Anne Schwartz Books | 978-0593175644
Have you ever dreamed of sharing a pot of tea and crumpets with a fairy? Or imagined you’d one day joust with a bumble bee while riding on the back of a dragonfly?
You’re a wee bit big, of course. But not for long! All you’ll need is “a rose petal in your pocket at sunrise….” and the magic begins… Lasso the first dragonfly you spy and you’re off on an adventure like none you’ve ever experienced before.
HOW TO RIDE A DRAGONFLY, by Kitty Donohue, delightfully illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf, invites young readers into a world of fairies and beetle bands, a world where adventures happen in miniature. What child, at one time or another, hasn’t dreamed of such a life full of magic?
Kids will be charmed by Donohoe’s enchanting story and will soon be dreaming up adventures of their own!
🧚🏽🧚🏽🧚🏽
It’s a pleasure to introduce readers to my long time friend Kitty, and her debut picture book, HOW TO RIDE A DRAGONFLY.
DIANNE: Welcome to ReaderKidZ, Kitty! You and I go a long way back. I have distinct memories of an SCBWI Working Writer’s Retreat we attended back in the 90s. We were both teachers. You were writing novels, and I was just beginning to dip my toe into picture books. Over the years, we’ve attended the same conferences, classes, and shared many writing ups and downs.
I’d love you to start back when you were a child, growing up in Yosemite. It was there that the seeds of your stories were planted. Can you share a little bit about that time of your life and how those memories influence your work today?
KITTY: Dianne, growing up in Yosemite was pure magic. We lived in a very old house that my great-grandfather built. He and my great grandmother left Ireland in the late 1800’s for a new life in America. They homesteaded Yosemite Valley in 1884. My siblings and I had the joy of growing up in an extraordinary setting.
It was impossible to not be transfixed by nature. Each season had its own unique spell. As far as my book goes, summer memories had a big influence on HOW TO RIDE A DRAGONFLY.
Every summer afternoon my mom walked us to the Merced River near our house. We would spend hours swimming and daydreaming under the cottonwood trees. Watching little creatures like water bugs, butterflies, and of course, dragonflies was a delightful pastime. I think those early memories become deeply embedded in one’s psyche.
DIANNE: I remember the day several years ago, when you shared the news that you’d sold your first book! It was thrilling! And how exciting it is to now be holding a copy of HOW TO RIDE A DRAGONFLY. Can you share the inspiration for this book? Did the story begin with the “how-to” structure or something else? What was your writing process as you worked on the manuscript?
CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text by Kitty Donohoe, illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf
KITTY: It was really exciting to share the news with you Dianne! We had so many dreams for so long and it just makes it better when a friend can enjoy your success! One thing I know for sure is that one must never give up. I have been writing stories from the time I could hold a pen and submitting stories for half of my life. Dreams do come true if you don’t give up.
I did think about a “how – to” structure to some degree. I have taken many institutes from The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. One of their units focuses on nonfiction “how – to” books. I was making some exemplar “how – to” books for my students and then I thought what if I made a “how – to” book that was fantasy? And then I thought , what if I make it so that the narrator talks to the reader in much the same way as I talk to my students?
You might say that I found my writing voice by tapping into my teacher voice — the fun teacher voice that taps into kids’ natural curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.
DIANNE: Anne Wilsdorf’s illustrations are absolutely stunning – whimsical, full of light and color. She really captured the imaginative and fanciful nature of the story.
CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text by Kitty Donohoe, illustrations by Anne Wilsdorf
One of the joys of seeing sketches and final art in our picture books is the magic of how an artist transforms our words with a “second narrative,” things that show up in the art that we might not have been expecting. (I’m thinking of the kitty who appears at the beginning and end of the story. A nod to the author from the illustrator?!) Any other fun surprises in the illustrations kids can look for?
KITTY: I do think Anne Wilsdorf may have been having fun with the kitty in the illustration as a nod to my name. The artwork of the fairies on flowers was so charming. As a child growing up in Yosemite, I believed that such things existed. My childhood friends and I used to play a game we called Flower Fairies. We based it on the characters from Cicely Mary Barker’s books.
When I first read my book to second graders at my school, one of them had such a good question. The book implies that the fairies were little kids who shrunk and didn’t get back by sunset so they stayed small. A child asked me if that was the case, how did the child get wings? The only answer I had was that it was magic. It did make me think though. Kids see things that I hadn’t even thought of and that is the fun of sharing stories with children.
DIANNE: After a long teaching career, this is your last year! I’m sure it feels both exciting to be stepping out into full-time writing and, maybe even, a bit scary. How has teaching influenced your writing up to this point, and what’s on the horizon for you?
KITTY: I have to say that this is indeed a bittersweet moment for me. I have been teaching very young children for well over half of my life. I will miss their constant presence. Rather like a mama duck with her ducklings following her everywhere she goes. I will say that I do know a lot about young children’s imaginations and their sense of humor. Being around them for so many years has tuned me into that and it has truly helped me as a writer for youngsters.
I hope to continue to have more books published. I love to write and I will have more time to do it now. I feel like being an author for young children is the perfect fit for me. I love children’s literature and being a part of children’s journeys in literacy is very important to me.
Thank you so much Dianne for interviewing me. You are a dear friend and I am excited that we have walked the same path for many years.
DIANNE: Ditto, Kitty! I look forward to reading the beautiful stories you create in the years to come.
🧚🏽🧚🏽🧚🏽
For more…
- Visit Kitty’s website
- Find Kitty on Twitter and Instagram
- Enjoy this interview with Kitty and Brein Lopez, manager of Children’s Book World in Los Angeles.
