I’m so glad you are reading Diamond Lil! It’s only the second chapter book I’ve ever written!
Diamond Lil is the sequel to The Trouble with Chickens (illustrated by Kevin Cornell). The original idea for the villain in the book – Vince the Funnel – came from a sketch that Harry Bliss did while we traveling on tour for one of the Diary of…books. He was doodling on post-its (as he often does) and drew a fantastic picture of a dog wearing one of those giant plastic cones around its neck. Then he gave it to me and said “You should use this in a story…Like a Peter Lorre character (an old-time actor).” I took the post it, and stuck it in my pocket – and in my brain. It took a while, but from a small, simple, but inherently funny sketch of one character, eventually grew my first chapter book. Harry was too busy at the time to illustrate it, but Kevin Cornell dove right in!
When you are done reading the book, you will have “met” almost everyone in my immediate family. JJ Tully – the search and rescue dog – is based on my Dad (JJ Cronin!). The four chicks in the series are the four Cronin Kids (Ken, Doreen, Cathy and Sean). Millicent, aka Moosh, is my mother, Ann. The villain that Harry Bliss originally came up got his name from my Uncle Vince (a very nice guy). Finally, Diamond Lil, is my dad’s sister, my Aunt Lillian. She passed away just a few months ago, and she may not have been a southern belle like the character who bears her name, but she did have a great personality!! I will leave it to you to decide which one of the annoying – yet adorable – little chickens is me!
This month, ReaderKidZ welcomes best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type and Rescue Bunnies, Doreen Cronin, with the second book in her hilarious J.J. Tully mystery series, The Legend of Diamond Lil.
What’s your story? Who? Where? When? Let your readers know something interesting about your childhood years. Include the good and the bad, the funny and the serious.
I grew up in Merrick, New York, which is on Long Island. It’s not far from the beach – and that’s where I spent an awful lot of time, no matter what the season, or what the weather. When I was young, I spent days there with my family (Mom, Dad, Big Brother, Little Sister and Little Brother), and when I got old enough, I took the bus there and went with my friends. It wasn’t just a summertime thing, we raced down there to see what the beach looked like in the snow, in the rain, and during storms. I have sat on the same patch of sand thousands of times at Jones Beach – it never looked (or felt) the same twice.
Besides the beach, I loved school, I loved the library, and I loved riding my bike around my hometown. There were a ton of kids on my block, so we all spent a lot of time running around the neighborhood, throwing crab apples at each other, riding our bikes, swimming in my neighbor’s pool (the only one on the block) and occasionally getting into trouble with snowballs and ring-and-run! We played running bases, the girls watched the boys play street hockey, and often we’d ride up to Carvel for some ice cream cones and flying saucers (kind of like an ice cream sandwich). We were more like a pack of fooligans, than hooligans.
Doreen with her girls!
People always ask if there are other writers in my family. The real answer is I’m just the first one in my family to write my stories down! My father was a great storyteller – specializing in funny, laugh-out-loud stories. Some of the stories were about his childhood, some were about his job (a police officer), and a lot of them were stories about us! My house could get kind of noisy, so I would often go into the closet in the room I shared with my sister, close the door behind me and read with a flashlight. I read in the basement sometimes, too. I wish I was one of those people who could read anywhere – but I get distracted easily and really need some peace and quiet to concentrate! My grandparents gave me a set of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys books when I was young. I loved those books and have a very clear memory of sitting in the basement on an old piece of furniture and devouring those mysteries! Maybe that’s where the very first seeds for JJ Tully Mystery Series were planted.
Doreen (top right) with her brother and sisters: Ken, Sean, and Cathy
The Original JJ - Doreen's Dad
What kinds of things did you get in trouble for?
Drawing on the walls (constantly), being mean to my sister, having a smart mouth. I no longer do two of those things.
What’s the hardest part about writing a book?
The first word. Blank paper is very intimidating. When I start a book, I write the first thing that comes to mind – even if it doesn’t make any sense. Even if it’s the most boring or ridiculous or obnoxious thing I can imagine. It gives me a place to start – and I am no longer staring at a blank piece of paper (or a blank screen.)
Did you have a best friend? Who was it and why were you best friends?
Maria Tilocca was my best friend. I think it was our mutual love of pogo sticks and Oreos. Her grandparents lived with her – and I always thought that was really cool.
Abby and Julia as Cave Children!
What one thing can you tell readers that nobody knows?
Before I throw anything out, I take it apart – whether it’s a chair, a pen, an old pair of shoes, or a couch. I like to see how things are put together. Oddly enough, the best way to do that is to take it apart.
If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
It’s Read Across America Day, and classes all over the country will be celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday by sharing their love of reading. In honor of the day, Sylvan Dell Books is offering free access to all their ebooks. Here’s the info from the publisher:
“Sylvan Dell Publishing will be participating in Read Across America Day by offering all of its award-winning eBooks FREE to read at www.sylvandellpublishing.com on March 2. Participants will have access to Sylvan Dell’s full eBook Site License including eBooks with auto-flip, auto-read, and selectable English and Spanish text and audio. This is in addition to the free activities available every day including a “For Creative Minds” educational section, 40-70 pages of free teaching activities, three quizzes, and a related websites page for each title.”
It was a special treat last week to read aloud and discover my students’ enthusiasm for THE GREAT DIVIDE by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Erin. E. Hunter (Sylvan Dell, 2012). I honestly wasn’t sure what their reaction would be. True, we’d been focusing on division for several weeks, so the students had quite a lot of background knowledge. And a number of the children had already passed the grade-level division timed tests. But how would they react to a rhyming text that included not only a simple division problem, but that also aimed to introduce the collective noun (animal group) names of each species mentioned?
The kids enjoyed the book immensely! They were completely engaged with the text and with each new page, were anxious to call-out the answers. Together, we marveled at the interesting animal group names, and wondered about the origin of some of the more unusual names. Today, we’ll take advantage of Sylvan Dell’s free e-book offer and check out Suzanne Slade’s companion book about multiplication, MULTIPLY ON THE FLY.
Whodunit? Readers of all ages love a good mystery. Whether it’s the fun of figuring out who the culprit is as the story goes along, or seeing the bad guy get his just deserts, there are few things more satisfying than a good mystery. Luckily for children on all reading levels, the selection of mysteries from early readers on, is huge.
This month, ReaderKidZ welcomes best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type and Rescue Bunnies, Doreen Cronin, with the second book in her hilarious J.J. Tully mystery series, The Legend of Diamond Lil. Cronin’s trademark dry humor and zany sense of the absurd will delight middle grade readers in this newest caper. J.J., the search-and-rescue dog with attitude, is faced with a new problem: when the glamorous Diamond Lil moves in next door, more heads are turned than those of Moosh, the resident chicken, and her chicks. Who is this dame, and what’s her real story? Can J.J. take his head out of the clouds long enough to figure it out?
Next week, be sure to return to ReaderKidZ for “Doreen’s Story” and her “Letter to Young Readers.”
There’s nothing quite like a laugh shared between a parent and her child, a teacher and his students, or a librarian and a class of eager listeners. This week’s Book Room features funny books that will have kids and adults laughing out loud. What’s more? Each of these books structure their stories in non-traditional ways. Want children to write a how-to manual? Check out M.O.M. for some great inspiration. Looking to practice dialogue using speech bubbles? Take at look at YOU’RE FINALLY HERE, THE VOLE BROTHERS, and HAPPY PIG DAY!
Doreen Cronin is no stranger to books that bring on the giggles. A peek at two of her better known books – DIARY OF A WORM and CLICK CLACK MOO – are proof enough that Cronin knows exactly how to turn a story on its head and fill it with laughter. M.O.M is no exception. Case in point, the: “Introduction:It is widely accepted that mothers are the most advanced human models on the planet. They are capable of superhuman energy, strength, patience, and creativity. They come in many shapes and sizes…
Mélanie Watt is another author whose books are sure to charm the giggles out of even the most reluctant readers. This author of SCAREDY SQUIRREL and CHESTER THE CAT knows how to find the humor in the everyday.
What child hasn’t experienced the agony of waiting for a special friend to arrive? Sometimes the waiting can feel endless, can’t it? But then the friend finally arrives and the celebration begins! Or it will, but not until the big question ” Where were you?” is answered to humorous effect.
The Vole Brothers are hungry. They’ve got a plan to outwit the cat and fill their tummies with yummy pizza. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones feeling ravenous. With humor and plenty of silly antics, the Vole Brothers make sure they get a piece of the action and the (pizza) pie! Check out a video of Roslyn Schwartz talking about her latest title HERE.
It’s Happy Pig Day and Gerald wants to celebrate with his good friend, Piggie. But how can he? He’s the wrong color, has the wrong kind of nose, and doesn’t have hooves! What could be worse? To top it off, he can’t even say “Oinky! Oink! Oink!” Fortunately, Piggy has the perfect solution and before long, Gerald is happily celebrating Pig Day with the rest of Piggie’s friends.
Using free verse and a new form developed specifically for this story, Helen Frost – no stranger to the LBH award – created HIDDEN, (Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2011) a narrative rich in intrigue with a mystery that pulled me quickly through the story. HIDDEN was named a Lee Bennett Hopkins Honor Book.
Read more about the Lee Bennett Hopkins Award HERE.
idea for the villain in the book – Vince the Funnel – came from a sketch that Harry Bliss did while we traveling on tour for one of the Diary of…books. He was doodling on post-its (as he often does) and drew a fantastic picture of a dog wearing one of those giant plastic cones around its neck. Then he gave it to me and said “You should use this in a story…Like a Peter Lorre character (an old-time actor).” I took the post it, and stuck it in my pocket – and in my brain. It took a while, but from a small, simple, but inherently funny sketch of one character, eventually grew my first chapter book. Harry was too busy at the time to illustrate it, but Kevin Cornell dove right in!
When you are done reading the book, you will have “met” almost everyone in my immediate family. JJ Tully – the search and rescue dog – is based on my Dad (JJ Cronin!). The four chicks in the series are the four Cronin Kids (Ken, Doreen, Cathy and Sean). Millicent, aka Moosh, is my mother, Ann. The villain that Harry Bliss originally came up got his 
name from my Uncle Vince (a very nice guy). Finally, Diamond Lil, is my dad’s sister, my Aunt Lillian. She passed away just a few months ago, and she may not have been a southern belle like the character who bears her name, but she did have a great personality!! I will leave it to you to decide which one of the annoying – yet adorable – little chickens is me!
