So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly! Book Chat and Review with Jessica Fries-Gaither by Kathy Halsey

It’s always a treat when an author friend has a new book drop and wants to share it with the GROG. This week’s treat from Jessica Fries-Gaither, a nonfiction picture book, is a trick as well as a treat. Beware… some of the 20 animals featured in So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly, may even keep you up at night! Imagine rude, crude creatures like the Eastern Hognose snake, or Turkey vultures, or a Tongue-eating louse. If I have your attention, just imagine how kinder-middle schoolers will react to this book that shares unique animal behaviors even your Mom would look at in askance! 

Book Review

So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly is engaging “browseable” nonfiction that enables readers to dip in and out of content to focus on what interests them most. This feature is especially helpful for younger readers who may not be ready to tackle longer pieces of text and for school librarians interested in sparking curiosity for research projects.  As author, nonfiction expert Melissa Stewart says browseable nonfiction features “eye-catching design, lavishly illustrated along with short blocks of straightforward text.” Fries-Gaither’s newest from Millbrook Press combines unusual facts (Hippos throw their waste around!), compelling photographs, and great book design.

As a practicing science teacher for over 20 years, Jessica Fries-Gaither knows how to entice students and teach about animal behaviors simultaneously. She combines humor and employs the “ick” factor that elementary students love. Back matter with a glossary, further explanation of animal behavior, and list of books for further reading make this a winning book for kids and educators alike.

Craft Chat 

Jessica and I met up at the Ohioana Book Festival.

Kathy:  So Rude features so many animals behaving badly. How did you whittle down the list to the 20 most rude for the book? Which animal, in your opinion, has the highest "ick/cringe" factor? (For me, my husband and I agreed it’s the tongue-eating louse! Yikes!)

Jessica: I started my research process by brainstorming a list of rude behaviors (lying, cheating, stealing, etc.) and then looked for animals that exhibited them. That gave me a great place to start, and many of the 20 came from that process. I also tend to bookmark articles I find interesting and think I might be able to use someday in either my writing or teaching, and several animals came from that massive collection.

As for the highest “ick” factor, there’s no competition in my mind. The tongue-eating louse wins that gold medal. Everyone–from my critique group to the team at Millbrook–has commented something along the lines of “EWWWW!”

YIKES! It's the tongue-eating louse!

Kathy:I love the visual appeal of this book. For new nonfiction writers or those considering writing nonfiction, can you explain the structure idea adding speech bubbles, text boxes, and photographs to shape this book? Did you have input in the design, or did Millbrook Press/Lerner take the lead on this?

Jessica: I think the book is so visually appealing, and that’s all due to the Millbrook Press/Lerner team. The book is part of their photo-illustrated STEM series (the same series that my previous title, Nature’s Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don’t Fit In belongs to), so it was always going to include the captivating photographs. But the speech bubbles and text boxes were all thanks to the talented design team!

Kathy: Tell us about your research process for So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly. I know you'll have some great tips, since you spent last year as an Einstein Fellow at the Library of Congress! What are your favorite go-to science resources?

Jessica: I get a lot of ideas from popular science articles that land in my inbox or come across my social media feed: National Geographic, Science Daily, Live Science, etc. After reading those, I always try to track down the original scientific paper that the article was based on. I have a degree in biology, so making sure I understand the original findings and as many nuances as I can understand is important to me. Just check out my bibliography for the book! But I’m also not above Google searches for terms like “rude animals” when I get stuck! I cast a wide net and then make sure I read well on the specific examples I choose. 

Kathy: Review sources state that this book is aimed at preschoolers or readers ages 4-9. Since you're a practicing science educator and I'm a former middle grade teacher and K-12 school librarian, I'm interested in where you see this book fitting in both the curriculum and grade bands. I feel intermediate and middle school students would love this book.

Jessica: If I’m being completely honest, I was really surprised to see that preschool designation in the reviews. Millbrook/Lerner’s series is aimed at grades K-2, to the best of my knowledge, and I knew I was landing on the higher end of that range with some of the vocabulary and technical information I chose to include. In my experience, kids really enjoy the stretch in concepts and vocabulary that a read-aloud can provide, and you can always simplify a read-aloud for younger children.

From a curricular perspective, I think this fits well in both primary and upper elementary grades. The Next Generation Science Standards include Disciplinary Core Ideas around animal behavior in both 1st and 4th grades that align with the examples and message of the book. And while I find that picture books can be a tough sell to middle school students, I think they would definitely enjoy the content!

No one is behaving badly at Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers!

Kathy: So Rude just came out at the beginning of October. How are you celebrating and promoting this book? Tell us about school visits, bookstore events, and activities that educators and parents can access. Do you have an educator guide?

Jessica: I had a fun launch event at my favorite local independent children’s bookstore, Cover to Cover Books for Kids. In the month of November, I’ll be at the Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster, OH on Saturday, November 1 and at Books By the Banks in Cincinnati on Saturday, November 15. Technically, I’m promoting another book at these events (Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions), but I’ll have a display copy of So Rude! and ordering information for those who are interested. 

Ironically, even though I’m a teacher, I haven’t created educator guides for my books. Perhaps I need to consider that as a future project.

About Jessica Frie-Gaither

Jessica is an experienced science educator and an award-winning author of books for students and teachers. Her titles include So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly, Nature's Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don't Fit In, Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings, Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data, Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions, and Science Notebooks in Student-Centered Classrooms. She is currently a 2024-2025 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress.

 

Jessica's Social Media Contacts

 www.jessicafriesgaither.com

https://www.facebook.com/jfriesgaither

Instagram @JessicaFGWrites

BlueSky: @jessicafgwrites.bsky.social

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-fries-gaither-14407233/

From Contest to Craft: Leveling Up the Two-Sentence Scary Story Contest

How two small changes turned a fun Halloween contest into a surprisingly deep writing experience.

The room was almost dark.
Two Alexa speakers whispered haunting music while the LED lights stretched like a ghostly ribbon across the tops of the bookshelves.
Creepy images from the Canva slides flickered on the screen, each one timed perfectly with the soundscape.
Fifth graders slipped into the library wide-eyed and whispering, unsure whether they were entering a classroom or a movie set.

For the next two weeks, this was our world.

---

A Contest Transformed

Last year, our library’s two-sentence scary story contest took on a life of its own.
More than 170 entries poured in, and for weeks the space buzzed with creative energy.
Kids who rarely set foot inside were suddenly huddled over iPads, whispering eerie ideas and cracking nervous smiles.

It was one of those lightning-in-a-bottle moments that every teacher quietly hopes for.

But when the excitement faded, I found myself wondering: what if it could be more?

The contest had been fun, but I wanted to turn all that spooky enthusiasm into something lasting.
Many stories leaned on shock value or gore.
I wanted to see what would happen if we aimed for something smarter, quieter, and more psychological.

So I made two changes.

First, every story had to be 25 words or fewer.
Second, I turned the contest into a four-part writing workshop called The Blueprint for a Scare.

---

The Blueprint for a Scare

Instead of sending out a Google Form and hoping for the best, every fifth-grade class came to the library to collaboratively build their stories.

And that’s when everything shifted.

For two weeks, the library underwent a transformation. The lights were low. Spooky music played. The air hummed with imagination.

We weren’t just talking about writing anymore—we were making it.

---

Session 1: Deconstructing the Scare
We became Story Detectives. Together we noticed that every great short scare has three parts: a Setting that feels off or lonely, an Uncanny Character who isn’t quite right, and a Twist—the moment everything tilts.

Session 2: Brainstorming the Blueprint
This was all about freedom. I gave them a handful of What if... prompts (“What if your reflection didn’t copy you?”) and told them to just see where their minds wandered. They filled pages with eerie openings and half-formed story seeds. The goal wasn’t perfection. It was play.

Session 3: Forging the Twist
Here came the challenge: 25 words. No more. Every word had to earn its place.

We worked like editors, tightening sentences and swapping ordinary words for better ones. I modeled with “good vs. great” examples on the board.
We turned “Mom tucked me in twice tonight. The second one didn’t smell like her.” into “Mom tucked me in twice tonight. Then I heard my real mom calling from downstairs.”

That’s when it clicked. They could feel what strong writing sounds like.

Session 4: The Horror Showcase
The final day was hushed and electric. Students polished their stories, checked word counts, and submitted them through a QR code.
Then we dimmed the lights and shared.

Prizes were waiting, and yes—they were thrilled about those.
But what stayed with me was something deeper. They had felt the process of writing in a new way.
Many realized, maybe for the first time, that a story isn’t about length or shock value. It’s about choices. Word by word, moment by moment.

They discovered truths that will follow them into every piece of writing they do.

---

“A whisper can be scarier than a scream.”

---

What Changed

That 25-word limit I worried might hold them back? It set them free.

With less space, they learned to imply rather than explain.
A whisper could be scarier than a scream.
A flicker could say more than a paragraph.

The constraint didn’t shrink their creativity. It sharpened it.

The contest became a small writing lab—part language, part rhythm, part courage.
When we finally read the stories aloud, the library filled with gasps and laughter.
It didn’t feel like Halloween anymore. It felt like discovery.

---

What Lingered

In the end, the monsters and ghosts were never the point.
It was about what happens when young writers feel their own power.
The courage to whisper a story into the room and hear someone gasp.
That small spark of connection—that’s the real magic.

What lingers for you after a moment of shared creativity—the product, or the process?

Lynne Marie Has Thoughts about Unlovable Main Characters

 by Sue Heavenrich

Being a bug-loving person, I often read books with characters who, if we met them in real life, we might swat with a broom.  One day I got into a conversation with Lynne Marie about picture books featuring “vermin.” In addition to being an author, Lynne Marie is the director of Rate Your Story and the Seasonal and Special Acquisitions Editor at The Little Press Publishing. Not only does she know a thing or two about picture books, she's written one with a main character who is a real rat! Before we get chatting about unlovable critters, let's check out Lynne Marie's book, The Palace Rat, illustrated by Eva Santana (‎Yeehoo Press, 2023).

Henri lives a pampered life in Versailles, the palace of King Louis the XIV! Cook serves Henri the tastiest tidbits. Tailor stitches up attire fit for … well, the King’s pet. The palace servants wait on Henri paw and food, but not everyone is happy to serve a … Rat! So they set out to rid the palace of vermin. 

Fortunately, he escapes an untimely demise and ends up in the company of country rodents. They take Henri in, and teach him basic survival skills while he plans his return to the palace. But can Henri adapt to a simple life? I don’t want to spoil the ending for you; you’ll have to read it and find out for yourself.

Me: Hi Lynne Marie and welcome to the GROG! You already know that I love slugs and bugs as characters in a book. But do you feel there are readers who are reluctant to buy books with unlovable animals as main characters?

Lynne Marie

Lynne: These characters do appeal to certain folks. There are people who gravitate towards creepy crawlies, and some who love monster stories. Others prefer bears and bunnies. But for some reason some people have a thing against rats. (my note: Despite that, the movie, Ratatouille  received a 96% approval rating from Rotten Tomatoes.)  

And it’s not just rats. People also don’t like bugs, specifically spiders. They have preconceived notions about these creatures. This reluctance tends to disappear when you look at people who read STEM books featuring them. It could be that with nonfiction books, you’re  already appealing to a subset of people, most of whom will like bugs, for example.

Me: I realize you wrote The Palace Rat a long time ago. What made you choose the rat as the main character? 

Lynne: I went back to college a couple decades ago, and got to spend the summer in France. I was waiting on line at Versailles, gathering story ideas, and happened to see a rat running across the courtyard. That got me wondering: what if that rat was a relative of a rat from the French Revolution? Or a pet of the Sun King, Louis XIV? And what if it was dressed in finery, and dined on gourmet food at the palace?

And then I wondered: what would happen to a pampered rat if he escaped a plot to exterminate him and ended up in Avignon? In the countryside? I was thinking a bit “city rat/country rat,” only in this case the palace rat would be quite the snob.      

I wrote this story in 1998, as I was studying and spending time in France, but it was published just a couple of years ago. It may sound like a simple story, but there are a lot of layers, a lot of things a reader can take away from the tale:

• It introduces us to new places and a historical era;
• It examines the question of what true riches are; and
• It asks what brings people happiness. 

In Henri’s case, he discovers that what’s most important is paving your own path in life, having friends who appreciate you and finding your talent and audience.      

Me: There is no shortage of rodents in kid-lit. I remember reading about Ralph in The Mouse on the Motorcycle. 

Lynne: There are a few other literary rats, too, but often they are presented in a negative light. Templeton, the rat in Charlotte’s Web, helped save Wilbur the pig. But he had a number of undesirable traits that may not have endeared him to readers. Then there’s Scabbers, Ron Weasley’s pet rat in the Harry Potter books. Scabbers was old and scraggly, and eventually revealed to be the evil Peter Pettigrew. 

Here’s a thing about rats: most people don’t understand how fascinating they are. Scientists taught rats how to drive small cars, and discovered that the rats preferred driving over walking! (There's a video of them driving around on YouTube)

Me: Thanks for sharing that video with me. I found out that the rats liked their cars so much that they would take a longer route to the rewards if it meant they could drive! Like some people I know... 

Thank you so much, Lynne, for joining us here on the GROG today. Folks can learn more about Lynne Marie's books and other ventures at her website, literallylynnemarie.com

Rats aren’t the only unlovable critters in books. There are picture books featuring cockroaches, slugs, snails, naked mole rats, dung beetles, skunks, and ugly fish. Sometimes all these characters need is for a reader to take them home from the library for a few weeks and read their stories. Who knows – you might be amazed to find yourself falling for an unlikely, and possibly slimy – or smelly – hero.

After reading The Palace Rat, you might want to read some of these books (and there are tons more - check your local library and bookstore):

Banned Books Week 2025 ~Christy Mihaly

We're in the middle of Banned Books Week. 

This year, banned books really need a week. Or a month or more. 

What is Banned Books Week? 

Banned Books Week is a time to "highlight the value of free and open access to information" and fighting censorship. The coalition of organizations sponsoring it work to defend our freedom of expression: The American Library Association (ALA), Authors Guild, PEN America, and many others. The 2025 theme is "Censorship Is So 1984."

Censorship is Rampant and Common -- especially in schools

Book banners target children's books in particular. PEN America's 2025 report on school book bans focuses on actions that make books unavailable to students based on their content. It found 6,870 instances of bans during the 2024-25 school year. Since 2021, it has recorded 22,810 instances of school book bans, across 45 states and 451 school districts.

Obeying in Advance

Many books disappear from the shelves when a school is "investigating" -- not pursuant to an official review process or legislative action, but rather because someone is worried that they'll get into trouble if they leave the book on the shelf. This "obeying in advance" locks books up based on fear, not facts. And the books stay locked up -- books removed in 2022 are still inaccessible today.

Fear-based "soft" book bans happen at all levels. I wrote a picture book about a dog, Patches, whose family has a new baby. It's called Patience, Patches! and it's about learning to love a younger sibling. As shown in the appealing illustrations by Sheryl Murray, the parents, whom the dog calls his "loud-laughing person" and his "soft-singing person," are both moms. Teachers have told me that even though students in their classrooms have two moms, I should not bring Patience, Patches! when I visit their school. They don't want to get into trouble. Of course I don't want these dedicated educators to get into trouble either. 

But ... Think of the kids! Think of the Constitution! What are we doing?

If you're a writer, a reader, a thinker who values free speech and open access to information, what can you do? Some suggestions: 

Educate yourself -- find out how you can help

• Know what's going on at your local schools and libraries. What process do librarians and those they report to follow when someone objects to a book? Some have forms to complete and committees to evaluate challenges. Others don't. Increasingly, those on the front lines are scared. Ask your librarian how you can stand with them. Show up at school board meetings or library board meetings? Write letters? Picket? PEN America has documented rising resistance to censorship as people learn more and stand up to show how access matters.

• Find out if your state has adopted a Right to Read Law, protecting access to diverse materials in public schools and libraries. If not, is someone sponsoring such a bill? Can you get involved? Visit the NCTE blog for information about legislation to protect the freedom to read.
• For more resources, visit the ALA advocacy page about the First Amendment and censorship.

Sign the Pledge

EveryLibrary is an organization building voter support for libraries. They invite you to sign this pledge this week, agreeing to vote in favor of libraries and the freedom to read. 

Attend Events

Every Library is hosting online panels, discussions, and presentations about banned books all week long. Check the schedule and join in. Or join a Right to Read Night.

Read Banned Books

And last but not least, READ FREELY. Reading banned books is activism. When censors prevent books from reaching readers, they seek to control their thoughts, or keep them from thinking. 

So -- read banned books. Read banned kids' books to children. 

Here are some titles recommended by GROGgers that appear on the current banned books lists: 

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is of course a classic that has been banned many times over many years. It is currently banned by the Monroe County, Tennessee, schools.

The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas, a coming-of-age novel inspired by the Black Live Matter movement, is under numerous bans, including in districts in Florida, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Iowa, and Tennessee.

Books in the popular The Hunger Games series were banned this year in Tennessee and Texas.

They Called Us Enemy, George Takei's graphic memoir (with Justin Eisinger et al.) of his time in a Japanese internment camp during World War II, is banned in Monroe County, Tennessee. 

And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson, an adorable and fact-based picture book about a pair of male penguins who adopt an egg (and the hatched chick), has been a frequent target of banners. It is now banned in Tennessee (Monroe County), "banned pending investigation" in Florida, and "banned by restriction" in a North Carolina school district.

Other frequently banned books: 

• The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
• The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
• Gender Queer, Maia Kobabe
• The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
• Looking for Alaska, John Green
• Water for Elephants, Elana K. Arnold

Some of the classics you can hardly believe they banned:

• Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Bloom
• Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
• Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
• The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
• The Wizard of Oz, Frank L. Baum

And announcing the winner of the 2025 Irony Award: 

Three school districts have recently seen fit to ban George Orwell's 1984. If you can't read about it, it isn't happening, right?

For more banned book titles, check out PEN America's database. 

And please don't believe it when you hear bans are "good" for authors -- they are terrible because they keep our books out of the hands of the readers that we're writing for. And no, censorship does not increase sales. Bans remove books from shelves.

Thank you for reading!

What I Have Learned So Far About Trust and Truth in Indie Publishing by Todd Burleson

In my first post for the GROG Blog, I shared what I had learned about stepping into the world of independent publishing, choosing an editor, launching a Kickstarter campaign, and discovering communities like Reedsy. That was the beginning of my journey.

This time, I would like to share what happened next. Two areas in particular have taught me lessons that might be useful for other writers, whether you are publishing independently or traditionally:

1. Trusting beta readers with a manuscript that has been more than a decade in the making.
2. Wrestling with cover design and learning how to make the outside of a book feel as true as the inside.

My son Jack experiencing flight for the first time, the same feeling I had when I sent the manuscript to beta readers.

Trusting Others With the Story

After thirteen years of shaping this story, handing it to beta readers felt both thrilling and terrifying. I did not choose my readers casually. Colleagues brought professional expertise. Friends knew me well enough to be honest and kind to me. Children, the very audience I was writing for, helped me see what rang true and what did not.

To make it easier for them, I prepared different file formats, including PDFs, ePubs, and print copies for adults, as well as simple tablet-ready files for kids. I created feedback forms that felt like conversations rather than assignments. Parents were invited to read alongside their children, allowing questions to be discussed together.

What I have received so far has been thoughtful and respectful, full of insights that push me to refine characters and settings. It has reminded me that feedback is not just about affirmation. It is about making the story more lifelike and rich.

Waiting for feedback is not idle. It is the work of trust.

For me, the real lesson is that independent publishing is not only about control. It also requires the courage to let go and trust others with the story.

One of my early cover drafts. Beautiful, but not the right fit.

Finding the Outside of the Book

While feedback was coming in, I faced another challenge: the cover.

My first experiments in Canva were clumsy but thrilling. For the first time, the manuscript looked like a book. But early designs worried me. Would they look unprofessional, too homemade, not worthy of the years I had invested?

I experimented with AI images and hired a designer whose work I admired. Neither approach fit. The results were too fantastical, too young, or too far from the tone of a story grounded in WWII Dayton, Ohio.

The lesson was clear: talent is not enough. Fit and truth matter most.

In the end, I returned to my own drafts, layering figures, planes, and backgrounds like a collage. I used ChatGPT as a critique partner, asking it to respond as a professional cover designer. The feedback was concrete and immediate. It was not perfect, but it helped me move forward.

A cover is not just decoration. It is the invitation to the story inside.

Would I have preferred to hire a professional? Absolutely. But working independently often means picking your battles. I invested in the best editor I could afford, which meant learning to stretch myself in other areas of my work.

Lessons for Any Writer

Independent publishing has stretched me in ways I never expected. It has asked for patience, humility, and the willingness to learn skills I had never practiced before.

For any writer, regardless of publishing path, two lessons stand out:

• Trust others with your story. Beta readers, editors, and critique partners are essential to the writing process.
• Stay grounded in truth. Do not chase trends. Make sure the inside and outside of the book reflect the story you believe in.

Independent publishing may seem like a form of control, but in reality, it demands courage —the courage to let your work leave your hands and live in the world.

A glimpse at my work over the past thirteen years, from drafts to research notes to cover iterations.

These lessons are still unfolding for me, which is why they are worth sharing now. Publishing is not only about finishing a manuscript. It is about releasing it into the world in ways that require both trust and truth.
I look forward to sharing the next installment in this process.

I would love to hear from you, what part of your own publishing journey has taught you the most, and what you wish you had known sooner?

Back to School Fears VS Back to Writing Fears by Tina Cho

 

It’s the 12^th day of school, and I’m still seeing and hearing cries and tears. Most of you know, I teach kindergarten, and so I’ve dealt with sooooo many first day fears. However, in kindergarten, first day fears last wayyyyy longer than the first day. Geesh, it’s the 12^th day of school, and my team is still dealing with criers.

Here are some excuses and whines for their crying.

**I MISS MY MOMMY. I tell them I miss my mommy too.

I want to go home! I tell them I want to go home too.

I can’t do it! (the work) I tell them, yes, you can!

My tummy wants to go home! I say, Sometimes tummies hurt if you’re hungry or if you need to use the bathroom. Take a break.

I’m hungry. I say, eat a bigger breakfast! We’ll eat lunch soon.

He/she won’t play with me. I say, then play with someone else. There’s a playground full of kids.

Then there’s the silent ESL crying kid because he/she doesn’t really know what you’re saying. I use my limited Spanish or Google translator app. There’s always a way!

So why am I telling you all this? Because as adults or adult writers, we’re just big, giant kindergartners. It’s Fall. It’s time to get back to the keyboard and write. WAAAH! Do I hear you crying? Whining? Are you fearful? Procrastinating? Is a scary editor with a due date waiting for your manuscript? HA! Are you lost? Overwhelmed? Stressed? Back to my kindergartner scenario, here are some writing fears, and you may notice some similarities with our five-year-old friends!

Fear #1: I want my mommy because I’m scared of the blank page. I say, then write a list of things you want to say in your story/article or a list of things to write for the next day. OR leave off a little of today’s task for tomorrow to get your brain in gear. Then go call a family member and tell them what you accomplished or will accomplish.

Fear #2: I just want to be home all cozy. I can’t think of any ideas; therefore, I won’t write. I say, Ideas are all around. You just need to get into your past kindergarten self. Be curious like a kid. Hang out with children and see what they talk about. Scour your surroundings. What cool/interesting things are in your area to write about? Scroll Pinterest. Take a shower. Seriously. Ideas seep in when you least expect it.

Fear #3: I can’t do it. I just don’t know. I say, Yes you can! Get into the positive mindset that you CAN do it. Take little steps. Hang inspirational quotes in your writing space.

Fear #4: I’m hungry. I can’t focus. Have a good set of writing snacks and drinks available. You can use them to reward yourself too. Set a timer. Write 100 words. Give yourself a snack award J

Fear #5: I’m lonely. I have no writing friends. I say, There are lots of writers and authors out there. Find a group! Attend/join a critique group. Join a Facebook writers’ group. Find an in-person group. If there are none in your area, start one!

Fear #6: The publisher doesn’t want my story. I say, Then find another publisher. There are many publishers of books and children’s magazines that want stories! If you're a member of SCBWI, don't forget to check The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children on the SCBWI resources website.

Fear #7: I don’t speak the publishing language. I say, There’s a book or class or blog for that. You can learn how to write and in different genres! Just google “writing classes” and a host of sites pop up. Find one relevant to you.

Fear #8: I don't know how to market my book. Take small steps. Today, tell someone in person or online about your book or a story you're writing. Or just post a photo.  

Do you relate to any of those fears? Are you being a big whining, writing kindergartner? The children of the world need great stories to inspire them to become kind humans who care.

Your homework--#1 on your to do list: Write down a topic or idea you’re interested in pursuing. Grab an award snack or drink for later. Set a goal. Brainstorm/research/write. Award yourself. Repeat daily. From this kindergarten teacher--You can do it!

 

Tina Cho is the award-winning author of six picture books--RICE FROM HEAVEN: THE SECRET MISSION TO FEED NORTH KOREANS, KOREAN CELEBRATIONS, MY BREAKFAST WITH JESUS, THE OCEAN CALLS: A HAENYEO MERMAID STORY (4 starred reviews, JLG, Freeman Honor Award), GOD’S LITTLE ASTRONOMER, GOD’S LITTLE OCEANOGRAPHER, and the forthcoming THE PRINCESS AND THE GRAIN OF RICE (Feb. 2026) and GOD’S LITTLE ZOOLOGIST (2027). Her lyrical middle grade graphic novel, THE OTHER SIDE OF TOMORROW received five starred reviews (Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, The Horn Book), an SCBWI Golden Kite Award, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, SLJ Best Graphic Novels List 2024, Kirkus Best Middle Grade 2024, & Booklist Editors’ Choice 2024 & the Freeman Book Honor Award/NCTAsia). She’s a kindergarten teacher by day and an author by night. You can visit her website at www.tinamcho.com  or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest.