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,
Mid-January, I was battling both rain and snow (which of course = ice) at Vermont College of Fine Arts and loving doing the picture book workshop at residency with ten students eager to learn about this quirky genre + Liz Garton Scanlon + Ashley Wolff showing us how life looks from the illustrator’s point of
After all the fun of creating Ready Set Go Books for Ethiopia in 2017, I reluctantly admit it’s time to think about next steps. In 2016, Stephanie and Troy and Nahosenay and Yacob met with those young illustrators in Ethiopia and read them a few of the simple stories I had written. I was charmed–and
It’s fall! Most of my apples have brown fuzzy centers (since I don’t use any pesticides in my yard) and then every once in a while I cut open one that is beautiful. Yesterday, traveling birds also stopped by the yard to feast on elderberries. The world is bursting with good things. And then there
Sweet words from a reader!
Ah. Every author’s dream question! I recently was asked it about my new middle grade novel, Planet Jupiter. Some authors have flippant answers…from the idea fairy. I capture them tumbling under my bed with the dust bunnies. I sometimes point out that a novel has to have interesting and unusual ideas for every scene–and that maybe
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