Our best of summer series gets off to a great start today with some of Kathleen Krull's personal favorites. Although Kathleen first wrote this in June 2008, these recommendations as the best of the best still hold true a year later.
Creative Nonfiction at its Best
...and more or less in tune with 4th of July partying.Pickers of nits may have a tricky time classifying the gorgeous new picture book about our emblem of freedom-- Lady Liberty: A Biography. What is noted author Doreen Rappaport doing with these free-verse poems, in the various voices of all who had a hand in creating the Statue of Liberty? The first poem is autobiographical, describing her Latvian grandfather seeing the statue for the first time. Then, from French sculptor Auguste Bartholdi to others famous and not so famous, the voices tell a true story-- how the statue was conceived and built and what it’s meant to immigrants ever since. Here is the voice of poet Emma Lazarus: “Soon when people arrive in the New World,/they will be welcomed/by a caring, powerful woman,” Rappaport writes, segueing into Lazarus’s own invocation: “Give me your tired, your poor,/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” Besides being inspirational, the poems are obviously the fruit of mountains of research, and meanwhile Rappaport has collected every possible fact you could want to know into the back matter. Somber paintings by Matt Tavares swoop from unusual angles to heighten the drama. The format is large and inviting, with a “ta-da” fold-up page unveiling the completed Lady in all her magnificence. This is history, biography, and a tribute evoking genuine emotion-- all at the same time. I would call it seriously creative nonfiction (Candlewick, ages 5-8).
For older readers, the title alone-- King George: What Was His Problem?—may result in kids grabbing this book. The additional line of “Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution”—sounds mighty cool. Steve Sheinkin, the author of textbooks even he thinks of as tedious, has here amassed all the good stuff he claims his prim textbook editors wouldn’t allow him to use. That makes us the beneficiary of a clear, witty, fast-paced account that reads like a novel, even to the point of including some surprisingly clever dialog. Ben Franklin and grumpy John Adams, forced to share a bed one night, argue over whether the window should be open or closed. “I believe you are not acquainted with my theory of colds,” begins Franklin, lulling angry Adams into submission: “I was so much amused that I soon fell asleep.” Often one battle after another, this account might be more blow-by-blow than some kids will persist with (actually, this works well as a primer for adults). But it’s all good, important stuff that kids should know. The extensive back matter includes a “What Ever Happened to…” wrap-up of all the famous names—and a list of sources for every line of that dialog. Tim Robinson pops up with occasional sprightly black and white drawings (Roaring Brook, ages 10-14).
Guess what—I had other books I was going to include, but upon closer look, they have flaws. The children’s book world is so tiny (really) that I hate wasting space on negative reviews—even if it’s the infinite space of the Internet.But here’s a terrific picture book biography, as tenuous as its connection to July 4th might seem-- Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman. Possibly the most famous American cultural icon ever, Superman was born during a tough time in this country’s history. Seventy years ago, in 1938, you were either still suffering from the Great Depression or worried sick about the upcoming world war. To the rescue came two super-nerdy teens from Cleveland (who many a sensitive kid will identify with). They responded to trauma by inventing the world’s first superhero. Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster persisted through years of rejection and later bad treatment from their publishers, searching for truth and justice as they created comic books that boosted American morale. Marc Tyler Nobleman tells his story swiftly, focusing on key dramatic moments, with a detailed afterword showing his intensive research. The stylish illustrations, in an appropriately retro palette, are by Ross Macdonald (Knopf, ages 7-10).
And in the realm of self-promotion, I have a one-page piece in the upcoming Our White House: Looking In, Looking Out. It keeps company with 107 other contributors-- authors (from Katherine Paterson to Kate DiCamillo to Jon Scieszka), illustrators (from Leo and Diane Dillon to Peter Sis to Brian Selznick), and famous folks (from Charles Dickens and Walt Whitman to Richard Nixon and Dick Cheney). At 242 well-designed pages, this anthology is the mother of all tributes to American history, a multi-faceted jewel for family sharing and endless uses in the classroom (to be developed on its companion website ). A few poems and short stories and plays sprinkle the mix, but mostly this is a nonfiction account of history as it affected our White House—the emphasis on our—and a call to learn more about being an American citizen (Candlewick, ages 8 and up).
Monday, June 8, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Two Roads Diverged
When I entered college, I planned to be a lawyer. I was interested in public affairs and was particularly passionate about the rights of Native Americans in the wake of the occupation of
Ultimately, that change in plans made me a writer. I had spent the summer after my junior year in high school studying journalism at the National High School Institute (NHSI) at
There’s a reason why I’ve been thinking about this lately. It’s one of those “brush with history” encounters that’s been on my mind a lot. For while I was deciding not to go to law school, one of my classmates was building toward a career as a lawyer, and then a judge. Sonia Sotomayor and I were both members of
Perhaps it’s not surprising that both Sonia and I embraced our outsider status when it came to our senior thesis projects. She wrote about Luis Muñoz Marin, the “father of modern
That experience of being an outsider has continued to serve me well in the topics I choose for my books and the point of view I bring to them. And despite the preposterous claims by the likes of Newt Gingrich and Pat Buchanan, I think it also will continue to serve my classmate well. Given that Sonia Sotomayor has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the law, her life’s journey can only add to her effectiveness on our nation’s highest court. I look forward to the day she takes her seat.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Why "Hands-On" Anyhow?
April Pulley Sayre’s blog on May 28, “Nonfiction and Hands-On Science,” inspired me to continue the conversation:
The word “author” means “source.” Part of the job of an author is to be able to defend one’s work. So if someone asks, “How do you know?,” an author should have an answer. For writings in history or language arts, for example, often how we know is that we read it somewhere. So authors in scholarly disciplines cite the works of others to lend credence to their own work. Most people are not studious enough to follow a chain of footnotes in a history text back to an eyewitness account, which may not be all that accurate in the first place. And, as nonfiction authors for children, we all know that there is nothing like first-hand experience to enliven our texts and add credibility to our voices. But for science, “hands-on” means something more.
“How do you know?” is a question that every scientist can answer by saying, “Don’t take my word for it. This is what I did. If you do what I did, then you’ll know what I know.” In other words, scientists must be able to provide procedures so that others can replicate the behavior that produced their results, or not. When I wrote the Marie Curie biography, I was fascinated to learn how the scientists of that day eagerly performed each others experiments, gaining new insights into phenomena about the structure of the atom from their varied perspectives, deepening and enriching their collective knowledge. Science advances because of a community of shared experiences. Everyone who is interested can see for themselves. The knowledge accumulated this way is not merely a collection of anecdotes or hearsay, but an overwhelming body of first-hand evidence.
How we know, in science, is central to what we know. Hands-on experience in observing nature and doing experiments teaches kids how to do science, just as giving kids art supplies lets them be artists. You cannot truly understand science unless you know how it works. Last week I watched a History Channel program called “The Link” about finding a 47 million-year-old fossil that may be a transitional specie between the primates that became modern lemurs and the primates that became apes and humans. The program recounted the various ways scientists from several disciplines studied the fossil and come to their conclusions about its life and death. It ended with the famed Dr. Leakey saying that he didn’t “believe” in evolution because evolution is like gravity. It is an indisputable fact, not something that may or may not exist so that you can choose whether or not to believe in it. When you see the nitty-gritty of how scientists studied this fossil, there is no way to make sense out of it without the fact of evolution.
The biggest problem I have with some hands-on science activities is that there is little or no connection between an activity and the questions it illuminates, or even why you’d want to know about it in the first place. So many science activity books just gratuitously give directions for things to do without giving the reader any reason to do them. That kind of “hands-on” is only fun if you’re making an explosion or a volcano. That’s why I write with hands-on activities in context. A good example is in I Face the Wind. Catching air in a plastic bag is a “So what!” unless the reader gets that this proves that air is “real stuff” even if you can’t see it, smell it or taste it, and you can only feel it when it moves or when it is trapped in a plastic bag and you can push against it. Even the most mundane activity takes on import and drama when presented in a context that makes the outcome of an activity significant.
So it is our job as authors who write hands-on activities to create the context through language that makes these experiences meaningful for our readers. This is where our individual passions and enthusiasms shine through and make our writing distinctive.
The word “author” means “source.” Part of the job of an author is to be able to defend one’s work. So if someone asks, “How do you know?,” an author should have an answer. For writings in history or language arts, for example, often how we know is that we read it somewhere. So authors in scholarly disciplines cite the works of others to lend credence to their own work. Most people are not studious enough to follow a chain of footnotes in a history text back to an eyewitness account, which may not be all that accurate in the first place. And, as nonfiction authors for children, we all know that there is nothing like first-hand experience to enliven our texts and add credibility to our voices. But for science, “hands-on” means something more.
“How do you know?” is a question that every scientist can answer by saying, “Don’t take my word for it. This is what I did. If you do what I did, then you’ll know what I know.” In other words, scientists must be able to provide procedures so that others can replicate the behavior that produced their results, or not. When I wrote the Marie Curie biography, I was fascinated to learn how the scientists of that day eagerly performed each others experiments, gaining new insights into phenomena about the structure of the atom from their varied perspectives, deepening and enriching their collective knowledge. Science advances because of a community of shared experiences. Everyone who is interested can see for themselves. The knowledge accumulated this way is not merely a collection of anecdotes or hearsay, but an overwhelming body of first-hand evidence.
How we know, in science, is central to what we know. Hands-on experience in observing nature and doing experiments teaches kids how to do science, just as giving kids art supplies lets them be artists. You cannot truly understand science unless you know how it works. Last week I watched a History Channel program called “The Link” about finding a 47 million-year-old fossil that may be a transitional specie between the primates that became modern lemurs and the primates that became apes and humans. The program recounted the various ways scientists from several disciplines studied the fossil and come to their conclusions about its life and death. It ended with the famed Dr. Leakey saying that he didn’t “believe” in evolution because evolution is like gravity. It is an indisputable fact, not something that may or may not exist so that you can choose whether or not to believe in it. When you see the nitty-gritty of how scientists studied this fossil, there is no way to make sense out of it without the fact of evolution.
The biggest problem I have with some hands-on science activities is that there is little or no connection between an activity and the questions it illuminates, or even why you’d want to know about it in the first place. So many science activity books just gratuitously give directions for things to do without giving the reader any reason to do them. That kind of “hands-on” is only fun if you’re making an explosion or a volcano. That’s why I write with hands-on activities in context. A good example is in I Face the Wind. Catching air in a plastic bag is a “So what!” unless the reader gets that this proves that air is “real stuff” even if you can’t see it, smell it or taste it, and you can only feel it when it moves or when it is trapped in a plastic bag and you can push against it. Even the most mundane activity takes on import and drama when presented in a context that makes the outcome of an activity significant.
So it is our job as authors who write hands-on activities to create the context through language that makes these experiences meaningful for our readers. This is where our individual passions and enthusiasms shine through and make our writing distinctive.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
THE LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES: Part Two
Back in Part One of this blog, we had some fun uncovering ways that old children's books tried to teach good moral values by distorting reality. First George Washington chopped down a cherry tree and got kudos for admitting it. False. Then came tales of white male heroes rescuing dim-witted damsels and dealing with evil or dim-witted minority groups. False too. And how about Dick and Jane and their exemplary perfect white family? False all over again. Finally there was the hilarious 1970's attempt to overcompensate for all past injustices. Unintended Consequences from each of these examples ran amok.
So what's the new game in town? These days, the very best adult books are as honest and even-handed about history as can be, and they regularly win big awards and top the best-seller lists. I'm delighted to report that there are plenty of first-rate history books on the market for kids too. But! Picture books still follow a politically correct agenda that discourages the inclusion of certain important stories from our past. Let's follow this thread.
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." We've come a long way since 1963 and so have the books we write for children like Dr. King's. I was thrilled to see barriers crumble when I voted for our new president and he won so overwhelmingly. But our nonfiction books don't always judge people by the content of their character, and the reason is not at all what you'd expect.
Sure, today's picture books are filled with positive tales about heroes and heroines of every color, and that's exactly as it should be. Stories relating the woes that women and minorities have overcome are lauded even more. More power to them...they deserve the accolades. But here's the rub.
The playing field still isn't level. If it ever flattens out, we'll be able to judge every single individual on his or her merits alone. But lots of picture book folks are so afraid to offend minorities and women or to alienate their audiences in any other way that they end up censoring important true stories from the past or leave them out altogether. After all, who wants to be accused of prejudice, especially when no prejudice is intended? This mindset causes two big fat Unintended Consequences:
1) Now don't shoot me, but one unintended consequence is that only white males can do foolish or terrible things in the world of picture books. The rest of us (including yours truly and my family) are still off limits. Nobody sought this result on purpose, but most picture books about history don't judge people of every race, religion, and gender by the content of their character--especially when their character is not picture perfect by today's standards (though as we know, definitions of morality change significantly over time and from place to place and culture to culture).
2) By omitting anything that's the least bit negative about non-white "minorities" and women, we simultaneously dumb things down for our children and distort their entire perception of history.
What might this politically correct mindset mean in practice? Let's use our national icon George Washington again as a protagonist to understand this fear of alienating anyone. Consider these inflammatory examples:
~In George Washington's Teeth, a funny picture book that tells how George lost his choppers, everyone gets the humor, and they don't think any less of our great first president either.
~ But if there were a book called, say, George Washington Carver's Teeth, no one would get the humor. Folks would think it was racist. We cannot laugh at ourselves as equals yet.
~It's perfectly legit to say in a picture book that George Washington had slaves. You can also show Super Fierce George fighting hard to conquer his enemies, and you can even paint pictures of his generals massacring innocent Indian women and children in their homes. George gets to show extreme anger and fatigue and every other human emotion, whether it's positive or not, just like any other human being. Every bit of this is a genuine part of history and people should know about it. Your book will get good reviews for its honesty.
~But check this out; in picture books, anyone who tries to say that Indians had slaves, or anyone who shows Super Fierce Indians fighting hard to conquer Europeans, or depicts Indians massacring women and children in their homes will be thrown from the parapets for such "negative" and "scary" portrayals, even though this is a genuine part of history too. Unlike George, Indians cannot show extreme anger or negative emotions in picture books about history, and explaining that their actions were provoked or were culturally legitimate is not enough to keep this very real part of history ensconced in school libraries and bookstores. Indians are real people too, just like George. Yet the one and only portrayal of Indians that does not create a firestorm is as a romanticized ideal, which is yet another stereotype.
See? You're probably already mad that I've thrown such a politically incorrect football. Why stoke these fires when there are plenty of important, entertaining, and fabulously interesting-but-safe topics to write about? Besides, you could sell more books in the bargain. The current attempt to set only "good" historic examples for younger children sounds noble, I guess. But do we really need a bunch of scolds, moralizers, and hypocrites censoring history for kids? I think not. What we do need is to be aware of history in all its complexity so that we can handle the present with knowledge (and not malice) aforethought. Some day when prejudice becomes a distant memory, our history books and our sense of humor can finally become even-handed and honest about the content of people's character, whether it happens to be sterling or fatally flawed or just plain human.
So what to you think out there, people? Fire away--it's your turn.
So what's the new game in town? These days, the very best adult books are as honest and even-handed about history as can be, and they regularly win big awards and top the best-seller lists. I'm delighted to report that there are plenty of first-rate history books on the market for kids too. But! Picture books still follow a politically correct agenda that discourages the inclusion of certain important stories from our past. Let's follow this thread.
In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King said "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." We've come a long way since 1963 and so have the books we write for children like Dr. King's. I was thrilled to see barriers crumble when I voted for our new president and he won so overwhelmingly. But our nonfiction books don't always judge people by the content of their character, and the reason is not at all what you'd expect.
Sure, today's picture books are filled with positive tales about heroes and heroines of every color, and that's exactly as it should be. Stories relating the woes that women and minorities have overcome are lauded even more. More power to them...they deserve the accolades. But here's the rub.
The playing field still isn't level. If it ever flattens out, we'll be able to judge every single individual on his or her merits alone. But lots of picture book folks are so afraid to offend minorities and women or to alienate their audiences in any other way that they end up censoring important true stories from the past or leave them out altogether. After all, who wants to be accused of prejudice, especially when no prejudice is intended? This mindset causes two big fat Unintended Consequences:
1) Now don't shoot me, but one unintended consequence is that only white males can do foolish or terrible things in the world of picture books. The rest of us (including yours truly and my family) are still off limits. Nobody sought this result on purpose, but most picture books about history don't judge people of every race, religion, and gender by the content of their character--especially when their character is not picture perfect by today's standards (though as we know, definitions of morality change significantly over time and from place to place and culture to culture).
2) By omitting anything that's the least bit negative about non-white "minorities" and women, we simultaneously dumb things down for our children and distort their entire perception of history.
What might this politically correct mindset mean in practice? Let's use our national icon George Washington again as a protagonist to understand this fear of alienating anyone. Consider these inflammatory examples:
~In George Washington's Teeth, a funny picture book that tells how George lost his choppers, everyone gets the humor, and they don't think any less of our great first president either.
~ But if there were a book called, say, George Washington Carver's Teeth, no one would get the humor. Folks would think it was racist. We cannot laugh at ourselves as equals yet.
~It's perfectly legit to say in a picture book that George Washington had slaves. You can also show Super Fierce George fighting hard to conquer his enemies, and you can even paint pictures of his generals massacring innocent Indian women and children in their homes. George gets to show extreme anger and fatigue and every other human emotion, whether it's positive or not, just like any other human being. Every bit of this is a genuine part of history and people should know about it. Your book will get good reviews for its honesty.
~But check this out; in picture books, anyone who tries to say that Indians had slaves, or anyone who shows Super Fierce Indians fighting hard to conquer Europeans, or depicts Indians massacring women and children in their homes will be thrown from the parapets for such "negative" and "scary" portrayals, even though this is a genuine part of history too. Unlike George, Indians cannot show extreme anger or negative emotions in picture books about history, and explaining that their actions were provoked or were culturally legitimate is not enough to keep this very real part of history ensconced in school libraries and bookstores. Indians are real people too, just like George. Yet the one and only portrayal of Indians that does not create a firestorm is as a romanticized ideal, which is yet another stereotype.
See? You're probably already mad that I've thrown such a politically incorrect football. Why stoke these fires when there are plenty of important, entertaining, and fabulously interesting-but-safe topics to write about? Besides, you could sell more books in the bargain. The current attempt to set only "good" historic examples for younger children sounds noble, I guess. But do we really need a bunch of scolds, moralizers, and hypocrites censoring history for kids? I think not. What we do need is to be aware of history in all its complexity so that we can handle the present with knowledge (and not malice) aforethought. Some day when prejudice becomes a distant memory, our history books and our sense of humor can finally become even-handed and honest about the content of people's character, whether it happens to be sterling or fatally flawed or just plain human.
So what to you think out there, people? Fire away--it's your turn.
Monday, June 1, 2009
I.N.K. News for June
From Rosalyn Schanzer
If you happen to be in Kentucky on Thursday, June 18, I will be speaking three times at the Fourth Annual Fleming County Reading Festival. And the good news is that the first 100 or so people to get there will receive a free signed copy of one of my books! You can find the festival at 1449 Elizaville Road, Flemingsburg, Kentucky 41041. It’s on the Fleming Mason Energy grounds on Highway 32, which is not very far south of Cincinnati Ohio. Here’s my part of the schedule:
11:00 (professional development session for teachers) Killing the Bugs before Drinking Them: How to Make Non-fiction Spring to Life
1:00 (grades K-3) The Old Chisholm Trail - a cowboy song with costumes and sound effects provided by the audience…and maybe a surprise title as well!
3:00 (4th grade and up) What Darwin Saw; the Journey that Changed the World
From Kathleen Krull:
An interview with Kathleen Krull will be posted to the Park Ridge (Illinois) Public Library blog (http://prkcs.wordpress.com/) on June 5. On June 22 she will be speaking at the 30th Annual Reading/Language Arts Conference at San Diego State University http://edweb.sdsu.edu/ste/documents/masters/summer_reading_conference_flyer_2009.pdf
From Jan Greenberg:
Jan Greenberg, editor - Side by Side New Poems Inspired by Art from around the World
CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center) 2009 Annual Best-of-the-Year
NCTE (National Council Teachers of English) 2009 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts.
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of 2008
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond,
NCSS (National Council of Social Studies) Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2009
ALA (American Library Association) Notable Book 2009
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s books of 2008.
If you happen to be in Kentucky on Thursday, June 18, I will be speaking three times at the Fourth Annual Fleming County Reading Festival. And the good news is that the first 100 or so people to get there will receive a free signed copy of one of my books! You can find the festival at 1449 Elizaville Road, Flemingsburg, Kentucky 41041. It’s on the Fleming Mason Energy grounds on Highway 32, which is not very far south of Cincinnati Ohio. Here’s my part of the schedule:
11:00 (professional development session for teachers) Killing the Bugs before Drinking Them: How to Make Non-fiction Spring to Life
1:00 (grades K-3) The Old Chisholm Trail - a cowboy song with costumes and sound effects provided by the audience…and maybe a surprise title as well!
3:00 (4th grade and up) What Darwin Saw; the Journey that Changed the World
From Kathleen Krull:
An interview with Kathleen Krull will be posted to the Park Ridge (Illinois) Public Library blog (http://prkcs.wordpress.com/) on June 5. On June 22 she will be speaking at the 30th Annual Reading/Language Arts Conference at San Diego State University http://edweb.sdsu.edu/ste/documents/masters/summer_reading_conference_flyer_2009.pdf
From Jan Greenberg:
Jan Greenberg, editor - Side by Side New Poems Inspired by Art from around the World
CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center) 2009 Annual Best-of-the-Year
NCTE (National Council Teachers of English) 2009 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts.
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of 2008
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond,
NCSS (National Council of Social Studies) Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2009
ALA (American Library Association) Notable Book 2009
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s books of 2008.
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Science of Reading Buddies
Reading Buddies is a popular program in which first or second graders, who are just learning to read, are paired with students who are few years older. By working together, both students improve their reading skills. They also develop cooperative learning behaviors, such as taking turns, listening, sharing knowledge, and praising one another’s efforts. In addition, the program fosters friendships across the grade levels, creating a stronger sense of community in schools.
Older buddies see themselves as role models. They take pride in mentoring younger students, and can see that their younger buddies look up to them. That can lead to a stronger sense of self worth, especially among children who are struggling academically or socially.
In a world where state assessment tests mandated by No Child Left Behind legislation have forced schools to focus on reading and math—often at the expense of science education—Reading Buddies provides a unique opportunity for teachers to sneak science into their language arts curriculum. And identifying appropriate science-themed picture books is easier than you might think.
In the last decade, what some people call “list books” have become an increasingly popular way of presenting science concepts to the picture book crowd. These books include two sections of text—short, simple text in large type conveys a general idea and longer sections in smaller type presents additional details.
In books like Beaks! and Wings by Sneed Collard and my own titles A Place for Birds and A Place for Butterflies, the two sections of text appear on each double-page spread. This structure invites younger buddies to read the larger, simpler type, while older children can focus on the longer, smaller text blocks. Thus, each child plays a role in “digesting” the spread, and reading becomes a shared endeavor. The buddies can then look at the artwork together and discuss what they’ve just learned before turning the page.
Books like An Egg is Quiet and A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston offer a more poetic main text. And while the language is simple, the statements are sometimes surprising and can provoke a bit of thoughtful discussion. For example, in An Egg is Quiet, the main text on one spread says, “An egg is clever.” Most children (and adults) have never thought of an egg in this way before. It is only after reading the smaller, supporting text scattered across the page that the real meaning of the main text becomes clear.
In most of the books created by Steve Jenkins, the spare main text is masterfully illustrated with paper collage art and enhanced by an extensive backmatter full of fascinating facts. As Reading Buddies work their way through books like Move! and What Would You Do with a Tail Like This?, the younger child can read the main text. Then the buddies can flip to the back of the book, and the older child can read the relevant section of backmatter.
Because each buddy makes his or her own contribution to exploring a science-themed list book and understanding its content, these titles accomplish several educational goals simultaneously. They strengthen reading skills, introduce and reinforce a range of age-appropriate science concepts, and promote cooperation and camaraderie. What could be better than that?
Recommended science books for Reading buddies programs:
Animals Asleep, Animal Dads, Beaks, Leaving Home, and Wings by Sneed Collard
How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly?, Move!, and What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins
The Moonflower by Peter Loewer and Jean Loewer
A Place for Birds and A Place for Butterflies by Melissa Stewart
Older buddies see themselves as role models. They take pride in mentoring younger students, and can see that their younger buddies look up to them. That can lead to a stronger sense of self worth, especially among children who are struggling academically or socially.
In a world where state assessment tests mandated by No Child Left Behind legislation have forced schools to focus on reading and math—often at the expense of science education—Reading Buddies provides a unique opportunity for teachers to sneak science into their language arts curriculum. And identifying appropriate science-themed picture books is easier than you might think.
In the last decade, what some people call “list books” have become an increasingly popular way of presenting science concepts to the picture book crowd. These books include two sections of text—short, simple text in large type conveys a general idea and longer sections in smaller type presents additional details.
In books like Beaks! and Wings by Sneed Collard and my own titles A Place for Birds and A Place for Butterflies, the two sections of text appear on each double-page spread. This structure invites younger buddies to read the larger, simpler type, while older children can focus on the longer, smaller text blocks. Thus, each child plays a role in “digesting” the spread, and reading becomes a shared endeavor. The buddies can then look at the artwork together and discuss what they’ve just learned before turning the page.
Books like An Egg is Quiet and A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston offer a more poetic main text. And while the language is simple, the statements are sometimes surprising and can provoke a bit of thoughtful discussion. For example, in An Egg is Quiet, the main text on one spread says, “An egg is clever.” Most children (and adults) have never thought of an egg in this way before. It is only after reading the smaller, supporting text scattered across the page that the real meaning of the main text becomes clear.
In most of the books created by Steve Jenkins, the spare main text is masterfully illustrated with paper collage art and enhanced by an extensive backmatter full of fascinating facts. As Reading Buddies work their way through books like Move! and What Would You Do with a Tail Like This?, the younger child can read the main text. Then the buddies can flip to the back of the book, and the older child can read the relevant section of backmatter.
Because each buddy makes his or her own contribution to exploring a science-themed list book and understanding its content, these titles accomplish several educational goals simultaneously. They strengthen reading skills, introduce and reinforce a range of age-appropriate science concepts, and promote cooperation and camaraderie. What could be better than that?
Recommended science books for Reading buddies programs:
Animals Asleep, Animal Dads, Beaks, Leaving Home, and Wings by Sneed Collard
How Many Ways Can You Catch a Fly?, Move!, and What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins
The Moonflower by Peter Loewer and Jean Loewer
A Place for Birds and A Place for Butterflies by Melissa Stewart
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Nonfiction and Hands On Science
I am a hands on science advocate. Perhaps that's because my uncle founded Delta Education in his basement when I was a kid. My mom taught teacher workshops and founded a science book company in our basement. As newlyweds, my husband and I took on a regional, (non-Delta!) science kit packing job and filled our entire house with Rubbermaid tubs, stacked 7 high. We counted every seashell and cut every dowel in that kit. So I come up on this hands-on thing honestly. No wonder I'm a big fan of fellow INKer, Vicki Cobb.
Anyway, I was thrilled when nonfiction author Gwendolyn Hooks sent me an article about a program called Trout Are Made of Trees and Trout, Trout, Trout: a Fish Chant. (Years ago I wrote River and Stream and Wetlands, as well.)
My dream would be for great nonfiction to be a bookend, read before and after hands on science experiences.
Here's a link to a page that has other aquatic programs such as Leaf Pack, Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, Project Wild, Leopold Education Project. Here's a link to funders they suggest.
Here's a link to more fish-related activities from my school visit travels.
Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan link picture books to science lessons in their books, Picture Perfect Science Lessons and More Picture Perfect Science Lessons.
Get messy folks, and then read some nonfiction. That's exactly what I am doing. I'll be muddy in the garden today. Then, like yesterday, I'll probably consult a field guide (Cool caterpillar, what is it?), or two.
Anyway, I was thrilled when nonfiction author Gwendolyn Hooks sent me an article about a program called Trout Are Made of Trees and Trout, Trout, Trout: a Fish Chant. (Years ago I wrote River and Stream and Wetlands, as well.)
My dream would be for great nonfiction to be a bookend, read before and after hands on science experiences.
Here's a link to a page that has other aquatic programs such as Leaf Pack, Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, Project Wild, Leopold Education Project. Here's a link to funders they suggest.
Here's a link to more fish-related activities from my school visit travels.
Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan link picture books to science lessons in their books, Picture Perfect Science Lessons and More Picture Perfect Science Lessons.
Get messy folks, and then read some nonfiction. That's exactly what I am doing. I'll be muddy in the garden today. Then, like yesterday, I'll probably consult a field guide (Cool caterpillar, what is it?), or two.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wanted: Cure for Procrastination
“I don’t like writing. I like having written.” I read this in Writing to Learn by William Zinsser, but it has also been attributed to Dorothy Parker, Ernest Hemingway, and Gloria Steinem. Most writers may have said it, including me.
Whether one calls it a malady or a moral failing, I suffer from procrastination. Well, that’s not exactly true – I don’t always suffer. Armed with denial and self-righteous justification, I often enjoy those activities that delay putting fingers to keyboard. (Excuse me while I go and hang the laundry on the line. Justification: I am eco-friendly!)
I’ve heard writers claim they don’t check email until noon. I don’t believe them. It’s theoretically possible, I suppose, but I can’t imagine it….. Since I live in California, the rest of the country has time to load up my inbox early in the morning. Most of the emails are writing-related, or at least from writer friends, though not always precisely related to our careers, and it’s only polite to respond to friends in a timely fashion. Then the usual round of internet check-ins: INK, news pages, and…… you know how it goes.
Nonfiction writers have the best excuse for not writing. At the beginning of a project, all those trips to the library, reading, taking notes, checking footnotes and bibliographies for more books and more trips to more libraries. Phone calls and emails with experts who share some arcane enthusiasm make me feel clever as clever and oh-so-justified for not writing.
As I research I get a sense of the format and themes of a book. This would be the ideal time to hack out a first draft, but no, I delve deeper. Scholarly journal articles are ideal sources for unusual quotes and details, so it’s off to UCLA Library. Self-righteous justification: since I loathe paying $9 for parking, I cycle the twelve miles roundtrip, and get virtuous eco-friendly exercise in the bargain.
OK, enough of the problem. What is (are) my solution(s)?
Deadlines – real or invented – and accountability.
Real Deadlines
1) A contracted article or book – Not only money, but future contracts depend on getting that writing done on time. It’s amazing how much easier it is to write when ready cash is involved.
2) An encouraging letter from an editor – “We like it but would like see a revision before we buy it.” I’ll usually get this done more of less quickly, i.e. a handful of months – unless the proposed revision is so far from my vision that I decline.
3) My critique group – My reputation is at stake here. What am I doing if I can’t produce enough writing to critique once a month? And I’m not the only one to send my work to the group at the last minute. It’s nice knowing that my procrastination gene is not a rogue mutation.
Invented Deadlines
4) Monthly writing goals – Not life goals or social calendar or even research or marketing goals, but writing goals – as in first draft, revised draft, completed manuscript. I print and tape them to my printer. The kicker: I share these goals with my online writer buddies and each month I fess up: DONE, IN PROGRESS, NOT EVEN STARTED. This trick works because my self-respect is on the line. A slacker – who, me?
5) A NAPIBOWRIWE variation – Inspired by NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month,) an annual international novel-writing binge, Paula Yoo (www.paulayoo.com) recently invented NAPIBOWRIWE – National Picture Book Writing Week. She challenged people to write seven picture books in seven days. After my four months of ‘indispensable’ research on a twelve-chapter book, I decided to take NAPIBOWRIWE and make it my own. I would write one rough chapter a day for eleven days. (I’d already completed one chapter.) The first week I wrote three chapters, the second week I managed two chapters, and the third week I only wrote one. Some might scoff at my (lack of) progress, but I’m happy with this “blitz” method. Reason it’s taking so long: I’m doing more research as I write. Those last six words may just be the best long-term solution for my procrastination dilemma: “do more research as I write.
6) Which leaves my INK blog deadline – No money involved, just larky research-free blathering on about my two favorite topics: writing and myself. Reputation is part of it – the other bloggers manage to post once a month, so I must too. To prove that INK blogging is indeed larky, I’m writing this not the night before it’s due, or even the day before, but TWO days before my deadline.
Please, tell me about any cures (temporary or permanent) for procrastination you’ve tried!
Whether one calls it a malady or a moral failing, I suffer from procrastination. Well, that’s not exactly true – I don’t always suffer. Armed with denial and self-righteous justification, I often enjoy those activities that delay putting fingers to keyboard. (Excuse me while I go and hang the laundry on the line. Justification: I am eco-friendly!)
I’ve heard writers claim they don’t check email until noon. I don’t believe them. It’s theoretically possible, I suppose, but I can’t imagine it….. Since I live in California, the rest of the country has time to load up my inbox early in the morning. Most of the emails are writing-related, or at least from writer friends, though not always precisely related to our careers, and it’s only polite to respond to friends in a timely fashion. Then the usual round of internet check-ins: INK, news pages, and…… you know how it goes.
Nonfiction writers have the best excuse for not writing. At the beginning of a project, all those trips to the library, reading, taking notes, checking footnotes and bibliographies for more books and more trips to more libraries. Phone calls and emails with experts who share some arcane enthusiasm make me feel clever as clever and oh-so-justified for not writing.
As I research I get a sense of the format and themes of a book. This would be the ideal time to hack out a first draft, but no, I delve deeper. Scholarly journal articles are ideal sources for unusual quotes and details, so it’s off to UCLA Library. Self-righteous justification: since I loathe paying $9 for parking, I cycle the twelve miles roundtrip, and get virtuous eco-friendly exercise in the bargain.
OK, enough of the problem. What is (are) my solution(s)?
Deadlines – real or invented – and accountability.
Real Deadlines
1) A contracted article or book – Not only money, but future contracts depend on getting that writing done on time. It’s amazing how much easier it is to write when ready cash is involved.
2) An encouraging letter from an editor – “We like it but would like see a revision before we buy it.” I’ll usually get this done more of less quickly, i.e. a handful of months – unless the proposed revision is so far from my vision that I decline.
3) My critique group – My reputation is at stake here. What am I doing if I can’t produce enough writing to critique once a month? And I’m not the only one to send my work to the group at the last minute. It’s nice knowing that my procrastination gene is not a rogue mutation.
Invented Deadlines
4) Monthly writing goals – Not life goals or social calendar or even research or marketing goals, but writing goals – as in first draft, revised draft, completed manuscript. I print and tape them to my printer. The kicker: I share these goals with my online writer buddies and each month I fess up: DONE, IN PROGRESS, NOT EVEN STARTED. This trick works because my self-respect is on the line. A slacker – who, me?
5) A NAPIBOWRIWE variation – Inspired by NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month,) an annual international novel-writing binge, Paula Yoo (www.paulayoo.com) recently invented NAPIBOWRIWE – National Picture Book Writing Week. She challenged people to write seven picture books in seven days. After my four months of ‘indispensable’ research on a twelve-chapter book, I decided to take NAPIBOWRIWE and make it my own. I would write one rough chapter a day for eleven days. (I’d already completed one chapter.) The first week I wrote three chapters, the second week I managed two chapters, and the third week I only wrote one. Some might scoff at my (lack of) progress, but I’m happy with this “blitz” method. Reason it’s taking so long: I’m doing more research as I write. Those last six words may just be the best long-term solution for my procrastination dilemma: “do more research as I write.
6) Which leaves my INK blog deadline – No money involved, just larky research-free blathering on about my two favorite topics: writing and myself. Reputation is part of it – the other bloggers manage to post once a month, so I must too. To prove that INK blogging is indeed larky, I’m writing this not the night before it’s due, or even the day before, but TWO days before my deadline.
Please, tell me about any cures (temporary or permanent) for procrastination you’ve tried!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Teach to the Book
For seven days in April, I was on assignment to observe a fourth grade classroom. I was most eager to see what the kids were reading, the variety in their book selections and, of course, how many of them chose nonfiction.
What did I learn about their reading choices? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because during the seven days I was there THE KIDS DID NOT READ ANY BOOKS. Yes, you read that correctly.
There was no independent reading. There was no quiet reading time. Not even a single read aloud by the teacher.
In New Jersey, students in grades three through eight take the ASK (Assessment of Skills and Knowledge) standardized test in May. This means that in April, teachers are encouraged to teach to the test. In this particular fourth grade classroom in a poor neighborhood that needs all of the state funding dollars it can get, the teachers focused almost exclusively on preparing students to take the test. Thus all math and science lessons were devoted to material on the test. Literacy workshops focused on how to read and respond to the kinds of questions most frequently found on said standardized tests.
I watched quietly. I grew more and more frustrated. The kids didn’t seem to be intellectually stimulated on any level. I knew what could have helped them. A few good books.
When studying the few facts about the planets that were required by the test, they should have read every single Seymour Simon book on the individual planets. This would have gotten every kid interested and thinking about the solar system. They would have remembered much more than which the mandatory information, like which planet is the third from the sun, and began to think about exploring space in depth. For math, they should have tossed out those boring worksheets that focused on the same skill set over and over again. Instead, they could have cozied up with some of David Schwartz’s books on how far a frog can jump or estimating how many kernels are in a ginormous bag of popcorn. Understanding the overall concepts would have led them to come up with their own mathematical examples. And I’ve never seen kids less enthused by a boring googled image of a food web--they just didn't care. But let them read April Pulley Sayre’s Trout Are Made of Trees and they would have made all sorts of connections that might have got them thinking about it in a much more sophisticated way.
I could easily go on. Name a curriculum and there are interesting books out there on topic and beyond.
We’re not necessarily doomed to be stuck with an ineffective system. Our education system can be so much more than standardized testing. Good books are there for the teaching.
What did I learn about their reading choices? Absolutely nothing. Why? Because during the seven days I was there THE KIDS DID NOT READ ANY BOOKS. Yes, you read that correctly.
There was no independent reading. There was no quiet reading time. Not even a single read aloud by the teacher.
In New Jersey, students in grades three through eight take the ASK (Assessment of Skills and Knowledge) standardized test in May. This means that in April, teachers are encouraged to teach to the test. In this particular fourth grade classroom in a poor neighborhood that needs all of the state funding dollars it can get, the teachers focused almost exclusively on preparing students to take the test. Thus all math and science lessons were devoted to material on the test. Literacy workshops focused on how to read and respond to the kinds of questions most frequently found on said standardized tests.
I watched quietly. I grew more and more frustrated. The kids didn’t seem to be intellectually stimulated on any level. I knew what could have helped them. A few good books.
When studying the few facts about the planets that were required by the test, they should have read every single Seymour Simon book on the individual planets. This would have gotten every kid interested and thinking about the solar system. They would have remembered much more than which the mandatory information, like which planet is the third from the sun, and began to think about exploring space in depth. For math, they should have tossed out those boring worksheets that focused on the same skill set over and over again. Instead, they could have cozied up with some of David Schwartz’s books on how far a frog can jump or estimating how many kernels are in a ginormous bag of popcorn. Understanding the overall concepts would have led them to come up with their own mathematical examples. And I’ve never seen kids less enthused by a boring googled image of a food web--they just didn't care. But let them read April Pulley Sayre’s Trout Are Made of Trees and they would have made all sorts of connections that might have got them thinking about it in a much more sophisticated way.
I could easily go on. Name a curriculum and there are interesting books out there on topic and beyond.
We’re not necessarily doomed to be stuck with an ineffective system. Our education system can be so much more than standardized testing. Good books are there for the teaching.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Paean to a Publisher
Today is Memorial Day and I am in the mood to memorialize a publisher. Not a publisher that has died, fortunately (though many worthy ones have), but a publisher that is in transition. I don’t know whether the transition will transform it, but I know what I like about the way it used to be and I’m going to celebrate that here.
Why would I use this forum to talk about a publisher? Because I often meet educators with a passionate interest in children’s literature and I have found that many want to understand the relationship between author and publisher. (Actually, I know plenty of authors who would like to understand the relationship between their publishers and themselves!) Whereas children ask authors, “Where do you get your ideas?” and “How old are you?” their teachers tend to ask, “Do you get to choose your illustrators?” or “How hard is it to get an editor to read your manuscript?”
My six publishers come in three sizes: small, medium and large. About two months ago, one of the small ones, Ten Speed Press of Berkeley, CA, was bought by one of the world’s largest media conglomerates. Ten Speed Press and its children’s book division, Tricycle Press, are now part of Random House of New York, a division of Bertelsmann AG of Germany. So, for those who are interested in the inside scoop on the publishing world, I will dish up a few scoops as I pay tribute to Tricycle Press. I do not know how, or if, things will change at Tricycle, but from the perspective of an author, I do know what I loved about the old Tricycle Press. I’ll share these thoughts by answering the kinds of questions I have heard from teachers who are curious about authors interacting with publishers.
— Answer for most publishers: No. End of story.
— Answer for Tricycle Press: No… and yes. Of course Tricycle gets the final decision. But I have had major input. When Tricycle bought my manuscript G Is for Googol: A Math Alphabet Book, editor-in-chief Nicole Geiger asked if I had any thoughts about the illustrator. (To be consulted on such a decision was in itself remarkable.) I admired Marissa Moss's light-hearted but detailed illustrations, so I suggested that Nicole consider Marissa, who had already published several books with Tricycle. A week later, Marissa was offered the job, and she accepted. When the sequel to Googol, called Q Is for Quark: A Science Alphabet Book, was ready for publication and Marissa was busy with other things, I introduced Nicole to Kim Doner. I had just met Kim in Tulsa and I thought that the bold humor in her illustrations would be perfect for my book. She was little known outside of Oklahoma but I felt she deserved much wider recognition. Nicole sent her a “trial assignment” (an invitation to illustrate one small section of the book for the editors’ perusal) and sure enough, Kim made the grade. Her pictures add immeasurably to my book, and she has since illustrated a number of titles by other authors for Tricycle.
— Answer for Tricycle Press: While I don’t work with the illustrator (i.e., I do not visit his or her studio and talk about the work in progress), I get to see the art at various stages in its production and my comments, relayed through the editor, are taken seriously. When Kim was doing Quark, I was looking at her work almost daily and made many suggestions to keep it true to the science behind my text. She and I both appreciated the process and the final result.
“How hard is it to get an editor to read your manuscript?”
— Answer for Tricycle Press: All publishers are inundated by manuscripts these days, so I cannot promise you will get the same treatment I got, but consider my story: I sent G Is for Googol to Tricycle on a Monday. On Tuesday, my answering machine had a message from Nicole: “I like it a lot.” On Wednesday, we had a phone conversation in which she conveyed her enthusiasm but told me that she still had to send it around to various readers for their opinions. About two weeks later, we were negotiating a contract. Sometimes it takes longer, but usually I can send a simple email to find out when I can expect an answer.
— Answer for Tricycle Press: As a small publisher, the original Tricycle did not have a large budget for marketing, but they had good ideas and a willingness to consider anything. I have always felt that my marketing suggestions have been taken seriously. When I suggested a classroom contest for activities based on Q Is for Quark, they set it up and publicized it. The prize was a free visit to the school by Kim and me. When I requested a poster as a promotional piece for Googol, and I pointed out my busy upcoming school speaking schedule, Tricycle agreed that a poster was a good idea even though they had originally wanted to do a bookmark (less expensive, but less durable).
“Who has the last word on the many decisions that must be made in producing a book?”
— Answer for Tricycle Press: The publisher. It’s in the contract. But there are ifs, ands and buts. In producing four books with Tricycle, every time we’ve struggled over a sticky issue related to my text, we have resolved the disagreement in a most agreeable way. After I tried to see it the editor’s way (and failed) and the editor tried to see it my way (and failed), I have always been told, “You are the author. You get the final word.” The contract says the publisher gets the final word and I am certain that Nicole would have exercised her ultimate authority if necessary, but she has thus far always let me have my way . . . and my say. In the end, we always found a solution that made everyone happy. The book was a collaborative effort — exactly as it should be!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Gaming at the Library
It's Friday and time for some fun!
I hope by now most of you have heard about the popularity of gaming in libraries.
From the ALA press release 3/2/2009:
I hope by now most of you have heard about the popularity of gaming in libraries.
From the ALA press release 3/2/2009:
In recognition of this trend and the increasing value of gaming to literacy improvement, the American Library Association, with assistance from a $1 million grant from the Verizon Foundation, has developed an online toolkit to aid librarians in serving this growing constituency.
The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming: An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming @ your library offers content contributed by expert gaming librarians across the country. The toolkit includes a wide range of resources to help librarians create, fund and evaluate gaming experiences in the library.
Games, from traditional chess games to authentic board games to popular video games, help libraries fulfill their mission by providing educational, cultural and recreational resources for patrons of all ages.
“Games of every type play an important role in developing fundamental competencies for life,” said ALA President Jim Rettig. “They require players to learn and follow complex sets of rules, make strategic and tactical decisions, and, collaborate with teammates and others, –all things they will have to do in college and in the workforce.”
By providing grant dollars to fund the project, Verizon recognizes the growing importance of gaming in promoting literacy.
“We at the Verizon Foundation believe that learning is not only for the hours between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the classroom,” said Albert J. Browne, national program director and vice president of education and technology for the Verizon Foundation. “We believe that libraries can help children learn more and continue to learn even when they are not in a classroom environment.
The Guide to Gaming toolkit is packed with valuable information for libraries or anyone interested in gaming.
I found some fun, inspiring, nonfiction books on gaming for kids. Check 'em out:
Journey to Gameland: 
How to Make a Board Game from Your Favorite Children's Book
Ben Buchanan (author) Doug Buchanan(illustrator) Lantern Books June 2001
More info about Journey to Gameland
Celebrating Board Games
Nina Chertoff Susan Kahn Sterling October 2006
More info about Celebrating Board Games
Theory of Fun for Game Design
Raph Koster Paraglyph November 2004
More info about Theory of Fun for Game Design
And, while you have their attention, make sure you tell the students all about the Young Inventor's Challenge - a wonderful opportunity for kids to present their toy and game concepts to the experts in the toy and game industry. The Young Inventor's Challenge is part of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. This year promises some fun surprises so look out for updates. All the forms and information should be online soon, or please email me (ideasplash at annamlewis dot com) for any information. It's my goal to spread the word about this amazing program so all kids have a chance to share their ideas. The creativity and ideas of today's students are the future!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Spreading the Word about Our Books
At the risk of blatantly tooting my own horn, I recently attended a banquet for the Florida Book Awards (for Missing Math: A Number Mystery, more info here.) Fellow author Donna Gephart mentioned that she had received a letter from Hilary Clinton about her book, As If Being 12 ¾ Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother Is Running for President! Her blog post about it indicates that she had sent now Secretary of State Clinton a copy of the book when the latter was indeed running for President.
It was a great idea, wasn’t it? I have to confess that it hasn’t been my practice to think of similar gambits for my own books. Many authors like to think marketing is all up to the publisher, while others do quite a bit on their own initiative and it seems to pay off. Finding ways to reach the niche audiences for a topic seems especially suitable for nonfiction books. In many cases the publisher will be glad to send a review copy to a person or group that seems appropriate. Recently I’ve been making a list of ideas to try; here are a few in no particular order:
1) Find Yahoo groups, blogs, or other online interest groups that are related to the book’s topic. Naturally you have to be aware of their promotion policy, but many groups love to hear about books about their favorite subject.
2) Make book signings a big event. My favorite story along this line is how author-illustrator Brian Lies (Bats at the Beach, et al.) had a graphic of the book’s artwork wrapped around the family car and 12 foot bat wings attached on top. Now that’s making an entrance!
3) Search for specialized awards. I recently completed a picture book about energy, and during my research ran across the Green Book Award. I’ll make sure the publisher knows about it!
4) Dedicate a web site and/or blog to a book using the title as domain name if possible. Include downloadable activities and invite readers to contribute photos, etc.
5) Make a short video that gives the gist of the story to prospective readers. I’ve made two of these so far, for Missing Math and Crazy Like a Fox: A Simile Story, and have gotten enthusiastic responses.
6) Support a charity effort. For example, one author of a book that had feeding birds as part of the plot partnered with The Nature Conservancy, who sold the book as a fund raiser.
7) Create a stuffed animal, banner, or other tangible item that can be loaned to libraries as part of a display about the book.
8) Write a how-to article related to the book’s topic for a teacher/parent magazine.
9) Rent a table at a general public or trade show with your books. For example, my brother is a used book dealer, and recently mentioned he knows someone who does the majority of his annual business selling aviation-related books at one particular large air show.
These marketing tips are just a start, there are many more possibilities. Please add any brainstorms you’d care to share... thanks!
It was a great idea, wasn’t it? I have to confess that it hasn’t been my practice to think of similar gambits for my own books. Many authors like to think marketing is all up to the publisher, while others do quite a bit on their own initiative and it seems to pay off. Finding ways to reach the niche audiences for a topic seems especially suitable for nonfiction books. In many cases the publisher will be glad to send a review copy to a person or group that seems appropriate. Recently I’ve been making a list of ideas to try; here are a few in no particular order:
1) Find Yahoo groups, blogs, or other online interest groups that are related to the book’s topic. Naturally you have to be aware of their promotion policy, but many groups love to hear about books about their favorite subject.
2) Make book signings a big event. My favorite story along this line is how author-illustrator Brian Lies (Bats at the Beach, et al.) had a graphic of the book’s artwork wrapped around the family car and 12 foot bat wings attached on top. Now that’s making an entrance!
3) Search for specialized awards. I recently completed a picture book about energy, and during my research ran across the Green Book Award. I’ll make sure the publisher knows about it!
4) Dedicate a web site and/or blog to a book using the title as domain name if possible. Include downloadable activities and invite readers to contribute photos, etc.
5) Make a short video that gives the gist of the story to prospective readers. I’ve made two of these so far, for Missing Math and Crazy Like a Fox: A Simile Story, and have gotten enthusiastic responses.
6) Support a charity effort. For example, one author of a book that had feeding birds as part of the plot partnered with The Nature Conservancy, who sold the book as a fund raiser.
7) Create a stuffed animal, banner, or other tangible item that can be loaned to libraries as part of a display about the book.
8) Write a how-to article related to the book’s topic for a teacher/parent magazine.
9) Rent a table at a general public or trade show with your books. For example, my brother is a used book dealer, and recently mentioned he knows someone who does the majority of his annual business selling aviation-related books at one particular large air show.
These marketing tips are just a start, there are many more possibilities. Please add any brainstorms you’d care to share... thanks!
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