Kicking, screaming, and spinning tantrums are appropriate in a picture book—though surprisingly sparse in children’s literature for how prevalent the are in the life of most children, but we don’t expect to see a teenager spinning on the floor throwing a fit because the “‘rents won’t extend curfew.”
Know your audience when you write across the ages/genres of children’s and young adult literature.
I’m in a cozy, dark room – too warm, and scattered with noises of children’s breathing, soft wordless Beatles’ arrangements, and the burble of the turtle tank filter. It’s nap-time at the early childhood school where I work, and I’m on duty. I’m also working on a major revision for my novel in verse.
Continue Reading Guest Post: Carol Coven Grannick on In a Dark and Not-So-Quiet Room »
By Janet S. Fox
Some of my favorite books ever are the books of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series. The fantasy of leaving home and entering a land where a child can experience talking animals, mythological creatures, desperate (and deadly) battles – where a child can be perceived as making real, respected choices –
Continue Reading Guest Post: Janet S. Fox on Blending History With Fantasy »
Why do we write middle grade and young adult books? Perhaps we love to play with words. Or we admire the honesty and realness of kids—and never quite grew up ourselves.
These reasons also apply to those of religious faith, but we have an added motive—to inspire children,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Susan Thogerson Maas on Writing from a Faith-Based Perspective »
Check out the cover for Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World about Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman, illustrated by Daniel Minter (Lee & Low, 2016). From the promotional copy:
A horse that can read, write, spell, and do math?
The Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) will return for its seventh run in May 2016, to once again celebrate children’s books and content, with a focus on Asian themes.
Catered for writers, illustrators, educators, librarians and parents, the Festival will be home to 140 sessions as part of conferences like the Writing &
Continue Reading Asian Festival of Children’s Content Returns for Seventh Edition »
Author Emily Wing Smith Shares Her Feelings on Living with Living with Brain Injury by Hikari Loftus from the Deseret News. Peek: “Smith’s memoir, All Better Now (Dutton), takes readers into her life before the surgery, as a young girl perpetually in therapy, who spent much of her time angry and feeling separate,
By David Lubar
I love it when people ask the title of my new book. I get to say, “Character, Driven.”
Then, if they nod knowingly, I add, “Character, comma, Driven.”
If they smile at that, I add, “It’s a plot-driven novel.”
I feel it’s a clever title.
Continue Reading Guest Post: David Lubar on The Name of the Prose »
Lately I’ve been dancing between two publishing worlds.
I just finished the editing process on my first book with a trade publisher, Mountain Chef: How One Man Lost His Groceries, Changed His Plans, and Helped Cook Up the National Park Service, illustrated by Rich Lo (Charlesbridge,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Annette Bay Pimentel on Educational vs. Trade Presses »
Visit Heather Lang’s official author site & @Hblang
Congratulations on your new picture book biography Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine (Calkins Creek, 2016) and the starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal!
I was captivated by your account of Ruth Law’s record-breaking flight from Chicago to New York City one hundred years ago,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Heather Lang on Fearless Flyer & Writing Strong Women »
