Birthday Anniversaries - Darwin and Lincoln

Two hundred years ago tomorrow both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were born. In honor of these two extraordinary men I reviewed quite a few books about them during the month of February. You can see these reviews on the Abraham Lincoln feature and the Charles Darwin feature on the Through the Looking Glass Book Review website. I thought that the following books were particularly notable:

Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith - A splendid non-fiction title that explores how Charles and Emma Darwin were able to overcome their differences and form a solid marriage bond that lasted many years.

Abraham Lincoln Comes Home - A very moving picture book that describes what it was like to see Lincoln's funeral train go by.

Lincoln Shot: A President's Life Remembered - A fabulous large format non-fiction picture book that is presented in the form of a mid 1800's newspaper.

and, though this is not a new book:

The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin - A non-fiction picture book biography that shows readers what Charles Darwin's dreams were and what he was like as a man.

Many people all around the world are celebrating these birthdays in unique ways. Enjoy remembering the lives of these two men who gave so much to do what they thought was right.

Last month I read a lot of books about Abraham Lincoln so that I could update my Abraham Lincoln feature on the Through the Looking Glass Book Review website. One of the books I read was by author Harry Mazer, and it is called My brother Abe. The story is told by Abraham Lincoln's sister, Sally, and it beautifully captures the hardship and difficulties that Abraham Lincoln's family faced.

I was so moved by the book that I decided to interview the author:

1. I just read your book My Brother Abe and I enjoyed it enormously. Where did the idea for this book come from? THERE ARE VERY FEW STORIES ABOUT ABE LINCOLN’S EARLIEST YEARS, BUT I REALIZED THERE WERE NONE ABOUT SARAH LINCOLN, HIS OLDER SISTER.

2. Abraham Lincoln’s sister Sally tells the story, often in the vernacular of the times. How did you create this voice for Sally? RESEARCH INTO SPEECH PATTERNS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN PEOPLE, CERTAINLY, BUT BASICALLY IMAGINATION.

3. As I understand it there isn’t that much information available about Abraham Lincoln’s early years. Where did you find the material that you used to write this book? I FOUND MUCH OF MY MATERIAL IN HARRIET ARNOW’S THE FLOWERING OF NEW ENGLAND, WHICH IS A KIND OF BASIC TEXT ABOUT THAT WORLD.

4. Writing a book is always hard work. What did you enjoy about writing this particular title? I ENJOYED CREATING THE CHARACTER OF SARAH LINCOLN, WHO WAS A BLANK SLATE.

5. This is very different from your other books in some ways. What do you think makes this book stand out? IN TELLING SALLY’S STORY, I FOUND A WAY TO TELL ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S STORY.

6. Do you find that you put a lot of yourself into your books? I FIND MYSELF IN ALL MY BOOKS.

7. Is there a particular time in history that you would like to write about? I’VE WRITTEN ABOUT CONTEMPORAY SUBJECTS AND HISTORIC SUBJECTS AND HAVE FOUND THEM ALL ABSORBING.

8. Your daughter has also become a successful writer. What is it like to see your child follow in your footsteps? IT FILLS ME WITH PRIDE.

9. You have written several books with your wife? Was it hard to make the shift from writing alone to writing as part of a team? NO. I ENJOYED EVERY BIT OF IT. EVEN WHEN WE FOUGHT, I ENJOYED IT.

10. I know it is awfully hard to choose, but which book did you especially like when you were a young person? MY FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME IS ROBINSON CRUSOE, A SURVIVAL STORY, WHICH IS MY ABIDING SUBJECT.

Thank you so much Harry Mazer for participating in this interview.

An Interview with Capstone Press about their Graphic Library series

One of my favorite non-fiction series' for young readers is the Graphic Library collection, which is published by Capstone Press. The books are presented in a graphic novel format, and they tell the stories of people from history, important historical events, and they explore science and social studies. I have reviewed many of the biographical and historical titles, and decided to ask the publishers about this useful and entertaining series.

Here are the responses that John Rahm, the Senior Product Planning Editor at Capstone Press, had to my questions:

Where did the idea for this series come from?
The popularity of graphic novels was exploding, but they were, and really still are, predominantly fiction. We looked at the trend and thought what a great way to do nonfiction. Kids are reading and loving graphic novels, so why not use that to teach them something.

Quite a few young readers find non-fiction hard to get into and/or boring. These books are particularly good for readers of this kind. Was that your intention?
Absolutely. At Capstone we are committed to reaching struggling and reluctant readers. Not only are these books engaging and fun for readers, but the format is a great vehicle for delivering nonfiction content.

How do you choose which subjects to include in the series?
Many factors go into determining the topics, from meeting with librarians and educators to current pop culture trends. However, there are three major considerations that go into choosing topics: What kids study in school, what kids want to read about, and what makes compelling, exciting books.

How do you decide who should write and illustrate the books?
We work with a large group of experienced and talented author and illustrators. For authors, we look for expertise on the topic as well as the ability to create accessible, engaging narratives. For illustrators, we look for an art style that fits the topic and approach.

How are the books created? Are they written first and then illustrated or do the author and illustrator work in tandem?
Typically, authors and editors create a script and storyboard for each book. Then the storyboard is sent to the illustrator to be drawn.

Do you think more and more houses are going to start publishing this kind of non-fiction book?
Certainly, since we started our line in 2005, many more publishers have jumped on board. Graphic nonfiction is such a great way to bring nonfiction to kids that I expect the trend to continue for a long time.

Do you have any plans to do other kinds of graphic novel style books?
We are always looking to broaden our Graphic Library line. We began with graphic novels depicting historical events and biographies. Next we moved to teaching science with Max Axiom, Super Scientist, and then social studies concepts with Cartoon Nation. In the future we will continue to apply this format to other areas of nonfiction.

Do teachers use these books as teaching tools in their classrooms?
Yes. The format is a great way to bring concepts to life and students love the idea of reading a comic book during class!

If you have a reluctant reader in your home or class these books will be a useful addition to your library.

Thank you John for the interview and a thank you too to Jennifer Glidden for setting it up.

Cybils Finalists

I have some more awards news for you. I know there have been a lot of announcements of late, but these are the Cybils, and since the Cybils are awarded by bloggers like yours truly I think an announcement is in order. So, please take a look at the finalists for the awards. The final choices will be

announced on Valentine's Day. To find out more information about the Cybils click here. On this page you will also find the lists of the finalists. They include:

* Housley and Catina and the quiet time by James Howe (Easy Reader Category) - Loved this book.

* Airman by Eoin Colfer (Fantasy and Science Fiction Category) - A thrilling read.

* The Magic Thief by Sarah Phineas (Elementary and Middle Grade) - A very promising first book in a new series.

* Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Dale (Graphic Novel Category) - A fantastic example of the genre.

* We Are the Ship: The Story of the Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson (Non-Fiction Category) - A powerful and informative book.

* Chester’s Back by Melanie Watts (Fiction Picture Book Category) - A hilarious read.

* A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet (Non-Fiction Picture Book Category) - A beautifully presented book.

I hope you enjoy looking at the finalists. They would all make great additions to a library.

A Chat with Cheryl Harness Part

Today I will be having the third and final chat with author illustrator Cheryl Harness.

Marya: Welcome back to TTLG Cheryl. Today I would like to talk to you about
the book creation process.

Cheryl: Hello right backatcha. I'd love to talk about how I do my books.

Marya: For those of you who don't know, Cheryl illustrates other people's
books and she also creates books that she has both written and illustrated. I thought I would begin by asking you how things work when you are going to write and illustrate a book yourself. For example, for Young Teddy Roosevelt, did you come up with the idea for this book yourself or did a publisher approach you about the idea?

Cheryl: There was a story on television some years back about a book containing TR's letters to his children - did you know that he illustrated them? He did, with funny little line drawings. Anyway, hearing of that book filled me with instant enthusiasm for a TR book. After all, I grew up reading those Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, the first of the series set in the very picturesque time of TR's presidency [1901-1909]. As I read more about the man himself - I mean, I knew the basics, but finding out more about Teddy, his overcoming of chronic ill health, tragic early deaths of those he most loved, etc., etc., ETC. I just HAD to do a book about him.

Marya: I see. And what did you do once the idea was in place? Did you write
it first and then illustrate it or did you do the written work and the artwork at the same time?

Cheryl: Writing's the foundation; it always comes first. The first thing that I always do is go to my encyclopedia, a fine place to get a brief but solid introduction to the life & times. Then I'll begin looking at what has been done for older readers. For instance, when I worked on my Thomas Jefferson [Nat'l Geo., 2004], I read Natalie Bober's wonderful book, Thomas Jefferson, Man on a Mountain.[S. & Sch. 1988]. Based upon these, I write an outline and send this off to the editor. Now when I was first starting out, in the late 1980s, I sent a carefully, completely done story, literally cut and pasted into a 'dummy,' illustrated w/ very tight pencil drawings, photocopied, colored w/ colored pencils and pasted into place w/ the text. THEN I slipped each page into an acetate sleeve, all these pages held w/ a plastic binder, you know? usually used, back then anyway, for a term paper. THEN I gift-wrapped the whole shebang w/ white tissue paper, kissed it for luck, & mailed it. By golly, every single time I send art and/or writing off to an editor to this day, I still kiss the envelope for luck before sending it away.

Marya: What form is the book in when you send it to the publisher. and what
happens to it next?

Cheryl: The outline might well be little more than a page breakdown and/or a storyboard. For example, here's what I put together for a possible book about the wonderful/horrible individual who was our 7th President, Andrew Jackson:

p. 1 paste
pp. 2/3 endpapers
pp. 4/5 title page
pp. 6/7 It’s winter 1767. Many a mile and a stormy sea away from their native Ireland, Mr. and Mrs.
Jackson were pioneering in the wild Carolina country. They were building a new life for themselves and especially for their boys, little Hugh and Robert, and for the new baby, soon to be born. Life was hard, but the future looked bright.
Then Mr. Jackson got hurt. With all his might he’d been struggling to lift a huge log when he hurt himself so badly that he died of his injuries. A few weeks later, redheaded Betty Jackson gave birth to her third son. All the long years of his adventurous life he’d wear the name of the father he never knew: Andrew Jackson.
pp. 8/9 serves as a messenger in Rev War in which his 2 older brothers die, taken prisoner, wounded
by a furious sword-slashing British officer, & orphaned by age 14 (Betty & Robert died of smallpox)
pp. 10/11 wild Andy, known as "the most roaring, rollicking, game-cocking, horse-racing, card- playing, mischievous fellow that ever lived in Salisbury" [NC] becomes a lawyer! / off to Nashville [western NC]
pp. 12/13 Rachel [m. 1791, again in ‘94]/ the Hermitage/ Andy the politician [involved in Tennessee statehood convention]
pp. 14/15 1796-97 - AJ: U.S. Congressman, Senator, judge: Tenn. Supreme Court (1798-1804)
pp. 16/17 1804-13 AJ: merchant, planter, race horse breeder/War of 1812 AJ: the general. "Old Hickory" leads 2,500 militiamen 800 mile-march > Natchez, Miss…. Bloody Battle of Horseshoe Bend, Creek War Mar. 1814 [several duels, challenges in this period as well as a gunfight w/ Thos. Hart Benton!]
pp. 18/19 Battle of New Orleans/ Jean Lafitte & the pirates Jan. 1815
pp. 20/21 Florida campaign against the Seminole/ nasty presidential election No. 1 in 1824
pp. 22/23 nasty election No. 2 "rise of the common man"/ death of Rachel, just before Christmas, 1828 (buried at the Hermitage in her gown for the Inaugural Ball)
pp. 24/25 wild inauguration: big cheese in town
pp. 26/27 Jackson White House/ 1st term of "King Andrew the First" [issues: nullification, Bank of U.S., internal improvements. Peggy Eaton]
pp. 28/29 Black Hawk War/ Indian removal/T. of Tears.
pp. 30/31 2nd term: war on the Seminoles, Texan independence
pp. 32/33 last years 1837-death: 8 June 1845
pp. 34/35 Epilogue: the world of and/or chronology of President Andrew Jackson MAP States [2 new ones: Arkansas & Michigan] & territories….. inventions : 1st steam locomotives, daguerreotypes, & such
pp. 36/37 backmatter
pp. 38/39 endpapers
p. 40 paste

Then I cross my fingers! It's a bit like entering a contest, sending a story idea to a publisher. For the publisher, remember, it's a bit of a gamble

Marya: Goodness that is a lot of work. Right, so you have sent the publisher the mockup. Let say they love it and want to go forward. What happens now?

Cheryl: Now what happens is that I make a list of all of the illustrations TBD [To Be Done] in my calendar book then I march down that list like Gen. Sherman through Georgia. Very systematic. I lay in a supply of recorded books from the library and rule the first board, meaning I draw with a ruler and a pencil the size of the open book. This is called a spread: 2 pages, gutter line down the middle. I draw my border with an extra 1/2" or so beyond the actual 'trim size' of the book. This extra margin is called the 'bleed': the color can 'bleed' off the edge. Icky sounding, I know. Then I tape the rough, tracing paper dwg [drawing] to the watercolor paper or illustration board -I've mostly used the latter over the years. heavy, cold-pressed illus. board. Hot-pressed paper is real slick-feeling: crummy for watercolor, which is what I use, that + some. colored pencil. Underneath the rough dwg I slip a piece of graphite paper which allows me to trace & transfer the dwg onto the good stuff. I refine and complete the dwg w/pencil then I paint it. It takes me about a week for a big, complicated double-page spread. And I paint at the size you see in the books. For my picture book biographies published by the Nat'l Geo,. for example, ea. of those paintings were approx. 12" x 18"

Marya: How many times do you typically go back and forth with a story? How does the editor tell you what he or she wants you to change? Do you have a face to face talk about the project?

Cheryl: Generally, I'd say that the editor and I have perhaps a dozen email exchanges regarding the text and she'll send me the marked-up manuscript. I'll do all of the fixes and we may well discuss one or two things that I don't feel need fixing! But for that I must have a sensible reason. This is all most congenial. We'll at least one long telephone conversation as we go through the ms. line by line. Now, when I did my novel, Just For You To Know, a few years back, it was a much more complex project, requiring three revisions. It was a happy process. I know that the editor & I are of the same mind: we both want a good book. With my picture books, this revision process takes a few days. Time is of the essence! It's the illustration that is the most time-consuming. For my Washington Irving book the paintings took approximately three months.

Marya: How long does all this take?

Cheryl: My novel was finally published (in 2006) almost two years after it was accepted, June 18, 2004, a very happy day, by the way. Upon completing a picture book [approx. 6 to 8 months), 6 months to a year pass before the book is published. The paintings must be prepared to be scanned and printed. the pages must be folded and gathered and bound.

Marya: What happens when the book is all ready? What role do you play now?

Cheryl: I talk with young readers about my books, sign books whenever I can, and attend young author conferences, lit fests, and I've visited many a classroom over the years. I love this part of my job. It isn't meant as merely promoting my books. I come intending to tell younger writers what I've found out about the step-by-step of creating a book and to encourage them to ENGAGE. Why leave the creative process to the professionals? WHY should they have all the fun? Find your perfect work, the best use of your time and your talent while you're here on the planet. You know what Marvin Gaye said: "As long as you're alive, you might as well live!"

Marya: Thank you Cheryl. We have learned a great deal from you. Good luck with all your future books.

Cheryl: It's been a pleasure Marya. Talk to you soon.

The 2008 "Cuffies" Awards

We have seen the announcements for the Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King awards. Now it is time to take a look at the Cuffies. Every year Publisher's Weekly puts together this "Off the Cuff" list where retailers are asked "for their picks in a variety of categories." The categories chosen are interesting, and entertaining, and I for one agree with several of the choices that were made. Take a look at the listing on the Publishers Weekely website. I think you will find several books in the listing that are a joy to read including Masterpiece by Elise Broach, Bats in the Library by Brian Lies, and the Diary of A Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. You can find listings for past Cuffie awards here.

Children's Book Award Winners are Announced

This week the winners of several children's book awards were announced at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting. I was surprised to hear about some of the titles that were chosen and delighted by others. Here are some of the award announcements:

The John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to children's literature: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Dave McKean

Newbery Honors: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt and illustrated by David Small; The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle; Savvy by Ingrid Law; and After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson.

The Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children: The House in the night by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes

Caldecott Honors: A couple of boys have the best week ever by Marla Frazee; How I learn Geography by Uri Shulevitz; A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams" by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

Michael L. Prinz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

Michael L. Printz Honors: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II, The Kingdom on the Waves by M.T. Anderson; The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart; Nation by Terry Pratchett; and Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan.

Coretta Scott King Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults (Author): We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Coretta Scott King Award recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults(Illustrator): The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thoma and illustrated by Floyd Cooper

Coretta Scott King Honors (Authors): The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas amd illustrated by Floyd Cooper; Keeping the Night Watch by Hope Anita Smith and illustrated by E.B. Lewis; and Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Floyd Cooper.

Coretta Scott King Honors (Illustrators): We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball written and illustrated by Kadir Nelson; Before John Was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Sean Qualls, ; and The Moon Over Star by Dianna Hutts Aston and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished book for beginning readers: Are You Ready to Play Outside? written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Geisel Honor Books: Chicken said, 'Cluck!' by Judyann Ackerman Grant and illustrated by Sue Truesdell; One Boy written and illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger; Stinky written and illustrated by Eleanor Davis ; and Wolfsnail: A Backyard Predator by Sarah C. Campbell, with photographs by Sarah C. Campbell and Richard P. Campbell

The Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults: Laurie Halse Anderson is the recipient of the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award honoring her outstanding lifetime contribution to writing for teens for Catalyst, Fever, and Speak.

The Robert F. Sibert Medal for most distinguished informational book for children: We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by author and illustrator Kadir Nelson,

Sibert Honor Books: Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and Rediscovery of The Past written by James M. Deem; and What to Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy! written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.

The First William C. Morris Award: A Curse Dark as Gold.

The National Book Foundation Innovations in Reading Prize

If you know someone who has worked hard to encourage people to read you might want to nominate them for this prize. Awarded by the National Book Foundation, the Innovations in Reading Prize will be given "to individuals and institutions and collaborative programs" that are "using innovative approaches to successfully inspire Americans to be become lifelong readers."

Several awards of up to be $2500 will be given, and the cut off date to nominate a person or organization is February 15th, 2009.

You can find out more about this prize on the prize National Book Foundation Innovations in Reading Prize page.

Watching for Signs of Spring

Though spring is some way off for many of us in the United States, if we look carefully we might see signs that it is coming. I recently came across a website that I think children, their families, and their school communities would love. It is called Journey North and it is "a free, Internet-based program that explores the interrelated aspects of seasonal change. Through interrelated investigations, students discover that sunlight drives all living systems and they learn about the dynamic ecosystem that surrounds and connects them." On the site children can learn about about seasonal changes in nature. They can even go to the website and make a notation online to tell visitors to the site that they have seen the first robin of spring. Or the first migrating whale, or the first signs of spring leaf out.

This site is a fantastic tool for teachers, parents, and homeschoolers. There are maps to look at, projects to try, and much more.

Thank you Annenberg Media for bringing us this terrific website

Listen up President Obama - the kids have something to say

Like many millions of people I watched Barack Obama getting sworn in today. It was a very moving hour or so. and I am sure that I will treasure my memories of this time in the years to come. Throughout the event I kept thinking about what this poor man faces when the hoopla is over and he has to get to work. There are so many problems that need to be addressed. Where should he start? Of course President Obama has bushels of advisors who will do their best to help him, but he might also want to hear what some of America's children have to say. A non-profit writing workshop in San Francisco called 826 Valencia gave their students a very timely assignment - to send the new president their thoughts about what they think he should do in his new job.

You can see some of these letters on the School Library Journal website and be prepared to laugh. Also be prepared for a suprise or two. These children have some pretty meaningful things to say. A collection of these letters have been put together and are available in book form. If you need a little laugh and an injection of grounded common sense of the kid variety, make sure that you get a copy of Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids' letters to President Obama.