Read, Write, Repeat.

Debut author Jacqueline Houtman trained as a scientist. She has a Ph.D in medical microbiology and immunology. But she’s a rare scientist in that she can take complicated, technical information and explain it so non-scientists can understand and appreciate it. In fact, she’s worked as a freelance science writer for the last several years.

Jacqueline’s writing talent comes through in her first book, the middle-grade novel The Reinvention of Edison Thomas (Front Street, 2010). Eddy, the book’s main character, reads college physics textbooks and is a fountain of scientific facts, but struggles with the social nuances of middle school.

Today, Jacqueline joins us to talk about her book.

How did you get the idea for The Reinvention of Edison Thomas? 
When I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Doubleday, 2003), I thought it would be cool to write a book from the point of view of a kid on the autism spectrum who was in middle school. Middle school is tough for everyone, and must be even tougher for kids on the spectrum.

How long did the process take from initial idea to publication? How did your story change along the way?
I have drafts that go back as far as 2005. It started out very episodic. It took me a while to work out the plot.

What did you learn while working on this book?
I learned about constructing a plot and creating narrative drive, moving things along. I also learned a lot of random facts.

What do you hope kids who read your book will learn?
I hope they’ll learn that kids who seem weird may just see the world a little differently and might make great friends.

What books or authors inspired you as you worked on this book?
I tried not to read any fiction with autistic protagonists while I was writing, because
I didn’t want to be influenced by them. After I had finished the first draft, I did read Freaks, Geeks, and Asperger Syndrome: A User Guide to Adolescence (Jessica Kingsley, 2002) by Luke Jackson, a very eloquent kid on the autism spectrum. That reassured me that I was on the right track with my book.

What do you do when you’re not writing for kids?
Write about science for grownups. When I’m not writing, I’m spending time with my family, or at the gym.

I hear you’ve written about some pretty memorable topics for adults. What
are some that particularly stand out for you?
Some my favorite pieces have been articles for the “Breakthroughs in Bioscience” series for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), a nonprofit that supports biomedical research

They trace the history of basic science and show how seemingly insignificant or unrelated findings can lead to life-saving therapies.

• The first was on the breast-cancer drug, tamoxifen.
• The next was on the HPV vaccine — and has jackalopes!
• The third will be coming out soon and is about angiogenesis (the growth of new blood vessels), the basis for some new drugs for cancer and other diseases.

I know they sound esoteric, but they are written for a general audience and are very readable. And they were such fun to write. Check them out.

What other projects do you have in the works?
I’m working on another novel, also full of science and rockets. 

You can learn more about Jacqueline at her Web site or through this blog interview.

Almost everyone has gotten a present that made them say, “Huh?”

Maybe it was a set of custom cookware for someone who could barely boil water. Or a subscription to the ”Meat of the Month Club” for a confirmed vegetarian.  

Linda Skeers’ latest picture book, Tutus Aren’t My Style (Dial, 2010), tells the story of Emma, an active, outdoorsy girl who receives a ballerina costume from her Uncle Leo.

Now, Emma has never even considered being a ballerina. But she loves Uncle Leo and doesn’t want to let him down, so she puts on the costume and tries to do everything her friends and family tell her good ballerinas do — float, flutter, whirl and twirl.

Of course, it doesn’t work out. But instead of getting frustrated, Emma decides to make her own rules about what ballerinas do, which results in a memorable recital that pleases Emma and her uncle.

Linda joins us today to talk more about her second picture book.

Describe how Tutus Aren’t My Style came to be, from initial idea to sale.
I’m a very clumsy person and one night I tumbled down the stairs and somersaulted into my son’s room. When I stood up I told him, “I’ll never, ever be a ballerina!” Later I thought that would make a good title for a story about a clumsy little girl. I wrote and revised the story too many times to count! Finally, I sent it to my editor. She suggested I add a few characters, I did one more revision, and she bought it! 

Who’s the target audience for this book?
4-8 year olds. I especially hope it appeals to tomboys who don’t connect to all the ballerina and princess picture books out there. I know I don’t!

What are you most pleased with about the book?
I love the illustrations! Emma looks exactly how I envisioned her in my mind as I was writing. And the cat wearing the tutu cracks me up!

What costume would you have wanted to receive as a child? How about now?
I would have loved a swashbuckling pirate costume! Should I admit that I bought a pirate hat (complete with marabou feathers) on eBay and I wear it around the house?ARRRRGGGHHHH! 

Have you ever worn a tutu?
Alas, I have not. Yet.

How is the book similar to – and different from – your first book, The Impossible Patriotism Project?
Both have a main character trying to figure out something that bothers them.

Caleb wonders what patriotism means and how he can show it, and Emma is wondering how to be a ballerina when that goes against her personality. Both solve their problem by doing some soul searching. Tutus is lighter and, hopefully, funnier. 

What do you think makes a good picture book?
An interesting main character that the reader cares about. And humor!

Which authors inspire you?
So many! Jill Esbaum, Deborah Wiles, Patricia Polacco, Mo Willems, Hollie Hobby …  it’s a very long list! 

What’s your favorite picture book of all time? 
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. 

What do you do when you’re not writing?
Read. Eat. Read. Watch movies. Read some more!

What else would you like to add? If you want to sell a book in today’s market, READ what’s currently being published!

Want to learn more about Linda? Visit her Web site.  Want to meet her and get the benefit of her expertise? Sign up to attend the picture book writing workshop she holds each year with fellow Iowa author Jill Esbaum.

Dessert Schneider has a lot going on in her life. First, she’s finally convinced her parents that she should be able to eat her dessert first every night. Second, she doesn’t quite know what to make of her new teacher – Mrs. Howdy Doody. And third, there’s a box of Grandma Reine’s famous double-decker bars in the fridge labeled “Do Not Touch.”

Well, what would you do? Dessert eats those bars. Unfortunately, they were supposed to help celebrate her grandmother’s birthday, and Dessert ends up having to find a way to apologize to her family.

That’s the premise of Dessert First (Simon and Schuster, 2009), the debut novel of Hallie Durand.  And how Dessert says she’s sorry makes for an enjoyable read. (Hint: It involves sacrifice, fund-raising and baking.)

Today’s reviewer is Julia, who admits she’s quite fond of dessert. Take it away, Julia!

Our reviewer: Julia

Age: 7

I like: Jumping rope, playing games and recess. I wish recess would never end.

This book was about: A girl named Dessert. Her family has a restaurant and her parents let her eat dessert first. Then, she gives up dessert for two weeks. But her grandmother had a famous recipe for double-decker bars and her mom made them and put a note on them saying not to touch them. But Dessert ate all of them and had to think of a way to say she was sorry.

The best part was when: When Dessert eats dessert after two weeks without it and she learns chocolate isn’t always the best. Her mom says, “There are some things you need to discover for yourself.”

I laughed when: Dessert was supposed to write down what she was giving up and she said, “I don’t feel good.”

This book taught me: Eat dessert last. It’s worth the wait.

I was surprised that: Dessert got the chef at the restaurant to make some double-decker bars to make up for the ones she ate. And they even got added to the menu.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Dessert.” “Dessert.” “Dessert.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: How Dessert signed her name and then drew a maraschino cherry after it.

If you’d like to learn more about author Hallie Durand, read this interview.

So what’s YOUR favorite dessert? Julia likes cherry lollipops, and she wouldn’t be especially excited about giving those up for two weeks.

Janet Halfmann has written the latest entry in Smithsonian’s Backyard, a series of picture books that describe animals children see in their daily lives.

Her book, Little Black Ant on Park Street (Soundprints, 2010), continues the series’ tradition of providing – according to Midwest Book Review – “lively stories which read like fiction but include natural history facts.”

In this case, Little Black Ant takes children on a journey into her life, explaining what goes on underneath the anthill, how food is found and gathered, the dangers she faces out in the world and how new anthills are started. The story shares lots of interesting ant facts, and the final page of the book offers more information and a handy glossary.

Even kids who might not be fans of ants or bugs should relate to this story. The pictures by Kathleen Rietz are friendly and the story is engaging.

And if you’d like a chance to win your very own copy (which was supplied by the publisher), just follow these THREE SIMPLE STEPS by Feb. 17:

1. Visit Janet Halfmann’s Web site at http://www.janethalfmann.com/.
2. Leave a message in the comments section of this blog listing your favorite book of Janet’s. It might be hard. She has more than 30 to choose from. Include your e-mail address so I can notify you if you win.
3. Want a bonus chance in the random drawing? Include another fact from Janet’s site. Maybe it’s her favorite color or the children’s book she likes the most or a job she previously held. The choice is yours.

After Feb. 17, I’ll choose the winner in a random drawing, contact that person for their mailing address and send out the book.

I hope you enter … and GOOD LUCK!

My only exposure to moose has been through reruns of “Northern Exposure.” So when I read Bettina Restrepo’s picture book Moose and Magpie (Sylvan Dell, 2009) I learned a lot.

I had no idea, for example, that male moose lose their huge antlers every winter. Or that bugs, birds and mice eat the discarded antlers.

I didn’t know that moose are good swimmers and sometimes will swim up to five miles as they migrate to find a mate. (I didn’t even know moose migrated, for that matter.)

And I didn’t know that baby moose can outrun people and swim when they’re only a few days old.

All these facts, and more, are woven into the book along with a lot of puns, plays on words and some groaningly bad moose-related jokes that today’s guest reviewer, Darius, especially appreciated.

Take it away, Darius!

Our reviewer: Darius

Age: 8

I like: Playing basketball. Playing with my friends. Playing video games like “Smackdown.”

This book was about: A moose and a bird are good friends. They live by the willow tree. The bird tells lots of jokes. Moose wants to tell a joke, but can’t think of one until the end.

The best part was when: The moose gave the bird a ride on his antlers across the stream.

I laughed when: Moose finally told a joke. “Why doesn’t a moose change his long underwear in the winter? Because it’s attached to his skin.”

This book taught me: Moose have two layers of hair. The hair close to their skin is like long underwear because it keeps them warm. Their top hair helps the moose float.

I was surprised that: The book is about a moose and a bird, but there is a beaver and skunk and a raccoon in the pictures. They do funny stuff. But they don’t say anything.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: All the jokes the bird tells. And the boxes that have information about moose.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Moose.” “Underwear.” “Magpie.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “Okay, so two moose walked into a lodge …”

You should read this book because: It tells you a lot about moose. Like that they lose their antlers every year.

Darius thinks it would be fun to be a moose because he’d like having antlers, even if they itched when they grew in. “I’d just rub my head on a tree,” he said.

Thanks, Darius!

If you’d like to learn more about Moose and Magpie, visit the Sylvan Dell Web site. It has more moose-related facts and activities for kids. There’s even an author interview.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Sherry Rogers, here is her Web site and her blog. Bettina Restrepo also has a Web site.

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and what could be better than a good picture book?

Dark chocolate, you say?

A clean house?

A day off work with pay?

Well, maybe. But only if you’re off of work, in your clean house, eating dark chocolate WHILE you read this picture book.

The book is Mousie Love (Bloomsbury USA, 2009). It’s about a mouse named Tully who is quite taken with a mouse named Frill. He tries to propose, but a cat and Tully’s own ideas about love keep getting in the way.

It’s written by Dori Chaconas. Yes, she’s the author who wrote my favorite Christmas picture book featured here. Yes, that book also is about mice. But what can I do? A good book is a good book.

And I wasn’t the only one who liked it. Meet Isabel:

Our reviewer: Isabel (who also goes by “Izzy”)

Age: 7

I like: Playing video games and playing with my little sister, Abby.

This book was about: A boy mouse named Tully. He meets a girl mouse named Frill. Tully keeps asking, “Will you marry me?” But Frill never gets a chance to answer because Tully always goes and does something before she can.

The best part was when: Tully gets a blueberry muffin for Frill. I like to eat blueberry muffins when they are hot.

I laughed when: Frill never got to answer Tully’s question. But I knew she’d say “yes,” because I knew they were in love.

I was worried when: The cat kept following them.

I was surprised: At how many mice were in the book. And that there was a spider.

This book taught me: Three things. Mice can fit under very small things. People fall down when animals run under their feet. And, don’t ever fall off the roof.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The cat. He’s always lurking around and running under people’s feet.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Marry.” “Mice.” “Love.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “She didn’t say ‘no.’ She didn’t say ‘yes.’
She didn’t say ‘maybe.’”

You should read this book because: I like it that the two mice fall in love. At the end, Tully and Frill look up at the stars and say, “Oooh.” Then, there’s a big mouse wedding.

This book has illustrations by Josee Masse.

Oh, and by the way, Isabel says if someone as nice as Tully asked her to get married, she’d say, “Yes. Or at least maybe.”

Keep the love going. List YOUR favorite Valentine’s Day book in the comment section.