Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 131

Guest Post: Nora Raleigh Baskin on Magical Realism, Setting & Subway Love

By Nora Raleigh Baskin
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Subway Love (Candlewick, 2014) is my tenth novel for young readers, my third YA, but it is my very first true magical realism.

It is also my first New York City setting. I was born in New York City, in Brooklyn, and although we moved when I was seven, I still would travel back and forth to visit my grandparents in Manhattan for many years.

The sights, sounds and smells of New York were very real to me and were easy for me to access as...

Guest Post: Salima Alikhan on Private Writing Study with an Author-Teacher-Mentor

Salima at Bethany Hegedus's Writing BarnBy Salima Alikhan
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

We’re a lucky community here in Austin to have fantastic, established local authors offering private mentorships.

When it first dawned on me that my unwieldy story was beyond the help of the wonderful critique group I’d had for years, I talked to others who had mentored with local author Bethany Hegedus. I heard glowing reviews.

One of these authors had been in my critique group, had worked with Betha...

Guest Interview & Giveaway: Cookies for Breakfast? Janet Wong & Sylvia Vardell on Children's Poetry

By Mysterious Anonymous Interviewer
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

An anonymous interviewer sat down this week with Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell to ask some “unusual” questions...

Is Poetry Month a good idea? I mean, by the end of April, aren’t a lot of people sick of poetry?

JW: For many people, having something—anything—every day for a month is too much. You might love cookies, but by the 20th day you’ve had enough.

SV: Having a poetry post like this one-- in May-- is a terrific way to...

Videos: Help! We Need a Title! by Hervé Tullet

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Check out these videos in celebration of Help! We Need a Title! by Hervé Tullet (Candlewick, 2014). From the promotional copy:

Take a peek inside this book and you’ll find some characters (though they’re still a bit sketchy). They’ll be perplexed to see you, so they’ll quickly try to track down their author (who has a lot more work to do).

What you won’t find is a story, or a title, because -- guess what? The book isn’t finished yet! But surely the author...

Cynsational News & Giveaways

Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Congratulations to Patrice Barton, Libby Martinez and Pat Mora on the release of I Pledge Allegiance (Knopf, 2014)! From the promotional copy:

Libby's great aunt, Lobo, is from Mexico, but the United States has been her home for many years, and she wants to become a U.S. citizen. 

At the end of the week, Lobo will say the Pledge of Allegiance at a special ceremony. 

Libby is also learning the Pledge this week, at school—at the end of the...

Guest Post & Giveaway: Brian Yansky on Teaching Writing

Merlin, circled by Homicidal Aliens & Other Disappointments (Candlewick)By Brian Yansky
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Writers often bemoan the fact that they must work a day job as well as write.

They need the day job to pay the bills, but they often don’t like it much, and it keeps them from doing the thing they love--writing.

 I’m fortunate that, while I need a day job, I like the one I have.

In fact, while I’m passionate about writing and it will always be my first love, teach...

Guest Post: Phil Bildner on The Soccer Fence

By Phil Bildner
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

"Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."

-- Nelson Mandela

I don’t have many heroes.

 There are many people I admire, but few I consider to be personal heroes.

Nelson Mandela is one of my heroes.

The same goes for Jesse Joshua Watson, the illustrator of The Soccer Fence (Putnam, 2014). For Jesse, Nelson Mandela was something of a genesis in his...

New Voice: Kate Hannigan on Cupcake Cousins

By Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Kate Hannigan is the first time author of Cupcake Cousins, illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes (Hyperion, 2014). From the promotional copy:

Baking a fluffy pink cupcake is awesome, but wearing a dress that looks like one? No, thank you!

Cousins Willow and Delia can't wait to spend a week vacationing together with their families. Their aunt is getting married, and Willow and Delia are hoping their tasty baked goods will be enough to get them out of being f...

Illustrator Interview: Greta Cencetti

Liam and GretaBy Angela Cerrito
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations

Greta Cencetti is a children’s book illustrator whose work has been published in Italian, English, German and Chinese. Her artwork has been exhibited Germany, the U.K. and China.

Most recently, her series of illustrations Migrant Children featuring children during depression era U.S.A. were exhibited at the GALATA Museum in Genoa, Italy. This project was supported by the U.S. consulate in Genoa. In addition to illustrating,...

In Memory: Kate Duke

Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith
for Cynsations

Obituary: Kate Duke by Shannon Maughan from Publishers Weekly. Peek: "Children’s author and illustrator Kate Duke, known for her playful concept books starring an affable cast of guinea pigs, died unexpectedly at her home in New Haven, Ct., on Sunday, April 20."

Writer and Artist Kate Duke Dies at 57 by Mahnaz Dar from School Library Journal. Peek: "Charmingly illustrated, Duke’s works were also informational, conveying concepts such as letters a...