A Guest Post by Rhonda Gowler-Greene

Rhonda Gowler-Greene

I'd like to give a warm welcome to Rhonda Gowler Greene, author of The First Men Who Went to the Moon, which is on the New York State Reading Association's Charlotte Book Award Intermediate ballot.      

      

                                            

1.   I wrote The First Men Who Went to the Moon because I had written other books in the same circular, poetic pattern (example - The Very First Thanksgiving Day) and they were successful.  I thought- What other historical event could I write about?  The journey of Apollo 11 popped in my head, maybe because I actually watched the first Moon landing and walk on live TV when I was a kid. 

I didn’t write the story with the 50^th anniversary (2019) of the Apollo 11 mission in mind, but I was excited and pleased that the publisher (Sleeping Bear Press) worked hard to get the book out in time for the worldwide anniversary celebration.

2.  Readers should read my books to…

a) learn interesting facts about historical events (such as in The First Men   

Who Went to the Moon),

b) have fun with reading (in No Pirates Allowed! Said Library Lou), and…

c) look for good writing craft.

3.  My favorite place to read is next to a fireplace.   I’m lucky because the house my husband and I moved into a couple of years ago has fireplaces in the kitchen, living room, and a bedroom.   I love to curl up in a cozy chair with a good book right next to a warm, glowing fire- even in summer!

4.  A book that has touched my heart is Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.  It’s beautifully written.  Plus, I love free verse novels.  It won the Newbery Award a while back, in 1998.  There are actually so many children’s books that have touched my heart.  Another one is Mr. Putter & Tabby Write the Book by my favorite author, Cynthia Rylant.  (I got to meet her once!)  I love all her books, but this one really hits home.  It’s so warm and funny.  And I’m going to squeeze one more in, a newer one—The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart.  Wow, I couldn’t put that one down.  I predict it will be a contender for the 2020 Newbery Award.

5.  I collect my ideas for writing most often when I’m reading other children’s books.  My house is like a library!  It’s absolutely full of kids’ books, from picture books to novels.  I study the books and read them like a writer.  I jot down my ideas on any paper that happens to be near me.  I’ve learned if I don’t write down an idea the very moment it comes to me, I usually forget it.  I keep these ideas in a file folder.  Or some, I’ve put in a computer file.   

6.  A project I’m currently working on is a picture book about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  I don’t know yet if an editor will want to buy the manuscript, but—fingers crossed!

7.  Readers should know I got 220 rejections (for about a dozen different stories) before I ever sold a manuscript.  That was over twenty years ago.  The First Men Who Went to the Moon is my 28^th book.  I think it takes three P’s to get published— 

        
Passion, Persistence, and Patience.  Though I still get lots of rejections and it’s very frustrating at times, I don’t give up.  

When signing my Apollo 11 book, I always add– ‘Dream Big!  Reach for the stars!’  To accomplish any major goal, I think it requires dreaming big, working really hard, and not giving up.  It takes that for me to get a book published.  And on a much larger scale, it took that (and a team of 400,000 people!) to land humans on the Moon and get them safely back to Earth.

 Thanks so much for the interview!

Thank YOU Rhonda!  

Watch the book trailer for The First Men Who Went to the Moon . . . 

Make sure to visit Rhonda's website!

 

A Guest Post by Kate Messner

 

Kate Messner

Hello Kate Messner!  Welcome to Mrs. Merrill's Book Break!  Congratulations on having your book, The Exact Location of Home selected for the Intermediate New York State Charlotte Book Award Ballot!  

Kate says . . .

1.      I wrote THE EXACT LOCATION OF HOME because at the time, a young person's loss of a home  wasn't something that was addressed in many middle grade novels, and yet more than a million kids experience homelessness each year. As a former middle school teacher and as someone who wants all kids to feel seen, it was important for me to explore this experience in a way that's realistic but also offers hope.

2.       Readers should read my books if they're curious people, like I am! Probably most writers to answer this question by saying something like "if they like mythology!" or "if they love nonfiction!" But the truth is, I write all over the place, just like I enjoy reading lots of different kinds of books. The one common thread, though, is curiosity. Every book begins with me wondering about something, whether that's how we might be able to manage invasive Burmese pythons in Florida, to what it's like to experience homelessness as a middle schooler, to what happens during a prison break. So I think my books are great for readers who have that same kind of thirsty curiosity about lots of different things.

3.       My favorite place to read is on my deck in the summertime, overlooking Lake Champlain.

4.       A book that has touched my heart is TWO NAOMIS by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Audrey Vernick. I loved this story about two girls finding friendship and family, even though it means uncomfortable changes. (And the sequel, NAOMIS,TOO, is wonderful as well!)

5.       I collect my ideas for writing in a notebook that I carry with me everywhere I go. As a writer, you never really turn off your writing brain, so you never know when you'll see something or hear something and think "Ohh! I want to know more about that!" or "Ah! That's a cool idea for a book!"  

6.       A project I’m currently working on is a new nonfiction series aimed at undoing the lies we tell small children about history. It's called HISTORY SMASHERS and the first two books, about the Mayflower and Women's Right to Vote, will be out from Random House in July. They're illustrated by Dylan Meconis (including some graphic/comic sequences!)  and I can't wait for you to see them! 

7.       Readers should know that I believe in telling kids the truth, even when that truth makes adults uncomfortable sometimes. That's why I've written novels for kids about homelessness, and the impact of the opioid epidemic on families.

Thanks, 

Kate 

For lots more information about Kate and her books, be sure to visit Kate's website.   

Thank you for visiting my blog Kate!

NYSRA Conference 2019 Presentation

Coming up on Friday November 15, I will be presenting at the New York State Reading Association Conference. This year's conference is, Empowering Striving Readers. My presentation will occur on Friday afternoon at 4:15 and is entitled, "NYSRA Charlotte Book Award Ballot Banter".   As the 2020 Committee Chair, I will be presenting the Ballot of books with one of my committee members. Together, we will Booktalk as many of the 40 book titles as we are able in the the one hour time slot of our presentation!  There are 10  titles on four different Ballots: primary, intermediate, middle school, and high school.  I'm looking forward to booktalking and sharing so many great titles with educators from around the state!

Exciting news!  In the upcoming weeks, look for guest posts from the authors and illustrators of many of the featured Ballot books!

Click HERE to see the 2020 Charlotte Book Award Ballots!

Stay tuned for upcoming posts about these great books!

Back to the Library!

 When September arrives, it's always hard to believe that the summer is just about over.   For me, and many other educators, summer end after Labor Day weekend, when we return to school.  Back  to school means back to the library!   And, back to the library, means back to books and book to check out.   I love the excitement from the kids, as they return to the library for the first time since June. They are so happy to be able to borrow books again!


 

I love being able to welcome students back to the library and back to the books. I also love welcoming them back by reading aloud a book about books, reading, and/or libraries. I collect books like these for my personal library collection (and the school library also has many of these as well). If you're interested in reading about this collection, check out my Good Reads account.  I currently have 119 books!

Perseverance

After having experienced some vision loss and eye surgery in the spring, I began to wonder if I'd ever be able to read and write as I've always done. Anyone that already knows me, knows that I already use adaptive strategies and tools to both read and write. When those strategies and tools didn't seem to help, I became weary and frustrated. Would things ever be the same for me?  Could I continue to share a love of reading with others?  Could I inspire readers with my writing?  

Although I wasn't able to read very well, I was able to read book titles of the picture books that I loved so much. One evening, as I was visiting the book store, I discovered Lori Degman's treasure, Just Read. Although I wasn't able to read it, I knew I had to have it (I collect books about books and reading and libraries). I brought the book home and there it sat on my nightstand.

Then one day, I picked it up and took it to my magnifying CCTV. I began to read and realized that nothing had ever stopped me from doing what I wanted in the past, so why would I let my current circumstances stop me now?  Degman's book encourages readers to read no matter where or when or how. Her words were the perfect reminder to me to do the same!  A while later, I wrote this poem as a reminder to myself to not let anything or anyone stop me from achieving my goals.


Perseverance
by Amy Merrill

My whole life
I've never let
anyone
or anything
stop me
from doing
what I want
or need to do

I've made
my way
through trials
and tribulations
through storms
and disturbances
over bumps
and hurdles

I've dealt
with loss
and sorrow
I've made it through
difficult times
and tests of patience
Each time
I've persevered

This time
is no different
I will make it through
I will do
What needs
to be done
I will endure
I will succeed.

It's Poetry Friday!  Join in the Poetry fun by stopping over to Deowriter

Happy Reading!

My Journals

Creatiting  in my journals is one of my favorite things to do. The  poem that I wrote describes what I love to do inside the pages of my journals.  I also had some fun playing  with alliteration.


My Journals

Journal pages
beckon with their blankness
waiting to hold what is dear
Pens
Pregnant with possibilities
Markers
meander with memories
Paints
call to my creativity
Glue
gathers scraps from life
Tape
collages delicate clippings
Journal pages
filled with treasures
now hold what is dear.

Today the Poetry Friday Roundup is being hosted by Heidi at My Juicy Little Universe.  Be sure to stop by for lots more poetry love!

An Unwanted Goodbye

Today over at Reading to the Core, the Poetry Friday round up is happening, as well the celebration of International Women's Day.

The poem that I've written and am sharing today has been rattling around in my head and bubbling up in my journals for some time now. Once again I'm taking a bold step in sharing it. But I feel I need to share it with the world.



An Unwanted Goodbye

two years have gone by
Since you told us
You were sick.
It seemed a death sentence
Doctors tried their best
To offer solutions.
You tried your best
You fought so hard . . .
You didn't want to give up
You fought so hard
You had your pride
It was so difficult
for you to show defeat
but the time came
You continued  to fight
to hold on
You wanted to stay for us
You worried about us
You held on tight
You loved us so
You continued to fight
but your body couldn't fight anymore
You were in there
Trapped by sickness
a disease that held you captive
We knew  you were in there
Unable to speak
Unable to share
Unable to move
Your eyes said it all
We knew you were there
Fighting --
until the battle was lost
We prayed together
Held your hands
It was ok . . .
to let it all go
We told you so
You heard that last prayer
You felt our loving touch
We held your hands
You heard the call
He was waiting for you
It was time to go
You knew it was so
You took your last breath
You fought a good fight. . .
The ultimate of wars.
We are proud of you
We love you so
It was heart wrenching
to let you go. . .
We had no choice
Now we hold you
in our hearts, my dear
We will always love you . . .
and miss you so . . .