Aosta Edelman’s students at Bethlehem Middle School read the NYSRA Charlotte Award nominated book Lizards by Nic Bishop.  The students had many questions and Mr. Bishop graciously answered them.

Why do some lizards have spikes along their body?

This is the type of question scientists ask. Scientists like to notice things and then ask questions. Lots of different lizards have spikes, so there must be some good reason for it. But I don’t think people really know the answer yet. However, I have got some ideas. The spikes do make them look cool, so perhaps they help lizards show off to each other. Or maybe the spikes deter predators. I wouldn’t want to swallow something with lots of spikes.

How old do lizards get?

In captivity, lizards may live for 10 or 20 years, or perhaps even longer. But in the wild there are predators and other dangers to deal with, so most lizards will only live a few years. They may end up being eaten by snakes, hawks, or even other lizards. Others may not find enough food to eat. It is not always fun being a lizard.

How do lizards eyes work?

Lizards have good sight and their eyes work much like yours do. Many lizards see in color, like you do.

If the mom dies, what happens to the babies?

Lizard moms do not look after their young. She leaves her eggs after she has laid them. The babies are born already knowing how to survive. They can recognize danger and find their food without being taught. This is called instinct.  So it doesn’t matter if the mom dies.

What is prehensile?

Prehensile means something that can grab hold of other objects. Lots of animal that live in trees use their tails to hold onto branches, so they don’t fall out. We say they have prehensile tails.

How do lizards shoot their tongues out so far?

This is too tough to explain in a few words.

How did the lizard get his name?

Nobody knows for sure, but it might come from an old Latin word for lizard. That word is lacerta.

Are lizard eggs soft?

Lizard eggs often have soft leathery shells which can absorb water. So these lizards lay their eggs in damp places, such as moist sand or among old leaves. Some geckos, however, lay eggs with hard shells. The gecko eggs are soft and damp when they are first laid, but they harden as they dry. As they dry, they also stick to surfaces like tree trunks. That’s useful for geckos which are good climbers and often live in trees.

Why do lizards have claws?

Claws help lizards grip the ground when they run, and grip branches when they climb.

Why do some lizards change color?

Not many lizards change color, although quite a few lizards get darker as they get colder. Chameleons, however, can change color. They do this when they are happy, excited, or cross. Chameleons do not make noises or call to each other. They communicate their mood by changing color instead. Imagine what it would be like if we did that.

Have you ever gone to a jungle or did you go on the internet?

Because I take the photographs for my books I often travel to rain forests and deserts to find animals. Sometimes I keep animals at home, too.  I have to learn how to look after these animals so they are happy. All this takes a lot of time and patience, but I like studying real things. It is exciting, fun, and I learn lots. I don’t really need to use the internet to find out about animals.

How do you think and find out so much about animals?

I like to watch animals when I am travelling, and I like reading about them too. I know a lot because I have been doing this for a long time. Don’t forget I am older than you guys. You will learn a lot as you get older. Just remember to be curious about things and read books.

What inspired you to make all these animal books?

Animals are really cool. I just love watching them and taking photographs that show how amazing they are. Sometimes it takes me days to get a good photograph. The photo of the lizard running across the water took about 12 weeks. But I never get bored doing this.

Do you have a pet lizard?

I do not usually keep pets, but I have had chameleons that I looked after for a few years. I think they are the most amazing type of lizards, although they are very hard to care for, so they do not make good pets. I think geckos are really cool, too.

Do you get your information from scientists?

I get a lot of my information by studying the animals that I photograph. You get to learn a lot by observing things. I also read book written by scientists. I have to go to university libraries to find these.  Sometimes I travel overseas with scientists who study animals and they tell me information.

Nic Bishop

January 19, 2012

Ms. Kirsten Down’s Third and Fourth Grade students at Town of Webb School read and enjoyed the NYSRA Charlotte Award nominated Emily’s Fortune. They were left with many questions and author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor graciously responded to our request for an interview.

What gave you the idea to use an alliterative phrase for the cliff hangers? Did you make up some of those phrases?

It was the editor’s idea to have cliff hangers at the ends of each chapter.  I remembered the old Uncle Wiggley books and how much I enjoyed the silly things at the ends of the chapters.  I made most of the ones up for EMILY’S FORTUNE, and somehow the alliterative ones seemed the most fun.

Why do you never mention Jackson’s last name (or Uncle Victor’s)?  Did you imagine his real family and what they would have been like? What really happened to Jackson’s family?

I’m not so sure myself.  He told so many versions that it’s even hard for the writer to keep them straight.  But he’d obviously had a hard life, and was a boy in need of both love and discipline.  I didn’t mention any last names if I could help it, because there were so many characters to keep track of in the book, that it was all the reader could do to remember first names.

Why did you give Emily a turtle as a pet? Did you have a specific kind of turtle in mind?

I wanted a pet that Uncle Victor could threaten to harm, and yet it had to be a pet that not only could survive the long trip without much food or water, but that she could keep secret.  A turtle was all I could think of.

Where did you get the idea for Emily’s Fortune from?

That story was a long time in coming.  The original idea was a modern story about a teenage girl on a train being pursued by someone who wanted to do her harm.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that she would have more hiding places if she were younger and smaller. Then I decided that it would be hard to make it seem real, so it should read as a tall tale, and then it seemed as though it would have to be historic, and perhaps I could do more with a stage coach. So finally, FINALLY, the book began to take shape.

 We liked the names of Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim and Mrs. Fire. How did they come about?

When I decided to make the story a tall tale instead of a realistic suspense novel.

Are you planning a sequel?

Yes!  EMILY AND JACKSON HIDING OUT is already written and will be out this fall.

We would like to know the following things:

Why did Uncle Victor have a tiger tattoo?

Because I wanted him to.  I loved writing about “the man with the tiger tattoo.”  Something wild, more in his character.

Does Emily get any more turtles? 

No.  One was enough.

Does Jackson get adopted as her brother?

Wait and see.

 What does Emily do with the money??!!   

First, she actually has to GET the money.  Right?

Mr. Moffit helped Emily, why?   

Because he was a detective who kept his ears open, even when people thought he was sleeping.  He could sense what was going on with Emily and her uncle, and when he saw a way to help without giving away his identity as a railroad detective, he took it.

I’m so glad you all enjoyed the book, and hope you’ll like the sequel!

Phyllis 

January 17, 2012

Primary (Grades preK-2)

Bubble Trouble (Mahy and Dunbar)

City Dog, Country Frog (Willems and Muth)

*Our interview with Mo Willems.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake (Fleming and Karas)

*Our interview with Candace Fleming.

Lousy Rotten Stinkin’ Grapes (Palatini and Moser)

*Our interview with Margie Palatini.

Memoirs of a Goldfish (Scillian and Bowers)

*Our interview with Devin Scillian.

*Our interview with Tim Bowers.

Otis (Long)

Stars Above Us (Norman and Lewis)

*Our interview with E.B. Lewis.

That Cat Can’t Stay (Krasnesky and Parkins)

*Our interview with illustrator David Parkins.

Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! (Sayre and Patterson)

*Our interview with April Pulley Sayre.

*Our interview with Annie Patterson.

We Planted a Tree (Muldrow and Staake)

* Our interviews with Bob Staake and Diane Muldrow

http://nysreading.org/Advocacy/Charlotte

Start off a great year of reading with the Charlotte nominees!

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Syndey Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 12,000 times in 2011. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Sojourner Truth’s Step Stomp Stride by Andrea Pinkney/Brian Pinkney

4 out of 5

It was about a little girl and she lived with a great family! But when she was nine she got sold as a slave. I won’t tell you any more…

We liked how:

• She fought for her rights and for freedom.
• She has a size 12 foot.
• She was smart.
• She did not let anyone push her around.
• She was confident.
• She step stomps and strides. ( the language – alliteration)

The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah & Kelly DiPucchio/Tricia Tusa

5 out of 5

The story was about two girls who happened to be best friends, but liked different sandwiches. Then they realized they liked each other’s sandwiches.

We liked the

• Pictures
• Illustrations
• Colors
• Friendship
• How sandwiches made them fight (humor)

I loved the friendship & how they acted like sisters.

I liked the pictures and the details in the pictures.

It was funny!

Fly Free! By Roseanne Thong/ Eujin Kim Neilan

5 out of 5

I give this book a 5 because it tells really good details! A little summary about this book is about a little girl who wants birds to go free from a cage.

We liked:

• the drawings
• the character
• creative illustrations
• the lines in the illustrations, like the wood background

The Can Man by Laura E. Williams/Craig Orback

4 out of 5

A kid wants a skateboard. For an occasion, his friend the Can Man gets him a present.  What’s the present and how did he afford it? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!

We liked:

• I like this book because it is sending a message that sharing is caring.
• The can man was nice.
• Tim gave his money to the can man.
• I like it because it was about giving.
• I liked that he got a new skateboard.
• I liked that Tim gave the Can Man the money.
• Graphics
• The skateboard – the details, name on it, colors

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett j. Krosoczka

I liked this book because it was adventurous and she was always fighting crime.

Emily’s Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

We liked:

• I liked the book because it was like a mystery that would happen.
• I liked the book because the mystery kept your nose in the book.
• I liked the book’s storyline.
• You just wanted to keep reading and it pulled you in.

Jake by Audrey Couloumbis

It involves Christmas which is my favorite time of the year. The dog reminds me of my best friend’s dog.  There was nothing I really disliked.

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer/Josee Masse

We liked:

• They wrote it backwards.
• I liked how they wrote it.

Thank you to Ms. Edelman and her students for sharing their reviews.  Votes are being accepted until April 15, 2012.  Send your votes today. You can also send your book reviews, pictures, podcasts—whatever way you and your students are responding to the NYSRA Charlotte Award books.   For more information contact 2012 NYSRA Charlotte award chair Judy Ehrensbeck (judy@ehrensbeck.com) or blogger Liz Yanoff (yanoffe@strose.edu).

Tim Bowers with goldfish

What do you use to make the colors so bright?

The artwork for Memoirs of a Goldfish was painted with acrylic paints on paper. The paint comes in squeezable tubes and I chose tubes of bright colors, then mixed those bright colors to get the color that I needed…bright orange for the goldfish, bright green for the fishbowl gravel, purple for Mr. Bubble’s suit, and so on. I tried not to use too much black when mixing the bright colors. Adding black always makes the color darker. I also painted in a watercolor technique. I mixed a lot of water with the paint so that the white paper showed through the paint, making it even brighter.  

 Did you make the pictures extra colorful or do you always use strong colors?

I don’t always use strong colors. I always think about the story and what colors would tell that story best. This story seemed to be one where using bright colors and a lot of white background would be perfect. I thought back to my childhood and my fish aquarium. I had bright colored gravel on the bottom and a lot of really cool, colorful fish, like neon tetras, gold mollies and guppies. I even had snails (like Mervin) that ate slime in the fish tank.

How did you get chosen to be the illustrator for Memoirs of a Goldfish? Do you know the author?

I was chosen to be the illustrator by the publisher, Sleeping Bear Press. I have illustrated other books for them and they thought I would be a good choice for this story. I use a lot of humor in my art and I think the publisher wanted humorous artwork to go along with such a funny story.  I didn’t know the author, Devin Scillian before I started working on the art for this book. We’ve exchanged emails but haven’t met, face to face… yet.

Memoirs of a Goldfish sketch pages 18-19.

The pictures were very interesting with lots of expression. Was it easy to draw the goldfish with different expressions or did you make a lot of changes along the way?

The faces of the book characters always help me tell the story. This entire story took place in a small fish bowl (except at the end), so my story telling really relied on the faces and gesture (body language) in the artwork. It takes a lot of practice to get the faces just right but when I get the perfect expression, it even makes me laugh. I am always redrawing and changing my sketches to get the best illustrations for the story. It takes a lot of time and paper but that’s how I develop good characters, one face at a time.

Memoirs of a Goldfish–facial expressions

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by humor in cartoons, other children’s books and funny people (in my family, my neighborhood or on T.V.). I also love nature, to watch animals and the way they look and act. Goldfish are really interesting to watch. Snails can be a bit boring… they move pretty slowly but they are still interesting.  Words to a story inspire me. When I read the Memoirs of a Goldfish manuscript, I was really inspired to create characters and add my humorous artwork to an already great story in words. I love to bring a story to life with pictures.  This story was inspiring, even before I drew the first sketch.

Tim Bowers, December 2011

David Parkins illustrator of That Cat Can’t Stay answered these questions from Ms. Down’s students at Town of Webb School.  Thank you to the students and Mr. Parkins for their wonderful responses about this NYSRA Charlotte Award nominated book.

Did you use pictures of real cats to draw from?

If I have to draw something I don’t know well, I would always gather lots of pictures of the thing so I get it right. It’s easy to do this nowadays with the internet. I didn’t need to research cats, though, because we have kept cats as pets for years. At one stage we had six, but right now we have just three: a big grey one (very like the big grey cat in That Cat Can’t Stay), a black one and a tabby who is quite old (about 19 years, I think) but very sprightly still. I see them all the time, so I sort of know how they look.

What about people?

Again, I didn’t need to research or gather reference for the people, because I have drawn so many over the years I just seem to know how to do it now. Sometimes, if I need to draw someone in a very difficult position, or they are, say, playing a sport I’m not completely familiar with, I may have to look that up. But I don’t think I needed to do that for this book.

Were any of the characters based on people you know?

No, I don’t know anyone quite like these characters. Although memories of how someone might have stood, expressions they may have had in certain circumstances, that sort of thing will have informed the drawing. It’s important to be a good observer when you are an illustrator. Always notice how your friends stand, what faces they pull, how they react to things. Then you will know how to draw people in similar circumstances. And you can always exaggerate a bit if you want to make it funny.

How long did it take you to create this book?

I didn’t get all that long to do this particular book. I think it took about three months to do the final art, but I was doing other work as well. If I had been able to sit and do just the book, and nothing else, it would have probably taken about six weeks. Add maybe another couple of months for the roughs and discussions, so perhaps five or six months in all.

Were you responsible for the use of white backgrounds and using text as part of the picture?

Sort of. I am given a manuscript, and I know how many pages I need to fill. Sometimes I decide which bit of text will go on which page, and sometimes a designer or editor will tell me (I think that’s what we did with That Cat Can’t Stay). Then I produced a set of rough pencil drawings that went with the text. After I had done that, it was the designer at Flashlight that had the great idea of changing the layout of Dad’s rants, so that sometimes it was boxed like a comic strip, and sometimes the words snaked around the page. She re-sized and re-positioned my sketches to fit, and then I used that new layout when I did the final art.

Did you like drawing for a children’s book?

I always enjoy doing pictures for children’s books. Well, nearly always. Except when I’m a bit behind with my work, then it just seems like work that has to be done. A bit like homework.

We liked the expressions on the character’s faces, esp. the Dad’s. How did you manage to get the expressions right?

Remember that thing about watching your friends’ expressions? I’ve been doing that a long time. But also, drawing is a bit like acting. You have to imagine what the person is feeling, and what that would make them look like. And I’ll let you into a secret: when I draw faces I am usually acting the expression that I’m drawing. I sit scowling as I draw a scowl, and grinning when I draw a grin, trying to feel what it is to be the person I’m drawing. When I was doing all Dad’s expressions, I think my wife must have thought I was quite bonkers.

Did you mean to have the Dad look harsh?

I didn’t want Dad to look harsh, exactly, but he had to look disapproving and completely determined. If he had not, it wouldn’t have been as funny when the rest of the family kept winning, and the cats kept staying. And in the end, we know he’s really an old softy, don’t we?

What is your favorite style of illustrating?

Such a difficult question. I have done quite a few children’s books, and each time I approach it differently. I always try to make the style of the pictures fit the text as best I can. My favourite style is the one that works best with the writing. But I know that’s not really a proper answer to your question, so I will confess that I do like to draw slightly cartoony characters with lots of energy and exaggerated body language and facial expressions. Like Dad, in That Cat Can’t Stay.

Do you like reading books?

I love reading books, but I always feel that I should be working and not sitting enjoying a book because I have so little time. So when I don’t have enough time, I love to listen to audible books. I do that while I work. I find I can listen while I am drawing without any problem, although I can’t if I have to think. So if I am working on roughs, and I’m thinking about the text I’m illustrating, I can’t listen at all. It distracts me. But once all that is done, and I’m just concentrating on the final drawing, I can listen to another book and it’s fine (I really enjoy Charles Dickens). Maybe drawing and listening occupy different parts of the brain.

David Parkins, November 2011

Kirsten Down’s students at the Town of Webb School read the NYSRA Charlotte Award nominated Mirror, Mirror by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josee Massee and asked Ms. Singer the following questions.  Ms. Singer graciously replied.

How did you decide to use fairy tales as the source for your reverso poems?

My first bunch of reversos were about a variety of things.  Among them were quite a few based on fairy tales.  When I showed the poems to an editor, she suggested that ALL of the poems be based on (or inspired by, as in the case of the first and last poems) fairy tales.  I’ve always loved fairy tales. My parents used to read them to me a lot.   And because they are strong narratives with several points-of-view, I thought that there were plenty of them to choose from and write poems about them.  So I thought the editor’s idea was excellent.  As it turned out, she didn’t publish the book–another editor did.  So I’m thankful to both of them!

Another thing that inspired the book–and the reverso form–was a doll that I owned when I was a kid.  She was called a Rags to Riches doll.  She wore a patched skirt, a shawl, and a kerchief and she was barefoot.  But when you took off the shawl and pulled down the skirt, presto, she had on a ball gown!  Under the kerchief was a tiara.  And to complete the costume, you slipped on her high-heeled shoes.  She was a reversible doll and I’m sure that, unconsciously, she inspired the reversos, especially the first fairy tale one I wrote:  ”Cinderella’s Double Life.”

 What process did you use to write the reverso poems? Was it very time consuming?

I usually write with a pen on a yellow legal pad, but I have to write the reversos on a computer so that I can easily move around words and lines.   I start with the story I want to write about and make sure that I can create several points-of-view–whether from one character or from two.  The reverso HAS to say something different when you flip the words, or else it’s what one person called a “same-o.”  Then I come up with sentences, phrases that can be flipped, make sense, and change meaning.  I look for things that can become questions or statements and I use a lot of participles.  But, to be honest, I can’t quite believe that I’ve written a whole book of these.  In fact, I’ve written TWO books–there’s a second volume of fairy tale reversos coming out in 2013 (it doesn’t have a title yet).  Yes, they are time consuming, but also fun–creating a puzzle and also solving one!

What is the favorite book you have written?

This is always a hard question for me to answer.  My favorite book is often the one I’m currently working on (although, at the same time, that can be my LEAST favorite book because it’s a ton of work and sometimes I get stuck).  I do like MIRROR MIRROR because it was challenging and people have responded well to it.  I’m also fond of my first published book of poetry, TURTLE IN JULY, poems from the point-of-view of animals throughout a year.  It was illustrated by the amazing Jerry Pinkney.

A word about illustrations:  I can’t draw or paint, and I admire those who can.  I LOVE Josee Masse’s art for MIRROR MIRROR.   She perfectly captured the reversible aspect of the poems.    In fact, I bought one of the original pieces–Cinderella, of course!

What inspired you to become an author?

From the time I was a kid, I’ve always liked to make up stories and write poems.  I taught high school English for a while.  One day, after I quit, I started to write down stories based on insect characters I’d made up when I was eight.  I used to go into my parents’ bathroom and shine a flashlight on the ceiling.  That was Lightey the Lightning Bug.  My parents thought I had an imaginary playmate.  I knew it was actually a flashlight beam and that I was making up stories.  When I wrote down those stories so many years later, it was fun and exciting and it made me want to write more stories.  Among them was THE DOG WHO INSISTED HE WASN’T, my first published book.  When that got accepted by an editor, I thought, Wow!  I guess I’m an author!  And that’s been my career ever since.  It’s had ups and downs–some years I’ve sold a lot of manuscripts to publishers, other years none–but I wouldn’t trade it for another.

 Did children or love of fairy tales inspire you to use fairy tales as the basis for your book?

As I mentioned above, I have always loved fairy tales, so they inspired the book.  My favorite fairy tale is Rapunzel.  What’s yours?

How did you come up with all the poems for each story? Were there some you gave up on?

I’ve read a lot of fairy tales over the years and I refreshed my memory about many of them in order to write the poems.  For the second book, I thought I might write a poem based on “The Fisherman and His Wife,” but I couldn’t come up with one.  I did make lists of tales and I chose the ones that worked best.  For MIRROR MIRROR, I didn’t always stick to the actual story.  For the second book, I have followed the original stories more closely–but from several points-of-view, of course.  ;-)

I want to thank all of you for your excellent questions and for giving me the chance to tell you more about MIRROR MIRROR and my other books.   Just so you know, there’s an audiobook from Live Oak Media featuring me and the wonderful actor Joe Morton reading the poems.  I hope you get to hear it.

In the meantime, keep reading!

Marilyn Singer, November 3, 2011

Check out the  books and related resources at our 2012 nominees section!

The ballot and directions for voting are available at the main NYSRA website.  Votes are due by April 15, 2012.

If you have pictures, student art work, podcasts, and any other great student responses to the Charlotte Award books please send them to us so we can publish them here.  You can reach blogger Liz Yanoff at acarcny@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing about your reading of the 2012 NYSRA Charlotte Award nominees!

The image below is a scan of the original Charlotte logo drawing by Garth Williams.