Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!
Today, we’re interviewing Annette Whipple, author of Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs. The book investigates some of the more than 7,000 frogs around the world and invites readers to take an active interest in their preservation.
The Truth About the Writing Process
Ann: There’s a great mix of facts, incredible photography, and just-for-fun jokes and asides (which are TOAD-ally awesome to quote you!) in this book. Can you share how this all came together?
Annette: Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs is part of The Truth About series with Reycraft Books. I had already written about owls, dogs, and spiders—and I was ready to write about an animal familiar to me that I still didn’t know a lot about. (My favorite topics to write about are the ones I’m already curious about!) I suggested to my editor the next book be about frogs, and the whole team was on board!
Ann: I was fascinated by all the information packed into Ribbit!—who knew that over a 100 new species of frogs are discovered each year, for example? I’m curious; what is your research process like?
Annette: It absolutely amazes me that for the past twenty years (and probably longer) more than a hundred NEW species of amphibians have been found every year—and most of those are frogs! In the first two months of 2026, seven new kinds of frogs have been identified. I think that’s incredible.
Before I begin my official research for The Truth About books, I read general articles online for the topic. At this point, I really just want a good understanding. I’m not taking notes yet. After a bit of general information-gathering, I brainstorm a bit using a topic web (also called the bubble method or mind-mapping) to come up with different ideas I may want to research.
From there I plan my research. For topics like these animal books where I know many of the ideas I’ll research (diet, habitat, reproduction…), I use a spiral notebook as my research notebook. That’s where I take notes! I create a table of contents and number the pages. I also use it to keep track of my sources. For some of my books I use multiple 3-ring binders as well as folders in my file cabinet. I also save articles I’ve read online—either printed or saved as a digital PDF file.
My sources begin with scientific books, online journals, and research articles. (During the information-gathering phase, I’m not fussy about my sources. Once I’m taking notes, I must choose my sources very carefully.) I contact experts I can interview—and often meet. Often university professors are happy to share their knowledge with me—or point me in the right direction to another expert. Sometimes I consult with an expert online and meet with a different expert in person to get as much feedback and information as possible.
When I met with my frog expert, I heard wood frogs quack and the very loud (nearly painful) calls of spring peepers! If we had met a month or two later, we would have found different frog species in the same area.
I wrote an article about using a topic web here. https://www.annettewhipple.com/2021/07/how-to-brainstorm-nonfiction-writing.html
I wrote an article about my research notebooks here. https://www.annettewhipple.com/2021/09/how-to-set-up-research-notebook.html
Ann: What did you especially enjoy about writing this book? What was challenging for you?
Annette: I loved researching and learning so much more about frogs, because really my knowledge was fairly limited until then. My own knowledge was also my biggest challenge because I had so much to learn!
Ann: I’m impressed by the design and format of the book. Sections start with a question like “How do frogs eat?” followed by text, stunning photos, and an illustrated aside. How much of the design of the book did you participate in?
Annette: When I pitched the first book in the series, Whooo Knew? The Truth About Owls, I stated that I wanted the book to be photo illustrated in addition to art sidebars where I add humor. With that pattern established early on, there weren’t many surprises with Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs. Other than an occasional suggestion to include a photograph of a certain frog species, my design support was minimal.
Ann: You’ve written a lot of books! What is your writing routine like and how do you stay motivated?
Annette: Yes! By the end of this year I will have written more than 40 books. (The longest was 50,000 words. The shortest 250 words.) I don’t write every day, but I do write most days! When I have a hard time staying focused, I set aside a day to just focus on my writing process. So on those days, I don’t want to answer email, fold laundry, or post on social media. On Writing Days, I hunker down and just write!
Ann: What’s your origin story? How did you become a children’s book author?
I began blogging to share my child’s progress overcoming a speech disorder called apraxia. Before long, I realized I wanted to write more, so I took some writing classes and had a few published articles. A few years later I was reading The Chronicles of Narnia with my kids. We had a companion guide called Roar! to go with it. That’s when I realized I wanted to write a book like that: A book about a book—for kids. Soon I was working on The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion: A Chapter-by-Chapter Guide and attending writing conferences.
Ann: What’s next for you? What do your fans (me included!) have to look forward to next?
This year I have a few more state books in the Who HQ series that will release including Where Is Missouri?, Where Is Minnesota?, and Where Is Wisconsin? I’m also working on a proposal for a historic nonfiction book—but I don’t have a contract yet!
Maybe I’ll have more news to share soon! I think facts are fun, so that’s my big focus. You can keep up with me with my monthly newsletter at https://substack.com/@annettewhipple. I also use social media! On Facebook and Instagram, find me @AnnetteWhippleBooks. At Twitter/X and BluSky, I’m @AnnetteWhipple. My website is full of articles for curious teachers, families, and writers. https://www.annettewhipple.com/
Ann McCallum Staats is a former teacher and award-winning author. Her latest books are Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants illustrated by Zoë Ingram and A Quilt of Stars, co-written with astronaut Karen Nyberg and illustrated by Alida Massari. Ann loves to follow her curiosity and share what she finds with others. Find out more at www.annmccallumbooks.com
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