The ALA's Top 10 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2014 are... (and a great story about a book banning that backfired!)

Important to know.

Every book on this top 10 "banned books" list was either written for or about kids and teens. Note the 'reasons' cited reflect not so much the books' content but the prejudices of (and lack of careful reading by) the challengers.

 The top ten most frequently challenged books of 2014 are:

1) The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
 Reasons: anti-family, cultural insensitivity, drugs/alcohol/smoking, gambling, offensive language, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group, violence. Additional reasons: “depictions of bullying”

 2) Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi
 Reasons: gambling, offensive language, political viewpoint. Additional reasons: “politically, racially, and socially offensive,” “graphic depictions”

 3) And Tango Makes Three, Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
 Reasons: Anti-family, homosexuality, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “promotes the homosexual agenda”

4) The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
 Reasons: Sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “contains controversial issues”

5) It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
 Reasons: Nudity, sex education, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group. Additional reasons: “alleges it child pornography”

6) Saga, by Brian Vaughan and Fiona Staples
 Reasons: Anti-Family, nudity, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group. Additional reasons:

7) The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited to age group, violence

8) The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
 Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, homosexuality, offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group. Additional reasons: “date rape and masturbation”

9) A Stolen Life, Jaycee Dugard
 Reasons: drugs/alcohol/smoking, offensive language, sexually explicit, and unsuited for age group

10) Drama, by Raina Telgemeier
 Reasons: sexually explicit 

 The American Library Association's Office For Intellectual Freedom estimates "that for every reported challenge, four or five remain unreported."

Now here's the great story: Parents in Idaho successfully got "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" removed from their school's curriculum.

In response, a group of students circulated a petition to bring it back. They got 350 teen signatures. Then they teamed up with their local bookstore and did a crowd-funding project to raise the money to buy a copy of Sherman Alexie's book for every teen on that list of 350. They raised the money!

When some of the parents found out about the books being given away for free, they called the police. The police came to the bookstore during the give-away, but weren't really sure what do to, and the free book hand-out continued.

When Hachette (Alexie's publisher) found out about this, they sent an additional 350 copies of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" to the bookstore, so any teen can walk in and get the book for free.

Cheers for the freedom to read!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Crystal Kite Member Choice Award Submission Deadline is Friday, March 20, 2015!

Want your PAL book published in 2014 included for consideration for the Crystal Kite Member Choice Award?

Christopher Cheng, author, SCBWI Board member and Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards Coordinator, explains how:

1. Click here http://www.scbwi.org/crystal-kite-award-guidelines/ to familiarize yourself with the guidelines for the Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards.

 2. Make sure that your SCBWI membership is current! Only current members of SCBWI are eligible for the Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards. Not sure when your membership expires? Log in at www.scbwi.org and click on "Membership Renewal." Your member expiration date will be shown at the top of that page.

 3. Log in at www.scbwi.org and update your publication information! Be sure to enter the name and publication year of your most recent book. Then, choose your publisher from one of the drop-down menus. For more detailed information, go to http://www.scbwi.org/crystal-kite-award-guidelines/. If you have any trouble updating, feel free to call the SCBWI offices at 323-782-1010 during business hours (9 AM - 5:00 PM, Pacific daylight time Monday - Friday) and someone will be happy to assist you.

4. Already entered your book? There will be a preview period from March 21-April 1 during which you can verify your book has been entered properly. If it is not, it may be that your membership is not current, it does not have a 2014 publication date, or you did not list a PAL publisher. Again, you can always contact our office if you are having issues.

 5. We want you to promote and publicize the Crystal Kite Awards and remind people to vote! We just can't allow promotion or publicizing of individual titles. For example, you can tweet, Facebook and otherwise state: "Don't forget to vote for your favorite in the Crystal Kite Awards"!..or words to that effect. However, publicizing a specific title will lead to disqualification of that title.

Don't forget to read through the Crystal Kites Member Choice Awards page http://www.scbwi.org/awards/crystal-kite-member-choice-award/ where you will find further information, dates for each round, and the Frequently Asked Questions page http://www.scbwi.org/awards/crystal-kite-member-choice-award/crystal-kite-frequently-asked-questions/ .

We are very excited about the 2014 Crystal Kite Member Choice Awards!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

The 2014 National Book Award For Young People's Literature Longlist

The National Book Foundation announced yesterday it's "longlist" - the ten books it's considering for this year's National Book Award for Young People's Literature.

From the New York Times ArtsBeat Blog post by Alexandra Alter, here's the must-read list:

Laurie Halse Anderson, “The Impossible Knife of Memory,” Viking

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own. Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over?

Gail Giles, “Girls Like Us,” Candlewick Press

Quincy and Biddy are both graduates of their high school’s special ed program, but they couldn’t be more different: suspicious Quincy faces the world with her fists up, while gentle Biddy is frightened to step outside her front door. When they’re thrown together as roommates in the first “real world” apartments it initially seems like an uneasy fit. But as Biddy’s past resurfaces and Quincy faces something that on one should have to go through alone, the two of them realize that they might have more in common than they thought--and more important, that they might be able to help each other move forward, together.

Carl Hiaasen, “Skink – No Surrender,” Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers

Classic Malley — to avoid being shipped off to boarding school, she takes off with some guy she met online. Poor Richard — he knows his cousin’s in trouble before she does. Wild Skink — he’s a ragged, one-eyed ex-governor of Florida, and enough of a renegade to think he can track Malley down. With Richard riding shotgun, the unlikely pair scour the state, undaunted by blinding storms, crazed pigs, flying bullets, and giant gators.

Steve Sheinkin, “The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny and the Fight for Civil Rights,” Roaring Books Press 

A group of young African American sailors – many of them teenagers – are assigned to load ammunition at Port Chicago, a segregated naval base in California. But they are never trained to handle ammunition safely, and are constantly being rushed by their officers. When a terrifying disaster rocks the base, the men face the toughest decision of their lives: do they return to duty as ordered, or do they risk everything to take a stand against segregation in the military?

Andrew Smith, “100 Sideways Miles,” Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Finn Easton sees the world through miles instead of minutes. It’s how he makes sense of the world, and how he tries to convince himself that he’s a real boy and not just a character in his father’s bestselling cult-classic book. Finn has two things going for him: his best friend, the possibly-insane-but-definitely-excellent Cade Hernandez, and Julia Bishop, the first girl he’s ever loved. Then Julia moves away, and Finn is heartbroken. Feeling restless and trapped in the book, Finn embarks on a road trip with Cade to visit their college of choice in Oklahoma. When an unexpected accident happens and the boys become unlikely heroes, they take an eye-opening detour away from everything they thought they had planned—and learn how to write their own destiny.

John Corey Whaley, “Noggin,” Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Listen—Travis Coates was alive once and then he wasn’t. Now he's alive again. Simple as that. The in between part is still a little fuzzy, but he can tell you that, at some point or another, his head got chopped off and shoved into a freezer in Denver, Colorado. Five years later, it was reattached to some other guy’s body, and well, here he is. Despite all logic, he's still 16 and everything and everyone around him has changed. That includes his bedroom, his parents, his best friend, and his girlfriend. Or maybe she's not his girlfriend anymore? That's a bit fuzzy too. Looks like if the new Travis and the old Travis are ever going to find a way to exist together, then there are going to be a few more scars. Oh well, you only live twice.

Deborah Wiles, “Revolution,” Scholastic Press

It’s 1964, and Sunny’s town is being invaded. Or at least that’s what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They’re calling it Freedom Summer. Meanwhile, Sunny can’t help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool — where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

Jacqueline Woodson, “Brown Girl Dreaming,” Nancy Paulsen Books

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

Eliot Schrefer, “Threatened,” Scholastic Press

Into the jungle. Into the wild. Into harm's way. When he was a boy, Luc's mother would warn him about the "mock men" living in the trees by their home -- chimpanzees whose cries would fill the night. Luc is older now, his mother gone. He lives in a house of mistreated orphans, barely getting by. Then a man calling himself Prof comes to town with a mysterious mission. When Luc tries to rob him, the man isn't mad. Instead, he offers Luc a job. Together, Luc and Prof head into the rough, dangerous jungle in order to study the elusive chimpanzees. There, Luc finally finds a new family -- and must act when that family comes under attack.

Kate Milford, “Greenglass House,” Clarion Books

A rambling old smuggler's inn, a strange map, an attic packed with treasures, squabbling guests, theft, friendship, and an unusual haunting mark this smart mystery in the tradition of the Mysterious Benedict Society books.

Illustrate, Write, and Read On,
Lee

The Winning Season...

Our Blog-Reading (and commenting) Winners of the SCBWI 2014 Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Award-Winning Books are...

Kimberly Callard has won a copy of "Sophie's Squash," written by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. Pat won the Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text for this title. You can read the official SCBWI Blog interview with Pat here.

Andrea Ebert has won a copy of "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild," written and illustrated by Peter Brown. Peter won the Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration for it! You can read the official SCBWI Blog interview with Peter here.

Keila Dawson has won a copy of "Better Nate Than Ever," written by Tim Federle. Tim won the Golden Kite Award for Fiction for the book! You can read the official SCBWI Blog interview with Tim here.

Book Mama has won a copy of "Call of the Klondike," by David Meissner and Kim Richardon. David won the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for it! You can read the official SCBWI Blog interview with David here.

And Carl Scott has won a copy of "Openly Straight," by Bill Konigsberg. Bill won the Sid Fleischman Humor Award for "Openly Straight!" You can read the official SCBWI Blog interview with Bill here.

Congratulations to our SCBWI Award-Winners, and to our blog commenters who have won copies of these award-winning books!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

David Meissner on "Call of the Klondike" - The 2014 Golden Kite Award For Nonfiction Interview ...And your chance to WIN a copy!

This year's Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction goes to David Meissner, for his middle grade title, "Call of the Klondike!"

Winner of the 2014 Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction and #LA14SCBWI Faculty David Meissner

I connected with David to find out more...

* * *

Lee: Can you tell us about finding out you'd won the 2014 Golden Kite Award for nonfiction for "Call of the Klondike?"

David: I was in France for work and opened my email after a long day to discover the wonderful news. It was no doubt a great thrill, honor, and surprise. 

Lee: Your book is packed with reproductions of primary source materials - photos, telegrams, newspaper articles, even letters written on the back of envelopes! What was the process of organizing and choosing the ones that would make it in the book, from what must have been a sea of material?

David: It was definitely a sea of material! The first step was to cull through everything we had in order to find the arc of the story. Kim Richardson sent me a long Word document with all of the correspondence from his relative, Stanley Pearce. Even though Kim had already done much of the hard work by deciphering old handwriting and typing it up, the amount of material was no doubt intimidating. 

I read through Pearce’s writing multiple times and highlighted key portions. While fascinating, it still didn’t seem like the story was complete. Pearce wrote long, descriptive letters and articles, but there were big gaps of time without any information. I soon discovered that Marshall Bond had written a daily diary during their adventure and that it was in the special collections library at Yale. That was the key. Once I went through Bond’s diary and other writings, I could finally see the full story. Bond’s daily updates filled in the gaps. The next challenge was the more tangible, though still tedious task, of selecting the best writing, editing out redundancies, and doing external research for additional photos and material. 

Lee: In addition to attending #LA14SCBWI - The 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference - to accept your Golden Kite Award, you'll also be on faculty, giving the Sunday breakout session "Digging Deeper: How Authentic Research Leads To Authentic Writing." Can you tell us more about that workshop? 

David: This workshop will focus on how to conduct authentic research before and during the writing process. While writing Call of the Klondike, I realized how vital it is to truly understand your subject. Having this larger context translates into more confident writing with richer detail and greater authenticity. 

Lee: Kim Richardson, the great-great-nephew of Stanley Pearce, one of the two gold rush stampeders the book follows, is credited as co-author. How did the two of you collaborate on this?

David: Kim was the visionary behind this book. Ten years before we discussed the project, Kim had already typed up the century-old letters, articles, and telegrams that had been passed down to him through relatives. Over the course of a decade, he had approached publishers, editors, and writers. Ultimately, he found a talented, experienced, and interested editor in Carolyn P. Yoder, who had her own American history imprint, Calkins Creek, at Boys Mills Press. Carolyn and Kim had initially looked for an expert on the Klondike Gold Rush to write the book, but weren’t able to find an expert who could also shape this material into a book for young people. 

When I was living in New York, Kim came to town and told me about his book idea over dinner one night. A few days later, he emailed to ask if I wanted to write the book. He started by emailing me all of the typed correspondence and telling me everything he knew about Pearce and Bond’s adventure. Kim made it clear that he was not a children’s book author and that he would provide general guidance, support, and feedback. He also followed through on many details relating to photo research and Pearce’s writings. Kim was amazingly gracious in allowing me the freedom to shape this material that was so dear to him. Whenever I got stuck, had questions, or needed some clarity or moral support, Kim was just a trans-Atlantic Skype away. 

Lee: Why the Klondike Gold Rush? What made this the story you wanted to tell?

David: During middle school and high school, I learned about gold rushes superficially and they never really interested me. That sentiment continued into adulthood. It was only when I read Pearce and Bond’s first-hand writings that this gold rush came to life. This makes me think that we need to spend more time personalizing history and less time memorizing generic facts and dates. As a teacher and learner, I definitely prefer depth over breadth. As I wrote in the Author’s Note, I now find the Klondike Gold Rush absolutely fascinating. If you ask me about it, I will talk your ear off. 

Lee: In the author's note, you explain about going to Alaska and Canada in 2010 to re-trace the steps of the Klondike Gold Rush stampeders, including hiking the famous Chilkoot Trail. How did that personal experience change your approach to the manuscript?

David: I could have written Call of the Klondike without taking that trip, but the book would have been missing something. By traveling to Alaska and Canada, I was able to experience the landscape and gain a first-hand understanding of the geography of the trail, which allowed me to write about the context with greater confidence. Through that trip, I also met with experts, visited museums, dug through archives, and learned more about the gold rush than I ever could have through books and online research. I also found historical photographs and took a number of photos myself that we used in the book. Two of the experts I met ended up providing invaluable feedback on the final draft. That research trip took this book to a higher level and I thank Kent Brown, head of Boyds Mills Press at the time, for understanding this and funding the trip. 

Lee: There are two teachers guides available on your website for "Call of the Klondike" - how important is it to have a teacher guide for a nonfiction book for young readers?

David: As a teacher myself, I know how nice it is to come across a book or curriculum that has clear and thoughtful suggestions for engaging students, while still allowing room for the teacher to customize the learning process. Boyds Mills Press developed a guide relating to the Common Core. My guide includes discussion questions by chapter as well as ideas for pairing the book with The Call of the Wild. Both are free and available for download at www.bydavidmeissner.com. 

Lee: When did you first join SCBWI, and can you share how that's helped you on your journey as an author?

David: I believe that I first joined SCBWI in 2002, just after I decided I wanted to write children’s books. I went to the summer conference in L.A. and then the winter conference in New York a few years later. I found it amazing that an organization like SCBWI existed⎯one that provided a forum for well-known professionals and aspiring writers to mingle, connect, and elevate the quality of children’s literature through collaboration. Attending workshops, reading the bulletins, and meeting others in the field helped improve my writing and better understand the realities of the publishing industry. It’ll be fun to return to L.A. to lead a workshop for fellow writers. 

Lee: What advice do you have for other writers working on nonfiction projects?

David: Researching and writing a nonfiction book is so much work that you must be fascinated by and passionate about the topic. Thoughts of book sales, fame, and private yachts will not be enough fuel to propel you through the challenging times.

* * *

Thanks, David!

If you'd like to learn from, listen to and cheer David on as he receives his 2014 Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction, join us at the upcoming SCBWI Summer Conference, August 1-4 in Los Angeles, CA.

Information and Registration here.

To find out more about David and "Call of the Klondike," visit his website here.

Would you like to win a free copy of "Call of the Klondike?"

Leave a comment here on this post in the next seven days, and we'll randomly choose one winner! 

(Make sure to include your contact email in the comment - if we can't reach you to let you know you've won, we'll have to choose another winner.)

Good luck!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Tim Federle on "Better NATE Than Ever!" - The 2014 Golden Kite Award for Fiction Interview ...And your chance to WIN a copy!

This year's Golden Kite Award for fiction goes to Tim Federle, for his middle grade novel "Better NATE Than Ever!"

Winner of the 2014 Golden Kite Award and #LA14SCBWI Faculty Tim Federle

I contacted Tim to find out more...

* * *

Lee: Hi Tim - congratulations! Can you tell us about finding out you'd won the 2014 Golden Kite Award for fiction for "Better Nate Than Ever?"

Tim: I was at a Texas high school for the performing arts, about to give a presentation on books and Broadway for several hundred kids. Lin Oliver and Steven Mooser phoned me up and I believe I screamed and then hung up and walked out onstage with shaky legs. But it's a blur. 

Lee: Your bio describes you as "raised in character-building Pittsburgh" and says you "fled to New York City as a teenager." That's sounding a lot like Nate's journey, escaping a small-minded town and fleeing to Broadway... It's classified as fiction, but how much of Nate is you?

Tim: Aren't all first novels semi-to-majorly autobiographical? There is a lot of Nate and Tim overlap, though Nate's family isn't as supportive of his wacky ambitions as mine was in real life.

Lee: In addition to attending #LA14SCBWI - The 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference - to accept your Golden Kite Award, you'll also be on faculty, giving the breakout session "The 10 Things Nobody Tells You About Being A Debut Novelist." Can you tell us more about that workshop?

Tim: Yes! It's going to be a (hopefully) fun and funny and frank discussion about all the surprises and occasional setbacks that I hit as a very naive new writer. My goal is to inspire and inform other SCBWI members with some practical tips and tools. 

Lee: How are you dealing with the challenge of constantly switching gears between winning awards for and talking about "Better Nate Than Ever" and promoting the book's sequel, "Five, Six, Seven, Nate!" which came out this January?

Tim: It's a good problem to have. I'm also adapting the first "Nate" book into a screenplay and working on a followup to my cocktail recipe book, "Tequila Mockingbird." I either sleep 2 hours a night or 10. But no complaints. 

Lee: Your background as a broadway dancer (and auditioner) is palpable in the book's audition scenes where there's such a crazy power-disparity between the people in charge and the people there to audition. Was there a bit of 'revenge of the writer' now that in telling the story, you got to be in charge of it all?

Tim: The greatest thing about writing -- especially novels -- is that you get to be the casting director, set designer, and all the actors, too. So it was fun to borrow and heighten from scenes in my own life, going back to my early days as a dancing polar bear in the Radio City Christmas Show. I always tell kids at my visits: wait long enough and every setback you have in life can be used as a plot point in your book, someday! 

Lee: I like that - it reminds me of that T-shirt that reads, "Careful or you'll end up in my novel." There are so many funny moments, but also a lot of heart in this book - like the relationship between Nate and his best friend, Libby, and between Nate's Mom and her sister, Nate's aunt. Tell us about finding that balance.

Tim: I have an incredibly limited attention span, so I'm trying to keep my own self awake and entertained when writing. With that said: it can be a challenge for kids to access books without a parent/librarian/educator's endorsement, so I always try to write with an ear for keeping those gatekeeper adults entertained too.

Lee: At one point, Nate experiences all these emotions on seeing two men dancing together in the big city. It's one of a number of not-quite-coming-out moments for him, and yet, it all adds up to a kid who's figuring out that there just may be a place for him, and for boys who dance with other boys, in our world. Can you share about how you handled Nate's being gay?

Tim: I have a post-it note above my desk that says "Tell the truth." My whole life, I've relied on jokes and sarcasm and punch lines to get out of everything from gym class to parking tickets. And so as much as I hope people laugh during the "Nate" books, I also pushed myself to tell the truth about what it was like for me to be a 13-year-old boy who was starting to notice other boys. Which isn't always funny, believe me. I tried to write about that in a way that was age-appropriate for my middle school audience but that wouldn't overwhelm the story with "message." 

Lee: And in the sequel, there's a boy-boy kiss, right?

Tim: Spoiler alert! 

Lee: When did you first join SCBWI, and can you share how that's helped you on your journey as an author?

Tim: I joined SCBWI right after "Nate" sold, a couple of summers ago. There is a gigantic sense of relief knowing there are thousands and thousands of other writers and illustrators out there who are psychically linked by this incredible organization. Also, the magazine is really pretty. SCBWI helped me with everything from practical articles on taxes to a deep sense of belonging. 

Lee: What advice do you have for other writers working on their novels for young readers?

Tim: Enjoy every step, and celebrate each of them too. You may end up cutting entire chapters and characters, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't say a little prayer of thanks when you first encounter them in your first drafts. Also, read "Tiny Beautiful Things" by Cheryl Strayed and "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott. We're all in this together.

* * *

Thanks, Tim!

If you'd like to learn from, listen to and cheer Tim on as he receives his 2014 Golden Kite Award for Fiction, join us at the upcoming SCBWI Summer Conference, August 1-4 in Los Angeles, CA.

Information and registration here.

And to find out more about Tim and all his books, visit his website here.

Would you like to win a free copy of "Better Nate Than Ever?"

Leave a comment here on this post in the next seven days, and we'll randomly choose one winner!

(Make sure to include your contact email in the comment - if we can't reach you to let you know you've won, we'll have to choose another winner.)

Good luck!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Peter Brown on "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild" - The 2014 Golden Kite Interviews ...And Your Chance To Win A Copy!

The 2014 Winner of the Golden Kite for Illustration is Peter Brown for his "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild!"

Watch this before reading the great interview with Peter below!

 
Author and Illustrator Peter Brown On His Process from School Library Journal on Vimeo.


And now that we're all on the same page, the interview...

* * *

Lee: Congratulations, Peter! Can you tell us about finding out you'd won the 2014 Golden Kite Award for picture book illustration for "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild”?

Peter: Well, it started with a game of phone tag. Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser were trying to get me on the phone, but I was super busy that week. Lin left me a mysterious and giddy voicemail, and I still had no idea what was going on. We finally connected and they told me the great news. Of course I was surprised and thrilled! SCBWI has meant so much to me over the years, and to have my picture book win its highest honor means the world to me.

Lee: In addition to attending #LA14SCBWI - The 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference - to accept your Golden Kite Award, you'll also be on faculty, giving a keynote during the Monday Illustrator Intensive, "Great Artists Steal: Getting the most out of your artistic inspiration." Will that be along the lines of how you were inspired by the work of Alice and Martin Provensen, Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle - and yet created a visual look that's uniquely your own?

Peter: You are correct, sir. During the illustrator intensive I’ll discuss some of my artistic heroes, what lessons I’ve learned from them, how I’ve incorporated those lessons into my work, and how the attendees might learn from their own artistic heroes.

Lee: It seems like you were trying new techniques and approaches in illustrating "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild." What do you see as the role of experimentation in creating art?

Peter: I look forward to the day when I really enjoy and approve of my own art. But so far, that isn’t the case. So I experiment with my art, in the hopes that I’ll stumble upon better ways of doing things. I experiment with color and texture and composition and design and technique. Some experiments work, other don’t, but with each artistic experiment I learn a little more about who I am, and how I want my art to look and feel. I usually need to sit with a finished book for a while before I can decide what I like and don’t like about it. Then I incorporate those lessons into my next book, and I experiment some more. Using this process, I’m slowly learning what I truly want to do with my art. Eventually, when I’m an old man, I hope to finally know myself well enough that I’ll have no need for further experimentation.

Lee: Even the pinks of the fish and butterflies and the blues of the water are muted compared to the vibrant orange of Mr. Tiger -- and the sun on the reconciliation/Mr. Tiger returns to the town page. Can you talk about developing the color palette you went with?

Peter: In Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, things start off boring, so I designed those early scenes to have a more muted palette. The story gradually gets more exciting as Mr. Tiger acts wilder and wilder, and so I designed the later scenes to be more colorful. It was a pretty straightforward approach. But the color palette also owes a lot to the production of the book. We wanted the book to feel good to the touch, so we printed it on a textured, thick, uncoated paper. Uncoated paper absorbs inks in a way the reduces color saturation and contrast, which had the effect of muting the palette of the entire book. But my publisher and I really wanted Mr. Tiger’s color to pop, to reinforce the idea that he was unique. So we decided to use a fifth ink, for the special orange of Mr. Tiger (and of the sun). We picked a very vibrant orange for Mr. Tiger, and so by comparison, the other colors in the book seem even more subdued. Altogether, a number of factors combined to create the book's color palette, a palette that I hope reflects the concept of the story in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Lee: It does! At the end of the book, there's an "about this book" section that explains it was printed "with a fifth color, orange." Can you explain what that means?

Peter: Most books are printed using only four colors of ink: cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Printers use the somewhat confusing acronym CMYK, for those four standard inks. Using a “Fifth color” literally means the printers added one extra ink to the printing process. So when Mr. Tiger was being printed, the presses inked each page with the four standard CMYK colors, plus a special orange ink, which was the fifth color. There are thousands of different colored inks to choose from, but we chose a vibrant orange ink to make Mr. Tiger pop off the page.

Lee: The endpapers, being gray bricks for the beginning of the book, and a 'wild' field of ferns and flowers for the end, have an arc of their own, and there's a surprise under the paper dustcover. Is this part of a book-design philosophy that every visual aspect of a book is an opportunity?

Peter: I want my books to reveal something new with every reading. I mostly try to achieve that goal by incorporating different layers of meaning into the story. However, there are many opportunities to add value to the book itself. My publisher and I felt that Mr. Tiger really leant itself to those kinds of extra details, so I designed a special case cover, and end pages, and we printed with a fifth color on a special uncoated paper. The hope is that these little details added up to enhance the overall experience for my readers.

Lee: With all these anthropomorphized animal characters, did you find yourself using visual references or going to the zoo, or is that not so helpful in depicting elephants in sunhats standing upright and wearing lace-edged frocks?

Peter: I’ve spent a lifetime drawing animals. When I was seventeen I sent a portfolio to art colleges that consisted almost exclusively of animal drawings. And I've continued drawing animals ever since. So I often don’t need visual reference for animals. However, it never hurts to refresh one's memory, and I did look at some animal books during the design phase of Mr. Tiger Goes Wild. But more important were the books I studied about old London and Victorian era clothing, as I designed the city and the costumes.

Lee: When did you first join SCBWI, and can you share how that's helped you on your journey as an illustrator and author/illustrator?

Peter: I joined SCBWI in 1999, but my membership lapsed when I spent a year in Europe, so if you look on SCBWI.org it says I joined in 2002. Anyway, in college I focused on children’s books, and developed a number of stories and illustrations, but I had no idea how to actually pursue publication. When I joined SCBWI I felt like I was let in on a secret. I suddenly had all kinds of useful information about editors and agents, and which publishers were looking for what kind of work, and how to approach them. SCBWI gave me the tools with which to take the first real steps toward getting a book deal. Not only was that helpful, it was encouraging. I felt like, if I was smart about it, I might actually be able to get a book deal. My goals seemed attainable. That boost to my optimism made all the difference.

Lee: What advice do you have for other illustrators and author/illustrators working on their own picture books?

Peter: If you’re reading this you’re already off to a great start. Joining SCBWI is the first thing anyone should do if they’re serious about making children’s books. But aside from that, I think the best thing authors and illustrators can do is learn to think visually. That seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many authors fill their picture book manuscripts with description, and how many illustrators simply depict what’s already explained in the text. The best picture books don’t rely on words to tell the full story. Authors need to put breathing room in their text, strategically placed gaps in their story that the illustrators can expand with their pictures. And illustrators need to learn how to enhance a story with their art, and not simply reiterate what’s been written. Visual storytelling is not easy, it’s a special art form, but by working conscientiously people can become better at it. I know I’ll be spending the rest of my career honing my skills in visual storytelling.

* * *

Thanks so much, Peter!

Want to win a copy of Mr. Tiger Goes Wild?

Leave a comment on this post in the next 7 days, and we'll randomly choose one winner. 

(Note that you'll need to include an email address so you can be contacted! If there's no way to get in touch with you, we'll have to choose another winner.)

To find out more about Peter and his books, visit his website here.

And to meet, learn from and cheer Peter on in person, join us for the 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference, August 1-4 in Los Angeles, California. Information and registration are here.

Bill Konigsberg on "Openly Straight" - The 2014 Sid Fleischman Humor Award Interview ...And your chance to WIN a copy!

The Sid Fleischman Humor Award is "an award for authors whose work exemplifies the excellence of writing in the genre of humor. The SCBWI established the award to honor humorous work, so often overlooked in children’s literature by other award committees."

This year's winner was author Bill Konigsberg for his YA novel, "Openly Straight"

2014 Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winner and #LA14SCBWI Conference Faculty Bill Konigsberg

Openly Straight's jacket-flap copy:

Rafe is from Boulder, Colorado. He plays soccer. He hates tofu. He's won skiing prizes. He likes to write.
And, oh yeah, he's gay. He's been out since eighth grade, and he isn't teased, and he goes to schools and talks about tolerance and stuff. And while that's important, all he wants is to be a regular guy. Not that gay guy. To have that be a part of who he is, but not the headline, every single time.
So when he transfers to an all-boys' boarding school in New England, he decides to become "openly straight" -- not so much going back in the closet as starting over outside it. The transformation works: Rafe revels in a new group of straight guy friends, and the chance to be "just Rafe" at last. But things get complicated when he falls in love with one of his new friends... who doesn't even know that's a possibility.

Bill Konigsberg not only writes funny, he interviews funny. See for yourself...

* * *

Lee: Hi Bill - congratulations! Please tell us about finding out you'd won the 2014 SCBWI Sid Fleischman Humor Award for "Openly Straight!"

Bill: I was in a coffee shop, and when I got the call I jumped up and down like one of those studio audience members on The Price is Right after the announcer calls their name. People winced. Airborne is not the greatest look for a balding, middle-aged guy with a bit of a belly. I was simply so thrilled and honored and blown away. I was also super psyched because now I could throw around the title “Award-Winning Humorist.” This is most useful when I make a joke and it falls flat. I can follow-up with, “. . . said the award-winning humorist.” I should mention that my brother is livid. There is an ongoing battle for the title of “Funniest Konigsberg,” and he was not amused that a book I wrote actually received a humor award. I should also mention that the actual title of “Funniest Konigsberg” probably goes to Woody Allen, whose full name is Allen Konigsberg.

Lee: Ha! Well played, sir. The challenge Rafe faces that makes him move to an all-boys boarding school to start over is that in his old high school, he's just seen as "the gay kid." As a writer of teen novels with gay main characters, do you see a similar trap in being seen as "the gay writer?" 

Bill: Absolutely! Openly Straight is in many ways about my own experience dealing with confining labels, just translated into a high school arena. I call this phenomenon “Gay Fatigue,” which is funnier if you pronounce it French. “Gay fah-tee-gay.” Sometimes you just want to be a person, not a “gay person,” whatever that means. It can feel very limiting to be put in a box with a tidy label like that. And at the same time, the label is there for a reason. It helps describe some of my experience, something that makes me (relatively) unique. It’s surprisingly complicated, and unpacking all these feelings was a very invigorating experience.

Lee: "Openly Straight" is really funny; from its premise, to situations, to dialog, to interior voice - like this moment on page 91, when Rafe is with his mom in the car and he says,

"Please tell me you're not taking me to your Shambhala Mediation Center place again." One time the previous summer, she got it in her head that I needed more serenity. Serenity is apparently like a great, big fabulous party, except without food or people or talking or fun. She was not amused when I told her afterward that if she'd wanted me to shut up, she could have just stopped by my room and told me to shut up. 

Do you have different strategies in writing different kinds of funny?

Bill: Well first, bless you for thinking that’s funny! Openly Straight is not necessarily a comic novel, but I certainly enjoy writing scenes that I find humorous. As a reader, I enjoy novels that can make me laugh and cry on the same page, so it’s definitely that sort of experience that I set out to write. The great thing about writing a book is that authors can keep all the good stuff and throw out the bad stuff. Meaning that Openly Straight is wittier than I am on a daily basis by far, because all the failed attempts at wit have been deleted. But that also means that I am always working. So many times during the day, I have to write myself an email or dictate on my iPhone a funny turn of phrase that comes to me. I really rely on that, because while there are organically funny things that come to me while writing, just as often the good stuff comes to me while I’m in the shower, or driving. So I’m grateful for the ability to mine that material and use it later. By the way, don’t take your iPhone into the shower.

Lee: Is a particular funny moment (like the one above) a product of inspiration, or revision?

Bill: I think the funniest moments are moments of inspiration, and those moments CAN’T really be revised. Revision is a valuable tool, but I don’t necessarily think of it as a part of the process where a book gets funnier. In fact, for me it’s just the opposite. In my current work-in-progress, The Porcupine of Truth, there was a scene in a farmer’s market, where a hipster does a Chaucer-inspired slam poem rap about being de-friended on Facebook. I thought this was one of the most clever scenes I’d ever written. My editor agreed it was funny, but in the end, it didn’t move the story along. So it got cut, and rightfully so. It all needs to serve the story, and sometimes we have to kill our darlings. Revision is where funny moments go to die.

Lee: "Revision is where funny moments go to die." I think that needs to get needlepointed onto a pillow, somewhere. In our culture, a boy-girl kiss is generally seen as PG, while a boy-boy kiss is seen as R (or certainly PG-13.) How did that impact your writing the scenes where Rafe physically expresses his mutual attraction with another male character?

Bill: Openly Straight was the second book I’ve published in which there is a boy-boy kiss scene, and I’d say that I am painfully aware of that double standard. A scene that remains in the novel was called “nearly pornographic” by an early reader in the industry. I don’t think a similar scene with a boy and girl would ever garner such a comment. On the positive side, I think this is all changing rapidly, and that’s a great development. I think we need more kissing in our books. The good kisses teach us how to love one another, and the bad kisses teach us lessons, too.

Lee: That's pretty sage of you, Bill. You use the thematic device of Rafe writing self-examination journal entries as homework assignments, and add to it the supportive - and challenging him to deeper self-examination - notes of his teacher, Mr. Scarborough (who is also the faculty advisor to the boarding school's GSA club.) By showing the gay-supportive adults in Rafe's life, do you feel like you're in some ways mentoring your readers as well?

Bill: I suppose as an afterthought, I do think that. I mean, I have always wanted to support and mentor young LGBT people, especially those who write. But the reality of writing this book was so much different than that. I found myself in some ways critiquing my own writing in those notes. In the novel, I use the E.L. Doctorow quote, “Writing is an exploration. You start with nothing, and learn as you go.” What I didn’t know was that the exploration wasn’t just Rafe’s—it was my own. Through writing Rafe’s essays, I learned something about writing as a performance, and how that’s different than writing from the heart. That sounds like a simple lesson, but I can definitely say it has impacted me a lot in the last couple years.

Lee: Okay, for this next question, I need you to imagine time and space are bendable... Given that you're in a longterm relationship with another man yourself, what would it have meant for you to read "Openly Straight" when you were a teenager?

Bill: I’m not a hundred percent sure what you mean with the question. Do you mean, Do I wish I’d been able to read Openly Straight as a teen? If so, the answer is yes. Boy. I wish I had read any number of these LGBT YA titles when I was a teen. I felt so hopeless and alone, and I absolutely felt like no one knew what it was like to be me. To see someone like me reflected in literature would have made a huge difference in my life. I have heard from so many teens that they are Rafe, and they are seeking their Ben. Or they are Ben, and they are seeking their Rafe. I was definitely in that place as a teen, and to have had an opportunity to meet Ben and Rafe between the covers of a book would have been an awesome and empowering experience. 

Or do you mean, Do I wish I could bend time and space and, as a teen, could read a book by older me, who was now in a longterm relationship? If you mean that, I think that would have been such a life-saving thing for me. I felt at the time like I’d never meet that one special person, because, face it, there weren’t a lot of options at my high school for an out gay kid, as I was. I had no vision for anything outside my own realm. To have been able to know that, 25 or 30 years down the road, I’d be married to a great guy and writing novels for teens? I can hardly imagine what that would have done for me. It would have been like an “It Gets Better” commercial, only with down-the-road proof! I think we should work on a time machine-slash-It Gets Better program to help teens. Let’s get on that.

Lee: Lets! When did you first join SCBWI, and can you share how that's helped you on your journey as an author?

Bill: I think SCBWI is a great opportunity to commune with other writers and to be part of a writing community. It’s so valuable to me, and it always has been. I joined for the first time when I was writing my first novel, Out of the Pocket, back in about 2005. As an unpublished author, it was useful to travel that path with other aspiring authors. As a published one now, it’s useful to stay connected to others who are engaged in the same type of creative process. I write at a coffee shop where people know me but they don’t KNOW me. Meaning, they don’t know what it’s like to sit down at 8 in the morning, look at a blank screen, and start creating something that’s not existed before. But friends and colleagues from SCBWI definitely do understand, and that is empowering.

Lee: In addition to attending #LA14SCBWI - The 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference - to accept your Sid Fleischman Award, you'll also be on faculty, giving the Sunday breakout session "The Seven Deadly Sins Of Young Adult Dialog." Can you tell us more about that workshop?

Bill: Ah, the seven deadly sins of young adult dialogue! I am a lover of good dialogue, and hopefully I write some once in a while. What I’ve done is compile some common mistakes—such as “Oldstering,” “Plottishness,” and “Ontopicide”—and I’ve created examples from fake novels by make believe authors to show what NOT to do. At the end, we have an opportunity to try our hand at writing unbelievably bad dialogue. It’s a lot of fun.

Lee: That DOES sound fun - and very instructive! What advice do you have for other writers working on their novels for teens?

Bill: My best advice is to work hard at your craft, to believe in what you’re doing, and to write the book that only you could write. I’m serious about that. The market is flooded with books that could have been written by anyone. Write something that is, through and through, you. What no one talks about in conference workshops about getting published is that getting published is just the beginning! You’ll need to convince an apathetic world to pay attention to your book. It’s tough work. How does it stand out? Which leads me to my last bit of advice: Write a novel for teens—or any novel, really—because you absolutely have to. If it’s not like drinking water or breathing oxygen, if it’s not that important to you, find something else to do, something normal. I do believe this is the greatest job in the world, but it comes with so many ups and downs! So you have to need it, not just want it, or I promise you’ll turn away when it gets tough. Which it will. That level of desire is truly necessary.

* * *

Thanks, Bill!

If you'd like to hear, learn from, and cheer Bill on as he receives his 2014 Sid Fleischman Humor Award, join us at the upcoming SCBWI Summer Conference, Aug 1-4, 2014, in Los Angeles, California.

Information and Registration here.

Would you like to win a free copy of "Openly Straight?"

Leave a comment here on this post in the next seven days, and we'll randomly choose one winner!

(Make sure to include your contact email in the comment - if we can't reach you to let you know you've won, we'll have to choose another winner.) 

 Good luck!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Pat Zietlow Miller on "Sophie's Squash" - The 2014 Golden Kite Interview ...And your chance to WIN a copy!

This year's Golden Kite Award for Picture Book text goes to Pat Zietlow Miller, for "Sophie's Squash!"

Pat Zeitlow Miller, winner of the 2014 Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Text!

I contacted Pat to find out more...

* * * 

Lee: Can you tell us about finding out you'd won the 2014 Golden Kite Award for picture book text for "Sophie's Squash"?

Pat: I was at home. The phone rang, and my caller ID said “Lin Oliver.” I had never met Lin, but I knew who she was, of course. But I couldn’t imagine why she’d be calling me. I thought maybe it would be an automated message from the SCBWI talking about dues or some administrative change.

When I answered, and found out it really was Lin on the other end, I was a bit stumped. I knew about the Golden Kites, but I didn’t know what the timing was for them or how they were selected. 

Once Lin told me “Sophie’s Squash” had won, I was thrilled and shocked and giddy all at the same time. And, frankly, a little astounded. There were so many wonderful picture books published in 2013. 

Lee: The book's flap copy says that "Sophie's Squash" is based on a true story - your daughter, Sonia, once loved a squash?

Pat: Yes! When Sonia was 3 – she’s now 12 – she fell in love with a butternut squash we bought at the grocery store. She gave it a face, wrapped it in a blanket and carried it everywhere. She did the same with other items – like rocks and those small bags of flour. 

Lee: So what was the process of taking a real-life inspiration and make it a picture book?

Pat: Sonia’s love for her squash gave me the initial idea for the book. But by itself it wasn’t enough. If I had written the book exactly the way things happened in real life, it would have been an amusing anecdote, at best. 

And that’s kind of what my first draft was. It took me a while to build out a full story and figure out the problem (the rotting squash, a long winter apart) and the resolution (baby squash). 

Another Sonia memory helped me pull things together. When one of our cats died, we had it cremated. Then, we planted a tree, sprinkled the ashes and shared memories. (Of course, we also read Judith Viorst’s “The Tenth Good Thing About Barney.”) Once we were done, Sonia asked with utter sincerity, “Now, will a new kitty grow?” That memory gave me the nudge I needed to move the story in the right direction. 

I also feel compelled to admit that I was not as patient as the parents in my book. I smuggled Sonia’s squash out of her room before it started to rot and bought her a replacement. She didn’t seem to mind, but one of the benefits of writing fiction is you can make things turn out the way you wish they had in real life. 

Lee: You have some really funny lines in the book, including one moment when Sophie is putting her squash (that she's named Bernice) to bed, that reads:

"Every night, Sophie gave Bernice a bottle, a hug, and a kiss."
"Well, we did hope she'd love vegetables," Sophie's mother told her father.
"Shhhhhhh," Sophie said. "Bernice is sleeping." 

How do you approach writing "funny?"

Pat: My first reaction to this question is to say, “Darned if I know.” 

But that’s probably not helpful. 

The humor in this book is very close to my own, with some splashes of Sonia. She’s had a very dry sense of humor ever since she was little, and I’ve always enjoyed the juxtaposition of the maturity of her humor with her cute, small-child face. 

I didn’t set out to make the book funny, but there were just too many places to work in humor to pass them by. When those opportunities are there, it is terribly wrong to ignore them. 

Lee: There's also a warmth and loving tone to the book - it's a story about a girl who loves a squash like it's a friend of hers, and even when some other kids aren't so kind, Sophie's parents (and the narration) are supportive and non judgmental throughout. Can you talk about hitting that tone 'just right?'

Pat: This is something I worked very hard on. And I’d say it’s the common denominator in all the picture books I have coming out in the next few years. 

With the challenges of growing up, it’s important for children to see warmth, safety and family love in books. I don’t want to beat readers over the head with those things or – heaven forbid – work in a moral, but I want those feelings to be the underlying core of every story I write. Not every child has warmth, safety and family love, but they should know those things are possible and that they deserve them. 

I also like having parents in my books. A lot of children’s literature disposes of parents neatly early on. They’re dead or traveling or self-involved or dysfunctional. And, there are good reasons for telling stories that way. As a major Harry Potter fan girl, I understand those reasons. 

But I like having parents in my stories who might not be perfect, but who support their children’s efforts and love them, while still giving them room to figure things out themselves. They’re kind of a safety net while their children are teetering on the story’s high wire. 

Lee: I love that - parents as "a safety net while their children are teetering on the story's high wire." Nicely said!

Writers just starting out often look at picture books and their small word count and think, "Oh, that must be easy to do, it's so short." Those of us who have been at this a while understand just how challenging the short form can be! "Sophie's Squash" is your debut picture book - how many drafts did you write before arriving at the words that were published?

Pat: Oh, goodness. At least 10 full drafts with a variety of different approaches and endings. 

I wrote this story early in my efforts to become a published author, so I learned A LOT along the way. And as I learned, I revised. And revised. And revised. To keep myself amused through all the revision, I gave my versions creative file names like “Reheated Squash” or “Squash Leftovers.” 

The good news is that when I finally sold the story, I didn’t have to do too many revisions for my editor. 

Lee: When did you first join SCBWI, and can you share how that's helped you on your journey as an author?

Pat: I joined SCBWI about six years ago, and it’s been vital to my success. I attend state meetings in Wisconsin, where I live, and also in Iowa, which is relatively close to where I live. 

At SCBWI, I’ve made friends, found critique groups, learned from visiting authors and editors, and found my agent – the inimitable Ammi-Joan Paquette – after she spoke at an Iowa event. 

When I started, I knew nothing. SCBWI helped me figure out how to do what I wanted so desperately to do. And once I did it, the people there have been nothing but supportive of me and my book.

Lee: In addition to attending #LA14SCBWI - The 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference - to accept your Golden Kite Award, you'll also be on faculty, giving the Friday breakout session "When Less Is More - Cutting the Fluff Out Of Picture Books." Can you tell us more about that workshop?

Pat: For picture books to work, they need to be lean, using no more words than are truly needed to tell the story. What I see in a lot of beginning manuscripts – or manuscripts from folks who usually write for older audiences – is way more words than the story requires. 

And often, the writer could cut 200 or more words from his or her manuscript without sacrificing plot in the slightest. Some people are aghast when they hear this, but it’s true. 

I’ll be sharing techniques writers can apply to their picture books in progress to get rid of words that don’t add value to their story. 

Lee: Sounds invaluable!

What advice do you have for other writers working on picture book manuscripts?

Pat: Everyone says this, but it’s so true. READ. When I started seriously pursuing a career in children’s literature, I made a list of my favorite picture book authors – Cari Best, Dori Chaconas, Kelly DiPucchio, Jill Esbaum, Mem Fox, Kevin Henkes, Mary Lyn Ray, Liz Garton Scanlon and Judith Viorst to start – and I checked out every book they’d ever written from the library. 

I spent weekends really reading them and figuring out what made their books work for me. How did they handle page turns and tension? What did their words show and what did they leave to the illustrator? How did their endings tie everything up? It was basically my own master class in picture book writing, and it was one of the most enjoyable classes I’ve ever taken.

* * *

Thanks, Pat!

If you'd like to hear, learn from, and cheer Pat on as she accepts her Golden Kite Award, join us at the 2014 SCBWI Summer Conference, August 1-4 in Los Angeles. Registration and information here.

Would you like to win a free copy of "Sophie's Squash?"

Leave a comment here on this post in the next seven days, and we'll randomly choose one winner! 

(Make sure to include your contact email in the comment - if we can't reach you to let you know you've won, we'll have to choose another winner.)

Good luck!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Announcing The 2014 Spark Award Winners - SCBWI's Award for Independent- and Self-Published Books for Kids and Teens!

The new annual award to recognize excellence in a children's book published through a non-traditional publishing route, SCBWI's inaugural SPARK award goes to two books...

The heart-pounding BMX bike girl YA novel SHREDDED by Karen Avivi (a Canadian author)

and

The picture book about the power of art in two brothers' lives, AL AND TEDDY by Neil Waldman (a US author.)

Congratulations to both Karen and Neil!

And cheers as well to the author/illustrators of the four Spark Honor books:


Saving Mars, a thrilling sci-fi adventure by Cidney Swanson.

A teenager must choose between super powers and saving those she loves in One, by Leigh Kopans. 

Wendy Kupfer’s Let’s Hear it for Almigal, a picture book illustrated by Tammie Lyon, celebrates Almigal’s determination to hear every sound in the world with her new hot pink cochlear implants.

Wings for a Flower, by Ellen Gaffney, tells the inspiring story of an Indian girl’s rehabilitation after losing the use of her legs.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

The 2014 Golden Kite & Sid Fleischman Humor Award Winners!

SCBWI's Golden Kite and Sid Fleischman Awards are given annually to children's books published in the preceding year.

The Golden Kite Awards are to recognize excellence in children's literature. Instituted in 1973, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers. More than 1,000 books are entered each year. Eligible books must be written or illustrated by SCBWI members, and submitted either by publishers or individuals.

 The Sid Fleischman Award goes to an author whose work "exemplifies excellence in the genre of humor, a category so often overlooked by other award committees in children's literature."

Congratulations to... *drumroll*...

For Picture Book Text, Pat Zietlow Miller for "Sophie's Squash" (Random House)

For Picture Book Illustration, Peter Brown for "Mr. Tiger Goes Wild"(Little Brown)

For Fiction, Tim Federle for "Better Nate Than Ever" (Simon and Schuster)

For Nonfiction, David Meissner for "Call of the Klondike: A True Gold Rush Adventure" (Boyd Mills Press)

And the Sid Fleischman Humor Award goes to...

Bill Konigsberg for "Openly Straight" (Arthur A. Levine Books)

Congratulations to the winners!

The awards will be presented at the Golden Kite Luncheon during SCBWI's 42nd Annual Summer Conference in Los Angeles, CA, August 2-5, 2014.

Shout-outs as well to the four Golden Kite Honorees:

Picture Book Text Honor: Amy Ludwig VanDerwater for "Forest Has a Song" (Clarion Books)

Picture Book Illustration Honor: Yuyi Morales for "Niño Wrestles the World" (Roaring Book Press)

Fiction Honor: Elizabeth Wein for "Rose Under Fire" (Hyperion)

Nonfiction Honor: Pamela Turner for "The Dolphins of Shark Bay" (Houghton Mifflin)

*Applause*

Jennifer Baker: SCBWI's Second On-The-Verge Emerging Voices Award Winner For 2014

This year, SCBWI awarded both Jennifer Baker and Tiemdow Phumiruk with the On-The-Verge Emerging Voices Award. (Tiemdow was featured in another profile here.)

Today, we're going to learn more about Jennifer and the work she submitted that won her this award...

Jennifer Baker, Winner of the SCBWI 2014 On-The-Verge Emerging Voices Award

Lee: Hi Jennifer! Pitch us!

Jennifer:  Oh man, pitch pressure! Here goes: For some the Facility is a haven, while for others, like new recruit Celia Walker, it is a place that stirs up more concern than comfort.

Disoriented and covered in blood, Celia arrives to learn of the sudden death of her parents. Not only that, but Celia’s a ‘have’ -- someone with supernatural abilities. Other recruits, and burgeoning friends, Fariza and Drew encourage Celia to appreciate what those at the Facility offer and the peace the campus provides in allowing them to forget their painful pasts and move forward.

But soon Celia finds out that there’s much more brewing than just training to defend themselves and taking classes. The peace of the Facility becomes overshadowed by extremes. And what Celia uncovers is a war brewing between those with abilities and those without.

The line between "good" and "evil" is not always distinct, and The Facility reflects that with characters whose good intentions result in bad outcomes and others who have strong motives behind ulterior ones.

Not only does The Facility give center stage to ethnic groups that are underrepresented in primary roles in literature but it reflects the decline of a contemporary civilization, not by putting readers in the aftermath of a larger dissension but by revealing the breakdown of a nation and how people come to question everything they’ve ever known.

Lee: Can you share about your journey so far in children's literature?

Jennifer: It’s been a learning process. Writing always is. I don’t think I found or fully realized my true narrative voice until 2009 when I started applying to artist residencies. Even though I’ve been writing since I was a kid, it didn’t mean I knew how to tell a story. And in writing lots of short stories and finishing The Facility—as well as a bunch of bad poetry we will not speak of—I've become much more comfortable with the whole process, or really my process, and more assured in my voice as well as the story I want to tell and the characters I want to represent.

Something else that’s been a learning experience is the market and knowing where you fit in. I write very character-driven pieces, especially in my short fiction, that may not be plot heavy so in writing YA I’ve realized how much more action could be woven in so that it’s not always internal crisis but internal and external that weighs on the characters and the reader.

I hesitated writing The Facility for years because I didn’t know if I could write an action-oriented book. With feedback and encouragement from my wonderful critique partners, and also reading a lot of good literature available for young adults and adults, I gained confidence that the story wasn’t all about the action but about the characters as well -- it's a balancing act, really. For me, if I don’t care about the people in the book I’m reading, I’m not as likely to follow them on their journey, whatever it may be.

Lee: Wise words. What are your hopes/plans for the 43rd Annual SCBWI Summer Conference?

Jennifer: First off, I’m excited to meet fellow Emerging Voices winner Tiemdow “Dow” Phumiruk. She and I have been corresponding since we heard the news. I’m a big fan of her illustrations. They’re so realistic and colorful.

I’ve been wanting to go to the L.A. conference for a few years but hesitated since I didn’t have a finished manuscript, so the opportunity to attend now is great. Conferences like this serve as a kind of recharging mechanism when you feel like your work may not be as good as you thought or perhaps no one is as into books because the market is not doing as well as it had before. All those outside voices, factors, and stressors that may deter you from pursuing your creative streak are squashed in environments like the SCBWI conference, so any time I can be around other artists I become a much more enlightened individual.

So my main plan is to meet other artists, writers and illustrators alike, and gain insight on their experiences and what keeps them motivated, while also hearing from agents and editors on trends and what they’re looking for. With the Emerging Voices grant I’m really looking forward to talking with and absorbing as much information about drive and persistence and the industry as I can as I draft my next novel and try to find a home for The Facility.

You can find out more about Jennifer at her website here.

Congratulations, Jennifer!