Wednesday, September 18, 2019

FINDING TREASURE Author Interview w/ Michelle Schaub + Book Giveaway by Eileen Meyer


Michelle Schaub's latest picture book!

Michelle, thanks for joining us today at the GROG Blog. Where did you get the idea for this book and the poems within?

I first thought about writing a poetry book about things people collect when I was participating in Tara Lazar’s STORY STORM a few years ago. In this challenge, writers come up with a new picture book idea each day for a month. 

One day, when I was short on ideas, I was perusing the items on my bookshelf, and my eyes landed on my grandmother’s seashell collection. I started brainstorming different items that other family and friends collected. My mom collected buttons. (I loved rummaging through her button box when I was little.) My father-in-law collected trains. My husband collected baseball cards as a child. The neighbor around the corner had a birdhouse collection that filled his entire front porch. Each of these topics ended up becoming a poem in the book. But I still needed something to hold the poems together. So, I came up with the idea of adding a protagonist who needs to bring in a collection for a class assignment. This gave the book an arc: a hunt for the perfect collection!

Poem featured in Michelle's new book
Which poem from the collection is your favorite and why?

I had so much fun playing with different forms in this collection, and each presented its own challenges and triumphs. I think my favorite of the lot is “Auntie Kate’s Vanity PL8S” because I thought “outside the box” or more accurately “inside the license plate rectangle” for this poem. Each line of this poem is a vanity plate puzzle that must be decoded.  The challenge with this format was maintaining a rhyme and meter within the constraint of each line being no more than 6 or 7 characters long (including spaces), which is the standard for vanity plates.


Are you a collector yourself, and if so, what do you collect?

My grandmother was a collector. She had an amazing giraffe figurine collection and a butterfly-themed collection.   She also collected teapots and cups. I used to spend hours studying all her different pieces.  As a result, I’ve always loved the idea of collecting. 
Michelle and one of her collectibles: tea cups

Over the years, I’ve started several collections:  a blue teacup collection, a blue Santa collection (I really like the color blue), but then my attention and interests change.  The only collection I’ve managed to sustain is my collection of children’s poetry books. I just had to buy a bigger bookshelf recently to hold all of the wonderful poetry collections written by my fellow children’s poets. I’m also really drawn to the idea of collecting non-tangible things like smiles or words or poems. 


Something folks might not know about you…

I also “collect” visits to farmers’ markets. Farmers’ markets are my happy place.  This statement, written on a tea towel my neighbor gave me, is absolutely true. 
Farmers' Markets & Michelle

The first thing I do when I travel to a new place is find the farmers’ market and see what local fruit and veggies treasures I can spy. I’ve even been known to plan vacations around farmers’ markets that are rumored to be spectacular. Walking down a row of tents at a market, taking in the bright rainbow of fresh produce and listening to chatting neighbors and lively musicians, fills me with joy.  



I channeled that joy into the poems I wrote for my last collection, FRESH-PICKED POETRY: A DAY AT THE FARMERS’ MARKET.

Michelle's debut picture book


Michelle, I know that you have some other exciting news to share ...

I just launched a blog called POETRY BOOST.  I’ll be sharing lesson plans, mentor text, and ideas for using poetry to boost literacy across the curriculum.



GIVEAWAY: For those who leave a comment on the blog post, we'll pick a lucky winner of Michelle's new book on Sept. 23rd! Stay tuned!

Find Michelle here on social media:

Twitter and Instagram: @schaubwrites



30 comments:

  1. Thanks Eileen and GROG Blog for introducing us to writers and new books! And Michelle, thanks for sharing your ideas and I love how you combined things you loved together for your own blog. I just retired and would've used your books in the classroom for sure- I still have a close friend who is an ELA teacher and I forwarded your blog to her already- I know she'll read it! We loved using poetry for a warm up to our classes as much as we could. Thank you for making it an easier process to connect with literacy classrooms! Great interview :)

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    1. Thanks, Andrea! I am really hoping the blog will be a useful resource for teachers and open up the wonder of children's poetry picture books to them!

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    2. Fantastic, Andrea! Thanks for stopping in!

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  2. Thanks for a great interview, Eileen!

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    1. My pleasure, Michelle! So excited for the launch of this awesome book!

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  3. Wow, I think I will LOVE this book! I'm a big fan of collections too. Such clever ideas, especially the license plates. I bet I cannot solve them. LOL. Congratulations!

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    1. Thanks, Angie - you'll be entertained by the poems in this book. Can't wait for you to see it!

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  4. What a wonderful post. I can't wait to read and share this book. I love poetry--my mom used to recite all manner of poems to us when I was a kid, and when my children were little, we read poetry to them every night at bedtime. Those poems are printed on my soul.

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    1. You are so right, Julie! My father read poems to me when I was young and I still remember those poems, too. The wording and rhythm just sticks with us . . .for a long time!

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  5. What a sweet and fun book. Sure to be a treasure! :) Congrats!

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    1. Thanks, Danielle. Glad you enjoyed the interview!

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  6. Excited for the book AND the blog. I am a picture book collector too. They are irresistible!

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    1. I'm right with you, Cathy! I love collecting beautiful picture books -- and Michelle's latest is a beauty.

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  7. This is such a great idea for a poetry collection and I love the way you found and arc for the book. I'm not a poet (even though I wish I was) but will enjoy following your new blog.

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    1. Thanks for stopping in, Claire! I know Michelle will be excited to have more poetry blog readers.

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  8. I am a non-collector, but I love seeing what other people like to surround themselves with. Wonderful topic.

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    1. Isn't it fun, David? I am a collector of a few things (sea glass, quilts, coins ...) and I enjoy seeing what others like to hunt and find.

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  9. What a fun topic for a picture book poetry collection! I loved your debut - I'm a farmers market fan, too, and especially love visiting city markets. There's something about that juxtaposition of urban and rural that's so appealing.

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    1. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Farmers' Markets are the best!

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  10. I love the inspirations for these two books, AND that you acted on them. It was an inspired moment when you figured out the thread that would hold the collections book together. The vanity plate poem-puzzle sounds intriguing and challenging. Congrats on the new book and on starting a new blog!

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  11. I love Michelle Schaub's book, FRESH PICKED POETRY: A DAY AT THE FARMERS’ MARKET. And since I do, I'm quite certain I want to read FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS. I'll add it to my collection of books.

    Thank you, Eileen, for an informative interview.

    Suzy Leopold

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    1. Thanks, Suzy - you are always on top of things! It was fun to interview Michelle and feature her new book.

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  12. I'm fascinated by those who get poetry collections published. It's so hard to do. This one sounds terrific. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for the post.

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    1. Great, Rosi! As a fellow poet, it is a challenge to get poetry collections out into the world . . . but a joy when they are enjoyed by readers of all ages. You are spot-on about that!

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  13. hey, hey Eileen & Michelle - I luv posts about clever new poetry books & posts with great links so appreciations for this. Heartfelt tug, in learning at a link about Granddad-of-Michelle, who helped with book-making at such a tender age. Best of luck with these, Michelle, which I can buy for my own collected books & let someone else win. Eileen, keep us posted on her future releases!

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  14. You bet, Jan! Thank you for supporting poetry collections and all-things-poetry. Such a treat to celebrate a new release--the world needs more poetry!

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  15. This poetry collection is AMAZING! I love the variation of poetic forms, the focus on all different kinds of collections, and the terrific twist at the end. Well done, Michelle!

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    1. Thanks for stopping in, fellow GROG blogger! This collection is a delight!

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  16. Thank you to everyone who read Eileen's great post. I really appreciate all the cheers and support!!

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