Fungi Grow

Posted on 12/04/2023

S&S/Beach Lane | 978-1665903653

I’ve admired Maria Gianferrari‘s work for years, and 2023 has been an especially busy time for her as this year Maria released 5 new books! Today, I am thrilled to share her recently published, FUNGI GROW, illustrated by Diana Sudyka. This ode to fungi is a delight to read aloud as well as a must-have for all home and school libraries. The text is lyrical and informative and the art is truly stunning, some of Diana Sudyka’s finest work. Writers will find FUNGI GROW is the perfect mentor text for the best science-based picture book nonfiction being created today.

Here’s the publisher’s description:

Above ground, below ground, all around, fungi grow. They root and fruit and twist and twine everywhere on earth. Some are edible, some are medicinal, some are even poisonous. Step into this book and discover the amazing array of mushrooms and see how they multiply. Learn how fungi heal and help humans. Explore the incredible underground fungal network that helps forests thrive. And so much more!

As soon as I laid eyes on FUNGI GROW, I knew I wanted to interview Maria about its creation. I’m so glad she said YES!

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DIANNE: Thanks for joining us on ReaderKidZ, Maria. I’ve been a fan of your books for ages, and I’m so excited to talk to you about one of your newest, FUNGI GROW! You mentioned in an interview with Andrea Wang on Picture Book Builders, that the inspiration for Fungi Grow began while researching your book, Be a Tree!

MARIA: Thanks for having me on ReaderKidZ, and likewise, Dianne! It was lovely to finally have met you at NCTE, and of course, we share both a love of words and a beloved illustrator in Felicita Sala. [DW: Indeed. Felicita is the best!]

DIANNE: You mention in your Picture Book Builders interview that your “discovery draft” began with a focus on mushrooms, but eventually led you to the underground world of fungi. I’ve heard novelists use the term discovery draft, but I’m not sure I’ve ever heard an early draft of a picture book referred to in exactly that way, and I’m curious. Do you write a full draft with a certain focus in mind and later decide that you want to zoom in on a particular aspect of your original idea, or –in the case of Fungi Grow — open up the idea to include more? Can you share a little about your process?

MARIA: Every project is a little bit different. Sometimes, though rarely, things come out in nearly full form—I hear the voice and the sentences form in my head, and I am in the zone. The words flow. That was the case for Be a Tree! as well as another picture book, Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness. For those, the editing process was only a bit of paring and re-arranging. It’s so nice when those “gifts” from the universe happen (or with the latter, I think of it as a gift from my late and very beloved dog, Becca). But alas, most often, it’s a process of finding the right voice and tone and structure through trial and error and experimentation—that’s why I think of it as a discovery process.

Be a Tree! led me to the world of mycorrhizal fungi—the kind that partner with trees and other plants, and the magic of mycelium, the roots of fungi. The first draft I wrote, called Marvelous Mushrooms, was a direct celebration of mushrooms themselves. It sparked the interest of editor Andrea Welch who requested a revision. After a wonderful conversation, we both agreed that it wasn’t quite there yet. So that’s when the “discovery” aspect happened—I had to try a lot of different formats to figure out how and what I most wanted to say. Sometimes that involves taking on different structures to see how things take shape, the way a sculptor chisels and hones. We do that with our words. Once I came up with the “fungi grow” refrain, and decided to take a circular life cycle approach, beginning and ending with spores, then things came together.

DIANNE: Ah, yes! That makes sense!  Our writing processes sound very similar in that sometimes an idea comes fully formed, and other times, it’s all about play and experimentation with the form and shape.

Fungi Grow reads like a poem in free-verse and your use of language (alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, rhyme and more) makes the read-aloud experience rich and enjoyable. Do you have any favorite lines? Or a sentence that popped out and you immediately knew it was perfect?

MARIA: Thanks, Dianne. It’s magical when that happens! This section sprouted in full form. I love Diana’s art—so lush and lovely.

“Mushrooms sprout.

Parasols pop out.

Mushrooms fan,

arc,

Spread their skirts.”

© Text by Maria Gianferrari, illustration by Diana Sudyka

DIANNE: There’s a journey in this book – from spores to mycelium roots to fruit – the mushrooms that we’ve all seen sprouting in the woods or on our lawns. Their story could have been told in any number of ways, but you chose to write a lyrical ode to all things fungi. I bet it was challenging, but also fun! What was that process like?

MARIA: One thing I really wanted to share with readers is the idea of this hidden world beneath our feet—miles and miles of mycelium we only know is present when mushrooms form into fruit (unless we turn over old branches, or dig in the leaf litter). The kingdom of fungi is so fascinating, and there is so much out there yet to be discovered!

So, I began with spores, and the different ways that they are dispersed—through gills, teeth or pores, via wind, or water, or creatures, and the amazing ways that mushrooms have found ways to reproduce. I adore the way that Diana hand-lettered the onomatopoeic words and incorporated them so they blend with the art so seamlessly—it’s brilliant (and beautiful). Once I had this idea in mind, the life cycle structure emerged—starting with spores, they root, form hyphae, stretch and spread into mycelium. I really wanted to showcase the magic that’s happening underground. The next natural step was to focus on the various mushroom types, mycorrhizal, saprotrophic (decomposers) on to the explosion of the fruiting bodies of mushrooms in all their beauty and glory, and then back into the specific ways they work their wonders.

DIANNE: Can you talk about the embedded STEM information you include on many pages? Did you know from early on which types of fungi and related information you wanted to include? I’m also curious about any collaboration you might have had with the editor and illustrator as the sketches came in and the layout of text and art and “sidebars” were discussed?

© Text by Maria Gianferrari, illustration by Diana Sudyka

MARIA: There were some really STEM-amazing things that I knew I would definitely include right from the start like hulk bugs—who knew fungi could thrive in radioactive conditions? Plus, I love the humorous name.

Zombie ant fungus is way too cool not to have included. It basically invades an ant’s brain, forcing it to leave its nest and lock its jaw on a leaf. The ant then dies and a mushroom pops out of its head and rains spores on the ant colony below where it infects event more ants! Cordyceps really became popularized last fall in the series, by The Last of Us. But this fungus’ parasitic reproductive strategy evolved over millions of years and is specific to ants. Mycologists say that it’s unlikely to infect humans, but if it did, that too would probably take millions of years.

Mushrooms are sustainable and master recyclers—their mycoremediation properties are astounding: they can digest powerful pollutants, such as petroleum, chemical waste, and even heavy metals like mercury, so I knew their superpowers had to be celebrated in the book.

I love weaving in scientific language which can also be quite poetic; STEM concepts and poetry truly go hand-in-hand, like the way that hyphae release enzymes—they “spit/from hyphal tips,” a process of making new soil as they unmake whatever it is that’s being digested. Another example is this process called “puffing,” the wondrous way cottony rot fungus actually makes its own wind to spread its spores even farther. How cool is that?

Having a dual text can appeal to readers of different ages. A main text that is spare, poetic and lyrical can be read on its own to the younger set, separate from the more detailed STEM-ish sidebars which can appeal to older kids (and adults). When I read it at events, I begin by just reading the main text, and then I go back and re-read it with the sidebars. In that way we can delve into the science more and see the art anew too.

We collaborated and did our best to get the science right—we wanted to be as mycologically accurate as we possibly could. Some of the sections focused on specific mushrooms/fungi, like the shaggy ink cap which is so strong it can sprout through cement, or stinkhorn mushrooms that smell like rotten meat to attract flies, while others, particularly in the middle of the book, were left wide open for Diana to work her magical creative powers and visual artistry.

For example, this was the only text for this spread:

“Mushrooms bewitch, beguile and multiply.”

And from those mere words, Diana created this stunning spread featuring a wide variety of bright and beautiful mushrooms.

© Text by Maria Gianferrari, illustration by Diana Sudyka

And Diana is such a nature lover—I love how she “peoples” the book with all manner of small creatures from snails and salamanders, to moths and millipedes, bees and butterflies and an abundance of toads. That would be another fun thing to do with littles—ask them to find the hidden creatures in the book.

 © Text by Maria Gianferrari, illustration by Diana Sudyka

DIANNE: Thanks for walking readers through the genesis and development of your truly beautiful picture book.

You’ve had a busy year, with five new books out in 2023. Congrats! What’s up next?

MARIA: I’m looking forward to a quiet 2024—I will not have any books releasing, but I can continue to share this year’s releases in ways that will be less hectic, with meaningful tie-ins. My next book, a fiction picture book called Rain and the Reading Horse, with gorgeous art by Hannah Salyer, will be published in spring 2025 from Clarion Books. Hannah has a magnificent new picture book this year called Ancestory, that’s garnering a lot of well-deserved accolades.

As a picture book author, I feel so grateful and fortunate to work with such amazing artists and illustrators and visionary editors! It’s always such a delight to get those first sketches—to see the words brought to life in the art.

Stay tuned for a couple of nature-y book announcements to come :-).And thank you for featuring our Fungi Grow, Dianne!

DIANNE: Thank YOU, Maria. I can’t wait to hear more about your upcoming books. And, I hope while we’re waiting, readers will check out your website, where they can find out more about both your 2023 books and ALL the books that came before.

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Check out this “Homemade City” craft activity to accompany FUNGI GROW!

Read this interview with Maria on Picture Book Builders!

Brave Little Bear

Posted on 11/27/2023

S&S/Paula Wiseman Books | 978-1665951104

Each month, I read stacks of picture books. Not just because I want to stay on top of what’s new from week to week and month to month, but also because, when I teach classes about writing picture books, I like to share new favorites with students.

Those of us who write them know that picture books are deceptively hard to get just right. On top of that, there really is no end to the many shapes and forms of successful picture books. For that reason, I’m always trying to better understand what makes a book work structurally as well as how authors create stories that resonate with young readers and the adults who read to them. Recently, as part of a assignment, a student shared BRAVE LITTLE BEAR with our class. I was smitten!

 
CLICK TO ENLARGE © text and illustrations by Steve Small

It’s the end of winter and Arlo’s sister, Eva is awake and eager to explore the world beyond their cave. Arlo prefers things just as they are. He likes to “curl up and fall asleep next to Eva and his mother…” But all this will change because “today, the three of them would travel from the only home Arlo had ever known.”

When Arlo’s mama whispers in his ear, “Follow me, my brave little bear,” Arlo isn’t sure. He wants to be brave, just like Eva, but will he be able to find enough courage for his first adventure into the unknown?

CLICK TO ENLARGE © text and illustrations by Steve Small

This sweetest of picture books, written and illustrated by Steve Small, is a heartwarming and cozy read, as well as reminder that we are all braver than we think. For writers, BRAVE LITTLE BEAR is also the perfect study of a character-based picture book with a strong emotional throughline.

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Enjoy these Activity Sheets to accompany Brave Little Bear, and this Read Aloud with the author:

 

Giving Thanks

Posted on 11/22/2023

It’s been busy times around here. Last week I attended the annual National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) conference in Columbus, Ohio and being there among so many passionate educators, librarians, authors, editors, publishers, publicists, and booksellers is one of the reasons I’m feeling especially grateful this season.

Rather than sharing about one book this week, I thought I’d share a few photo highlights from the conference, along with a number of books that I picked up or plan to add to my collection in the near future.

This was my second time presenting at an NCTE conference, and my fourth attending, and I have to say that this year topped all the years that came before. One reason was the opportunity to present with two stellar poets, authors, and friends: Jyoti Rajan Gopal and Megan Litwin. It’s hard to believe we’ve only known each other for a couple of years, and entirely online, no less. We worked on Zoom for a good many months and had a great time putting together our presentation, The Promise the Poetry: Building a Connected Community of Learners through Poems and Picture Books. We’re already thinking ahead to next year!

Enjoy these highlights!

(And… if you happen to be reading this on your phone, you’ll notice the text and images are not mobile friendly! I had to disable that plug-in, but change is coming very soon and, when it does, things will line up again. Thanks for your patience!)

 

While in Columbus, we visited the most enchanting bookstore — COVER TO COVER. Their speciality?

Books for kids! We signed our books and bought a few new favorites to bring home.

 

And here are a few recently or soon-to-be published books on display in the exhibit area!

Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son

Posted on 11/06/2023

S&S/Paula Wiseman Books | 978-1534469273

Today is a BIG day. It will be the first time little Juanito gets to help his papi at work! Juanito’s father is a landscape contractor. Today Juanito will learn to “shape and trim bushes”, and “mow perfect lines in the grass” at Mrs. Tarbe’s house. There, Juanito sees his classmate, Alex at the window pretending not to see him. Juanito feels awkward and uncomfortable… Just then, Papi calls him to look at a nest of baby birds chirping in the middle of a bougainvillea bush. Juanito pulls out his sketchbook and starts to draw. Oh, how Juanito loves to sketch.

CLICK TO ENLARGE © illustrations and text by John Parra

At lunch, Juanito is still thinking about Alex. He asks his papi if he likes his work. “You know, ‘mijo, being your own boss is the best thing in the world. You have to work hard and sometimes you are treated like you are invisible.” His father continues, “when you do something you love and get to be creative, you feel proud.”

Juanito knows this feeling of pride. Throughout the day, he draws and works, works and draws. He’s becoming a fine artist!

At the end of the day, the last stop is at the home of a couple who have a big project in mind. And Juanito? He has the perfect design to transform Mr. and Mrs. Carroll’s overgrown yard into a beautiful landscape. Hours later, lost in his work, drawing, thinking, and adding color, Juanito creates the perfect plan.

CLICK TO ENLARGE © illustrations and text by John Parra

“You have a gift,” Mami tells Juanito.

Juanito knows that he will use his art “to tell the stories of hardworking, passionate people who make the world more beautiful.” In an author’s note, Parra writes that he is Juanito –  “The story of the little landscaper is the story of my childhood.”

GROWING AN ARTIST: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son is a celebration of a family’s warm relationships, and the enduring connection of respect, hard work and creativity.

 

Eek! Halloween! & Other Board Book Favorites

Posted on 10/30/2023

Boynton Bookworks | 978-0761193005

I generally don’t post about board books on ReaderKidZ, but I do very much admire the variety and skill of the authors who “own” the genre. And when it comes to humorous board books, there’s really no one quite like Sandra Boynton.

It takes a certain kind of skill to write a well-paced, satisfying, (and rhyming!) story of only 102 words. And Sandra Boynton has done just that in EEK! Halloween!

There’s a big round moon
in a dark, dark sky.
The chickens are nervous.

Do you know why?
It’s because…

CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text and Illustrations by Sandra Boynton

If picture books are like compact poems, board books are its tighter, flash fiction cousin. Short and sleek, EEK! Halloween! is this and more. Pitch-perfect timing, rhyme, alliteration, assonance, along with all manner of silly animal antics — from nervous chickens who scare easily to ducks with “ridiculous feet” — Sandra Boynton books have much to recommend them.

Do you have a favorite Sandra Boyntan book?

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If you’re looking for stellar examples by other authors, try these!

Tiny Jumper: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord

Posted on 10/23/2023

Little Bee | 978-1499813944

“Georgia Ann Thomspon weighed only three pounds at birth on April 8th, 1893.
Everyone called her Tiny, and the nickname stuck.”

At the age of six Tiny had to begin working in order to help her family. The work was hard, the days long. Her young life had become an endless cycle of poor working conditions and menial tasks.

In spite of the difficult challenges, at the end of the day, Tiny “would climb to a treetop to get away… and imagine rising UP…, far away from fields and mills.” She had big dreams and those “dreams gave her hope.”  Even so, she had little reason to believe her life would change significantly.

Then, in 1907, while attending the North Carolina State Fair, she “watched a hot-air balloon rise in the air…, a man balancing on a trapeze underneath it” and she got an idea. She wanted to rise in a balloon, just like the World Famous Aeronaut, Charles Broadwick, had done.

A year later, at the 1908 State Fair, Tiny’s dreams began to take flight. But that was only the beginning. By 1913, Tiny had became the first woman to parachute from an airplane. And In 1914, her courage and quick reactions allowed her to make the split-second decision that saved her life. Not only did she cut the static line after it had become tangled in the tail of a plane, but she also managed to find and jerk at the nub of line – while freefalling – thereby breaking the strings that covered the parachute. The piece of line she pulled would later become known as a rip cord.

Tiny Broadwick wearing a backpack-type parachute. (NASM)

I’m so pleased author Candy Dahl agreed to answer a few questions about her debut picture book, Tiny Jumper: How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord, vibrantly illustrated by Maithili Joshi.

DIANNE: It’s been a thrill to finally hold your book in my hands! In some ways, this is a book of your heart, about a daring woman – Tiny Broadwick – who had a dream that she wasn’t afraid to pursue. Can you talk a little bit about the initial spark that set you on path to writing this book?

CANDY: Thank you, Dianne, for giving me this opportunity to speak to my writing process in general and to talk a little about TINY JUMPER! I love to write historical fiction. This book is my first non-fiction picture book biography. Generally, I become obsessed with a subject after I visit an intriguing place or read about an amazing event or person, especially if that place or event or person is little-known. Daily, Monday through Friday, I receive a blog from the Office of the State Archives of North Carolina entitled “This Day in North Carolina History.” That’s where I first read of Tiny Broadwick, who was born in 1893 just 44 miles from where I currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina. I could not get out of my mind that poverty-stricken, uneducated girl who lived with such joy and courage and determination that she changed the world of parachuting forever! 

DIANNE: I imagine that finding the throughline for a picture book biography can be one of the most, if not the most, significant decisions a picture book writer needs to make. But we both know that writing picture books can often be a circuitous journey. Double that when you add in all the decisions inherent in writing a biography. Questions like – should this be a birth to death story, or a story about the subject’s most important milestones? What will you keep in? What should you leave out? Can you talk about some of the decisions you considered as you worked on TINY JUMPER?

CLICK TO ENLARGE Text © Candy Dahl Illustrations © Maithili Joshi 

 CANDY: Whew! My first draft of TINY JUMPER covered her life in detail from birth to death. It had to have been 2500 words. When I learned I needed to get the manuscript under 1,000 words, I almost gave up. Right away, I knew I had to concentrate on the years Tiny Broadwick was actively parachuting. But she had accomplished so many firsts in those years – not only parachuting from hot-air balloons at an early age, but becoming the first woman to parachute from a plane, the first woman or man to parachute from outside a hydroplane, and the first woman to make a water jump from a plane. And then she made her near-disasterous jump in her demonstration of a pack parachute to the US Army that resulted in her creating the rip cord to save her life. After many revisions, I zeroed in on her two most important accomplishments which changed the world of parachuting forever – the first woman to parachute from a plane and her courage to cut away from a static line and pull open the parachute’s covering herself as she hurtled toward earth at 80 feet per second.

DIANNE: Numerous reviewers of the book have mentioned the wonderful quotes you included throughout Tiny’s stories. I know it happens that first-hand accounts aren’t always readily available. But you were able to track down some marvelous quotes that give readers a picture of Tiny’s mindset and her adventurous spirit. Can you briefly talk about the research you did? Any surprises? Any challenges?

CANDY: In my research, I was blessed to find a biography of Tiny Broadwick, written by Elizabeth Whitley Roberson and published in 2001. She included an extensive bibliography at the end of the book, which also included pictures and quotes from people who knew Tiny well. A great resource for quotes came from a personal interview conducted in the later years of Tiny’s life by the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. They were kind enough to share the interview with me and even more gracious to review my manuscript for authenticity.  

CLICK TO ENLARGE Text © Candy Dahl Illustrations © Maithili Joshi 

DIANNE: TINY JUMPER is a beautiful book and I know you’ll be keeping very busy over the coming months, sharing her story with readers in North Carolina and beyond. What are you looking forward to in the months ahead? What do you hope your young readers will take away from TINY’s amazing story?

CANDY: In the months ahead, I will be speaking at the North Carolina Museum of History on Sunday afternoon, December 10, 2023. The museum has one of Tiny’s parachutes, and it will be on display along with some other artifacts. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that a paratrooper from Fort Liberty’s 82nd Airborne will join us to demonstrate a modern parachute. Then in July 2024, dates TBD, I will Zoom on a Friday and speak on a Saturday, from the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.

I hope young readers will understand the determination and perseverance that Tiny Broadwick used to make her life what she wanted it to be, and that in that life she found fulfilling joy. Physical attributes made no difference in Tiny’s drive and focus to achieve her goals. Tiny Broadwick proved that a brave, hardworking girl is a strong and powerful force who can change the world!

DIANNE: Thanks for stopping by ReaderKidZ, Candy, and for sharing Tiny Broadwick’s amazing story! 🪂

 

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Don’t miss this Tiny Jumper ACTIVITY KIT to accompany the book!

In the Night Garden

Posted on 10/02/2023

Neal Porter Books /Holiday House | 978-0823449866

“In the night garden, fireflies look like fallen stars.
Moonflowers unfurl and release their intoxicating perfume….
bats swoop and glide in the bluing sky.”

There’s something magical about gardens, and when that garden becomes the nighttime setting of a picture book, mystery and magic combine to create a place of wonder where crickets sing, streams murmur, and owls soar. If you’re lucky, you might even witness a falling star. There is more than enough to see, hear, and explore in a night garden.

CLICK TO ENLARGE © Text and Illustrations by Carin Berger

Illustrated by hand with cut paper collage from “found ephemera and scraps of paper, including ticket stubs, receipts, and ancient ledger books,” Carin Berger has created a nighttime garden of luminous blues and greens, orange-reds, and creamy shades of white. Gorgeous spreads invite the reader to accompany a cat on an ambling stroll of discovery, as the magic of the garden after dark unfolds until, eventually, …sleep calls.

This stunning book makes for a beautifully soothing read right before bedtime.

  • Pair this book with other books about the night: 

Dark on Light by Dianne White, illustrated by Felicita Sala

A Bed of Stars by Jessica Love

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes

What Color is Night? by Grant Snider

The Night Walk by Marie Dorleans