Posts Tagged kidlit

Author Spotlight: Interview with Hena Khan

By on October 28, 2022   /   Author Interviews, kidlit  

Three years before the pandemic hit, I had the great luck of sharing a train ride with Hena Khan, the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice. Hena and I were headed home from #nErDCampLI, and I remember feeling wiped out—and talked out—from the conference. But once I sat down next to Hena and started chatting, my weariness evaporated and an instant connection was formed. For the next 60 minutes, we talked about writing (we were both debut authors); parenting (Hena’s two sons were in middle school; my daughter was a senior in high school); and countless other topics that newfound friends on a train often discover.

Since Amina’s Voice came out in 2017, Hena has gone on to publish multiple MG novels, including Amina’s Song (2021), More to the Story (2020), and the Zayd Saleem: Chasing the Dream series. She is also the author of seven picture books and has contributed to six children’s anthologies, including Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices. A popular guest speaker in classrooms, school auditoriums, and libraries across the country, Hena’s latest MG novel, Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure, is out now from Salaam Reads, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Here’s a brief summary:

Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure

Zara lives for bike rides with her friends—so, when her shiny, brand-new bike goes missing from the park one day, she’s crushed. After her parents insist she earn the money for another bike herself, Zara’s determined to start a business. But what kind? A lemonade stand? Not profitable enough. Selling painted rocks? Not enough customers.

Zara’s starting to get discouraged when she and her friend Naomi finally come up with the perfect idea: The Treasure Wagon, a roving garage sale that unloads knickknacks from the Saleem family basement and makes money all at once! But when a mix-up gets Zara in hot water again, will she have to give up everything she’s earned toward her new bike?

The Interview

MR: Welcome to the Mixed-Up Files, Hena! I’m so happy to have you here. I can’t believe it’s been five years since our paths crossed!

HK: I know! But it’s so nice to reminisce about that lovely train ride and our instant friendship! Thanks so much for inviting me to talk about my newest book.

MR: Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure is the second of a trilogy. (Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun came out earlier this year; Zara’s Rules for Living Your Best Life pubs on March 21, 2023.) What was the inspiration behind the series?

HK: I came up with the idea during the pandemic while listening to children playing outside in droves and thinking about my own childhood. I adored Beverly Cleary’s books, characters like Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins, and reading about their clever antics (anyone else want to stomp around on coffee can stilts too?). I wanted to write a series that similarly makes kids wish they were part of the neighborhood and imagine themselves joining in the fun, just like I did.

MR: Zara has two loving parents, a cute-but-sometimes-annoying little brother, Zayd, a strong bond with her extended family, including her grandparents and her uncle, Jamal Mamoo, and a crew of caring, fun-loving neighborhood friends. Is this reflective of your own childhood? What are the main similarities and differences?

HK: The crew of neighborhood friends is very much based on the children I grew up with, and the Goldsteins are inspired by my lifelong friends who lived across the street. The extended family, however, is more reflective of my children’s experience and vantage point as third-generation Pakistani American Muslims. I’m fascinated by the way my kids interact with their grandparents (Naano and Nana Abu are essentially my real-life parents), aunts and uncles, and the way they relate to the culture. They find it alternately cool and hilarious and don’t have the same type of pressure, expectations, or awkwardness that I felt as a child of immigrants. I also didn’t get to grow up around many relatives, and always wished I had been as fortunate.

Trash and Treasure

MR: One of the main themes of Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure is our emotional attachment to possessions. This resonated with me deeply, because I recently had to clear out my mom’s apartment, which contained 60 years’ worth of stuff. (The task was daunting, to say the least.) What made you focus on this theme? And where does Marie Kondo fit into the picture?

HK: Oh wow, my heart is with you—I’m sure that was incredibly difficult! I grew up with parents who saved everything, and we had a storage room much like the one I describe in the book. They were reluctant to part with anything, in the hopes that it could be useful in the future. I wanted to tackle the topic because it’s something I still wrestle with, both in terms of finding the right balance between saving, donating, and recycling my own things, and convincing my mother to part with her “junk.”

I thought a lot about the idea of trash versus treasure, why we value the things we do, sentimental value, and what really matters. And it felt both cathartic and wishful to write some of the scenes. I’ve heard a lot about Marie Kondo, particularly the controversy around getting rid of books (the horror!), and thought it would be funny to include her although I’m not a disciple . . . at least not yet!

Viewing Life from a Younger Lens

MR:  Compared to some of your previous MG novels (Amina’s Voice, Amina’s Song, and More to the Story), the Zara’s Rules trilogy skews younger, ages seven-10, with shorter chapters and numerous illustrations. What’s the main challenge when writing for a younger audience? What’s the most fun?

HK: I’d say the biggest challenge is having less space to fully flesh out characters and plots, which is very important to me even in a shorter book. But it’s so fun to be able to jump right into the action, and to examine the world through the lens of a 10-and-three-quarter-year-old. Kids at that age are very aware and engaged with the world but still so earnest and innocent, and I love to explore the things that I’m thinking about now from that perspective.

Series Versus Stand-alones

MR: In addition to the Zara’s Rules trilogy, you’ve written the Zayd Saleem: Chasing the Dream series, with six books in total. What’s it like to work on a series as opposed to a stand-alone book?

HK: The biggest difference is that you get to know your characters deeply, so it feels like getting to play with old friends in each story. I never really believed authors who talked about their characters deciding what happens in a story, but I kind of understand that concept now. When characters become so fully developed in your mind, you have an idea of what they would say or do in a situation, and it becomes easier to write them. At the same time, it’s critical to keep the stories fresh and interesting and avoid repetition. I love making passing references to former books as little surprises to those who have read them all.

Picture-Book Love

MR: You also write picture books, including the acclaimed Under My Hijab. Is it tricky to switch from MG to picture books—and from picture books to MG…?

HK: It’s not too hard to switch back and forth between the formats since they use very different writing muscles. I generally don’t work on two middle-grade projects at once, but often turn to a picture book during breaks. I love the economy of words and the way one sentence can make or break an entire book. It forces you to be a sharp editor and pay attention to every syllable.

Celebrating Diversity

MR: Your books are lovingly infused with elements from your Pakistani heritage, and your characters are ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse. What can authors—and publishers—do to increase the visibility of authentic, diverse characters in kidlit?

HK: Thank you! The people I love inspire so much of what I write. But it’s important to remember that I represent only one subset of the Pakistani American Muslim community, which also has diversity within it—in terms of level of cultural assimilation, socioeconomic status, religious observance and more. And then, of course, the American Muslim community is even more diverse. I think it’s wonderful to see more diverse representation in kidlit, but we need a bigger variety of stories and characters in all genres. Also, while it’s wonderful to have books to celebration diversity, culture, and traditions, I hope to see more stories where identities aren’t necessarily emphasized but are simply woven into the background like in Zara’s Rules.

Plotter or Pantser?

MR: What does your writing routine look like? Do you have a particular schedule? Also, are you a plotter or a pantser?

HK: I wish I had a routine, but I don’t. I write at all times of the day, sometimes every day for a while and then not for weeks. But I’d like to find some discipline someday! Overall, I’m more of a plotter than a pantser.

The Secret to Success

MR: You’ve written 13 (and counting!) middle-grade novels, seven picture books, and stories included in six anthologies. What’s the secret to being such a prolific author?

HK: Well, I’ve been at it for a while now, and sometimes it feels like I’ve published a lot, and at other times I think I could have done more! I think the key to staying engaged and motivated is to keep challenging myself to improve my craft, to try to reach audiences in different ways, and to only write about what genuinely excites me.

What’s Next?

MR: What are you working on now, Hena? Enquiring Mixed-Up Files readers want to know…

HK: I’m excited to be starting on my second graphic novel, finishing up a new middle-grade novel, and editing an anthology that hasn’t been announced yet. I’ve also got some new picture books on the way! Please connect with me to get updates on my new titles.

Lightning Round!

MR: And finally, no MUF interview is complete without a lightning round, so…

Preferred writing snack?

I prefer cookies but settle for nuts or kettle corn.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee all the way! I drink espresso with a little bit of milk.

Marie Kondo: Yea or nay?

Nay, can’t do it!

Zombie apocalypse: Yea or nay?

If I had to choose an apocalypse, it would be the one.

Superpower?

I’d have to go with invisibility.

Favorite place on earth (besides Seville, Istanbul, and Seattle)?

Turks and Caicos is just incredible.

If you were stranded on a desert island with only three things, what would they be?

My husband and two sons. Or if they count as one family, then ice cream and my laptop.

MR: Thank you for chatting with us, Hena—and congratulations on the recent publication of Zara’s Rules for Finding Hidden Treasure!

Thank YOU!

Bio

Hena Khan is an award-winning author of picture books and middle-grade fiction. Her middle-grade novel Amina’s Voice launched Simon & Schuster’s groundbreaking Salaam Reads imprint and was named a Best Book of 2017 by the Washington Post, NPR, Kirkus Reviews, and others. The sequel, Amina’s Song, won the 2021 Asian/Pacific Award for Children’s Literature. Hena wrote the popular Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream series, and More to the Story, a novel inspired by her all-time favorite book, Little Women. Hena’s acclaimed picture books include Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, Under My Hijab, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets, Night of the Moon, and It’s Ramadan, Curious George. Learn more about Hena on her website and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

(For more on Hena Khan, check out this MUF interview by Jonathan Rosen!)

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STEM Tuesday– Extinction– Author Interview with Anita Sanchez

By on October 25, 2022   /   Extinction, STEM Tuesday  

Interview with Author Anita Sanchez

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview & Book Giveaway, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing the amazing Anita Sanchez, environmental scientist and the author of Save The . . . Whale Sharks. The book is part of a series created by Chelsea Clinton about animals at risk of extinction. Anita’s book is a fascinating look at the one of the world’s most mysterious animals – one that may be at risk of extinction. Kirkus Review calls her book, “Eloquent and informative.”

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Christine Taylor-Butler: Anita, you are the award winning author of a number of books centered around our natural environment. You write with such passion for young readers and it shows in your body of work. What do you want readers to know about you?

Anita Sanchez: From the time I was a little kid I’ve been interested in nature. I grew up in a suburban apartment, but behind it was a belt of woods and I could wander off. So many children don’t have access to experiences like that. They walk out of their homes and they’re on a mowed lawn or a paved street instead of climbing a tree or swimming in a pond. I was lucky to be surrounded by natural things I could explore.

CTB: So you grew up surrounded by nature. Did you follow that passion towards a career in the field?

Anita: I did. I graduated from Vassar with a degree in Ecology and Conservation. Afterwards I worked for many years for the New York State Department for Conservation. I worked in the field taking people of all ages on nature walks and showing them how incredible the world around them can be. Over the course of my career I learned how to get kids excited about nature. I discovered that some kids are fearful about being out in nature. It’s interesting to read about far away rain forests, for example, but I try to get kids interested in the nature that surrounds them, in their school grounds and backyards.

CTB: Of course a natural extension of that became writing books to reach a broader audience?

Anita: Most of my books are an attempt to get people to appreciate the beauty of nature. To make people look at things in a different light. One of the things that happened during  the quarantine was nature center memberships began skyrocketing. People discovered the healing power of nature. When I was teaching I would take children across the field and into the woods. It was a new experience for many of them. I’m very determined to make learning a hands-on experience.

CTB: You wanted to encourage children to stop and look closer at the living things that make up their environment.

Anita: Exactly! I wrote a nonfiction book about mud puddles. “Hello Puddle” is set in a tiny suburban backyard. It shows all the animals that come to visit the puddle: worms, slugs, bugs, and birds. We don’t look closely at them or see them as a habitat for other species.

I also wrote a book about dandelions. Many people loathe them and treat them like weeds to eliminate. But they are rich in nectar and can spell life or death for honey bees. So while people see them in a negative light, I try to explain they have tremendous value to nature and the ecosystem.

CTB: You even wrote two books about poison ivy. Leaflets three, let it be! and In Praise of Poison Ivy. It’s hard to believe there is a redeeming value to the poison ivy I’m trying to rid my yard of.

“Dermatologists have estimated that one ounce of urushiol would be enough to give a rash to thirty million people.”

Anita. Even poison ivy has value. Did you know that humans are the only species that get itchy from exposure to the oil? Yes, it affects only us. But out in the woods it’s a wonderful plant for wildlife. So in my books I teach readers “Here’s how you identify it and avoid it.” But I also explain about the animals that survive on it. Animals, birds and butterflies snack on the leaves and nectar without harm. It’s fascinating.

 

CTB: More recently you were both asked to write three books for Chelsea Clinton’s new Save The . . . (Animals) series. The first is whale sharks, followed by giraffes and gorillas. How did that come about?

Anita: Philomel reached out through my agent and asked me to write for the series. The books all needed to follow a specific format. I liked that the first two chapters were focused on learning about the animals instead of starting with their risk of extinction. I read a quote once, “In the end, we only conserve what we love.” I thought, “children have to fall in love with the animals first.” I wanted them to think “Wow, whale sharks are so cool.” I introduce their amazing habitats and how mysterious they are. The third chapter then talks about how and why they are at risk of disappearing. But we end with the fourth chapter that explains all the amazing things people are doing to try to save them and what kids can do.

CTB: Most people are surprised at how much research we have to put into books like these, even when they are aimed at younger readers. What was your process like?

Anita: Writing about animals was different because I usually write about subjects closer to home. With whale sharks I found there weren’t a lot of current books on the topic. In the old days I’d go to the library and read everything I could find. But now things are changing so much that scientists are discovering things every month. The internet is a wonderful tool for scientists to update quickly. There are many scientific papers that you can decipher to get the data you need.

CTB: Agreed. I found even with tigers pandemic shutdowns made sourcing books from libraries harder. And what I found often wasn’t current. But there was a lot of scientific research from organizations, museums and universities available. What was one of your takeaways from the process that teachers and students can learn from?

Anita: I discovered scientists don’t always agree. When researching giraffes, for example, I communicated with four different groups of scientists who were passionate about their information, But their information didn’t always agree with what other scientists were saying (how many species, etc.) If you ask ten different scientists you’ll get eleven different answers!

CTB: Even with scientific research the data was not always in agreement. At school visits I always tell students to use more than one source when writing classroom assignments and if they don’t agree, find out why.

Anita: Young readers think scientists know everything. But there’s so much changing about what we know in the moment and so much left to learn. Here’s a good example. Whale sharks are fascinating and mysterious. I tried to make that the theme of the book. Scientists haven’t even scratched the surface on their research. We don’t know why whale sharks go where they go. Or how deep they swim. No one has observed whale sharks giving birth. And here’s another mystery: whale sharks have thousands of teeth but they don’t chew anything.

Photo by Jennifer McKinney. Source NOAA Fisheries

CTB: You and I have the same philosophy about why we write STEM for young people. That books are a jumping off point. It’s not about reading to get answers for the test, but to use the information to better observe the world around you.

Anita: Yes. I want to tell young readers, “This is what you can do when you become a wildlife biologist. This is the mystery you can solve.” For instance whale sharks are so elusive. They will dive a mile deep in the ocean and then turn up a thousand miles away. So it’s not about reading to answer questions on a test, it’s about thinking, “I can do that when I’m older. Search for answers to mysteries we haven’t solved yet and ask questions we haven’t thought to ask. That’s what I hope for when readers dive in to my books. That’s what I love about this current series. We present the animal, show where the problems are that are putting them at risk, then showing readers ways to be part of the solution even at a young age.”

CTB: You’ve been a great asset to the field of conservation and to children’s STEM literature. Are there other books on the horizon that we should be watching out for?

Anita: I’m excited to have several books coming out that were delayed due to Covid-19 and supply chain issues:

Melt Down (Workman publishing) is my book about glaciers and how they’re impacted by climate change. There are more than 100,000 glaciers and they hold 75 percent of Earth’s fresh water. But they’re at risk now. This was a hard book for me to write because there is a lot of bad news about what is happening to them. But I do suggest action kids can take. I want them to feel like they have the power to be activists. I suggest career possibilities they can pursue if they’re interested in saving the planet. It debuts on November 1 Workman.

 

The Monkey Trial is a book about the Scopes Trial in 1925. With all the book banning this will be timely. A teacher was arrested for the crime of teaching about Darwin’s theory of evolution. Two years from now will be the centennial of that trial. We risk repeating that era now: teachers and librarians being turned into the bad guys and dragged into the court for teaching. John Scopes read aloud from an authorized textbook. It was a single paragraph. But that violated Tennessee law and he was put on trial.

 

The Forest in the Sea comes out February 2023 from Holiday House. I write about about seaweed and how it can provide solutions to planetary problems. Not only is it a habitat for aquatic life, but it can remove toxins so it has possibilities for water filtration. Seaweed also creates half the air we breathe. It can be feed to livestock to reduce the methane gas. So the book is about seaweed and how to think about it creatively for solving problems. I show readers how to find types of seaweed where they live. I want them to put down the book and go out and explore nature.

 

CTB: Note to readers. Anita’s books are well worth exploring and acquiring for young readers. She’s a STEM trained conservationist who practices what she talks about in her books. Looking beyond the obvious to explore the mysteries in our living world. But also, showing how each of us can find solutions to keep the planet healthy for future generations.

I would like to especially recommend her blog: The Unmowed Corner. with years of essays and articles inviting you to take a closer look at the often unloved plants and animals in nature that surrounds us.

 

Win a FREE copy of Save The . . . Whale Sharks.

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment below. The randomly-chosen winner will be contacted via email and asked to provide a mailing address (within the U.S. only) to receive the book.

Good luck!

 

Anita Sanchez has written about everything from animals and insects to plants and mud puddles. A graduate of Vassar she started on a life-long career after a summer job leading nature walks. Now she’s an educator who develops curriculum for schools, librarians, museums and arboretums. Her awards have included the Cook Prize Honor book, The American Horticultural Society “Growing Good Kids” award, finalist for AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, and Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature Best Children’s Books of the year. She has traveled all over the world in search of knowledge about the environment, including diving at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and more recently exploring Egypt. And here’s a fun fact: she’s explored 48 of the 50 states.

To learn more about Anita and her books, please visit www.anitasanchez.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @asanchezauthor

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Christine Taylor-Butler

Your host is Christine Taylor-Butler, MIT engineering nerd, retired college interviewer and author of 95 books for children including Save The . . . Tigers, and many other nonfiction books for kids. She is also the author of the STEM-based middle grade sci-fi series The Lost Tribes. Follow @ChristineTB on Twitter and/or @ChristineTaylorButler on Instagram

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STEM Tuesday– Extinction– In the Classroom

By on October 11, 2022   /   Extinction, STEM Tuesday  


Extinction is a tough theme. I struggled with my emotions a bit as I read through books from this month’s list. All the books I read balanced the threat of extinction with hope for staving it off. This included providing actions individuals can take to make a difference to species threatened with extinction. More on that below. First, here are the books I read. All were exceptionally well done and worth the read.

Tree reaching into the sky.

Champion, The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree
by Sally M Walker

I married a guy who loves trees, so it’s no surprise that this book caught my eye. Plants and trees often seem forgotten when discussions of endangered or extinct species arise. This book covers the importance of the American Chestnut in American history and culture and how it was almost wiped out. Then it looks at the different ways scientists are trying to save this tree from extinction.

 

A lone giraffe walking across a desert with blue sky and shadowy mountains in the background.

Giraffe Extinction: Using Science & Tech To Save the Gentle Giants
by Tanya Anderson

My sister loves giraffes, so of course I had to read this book. I learned so much about giraffes that I didn’t know! This book also includes great descriptions about things like the IUCN Red List and taxonomy.

 

 

Yellow bird with mouth open.

Large, fuzzy beeWhere Have All the Birds Gone? And Where Have All the Bees Gone?
by Rebecca E. Hirsch

I love birding and am a Scouts BSA Bird Study merit badge counselor. I’ve also been rewilding my yard, repopulating it with native plants. Some of my favorite visitors are the different types of bumblebees that visit our native wildflowers. Given that, this duo of books from Rebecca Hirsch were must-reads for me. They gave me a greater understanding of what’s driving bird and bumblebee species to the edge of extinction, along with things I can do to help bring them back from that edge (some of which I was already doing, like planting native plants).

 

Learn Some Terminology

When you learn about threatened and endangered species, you hear lots of new terms related to them. And that’s in addition to the levels used in the IUCN Red List. Now would be a great time to find out what the following terms mean and how they relate to extinction.

Terms to explore: extant, extirpated, extinct, invasive, naturalized.

(Hopefully I didn’t forget any big ones.)

Explore Your Local Area

Endangered and threatened species classification is done on many levels. Explore what species are threatened or endangered in your neck of the woods. Have each student pick one to explore further.

What is its natural habitat? Why is the species threatened? How many are still in existence in the wild? What is being done to protect the species?

Have students educate each other about what they’ve found. Then have them pool their information in the following activity.

[If you’re having trouble finding this information, start with your local parks, Fish & Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources, or conservation organizations.
Some New Jersey resources are:
NJ Fish & Wildlife (Department of Environmental Protection) – https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife;
Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey – http://www.conservewildlifenj.org;
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service NJ Field Office – https://www.fws.gov/office/new-jersey-ecological-services/species.]

Graph It Out!

If you read about multiple species, you’ll notice repetition among the things that are driving them towards extinction. It’s not just one thing, either. Usually, there are multiple factors working together to drive species to die out.

Have each student research a different threatened or endangered species (or even one that has gone extinct). Find out what factors are/were negatively impacting the species.

Combine all the collected information into a graph or chart to show the most common factors driving species to extinction. Is it habitat loss, fragmentation, pesticide use, or something else?

What would be the best way to illustrate this? A bar graph? A pie chart? Something else?

Take Action

Once you’ve learned about lots of species needing help in your area, you’ll probably be a little depressed and/or scared. The best thing to do is to take some action that will make a difference to those threatened species. Look for ideas in the books on the booklist or in the other resources you’ve accessed.

A few ideas include:
Stop pesticide use on lawns and fields. This could include lobbying your local school board or town/county/city council.
Create a native plant garden or pocket meadow. (If you search the internet, you will find lots of resources to help.) There are lots of local Native Plant Society chapters that could help with this.
Participate in a Community Science program to help collect data on species – see the June 2022 post to help with this.

Bonus Read

I recently read a fabulous photo essay about seabeach amaranth, a plant species that made an amazing reappearance on the New Jersey coastline. Check it out here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8ef3760b8f46470b91847762f10437af

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Woman with short hair and sunglasses, sitting on the ground cutting long brown reeds.

Janet sometimes helps out with conservation projects – here she’s helping cut reeds to stock an insect hotel.

Janet Slingerland is the author of over 20 books for young readers. In her spare time, you can often find her out in her yard, creating habitat for plants and animals. Learn more about Janet and her books at janetsbooks.com.

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