknowledgements, a Facts About Wisdom section, The Oldest Bird in the World timeline, a Typical Year for a Laysan Albatross timeline, a further reading list, and sections about both the author and illustrator. In addition, there’s a blog with lots of videos, pictures, and additional resources for students and teachers.
Yes, after reading this, I just had to become Facebook friends with Wisdom herself. Click here if you want to be, too!
Make sure to check out the other stops on Wisdom’s blog tour:
To check out the rest of today’s roundup of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics books for kids, head on over to this week’s STEM Friday host, NC Teacher Stuff!
(Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.)
A few weeks ago I posted this review of Cynthia Levinson‘s amazing middle-grade nonfiction book, WE’VE GOT A JOB. Now, I’m thrilled to welcome Cynthia herself here to talk about it!
LT: Hi Cynthia! One of the first things I noticed about WE’VE GOT A JOB was how thoroughly researched it is. What was the hardest part of the research and/or writing for you?
CL: The hardest part, one which historians and researchers on many matters face, was figuring out what to do about contradictory information. One person remembered that the events of the Children’s March in Birmingham, Alabama started on one day; another was sure it was a different day. One person knew that Dr. King spoke to him at the church; others said King was elsewhere. A third person was definite that she was arrested for picketing on a particular day when other sources indicated that no arrests occurred that day.
LT: How did you deal with that?
CL: I don’t at all blame my respondents! The events I was asking them about took place nearly 50 years ago at a time when they were both young and frightened. Determining the facts required so much effort that I wrote an entire Author’s Note about it.
LT: How complete was the book when you sent it out?
CL: Because this was my first book, I went overboard what I submitted to my agent! At the same time, because this was a work of nonfiction, which, unlike fiction, doesn’t need to be complete, I submitted a proposal, rather than a full manuscript. But, what a proposal!
CL: It consisted of five complete draft chapters, a narrative outline with almost half a page of text for each unwritten chapter, a four-page bibliography, many pages of footnotes, sources and costs of photographs, and, probably, a partridge in a pear tree. I’ve since learned that this much prep is not necessary. But, I wasn’t sorry that I had done so much work in advance of submission. The outline was solid enough that it structured the final book, even after many textual edits. And, the proposal sold the book—eventually.
LT: What else have you learned as a result of writing this book?
CL: As a seasoned writer for quality nonfiction children’s magazines, I was used to doing mammoth amounts of research that never make it into the final product, organizing reams of material, writing succinctly, etc. What turned out to be new with this book is the human element.
CL: Not that I hadn’t written about people before. I had—William Kamkwamba, for instance, who brought electricity to his village in Malawi; Martina Zurschmiede, the youngest member of the Swiss Lace Making Association; Nathan Wolfe, who is searching for and trying to prevent the next pandemic. But, with short pieces of 500-800 words, you’re looking at the facts of what people are doing. With a book, I discovered that I also needed to delve into people’s motivations, into the passions or fears that propel them to do what they do.
CL: Ferreting out these factors entailed asking probing, intimate questions. “How did your mother beat you?” “Why did you lie to your parents?” Invariably, I learned, when my respondents lowered their voices, when they whispered to me, even though we were the only ones talking, they were reaching deep inside themselves.
LT: What surprised you the most during the process?
CL: Because I had never written a nonfiction book for children before—or, any book—the entire process surprised me. The time that I was most taken aback occurred when one of my interviewees, James, questioned me! He wanted to know why I was interested in writing this book, what I would do with the information he shared, would I pay him. These are perfectly reasonable and understandable questions. But, I thought I was the question-asker!
LT: I’ve always said that I will know I’ve made it when I receive one letter from one child saying that something I wrote made a positive difference in his or her life. How do you define success?
CL: I love this definition, Laurie. I hope this happens to me—because, like you, I hope it happens to a child who reads our work. My definition of success is very particular to this book.
CL: When people who have even passing knowledge of the civil rights movement hear “Birmingham,” they generally and immediately think of the church bombing in which four girls were murdered. I hope that We’ve Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children’s March will change their perception. I would like for readers to associate “Birmingham” not just with the tragedy of victimized children but also with children who took a stand, changing America with their determination and fortitude.
LT: And I’m sure they will! It’s impossible to read WE’VE GOT A JOB and not be touched both by what those children went through and what they accomplished. Thank you for writing such an important, powerful book, Cynthia, and thanks so much for sharing this behind-the-scenes view of it with me!
Today’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is being hosted at The Children’s War.
A few weeks ago, I posted this review of Kelly Milner Halls’ most recent book, IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH. Kelly was kind enough to follow up that review with an incredible interview about the book and her writing career. Please help me welcome author Kelly Milner Halls!
LT: Hi Kelly, and thank for coming! I guess I have to start with the obvious, though I’m fairly confident I know the answer from reading the book: Do you believe in Sasquatch?
KMH: I do not believe, 100%, that Sasquatch is real. I tend to be skeptical by nature—the journalist in me. But I believe there are some very convincing bits of evidence that suggest SOMETHING is out there—an animal we haven’t yet defined and don’t really understand. Too many reliable people have witnessed too many amazing things to ignore them.
LT: What was/were the hardest things about researching and/or writing this book? How did you deal with that?
KMH: I wanted to be sure my witnesses and experts were serious people, not people who wanted fame or glory. There is nothing wrong with fame or glory, but I wanted people who were fact-centered, so that required some hard work. I think I found good interview subjects to meet that standard. Hope so.
LT: During your research, did anything surprise you, catch you off guard, or make you change your planned course for the book?
KMH: The fact that Scott Nelson believes Sasquatch may have its own language absolutely blew my socks off. His reasoning is so clear and logical, it almost make my head explode. If that’s true, that’s a reason to protect the “maybe” primate.
LT: Did you do all the photo research for the book too? Can you tell us about that process?
KMH: I took a number of the photos, but a wonderful Sasquatch investigator named Paul Graves from Yakima, WA, was extremely generous about sharing his field photographs for the book. He is also a musician who writes Sasquatch songs, and he’s featured in the book. But he was very generous, and I’m grateful.
LT: How do you manage all of your research for a book like this? What’s your organizational system? Does it evolve over the course of a project?
KMH: I keep elaborate, well-backed up computer files about each subject, each topic, each chapter, so I can find my notes with ease. And there are so many notes. I read a dozen books, did more than two dozen interviews and collected dozens of images for this book. It was hard but amazing work. It’s what I love to do.
LT: How have your research and writing processes evolved over the course of your career?
KMH: As my children have grown into adulthood, I have been able to travel more to get my information first-hand, rather than on the telephone. Having both field and phone time really adds richness to the books I write and the presentations I give.
LT: How much time did you spend researching this particular book overall, and how long did it take to write the book? Is that typical?
KMH: Most of my books take between three and five years to research, then another year to write. I don’t like to rehash material that already exists. I like to present new information whenever possible and that takes time and effort.
LT: How do you know when a book is “done” and ready to send to your agent or editor?
KMH: The book isn’t even close to done when I send it to my editors or agent. It’s a proposal. It maps out how I see the book once it’s complete and gives us all a place to start. But the book evolves considerably as we work together as a time. I’m selling a concept that will change and improve as we all work on it, and that’s the magic of the editorial process.
LT: Are there any other tips you would like to share with aspiring children’s book writers, especially those writing nonfiction for kids?
KMH: Watch for the topics that YOU find most engaging and consider offering them up to young readers. Your excitement, your sense of wonder will show through every word you write and the kids will feel the human connection. If you are not excited about your topic, that lack of enthusiasm will be just as clear to the young readers. So write about things the excite you. You’ll give the kids a reason to be excited, too.
LT: I think every book teaches us something new, about the world, about ourselves, or about the craft of writing. What have you learned as a result of writing this book? What surprised you the most during the process?
KMH: I have learned that we forget our humanity when it comes to animals at times. But we can also renew it. The more you know about even an unknown creature, the harder it is to simply disregard or disrespect it. It’s like my pet chickens. I can eat grilled chicken without a blink of an eye. I love chicken dinner. But I could never even consider eating my pet chickens. You work harder not to hurt the things you understand well. Knowledge, exploration, is the key to more love, less hate. That is confirmed every time I write a book and share it with kids.
LT: I’ve always said that I will know I’ve made it when I receive one letter from one child saying that something I wrote made a positive difference in his or her life. How do you define success? Do you feel like you’ve achieved it? If not, what’s left on your to-do list?
KMH: I used to yearn for the day when I’d win a major nonfiction book award. Years went by, and it didn’t happen. Then I started meeting kids—many of them boys, but girls too—who loved my books, kids who said I was their favorite author. I started hearing stories about kids who clung to my books like life jackets—kids who drew comfort from MY books, award-winning or not. After that starts to happen regularly, you realize awards are lovely, but the real measure of success are those readers and their ability to feel a little less alone because of something you’ve given them. That’s how I measure success. If I have made your child’s life a little kinder, a little safer, I am the luckiest writer on earth.
LT: What do you like to do when you’re not researching and/or writing?
KMH: I am always writing, so that’s a hard question. I do a LOT of school visits, which I love. I paint, I meet with friends, I work for my friend Chris Crutcher, I walk my dog and take care of my lizard. I sleep now and then, when time permits. : ) Life is crazy busy, but good.
LT: What are you working on now?
KMH: I’m finishing a book on animal rescues for National Geographic called TIGER IN TROUBLE. I’m putting together another YA anthology for Chronicle Books—just got that news yesterday. I am researching the history of video games for a new book project. And I’m going to write a book on ghosts for Millbrook. I have two other proposals under consideration at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, too, but they aren’t firm yet, so I better not talk about them.
LT: What would you most like people to know about you?
KMH: That I don’t have a mean bone in my body, that I live to make life a little easier and kinder for the people I meet. I’d like them to know that I am exactly who I say I am, with no need for deceit or animus. Life is too short for cruelty and anger. Like the Beatles said, all we REALLY need is love. I hope my humanity shows, even in my quirky works of nonfiction for kids. Kids need love, most of all.
LT: Well, Kelly, I have LOVED interviewing you! Thank you so much for so generously sharing your expertise and heart with us, in your books as well as on this blog.
Stay tuned for an upcoming review of Kelly’s new book, ALIEN INVESTIGATION, coming from Lerner Publishing on April 1, 2012 (no fooling!).
We’ve Got a Job
by Cynthia Levinson
Peachtree Publishers, February 1, 2012
176 pages
Ages: 10 and up
Oscar Wilde supposedly said, “Any fool can make history, but it takes genius to write it.” While I don’t necessarily agree with the first part, the second part absolutely rings true. After all, how do you make a story compelling when everyone already knows how it ends? Cynthia Levinson has proven her genius here, because she accomplishes that and so much more in WE’VE GOT A JOB.
By anchoring the events surrounding the 1963 Birmingham Children’s March in the personal narratives of four of its direct participants, Levinson puts readers on the ground in Birmingham. We may know the final outcome, but we have no idea how we’re ever going to get there, and this day-by-day account of the incremental progress—and setbacks—will keep readers turning the pages to find out what happened next. This is a nonfiction book with as much drama and pacing as THE HUNGER GAMES. I literally couldn’t put it down, except for when I became too teary-eyed to continue reading, which happened often.
There is so much to love about this book, but I think my favorite thing about it is how Levinson humanizes everyone involved. It’s not as much a movement or an event as it is individuals, each with his or her own motivations, working with or against each other. I loved reading that even the revered leaders (for both sides of the issue) were hardly ever in agreement. Everyone involved was taking a chance, a risk, a guess as to what was going to work—or not. They were all fighting for what they believed in, each in his or her own unique way. Nothing was simple. Nothing was clear.
I wholeheartedly think this book should be in every library, in every classroom, and in every home in America for its history as well as for its message for the future. Buy it, read it, recommend it, share it.
The book also includes a table of contents, author’s note, timeline, map, acknowledgements, extensive source notes, bibliography (recommended resources), photo credits, and a detailed index. Levinson also has additional info, lesson plans, discussion questions, curriculum guides, and more on her website.
To check out the rest of today’s roundup of nonfiction books for kids, head on over to this week’s Nonfiction Monday host, Wendie’s Wanderings!
(Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy (ARC) of this book from Peachtree Publishers in exchange for my honest review, and it was so good I pre-ordered my own published hardcover. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.)
I’m thrilled to be hosting STEM Friday today! If you reviewed a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) book for kids on your blog today, please leave your link in the comments or on Twitter (@lauriethompson), and I will add you to the round-up throughout the day. Thanks!
My contribution to this week’s STEM Friday, a review of IN SEARCH OF SASQUATCH by Kelly Milner Halls, is posted here.
Jeff Barger reviews A Leaf Can Be… by Laura Purdie Salas over at NC Teacher Stuff. Read all about this poetry book about leaves here.
Roberta at Wrapped in Foil brings us You Just Can’t Help It! Your Guide to the Wild and Wacky World of Human Behavior by Jeff Szpirglas.
Over at Archimedes Notebook, Sue Heavenrich reviews Star of the Sea by Janet Halfmann, with some insight on writing from the author herself.
Anastasia Suen from Booktalking joins the fun with her review of Bones: Dead People Do Tell TalesNext week’s STEM Friday host will be Roberta Gibson at Wrapped in Foil.
In Search of Sasquatch
by Kelly Milner Halls
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (October 25, 1011)
64 pages, ages 9 and up
When I was a kid, one of my favorite books was BIGFOOT: MAN, MONSTER, OR MYTH? by Carrie Carmichael (Raintree, 1977). I’ve always been an animal lover, and I loved the possibility that there was one (or more?) out there clever enough to remain a mystery to us. I lived in rural northern Wisconsin and spent a lot of time in the woods, but, sadly, never saw any Sasquatch signs.
When my son told me he thought it’d be cool to be a cryptozoologist (nice!), I knew I had to get him this book. It didn’t disappoint. He’s read it several times cover to cover, and I’m loving the facts and critical thinking skills he’s demonstrating as a result.
My first thought when I opened the book was how beautiful it is. The full-bleed forest spread with the quotes overlaying the trees pulls you right into the world of the sasquatch from the very first page turn (and the final one, as well). The beauty continues with beautiful photography, elegant illustrations, and well-done layout and design throughout.
Halls combines various myths and legends with expert opinions and eyewitness accounts to weave a cleverly crafted and compelling case for the existence of sasquatch. She doesn’t come right out and tell us that it does or doesn’t exist, though. In the end, it’s up to the reader to decide if they’ve been convinced or not.
This is a great book to hand to any kid with an interest in cryptids or other mysteries, and animal lovers and budding young scientists will also enjoy it.
FUN FACT: “According to experts at the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO), credible witnesses have reported seeing Sasquatch in every state in the United States of America except Hawaii, as well as most Canadian provinces.”
There is a dedication, table of contents, additional resources, photo and illustration credits, bibliography and source notes, glossary, and index.
SIDE NOTE: When asked her opinion of the book, my daughter answered, “I LOVED how she crammed so many facts into this book, yet still kept it completely interesting!” My answer: “Ahem. <cough> ‘YET STILL?’ Have I told you what I do? FACTS ARE INTERESTING!” I have failed as a parent.
This is my review for STEM Friday, which I’m also hosting this week! See the complete roundup here.
Disclaimer: A copy of this book was checked out from my local library for review. Thanks, King County Library System!
I write nonfiction for kids, believe in youth empowerment, and am a sucker for underdogs.
My work is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (definitely NOT underdogs).
