Diane Z. Shore
Author: THIS IS THE FEAST (August 2008)
HOW TO DRIVE YOUR SISTER CRAZY (October 2008)
Q: You have two Fall 2008 children's books with HarperCollins: This Is the Feast (a beautiful picture book about the first Thanksgiving) and How to Drive Your Sister Crazy (an early reader dealing with sibling rivalry in a fun way), how did you come up with such different concepts?
A: The idea for This Is the Feast came from an SCBWI conference where a librarian and an editor expressed the need for more Thanksgiving books. I love non-fiction as well as history but have to admit, I probably would not have written a book on Thanksgiving had it not been for the conference, which was back in the fall of 1998. I researched and wrote the story in 1999, and sold it in 2000! That was my first book contract, after 6 years of rejections! I was thrilled. (This Is the Feast was the first book I sold. However, the first book that was published was Bus-A Saurus Bop, which I sold in 2001 and came out in 2003.)
How to Drive Your Sister Crazy was inspired by my son, Sam, who drives my daughter, Jenn, his older sister, bananas! To call Sam a reluctant reader is putting it mildly. Sam chooses a book according to the print size (the bigger the better) and number of pages (the shorter the better). He would much rather be playing outside (or annoying his sister.) This book was not only inspired by him, but written for him, and those who prefer playing over reading.
Q: Two different illustrators worked on each book (Megan Lloyd, This Is the Feast; Laura Rankin, How to Drive Your Sister Crazy), what did the illustrators' art bring to your text? Were you pleased with the combined results?
A: I am so very pleased with the artwork in both books. The illustrations in Feast are vivid and bold, and packed with a lot of action and detail. Megan really brings the words to life.
How to Drive Your Sister Crazy is so much fun! Laura really captured the perfect prankster in Bradley - he's a little bit naughty and a lot mischievous!
Q: Your previous book–This Is the Dream–was a critical success; how did that success affect you and did it open any new doors for you?
A: It's funny you should use the term "open any new doors" as that is exactly the essence of the book. The Civil Rights Movement opened so many doors to African Americans, just as the book has opened many doors for my career. This Is the Dream is used in many classrooms throughout the US, and Scholastic chose it as a book fair selection and created lesson plans to use with it. Since that book came out, I regularly get invited to speak at reading and teacher conferences. I have two more "This Is the&jellip;" books coming out. One is on baseball, This Is the Game, and the other on the environment, This Is the Earth.
Q: You've written picture books and early readers; do you prefer writing in one style or for one particular age level? How does your process differ for each? Describe your writing style: when and where do you write?
A: My favorite genres are humor and nonfiction. Humor makes me laugh and non-fiction makes my jaw drop. I wrote an article for Highlights for Children about George Washington's false teeth. Did you know that they're actually made of different types of animal teeth, like cow and elk? (When I found that out, I pictured George smiling with grass stains on his teeth!)
For non-fiction, I have to do a lot of research. For humor, I just get most of my ideas from students I visit at schools and my own family, including Skruffy and Punkin', our dog and cat.
I come up with my best writing in the morning, sometimes as early as 5:00! Even the pets don't get up that early! Sometimes I write at the kitchen table, or at my computer, or in the car during carpool duty.
Q: Tell us a little about your childhood, as it relates to your writing. What were your favorite books, and at what point did you realize you wanted to become a writer yourself?
A: My mom loves to read and our house had lots of books, but I wouldn't say that I was an avid reader when I was growing up. I loved the rhyme of Dr. Seuss and the play on words in Amelia Bedelia.
It was when I was reading to my two-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son that I realized that I wanted to write a picture book. I thought it looked easy! I remember vividly the day I decided to become a writer. If you visit my website you can read the story behind the story.
Q: How did you make the transition from writing to being published? Was it a difficult journey? Any tips about the process for other aspiring authors?
A: It was a very long and difficult journey. It took 9 years and 385 rejections before my first book was published! I started out with one idea for a picture book, and thought for sure a publisher would snatch it up. Well, after 3 years of rejection on that manuscript, I decided to start small and submit to the magazine market. I had much better luck there, selling poems, short stories (both fiction and non-fiction) as well as puzzles and games. Those small sales kept me motivated.
Q: Do you try out your writing on your children before you submit it? Or do you have some sort of review process w/kids?
A: Hmm let's see. I used to try my writing out on my family, my neighbors, my tennis team, my students, my kid's friends, my dog, the mailman, the grocery store clerk, the UPS guy, the pediatrician. After about six weeks, when anyone saw me with papers in hand, they would run the other way. So, I got smart, I called them on the phone. Then they stopped answering the phone.
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
A: I love to play tennis. I play on two different teams and between seasons! I also like to work crossword puzzles and of course READ, especially non-fiction.
Q: What can your fans look forward to next?
A: Hopefully more How to Drive Your Sister Crazy books. I've also written a story with the same character, Bradley Harris Pinkerton, titled How to Get a Puppy. And I have two more non-fiction books coming out: This Is the Game, about the history of baseball, and This Is the Earth, about the environment.
To find out more about Diane Shore, visit: www.dianezshore.com
Reviews
Bus-a-saurus Bop
Diane Z. Shore
Illustrated by David Clark
Somewhere in a wacky town in some alien universe the Bus-a-Saurus, a cross between a dinosaur and a school bus, gobbles up the kids at the start of the school day and spews them back out at days end. Zany, zippy, rhyming text, that must be read aloud to appreciate the cadence, is filled with tongue-twisting syllables and hilarious imagery. Kids will readily join in the refrain and bellow out "C-R-E-E-E-K cringing' as he stops, S-Q-U-E-E-E-K unhingin' his chops." Wild, garish cartoons of the Bus-a-Saurus with its bulging eyes, reptilian tongue and cavernous gullet and the bug-eyed children with their odd shaped heads all add to the fun. It's bizarre, it's off -beat and it may not appeal to everyone, but any kid who has ever ridden a school bus will howl with delight and be-bop on his next bus ride. 2003, Bloomsbury Childrens Books, $16.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-58234-850-2
ISBN: 978-1-58234-850-6
How to Drive Your Sister Crazy
Diane Z. Shore
Illustrations by Laura Rankin
Bradley Harris Pinkerton has all the answers when it comes to bugging big sisters. He begins his step-by-step program by declaring: "It's your job to drive your sister crazy. You might as well do it right." Daring escapades take place in big sister habitats like the bathroom and her bedroom. A toy snake is coiled strategically on a bath towel, teddy bears are propped on ceiling fan blades, an alarm clock is hidden in her underwear drawer (with a warning not to touch any underpants), chewing gum is stuck to the light switch, and phone conversations are interrupted with mysterious noises. Life is rough for Bradley's sister, Abby, who endures endless pranks, yet falls for his insincere note of apology, delivered hours before her hidden alarm clock goes off at 3:00 a.m. Written in a humorous how-to style, this easy reader gives valuable advice to little brothers (or little sisters) on one-upping older siblings. Rankin's colorful spot illustrations and plenty of white space break up blocks of text. The little brother is wonderfully fiendish and his purple-obsessed sister is hilariously outraged. A winner for beginning readers. 2008, HarperCollins, Ages 4 to 8, $16.99. Reviewer: Candice Ransom (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-052762-4
Look Both Ways: A Cautionary Tale
Diane Z. Shore and Jessica Alexander
Illustrated by Teri Weidner
Filbert the squirrel is playing soccer with his friends when the ball rolls out into the street. Filbert runs after it, forgetting to look both ways. Later, Filbert's mother sends him on an errand to Granny's to bring back nuts for supper. He is careful to avoid the neighborhood cat, but again forgets to look both ways as he gets to the street. Fortunately for Filbert, he makes it safely to Granny's, she fills his sack with nuts and sends him home. This time, however, he is too much in a hurry to notice the cat, who leaps onto his tail. Filbert is able to escape, but does not see the stop sign as he reaches the corner, and runs out into traffic. With cars squealing, and horns blaring, Filbert ducks, darts, and slip-slides through traffic, losing all his nuts along the way. He makes it home safely, but has learned a valuable lesson. The next time he comes to the corner, he stops and looks both ways. Told in bouncy rhyme and accompanied by fun pen, ink, and watercolor drawings in bright autumn colors, this book successfully imparts an important safety message without being the least bit preachy. Kids will quickly fall in love with the jaunty Filbert in his bright red jacket and green beret and will be sure to easily learn from his mistakes. 2005, Bloomsbury Publishing, $15.95. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Pat Trattles (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-58234-968-1
ISBN: 978-1-58234-968-8
Rosa Loves to Read
Diane Z. Shore
Illustrated by Larry Day
Even though they are not yet smuggled-flashlight-under-the-covers readers, children beginning to read can empathize with Rosa as she settles on her urban front stoop with her book. "Dogs bark. Feet Stomp." are the first of many two-word activities that build pressure for an explosive "Rosa yells QUIET!" Instantly the mood changes. "Toes tiptoe. Cats purr," initiates the sequence of peaceful activities that culminate in Rosa's whisper, "I love to read!" The use of staccato subject-verb sentences results in subtle sound effects that are accompanied by Larry Day's illustrations of every action. Pictured, too, is Rosa's increasing irritation at the interfering noises: even her toes express her growing tension and relaxed enjoyment. Rosa's story is part of the "Rookie reader" series. It includes a list of 44 words in alphabetical order ("tiptoe, to, toes" is an interesting sequence) and is altogether a worthwhile addition to a beginning reader's collection. 2004, Scholastic, $19.00. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Mildred Hart (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-516-21723-2
ISBN: 978-0-516-21723-9
This Is the Dream
Diane Z. Shore & Jessica Alexander
Illustrated by James Ransome
From the very first glimpse of the striking end papers, the reader becomes aware that this is a special book on an oft discussed subject. Using a combination of collages of actual photographs from the era of the Civil Rights Movement, and paintings that convey visual images that complement and enhance the simple, but powerful text, Ransome has succeeded in turning this picture book into a succinct, compelling history lesson. The authors have used plain, straightforward language (in rhymed couplets) to relate the events of the experience of segregation and the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement. Even young readers will feel the impact of the power of this examination of an extremely emotionally charged time in our nation's history. The heroic grace of "an army without guns, but not without strength" (Martin Luther King, Jr., 1964) is shown with honest empathy. The faces in the photographic collages reveal much about the attitudes of the times. The peaceful protests look all the more powerful when juxtaposed against such ugliness. Some of the strongest leaders of the movement are given a place of honor featuring their portraits, but it is in the faces (and actions) of the "everyday" people that we see the courage and determination of those who dreamed of "freedom and justice for all." Children will be able to recognize the injustices of racial prejudice and the need for the changes that have slowly approached giving all of our citizens their rightful place in the nation. This is an important addition for any library. 2006, Harper Collins, $15.99. Ages 5 up. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
Rhymes lead to reason in Diane Shore and Jessica Alexander's title. During the first half of the book, verses explain segregation with couplets like: "These are the fountains that stand in the square and the black-and-white signs say who will drink where." The second half of the book uses the same rhyming schemes to depict agents of change who "rallied and answered the call—dreaming of freedom and justice for all." While the book can be used to introduce the past to younger children, James Ransome's illustrations encourage discussion by older students. His strong, bold oils bring out the starkness of situations and strength of those who fought for equality. His interspersed collages make similarly powerful statements, whether he is showing the faces of those who suffered, or blending faces of children to represent the change to equality. 2006, HarperCollins, $15.99. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer: Susie Wilde (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-055519-1
ISBN: 978-0-06-055520-7
ISBN: 0-06-055519-X
ISBN: 0-06-055520-3
This is the Feast
Diane Shore
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
The sense of Thanksgiving is captured on every page of this rhymed presentation of the celebration held by the Plymouth colony in 1621. Opening with a striking illustration of the Mayflower sailing across a double spread, the text describes the arduous journey: "These are the Pilgrims, down on their knees,/seasick and frightened on rough, rolling seas." Lloyd has obviously done a great deal of research; her depictions of the people, their clothes, and possessions are meticulous, as well as colorful and engaging. Once land is sighted, the lookout cries "Thanks be to God, our strength and our guide." Shore's text gives a great deal of history while advancing the storyline of the upcoming feast. The reader is given a clear view of the difficulties the people faced and introduces Tisquantum (Squanto) as the Patuxet Indian who taught them how to plant maize and other crops. "Thanks be to God for this wise, clever man." The foods available and illustrated at the feast of Thanksgiving are in keeping with what we know about the time and the scene is not sentimentalized. Details such as a woman scraping sugar from a sugar cone add to the authenticity of the illustrations. Readers will find this a wealth of subtle information (spoons carved from wood, oysters and fish as part of the feast, and not a silver shoe buckle in sight)! Shore and Lloyd have joined their talents to create a book that will be an informative, discussible, and enjoyable peek into the past. "Thanks be to God for their creative gift to us." 2008, HarperCollins, $16.99. Ages 4 to 10. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-06-623794-7
ISBN: 978-0-06-623795-4
ISBN: 0-06-623795-5
Updated 02/26/09
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