Can you hear my heart beating quickly?

I remember this feeling – kind of scared – very excited – a little anxious.

When I was in 7^th grade, we made an apron in home ec (short for home economics – the class all the GIRLS took so they would know how to cook and sew…BOYS took woodworking so they would know how to…build a log cabin?).

Each student received a piece of material and a pattern and instructions on how to proceed. It took a great deal of courage to make that first cut, knowing that if you did it incorrectly, your finished apron would look ridiculous.

I’m sure artists feel the same way when their hand hovers over a clean blank canvas.

As I hover over this new project and lay out the template for future posts in the ‘WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES’ series, I experience those same feelings. My vision is to provide insights and information from experienced authors and illustrators – my hope is that you will find these posts educational and entertaining.

Lucky for me, the award-winning, multi-talented children’s author and illustrator, Iza Trapani, graciously agreed to participate. I’ve gotten to know Iza through her wonderful picture books and her warm and generous comments on many kid lit blogs.

Kids have an innate curiosity that drives them to always be asking WHO? WHAT?, WHERE? WHEN/ and WHY? So here, without further ado to answer those questions AND to provide us with a recipe for a treat that is guaranteed to excite your taste-buds, is the lovely Iza!

WHO? Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

I immigrated to the U.S. from Poland when I was seven years old. One of my favorite books was a collection of poems called Sto Bajek (100 Tales) and I still have a copy! The author was Jan Brzechwa and his poems were full of Seuss-like humor and hyperbole. The wordplay, tongue-twisters playful language and clever concepts never ceased to delight and amaze me. One example is Continue reading →