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The Most Important Thing About Children’s Books: For Readers and Writers During COVID-19

By on May 20, 2020   /   Articles, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, News, Writing, Writing  

Last night, my son asked for something extraordinary. He requested I read him a goodnight story. From my shelves, I pulled out a picture book, The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco. At first glance, this might not seem that unusual.

Except my son is a ninth grade, a newly minted 15-year-old, and I couldn’t more proud. He wasn’t afraid to ask for what he needed– the comforting ritual of a bedtime story read aloud by a parent. He wasn’t embarrassed. His ears didn’t pinken. This wouldn’t have happened pre-COVID. Well, it would have but like six or seven years ago.

This was not an isolated incident.

My oldest son, who graduated from college last year and is a software engineer for a celebrated car company, is back home and after reading some non-fiction, picked up The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman. My son had first read this very book and the rest of His Dark Materials series when he was ten. He said he relished re-reading it even more because “there was so much that I didn’t understand” the first-time round.

My middle son, a 20-year-old, and college sophomore has been asking for back rubs after sitting in his chair digesting his third Zoom class for the day. He also has been introducing us to some of his favorite board games.

In fact, all three of my sons have asked that we play family games at least once a week. Our favorite is definitely Exploding Kittens, which is silly, involves a little strategy and a lot of luck.

I’m not trying to glorify sheltering-in-place. It’s been, at times, incredibly stressful and full of grief. Two of my students have lost their grandparents. Three of my students have been hospitalized. Childhood friends are struggling to recover from COVID-19. My youngest son may have had COVID-19 for a month in March, but at the time we couldn’t get him tested. But I don’t need to tell you of all this woe. We’ve all experienced heartbreak in one form or another, collective grief and loss in many forms.

So I’m really trying not to be a Pollyanna.

But I do feel like COVID-19 has helped me put priorities and values into sharper focus.

Health. Wow. That’s important.

Friends. Community. Books. All Vital.

And it’s clearer than ever before that children’s books are not just for one particular life period. And reading aloud shouldn’t have to stop when you’ve graduated from the HarperCollins I Can Read Level 4. Nope. The pleasure of children’s books are for every season of life. The idea, for example, that you read middle grade just when you’re 8-12 is merely a state of mind.

And as creators of children’s books, it’s especially imperative to embrace this perspective.

Next month, starting on June 15, I’ll be teaching Middle Grade Mastery, a four-week interactive, remote course for the The Children’s Book Academy with Rosie Ahmed (Penguin Random House/Dial Books) and Mira Reisberg (Clearfork/Spork). It’s a class I’ve taught for several years now, and one that I love. We focus on craft and mentor texts. But this year, I plan to remember what I’ve learned from this sheltering in-place. I want to emphasis more reading aloud at any age. And to remember that no one is ever too old for children’s books; they open hearts and minds, pose and answers questions, as well as (perhaps most importantly right now) mend and delight the spirit.

Hillary Homzie is the author of the Ellie May chapter book series (Charlesbridge, 2018), Apple Pie Promises (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2018), Pumpkin Spice Secrets (Sky Pony/Swirl, 2017), Queen of Likes (Simon & Schuster MIX 2016), The Hot List (Simon & Schuster MIX 2011) and Things Are Gonna Be Ugly (Simon & Schuster, 2009) as well as the Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster Aladdin 2002) chapter book series. She’s also a contributor to the new Kate the Chemist middle grade series (Philomel Books/Penguin Random House 2020). During the year, Hillary teaches at Sonoma State University and in the summer she teaches in the graduate program in childrens’ literature, writing and illustration at Hollins University. She also is an instructor for the Children’s Book Academy. She can be found at hillaryhomzie.com and on her Facebook page as well as on Twitter.

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Interview & Giveaway: 5 Questions for Lindsey Stoddard, author, BRAVE LIKE THAT

By on May 18, 2020   /   Articles, Author Interviews, New Releases  

We’re happy to welcome Lindsey Stoddard, #kidlit author of the new middle-grade novel, BRAVE LIKE THAT, to the site for five fast questions PLUS a free giveaway of her book. Read on for our interview and details on how to win a copy! 

Mixed-Up Files: Can you give a summary on what your new title is about? 

Lindsey Stoddard: BRAVE LIKE THAT is the story of 11-year-old Cyrus Olson who was left on the step of a firehouse when he was a newborn and was adopted by one of the firefighters, who’s also a local football legend. Cyrus is expected to be the town’s next great wide receiver but he doesn’t know how to tell his dad he’s not brave like that. With the help of a stray dog, a new group of friends, and a kid who moves to town, Cyrus learns what kind of brave he is.

Brave Like That

MUF: I’ve been thinking quite a bit about kids and bravery during such a difficult and unsettling time. What can middle grade readers get from your book, particularly about bravery and feeling afraid, that might be relevant and helpful?

LS: I’ve been thinking of this too, and hoping that even through this isolating time, kids are finding ways to feel less alone. Books are always a great tool for that. In BRAVE LIKE THAT, Cyrus discovers that he’s not as alone as he thinks, that everyone has something that makes them feel different. He also uncovers the different types of bravery in the people around him, and that makes him feel stronger and more self-assured. To middle grade kids, right now, I’d say, gather courage from the courage you see around you. From the first responders, sure, but also of your family members, or a friend, or neighbor, a worker, and if you can’t find strength there, look for it in the pages of a good book and run away, as far as you can, with that character.

MUF: Since kids don’t have the same access to libraries at this moment, how will readers find out about your book? Can you talk a bit about releasing a new #kidlit book during such a different publishing landscape?

LS: The release of a new book is so exciting, and it was really hard to have school visits and launch events canceled FOR BRAVE LIKE THAT, but I’m very much hoping that they’ll just be postponed, and that when schools and libraries and bookstores can reopen safely, we’ll find a way to celebrate the novel and its readers. I hope the families that can, will support their local independent stores, or order a signed/personalized copy through my local indie, The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, Vermont. I’ll be doing some virtual visits with school groups and book clubs throughout the rest of May and June and will post some fun giveaways and sneak peeks on my social media accounts.

Lindsey Stoddard

Lindsey Stoddard, #kidlit author, BRAVE LIKE THAT

MUF: What’s next for you? Are you working on any new books or any other projects?

LS: My next novel, BEA IS FOR BLENDED, is due out in 2021 and I’m so excited for it! I’m in the beginning drafting stages of another idea and spending lots of time with my family while we’re all home. I think maybe I was really getting into the BRAVE LIKE THAT spirit because we just adopted a pup of our own!

MUF: What are a few of your favorite middle grade books of the past few years? What should kids add to their ‘to read’ pile if they’re looking for cool stuff to read?

LS: My favorite reads from the last couple years were:  THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman– I can still feel every little part of that world the author created. It’s a story about friendship and family and survival and it’s just so beautifully done. I loved every word. It was written in the 2nd person POV, which really helped to build the suspense. THE BRIDGE HOME

IVY ABERDEEN’S LETTER TO THE WORLD by Ashley Herring Blake– Ivy felt so very real. I was right there in her shoes for the whole book.

SOME PLACES MORE THAN OTHERS by Renee Watson– I love a good NYC book, and all of Renee Watson’s books are amazing. It’s a story about place and history and family and learning exactly where and who you come from.

NEW KID by Jerry Craft– Such big issues dealt with such honesty and humor.

New Kid Cover

LALANI OF THE DISTANT SEA by Erin Entrada Kelly– The world she built in this book was so magical and the story was so full of adventure and courage that I just couldn’t put it down.

Lalani of the Distant Sea Cover

Find Lindsey on Twitter: @lindseystoddard and Instagram: @lindseystoddardwrites

 

 

 

 

WIN BRAVE LIKE THAT

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Journaling in the Time of Covid-19

By on May 11, 2020   /   Articles, COVID-19, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Homeschool Resource  

Six months ago if someone had told me I’d be writing a blog post titled “Journaling in the Time of Covid-19” I would have said, “What’s Covid-19?”

We could all start sentences that way now… “Six months ago, if someone had told me…”

“… schools would be closed for months…”

“… I would not see my parents for months …”

“…. Zoom would be part of everyday life…”

“… a mask would be part of my wardrobe…”

“… people would run out of (WHAT?!) toilet paper…”

Times are rapidly changing and that means we are all having new and unforeseen experiences. There’s no better time than now to be journaling. I have written in diaries and journals off and on since this date:

Friday, June 13, 1975 – I’m nine years old. I got my diary today. I should have gotten it on the 1st of January. But then I never even wanted one.

Not long ago, I shared the following story in a Facebook post:

In February of 1977, I was a fifth grader in Westerville, Ohio when the Energy Crisis coincided with weeks of unusually cold weather. Today I found this diary entry from that very strange winter. We were out of school for two weeks and when we returned, we could not go back to our own buildings. Instead, the district utilized the newest buildings with electric heat, and closed the older ones with big fuel oil furnaces. So we went to school half a day, every other day, in order to allow four elementary schools to use the same building. I don‘t recall how long that lasted. I do recall how unsettled I felt.

Okay, here you go. Straight from the mouth of fifth grade me:

Feb. 1, 1977 – No fair! I really don’t think it’s right. For the past month there has been a gas shortage. It’s awful. The weather is down to 20 degrees below zero and sometimes the chill factor is between 40 and 50 below. Our heat is down to 60 degrees inside. School has been closed for 8 days. Don’t people realize children NEED schooling? More than 1,000 workers are laid off. This is a mixed-up world and I wonder if I have to grow up in such a crazy place.

No photo description available.

Some of my memories of that winter are fuzzy. Some are crystal clear. I remember sitting in someone else’s desk at someone else’s school building. I was glad my teacher was the one standing in the front of the room, and I was happy that my friends were sitting in the desks around me.

I’m really glad I was keeping a diary during that unusual time in my childhood.

Parents, teachers, librarians, anyone with a young person in their life: Gift a child a blank notebook, an empty journal, or even a diary with a lock and key. Tell them to fill the pages.

“With what?” they will most certainly ask. “With words,” tell them. “With words only you can write.”

Then, help them out with this list of questions that pertain to our current world situation.

Do you miss going to school the usual way?

What do like about having school online?

What’s the best thing about staying at home most of time?

What’s the worst thing about staying at home most of the time?

How do you feel about wearing a mask in public places?

Who do you know that has gotten Covid-19?

Are you worried about getting sick? Are you worried about someone you love getting sick?

What do you think it’s like for people in other countries?

What activities have you missed because of the pandemic? How did you feel about missing them?

What have you done to stay busy while at home?

Who do you miss spending time with?

What is different about the grocery store now? The library? The movie theater? The playground? The street where you live? How you and your family go places?

Journal prompts on many general topics are easily found online. Hopefully, they’ll want to write about more than just life in the time of Covid-19. And, hopefully, like me, they’ll find that journaling is fun.

Here’s a bit from Day 2 of my diary-keeping life, 1975 (third grade grammar and all!)

Sat. June 14, 1975 – Lisa doesn’t no how personal a diary is. She wants to no what I write. But, Mom had a talk with her. We staked tomato’s in the garden. The second night I’ve written in my diary – it’s fun! Jackie’s got 10 pups and a knew calf!

Who knows? Forty-five years from now, your youngster could be reading from their first journal. All they need to get started is a nudge from someone who cares. (Thanks to Mom for giving me my first diary and apologies for calling out sister Lisa, who was only a first-grader at the time.)

 

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