I’m a big Shakespeare fan, so when I saw this book, I knew I had to include it in OPB in some way.
Book description from Goodreads: “With quotes and sly references to the famous works of William Shakespeare and the words he invented, this adventurous ode to language will delight readers young and old.
It all starts one morning when words fly into William’s window. He wants to catch them, but they are flibbertigibbety and quick and slip right through his fingers. Soon whole lines of verse are leading him on a wild goose chase as they tumble, dip, flip and skip all through town, past a host of colorful characters the observant reader may find as familiar as the quotes. William remains persistent, and with time and the proper tools he finds a way to keep the words with him.”
Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover:
What does the word “flibbertigibbety” make you think of?
Where and when do you think this story takes place?
What do you already know about William Shakespeare?
What emotion does the boy on the back cover seem to be feeling?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
What is the main message of this book?
Why does young Shakespeare want to chase down and catch strange words?
If you wanted to go outside and catch words, what might you try to do?
The book is full of fun new words. What are some of your favorites? Zany? Madcap? Frivolous? Coax?
What other story does Flibbertigibbety Words remind you of?
What happens–or should happen–after the ending?
What feedback would you give to the author?
Writing–Shakespeare is known for writing amazing poems. Try your hand at writing a poem of your own. Here are some specific prompts to help you along:
Create a poem about weather using first person (“I” or “we”), in which you give the reader clues about what kind of weather you are. The very last line of the poem should reveal your identity–for example, “I am a windstorm.”
Write out the words to a nursery rhyme, song, or short poem. Swap in new words to make an entirely different version of it. Here are a few options you might choose to start with:
Performing–While you can certainly listen to or read a poem, there are more things you might try as well. Consider singing, dancing, or acting out any of the following poems. Perhaps get a friend or adult to help out?
Further Reading–Which of these other picture books about Shakespeare have you read? (Click on the book cover for more information on any of these titles!)
With a writing career as big as Josh has (coupled with a full-time day job!), getting this interview to work out took some finessing, but we did it thanks to his generosity and some fortuitous timing related to his new book, Short & Sweet, coming out. So, yay! And a syrupy hooray!
You probably know a lot about him already, but just in case not, he provides a Mad-libs-style bio on his website. Here’s the template:
Josh enjoys _______ during ________ and has always loved __________. He has played ____________ since age __ and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a __________.
And here are what I can only assume are the totally-true-fact answers he fully expects everyone to come up with from this interactive bio.
Josh enjoys living one day at a time powered by the awesomeness of a freshly baked cookie during his weekly attempt to make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs, and has always loved putting the “elation” in writerly “public relations.” He has played the role of a passionate cherry limeade lover since the moment he reckoned to be a force to reckon with, and his biggest fear in life is being eaten by a vampire porpoise that sometimes just wants to give it all up and become a handsome aquatic billionaire.
Just in case that’s not yet enough of a deep dive into All Things Josh, I’ll add these final even-truer-than-those-facts facts sleuthed up by our crack research team (consisting of a single penguin intern named Lefty who’s an especially gifted napper), with a little help from Josh himself.
RVC: Welcome to the world of Only Picture Books, Josh!
JF: Thanks for all of the kind words, Ryan! It’s a pleasure to join you.
RVC: Once people knew you were visiting OPB, they all insisted I ask you about rhyme, so let’s start with that. While I realize you can talk for days on the topic, help us understand a specific way or two that we might move from amateur rhymes to elegant ones.
JF: Great question! The most important thing you need to consider is that to be a successful book, loads of different people are going to be reading these words (agents, editors, reviewers, librarians, teachers, parents). However, not everyone pronounces words the same way you do. The English language, even just in the U.S., has many different accents and you want ALL of those accents to pronounce your words properly. So pay attention to each word and each syllable and each whatever-is-less-than-a-syllable (I’m not a linguist)!
There are only ~549 words in a picture book–take the time to make sure each one is PERFECT.
RVC: What’s more important? Rhythm or rhyme?
JF: That’s a trick question. The most important aspect of a rhyming picture book is the STORY. If it’s not a good book without the rhyme, it won’t be good when you add the rhyme.
But between rhythm and rhyme, RHYTHM is more important. It’s harder to learn and more important to focus on. Any first grader can rhyme. Rhythm can be very tricky.
RVC: Which of your books gave you the most trouble in terms of getting rhymes to really sync up in the way you need them to? I’m going to guess Dear Dragon because of all those pen pal letters. But, you know, pastries! And fairy tale folk!
JF: I don’t really think of rhymes as tricky. Writing a rhyming picture book is more like a puzzle–and I enjoy solving puzzles. There’s always another way to say something. If I can’t get a word to rhyme properly, I’ll use a thesaurus and replace it with another that will work.
RVC: Volume four of the Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series comes out this month—Short & Sweet. Congrats on that! Is it getting harder or easier to write sequels for your various series?
JF: In general, as long as I have a good story mapped out for characters I’ve written about previously, writing sequels gets easier. I have a sense of what the pacing will be, what the illustrator will be able to add, and a general sense of what I want to do to differentiate one book in each series with the next.
RVC: Just curious—are the publishers asking for sequels beyond those required in your contract, or are you pitching new ideas to extend any of your series beyond what anyone initially expected?
JF: It’s a combination of both. Usually my agent and I approach the publisher with ideas to see if they’re interested. And most of the time, the answer is based on two factors:
1) Did the previous book do well?
2) Is the new story one worth telling?
I’ve been very fortunate that several of my books have performed well enough that publishers considered the sequels.
And Short & Sweet is a combination of a scifi-comedy (think Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or The Absentminded Professor) mixed with a magical-bodyswap (like Freaky Friday or Big). In this one, Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast begin to grow stale and visit Professor Biscotti who has a DE-spoiling ray. Unfortunately, they shrink back into toddlers and run amuck through the fridge causing culinary chaos once again.
If I get to write more, maybe it’ll be an alien invasion or horror. Who knows?
RVC: If might suggest a genre, I’d say Western featuring their Old West ancestors in a breakfast saloon. “There’s not enough room on this here plate for the two of us…”
But let’s circle back to you. What was the biggest challenge you had in writing Short & Sweet?
JF: The ending. Not the plot part of the ending (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast return to normal), and not the final page (of course there’s a party at the end and a gatefold), but the emotional wrap-up. Figuring out how to show the character changes and saying it concisely–that spread took several emails back and forth to and from my editor–and she was right to keep pushing me, because it took a while to get right.
RVC: Got a favorite rhyme from Short & Sweet?
JF: Not yet. But maybe after I read it a few hundred times I’ll be able to pick one. Ask me again in a few years.
RVC: Will do. I’ve got you down for an interview part II thing in October 2022. Put it in your Google calendar, please!
JF: Actually, I’m washing my hair that month. Maybe November?
RVC: Deal.
Now, while every author is in some way every character they write, who has more Josh Funk DNA—Lady Pancake or Sir French Toast?
JF: Baron von Waffle.
Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast were inspired by my kids–but deep down, I know that I’d sacrifice myself and have the last drop of syrup if it stops my kids from bickering.
RVC: What else are you working on these days? What books should we be looking for from you in the near-ish future?
JF: I have two books coming out on October 27th, 2020. Where Is Our Library?: A Story of Patience & Fortitude, the sequel to Lost in the Library, in which the two lion statues that guard the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue venture into the children’s room one night, only to find that all of their books have gone missing. Together they search throughout all of Manhattan for their books, visiting literary statues (like Alice in Wonderland and Hans Christian Andersen) and other library branches before finding them … well, you’ll have to read the book to find out.
On that same day, the third book in the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series is being released: It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood. In this tale, our beleaguered narrator tries to tell the traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood, but Red rips her hood and borrows her sister’s blue one, the Wolf calls in sick and is replaced by Captain Hook, and pretty much nothing goes according to plan.
RVC: Sounds like a frolicking good time. I’ll be sure to check it out.
Now, you’re often noted as someone who handles book PR better than most. What are two specific things most authors don’t do (or don’t do right) when it’s time to get out there and plug new books?
JF: Well, it’s important to start building your network early. Like now. Before you have an agent or a book deal. Or at the latest, as SOON as you have a book deal–before it’s announced for sure. If you don’t build your network soon, you’ll run into problem number two, which is: don’t say “buy my book.” Ever.
You can share all the good news you have (“I sold a book!” or “I got a good review!” or “Here’s my cover reveal!”), but never say “buy my book.”
RVC: Book trailers. What kind of mileage are you getting out of them?
JF: It’s nearly impossible to tell. But I figure every little thing could possibly help get word of my books out there. And I enjoy making trailers. Some of the best marketing advice I ever received is to do what you like–and conversely, don’t do what you don’t like.
I like making musical book trailers. So I keep making them. I have no idea if they lead to many book sales. But, going back to the previous question, saying “check out my book trailer!” is not saying “buy my book”–yet it still gets my book out there … so why not make them?
RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. What’s the one question you’ve been waiting for someone to ask in an interview, but no one’s teed it up for you yet?
JF: What were Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast going to do with the syrup if they got it?
RVC: How can I NOT ask that question now, right? So, what’s the answer? What WOULD they do?
JF: I don’t know.
RVC: Alrighty, Josh. It’s time to shift gears from Standard Interview Mode to all that’s required of you to succeed in the Sudden-Death-Quadruple-Overtime-No-Holds-Barred Wrap Up. Are you READY?
RVC: Rumor has it Lady Pancake’s secretly writing a tell-all. Any idea what the title might be?
JF: Fresh Takes: From Flour to Fame
RVC: I’ve got a universal translator for catspeak on backorder at Indiegogo. If it ever arrives and I pop in the bio your cat wrote for you, what will it say?
JF: “Josh Funk cleans my poop and feeds me.”
RVC: Five things we’d see if we checked out your fave writing place.
JF: Coffee, Sharpies, coffee, laptop, and coffee.
RVC: A recent picture book where you absolutely loved the rhyming.
RVC: Two lines that sum up your picture book aesthetic. (FYI—if this isn’t a rhyming couplet, the comment section below might explode like an overfilled jelly donut that got squooshed by a woolly mammoth!)
JF:
Goofy, silly, sometimes smart,
Funny with a little heart.
RVC: Thanks a zillion for swinging by today, Josh. Best of luck with the new books! And if you’d ever like to be part of a non-Monday Bonus Goody for OPB, let me know. We’ll cook something up! I’ll bring the blog, you bring the pastries.
About Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast: SHORT&SWEET
This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (#1 Paper Fan at Only Picture Books) and OPB newcomer, freelance artist Sharon Holm.
–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–
It’s fitting that a book like this is published by Parallax Press, a publisher founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, and one that’s committed to producing books on mindfulness. Why? Because the book’s first line is very Zen.
“There is nothing here.”
And just as Zen can plunge one past the surface of life, so, too, does this picture book by acclaimed Mexican poet Alberto Blanco seek to send the reader into an unexpected journey into the profound interconnectedness of all things. To look at a single page of paper is to sense the tree it was made from, as well as the rain and sunlight that helped it grow, and so on.
Eventually, “we can see the trees, the rivers, the clouds, and the mountains…and we can see people, like you and me.” That’s a pretty deep concept for picture book readers. But if we’re fine with board books like Nietzsche 4 Babies or Metaphysics for Babies, why not this, right?
Still…is the idea that the book in your hands is something that connects you to the whole universe too big of idea for little ones to grasp? Is it too abstract? I’m not certain. It’s ambitious, to be sure. And there’s a clear sense of community and connection here, which I applaud.
The best line is the last one: “Where nothing happens, there is a miracle that we are not seeing.” A note on the copyright page attributes that to someone other than the author, though it certainly feels like a line that a poet as accomplished as Blanco might have created.
Ultimately, the book might be more about prompting discussions and thought than providing answers or entertaining readers. For the right adult companion reader, that might be a great fit for what they want to share with a child.
3.75 out of 5 pencils
–Sharon’s Review of the Illustrations–
The Blank Page has a clever introduction, especially for a children’s picture book–a blank page that says “There’s nothing on this page.” But is there really nothing there? There’s the page, after all. And the book goes on to examine the process of making the paper that makes up that page, as Ryan noted above.
One might suggest that the story is rather simplistic. But is it really? Can a child see that this is more than just another life cycle of a tree book? The words created a depth I wanted to read into.
Let’s see if the art helps readers explore those depths.
I found the design of the cover to be simple yet effective. I’m also pleased by how that design simplicity is carried throughout the interior spreads. The composition of the interior pages–with the use of sparse text and brightly colored vignettes–pop on a solid white background.
Overall, the illustration style of bold black outlines with bright digital color come across well.
But I wanted more of a connection between the actual artwork and the words of the story. Instead, the heavy lines and flat digital color caused the illustrations to lack the same emotion and depth of the words. It seemed like a missed opportunity.
The art and text didn’t quite work as well as I hoped to support a picture book that isn’t nonfiction, but doesn’t have a main character or narrative throughline.
The book’s message seems to be that everything has a connection, and that we’re all working together in conjunction with our universe. And that we must ALL work together as one, with the universe, to succeed. That’s a great message for any child.
3.25 out of 5 crayons
Sharon Holm is an artist, mother, sister, daughter, wife, friend, black belt kick boxer, and animal rescuer.
She’s also a professional children’s book illustrator/work-in-progress writer. She graduated with honors from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a degree in Visual Communications, and was an award-winning art director for various advertising agencies in South Florida before turning her attention to children’s illustrating.
Since then, she’s built an art career through illustrating trade books, fiction, nonfiction, activity books, educational products, and bath books, as well as greeting cards, puzzles, and calendars.
I’m always excited to see when there’s a fifth Monday in a month, because that means it’s time for a Bonus Goodie. The Picture Book Lists have been popular–or so you’re telling me!–so that’s what we’re going with again.
The theme this time?
Girl Power!
Here are some of the most empowering girl-centric picture books I’ve found in my library or coming in via the many advance-reader copies OPB gets each month.
See what you think! And please do what you can to get the young girls in your life to check out some of these titles. They’re well worth the re-read!
From Goodreads: “Scientist Ada has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. What would you do with a problem like this? Not afraid of failure, Ada embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!”
From Goodreads: “Grace loves stories, whether they’re from books, movies, or the kind her grandmother tells. When her school decides to perform Peter Pan, Grace longs to play the lead, but her classmates point out that Peter was a boy. Besides, he wasn’t black.
With the support of her family, Grace learns that she can be anything she wants to be, and the results are amazing!
Remarkable watercolor illustrations give full expression to Grace’s high-flying imagination.”
From Goodreads: “Twenty-six amazing women; twenty-six amazing stories. From Amelia Earhart, pilot and adventurer, to Zora Neale Hurston, writer and anthropologist, learn about the hardships and triumphs that inspired each woman to change the world around her. Detailed collages and illustrations draw from various events in the women’s lives.”
From Goodreads: “Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes, the nationally bestselling and celebrated creator of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, Owen, and Kitten’s First Full Moon, Chrysanthemum is a funny and honest school story about teasing, self-esteem, and acceptance to share all year round.
Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect—until her first day of school. “You’re named after a flower!” teases Victoria.
“Let’s smell her,” says Jo.
Chrysanthemum wilts. What will it take to make her blossom again?
From Goodreads: “Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule—until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream.
Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba’s traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere.”
From Goodreads: “Kate Pankhurst, descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst, has created this wildly wonderful and accessible book about women who really changed the world. Discover fascinating facts about some of the most amazing women who changed the world we live in. Fly through the sky with the incredible explorer Amelia Earhart, and read all about the Wonderful Adventures of Mary Seacole with this fantastic full colour book. Bursting full of beautiful illustrations and astounding facts, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is the perfect introduction to just a few of the most incredible women who helped shaped the world we live in.
List of women featured: Jane Austen, Gertrude Ederle, Coco Chanel, Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Mary Anning, Mary Seacole, Amelia Earhart, Agent Fifi, Sacagawa, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks, Anne Frank.”
From Goodreads: “A collection of folktales from various cultures in Mexico, all focusing on the important roles of women, such as Rosha, a young girl who rescues the sun; the goddess Tangu Yuh; Kesne, a Zapotec princess; and the Virgin Mary.”
From Goodreads: “From an award-winning Native American storyteller comes this captivating re-telling of a Cherokee legend, which explains how strawberries came to be. Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife’s retreat. Luminous paintings perfectly complement the simple, lyrical text.”
When Grace’s teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides she wants to be the nation’s first and immediately jumpstarts her political career by running in her school’s mock election! The race is tougher than she expected: her popular opponent declares that he’s the “best man for the job” and seems to have captured the votes of all of the class’s boys. But Grace is more determined than ever. Even if she can’t be the best man for the job, she can certainly try to be the best person!
This timely story not only gives readers a fun introduction to the American electoral system but also teaches the value of hard work, courage, independent thought–and offers an inspiring example of how to choose our leaders.”
From Goodreads: “High on energy and imagination, this ode to self-esteem encourages kids to appreciate everything about themselves–inside and out. Messy hair? Beaver breath? So what! Here’s a little girl who knows what really matters.
At once silly and serious, Karen Beaumont’s joyous rhyming text and David Catrow’s wild illustrations unite in a book that is sassy, soulful–and straight from the heart.”
From Goodreads: “Once upon a planetoid,
amid her tools and sprockets,
a girl named Cinderella dreamed
of fixing fancy rockets.
With a little help from her fairy godrobot, Cinderella is going to the ball–but when the prince’s ship has mechanical trouble, someone will have to zoom to the rescue! Readers will thank their lucky stars for this irrepressible fairy tale retelling, its independent heroine, and its stellar happy ending.”
From Goodreads: “Meet a city girl with a big Wild West dream.
“I don’t want to be a good girl- Good girls have no fun. I can’t play quiet games indoors, I love the rain and sun. I don’t want to be a girly girl Who likes to sit and chat. I just want to be a cowgirl, Daddy, What’s so wrong with that?”
From the window of a high-rise city apartment, a little girl imagines a very different view and dreams of a very different life, but does it have to be just a dream?
The big city meets the wild Wild West in Jeanne Willis’s lyrical text, accompanied by hilarious illustrations from Tony Ross.
From Goodreads: “ ‘My name is Marisol McDonald, and I don’t match. At least, that’s what everyone tells me.’
Marisol McDonald has flaming red hair and nut-brown skin. Polka dots and stripes are her favorite combination. She prefers peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box. And don’t even think of asking her to choose one or the other activity at recess–she’ll just be a soccer playing pirate princess, thank you very much. To Marisol McDonald, these seemingly mismatched things make perfect sense together.
Unfortunately, they don’t always make sense to everyone else. Other people wrinkle their nose in confusion at Marisol–can’t she just be one or the other? Try as she might, in a world where everyone tries to put this biracial, Peruvian-Scottish-American girl into a box, Marisol McDonald doesn’t match. And that’s just fine with her.
A mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian heritage, renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life. Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios’ engaging acrylic illustrations.”
From Goodreads: “Patrick McDonnell-beloved, bestselling author-artist and creator of the Mutts syndicated comic strip–shares the inspiring story of young Jane Goodall, the legendary and inspiring conservationist featured in the hit documentary film Jane.
In his characteristic heartwarming style, Patrick McDonnell tells the story of the young Jane Goodall and her special childhood toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. As the young Jane observes the natural world around her with wonder, she dreams of “a life living with and helping all animals,” until one day she finds that her dream has come true. With anecdotes taken directly from Jane Goodall’s autobiography, McDonnell makes this very true story accessible for the very young–and young at heart.
One of the world’s most inspiring women, Dr. Jane Goodall is a renowned humanitarian, conservationist, animal activist, environmentalist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1977 she founded the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global nonprofit organization that empowers people to make a difference for all living things.”
From Goodreads: “Barbara Cooney’s story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication.
To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two-time Caldecott winner Barbara Cooney’s best-loved book, the illustrations have been reoriginated, going back to the original art to ensure state-of-the-art reproduction of Cooney’s exquisite artwork. The art for Miss Rumphius has a permanent home in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.”
From Goodreads: “Not all princesses dress in pink. Some play in bright red socks that stink, blue team jerseys that don’t quite fit, accessorized with a baseball mitt, and a sparkly crown!
Princesses come in all kinds. Exuberant text from Jane Yolen and her daughter Heidi Yolen Stemple paired with charming illustrations prove that girls can jump in mud puddles and climb trees, play sports and make messes—all while wearing their tiaras! Not every girl has a passion for pink, but all young ladies will love this empowering affirmation of their importance and unlimited potential.”
From Goodreads: “This is an extraordinary story about an ordinary little girl who discovers an interest in art and transforms into an Artist Extraordinaire! Through her journey into fame and stardom, Pepper learns an important life lesson about humility. This book was made into reality through a Kickstarter Campaign that received more than $30,000 in pledges! Pepper has been featured on Huffpost, Mashable, Bustle, Upworthy, Now This, Babble and more!”
From Goodreads: “She had not sought this moment but she was ready for it. When the policeman bent down to ask “Auntie, are you going to move?” all the strength of all the people through all those many years joined in her. She said, “No.”
A picture book account of Rosa Park’s historic choice.”
From Goodreads: “A is for Activist is an ABC board book for the next generation of progressives: Families that want their kids to grow up in a space that is unapologetic about activism, environmental justice, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, and so on.”
From Goodreads: “Be yourself like Molly Lou Melon no matter what a bully may do.
Molly Lou Melon is short and clumsy, has buck teeth, and has a voice that sounds like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor. She doesn’t mind. Her grandmother has always told her to walk proud, smile big, and sing loud, and she takes that advice to heart.
But then Molly Lou has to start in a new school. A horrible bully picks on her on the very first day, but Molly Lou Melon knows just what to do about that.”
From Goodreads: “A brief biography of the English girl whose discovery of an Ichthyosaurus skeleton in 1811 when she was twelve led to a life-long interest in fossils and other important discoveries.”
From Goodreads: “Suki’s favorite possession is her blue cotton kimono. A gift from her obachan, it holds special memories of her grandmother’s visit last summer. And Suki is going to wear it on her first day back to school — no matter what anyone says.
When it’s Suki’s turn to share with her classmates what she did during the summer, she tells them about the street festival she attended with her obachan and the circle dance that they took part in. In fact, she gets so carried away reminiscing that she’s soon humming the music and dancing away, much to the delight of her entire class!
Filled with gentle enthusiasm and a touch of whimsy, Suki’s Kimono is the joyful story of a little girl whose spirit leads her to march — and dance — to her own drumbeat.”
From Goodreads: “The Princess Elizabeth is slated to marry Prince Ronald when a dragon attacks the castle and kidnaps Ronald. In resourceful and humorous fashion, Elizabeth finds the dragon, outsmarts him, and rescues Ronald–who is less than pleased at her un-princess-like appearance. Full color.”
From Goodreads: “Violetta is a princess. But she wants to be a knight. At night, she practises at becoming the best knight in the land. When her father, the king, stages a tournament for Violetta’s hand in marriage, she knows she must win the greatest battle yet, for the most important prize of all–herself.”
From Goodreads: “It’s the day before the big parade. Alta can only think about one thing: Wilma Rudolph, three-time Olympic gold medalist. She’ll be riding on a float tomorrow. See, Alta is the quickest kid in Clarksville, Tennessee, just like Wilma once was. It doesn’t matter that Alta’s shoes have holes because Wilma came from hard times, too. But what happens when a new girl with shiny new shoes comes along and challenges Alta to a race? Will she still be the quickest kid? The Quickest Kid in Clarksville is a timeless story of dreams, determination, and the power of friendship.”
From Goodreads: “Lou and her friends are BRAVE adventurers. They run FASTER than airplanes. They build MIGHTY fortresses. They rescue WILD animals. But one day, when they re looking for a ship to play pirates in, Lou s friend has an idea: Up there! The tree can be our ship! Ummm … says Lou. This is something new. Lou has never climbed a tree before, and she s sure she can t do it. So she tries to convince her friends to play a not-up-a-tree game. When that doesn t work, she comes up with reasons for not joining them her arm is sore, her cat needs a walk, you shouldn t climb so soon after eating. Finally, she tells herself she doesn t want to climb the tree. But is that true, or is this brave adventurer just too afraid to try?
This delightful picture book from Ashley Spires, bestselling author of The Most Magnificent Thing, perfectly depicts what children go through when confronted with something difficult. With humor and endearing artwork, Spires sensitively portrays Lou procrastinating, making excuses, imagining alternatives and denying she cares. Ultimately, Lou faces her fear, and although she fails, the effort empowers her, encouraging a growth mindset. All the while, Lou s friends model compassionate friendship by offering to teach her how to climb and then moving the game. This book makes a perfect choice for a character education discussion about courage or resilience, or a life-skills lesson on facing challenges. The story also promotes the joy of imaginative play in the outdoors.”
From Goodreads: “Daria Peoples-Riley’s debut picture book is a celebration of individuality, self-expression, and dance. Fans of Misty Copeland’s Firebird and Matt de la Peña’s Last Stop on Market Street will want to read it over and over again.
When a young dancer is nervous about her upcoming auditions, her shadow springs to life and leads her on a joyous exploration of their city. Soon enough, the young girl finds confidence in her skills, her body, and her ability to shine.
With an energetic, rhythmic text that begs to be read aloud and striking, exuberant artwork, This Is It is a love story to originality and the simple joy of movement.
The future is in your footsteps.
Freedom is in your feet.
Put one foot in front of the other,
and greet your destiny.”
From Goodreads: “By the time she’s two years old, Violet Van Winkle can fix nearly any appliance in the house. And by eight she’s building elaborate flying machines from scratch, mind-boggling contraptions such as the Tubbubbler, the Bicycopter, and the Wing-a-ma-jig. The kids at school tease her, but they have no idea what she’s capable of. Maybe she could earn their respect by winning the blue ribbon in the upcoming Air Show. Or maybe something even better will happen, something involving her best ever invention, a Boy Scout troop in peril, and even the mayor himself! A classic underdog story full of humor and sweetness and retro pizzazz, Violet the Pilot is both endearing and adorable. It’ll fly right into your heart.”
From Goodreads: “Based on supermodel Georgie Badiel’s childhood, a young girl dreams of bringing clean drinking water to her African village.
With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.”
From Goodreads: “Before Wilma Rudolph was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she’d run. And she did run–all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single olympiad. This dramatic and inspiring true story is illustrated in bold watercolor and acrylic paintings by Caldecott Medal-winning artist David Diaz.”
She’s a Michigan person through and through, and these days, she lives outside Ann Arbor with a husband, a son, and a cocker spaniel. And a whole bunch of books, one imagines!
SR: News and magazine writing ultimately felt too fast paced for me. I found that I enjoyed spending more time on the text I was working with—to really be careful with language and more creative. I didn’t love the pressure of a news cycle.
RVC: What was your favorite piece of journalism you ever wrote?
SR: I did the Semester at Sea study abroad program in college and ended up writing a handful of pieces for my hometown newspaper while I was traveling. They were writer-at-large type stories—and rightfully buried in the paper—but they were a lot of fun to research and write.
RVC: Sounds like a nautically cool time! I wish I’d investigated such interesting off-campus experiences like that as an undergrad.
Now, working in NY publishing is the dream for many. What were some of the unexpected benefits/joys of being part of it?
SR: The big budgets were great. Knowing you had some frontlist “season makers” like a new Llama Llama book by Anna Dewdney or the latest John Green YA, as well as a really strong backlist with a good number of classics, meant we could take some additional risk with other projects. The publishing community in NYC was also really wonderful. I was always running into people from other companies—and it was really nice to talk with them about issues facing the industry and trends.
RVC: What was the biggest issue facing the industry at that time?
SR: When I was with Penguin, ebooks were just really taking off and it was so interesting to see how the industry was feeling out the best way to work with the technology. For adult books, the link to ebook is easy/obvious. But for children’s books, there are so many more issues around the benefits of books vs ebooks. Many ebook developers wanted to include a lot of interactive features and animations–which can be great, but when does it become a game or cartoon and no longer a book? I don’t think the industry (or consumers) have figured it out yet, but it was really interesting to be in the hub of publishing when the initial ebook frenzy started.
RVC: If you had to summarize the most important thing you’ve learned about editing books for children, what would it be?
SR: I think brevity and specificity are the two most important elements to creating wonderful picture books. There’s something magical about leaving space in the text for a child’s imagination. And if you’re keeping text really tight, you have to be sure each word is working really hard for you—it has to mean exactly what you want it to mean.
RVC: About seven years ago, you left NY publishing and worked as a freelance writer/project manager for ProQuest for a year.
SR: When I moved back to Michigan, there weren’t a lot of children’s publishing companies to work with. In fact, there’s exactly one in about a 500-mile radius—Sleeping Bear Press. Working freelance let me keep my skills fresh while I nudged the owner of Sleeping Bear about an informational interview and waited for a position to open.
RVC: In 2013, you landed that coveted job. What were some of the differences between working at Sleeping Bear versus a large outfit like Puffin/Penguin Young Readers?
SR: I love working with a smaller company. The doors to the owner and publisher are always open for questions and advice. And I love that there aren’t a ton of steps to project approval. If I’m passionate about a title or project, I can generally make my case to the owner or acquisition group and then move forward. There aren’t a lot of corporate hoops to jump through—which I think allows the editors (and everyone) to be more creative.
RVC: Let’s talk submissions. I know you like timely hooks (which right now probably means diversity, social justice, environmentalism, etc.), but it strikes me that Sleeping Bear leans toward picture books well-suited to solid educational backmatter. Would you rather see a great-for-the-classroom book, or one that’s a total laugh-out-loud good time?
SR: I don’t think I can choose! I really love working on books that have something important to say—whether that’s a biography of someone previously overlooked in history or a story that encourages kids to reduce their plastic waste, etc.—but books that are just pure fun are a delight! Truly funny, laugh-out-loud books are so hard to write, so they can be few and far between.
RVC: How many submissions do you see in a month?
SR: Probably 50–100.
RVC: What percentage of those is agented?
SR: I would guess about 20 percent of those are agented or submitted directly from an author I have a relationship with—the rest come in via email submissions per the guidelines on our website.
RVC: Help us understand what Sleeping Bear is really all about. What three picture books really capture the representative spirit of your press’ aesthetic and creative philosophy?
And I have to add A Boy Like You—a story with a really important social emotional message.
RVC: It’s interesting that you mention Memoirs of a Goldfish, because that’s how I learned about your press. I was at Book Expo America in NYC back in 2010 or so, and that book was a giveaway from your press. My kids enjoyed it so much that we eventually picked up the sequels–witness the photographic evidence (minus the Elf and Parrot ones, which my kids have hidden somewhere special, and they won’t share where)!
SR: Oh gosh! I love coincidences like that!
RVC: In many ways the publishing world is a small one, and kids really latch onto their favorites.
Back to the regularly scheduled interview…I’ve heard that you appreciate when an author sells themselves in a pitch letter. But there’s the flip side, which is when a not-yet-debut author might say, “Hey, I’m going to be the next Jane Yolen, only faster!” What are some examples of how to manage the middle ground between self-promotion (the good version) versus SELF-PROMOTION (the icky version)?
SR: It’s important for editors to have the facts on our authors. So writing groups you’re involved with, social media platforms, relevant professional experience, existing school or conference presentations, etc. But authors should stay away from subjective and/or grandiose claims. If you/your story is as good as you think it is (i.e. “the next Where the Wild Things Are”), we’ll see it—don’t force it on editors.
RVC: Great advice. And speaking of advice, what do you say about art notes?
SR: In general, I strongly advise against them. A submitting author’s goal is to have the acquiring editor feel personally and passionately about their story. It’s hard to feel an attachment to a story if every other line the author is telling you what you’re seeing. The beauty of publishing a picture book is that everyone involved brings something to the project (author, editor, illustrator, and designer) that makes it stronger. Let editors have that moment to really be engaged in the story.
RVC: One final question for this part of the interview. Rumor has it that you’re a mega-fan of Gwen Frostic. Actual news or fake news?
SR: Yes! Love her. I grew up with her art and going to her studio in Northern Michigan—I even met her a couple time before she passed and I have a tattoo of one of her pieces!
When I received the submission for Nature’s Friend, I was SO floored!
RVC: Alrighty, it’s time for the Lightning Round! And that means the questions are zippy, the answers are zappy, and the fun is totally electrified. Are you ready?
SR: Let’s do it!
RVC: Which picture book character would you love to be for a day?
SR: Hannah, from Hannah’s Tall Order. She’s got an appetite and knows what she wants.
RVC: Best place in Northern Michigan to get a cherry pie?
As with most writers, I’m a book fan. In fact, some of the stacks of books in my office have now grown taller than me. I suspect Eli would appreciate that fact.
Book description from Goodreads: “Eli loves going to the library for Story Circle, but, one stormy day, the nearby river threatens to flood it. Eli and his dad must brave the storm to help save the books, and, when the storm is over, the whole town must come together to rebuild the library. Inspired by the residents of Lincoln, Vermont, who rebuilt their library on three separate occasions, Saving Eli’s Library showcases one community’s bigheartedness, and the power of water and nature.”
Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover:
What do you think of when you think of libraries?
Where and when does this story seem to take place?
What’s going on outside the window?
Where did Eli just come from?
If you could ask the author any one question before you read the book, what would it be?
After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story:
What kind of person is Eli?
Why did the library need saving?
Can you think of another way the library might have been saved?
Could this situation really happen?
If you marched with Eli in the book parade, would you wear a special costume?
Is there something you don’t understand about the story?
What other story does Saving Eli’s Library remind you of?
Writing–Now that Eli has saved his library, what happens next for him? Imagine whatever you want, and then write down what you think of in as much detail as you choose.
What new challenge does Eli–or the library–face?
Perhaps the library needs a fundraiser to buy new books? Or there’s a book-eating alien that arrives? Or…
How does Eli overcome the challenge?
What does Eli see/smell/taste/touch? Details help make a story come to life!
Feel free to draw pictures to accompany your continuation of Eli’s story.
Perhaps share your results with a friend or adult?
Activities–Try some of the following book-themed crafts. Get a library-loving adult to help:
Class Pancake Book–This requires a few other youngsters to make it work, so invite friends, family, or classmates to help out!
Funny Face Flipbook–This will stop the “I’m bored!” complaints. So much fun!
Paper Plate Caterpillar–For fans of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This one’s really easy to make, folks!
Further Reading–Which of these other picture books about libraries have you read? (Click on the book cover for more information on any of these titles!)
On that same day, the third book in the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series is being released: 
The September 2020 Insider Interview is with…Sarah Rockett!
