About viviankirkfield

Writer for children - Reader forever - Mom of 3, educator, author of FOUR OTTERS TOBOGGAN: AN ANIMAL COUNTING BOOK (PomegranateKids, PIPPA'S PASSOVER PLATE (Holiday House), SWEET DREAMS, SARAH (Creston Books); MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD: THE INSPIRING FRIENDSHIP OF ELLA FITZGERALD AND MARILYN MONROE (Little Bee Books); FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Jan 19, 2021); PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, First Woman to Bike Around the World (Calkins Creek/Astra, Feb 20, 2024) picture book junkie, lover of travel, hiking, fly-fishing, cooking, and playing Monopoly with my grandson.

Happy Book Birthday: THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW Plus Giveaway

Posted on November 12, 2024 by viviankirkfield

HURRAY! In the midst of what may right now feel like the depths of despair, there are always beacons of light. Our mission, should we decide to accept it, is to find those beacons of light and nourish them. One beacon of light for me has been the slow but sure improvement in my vision – this is the first blog post I’ve created since my eye surgery in July. It’s definitely been a challenge for someone who was used to spending almost 24 hours a day reading and writing. And it’s given me a greater appreciation for all those who continue reading, writing, and going about daily tasks, even though their vision is impaired. My vision will always be somewhat limited, but I feel blessed that I can be blogging again.

Another beacon of light for me is the fact that writers keep sharing their words and illustrators continue to delight us with their art. Now, more than ever, we need to fill the world with books that entertain, inform, and inspire. Which brings me to the main reason for this post…a glorious celebration of the launch of a new graphic novel written by one of my long-time CPs, Tina Cho, and illustrated by Deb JJ Lee.

Happily, author Cho stopped by to share a little bit about the book and what inspired her to write it – and also to offer a GIVEAWAY…a copy of the book!:
Welcome, Tina!!!!
TINA: “The Other Side of Tomorrow is a lyrical middle grade graphic novel about two kids who escape out of North Korea along the Asian Underground Railroad. While living in South Korea for ten years, I met North Koreans, heard their stories, and wanted kids around the world to know about them. This story started out as a picture book manuscript, morphed into a chapter book, then a novel in verse, and finally into its current form of a graphic novel. “

For more information about the book, the acknowledgements of all who helped, and an educator’s guide, please visit my website, http://www.tinamcho.com.

To buy the book:

The Other Side of Tomorrow

Here’s a little bit about the author:
Tina Cho is the author of Rice from Heaven: The Secret Mission to Feed North Koreans (Little Bee Books), Korean Celebrations (Tuttle), My Breakfast with Jesus: Worshipping God around the World (Harvest House), The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story (Kokila/Penguin Random House), God’s Little Astronomer (Waterbrook), God’s Little Oceanographer June 2025, & The Princess & the Grain of Rice (FSG Fall 2025). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow, published from Harper Alley 11/12/2024. After living in South Korea for ten years, Tina, her husband, and two kids reside in Iowa where Tina also teaches kindergarten.

And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Deb JJ Lee (they/them) is a trans nonbinary artist based in Brooklyn, New York. They have appeared in the New Yorker, the New York Times, NPR, Google, Radiolab, and more. They are known for their award-winning graphic memoir, In Limbo, about mental illness and difficult relationships with trauma. Their cat, Marlie, has three teeth.

The book has received glowing reviews all across the board including these:
“Triumphant, moving, and unforgettable.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This gripping graphic novel about childhood under dictator Kim Jong Un balances horror and wonder in both its poetic language and vibrant imagery.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Dear friends, please help important books like this one become a success:
We can share on our social media
We can request our library purchase copies for their shelves
We can buy a copy as a holiday gift for a teacher – maybe she’ll be able to use it in her class
We can borrow the book from our local library
We can ask our indie bookstore if they will carry this title
WE CAN!
And remember to leave a comment and SHARE this post on your social media for a chance to WIN the giveaway copy of THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW.

As the year winds down, I’ve got one more big event coming up…the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) conference in Boston from November 21-24. I’m excited for so many reasons…I’m honored to be part of two amazing panels, I’ll be at the Calkins Creek/Astra booth signing PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World, and the very best part of all of this…I’ll get to hug so many kid-lit friends. Here’s a graphic that gives the dates and times of my panel sessions and book signing…if you will be at NCTE, I hope we will connect in person!

Perfect Picture Book Friday: SQUAWK OF SPANISH Plus Giveaway

Posted on August 9, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday! We’ve got a brand-new launching in a week book today from a wonderful author who’s been here before, Gabriella Aldeman. We featured PAULA’S PATCHES last year…and today: SQUAWK OF SPANISH. (And please forgive any typos…ny eye surgery was last week and my visionon’s still very blurry)

SQUAWK OF SPANISH

Written by Gabriella Aldeman

Illustrated by Romina Galotta

Published by Charlesbridge

Ages: 5-7

Themes: Pets, Multigenerational, Languages

Synopsis: Max isn’t confident with his Spanish, especially rolling his Rs, and his cousins always tease him about it. But he loves spending weekends baking with his Spanish-speaking abuela, while Lorito the parrot helps translate. But when Lorito disappears for a day, Max and Abuela must figure out how to communicate. Max’s Spanish doesn’t have to be perfect, and Abuela can attempt a little English. Trying is what counts!

Why I Love This Book
1. I love the wonderful relationship that Max has with his Abuela!
2. I love the gorgeous illustrations!
3. I love the connection I made with the story – I took so many years of Spanish in school…but was always so shy about speaking…I totally understood how Max felt.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Toilet Paper Roll Parrots

Photo courtesy: https://artsycraftsymom.com/parrot-crafts-for-kids/

What to do with empty toilet paper rolls? Make colorful parrots, of course: https://artsycraftsymom.com/parrot-crafts-for-kids/

Author Gaby and I connected the other day and she shared a little bit about the story behind the story of this book.

GABRIELLA: SQUAWK OF SPANISH was inspired by my own family and our lived experience. I am Panamanian American and fully bilingual. But for my son, it’s not always easy. Sometimes his Spanish words knot in his throat and refuse to come out. When his abuela visits from Panama, they speak in board games, video games, hugs, and food. Then after a while, my son’s Spanish words start tumbling out dry and rusty. He is like Max, the main character. And, like Max, he had to learn that trying is what counts (even if you have an accent) and love is a language everyone can speak.

In this book, I wanted to explore the issue some kiddos face when they don’t feel comfortable speaking their heritage language. This is a book that celebrates effort over outcomes, with a bit of squawk-out-loud humor.

And here’s a little bit about Gaby:
Gabriella Aldeman is a Panamanian American author. She writes picture books in hopes that more children become readers and that all readers feel seen. She is also a professional translator of academic resources and children’s books. Gabriella holds degrees from Georgetown University and the College of William and Mary. Her books include Paula’s Patches and Squawk of Spanish. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with her husband and two children.
Please visit her at www.writebetween.com or @write_between on X or Instagram.

And here’s a little bit about the illustrator:
Romina Galotta is an Argentinian author/illustrator, animal lover, passionate foodie, and forever traveler. She has a degree in graphic design from the University of Buenos Aires. Her other talents include bird rescuing, tattooing, pizza making, and knitting cozy sweaters. She lives with her husband and dogs in Buenos Aires, Argentina. http://www.rominagalotta.com

And here’s a link for you to PRE ORDER this beautiful book…there is an English version and also one in Spanish! Excellente!!!
BOOKSHOP.ORG SALES LINK: https://bookshop.org/p/books/squawk-of-spanish-gabriella-aldeman/21303064?ean=9781623543921

please make sure you leave a comment to be entered for a chance to snag a copy of the book!!!

Happy Book Birthday: MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH Plus Giveaway

Posted on August 6, 2024 by viviankirkfield

Yay! I am so excited about this brand-new book that launches TODAY! And I’m pretty sure that when you hear more about it, you will be, too! Book 1 of the Missy & Mason series is : Missy Wants a Mammoth, written by Pam Vaughan and illustrated by Ariel Landy.
It is with Pixel+Ink. You can see more details here:

https://silverunicornbooks.com/item/2wJn2c0AgM5Kp0MsTH7gtw

Just look at that cover! So engaging and inviting! I already want to know what is going to happen. Will the mammoth come to life like in the movie Night at the Museum?

So, dear friends, pull up a chair, help yourself to a piece of yummy birthday cake, and let’s join author Pam who stopped by to tell us a little bit about the story – and the story behind the story.

ME: Welcome, Pam! We’ve met at conferences – and I’m ultra-excited to see you again for the Acadia Writing Retreat and Book Festival in October – late October in Acadia National Park should be glorious – and with Eileen Robinson as one of the faculty – WOW! And WOW for MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH! Can you tell us a little bit about the story?

PAM: Hi Vivian! Thank you so much for the opportunity to be on your blog for my book birthday!!
First-grader Missy pushes the bounds of her imagination—and her older brother Mason’s patience—as she lays out her plan for a new pet. A must-have for fans of Charlie and Lola and Olivia or anyone crafting a case for why they need a new animal addition to the family.At the Museum of Natural History, first-grader Missy has a genius gigantic idea: she wants a wooly mammoth as her new pet. She’ll name him Malcolm. They’ll take bubble baths with strawberry-banana shampoo, and go on picnics, and she’ll swing from his tusks. They’ll be best friends. Older brother, Mason, spots one mammoth-sized problem with her plans. . . . But once Missy gets an idea in her head, nothing (not even the fact that mammoths have been extinct for ten thousand years) is going to stop her from getting her fuzzy new friend.Missy and Mason are a winning new pair for the canon of sibling stories—when Missy dreams a little too big, Mason is always there to help pull her back, and when practical Mason plays it too safe, Missy helps push him to think bigger—and Missy Wants a Mammoth is sure to charm in a massive way.

ME: Oh, I love how this sounds, Pam. And can you share a bit about the journey for this book? We always love to hear about the path to publication.

PAM: Perhaps you can remember back to the time when your debut was about to, well, debut! It’s exciting and so much anticipation of not knowing what to expect. It’s like I’ve been trekking along learning, writing, revising, learning, talking with other writers, getting feedback, reading, learning, writing, revising…you know, all those kinds of things in my little world.

And then, all of a sudden (which isn’t really so sudden), my words are going to be a book! It’s exciting and wonderful and amazing and…(maybe slightly terrifying 😉 ) It’s like a shift in the mind – coming out of that previous trek (learning, writing, revising, learning, talking with other writers, getting feedback, reading, learning, writing, revising) and figuring out the new and exciting world of having a book – go beyond my little world around me and into the wider world.

Of course I am extremely grateful in all ways!!!

Including you! So, thank you! I appreciate YOU and all you do for all of our kidlit friends and community.

One semi-humorous story is that this book, Missy Wants a Mammoth sold in 2020 and was due to come out at the end of 2022. In February of 2022 my editor asked for a meeting with my agent and me to discuss the publication process, publicity timing, next steps, etc. As a new author I was super excited to have a face-to-face (virtual) meeting with my agent and editor together!

I was all smiles when I got on the meeting. But within a minute, my editor says, “I’m just going to rip off the band-aid.” I didn’t even have enough time to process her words when she said that due to COVID challenges, the illustrator has had to step away from the project. They both assured me things would work out for the best and it was all going to be okay. My response was, I feel like we got scored on, but we didn’t lose the game. I don’t think my response was what either of them expected! So, the illustrator search continued. Then, I got a call from my editor. She said she had an illustrator that she really liked…however, she was about to go on maternity leave and she had another project ahead of us. The editor and I both thought the illustrator – Ariel Landy – was worth the wait! So…we waited. The new date was July 2,2024 until…

I received one more call that said the date got pushed out again – but only one more month – August 6, 2024.

As children’s book authors we always hear that patience and resilience are essential attributes in this industry – so there is some proof.

I would also add gratitude. I’m so grateful to be able to write children’s books and to be able to share my books with people of all ages – young and young at heart! I lead with gratitude and appreciation!

Again, thank you for all of your time, hard work, and dedication to the kidlit space and helping authors on their journeys!

ME: And we are all grateful for what you have done as ARA of NESCBWI, lynchpin of Writers’ Loft, and everything else you do for the kid lit community, dear Pam!
To find out more about Pam and connect with her: www.pamvaughanauthor.com

And, dear friends, even though it is Pam’s book birthday, she’s the one giving the present! Please make sure you leave a comment and let us know which gift you would prefer if you are the lucky winner of the giveaway: a copy of MISSY WANTS A MAMMOTH or a 20-minute Ask-Me-Anything Zoom Chat with Pam.

And what can we do to let authors know how much we love their books? We can:
Buy them
Review them
Put them on our Goodreads Want to Read Shelf
Tell friends about them (share this post on social media)
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection