SNEAKS-A Twisty Middle Grade Mystery: Interview with Author Amy Tern--By Julie Phend

Sneaks is a twisty middle grade mystery by debut author Amy Tern released by Holiday House this summer. I’m excited to interview Amy for the GROG blog.

Author Amy Tern

First, a little about the book:

Rook, a sheltered musical prodigy, couldn’t be more different from Valorie, the troublemaking daughter of his family’s cleaning woman. But their strengths complement each other when they team up to solve the mystery of a piano-playing child hidden in an apartment across the street. Spying from the balcony, Rook and Valorie are alarmed by the strange woman who goes out to buy pizza at the exact same time each day, a child’s simple piano tunes played only when the woman is gone, and a discarded doll whose head has been ripped off. Sensing danger, Rook and Valory try to alert their elders, but no one takes them seriously. As they investigate on their own, they discover important things about themselves, their families, and the assumptions they’ve made. 

This tightly plotted mystery keeps the reader guessing to the very end. Amy’s memorable characters and quirky humor make Sneaks a very fun, enjoyable read! 

We’re so glad to have you as a guest on the GROG Blog, Amy. Tell us a little about yourself and your writing career. 

Amy: I grew up in Colorado, taking the mountains for granted. My heart was in other magical places—Narnia, snowbound Canada, Britain with its moors and tea, and that most wondrous place of all, the Past. Little did I know I was living in the old days myself, and deprived of computers and video games, I wrote and illustrated my own books—mostly featuring animal characters because I could draw them better. I continued to write fiction until college. There, I took a creative writing workshop where I was convinced by a bunch of creatively dressed classmates that my writing wasn’t very sophisticated. Experimental fiction was in style, and I didn’t fit in very well. After college, I mostly quit creative writing because I was distracted by having to earn a living. Much later, when I had my own family, I reconnected with my childhood dream of writing kidlit, but getting published was harder than I expected. 

How did you get the idea for Sneaks? 

Amy: When I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window with my two sons, I thought the premise might be good for middle grade. In Sneaks, twelve-year-old Valory and Rook sit on the balcony spying on the neighbors and notice clues that something fishy is going on in the apartment building across the alley. In Rear Window, the police don’t take Jimmy Stewart’s suspicions seriously. In my book, it’s the grown-ups who underestimate the sleuths and accuse them of having overactive imaginations. When Valory and Rook set out to solve the mystery on their own, they break a few rules and make a few bad choices, but they also learn about being brave and following their own consciences. 

Of course, Rear Window has been adapted many times. Hitchcock himself adapted it from a short story by Cornell Woolrich. My book isn’t even the first kids’ version—The Secret Apartment, by Natalie Fast, particularly influenced me. I made the story my own by recalling how my brothers and I used to love sneaking around as kids and trying to capture that exhilaration in the story. When I was eight, my family went to Belgium for three months and lived in a five-story apartment building. My brothers and I explored that place from top to bottom. We couldn’t even watch TV or get our hands on many English-language books, so we spent our time spying on people and having adventures. 

The two main characters in Sneaks are very different. Rook is an introvert and a gifted pianist. Valory is a daring rule-breaker. You tell the story in both their voices. Was that hard to do? Was one character easier to write than the other? 

Amy: This was my first experience writing in dual perspective. It seemed to fit this book, which has two protagonists of equal importance. To me, the hard part was differentiating the voices, but it helps that the characters are such different personalities. Valory is mouthy (to use one of my mother’s favorite words), brash, confident, shrewd, and judgmental. Rook is thoughtful, musically gifted, proud, somewhat timid, and secretive. Valory has to learn to be less self-centered, and Rook to speak up for himself. 

One useful hack I discovered quite by accident. I started out writing Valory’s chapters in first person and Rook’s in third. But I changed my mind and decided that would be too confusing for young readers. After converting Valory’s perspective to third, I was surprised to find that the language had a certain tone—a sort of slangy bounce—that was different than if I’d written it in third person in the first place. The tone served to further distinguish the voices, very subtly. 

There were other devices I used: for example, Valory uses more hyperbole and gives everyone nicknames. Valory is into clothes—what Rook calls a hat, she calls a fedora. Meanwhile, Rook uses a lot of music metaphors and tends to reference science fiction and superhero movies. At an even more granular level, Valory says “anybody” and “somebody,” while Rook says “anyone” and “someone.” More importantly, they notice different things—Valory is visual, while Rook takes in the world through his ears. Valory is highly attuned to hypocrisy in adults, which she calls out and condemns. Rook, who is in awe of his successful parents, struggles to please and is sensitive to any sign of adult displeasure. 

While Sneaks is a story about growing up and speaks to problems common to middle graders—dealing with parents, speaking up, making and keeping friends—it’s also a mystery. Which came first: plot or characters? 

Amy: I guess I would say the plot came first, since I got the idea after watching Rear Window. But I always struggle to write until I have a good sense of the characters. The first clue to the mystery is piano music, emanating from a supposedly empty apartment. I wanted Rook to have a special connection to this music, so I made him a musician. As soon as I did that, his personality and family life all fell into place. As for Valory, I realize now she was partly inspired by The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson. I was very much a good kid (an “asparagus-eater,” as Valory would say) but Gilly’s rebelliousness thrilled me to my core. When I read about her blowing an enormous bubble in a social worker’s face, I think that’s when my own character of Valory started germinating in my mind. Valory is different from Gilly in many ways, but there’s definitely a family resemblance. 

What was the most difficult part of this story to write? 

Amy: The beginning is always hard because you need to hook the reader fast. Then again, the middle is where you have to keep raising the stakes, and that’s tough, too. Then again, the end is when the real pressure sets in. You know, it’s all pretty hard! 

That’s the truth! 

Amy: But seriously . . . writing this book, I struggled most with the character of the villain—the Goblin Woman, as Valory calls her. At first, I set out to make her zany and completely evil, like Cruella DeVille in Dodie Smith’s marvelous 1956 novel, The Hundred and One Dalmatians. Maybe someday I’ll succeed in making that kind of dastardly villain, but I’ve noticed I tend to humanize my antagonists more with every subsequent draft. I start digging into why they’re so dastardly, and then I end up sympathizing with their motives. Which is no bad thing, but it’s tricky to get the balance right. Even if villains come off as realistic, even if they have a proper character arc, even if they make the reader laugh, they must also be dangerous enough to challenge the hero or heroes to the utmost. 

I think you got that just right, Amy. Ms. Smith, the Goblin Woman, is very creepy and sinister until we get a glimpse under that protective armor to the vulnerable woman inside. 

Tell us about your writing process. Are you a pantser or a plotter? 

Amy: I guess I tend more toward the pantsy end of the spectrum. But oh, I wish I could be a plotter so much! Plotters tend to write their books much faster than pantsers. Sometimes I try to construct a proper outline, but it tends to spin out of control until I realize I’m outlining a 700-page book instead of a 200-page book. In the case of Sneaks, I was (very loosely) basing it on Rear Window, so that gave me some structure going in. Near the end of the film, there’s a great scene in which Jeff (Jimmy Stewart) watches helplessly from his window as Lisa (Grace Kelly) goes into danger. He wants to run and save her, but he can’t because he has the world’s most enormous cast on his leg. In my story, Rook doesn’t have a cast, but he’s trapped at home for reasons I won’t go into here. But I was always writing toward my own version of that scene—the going into danger scene—and that helped me keep my direction. 

About your road to publication: How did you find your agent and your editor? Any comments on the publication process? Surprises? 

Amy: It’s been a long road to publication for me: about twelve years of considerable effort. I wrote and queried several manuscripts before Sneaks, including two picture books, two chapter books, and two middle grade novels. I also read craft books and learned a lot about plot (the “p word” was never mentioned in those long-ago creative writing workshops). In the end, I think what kept me going through all the rejection was the support of my critique group. It was just really fun having people read my stuff every week. I learned a lot from their comments and from critiquing their work. After racking up about 200 rejections for my various manuscripts, I finally got a “yes” from an agent, who sold Sneaks within nine months. Unfortunately, my agent left the business not long after. So I’m back to querying again. 

Full disclosure here. Amy and I have been in the same critique group for years, and she’s right. Our wonderful group has been so encouraging. At the same time, the thoughtful, and often tough, feedback has helped us all to grow. 

Amy, though you’ve been writing for many years, this is your first published book. How does it feel to be a debut author receiving a lot of positive attention? How has your life changed since publication? Any hints about what’s next? 

Amy: Being a debut author is exciting. As an introvert, it’s a little nerve-wracking to be out promoting my book and connecting with potential readers. But it’s wonderful, too. I try not to get so distracted by book promotion that I neglect my writing. Ultimately, blowing your horn on social media doesn’t build your career nearly as much as working on your next book. I’m currently revising a previous manuscript, as well as embarking on a new project. Someday I would love to publish those picture books I wrote back in 2011! And maybe I’ll write a mystery for adults one day—who knows? 

The best thing about writing is that no one tells you what to do next. And the worst thing? No one tells you what to do next! But maybe that’s why we love it so much. 

Thank you, Amy! It’s been wonderful talking to you about your marvelous book Sneaks. 

Find it wherever books are sold. 

For more about Amy, visit her website at https://amytern.com/

Sculptor and Spy: Debut Novel by Julie Phend ~interview with Christy Mihaly

Julie Phend

Greetings, and welcome back from summer break! Today we interview GROGger Julie Phend about her recent book, Sculptor and Spy: Romance and Rebellion in the Time of the American Revolution.

This is compelling historical fiction for readers of all ages. It focuses on Betsy Wright, a real person and wax artist who Julie imagines as a spy in the Revolutionary War.

As a nonfiction author, I especially admire how well Julie brings a turbulent historical period to life with compelling characters, romance, and adventure. I was intrigued by her writing process and the decisions she made about what to include, facts and fiction, in writing this book.

***

GROG: Julie, you're a former middle-school language arts teacher and now a children's author. How has your teaching background influenced your writing?

Julie:

I loved teaching literature and writing, my own favorite subjects. In our school, the language arts curriculum was tied to the social studies curriculum: the study of American history. So, in my classes, students were reading and writing about the period of history they were currently studying. This was fun for me, as I’d always enjoyed history. But I noticed that some periods of American history were well-represented in literature, while others, including the American Revolution, were sadly lacking. I was especially disappointed by the lack of good books featuring female characters during that period. I think this lack led me to later research and write the story of Patience Wright and her family.

I think your teaching experiences also led you to write your earlier book, too?

Yes. When we studied WWII, we brought veterans in to talk to the students. One of those vets was Stanley Edwards, whose story of being a young pilot shot down on D-Day captivated me. Mr. Edwards’ health was fading, and I wanted to capture his story for future generations of students. This led to our collaboration on the book D-Day and Beyond: A True Story of Escape and POW Survival, which was my first published work. 

What brought you to write this story about Elizabeth Wright?

I discovered Patience Wright (Elizabeth's mother) years ago, at the Spy Museum in Washington, DC. In an exhibit on Women Spies, there was just a short paragraph saying she was a wax artist who traveled to London to sculpt Benjamin Franklin, King George III and other notables. She sent spy messages to the Continental Congress inside wax heads shipped to her sister in Philadelphia.

I found the idea of a woman who was both an artist and a spy very intriguing and wanted to know more. At the time, there was far less information on the internet, but I found a 1976 biography of Patience Wright by Charles Coleman Sellers. As I read it, a picture of this woman emerged. Besides being talented, Wright was bold, brash, and outspoken, truly unusual for a woman of her time. In addition, she was a widow who left her three children in America when she went to London. Patience Wright’s story seemed like an intriguing topic for a novel—one that might fill a gap in literature of that period. Thinking of my students, I wondered what it would be like to be Patience Wright’s child. That question became a central theme for the book.

I know you did a ton of research, from New York to London to Savannah and points between. You must have deep knowledge to write convincingly of this time and these places, and I think you nailed it. Tell us about the research.

I was fortunate to live in London for several months. While there, I pursued this topic through many different venues. While I did do library research, the “hands-on” experiences were even more valuable. I followed Patience and Betsy Wright throughout London, locating where they lived and visiting Benjamin Franklin’s home nearby. I toured Buckingham Palace and walked the paths of St. James’s Park. I visited Madame Tussaud’s wax museum and talked with their historians. I took countless walking tours, soaking up the knowledge of London’s incredibly knowledgeable tour guides and becoming familiar with the geography. I even became a trial junkie, attending trials at the Old Bailey and Court of the King’s Bench, learning the language and customs of the English court system. 

Julie consulting with Ben Franklin

Back in the states, I visited New York, finding the approximate location of Patience Wright’s home and waxwork, the Battery and shipyards, and the Fraunces Tavern, which was the scene of much of the New York Sons of Liberty activity. The original Fraunces Tavern is now a museum devoted to Colonial and Revolutionary-era history and is a wealth of information on the topic. I also visited Boston, Philadelphia, and Savannah, all sites of Revolutionary War history, many of which appear in the book. Wherever I went, I toured colonial homes, becoming immersed in the way of life of the period. 

I think the reader can sense your depth of understanding in the pages of your book. As with all historical fiction, you faced the peculiar challenge of creating believable characters from and around historical figures. How do you give us characters consistent with known facts – how do you decide what to make up and what to alter? For example, was the real historical Betsy Wright a spy, or not?

These were really hard decisions for me, and I rewrote the book several times trying to get it right. My earlier drafts stuck to known facts, but that left too many unanswered questions. Editors and agents who reviewed the work urged me to find the story lurking under the facts.

To answer your specific question, there is no historical evidence that Betsy Wright was a spy. Patience gets all the credit for that. At the same time, Patience was such an outspoken person that she wasn’t a very effective spy. But there is very little known about Betsy, other than that she married Ebeneezer Platt and started her own waxwork business after the war. I couldn’t even find a portrait of her. It made her very appealing as a main character because it allowed me to create her as I wished, within known facts. I speculated that a quiet, little-known young woman could be a more effective spy than someone as recognizable as Patience Wright. 

I love how you point out that there were many women spies during the Revolution. My own recent book, America's Founding Myths, mentions women spies during the Revolutionary War period, and points out (as you do) that women made effective spies because they were disregarded and often not taken seriously.

I particularly appreciate your back matter notes revealing what is true and known, and what is not, about the figures and events in your book. Those questions are always in the back of my mind when reading a story like this. Your thoughts about back matter?

I, too, love reading the back matter of a historical novel to find out which parts are true. It’s hard to decide how much to include in the Author’s Notes, but I hope I’ve answered the reader’s most pressing questions.

I believe you have! Regarding the fictional elements ... I loved Ten, your "street urchin" character – what made you create him?

Ah, Ten!  He just walked (or rather, ran) onto the page when I was writing the Covent Garden scene, and I immediately fell in love with that cheeky little boy.  I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I went to work finding ways to incorporate Ten into the story. (I wrote several charming scenes featuring Ten that didn’t make it to the final draft because they don’t tie directly to the plot. I’m thinking of putting some of these deleted scenes on my website, like the “outtakes” from movies and TV shows.)

I love that idea, Julie! I'll look forward to reading your outtakes.

The relationship between sisters Betsy and Phoebe in your book is important and difficult, as sister relationships can be. What inspired you to write it this way? 

History tells us that Phoebe stayed in London and married a painter, William Hopner, who frequently used her as his subject. His portraits reveal Phoebe to be a lovely young woman, but I think she also looks rather vain. This, coupled with her decision not to return to America, led me to characterize her as self-centered and a Loyalist, both of which would put her in opposition to Betsy’s goals and lead to intense sibling rivalry. Growing up with two sisters of my own, I can appreciate that dynamic. 

Anything else you want to tell us about your characters and their stories?

The true story of American Patriot Eb (Ebeneezer Platt), was the biggest surprise, and the hardest to uncover. It gave me great satisfaction to dig out the facts behind his capture and arrest. I had to invent some parts of Eb and Betsy's story. I still don’t know how Betsy really discovered him in Newgate Prison or exactly why he was released, but Ten helped me find a fictional resolution. 

I'm wondering how long it took you to write this book?

It's been in the works for years! Being a true “pantser,” I started to write before I even finished researching. My first draft was from Phoebe’s point of view, when she accidentally started the fire in the waxwork, but I quickly decided that Betsy had the more compelling story. My early drafts began when Betsy first arrived in London, but I found I needed to give the reader more time with Eb, especially after I discovered how exciting his side of the story was. 

As an inexperienced novelist, I made lots of mistakes, got stuck in the middle, and only outlined the book then. But I was determined to learn. I took courses, attended conferences of the Historical Novel Society and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), got professional critiques from editors and agents, as well as feedback from beta readers and my two wonderful critique groups. At one point, I had an agent who fell in love with the book but was unable to sell it or tell me what needed to change. After that, I put the project away for almost five years while I wrote two middle-grade novels (still unpublished). But this story still called to me, and the nation’s 250th birthday was coming up, so I pulled it out, completely revamped the outline, and rewrote it again, this time with the benefit of experience and input from my many readers and editors. I’m finally satisfied and truly proud of how it turned out.

Persistence pays off! And the book is better than it would have been, had you met with immediate success, right? Okay, tell us about your publisher.

The book is self-published, and StoryWeaver Press is my own imprint. That’s another whole story and a huge learning curve, but I’m pleased with the outcome.

That is very impressive! How can readers find your book?

Sculptor and Spy: Romance and Rebellion in the Time of the American Revolution is available in print and eBook on Amazon, Bookshop, and anywhere books are sold. It may be necessary to ask for it in bookstores and libraries. 

The paperback ISBN# is 979-8-9954922-0-7. 

Thank you, Julie! If it's not already clear, I highly recommend Sculptor and Spy. And I can't wait to see what you come up with next.

I WISH THAT YOU KNEW by Rebecca Gardyn Levington - Craft Chat with Kathy Halsey

 

 

Book Review of I WISH THAT YOU KNEW by Kathy Halsey

Early this summer I participated in the  2026 Kidlit Zombie Week and won a 30-Minute Ask Me Anything Rebecca Gardyn Levington. During that discussion we talked about her newest picture book, I WISH THAT YOU KNEW (A Bereavement Picture Book for Kids), which led into this blog post.

Rebecca and illustrator Alyssa Russell have created an evocative book that discusses the death of a grandparent in an accessible, heartfelt way through lyrical text and soft, whimsical art. Books like this give both children and parents a way to share and examine their feelings when a loved one dies.

What distinguishes Rebecca and Alyssa's book are the tangible ways children can share and move through grief with family, religious and cultural rituals. The granddaughter recounts moments and memories they created together– from walking on the beach, sharing laughs during sleepovers with friends, to being fashionistas. She creates a special memorial stone to remember her grandmother for the  first yahrzeit, or anniversary, of her passing. At the unveiling ceremony, Jewish people leave stones because stone is permanent unlike flowers that don’t last. The theme of making lasting memories that can be seen and touched is a very powerful and comforting motif.

 Craft Chat with Rebecca Gardyn Levington

Kathy: As we chatted about your newest picture book, we discussed the way grandparents and older characters are typically depicted in stories. This grandmother is active and involved with her granddaughter and with other children as seen in the sleepover spread. Did you have an overarching art note for illustrator Alyssa Russell when you created this manuscript? What background did you draw from to create the interactive relationship between the characters? 

Rebecca: Thanks so much for inviting me on the GROG, Kathy! I’m so honored to be here.The primary inspiration for this book was my Grandma Charlotte, my Gram. She was just 46 years old when I was born, so I had her in my life for almost 40 years and she was truly my best friend. This book was also very much inspired by my step-mother, Jackie, who also was huge figure in my life from the time I was 8 years old, and who passed away the same year as Gram.

I didn’t have any illustration notes about what the grandmother should look like in the book. But when I saw that Alyssa’s original character sketch for the grandmother was a very typical “sweet little old grandma” type, I knew I had say something. I absolutely LOVE everything about Alyssa’s illustrations in this book, and I liked the character she’d come up with, but my Grandma Charlotte was anything but typical. She was super hip and energetic. She never knit anything in her life and loved a good party. In fact, she went to Zumba class the morning of the day she died. I also was thinking about Jackie, who was always dressed to the nines with all kinds of sparkly jewelry and never left the house without her hair and make-up perfectly done. So, I asked if we might look at a few alternatives for this character, and Alyssa came back with the perfect hip, fun, cool grandma. I love her. (I love how you advocated for how grandmother should be represented! As a "hip" Nana myself, I applaud this!)

 

In terms of the activities that the child engages in with her grandmother in the story, I drew on some of my own memories, like going to the beach and trading jokes with my Gram, and the line: “My colorful closet is full of your flair” was 100% an ode to Jackie and her amazing outfits. But some of the scenes were made up because it was also important for me to separate myself from the child in the story to make it more universal and to make sure it didn’t feel too sentimental. For instance, I’ve never been a gardener, and neither were Gram or Jackie, but my Gram and I both love purple hydrangeas, so I wanted to find a way to get that detail into the story. I ultimately ended up cutting the word “hydrangea,” though, after a critique partner worried readers might trip on the pronunciation, so instead I used “tulips and lilacs.”

 

Kathy: I love the significance of stones you used as a motif for I WISH THAT YOU KNEW. Knowing you are a poet, what other metaphors and themes set this manuscript in motion?

Rebecca: While it’s true that I often include metaphors and other poetic devises in my stories, the stone that my character paints in honor of her grandmother in I WISH THAT YOU KNEW was not meant to be a metaphor or motif. I included it because it is a meaningful Jewish custom I wanted to highlight in the story.

In the book, the main character is remembering her grandmother on the first yahrzeit, or anniversary, of her passing, at her unveiling ceremony. This is the Jewish ceremony at which a permanent grave marker is erected at the grave site. In the story, we see the child decorating a special stone, with the words “I love you,” to honor her love for her grandmother. On one of the final spreads (my favorite, actually, as Alyssa’s art is so stunning), we see the child holding hands with her grandmother walking toward the grave marker so that she can place her stone upon it. The grandmother becomes more and more transparent as they approach, indicating she is no longer of this world. (I love this scene, too!)

Of course, the reason Jewish people leave stones instead of flowers on graves is symbolic and metaphoric. Unlike flowers that die, a stone is solid and permanent, like our memories of our loved one. I talk about this more in the back matter of the book.

In terms of other metaphors and themes, though, I must admit I wasn’t really thinking of any as I wrote this story. This book started off a poem that I wrote around the 10-year anniversary of both Gram’s and Jackie’s deaths. I was missing them both so much, thinking about how much has happened in my life since they left this earth, and how much I wish that they knew.  And so, I did what I do when I need help grappling with my strong emotions. I wrote a poem. I never initially intended this poem to become anything other than a way for me to process my grief, but as I continued to write and revise, I felt like there was a more universal story coming through me that might help others cope with their own losses.

Kathy: Rebecca, since your debut with the picture book BRAINSTORM in 2022, you have 9 published books, and this newest makes 10! Then you'll release 5 more picture books between 2026 thru 2028. How do you stay so prolific? Where do these brainstorms come from?

Rebecca: It has definitely been a whirlwind since my first book came out 4 years ago! As you mention, I WISH THAT YOU KNEW will be my 10th published book, and soon after (on Sept 1), my 11th comes out (UNICORN SURPRISE! which is a follow up to my board book, DINOSAUR SURPRISE! which came out last year). And actually, I have 8 more picture books coming out in 2027 and 2028 (3 haven’t been announced yet, which is why you don’t see them on my website yet!)

Funnily enough, I honestly don’t feel like I’m prolific at all. I know that sounds ridiculous given that I have 18 books out or on their way, but I usually only write around 3-4 picture books a year. In fact, I have only written two so far this year and we are already 2/3 through! I know a lot of people suggest that picture book writers write lots of new drafts. The whole premise of the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge is to write 12 drafts a year, for instance, and while I’ve been an enthusiastic 12x12 member for 10 years now, I haven’t once completed that challenge or even tried. I know myself and there’s no way I could keep up with that pace. What seems to work for me is to instead focus in on the handful of picture book ideas that I feel really strongly about and to spend my time polishing them up and making sure my pitches, marketing hooks, and comps are solid so that my agent can send out at least 2-3 of them each year. I’ve been lucky in that, at least in the last few years, most of the books I send out have sold, so it SEEMS like I’m prolific, but I think it is more that I spend a lot of time making sure that the stories I send out have a really good chance of getting picked up.

In terms of where do my ideas come from… Honestly, most of my books start from a feeling that I’ve been struggling with or my kids have been struggling with. I usually begin writing a poem, since that feels much less scary than facing the blank page of a “draft.” Once I have a short poem, sometimes I’ll feel like I have more to say or that there is some kind of story that has snuck in and I’ll start adding to it and shaping it into more of a narrative or give it some kind of arc. I’d say at least ¾ of my books started this way.

Kathy: We chatted on Zoom a few weeks ago about today's market and what is needed to bring a manuscript to print. I know our readers would love your advice and thoughts about topics and pitches.

Rebecca: I think the biggest thing I see missing from the manuscripts I critique is a lack of consideration of the market. If you are writing a book about the first day of school, that’s great because it is a perennial topic that will never go out of style! But, because there are SO many books on the topic, you need to find a new angle, and in order to do that, the first thing you need to do is go out and read ALL of the books that have come out on the topic in the last 5 years, so you know what hasn’t already been done and where your story can fill a hole. And then, in your pitch, you need to be able to explain why your story is different from X, Y, and Z books and WHY yours will offer something to readers that hasn’t been done before. You also need to explain WHO will buy your book, and obviously the more types of readers, the better. I feel like a lot of writers skip these steps completely and it is probably the most important if you want to get it sold to a traditional publisher. Remember, children’s book writing is a BUSINESS. You really need to be able to demonstrate to not only an editor, but their entire financial, sales, and marketing teams that there is a need for this story and give them reasons why you think it will SELL. (Excellent advice for authors in the query trenches, especially the steps that get missed!)

Kathy: I appreciate the backmatter in I WISH THAT YOU KNEW and know that educators and parents will appreciate that inclusion about an unveiling ceremony in your Author's Note. I wish more adults would look for back matter to read themselves before reading picture books to a young audience. It can frame a story in terms of the author's intent, ancillary information that makes a story deeper, or set it in historic or cultural context. Do you have backmatter your other books? What type of backmatter do you like to use and why?

 Rebecca: I’m a HUGE fan of backmatter and yes, I usually do tend to include at least some backmatter in most of my books. I think backmatter is helpful for a few different reasons. First, as you say, it can help the parents and educators who are reading the picture book with a child to help frame the story and give context. Second, great backmatter can give readers a reason to reread the text multiple times to find deeper meaning or to learn more about a topic. Third, in the case of an Author’s Note, back matter can help readers understand why you were inspired by the subject and your reasons for writing it.

Sometime I hear the advice that writers should not spend time fleshing out the backmatter and should just include possible “ideas” with a few bullet points. I think people sometimes think: “why do all that work if you don’t know what an editor will want to include.” But I disagree wholeheartedly.

 In my experience, editors really appreciate when the backmatter is completely researched and written because it shows them that I have really thought about how the book could be enjoyed by various audience and used in the classroom. For my debut book, BRAINSTORM!, which is about a little girl who has trouble coming up with ideas until she imagines a storm of ideas swirling around her, I included a list of writing prompts (which I titled “Cloudy With A Chance of Ideas!”) as well as a glossary of writing terms (“A Tornado of Terminology”). I thought these added items would offer inspiration both to kids who already loved writing and to those who needed a boost, and I believed teachers would enjoy the added activities for their students. As it turns out, my editor, Sarah Rockett at Sleeping Bear, told me that it was the backmatter that sold her on the book because it helped her clearly could see (and therefore she could show the rest of her team) the marketing potential when it came to educators.

But even for stories that don’t lend themselves to lesson plans or lots of backmatter, I like to at the very least include an Author’s Note. I find that, even if it never makes it into the final book, an Author’s Note gives the editor an understanding of who you are and the connection you have to the story, which I think helps them understand why you believe the book is needed in the world.

Kathy: What are your plans for this current book launch? Let us know where we can find you in bookstores or for author visits. Congratulations on this lyrical, helpful book that addresses a topic that may find hard to discuss with children.

Rebecca: So, for this book, I decided not to do any bookstore, school, or other launch events. Given the many questions and big feelings this book may elicit, I think this is a book that is best read by a parent or other caregiver with their child, rather than in a story time or author visit setting. Most patrons of bookstore story times tend to just wander in with their kids, not really knowing what the story will be about but expecting it to be a more light-hearted event and not one that could potentially stir up painful feelings for their child without any notice.

That said, I do think books like I WISH THAT YOU KNEW, and other books about death, dying, and managing grief, are extremely important and I hope that parents do not shy away from discussing such topics with their children. When someone dies, particularly if it is a close relative or friend, any child (much like any adult), will naturally feel so many emotions, from loss and sadness to confusion, shock, and even anger. But a child typically has less experience managing those feelings. When adults refuse to talk to kids about a death or dying because it isn’t “appropriate,” it sends a message to kids that they too should hide their feelings or that it is somehow “bad” to express them.

 

Books like I WISH THAT YOU KNEW can help make discussions around death more comfortable for both the child and adult by offering some distance from the emotions. Talking about how the characters are feeling allows kids to feel that it is ok to also feel those feelings too, and helps them see that they aren’t alone.

 

I think word of mouth is going to be my biggest marketing strategy for this book, so I really appreciate you helping spread the word about this one. Thanks so much for having me today!

Biography

Rebecca Gardyn Levington is an award-winning children’s book author, poet, and journalist with a particular penchant for penning both playful and poignant picture books and poems – primarily in rhyme. She is the author of 18 books for children, including FINDING FORGIVENESS (a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable and PJ Library selection), WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (a SCBWI Crystal Kite Honor winner and Northern Lights Book Award winner, which has been translated into 11 languages), AFIKOMAN, WHERE’D YOU GO? (a PJ Library selection which was named one of the best holiday books of the year by both School Library Journal and the Association of Jewish Libraries), SOME DAYS I’M THE WIND (a 2026 Children’s Book Council Librarian Favorite and a 2026 Children’s Literature Assembly Notable), and BRAINSTORM! (a Pennsylvania Readers’ Choice Award winner). Rebecca’s poems and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives with her family in Summit, NJ, where she enjoys bouncing on a mini-trampoline, playing Mah Jongg, and eating chocolate-peanut butter ice cream (although not usually at the same time!). Find out more and sign up for Rebecca’s monthly newsletter at www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com.

 

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