Shutta Crum

 
Sometimes we need a little imbalance in our lives to make us think about how to get centered again. Writing a picture book in verse is like that, too.
When writing in poetical stanzas (With all those good things that any picture book needs-characterization, setting and a plot, for goodness sake!) the writer has an additional [...]

I just got the word that THUNDER-BOOMER! was named a notable book by ALA! Wonderful news.
To see the whole list of children’s notables for this year go here. Enjoy.
Shutta

There are a lot of end of the year lists going around now. Some of these are best of the year, some are just good gift lists. (See below.) I’m proud to announce that THUNDER-BOOMER! is making some of those lists, including School Library Journal’s Best of the Year, and the Bulletin of the [...]

As a teacher, librarian, and a children’s book writer, I truly believe my life has encompassed the best of all worlds. My day job for more than 26 years meant going into a library and being surrounded with beautiful books containing inspiring words. Since retiring from the public library in 2004, I no longer go [...]

I’m highlighting Andrea Beaty’s FIREFIGHTER TED book (see sidebar). What a hoot! When the principal’s pants catch on fire we see exactly why a caring bear has to do his best. Lots of heart and humor in this one! Way to go, Andrea.
A wonderful NY Times article about Jan Brett and the chickens she raises [...]

It’s the time of year when I feel a bit like Leo Lionni’s grasshopper. Fall has well and truly come upon us in Michigan. The soy fields are dry and golden, the Virginia creeper wound round our trees is scarlet and we’ve had our first frost. Yesterday I heard sand hill cranes and assumed I’d [...]

 
Deb Diesen is a wonderful writer, good friend, and perhaps(?) an alien abductee. You may not know that her first book, THE POUT POUT FISH, was named by Time Magazine as one of the top ten children’s books of 2008. Check it out–you can’t help but smile.  Enjoy this lighthearted interview with Deb, and check [...]

 
A friend informed me of the non-profit organization, The National Society of Arts and Letters. It seems they are hosting a contest for 2010 for young (18-33 yrs) unpublished writers. Maybe that is you! Head on over to their site for specifics. http://arts-nsal.org .  
Happy Writing!
Shutta

I just finished posting a blog entry for BIG UNIVERSE, about the imaginative play of my grandchildren titled: Coffee Shop Theater. If you are interested in peeking at a bit of the imaginative life of children take a trip to Big U.
In the meantime, enjoy the children in your life and these final days [...]

 
The schmooze this year was a lot of fun with some old familiar faces showing up as well as a lot of new ones. We had every chair filled in a circle—28 of us! There was lots of good food as well as good conversation. I saw groups standing in the shade by the food [...]