Book Talk

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BookTalk features candid interviews with our talented authors and illustrators. Insight into the creative process of writing and illustrating for children are shared on a monthly basis.

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	NEW! TRISH MARX and ELLEN B. SENISI creators of STEEL DRUMMING AT THE APOLLO: THE ROAD TO SUPER TOP "Doesn't everyone want to be a rock star?"
	UPDATED! ILLUSTRATOR SURVEY Six of our talented illustrators share their perspectives on what it takes to make it in the world of children's book illustration.
	UPDATED! G. NERI author of CHESS RUMBLE “I had no idea this story was in me; but once I started, it took off on its own and I just ran to keep up."
	HOLIDAY SPECIAL The holidays represent a time for sharing and personal reflection. Forty-two of our authors and illustrators tell us how they celebrate the holidays in their own special ways.
	PAT MORA author of YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! “I hope that readers will smile when they read the haiku and that they will want to write their own haiku. Readers who like facts will enjoy the details about each of the fourteen foods.”
	EDITH HOPE FINE and JUDITH PINKERTON JOSEPHSON authors of ARMANDO AND THE BLUE TARP SCHOOL The authors agree that their goal was to “highlight David Lynch’s work by compressing actual events and layering a plot that would rivet young readers.”
	Summer Reading Special When We Were Young: Children's Book Authors & Illustrators Share Memories of Reading
	BILL WISE and BILL FARNSWORTH author and illustrator of LOUIS SOCKALEXIS: NATIVE AMERICAN BASEBALL “I hope readers come to realize that Sockalexis was both an extraordinary athlete and an extraordinary person. His story deserves to be known. Louis Sockalexis was truly an American hero.”
	GEORGE ANCONA author and photographer of CAPOEIRA: GAME! DANCE! MARTIAL ART! “Capoeira is amazing. Each group or academy becomes a family, and each person is celebrated for his or her individuality.”
	LYNNE BARASCH author and illustrator of HIROMI'S HANDS “Hiromi’s story reflects the warmth of family that is important to all children. It also shows how dreams can be realized by even the youngest child. It only takes perseverance and purpose.”
	KATHLEEN BENSON co-author of JOHN LEWIS IN THE LEAD: A STORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT “I was fascinated by Lewis's lifelong determination to fight for what was right.”
	DEMI author and illustrator of SU DONGPO: CHINESE GENIUS “Perhaps Su Dongpo's greatest legacy was the example he set with his indomitable spirit.”
	S. D. NELSON author/illustrator of QUIET HERO: THE IRA HAYES STORY “I was surprised to learn that Ira was so shy, that most people did not even know what his voice sounded like.”
	KEN MOCHIZUKI author of BE WATER, MY FRIEND: THE EARLY YEARS OF BRUCE LEE “When I saw a photo of Bruce Lee sitting on the floor reading a book in front of the shelves of his library, I knew I wanted to do this book. Readers needed to know this side of Bruce Lee!”
	PATRICIA A. KEELER and JÚLIO T. LEITÃO co-authors and illustrator of DRUMBEAT IN OUR FEET “Traditional African dance is an ancient treasure, and children should know the joy of singing African songs and performing African dances.”
	JAN REYNOLDS author and photographer of CELEBRATE! CONNECTIONS AMONG CULTURES “Sharing with all these different groups of people allowed me the privilege of feeling—not just seeing—how similar we all are on a very intimate level, as one human family. I cry at weddings in every culture!”
	MICHELLE LORD AND FELICIA HOSHINO author and illustrator of LITTLE SAP AND MONSIEUR RODIN “I hope children of all ages will be inspired to seek out the arts by visiting local museums, seeing live performances, or even better, traveling the world and immersing themselves in different cultures.”
	ELOISE GREENFIELD author of WHEN THE HORSES RIDE BY “I hope that reading these poems will make readers aware of their own inner strength and help them to cope with any problem that may arise.”
	GAYLIA TAYLOR author of GEORGE CRUM AND THE SARATOGA CHIP “In the beginning I was more interested in the potato chip, but as George came alive, it was the man himself who made a connection with me.”
	THE PARK SISTERS authors of THE HAVE A GOOD DAY CAFE “Ingenuity, hard work, and embracing more than one culture is a wonderful way to make a dream come true.”
	JOHN COY author of AROUND THE WORLD “I love the movement and fluidity of basketball. I love the pushing and shoving underneath, and the dance for position. I love listening to the talk on the court and the wide mix of ages and backgrounds of the players. When you play, what matters is keeping the court...and everybody is chasing that flow as the game unfolds.”
	ED YOUNG illustrator of SHANGHAI MESSENGER "I tried to convey the feeling of Shanghai, the way it sounds and feels to me."
	UMA KRISHNASWAMI author of THE HAPPIEST TREE: A YOGA STORY "You become your best self from the inside out. Growing in the same way that trees do."
	LYNN RUBRIGHT author of MAMA'S WINDOW "I mainly want readers to enjoy the book. I love that delicious feeling deep inside that nudges me to steal a few minutes, or an hour, every day to sink into a good book. That’s what I hope for most of all — that readers will find Mama a good read."
	MARY WILLIAMS author of BROTHERS IN HOPE: THE STORY OF THE LOST BOYS OF SUDAN "They could be the the most angry, bitter people that you ever saw. But they aren't. They are so motivated and eager to get jobs and go to school. I just knew I had to help them."
	PAULA YOO author of SIXTEEN YEARS IN SIXTEEN SECONDS:THE SAMMY LEE STORY "I want readers of all ages to realize that persistence and hard work are key to making your dreams come true."
	FRANCISCO ALARCÓN author of POEMS TO DREAM TOGETHER/POEMAS PARA SOÑAR JUNTOS "I believe that dreams are an essential component to our life as humans."
	TRISH MARX author of EVERGLADES FOREVER "We all need stories in our lives, and when I write a book, I want to tell a good story. There is no better story than the Everglades."
	GEORGE FORD illustrator of RAY CHARLES "Since there were no childhood photographs of Ray Charles available, I remember reaching deep inside myself to conceive the image of Ray as a blind child in painful circumstances."
	W. NIKOLA-LISA author of MY TEACHER CAN TEACH...ANYONE! W. NIKOLA-LISA author of MY TEACHER CAN TEACH...ANYONE! "Teaching is in my blood," Nikola-Lisa says. "My wife always says that out of everything I do, teaching is what inspires me the most, gives me the most energy. So My Teacher Can Teach... Anyone! is a celebration of both teachers and kids, but also a tribute to all the teachers in the world who have devoted themselves to public service, because that's what teaching is."
	NATASHA ANASTASIA TARPLEY author of DESTINY'S GIFT "People always ask me how I became a writer," says Tarpley. "I wish that I had some crazy, magical story to tell them about how I inherited Shakespeare's quill or my great-great-great-great-grandmother's diary, and how these carefully preserved artifacts transported me to a mystical realm where stories hang on trees like sweet ripe fruit, and all I had to do to receive my writing powers was eat my fill. But the plain truth of the matter is, I simply fell in love with words."
	EDNAH NEW RIDER WEBER AND RICHELA RENKUN author and photographer of RATTLESNAKE MESA "I think that these stories are incredibly important because they give an intimate look into a part of American history that so little is known about."
	CONNIE ANN KIRK and CHRISTY HALE creators of SKY DANCERS "I think that the book works on several levels, as historical fiction about the Mohawks and the roles they played in building New York City skyscrapers, and also as a family story about John Cloud and his relationship with his male relatives, in particular his father, uncle, and grandfather. I like how John Cloud does not assume that he will become a steelworker like his father, grandfather, and uncle even though he admires his father greatly. John Cloud has an independent mind and is open to possibilities."
	NEW VOICES AWARD AUTHOR CHAT "Like most published authors, I was desperate to break through the publishing conundrum," says author Linda Boyden. "Agents don't want you unless you're published, and publishers don't want you unless you're agented. But LEE & LOW offered a golden opportunity." LEE & LOW talks with New Voices Award authors about publishing their first books for children.
	DEBBIE TAYLOR author of SWEET MUSIC IN HARLEM Taylor had only just begun to learn about jazz when she began writing Sweet Music in Harlem. "One of the things that surprised me most was learning that jazz was improvised," says the author. "That means every time a jazz artist plays a song, it can sound different!"
	LYNNE BARASCH author/illustrator of KNOCKIN' ON WOOD "In the process of writing the writer lives with his or her characters, whether real or fictional," says author/illustrator Lynne Barasch. "Peg Leg Bates was my companion during the four months I spent writing Knockin' On Wood."
	LULU DELACRE editor/illustrator of ARRORRÓ MI NIÑO "I feel very strongly that as Latinas raise our children in the U.S. within two cultures, we must keep our traditions and folklore alive and pass them on to our young. It is the way to give children roots, especially as they learn to cherish the language and culture of the U.S.A."
	ROBERT CASILLA illustrator of FIRST DAY IN GRAPES "Stories that help kids become familiar with kids of other cultures or others in different situations are books that I like to illustrate. I appreciate the way the author put the main character in situations that kids deal with daily in real life and how the boy used his wits to get out of tough situations."
	MARCIA VAUGHAN author of UP THE LEARNING TREE "I was reading Tikki Tikki tembo to a second grade class, making some changes to the story, when KABAM! A voice in my head said 'Marcia, stop changing other people's books and write your own.' That's just what I did."
	KATHLEEN D. LINDSEY author of SWEET POTATO PIE "When I was 4 years old," says the author, "my Mom would give me old junk mail to keep me quiet, especially in church. I would scribble on every inch of those papers, pretending I was a great writer. Then I had to read it to someone that had time to listen. That was the hard part!"
	PATRICIA SMITH author of JANNA AND THE KINGS "Writing was the key to all magic," says Smith. "It was all the colors on the canvas, every note ever sung, every word ever spoken or written in any language. And it was all free, just waiting to be crafted, taught, to be celebrated. I never considered living my life any other way."
	D. H. FIGUEREDO author of THE ROAD TO SANTIAGO "I’m a child of the Cuban Revolution," says Figueredo. "A lot of the conflict occurred in Santiago de Cuba where my grandmother lived, and since we visited her for the holidays and I would spend my summers with her, I saw some events and heard about others."
	PATRICIA HUBBELL author of BLACK ALL AROUND! I got started writing by sitting up in a tree, looking out over the meadow and reservoir across from my home, thinking about what I saw.
	BERNARD WOLF author/photographer of COMING TO AMERICA: A Muslim Family's Story Bernard Wolf has had his camera aimed at the world for many years. The result? In 2003, Wolf’s twentieth book for children, Coming to America, was released.
	DAVID DIAZ illustrator of THE POT THAT JUAN BUILT While few artists remember the precise moment when they decided to make art their career, David Diaz is an exception.
	NANCY ANDREWS-GOEBEL author of THE POT THAT JUAN BUILT Nancy Andrews-Goebel met Juan Quezada, the premier potter of the land, and was immediately fascinated by his work and inspired by his spirit.
	THERESE ON LOUIE author of RAYMOND'S PERFECT PRESENT LEE & LOW'S NEW VOICES HONOR AWARD winner talks about the story behind Raymond's Perfect Present.
	LINDA BOYDEN author of THE BLUE ROSES LEE & LOW'S first New Voices Award winner talks about the story behind The Blue Roses.
	TONY MEDINA author of CHRISTMAS MAKES ME THINK The inspiration behind the book and the holiday.
	THE PARK SISTERS authors of WHERE ON EARTH IS MY BAGEL? Frances and Ginger Park talk about their shared love for books, bagels, and chocolate.
	HECTOR VIVEROS LEE author of I HAVE A HIPPOPOTAMUS The role of fantasy.
	ADJOA J. BURROWES author/illustrator of GRANDMA'S PURPLE FLOWERS Adjoa J. Burrowes tells us about the people and events behind her book Grandma's Purple Flowers.
	JOSEPH BRUCHAC author of CRAZY HORSE'S VISION An interview conducted by Eliza T. Dresang for the Cooperative Children's Book Council (CCBC). Reprinted with permission.
	CREATIVITY SURVEY The creative mind revealed. Our authors talk about how they keep the creative juices flowing.
	CREATIVITY SURVEY (Part 2) More secrets revealed. Jeannine Atkins, Bettye Stroud, Susan Keeter and Maria Diaz Strom get creative!
	CREATIVITY SURVEY (Part 3) Pat Mora, Anastasia Suen and Chih-Wei Chang put their heads together and talk the talk.
	CREATIVITY SURVEY (Part 4) Ken Mochizuki and Matthew Gollub give us their take on creativity.
	STEPHANIE STUVE-BODEEN author of ELIZABETI'S DOLL Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen set out to join the Peace Corps, as an ambitious, young American willing to give something of herself, in order to bring about change in a developing nation.
	KAZUKO G. STONE illustrator of COOL MELONS– TURN TO FROGS! An excellent article reprinted by permission from the nice folks at CREATIVE CLASSROOM magazine.
	MATTHEW GOLLUB author and Haiku translator of COOL MELONS- TURN TO FROGS! Traditional haiku depicts a single moment in nature. It is usually based on a discovery or an observation. Reprinted by permission from Creative Classroom magazine.
	WILLIAM MILLER on Writing as Exploration If you are just beginning to write for children, you should write about what matters to you as an individual. Tell stories that matter to you and the children you want as an audience. Tell stories you wish you had read as a child.
	DOM & KEUNHEE LEE illustrators of JOURNEY HOME It is important for young children to realize that they have no boundaries when it comes to art. It is also good for students to be able to concentrate on their thoughts and talk with their minds. We encourage our students to keep journals of their artwork.
	PAT MORA on DÍA DE LOS NIÑOS/DÍA DE LOS LIBROS "One in five children in this country comes from a home in which a language other than English is the home language. By honoring these languages, we celebrate our linguistic and cultural wealth."
	DAVIDA ADEDJOUMA Editor, THE PALM OF MY HEART, Contributing Poet, IN DADDY'S ARMS I AM TALL "...after writing & writing & revising then...writing again, there comes that special moment when the sound & rhythm & texture of words become uniquely yours. Your voice."
	LORETTA LOPEZ From Young Reader to Author & Illustrator "I've wanted to be a children's book author and illustrator since I was in the third grade, when I read the original Bambi by Felix Salten. I was so deeply moved that I cried for about four hours, and then spent the next three years drawing little deer."
	JAVAKA STEPTOE on illustrating IN DADDY'S ARMS I AM TALL "I've thought about illustrating children's books all my life. Being the son of John Steptoe, people always asked if I was planning to follow in my father's footsteps. Sometimes I would say yes, sometimes I would say no. But I realized though I might walk a similar path, I will always be making my own footsteps."
	KEN MOCHIZUKI on writing PASSAGE TO FREEDOM "The more involved I became in Hiroki Sugihara's story of his father's remarkable act of humanity, the more convinced I was that the narrative needed to be in the first person–but with Hiroki telling the story in retrospect, in the tone of one who knows now what he didn't understand then."
	R. GREGORY CHRISTIE on illustrating THE PALM OF MY HEART "I paint fairly quickly, but my biggest challenge with this first book was to find my mark – to do that first image as a foundation and then build from there. The first piece has to feel good, and usually it's the piece I feel most connected to; it's my messenger."

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