Behind the Books: Revision, Rehearsal, Renovation
Let’s face it. Kids aren’t crazy about the idea of revising their writing. I created a Revision Timeline documenting the 10-year process of creating No Monkeys, No Chocolate so that teachers would have an engaging tool for showing young writers that professional writers revise. A lot. For a few years now, I’ve been telling students […]
Book of the Week: No Monkeys, No Chocolate
Educators often ask me which of my books would work best in their classroom. So this year, I’ve decided to feature a book each week and highlight related teaching materials and strategies. No Monkeys, No Chocolate is one of my favorite books, so I went all out when it came to creating related teaching materials. […]
Behind the Books: Just the Right Title
When I created a revision timeline to accompany No Monkeys, No Chocolate, I focused on the process of crafting the manuscript, but the title went through many changes as well. When I mention this during school visits, teachers and students consistently ask follow-up questions, so I thought it might be worth writing about it here. […]
Behind the Books: Making Revision Visible
When I visit schools, kids (and their teachers) often seem stunned by how much time it takes to create a book and how many people are involved in the process. So when No Monkeys, No Chocolate was released in August 2013, I decided to create a Revision Timeline on my website. The timeline documents the […]
Behind the Books: Another Gift for Educators
When No Monkeys, No Chocolate came out last fall, I wanted to provide educators with a really useful teaching tool to accompany the book. I created this Revision Timeline so that kids (and teachers) could get a sense of how much time and energy goes into a book, even when it’s just 32 pages long. […]
Behind the Books: Monkey Marketing
When I visit schools, kids (and their teachers) often seem stunned by how much time it takes to create a book and how many people are involved in the process. My new picture book, No Monkeys, No Chocolate, is an extreme example. It took 10 years, 56 revisions, and 2 fresh starts. Let’s face it. […]