Last May I won a book on Kathy Temean’s Writing and Illustrating blog. The book was The Strongest Thing, When Home Feels Hard. Wow! The topic is TOUGH, and Hallee handled it with the greatest of care. Thank you, Hallee, for sharing your picture book with me!
Book Description:
A sensitive, hopeful story about breaking the cycle of bullying and abuse.
Sera doesn’t always like being at home, where her dad’s anger feels like the strongest thing. School feels better. But when Sera gets into an argument with a friend and finds herself acting like the bully at home, she discovers that the strongest thing isn’t loud or angry at all.
Why I liked this book:
~the story is strong, captivating, and hopeful, and is written with sensitivity
~the subject matter is tough, but for those kids (and perhaps adults!) who need it, it can be a doorway to discussion
~the illustrations fit just right for the subject matter
~the book would be perfect for counselors and therapist who work with children and families
Note: I would advise adults to pre-read The Strongest Thing, When Home Feels Hard BEFORE sharing it with children. Some parts might be triggering or scary.
Thank you, Hallee and Rea, for putting this book out in the world!
You can learn more about Hallee’s books on her website.
Hello, book friends! Today I’d like to introduce you to the author of Scromlette the Omelet Chef, Zach Christensen. I was sent a copy of Scomlette the Omelet Chef by Mascot Books. You can learn more about Mascot Books here: https://mascotbooks.com/ .
I featured Scromlette the Omelet Chef back in December with three other newly released picture books. Today, let’s take a closer look at a book about food – one of my favorite subjects. On a side note, during a critique group meeting, one of my critique partners mentioned that many of my books have a theme about food, or some type of food connection. Lo and behold, now that she said that, I’ve noticed MOST of my books have some sort of link to food. You can imagine a book about omelets would catch my eye. Er. Stomach? On to Zach’s book.
My Short Blurb:
This book has a great message. Scrom goes from being a bullied child to an adult who shares his love of making omelets with those on the streets. I enjoyed reading how Scrom survived the bullies of his childhood by hanging on to what he loved: making omelettes. The closure of what the bullies did and seeing them later in life as adults-in-need helps Scrom understand why they did what they did, and offers him a chance to help even more. The colorful illustrations help tell the story. Scromlette the Omelet Chef makes me hungry for an omelet!
Meet the Author
Welcome, Zach! Tell us a little about yourself.
Hi Angie, and to any readers out there, thank you for listening in. I’m from Nebraska, I’ve worked in social services for six years, and I have always loved a good story. I have a master of arts in theology, so I had suspected for years that my first book would be something quite dense in the realm of philosophy or religious history. Instead, I came to find that a true test of your creativity and material is to distill ideas into simple and accessible stories for children. There is something magnificently compelling about a story that inspires you, give you hope, helps you reframe your state of mind, and reorient how you interact with the world around you. I have always enjoyed helping people find stories that illuminate their lives in new ways.
Zach, I just read what you said in a craft book about writing for children: A writer has to know and research much information about a subject in order to distill it down to create simple, engaging stories for children. I love how we both are thinking about this.
What was your inspiration for SCROMLETTE THE OMELET CHEF?
My primary inspiration was having seen such a resilience and fortitude in my peers and contemporaries around me for my entire life. Growing up, there is a great deal of bullying that children are susceptible to experience. Childhood is already a turbulent time, and it is when we are our most vulnerable that we are most susceptible to endure the worst trauma. Naturally, the book has strong anti-bullying themes. My aim is to tell children that there is something on the other side of the disorienting journey of growing up, and you’ll be able to see it more clearly if you can find something that you love.
With that, I wanted to likewise encourage children to find things that they love giving their time and energy to, while also finding ways to serve people around you. If you can find things that overlap in these two domains, then you have found something that is life-giving for yourself and the world.
What was the writing journey you took as you wrote this book?
Believe it or not, I actually wrote the entire story in a parking lot while I was waiting for an AWOLNation concert to start. It was as if the story already had existed and I had it in my imagination for years, but the rhymes and stanzas just came to me in that two-hour window of time. The writing of the story really was a materialization of ideas that I had felt children (and really people all of walks of life) needed to hear for some time. I think that is actually central to the craft of writing a story – it is taking what you have encountered in your life, the good and bad, and synthesizing them together in a way that people can look at what you’ve created, and they feel a sense of shared experience with you. When people hear a story and think “me too,” I believe this what is empowering and compelling for people.
All this to say, if you have some life experience that left a lasting impression on you, whether it was characterized by pain, joy, a convergence of the two, or something else, I’d submit to you that you could transform that into a story, and there are people out there who need to hear it.
That’s pretty amazing – two hours! In a car. While waiting for something else. Writers out there? Keep those notebooks handy.Zach, I love this.
Everything is different right now with COVID-19, but how did you celebrate the book birthday (book release day) of SCROMLETTE THE OMELET CHEF?
Unfortunately, I was not able to have a conventional release party due to the pandemic, but I have been networking with a number of different teachers and educators to help circulate Scromlette to the general public and to get it into classrooms. Likewise, many people among whom I have promoted Scromlette were able to get their copies before Christmas.
Surprise us! What else would you like to share?
I have more stories in the works and some manuscripts are completed and ready for submission! So keep an eye out for new books of mine!
Zach, that’s great news! I look forward to hearing more about future books. Thank you for visiting my blog today, Zach. And thank you for writing such an encouraging picture book.
I am sharing three books in this post. Please scroll down to read more about each books.
The Butterfly Tree
Written by Kelly Harrison Spining
Illustrated by Abby Rocha
Mascot Books: December 8, 2020
The Adventures of Chips & Salsa
Written by Cynthia Petillo
Illustrated by Ana Sebastian
Mascot Books: December 8, 2020
Lunk
Written by Connor Anvar
Illustrated by Tristan Tait
Mascot Books: December 1, 2020
The Butterfly Tree by Kelly Harrison Spining
Who wouldn’t love a butterfly tree? This tale of three evokes memories of a folk tale. Three trees, three personalities and gifts, and three opportunities to welcome a tired butterfly. But only one has the gift of hospitality. I enjoyed this lovely tale of looking beyond appearances and importance to see what is truly in someone’s heart.
Amazon Blurb:
Three trees sat upon a grassy hill, two tall and strong, one small and frail. As the gentle breezes of spring blew one day, a beautiful butterfly floated by looking for a new home. What happened next would create a lifelong friendship between two unlikely creations of nature. Inspired by the writers experience of seeing the beauty of a tree covered in butterflies, The Butterfly Tree conveys a timeless message of love and acceptance.
The Adventures of Chips & Salsa by Cynthia Petillo
Chips loved his neighborhood and watching out the window. When neighbors moved in, Chips met a new friend named Salsa. Play time at the local dog park offered Chips and Salsa plenty of opportunity to play with friends, and unfortunately, have run-ins with dog bullies. I enjoyed reading about this story about a hero in a tiny package and changed hearts.
Amazon Blurb:
Meet Chips, a happy-go-lucky, friendly beagle, and his pals as they welcome Salsa, a tiny, shy Chihuahua who is new to the neighborhood. The dogs become fast friends and, before they know it, find themselves on a playful adventure in the park. And though Salsa may be tiny, he proves that true loyalty, friendship, and love come in all sizes. Join Chips and Salsa as they take readers on a fun-filled and exciting journey full of new adventures!
Lunk by Connor Anvar
Oh, Lunk! A plain chicken wants to be a fancy lunkalicious chicken. But things do not go as planned for the fancy version of himself. I laughed as I read this fairy tale tale (including a fairy chicken godfather). This fun tale was written by six-year-old Connor Anvar.
Amazon Blurb:
Lunk is an ordinary chicken who desires to become something greater. As his wish comes true, he wonders if his new life will bring him the happiness he was expecting.
Yellow Jacket (an imprint of Little Bee Books); January 7, 2020
Happy Book Birthday, Jelly!
I LOVE Jelly! This is a great story about a large girl who figures out how to cope with rude comments about her size. Humor and excellent impressions of others keeps everyone laughing, but deep in her heart, she hides her true feelings. This is also a coming of age story. I loved the writing, the setting, the poetry (!!!), and the music. Not everyone has to fit in the same package or do the same things to belong. Honesty with family and friends is worth the risk. I love the way school, friendship, and home life is all tied up in one exciting bunch. Excellent read!
Thank you, Yellow Jacket, for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of Jelly to review.
As an adult who struggled with being the chubby kid at school, Jelly resonated with both my younger and more mature self.
Why I LOVE This Book:
~ The personality of Jelly is fantastic. This is someone I would love to meet in real life. Her story rings true.
~ The struggle with being overweight and how Jelly is treated by others is sadly life-like. Bullies are everywhere and Jelly learns how to deal with mean comments by reacting with humor. But beneath it all, she is hurt and is hiding her true self.
~ The courage and honesty of Jelly as she changes how she interacts with others and shares her real feelings is refreshing.
~ I love that Jelly writes in her journal to process life. I love the way she expresses herself through poetry.
~ Fantastic friendship, family, and school dynamics
~ The story!
~ I really enjoyed Jelly. Readers will see themselves in the many characters and hopefully learn to treat others kindly, no matter what size.
Happy Book Birthday, Jelly!
Amazon Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Jelly hides her true self behind her humor and keeps her true thoughts and feelings locked away in a notebook. Can she find the courage to share who she really is?
Angelica (Jelly for short) is the queen of comedy at school. She has a personality as big as she is, and everyone loves her impressions. But Jelly isn’t as confident as she pretends to be. No one knows her deepest thoughts and feelings. She keeps those hidden away in a secret notebook.
Then her mom’s new boyfriend, Lennon, arrives. He’s kind and perceptive, and he is the first person to realize that Jelly is playing a part. Jelly shares her poetry with him and he convinces her to perform one of her poems as a song at the school talent show. Can Jelly risk letting people see the real her? What if it all goes wrong?
Love, Laughter, and Life 