Recipes in Back Matter by Tina Cho with Help from Melissa Stoller and Pooja Makhijani

My next picture book, The Kimchi Fridge, illustrated by Cindy Kang, just published from Little Bee Books on October 6^th. One commonality with most of my books is that they include back matter. However, this book has something my other books don’t—a recipe! And that got me thinking—I’ve never seen a blog post about recipes in back matter. Oh, I’ve seen plenty of recipes included in back matter, especially picture books, but how does one go about writing a recipe for publication? And do you submit it initially with your story?

So I consulted two other authors whose recent picture books included recipes—Melissa Stoller and her book Stella’s Special Recipe, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova and Pooja Makhijani’s Bread Is Love, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu. But first, book summaries:

The Kimchi Fridge is about a little girl who wants to eat kimchi stew, but when she looks in the kimchi fridge, it’s empty. So, the whole family does the tradition of kimjang, getting together to make big batches of kimchi to store for winter. “…A joyful, laugh-out-loud kimchi adventure filled with Korean food, k-pop dances, a great recipe, and a loving reminder that good things come to those who wait.” –blurb from Amazon  This book includes a traditional kimchi recipe.

It’s Rosh Hashanah and Stella is finally old enough to make her family’s famous stuffed cabbage rolls. The recipe has been passed down from her Bubbe Sophie to her Nana to her Mama, with each adding their own special touch to the recipe. Now it’s Stella’s turn. What will she add? Pumpkins, peas, potatoes? What is to be her special touch? --blurb from Amazon  This book includes a Stuffed Cabbage recipe.

Bread is many things. Bread is simple. The dough can be made with just flour, salt, starter, and water. Bread is science. With the right ingredients, in the right amounts, the dough grows and changes. Bread can be unpredictable. Sometimes it rises, like a soft pillow. Sometimes it’s flat and crunchy. But bread is always delicious, especially when it is made with love. --blurb from Amazon  This book includes a bread recipe.

Pooja's Herby Fougasse

Now, onto the interviews.

1. Did you already have a recipe, or did you come up with one for this book?

Tina: I didn’t have one, so with my husband’s memories of his mother’s kimchi, plus my research online, I wrote a recipe that I’ve made numerous times with hubby’s stamp of approval.

Melissa: First, thank you for including STELLA’S SPECIAL RECIPE: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY in this post! I’m so happy this special story, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, released from Kar-Ben Publishing on August 4, 2026. I love books that include recipes! With this project, I already had a treasured family recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls, and I built the story around sharing heritage, rituals, and family through the generations. The story is about a little girl who is finally able to help cook her family’s holiday meal using a recipe card passed down from her great-grandmother, to her nana, to her mother, and finally to her, and she wants to add her special touch and a little bit of love as she cooks. My own nana and mother shared their recipe with me, and I knew that I wanted to write a story that captures food, recipes, and love through the generations.

Pooja: I’d been a food writer and recipe developer for years, so I had a few recipes up my sleeve! Bread Is Love is a story about a family who bakes a sourdough loaf every week, using wild yeast. But a recipe for naturally leavened bread would have required so many pages, starting with instructions for growing, feeding, and maintaining a sourdough starter. It can take up to 10 days to make a starter from scratch. Instead, I suggested including a simple bread recipe made with commercial baker’s yeast. It takes far less time to make a loaf this way, the process is more predictable, and the flavor is milder. I wanted readers to fall in love with bread baking as much as I have, and a simpler recipe gives first-time bakers a much better chance of success. There’s plenty of time to tackle sourdough once you’re hooked.

 

Pooja's pumpkin-shaped boule

2. Did your recipe need lots of edits? Like what kind of edits?

Tina: Yes. Actually, one of my critique partners had written a recipe book for kids, so her knowledge was invaluable. And my copy editor at Little Bee Books was experienced in writing recipes. I had to include more headers and trim words.

Melissa: The recipe did need some edits to make sure all the measurements were written consistently. I love how the recipe is written out in the story and also in the back matter. Illustrator Valerya Milovanova’s brilliant artwork truly captures the garden where Stella finds many ingredients, as well as the whole cooking process, and the special love (including a heart necklace, an apron, hand squeezes, and hugs) that are passed down to Stella through this special recipe.

Pooja: After I had developed the “first draft” of the recipe, I had more than half a dozen friends test it for me, which was incredibly helpful. Their feedback gave me a lot of confidence that the recipe was clear, approachable, and—most importantly—worked! Macmillan’s copy editors had notes, and I’m grateful for their sharp edits.

Tina's traditional kimchi

3. Tips for authors wanting to include a recipe with their story

Tina:

       Add headers for each section

       State directions in as few words as possible

       Confirm amounts

       Be parallel in labeling

       Test recipe again and again

       Send recipe to your critique group(s). Does it make sense?

Melissa: I loved using my family recipe to anchor this story. My tip for authors is to mine your family history and research any special recipes that have been passed down in your family. Or, maybe you have created a new and special recipe that you want to share with your community or with future generations. Writers and young readers can also interview family members about any special recipes they cooked throughout their lives. Find a hook relating to the recipe that can make the story special and relatable to children everywhere. I hope readers will try our family’s stuffed cabbage roll recipe, and will be inspired to experiment with special recipes of their own.

Pooja: I’d encourage authors to be very realistic about the recipe’s audience. If you’re writing for children or families, a recipe with a long list of ingredients or complicated techniques may be intimidating. Think about what will make someone feel successful the first time they try it. And test, test, test. Have people with different levels of cooking experience make it, and pay attention to where they hesitate or have questions.

Melissa's Cabbage Rolls

4. Did you submit your story with the recipe initially, or did your editor ask for one? Or you mentioned you had one available?

Tina: I didn’t include one, but my editor asked for one. Panic! In fact, I had never made kimchi before!

Melissa: Yes, I did submit the recipe when I initially submitted the story. In fact, my mother and youngest daughter spent a full day with me cooking and making sure the recipe passed our taste test. What a fun and special day! My mother passed away almost two years ago, so she didn’t see the published book, but she did know that Kar-Ben Publishing acquired the manuscript. I am so grateful that she knew our family story would soon be out in the world! When submitting, I also included photos of the cooking process and back matter information about stuffed cabbage rolls around the world. These extra materials didn’t make it into the book, but they are on my website at www.MelissaStoller.com. I also offer a free curriculum guide on my website that educators and families can use – some of the enrichment materials focus on recipes and how they relate to family heritage. 

Pooja: Bread Is Love was created in partnership with my editor, who initially came to me with the idea of a “bread book” after following my work as a food writer and recipe developer. I think we both assumed from the outset that a recipe would be part of the book! I developed the recipe after the manuscript was acquired.

Here are some links to articles about writing recipes for publication & a list of picture books with recipes.

How to Write a Recipe by Melissa Drumm

How to Write a Recipe from VA State University

Good Reads list of picture books with recipes

Tina's jar of homemade kimchi

Where to find us:

Tina Cho is a kindergarten teacher and author of many books including Rice from Heaven, The Ocean Calls, (4 starred reviews, JLG, Freeman Honor Award), God’s Little Oceanographer, The Princess & the Grain of Rice, and The Kimchi Fridge. Her graphic novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow received five starred reviews, a JLG Gold Standard Selection, SLJ Best Graphic Novels List 2024, Kirkus Best Middle Grade 2024, Freeman Book Honor Award from NCTAsia, SCBWI Golden Kite Award, state lists, etc… 

Tina Cho https://www.tinamcho.com/
@tinamcho on Instagram, X, Facebook

Melissa Stoller writes to bring heartfelt connection and joy to her readers. Melissa’s newest picture book, Stella’s Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story, illustrated by Valerya Milovanova, released from Kar-Ben Publishing on August 4, 2026. Her recent picture books include: Hazel and Mabel: Two Hearts Apart, illustrated by Anita Bagdi (Gnome Road Publishing, 2025). Melissa is a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a member of SCBWI, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a former school and synagogue trustee. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and cooking special family recipes.  

https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog 
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller

Pooja Makhijani is the author of Mama’s Saris, Bread Is Love, Together For Mama, and Aunties. Her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Real Simple, The Atlantic, WSJ.com, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Publishers Weekly, ELLE, and Bon Appétit among others. Pooja is a 2026 New Jersey State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellow in prose and a 2026-27 Baldwin For the Arts Fellow. Find her at poojamakhijani.com.

Maria Gianferrari Finds an Ecosystem in Just One Oak!

Maria Gianferrari’s marvelous new book, Just One Oak released back in April. So Happy 6-Month Book Birthday, Maria! I had such a fun time reading her book, and wanted to know more about how she brought it into the world. What better time to talk about oaks than now, during peak leaf-color season?

Welcome to the GROG, Maria. As a fellow tree-hugger, I wanted to know what inspired you to write Just One Oak? And when did you realize you wanted it to be about the entire ecosystem of the tree - not just "a story about a tree"?

Maria: I have always been a lover of oak trees, but I gained a deeper appreciation for their role as a native keystone species after reading Dr. Doug Tallamy’s The Nature of Oaks. 

Sue: I loved that book.

Maria: Yes. It was truly eye-opening to discover just how much oak trees anchor and support biodiversity in a variety of ecosystems and habitats, and how they sustain a multitude of creatures from tiny organisms to mammals as large as black bears. So, from the get-go, I knew the book would focus on an oak’s role as a keystone. 

As for the red oak outside my kitchen window, check out these two recent Barred owl visitors. 

Sue: They are handsome owls! So, tell us about your research. Did it involve sprouting acorns? Climbing a tree? What did you do to learn all this cool stuff?

Maria: Research is always the fun part! Though I didn’t sprout any acorns as I researched the book, I have done so in the past.

As I mentioned, Dr. Tallamy’s book was both an inspiration and a main source of the specific details for the book in addition to his website, Homegrown National Park. Dr. Andrew Hipp’s Oak Origins was also highly informative. He’s the Director of the Herbarium and a Plant Systematics scientist at The Morton Arboretum in Chicago.  Their website is also full of helpful information and resources. 

Maria Gianferrari

I did the traditional kinds of research: read scientific articles, watched videos/documentaries, perused websites, etc.  I also keep a nature journal and write about my observations while exploring the woods in my backyard and community observing oaks and other trees. I actually first learned about marcescence, when oaks don’t lose their leaves in winter, back when I was living in Virginia long before writing the book, so it was fun to re-discover this and add it to Just One Oak. 

Sue: As you wrote the manuscript, did you have the birds, insects, and other animals for each spread in mind? And if so, how did you communicate what should go on the page to the editor and/or illustrator? Did you have art notes? 

Maria: I did! I first made lists of various animals, and the kinds of habitats/ecosystems that they’d live in to try to be as scientifically accurate as possible since I didn’t want to focus on just one type of oak tree, but the ways that oak trees support biodiversity. 

Then I thought of various aspects of the ways “just one oak” sustained creatures in a specific environment. Some were relatively straightforward, like the Acorn woodpecker spread. 

I first discovered Acorn woodpeckers back in 2012. We were living in San Diego at the time, and took a trip east to Mount Laguna. We were exploring the area around our cabin when I noticed that the trees were filled with acorns! I was amazed, and then I spotted one peeking out of a cavity! 

After writing the book, I came across this NPR article about acorn woodpeckers storing their treasures in a house!

For other spreads, such as the two leaf litter spreads, I began with an art note that included an initial list of suggestions for the prospective critters to be featured both above ground and below ground. Then Diana brought her own observation and knowledge and research into play as she’s created the sketches.

After the sketches are done and we’re working with a PDF, I may have additional comments or suggestions about which animals to make adjustments to, to change, or to add, again, to try to be as scientifically accurate as possible to the best of my ability. For example, I added some reference links on duskywing skippers to help as Diana as she finalized the art for this spread.

We also did another round of adjustments to text and art after Dr. Tallamy kindly took a look and offered his expertise. My goal is always collaborative in nature. I make suggestions for scientific accuracy, but I also want to leave space for Diana to work her magic.

Sue: Did you include the layered text/sidebars from the beginning? Or did that info begin as back matter and "migrate" to the spreads? 

Maria: The layered text was in the manuscript from the beginning. I love having a main text that is more spare and poetic, so that it can be read aloud to the youngest of listeners to keep their attention. I did a reading at my local indie, TidePool Bookshop, this spring, and there was a small turn out of three years olds! There was no way they were going to sit still while I read those sidebars! So instead of reading them, I did a type of “Where’s Waldo/I, Spy” approach and asked them what they noticed to keep them as engaged as possible. 

Having scientific sidebars with lots of information also appeals to older STEM lovers who gravitate towards those facts. But having both makes for a more versatile read aloud experience, and gives the book wider appeal for both younger and older readers. My sidebars usually start out being way too long, so some of that information migrated to the back matter.

Sue:  I always admire your language! I particularly liked the repetition of "Just one oak" (up to "Just one blue jay”) - how did you land on that refrain to structure the book?

Maria: Thanks, Sue! Many books about oak trees follow a life cycle pattern, from acorn to seedling, to sapling to tree, but I wanted this book to be about the major impact oak trees can have as cornerstones of their communities, wherever they happen to be. Finding a structure for informational books is the most challenging part. Once I’m ready to begin writing, I usually do some exploratory freewriting to try to find a way to tie everything together. Once I came up with the “just one oak” refrain, then it was easy to put the various sections together, one by one. Each focal piece naturally evolved into a two-page spread about that particular aspect, whether it was an acorn masting with a panoramic spread, or more of a close-up, such as with the acorn weevil spread, for example. Diana is masterful and created so much visual variety.

Sue: Thanks so much for joining us at the GROG today! Folks can find out more about Maria and her awesome books at her website, mariagianferrari.com

A Strong Beginning by Alayne K. Christian

Congratulations to author Alayne K. Christian (and one of my critique partners) on the publication of her picture book, Turkey on the Run, illustrated by Neha Rewat, published by PRH Flamingo Books, Sept.29th. I, Tina Cho, invited Alayne to our blog to teach us more about the writing craft. 

Thank you, Tina and the GROG group for inviting me to be a guest on your blog. I’ve been thinking about the various things that made my manuscript for Turkey On the Run! successful. And there is a long list, so I thought I would start at the beginning and share some thoughts about what I believe makes a good beginning along with some mentor text examples with analysis.

A strong effective beginning will improve your chances of having your whole manuscript read by agents and editors. And if it is acquired, the strong beginning will make your book more appealing to readers.

 

The whole objective of first lines is to capture readers’ attention and make them want more. We want to entice and incite them to step into the story, buy into the experience, and commit to taking the journey with our protagonist. This is often referred to as the hook. A good hook creates questions and curiosity. It makes a promise that says, “This is what the story is about.” It also sets expectations and maybe even evokes emotions. Wow! That’s a lot to accomplish in a picture book page or two. This is true, but writers do it all the time, proving that it can be done.

 

In picture books, we often incite the reader’s interest with words such as the following, “but,” “until,” “one day,” and we often use the three little dots . . . called the ellipsis. Interestingly enough, these words and punctuation that incite the reader to turn the page usually lead to the inciting incident—the event that energizes the story’s progression. This event moves your protagonists into the action of the story. It also pulls them out of their ordinary world into a new world where change can occur. First lines open the door to the story and lead us over the threshold into the story journey.

In the beginning of a picture book story, it is important to quickly establish the following for the reader: Who, what, where, when, and why. For today, I am going to focus on who, what, and why.

• Who is the story is about?
• What is the story about?
• Why? In order for readers to relate to the main character from the beginning, they need to understand the character’s motivation. They need to know why the character is taking action. Why is he setting off on the journey that will become the story? Just as the why motivates the main character to move forward, it motivates the reader to move forward. The why of the story is the energy of the story. 

There is another kind of “why” our stories create. By giving the reader who, what, and why, we create curiosity. Generally, there will be something in this information that will prompt the reader to ask “why” it is happening and what will come next. And this makes the reader want to turn the page. Following are some great examples.

 

TURKEY ON THE RUN! by Alayne Kay Christian, illustrated by Neha Rawat (Flamingo Books 2026)

Spread 1

Turkey was out for his morning run when—

BAM!

He trotted right into a trap.

“You’re just what my wife ordered,” the old man said.

This creates curiosity. Sets up a problem. It may even plant a few expectations. It might establish an emotional connection to the main character.

“What a perfectly perky turkey,” the wife said. “We would like to invite you to—”

This creates more curiosity because the reader will question, “Invite him to what?”

Before she could finish, Turkey zoomed away faster than a lightning bolt.

Spread 2

“Run, run, run as fast as you can.

You won't catch me

for your roasting pan!”

Who? Turkey. What? A turkey who is trapped on Thanksgiving morning.

Why? Turkey has made an assumption and fears for his life, so the chase begins. His motivation? To see the dawn of another Thanksgiving day. Inciting incident? Turkey getting trapped when he is out on his morning run.

THE QUACKEN by Justin Colón, illustrated by Pablo Pino Simon & Schuster 2024

SPREAD 1

Something strange was happening at Cucamonga Campground.

Great first line. Readers will want to know what is happening and turn the page.

SPREAD 2

This further informs the reader and builds tension.

Legend had it that a creature lurked in the lake.

            A fearsome, ferocious, frightening creature.

Some said it swallowed canoes. Campers. Even whales. WHOLE!

But Hector didn’t believe the legend

All he saw on the lake were cute, cuddly, quacking ducks.

Readers will want to turn the page because they suspect something is going to happen to Hector.

SPREAD 3

Hector was warned: “Don’t go near the ducks!”

“Don’t look at the ducks!”

Don’t even think about the ducks!

And whatever you do. DO NOT FEED THE DUCKS!

But the ducks looked hungry. With the help of illustrations, at this point readers most likely expect that Hector is going to feed the ducks and will be anxious to turn the page and find out what will happen when he does.

Who? Hector. What? A scary legend. Why? Hector doesn’t believe the legend. His motivation? Maybe to prove that the legend is nonsense by feeding the cute ducks. Inciting incident? Hector’s arrival to camp and his doubt that leads to the action he takes.

 

IT STARTED WITH A P by Brittany Pomales, illustrated by Andrew Joyner Flamingo Books 2025

SPREAD 1

The night before his birthday, King Liam had a peculiar dream.

He pondered its meaning over pancakes.

 

“I had a terrible nightmare! I dreamed my birthday was ruined!”

“What ruined it, Your Majesty? asked Cedric, King Liam’s royal advisor.

“Well, I don’t remember. BUT it started with the letter P.”

“Perhaps a pigeon? A popcorn kernel? A piranha?”

“I don’t know!” the king said with a sigh.

So he made a drastic decision.

 

“Everything that starts with the letter P must go.”

Readers will want to know what happens when all the things that start with “P” go.

Who? King Liam What? Eliminate everything in the kingdom that starts with the letter P. Why? King Liam dreamed that his part was ruined by something that starts with the letter P. His motivation? To have a perfect birthday party. Inciting incident? The dream.

TOO MUCH SLIME! by Frances Gilbert, illustrated by Vin Vogel Random House New York 2021

Spread 1

It wasn’t really a knock on the door. More of a squelch. Or a thwack. Or a blerb.

We shouldn’t have opened it.

Great opening lines! Leaving the reader with the line, “We shouldn’t have opened it.” is an excellent page-turner. As a reader, I must know why. And I also wonder what in the world goes squelch, thwack, or blerb?

Spread 2

But we did.

Which was not the smartest move. As a reader, the suspense is building. Why wasn’t it the smartest move?

Spread 3

We were going to be in so much trouble. Even more tension. How much trouble are they going to be in?

It was icky and sticky

and sloppy and messy.

It was stringy and

stretchy and gloppy

and gunky.

 

It was SLIME!

TOO MUCH SLIME!

Where could we hide it?

Leaving the reader with an unanswered question is a good page-turner tool. What happens when there is too much slime? And where in the world will the kids hide that much slime?

Who? (illustrations show) Two kids, a dog, and a cat. What? Too much slime. Why? They are going to be in trouble and must find a place to hide the slime. Their motivation? To stay out of trouble. Inciting incident? The knock on the door/opening the door.

 

IMPOSSIBLE POSSUMS by Justin Colón, illustrated by James Rey Sanchez Disney Hyperion 2024

 

Spread 1

Carl is bad.

Bad to the bone.

These are great opening lines just because they are fun. But they also make readers want to know why or how he is bad to the bone?

Spread 2

He enjoys popping kids’ balloons.

Licking their ice cream

Replacing their ice cream—so he can lick it again.

Now we see “how” he is bad. But what happens when a possum is bad? We must turn the page to find out. Plus, we want more crazy fun.

Spread 3

And, in his free time, plotting to take over the world with his villainous devices.

See? Bad to the bone.

The thing is, being a bad possum can get a little . . .

The ellipsis is another good page-turner tool. Leaving the reader questioning, “Being bad to the bone can be a little what?” Of course, this drives the reader to turn the page.

Spread 4

. . . lonely.

We get our answer. We start building an emotional connection to the character and story. Who doesn’t feel sad for someone who is lonely? And we want to know what he is going to do about his loneliness. So, we are driven to turn the page.

Who? Carl What? He is bad to the bone, which creates the “why” of the story. He is lonely, and that loneliness is his motivation (to make friends) to take the next actions. Inciting incident? Driving everyone away by being bad.

Alayne Kay Christian is an award-winning author, a former acquisitions editor, and a writing teacher. Her picture books include An Old Man and His Penguin: How Dindim Made João Pereira de Souza an Honorary Penguin; The Weed That Woke Christmas: The Mostly True Story of the Toledo Christmas Weed; and Turkey On the Run!  Born in the Rockies, raised in Chicago, and now a true-blue Texan, Alayne’s writing conveys her creative spirit, a bit of her funny bone, and the kinship to nature and humanity that lives within her heart.

To learn more about Alayne visit her websites and blog at . . .

https://alaynekaychristianauthor.com

Blog: https://alaynekaychristian.wordpress.com/

 

You can find Alayne on social media at . . .

X @alayne_kay

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaynekay.christian

Blue Sky @alaynekaychristian.bsky.social

Facebook Author’s Page: https://www.facebook.com/AlayneKayChristianAuthor/

Amazon Author’s Page: https://amazon.com/author/alayne_kay_christian

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY6yndWtpXwX6CIRoFi7X4g

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alaynekay/

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/alayne-kay-christian/12/168/525/

 

 

Scaffolding Understanding Along with the Arc by guest author Beth Anderson

Welcome back to author Beth Anderson! Today we celebrate her newest picture book, The Patriots and the Pox: George Washington's Battle to Save the Continental Army, illustrated by Ashley Yazdani, publishes with Calkins Creek, Sept. 29, 2026. 

Beth amazes me with all the neat facts she uncovers and packs it all into a captivating picture book biography.

Here's my (Tina Cho's) review of the book:

Anderson delivers another fascinating picture book biography about a lesser-known feat of George Washington—saving his troops from the deadly enemy of smallpox. So many decisions went through his mind as he contemplated inoculating his troops. Yazdani’s gorgeous illustrations uplift the text and show the urgency of Washington’s dilemma. Kids can contemplate and contrast inoculation back then and in today’s society. A good book about leadership, choosing bravery, and problem solving.   

Take it away, Beth...

Research for THE PATRIOTS AND THE POX involved many categories of information: Continental Army, George Washington, smallpox, battles, strategies, medicine, inoculation, camps, supplies, logistics, and more. And everything was interconnected. One of the challenges was how to sequence the important, complex concepts and context to keep the narrative flowing and pushing forward without diversions, confusion, repeated ideas, or too many words.

Here are a few of the issues I was dealing with:

·       Quarantine requires understanding contagion.

·       Smallpox as a weapon is tied to why the British weren’t as vulnerable to the disease as the patriots…

·       which is tied to contagion

·       and immunity.

·       The inoculation process requires understanding contagion, quarantine, and immunity.  

 I needed to weave these science concepts plus context about soldiers’ behavior, army camps, the times, and logistics into the plot so readers could understand the spread of disease and how it impacted troops. The entire arc of the story, the motivation, risk, and stakes, depended on understanding the medical terms. How could I deliver complex information efficiently and economically without losing the momentum, the emotional core of the story, and the reader?

 The juggling began…

While the ability to cut and paste on a computer is miraculous for anyone who grew up using a typewriter, I depend on the good ole “cut it up” strategy that allows me to experiment with reckless abandon for tough sections.

Along with the question that kept me focused [“Why does this matter to Washington and his goal to defeat smallpox?”], questions helped me determine the best sequence of concepts and information pieces. Chronology alone didn’t provide an easy path. Neither did logic. I had two background pieces not tied to chronology. Washington’s experience with smallpox was an easy reflection. But the reason the British weren’t as vulnerable as the colonists was complicated. How could I use these to help build the arc?

These questions helped me find the sequence for the science concepts.

·       What is essential for the reader to understand __x__?

·       What must come before __x__?

So…bring on the scissors! When I work on a challenging section, I cut it into paragraphs. And when I get down to the nitty gritty, I work with sentences. Here are a few examples working with the concepts and events I mentioned above.

The sequence you see is what I started with. The numbers on the right show their eventual sequence. Some pieces were cut. Some of the sentences within one piece here ended up in different spots. The toughest chunk to place [*] dogged me for a while as I tried to get it to the bare essentials so as not to bog down the action.

Here’s an example of taking it to the sentence level. I could move lines more freely. Some were cut, some moved, some changed. If you compare this sequence to the book, you’ll see there are many differences, not only in the sequence, but also wording. This was a revision in which I was setting up the beginning with advantages and disadvantages of each side. While I liked the back and forth it provided for comparison of the two sides, the transitions weren’t working.

There’s something special about being able to physically move pieces and experiment without a computer monitor. While it might be because I remember cutting up term papers in high school and it’s in my history as a writer, more likely it’s the kinesthetic aspect that works differently with my brain.

Eventually, finally, through many revisions, I found a sequence in which each concept supported the next, transitions flowed effectively, and the scaffolding that was created not only served the arc, but also allowed me to cut words.

So by all means…play with scissors…[but no running!].

Beth visiting the Pepperell, Massachusetts DAR chapter, holding Prudence Wright’s lantern. There’s George in the background wondering when she would get around to a story about him….finally, here it is—THE PATRTIOTS AND THE POX! 

Beth Anderson is the award-winning author of more than ten illustrated books, including HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT, THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE, and LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT. A former educator, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story and hopes to inspire kids to laugh, ponder, and question. Born and raised in Illinois, Beth now lives in Colorado. Visit https://bethandersonwriter.com

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