A Sneek Peek at the 9th Annual #TWTBlog Author Spotlight Series

I’ve asked authors and illustrators for a favor for about a decade: “Would you be interested in sharing about your writing process with our audience of educators?” Sometimes, someone politely declines my request to contribute to the Author Spotlight Series. (Usually, they ask me to reach out the following year since they are busy.) But most of the time, authors say yes. These busy people agree to share their expertise and words with this community. By saying yes to the ask, they’re giving all of us a gift by sharing their knowledge with us.

I take a yes to my ask as an acknowledgment that these folks believe in teachers and their work with children. It’s a yes to individuals willing to share something personal about themselves. Each yes represents a professional writer willing to share about the world of writing and publishing with educators considering writing books of their own. Each of the authors and illustrators contributing to this year’s Author Spotlight Series has provided their words to me, and I’m passing them along to you with the hope that you will want to share each of their posts with someone else.

Here’s what’s in store this week:

• Monday: Ruth Behar, author of Across So Many Seas, explains how her immigrant family’s memories and experiences drove her to write and bear witness to their losses. Writing allows Behar to remember those who shaped her life, honor the past and the present, and understand history through imagination and research. She encourages children to listen to their elders’ stories, explore family photos, and discover the traditions of their ancestors so they become storytellers themselves, bridging the gap between past and present.
• Tuesday: Dawnavyn James, author of Beyond February Teaching Black History Any Day, Every Day, and All Year Long, K–3, grappled with the challenge of condensing her experience teaching Black history as an elementary educator into a single book. It was a difficult decision, but she carefully selected the most powerful, impactful, practical examples and conversations to ensure readers heard her voice and felt connected to her experiences.
• Wednesday: Richard Ho, author of IF LIN CAN, states that writing a children’s book may seem simple, as everyone was a child once, but capturing the essence of childhood and reclaiming the magic requires delving into the layers of accumulated life experiences. For Ho, it meant remembering the “wow” factor that inspired awe in his childhood and framing the story through the eyes of Asian-American children who witnessed Jeremy Lin’s incredible rise, aiming to convey the excitement, pride, and unbridled joy of seeing a hero who looked like him.
• Thursday: Natasha Tripplett, author of Juneteenth Is, writes about her treehouse writing studio. But even without a treehouse, she asserts that inspiration can be found in the everyday world if one stays observant and prepared to capture those fleeting moments of brilliance.
• Friday: Lisa Eickholdt and Lola M. Schaefer, co-authors of Merry Christmas, Zoo, are former elementary school teachers passionate about teaching kids to write. In their post, they reflect on creating their forthcoming picture book and share valuable lessons for students.
• Saturday: Craig Barr-Green, author of Gina Kaminski Saves the Wolf, asserts that authors are masterful liars, weaving tales that captivate readers and make them believe in their fictional worlds. Yet, amidst the fabrication, there is honesty and truth, as stories are born from a lifetime of experiences and influences, reshaped into intricate nests of ideas that couldn’t be created in any other way. 

Each author would love to hear your thoughts throughout the week! Plus, there will be book giveaways (and one 20-minute virtual author visit) for people who leave comments on each author’s post. 

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