So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly! Book Chat and Review with Jessica Fries-Gaither by Kathy Halsey

It’s always a treat when an author friend has a new book drop and wants to share it with the GROG. This week’s treat from Jessica Fries-Gaither, a nonfiction picture book, is a trick as well as a treat. Beware… some of the 20 animals featured in So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly, may even keep you up at night! Imagine rude, crude creatures like the Eastern Hognose snake, or Turkey vultures, or a Tongue-eating louse. If I have your attention, just imagine how kinder-middle schoolers will react to this book that shares unique animal behaviors even your Mom would look at in askance! 

Book Review

So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly is engaging “browseable” nonfiction that enables readers to dip in and out of content to focus on what interests them most. This feature is especially helpful for younger readers who may not be ready to tackle longer pieces of text and for school librarians interested in sparking curiosity for research projects.  As author, nonfiction expert Melissa Stewart says browseable nonfiction features “eye-catching design, lavishly illustrated along with short blocks of straightforward text.” Fries-Gaither’s newest from Millbrook Press combines unusual facts (Hippos throw their waste around!), compelling photographs, and great book design.

As a practicing science teacher for over 20 years, Jessica Fries-Gaither knows how to entice students and teach about animal behaviors simultaneously. She combines humor and employs the “ick” factor that elementary students love. Back matter with a glossary, further explanation of animal behavior, and list of books for further reading make this a winning book for kids and educators alike.

Craft Chat 

Jessica and I met up at the Ohioana Book Festival.

Kathy:  So Rude features so many animals behaving badly. How did you whittle down the list to the 20 most rude for the book? Which animal, in your opinion, has the highest "ick/cringe" factor? (For me, my husband and I agreed it’s the tongue-eating louse! Yikes!)

Jessica: I started my research process by brainstorming a list of rude behaviors (lying, cheating, stealing, etc.) and then looked for animals that exhibited them. That gave me a great place to start, and many of the 20 came from that process. I also tend to bookmark articles I find interesting and think I might be able to use someday in either my writing or teaching, and several animals came from that massive collection.

As for the highest “ick” factor, there’s no competition in my mind. The tongue-eating louse wins that gold medal. Everyone–from my critique group to the team at Millbrook–has commented something along the lines of “EWWWW!”

YIKES! It's the tongue-eating louse!

Kathy:I love the visual appeal of this book. For new nonfiction writers or those considering writing nonfiction, can you explain the structure idea adding speech bubbles, text boxes, and photographs to shape this book? Did you have input in the design, or did Millbrook Press/Lerner take the lead on this?

Jessica: I think the book is so visually appealing, and that’s all due to the Millbrook Press/Lerner team. The book is part of their photo-illustrated STEM series (the same series that my previous title, Nature’s Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don’t Fit In belongs to), so it was always going to include the captivating photographs. But the speech bubbles and text boxes were all thanks to the talented design team!

Kathy: Tell us about your research process for So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly. I know you'll have some great tips, since you spent last year as an Einstein Fellow at the Library of Congress! What are your favorite go-to science resources?

Jessica: I get a lot of ideas from popular science articles that land in my inbox or come across my social media feed: National Geographic, Science Daily, Live Science, etc. After reading those, I always try to track down the original scientific paper that the article was based on. I have a degree in biology, so making sure I understand the original findings and as many nuances as I can understand is important to me. Just check out my bibliography for the book! But I’m also not above Google searches for terms like “rude animals” when I get stuck! I cast a wide net and then make sure I read well on the specific examples I choose. 

Kathy: Review sources state that this book is aimed at preschoolers or readers ages 4-9. Since you're a practicing science educator and I'm a former middle grade teacher and K-12 school librarian, I'm interested in where you see this book fitting in both the curriculum and grade bands. I feel intermediate and middle school students would love this book.

Jessica: If I’m being completely honest, I was really surprised to see that preschool designation in the reviews. Millbrook/Lerner’s series is aimed at grades K-2, to the best of my knowledge, and I knew I was landing on the higher end of that range with some of the vocabulary and technical information I chose to include. In my experience, kids really enjoy the stretch in concepts and vocabulary that a read-aloud can provide, and you can always simplify a read-aloud for younger children.

From a curricular perspective, I think this fits well in both primary and upper elementary grades. The Next Generation Science Standards include Disciplinary Core Ideas around animal behavior in both 1st and 4th grades that align with the examples and message of the book. And while I find that picture books can be a tough sell to middle school students, I think they would definitely enjoy the content!

No one is behaving badly at Cover to Cover Books for Young Readers!

Kathy: So Rude just came out at the beginning of October. How are you celebrating and promoting this book? Tell us about school visits, bookstore events, and activities that educators and parents can access. Do you have an educator guide?

Jessica: I had a fun launch event at my favorite local independent children’s bookstore, Cover to Cover Books for Kids. In the month of November, I’ll be at the Buckeye Book Fair in Wooster, OH on Saturday, November 1 and at Books By the Banks in Cincinnati on Saturday, November 15. Technically, I’m promoting another book at these events (Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions), but I’ll have a display copy of So Rude! and ordering information for those who are interested. 

Ironically, even though I’m a teacher, I haven’t created educator guides for my books. Perhaps I need to consider that as a future project.

About Jessica Frie-Gaither

Jessica is an experienced science educator and an award-winning author of books for students and teachers. Her titles include So Rude: Animals Behaving Badly, Nature's Rule Breakers: Creatures That Don't Fit In, Notable Notebooks: Scientists and Their Writings, Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data, Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions, and Science Notebooks in Student-Centered Classrooms. She is currently a 2024-2025 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the Library of Congress.

 

Jessica's Social Media Contacts

 www.jessicafriesgaither.com

https://www.facebook.com/jfriesgaither

Instagram @JessicaFGWrites

BlueSky: @jessicafgwrites.bsky.social

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-fries-gaither-14407233/

Writing that Sings

by Sue Heavenrich

Last month I reviewed Watersong over at Archimedes Notebook. It's got spot-on rhyme. A narrative arc. An environmental STEM connection.

And it does all that in 56 words. Fifty-six! 

So I had to ask author Tim McCanna how he managed to fit so much story into so few words. 

"It started as an experiment," he said. California was caught in severe drought. "Reservoirs were alarmingly low, and all the beautiful creeks and ponds had completely dried up." Tim missed the lush green walks he took with his family - missed them so much he started thinking about the sounds that water makes. Then he started jotting down words. He searched the internet for lists of any words related to water.

"I noticed that certain words rhymed and played around with them, dividing them into stanzas of words with similar meter and pattern." 

Tim at one of his favorite waterfalls

drip drop
    plip plop
        pitter patter pat.

twinkle sprinkle
    splitter splatter
        spitter spatter splat.

You can hear the music of rain beginning - almost smell that earthy wetness.

"What it had going for it," Tim said of his final manuscript, "was that it left so much open to the illustrator to explore." He credits Richard Smythe with bringing another dimension to the book. There was no fox in Tim's story. Not even in the art notes he included. The fox - its journey through the storm, following the water - pure illustrator brilliance.

"Picture books are a collaboration, and the end result was stronger and more heartfelt than I ever imagined on my own." Tim, who began writing picture books about nine years ago said that at first he thought it would be hard to cut words. But with practice - and reading enough picture books - it got easier to get into the minimalist mindset.

"You can tell a lot in few words, but you have to trust the reader," he said. "You have to trust the illustrator." The thing about Watersong, Tim said is that he wasn't trying to write a story -  he was just playing around. "It was liberating to try something and not have any expectations."

The cool thing: even the back matter is lyrical. 

"Ah, well..." Tim said, "about that back matter." He hadn't included any notes in the original manuscript, so when the editor asked for a page of back matter (a few weeks before the book went to print) Tim had to take a deep dive into watersheds, water cycles, rainbows, and foxes. His take-away: we all live in a watershed. 

"Water will pass through your home (landscape) so we have to be conscious about how our acts - pollution, erosion - affect it."

Since Tim has written a few books in rhyme, I asked him what advice he'd give to writers who want to write their own rhyming books.

"Rhyming books definitely have a place in literature," Tim said. "They are as valuable as any other book. Trust your instincts. Experiment with your words. And take the time to shape and practice your writing, to develop your ear so that you know when it's working." Writing a good rhyming book is about simplicity and meter - but mostly about the story.

You can find out more about Tim and his books at his website. His new book, Barnyard Boogie, was just released a few weeks ago. Check out the trailer!

Brains, Robots, and Laboratories, Oh My! . . . . . . . . . . . . An interview and book give-away with Jen Swanson, by Christy Mihaly

Yes, it's November, and no, this isn't a late Halloween post. It's a conversation with author Jen Swanson, who has published more than 20 books for kids—most about science—with more in the pipeline. If you missed last Friday's review of Jen's BRAIN GAMES, check it out here on GROG. I have it on good authority that BRAIN GAMES is into its second printing after only seven weeks. Be sure to enter our drawing for a chance to win a copy!

Q: Welcome Jen! It’s a pleasure to be “talking” with you. Let’s start with BRAIN GAMES. How did you wind up writing this book?

Jen Swanson

JS:  The book is based on the National Geographic TV show, BRAIN GAMES. National Geographic Kids approached me with the assignment. Before this book I’d written many educational books, but this is my first trade book. My editor’s first question was “Do you know anything about neuroscience?”  And of course I said yes, because that is what you say to an editor you really want to work for.

Q: Hah! That is great career advice: JUST SAY YES, right? How did you prepare to write the book?

JS: I watched every single episode of the Brain Games TV show (about 24 hours worth!). Then I chose challenges that could be adapted to a 2-dimensional book. For example, in the show they use a lot of video to make their points. That wasn’t possible in a book. But reading this book should be done jumping up and down, standing on one leg, and twirling around—it’s very interactive!

Q: There’s a ton of technical and scientific information in BRAIN GAMES. How long did your research take?

JS: I researched as I wrote. It took me about eight weeks to write the first draft. But then we spent another four months in edits, so basically a long time. I got really good at skimming medical papers on neuroscience.

Q: Did you have a particular interest in brains before this book?

A. I love science of all kinds. (Well except maybe plants, because I don’t have a green thumb.) But neuroscience is just COOL, so I had a blast writing this book and I loved all the fun—and obscure—facts I learned about the brain.

Q: You appeared on TV to promote BRAIN GAMES on the Morning Show [click here to view]. How did that feel?

Jen Swanson, television personality

JS: It was a lot of fun and a little scary. But the interviewer, Nikki Kimbleton, was really excited about my book and had fun with it. She immediately put me at ease. 

Q: Were you involved in the design or photo selection for BRAIN GAMES?

JS:  I found most of the images used in the book online and sent them to NGKids. They procured the permissions. Thank goodness, too, since that can be an enormous job.

Can you complete this challenge?

Q: Could you complete all the puzzles in BRAIN GAMES? 

JS: I think so, although I don’t always get them right the first time.

Q: How did you get started writing for the educational market?

JS: I created my work-for-hire package and just sent it out. Luckily I got a response within a few weeks when an editor called to offer me a two-book deal. I quite literally almost fell over after that out-of-the-blue phone call. To my surprise it was followed closely with an offer to write 5 books in a series. Yes, that’s right. My first foray into becoming an author was to write 7 books simultaneously!! (Not recommended, by the way, but when there are issues and deadlines end up overlapping, you just go with it.)

Q: That’s impressive! My guess is that the publishers liked the combination of your science credentials plus the humor in your writing. BRAIN GAMES uses a light touch to explain some highly technical issues. How can writers incorporate more kid-friendly humor into their nonfiction writing?

JS: Put it into kid’s terms. Relate it to something that they already know and are familiar with. Don’t forget the humor. And make it fun. Making it funny or offbeat is a way to capture their attention. They will remember it that way!

  

Q: What are some pros and cons of writing for the educational market versus the trade market?

JS: In the educational market you are given your topic and all of the guidelines. There is room for creativity but within the bounds of what the publisher wants. Also, a lot of the educational market books I have written are in a series, so you need to closely follow the series outlines. 

Jen visiting a school

Q: Do you visit schools? 

JS: I love doing school visits! It’s one of my most favorite parts of my job. I love getting the kids excited about science. Because after all, SCIENCE ROCKS!!

Q: Any forthcoming books?

JS: As a matter of fact, I have a book coming out with Charlesbridge in June 2016 titled SUPER GEAR: Nanotechnology and Sports Team Up. It’s an exciting look at how the microscopic science of nanotechnology is helping athletes to perform better than ever before. Want to hit a golf ball farther, swing a tennis racket with more oomph, or even swim faster? Nanotechnology can help with that!

Plus, I have two more books releasing next year. NGKids Everything Robotics takes the reader on a peek inside the world of robotics. Forces and Motion by Nomad Press is an interactive book of experiments and activities to help kids learn about physics.

 

Q: Wow! You’ve been busy! What’s next in your writing career?

JS: More writing!  I just had a proposal for a MG/YA book accepted by another trade house. Yay! And I am working up a proposal on a MG STEM book for my agent to shop around.

I’m also teaching writing classes. I'll be teaching a fantastic course called “Writing for Love and Money” with Dr. Mira Reisberg of the Children’s Book Academy in January. It covers pretty much everything from creating ideas to formulating stories to preparing cover letters, proposals, and submissions.

In April 2016, I will be doing a reprisal of “The Nuts and Bolts of Science Writing for Kids” at the Highlights Foundation with the amazing children’s author, Miranda Paul. We’ll have editors (onsite or by Skype) from Scholastic, Roaring Brook Press, Charlesbridge and Lerner/Millbrook Press, plus my agent, Clelia Gore. Attendees will get to submit to the faculty. Look for more information here. 

Finally, in my spare time, (ha!) I am working on my MG novel, and getting close to submitting that as well.

Q: Congratulations and good luck with all that, Jen. It sounds like part of your secret to success has been long hours of work. Any final words of wisdom for folks who might like to follow in your footsteps?

JS: Be Bold!  Work hard and don’t be afraid to take chances and maybe just throw your idea out there and see what sticks.

THE BIG DRAWING 

Thanks to Jen, we'll be giving away a copy of BRAIN GAMES to a lucky reader. Just leave a comment indicating you'd like to enter the drawing. My trusty assistant Cheddar and I will draw the name of the lucky winner a week from today, Monday, November 9. Good luck, brainiacs!

-- Christy (and Cheddar)