Literacy Now

Chris Soentpiet (pronounced: soon-peet) is the recipient of a gold medal awarded by the Society of Illustrators; has received accolades from the International Reading Association, PARENTS magazine, the American Library Association, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, the Chicago TRIBUNE, the San Francisco CHRONICLE, and THE SMITHSONIAN; and has been recognized by the American Society of Portrait Artists Foundation. When not painting, Chris enjoys visiting schools across the country promoting the love of children’s literature and the arts. An honor graduate from the Pratt Institute of Art, he lives in New York City with his wife and kids. To learn more about Chris, visit his Web site at www.soentpiet.com.

Your most recent work is AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: TOGETHER WE STAND. Can you tell us a little about the project and your involvement in it?

Ken Geist, an editor from Scholastic, approached me with a great concept. He wanted ten diverse and distinguished groups of children's book artists from different ethnic backgrounds and different art style to interpret the famous song "America the Beautiful." He believed using inspiring presidential quotes paired with the artwork deepens our experience of this beloved patriotic song.

I was delighted when he asked me to be a part of this project because I firmly believe America is truly a melting pot. I also knew a group of diverse artists would be able to capture the spirit of the song in our own unique artistic ways.

When you were eight, you and your sister were adopted by an American family, and the two of you relocated from your birthplace (South Korea) to your new home in Hawaii. Did growing up in such gorgeous, lush landscapes influence your art?

Seoul, Korea was basically a large city. However, when I was adopted to live in Hawaii, I was amazed at the luscious Hawaiian tropical landscape, especially the ocean with its vibrant colors. It must have subliminally stayed in the back of my mind because I try to replicate those crisp bright colors in my illustrations, even when painting people.

Your style pays homage to that of your idol, Norman Rockwell, and you describe your artistic process as being similar to his. What exactly is that process?

My idol Norman Rockwell and I have many similarities in our artwork:

ONE: We both love to paint people, especially faces of all races, genders, and ages.

TWO: To capture the realism, we both photograph real people to use as reference for our illustrations. We also use many different props, which we often make ourselves.

Also in many occasions, we paint our close friends, family, neighbors and even ourselves in the illustrations. I often dress them up in period costumes. This can be lots of fun.

THREE: Whenever possible, we both love going to the location where the actual story in the illustration takes place. For example, for my book MY BROTHER MARTIN I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia where the author Christine King-Farris, the older sister of Dr. Martin Luther King, showed me her childhood home where they grew up.

For SILVER PACKAGES I traveled to Malden West Virginia where the author Cynthia Rylant grew up. I sketched and took plenty of photographs of the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. I also interviewed and photographed many of the local town’s people. They even graciously invited me in to their homes (some I even used them as models in the book.)

By traveling to the locations, I get a real sense of the place, through sight, smell and even sound. In the end, the painting becomes that much more authentic.

FOUR: We both use colors and luminous lighting to create a believable atmosphere and mood. We want our viewers to be transported right into the illustrations and to feel the emotion of each character.

The only difference would be our actual medium. Norman Rockwell used oil paints, while I prefer using watercolor.

Nevertheless, our goal in end is the same. We both want to create a beautiful realistic work of art.

We’re honored that you’ll be presenting at this year’s Book and Author Luncheon, at IRA’s 58th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas. What can attendees expect from this event?

I am honored to be this year’s luncheon speaker! I hope to present an exciting and informative as well as entertaining presentation on my approach to creating picture books from concept to completion. I will also touch upon my personal stories, such as being adopted, and how it influenced me to become a children’s books artist. And I will also talk about the wonderful people especially teachers , who have guided me along the way to becoming an artist.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Celebrating Teachers Making a Difference.” Can you tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life?

Many wonderful teachers along the way guided my path to becoming an artist. One is Mr. Ron Jansen, my high school teacher who I will talk about in my luncheon program.

The other teacher/mentor/friend is Ted Lewin. During my senior year at Pratt Institute, he and his wife Betsy Lewin gave a wonderful presentation about their artwork as guest lecturers. I was amazed at his illustrations. He did something unique with watercolors that I loved. Most realistic artists use only watercolors to paint landscapes, but he was able to paint people beautifully using watercolors and it fascinated me.

After his presentation, I nervously showed him my paintings. Upon reviewing my portfolio, he said, “Chris, through your pictures, you have a natural story telling ability—it conveys your skill as a children’s book illustrator.”

His words encouraged me to pursue a career as a full-time children’s books artist. He invited me to his home (ironically he lived across the street from me for years and I never knew that), and during my senior year he worked very closely with me to develop a solid portfolio of paintings which I presented to the publishers. He always told me I had “a fire in my belly”—a strong motivation. I will never forget his generosity and all that I have learned from him

Join Chris Soentpiet at IRA 2013 for this year’s Book and Author Luncheon on Monday, April 22, 2013, from 12 PM to 1:30 PM. Tickets can be purchased here.



5 Questions With... Salina Yoon (PENGUIN AND PINECONE)

In Other Words: Paneling with Susan Beth Pfeffer

Salina Yoon is the award-winning author and illustrator of the Penguin picture book series, featuring PENGUIN AND PINECONE, and the forthcoming PENGUIN ON VACATION and PENGUIN IN LOVE from Walker Books. She has also created nearly 200 novelty and board books for young children. She lives with her family in Southern California, but you can visit her online at www.salinayoon.com.

You’ve chronicled Penguin’s adventures on the Penguin and Pinecone blog. Do you always flesh out your characters beyond the pages of the book, or does Penguin hold a special place in your writerly heart?

Penguin is my first of many firsts. He is my first series character to star in my first story-based picture book, and first to be sculpted with clay and star in my first blog ever. He holds a very special place in my heart because of the stories Penguin inspires, and for challenging me to write them.

Lots of other “firsts” are happening in my career because of Penguin, like my participation at IRA next month!

You’ve written many novelty books for children, and you’ve cited interactivity and “play appeal” as important elements in this genre. How do those fun elements translate or get altered when writing a picture book like PENGUIN AND PINECONE?

In a novelty, I design the physical book to make them interactive with lift-flaps, soft things to touch, shiny accents, or a wheel to spin, which add to its play value.

For Penguin, my focus on play appeal changed to character appeal. I want my readers to fall in love with Penguin, the character, and follow him on his heartfelt adventures.

On your website you briefly chronicle some differences between your early childhood in Korea and that of your children in the US. How does your experience of young life in Korea and the United States inform your writing?

I strive to create books that appeal to all children on a universal level—not limited to certain cultures, generations or lifestyles. Penguin’s natural curiosity, his compassion, his joy, his sadness, his longing, [and] his wonderment, are universal emotions that can resonate with children everywhere.

You’ve said that you switch between illustration styles and between digital and hand drawing. How do you make the decision as to how you’ll tackle each project?

In my former life, I was an art director. It was my job to match in-house book projects with the right illustration style. I considered how well the style would work with the content of the book as well as its intended audience.

When I went off to write/illustrate my own books, my process stayed the same except that my pool of illustration styles were now limited to the ones I could create and the books were limited to the ones I could write.

You're appearing at IRA's 58th Annual Convention, where the theme is "Celebrating Teachers Making a Difference." Can you tell us about a teacher who made a difference in your life?

Mrs. Cook, my third grade teacher at Rosewood Elementary. I remember her with fondness for so many reasons, one of which is that she was pregnant. I had never seen a pregnant woman up close in my life at the time, and was mesmerized by her big round belly. She let curious students put our hands over her big baby bump so we could feel the baby kick. But it wasn’t just for that reason!

She expressed to me that I had a talent for art. I knew I liked art… but… talent? Mrs. Cook encouraged me to enter a bookmark drawing contest and helped me write up a slogan for it. I won first place in this contest, my first ever ART contest. This planted a seed in me—a desire to make art that grew and grew.

Thank you, Mrs. Cook, and all the other Mrs. Cook’s out there, planting the seeds!

Come see Salina Yoon co-present the symposium IRA Teachers' Choices Committee Presents: Making a Difference for Readers, Writers, and Artists by Connecting them with Authors and Illustrators who Create Books that Inspire, Motivate, and Delight, at IRA’s 58th Annual Convention on Monday, April 22, 2013.



5 Questions With... Jill Robinson (JASPER'S STORY)

5 Questions With... Melissa Sweet (BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY: THE TRUE STORY OF THE PUPPETEER OF THE MACY'S PARADE)

Jill Robinson MBE, Dr.med.vet. h.c. has been a pioneer of animal welfare in Asia since 1985 and is widely recognised as the world’s leading expert on the cruel bear bile industry, having campaigned against it since 1993. In 1998, she founded Animals Asia, an organisation that is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam by promoting compassion and respect for all animals, and working to bring about long-term change. From starting Animals Asia out of her front room, Jill has built the organisation into a respected international NGO with over 300 staff, an annual turnover of more than US$9 million, award-winning bear sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, headquarters in Hong Kong, and offices in Australia, China, Germany, Italy, the UK, US and Vietnam.

The sad practice of bear bile farming is central to JASPER’S STORY: SAVING MOON BEARS. Can you tell us about the origins of and efforts to stop this tradition?

More than 10,000 bears—mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears—are kept on bile farms in China, and around 2,400 in Vietnam. The bears are milked regularly for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine.

Bile is extracted using various painful, invasive techniques, all of which cause massive infection in the bears. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.

My personal journey with the bears began following my first visit to a bear farm in 1993. On that memorable day, I joined a group of tourists and went "undercover" to investigate a practice I'd heard about, but never seen. There, in this horrible dark room, staring at row after row of caged and tortured bears…I had never seen such treatment of animals, or felt such shame of being a human being.

Walking past the cages, I suddenly felt something touch my shoulder. There was a female moon bear with her paw stretched through the bars of the cage. Without thinking of the consequences, I somewhat stupidly held her paw. Rather than hurting me, she gently squeezed my fingers and her beautiful brown eyes blinked sorrowfully into mine—with a message that was clear. I never saw her again, but that one bear, Hong, began the dream of the moon bear rescue campaign we now have today.

In 1998 I founded Animals Asia and today, we have rescued 285 bears in China and 112 bears in Vietnam. I love their quiet intelligence, their charismatic natures, and their forgiveness. They have a sense of fun out here in our grassy enclosures that defies their years of torture and suffering on the farms.

Animals Asia's strategy to end bear farming includes constructing and managing sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, reducing demand through working with the traditional medicine community, monitoring the legal and illegal trade in bear bile, running extensive public awareness campaigns highlighting the cruelty of the industry, and engaging with governments and policy makers in Asia and across the world.

You’ve dedicated your life to rescuing moon bears through the Animals Asia foundation. What makes the story of Jasper remarkable and in what ways does it represent the plight of other moon bears in Asia?

Jasper’s story is remarkable in that it simply and effectively exposes the reality of the bear farming industry. I will never forget the shock of seeing Jasper’s mutilated abdomen for the first time as he lay there helpless, vulnerable, and unable to move in his cage. Part of a group of 63 very sick bears, Jasper represented the gruesome truth of the trade which sees thousands of bears suffering on the farms.

As remarkable as Jasper is, we have come to learn that he is really no different to the nearly four hundred equally remarkable bears that we have rescued so far. It is hard to believe that they are crushed and abused on these hideous farms, but ultimately grow to forgive the same species that has caused them so much physical and psychological pain.

Jasper’s forgiveness especially is legendary and he is an extraordinary character. He welcomes new arrivals with the friendliness of an old patriarch and still finds time to rough and tumble with the juveniles in what we affectionately term a “bear bundle.” Almost every time I walk past where he sleeps out in the enclosure, I call his name and see his big Mickey Mouse ears prick up before he lifts his head and glances my way. It’s not long before he wanders over for some treats, and gently licks peanut butter from my fingers.

Jasper suffers from physical and emotional scars as a result of his treatment. How did you and your co-authors balance the severity of the abuse with enough hope that the story is appealing to young readers?

Co-author Marc Bekoff and I are great believers in the “individual,” and that one’s own compassion starts with being kind and respectful to every person or every animal you meet. In this way, whole species themselves can be protected by those influenced by just one bear, one dog, one tiger, or one bee. Every species has a role to play in the ecosystem and, as the species responsible for so much of the earth’s destruction, it is our moral duty to change and encourage others to change.

Jasper was given a second chance after being so badly abused on the farm and, through his forgiveness and charismatic nature, he now reaches out and influences the hearts and minds of everyone who reads his story. On a personal level, Jasper makes us realize why we are here—and I often say that he rescues us every bit as much as we rescued him.

What reaction do you hope for from readers who may have never seen a moon bear or been exposed to the practice of bear farming?

I hope that readers will connect with a beautiful, majestic bear who turns a life of misery into one of pleasure and hope, and whose story shows that every single one of us can make a difference. I hope that readers will reflect on the smallest things we can all do each and every day, which can help literally millions of animals across the world.

What are some of the best books and resources available for our members to educate their students about fighting animal cruelty and helping moon bears specifically?

The best resource is our website, which also contains a great kids’ page. Please visit www.animalsasia.org.

We also have a great Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AnimalsAsia

There is a wonderful film about our rescue of bears: CAGES OF SHAME. It’s the revelatory account of Animals Asia’s rescue of 10 bears from a bile farm in China. Directed by Martin Guinness and featuring narration by Emmy Award-winning actor Peter Coyote, the emotional tale of success against all odds was the winner of the Humane Society of the United States 2011 ACE Documentary Film Grant. More on the film is available at the website www.cagesofshame.com.

For younger children, the books I would unhesitatingly recommend are:

KIDS & ANIMALS by Marc Bekoff, with a foreword by Jane Goodall
JASPER'S STORY: SAVING MOON BEARS by Jill Robinson and Marc Bekoff

For older students:

IGNORING NATURE NO MORE: THE CASE FOR COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATION, edited by Marc Bekoff
THE EMOTIONAL LIVES of Animals by Marc Bekoff
THE EXULTANT ARK by Jonathan Balcombe
Any of the books by Dr. Dame Jane Goodall!

Finally, our USA office can send more information to all inquiries. Email info@animalsasia.org or call (415) 677-9601.



5 Questions With... Wendy Henrichs (WHEN ANJU LOVED BEING AN ELEPHANT)

5 Questions With... Denise Brennan-Nelson (MAESTRO STU SAVES THE ZOO)

p: Susan Young

Stephan Pastis is the creator of PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, an acclaimed comic strip that appears in more than six hundred U.S. newspapers and boasts a devoted following. His 2011 compilation LARRY IN WONDERLAND debuted at #1 on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list for paperback graphic novels. TIMMY FAILURE: MISTAKES WERE MADE is his first book for young readers. He lives in northern California.

TIMMY FAILURE: MISTAKES WERE MADE follows a young detective in the mold of Encyclopedia Brown, but with one major difference—your hero’s not the sharpest crayon in the box. What’s the appeal of the bumbling boy wonder?

Every young detective I had ever read about, whether it was Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, or the Hardy Boys, was always incredibly clever. So I wanted to write a book about one who wasn't. The idea of that just made me laugh.

Thanks to a large print run and massive marketing blitz, TIMMY FAILURE is positioned to be anything but. How do you think the book will land with fans of other illustrated novels, such as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series?

Uh oh. I'm worried you just jinxed me. So I'm going to knock on wood for the both of us.

As to how it will be received, it's always an unknown. As with anything creative one does. I would hope that kids find it funny, and maybe even a little touching, and that it makes them want to read more books.

Due to the reputation of PEARLS BEFORE SWINE, your nationally syndicated comic strip (with a sometimes dark and decidedly adult sense of humor), some have questioned how you can make the leap into middle-grade lit. How did you harness your brand of humor for a younger audience?

Well, obviously I was conscious of certain limitations (i.e. no beer, no smoking, no swear squiggles). But really, other than that, it wasn't that hard. Because I think when I write, I often tend to appeal to those age groups anyways. You'd be surprised at the number of 8 to 12 year-olds that show up at PEARLS book signings. Maybe it's because in my head, I'm stuck at age 11. Thus, I just write for my peers.

Your comic strip is played out in 3-panel installments. What problems and new opportunities did you discover as you began working in medium with more space for expression?

It's so hard to tell a story in three panels. Most people probably don't realize what a limitation that is. You have to assume that the reader didn't read the prior day's comic strip, and therefore re-establish the premise each day. And that takes space. Space you don't necessarily have if you're also going to tell a joke.

So writing the novel was wonderful. I had more space and freedom than I've ever had before.

On your blog you’ve described your writer’s journey as a movement from “a wayward lawyer to a wayward cartoonist to a wayward kids’ author.” What’s been the impetus for this unruly path?

That was a bit tongue-in-cheek. You can't be too wayward and survive on the American comics page. But I do try to be as original as I can. I just want to do something in a way that nobody has done it before.



A Book for Every Reader

Graphic Novels Reviewed on READING TODAY ONLINE

This post originally appeared on the Engage/Teacher to Teacher blog in August 2012.

Rebecca Stead is the author of WHEN YOU REACH ME (Wendy Lamb Books), a New York Times Notable Book, New York Times bestseller, and winner of the 2010 John Newbery Medal. Rebecca's first novel for children, FIRST LIGHT (Wendy Lamb Books/Yearling), is a Junior Library Guild selection and a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year (2008). Rebecca grew up in New York City, where she worked as a public defender until about ten years ago. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband, Sean, and their sons, Jack and Eli. Her latest book for middle grade readers, LIAR & SPY (Wendy Lamb Books) comes out this August.

Your new novel, LIAR AND SPY, keeps a secret from the reader until the end of the novel (not unlike your Newbery Medal winner, WHEN YOU REACH ME). How important is this element of mystery to capturing the interest of a middle grade reader?

I think every book needs a sense of mystery, whether it’s written for kids or adults. When I’m reading a book, I savor my questions: What’s going to happen? What secrets are the characters keeping from me? Rich, delicious questions = exquisite reading pleasure. But if I run out of questions, I run out of interest. As a writer, I want my readers to be aware, as they read, that they don’t know everything. And I want them to care about the things they don’t know, which means they have to care about my characters. So plot and character are intertwined in a wonderful way.

While I was writing WHEN YOU REACH ME, I wanted to create a puzzle whose final piece would radically change the whole picture. LIAR & SPY has different secrets at its heart, and they are revealed in a different way. To use a possibly-unflattering metaphor, I might call it a slow leak. But the sense of mystery always has to be present. When I’m revising a chapter, I often start by asking myself, “What is the reader waiting to find out now?” Because as some questions are answered, others have to rise up to take their places, until the very end.

Georges, the protagonist of LIAR AND SPY, is dealing with some serious upheaval in his life. How do you try to stay true to the voice of a tween when facing issues and conflicts often considered the territory of YA novels?

Pre-teens deal with a lot of upheaval. If we think their lives are simple or carefree, we’re kidding ourselves. Ten, eleven, and twelve year olds are stepping over a threshold—intellectually, they’re blossoming; socially, they’re navigating muddy waters. Their relationships with their parents and ideas about themselves are changing. For me, this is the beauty of writing for middle-graders (by which I mean, roughly, 4th-7th graders). I can write about complex questions (to which I don’t have the answers), and I know that they’re right there with me.

You’ve said that you find that young readers can handle somewhat dark material, and that they were drawn to “the deeper stuff” in WHEN YOU REACH ME. What do you see as some taboo or less-explored themes or topics in children’s literature that, if addressed, would hold great value to young readers?

My answer has to be qualified a bit—I think that some middle-grade readers would be nourished by books that dig around questions of religious faith and atheism, books that invite kids to examine their own ideas, and their assumptions about other people, without anxiety, hostility or guilt. Nothing with an agenda, of course. I despise agendas.

On your website you offer the following piece of wisdom: “The most important thing to know about writing is that there are no rules.” What are the tangible manifestations of that mantra in your regular writing routine?

To begin with, I have no regular writing routine. Sometimes I get very down on myself about that. But I think that when I say “no rules,” I mean that writers should resist the impulse to fit their work into a mold created by someone else. When I’m writing a first draft, I’m pulling material from my heart and trying not to let it die before it hits the page. I hope that I’m brave enough to let that material take me to interesting places. I’d much rather write something truly weird than write something familiar.

We’ve interviewed authors who write at beloved desks, in home offices, and even in personal writing cottages, but you are the first who enjoys writing on the subway. How do you manage to create in the midst of crowds, noise, and general hustle and bustle?

As a high school kid, I fell asleep on the subway regularly. For me, the “hustle and bustle” is like the sound of the ocean—a distant crashing that tells me the Earth is still turning. And if a fight breaks out—well, that’s just free material.



5 Questions With... Clare Vanderpool (NAVIGATING EARLY, MOON OVER MANIFEST)

5 Questions With... R.J. Palacio (WONDER)