There’s only one problem in trying to take a quick peek at Ethiopian history. It’s long and complicated! Ethiopia has its own calendar, its own alphabets, its different regions and kingdoms that gradually became one modern country. Some of the earliest agriculture happened in Ethiopia. Some of the first ways of writing music began with
Wowee zowie! When I saw Lucia Heffernan’s yoga chicks on Instagram, I thought, my chick needs to take lessons! I also immediately messaged Lucia to ask if it was okay to share her art. Luckily for me, she said yes. I met my yoga teacher through my niece, shown here with her baby bump and
Plot challenged? Me too! I tell my students in the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Children’s and YA Literature that other elements of writing–characterization, voice, word play, sentence rhythms–come to me much more naturally. Luckily, that means I have lots of ideas for coaxing plots out to play. For my first book published
My children–and later my grandchildren–went through their potty humor phases. I’m not claiming I didn’t roll my eyes and hope they quickly discovered another type of wit. But as our hearts all clench over pandemics and climate change, I’ve moved into a different camp. Now I think it’s great to use what kids find funny
So many chicken books! One of the fun things about having a new book in the world is getting a glimpse of all the book ambassadors out doing their excellent work. Here are some of the other picture books that have been recommended to go with Chickens on the Loose. Leading a story time for
What is it about chickens? We dress up like them… We do art projects with them. They amuse us in our back yards. They amuse us as we imagine all the things they would do if they got the chance. Explore some chicken books this week–in English or Ethiopian languages–for the wisdom and
Once upon a time, American Girl decided to try a new series for older girls: Girls of Many Lands. When it came time for them to add the African continent, apparently many paths led to me–an author who was once a girl growing up in Ethiopia. Then, when I was doing an author visit in
Me too! When I write or edit stories, I’m always looking for ways to help girls see themselves as the powerful beings they are. We’ve done that in many different ways with the bilingual Ready Set Go Books. Take this bestselling title! On the day the following photo was taken, I was brainstorming with a
After decades of publishing books that have sometimes been called lyrical and important and poetic, I’m about to publish a picture book that my friend Carmen Bernier Grand calls hilarious. Thanks, Carmen. Ironically, this book was born in a brainstorming session where my writer retreat friends and I were making each other laugh—and the idea
When I fell in love with the dream of an artistic life in children’s books it was through writing picture books. I used to love to draw when I was a kid. I didn’t pursue visual art with the same kind of single-minded determination I applied to the craft of writing fiction and creative nonfiction,
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