THE WONDER OF WEEDS: NATIONAL WEED APPRECIATION DAY

Texas is heating up, and weeds are going wild! The other day, I was sitting in my yard watching the little girl and boy across the way watering their “flower gardens” with glasses of water that they repeatedly refilled. Their flower gardens are huge patches of weeds—wild violets to be exact. This brought me back to my childhood days where weeds were vegetables on my play dishes. And we had quite the variety of “vegetables” to play make-believe with. But my most favorite was the dandelion. I was so proud of the bouquets I picked for my mother who always showed such joy and appreciation when she put them in a jar of water. I loved making dandelion jewelry. And even until this day, I can’t resist blowing dandelion seeds in the air and making wishes. Even better, is to catch a seed floating in the air, catch it, make a wish and then return it on its journey. I have a strange belief that those are the best at making their way to the wish fairies.

Speaking of weeds, in The Weed That Woke Christmas my mostly true tale of the Toledo Christmas Weed, Weed gets its start as a seed tumbling on a breeze.

“When Weed was a seed, it tumbled on a breeze and snuggled in a crack, smack-dab in the middle of a busy traffic island.

Spring rains showered, and Weed sprouted.

Summer sun warmed. Weed grew.”

Don’t let the “Christmas” title fool you. The Weed That Woke Christmas (illustrated by Polina Gortman) is a wonderful spring and summer book. In fact, it is best read at those times. Kindness, generosity, love and unity are just as important in the spring and summer as they are at Christmas. Perhaps even more important because Christmas, for many of us, is the season of giving. But what if we kept the spirit of Christmas in our hearts and demonstrated it through our actions year round? What a wonderful world this could be. I encourage you to read the book, and inspire your kids to spread the spirit of Christmas no matter what time of year. You can find a lot of activity suggestions here. They are somewhat related to Christmas, but fun and great brainstorming seed. Or have fun dreaming up your own with the kids.

At the end of this post, you will find some links to videos that demonstrate how to make dandelion necklaces, rings, and crowns. You can also make bracelets using the same method as the necklace. Have fun doing it on your own or with kids. Don’t forget to put some in a jar of water to sit on your table or counter. It’s sure to make you smile (at least on the inside.)

When it’s time to wish on dandelion seeds, suggest that your kids make some wishes for others. I like to think of it as praying on a breeze.

My intention today was to just mention that it is National Weed Appreciation Day and talk about my book and the two books that follow. But when I saw the children watering their “flowers” and my childhood memories came pouring in, I couldn’t help but expand a little.

In honor of Weed Appreciation Day, I also want to share my friend Dawn Babb Prochovnic’s picture book Lucy’s Blooms (illustrated by Alice Brereton) is another good book for spring and summer reading. And another good book about kindness.

Here is the description borrowed from Amazon. “The town’s annual flower contest is coming soon, and a young girl puts her heart into growing a lively bunch of flowers she finds in a meadow. As her grandmother guides her in nurturing a garden, the girl learns that winning isn’t the true reward—it’s the special love found in caring for something or someone. Lucy’s Blooms celebrates the joy and happiness that the world has to offer, through the beauty of nature, the kindness and love of family, and the unique specialness in the most unexpected places.”

A wonderful book about appreciating weeds is Weeds Find a Way by Cindy Jenson-Elliott and illustrated by Carolyn Fisher. It has great back matter talking about the value of weeds.

Here is the description borrowed from Amazon: “From bright yellow dandelions popping through cracks in sidewalks to purple loosestrife growing rampant along roadways, weeds offer unexpected splashes of color and life to the least likely of places. With lovely language and a sly sense of humor, this beautiful picture book celebrates the tenacious temperaments of these pesky plants and is sure to have little ones chanting, ‘Way to go, weeds!’”

I hope my memories sparked some of your own. And I hope that you will share these books with your children. And always be thinking kindness, generosity, love and unity.

At the time of this writing The Weed That Woke Christmas (illustrated by Polina Gortman) hardcover is on sale for the amazing deal of $4.40 with free prime shipping! This is the time to stock up for Christmas gifts in addition to getting one for spring and summer reading and inspiration.

LINKS TO VIDEOS FOR MAKING DANDELION JEWELRY AND CROWNS

There are also some activity suggestions and some more info about the value of weeds here.

Dandelion necklace

A Classic Dandelion Activity to Try Today!

Dandelion rings

Dandelion crown

Dandelion crown

Read Full Post »

EFFECTIVE ENDINGS BONUS POST #2: WHAT DOES YOUR MAIN CHARACTER BELIEVE?

The Art of Arc picture book writing course Cyber Monday sale ends on Sunday, December 5.

WHAT DOES YOUR MAIN CHARACTER BELIEVE? DISCOVERING THE TRUTH

by Alayne Kay Christian

On Wednesday, I shared a bonus post where I talked about your main character’s want vs need. If you missed it, click here. I want to expand on character’s motivation just a little bit. Another way to approach this is to ask yourself what your character believes in the beginning and what she believes in the end after she has experienced her story journey. Some people find their character’s beliefs by thinking in terms of lie and truth. What is the lie that your character believes in the beginning? And what is the truth that your character discovers in the end?

Sometimes it works to think of the lie as motivation (the fuel that moves the character forward through the story) and the truth as the story goal (the thing that creates change.)

So, following the want and need post, with the lie and truth method, there is only a small shift in the way one might look at the story they are writing. But I figure that small shift may be the thing that hits home for some writers. And once it hits home, they will find growth in their writing.

As I did in the last post, I challenge you to grab a stack of books and see if you can find stories that start with one belief (a lie) and end with a new belief (the truth). Very often, what the main character believes in the beginning of the story leads the character to the belief that transforms her by the end of the story. Just as with the want and need, knowing the truth/belief that will be revealed at the end before you start writing will be your guiding light in writing the rest of the story.

Think “before” and “after”. Who was your character when she first stepped over the inciting incident threshold into the story world? And who is she when he steps over his darkest moment into his turning point and new world?

Not all picture books have the lie and truth with a change in the character’s belief thing going on. But I urge you to analyze as many picture books as possible to see what you discover in this area. Also, consider analyzing your own stories to see if you already have it. If your story isn’t built around lie/truth/beliefs, offering that to your character might leave you surprised at the transformation you created in your own story.

FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES

Using the same books as I did for want and need, and then adding some, I will talk about lie and truth.

NO BEARS ALLOWED by Lydia Lukidis and illustrated by Tara J. Hannon is a perfect example. In the beginning, Rabbit believes the lie that all bears are scary and will eat rabbits. In the end, Rabbit discovers the truth that some bears aren’t scary at all and they can actually make good friends.

NUGGET AND FANG by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Michael Slack is similar to NO BEARS ALLOWED. In the beginning, Nugget believes the lie that he can no longer be friends with his best friend Fang because sharks are toothy and scary. And they eat minnows! In the end, Nugget discovers the truth. Sometimes minnows and sharks can be friends.

THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLEDO CHRISTMAS WEED written by me and illustrated by Polina Gortman.

In the beginning, Weed believes the lie that being seen or noticed will make him feel more important than an unseen weed. But would satisfying that belief have been enough to keep the story going in an active and compelling way? Would it have transformed Weed in any way on a deeper level by the end of the story? Or would he remain the same Weed that is just a little happier for a moment until he starts feeling “unseen” again? Would that have been the best message to offer readers? Would it have been the most satisfying ending? I think not.

What if, through his story journey Weed discovers the truth. It is much more satisfying to look outside himself and see others instead. In discovering the truth, Weed doesn’t only experience a change within himself; he effects positive change all around him. Even though Weed never gets to see it, in the end, he is more important than he ever imagined. And this is what the reader gets to see and understand. So, the lie that Weed believes fuels him to move forward in the story, but the truth that he discovers through his struggle to protect his belief in the lie is the real heart of the story.

BUTTERFLY KISSES FOR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA by me and illustrated by Joni Stringfield

In the beginning, the lie that Emily believes is the only way to feel close to her grandparents is to live closer to them, but since this isn’t possible, she must change in some way. She discovers the truth when she learns a way to feel close to her grandparents even when they are miles away from her.

PRINCESS IN TRAINING by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Joe Berger

In the beginning, Princess Viola believes the lie that the only way to be a princess is to be a “proper” princess and the darling of the kingdom. But in order to experience real change she must discover the truth. The only way she can be Princess Viola is to be true to herself. There’s more than one way to be the darling of the kingdom. And once the truth is revealed, she can let go of the belief that created her struggles throughout the story.

JEREMY DRAWS A MONSTER by Peter McCarty

In the beginning, it’s not clear what Jeremy wants, but the illustration gives a sense that he wouldn’t mind going outside where all the other kids are. So, I’m going to guess that the lie he believes is that he is better off staying inside by himself. Then it seems he wants to keep the monster he draws happy. But even more important, he wants to get rid of the monster, which leads Jeremy outside. And though the story seems like it’s about imagination and fun and games, what it’s really about is Jeremy discovering the truth that there’s a world outside that just might be better than a safe and lonely room where imagination is his only friend.

The holiday season is a perfect time for penguins. An Old Man and His Penguin: How Dindim Made João Pereira de Souza an Honorary Penguin makes a beautiful Christmas gift for your favorite child or teacher, or to donate to your library, Toys for Tots or other “giving” opportunities and places. Below you will find a video about the true story followed by the book trailer.

Read Full Post »

BONUS POST EFFECTIVE ENDINGS, PLUS ‘TIS THE SEASON

CHRISTMAS GIFT AND STOCKING STUFFER IDEAS ABOVE!

I promised a bonus post for writing effective endings. So, here it is. If you missed the Kid-Lit Writing Wisdom team’s free three-part mini-course, click on the following links Part 1, part 2, part 3.

YOU JUST MIGHT GET WHAT YOU NEED

by Alayne Kay Christian

As authors, teachers, and critique writers, we talk a lot about what the main character wants. We ask, “What is his goal or desire?” And sometimes, we think about what he needs that drives the story. I challenge you to grab a stack of books and see if you can find stories that have both a want and a need. Very often, what the main character thinks he wants in the beginning of the story isn’t what he needs to transform by the end of the story. But his “want” is what motivates him to take action and move forward in the story. And most often, the main character nor the reader really knows what that need is until the turning point in the story. But as a writer, it is super helpful to know the need before you start writing your story. Knowing the need that will be revealed in the end will be your guiding light in writing the rest of the story.

Your character’s want is usually something he is seeking externally. And while the need is usually shown in the end as something external/physical, it stems from something internal. This is where what I call the turning point comes in. He has a realization, change in thinking, change of heart—whatever it might be—that causes him to think differently about his approach to things. Then he takes action on that new way of thinking. Once the character gets what he needs, he is a changed person who likely views his problem/goal or the world around him a little differently from that point on.

Think “before” and “after.” Who was your character when he first stepped over the inciting incident threshold into the story world? And who is he when he steps over his darkest moment into his turning point and new world? How has he changed in the end?

Sometimes it works to think of “want” as motivation (the fuel that moves the character forward through the story) and the “need” as the true story goal (the thing that creates change.)

Not all picture books have this “want” “need” thing going on. But I urge you to analyze as many picture books as possible to see what you discover in this area. Also, consider analyzing your own stories to see if you already have it. If your story only has a “want,” might it strengthen your story to give your character a need as well?

FOLLOWING ARE SOME EXAMPLES

THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLEDO CHRISTMAS WEED written by Alayne Kay Christian and illustrated by Polina Gortman.

In the beginning, Weed wants nothing more than to be seen or noticed. But would achieving that in the end have transformed him in any way on a deeper level? Or would he remain the same Weed that is just a little happier for a moment until he starts feeling “unseen” again? Would that have been the best message to offer readers? Would it have been the most satisfying ending? I think not.

What if, what Weed needs is to look outside himself and see others instead? In doing so, Weed doesn’t only experience a change within himself; he effects positive change all around him. So, his want fuels him to move forward in the story, but the need that he discovers through his struggle to get what he wants is the real heart of the story.

BUTTERFLY KISSES FOR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA written by Alayne Kay Christian and illustrated by Joni Stringfield

In the beginning, Emily wants to live closer to her grandparents, but since this isn’t possible, she must change in some way. She needs a way to feel close to her grandparents even when they are miles away from her.

PRINCESS IN TRAINING by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Joe Berger

In the beginning, Princess Viola wants to be a proper princess and the darling of the kingdom. But what she needs in order to experience real change in the end is to be true to herself. And once this need is revealed, her want is satisfied as well (but not exactly how she expected it).

MOSTLY MONSTERLY by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Scott Magoon

In the beginning, Bernadette wants to make friends and fit in. But what she needs is to be true to herself in a way that also gets her what she wants. And once this need is revealed, her want is satisfied as well.

JEREMY DRAWS A MONSTER by Peter McCarty

In the beginning, it’s not clear what Jeremy wants, but the illustration gives a sense that he wouldn’t mind going outside where all the other kids are. Then it seems he wants to keep the monster he draws happy. But, even more important, to get rid of the monster. And though the story seems like it’s about imagination and fun and games, what it’s really about is Jeremy’s need to leave his apartment/room and make friends. And everything that happens in the story, eventually leads Jeremy to what he needs.

SAM AND EVA by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

In the beginning, Sam wants to draw solo. Eva wants to draw with him. But until they get what they need, which is to cooperate as a team, drawing isn’t quite what they wish for.

Even though, THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLDEDO CHRISTMAS WEED is a great book all year round, I learned that people tend to buy it at Christmastime, which means I only benefit from sales once a year (if I’m lucky). It’s currently on sale at Amazon for 43% off. Following is a two-minute YouTube video about the inspiring true story of the Toledo Christmas Weed, which is followed by the book trailer. A lovely Christmas gift for your favorite child or teacher, or to donate to your library. I give books to Toys for Tots. How many copies could you buy to donate at this great sale price?

Read Full Post »

WHY KID-LIT WRITERS SHOULD READ CHILDREN’S BOOKS (MENTOR TEXTS) AND HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF READING THEM (Part 1 of 2)

For this round of Kid-Lit Writing Wisdom Q & A, I asked the team why it’s important for writers to read children’s books and how one might get the most out of reading them.

I thought it would be good to start this post with the definition of mentor texts. The Iowa Reading Research Center defines mentor texts as “. . . written pieces that serve as an example of good writing for student writers. The texts are read for the purpose of studying the author’s craft, or the way the author uses words and structures the writing. The goal is to provide students a model they could emulate in crafting their own piece.”

Because I once again have the wordiest answer, I will start with my answer to the question. However, before I get started, I’d like to wish a couple of Laura Gehl’s newly released board books, SOCCER BABY and BASEBALL BABY, a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY! And I’m excited to share that my book THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS has won another literary award! Congratulations to illustrator Polina Gortman and me, of course : – )

IN THE END, YOU’LL END UP BEING A DIFFERENT WRITER THAN YOU WERE BEFORE YOU STARTED DIGGING DEEPER

by Alayne Kay Christian

When I first started studying the art of children’s writing, veteran authors advised repeatedly, “read, read, read.” And so I read. I would bring home 50 picture books from the library (usually biweekly) loaded in my bag with wheels. What I didn’t understand, until I had read hundreds of picture books, was reading them wasn’t enough. What I really needed to do was analyze them. But how could I analyze them, if I didn’t know what I was looking for? So, my next step was to take writing courses specific to picture book writing. In those courses, I got a sense of story arc (narrative arcs and character arcs). When I started doing professional critiques, the “sense” of arc that I had learned from courses gave me enough instinct to know when something was off with the plot of the picture book I was critiquing. But I didn’t always know how to explain the problems to the author of the manuscript. So, I worked to find the answers and explain the issues. I continued to work to understand arc and plot deeper. I read craft books, I did searches on the Internet when something wasn’t clear to me, I took more courses, and I continued reading picture books. That’s when I discovered that the only way I was really going to learn what I wanted to know was to dissect the stories I read. And that’s exactly what I did. In the process of trying to help others, I helped myself as an author. I came to understand fully what makes a powerful beginning, what makes an engaging or compelling middle, and what makes a satisfying ending. I learned the importance of knowing your character’s motivation, want, and need. I discovered the power of solid cause and effect and growing tension. I love seeing how authors leave room for illustrators and how they both tell part of the story. I discovered the importance of pacing and so much more. Once, I understood how to build stories, and I had helped a hundred or so writers understand the same via my critiques, I wrote my picture book writing course, Art of Arc: How to Write and Analyze Picture Books and Manuscripts. Does the fact that I’m a retired acquisitions editor and I offer professional critiques, a bit of mentoring, and a writing course mean that I no longer need mentor texts? Absolutely not. There is still much more to picture book writing besides the plot. Today, I analyze picture books for word choice, voice, and execution of the idea or theme (usually looking for why it stands out). I pay attention to unique characters and character building. I study the huge variety of storytelling structures. I read humor and dream of one day writing something funny. I read heart-tuggers that connect me emotionally to the character and story (That’s the kind of story I tend to write.) I look for “why” I enjoy a book or “why” I sometimes wonder how a book ever ended up published (meaning I didn’t enjoy it). I’m always looking for something, and I’m always learning. I love studying books for language—especially lyrical stories—love them! I could go on forever about the treasures found when you start looking deeply into a story instead of just reading it. But I won’t.

Analyzing or dissecting mentor texts will stretch you as a writer. You’ll be more willing to take risks and try new things. You’ll start wondering things like, what if I used that format instead? What if I tried that cool or clever strategy? The puzzle pieces of what makes a sellable picture book will start slipping into place. And in the end, you will be a different writer than you were before you started digging deeper.

We have lots of great wisdom on this topic, and it’s time to make way for those answers. I do want to say that many moons ago, I discovered that our wise author Marcie Flinchum Atkins knows her way around a mentor text, and you can find some of her posts here and here. At the end of this post, Marcie offers some excellent tips and tools for using mentor texts. Also, our wise author Kirsti Call is the co-founder and of Reading for Research Month (a.k.a. REFOREMO) along with Carrie Charley Brown. They not only offer this very focused annual challenge. They also offer posts year round that walk us through a variety of books with hints regarding what they might teach us as writers. In addition, look around their site for lots of resources. Finally, if you join their Facebook page, they have lots of files that list great mentor text books by categories.

Some of our authors, Vivian Kirkfield for example, participate in Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Fridays. Participating in this activity will expose you to lots of different books, plus Susanna offers a list of books by themes (scroll down on linked page). Following are some other links that will lead you to mentor text info from Marcie and Reforemo.

http://www.reforemo.com/2019/09/mentor-text-talk-with-author-marcie.html

https://www.marcieatkins.com/tag/reforemo/

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2015/03/show-me-way-mentor-texts-as-lights-into.html

10 REASONS TO READ CHILDREN’S BOOKS

(ESPECIALLY PICTURE BOOKS)

(AND DEFINITELY PICTURE BOOK BIOGRAPHIES)

by Rob Sanders

1. To learn something new.
2. To soak in the story.
3. To examine the structure.
4. To observe the page turns.
5. To analyze what makes the story work.
6. To dissect the craft.
7. To enjoy the illustrations.
8. To investigate the word choices.
9. To evaluate the back matter.
10. Because you can’t not read them!

GET INSPIRED TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE!

by Laura Gehl

I read children’s books to marvel at thoughtful page turns, to laugh at witty spreads, to appreciate the interplay between text and art, to let various rhythms and cadences wash over me, to get refrains stuck in my head, to admire different text structures, to soak in new information, to feel characters tug at my heartstrings, to think, “I wish I had written that,” and…most of all…to get inspired to sit down and write!

READING PICTURE BOOKS ALOUD HELPS ME DELIGHT IN STORYTELLING AND LUSCIOUS SOUNDS

Kirsti Call

I read picture books to learn about what works and what doesn’t, to appreciate the poetry of sparse text, to feel and to heal. Reading picture books aloud with children helps me delight in storytelling and luscious sounds. And of course reading picture books inspires me to create my own stories, putting words together in ways that (hopefully) evoke laughter, love and connection.

WHY I LOVE READING CHILDREN’S BOOKS

By Melissa Stoller

As a children’s book writer, it’s vital for me to read children’s books. I write chapter books and picture books, so those are the book genres that I mainly read. I like to read children’s books for several reasons. First, it’s important to keep up to date with all the new books. I love reading newly published picture books so I can stay current about topics and what is selling at the moment. Second, I can apply the knowledge I gain from reading children’s books to my writing process. I use books as “mentor texts,” meaning they teach me about writing in some way. For example, if I’m writing a non-fiction book about sea life, I will read every current similar book I can find to see how other authors handled the subject. Or, if I’m trying to add more “heart” into my fiction picture book manuscript, I will read books that I know pull at the heartstrings. I also notice how the author chose specific words and language patterns, handled pacing, left room for the illustrator, and other craft points. Third, I use current children’s books as “comparative titles” that can help me pitch my manuscripts and place them in the marketplace, comparing my manuscript to a recently-published title, and also showing how my manuscript is different. Finally, the most important reason that I read picture books and chapter books is that I LOVE them! I enjoy reading children’s books almost as much as I like writing them! A perfect afternoon would be spent curling up with a cup of mint tea, a gluten-free muffin, and a stack of wonderful children’s books!

READING KID LIT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A CHILD AGAIN, WHICH IS HOW WE NEED TO FEEL TO WRITE BOOKS ABOUT AND FOR CHILDREN

Pippa Chorley

Every Wednesday morning, we start our critique session with a table piled high with books; childhood favourites, classic picture books, brand new purchases, library searches and recommendations. It’s one of my favourite parts of the week. I always feel like a kid in a sweet shop!

It gets our conversation bubbling immediately, what we like, what we don’t like, what we find clever, beautiful, funny, endearing, or even why we don’t like something or think it could have ended differently. It opens up conversations about craft and style, and it also gets our own creative juices flowing. It helps us generate new ideas or writing styles and helps us critique our wobbly new manuscripts at a much higher level and gives us courage to try new things. Sometimes it even sparks a whole new idea for a manuscript too!

I think the reason why we read children’s picture books as authors is endless and unquestionably important. But, for me personally, why I love it so much, is because it brings me and my fellow critique partners together weekly through a shared love of children’s writing. And most importantly, it makes me feel like a child again. Which is just what we need to feel when we are writing books about them and especially for them!

IF WE’RE GOING TO WRITE BOOKS, WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THE BEST

by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

If we are going to create stories, we must also admire stories. If we are going to write books, we must learn from the best. One of the most accessible ways to learn about what the greatest writers are doing is to utilize your library card. I make a habit of keeping my holds and checkouts at the library maxed out. At least once a week, I take a big stack of picture books and read and analyze them.

One of my favorite ways to determine which ones I want to study in depth is to read through the stack of books. I make three stacks:

1) Not for me.

2) These are great, but not my style.

3) THIS is the kind of writing I want to do.

Pile #3 is the one that I take more extensive notes on. It’s the type of books I type up to see how it looks on the page, examine the structure, and bask in the language.

For more posts about reading mentor texts, you can check out the many mentor texts posts on my blog.

For a more extensive post on how I organize and keep track of my reading, you can check out this bullet journaling post.

One other tip: If I’m feeling stuck or mired in muck about my own writing, often reading stellar books can bring me back. It usually takes me only about 20 minutes of immersive reading to realize I really DO want this writing life, and I really want to create stories.

Next week, we will get more great tips and stories from Beth Anderson, Vivian Kirkfield, Ellen Leventhal, Dawn Babb Prochovnic, Michelle Nott, and Rosie Pova.

TO READ PART 1 OF “LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO PUBLICATION” click here.

TO READ PART 2 OF “LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO PUBLICATION” click here.

TO READ PART 3 OF “LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO PUBLICATION” click here.

TO READ THE TEAM MEMBERS’ ANSWERS TO “MY MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED” click here for Part One and here for Part Two.

TO READ MORE ABOUT THE KID-LIT WRITING WISDOM TEAM AND THEIR BOOKS click here.

Read Full Post »

Picture Book Illustrators–How to tell your own visual story

I was so impressed with the visual story that Polina Gortman created in our picture book THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLEDO CHRISTMAS WEED that I decided it would make a great mentor book for both illustrators and writers.

In the video at the end of this post, I walk you through the visual story that is related to my text but independent of it in many ways. It demonstrates to illustrators how doing more than just showing what the text is saying can add layers of meaning to a story and make a picture book much more interesting. It also demonstrates to writers the importance of leaving room for the illustrator to help tell the story. 

Western Washington SCBWI featured Polina on their blog Pen & Story. It is a worthwhile read to accompany this video because Polina talks a bit about her process and how she managed all the characters that she created that appear throughout the story. You can read the post by clicking here.

Also, in a recent article in the Toledo Blade Newspaper, Polina shared some interesting details about how this great visual story came to be. It all started with her not fully connecting with the story . . . 

I hope that you will be patient and watch the video to the end because that is where the whole story that Polina created comes together. This visual story is all Polina’s creation–no one told her to tell the story, no one told her what characters to create, and there is no bakery, baker, or older woman with a dog mentioned in the text at all. I know that without the text it’s hard to know what Polina created in addition to the story told via text. But I can’t give the whole book away. My publisher wouldn’t like that 😉 Also, I intentionally left the text out because I wanted the visual story to stand on its own with just a little help from my guidance. I hope this video inspires both illustrators and writers, and if it does, please leave a comment to let us know.

Read Full Post »

THE HARDEST BOOK LAUNCHES I’VE EVER DONE

It’s been months since I’ve written a blog post, but it’s time to pick myself up by my bootstraps and get going again. What a year this has been! I’ve bounced around a number of ways to approach this return to my blog. I even started down a path of several paragraphs talking about how when times get tough, the tough keep going. But that path also led me into a “true confessions and soul searching” direction that just didn’t feel right. So, I’m going to try a more direct approach to where I’ve been, what I need to do, and where I’m going. I’ll start with where I’ve been.

Please forgive any weird formatting issues. WordPress decided to change it’s format while I was away. I need a little more time to learn it.

Who Knew?

When my latest books were scheduled for release, who knew that we would be challenged with a pandemic that has changed nearly everyone’s life? Who knew that my first picture book in ages, An Old Man and His Penguin: How Dindim Made João Pereira de Souza an Honorary Penguin, would be released eighteen days after I had knee replacement surgery? Who knew that the surgery would still be holding me back nearly four months later? Who knew that my next picture book, The Weed that Woke Christmas: The Mostly True Tale of the Toledo Christmas Weed, would be released four days after my oldest brother’s death? Who knew that book two in the Sienna, the Cowgirl Fairy chapter book Series, Cowboy Trouble, would be rescheduled for 2021? Who knew, that my first picture book, Butterfly Kisses for Grandma and Grandpa’s tenth anniversary would slip by without acknowledgement or celebration? Who knew that it would be picked up by Clear Fork Publishing under the Blue Whale Press imprint, and continue selling all these years later?

My Brother and Me–I will miss him, but I carry him in my heart.

I didn’t know that my exciting book launches and the wonderful year I had planned for all of my beloved books would all come crashing down around me. I’ve been knocked down, but I’m getting back up (broken heart, bum knee, and all) and moving forward.

Trying to get in the spirit in spite of my challenges.

What I Need to Do and Why I Need to Do It

I need to make up for lost time and share the news of my books with y’all. I feel compelled to do this because I feel it’s only fair to the illustrators (Milanka Reardon and Polina Gortman) who worked so hard on my picture books. And it’s only fair to the beautiful books and heartwarming stories that people should get an opportunity to read them. It’s only fair that the kids and adults who will read them should be made aware that the books even exist. It’s only fair to João Pereira de Souza and Dindim to have their story told. It’s only fair to the citizens of Toledo, Ohio and the little weed that their story of unity be told when it seems we’ve forgotten how to love and care about one another as human beings. Along those same lines, I feel like I have an obligation to humanity to share these stories of love and kindness. They both touched my heart, and I want to reach as many other hearts as I possibly can.

You can help me and the illustrators as well as readers by requesting the books at your library and writing reviews. I would be forever grateful.

Future Posts

Keep an eye out for future posts. I’m going to start a new series called Arc Angels where published authors will analyze each other’s books and share with you how each made their stories shine by using the classic narrative and/or character arcs. I expect there will be prizes and giveaways along the way. I plan to share the very first version of Butterfly Kisses for Grandma and Grandpa with my crude illustrations and all. I will also share how the book started as one thing and ended up being another. And I’ll soon have a book trailer for Cowboy Trouble to share.

There are lots more great posts to come, but I will save them for surprises.

THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLEDO CHRISTMAS WEED

BOOK TRAILER

Review Excerpts

“A heartwarming holiday tale that proves even the littlest things can make a big difference.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The fine message about holiday spirit makes for a perfect read for parents seeking stories that encourage kids to feel empowered to begin changes that cross age and economic barriers. The Weed That Woke Christmas is a lovely, positive, much-needed story for modern times.” —D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“This sweet story is accompanied by lush illustrations by Gortman, who portrays Toledo’s citizens as diverse. The author manages to convey the importance of charity and community without making the tale mawkish or trite. She closes the text with the real story of the Christmas Weed and the hope that the holiday magic will continue.” —Kirkus Reviews

Description

This heartwarming and inspiring book proves that even the smallest gestures can make a big difference and transform apathy and oblivion into awareness, unity, community, kindness and hope. Partly truth and partly fiction, it is based on the true story of how a weed on a Toledo street corner helped spread the giving spirit far beyond its traffic island home. All Weed wants is to be seen, but people are in too much of a hurry to notice each other, let alone Weed. Weed watches, wishes, and waits until finally someone does see it. But Weed discovers that there is something far bigger and more important than a little weed being noticed.

Where to Buy

Buy wherever books are sold and . . . 

Amazon Hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Weed-That-Woke-Christmas-Mostly/dp/0981493815

Amazon Softcover

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981493823/

Booktopia

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-weed-that-woke-christmas-alayne-kay-christian/book/9780981493817.html

Book Depository

https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Weed-That-Woke-Christmas-Alayne-Kay-Christian-Polina-Gortman/9780981493817

Barnes and Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-weed-that-woke-christmas-alayne-kay-christian/1137418710?ean=9780981493817

Indie Bound

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780981493817

Booktopia

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-weed-that-woke-christmas-alayne-kay-christian/book/9780981493817.html

AN OLD MAN AND HIS PENGUIN: HOW DINDIM MADE JOÃO PEREIRA DE SOUZA AN HONORARY PENGUIN BOOK TRAILER

Review Excerpts

“A moving, affectionate, and joyful tale, all the more so for being true.” – Kirkus Reviews

“An Old Man and His Penguin holds a number of important messages about human/animal relationships, love, oil slicks and their impact on sea life, and loneliness. . . . its underlying focus on letting go and reaping rewards from non-possessiveness offers an outstanding lesson about love for the very young.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“Adults looking for an inviting animal story with an important message will welcome this appealingly different seaside tale.” —D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“The underlying lesson about compassion and good stewardship is subtle but effective; an author’s note explains the real-life circumstances. Reardon, who also illustrated the penguin-themed Noodles’ & Albie’s Birthday Surprise (2016), deftly captures the story’s charm and expressiveness.” —Kirkus Reviews

Description

Off the coast of Brazil, João rescues a lifeless, oil-covered penguin (Dindim) and nurses him back to health. Dindim adopts João as an honorary penguin, and the steadfast friends do everything together. They swim together, fish together, and stroll the beach together. But there are real penguins somewhere across the sea. So one day, Dindim leaves João. The villagers tell João the penguin will never come back. João cannot say if he will or will not. Are the villagers right? Will Dindim ever patter into his old friend’s loving arms again?

Where to Buy

Wherever books are sold and . . .

Amazon Hardcover

https://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-His-Penguin-Honorary/dp/173289356X/

Amzon Softcover

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732893578/

Book Depostitory

https://www.bookdepository.com/An-Old-Man-and-His-Penguin-Alayne-Kay-Christian-Milanka-Reardon/9781732893566

Barnes and Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-old-man-and-his-penguin-alayne-kay-christian/1136805502?ean=9781732893566

Books-A-Million

https://www.booksamillion.com/search?id=7861112761623&query=An+Old+Man+and+His+Penguin&filter=

Indie Bound

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781732893566

Booktopia

https://www.booktopia.com.au/an-old-man-and-his-penguin/book/9781732893566.html

SHORT NEWS VIDEO ABOUT THE REAL CHRISTMAS WEED

I chose to share this video because the narrator gives a sense of the heart of the story that ended up in my book THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS: THE MOSTLY TRUE TALE OF THE TOLEDO CHRISTMAS WEED.

ANOTHER SHORT NEWS VIDEO ABOUT THE REAL CHRISTMAS WEED

I chose to share this video because it does a good job of showing the community coming together.

A SHORT NEWS VIDEO ABOUT JOAO AND DINDIM THE PENGUIN

BOOK LAUNCH POSTS

Thank you to all my friends who helped me share the news of my books via social media when I couldn’t! There are too many to mention, but you know who you are.

Thank you friends who featured my books on your blogs!!!!

My brain is still somewhat foggy, so if I’ve forgotten anyone, please forgive me and feel free to add your post in a comment.

The Weed That Woke Christmas

Vivian Kirkfield’s Picture Book Friday Post 

Perfect Picture Book Friday: THE WEED THAT WOKE CHRISTMAS Plus Giveaway

Kathy Temean shares my book journey on her  Writing and Illustrating blog.

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2020/10/11/book-giveaway-the-weed-that-woke-christmas-by-by-alayne-kay-christian/

Rosie Pova interviews me on her Chitchat blog.

https://www.rosiejpova.com/blog/chitchat-with-author-editor-and-publisher-alayne-kay-christian

Keep an eye out for my KidLit411 feature coming in November.

An Old Man and His Penguin

Janie Reinart interviews me on the GROG blog.

https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2020/07/she-wears-many-hatsinterview-with.html

Vivian Kirkfield features An Old Man and His Penguin on her blog.

Alayne Kay Christian: Will Write for Cookies Plus GIVEAWAY

Kathy Temean shares Milanka Reardon’s and my book journey for an Old Man and His Penguin or on her Writing and Illustrating blog.

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2020/07/23/book-giveaway-an-old-man-and-his-penguin-how-dindim-made-joao-pereira-de-souza-an-honorary-penguin/

Kathy Temean features Milanka Reardon’s art process for An Old Man and His Penguin.

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2020/05/09/illustrator-saturday-milanka-reardon/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS AN ICHTHYOLOGIST? Mahalo and a final aloha to an amazing man.

I originally posted this story August 17, 2019. I am republishing it today in honor of Dr. John E. Randall, a distinguished ichthyologist and coral specialist who discovered and named more species of fish than anyone. He died April 26 in his home in Kaneohe, Hawaii. He was 95.

Since the original post, the picture book titled after Dr. Randall, Randall and Randall, has been released and was named as one of the best 100 indie books in 2019 by Kirkus Reviews. Author, Nadine Poper and the Blue Whale Press team will be forever grateful for Dr. Randall and his contributions to this educational and funny book. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends. May he rest in peace. 

With a final aloha to Dr. Randall, we offer the original post below.

Before I answer the ‘ichthyologist’ question, I want to explain why I’m presenting the question in the first place. Blue Whale Press’s latest picture book, Randall and Randall, is now available for pre-order, and this book just happens to have a foreword written by the renowned ichthyologist Dr. John E. Randall. Please read the post to the end because while I was writing it, I got some fantastic, must see, news. I want to share the surprise with you.

An ichthyologists is . . .

. . . a branch of zoology that deals with the study of fish and other marine life. Ichthyologists (ik-thee-AH-lo-gists) are also called marine biologists or fish scientists. They discover and study new and existing species of fish, their environment, and their behavior.

Ichthyologists dedicate their time to studying different kinds of fish species, though many will focus on one family of fish in particular. They generally focus on the biological history, behavior, growth patterns, and ecological importance of these fish. Most ichthyologists will go into the field to collect various samples or observe fish behavior and then return to a lab or office to analyze their collected data. If funded by a university, many of these scientists may be required to teach in addition to their other duties. Some of these scientists may also dedicate their time to educating others about the field and advocating for the importance of fish to ecosystems.

About Dr. Randall

Dr. John “Jack” Randall, ichthyologist emeritus at Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, has over 900 publications and has described more valid marine species than anyone, living or dead—at least 800 of them.

Why did Dr. Randall write the foreword for Randall and Randall?

First, the author, Nadine Poper, named the characters and the book in Dr. Randall’s honor. But the answer goes deeper than that.

Why are goby fish named Amblyeleotris randalli and the pistol shrimp named Alpheus randalli? Either there is a strange coincidence between Dr. Randall, the Randalls in the book, and the scientific name randalli or there is a strong connection and explanation.

The explanation starts with Dr. John E. Randall.

“A dive pioneer and a dedicated taxonomist for over 70 years, it’s doubtful there is anyone who knows more about fish than Hawaii’s Jack Randall.”

–Christie Wilcox, Hakai Magazine

Some fun facts about Dr. Randall

• He is sometimes referred to as “Dr. Fish”
• His O‘ahu home is methodically littered with hundreds of pickled fish specimens sequestered in alcohol. Click here to read why he collects these specimens.
• For Dr. Randall, collecting the fish has been exciting and adventurous. He has dived on some of the most beautiful reefs in the world, but the actual process of identifying species takes passion and patience.
• Dr. Randall was one of the first to study fish in their ocean habitat. He first dove in the mid-1940s, before the acronym SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) was even coined.
• He became one of the first scientists to use scuba gear, allowing him to access fish that no one else had ever seen.
• Dr. Randall even pioneered wet suits—sort of. He tried using long underwear to stay warm at first, but they didn’t retain heat. Then he got the brilliant idea to dip his long johns in liquid latex, creating a primitive wet suit years before the first neoprene was used.

 

All the above facts came from an article by Christie Wilcox at Hakai Magazine (May 15, 2016)

Two more wonderful facts about Dr. Randall

1) Dr. Randall celebrated his 90th birthday by SCUBA diving off Waikiki.

2) At the age of 91, he received the 2016 Darwin Medal from The International Society for Reef Studies. The award was presented at the 13th International Coral Reef Symposium on June 20. Jack gave an entertaining presentation on his work with coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands to an enthralled audience of hundreds of conference attendees.

Dr. Randall has likely won many other awards, and here is one more example: At 94 years of age, he won the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America (MASNA) Pioneer Award for Science.

Dr. Randall’s scientific and academic achievements are too extensive to list in one blog post, instead I will share the following video. Although it doesn’t cover all his accomplishments, it is so much better than a list! It’s only six minutes long and definitely worth viewing.

This man is amazing, and I urge you to read more about him and to visit the links I have shared.

Finding Dr. Randall: Nadine Poper’s research for the book

During Nadine Poper’s research for this book, she was eventually led to Dr. Randall, and they became friends. Dr. Randall told Nadine anything she wanted to know about these creatures and their symbiotic relationship. He even provided her with photos that he took personally under the sea. And Dr. Randall graciously obliged when Nadine asked him if he would write a foreword.

When Nadine asked Dr. Randall how the fish and shrimp species came to bear his name, he responded with the following: “If you see the two-part scientific name Alpheus randalli, Alpheus is the generic name for a group of very similar shrimps, and randalli is the species name which was given by the person who prepared the scientific description of the genus to honor me. . . .”

I’m going to assume the same goes for the goby (Amblyeleotris randalli). And it makes sense, given the interesting relationship between the shrimp and goby (Randall and Randall).

Live goby fish and pistol shrimp, compliments of Dr. Randall

A real-life view under the sea. Goby fish guarding the burrow and protecting a pistol shrimp while it digs their home. Compliments of Dr. John E. Randall

As I was writing this post, the Kirkus review for Randall and Randall arrived . . .

and I cannot resist hijacking this Dr. Randall post to share an excerpt from it (in green below). Well, I’m not fully hijacking it because they do mention ichthyologist Dr. John Randall. But the really exciting thing about this review is it is starred review! According to Kirkus, only 10 percent of the 10,000 reviews they do a year earn a blue star. And according to Washington Post, only 2 percent of independently published books earn a blue star. This also means that Randall and Randall will automatically be entered into the Kirkus awards!

 

Young readers get a slice of science in this undersea tale about symbiosis.

Randall the pistol shrimp accidentally gets a new roommate when he snaps at a fish he believes is a threat. But the goby fish, also named Randall, offers to let the shrimp know when genuine predators are around. Unfortunately, the goby misidentifies plankton, a sand dollar, and a sea cucumber as dangerous foes, all the while singing songs that drive the shrimp to distraction. Likewise, the noises the shrimp’s snapping claws make irritate the goby. After a huge fight, the goby leaves, only to run into a real killer . . . Based on a real-life symbiotic relationship, this silly tale makes the science approachable through the goby’s giggle-worthy antics. Notes from ichthyologist Dr. John Randall describe the phenomenon for adults, and Gortman’s (Fishing for Turkey, 2016) closing illustrations supply diagrams of the charismatic creatures. The picture book’s cartoonish interior images deftly mix human and animal characteristics, showing the shrimp’s long antennae as mustaches. Poper’s (Frank Stinks, 2017, etc.) simple English text seamlessly introduces a few straightforward Spanish-language phrases (“mi casa”) due to the coastal Mexico setting. The ingenious aquatic tale also encourages readers to realize they can find friendship even if they don’t see eye to eye with their cohorts.

A clever introduction to a scientific concept with an accessible moral.

Written by Nadine Poper
Illustrated by Polina Gortman.
Dr. Randall’s foreword does a fantastic job of explaining all about the goby and pistol shrimp and their special relationship.
Published by Blue Whale Press

Book trailer for Randall and Randall

More about the picture book Randall and Randall

Randall, the pistol shrimp, is a master at excavation. Randall, the goby fish, is his skittish, yet happy-go-lucky watchman. The problem is that both have quirks that drive each other bananas until one day their relationship is driven to the breaking point. This very funny informational-fiction story about one of the sea’s naturally-existent odd couples illustrates how certain species depend upon their symbiotic relationship for survival. It also shows children how two very different beings can embrace each other’s peculiarities and become best of friends.

Read Full Post »

Photo Caption Contest with Prizes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the holidays coming, I am offering contests with prizes and random giftaways to the kid lit writers and illustrators community as a thank you for always supporting me, Blue Whale Press, and our authors and illustrators. Last week, our giftaway offered four ARCs for Randall and Randall by Nadine Poper and illustrated by Polina Gortman.

by Lydia Lukidis art by Tara J. Hannon

This week we are giving away, for first prize, a hardcover pre-release proof for No Bears Allowed along with a fifteen-minute “first impressions” picture book critique from me (Alayne) via telephone or Skype. For second through fourth places, we will be giving away a softcover of No Bears Allowed to three winners. If you aren’t familiar with No Bears Allowed, you can view the fun book trailer below.

My goal is to have weekly contests until we run out of prizes. So watch for more Holiday Giftaways–books, critiques, bundles of ARCs, and some other great things.

 

Following is a twenty-six-second peek at the No Bears Allowed downloadable and printable activity book. Visit Blue Whale Press to download it.

Following is the photo for the contest.

The Contest

1. Write a funny or heartfelt caption for the above photo of Rabbit and Bear.
2. The caption must relate to Thanksgiving or being thankful for something. Still, the funnier or touching the better.
3. Add interest to your caption by printing out the photo and putting it in a Thanksgiving setting and then taking your own photo starring Bear and Rabbit. You can right click the photo to save or copy it for printing or to include it with your caption on your blog.
4. Post the above photo (or your own Thanksgiving Bear and Rabbit photo) with your caption on your blog along with a blurb about the contest and a link to this blog.
5. Post between right now this very second and Wednesday, December 4 by 11:59 PM EDT
6. IMPORTANT! Add your name and your blog post-specific link in a comment here in this post (post-specific link not your blog’s main url because if you put up a new post on your blog after your entry during the dates of the contest, the judges will find the wrong post!)
7. If you don’t have a blog, just leave your name and the caption in a comment, explaining you don’t have a blog.
8. If you have difficulty posting in the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may email your entry using the contact form on my blog or at alaynecritiques at gmail dot com, and I’ll post it for you. Please place your entry in the body of the email including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS!
9. Please submit your entry only ONCE.

The Judging

Judging criteria will be as follows:

1. Thanksgiving appeal.
2. Originality and creativity.
3. Humor or heart tugging.
4. Following the directions thoroughly. Very important. Not following directions may result is disqualification.

Winners will be announced on this blog, Facebook, and Twitter on Saturday, December 7.

The Prizes

First place: A pre-release proof (hardcover) of No Bears Allowed and a fifteen-minute “first impressions” critique from me (Alayne) via Skype or telephone. Learn more about Alayne here.

If outside of the U.S., the prize will be an e-ARC and the critique will have to be Skype or written.

Second Through Fourth Place: A softcover copy of No Bears Allowed.

Read Full Post »

Holiday Giftaways

With the holidays coming, I wanted to offer something to the kid lit writers and illustrators community as a thank you for always supporting me, Blue Whale Press, and our authors and illustrators. I thought I would come up with some fun contests with prizes and some regular old giveaways. So I took inventory of the Blue Whale Press uncorrected-proof copies of our various picture books (both soft and hardcover), and we have lots of them to give away. In addition, we will have some surprise giveaways of critiques, bundles of ARCs, and some other great things. I decided to call the weeks of contests and giveaways Holiday Giftaways.

After taking inventory, it came time for me to figure out how to do a giveaway using Rafflecopter. And I’m not sure I have it figured out yet 😉 So, this week’s giveaway is a trial run. I hope all goes well. I will be giving away four softcover ARCs (advanced review copies) of Randall and Randall by Nadine Poper and illustrated by Polina Gortman. You will find a link below that will take you to the Rafflecopter form to complete for your chance to win an ARC.

 

 

If you don’t know about this book, it is the recipient of the prestigious Kirkus Reviews Blue Star. You can read the review here. It is a wonderful book for the classroom and library. In addition it is funny and has fantastic illustrations! You can find more information about it and all of our books at BlueWhalePress.com.

“Based on a real-life symbiotic relationship, this silly tale makes the science approachable through the goby’s giggle-worthy antics. Notes from ichthyologist Dr. John Randall describe the phenomenon for adults, and Gortman’s closing illustrations supply diagrams of the charismatic creatures. The picture book’s cartoonish interior images deftly mix human and animal characteristics . . . Poper’s simple English text seamlessly introduces a few straightforward Spanish-language phrases due to the coastal Mexico setting.” —Kirkus Reviews

You can also view the book trailer below. In addition, there is a downloadable activity book available on the Blue Whale Press site with printable puzzles, worksheets, coloring sheets, crafts and more. See video below.

Randall and Randall Book Trailer

Randall and Randall Activity Book Look Inside

Follow this blog or follow Blue Whale Press or Twitter or Facebook for updates as the Holiday Giftaways grows bigger and bigger.

I am not Totally Selfless

Blue Whale Press and our authors and illustrators need your help. We need book reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble and so on. If you’ve never written a review, it’s easy and kind of fun. Start by reading some the other other reviews to get a feel for what others do. Click here for a good article about what to look for when reading a book to review.

Another way you can help us is to request that your librarian put our books in their library.

We are grateful for any support. And the coming weeks of gifts will show you just how grateful we are!

How to Enter the Giftaway

Click “Rallecoper Giveaway” below. You will get points for all actions and information you provide, which means you could have more than one entry in the drawing. You get extra points (2 instead of 1) if you review another Blue Whale Press book that you have read. The reason it asks for your email address is so that I can contact you if you win. Please contact me if you have any questions.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Read Full Post »

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS AN ICHTHYOLOGIST?

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS AN ICHTHYOLOGIST? Mahalo and a final aloha to an amazing man.

I originally posted this story August 17, 2019. I am republishing it today in honor of Dr. John E. Randall, a distinguished ichthyologist and coral specialist who discovered and named more species of fish than anyone. He died April 26 in his home in Kaneohe, Hawaii. He was 95.

Since the original post, the picture book titled after Dr. Randall, Randall and Randall, has been released and was named as one of the best 100 indie books in 2019 by Kirkus Reviews. Author, Nadine Poper and the Blue Whale Press team will be forever grateful for Dr. Randall and his contributions to this educational and funny book. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends. May he rest in peace. 

With a final aloha to Dr. Randall, we offer the original post below.

Before I answer the ‘ichthyologist’ question, I want to explain why I’m presenting the question in the first place. Blue Whale Press’s latest picture book, Randall and Randall, is now available for pre-order, and this book just happens to have a foreword written by the renowned ichthyologist Dr. John E. Randall. Please read the post to the end because while I was writing it, I got some fantastic, must see, news. I want to share the surprise with you.

An ichthyologists is . . .

. . . a branch of zoology that deals with the study of fish and other marine life. Ichthyologists (ik-thee-AH-lo-gists) are also called marine biologists or fish scientists. They discover and study new and existing species of fish, their environment, and their behavior.

Ichthyologists dedicate their time to studying different kinds of fish species, though many will focus on one family of fish in particular. They generally focus on the biological history, behavior, growth patterns, and ecological importance of these fish. Most ichthyologists will go into the field to collect various samples or observe fish behavior and then return to a lab or office to analyze their collected data. If funded by a university, many of these scientists may be required to teach in addition to their other duties. Some of these scientists may also dedicate their time to educating others about the field and advocating for the importance of fish to ecosystems.

About Dr. Randall

Dr. John “Jack” Randall, ichthyologist emeritus at Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, has over 900 publications and has described more valid marine species than anyone, living or dead—at least 800 of them.

Why did Dr. Randall write the foreword for Randall and Randall?

First, the author, Nadine Poper, named the characters and the book in Dr. Randall’s honor. But the answer goes deeper than that.

Why are goby fish named Amblyeleotris randalli and the pistol shrimp named Alpheus randalli? Either there is a strange coincidence between Dr. Randall, the Randalls in the book, and the scientific name randalli or there is a strong connection and explanation.

The explanation starts with Dr. John E. Randall.

“A dive pioneer and a dedicated taxonomist for over 70 years, it’s doubtful there is anyone who knows more about fish than Hawaii’s Jack Randall.”

–Christie Wilcox, Hakai Magazine

Some fun facts about Dr. Randall

• He is sometimes referred to as “Dr. Fish”
• His O‘ahu home is methodically littered with hundreds of pickled fish specimens sequestered in alcohol. Click here to read why he collects these specimens.
• For Dr. Randall, collecting the fish has been exciting and adventurous. He has dived on some of the most beautiful reefs in the world, but the actual process of identifying species takes passion and patience.
• Dr. Randall was one of the first to study fish in their ocean habitat. He first dove in the mid-1940s, before the acronym SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) was even coined.
• He became one of the first scientists to use scuba gear, allowing him to access fish that no one else had ever seen.
• Dr. Randall even pioneered wet suits—sort of. He tried using long underwear to stay warm at first, but they didn’t retain heat. Then he got the brilliant idea to dip his long johns in liquid latex, creating a primitive wet suit years before the first neoprene was used.

 

All the above facts came from an article by Christie Wilcox at Hakai Magazine (May 15, 2016)

Two more wonderful facts about Dr. Randall

1) Dr. Randall celebrated his 90th birthday by SCUBA diving off Waikiki.

2) At the age of 91, he received the 2016 Darwin Medal from The International Society for Reef Studies. The award was presented at the 13th International Coral Reef Symposium on June 20. Jack gave an entertaining presentation on his work with coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands to an enthralled audience of hundreds of conference attendees.

Dr. Randall has likely won many other awards, and here is one more example: At 94 years of age, he won the Marine Aquarium Societies of North America (MASNA) Pioneer Award for Science.

Dr. Randall’s scientific and academic achievements are too extensive to list in one blog post, instead I will share the following video. Although it doesn’t cover all his accomplishments, it is so much better than a list! It’s only six minutes long and definitely worth viewing.

This man is amazing, and I urge you to read more about him and to visit the links I have shared.

Finding Dr. Randall: Nadine Poper’s research for the book

During Nadine Poper’s research for this book, she was eventually led to Dr. Randall, and they became friends. Dr. Randall told Nadine anything she wanted to know about these creatures and their symbiotic relationship. He even provided her with photos that he took personally under the sea. And Dr. Randall graciously obliged when Nadine asked him if he would write a foreword.

When Nadine asked Dr. Randall how the fish and shrimp species came to bear his name, he responded with the following: “If you see the two-part scientific name Alpheus randalli, Alpheus is the generic name for a group of very similar shrimps, and randalli is the species name which was given by the person who prepared the scientific description of the genus to honor me. . . .”

I’m going to assume the same goes for the goby (Amblyeleotris randalli). And it makes sense, given the interesting relationship between the shrimp and goby (Randall and Randall).

Live goby fish and pistol shrimp, compliments of Dr. Randall

A real-life view under the sea. Goby fish guarding the burrow and protecting a pistol shrimp while it digs their home. Compliments of Dr. John E. Randall

As I was writing this post, the Kirkus review for Randall and Randall arrived . . .

and I cannot resist hijacking this Dr. Randall post to share an excerpt from it (in green below). Well, I’m not fully hijacking it because they do mention ichthyologist Dr. John Randall. But the really exciting thing about this review is it is starred review! According to Kirkus, only 10 percent of the 10,000 reviews they do a year earn a blue star. And according to Washington Post, only 2 percent of independently published books earn a blue star. This also means that Randall and Randall will automatically be entered into the Kirkus awards!

 

Young readers get a slice of science in this undersea tale about symbiosis.

Randall the pistol shrimp accidentally gets a new roommate when he snaps at a fish he believes is a threat. But the goby fish, also named Randall, offers to let the shrimp know when genuine predators are around. Unfortunately, the goby misidentifies plankton, a sand dollar, and a sea cucumber as dangerous foes, all the while singing songs that drive the shrimp to distraction. Likewise, the noises the shrimp’s snapping claws make irritate the goby. After a huge fight, the goby leaves, only to run into a real killer . . . Based on a real-life symbiotic relationship, this silly tale makes the science approachable through the goby’s giggle-worthy antics. Notes from ichthyologist Dr. John Randall describe the phenomenon for adults, and Gortman’s (Fishing for Turkey, 2016) closing illustrations supply diagrams of the charismatic creatures. The picture book’s cartoonish interior images deftly mix human and animal characteristics, showing the shrimp’s long antennae as mustaches. Poper’s (Frank Stinks, 2017, etc.) simple English text seamlessly introduces a few straightforward Spanish-language phrases (“mi casa”) due to the coastal Mexico setting. The ingenious aquatic tale also encourages readers to realize they can find friendship even if they don’t see eye to eye with their cohorts.

A clever introduction to a scientific concept with an accessible moral.

Written by Nadine Poper
Illustrated by Polina Gortman.
Dr. Randall’s foreword does a fantastic job of explaining all about the goby and pistol shrimp and their special relationship.
Published by Blue Whale Press

Book trailer for Randall and Randall

More about the picture book Randall and Randall

Randall, the pistol shrimp, is a master at excavation. Randall, the goby fish, is his skittish, yet happy-go-lucky watchman. The problem is that both have quirks that drive each other bananas until one day their relationship is driven to the breaking point. This very funny informational-fiction story about one of the sea’s naturally-existent odd couples illustrates how certain species depend upon their symbiotic relationship for survival. It also shows children how two very different beings can embrace each other’s peculiarities and become best of friends.

Read Full Post »