Writing Nonfiction for CRP: Lisa Amstutz Dishes the Inside Scoop ~ Christy Mihaly

Author Lisa Amstutz is an accomplished nonfiction writer who has written several picture books and more than 150 educational books. She recently put her science background to work to write Amazing Amphibians: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, and More, published this January with Chicago Review Press (CRP). It's full of kid-friendly facts and activities, along with amazing photos and educator resources.

Many GROG readers are familiar with the traditional picture book process: Submit manuscript, wait, weather a storm of rejections, and if you're lucky and persistent, eventually find an editor who loves your story, then wait for an illustrator, and perhaps celebrate publication a few years later.

With longer nonfiction, the process usually begins with a proposal. Publishers vary, but I was interested in Lisa's experience with CRP, so I asked Lisa some questions. Okay, perhaps it's fair to say that I peppered her with questions. Which she graciously answered.

Lisa on a visit to Vermont: Looking for frogs?

Christy Mihaly: At 128 pages and 30,000 words, Amazing Amphibians is longer than many of your previous works, and it's your first with Chicago Review Press (CRP).

What do you want readers to know about this book?

Lisa Amstutz: First of all, amphibians really are amazing! Amazing Amphibians gives an overview of amphibian biology, behavior, and conservation. There are tons of color photos in the book, and each chapter has three hands-on activities related that will be useful for parents and educators.

CM: Amphibians may not be everyone's favorite creatures on Earth, but your enthusiasm for them shines through. How did you get the idea to write this book?

LA: I had seen some of the other books in the CRP "Young Naturalists" series. They seemed like they would be fun to work on and right up my alley as a science writer. After studying CRP’s catalog, I brainstormed ideas for topics that they hadn’t yet covered.

CM: I've heard other authors recommend looking for a gap in a series or pitching to fill a hole in a publisher's catalog. It's great to hear you say that it worked for you.

Why and how did you pitch amphibians to CRP? Was there any back and forth with the publisher to finalize the book outline and treatment?

LA: I actually pitched several ideas to CRP, and the editor at the time was most interested in seeing a proposal for this one. I then wrote up a full proposal and sample chapter and she took it to acquisitions. The final book more or less followed that original outline, but of course went through several rounds of editing before publication.

CM: So you pitched before drafting a complete proposal, which saved time, and then you knew they were interested in your topic before you put in the work. Great! 

Did you enjoy the process of writing this book? How long did it take? How did you stick to your schedule and get it all done?

LA: CRP has been wonderful to work with! The process took about two years from pitch to publication. Writing a book this long can be overwhelming, so I had to assign myself a daily word count, allowing plenty of time for self-editing and peer editing before submission.

CM: I'm sure that discipline was an indispensable part of your process. And yes, I know how important critiques can be! 

Amazing Amphibians includes intriguing activities for kids. How did you come up with them? Were there series guidelines? Did you try all the activities?

One of the 30 activities in Amazing Amphibians

LA: I brainstormed activities based on the topics at hand, and used Google and Pinterest to look for ideas I could adapt as well. I hired my kids to test out the activities for me, which was really helpful! 

CM: Ah, nepotism! I particularly noticed the many gorgeous photos in this book--I think there are about 60 of them. How did you conduct photo research and select photos? Did you contact photographers yourself? And is this the first book you've done where this was required?

Lisa and friend photograph a newt

LA: Yes, this was the first time I’ve had to acquire photos. I found them all online. Some were free on Flickr, Pixabay, or Wikimedia Commons. Others I purchased through stock photography sites like Shutterstock and iStock. For a few of them, I worked out a purchase from individual photographers. The publisher required very detailed documentation of each photo source and permissions, which was a little daunting until I figured out the system!

CM: Whew. This might be intimidating to writers who haven't done it, but I understand it's part of the process for many nonfiction books. 

How were the book's artwork and design developed?

LA: CRP handled all the graphic design. I did supply rough sketches for the activities to show what I had in mind.

Fun Facts and Graphics in Amazing Amphibians

CM: Did you hire an expert to review the text and/or illustrations? What kind of expert background does CRP require its authors to have?

LA: I had an amphibian expert review the manuscript. I’m not aware of specific requirements at CRP, but I think having relevant education or experience is a good selling point for nonfiction topics in general. My science background definitely made me feel more confident in having the background knowledge to tackle this topic. 

CM: Compared with working on an illustrated picture book, were there additional challenges and/or costs involved in putting Amazing Amphibians together? 

LA: I spent a good chunk of my advance on photo permissions. Some of the photos were a challenge to track down—it turns out there aren’t a lot of photos of endangered species available. Probably should have seen that one coming! I could have gotten by with spending a bit less, but wanted the photos to really pop. So I consider that an investment in the book’s success.

CM: Ah. Note to self: Write about commonly photographed species. 

So Lisa, what else should writers know before submitting to CRP? Any additional words of advice?

LA: As with any publisher, study their catalog and look for holes you could fill. Check out some of their recent books to get a sense of their style, especially if you’re targeting an existing series. Their submission guidelines are on the website, so read and follow those carefully. 

Best of luck!

CM: Thanks, Lisa, for your words of wisdom. 

And best wishes and health to all our readers.

Lisa Amstutz is the author of more than 150 children's books, including Applesauce Day, Finding a Dove for Gramps, and Amazing Amphibians. PLANTS FIGHT BACK (Dawn Publications) will be released in October 2020, and MAMMAL MANIA (Chicago Review Press) in 2021. Lisa specializes in topics related to science and agriculture. Her background includes a B.A. in Biology and an M.S. in Environmental Science. She lives on a small-scale farm in Ohio with her family. 

For more information about Lisa’s books as well as her critique and mentorship services, see www.LisaAmstutz.com.

And find Lisa here:

Twitter: @LJAmstutz

Instagram: @slow.simple.green

Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorLisaAmstutz

What's New at the Library?

By Leslie Colin Tribble

It's time once again, for the latest review of new books in the Children's Library of the Park County Library in Cody, Wyoming. I don't know what winter has been like in your neck of the woods, but out here in the sagebrush, it's been downright polar, despite what the calendar says. So grab a steamy cup of tea and gather around for a look at a few new picture books.

Quiet by Tomie dePaola

Quiet is a wonderful book about a grandfather and his grandchildren taking a moment to be still and quiet. Tomie carefully sets the tone of a busy world as the group watches birds, dragonflies, the family dog and a frog engage in their busy animal lives. It's grandfather who suggests the group sit down on a bench for a rest and to be quiet. The final page states, "To be quiet and still is a special thing." This is a wonderful book to address the need for a break from the frantic pace of modern life. Adults and children need moments to retreat from everything that makes our lives busy - technology, calendars, cars, and even work. We need to remember it's when we are quiet that we can see and truly think. That's a lasting gift we can give children.

Hungry Bunny by Claudia Rueda

I enjoyed this book, because yes, it has a cute bunny, but also because it the interactive nature of the text. I'm not a real fan of books that ask the reader to do something, but in this title it made a lot of sense and seemed fun. Bunny is hungry but can't quite reach the apples so he asks the reader to shake, blow, and tilt the book to help him get the apples and take them home. There's a bright red ribbon in the book that is also a prop to help the bunny reach the apples and cross a chasm. Ingenious! The illustrations are simple and in shades of gold, brown and black with some red for a splash of color. Young children will enjoy interacting with Hungry Bunny.

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked by Lauren Thompson; illustrated by Jonathan Bean

Following on the apple theme is this engaging book with its cumulative text. The book starts with an apple pie baked by Papa (I appreciate that Mama didn't have to bake this pie), and works backwards from the roots, rain, clouds, sky and sun that make the pie possible. This cumulative text quietly reinforces the inter-relatedness of the natural world. With another nod to Hungry Bunny, this book is also in shades of brown, black and gold with only the apples providing color. The illustrations are deceptively complex, so there's plenty to look for on each page. There are also three wordless spreads which work to move to story along. Hungry Bunny and The Apple Pie that Papa Baked would be fun books to read together.

Where is My Balloon? by Ariel Bernstein; illustrated by Scott Magoon

Owl and Monkey are very happy. Owl has a wonderful red balloon and Monkey has a sock with a perfectly shaped hole. What happens when Owl asks Monkey to hold his balloon is hysterical. I adored the expressions on the faces of these characters who are oh so human. Every child can relate to both Owl and Monkey when it comes to breaking someone else's toy. The text is very simple, but overflowing with great adjectives. The illustrations contain little background putting Owl and Monkey right in the center of the action. This keeps the reader focused on the interaction between our two characters. What a fun read, with a bonus that everyone can tell their own Owl and Monkey story afterward.

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer; illustrated by Adam Schaefer

From a tiny acorn comes a wonderful forest. This is another cumulative text, starting with because of an acorn, a tree grows. The story pulls in other facets of the forest from flowers, to seeds, to chipmunks, to hawks, and back to acorns emphasizing the web of life within the forest. There is backmatter about ecosystems and a small section on what can you do to help forests. I think this book would make a great first look at conservation for very young children. Start them young!

Delightful New Picture Books

By Leslie Colin Tribble

I had a post about a certain topic in mind for today, but then I took a quick walk through our public children's library. Two books caught my eye and I thought it'd be much more fun to share them with you instead.

How cute is this bunny!

The first is Peter McCarty's latest, Bunny Dreams. I love all Peter's books! He's an author illustrator and his characters are absolutely endearing. The first book I read was Hondo and Fabian, about a pet dog and cat, one of whom goes off on an adventure. As an author, Peter McCarty uses language geared toward the very youngest of lapsitters. As an illustrator, his characters are chubby with sweet expressions that make you fall in love with them from the front cover. If I had an ounce of talent with a pencil I'd want my creations to look like those in a Peter McCarty book. Hondo and Fabian was a 2003 Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

Look at those faces!

Peter McCarty has published 13 books and they all deal with family relationships, friendships and simple, everyday events which take on bigger meaning.

Bunny Dreams was released in January this year and for me, it's an instant success. A whole herd of chubby bunnies in red striped pajamas do all sorts of things when they dream, until one bunny wakes up. If you're looking for a linear plot line, this is not the book for you, but if you want something inventive and a little offbeat, then be sure to check this one out. This is a book I would have begged for as a child because of the wonderful illustrations about one of my favorite animals, bunnies. I would have totally fallen for the idea that bunnies can read, count and fly in their dreams! Why not?!

How could you not love these two?

Bunny Dreams has a scant 211 words - food for thought for authors who have a hard time distilling their stories to under 500 words. The illustrations are all two page spreads, but only two spreads have words on both pages. It's a traditional 32 page picture book and perfectly suited for helping little two-footed bunnies get ready for bed. Published by Henry Holt.

More lovely illustrations

The second book I picked up was Little One by Jo Weaver from England. This book is the author's first and it has received great reviews. It was first published in the UK by Hodder Children's Books, then in the US by Peachtree.

The charcoal illustrations in Little One are a simple mix of gray, black and white blended in such a way as to create a sense of exactly what the characters might be seeing. Little One is about a mother bear that comes out of hibernation with her "wobbly tiny cub" and how she introduces him to their world. The illustrations are blended and indistinct, providing just a hint of the bears' faces but the bear's sense of wonder at their world comes across perfectly.

If I could pick a talent, it would be drawing.

I live where bears are a part of life so I appreciated the accurate telling of a bear's life (except for teaching the cub to be gentle with friends). Baby bears must learn about their environment from their mother's - where to forage for certain foods at different times of year, how to negotiate lakes and rivers, and how to return to the den at the right time in the fall. The bond between real mother bears and their cubs is very strong and that relationship is felt in this lovely book.

Although the text in Little One is at a higher reading level than Bunny Dreams, it's still perfect for 3-6 year olds and makes another good bedtime book.  Every illustration is a two-page spread and there are only 3 spreads with text on both pages. Little One has 218 words - again, less is best, but hard for some of us (me!) to achieve. Simple words and ideas that flow from one page to the next is the hallmark of both of these books.

Animal books are my favorite and Bunny Dreams and Little One are eventually going to find their own spots in my personal book cases. I hope you enjoy them as well.

Chat with Orangutan Houdini Author LAUREL NEME: Writing to Inspire Action -- by Christy Mihaly

Laurel Neme writes about wildlife and endangered species out of passion for animals, and to educate and inspire her readers to action. She recently published her first children’s book.

Laurel travels the world, researching and writing. She contributes to National Geographic online, hosts "The WildLife" podcast, and is author of the 2009 book Animal Investigators about the world's first wildlife forensics lab dedicated to investigating poaching, smuggling and other wildlife crimes. Laurel holds a graduate degree in public policy from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in public and international affairs from Princeton.

In 2014, Bunker Hill published Laurel’s picture book, Orangutan Houdini, about a real-life zoo orangutan, Fu Manchu. This animal loved to escape from his enclosure—and free his orangutan buddies. Once out, the apes frolicked in the trees. It wasn’t about running away; Fu Manchu enjoyed outwitting his keepers. The book tells how he did it – and his reward for his cleverness. 

I caught up with Laurel in Vermont. We talked about writing, wildlife conservation, and making global connections with kids. Excerpts of our conversation follow.

Laurel, thanks for talking with me. I’m excited to share your thoughts with GROG readers. How did you come to write Orangutan Houdini?

In researching my first book, Animal Investigators, about solving crimes against endangered species, I was disheartened by the prevalence of apes in the illegal pet trade. I wrote several articles about orangutans, addressing orangutan biology, how orphans learn to be wild, and threats to the species.

I’ve been fortunate to meet some very special, and devious, orangutan individuals, and the more I get to know them, the more I’m enchanted. I love their intelligence and similarity to humans. They’re problem solvers, like us, and they thrive on challenging themselves. They also have a sense of humor. I heard many stories that showcased their ingenuity, with Fu Manchu just one of many examples.  

Hearing that Fu was awarded honorary membership in the American Association of Locksmiths tickled my funny bone, and I knew kids would enjoy the story too. I contacted Jerry Stones (the zookeeper) and others who knew Fu, and quickly came to realize what a special ape Fu was. What makes the story so powerful is that it’s true.

Yes – truth and humor are a potent combination! How did you first get interested in wildlife and wildlife protection?

For as long as I can remember, I adored animals. Like many young girls, I was obsessed with horses, and spent time after school and on weekends at a local stable. I wanted to be a veterinarian for large animals, like James Herriot, and read his All Creatures Great and Small books voraciously. I also loved Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Doolittle series, and imagined “talking to the animals” like Jane Goodall.

My mom was a science teacher (and later a writer), and we’d watch Jacques Cousteau television specials. I started to dream of traveling to Africa when my parents went to Kenya and Tanzania in the 1970’s. They sent back daily postcards to my sister and me, and I was mesmerized by their photos of lions basking in the sunset under Kilimanjaro.

Now, things have come full circle and my childhood passion has endured.

You were trained in public policy; when did you decide to become a writer?
I became passionate about writing when I saw how vividly words influence actions. South African writer André Brink, a leading voice of dissent against apartheid, was a great inspiration. (Brink died just last week, at the age of 79.)  Brink published essays about writing in a state of siege, describing the writer’s role “as a conscience in the world.” 

Author Andre Brink. Photo by Seamus Kearney, 2007

"The revolution I am involved in as a writer, is a revolution in the conscience of my people. . . .  Indeed, it is a slow process. One can reach one person here, another there; after a long time we may still be only a handful.  But suddenly they [will be] a crowd.”--André Brink

What do you want your writing legacy to be?

I’ve been fortunate to see how my stories affect people and reverberate down the line. About a year after my first book, Animal Investigators, came out, I received an unsolicited email from an investigator with the Brazilian Federal Police. He said, "I've never had the opportunity to really thank you for the book, so I would like you to know it was very inspiring and, in some aspects, helped me in the finalization of ‘JURUPARI,’ our recent operation against illegal logging in the Amazon."  

I contacted him then, and learned that in Operation Jurupari, the Brazilian Federal Police uncovered a massive illegal logging scheme that caused an estimated $500 million in damage to the Amazon rainforest across almost 200 square miles. That’s the size of California or Spain. The list of the more than 90 people arrested read like a "who's who" of the forestry industry and included high-level government officials, business owners and private landowners.

I’ve since become friends with that investigator, and he’s now a leader in wildlife law enforcement. You never know how your words will affect somebody.

After writing regular online National Geographic contributions, and Animal Investigators for adults, what made you want to write for children?

When my son was little, I often told him stories. Sometimes he’d give me characters as a launching point, and other times I’d relate a true story about an animal I knew, like Fu Manchu. I started writing the stories down and sharing them, and found that they are more than fun tales—these stories provide insights into the animal species, and inspire readers to care about what happens to them. And when people care, they’re inspired to protect the animals.

Plus, in writing my articles I often come across interesting or funny nuggets that I can’t help but think would make great books for kids.

What are your hopes for Orangutan Houdini?

I hope children come away with both a smile and a love of orangutans. Orangutans are endangered, and there is a lot we can do to help them. But the first step is to care, and I hope meeting Fu will lead readers to want to help.

A couple months ago, after I did several school visits for Orangutan Houdini, a mom wrote me saying, “thank you for stirring up the hearts and minds of my young children.” A teacher also emailed, telling me that after my visit her students wore orange to raise awareness about the plight of orangutans. I still can’t stop smiling!

How else might kids get involved in wildlife conservation?
There are many things kids and their parents can do to help protect orangutans and other endangered species. Most important is to create awareness. The orange-wearing kids are a great example: simple, yet effective.

Kids can write letters to their local newspapers, or share articles on social media. They also get creative. One girl, Allie Boyer from California, raised awareness when she was just nine years old by creating “Borneo Bob,” a flat cutout of an orangutan that “traveled” from child to child with a letter explaining the plight of orangutans, similar to Flat Stanley.

Kids can also share information through school projects. That’s how it started for Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, two Girl Scouts who garnered national media attention for trying to get the bakers of Girl Scout cookies to change the source of their palm oil, because palm oil plantations are damaging orangutan habitat.

Another key way people can help orangutans is to write to companies that produce the products they use, and ask if the palm oil in them is from deforestation-free sources. That simple act tells companies that their customers care, and it makes a difference

You can also support organizations that help animals. There are many good ones, like Orangutan Outreach and Orangutan Land Trust (for orangutans), David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (for elephants), Animals Asia (for bears) and many, many more. It doesn’t have to be orangutans. Kids can have an impact on whatever might be their passion.

My website has detailed suggestions for actions to help animals. I developed a Teacher’s Guide in collaboration with educators and orangutan scientists. It’s a free download on my author page. In addition to activities for language arts, mathematics, science and social studies, it includes ideas to inspire students to take action to help orangutans or other species.

For readers inspired to pick up Orangutan Houdini, where is it available?

It’s available from the usual booksellers as well as from the publisher, Bunker Hill Publishing. If you want a signed copy, it can be ordered and shipped from my local bookseller, Flying PigBookstore in Shelburne, Vermont.  

Laurel Neme’s Coordinates:

Website: www.laurelneme.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurelANeme

Twitter: @LaurelNeme

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/laurelneme/