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Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Women Who Broke the Rules

June 17, 2015 Alyson Beecher

Thank you Kathleen Krull for stopping by today and sharing with readers about your fantastic new series, WOMEN WHO BROKE THE RULES (WWBtR). I have read the first four and love them. To find out more about the individual books, check out the Bloomsbury Publisher's page .

You have written a variety of biographies, mostly picture book format but the Giants of Science Series is a longer length. How did the idea for the Women Who Broke the Rules series come about and also the choice for the style and format? 

The idea for WWBtR came from brainstorming with Emily Easton, my then-editor at Walker Books, my then-publisher.  (It’s now under the helm of Sarah Shumway at Bloomsbury. - From Alyson: Hi Sarah!!!!)  We saw a need for 1)more books that shed light on the history of women in our country, and 2)more chapter book biographies for a 2nd-3rd grade level, in the vein of the mighty Jean Fritz, using wit and telling details to illuminate lives. So we came up with the idea for this series-- which the publisher let me call KICKASS WOMEN for a while, until we got serious and compromised on WOMEN WHO BROKE THE RULES.

I noticed that 4 of the WWBtR books came out June 9 and understand that more are coming out later. How many total books will be in the series and how did you pick which women to focus on?

The next two books are on Coretta Scott King and Mary Todd Lincoln, coming in December. And HERE is a cover reveal of Edwin Fotheringham’s delightful rendition of Mary. Brainy, highly educated, and ambitious--in her day she simply had no career path open to her. She settled for getting her husband into office and becoming one of our most fascinating First Ladies, breaking rules along the way.

The plan is to decide in August whether to do more, and this depends on how you, dear readers, respond to the series.  I’d love to do lots more--and welcome suggestions. We chose women with name recognition, rebels who represent historical importance, diversity, kid-appeal, the sheer bravery of breaking out of confining rules and making significant accomplishments.  The possibilities here are endless.

Writing biographies must be tricky - what information do you keep and what do you leave out - do you have a format that you like to follow or does it vary depending on the project?

Yes, tricky is a good word for it. There is no format--I just try to be the “anti-encyclopedia.”  I present carefully curated (the most interesting) information in ways as different from an encyclopedia as I can. I try to use my own voice, adding questions (but not exclamations--I hate them), humor and irony if possible, the five senses, and colorful words to break up the monotony of chronological facts.

With this project, I focussed on rules of society that these women broke, which proved invaluable in guiding my research. (Plus it was cool.)  So, in a way--especially if we get to do lots more books--this will be a history of women in America.

Research is fascinating and always reminds me of getting lost down a "rabbit hole". Do you have any research routines when writing? How do you determine when you have enough? 

One could get lost down the rabbit hole--perfect metaphor--but if one is writing professionally or to a deadline, one must get a grip. I take notes on my research, casting a net as wide as I can, turning especially to the most scholarly books. Eventually my research takes on a form that I like, or certain patterns emerge, or it starts repeating itself and I realize I may have enough. Research is addicting, like solving puzzles as a detective, but I have to put out tentacles to stop from falling down the hole...or leave a trail of crumbs so I can get back safe and sound… not sure what the follow-up metaphor is.  A lot of things are going on in the brain at the same time.

Any research tips or techniques that you can share with teachers that they may be able to use with their students as part of a writing activity? 

My biggest tip about research is to rely on books, not the Internet. A librarian is your best friend. Next, you don’t want to use all your research.  You collect a mountain of it, but you use only the tiptop of the mountain-- what’s most fascinating, what’s new, what supports points you’re trying to make. You’re making a series of endless choices. As my grandson likes to quote his teachers: “Use your time wisely.”

As for technique, an overall suggestion is that revision is your other best friend. I have to revise my writing many, many times--at least 15 or 20-- before it comes out the way you see it in the book. So I tell students they should be able to manage two or three revisions to make their work better.

Lots more to say here. So this is the best book for teaching students the principles of NF writing, chockfull of activities: TEACHING NONFICTION WRITING: A PRACTICAL GUIDE by Laura Robb (Scholastic, 2004).  This is a kind of writing students will find useful all their lives.

If you could invite all of the women from the WWBtR series to lunch, what would a conversation between all those women be like?

Just about the coolest thing I can think of--in the realm of imagination where all are still alive.  Do you know the art piece by Judy Chicago called “The Dinner Party?” Your question reminds me of this piece, a legendary gathering of women across all time and space. I’d be happy to be a bug on the wall, listening as Dolley keeps the momentum going amongst these women with strong opinions, strong backbones, and secrets to share. The only thing is I’d change it to dinner so we could serve wine (or more of it than we’d have at lunch).

Any new projects that you are working on that you can share with us? 

Besides starting on more WOMEN WHO BROKE THE RULES (hint, hint), I’ve recently been updating and revising. A revised Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight (Simon & Schuster) is coming this August, and an updated A Kids’ Guide to America’s Bill of Rights (HarperCollins) is coming in September. Many more projects in early stages, including one...I...can’t...wait...to...talk...about....

Any fun stories that you would like to share from your time working on this series?

For reasons I’ve blotted from memory, this series was on a crash schedule. I guess this isn’t that funny, but I rarely left the house during the process, seeing only two friends (two of the dedicatees). Not seeking pity--I love what I do--it’s just a weird way to live.

What is your favorite letter or question that you have received from a child about your books? 

Once a man named Paul used our Beatle book (The Beatles Were Fab) to propose to his girlfriend -- he had us write “Will you marry me?” on the page focusing on Paul McC.

But from a child--this melts my heart: “Hello! I just wanted to say thank you for writing such amazing children’s books. One of my fondest memories was heading to the library in the fifth grade and checking out every single book of yours. Learning about history through your point of view was inspiring. I am now a senior in high school and will treasure all of these stories….I believe you are an extraordinary woman and have instilled a love for reading within me.”

Thanks so much, Kid Lit Frenzy and its readers.  

A QUIZ THAT BREAKS THE RULES
By Kathleen Krull

Match the quote with the woman who said it.

1. If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun.

2. Ha ha ha - I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass. 

3.   The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.  

4.  Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.

5.  Women, like men, should try to do the impossible. And when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.

6. I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.

7. I have always found it difficult to make my wife do what she does not want to.

8. You must do the thing you think you cannot do. 

9. Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.

10. You can’t tell me what to do.

11. Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got.

12. Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression.

13. I believe in me more than anything in this world.

14. I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.

15. The most dangerous phrase in the language is, "We've always done it this way."

16. Pretending to be a princess is fun, but it is definitely not a career.

17. I have met brave women who are exploring the outer edge of possibility, with no history to guide them and a courage to make themselves vulnerable that I find moving beyond the words to express it.

18. I am not afraid of anything.

19. You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled, then something has been lost.

20. I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life -- and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.

21. Because we are denied knowledge of our history, we are deprived of standing upon each other's shoulders and building upon each other's hard earned accomplishments.

22. You get an education and try to be somebody. Then you won't have to be kicked around by anybody, and you won’t have to depend on anyone for your livelihood, not even a man.

23. I do make some people uncomfortable, which I’m well aware of, but that’s just part of coming to grips with what I believe is still one of the most important pieces of unfinished business in human history — empowering women to be able to stand up for themselves.

24. Don’t bother with Bartletts, as their quotes about women are largely negative!

A. Gloria Steinem
B. Amelia Earhart
C. Mae Jemison, astronaut
D. Katharine Hepburn
E. Maya Angelou
F. Lily Tomlin
G. Sonia Sotomayor
H. Roseanne Barr
I. Wilma Rudolph
J. Mary Lincoln’s husband
K. Louisa May Alcott
L. Janis Joplin, singer
M. Coretta Scott King’s mom
N. Oprah Winfrey
O. Martha Graham
P. Hillary Clinton
Q. Judy Chicago, artist
R. Eleanor Roosevelt
S. Dolley Madison
T. Margaret Sanger
U. Grace Hopper, computer pioneer
V. Georgia O’Keefe
W.  Judy Blume
X.   Kathleen Krull

ANSWERS: Check back on Thursday for the answers.

Photo Credit: Lili Gonzalez

Photo Credit: Lili Gonzalez

About the author: 
Kathleen Krull's 60+ books have garnered starred reviews and awards. The Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC, honored her with its Nonfiction Award for her body of work that “has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children." She lives in San Diego with her husband and sometime writing partner, Paul Brewer, and can be visited at www.kathleenkrull.com and friended at  facebook.

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews: 

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Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave Blog Tour

June 15, 2015 Alyson Beecher

Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave
by Jen White
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (June 9, 2015)
Fiction * Sisters  * Single-Parent Families
Reading Guide | Teacher's Guide | Read Chapter 1
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: 
After their mother's recent death, twelve-year-old Liberty and her eight-year-old sister, Billie, are sent to live with their father, who they haven't seen since they were very young. Things are great at first; the girls are so excited to get to know their father – a traveling photographer who rides around in an RV. But soon, the pressure becomes too much for him, and he abandons them at the Jiffy Company Gas Station.

Instead of moping around and being scared, Liberty takes matters into her own hands. On their journey to get home, they encounter a shady, bald-headed gas station attendant, a full-body tattooed trucker, free Continental breakfast, a kid obsessed with Star Wars, a woman who lives with rats, and a host of other situations. 

When all seems lost, they get some help from an unlikely source, and end up learning that sometimes you have to get a little bit lost to be found.

My favorite 5 Survival Strategies from SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF THE ALMOST BRAVE:
Throughout Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave, Liberty carries a notebook. Each chapter heading corresponds with one of the survival strategies that Liberty writes in her notebook or uses to care for her and her sister. Here are 5 of my favorites.... 

Survival Strategy # 3: BLUE SKIES DO NOT MEAN HAPPINESS - The book begins shortly after Liberty and Billie have lost their mother. Even at a young age, Liberty learns that the sky can be a perfect blue and the weather the best beach day ever despite life feeling so stormy.  

Survival Strategy # 11: SOMETIMES YOU SHOULD FEEL SORRY FOR THE COBRA- Liberty and Billie's father left when the girls were very young. Since he is a photographer for National Geographic, Liberty watches animal programs to have something to speak with him if she were to see him again. After her mom's death, they are reunited with their dad. An interesting animal fact, snake charmers sew together a cobra's mouth because venom is poisonous. The knowledge of learning how to behave around cobras becomes an analogy for learning about how to act around her dad. In life, we all have people we have to learn how to behave around, but like cobras, maybe we should feel sorry for them?

Survival Strategy # 16: IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR A SEA TURTLE, IT MIGHT BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU - I like sea turtles and enjoyed the various references that Liberty would make about sea turtles. At one point, after her father abandoned her and Billie, she talked about instinct and how baby sea turtles knew what to do. Will Liberty know by instinct how to care for herself and Billie?

Survival Strategy # 20: PANIC IS NOT YOUR FRIEND - As someone prone to anxiety and worry, I usually say "anxiety is not your friend". Panic, similar to anxiety, is never helpful in a stressful situation. Liberty has to figure out how to care for herself and her sister, Billie. In a tough situation, she must remain calm rather than panic, even when Billie has a meltdown.

Survival Strategy # 41: DR PEPPER CAN RUIN EVERYTHING - I partially picked this one because Dr Pepper is my least favorite soda, so in my mind it does ruin everything. However, Liberty shares about an incident involving Dr Pepper and an accidental spill all over her father's maps and magazines.  This event was emotional and pivotal. In all of our lives, we can identify something that may be mundane but becomes the symbol for something much more significant. For Liberty and Billie, Dr Pepper was that pivotal moment. 

Look for SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF THE ALMOST BRAVE by Jen White at your local indie bookstore or public library to read more about Liberty, Billie and their survival strategies.

Check out the interview with Jen White at Read Now Sleep Later, click here.

About the author: 
Jen White grew up in California, the oldest of five siblings.  In kindergarten, during a parent/teacher conference, her teacher told her mother, “She’s a little bossy.” Unfortunately, Jen thinks that same assessment might still be made today.  She blames it on birth order. When she was young she wanted to become an author and a teacher.  One of her earliest memories was learning how to read.  She remembers how excited she was when she realized she could read the signs she saw through the window when she was in the car with her mother. She also remembers how her stomach hurt when she read out loud because she read with such gusto.  

Jen has a degree in English teaching and also earned her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in writing for children and young adults. SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF THE ALMOST BRAVE is her debut novel and was born from the real experience of Jen being accidentally forgotten at a gas station with her younger sister and cousin.  Jen currently tries not to boss around her five children and husband in San Clemente, California.  You can find Jen White on Twitter: @jenwhite_ | Tumblr | Website

Giveaway: One lucky reader, with a US mailing address, can win a copy of Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White. Please enter the rafflecopter to have a chance to win. 

In MG Lit, Blog Tours & Giveaways Tags Front Page

YA Friday Book Review: Daughter of Deep Silence

June 12, 2015 Carolyn Gruss

Daughter of Deep Silence
by Carrie Ryan
Penguin — Random House (May 26, 2015)
IndieBound | Worldcat

Description from GoodReads:

"I’m the daughter of murdered parents.
I’m the friend of a dead girl.
I’m the lover of my enemy.
And I will have my revenge.
 
In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story—and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she’ll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.
 
Sharp and incisive, Daughter of Deep Silence by bestselling author Carrie Ryan is a deliciously smart revenge thriller that examines perceptions of identity, love, and the lengths to which one girl is willing to go when she thinks she has nothing to lose."

Carolyn's thoughts on the book: 

It's no secret that I love mysteries, but I find revenge thrillers to be equally as enthralling. This book is the revenge thriller to end all revenge thrillers, full of unsavory political dealings, international corporate espionage, and one girl's remorseless quest for the truth - and, of course, revenge. The plot is crafted just as meticulously as Frances' plan is; her descent into complete vengeance is believable and even twistedly justifiable. Her brilliant plan and ruthless ambition are terrifyingly awing, and yet I oddly found myself sympathizing with Frances. The Southern setting serves as a perfect backdrop for Frances' mission, and the guise of a sweet Southern belle hides the sharply focused young woman Frances is. Complications abound, between being targeted herself for what she knows to falling in love with the son of the very politician who condemned her family (among thousands of others) to die. Without getting into dangerously spoiler-y territory, the ending of the book is ultimately satisfying, but in an unexpected way.

Daughter of Deep Silence is a great read for those who enjoy smart, engrossing thrillers, and is a fantastic addition to any reader's bookshelf.

Carolyn is a teen blogger who shares her favorite YA reads and favorite book related finds with readers on Fridays.

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My Dog is Best Blog Tour: Interview with Laurie Thompson

June 11, 2015 Alyson Beecher

My Dog is the Best
by Laurie Ann Thompson; Illustrated by Paul Schmid
Farrar, Straus and Giroux (June 9, 2015)
Fiction * Pets * Dogs
Audience: Ages 3 to 6
IndieBound | WorldCat | GoodReads
Sneak Peak at the Book, click here.

Thank you Laurie Thompson for stopping by and chatting with us about your new book, MY DOG IS THE BEST. Of course, I think that my cats are the best, but if you are going to have a book about dogs, this is certainly adorable. I look forward to sharing it with friends and kids. 

My Dog is the Best is your latest book. It's really different from your two previous releases (Be a Changemaker and Emmanuel's Dream). What led you to write MY DOG IS THE BEST? 

In 2009, I took a course on writing easy readers from Anastasia Suen. I wrote MY DOG IS THE BEST as the final homework assignment. I wanted to write something that had mostly simple vocabulary and repetition, but that also had humor, heart, and was something most kids would be able to relate to on some level. At around the same time, I’d noticed that I usually told my dog, “Good dog!” just as she was curling up to go to sleep. (She had been a hyper puppy, so it was still a relief to see her relax.) She always gave me this bewildered look. I thought it was funny that my idea of “Good dog!” was the exact opposite of hers and vice versa (and the same often applies to young children and their parents), so that’s where I started for the assignment.

Recently, I was talking with another author about the importance of teaching children to read both text and illustrations. In MY DOG, though simple text, the illustrations tell a slightly different story. Was this intentional on your part or did you and Paul Schmid collaborate on this or did Paul just have fun with the text? 

It was totally intentional on my part: that’s where the humor comes in! Surprisingly, though, Paul did not know that when he read the text, because all the illustrator notes had been removed. He read my mind and drew exactly what I’d been picturing (only much, much cuter!). I couldn’t believe it. He even got the surprise twist at the end. We did get to collaborate a bit during revisions, since we just happen to live near each other and were already friends. That was an amazing experience, and I love what it brought to the book!

Are there any other projects that you are working on that you can tell us about? Any new nonfiction projects?

My next project is a middle-grade series I’m co-authoring with my agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, for Walden Pond Press. It’s called Two Truths and a Lie. I guess you could call it a hybrid, because every chapter has three stories—two are true and one is a hoax. We challenge the reader to try to spot the fake… and it is not easy! The first volume is scheduled to come out in 2017.

I’m also working on proposals for another MG nonfiction and a co-authored YA memoir, and I’m revising several picture books (mostly nonfiction) that are oh-so-close to being ready.

What is your writing routine like and do you have anywhere special that you like to write? (picture of work area is always welcome)

I’m not a morning person, so I do the reverse of what most productivity gurus (and successful authors) recommend. I can’t write first thing in the morning. I do less intense tasks like email and social media in the morning while I drink my coffee. Then I start writing later in the day once I’ve had a chance to wake up. My productivity is highest in the afternoon, so I try to set those hours aside for writing or revising.

I am supposed to be working at my treadmill desk: it’s great exercise, helps my neck and back stay happy, has a super workstation setup, and actually boosts my creativity and productivity by keeping me moving. My assistant hates when I do that, however, so all too often she persuades me to sit on the big comfy couch in the sunroom with her instead.

What has been your favorite letter/email or question from a child or teen? 

For Be a Changemaker, I received this note from a teacher: “I saw a student and his family today at student-led conferences. His mother thanked me profusely for showing him the book and said it was exactly what he's been looking for and that it changed his life.”

And, I’ve gotten two reviews for Emmanuel’s Dream that will always stand out for me, both from girls with limb differences:

Jordan wrote, “I think Emmanuel is a great example for me. The story literally is saying you can do anything as long as you try. The story makes me feel strong… that just makes me feel happy.”

And Keegan wrote, “I like seeing people that are similar to me in books because it’s like I know what they’re going through because I’ve gone through it myself. I’ve had people stare at me, laugh at me and whisper about me, loud or quiet. And Emmanuel stood up for us all, the disabled people, and I feel proud that I’m alive and going on healthy. I think that all of the other disabled people should, too.”

All three of those literally brought tears to my eyes. There’s nothing better than finding out your book connected with a reader in a meaningful way.

Since summer is my favorite time to catch up on reading, I love finding out what books are on other people's reading lists. Any fun beach reads on your list or other titles? 

One of my new favorite-books-of-all-time is The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough. You must read it this summer! It’s not a lighthearted romp, but it’s beautiful and gripping and unforgettable. Two others that I loved recently are Footer Davis Probably Is Crazy by Susan Vaught and Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison. Both of those two are a nice mix of adventure, humor, and seriousness. And I’m just finishing Arin Andrews’ Some Assembly Required, which is quite timely right now and I highly recommend.

As far as what’s on my to-read list for the summer, I’m really looking forward to book 2 of the Talker 25 series, Invisible Monsters by Joshua McCune (also not a lighthearted romp, I’m sure--the first was so gritty and thought-provoking!). I also can’t wait to read Jennifer Bertman’s Book Scavenger, Kelly Jones’ Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, and Cynthia Levinson’s Watch Out for Flying Kids! How Two Circuses, Two Countries, and Nine Kids Confront Conflict and Build Community. 

About the author: 
Laurie Ann Thompson's other books include Be a Changemaker and Emmanuel's Dream. From the day she was born, many of her best friends have had four legs and fur. She now lives with her husband, two children, a grouchy cat, and a disabled dog in the Pacific Northwest. Visit her website  or follow her on Twitter at @lauriethompson. 

To check all of the stops on the blog tour, see the schedule below:

6/6/15     Booking Mama     
6/8/15     Jean Reidy
6/9/15     Watch. Connect. Read.
6/10/15    5 Minutes for Books
6/11/15     Kid Lit Frenzy
6/12/15    Unleashing Readers
6/16/15    Anastasia Suen: Booktalking #kidlit  
6/19/15    Kirby's Lane
7/1/15      Library Lions

Complete the form below to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of MY DOG IS BEST.  Must have a US Mailing address to enter. 

In Blog Tours & Giveaways Tags Front Page

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: The Octopus Scientists

June 10, 2015 Alyson Beecher

The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk
by Sy Montgomery; Photographs by Keith Ellenbogen
HMH Books for Young Readers (May 26, 2015)
Nonfiction * Octopuses * Marine Life
Audience: Grades 5-9
Teacher Guide & Discussion Questions
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description of the book:
With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. Its baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.

But most intriguing of all, octopuses—classed as mollusks, like clams—are remarkably intelligent with quirky personalities. This book, an inquiry into the mind of an intelligent invertebrate, is also a foray into our own unexplored planet. These thinking, feeling creatures can help readers experience and understand our world (and perhaps even life itself) in a new way.

Thoughts on the book:
One of the newest Scientist in the Field books is The Octopus Scientists by the team of Sy Montgomery and Keith Ellenbogen. This latest addition to the series will grab readers and draw them into the world of the Pacific Giant Octopus.  As someone who has been fascinated by marine biology, it wasn't hard to lose myself in Montgomery's often vivid text. However, I couldn't help but think about how children would react to the stories of the octopuses found in this book. I even imagined how Carrie Gelson's students might respond if she read this aloud to them.

Montgomery opens the world of the Pacific Giant Octopus by taking readers on a trip to the island of Moorea, near Tahiti. She joins a team of scientists lead by Professor Jennifer Mather. The team is eager to find octopuses and study their environments looking at things like where they make their homes, what they eat, but what was most striking was the interest in both the intelligence of the octos and their personalities. Yes, their personalities. I never thought of an octopus as having feelings or distinct personalities. It was fascinating to find out that an octopus turns white when s/he is relaxed and that s/he can tell the difference between various people that have interacted with them. 

The Octopus Scientists is filled with amazing facts and informations about octopuses but more it is a story of truly incredible creatures.  Check out below the short video of an octopus at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and also Sy Montgomery's TEDX Talk where she shares about her first encounter with an octopus. 

Look for The Octopus Scientists at your local independent bookstore or public library. 

Fun video from the Monterey Bay Aquarium:

TEDx Talks: Sy Montgomery: 

About the author: 
"Part Indiana Jones, part Emily Dickinson," as the "Boston Globe" describes her, Sy Montgomery is an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who has traveled to some of the world's most remote wildernesses for her work. She has worked in a pit crawling with 18,000 snakes in Manitoba, been hunted by a tiger in India, swum with pink dolphins in the Amazon, and been undressed by an orangutan in Borneo. She is the author of 13 award-winning books, including her national best-selling memoir, "The Good Good Pig". Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire.

Keith Ellenbogen is an award-winning underwater photographer with an emphasis on environmental conservation. His images have been published worldwide in newspapers, magazines, and books as well as on TV. Keith is a Sr. fellow with the international League of Conservation Photographers and an assistant professor of photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York. He previously worked with Sy Montgomery on the bookThe Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk. 

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction review:



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