Blog Tour: Ares by George O'Connor

January 26, 2015 Alyson Beecher

Thank you to First Second for inviting me to participate in the Ares Blog Tour. This is one of my favorite graphic novel series and if you have yet to pick up one of these, I encourage you to start now and do not waste another moment.

Ares: Bringer of War
by George O'Connor
First Second January 27, 2015
Audience: 5th to 9th grade
Graphic Novel * Greek Mythology * Trojan War
IndieBound * WorldCat

Description from GoodReads:
The myth continues in the tenth year of the fabled Trojan War where two infamous gods of war go to battle. The spotlight is thrown on Ares, god of war, and primarily focuses on his battle with the clever and powerful Athena. As the battle culminates and the gods try to one-up each other to win, the human death toll mounts. Who will win this epic clash of power? And how many will have to die first?

My thoughts on the book:
Ares: Bringer of War is the 7th book in the Olympians series. As someone who has been reading the series since the 1st Olympians book, Zeus, came out I have noticed that the series continues to grow and intrigue me as a reader. Though you can read each book in any order or as a stand alone, the books do build on one another. Hence, there are references in Ares that refer back to previous books particularly Aphrodite, and personally, I would encourage reading them at some point in order to appreciate the complexity of O'Connor's work.

One of the things that I always appreciate with O'Connor's presentation of the Greek gods in his series is the way that he frames each one. Each of the gods and goddesses have multiple stories and angles that can be presented. However, O'Connor typically finds a unique angle to present each individual god's story. In book 7, we see Ares in juxtaposition to Athena. Both are gods of war but with different strengths and agendas. As a result, they do not always get along and bicker with one another. In this story, the setting is different than the other books. It is almost as if we are in an arena with the spotlight on a specific time during the Trojan War with the gods and goddess of Olympus as on-lookers squabbling with one and another over the Trojans and the Greeks and who should win and how things should be managed. This interaction between the gods is more developed in this story arc than in previous books.

Since I do not consider myself an expert in Greek mythology, I admit that my favorite part of this series is the notes at the end, the references to the previous books and to further information about the gods. These Geek notes reveal much of the research O'Connor used in writing the story, but also shows his passion for the topic. Finally, though some may choose to skip the Geek notes, they do provide a much deeper understanding of the story, if one takes the time to read them.

A great series to have in a classroom or school library and will appeal to those with an interest in learning more about the Greek gods.

Jerzy Drozd Interviews George O'Connor:

For a shorter interview check out RBDHB Interviews George O'Connor:

Where to find information about George O'Connor and more about the Olympians....

About George O'Connor:
George O’Connor’s first graphic novel, Journey Into Mohawk Country, used as its sole text the actual historical journal of the seventeenth-century Dutch trader Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert, and told the true story of how New York almost wasn’t. He followed that up with Ball Peen Hammer, the first graphic novel written by playwright Adam Rapp, a dark dystopian view of a society’s collapse as intimately viewed by four lost souls. Now he has brought his attention to Olympians, an ongoing series retelling the classic Greek myths in comics form. In addition to his graphic novel career, Mr. O’Connor has published several children’s picture books, including the New York Times best-selling Kapow, Sally and the Some-Thing, and Uncle Bigfoot. Drop by O'Connor's blog for cool information.

For more information about the Olympians Series and activities, stop by the Olympians website. Check out the other stops on the blog tour here. Follow George O'Connor on twitter: @georgethemighty

Tuck Everlasting 40th Anniversary Blog Tour

January 23, 2015 Alyson Beecher

Thank you Macmillan for including me in the Tuck Everlasting 40 Days for 40 Years Anniversary Blog Tour. When I was asked to participate in this blog tour, I was thrilled. I first read Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit in 1986 while I was taking a Children's Lit course. I read it on the heels of the Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson, and remember crying with both books. They will forever be paired together as two of the most powerful stories. True #heartprint books as some of my Nerdy Book Club friends refer to books that touch them deeply are books that leave a lasting impression on your mind, heart and soul. Tuck Everlasting will always be one of those books for me.

For the blog tour one of the things I am doing is asking a couple of teens who contribute to this blog to answer the question:

"Would You Drink the Water?"

Here is what Carolyn (High School Junior) had to say:
Would I want immortality? I don’t truly know. While I don’t like death (who does?), I think that some sort of finality can bring more meaning to a person’s life and their work. Additionally, I am religious, which I think can make the concept of death far less terrifying and overwhelming. I also don’t know if I would want immortality if my parents and my sister (along with important people I’ll meet later in life) couldn’t as well. Additionally, I do suffer from some medical issues, and even though I can’t die, I’m not sure if I would rather die than continue living but be on the brink of death.

Disregarding the philosophical and religious side of that choice, I think I might want to live forever – probably working in the Library of Congress so I could try to read every book ever written in the United States. Additionally, I could travel around the world and see lots of different places that my normal lifespan wouldn’t allow for; I could learn different languages and study so many different subjects. I could watch so many shows on Netflix (probably the only scenario in which I could see myself actually watching all of the seasons of Classic Doctor Who).

Overall, I don’t know if I would want to live forever, and it is precisely because of that ambiguity that I am, in some ways, glad I’m not offered that choice.

Jax (8th Grader) had this to say:
I would definitely not drink the water. As great as living forever seems to be, it also has a lot of negatives. I would say more negatives than positives because we make a lot of friends and meet a lot of people as we grow older and move on but we lose those people over time and if we are living forever we are losing more people then we would if we weren't planning on living forever because our friends would keep dying. Everyone is going to die except for you. You are going to have to live with all the bad things that you have seen as you keep going on in life and you will be living too many lifetimes to cope with yourself. After just one lifetime, many people are glad to go because they can leave their pain. But if you are never going to go then you are never going to escape that pain. I wouldn't want to experience so much pain to that extent in life.

However, if that part were to be ignored, I would try to experience and discover as much as I could. Whether it'd be finding the Lost Scrolls of Alexandria or watching the entire Harry Potter series with my best friend in one sitting. Most importantly, I would trace my whole entire family tree as much as I could. Not only would I discover the names of my ancestors, but I'd visit their towns, find papers about them, and interview people who could've known them. In conclusion, I would enjoy my life as much as possible, and figure out mysteries, from both my lineage and Earth's history.

How would I answer that question? I had to stop and think about this one. Though I think there could be some definite plusses to living forever, I am not sure I would want to for many of the obvious reasons. The continual loss of family and friends would be difficult. I wonder how changed or jaded one becomes if they live forever. Is there a cycle to life that is best when lived over a specified time period? And sure, I would love to have time to read, travel, explore new things, and try to make the world a better place. However, would I have the money and freedom to do that? Also, I wondered what would it be like if you did have someone or someones with you on this eternal journey, would you appreciate them? Or would you grow apart and resentful of having to be together? Oh this is a hard question, and a great one for discussions but I am so glad I don't have to actually choose.

So, would you drink the water?

About the book:
2015 marks the 40th anniversary of Natalie Babbitt’s celebrated, ground-breaking title Tuck
Everlasting (Anniversary edition on sale January 20). In celebration of the anniversary,
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group will publish a special anniversary edition featuring an
introduction from Wicked author Gregory Maguire.

Tuck Everlasting asks readers “What if you could live forever?” Doomed to, or blessed with,
eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as
inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on
their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less of a
blessing than it might seem. Then complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger
who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

Upon the book’s publication in 1975, Natalie was greeted with concern from parents and educators who were stunned to read a book about death written for children. She is an author who challenges her readers and thinks the best questions are the ones without answers.

This 40th anniversary will introduce a whole new generation to this timeless classic. The book has sold over 3.5 million copies in the US alone, and has never been out of print since publication.

About Natalie Babbit:
A gifted artist and writer, Natalie Babbitt is the award-winning author of the modern classic Tuck Everlasting, The Eyes of the Amaryllis, Kneeknock Rise and many other brilliantly original books for young people. She began her career in 1966 as the illustrator of The Forty-ninth Magician, a collaboration with her husband. When her husband became a college president and no longer had time to collaborate, Babbitt tried her hand at writing. Her first novel, The Search for Delicious, established her gift for writing magical tales with profound meaning. Kneeknock Rise earned her a Newbery Honor Medal, and in 2002, Tuck Everlasting was adapted into a major motion picture. Natalie Babbitt lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a grandmother of three.

Check out all of the blogs participating in the Tuck Everlasting 40 Days for 40 Years Blog Tour here.

Stop by the following blogs tomorrow (Saturday, January 24th) for more celebrations.
YA Bibliophile
Fiction Fare

You can also follow along via social media with the hashtag #Tuck40th. To find out more about the book, download a teacher's guide, or to purchase your 40th Anniversary Edition of Tuck Everlasting, stop by Macmillan's website.

When Otis Courted Mama Blog Tour: Guest Post by Kathi Appelt

January 15, 2015 Alyson Beecher

When Otis Courted Mama
by Kathi Appelt; Illustrated by Jill McElmurry
HMH Books for Young Readers (January 6, 2015)
Indiebound | WorldCat

Today, I would like to welcome author, Kathi Appelt to Kid Lit Frenzy and thank her for talking with us about her new book WHEN OTIS COURTED MAMA and how she writes to make the language just right for a read aloud. Thank you Kathi for stopping by.

With all of my work, whether it’s a picture book for the very smallest child, or a novel for an older reader, I try to pay attention to the way it sounds. Because I loved reading aloud to my own children, and also because I had a father who read to me, a text that works for oral reading is important to me. Before I turn in my final drafts, regardless of the length, the last thing I do is read the whole thing out loud. Not only does this help me catch mistakes, but it allows me to consider things like rhythm, flow, and most importantly, sound.

When I was a student at Texas A&M, I took a poetry writing class, and one of the things that my professor said, almost as a throw-away line, was that the best thing a poet could do was to learn the names of the trees and flowers in our own backyards.

I’ve never forgotten that. And so now, I work hard to be sure to include the regional names of my story’s plants. I also pay attention the local wildlife. The flora and fauna of a place, to me at least, are what bring a story to life. Literally.

Writing OTIS was a kick because of the bounty of the desert Southwest. I loved thinking up things like “saguaro syrup” and “jalapeño flapjacks.” The aural vocabulary of the place makes my ears happy, and my mouth too.

As well, one of the reasons that I chose coyotes as the primary characters in this book was in honor of Coyote, the trickster animal of so many Native American stories. Obviously, my coyotes aren’t tricksters, nor are they related to the iconic Coyote of those tales. But I wanted to pay tribute to them nonetheless, even in a subtle way, and perhaps the best way to do that is to honor the oral tradition from which they originated.

My huge hope for this book is that it will be read aloud with such enthusiasm that by the end, everyone in the circle has a good ol’ howl. How great would that be?

For a taste of When Otis Courted Mama, check out the book trailer:

For further information and links, read on:

Kathi Appelt’s perfectly wonderful stepfather was a terrific storyteller, and she grew up to become a teller of stories, too. She is the New York Times best-selling author of more than forty books for children and young adults. Her picture books include Oh My Baby, Little One, illustrated by Jane Dyer, and the Bubba and Beau series, illustrated by Arthur Howard. Her novels for older readers include two National Book Award finalists: The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp and The Underneath, which was also a Newbery Honor Book. In addition to writing, Ms. Appelt is on the faculty in the Masters of Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in College Station, Texas.

Links to check out: Kathi Appelt's Website | CCSS Aligned Curriculum Guide for the book

Follow sweet Cardell on all the tour stops:

Mon, Jan 5   5 Minutes for Books

Tues, Jan 6 Cracking the Cover

Wed, Jan 7   Sharpread

Thurs, Jan 8   Unleashing Readers

Fri, Jan 9 Once Upon a Story

Sat, Jan 10 Booking Mama

Mon, Jan 12   Geo Librarian

Tues, Jan 13 The Late Bloomer's Book Blog AND NC Teacher Stuff

Wed, Jan 14 Teach Mentor Texts

Thurs, Jan 15   Kid Lit Frenzy

Fri, Jan 16   The Fourth Musketeer

Enter the Giveaway below:
One lucky winner will receive a copy of WHEN OTIS COURTED MAMA by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Jill McElmurry (U.S. addresses only).

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I'm My Own Dog Blog Tour: Interview with author/illustrator David Ezra Stein

November 13, 2014 Alyson Beecher

I'm My Own Dog
by David Ezra Stein
Candlewick (August 5, 2014)
IndieBound | WorldCat

It is Picture Book Month, and I am excited to be a part of Candlewick Press' Blog Tour for I'M MY OWN DOG by David Ezra Stein. I am thrilled to have David stop by and answer a few questions.

I really enjoyed the role reversal aspect of I'M MY OWN DOG. Was the bulldog in the story based on any real life dogs that you have known or who have owned you?

Thanks, Alyson! The dog is not a particular dog, but an archetype of Dogginess. I see so many dogs and their people here in NYC. I find our relationship with these creatures fascinating.

One time, I was sitting on a hill in the park and a man came with his dog. They sat next to each other, and gazed down at the passing traffic. The man reached over and put his arm around the dog, as if it were his longtime human partner. They sat there for many minutes. It was amazing. Just then, at the bottom of the hill, a car came to a stop at the light. Music was blaring. Riding shotgun in the car was a dog wearing sunglasses.

What is a writer to make of these events? A book, of course.

With your creative process, do you like to outline text and then sketch out the illustrations or do you doodle first and then add the text?

Usually I get an inspiration that comes from my daily life: my kids, my own feelings, the news, etc. Often I invent a character first, and then try to plug that character into various situations to see what happens. The character sometimes has a strong voice. It comes from a part of me with something to say. It usually has a strong emotion: indignation, fear, sadness, anxiety. Joey, the kangaroo in my book Pouch, is afraid of everything. The little red chicken in Interrupting Chicken is very anxious that the storybook characters will make a mistake and get hurt.

What is the best question that you have received from a child during a school visit or in a letter/email?

I love hearing from kids and seeing their artwork and writing. It is one of the greatest joys of my job. They often want to know if I’m married, how old I am, and if I have any kids. “How does the book get a hard cover?” I get that one a lot. Their own drawing and writing is on soft paper. Kids are a pleasure to be with because they’re very generous with their presence and their attention.

If you could work with another author or illustrator on a collaborative project, who would you want to work with and why?

Oh, there are many writers whose work I admire. Especially the funny ones. For example, Andrea Beatty, Doreen Cronin, and Cece Bell. And I love the poems of Naomi Shihab Nye. These are some thoughtful and funny folks. They are offbeat, and I think being off beat is a good way to find something profound.

Your bio on your website talks about your love of reading from a young age. Was there a book that stands out as your absolute favorite?

Always a hard question because I loved so many. At an early age I loved One Fish, Two Fish by Dr. Seuss. I used to go around saying, “A mouse has cut the wire, goodbye!” I read many fantasy novels as a 7 or 8 year old. The Hobbit, A Wind in the Door, The Prydain Chronicles. When I was 10, you couldn’t pry Calvin & Hobbes out of my fingers.

About the author/illustrator:
David Ezra Stein is the creator of many award-winning picture books, including Interrupting Chicken, which was awarded a Caldecott Honor, Because Amelia Smiled, and Dinosaur Kisses. He lives with his family in Kew Gardens, New York. Facebook | GoodReads | Twitter

Check out the other stops in the blog tour:

11/3/2014 Smart Books for Smart Kids
11/4/2014 Read Now, Sleep Later
11/5/2014 Cracking the Cover
11/6/2014 Elizabeth Dulemba's blog
11/7/2014 The Fourth Musketeer
11/8/2014 Picture Book Palooza
11/9/2014 Randomly Reading
11/10/2014 Children's Corner
11/11/2014 Flowering Minds
11/12/2014 Teach Mentor Texts
11/13/2014 KidLit Frenzy
11/14/2014 Literacy Toolbox

Enter for a chance to win a copy of I'm My Own Dog from Candlewick Press. Participants must be 13 years old or older and have a US mailing address. Please complete the rafflecopter form to enter.

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Snowman's Story Blog Tour & Giveaway - Interview with Will Hillenbrand

November 11, 2014 Alyson Beecher

Since I am a huge picture book fan, I am always excited to participate in a blog tour for a favorite author/illustrator. Today, I am excited to have Will Hillenbrand stop by and talk about his new book, Snowman's Story and share with us about his creative process. Thanks Will for stopping by.

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SNOWMAN'S STORY has some similar elements to other well-known snowman stories. Was this something that you intentionally decided as you created this story?

I think that what you are referring to as “similar elements” is the visual context of the story’s setting. Snowman’s Story draws from our collective memory/context. This context would obviously include experiences and books that have accumulated in the reader’s life and it is the world where stories begin. Picture books rely on what is familiar and then move to what’s beyond. Another example would be our dream world. My dreams begin with the familiar… things, people and places I know… then move to the unpredictable. In Snowman’s Story the familiar collides with the unfamiliar. In a picture book, that translates into the page turn. The familiar is a kind of a launching pad for the drama that is about to take place. It is a street corner and the street signs there are EVERYDAY ROAD and ADVENTURE AVENUE.

I am a huge fan of wordless picture books. Did you know it was going to be a wordless book or did that just reveal itself as you worked on the story?

I am a huge fan of wordless picture books, too. With Snowman’s Story I started out with a book dummy that included words. With each revision I adjusted the pictures and removed words. At some point during this process I noticed that there were no words left in the book. “Okay,” I thought, “this is the kind of book you want to be.” My editors agreed, and that is what we have- a wordless picture book. It had kind of been in the back of my mind to do a wordless picture book but I did not set out to do that with Snowman’s Story.

Though there is a short video on your website, can you share with readers a little more about your creative process?

I am a big believer in the “process work.” My short videos give my audience snapshots of what the creative process is like for specific books. It is my hope that showing the actual process will allow viewers to become excited enough to make something for themselves.

During school visits I often show off my “magic pencil.” My pencil is tucked away in my jacket pocket. The children are kind of desperate; they want to see the “magic pencil.” What I reveal to them is an ordinary No. 2 pencil. Some of them are a little disappointed but then I remind them that there is no magic in the pencil. The magic is inside of them and if they believe in that magic they can make magic with their drawings and writing. No one has seen the world the way that they have and if they want others to see it they will have to make it happen. Anyone can do nothing; it takes someone special to do something. I believe they are that someone.

Do you work on one book at a time or do you juggle a couple of projects? Do you sketch everything out and then turn it into the actual artwork?

I usually prefer to work on one story at a time when I’m working on the final art of a book. That allows me to give that world my full attention. I always keep a notebook/journal nearby because I often find inspiration in action. By “doing,” the molecules collide and the oxygen for new ideas is fresh.

I use both traditional and nontraditional media in my work. I would like to think that my illustrations reflect both classical and modern traditions. There has never been a medium that I haven’t liked—that includes the mud I played with in the side yard of my house when I was a child.

Do you listen to music when you work?

When I’m writing I prefer not to have music playing but when I am painting I like to listen to classical, folk and indie music.

And finally, can we get a picture of the view from your studio window?

Are there certain authors/illustrators/artists that have influenced your work?

My favorite illustrator is Ernest Shepherd. I have stopped trying to figure out why. I just love his work; it touches me so deeply. The first illustrator/storyteller that I remember from my childhood is Beatrix Potter. My grandmother read The Tale of Peter Rabbit to me and that was that. That book was my welcome mat to the world of children’s books. Now I have met and known so many talented and wonderful picture book people that my list would be longer than Santa’s Christmas list, being too long to share with you here.

Are there any other projects that you are currently working on that you can share with us?

I most recently completed All for a Dime!, the fourth book in the Bear and Mole series and it’s due to be published in fall 2015. On my studio table, I am working on the final art for Bear and Bunny written by Daniel Pinkwater; it’s the companion book to Bear in Love which was published two years ago.

Can you share something that was funny or touching from a school visit or a letter from a student who wrote to you about your work?

No two school visits are ever the same; that is what I love about them. The raw energy of children has a powerful pull on me. We attract each other like the polar opposite sides of a magnet. I always feel so privileged to be able to spend time with my readers. Together we motivate and inspire each other; it is one of the most fantastic feelings I know. As an author, I know I only have two times to make a first impression: the first with my books and the second when we meet. I hope that impression sends my readers into the greater world of books and great literature that is out there waiting for them.

After a day full of school visits I’m so exhausted that I think I fall asleep before my head ever hits the pillow!

Check out the book trailer for Snowman's Story:

About Will Hillenbrand:
Will Hillenbrand has illustrated many beloved picture books, including Kiss the Cow by Phyllis Root; and Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep!, and Sneeze, Big Bear, Sneeze! by Maureen Wright. He has also written and illustrated a number of picture books, including Down by the Barn, the Bear and Mole series, and Mother Goose Picture Puzzles. Will enjoys visiting schools to talk about the creative process involved in making a picture book. He lives with his wife, Jane, and their son, Ian, in Terrace Park, Ohio. For more information, visit his website

For additional book resources:

Snowman Finds His Story (downloadable game)

Coloring Page: