Valerie Bolling Gets Readers Rolling!

 by Sue Heavenrich

Valerie Bolling’s first book, Let’s Dance! is a whirl and a slide of dance moves. It is full of life and dance and fun to read. Third book in, Valerie hasn’t lost any of her action-magic! Ride, Roll, Run: Time for Fun! (released yesterday from Abrams Appleseed) is every bit as fun and movement-filled as her first. 

Here’s the thing: these books make you want to get up and move. They are perfect for reading out loud to squirmy kids of any age – because you can stop and hop (or skip or jump) before heading to the next page.

And here’s another thing: the rhythm and rhyme of Valerie’s words support the lively language. If all you knew about Ride, Roll, Run was that it was about games kids play after school lets out for the day, I’m pretty sure you’d know what was going on even without pictures. For example:

Throw a stone, hop in zone. Totally old-school hopscotch when you don’t have a hoppy taw handy.

Pedal, pump. Speed bump! I’m sure bike riders everywhere can relate. Even street artists get into the action: Blank sidewalk. Draw with chalk.

So I just had to ask Valerie how she does it.

Valerie: I start by thinking about my own experiences and those of my nieces. And I think about universal things, like dancing (Let’s Dance!), learning to ride a bike (Together We Ride), or playing outside with our friends (Ride, Roll, Run). Even so, books take shape over time and with revision. Take Ride, Roll, Run. At first I set it at a playground. Then I revised it with a city neighborhood in mind. Originally, it was very short – only 50 words – and the editor asked me to expand it. 

Me: I notice most of the words in your book are verbs. Do you create word banks for each activity? 

Valerie: Even though I wanted Ride, Roll, Run to get kids up and moving, I wasn’t intentionally focusing on verbs. It was more like imagining kids playing basketball, for example, and then jotting down what they were doing. I’d ask myself how I would describe their actions to someone else. I was also trying to come up with words and phrases that rhymed. RhymeZone helped there. 

Me: How did you decide what activities to include in your book?

Valerie: I’ve been working in schools for many years, and I’ve watched kids play. And I also remembered some of the things I enjoyed doing outside as a child. So I thought: what do kids around here do after school? Maybe a kid will read my book and think, “Hey, I haven’t ever done that.” So they might try something new, like hopscotch or jump rope or sidewalk art. Ride, Roll, Run is about finding ways to have fun, about finding ways to join with their friends in activity. For example, in the book some kids are playing ball and their friends are standing along the sides cheering them on.

Me: You have three books out now, with six more – three picture books and three early readers – scheduled for publication in 2023 and 2024. Given your success with action-filled picture books, what advice do you have for writers who want to liven up their manuscripts?

Valerie: If you want your writing to be more active, then focus on verbs. Think about how you can show a kid doing something – what words will you use? Make sure you read your story out loud – does it sound active? And then remember, the illustrator has a big part in creating the energy in your book.

Me: Is there anything you wish you’d known before writing your first book?

Valerie: I didn’t know how the publishing industry worked. I didn’t know anything about basic picture book structure. Mostly, I didn’t realize how much time and commitment it would require to make a book. It takes time to get from submissions to having an editor say yes, and time to go from that point to a book being published.

Beyond the writing, there’s my relationship with editors, my activity on social media, and promoting my books. I also speak at conferences [note from Sue: Valerie presented sessions at the SCBWI summer conference!], and I also want to have my own opportunities to learn more about the craft. And I want to make sure I have personal time to write and connect with other writers.

Valerie Bolling is a reader, writer, thinker, fighter, traveler, walker, listener, talker. She has taught elementary and middle school, and now is an instructional coach collaborating with teachers to implement instructional strategies tailored to their students’ needs.

When she is not writing verb-filled books for kids, Valerie keeps active by walking, riding her stationary bike and, when the occasion presents itself, dancing. She has a bunch of books on the way:

Together We Swim (Chronicle, April 2023)

Bing, Bop, Bam: Time To Jam! (Abrams, Oct. 2023)  

Rainbow Days (Scholastic, May/Aug./Nov. 2023)

I See Color (Harper Collins, Feb. 2024)

Valerie is represented by James McGowan of BookEnds Literary Agency. You can find her at her website (http://valeriebolling.com) and she is active on twitter (twitter.com/valerie_bolling).