Spotlight on Karen Boss + DMC Challenge

KAREN BOSS

Karen Boss is an editor at Charlesbridge where she works on fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle-grade nonfiction, and novels. She holds an MA in Children’s Literature from Simmons College and regularly acts as a mentor for their Writing for Children MFA program. She often teaches workshops and short-term courses about picture books. Karen also has an MA in higher education administration and worked at colleges and in the nonprofit sector for 15 years. In her free time, Karen saves her pennies so she can travel to a new country each year, and she often plans “Auntie Karen adventures” for her four nieces (Sonia, 11; Sage, 8; Olive, 4; and Morgan, 18 mos).

Here is a small sampling of poetry books published by Charlesbridge over the last few years—

Browse their full selection of titles at the Charlesbridge website.

plus two more that were edited by Karen and featured at Today's Little Ditty:

David L. Harrison's Now You See Them, Now You Don't 

and J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen's Last Laughs: Prehistoric Epitaphs.

Although David Harrison, J. Patrick Lewis, and Jane Yolen are well-established children's poets, one way that Charlesbridge stands apart from many other children's publishers is because of their dedication to also seek out new voices, new visions, and new directions in children’s literature. According to the 2016 Children's Writer's and Illlustrator's Market, 10-20% of Charlesbridge titles are by first-time authors, most of them unagented. In a 2018 article on the Charlesbridge blog, Karen elaborates on that commitment:

We believe it’s important to find new talent with stories to share and to get those books into the market and into kids’ hands. As publishing has changed over the years, access to editors and publishers has narrowed. At the same time, the number of people who want to write for kids has grown exponentially, and new authors and illustrators have often found it challenging to break in. Over time, Charlesbridge editors have remained dedicated to helping launch author careers, and our design team often focuses on offering opportunities to illustrators new to children’s books.

I have only heard wonderful things from authors and illustrators who have worked with Charlesbridge. In my own brief dealings with Karen, I have found her to be warm, friendly, and extraordinarily efficient—traits of an ideal editor to be sure.

What first brought Karen's talents to my attention, however, was this beauty, scheduled to hit bookstore shelves next month:

Available July 2, 2019 (ISBN: 978-1580898324)
Preorder at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or via Indiebound.org.

A charming anthology of poems expertly collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins and delightfully illustrated by Chris Hsu, it also happens to include my poem "Bellies, Bones, and Paws" about being a veterinarian.

Lee Bennett Hopkins introduces I Am Someone Else: Poems About Pretending with these affirming words:

There is nothing better than being yourself. You are unique and special in every way.

He then goes on to suggest that, even though you're perfect as you are, once in a while you might like to have fun imagining what it's like to be someone else. The 15 poems in this collection are divided into three sections to help guide young readers in their imaginings: "Wish! Be a Storybook Character," "Support! Be a Person Who Helps," and "Invent! Be a Person Who's a Maker." Readers are encouraged to try on what they might like to be—a dancer? a police officer? a video game designer?—as well as personas that are more fanciful, like holding court as a queen, becoming a "wild child" wizard, or discovering the deep as a mermaid explorer.

I feel so fortunate to be sharing pages in this collection with Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Matt Forrest Esenwine, Janet Clare Fagal, Douglas Florian, Joan Bransfield Graham, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Michele Krueger, J. Patrick Lewis, Lois Lowry, Prince Redcloud, Heidi Bee Roemer, Darren Sardelli, Lawrence Schimel, and Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, many of whom have also been featured on TLD. (Click on the links to bring you to their interviews and poems.)


As it turns out, 2019 is a banner year for children's poetry at Charlesbridge, with three more poetry books in print or forthcoming.

Available September 17, 2019 (ISBN: 978-1580898751)
Preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.org.

Another 2019 title that Karen edited is Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections by Michelle Shaub, illustrated by Carmen Saldaña, scheduled for release this September.

The clever poems in this book tell the story of an elementary student's quest to find the perfect collection to share for classroom show-and-tell. (How is she supposed to share her collection if she doesn't actually collect anything?)

It's a great choice for teachers to read aloud. Watch the cute trailer HERE.

Charlesbridge (Feb 2019), ISBN: 978-1580897983
Find at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or via Indiebound.org.

Some of you are already familiar with Laura Purdie Salas's Snowman - Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations, illustrated by Micha Archer, and released last February.

It's an unconventional collection (edited by Alyssa Mito Pusey) that celebrates the onset of spring with "equation poems." Merging math, science, and poetry to reveal the natural world in fresh and surprising ways, this book is also a great resource for the classroom.

Find downloadable activity sheets and share student equation poems at Laura's website.

Available November 5, 2019
(ISBN: 978-1580899376)
Preorder at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Indiebound.

Finally, The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President by Eileen R. Meyer, illustrated by Dave Szalay (also edited by Alyssa Mito Pusey) is scheduled for release in November of this year.

With poems that are as informational as they are entertaining, this collection delves into the superlative nature of Honest Abe. Tallest, wisest, most studious... famous for his extremes, fun rhyming poems describe 18 of these superlative traits. Did you know, for instance, that "Honest Abe" was his least favorite nickname?

You'll find some superlative back matter as well, making this... you guessed it, another terrific choice for the classroom!







So what makes Karen Boss and Charlesbridge so successful at what they do? Let's find out. We'll start, as always, with five favorite things.

Cheeky monkey Nerak Karen Boss

Favorite childhood memory:
When we were kids, we created a whole world in the woods behind my house. We raked out “roads,” built home bases, and rode our bikes in there for hours. There were maps, battles, and secret backwards codenames. I was Nerak.

Favorite grade in school:
Seventh. Moving up to the junior high was so scary and so exciting all at once.

Favorite food:
A ribeye steak cooked medium rare. 

Favorite sound:
Any of (or preferably all of them at once) my nieces laughing.

Favorite vacation spot:
A tiny little island in Casco Bay off the coast of Portland, Maine. There are no restaurants save an ice cream shop, no stores save one tiny one for basic provisions; there’s nothing to do but watch the tide come in (and go out).


You did not start out in children’s publishing. Can you tell us more about your transition from working in colleges and the nonprofit sector to working at Charlesbridge? What was it that attracted you to editing books for children?

I never left children’s books behind. I read them and kept up with them into adulthood. I took a children’s literature class in Los Angeles twenty years ago just for fun. (Not writing books, studying them.) The older I got, the more I wanted to work with children’s books. Eventually, it felt like it was time to decide what I was going to do for the rest of my life, so I went back to Simmons. I was afraid to say out loud that I wanted to be an editor, though, because I wasn’t willing to leave Boston again after being away for ten years. But I got very lucky, and Charlesbridge was hiring. And my boss, editorial director and associate publisher Yolanda Scott, took a chance on an older assistant who was reinventing herself and hired me. And now I’ll be here forever, if I have my way.


Charlesbridge still has that small, family-run publisher feel—it accepts unsolicited manuscripts and truly values working with debut authors and illustrators—yet it’s grown significantly over the last 30 years, and especially over the last few. How has that impacted you?

For me, the smallness of Charlesbridge was a huge draw. Working collaboratively in a small team has been one of the hallmarks of my entire professional life, and I’m so glad to have been able to maintain it. Growing quickly and making more books is always a juggling act. I still assist Yolanda on her projects because we’ve not grown staff yet. But mostly, Charlesbridge’s size and status as an independent publisher means that I have a million opportunities and a lot of support behind me to take risks, make excellent books, and help new authors break into the field.


In your bio you mention that you try to visit a new country each year. Do you think your travels inform the choices you make as an editor in any way?

Karen kayaking on a fjord in Chile (2018)

My travels inform everything I do. Almost twenty years ago, I quit my job, packed a bag, and bought a one-way ticket to Beijing with the intention of traveling for a year. I traveled for six months and then ended up living in Thailand teaching scuba diving for 20 more months. That was a complete accident, and was one that has changed my life. I look at the world and at the United States differently than many other Americans I meet. My perspective on safety, poverty, language, culture, and more has been challenged and strengthened. Travel is humbling, and I believe that editors need to stay humble. We need to know how to solve problems, talk to new people, be resourceful, and think deeply, and all of those skills are ones I use as a traveler.


There aren’t a whole lot of editors in children’s publishing who are comfortable with poetry. What kind of role has poetry played in your life? Were you exposed to poetry as a child, or did you grow up to appreciate it over time?

If someone had told me five years ago that I would edit as much poetry as I have, I would’ve thought they were mistaken. I don’t know how it happened. I like poetry as much as the next person, but have never engaged with it all much as an adult. I don’t write creatively very much anymore, but I did as a kid and poetry was my first love. I can still recite the first lines of a poem I wrote when I was eleven: 

Looking out the window
I can see the light.
It’s a new day
almost, but not quite. 

(I know! It’s not good!) I love that poems can come together in a collection to tell a story (like Finding Treasure does) or illuminate a specific topic (like I Am Someone Else does). And I love the idea that kids can dip in and out of poetry collections. 


How is working on a collected anthology of poems, like I Am Someone Else, different from working on a book of poems by just one author?

Actually, not that different. Because anthologies generally have an editor or collector attached, that person (or people, in the case of another anthology I’m working on now) is the one with whom I work. And then they go back to the poets to discuss any suggested changes. So as the in-house editor, I still work with only one person.


Using your 2019 titles as examples, can you give us an idea of the qualities you look for in a project? What specifically excites you about these books?

Charlesbridge books are, we like to say, books that make you think. And all four of these fall into that category.  


I love how I Am Someone Else questions who gets to be what. A boy mermaid? Sure! A black girl pilot? Of course. Society pigeonholes kids pretty early on, and this book helps them understand that that’s not fair.

From I AM SOMEONE ELSE, collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Chris Hsu (Charlesbridge, 2019).  Click to enlarge.

Finding Treasure explores family and friends and looks at what happens when a kid doesn’t share a passion that seemingly everyone else has.

From FINDING TREASURE by Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Carmen Saldaña (Charlesbridge, 2019).  Click to enlarge.

Snowman - Cold = Puddle (edited by Alyssa Mito Pusey) is a brilliant comingling of poetry and math. Kids see connections that adults have often forgotten how to make, and this book invites everyone to stop for a moment and consider.

From SNOWMAN - COLD = PUDDLE by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Micha Archer (Charlesbridge, 2019).  Click to enlarge.

And finally, The Superlative A. Lincoln (also edited by Alyssa) combines poems and significant learning about a topic—one of the best combos there is.

From THE SUPERLATIVE A. LINCOLN by Eileen R. Meyer, illustrated by Dave Szalay (Charlesbridge, 2019).  Click to enlarge.

Whet our appetites. What can we look forward to in 2020 from Charlesbridge?

I can’t wait for Dream Big, Little Scientists to hit the shelves (Michelle Schaub/Alice Potter). This bedtime poem flows through a book filled with kids who love science. Each kid’s bedroom reflects the science they love from geology to physics to botany to anthropology. It’s a real dream. (Ha!)

And the team who created Hey Ho, to Mars We’ll Go (Susan Lendroth/Bob Kolar) is back with Here We Go Digging for Dinosaur Bones (edited by Alyssa). Rhyming text set to a well-known song’s tune is a real hit with kids.







If you had all the world’s children in one room, what would you tell them?

Whoa. What a question. I’d tell them that there’s room for everyone, and everyone is valuable. I’d say that governments and politicians don’t know everything, and a lot of times, they mess stuff up. I’d say that love is stronger than hate. And I’d tell them that they are all magical in their own way, and they deserve everything good.


Finally, please tell us what you have chosen as this month’s ditty challenge.

I like the idea of building off the question above, and I also like the idea of putting good vibes for kids into the world. So the ditty challenge is to write a poem in second person, speaking directly to a kid or kids about something that you think is important for them to know.


Fantastic! 

Okay poets, you heard the nice lady. We're going to send some good vibes for kids into the world!

Now here are my two cents:

1¢: Remember that you're speaking directly to a child or children. The second person point of view means that you should use the word "you" in your poem—it's great for pulling the reader into the action. If your poem is not in second person, I will be asking you to revise it.

2¢: The risk in telling kids "something that you think is important for them to know" is that your poem could take on a didactic tone. Try not to let that happen. Offer advice if you wish, but please don't preach. We all know that kids don't take kindly to being lectured to... even in a poem. [wink]

John Morgan

I'm looking forward to reading what you've got for me this month. I expect quite a few touching poems, but see the potential for some funny ones, as well. Bring it on!

But first, please help me thank Karen Boss for visiting today—for sharing herself and her insights with all of us and for giving us a taste of these delicious poetry books from Charlesbridge!

Not only that, Karen has generously offered to send one (very real) copy of I AM SOMEONE ELSE: POEMS ABOUT PRETENDING to a DMC participant selected randomly at the end of the month! 


HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Post your poem that speaks to a kid or kids about something you think is important for them to know on our June 2019 padlet. Stop by any time during the month to add your work or to check out what others are contributing.

By posting on the padlet, you are granting me permission to share your poem on Today's Little Ditty.  Some poems will be featured as daily ditties, though authors may not be given advanced notice. Subscribe to the blog if you'd like to keep tabs. You can do that in the sidebar to the right where it says "Follow TLD by Email." As always, all of the poems will be included in a wrap-up celebration on the last Friday of the month—June 28th for our current challenge.

TEACHERS, it's great when students get involved! Ditty of the Month Club challenges are wonderful opportunities to learn about working poets and authors while having fun with poetry prompts. Thank you for spreading the word! For children under 13, please read my COPPA compliance statement in the sidebar to the right.

FIRST-TIMERS (those who have never contributed to a ditty challenge before), in addition to posting your work on the padlet, please send your name and email address to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com. That way I'll be able to contact you for possible inclusion in future Best of Today's Little Ditty anthologies.

BLOGGERS, thank you for publishing your poems on your own blogs– I love that!  Please let me know about it so I can share your post! Also remember to include your poem (or a direct link to your post) on the padlet in order to be included in the wrap-up celebration and end-of-month giveaway.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks once again to everyone who participated in last month's DMC challenge from Elizabeth Steinglass! If you missed our highly instructive wrap-up presentation, you'll find it HERE.

Random.org has determined that the winner of a signed copy of Soccerverse: Poems about Soccer by Elizabeth Steinglass and illustrated by Edson Ikê will go to . . .

DONNA JT SMITH  

Congratulations, Donna!

This week Michelle Kogan is celebrating US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith and responding to her work with a powerful poem of her own. Join Michelle HERE for the Poetry Friday roundup.

Spotlight on Carol Hinz + DMC Challenge

CAROL HINZ

Carol Hinz is Editorial Director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books, divisions of Lerner Publishing Group. She began her publishing career in New York City and has been an editor at Lerner for nearly fifteen years. When she’s not obsessing over books, Carol enjoys playing with her sons (ages 7 and 4), baking, knitting, and taking ballet classes. Find her on Twitter: @CarolCHinz.

Based on our email exchanges, I've come to discover that Carol is as warm and friendly as the smile in her photograph suggests. Not only that, she's curious, she's a deep thinker, she loves a creative challenge, she cares about the state of our world, she celebrates what makes life beautiful, and she's always on the lookout for "aha" moments. Best of all, these same qualities shine through her work as a children's book editor!

You can find several books that Carol has edited right here on Today's Little Ditty. 

From Millbrook Press:

Laura Purdie Salas was our debut spotlight author in May 2014. At the time, she introduced us to Water Can Be.... I reviewed A Rock Can Be... in March 2015.  

Irene Latham was featured with Dear Wandering Wildebeest in September 2014. Following that book's success, we were introduced to When the Sun Shines on Antarctica in 2016.

And who can forget Jane Yolen and The Alligator's Smile, featured in September 2016?

Other recent poetry books from Millbrook Press include Brian P. Cleary's Poetry Adventures series and Betsy Franco's A Spectacular Selection of Sea Critters. Find more books Carol has edited on Pinterest.


From Carolrhoda Books: 

Some of you might remember Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka, featured in November 2014. It's one of my favorite holiday books (even if it wasn't edited by Carol) because it's so perfect for family sharing. You can read a poem each day in December, counting down to Christmas like an Advent calendar.

Feeding the Flying Fanellis by Kate Hosford is another fun poetry collection from Carolrhoda Books that came out in 2015. It wasn't featured on Today's Little Ditty, but you can find a terrific review on Jama's Alphabet Soup.


Typically when I feature an editor in November, I like to look back on what they have published during the year. But Carol has a special treat for us today. Not only will we be highlighting two books from 2017, but we'll also get an advance look at three books coming out in 2018!  Here they are, in the order they were or will be released:

If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Jaime Kim (Millbrook Press, March 1, 2017)

What would you do if you were the moon? Do you think you would rest quietly in the night sky? Oh, no. The moon does so much more than you might imagine! It spins like a twilight ballerina, plays tug-of-war with the ocean, and lights a pathway for baby sea turtles. Discover the many other roles the moon plays in this whimsical and lyrical picture book.

Recently placed on the longlist for the 2017 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the Children’s Science Picture Book category.

Purchase at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or from your local independent bookstore.

The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek by Brian P. Cleary, illustrated by Carol Crimmins (Millbrook Press, August 1, 2017)

A young student has to give a presentation about personification— and she's petrified! How can she explain something that gives human traits to things that aren't human? If only she could take a trip to the park and show everyone the way the fountain hiccups, the daffodils dance, and the wind whispers a tune . . . or maybe that's just what she'll have to do!

From School Library Journal:  
"This work is sure to engage primary-grade students with its simple yet instructive story line and delightful illustrations. A good choice for classroom use as well as pleasure reading."

Purchase at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or from your local independent bookstore.

Can I Touch Your Hair: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (Carolrhoda Books, January 1, 2018)

How can Irene and Charles work together on their fifth grade poetry project? They don't know each other . . . and they're not sure they want to.

Irene Latham, who is white, and Charles Waters, who is black, use this fictional setup to delve into different experiences of race in a relatable way, exploring such topics as hair, hobbies, and family dinners. Accompanied by artwork from acclaimed illustrators Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (of The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage), this remarkable collaboration invites readers of all ages to join the dialogue by putting their own words to their experiences.

Many of us have been eagerly anticipating this book's release! In a starred review, Kirkus calls it "a brave and touching portrayal worthy of sharing in classrooms across America."

Pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or from your local independent bookstore.

Seeing Into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright, biography and illustrations by Nina Crews (Millbrook Press, February 1, 2018)

From walking a dog to watching a sunset to finding a beetle, Richard Wright's haiku puts everyday moments into focus. Now, more than fifty years after they were written, these poems continue to reflect our everyday experiences. Paired with the photo-collage artwork of Nina Crews, Seeing into Tomorrow celebrates the lives of contemporary African American boys and offers an accessible introduction to one of the most important African American writers of the twentieth century.

Seeing Into Tomorrow has been named a Junior Library Guild selection. Visit Nina Crews's website for another peek at this gorgeous book.

Pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or from your local independent bookstore.

Meet My Family! Animal Babies and Their Families by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Millbrook Press, March 1, 2018)

What kind of families do animal babies have? All different kinds! Charming text and sweet illustrations introduce a wolf pup cared for by the pack, a young orangutan snuggling with its mother high in a tree, a poison dart frog tadpole riding piggyback on its dad, and more. Featuring rhyming verse and informational text, this book lets you discover just how diverse the animal kingdom really is!

Pre-order at Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, or from your local independent bookstore.


And now that you've met the books, it's time to meet their editor—Carol Hinz!  We'll start with five of her favorite things:

Favorite Color: blue (all shades)

Favorite Childhood Memory:
I climbed a tree in my neighbor’s backyard so I could sit up high on a branch and read. It wasn’t nearly as comfortable as I’d imagined it would be!

Favorite Subject in School:
I had trouble picking a single favorite subject; I remember being a senior in high school and feeling torn between pursuing English and pursuing science. And that’s one reason I enjoy editing nonfiction so much—I’m still learning about so many different things!

Favorite Quote: 
"It’s startling how I start to see the beauty in things that I was taught not to see beauty in."
                                 —STEiNUNN

I came across this quote as part of the Weather Diaries exhibit at the American Swedish Institute earlier in 2017.

Favorite Pastime:
I’ve been taking ballet for many years—I have a wonderful teacher and our classes have live piano accompaniment, which is fantastic.

Read "A Ballet Teacher's Advice for Authors and Illustrators" at The Lerner Blog.
And while you're there, check out some of Carol Hinz's other interesting blog posts.

As one of the largest independently owned children’s book publishers in the United States, Lerner Publishing Group includes more than twenty imprints and partners. What makes Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books unique?

Ooooh, good question! Let me take the two imprints separately. To me, Millbrook is unique because of its singular focus on curricular topics presented in a fun or unusual way for readers in grades k-5. In addition, I’d say that we have a real commitment to maximizing the visual appeal of all of our nonfiction to create an enticing and cohesive whole.

With Carolrhoda Books, I focus on the picture books—several of my very talented colleagues oversee the novels. We publish a carefully curated picture book list that sparks readers’ imaginations and offers new ways of looking at the world.


Have you always envisioned yourself with a career in children’s publishing? What is it about editing books for children that keeps you captivated?

Carol Hinz, age 13, curled up with a good book.

Not exactly. I’ve loved books since I was a child, but for a long time I thought I would be a teacher. In college I became curious about book publishing, and after graduation I completed the Radcliffe Publishing Course and moved to New York City. I was fortunate that my first job gave me the chance to work on both adult and children’s books, and I began to develop a new appreciation for children’s books. When I decided I wanted to move to Minneapolis, Lerner Publishing Group just happened to have an opening in the editorial department!

What keeps me captivated? So many things! I love that in making books, there are constant creative challenges—both with the text and the art. And as I deepen my relationships with authors over the course of several books, we’re able to get into topics and themes that we might not have tackled in our first book together. There’s so much to explore within the realm of “children’s books,” and I love the chance to take risks and take on topics that haven’t previously been covered for children.

Carol Hinz at NCTE with authors Laura Purdie Salas (L) and Irene Latham (R)

Carol Hinz with author Charles Waters

Judging by the books you’ve worked on, you seem at home with poetry, rhyme, and lyrical language. Is poetry something you were introduced to as a child?

My mother read to me from the time I was young, including nursery rhymes. My first real exposure to contemporary poetry came during my internship at Graywolf Press one summer during college. I have to say, I’m not always sure I’m entirely comfortable with poetry, but perhaps that’s why I’m so interested in it. I am always trying to figure it out, to understand what poetry can do that other forms of writing can’t do (or can’t do in the same way), and to see what’s possible within the constraints of a given format.


Would you share a poem that’s meaningful to you, either from your childhood or as an adult?

One of the most powerful poems I encountered in recent years is this haiku from Claudia Rankine’s book Citizen:

because white men can’t
police their imaginations
black men are dying

In just 11 words, Rankine made an incredibly powerful statement about what’s been happening in our country. Her whole book got me thinking about the ways in which poetry can cut to the heart of a topic and the ways in which poets offer essential insights into the past, present, and future.

Nonfiction is the bread and butter of Millbrook Press. How would you characterize the relationship between poetic language and informational subject matter?

It’s interesting because on the face of it, most people might think nonfiction wouldn’t be good fit with lyrical language. But I think poetry and lyrical language can help to take a nonfiction topic that might not be inherently interesting to certain kids (or adults) and offer them new ways to understand and appreciate it. Poetic language, particularly rhyme, can also help bring a sense of playfulness to a topic. And an author can use the structure of a poem to bring together images and ideas that might not appear together in a more straightforward prose piece on the topic.


You go to great lengths to make nonfiction approachable and engaging for children in other ways, as well. Using your 2017 and 2018 books as examples, please describe what excites you about each of them.

Thank you so much! With each of these books, I found something fresh in either the topic being explored or the presentation of information about that topic.


If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Jaime Kim.

This book begins with a child speaking to the moon, and the moon replies . . .

From If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas and Jaime Kim (Millbrook Press, 2017) – click to enlarge

in the form of a list poem! I love the choice to have the moon narrate most of the book as well as the fascinating facts Laura brought into the brief sidebars on each spread. And Jaime Kim’s illustrations are gorgeous to boot.

From If You Were the Moon by Laura Purdie Salas and Jaime Kim (Millbrook Press, 2017) – click to enlarge

The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek: A Personification Story by Brian P. Cleary, illus. by Carol Crimmins.

I am always impressed at the way Brian Cleary can present information using rhyming verse.

From The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek by Brian P. Cleary and Carol Crimmins (Millbrook Press, 2017) – click to enlarge

He doesn’t let the structure of the verse limit what he can do—instead he makes the structure work for him. This particular book makes personification extremely accessible to both teachers and students.

From The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek by Brian P. Cleary and Carol Crimmins (Millbrook Press, 2017) – click to enlarge

Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illus. by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko.

How do we talk about race in America with our children? This book offers a way to begin a conversation with middle-grade kids.

From Can I Touch Your Hair by Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko
(Carolrhoda Books, 2018) – click to enlarge

I am so grateful to Irene and Charles for putting so much of themselves and their own childhood experiences into this book, and to Sean and Selina for creating art that shows two people who begin the book as strangers and end it as friends.

From Can I Touch Your Hair by Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko
(Carolrhoda Books, 2018) – click to enlarge

This book really shines when it's read aloud, and I could easily envision having pairs of students recite different pairs of poems and then write their own poems in response.


Meet My Family! Animal Babies and Their Families by Laura Purdie Salas, illus. by Stephanie Fizer Coleman.

Baby animals are incredibly appealing,

From Meet My Family! by Laura Purdie Salas and Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Millbrook Press, 2018) – click to enlarge

but Laura didn’t simply put together a list of cute baby animals. Instead she found a way to explore the diversity of animal families around the globe while giving readers the chance to “meet” the sweet babies. 

From Meet My Family! by Laura Purdie Salas and Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Millbrook Press, 2018) – click to enlarge

Seeing into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright, biography and illustrations by Nina Crews.

Although I’d read two novels by Richard Wright, I wasn’t aware that he’d turned to writing haiku at the end of his life. Nina Crews has gathered together twelve very accessible haiku and paired them with photo collage pieces that feature contemporary black boys doing ordinary things—from riding a bike to going fishing to flying a kite.

From Seeing into Tomorrow by Richard Wright and Nina Crews (Millbrook Press, 2018) – click to enlarge

From Seeing into Tomorrow by Richard Wright and Nina Crews (Millbrook Press, 2018) – click to enlarge

It’s a beautiful celebration of black boyhood that readers of all backgrounds can appreciate.


If you had all the world’s children in one room, what would you tell them?

Oh, goodness! I think I’m going to have to borrow from some very wise words that Sachiko Yasui told Caren Stelson in response to a similar question. This response comes near the end of Caren’s book Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story. Sachiko offers this advice to the world’s young people:

What is peace? What kind of person should I be? Keep pursuing the answers to these questions.


Finally, please tell us what you have chosen as this month’s ditty challenge.

Returning to my favorite quote from earlier, I would like your readers to write a poem that finds beauty in something that is not usually considered beautiful.



It's a beauty of a challenge, I can tell you that!

I look forward to a month filled with fresh perspective and eye-opening words. What a wonderful gift at a time when we need it most.

Before you dive in, though, please help me thank Carol Hinz for letting us get to know her better, sharing her editorial insights, and giving us a peek at these wonderful treasures from Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books!

Oh, and one more thing—

Carol has sent me a copy of The Sun Played Hide-and-Seek: A Personification Story to pass on to one lucky DMC participant, selected randomly at the end of the month.  Beauty!


HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

Post your poem that finds beauty in something not usually considered beautiful on our November 2017 padlet. Stop by any time during the month to add your work or to check out what others are contributing.

By posting on the padlet, you are granting me permission to share your poem on Today's Little Ditty.  Some poems will be featured as daily ditties, though authors may not be given advanced notice. Subscribe to the blog if you'd like to keep tabs. You can do that in the sidebar to the right where it says "Follow TLD by Email." As always, all of the poems will be included in a wrap-up celebration on the last Friday of the month—November 24th for our current challenge.

TEACHERS, it's great when students get involved! Ditty of the Month Club challenges are wonderful opportunities to learn about working poets and authors while having fun with poetry prompts. Thank you for spreading the word! For children under 13, please read my COPPA compliance statement in the sidebar to the right.

FIRST-TIMERS (those who have never contributed to a ditty challenge before), in addition to posting your work on the padlet, please send your name and email address to TodaysLittleDitty (at) gmail (dot) com. That way I'll be able to contact you for possible inclusion in future Best of Today's Little Ditty anthologies.

BLOGGERS, thank you for publishing your poems on your own blogs– I love that!  Please let me know about it, so I can share your post! Also remember to include your poem (or a direct link to your post) on the padlet in order to be included in the wrap-up celebration and end-of-month giveaway.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thanks once again to everyone who participated in last month's challenge to write a poem about a person, place, or thing that spooked you as a child. After last Friday's post, I added three more—from Kay Jernigan McGriff, Diane Mayr, and Carol Varsalona—to the final presentation. I encourage you to have another look at this diverse collection of poems.

Random.org has determined that a personalized copy of Magic for Sale by Carrie Clickard and illustrated by John Shelley will go to. . .

LINDA BAIE 

Congratulations, Linda!

Lucky Linda also happens to be this week's Poetry Friday roundup host. Join her at TeacherDance where she's celebrating November's arrival with two seasonal cinquains.