By Janet Tashjian
Sticker Girl
This book is about a girl who gets a sheet of stickers which come to life. The cupcake sticker is named Craig and he causes a lot of trouble including making the girl do a project assignment with people who she doesn’t want work with. The Pegasus sticker flies away when it is taken off. And so much more happens.
I think the idea of stickers coming to life is really interesting. I have stickers I would want to come to life. But this book shows what isn’t so great with living stickers.
I think kids who like stickers would like this book. Kids with very active imaginations would also like this.
Barbara Perez Marquez
Author website/social media: www.mustachebabs.com or @mustachebabs on Twitter and Instagram
Tell me a little about yourself:
I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, a small island in the Caribbean. When I was 13 I wrote a little poem about my mom and my little sister and it got published in an anthology, that was so cool! That was when I decided to become a writer and work really hard to create the kinds of stories I wish I could have read as a kid. So, that’s what I do now as an adult.
- When you were my age (9), did you like to read?
Not that much, actually! My mom always tried to make sure I was reading something, but it wasn’t until I turned 11 that I FINALLY started enjoying reading. Sometimes it takes time to find what we like and/or learn to like reading, but I think at the end of the day reading is SUPER important.
- What was your favorite story?
Even though I had a lot of trouble learning to like reading, I had this picture book called “The Dog & The Flea” about a small dog and his best friend, a flea. I would read it over and over again and I keep it by my writing desk still to remind me of the stories I want to create. Another type of story I really enjoy is fairy tales, my favorite one is Little Red Riding Hood.
- How do you get your ideas?
I usually start with one element that I think is really cool or interesting and then build a story around it, because that way I get to learn more about the element and hopefully create something with it. Some other times, one idea will come to me and I’ll sit and think about “what kind of story can this idea make?” once I have some answers to that question, I start creating a story with those notes.
- Your book was done with multiple authors. Was that easy or hard?
It was a lot of work for sure, I think creating books in general is hard work. However, when you get to do it with other really awesome creators, then it becomes easier. The most fun part of our process was when we all came together to combine our stories, we all got to meet each other’s characters and see how they’d be friends or play together or hod they’d interact.
- What author do you really like right now?
I’ve been really enjoying Jacob Grant’s books, most recently “Bear’s Scare”!
- Do you have any new or lesser known authors you would suggest?
I don’t know if they count as either of those but: Gabby Rivera, Thanhha Lai, and Annabelle Fisher are some awesome writers I greatly recommend.
- What advice do you have for a kid who wants to be an author?
Start writing down ideas now! In school, I would carry around a story notebook where I would write down any ideas (or even sometimes full stories!) that came to me. It’s a great way to make sure that good stories never escape you.
- As an author, do you hear from your readers? What do you like about that?
I hope it keeps happening more and more, being an author is sometimes lonely because we spend a lot of time writing by ourselves. So once stories and books are published, I love hearing what people think about them! My favorite part is hearing what their favorite character or scene was.
- If you could portal into any book (yours or another person’s), what book would it be?
Being Summer and all, I think it’d be really fun to visit Camp Half-Blood (from the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series) and go on a quest or two!
Too Much Not Enough
BY Gina Perry
This book is about Peanut and Moe. Peanut says not enough music, not enough speed, and not enough glitter. Moe says too much noise, too many cars, too much paint. They see things differently. They have a hard time getting along.
I recommend this book to siblings who don’t get along.
Jess Keating
• Author website/social media:
-Web: www.jesskeating.com
-Tweet: @Jess_Keating
-Instagram: jesskeatingbooks
• Tell me a little about yourself:
I’m an author, zoologist, and illustrator! I love writing books about animals, science, strong and funny girls, and creativity. When I’m not writing or drawing, I’m usually outside! A few random facts for you: my favorite season is autumn, because of the cool breezes and smell of leaves in the air. If I had to pick one meal to have for the rest of my life, I’d pick burritos. I also love Disney movies, cheese (any kind), and dogs. (Seriously, dogs are the greatest.)
1. When you were my age, did you like to read?
When I was your age, I liked to read everything, but I especially loved funny stories, or stories that had animals in them. I also loved reading comics—Calvin and Hobbes was my favorite!
2. What was your favorite story?
It’s so hard to pick a favorite book! One of them would definitely be Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I loved the humor, and could relate to all the craziness of having a brother! (Though my brothers are older than me!)
3. How do you get your ideas?
Usually, my ideas happen when I combine several things I love into one big thought. I love mixing science and creativity, and especially when I can add humor! I got the idea for Pink is for Blobfish when I started realizing how many of the people my age still tell kids that pink “is for girls”. I knew it wasn’t true, and that pink was a color that anyone could enjoy. I decided to tell that story through lots of different animals. The easy part is getting ideas, the part that I always have to work on is making sure to write them down when I get them! I always think I will remember them, but it’s not true—you must write them down!
4. Your books are very science based. Do you have to do a lot of research for them?
I do! Every book I write involves research, even my novels (that are entirely made up!) For some books, I read research from many scientists. Sometimes I visit museums (virtual museums are wonderful!), and sometimes I speak to other scientists to get their opinions about what I’m working on. Research is one of the most important parts of my job, and it’s so important to get it right.
5. Did you get to see an actual blobfish when you wrote that book? What about sharks?
I have never seen a blobfish in real life! They live so deep underwater, I think I would need a submarine to do so! I have seen sharks, however, and they remain some of my favorite animals on earth. They are just so mysterious and powerful. I wish I knew what it was like to be a shark!
6. What author do you really like right now?
There are so many! Lately, I’ve really been loving Nicola Davies! She is a fellow zoologist and author (that doesn’t happen often!) so we are kindred spirits, for sure. Her book, “Song of the Wild” is absolutely beautiful—you should check it out!
7. Do you have any new or lesser known authors you would suggest?
I don’t know if she is lesser known, but I think that everyone should check out Carter Higgins’ books! She writes absolutely beautiful picture books and novels, and her work is like portable nostalgia. Everything You Need for a Treehouse is so stunning—I want to live inside of it!
8. What advice do you have for a kid who wants to be an author?
No matter what, keep writing. When you get discouraged (and you will!), keep writing. Keep a notebook for all your ideas, and don’t throw them away, even if you think they suck at the time. (That’s normal!) And most of all: follow every curious impulse you have, no matter how weird or strange it may seem. If you want to learn about something, do everything you can to learn about it, and write it down so you’ll have it for future reference!
9. As an author, do you hear from your readers? What do you like about that?
I am very lucky to hear from many readers! I especially love hearing from kids, because they always have such wonderful thoughts and ideas! I keep all of the emails and letters, and sometimes even tape them to the wall near my computer, so I can look at them for inspiration as I write. I’m grateful for the inspiration!
Red; The (fairly) True Tale of Little Red Riding Hood
This book is about a girl named Red who wants to find a way to keep her Grammy alive. She has help from a friend named Goldie. Red finds a dwarf and takes him by the beard. That means that he has to do whatever she says. She tells him to tell her ways to keep her Granny alive. He tells her three choices. Those three choices are the magic hearts, the wine well and the red roses. She finds the wine well but learn that it takes some of your memory away too. That is all im telling you other whose I would tell you the whole story.
I like this book because it has 2 strong females: Red and Goldie. Oh and the font I like because it fits Goldie and reds personalities.
I recommend this book to kids who like the books Rump and Grump also by Liesl Shurtliff and the Rat Prince by BRIDGET Hodder and Twice upon a time by Wendy Mass.
I give this book 15 strong female stars.
Girlhood Journeys, book one: Shannon, a China Town adventure, San Francisco 1880
by Kathleen v. Kudlinski
illustrated by Bill Farnsworth
This book is about a girl named Shannon who moved from Ireland to San Francisco and goes with her father to a pet store in china town to get leaches se he is a doctor. Along the way Shannon sees a girl through a window and the next time they go Shannon decides to bring her friend Betsy then along with her friend Betsy and they see the girl is treated body at the pet shop. Then Shannon and Betsy make a plan to get the girl and have her get a better home.
I like this book because Shannon and Betsy are strong females. I also like the pictures that are in the book because they are a style I like.
I recommend this book to kids who like the American girl doll series. I strong females also recommend this book to kids who like
