Day Three: Canadian Children's Book Week 2013

This is the third instalment about my week long tour for TD Canadian Children's Book Week 2013. I toured in northern Saskatchewan. More on the whole idea/background of Book Week here. Catch up on instalment one, or maybe instalment two.

Tuesday May 7, 2013
It was up early this morning to check out of the Saskatoon Travellodge and head east for two hours and forty minutes (about 214km) to Tisdale, Saskatchewan. Lots of loud peppy tunes and some great scenery made for a great trip. At one point a large silver hued coyote crossed the road in front of me. At least I think it was a coyote. It was a complete wow moment for me.

A cool cloud bank 

Snow geese specks! (Trust me)

The Millennium Cross

A town!

Distant hills

A sudden dip in the road and a railroad trestle to span it!

The road and endless line of telephone poles

So much beautiful sky

A lot of photos, no? I did say it was over two hours in the car.

At the Tisdale Community Library I presented to kids in grade six about researching and writing techniques. They were a great audience. They asked some great questions, like if everything I've written has been turned into a book. Nope. I told tell I have manuscripts that have been rejected, and some I’m still working on. Afterwards one girl suggested a title for one of the manuscripts I talked about. I liked her suggestion because it was a title I’d thought of at one point but had put aside...must rethink that! And another girl came up to ask me some advice about her own writing. So wonderful to be able to help kids who are exploring their interests! Thanks to the librarians for setting everything up, and for the bagged lunch to eat en route to Nipawin. I'm usually such a klutz but I managed not to spill too many tomato guts on my shirt as I ate it.

Nipawin grain elevator

So back in the car, more loud tunes, and an hour’s drive north to Nipawin. The Nipawin Public Library is attached to a school. The public library had a wonderful art display. I presented in a gym here so the microphone was really appreciated. I find it much easier to read "Let's Go!" with some drama if I'm not shouting to be heard. There was a reporter in the audience and an article about my visit is here. Nancy, the librarian, and I talked afterwards about crafts/knitting and she taught me a new term: UFOs, as in unfinished objects. Love it!

Some flooding in the roadside fields

After that it was off to Prince Albert so another nearly two hours (146 km) in the car. I was very tired once I arrived. But I scoped out a grocery store for their deli counter and munchies (and it had a Starbucks inside for a nice cold iced coffee). Phew!

A blur of trees

Random Memorable Moments

• Snow geese! Oh how I wish I could’ve gotten close to the flock.
• Saw a lot of hawks perched along the roadsides throughout the day.
• The huge millennium cross appearing out of nowhere
• WIND! Sometimes requiring arm strength to keep the car straight.
• “We Serve” gas stations--whoa, remember those Ontario? No? Didn’t think so.
• Count for Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” on the Satellite Radio: 4

Day Two: Canadian Children's Book Week 2013

This is the second instalment about my week long tour for TD Canadian Children's Book Week 2013. I toured in northern Saskatchewan. More on Book Week here. Catch up on instalment one here.

Monday May 6, 2013
Boy was I nervous. Not about the presentations themselves but about finding where I needed to be. On time. Sure enough I missed one of the turns, but I pulled a U-ey (they seem okay with U turns in SK, in contrast to here where you feel like a criminal if you sneak one in...not that I ever do, heh heh). But my minor detour meant I saw a real live magpie at the side of the road. That was cool!

Dirt roads! I love dirt roads. (Okay so it's gravel really.)

I was a total tourist as I was driving. What a fascinating landscape--so different from what I live in. I took a lot of pictures without even looking, just balancing the camera on my shoulder or the dash. I never new how the photo turned out till later.

There was still snow in the hedgerows.

Made it to my first school: South Corman Park School. They’d put a lovely silk rose, water bottle, and “Welcome Lizann” sign on the table at the front of the school library. They’d also put a sign above the water fountain announcing my coming visit so the kids could see it. Talk about making me feel welcome. And what a beautiful library space! What a great audience to start my tour! I spoke to the whole school, about 100 kids up to grade 6. They gave me a lovely gift of a Saskatchewan magnet and school pen. Thank you Joan Falk and all the kids at South Corman Park!

My visit poster & fountain

(As a footnote for the week, I wish I'd take some photos of/with kids at some or all of my visits, but I didn't. It's tricky putting photos of kids on the internet because you need parental permission. Still, although you won't see the kids here in these posts, they were there! And if you were there and want to send me some photos I can use, I'd love that.)

My first tour stop.

Then it was off to find Allan, Saskatchewan. More great scenery of course!

Flat fields!

I loved seeing red barns! I was able to get close to this one.

And then something really different appeared on the horizon. A pink mountain!! I snapped a quick photo or two but had to keep going so I wouldn’t be late.

A pink mountain!

Potash mine at Allan, Saskatchewan

I got to Allan Composite School and Arlene Pedersen had a lovely mini sandwich and salad buffet for

Sign b/c the front door was being painted.

me in the home economics classroom. She told me that I had indeed seen a potash mine and that the pink mountain was made from the tailings from the mine.

What a great group of kids here, too. This school went all the way up to and through high school. I talked to the kids from Kindergarten to grade 5. I was telling them that I get a lot of inspiration from the amazing plants and animals I see around me, and mentioned that they have remarkable things around them too. I loved that they just about died laughing at me when I confessed I’d never before that day seen an actual magpie or a potash mine. Thank you Allan kids for a conclusion to a great day!

Before I left Allan I wanted to get a shot of the great grain elevators. Here's the first photo.

And then guess what happened--I heard a train! I was so excited (I love trains). I got another shot with a train in it.

On the trek back to Saskatoon I had more time to take photos.

The other side of the pink mountain.

I'd often see ducks in these roadside ditches.

I loved the faint trail across the field.

Random Memorable Moments

• Not being able to snap a photo of the colorful sorted display of tractors, combines and parts as I drove by Combine World.
• Ducks everywhere! I kept seeing them in the temporary roadside ditch pools and sloughs, but I wasn’t able to get photos of any actual ducks.
• Feeling rather dwarfed on the road in my compact rental car because SUVs and pickup trucks are popular Saskatchewan vehicles.
• Hearing Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” about 4 times on the satellite radio. I pretty much flipped between two stations. But I like that song so it was all good.

Random Saskatoon street. Bet it's lovely when the trees leaf.

Getting There: Canadian Children's Book Week 2013

This is the first installment about my week long tour for TD Canadian Children's Book Week 2013. I toured in northern Saskatchewan. 

I arrived in Saskatoon!

Sunday May 5, 2013

Planes at Pearson International

I don’t love flying, but with an early morning Timmies coffee in hand I was super excited to be sitting at Pearson International waiting to leave for a part of Canada I’d never been to before. Why were all these other people travelling? Of course I eavesdropped on the conversations around me. Some ladies were travelling because of a conference. Other passengers were part of a boys and a girls’s hockey team: Team Sask. I gather they did fairly well at the tournament they were in.

The flight went well. Once in Saskatoon I wheeled my carry-on to the carousel to wait with the rest of the passengers for my week’s worth of clothes. And we all waited. And waited.

Dogs in a pickup at a Saskatoon mall

Finally the belt started moving, and hockey bag after hockey bag came out. Then some luggage. Then hockey bag after hockey bag after hockey bag... and then the carousel stopped. We waited and shuffled around. The belt started up again to audible relief. More luggage came off: not mine, not mine, not mine...and then hockey bag after hockey bag after hockey bag...and then the belt stopped. An announcement said to come to the WestJet desk if you hadn’t received your luggage. Groan.

So along with about 20 others I headed for said desk. Turns out because of all those hockey bags they had to balance the plane. Those of us unlucky travellers without our baggage were told it had been left behind in Toronto. Oh, it would be put on a later flight. Trying not to think the worst, I filled out the necessary paperwork and picked up the rental car. At least my itinerary for the tour, and all my presentation materials were with me. But I sure hoped I didn't have to survive for a week in the clothes I was wearing.

I found the hotel, yay (I'm a small town and country driver so urban traffic is a challenge), then found a mall in case I needed to buy a change of clothes. It was really hot out, and I was feeling somewhat frustrated sitting in the mall parking lot. I looked in my rearview mirror and saw some dogs in a pickup truck. That sight cheered me up. And my clothes did arrive...at midnight (which to me was 2:00am)!! But at least I got them so it was all good.

Random Memorable Moments

• The solo pigeon perched on the airplane gate at the Toronto airport surveying his domain.
• The lady in the security line ahead of me laughing, because thanks to having her shoes scanned by themselves, she discovered that her wooden heels had metal rods in them.
• My first taste of borscht! I really liked it. But then again, I brew and drink my own beet kvass.
• The constant banging of the door to the hotel parking lot which, unfortunately, happened to be across from my room. Who knew people went out to the parking lot so often.

Yummy borscht!

Silence, Spring, and Saskatchewan

My name badge from the TD Book Week kick off party.

I really must quit putting all sorts of other things ahead of blogging. I like blogging, I really do. But sometimes I obsess too much over what to say. So much so that I’m often paralyzed with indecision and then just end up saying nothing. Bad, no?

So I’m going to try to kick that and, in the next few days, blog about my awesome trip earlier this spring for Canadian Children’s Book Week 2013! I was honoured to be chosen to talk to many children in communities across northern Saskatchewan about “Sorting through Spring” as well as my other books.

Blogging preparations are underway! I promise.

My Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing is a global blog tour, started in Australia, to showcase authors and illustrators and their current work.  I was tagged by the talented Cynthia Cotten. Thanks Cyndy! And I should also give a nod to another talented friend, Mary Cronk Farrell, because she tried to tag me earlier this year and I was too swamped to participate.

So now I'll answer some questions about my newest book, then pass the Q&A along to two others who'll pick up the tour next week.

1) What is your next big thing?
That would be my newest book Sorting through Spring.

"Sorting through Spring," by Lizann Flatt and Ashley Barron

2) Where did the idea for the book come from?
My kids would complain that doing math patterning problems seemed to have no purpose. It made me think what if...? What if you could see animals and nature making patterns and sorting all around you?

3) In what genre does your book fall?
It's a nonfiction picture book.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Well, since there are only animals in the book, I'd hope Disney's Pixar would make the movie. I can see them having fun with the schools of smelt and the mosquitoes. Think this or this.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
If animals and nature knew numbers like you, can you imagine the sorting and patterning they'd do?

6) Who published your book?
OwlKids Books. Find them here: http://www.owlkidsbooks.com/

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
It took about a month, but before that it took a lot of time to decide the content and focus of the series. I'd say nearly a year till the four-book format was set. (Sorting through Spring is book two in the series-- Counting on Fall is the first, Sizing up Winter will be the third, and Shaping up Summer will be the fourth.)

8) What other books would you compare this book to within your genre?
It deals with some of the same ideas as Math for All Seasons. These books, in a running story format, go into deeper detail about math concepts that are in my book:  The Great Graph Contest, A Very Improbable Story.

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
It sounds cliche, but Nature fascinates and inspires me all the time. Math was never my favourite subject. Put one with the other and hopefully it results in some fun with both math and nature.

10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?
The art is gorgeous and invites you to touch the page. I think with the different spring nature phenomena and some rhythmic or rhyming language it's a less serious way to talk about math, plus you can use the book with young children as a segue into more math, language, or science.

Now I get to tag a couple other lucky people. Hope you'll drop in next Thursday, April 25th to these blogs for their next Next Big Thing:

Rachel Eugster

Peggy Collins

You won't be disappointed!

And thank you for stopping in here to help me celebrate my "Next Big Thing."

Listening at the Library

Love this conversation snippet I overheard at the library this weekend between two 10- or 11-year-old boys as they were playing a video game at the public computers.

Boy 1: "There's nothing holding me back now!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, except your mother."
Laughter.

Kids, telling it like they see it.

It's 11-12-12 and Nonfiction Monday

I'm pleased to be hosting Nonfiction Monday here at The Flatt Perspective. I can't wait to see what nonfiction books other Kidlitosphere bloggers have been talking about this week. I know it's going to be great. Please leave the info about your Nonfiction Monday post here on the Google form. Then check back tomorrow, Tuesday, to see the complete round-up of what's what in nonfiction for kids and teens this week.

For now, I'd like to share the terrific "Counting on Fall" Teacher's Guide pdf that OwlKids Books put together for my newest nonfiction picture book. It's free and full of activities and reproducibles for the K-2 classroom or home or library. "Counting on Fall" is about math and fall nature phenomena. What if animals and plants knew math, just like you? Would leaves fall in patterns? Would whales enter a race? Count on some math fun while thinking about those what if's and more.

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll count on seeing you tomorrow!

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Okay, now we're ready for our roundup! Don't you love how those asterisks let us jump in time? Magical I tell you.

Nonfiction Picture Books

Waiting for Ice | Going Up!: Elisha Otis's Trip to the Top | Seahorses

Laura Salas is talking about Waiting for Ice over at her blog LauraSalas: Writing the World for Kids.  Laura says "Waiting for Ice is a beautiful nonfiction picture book about an orphaned polar bear cub's efforts to survive."

From The Nonfiction Detectives, Louise and Cathy share that "We had the opportunity to interview Monica Kulling about her new picture book biography." Check out the interview and a review of Going Up! by Monica Kulling.

Jen at Perogies & Gyoza is also featuring Monica Culling's  Going Up!: Elisha Otis's Trip to the Top this week. She says of the book: "Great introduction to the world of invention and entrepreneurship via the invention of the elevator."

Over at Shelf-Employed, Lisa is featuring a review of the nonfiction picture book Seahorses, by Jennifer Keats Curtis.  She adds "Check out the video, too!"

Noah Webster & His Words | Barnum's Bones | Brothers at Bat

Hop on over to Supratentorial to see Alice's review of these three books. Alice says: "I am sharing three new picture book biographies: Noah Webster and His Words, Barnum’s Bones and Brothers at Bat. The subjects are different but all three books have in common that they are great short biographies for elementary school students."

Helen's Big World | Touch the Sky | A Leaf Can Be...

Amy at Hope Is the Word features Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller. Amy adds "This is a fantastic new picture biography of Helen Keller by Doreen Rappaport.  It is a part of her Big Words series." Amy highly recommends it.

Jeanne's blog True Tales & A Cherry On Top features the picture book biography Touch the Sky - Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper. Jeanne says: "Touch the Sky is an inspiring true story about a young woman who dreamed to soar, and pursued her dream. As the book jacket says, 'In Alice Coachman's Georgia hometown, there was no field where an African-American girl could do the high jump, so she made her own crossbar with sticks and rags.'"

And don't miss Heart of a Child where Rob Reid features A Leaf Can Be.... as a great read-aloud choice. And there are a few Q&As, too, with the book's author, Laura Purdie Salas.

Animals Big and Small | Patterns Outside

Finally Roberta of Wrapped in Foil brings us two titles in the Math Every Day series. She says "These books are a great way to introduce beginning math concepts."

Early, Middle Reader and YA Nonfiction

Bill the Boy Wonder | Snakes | Environmental Disasters

Amelia at Challenging the Bookworm features Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman. She explains, "I bought this book for my library specifically with a graphic novel fan in mind, and she didn't disappoint me. I've never known a lot about comics, although I've enjoyed the films over the years, and now I can impress someone with my new knowledge. Plus, it's a Cybils contender in the Nonfiction Picture Books category."

And you won't want to miss Sal's Fiction Addiction where Sally shares Nic Bishop Snakes. Sally says, "I love sharing the books that I am reading with others who are interested in literature for children and their adults...be they teachers, parents or extended family."

SimplyScience features the timely Environmental Disasters. Shirley describes the book: "Environmental Disasters is about several major environmental disasters, their causes, and their consequences. It discusses the efforts made to change or improve conditions so that they don't occur again."

Becoming a Ballerina | National Parks | Surf Dog Miracles

Abby of Abby the Librarian shares that "Just in time for Nutcracker Season, I have a book all about the behind-the-scenes of becoming a ballerina and starring in the show." She does indeed. She features Becoming a Ballerina.

At A Teaching Life Tara brings us National Parks: A Kid's Guide to America's Parks, Monuments and Landmarks  by Erin McHugh. Tara enthusiastically states that the book is "a wonderful book on National Parks and monuments." You'll want to head on over to see the other great nonfiction titles she's highlighted as well.

Jennifer of Jean Little Library gives us a quick overview of some new Bearport titles. Featured books include the Water Babies series, Meat-Eating Plants: Toothless Wonders from the Plant-Ology series, and, from the Dog Heroes series, the title Surf Dog Miracles.

Veterans Day | Lives of the Presidents

Janet features the title Veterans Day written by Marlene Targ Brill with illustrations by Qi Z. Wang over at All About the Books.

Keeping right up with current affairs, Mother Reader reviews Lives of the Presidents by Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt.

The Magical Life of Long Tak Sam | Home Front Girl

Over at The Biblio File, Jennie has a review of the graphic novel memoir, The Magical Life of Long Tak Sam.

And don't forget to visit Charlotte at Charlotte's Library. She notes "I have a lovely YA book this week--Home Front Girl: A Diary of Love, Literature, and Growing Up in Wartime America, the actual diary of Joan Wehlen."

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I think that's all for Nonfiction Monday this week. Did you enjoy it as much as I did? It's been a pleasure to look at this terrific selection of books and blogs. I hope I haven't forgotten anyone (if so just email me to let me know and I'll add you). Have a great week!

Please check in next week for Nonfiction Monday 

on November 19 

when it will be hosted by 

Perogies & Gyoza