Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Tracking Pythons Book Trailer

Tracking Pythons: The Quest to Catch an Invasive Predator and Save an Ecosystem
by Kate Messner
Millbrook Press (March 3, 2020)
Nonfiction * Snakes * Ecosystems
Audience: Grades 5 through 8
Indiebound | Worldcat

Thank you Kate for sharing some of the backstory on Tracking Pythons.

Several years ago, when I was visiting my parents in Southwest Florida, I came down to breakfast one morning to find an article in the local newspaper about a team of researchers who were trying a fascinating new approach to the state’s invasive Burmese python problem. Their goal was to find female pythons and their eggs so they could remove both snakes and unhatched eggs from the ecosystem and prevent the further spread of the prolific invaders. The only problem with that approach is that it’s difficult to find female pythons and nests. Pythons are expert hiders.

But you know who's really good at finding female pythons? Male pythons! So the scientists had come up with a plan to make a few dozen male pythons part of their research team. They captured male pythons, implanted them with radio transmitters, and released them into the wild. When breeding season arrived, the transmitters allowed them to track those male pythons, which often led the team to egg-laden females and more male snakes as well.

I was fascinated by this project and called the researchers on the phone that very day to ask if I might be able to come by to talk with them about the possibility of writing a kids’ book about their work. Project leader Ian Bartoszek said sure, and invited me to a python necropsy (a post-death scientific examination) in the lab that same week. As I watched the team of scientists dissect a giant female python that barely fit on the room-sized lab table, we talked about the scope of the python invasion and why learning more about these giant snakes might be the best way to control their spread. I was hooked, and that was the start of several years of research. I sat in on a python surgery at the veterinarian’s office as two male snakes named Luther and Jaeger had their transmitters replaced. I soared over the Ten Thousand Islands, tracking pythons in a tiny Cessna with antennas mounted on the wings. And I spent several days in the field with the python team, tracking the snakes through high grass, prickly brush, and muddy, knee-deep wetlands. Tracking Pythons takes readers along on that fascinating adventure as it also explores the larger issues of invasive species and ecology.

And now for the official Book Trailer:

Tracking Pythons is available for pre-order now. Look for it at your local indie bookstore on March 3, 2020.

About the author: Kate Messner is passionately curious and writes books that encourage kids to wonder, too. She lives in upstate New York.

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews….

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller - A Book Trailer Reveal

One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller
by Kate Read
Peachtree Publishing (October 1, 2019)
Fiction * Concepts * Counting & Numbers
Audience: Ages 3 to 7
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from Peachtree Publishing: A stunningly gorgeous counting book with a delightful surprise.

One hungry fox with two sly eyes is on the prowl…three plump hens had better watch out! Rich and colorful illustrations plunge the reader into a dramatic and exciting story set in a moonlit farmyard. With something different to count on each page, learning to count from one to ten has never been so thrilling!

This surprisingly simple counting book with a gripping tale, great for early education and read-alouds, has a hugely satisfying ending that’s sure to delight generations.

Quick thoughts on the book:
Sometimes I think I have seen all of the possible ways that authors and illustrators can create counting books, and then of course, I come across something new. At the beginning of April, I received a box in the mail from Peachtree Publishing. Whenever a box with a book(s) arrive, it is exciting, but on occasion, when I open a box, there are additional surprises. Imagine opening a box and brightly colored feathers float out of the box and land all around?! As a result, I had to read the book immediately.

Unfortunately, I don’t seem to have a picture of the box with feathers. I may have been trying to keep them all in the box and totally gave up on photographing them. However, I did post a picture of the cover to Instagram with a comment about finding feathers floating around my living room. More importantly than the feathers, I loved Kate Read’s fabulous counting book with just the right twist at the end and her beautiful illustrations.

I am excited to be able to reveal the book trailer for One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller…

Mark your calendar for October 1st and pre-order a copy of Kate Read’s One Fox: A Counting Book Thriller at your local indie bookstore.

Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon

Countdown
by Suzanne Slade
Peachtree Publishers (September 1, 2018)
Juvenile Nonfiction / Technology / Aeronautics, Astronautics & Space Science
Audience: Ages10-14
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: Free verse and illustrations tell the true story of the American effort to land the first man on the Moon.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States would try to land a man on the Moon within ten years. During the two thousand, nine hundred and seventy-nine days that followed his speech, eighteen astronauts climbed into spaceships; three of them died before even leaving the ground. Eight rockets soared into space. And four hundred thousand people--engineers, technicians, scientists, mathematicians, and machinists--joined Project Apollo in hopes of making the dream a reality.

Thank you to the Peachtree marketing team for sharing the link to the official book trailer. 

Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon comes out on September 1, 2018. I wanted readers to have a chance to get a glimpse of this beautiful book. 

When the advanced copy arrived, I wasn't sure what to expected. The size is a bit larger than average (10" x 11") and despite the illustrated cover, I was still expecting to see photographs inside. 

When I did open it up, I was amazed at the realistic paintings done by Thomas Gonzalez. Some of the illustrations required a second look before I realized they were not photographs. I know that children's books are typically not referred to as "coffee table" books, but this one is so beautiful that even if you don't have children, you may want to leave it out for guests to look at. 

Slade also used a free verse style to convey the narrative of the journey from Kennedy's speech to our landing on the moon. The photographs of the various astronauts and their stories from Apollo 1 to Apollo II add to the power of this book. At the end of the book, Slade includes additional resources about the Team Apollo and Apollo 11. I would also encourage readers to not skip the author and illustrator notes at the end. 

Countdown is out on September 1st consider pre-ordering it from your local indie bookstore or requesting that your library order it. 

About the author & illustrator:

A mechanical engineer by degree, Suzanne Slade is the award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Before beginning her writing career, Suzanne worked in the Mechanical/Propulsion Department at McDonnell Douglas Space Systems in Huntington Beach, CA on Delta rockets, Titan rockets, and the Delta-Star spacecraft. She also designed pneumatic consoles for the Delta rocket's first and second stage checkout. While at MDSS, Suzanne worked with engineers who helped create the third stage of the Saturn V rocket which launched the Apollo moon missions. As part of her research for this book, Suzanne interviewed one of the six remaining astronauts who has walked on the moon, Alan Bean, and corresponded with Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 astronaut.

Thomas Gonzalez was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to the United States as a child. An artist and painter, he directed campaigns for clients such as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, NASCAR, the NFL, and McDonald's, in addition to illustrating children's books. He lives in Georgia.

Love, Penelope Book Trailer & Interview with Joanne Rocklin

Love, Penelope
by Joanne Rocklin; Illustrated Lucy Knisley
Amulet Books (March 20, 2018)
Fiction * Social Themes * Siblings
Audience: Grades 4 to 7
Indiebound | WorldCat
 

Kid Lit Frenzy: The book consists of letters from (almost) 11-year-old Penny to her sibling in utero. Why did you choose this form for the novel?

Joanne Rocklin: Penny is overjoyed that she will be a big sister and takes her role very seriously. Even though the baby won’t be born for another eight months, the fact of “You’s” existence is very real to Penny, so she decides to describe the world to You right away. 

I love writing in first person for the middle grades, and have done it in diary/letter form before. It is an age of increased introspection, an intense pondering of identity, and a growing desire to examine one’s place in the world, which the form allows. There are also many opportunities for humor (both conscious and unconscious) as my narrator expresses observations that are innocent, open, and sometimes erroneous. 

The form of the novel is also a “metaphor” for Penny’s own development -the birth of her discovery of life’s surprises and complexities.

KLF: What is the significance of the date June 26, 2015 listed at the end of the book trailer?

JR: That is the date that the U.S. Supreme Court voted to end the ban of same-sex marriage across the nation.

KLF: The trailer says that Penny is “not Ohlone by DNA, but... Ohlone by love.” What can you share about Penny’s adopted Ohlone family?

JR: Penny’s mama, Sammy, is not her biological mother. She adopted Penny when Penny was a toddler. Sammy’s mother is Ohlone, and Sammy’s Native American heritage is a big part of Sammy’s identity. To feel as close to Sammy and Sammy’s family as she can, Penny reads and learns about the Ohlone culture throughout the story. She shares what she has learned in the letters to her unborn sibling. 

Elementary school students in California study the Ohlone, who have lived in the areas where Penny lives for thousands and thousands of years. But Penny acquires an even deeper appreciation of their ongoing struggles to save their heritage and sacred areas. And she  connects with the Ohlone’s deep love for the earth and all of nature, as well as with the beauty and significance of their artifacts. Penny also discovers that, long ago, the Ohlone may even have invented basketball! 

KLF: As a children’s book creator in Oakland, California, do you, like Penny, find the “Golden State Warriors are the greatest team in the NBA. On the planet - probably”?

JR: Yes. And, of course, it has nothing to do with living in Oakland, California. They just are.

KLF: How do Penny’s friends make her a bigger, better person?

JR: Penny thought she knew about tolerance, empathy and forgiveness, but sometimes important words are just plain old words until your friends teach you what they really mean in real life. Gabby, and Hazel, and Kenny, and Penny’s Secret Impossible Love all have their own stories, and Penny writes them down in her letters. 

“Dear You,” Penny writes. “So much has happened this year. Or does it just seem like a lot happened because I wrote it down? Mr. Chen calls that a RHETORICAL QUESTION. A question without an answer. No, there is an answer. A lot happened. And I wrote it down. Love, Penelope.”

And as Penny writes it all down, she grows. Just like the baby inside Mama.   

KLF: Banana slugs or goats?

JR: As Penny says, banana slugs are easy to draw, but very hard to love. Especially when compared to goats. Penny and I agree that bright yellow slimy slow-moving unfriendly garden  banana slugs are not huggable. Goats are huggable. And in Penny’s world, goats keep secrets and give very good advice, just when you need it.

KLF: Your starred review in Booklist called Love, Penelope a “joyous testament to our complicated world.” How do you find joy in this complicated world?

JR: Penny and I find joy in family, 
friends, 
community
dogs
cats
nature, (ok, even banana slugs, which are SO amusing to look at!)

Wait, there’s more!  
Food! Food from all around the world! 
Books! 
Singing! 

And then there’s that joy that comes from honing the wondrous superpower of empathy--when you really learn to understand someone else’s point of view and can actually feel your mind and heart grow bigger and bigger. 

And of course, there’s the joy of love, which is what it’s all about. Nothing beats it.

Check out the book trailer for Love, Penelope:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Joanne Rocklin is the author of many other award-winning novels for children, including The Five Lives of Our Cat Zook (Golden Kite Award), One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street (California Library Association Beatty Award), and Fleabrain Loves Franny (Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year) all from Amulet Books.  Look for her at JoanneRocklin.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Lucy Knisley, who provided the spot illustrations for Love, Penelope, is a critically acclaimed comic creator and author of the graphic memoirs French Milk, Relish, An Age of License: A Travelogue, Displacement: A Travelogue, and Something New.  Look for her at LucyKnisley.com

Thank you to Kirsten Cappy & The Curious City for the guest posting with this fabulous interview with Joanne Rocklin. If you don't know about The Curious City or Curious City DPW, check out these great resources. 

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Fearless Flyer Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine

Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine
by Heather Lang; Illustrated by Raul Colón
Calkins Creek (March 1, 2016)
Audience: Grades 2 to 5
Nonfiction * Biography* Women's History * Aviation
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description of the book: 
Ruth Law thrilled spectators in the 1900s by performing the loop-the-loop and other daredevil tricks in her flying machine. But after years of flying in circles, Law was determined to do what no pilot had ever done: fly nonstop from Chicago to New York City in one day. On a windy November morning, she took off on a flight that experts predicted was doomed to fail. Her flying machine was outdated, and no woman could endure such a grueling cross-country trip. That’s what the experts said—but they didn’t know Ruth Law.   Heather Lang and Raúl Colón re-create a thrilling episode in aviation history that takes readers into the sky with courageous Ruth Law. Includes archival photographs and bibliography.  

Check out the Official Book Trailer debuting here: 

My thoughts on the book & a brief interview with Heather:  
Though I do not see myself as being particularly daring or adventurous, I do admire women who are. Particularly women who lived during time periods where it was unacceptable for women to do what was seen as only for men.  

As a tween, I had a weird fascination with World War II aircrafts and wondered what it would be like to fly one of them. And whenever I discover a biography on a woman aviator, I am sure to read it. Consequently, I was curious about what drew Lang to this project. 

Heather: I've always been intrigued by early aviators who risked their lives every time they went up in their flying machines, so I went in search of an early woman aviator. I spent many hours reading about these daring women, and Ruth's story grabbed me immediately. Her passion, determination, and courage came through in her own words, which I knew could add a powerful dimension to the text. 
 
Since I love hearing about an author's research process and because I was curious to learn more about Ruth Law.  I asked Heather to share with everyone about the research behind this book. 

Heather: My research adventure for FEARLESS FLYER began mostly with historic newspapers, which contained interviews with Ruth and lots of details about her 1916 flight. Next I journeyed down to the National Air and Space Museum where they have a terrific early flight exhibit. I spent a lot of time at the archives exploring their photo files and Ruth Law's giant scrapbook. I also consulted with a number of experts, including folks from the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum and a retired Navy Commander who builds Curtiss pusher biplanes, just like the plane Ruth flew.

In Fearless Flyer, Lang has combined the story of Ruth Law's historical flight from Chicago to New York in 1916 with quotes from Law. This brought the story alive as I read it.

Now picture books usually don't have the length to be heart-stopping, but Fearless Flyer kept me on the "edge of my seat". Ruth's flight in her biplane was a dangerous one on so many levels.

When Ruth's plane nearly ran out of gas and she had to find a way to land or when fog made visibility impossible, her quick-thinking and intelligence helped her to survive.

My favorite spread in the book is when Ruth circles the Statute of Liberty. What a fabulous quote: "She smiled at me when I went past. She did!...I think we both feel alike about things."

What a better way to kick off the start of Women's History Month but by celebrating such a daring, intelligent, adventurous woman as Ruth Law. Pick up a copy of Fearless Flyer at your local indie bookstore. 

About the author:  
Heather Lang loves to research and write about real women who overcame extraordinary obstacles and never gave up on their dreams. Her pictures book biographies include, Queen of the Track: Alice Coachman, Olympic High-Jump Champion (Boyds Mills Press, 2012), The Original Cowgirl: The Wild Adventures of Lucille Mulhall (Albert Whitman, 2015), and Fearless Flyer: Ruth Law and Her Flying Machine (Calkins Creek, 2016). Heather also volunteers for the SCBWI and writes web articles for the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance. When she is not writing, she loves to go on adventures with her husband and four children. Visit Heather at www.heatherlangbooks.com.  Girls With Grit Blog can be found here.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: