Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Reading Beauty

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young—and I are thrilled to pieces to be celebrating an exciting variety of gorgeous children’s books across all genres that delight, challenge and intrigue! Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe the world is a better, happier, more empathetic place for you and me and everyone when we connect through the magic of storytelling.

For the past five and half years, I've shared a new review on the second Wednesday of every month, however, today is the last children's book review here at Bird Meets Worm. I have SO enjoyed sharing all these fantastic, funny, gorgeous books with you, and am planning to continue reviewing children's books, but in a way that gives more direct support to my fellow authors. I believe that my reviews will have a more meaningful and useful impact being posted directly to Goodreads and book retail platforms rather than here on the blog. I invite you follow me on Goodreads here!

That said, I am also retiring this lovely regular feature to make way for EXCITING new endeavors in the new year like a regular Story Time on IG Live and a new newsletter for children full of activities and reading fun, so please do stayed tuned...

In the meantime, happy holidays to all! And I hope you receive MANY, MANY books during your winter celebrations! Love, Jane

     

READING BEAUTY
Written by Deborah Underwood • Illustrated by Meg Hunt
Picture Book (ages 3-7) • 44 pages
Published by Chronicle Books • September 2019
ISBN: 978-1-452-17129-6


With gorgeous illustrations in a spacey purple palette, Reading Beauty is a modern, sci-fi retelling of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty. The princess of the story is Lex, a bright humanoid-alien bibliophile, who, like Aurora, is cursed by an angry fairy at the celebration of her birth.

The curse destines book lover Lex to fall into a death-like sleep upon her fifteenth birthday, when it is foretold she will get a paper cut flipping a page in a book, rather than pricking her finger on a spindle. But as in the original tale, the princess’s parents fear the curse and banish the threatening object throughout the kingdom, in this case, books!

Saddened, Lex sees her world falling into darkness. But like any modern princess, she is determined to break the curse. With the help of her trusty pup, Prince, the cache of banished books is sniffed out, which proves to be Lex’s secret weapon. Using her beloved books, Lex outwits the angry fairy.

With a final surprise twist that delivers the perfect ending, Reading Beauty celebrates books, a love of reading and the connection it can bring.

Buy this Book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores

Reviewed by: Jane Smith


Thursday, December 8, 2022

NEW Super Jane Logo


I'm so happy to share my newly redesigned Super Jane logo! My website www.superjane.com is also newly updated—complete w/ a fabulous Kids Corner page with lots of activity pages, craft videos & more! Love to all the readers, librarians, teachers, kids & families out there! I hope you'll check it out! This kidlit author-illustrator loves ya!





Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Super Star Interviews: Mika Song

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month. (PS Bird Meets Worm will be taking a little holiday in January, but we'll be back in February 2023 with new creative interviews all year long! Yay!)

This month I'm pleased as a peppermint latte to be chatting it up with the fabulous author-illustrator,
Mika Song! Mika and I are studio mates over at Stimola Literary Studio and I just adore her charming characters and comics! She writes and illustrates children's books about sweetly funny outsiders, and lives in Queens, New York. You can enjoy more of Mika's work here!

Cut characters + delicious eat = you had me at 'hello"!

Q: You are a kidlit super star, having written and illustrated numerous picture books, early reader graphic novels and comics for kids! Wowza! Give us the scoop on your creative process—inspirations, development and final art.

A: Thank you for inviting me to answer these questions. It's great timing because I just reviewed every drawing and piece of writing I ever made since I started working on picture books nine years ago.

I was searching for a tax document and ended up bringing out every piece of paper from my closet, cabinets and under my bed. This turned into two days of reorganizing. It was rough, but I am glad I went through them, because it forced me to pause and look back at everything. All the work and all the drawings and decisions that led me from one opportunity to another since I started making picture books. I am also 100 percent certain that I do not have that tax document.

My inspiration is definitely the world and people around me. It was a donut truck parked outside my window that gave me the whole idea for Donut Feed the Squirrels. I get ideas from the kids that come to the comics club in my neighborhood. I get ideas from the interests of my daughter. I recently got inspired to write a comic about juggling from a video I saw on social media. Of course, my dreams and instincts come from my background and childhood and they guide the decisions I make in writing and drawing. But it has been really helpful to the success of my writing to choose the present as my subject.

I try to pay attention to people's reactions to whatever I put in front of them and take notes. When things I make connect with people I try to understand why. I still have a postcard I made for an SCBWI magazine contest 8 years ago on my wall. It was different from my other drawings at the time and people were reacting to it in a positive way so I put it on the wall facing my drawing table to understand what was interesting about it.

A pointer it taught me was it doesn't have to be perfect, but it should feel like a pleasure to make. Drawing on paper is my favorite thing to do. If I draw something, I try not to be bothered by the way the character's ear is not sticking out as much as it was in the previous page or if her arm is wonky. If I caught the right expression on her face that is the entire point of the drawing. Expression is more important that consistency in children's illustrations. Personally, I found I have greater frequency of capturing those nuanced expressions when I work on paper.

A work-in-progress...always! That's the creative pro gig.

Q: Your most recent early graphic novel series, Norma & Belly, has been a huge hit, anchored by hilarious, endearing characters. Dish with us a bit about how to develop characters that kids will fall in love with.

A: When I designed my Norma and Belly squirrel characters I wanted them to be fun and easy to draw. I knew I'd have to draw them many times for the graphic novels. I also knew I wanted to draw them with kids so I wanted their design to be something I could explain and relate to their personalities. I love seeing kid's drawings of Norma and Belly.

Q: Early in your creative career you worked as an animator. How have those experiences influenced your book and comic work?

A: The biggest thing that I can apply from my time working as an animator before I got into picture books was a respect for the power of time-management and a production schedule. And a script. I outline and sketch and write and create characters all at the same time, but the script has to be done before I start thumbnails. The script will get tweaked but it has to be essentially a complete first draft before I start sketching. I do think any time you come from another career you have some skills from it that can be used to your advantage. Not to say that I am never late, because delays happen from all sides in publishin, but I always know how late and usually I can tell a few months out and I always stay in touch with everyone via emails so we can all make it work to fit our schedules. So the concept of working and communicating with a team is something I was familiar with from animation.


Q: You do a lot of virtual and in-person author-illustrator visits to schools, libraries and book festivals! What advice would you give fellow kid lit creators about: A) booking these kinds of events, B) developing engaging presentations, and C) selling your books thru/at these events?

A: I enjoy doing school visits. I haven't gotten any school visits through my publishers so I am happy with the quality of visits that I have gotten as they are usually from librarians that have found me through my books and social media. The opportunities I get are from my books or my videos on social media. I hold a weekly kids comics class in my neighborhood and I share photos from that sometimes. I don't currently work with a booking agency. Most of my energy is still spent doing illustrating, writing and promoting my books.

One of the discoveries I made launching Love, Sophia on the Moon by Anica Rissi and Donut Feed the Squirrels during the start of the pandemic was that I like to draw live. So I design my presentations around that whenever I can. I like to have an open-ended component where we write a comic together because it makes it more interesting for me and the audience and I don't mind improvising on the spot given the framework. Illustrators are often expected to draw for a reading but I think any way you can model your inner voice or your creative decision-making process is inspiring to your audience. And especially if you can connect it with what the audience already knows and loves, so I try to ask and incorporate these elements from the audience. Some people do more of a ted talks power point presentation and it is extremely effective, but I can never memorize these things in a natural way so this is my solution.

I recently watched a very informative panel on school visits moderated by Pat Cummings. (Psst—check it out here!) It covers pricing and I increased my rates after watching it. I also think Floyd Cooper shares an important point which is to make sure everyone leaves with a small gift from you. Not everyone can buy the book, but no one should feel left out. A small token can be very meaningful to a young person.

I also ask in my website's author visit page that the students be familiar with at least one of my books before the visit and I offer a discounted rate if the students all get a copy of the book.

Busy, busy, busy Everyone want more comics! (Of course—duh! ;)

Q: What is a typical workday like for you? Set the scene (workspace, materials, accessories) and describe your responsibilities (art making, promotion, business stuff) and creative juju (rituals, inspiration, process).

A: A typical work day for me is get up at 6 and get my kid on the bus and then start working around 8. I work in my bedroom. I have a really long table in there by the window. I look at my notebook of to-do lists and my calendar on the wall. If I have to do a certain number of drawings that day I start doing that. If it's a writing day then I start writing as soon as possible in the morning. 
I usually don't listen to music or podcasts while writing or drawing. I don't have a lot of supplies; I usually use about 5 watercolor colors and two jars of water and a papertowel. All my watercolor paper is already trimmed and in a drawer next to my leg. I use one brush for ink and one brush for watercolors usually. I have a corkboard I can put my pages up to look at while I paint the next ones. At noon I stop to eat lunch. Then I post any promotions to social media and return emails. I do more drawing until about 3 and then I do family and house stuff for an hour and then I go back to work for an hour. I try to do email and social media, post office and phone calls later in the day. Then I stop for dinner at 5 and around nine I clean up my desk and write my to-do's in my notebook before calling it a day.

A few days a month are computer days when I have to digitize files and clean them up to send to the publisher. My computer is on the other side of the room in a bookshelf. I am very cranky on computer days because I'd rather be drawing. I don't have a stylus and my computer is 11 years old but I refuse to invest in it because I am stubborn and would rather buy nice shoes or pens. On computer days I have to listen to music otherwise I could not get through the day.

It's good to have good friends!

Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.

A: My perfect Sunday is I wake up, check my phone to see that this week's issue of SundayHaha.com has arrived in my mailbox and that all the comics are correct, since it's my job to upload the weekly strips. My apartment is magically clean. My cat is just relaxing after having been fed by the automatic cat feeder. My family and I walk to our usual place for huevos rancheros and then after that I go bike somewhere to run errands or do groceries for the week and then a spontaneous meeting with friends or just relax at home.

Thank you so much, Mika, for catching up with us here at Bird Meets Worm! You are a rock star!

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Enly and the Buskin' Blues

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young—and I are thrilled to pieces to be celebrating an exciting variety of gorgeous children’s books across all genres that delight, challenge and intrigue! Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe the world is a better, happier, more empathetic place for you and me and everyone when we connect through the magic of storytelling. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.

                         

ENLY AND THE BUSKIN' BLUES
Written by Jennie Liu
Middle Grade Chapter Book (ages 10-12) • 208 pages
Published by Lerner Publishing Group • February 2023
ISBN 978-1-728-42456-9


Enly and the Buskin’ Blues is a fast-paced, lively middle grade novel! The story centers around Enly’s quest to earn enough money to attend the Band and Jam summer music camp, and the varied obstacles—both challenging and comical—that stand in his way.

Enly is bright, energetic and relatable as he balances family, friendship and music. His world is a colorful, busy neighborhood, dynamic with characters from a wide range of socio-economic groups all living side-by-side.

Altogether, Enly and the Buskin’ Blues is a full, rich read that is sure to delight young readers!

Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores

Reviewed by: Jane Smith

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Indie Picture Book Naked Butt Busts Out Is A Hit

Critics are raving! My new indie picture book NAKED BUTT BUSTS OUT is a hit! Kirkus Reviews says “in this comedic tale, Smith presents familiar days in the life of a very young child. The primary-colored illustrations show simple but authentic facial expressions as the protagonist emotionally navigates his world. The book presents just the right amount of suspense before the final twist, which stresses individuality…Smith’s work has a clear message about being true to oneself.” Hooray! Read the full review by clicking here!

Pre-Order today from your favorite booksellers:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-A-Million
Independent Bookstores

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

NEW It's Thanksgiving, Chloe Zoe Kids Craft Video

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Chloe Zoe and her family & friends! I'm so grateful to have teamed up again with Art Makes Us to bring you a fabulous, fun, free Turkey Feather Lacing Card kids craft! Click here to watch now—Let's get crafty, make art and read Chloe Zoe books all season long! Hooray!





Monday, November 14, 2022

Naked Butt Busts Out Book Trailer Premiere


I'm thrilled to pieces to share the NAKED BUTT BUSTS OUT book trailer premiere on KidLitTV! Check out my new picture book that PW BookLife calls "unapologetically silly" and "sure to elicit giggles" with a "central message of accepting, and celebrating, everyone's quirks!" Watch here now—hooray!

BONUS: KidLitTV is also sharing free, printable activity pages!

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young—and I are thrilled to pieces to be celebrating an exciting variety of gorgeous children’s books across all genres that delight, challenge and intrigue! Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe the world is a better, happier, more empathetic place for you and me and everyone when we connect through the magic of storytelling. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.


KITTY AND THE MOONLIGHT RESCUE

Written by Paula Harrison • Illustrated by Jenny Løvlie
Early Chapter Book (ages 6-10) • 128 pages
Published by Greenwillow Books • 2019
ISBN 978-0-062-93471-0


The hesitant heroine, Kitty, knows cat-like superpowers run in her family, after all her mom is an official superhero working the night shift. But she’s never been on a superhero adventure herself, especially at night when she feels less than brave amongst the darkness and shadows.

But one night Figaro, a neighborhood cat, arrives at her house looking for help after Kitty’s mom has left for work. He mistakes Kitty herself for a superhero in her cat costume, and Kitty discovers she shares an important superpower with her mom: the ability to talk to and understand cats.

With encouragement from Figaro and his feline friends, Kitty sets out into the night to not only to solve the mystery of a loud noise scaring all the neighborhood cats, but also to discover that she is braver than she thought.

A gently told superhero story, Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue forgoes fighting battles and evil villains for a quieter story geared toward young readers, especially cat lovers. Beautifully illustrated, this title is the first in a series of young chapter books that is sure to entertain and delight.

Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores

Reviewed by: Jane Smith


Thursday, November 3, 2022

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Super Star Interviews: Berrie Torgan-Randall

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.

This month I'm pleased as apple cider punch to be catching up with the lovely author-illustrator-librarian, Berrie Torgan-Randall! Berrie's new graphic early reader series, Bella & Blue, launched this fall. She's always been passionate children's literature, which inspired her to become a children's librarian alongside pursuing children's book and freelance illustration work. She is also the Illustrator Coordinator for the Eastern PA SCBWI. You can enjoy more of Berrie's work here!

What a sweet pair!

Q: Your new early reader chapter book, Bella & Blue, just released this fall! (How exciting! Congratulations!) Give us the full scoop on this adorable new children’s book—from inspiration to words & pictures to publication.

A: Every Monday (sometimes Tuesday) I participate in a day of portfolio and dummy book marketing. Oftentimes I get a polite, “After careful review, your submission has not been selected...” or something along those lines. Then one day at the beginning of the pandemic, I got a “yes! I love your portfolio and let’s talk some more.”

Originally my editor, Michele McAvoy at Blue Bronco Books Jr., wanted me to write a story about a girl and her pet monkey. I don’t want to encourage kids to have monkeys as pets, so I proposed a story about a girl and a dog. Since this publisher is geared toward social emotional books, my character Bella suffers from anxiety. Her dog Blue and her grandmother Gigi, help her get through her most anxious times with love and humor. At first, Michele wanted me to use only black and white illustrations for this early reader graphic novel, but knowing kids like to have color in their books I convinced her to add a pop of blue. I chose a “Tiffany Box” blue because good things come in blue boxes from Tiffanys.

The story has changed a lot for the better with editing and brainstorming with my editor’s help. We made Bella’s grandmother more lively with her love of anything French and hats, made Bella get anxious then calms down with Blue’s help (he plays patty cake with her when she is sad), and made Bella come up with her own fun solutions when things don’t always go as planned.

(Psst! You can order your very own copy here:)

Independent Booksellers

The story begin!

Q: You are a professional children’s librarian! (Fun fact: my mom was, too!) Dish with us a bit about how your experiences as a librarian have influenced your path to writing and illustrating children’s books.

A: My mom, who is also a librarian, would take my sisters and me to the library in Riverton, NJ at least once a week. In the library I would admire the illustrations and read about distant worlds. The books I enjoyed took me along the banks of the Charles River to ride a swan boat and through a magic wardrobe to meet a talking lion named Aslan. After working odd jobs after art school that weren’t very gratifying, I reconsidered my career options and remembered the joy of my time spent in the library. I went to grad school to become a librarian.

I love being a librarian, however, my true passion is illustrating and writing children’s books. With hope in my heart, I started attending conferences to achieve my dream of illustrating books for children. When I began, I would shyly present my portfolio. The other illustrators intimidated me. They were published and had beautiful portfolios and websites!  Despite my own fears, my family encouraged me to continue, and my husband suggested that I be inspired, not intimidated. Also an artist friend told me after receiving many rejections that every time you get a rejection it is only that person’s opinion and to keep trying because art is subjective.

Dance party! Hooray!

Q: What are your top 3 most beloved children’s books? Why?

A: If I can only choose three…

Growing up I really enjoyed Harry and the Dirty Dog books by Gene Zion and Illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham. Harry was so funny and relatable. I loved how Harry doesn’t want to take a bath—a situation very similar to a kid’s perspective and that the family didn’t recognize Harry when he was dirty. The kicker comes at the end when Harry is seen burying the scrub brush so he never has to take another bath.

The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig and Illustrated by Patrice Barton is a book that really got to me. Even though I was tall for my age (5’8” by sixth grade) I felt invisible. I had a hard time fitting in at school because I was not one of the super smart kids or athletic and was super shy. But like Brian in the story, I had a wild imagination and I could express my feelings through my drawings. Patrice’s illustrations of black and white invisible Brian are stark and stunning then turn colorful and lively when he finds friends.

I really love all the Mother Bruce stories by Ryan T. Higgins. Bruce the Bear would rather be left alone and eat eggs until one day his goose eggs hatch and the goslings think he is their mother. I know a few friends and family members like Bruce who didn’t appreciate children until they met a child or children who changed their minds about being parents. Ryan’s illustrations are rich and expressive and also have a cartoony style that is very relatable to kids and their adult readers.

Getting creative & crafty together!

Q: From your perspective as both a librarian and as an author-illustrator, what advice would you give fellow kid lit creators about: A) doing book events with libraries, B) how to engage with their community, and C) how to create a must-buy book for the library market.

A: Librarians are very knowledgeable about their collections and want to be asked, “Can you help me find a book about…” Librarians would love for you to come and read to a group of children—it’s a great way to practice for school visits. It’s important to reach out to librarians and libraries to let them know about your book. If you are enthusiastic about your book, that enthusiasm can be contagious motivating librarians to recommend your book to other libraries and patrons. Many libraries have book fairs, and you know how much work it took to make your book, so go promote it so that you can share it with the world. I’m happily busy attending many book fairs this fall.

Q: What adventures are next for Bella & Blue?

A: The plan with Bella & Blue is to make it into a series so there are more adventures to come for these adorable characters.

Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.

A: Going on a hike with my family during the fall or winter months. I love the cool crisp air during these seasons. Coming home to a home-cooked meal and warming my toes by the fire while I’m wrapped in a down comforter and reading a good book. Oh, and something chocolate for dessert.

Thank you, Berrie, for chatting it up with us here at Bird Meets Worm! Congratulations on Bella & Blue!

Monday, October 24, 2022

NEW It's Halloween, Chloe Zoe Craft Video


Celebrate Halloween with Chloe Zoe & friends! I've teamed up with Art Makes Us to bring you a friendly haunted house kids craft video! Click here to watch now—Let's get crafty, make art together & read Chloe Zoe books all season long! Yay!



 

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Naked Butt Busts Out! Now Available for Pre-Order


A Laugh-Out-Loud Children's Book About Being True to Yourself

Cheeky bunny Naked Butt just wants to be himself, but when being himself literally means baring it all, Naked Butt finds everyone wants him to cover up his tail again. Especially his momma! So Naked Butt tries his best to keep his true self tucked under shirts and shorts.

But when Naked Butt’s clothes start feeling itchier and scratchier and tighter and tighter, will he be able to keep himself under wraps? Or will Naked Butt BUST out?

Pre-Order your copy today:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Independent Booksellers

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Cece Loves Science

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young—and I are thrilled to pieces to be celebrating an exciting variety of gorgeous children’s books across all genres that delight, challenge and intrigue! Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe the world is a better, happier, more empathetic place for you and me and everyone when we connect through the magic of storytelling. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.


CECE LOVES SCIENCE (BOOK 1)
Written by Kimberly Derting & Shelli R. Johannes • Illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Picture Book (ages 2-8) • 40 pages
Published by Greenwillow Books • 2018
ISBN 978-0-062-49960-8


Science is all about asking questions, and boy, does CeCe have questions! From the time she could talk, CeCe’s first words were “Why?
, “How?” and “What if?”

Kids follow CeCe as she and her best friend, Isaac, choose Zoology, the study of animals, for their first classroom science experiment. After brainstorming many questions about animals, they decide their experiment will be to see if dogs like vegetables. CeCe’s own dog, Einstein, makes a perfect test subject.

Through the course of their tests, they investigate, observe, interpret, reassess, and finally get their intended results by proving their theory in an unexpected way. The reader gets to see the class worksheet they fill out and learn what CeCe and Isaac have discovered at every stage. A list of CeCe’s Science Facts is at the end of the book, citing all the terms and information used in the book.

The talented Vashti Harrison creates the wonderfully evocative digital illustrations. She brings all of CeCe’s emotions vividly to life from excitement to frustration, as this curious girl persists until the end.

This book has inspired a sequel, CeCe Loves Science and Adventure, two companion books, Libby Loves Science and Vivi Loves Science, and a chapter book series for each character. Curious readers can continue to discover new science and STEM facts along with CeCe and her friends!

Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores


Reviewed by: Laurie L. Young

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Super Star Interviews: Constance Lombardo

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.

This month I'm tickled pumpkin spice orange (Yes, I know the expression is pink, but orange is so much more October-y! Ha!) to be chatting it up with the smart & funny author-illustrator, Constance Lombardo! Constance is the author of Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork (illustrated by Dan & Jason) and the author-illustrator of the middle grade Mr. Puffball series. Her debut picture book, Everybody Says Meow, is an Anna Dewdney Read Together Award Honor book. She lives in Asheville, NC, where she enjoys walking and talking to her old beagle, Louie, who has pretty much seen it all. You can enjoy more of Constance's book work here!

Let the battle begin! Ha ha!

Q: Your hilarious NEW picture book, Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork, releases this month on the debut list from imprint Hippo Park! (Hooray! Congratulations!!). Give us the full scoop/stab on all the details!

A: Thanks, Jane! This one’s been in the works a long time. Inspired by feeding my baby solids for the first time (he’s now 19!) and sensing a funny story in the ordeal.

Over many revisions, the characters Little Fork and Bubby Wabbit joined the cast. And a battle of the utensils was born. Everything came together beautifully (and hysterically) when we found the perfect illustrators: the amazing comic-book duo Dan and Jason!

With the dialogue-only format and their dynamic art, Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork now reads like a super-fun graphic novel for little kids.

(Psst! You can pre-order your very own copy here:)


The baby that started it all!

Q: Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork is your first picture book as author-only, rather than author-illustrator. Tell us a bit about how developing and publishing this project was both different from and similar to your previous book work.

A: Great question!

Like with Everybody Says Meow, I did several dummies for this project. But I always felt I was not the right illustrator. I know my strengths (the stuff of legends!) and drawing things like spoons and forks and kitchen interiors is not one of them.

My excellent editor and I worked for a long time to get the story just right. And then we found Dan & Jason. Honestly, I had no idea it would be SO fun to work with other illustrators. It felt amazing to watch my story exceed anything I could have imagined in their hands!!

Dan & Jason really got to the heart of the story, while also bringing in their signature brand of humor and energy (Definitely check out their books!! I love the Barb series and Blue, Barry & Pancakes!!)

Q: With Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork your sense of humor is once again front and center! Dish with us a bit about being a funny lady creating funny books, and why you think they are important.

A: My sense of humor is the result of:

1. My funny family (four silly siblings!)

2. Repeated viewings of Bugs Bunny

3. Obsessing over humorous books as a young person. (i.e. Never Eat Anything Bigger than Your Head by B. Kliban.)

Picture books are my favorite, and funny picture books are my uberfavorite—so of course, that’s where I want to be.

I love everything about visiting classrooms, but the best part is hearing kids laugh at my books (in a good way!) Music to my ears! I’ve worked in schools and I know kids (and teachers) deal with so much—the thought of being a funny moment in their day thrills me.

And what better way to get kids excited about reading? Hey, books are fun! Maybe I’ll read another one!

Wheeeeeeee!

Q: Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork is your fifth children’s book with editor Jill Davis—amazing! What advice would you give fellow kidlit creatives about sparking, nurturing and maintaining long-term relationships in publishing?

A: I am so thankful to my wonderful agent, Lori Nowicki, for connecting me with Jill Davis—she is an amazing editor! (and a sweetie!)

The first time I spoke to Jill, I was so nervous about talking to a big-time NYC editor! Within minutes, we were laughing, finding common ground, and just simpatico. We have the same sense of humor and of course the same passion for storytelling. She pushes me to do my best, but in a way that always makes me feel supported.

For my first Mr. Puffball book, Jill asked me to change the format from graphic novel to highly-illustrated MG novel. I believed in my graphic novel, but trusted Jill’s vision and valued this opportunity. So I made those changes. And got a three-book contract.

One thing Jill said that really stuck with me is: “I expect you to take my suggestions. But not all of them!” (paraphrasing)

So my advice to creatives is: of course, be true to your vision. But also be open to the surprising amount of revising required to get your story published, and the expertise and knowledge of a talented editor. Listen, be flexible, and make those changes. But not all of them.

Too much fun! Check out these super fun book activities!

Q: The key to long-term success in children’s book publishing is endurance + resilience. In what ways, do you practice resilience as a creative professional? How do you handle both success and rejection over time?

A: Agreed!

My various writer/illustrator groups and creative friends are a huge help! Sharing the struggles and the celebrations—knowing we’re there for each other...it’s everything.

Rejection is hard. But it’s something everyone deals with (exceptions out there, please PM me and divulge your secret!) Sometimes I just have to nap it out.

Re: success—I’m lucky to live in Asheville—a town with several indie bookstores (like Malaprops, where I’m having my launch for Tiny Spoon vs. Little Fork!) When I or a friend publishes a new book, we celebrate like its 1999. (or some other fun, pre-pandemic year.)

Also, I used to put all my creativity into abstract painting. I lived in NYC, and in general, that world is so snooty. In comparison, the kidlit world is all rainbows and unicorns! I love being part of such a beautiful creative community.

The one, the only—Constance Lombardo!

Q: Describe your most perfect summer vacation.

A: Hot flashes have ruined summer! And I’m not a big traveler, but I always love going to NYC. Sitting in the café at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, looking at the statues and the people and the people as still as statues, drawing both with the sunlight streaming in, while sipping an incredibly overpriced tea. That’s perfect.

Seeing a Broadway Musical is also good! Kinky Boots was my favorite!

Thanks for hosting me on your wonderful blog, Jane!!

My pleasure! Thank YOU so much, Constance, for giving us the scoop on your hilarious new book! Congratulations!

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Happy Birthday Miss Meow

MISS MEOW is officially 1 year old today! 🥳 Happy Birthday to this is joyous picture book that celebrates imaginative play & furry friends! 🐾

Purchase your very own copy here today!

Visit www.superjane.com for author story time video + free activities & crafts! Meow!

Monday, September 19, 2022

Naked Butt Busts Out! Now Available for Pre-Order

I'm excited to share that my hilarious NEW children's picture book about being true to yourself, NAKED BUTT BUSTS OUT, is now available for pre-order—links below!!! Reserve your copy today! 📚😍🐰😂

Amazon

Barnes & Noble







Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Fuzzy, Inside & Out

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie L. Young—and I are thrilled to pieces to be celebrating an exciting variety of gorgeous children’s books across all genres that delight, challenge and intrigue! Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe the world is a better, happier, more empathetic place for you and me and everyone when we connect through the magic of storytelling. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.

              

FUZZY, INSIDE & OUT: A STORY ABOUT SMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS
AND BIG HAIR
Written & Illustrated by Zachariah Ohora
Picture Book (ages 4-8) • 40 pages
Published by Abrams • 2021
ISBN 978-1-419-75190-5


Amongst the numerous children’s books about kindness, Fuzzy stands out for its humor, heart and retro-cool-modern artwork!

The story hilariously plays off the concept of a kind deed or word being a “warm fuzzy.” The main character, Fuzzy Haskins, totally embodies this, as he, in all his fuzzy, furry goodness, makes his way through the neighborhood, helping out folks on his way to visit a friend.

But when a storm rolls in, bringing with it the hair-poofing power of humidity, Fuzzy find himself down and out, and in need of a friend himself. Luckily, his good karma comes around, and a cast of totally rad characters—big and small—help Fuzzy find the perfect solution for his cookies that have literally crumbled.

With a squeeze of the heart and a tickle of the funny bone, Fuzzy, has all the
good feels.

Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores

Reviewed by: Jane Smith

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Super Star Interviews: Michelle Nott

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.

This month I'm happy to be catching up with the lovely, thoughtful author, Michelle Nott! Michelle's new children's picture book, TEDDY, LET'S GO!, debuts this fall, and we're chatting all about it! Michelle has enjoyed words from the moment she could copy her first letters. She writes in poetry and prose inspired by art, music, travel, nature, and family. She currently lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband, two daughters, and their rescue dog. You can enjoy more of Michelle's book work here!

Hi, Michelle—children's book super star!

Q: Your NEW picture book 
TEDDY, LET'S GO! releases in December with Enchanted Lion Books! Congratulations!!! Give us the full scoop on this sweet story—what inspired you to write it, how it found its way to publication, your experiences working with your editor—you know, ALL the good stuff!

A: The character of Teddy is inspired by the teddy bear that my grandmother handmade me when I was born. I’m a December baby, and Teddy was my first Christmas present. I’ve kept Teddy close all my life and eventually gave him a home in my daughters’ bedroom. Currently, he sits on a bookshelf in my office. The story is not autobiographical, but the love I tried to instill in it comes from the love I share for my grandmother and my daughters.

At the time I wrote the first draft of this story, my daughters were in Pre-K and kindergarten. But I didn’t discover SCBWI or CBI until 2010. That’s when I started to really learn about children’s publishing and how to improve my craft.

Spring of 2011, I saw that a very successful agent from NYC was giving a master class in Paris with SCBWI France, a quick trip from our home in Belgium. So, with high hopes, I boarded the train. To make a long story short, I received very helpful advice during my one-on-one critique, stopped at the first café I found afterwards (looking at the Eiffel Tower, of course) and started revising. And I revised over the next several months with my SCBWI Belgium critique group. I finally started to query by fall of that year. But year after year, revision and after revision, I received basically the same response, “It’s really nice, but too quiet.” I put it away.

Fast forward many more stories, picture books, early readers (two published), and middle grade manuscripts, I queried an agent in 2016 with a middle grade story. She replied that she really liked my writing and asked if I wrote picture books, too. So, I “dusted off” the teddy bear manuscript from its computer file and pushed “send.” It had always been my favorite manuscript. I took a chance with it. That agent, Essie White at Storm Literary Agency, got back to me the same day saying how much she loved it. As we see, she found the perfect publishing home for it.

Isn't this cover the sweetest?!

In 2018, I received an email from Essie that said Claudia Zoe Bedrick from Enchanted Lion Books wanted to publish the manuscript and that Nahid Kazemi would illustrate it. I’d always loved Enchanted Lion books! (Who doesn’t? They are so gorgeous.) And, I had already seen Nahid’s portfolio and knew her style would be perfect for Teddy’s story. Publisher’s Weekly announced the deal for a Fall 2020 release. Champagne!

Then, 2020 and 2021 came and went in a pandemic blur. Earlier this year, we finalized the text, the illustrations, planned for a September release only to come upon the supply chain debacle (no containers!). And so, the release date was pushed from September to October 11, 2022. Two years past the original publishing date, the timing is actually better in many ways.

I have appreciated getting to know Claudia and Nahid over the past few years. I’ve had great phone calls with Claudia, not only specifically about my book but also about publishing and art and life. Nahid and I both speak French. So, it’s been nice to communicate in both languages and make sure the story is clear in text and image.

Publishing a picture book takes time—a lot of time! There were edits, of course. And Nahid spent an incredible amount of time to make sure the illustrations were nothing short of brilliant. I think it’s obvious how much love and energy from the whole team at Enchanted Lion Books went into creating TEDDY, LET'S GO!

So, yes, this book took the greater part of my daughters’ childhoods to make its way into the world (they’re both at university now), but as everything has its time, it is Teddy’s moment...
TEDDY, LET'S GO!

(Psst! You can pre-order your very own copy here:)


Best friends!!!

Q: I love the gentle, comforting text of TEDDY, LET'S GO! that is captured in tone by the soft, expressive illustrations. Chat with us a bit about your approach to writing 
TEDDY, LET'S GO! and how you reacted when you saw your story fully illustrated for the first time.

A: I dreamed up a story with Teddy in it while sitting in a rocking chair in my daughters’ bedroom. Maybe it was the rhythm of the chair or the sweetness of the moment that infiltrated my thoughts and chose my words.

Although not always the case in most author and illustrator relationships, Nahid and I have been in contact with each other from very early on. Her first few images she sent filled me with such delight! And when I received the final PDF of TEDDY, LET'S GO!, my heart filled. This was it. This was the story inspired by my teddy bear, handmade by my grandmother...she never could have guessed what this bear would inspire while stitching up its final threads so many decades ago. What is also amazing is that Nahid’s illustrations of the grandmother in 
TEDDY, LET'S GO! look very much like my grandmother, and I’ve never shown her a photograph of her.

Grandma snuggles are the best!

Q: What plans do you have for sharing 
TEDDY, LET'S GO! with the world? And what advice would you give fellow creatives about 1) arranging book events, 2) creating supplemental book materials for teachers, librarians & readers and 3) partnering with book bloggers & influencers?

A: My current plans include interviews on a variety of kid lit blogs. I will also be signing copies of 
TEDDY, LET'S GO! in bookstores. And I am very excited about doing school visits!

I have a background in education, so getting back into classrooms to share my love of books and to support literacy is one of the best parts of being an author. I enjoy creating all sorts of programs and working with teachers when they have something specific in mind. I’m happy and prepared to offer everything from story time to SEL lessons to writing workshops for grades Pre-K to 12.

A bit of advice about supplemental materials for teachers, librarians, and readers...if you are not comfortable creating your own, or simply just do not have the time, ask your publisher what they can offer. They may have someone in-house or a contact to share with you.

I would also encourage fellow creators to reach out to your friends: fellow writers, librarians, teachers, booksellers...but they don’t have to be in the book business at all. Friends genuinely want to encourage and support you. You never know who can introduce you to a PTA member or at a bookstore in a nearby town or even create some supplemental materials for you.

As picture book creators, we naturally have been following kid lit blogs for years as we hone our craft and learn this business. So, my final two-cents worth, whether you have a new book or not, is to reach out and let your favorite bloggers know. Kindly ask if they might consider your book for a post. I’m grateful for the generous offers and responses I’ve received in regard to 
TEDDY, LET'S GO!

On the go...straight to sweet dreams!

Q: You have a background rich with diverse experiences in traveling, teaching and living abroad. Dish with us a bit about how your background has influenced you as a writer.

A: In college, I majored in French Education and minored in Creative Writing then left Ohio for France to be a nanny. With three little girls in my care, I didn’t have much time for writing, but that experience has always stayed with me. I have also been a lead teacher in a pre-school (in Ann Arbor, Michigan) and taught in a French immersion elementary school (in Charlotte, NC). After graduate school (split between France and Ohio), I taught French (k-12) and Creative Writing (9-12). Those experiences on top of the best one—raising and observing my own children navigate their world—all make their way into my stories, consciously or not.

While raising my daughters in Belgium, we were very fortunate to easily travel to at least a dozen countries, get to know many international families, hear their stories, learn their cultures, and find extraordinary books in English and French (we’re bi-lingual) and many in translation from other languages. I feel that reading so many French picture books, MG, YA and all the literature during my graduate studies in French and beyond heavily influence my style of writing.

Q: Tell us about your typical workday as a creative professional—routines, rituals, inspiration & practical practices. Set the scene for us, too—what does your creative workspace look & feel like?

A: My daily workspace is a large farm table we moved with us from Belgium. It’s the perfect size to spread out lots of papers, books, folders, etc. all around my laptop.

My routine changed drastically this fall. With my youngest starting college, my regular routine of squeezing in as much writing as possible (plus walking the dog, running errands, etc.) during the hours of 8 and 3 can be a bit more flexible now.

Happy, Happy, Happy!

If I’m not at an author event or working on some form of publicity, a typical day will look more-or-less like this:

After breakfast and a long walk with my dog, my mornings include joining other authors in a virtual workspace that an author friend started during the pandemic. I tend to use this time to work on client work (I’m a freelance editor, too) and weekly picture book reviews for my blog. Once that’s done, I work on revisions of my own work, research, or write.

After lunch and another walk with my dog, I’ll get back to my computer to continue writing and/or researching. I also like to use the afternoons to sit somewhere else—at the library, a café, or just outside on my own deck with paper and pen.

As far as rituals and routines...as soon as I get out of bed, I do a combination of Qiqong, yoga, and tai chi. I need this to not only wake up my mind, but also my body. This ritual prepares me physically and mentally for the day. My daily morning walk also helps my brain wake up and start to focus. Once I get to my desk, I like to write something new before starting what’s on my schedule. By new, I mean the first words that come to me, inspire a few more lines, and let me see where they want me to go. The page may not ever evolve into more. That’s’ ok. It’s just really a brain exercise to get me going.

As for inspiration, it comes from many directions. I am very moved by music, art, travel, and nature, and of course by my daughters’ childhoods and mine. Whether I’m out in the woods or walking down a city street, if a sight, sound, or feeling inspires me, I will jot it down.

Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.

A: My most perfect Sunday, weather permitting, I’m kayaking with my husband while my daughters are paddleboarding nearby. Being on the water and the act of rowing are so soothing. I don’t do rough waters or rapids...it’s Sunday, right? ;), a day of relaxation. The perfect Sunday also ends with my husband and I cooking dinner and all enjoying it together.

Thank you so much, Michelle, for chatting it up with us here at Bird Meets Worm! Congratulations on your beautiful book!