SIOUX CODE TALKERS OF WORLD WAR II by Andrea M. Page

By Janie Reinart
 
We thank the Sioux Native American veterans known as "Code Talkers" for their service. These veterans used their tribal language as an unbreakable secret code to transmit messages and help defeat the Japanese in WWII.

Give a warm welcome to the charming Andrea Page. Her new book Sioux Code Talkers of World War II (Nonfiction, ages 8-14) will be released on March 1, 2017 and tells the story of her great-uncle,John Bear King. 

There is a raffle (Rafflecopter will pick the winner) to win one hard copy of Sioux Code Talkers of World War II.

Andrea has graciously answered some interview questions.  

Who is your agent?  
 
Currently, I don’t have an agent.


How did you get the idea for your story?

Back in 1994, my mother received a newspaper article about an interview with an aging veteran.  He talked about his service as a Lakota (Sioux) Code Talker.   

At the time, I didn’t know what a code talker was, but my mom was excited to see her uncle John Bear King in the photo that accompanied the article.  She had no idea her uncle was a code talker in WWII.  Great-uncle John had died many years before, so we couldn’t ask questions.

I am the “family tree person” who collects the family history.  I set out to get a copy of a page or paragraph that could be placed in the family file.  I went to the library and found…nothing. I decide to search for something, anything…and my journey began.

How long did it take to write? Get to a publisher?

When we received the newspaper article and photo of my great-uncle John Bear King, I was pregnant with my youngest child. She’s 21 years old now. 

I started to think about writing a book, since there was virtually no information about my great-uncle’s unit. 

I signed up for some classes at Writers and Books, and joined a local writer’s group.  (RACWI- Rochester Area Children’s Writers and Illustrators)  I continued to read, take classes, go to conferences, and research.  I sent out my first round of submissions in 2005, and Pelican Publishing responded, asking me if I could double my word count. 

I wasn’t going to give up.  Unfortunately, shortly after that, I had a devastating loss.  My father became sick and passed away in months.  At that point, it was really hard to think, read, or write.  I bounced back and worked hard to double my word count. I resubmitted in 2013.  After several tasks and revisions, I received my contract in 2015!

 
What is your favorite part of the story?

 

My favorite part of the story gives me goosebumps when I think of it.  I found out that my uncle’s unit 

(302^nd Reconnaissance Troop) broke through a stone wall at Santo Tomas University to rescue the prisoners of war held there by the Japanese.  

It was, and is, the most emotional part of my journey.  I remember the day when I received the evidence in the mail. I had suspected that my uncle was part of that event, but when I found out for sure, I cried.

 
What is your writing routine?
 

In the summer, I like to write in the morning.   

During the school year, I have to write at night.  

I like to use a very large, blank sketchbook to write in.(11 X14, 100 pages)  

I’ve been filling at least one a year. I carry a few smaller ones around with me in case thoughts come at other times.  Those are also blank sketchbooks (9X12, 30 pages) (11X14, 24 pages).   

The right pen is important too. I love paper-mate Ink Joy 700 RT white barrel or Signo uniball.

What is your favorite book on the craft of writing?

Picture book: 

How to Write a Children’s Picture Book Vol I, II, III by Eve Heidi Bine-Stock

Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul

Getting ideas on paper:        

Call of the Writer’s Craft by Tom Bird

Resource:                                  

Emotions Thesaurus by Angel Ackerman and Becca Puglisi

What inspires you to write?  

I’m inspired by inspiring people.  When I read about a special person and how they overcame the challenges in their life…it’s motivating.  I share these stories with my students.  Hopefully, these stories motivate them to do great things in our world.

 
What are you working on now?

I’m currently revising two picture books- one on a historical event having to do with veterans and the other one is about an important Native American hero.

Words of advice for writers:  

These are not my words, but I've used the quote in school and I think it is very appropriate here.

Trust yourself fully. Imagine wildly. Craft carefully. 
                      ~ Terry Black Hawk

(From Open the Door: How to Excite Young People about Poetry, Poetry Foundation, page 247)

Thank you, Andrea for an inspiring interview. Best wishes on your book launch. Pre-order Sioux Code Talkers of World War II  here.

Enter a Rafflecopter giveaway (US only). 

Andrea M. Page is a 6th grade ELA teacher and member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Andrea  has been an elementary teacher (science, math and/or ELA) for over 30 years in a public school in upstate New York. She reads books that inspire the important values of bravery, fortitude, generosity and shares stories with her students, inspiring curiosity and wisdom. Researching and writing her first book, and then achieving publication was a dream come true. Being an author helps her to motivate her students, to push them out of their comfort zone and reach for their own dreams.

If a Writer Visits a School Library, She/He Will Find... by Kathy Halsey

If a writer visits a school library, he/she will find a new perspective on writing and a new partner, the school librarian. I volunteer at the school library from which I retired. I soak up much about students' reading lives and their passions and today I'll give you a tour of the Winchester Trail Intermediate School library which serves students and teachers for grades 3-5. 

Before You Visit

1. If you don't have a connection to a school, make sure you call and set up an appointment with the librarian at a convenient time for him/her. They may be teaching, visiting classrooms, or book talking, so be respectful of their hectic schedules. 

Mrs. Kantner runs the K-2 and the 3-5 libraries. This list is just for 1 day.

2. Know that many school libraries are now run by aides without library degrees due to budget cuts. If this is the case, you may prefer to set up a visit at your local public library branch. 

3. Also, most schools have security protocol. Ask if you need identification such as your driver's license and to whom you should report when entering the building. Usually a building secretary will handle this procedure and give you a badge indicating you're a visitor.  Check to see if you have permission to snap photos for future reference. (Public schools usually have a strict policy on whether or not students can be in videos/photos.)

4. Check out the library's web site if possible beforehand to get a sense of the climate and culture, too. 

5. Jot down the principal  and superintendent's contact information from the school web site so you can write a thank you note/email after your visit that specifically details the benefits of a robust library program run by a certified librarian. (Send a copy to the librarian, also. They are the unsung heroes in many buildings.)

Our Tour and What to Observe as You Visit

Your visit begins long before you enter the library. Notice art work and posters in the halls. Canal Winchester emphasizes a design process that fits into the maker space/STEM/STEAM initiatives so pervasive today. Think about how your work can fit into district-wide curriculum. The colorful image on the right is an example of art and math teachers working together. Do your manuscripts cover more than one discipline?

Wander the shelves and display areas to get a sense of the book collection. See what areas are heavily used and which genres look like they are never in circulation.  Graphic novels rotate heavily and are pulled from the normal shelving units for easy access.

Series biographies and fiction series are also very popular with intermediate level students. The picture book section spans the back wall and is used by both teachers and students, yet less frequently. (See how organized this area is.) 

 Reading is celebrated in this building and librarian Janie Kantner and aide Judy Jewel share what they are reading over by the circulation desk. While students line up to check out, they have a visible reminder of books read for pleasure by the staff. The library staff is part of the 40 Book Challenge which began in at the beginning of the year. ( I'm involved, also.) 

Picture book writers will be pleased to know that picture books "count" in this challenge, too! However, one must read 8 picture books to equal one middle grade or chapter book. Our librarian bought copies of THE BOOK WHISPERER by Donalyn Miller for all teachers as part of their professional collection and the reading culture has improved since this program began a few years ago.

Come back for more of my visit on Monday, January 16 to learn about author visits and student nonfiction favs.. Check out the school library web site here for more information. 

Stalking the Wild Ideas

by Sue Heavenrich*

There’s a Storystorm going on over at Tara’s blog all month long – an opportunity to brainstorm ideas and get into the habit of jotting them down. I started off with a bang: lined up my row of shiny sharpened pencils, cracked open the spine of my spiffy new composition book, and wrote down a few ideas. But day #2 – not so good. What’s a writer to do when the ideas won’t come?

Thing is, ideas don’t just fall off trees. Sure, some might pop up like mushrooms in your lawn after a week of rain. But most ideas – well, you’ve gotta go after them. Fortunately you won’t need a reflective orange vest or camo yoga pants, but I still take along the essentials: string, pocket knife, butterfly net, thermos of hot tea, and enough chocolate to last three days in case I get caught in a blizzard (it’s winter in these parts).

 

Hunting ideas is like hunting any other wild game – you’ve got to learn everything you can about their habits, preferred food, and migration patterns. One of the best ways to locate an idea is by what it leaves behind: its tracks, scat, and other sign such as feathers, fur, scrapes and rubs. Some ideas mark their territory using scents; others build fanciful bowers decorated with candy wrappers and chipped tea cups. Ideas communicate using different calls and songs, so you’ll need to learn those, too.

If you’re going to head off on an idea safari, you should know how to read a map, so you won’t get lost. Although, as one of my friends said, holding the map upside down sometimes reveals the path.

There are many ways to capture ideas. One hunter told me that the best way is to get up before dawn while the ideas are still bedded down, and sneak up on them. Another simply stalks them. I like to swish a sweep net back and forth, but that tends to capture only the winged ideas. You may need to dig them out if they are hibernating under the snow. You can also set traps, baiting them with the sorts of things ideas like (chocolate, coffee, wine, hot dogs). Snares are best; deadfall traps tend to squash whatever they fall on.

Once you capture your idea you need a place to keep it. Most writers use some sort of journal, but you can easily tape them to index cards and toss them in a box, or press them into a scrapbook (like some people do with fairies), or even collect them in a jar. Some writers accession each idea, listing it in an index so they can find it later or filing it in an old card catalog acquired from a library that has gone digital.

 

As you prepare to head out into the wilds, here’s a quick list of places you might look for ideas:

• Newspaper and radio stories – Science Friday (NPR) is a great source of nonfiction ideas
• Magazines – next time you’re trapped in a doctor’s office or airplane, hunt for some ideas
• Websites – WiseGeek, History.com, and On This Day
• Lists – if you need ideas check out 20 Things the Dog Ate and Listverse
• Library – wander through the shelves and jot down titles. Even those you misread might jiggle loose some ideas
• Art museums and galleries – great places for field trips
• Eavesdropping on conversations – kids, adults, loggers coming in for coffee and pie
• Road signs and street names – like Blueberry Hill
• Horoscopes
• Fortune cookies – sometimes ideas are curled up inside
• Songs and poetry
• Photos
• Story cubes and magnetic poetry tiles
• “Weird but True” books
• Boxes of photos, stamps, coins or other treasures
• Places where children play
• In the backyard, or a garden, a weedy patch along the roadside
• Need more? Check out this post from a couple years ago.

 Good Hunting!
*Thank you to all the GROGGERS who shared ideas and photos! 

Start New Year with a Storm of Story Ideas

~by Sue Heavenrich 

I love the beginning of a new year. It gives me a great excuse to buy pens and notebooks and sticky notes... and inspires me to list my writing goals for the upcoming twelve months. And then... I eat chocolate and split wood and procrastinate.

But not this year because Tara Lazar - the very Tara of PiBiIdMo fame- has a brainstorming challenge to get us going for the year. It's called Storystorm and it happens this month! 

If you participated in PiBoIdMo - aka, Picture Book Idea Month - you'll remember it was during November. The idea was awesome: jot down an idea or two for picture books every day during the month - kind of like NaNoWriMo but with way fewer words.

The timing was not so great. "Over the years I kept hearing the same questions," Tara said. "Why November? It's always such a busy time, what with Thanksgiving." She paused, musing that she never meant it to be a burden. "So I got to thinking, what month could I do it?"

The answer: January. It's a new year and what better way to start a new year than with a month of new ideas!

"People probably have some writing resolutions to begin their new year. So I figured I'd make a challenge that would fit in with that. It would be like going to the [writing] gym," Tara said.

 But wait! There's more! Tara wanted to open the idea-generating challenge to any kind of writer or artist, whether picture book or novelist, illustrator or fine artist. "Putting aside time everyday to think about projects is a good habit," she says. "I see the Storystorm challenge as an opportunity for people to unplug and take time to think about their art." 

Storystorm is a month of brainstorming, Tara says. At the end of the month participants should have their brains filled up with ideas and be ready to go. Tara has a month's worth of guest bloggers lined up: novelists, picture book writers, nonfiction writers, artists, and experts in creativity. Registration is open through Saturday, January 7  here, where you'll also find a link to the Facebook discussion group. Check Tara's blog daily for Storystorm posts.

"It takes 30 days to make a habit," says Tara. She hopes people will continue this daily habit of catching ideas for the following eleven months.

When Tara isn't rounding up story ideas, she's busy writing and raising her children. She's a member on the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature conference committee and also a mentor for We Need Diverse Books. She's written a bunch of picture books (The Monstore, I Thought This Was A Bear Book,    Little Red Gliding Hood, Normal Norman,Way Past  Bedtime, 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story) and she’s busy on her newest project: The Whiz-Bang Word Book - an illustrated dictionary. You can find out more about her at her website, taralazar.com