ReaderKidZ is pleased to welcome Stephanie Greene as our first Author-in Residence. Stephanie has been writing early readers, chapter books, and middle grade novels for more than 15 years. Her books include the popular Owen Foote chapter book series, the Moose and Hildy early reader series, and her middle grade novels about Sophie Hartley. Stephanie’s two newest books reflect the theme of our first month: New Beginnings.

PRINCESS POSEY AND THE FIRST GRADE PARADE is the first book in a new series for transitional readers from Putnam. It introduces readers to Posey, a little girl who must overcome her fears about going to first grade and walking into the school all by herself.

In HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE HARTLEY, Sophie is about to turn 10 and enter the double-digit era – a place she’s not sure she wants to be, based on the changes she sees going on in her friends and family.

Stephanie received a starred review in the Horn Book for HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE HARTLEY and a coveted mention by Roger Sutton for PRINCESS POSEY in the Horn Book newsletter.

From Stephanie Greene:

“I wrote PRINCESS POSEY AND THE FIRST GRADE PARADE because one day, I drove into the school down the road and saw a sign that said, “Kiss and Go Lane.” My first thought was, “That could be hard on a child.” I imagined a small child having to kiss her parent good-bye, and shut the car door, and walk into the school – all by herself. It gave me a lonely feeling. I remembered all the times I’d walked my own little boy to his classroom and how good that made us both feel. The idea of having to walk down a long hall filled with big kids can be scary when you’re going into the first grade. But children are brave – the bravest people I know. Once they make up their minds, they can do anything.”

Read “What’s Your Story, Stephanie Greene” HERE.

Learn more about Stephanie on her website HERE.

I grew up in an old house in Connecticut that had a sledding hill on one side, a river behind the house, and woods behind that. I was smack-dab in the middle of four brothers and sisters. When we didn’t hate one another, we loved one another. When we weren’t fighting, we were playing. My sisters and I loved to put on plays. With my brothers, we played a scary night time tag game called “Monster.” One minute we were best friends and the next we were best enemies. But when push came to shove, if anyone from the outside world tried to bully or bother one of us, we were all there for one another. Most families are like that.

Many people in my family have been writers. My mother, Constance C. Greene, was a children’s book author before me. My great-grandmother, great uncle, and grandmother were all poets. I grew up surrounded by books and understood that if you wanted to be a writer, the only way to do that was to sit down and write. I clearly remember my mother shoving aside all of the mess on our round dining room table so she could plunk her typewriter in that small space, and write.

• What kind of student were you?

It depended on the subject. If I liked it, I worked hard. If I didn’t like it, I didn’t work nearly as hard. But my parents were strict, so I had to do well.

• What were your favorite things to do when you were young?

Swim, ice skate, ride bikes, climb trees, build forts, read, ski, go to my friends’ houses, watch TV on weekends.

• What were you afraid of?

I was afraid of the dark for a long time. I didn’t like scary movies or roller coasters or small spaces or heights. I still don’t like any of those things but I’m no longer afraid of the dark.

• Did you have any bad habits as a child?

I bit my finger nails. I probably interrupted people, too, and I’m sure I did other things that other people thought were bad habits.

• Did you ever do something brave when you were young? 

Yes, when I was about 10, I saved the boy next door when he fell through the ice while we were playing ice hockey. I lay down on my stomach and extended my hockey stick and pulled him out. I didn’t feel brave – I felt relieved that I knew what to do when it happened.

• If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?

An editor. Their insight makes books as good as they can be. And the process of figuring out what’s working and what’s not working in a manuscript is fascinating to me. It’s called revision.

• Do you remember liking to read and write when you were in elementary school?

Yes, I loved to read. We didn’t have computers or cell phones or video games, and we were only allowed to watch TV on the weekends. Unless I was outside, I was reading a book.

Quick Picks:

P & J or Mac and Cheese? Mac and Cheese, definitely.

Favorite or least favorite vegetable? I love avocados. I don’t love yellow squash.

Favorite or most hated subject? Math was a favorite.

Download a copy of  “What’s Your Story, Stephanie Greene?” to share with students HERE.

Read “A Peek at Stephanie Greene’s Office” HERE.

Learn more about Stephanie on her website HERE.

My office.

My office is very small. Many people have bigger closets. I have to walk through the laundry room to get to it. The dirty clothes yell, “Wash me! Wash me!” but I ignore them.

As small as my office is, I have managed to get a lot accomplished in it. I have piles of manuscripts and ideas and notebooks all over the floor.

The bulletin board in my office.

This is my bulletin board. It isn’t much better. I pin photographs and letters and drawings and all sort of stuff on it.

My son.

This is a photo on the bulletin board of my son when he was little and wanted to be big.

I also have a poem he wrote when he was in the 3rd grade pinned on it.

It’s called “Just a Boy” and it says:

I’m the one who broke the vase.

Playing football

in the

house.

I’m sorry,

but boys

will be boys

Children write very wonderful poetry. And stories, too. Everyone should have their own bulletin board where they can save their favorite things.

Download a copy of this post to share with students HERE.

Read, “Your Friend, Stephanie Greene (A Letter to Readers) HERE.

Learn more about Stephanie on her website HERE.