(c) Cynthia Cliff, cynthiacliff.com

How did you find your way into kidlit art and what do you love about it?
 
I still vividly remember the books I had when I was a very young child—the smell of them, the sound of the turning pages. I remember the feeling of wonder and excitement I got when books were being read to me, and can still clearly see the illustrations all these years later. Those stories allowed me to escape from my small-town farming community and gave me a bit of a glimpse of the big world out there. Picture book illustrations made a huge positive impression on me, and now as an illustrator I love that I can give that same kind of joy to a child.
 
Tell us a little about your process.
 
I do a ton of research and look at lots of photos (I become a bit obsessed), and absorb it all. Then I put it all away so that my art can be original and stylized, and not a copy of what I’ve seen. For portraits, I’ll look at many photos of the real person and draw a composite so that I get a new and unique image and not a copy of an existing image. For character development, I find it’s helpful for me to identify a real person that I can use as inspiration for the character. Then I start to draw, doodle, sketch, and play until I develop my own characters that feel right. I work in colored pencil, pen and gouache, as well as in Photoshop and recently, in Procreate on the iPad.
 
Why do you love illustrating historical moments and people of historical note?
 
I grew up in an historical small town where very little changed from generation to generation. I could reach out and touch the past every day—the old well pump in the yard, the cannonball in the barn wall, the prerevolutionary war stone shops in my village. I found Civil War buttons and arrow heads in my backyard and I wondered what life had been like for the people that last held them. When I was a child, a fun family outing was going to a historical site, or listening to an elder share some folklore. I developed a huge appreciation for history and it still fascinates me today. I suppose if I wasn’t an artist of some kind, I’d be involved in history in some way—three of my family members are archaeologists. My goal is to bring history to life for children so they can “see” history and appreciate all that can be learned from it.

What type of details do you look for when doing your research, and how does that research inform your illustrations?
 
I love to find out how people lived their days—what they wore, ate, listened too, and read. This research informs my art and helps me connect to the subject matter, be excited about it, and find the right vibe for the time period. For instance, when researching for the illustrations I did for the Honest History magazine issue about Tesla and Edison, I looked at many of their personal items, and read about their habits and their communication with each other. I saw that Tesla was a very dapper fellow and owned many gloves to match his custom-made suits, and I noticed a pair of chartreuse gloves in a museum collection about him. To me this color signified his “outside the box” creative thinking, and symbolized how unique he was. So, I used this color for his suit in the whole issue. The color made him stand out on the page, apart from all of the brown and gray dressed folks that were typical of the time period.
 
What are you working on now and why are you enjoying it?
 
Right now, I’m writing and illustrating a graphic-novel style book, tentatively called The Night People of Owl Island. This is a mystery book for young readers about a family on vacation and it will contain lots of fun details like a map, some facts about owls, some folk lore, and some “mysterious” people. I’m still in the very beginning stages and am working out the story and starting some character development. I really love organizing and planning a large effort like this one. It will involve the perfect mix of history and nature, and I wake up every day excited to work on it.

(c) Kristy Lankford, kristylankford.com

ALA Notable Books
Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina
Rebound written by Kwame Alexander
Stella Díaz Has Something to Say written by Angela Dominguez
The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo
 
Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of the NCTE
The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo,
 
Association of Jewish Libraries
All Three Stooges written by Erica S. Perl
 
Bank Street College
Hawk Rising written by Maria Gianferrari
Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina
Rebound written by Kwame Alexander
Terrific Tongues written by Maria Gianferrari
The Ambrose Deception written by Emily Ecton
The Eleventh Trade written by Alyssa Hollingsworth
The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo
Thread of Love illustrated by Zara Gonzalez Hoang

​Children’s Book Council: Children’s and Teens Choice 
The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo
 
Common Sense Media
How to Read a Book cowritten with Kwame Alexander 
The Crossover (Graphic Novel) written by Kwame Alexander
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer written by Lamar Giles
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
 
Cooperative Children's Book Center
Fly Girls written by Patricia O’Connell Pearson
Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles
Hawk Rising written by Maria Gianferrari
Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina
Rebound written by Kwame Alexander
The Poet X written by Elizabeth Acevedo

International Literacy Association & the Children’s Book Council Children’s Choices 
Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted written by Susan (VanHecke) Wood
Pluto Is Peeved! An Ex-Planet Searches for Answers written by Jacqueline Jules
​
Kirkus
How to Read a Book written by Kwame Alexander
Spin written by Lamar Giles
The Crossover (graphic novel) written by Kwame Alexander
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature written by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

​NCTE
Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Meg Medina
Rebound written by Kwame Alexander
 
NPR 
The Birds, The Bees, and You and Me written by Olivia Hinebaugh
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer written by Lamar Giles
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo

National Council of Social Studies (NCSS) Notable Social Studies Trade Books
Elizabeth Warren: Nevertheless, She Persisted written by Susan (VanHecke) Wood
Thread of Love illustrated by Zara Gonzalez Hoang
 
National Science Teaching Association
Instructions Not Included cowritten by Tami Lewis Brown

New York Public Library
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo
 
New York Times
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander

Parent’s Choice Awards
Nikki On the Line (audiobook), written by Barbara Carroll Roberts
 
Publisher’s Weekly
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo

​School Library Journal
How to Read a Book written by Kwame Alexander
The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander
With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo
 
Time Magazine’s Top 10 YA Books
The Last Last-Day-of-Summer written by Lamar Giles
With the Fire on High written by Elizabeth Acevedo

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy to be here!

As a work-for-hire (WFH) author for publishers like Abdo and Capstone, you've written nearly thirty nonfiction books, many covering STEM topics like robotics and space travel. How did you come across this kind of work?   

Through my agent(s), I had unsuccessfully tried out for a few fiction WFH projects. Then I discovered the educational WFH market, STEM nonfiction in particular. That seemed a natural fit for me. Before writing fiction (and teaching), I’d been a science writer for over twenty years, working with NASA, the Department of Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

How would you suggest an author break into educational (or trade) market WFH?

First of all, book packagers and publishers typically have a pool of writers to which they assign books or other projects. Some publishers use packagers or producers. Others work directly with writers. Either way, to get considered for upcoming projects, you need to get yourself into one or more of those pools. You need to find your niche.

How did you find your niche?

My niche wasn’t too hard to figure out. I wrote about space, the environment, and technology for adults for years. Plus, I also did a little coding. So my niche became STEM for elementary and middle school readers. For this age, most of these books are what’s called high interest. Wrapped in glossy covers, high-interest books are chock full of visuals and sidebars. Most include activities, prompts, discussion points, and/or other special features. Often, publishers try to correlate those special features to align with Common Core and/or other standards.

What if STEM is not an author's thing? 

If STEM is not your thing, don’t worry. The educational market spans many, many nonfiction topics, formats, and age ranges. For instance, sports books are huge. (I even wrote a STEM sports book.) So are history, biographies, animals, health and fitness, careers, crafts, and social studies, to name just a few. And publishers need these books at all reading levels, including hi-lo and leveled readers. (Many publishers put out these books in Spanish too.) The most important thing is being able to research a certain topic and then be able to break down the concepts without writing down to young readers.

How might authors find a potential market for their WFH services, even if they don't have an agent?
​
You can find educational publishers and book packagers through a number of resources. Once you find publishers and/or packagers that interest you, study their catalogs, and double-check their websites for submission guidelines for freelancers. You can also check out Molly Blaisdell’s work-for-hire select educational publishers list.

Once you’ve decided who you want to work for and in what areas, you need to send them a cover letter as well as samples of your work. If you don’t have any samples, you may have to write some, depending on the publisher/packager. Some might request a resume instead. Most publishers and producers include freelancer or work-for-hire information on their websites. 

What should authors include in their cover letters, and should they expect a reply?

​The cover letter is really the critical element. In it, describe your experience, areas of expertise, education, publication history, availability, and so forth. Be specific! Don’t just say your expertise is STEM. For instance, I usually say my areas are space, environmental science, computers, and internet technology. Your specific expertise and experience may get you the gig. 

Send out the samples and cover letter—and wait. You may not hear anything until the publisher or packager has a project that fits your skills and interests. This could be a week or two—or many, many months. 

​Do you enjoy doing work-for-hire projects and does it pay well?

I enjoy the work, but to be brutally honest, the pay rates can be very low ($300 for a 500–750-word book, for example) and the turnaround times can be extremely tight (as little as one month!). So you need to be able to research and write quickly and efficiently—not just to meet the deadlines but to also make it worth your time. However, I would say that WFH can be a solid way to fill in pesky income gaps. And I know some WFH authors who do school visits to help generate revenue. But I think you should do WFH only if you love writing about science and technology—or whatever your niche is. 

Thanks again, Angie, for stopping by and for sharing your WFH know-how!

My pleasure, Dionna.

​Angie Smibert, a Mid-Atlantic SCBWI member, has penned several YA and MG science-fiction and fantasy novels. So far, she’s published twenty-six educational work-for-hire titles. As a science writer for adults, Angie received NASA’s prestigious Silver Snoopy award. Many of her work-for-hire books for younger readers are published within award-winning science series. Angie teaches writing for Indiana University East and for the online MFA program at Southern New Hampshire University. Find her online at angiesmibert.com.

A Big Mooncake for Little Star tells the scrumptious story of a celestial little girl who helps her mama bake a mooncake. When it's done, all big and round like a rising orange moon, Mama places it into the nightsky to cool.

There it sits, smelling quite delicious.

Little Star tells her mama she'll wait until it's time to eat it, but then...after falling asleep, she forgets about waiting. She throws off her bed covers, pats her soft feet toward the Big Mooncake and begins to nibble-nibble-nibbles at its edges.

Little mooncake crumbs fall into the darkness and sparkle there like stars.

Night after night, Little Star nibbles, and with each nibble the mooncake wanes like the phases of the moon.

​Will there be any mooncake left for Mama?

A 2019 Caldecott winner, A Big Mooncake for Little Star is a timeless story written and illustrated by Grace Lin and published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers. It is a nod (with a multi-cultural flair) to the beloved book Blueberries for Sal, written and illustrated by Robert McClowskey, published in 1948, also a Caldecott medalist. The sparse yet beautiful text and striking illustrations both make A Big Mooncake for Little Star glow. And it certainly proves true the writing adage "less is more." 

Kids, ages 4-7, will delight in having this book read to them. And with a Lexile measure of 430, emergent readers will enjoy reading it by themselves. This book is sure to find a special place in the hearts of all little ones who've had to resist the too-soon nibbling of blueberries in pails or mooncakes glowing warm and smelling delicious in the nightsky. 

Alvina, thanks so much for allowing me to interview you!

Delighted to oblige!

First question for you. Despite being an über busy vice-president and editor-in-chief at Little Brown Books for Young Readers, why did you decide to volunteer your time to mentor a children's book author from a diverse background, even without knowing if the manuscript you chose from the selections you received from The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary would ultimately be publishable?

I have worked my whole career trying to bring diverse voices to children's books. As an industry we are working really hard to publish books written and illustrated by authors and illustrators from all walks of life. So when I heard about working as a mentor with The Word, a non-profit whose vision aligns with my own, I felt like it was something I wanted to be involved in. Actually, I wanted other Little Brown editors to get on board, too, and they were happy to do so. Aside from critiquing at SCBWI conferences, I was also really interested in seeing how a mentor-mentee relationship worked. 

So very generous of your time, Alvina! Okay, here's question two. (Admittedly, this question makes me feel awkward since I'm way more comfortable highlighting the work of other kidlit authors and illustrators, but if I don't ask it, I won't have much of an interview, will I. So here goes.) Why did you choose to mentor me and my middle-grade manuscript Mama's Chicken & Dumplings? 

I was presented with three choices. As I read the first fifty pages of each middle grade, I was looking for something that had the most potential. A manuscript I could help. I fell in love with the voice and the characters found in Mama's Chicken & Dumplings. I responded to it. Even if this manuscript is not the one that gets published, perhaps this kick will bring its author to the next manuscript that will. 

Ha-Ha! I believe its author appreciates the editor's kick. Okay, here's my last question for you. Why would you encourage other editors in the children's book community to carve out time from their busy schedules to mentor writers from all walks of life?

If editors are serious about bringing a range of inclusive books for readers from diverse backgrounds, then there's nothing quite like getting involved in mentoring like this.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, Alvina. But I really have to go now. I've got a manuscript to revise, and I'm in the midst of obsessing over chapter one. 

Happy to stop by! But chapter one? Really? Do we need another kick?

A chocolate-covered truffle kick might do the trick.  

Alvina and Dionna's editor-writer mentorship program is sponsored by The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary. The program pairs four aspiring writers from underrepresented groups with an experienced editor who provides substantive feedback to help raise their already strong manuscripts to their best position for submission to potential agents and editors.

The program offers each author an opportunity to gain knowledge from experienced acquiring editors. It does not, however, guarantee publication. It is free of cost to the authors due to the generosity of the volunteer editors. Learn more about The Word's 2019 mentorship program HERE and read a PW Bookshelf article about it HERE.

​Illustrations are used with permission from the publisher.

Brave Ballerina brings to life the story of Janet Collins, a woman lesser known in African American history, a woman who refused to hide her identity, a woman who graced the stage of the Metropolitan Opera as the first African American principal dancer at the Metropolitan Opera House, despite the closed doors that stood before her.

As a young girl, she and her family were determined not to allow the obstacles of segregation to squelch her love for dance. Her mother sewed costumes to pay for her lessons. Her family and community supported her, attending her recitals. Professionals--both white and black--recognized her talent and propelled her forward. 

Brave Ballerina is a beautifully told picture book biography published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. It is lyrically written by Michelle Meadows and lushly illustrated by Ebony Glenn, one of my favorite up-and-coming illustrators. (Read my interview with Ebony HERE.)

Children from all walks of life will love this book. They will love the simple yet poignant language of the rhyming text. They will love the illustrations with their graceful lines that will remind them of ballet dancers. And they will love the sepia tones that hint of the old photographs from the 1930s and 40s, the book's setting. But the most important reason children should read this book is because Janet Collins was a brave ballerina who had a get-back-up-again determination that will encourage them to do the same. ​

Picture book writers are advised to leave room for the illustrator when composing their text. Flashlight Night, written by Matt Forest Esenwine and illustrated by Fred Koehler. shows perfectly how this is accomplished. Koehler's art plus Esenwine's spare text equals a picture book narrative with depth, one that is sure to capture the attention of any young reader.

The illustrations shout what the text whispers.

What happens when kids with imagination turn on a flashlight at night? The illustrations answer!

Adventure lurks in the dark! 

​For instance, note this text with this illustration:  

Notice how the image adds a layer to the story that is not stated in the text. It's like biting into a chocolate cupcake and discovering delicious raspberry cream filling! YUM! The text doesn't try to control the story's narrative by stating every detail. It allows the picture to show what the pool water becomes in the rays of the flashlight--a storm-tossed sea!--and that a toy has become a pirate ship or a flotation device a giant purple squid ready to attack.

What fun!

The author left room for the artist's imagination to unveil scrumptious narrative details.

Picture books like Flashlight Night--ones that marry words and illustrations in such a clever way--are the kinds of books that kids will beg to read, heads beneath bed covers, flashlights in hand. At least, until someone yells, "Lights out!"

Salutations, Karen!  So happy to have you here! Please, do tell about your journey to becoming a kidlit author.

Glad to be here, Dionna!

​To answer your question, I’ve always loved to read, but I didn’t start writing books until I had read The Artists Way  by Julia Cameron. Part of The Artist Way program is to free-write three pages a day. You write about anything—how grumpy you feel, what you ate for breakfast, what is annoying you. You just dump. The idea is that by page three you have cleared away enough of your brain clutter to find out what is underneath. And for me what was underneath was the dream of writing a children’s book. The beginning of my manuscript The Hayley Show was started in my morning pages. Although I didn’t sell it, that book got me my agent.

In 2010, I joined SCBWI, which became a wonderful source of support and information. Through SCBWI, I learned about Vermont College of Fine Arts Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program. And it was at VCFA that I wrote Charlie & Frog. 

Why did you decide to write this story, one that features the Deaf community?

I never planned to write about the Deaf community. I always felt that my writing life and my life as a sign language interpreter were separate entities. But all those years I was interpreting, this story was percolating—I just didn’t know it. One of my advisors at VCFA, A.S. King, wanted me to write something new. She felt I would grow more as a writer with new material. So I began writing short stories. And then one day, while sitting at my computer, this story started to come out of me. And Frog, who is Deaf, came to me clear and strong. Her character was easy to write. 

What about your characters and their friendship mirrors your life-experiences?

I tend to be more like Charlie, the quieter one. Frog fights for what she wants and has never met a stranger. Not that being quiet means weakness. Charlie is anything but weak. But Frog helps Charlie find his own strength by modeling her own power and inner drive. That is true for me, too—my closest friends show me how I can embrace my own strengths. Also, as a kid, I had fun exploring with my best friend. I wanted Charlie & Frog to have that same freedom to explore the village of Castle-on-the-Hudson. And who wouldn’t want to ride a gondola across the river on their own? Sign me up!

How did you find a home for Charlie & Frog at Disney-Hyperion and why were you pleased?

When my agent tried to sell The Hayley Show, I had about seventeen rejections (I lost count!), and one editor who was interested, but who couldn’t convince her publishing house to buy it. Ten years later, I was fortunate to have five editors who wanted Charlie and Frog! (Moral: Don’t give up! Keep writing!)

My editor at Disney-Hyperion, Tracey Keevan, is terrific. Tracey happened to watch a documentary about Martha’s Vineyard one week before she received my manuscript. Two hundred years ago, Martha’s Vineyard had a large Deaf population. Both hearing people and Deaf people signed on the island. When looking back, islanders often couldn’t remember who was Deaf and who was hearing because everyone signed. Tracey was excited to work on this story after watching that film. And I was thrilled that Disney-Hyperion hired a Deaf artist, Carlisle Robinson, to illustrate the inside chapter artwork of Charlie & Frog!

What are you working on now, and why are you enjoying it?

I am currently promoting my second Charlie & Frog book--The Boney Hand! It was published in June 2019. I love the characters and setting of Charlie & Frog, so it’s wonderful to be immersed in them again. I am also working on a picture book. Picture books just make me happy. And it’s a nice change of pace from a middle-grade book, as they are so different from each other.

Karen Kane’s path to Charlie & Frog led her from a small village near Rochester, NY, to the bustle of Washington, DC. The people she met along the way inspired her writing with their warmth and humor, especially those in the Deaf community. Karen graduated from the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When she’s not writing, Karen spends her days as a sign language interpreter at Gallaudet University or lost in the stacks of her local library. Charlie & Frog, her debut novel. was nominated for  a ​2019 Edgar Award Nominated Book in the Best Juvenile category! Find her online at Karen Kane Books.

Salutations, Angela! Thanks so much for stopping by to chat with us. So, how did you find your way to becoming a kidlit artist?

I always knew I wanted to do something creative. However, it wasn’t until college that I decided I wanted to be an illustrator. There were so many majors in art school. It was difficult to pick just one. Thankfully, I had a 2D-design teacher whose work inspired me to study illustration. His work was similar to Lane Smith’s traditional illustrations, and it reminded me of how much I loved the The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. It rekindled my childhood obsession with creating books. 

From there, it wasn’t a direct shot into doing kidlit. I studied general illustration and thought I would be an editorial illustrator. There was such a prestige about that type of work. Still, outside of class I found myself drawn to children’s book illustration. I even placed in an international children’s book illustration competition called Teatro while I was still a student. Despite that, it wasn’t until the last semester of school when I took a children’s book illustration class that everything aligned. 

For the first time, I could play with camera angles, humor, and a rhythm. I could tell stories, something I always loved. I could get lost creating a whole world for a book. I also had an excuse to read a ton of a kidlit! With some hard work and some luck, I started getting interest in the work as soon as I graduated. Then I was recommended to SCBWI by Abigal Samoun, who at the time was still an editor. She now has her own literary agency called Red Fox Literary. 

SCBWI really helped launch my career. I received my first small book from Children’s Book Press at Illustrator’s Day in San Francisco. More importantly my book,  Maria Had a Little Llama, began as assignment from a SCBWI Spirit conference in Davis, California. I am happy to say I’ve been illustrating for over ten years and writing six years professionally. 

​What do you love about being a children's book creator? 

I love telling a narrative and being able to draw things that I find amusing. I’ve always been on the sillier side so this is the perfect outlet for me. Also I adore the marriage of words and pictures. As a child, I could get lost reading a book and that never went away. Now, more and more, it’s the interaction with the kids that really motivates me. Seeing what they relate to during school presentations—not just what I relate to—gives me inspiration.  

As you've been honing your craft over the years, what's one of the biggest things you've learned so far.

Luckily, I studied illustration, so my learning curve with the craft has been easier. I think the biggest things is learning how to draw kids well. It’s been a bunch of practice and studying different illustrator’s work. I’ve even created a graduate character design for a children’s book course at the Academy of Art University. When it comes to being an author, the learning curve has been larger. I often force myself to write for practice and I read children’s literature as much possible.

Probably the biggest learning curve though, is realizing the amount of promotion and business skills you need to have. People assume because it’s a creative field and everything can be done at home that you don’t have to network or promote, but that’s a huge part of the job. After all, this children’s literature is its own business.

​What types of manuscripts do you love illustrating and why?

My favorite books to illustrate are ones that either feature animals and/or have plenty of room of interpretation. Probably one of my favorite books to illustrate was MARTA! BIG AND SMALL. It has minimal text so I was able to come up a with concept for where these animals lived. That was great collaborative project. I also love illustrating my own stories because there is even room to be creative!

What are you working on now and are you having fun?

I am working on a picture book with Candlewick. It’s still in the early stages, but it’s about a girl who is scared of bees. Coming up with expressions and reactions has been so much fun. I’m also working on a few story ideas. I find that it’s important to always be generating new projects for myself. It keeps me busy and hopefully it turns into a book! 

Angela Dominguez was born in Mexico City but grew up in the great state of Texas. She is the author and illustrator of several children's books and a two-time recipient of Pura Belpré Illustration Honor. Her debut middle grade, Stella Díaz Has Something To Say, was a New York Public Library and a Chicago Public Library pick for Best Books for Kids in 2018, winner of SCBWI Sid Fleischman Award, and an ALA Notable. When Angela is not in her studio or visiting schools, she teaches at the Academy of Art University. She is represented by Wernick and Pratt Literary Agency.

Please, leave a comment about which event you love attending! For additions or corrections, drop me a line via Contact Me. ​ Illustrations used with permission.