SHACHI KAUSHIK: Will Write for Cookies Plus Giveaway

Posted on October 14, 2023 by viviankirkfield

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS, ILLUSTRATORS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS,
AND BOOK LOVERS EVERYWHERE

TODAY’S GUEST

Author Shachi Kaushik and Illustrator Aishwarya Tandon

I love how intertwined our kidlit community is – we meet people at conferences, or in classes, or we do critiques with them…and they become our friends. The latter is how I connected with today’s guest – and although the feedback has been sent on her manuscript, I hope to stay in touch with Shachi and will be cheering for every new book!

Shachi Kaushik is a writer and a storyteller. Part of the Children’s Media Industry, she creates content for children that is entertaining, enlightening, and educational. She has worked on the production team for the YouTube Original Animated Series ‘The Guava Show’ and ‘CoComelon.’
Her debut ‘Diwali In My New Home’ has received accolades and praise worldwide. The book has been named a 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year Awards finalist in the Picture Books, Early Reader category! and is the Winner of The Book Fest Awards in the Children’s Diversity – Multicultural category.
To connect with Shachi:
Facebook: storiesbyshachi
Twitter: @KaushikShachi
Instagram: storiesbyshachi

ME: Hello Shachi! I’m so excited to welcome you to Picture Books Help Kids Soar…your new book, DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME, illustrated by Aishwarya Tandon, and published by Beaming Books, launched last month. Thank you for stopping by. I know everyone is excited to find out more about you, so let’s get started.
Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

SHACHI: Growing up in India, I loved reading the comic Tinkle. My favorite character was Suppandi, an illustrator by Ram Waeekar.

ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?

SHACHI: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to embrace rejection. When I first started writing, rejections felt like personal failures. I now understand that rejection is a natural part of writing. It’s a chance to improve and persist in your craft. Don’t let it discourage you.

ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?

SHACHI: Due to my frequent travels between Canada and the USA, I’ve learned to adapt to my new writing environment every few months.

I used to write in diaries but switched to the Remarkable tablet, which feels like writing on paper.

ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?

SHACHI: To keep myself accountable, I’ve joined Co-Writing online sessions. It has helped me structure my writing routine. And, of course, I allow my creativity to flow whenever the muse strikes, which can occur at any hour, day or night. Interestingly, some of my best ideas emerge at midnight.

ME: Why do you write for children?

SHACHI: I write to help children connect with their South Asian roots through stories that reflect their cultural experiences and values. Through these stories, I aim to foster a sense of identity, belonging, and pride while promoting cultural understanding and friendships with others from diverse backgrounds.

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, and librarians might want to hear.

SHACHI: Diwali, the festival of lights, is a cherished holiday for my family and me. For me, it’s like having a mix of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and July 4th rolled into one joyous holiday. Like Thanksgiving, it’s a time for families to express gratitude and feast together. Much like Christmas, Diwali dazzles with twinkling lights. And, similar to July 4th, it’s marked by vibrant fireworks, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.

One of the highlights of every year is the Diwali celebrations at the Round Rock Public Library. What started as a small gathering has grown into a grand celebration over the years. We share the beauty of Diwali with our community, inviting everyone to join us in the festivities.

We offer a glimpse into the traditions of Diwali, and everyone participates in fun activities like making diya lamps, trying rangoli art, and dancing. It’s heartwarming to see people from diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate Diwali. My idea for my book ‘Diwali In My New Home’ originated from this event.

Shachi – this is wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing all of these insights…and for writing such a beautiful book! And also for offering a signed copy of DIWALI IN MY NEW HOME as a prize for one lucky winner.

Friends, if you leave a comment on this blog post, you’ll be entered in the giveaway. And I hope you will do at least one more thing to help this book become successful. You can:
Review the book
Buy the book
Put the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
Share on social media
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

And HURRAY!!!! We have a fabulous treat recipe from Shachi!

SHACHI: Here’s a simple recipe to make Chickpea laddu

No holiday is complete without a sweet treat, and for Diwali, it’s laddoo. You can say it La-doos.

My favorites are chickpea (besan) and coconut laddus. They are sweet, filled with the aromatic scent of cardamom and ghee, and to top it off, they are gluten-free.

Ingredients:
2 cups chickpea flour
1 cup clarified butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
A handful of chopped nuts (cashews or almonds)
Raisins for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

In a non-stick pan on low heat add clarified butter. Make sure the pan isn’t not too hot. The clarified butter should melt slowly.
Add the chickpea flour to the pan and stir it. Keep stirring it to prevent any burning mishaps. Brace yourself; this stirring will be an arm workout.
Roast the chickpea flour for about 10-15 minutes until it changes color to a golden-brown color and releases a nutty aroma. The flour will also start to thicken and form a crumbly texture.
Turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool down for a bit, so it’s not too hot to touch.
Add the powdered sugar and cardamom powder to the roasted chickpea flour and mix well. (You can adjust the sugar quantity to suit your taste.)
If you want to add nuts else skip the nuts.
Let it cool a little more, so you can shape the mixture into round balls.
Grease your hands with a little clarified butter to prevent sticking, and then shape the mixture into small, round laddoos. You can make them as big or as small as you like.
You can garnish each laddu with a raisin or a piece of a nut.
Allow the laddoos to cool completely. They will become firmer as they cool down.

(Note: adjust the sugar and nuts as per your preference)
Enjoy this sweet treat.
Happy Diwali!!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Perfect Picture Book Friday: BEAUTIFUL NOISE: The Music of John Cage Plus Giveaway

Posted on October 13, 2023 by viviankirkfield

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends! Today’s author is a kidlit friend of mine…and we are both part of the New England SCBWI chapter. I love her books…and she has graciously offered a choice to whoever wins the giveaway: either a copy of BEAUTIFUL NOISE or a Picture Book Critique (nonrhyming under 800 words). So, please make sure you leave a comment.

BEAUTIFUL NOISE: The Music of John Cage

Written by Lisa Rogers

Illustrated by Il Sung Na

Published by Random House Kids/Anne Schwartz Books (October 10, 2023)

Ages: 4-8

Themes: Creativity, persistence, mindfulness, acceptance, listening

Synopsis: From Random House Kids: Open this unique picture book and meet John Cage, the pioneering, inspiring composer who believed all sound—from the crash of a slamming door to the whirr of a blender to the whoosh of the wind—was music.

For John Cage, music was everywhere: in the hum of the refrigerator, the screech of a garbage truck, the patter of the rain. But other people disagreed. They felt that, surely, a pianist on stage must actually play their piano to create music…not just sit there. And in no way was it melodic to turn a musician’s mic on and off as they do play their instruments–it was just chaos!

John Cage found sound in silence, and knew that all noises were unique. All you had to do was listen to hear it.

Told in second person and paired with exciting illustrations as innovative as Cage’s music, here is a picture book–perfect for any budding musician–that celebrates the genius of a nonconforming musician who always stayed true to his artistic vision.

Why I Love This Book
1. I love books that introduce children to people they probably never heard of!
2. I love books where the text is like a melody – lyrical and engaging!
3. I love books filled with glorious illustrations – what a wonderful opportunity for kids to see how color and lines can combine to create action and emotion while telling a story.

I was chatting with Lisa and mentioned that we all love to hear about the path to publication for our Perfect Picture Book Friday books…and she graciously stopped by.
Welcome, Lisa! Can you share a bit about why you wrote this story and how it came about?

Lisa: Thank you so much for featuring BEAUTIFUL NOISE, Vivian. I’m happy to share.
I was a listening kind of child who paid close attention to the world around me. Growing up on the beach, I remember listening in vain for the ocean to be completely silent. Later, I learned about John Cage and his “silent” piece, so when in 2016 I saw a photo of him listening intently to the vibrations of cactus spines, I knew I wanted to explore the life of this intriguing, brilliant, innovative person. I dove into research, but there was so much to share about him! I wrote polished draft after polished draft, trying many different paths to the story, but couldn’t get to his essence in a way that would resonate for children. Other projects intervened, until early one morning in 2022, the words and structure of this book came into my mind. I was thrilled that Anne Schwartz, who edited my debut, 16 Words: William Carlos Williams and “The Red Wheelbarrow,” decided to take on Beautiful Noise, and ecstatic when award-winning illustrator Il Sung Na agreed to illustrate my words. Il Sung created an unbelievably beautiful sonic environment for this story that is nothing short of genius. His magnificent illustrations included creating a visual glossary for each sound word I used. It’s so fun to seek and identify each sound image as you enjoy the world of this book!

WOW…thank you so much, Lisa. I loved hearing your path to publication for this book. And thank you, also, for providing the craft activity! I remember making these with my kindergarteners and with my own children.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:
Make a Rain Stick

Photo courtesy: https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft/

This cool rain stick craft is easy and ingenious! https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/diy-rain-stick-craft/

BEAUTIFUL NOISE launched on October 10 and is available right now!
https://www.wellesleybooks.com/book/9780593646625
And it also helps to add it to your I WANT TO READ shelf on Goodreads.

Here’s a little bit about Lisa and how you can connect with her:
Lisa Rogers became inspired to write for children during her career as an elementary school librarian, but her love of reading began early with poetry, fairytales and folktales. She holds degrees in English from The College of William and Mary and Boston College and received her library science degree from Southern Connecticut State University. Her award-winning titles include her debut, 16 WORDS: WILLIAM CARLOS AND “THE RED WHEELBARROW,” HOUND WON’T GO, and BEAUTIFUL NOISE, which has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

A former daily news reporter and editor, Lisa lives with her family and sweet, obstreperous hound near the Boston Marathon route, which she has run four times. Find her at lisarogerswrites.com.

I hope you will all connect with Lisa – and check out her other books. We all know how important it is to support authors and illustrators and publishers – otherwise, there will be no more books like this one. We can support our favorite books by:
Buying them (links in the blog post)
Reviewing them
Putting them on your WANT TO READ shelf on Goodreads (There is a link for that in the post)
Telling friends about them (if you share on social media, that really helps)
Asking your local library to purchase copies for their collection.

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend. Leaf peepers had better get peeping…the colors are gorgeous…but after a few more rains, we’ll have bare branches and a carpet of colors on the ground.

Happy Book Birthday: ILLUSIONS IN ART Plus Giveaway

Posted on October 10, 2023 by viviankirkfield

Do you know why I love Tuesdays? I love Tuesdays because that’s the day that many publishers launch books! And today we have a DOUBLE BOOK LAUNCH for talented author/illustrator Chiêu Anh Urban! Now, we know that birthdays usually involve cake (here is your virtual slice) and candles (one, two, three, blow!) and presents…and the lovely creator of these beautiful books is giving one lucky winner a copy of one of her books!

Here is a little bit about this creative board book series:
The Food Book: These illusions will play tricks on your eyes! Find two foods on each page in a clever, stylish exploration of negative and positive space for the very young.

A twisty pretzel loops around and back.
What fruit is hidden inside this snack?

Look closely. What do you see? Could that be two orange slices tucked inside the curves of the pretzel? And what fruit is nestling inside a pitcher’s handle? Or in the twist of a cupcake’s frosting? Colorful spreads invite children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, while the bold, graphic design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden familiar food. Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same foods again, further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space. Fun and enticing for even the youngest children and a delight for art-oriented parents, this interactive seek-and-find book begs for many repeat sharings.

The Animal Book: These illusions will play tricks on your eyes! ! Find two animals on each page in a clever, stylish exploration of negative and positive space for the very young.

Singing, tweeting, small and round.
Lion likes this whistler’s sound.

Look closely. What do you see? Could that be a bird nestled in the curl of Lion’s tail? And who is swimming by Whale? Or basking in the sun near Swan? Colorful spreads invite children in with a rhyme that contains a clue, while the bold, graphic design steers the eye to a negative space revealing a hidden familiar animal. Black-and-white spreads at the end depict the same animals again, further clarifying the concept of positive and negative space. Fun and enticing for even the youngest children and a delight for art-oriented parents, this interactive seek-and-find book begs for many repeat sharings.

And Chiêu Anh kindly stopped by to chat with us about how these books came about.
Chiêu Anh: The graphic designer in me was thrilled to have the opportunity to create Illusions in Art, a two-book series with Candlewick Press. Since art school way back when, I’ve always been obsessed with negative and positive space design, and love the challenge of creating art where a deceptively simple image can be formed in the negative space.

My fascination for this concept inspired me to create Illusions in Art: Animals and Illusions in Art: Food. With stylistic illustrations and rhyming clues, little ones are encouraged to switch their perspective and discover two images in one. My thought process was to create fun seek-and-find books that introduce children to the negative and positive space concept, all while discovering clever illusions.

Dedicated to developing interactive children’s books for the youngest readers, I strive to create empowering, playful and unique story time experiences through exploration. I am a children’s book author/illustrator, award-winning graphic designer, and format designer. My recent titles include novelty books 123 ZOOM and ABC ROAR (Little Simon, S&S 2022) and the Color Wonder series: Color Wonder Hooray for Spring! and Color Wonder Winter is Here!
To connect with her:
Website
Facebook
Blog
Instagram
X/Twitter

These are so cleverly done…and so perfect for our littlest lovers of books! And even though they are strong and sturdy books, they still need our help to become successful. Please choose at least one of these to do:
Buy the books:
Illusions in Art: Animals
Illusions in Art: Food
Review the books
Put the books on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
Tell friends about the books (share on Social Media)
Ask your library to purchase copies for their collection

And of course, please don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered n the giveaway!

I hope you all have a wonderful week!