FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE
TODAY’S GUEST
BENSON SHUM
Hurray! I love when our favorite blog guests return! And I’m especially thrilled to welcome back Benson and have a chance to spread the word about his latest book, IMAGINE YOU AND ME, that just launched. (Dial, January 23, 2024).
Benson Shum is an award winning children’s book author and illustrator. He uses watercolor, ink and digital tools to create his illustrations. His books, Anzu the Great Listener and Anzu the Great Kaiju were selected as Kid’s Indie Next List Recommended by American Booksellers Association (ABA) and was also awarded for Outstanding Achievement in Social Emotional Literature by the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California (CLCSC).Aside from writing and illustrating, Benson is also an Animator at the Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he was a part of such films as Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Frozen 2, Encanto and Wish. Originally from Vancouver, BC, Benson now lives in sunny southern California.
ME: Welcome, Benson! It’s lovely to see you! I’m so happy about your newest book that launched last week…and the other 2024 book, that comes out July. I know everyone is excited to find out more about you, so let’s get started.
BENSON: It’s always fun to visit Picture Books Help Kids Soar, Vivian. Thanks for having me.
ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
BENSON: My favorite authors and illustrators were Judy Blume, Quentin Blake, Roald Dahl, Mary Blair and Alice and Martin Provensen. I was drawn to their whimsical drawings and paintings. The storytelling they put into their words and art is incredible.
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
BENSON: I believe everyone has a story to tell. It can be scary, as I know I was always scared of writing. I was never confident in my English growing up. I spoke a lot of chinese with my grandparents. And when I started elementary school, I struggled. But language is something we can learn, but the stories through our struggle will make us unique.
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
BENSON: I like to change up the places where I write. Usually I’m at my desk, but when I’m out and about, I’ll bring my laptop (or paper pad) to the park, library, coffee shop, anywhere that has a bit of noise. I like to be able to look up and see things happening. It may spark an idea or inspiration. Of course if the noise is too distracting, then I’ll find another place. Ha!
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
BENSON: I don’t have a specific time. I do it sporadically during the day. But it’ll be little pieces/ideas that I’ll jot down. When I have more time, usually at night, then I’ll flesh out those ideas.
ME: Why do you write for children?
BENSON: I feel like picture books are for both adults and children, so I like to write for both because we were all children at one time. And we sometimes forget the little things that kids find joy in. So I want to share stories that will take us away from the hard daily adult life. I also want to share that no matter our age, we go through the same feelings on the inside. And I try to bring those in my stories.
ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear.
BENSON: I hope you’ll find the courage to write your stories. It’s a long and hard journey, but to share your stories is a wonderful thing. Read in the genre you want to write in. It was how I got the bravery to do it. I also have activities and teacher’s guides to go along with my books on my website. You can find them here. https://bensonshum.com/activities/. Aside from IMAGINE YOU AND ME, I also have another book in 2024 called MOONCAKE MEANS FAMILY, which celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with this sweet story of food and family. And here’s a cool recipe for Mooncakes: https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/
Thank you so much for sharing all of this, Benson…and for the sneak peeks inside IMAGINE YOU AND ME. And also for the giveaway…a SIGNED COPY OF IMAGINE YOU AND ME, plus stickers!
Dear friends…we know the best way to help authors and illustrators is to buy their books…and you’ll find links to the best places to purchase Benson’s beautiful books in this post. But there are other ways we can help – and those ways don’t even cost any money. Review the book Put the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf Tell friends about the book (by sharing thjs post on your social media Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection.
Thank you for spending your precious time here with us. And don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway from our lovely featured guest. You might be the lucky winner of a SIGNED COPY OF IMAGINE YOU AND ME, plus stickers.
Hello dear friends. To celebrate the launch of PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World, I’m cycling the blogsphere and I’ve got a bunch of guest blog post coming up. I thought it would be a good idea to give you all a heads-up so that you can be on the look-out…some of the posts have giveaways attached to them…so please visit those blogs and leave a comment.
I also wanted to let everyone know that I’ve got a Facebook Birthday fundraiser going on in support of the Stuart Kirkfield Scholarship at Highlights Foundation. This scholarship was spearheaded by Maria Marshall and Sheri Jones Rivers when my husband passed away in 2018 – and several writers have already received funds to attend Highlights’ retreats. And I’m committed to seeing it continue helping folks follow their dream. You can donate right on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1108264050308830/ Or, you can go directly to the Stuart Kirkfield Scholarship page on the Highlights Foundation website: https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/stuart-kirkfield-scholarship/ And when the fundraiser is over, I’ll award a 60-minute Zoom Ask-Me-Anything Zoom chat to a randomly chosen winner – you can get a ticket in the giveaway hat in one of several ways: 1. Donate to the scholarship fund in any amount or 2. Share the Facebook post or 3. Share the Twitter post or 4. Share this post on your favorite social media platform
And last, but certainly not least, on February 11, get set for the Heads-Up-The-Contest-is-Coming post with all of the guidelines for #50PreciousWords right here on Picture Books Help Kids Soar.
Sharpen your pencils, dear friends…we’ve already got editor and agent critiques and submission opportunities, plus author feedback, seats in Picture Book Writing classes, Ask-Me-Anything chats, and signed picture books…and of course, the Paula Cohen Martin Big Dreams Mentorship.
Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends. Thank you for spending your precious time here.
FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE
TODAY’S GUESTS
WOW! What a powerhouse group from #teamKidLitClubhouse! I’m in awe of their combined experiences and expertise – and I’m thrilled to have the chance to introduce them and their 2024 books! 2024 is definitely going to be a fabulous year for children’s literature! I know you are excited to find out more about our guests – and please stick around through the entire post because there is a GIVEAWAY – a chance to have your manuscript critiqued by TWO of these fabulous authors…and you’ll need to leave a comment at the end.
Here’s a little bit about each of them before we get to the questions: Brentom Jackson is a psychotherapist that writes about the universal lessons within Black American culture. His work not only reflects his extensive background in theatre and performance poetry but also his hope for a future where every child can see themselves in the pages of a book. Brentom lives in Texas with his wife and son. Together they enjoy park walking, people watching, piano playing, and traveling to visit the interesting places they read about in books. https://www.instagram.com/brentomjackson/ https://www.facebook.com/brentomjackson https://twitter.com/BrentomJackson
Kelly Zhang is a Canadian children’s writer and Chinese/English literary translator. She writes heartfelt stories drawn from her heritage culture & lived experiences, hoping to inspire readers to stay curious about the world and to connect with peoples and places beyond their familiar ones. Kelly’s PB debut TAKE ME TO LAOLAO, a Chinese mythology-inspired lyrical tale, is forthcoming in Jan 2024 with Quill Tree/HC. Kelly is a member of the SCBWI, a freelance translator for The New York Times for Kids, and a contributor to the WorldKidLit Blog. In her spare time, she makes spicy foods and tries to keep both her child and dog out of trouble. https://www.instagram.com/kellyzhang_yl https://twitter.com/KellyZhang_YL
Maria Marianayagam is a Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian children’s book author. She was born in India and grew up in Nigeria and four provinces across Canada. Maria is a former chemical engineer who fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). Maria enjoys writing lyrical picture books centered on STEM, faith, and South Asian culture, as well as high concept middle-grade grounded in culture. The first two installments of her debut board book series, BABY HOPE and BABY COURAGE (WorthyKids/Hachette), and her debut picture book THE AMAZING POWER OF GIRLS (Sourcebooks eXplore) release in 2024. When Maria is not writing, she can be found traveling the world, devouring books, and spending time with her wonderful family. She resides in Alberta, Canada, with her husband and two daughters. https://www.instagram.com/msmarianayagam/
Dazzle Ng is a marketer by trade, a writer by passion, a mother by heart. After graduating with honors from Ateneo de Manila University, she worked for global brands like Unilever and Havaianas. In the media industry, she was the associate publisher/deputy editor of a local magazine; and later on, held regional content and PR positions at theAsianparent, the largest parenting community in Southeast Asia.
As an author, Dazzle is represented by Lisa Amstutz of Storm Literary. Her upcoming picture books are: When an Elephant Hears NO (PSK, 2024) and When a Rhino Has to Wait(PSK, 2025). An active member of the writing community, she is part of terrific networks such as 12X12 and SCBWI, along with a number of critique and support groups.
More WOWs from me! And yippee…Dazzle is a Storm Literary Agency sister of mine! We are all ready to learn more about these fabulous guests, so here goes! ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?
KZ: ZHENG Yuanjie (MG author), ZHANG Leping (comic artist) DN: Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl BJ: Ashley Bryan and John Steptoe MM: Hergé and Robert Munsch
ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?
KZ: Every step on the journey to publication takes time: writing and revising a manuscript, querying, getting an agent, revising again, going on sub, signing a contract, doing more revisions… It will be a long time before you see your book out in the world. So you have to learn to be patient, and find ways to cope with your anxiety and imposter syndrome in the process. Definitely not easy!
DN: Not to query too early! I wish I’d had the courage to seek out critique partners and join things like pitch contests and writing communities before I deemed my work submission-ready.
BJ: Advice given to me by Kevin Johnson, author of “Cape,” “Focus on the two C’s craft and community, and the rest will come.” Make becoming a better writer and a positive literary citizen your driving value. This is something you can continue to work on with the help of or in spite of the subjective world of publishing .
MM: I was so focused on writing an interesting story at the beginning that I didn’t think too much about the importance of craft–word choice, rhythm, rhetorical devices, etc. and how those could be used to elevate a manuscript to the next level. I wish I worked on my craft sooner.
ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?
KZ: It really depends on the project. Most of the time, I use a note app on my phone to collect ideas during moments of inspiration, then flesh them out on my computer. But some projects require pen and paper–such as m aking a dummy for a picture book idea to sort out the pacing and page turns. DN: Wherever it’s quiet (my thoughts are noisy enough)!
BJ: I like to write in my office on a laptop. However, I enjoy revising in hotel rooms. I wait until I have at least two or three manuscripts to work on and book a room (with loyalty points) in a neighboring city. The change of scenery and surroundings help me think differently about the stories.
MM: Laptop at my dining table in the middle of the chaos of my kids playing and laughing! There’s just something about it.
ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?
KZ: I used to be a night owl and wrote mostly at night. After becoming a parent, I felt too exhausted to write at the end of the day, so now I write early in the morning before the family is up.
DN: I like to write in the morning, but “when the muse strikes” has produced my best drafts. BJ: I do stream-of-consciousness writing exercises Monday through Friday at 5:30 am and 9:30 pm for consistency. But the muse usually delivers the creative stuff randomly between 12 and 2 pm.
MM: I write when I have someone around to watch my kids! 🙂
ME: Why do you write for children? KZ: Children are so curious, perceptive, and open-minded. They deserve to know the diversity of cultures and experiences in the world in which they live, and they deserve to see their beautiful and unique selves reflected in the books they read. DN: They are the best people on this planet. Their curiosity knows no bounds and their hearts have room to love any story, culture, idea, character—even creature!—they encounter. BJ: Books and libraries changed the trajectory of my life as a child. I write to pay back that debt. MM: Children are simply the best–they view the world with open hearts and minds. They approach things with awe and excitement, which is so amazing to be around. And they’re sponges, absorbing information about life, culture, facts, science, anything–they’re the perfect audience to share stories with!
ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear.
KZ: Write from your heart; speak your truth. Do not doubt the value of your story and your unique voice. It will find the reader it needs to reach.
DN: For aspiring kid lit writers: Don’t take the subjectivity of this industry personally. The right manuscript has to land on the right editor’s/agent’s desk (a.k.a. inbox) at the right time. And that time will come, as long as you keep nurturing both your passion and skills.
BJ: Children spend most of their time learning and playing. As a writer for children you must create opportunities in your life to do the same.
MM: For aspiring kid lit writers: Read tons of picture books (and beyond). Analyze them. Note the use of structure and word choice. Experiment with your own writing. Reading analytically will develop you as a writer far more than anything else. One of my favorite quotes: “You can only write as well as you read.” ― Max Hawthorne
WE ARE SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR AUTHENTC AND HEARTFELT RESPONSES. Truly, I know that many heads were nodding as you all answered the questions…and you’ve definitely inspired us to believe in ourselves and in the path we’ve chosen as writers for children.
And our fabulous guests are also sharing a very special recipe! “When I was a lonely, scared and scarred eight year old, Mrs. Bertha Flowers, a lean, Black teacher invited me to her house and made tea cakes.” Maya Angelou, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings In honor of Maya Angelou, here is a fabulous recipe for TEXAS TEA CAKE COOKIES
Texas Tea Cake Cookies Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting Instructions: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, stir together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture, beating until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Fold pecans into the dough at this stage. Roll the dough into small balls (about 1 inch in diameter) and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass or the palm of your hand to create a disc shape. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can dust the cookies with powdered sugar if desired. These tea cake cookies are wonderfully buttery and perfect for pairing with a cup of tea or coffee. Feel free to customize them by adding citrus zest, cinnamon, or other flavorings.
AND THERE IS MORE, DEAR FRIENDS…A GIVEAWAY!
GIVEAWAY 1 winner, 2 critiques! 2 of the KidLit Clubhouse members in this post will critique the winner’s PB manuscript (fiction, <1000 words)
What a generous giveaway! And dear readers, when you are finished clapping and the applause dies down, please think about how you can support these books. We can: Buy them Review them Put them on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf Tell friends about them (that’s an easy one…just share the post on your social media) Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection
I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. I’m continuing to reach out to agents and editors and authors and illustrators as I collect prizes for #50PreciousWords. So far, the response has been amazingly positive!!
VIVIAN KIRKFIELD - Writer for Children 