Nonfiction Monday: The Story Goes On

We would like to thank the Orland Park Public Library for providing this book for review.

The Story Goes On
by Alieen Fisher
Illus. by Mique Moriuchi
32 page, ages 4 -8
Roaring Brook Press, 2005

Reminiscent of “There was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly,” award-winning poet, Aileen Fisher, explains the food chain cycle in this lively, ear-pleasing rhyme. The timeless tale begins with a seed that grows into a plant and is eaten by an insect. The insect, in turn, is gobbled up by frog, and the hapless frog becomes dinner for a snake, and so on. The charm of the tale is in the rhyme, rhythm and flow of the poem. “And then, in a flash, / with the stealth of a thief, / a frog’s sticky tongue / flicks out at the leaf / and snatches a meal… the bug comes to grief.” Later in the story, beetles nibble the remains of a carcass and bury the rest. “And then in the soil / made rich in this way, a seed will start sprouting / and growing some day.” Moriuchi’s textured paints and colorful collage illustrations compliment the text beautifully. Bold pictures capture the animal’s actions and facial expressions, suggesting gentle humor. After his meal, the satisfied frog smiles and pats his rotund tummy. But on the following page, an “uh-oh” look appears on the frog’s face as the sneaky snake grabs him from behind. Here’s a picture book that “ignores the gore” and presents the “food chain facts” simply and gently.—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer

Aileen Fisher was born in 1907, sold her first poem in 1927 and her first book in 1933. Over her lengthy career, she went onto write over 100 books. She authored stories, plays, biographies and picture books, but her favorite genre was poetry. She frequently chose subjects that showed her appreciation of the natural world.  In 1978, she was awarded the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. She passed away at the age of 96 in 2002. —Interview by Laura Crawford

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by True Tales and a Cherry On Top blog.

Nonfiction Monday: Interview With Nonfiction Author Jennifer Keats Curtis

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I feel lucky to live in Maryland, which is considered a small state; but has everything, from the ocean to the mountains! I grew up near the water and developed a passion and appreciate for the Chesapeake Bay and its critters early on. As a children’s author, I want to help bring that same sense of excitement and wonder to children and help them gain knowledge of and appreciation for the animals that probably live right in their own backyards. By diligently researching my topics and interviewing real experts, including children working to help preserve and protect local wildlife, I’ve developed a knack for teaching even the youngest children about important ecological issues and what they can do to help.
 
My current books include: award-winning Oshus and Shelly Save the Bay; the Henry Bergh Children’s Book Award Finalist Turtles in My Sandbox (Sylvan Dell, 2006); Osprey Adventure (Schiffer Publishing, 2007); Da Vinci Eye award winner Baby Owl's Rescue (Sylvan Dell, 2009) and Saving Squeak: The Otter Tale (Schiffer Publishing, 2010). My first creative nonfiction, SEAHORSES, (MacMillan) will debut next year, followed by two more Schiffer books on squirrels and tree frogs respectively.
 
WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS FOR NONFICTION COME FROM?
My ideas usually come from something I read in the paper, or online, or something I learn about when I’m interviewing for a story!
 

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING?
Reducing word count! I get SO excited about all of the details and it’s really hard for me to edit out exciting facts and details that interest me. For example, in the owl book, I learned about whitewash (owl poop) and pellets (what they throw up after they eat) and thought these would be awesome clues for the kids to find so that they would know where to look for the mother owl. But, there just wasn’t enough space and we had to edit it out.


WHAT IS THE STRANGEST FACT YOU HAVE LEARNED?
I’ve learned lots of strange but fascinating facts about animals. (I love trying to work those into the stories!) Perhaps one of the strangest facts is the ways in which otters appear to taunt and tease each other—much like brothers. One of the odd but sad things that I’ve learned is that bats often get stuck to fly paper. (I told you it was odd.) I’m hoping to write about bats in the near future and perhaps will be able to include tips on how to prevent this tragedy. Many people don’t like or afraid of bats; but, they are incredibly important to us because they eat so many insects. If you go outside and don’t get bitten by a mosquito, thank a bat!


TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST WORK. I’ve had a lot of fun working on SEAHORSES and was thrilled to be able to include the details that make these creatures so extraordinary. No wonder so many people think they are mythical!

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE?
During the school year, I regularly present to students (and sometimes adults) in the mid-Atlantic region about my books and about specific animals. I also teach writing to elementary and middle school students through workshops and author-in-residencies. A teacher talked me into offering presentations and workshops when Turtles In My Sandbox first came out. I LOVE it! I have so much fun with the kids and never fail to be like a proud mama when the kids tell me that they have learned that, hey, they actually LIKE writing!
 
When I’m not in schools, or working on a new book, I’m busy with Maryland Life Magazine where I serve as editor-at-large. We are also aiming to launch a magazine for middle schoolers this fall. I can’t wait!
Interviewed by Laura Crawford

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Tales From the Rushmore Kid blog.
 

Nonfiction Monday: In the Wild

We would like to thank the Orland Park Public Library for providing this book for review.

In the Wild
by David Elliott
Illus. by Holly Meade
32 page, ages 4 -8
Candlewick Press, 2010

Which creature is a “Stilt-walker, Tree-topper, Long-necked show-stopper”? What one-horned animal has a boot-like face? Who is the “bamboo bandit” in silk pajamas, that is the color of cookies and cream? If you guessed giraffe, rhinoceros and panda, you’d be right! Animals rule in this delightful collection geared for younger readers. Packed with humor and imagery, Elliot’s pithy poems pay tribute to 14 amazing mammals. Terse verse, quatrains, triplets, apostrophe poems and other poetic forms skillfully reveal a unique feature about each subject. Jaguar’s spotted coat is metaphorically described as “delicate rosettes.” The closing line warns, “Beware of jungle-raised bouquets. Beware these hidden thorns.” And Sloth, who is “small and rather hairy…only moves when necessary.”
From the polar regions, to the savannah, to the rainforest, arresting woodblock images and watercolors in subdued shades of blue, brown, green, and gold, depict animals and their habitats across full double page spreads. Readers who are wild about this book will surely enjoy On the Farm, also written and illustrated by the talented Elliot and Meade team.—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer

Before he was an author, David Elliot was a singer in Mexico, an English teacher in Libya, a cucumber-washer in Greece, and a popscicle-stick-maker in Israel. He says that when he began writing for children, all of his main characters turned out to be nine or ten years old, so that became his target audience. Even though his books are usually funny, he takes writing very seriously because he believes in the power of the imagination and its ability to transport and change a person.—Interview by Laura Crawford

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Wrapped in Foil blog.

Nonfiction Monday: Interview with Author Lisa Wheeler

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I love the world of children’s books! I have been writing professionally for about 16 years and prior to that, hand-sold books in a children’s book department. Books have always been a huge part of my life and I am passionate about the work I do.
Not only do I write, but I also get to speak about this passion. I visit elementary schools throughout the country sharing my love of writing and mammoths with kids. I also do workshops for adults who want to learn to write picture books.
My 30th book just came out in April and I pinch myself every day. I feel so fortunate to make a living doing what I love.


WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS FOR NONFICTION COME FROM? (Laura, I am changing this slightly since I only have 1 NF book)
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR IDEA FOR MAMMOTHS ON THE MOVE?
I have been in love with woolly mammoths ever since I first saw Mr. Snuffleupagus on Sesame Street.
When I became an author, I knew it was only a matter of time before I did a mammoth book. The problem I had was that I write fiction. I did not want to fictionalize nor anthropomorphize the mammoth. I wanted to write about the real woolly mammoth that lived on this earth over 10,000 years ago. I also wanted to make the book accessible to young children. At that time, when I looked in the library for non-fiction mammoth books, I only found books for older kids.
I knew I needed a hook—something to ground and frame my book. After watching a Discovery Channel special on mammoths, I decided that the migration was what excited me the most. I could just imagine that herd of mammoths, crossing the plains in one wonderful family group, tromping through the front yards of cave-children!

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER THE HARDEST PART ABOUT WRITING?
I think the hardest part in writing for kids is being able to tell a complete story in as few words as possible. While people who write for adults can use thousands of words to get a point across, we children’s authors have to do it in 500 words—and in rhyme!
The research was a bit tricky as well. Since I was writing about an extinct creature, I found that not all scientists agree on every aspect of their behavior. I had to read a spectrum of books and then choose the most common theories for my work.

Plus, I had to highlight what would appeal to kids. There were so many things I learned during my research, but not all of that could fit into a 32 page book. I had to be selective and choose only those facts that would appeal to my young readers.


WHAT IS THE STRANGEST FACT YOU HAVE LEARNED?
Of course, not everything I learned made it into the book. Some of the things I found to be interesting about mammoths was that they have 5 sets of teeth throughout their lifetime and they only had 4 very huge teeth in their mouths.
I also was fascinated to read about how they would mourn lost family members. If a mammoth died on the migration, the herd would stop at the spot she died for many years and mourn their lost sister.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR LATEST WORK.
My newest books came out this year. In February, Carolrhoda released the fourth book in my dinosaur sports series. This latest installment, illustrated by the talented Barry Gott, is Dino-Basketball. It follows Dino-Hockey, Dino-Soccer, and Dino-Baseball. The series is popular and has recently gone international with the printing of a French version of Dino-Hockey for French Canada.
My 30th book, which I mentioned above, came out with Atheneum, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, in April. Spinster Goose: Twisted Rhymes for Naughty Children was illustrated by Sophie Blackall. I am in love with the artwork. Sophie is amazing and she truly captured the spirit of the book and its characters.
I am always working on new projects—usually two or three at a time. Right now I am working on a poem about Temple Grandin for an anthology, shopping around two completed manuscripts, and beginning a future dinosaur sports book.
It’s all a labor of love.


IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
If you would like to know more about me, my books, or my presentations, please visit my website: www.lisawheelerbooks.com
Interviewed by Laura Crawford.

This post is part of the Nonfiction Monday round-up hosted this week by Playing by the Book blog.