Chronicle Books | 978-1452181035
Neigh-a-bye lullaby
Slowly swaying rock-a-bye
Nuzzle nose, breathing deep
Plodding, nodding off to sleep
With these gentle words, FARM LULLABY opens and, already, I can feel my breath slowing, the rhythms of the nighttime farm settling in. Young readers will be calmed, too, drawn into Karen Jameson’s beautiful text with endearing illustrations reminiscent of favorite books from our own (adult) childhoods.
As wooly lambs, drowsy piglets, and downy ducklings make their way to their respective bedtime spots, little ones everywhere will find it hard to resist the urge to curl up with a soft pillow, lay down their heads, and heed the call to sleep. Beautifully illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan in dreamy jewel-toned colors, FARM LULLABY is sure to be a classic!
© Wednesday Kirwan
It’s a pleasure to welcome Karen to ReaderKidZ to share a little of the journey of this, her 3rd picture book.
DIANNE: You have an amazing talent for finding just the right soothing text to prepare young ones for sleep! You’ve already published a number of bedtime books (MOON BABIES, WOODLAND DREAMS) and I know you have more coming out in the next few years. FARM LULLABY will be your third, but it was actually the first lullaby manuscript you wrote. Can you share with readers a little about what drew you to this type of picture book?
KAREN: Thanks, Dianne! In trying to find my niche as a picture book writer, I decided to revisit the books I’d saved from my children’s early years. In doing so, I found a common thread among our favorites – bedtime books! As a parent, I coveted those cozy up moments at the end of the day. Calm and quiet would settle over us as we shared treasured tales, often rereading the same ones night after night. Those are the books they remember to this day. With that in mind, I set out to create my own.
FARM LULLABY was inspired by my own overnight visit to a relative’s farm when I was about five. Imagine my surprise when I saw the animals bedding down for the night! I had no idea that they had bedtime routines just like my brother and I.
I can’t wait to share more about FARM LULLABY and hear all about your newest book, WINTER LULLABY, at our double book launch through The Writing Barn on November 6th! Find more information HERE!
© Wednesday Kirwan
DIANNE: You’ve had lots of success writing heart-warming bedtime books, but you’ve also been busy crafting engaging rhyming nonfiction. Can you talk about your upcoming nonfiction picture books and give readers a peek into the process of discovering a topic that interests you, doing the necessary research, and deciding what format or structure will best serve the text?
KAREN: I wish there was a magic formula for discovering a topic! Ha! For me, it’s more of an unpredictable process. Out of the blue something will strike me as novel or interesting, and I’ll go down the research rabbit hole to see if there’s enough there to carry a book. If the concept proves promising, I’ll dig in and try some different structures to see what gels. Along the way, I’ll check to see if there are any other children’s books on that same topic. In the case of TIME TO SHINE (Groundwood, 2022), I couldn’t find a single book about iridescent animals, so I made the leap! With A LLAMA IS NOT AN ALPACA!: And Other Mistaken Animal Identities (RPKids, 2023), a question about telling similar animals apart led to a literal rabbit hole (of rabbits and hares). More animal pairs followed and I ended up with a fun, interactive text structure.
illustration © Dave Murray
DIANNE: Writing nonfiction has its own set of challenges, but writing nonfiction in rhyme adds one more level of difficulty to the project. Do you have any tips on how to handle research roadblocks? How do you manage to successfully weave information into a rhyming text so that the end result delights and engages your young audience?
KAREN: I actually love the challenge of writing in rhyme and find it enjoyable. My process is brainstorming lots and lots of words, so I have a word bank at the ready. Then, it’s plenty of trial and error as I piece things together – like a puzzle of sorts. I find that roadblocks require seeing something in a new light and using a different part of my brain. Stepping away from the computer and visiting a museum or garden, taking a walk, listening to music, etc. are great ways to reframe my work-in-progress. During the pandemic, I’ve taken advantage of virtual tours to wander and explore. Mostly, I try to have fun with it. Hopefully, that fun transfers into the book.
DIANNE: Share with readers what you’re working on now and what we can look forward to next!
KAREN: Without giving too much away, let’s just say that one of the virtual tours I mentioned provided inspiration for my current nonfiction project. It’s an animal themed, meta type book. Intrigued? I hope a future editor is, too!
DIANNE: Thanks for hopping on ReaderKidZ today, Karen! Tomorrow, October 5th is release day! I can’t wait to pick up my copy at my favorite indie bookstore, Changing Hands!
- Find another interview with Karen on Lynn Becker Books.
- Don’t miss Karen’s website HERE.
- Look for two new books from Karen out in April, 2022 – TIME TO SHINE (illustrated by Dave Murray) and WHERE THE WEE ONES GO (Chronicle), illustrated by Zosienka. A LLAMA IS NOT AN ALPACA!: And Other Mistaken Animal Identities (illustrated by Lorna Scobie) releases in 2023 and WAKE UP, WOODLANDS (illustrated by Marc Boutavant) publishes from Chronicle in 2024.
