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Interview with Anika Fajardo, Author of MEET ME HALFWAY

By on August 17, 2022   /   books, kidlit, New Releases, WNDMG  


I’m excited to welcome Anika Fajardo back to  the blog today to talk about her new MG novel Meet Me Halfway, which releases on September 13 from Simon & Schuster. Anika was born in Colombia and
raised in Minnesota and is the author of a book about that experience: Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family. Her books for middle-grade readers include the award-winning What If a Fish, Meet Me Halfway, and the Disney tie-in novel Encanto: A Tale of Three Sisters.

Karen: Thanks for joining us today, Anika! Can you tell us about your new book?
Anika: Meet Me Halfway is the story of seventh-graders Mattie Gomez and Mercedes Miller. Despite looking alike, they have nothing in common, and finding out that they’re half-sisters, doesn’t help them get along. But when they discover that their Colombian father—whom neither has met—is a visiting professor at a nearby college, they have to figure out how to work together as they embark on a road trip/adventure to find him.

Karen: What was your inspiration for this story?
Anika: I’m endlessly fascinated by non-traditional families and the search for identity, but I also wanted to write a book for kids that had fun, adventure, and hijinks. I loved From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler when I was a kid, and I wanted to write a story that took readers someplace unexpected. I spent many years as an academic librarian at a liberal arts college, so setting the adventure at a college was really fun. During my years as a librarian, I also saw many first-generation college students, and I wanted to write a story that inspired kids to pursue higher education—especially for kids whose families might not be familiar with college life.

Karen: Oh, that book was the inspiration for this blog! How interesting! So, many of your stories seem to center around being displaced, with characters separated from their original culture or family. Can you tell me what drives you to write about this theme?
Anika: I first wrote about this in my memoir, Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family (University of Minnesota Press, 2019). That book is about my own experience as the only child of a Colombian father and American mother. When my parents got divorced when I was a toddler, I was separated from my birthplace in Colombia and my father, and we didn’t meet again until I was a young adult. Although not everyone has such a dramatic family background, I think the theme of lost and found family resonates with many readers.

Karen: What pieces of the characters are reflections of yourself?
Anika: Both Mattie and Mercedes have quirks that reflect my experience. Like me, Mattie struggles with anxiety, and Mercedes has a quick temper like I did when I was a child.

Karen: What message or idea do you hope readers will take away from Meet Me Halfway?
Anika: First, I really hope readers have fun reading about the girls’ adventure! I also hope readers see how families—and friendships—can look different and still be positive. Last, I hope that kids get a picture of what college might be like and that the story inspires kids who might not have been thinking about college to explore that option in the future.

Karen: We all know it can be a long path to becoming a published author. Can you tell us about your path to publication?
Anika: I always wanted to be a writer, but I took a few detours, first as an elementary teacher and then as a librarian. I started writing seriously about 15 years ago, taking classes and joining writing groups. My first full manuscript was a chick lit novel that luckily no one will ever read. But the exercise of writing a book length work helped when I was writing my memoir. My first publications were essays in literary magazines. Thanks to some awards and grant funding, I was able to stretch and learn. I published my first book, my memoir, almost a decade after I wrote the first pages. The manuscript of my middle-grade debut, What If a Fish, was chosen for #PitchWars (an online mentoring program) and helped me land my agent.

Karen: What are your top three pieces of writing advice for our Mixed-Up Files readers who’d like become published someday?
Anika: 1) Write like crazy. Write the best book you can and then work on it some more! 2) Be part of the writing community. Whether that means going to in-person readings or volunteering in your community or meeting other writers online, be open to connecting with people. 3) Persevere. Publishing is not in the writer’s control, so you have to be patient. If you’ve worked hard and written the best book you can, sometimes you just have to work and wait until it’s your turn.

Karen: Great advice, Anika. Can you tell us about the books Mixed-Up Files readers can expect to see from you in the future?
Anika: I’m currently working on both a middle-grade novel and a novel for adult readers.

Karen: How can we learn more about you?
Check out my website anikafajardo.com and follow me on social media @anikwriter

 

Thanks so much for joining us today, Anika! Be sure to check out Anika’s new book, Meet Me Halfway, which launches next month!

 

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STEM Tuesday — Ecosystem Recovery– Writing Tips & Resources

By on August 16, 2022   /   Ecosystems, STEM Tuesday  

STEM Tuesday – Ecosystem Recovery

Visual information is everywhere we look. Think about the bright red, octagonal stop sign the traffic guard holds. Everyone knows at a glance that means stop! Or, look at a set of assembly instructions for a desk or a LEGO set. They rely on pictures and few if any words to explain how to put things together.

Graphics are an important part of informational writing. Sometimes a graphic (a picture only or a combination of words and pictures) is a better choice than words alone.

This month, we’ll focus on reading, understanding, and creating info graphics, using mentor texts from this month’s book list. As they say, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Comparisons

graphic of a burmese python's diet

First, let’s look at the Burmese Python Diet info graphic from Kate Messner’s TRACKING PYTHONS. The graphic itself uses hardly any words. Yet you can immediately see the devastating effect this non-native animal has on native species in Florida. Just look at all that it eats! That’s one hungry python.

Now imagine if Messner had chosen instead to convey this information using only words: 72 mice, 30 cotton rats, 15 rabbits, etc. It doesn’t have nearly the impact. Plus, it’s boring to read. In situations like these, graphics are a great choice.

Step-by-Step Processes

Trying to explain ocean acidification? What about how telemetry works? You can use graphics to break down complicated step-by-step processes. We have two great examples from this month’s book list: an ocean acidification graphic from Patricia Newman’s PLANET OCEAN and the telemetry graphic from Messner’s PYTHONS.

Ocean acidification graphic

This is an image of how telemetry works

Unlike the previous, wordless graphic, these use a combination of words and pictures to help us understand what’s going on.

To understand the impact of the pictures, cover them up, and look only at the words. Or you could even try typing them out into a document. How well do you understand what’s going on? Now uncover the pictures and “read” them. How do the images aid your understanding?

If you are explaining a step-by-step process in your writing, consider whether a graphic could help.

Descriptions/Labeled Diagrams

Like the step-by-step graphics above, labeled diagrams combine text and images. Let’s study this adorable otter graphic from Patricia Newman’s SEA OTTER HEROES.

This is a labeled graphic of a sea otter.What information do the text boxes provide on their own? Imagine if there was no picture of the otter at all, and this information was conveyed in writing only. Would it work? How does the image of the otter add to your understanding of how the otter is built to hunt?

If a reader isn’t familiar with an otter, it would be difficult for them to call to mind what an otter’s ears or whiskers look like. And even if they had seen an otter, their memory might be inaccurate. A picture ensures the reader gets all the information they need, both what the otter’s features look like and how they are used to hunt.

Your Turn

Now it’s time to put what we’ve learned into practice. Have students read through a piece of their own informational writing and identify an area where a graphic might help their audience gain a better understanding. It might be a comparison, a step-by-step process, a description like the otter, or something else.

Next, have them create the infographic. They can draw something by hand or use online tools like Google Slides to arrange photos, clip art, arrows, text boxes, or more.

Finally, have students inert their graphic, and then revise their text accordingly.

—

headshot of Kirsten W. LarsonKirsten W. Larson used to work with rocket scientists at NASA and now writes about women in science and much more. Her books include the WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane, illus. Tracy Subisak and A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything, illus. Katy Wu. Learn more at kirsten-w-larson.com.

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Make an Impact on the World! — Book Giveaway

By on August 12, 2022   /   Articles, New Releases  

It’s easy to get caught up in the negativity that seems to be prevalent in the world lately.

Sometimes we may even struggle to have hope.

Hope that things will change.

Hope that we will have a better tomorrow.

Hope that we can make a difference.

 

As the saying goes in Ted Lasso, “It’s the hope that kills you.”

Of course, Ted, as the eternal optimist, rebels against that and instead focuses on one word:

                                                     BELIEVE

And yet, one wonders–How can I- one person- make a difference?

Is that even possible?

                                                                  YES! 

That idea is of my new book, Footprints Across the Planet (Reycraft Books)

Footprints Across the Planet book

 

You are already making an impact on the planet, each time you take a step.

Like you, every being on the planet leaves an imprint

with their feet

their words

their actions.

 

@Reycraft Books

@ReycraftBooks

Image from Footprints Across the Planet Book

@ReycraftBooks

 

 

Whether human or animal, voices or activity, each mark has a purpose.

To remind us of our history, give us a glimpse of our future, and maybe even inspire us to change the world.

 

@ReycraftBooks

 

 

@ReycraftBooks

 

So how can YOU do this? How can we help kids to do this?

 

Start small.

When we try to tackle a big problem, that is the best way to start.

While no one can solve all of the problems, try taking just one step.

When taken in the right direction, it makes a world of difference.

 

And understand that just like every living being on this planet, you ARE making an impact with every step you take.

 

So the next time you see a child– or an adult– overwhelmed with life, encourage them to just take one step.

Towards kindness

Towards acceptance

Toward happiness

THAT will be their impact on the world and it will be amazing!

 

Leave your mark below and tell me what type of steps you take by sharing what kind of shoes you wear and you’ll be entered to WIN a FREE copy of this book for all ages.

(I’ll go first, I wear running shoes).

*** Update– Congrats to Eric Fischer for winning a copy of my new book!***

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