Our Story Begins

May 1, 2017
Twenty-six notable authors and illustrators of children's books--including the book's editor--introduce themselves via their childhood memories.The short, straightforward introduction begins with the editor sharing her inspiration for the book: reading through her oldest writings, stored in "a box in a basement," and reflecting that other creators have similar boxes. Two years of interviewing, collecting, and collating produced the accessible, enjoyable text that follows. Each creator shares a childhood photograph, a brief memoir, a short biography, and a photographed sample of a creative work from childhood. The order of presentation is determined by the age at which the creative work was accomplished, ranging from 7 to 16. The art and writing samples from childhood are occasionally exciting but more often typical of the age represented--and thus encouraging rather than intimidating to young creatives. The memoirs--all (unsurprisingly) engaging--range from humorous to serious, and some slip in good advice, both about the tools of the craft and about self-marketing. There is a wide diversity of ages and backgrounds, from Phyllis Reynolds Naylor to Alex Gino, from Eric Rohmann to Rita Williams-Garcia. Thanhha Lai is especially memorable; as a Vietnamese refugee, she had no box of writings: "But it turns out, I don't need tangible objects. I have my memories." Her recollection of an oral prose poem from age 8 is one that stands out because it is indeed remarkable for one so young. Good for aspiring writers and artists. (Collective memoir. 8-12)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-By the time Rita Williams-Garcia, author of One Crazy Summer, was 13 years old, she had filled 39 notebooks with scribbles and story ideas. Gordon Korman exhibited the humor found in Slacker and "The Mastermind" series back in fifth grade, when he wrote a speech, "How To Handle Your Parents." Firsthand accounts from 26 children's authors and illustrators describe how their earliest writing or drawing experiences resulted in a career in kid lit. Entries vary in length (three to six pages); each includes a childhood photograph and a sample of an early piece of work, such as Korman's aforementioned speech and Kwame Alexander's first "real" poem, to his mother. The individuals are diverse and represent a variety of cultural upbringings, such as Yuyi Morales, who pursued art even when strict teachers in Xalapa, Mexico, were far from encouraging. All entries end with a brief biography of general facts, notable works, and awards. Here, readers learn that Morales went on to receive a Caldecott Honor for Viva Frida and recently illustrated Sherman Alexie's Thunder Boy Jr. Concluding the work are gorgeous sketches that Ashley Bryan drew as a teenager. Weissman, the collection's editor, pens her own chapter about how a love of kid detective stories led to her writing Nerd Camp for middle graders. An attractive cover, glossy pages, and writing tips will make this a great addition to collective biography or career sections. VERDICT An authentic, generous, and inspiring selection for tweens who wonder where their doodling or journaling might take them.-Vicki Reutter, State University of New York at Cortland

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2017
Twenty-six children's book creators reflect on the stories and art they produced in their youth. Each section includes a brief essay by the author or illustrator, images of the work in its (often handwritten) original form, and a bio that shows what came out of that work in the contributor's adulthood. Many entries are amusingly self-effacing: Dan Santat remembers a tantrum at age five because he couldn't draw as well as Norman Rockwell, and Candace Fleming recalls transferring the Newbery sticker from The Witch of Blackbird Pond to her own short story. Young aspiring writers and artists should find reassurance in the early foibles of those now successful in the field. But the volume also shows examples of developing talent--check out teenaged Ashley Bryan's drawings! shoshana flax

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

June 1, 2017
Grades 4-7 The best authors and artists make their work seem so effortless that it's easy to assume they're all preternaturally gifted; it's easy to forget the inevitable time and labor that went into their work, and this collection is the perfect remedy to that misapprehension. In short sections, kidlit luminaries offer essays about their early artistic efforts and snippets of their early work. Caldecott winner Dan Santat writes about his comically off-the-mark belief that Norman Rockwell was about a thousand years old, and therefore had tons of time to practice. Gordon Korman's essay is, perhaps, less helpful, since he signed his first book contract at the unbelievable age of 13(!). Some of the presented stories are surprisingly good, and more are realistically amateurish, but the main takeaway, of course, is that practice, as well as a lot of inevitable failure, is always part of honing a craft. A sweet, inspirational anthology for any kid who dreams of having their own name on the cover of a book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Twenty-six children's book creators reflect on the stories and art they produced in their youth. Each section includes a brief essay, images of the work in its original form, and a bio that shows what came out of that work in the contributor's adulthood. Aspiring writers and artists should find reassurance in the early foibles of those now successful in the field.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)