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| Running Press Kids: October, 2021 |
(Check out the interactive, downloadable options about this book on Wallmark's website, HERE.)
This is Wallmark's first published FICTION picture book, her first for this target ages (3-8), and her first with text written in RHYME. A trifecta of reasons to celebrate and dance along with the dinos.
In fact, Wallmark has long drawn praise, attention, and awards for her writing about WOMEN IN STEM, as I noted in reviews and interviews in the past, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE. (I know, right?) I'm clearly a fan, of Wallmark's choice of biographic subjects, her evidence of deep and productive research, the variation and structures of her narratives, and the incredible appeal of the back matter she provides.
I also appreciate her subtle and wry humor, as in her blog title (ALL NEWS, NO SCHMOOZE), and her tendency to add to her "brand" during introductions with the tag, DEAD Women in Stem. When I learned that she would have a new offering that is so distinctly different in audience, writing, and intent, I was both intrigued and pleased to have a look. More than that, I wanted to know more about how this came to be. Here's our conversation!
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| Laurie Wallmark |
Were you a dinosaur fan/fanatic as a kid?
LW: Not really. My passion was science fiction, but except for a few time travel stories, there were no dinosaurs showing up in outer space or in the future.
Back to a writing question: Would you give us a bit of a timeline about where and how this clever and creative idea and eventual story first came to you, in relation to your other deeply researched writing projects?
SB: The idea for Dino Pajama Party came to me while I was on a plane. Originally the characters were babies not dinos, but except for that, the first lines haven’t changed. “Dinos rock, and dinos roll. Dinos stomp, and dinos stroll.” I wrote out the entire first draft before we landed. This is quite different than my other books. In all my other picture books, even fiction, I outline before I write.
SB: Here's a follow-up question, for my own interest as a writer, and for all those who have a clever inspiration and decide on the spur of the moment to "write a picture book". DINO PAJAMA PARTY; A Bedtime Story is in crisp, precise, but lively metric rhymed couplets, using very few words in contrast to the narrative styles in your other books. It suits this target age and story perfectly but is not easy to pull off with such success. Was this your first/only stab at writing in verse? (??? Impossible!)
LW: As a child, the only creative writing I did was a bit of poetry and a few songs.
Since my idea for this book started in rhyme, I continued in that vein. I have written other rhyming picture books, but none have sold so far. I love writing in rhyme. I’m also working on a novel in verse.
SB: Now, about your delightful story and characters:
Your Dino story was filled with surprises. Pajama parties generally begin late in the day, but your Dino buddies seem to have stumbled out of bed early, so eager to take on the day that they head outside in their jammies and bedcaps. As they gather and boogie to rock-n-roll rhythms, eventually exhausting themselves in joyful dance, the sunset and nightfall send them home, exhausted. Tucked into rows of beds in a dormitory-styled space felt extra cozy to me. “Pajama parties” have many parents cringing about potential late-night mayhem, but this ends with a very distinctly sleepy vibe.
Did you incorporate notes to suggest that these would be communal Dinos rather than neighborhood friends? That a home-wrecking, floor-sprawling sleepover at one of their homes was not your intent? Or did the illustrator add that interpretation? In other words, how did this story-resolve develop?
I didn’t have any illustrator notes for this book. Michael Robertson did such a wonderful job of making the dinosaurs come together as a community. The ending text is “Snug in bed, they dance no more. Fast asleep, the dinos snore.” You can just hear the loud snoring coming from the sleeping dinosaurs in Michael’s last picture.
SB: Speaking of the illustrations, Michael Robinson’s characters evoke so much individuality, with expressions and body postures revealing that each has a story of their own. I found myself wanting to name each one, and I suspect kids will feel the same way! Had you envisioned any of this while writing?
LW: Even though I write picture books, I’m not a visual thinker. It’s always a pleasant surprise to me when I see the illustrations. Michael’s bold colors truly make this book special. I especially love the dinosaur on the front cover who is wearing bunny slippers.
SB: Can we look forward to more picture books intended for these younger audiences?
What can you tell us about your other projects in the works, at early stages, or in the pipeline for publication?
LW: I already have several more books scheduled through 2024. Three of them are #WomenInSTEM books. I also have another fiction picture book. Rivka’s Presents, coming out in 2023. This is an historical fiction book about a girl in 1918 who wants to go to school but can’t because she has to mind her baby sister, so she trades chores for lessons with her neighbors.
SB: I hope you'll keep me on speed-dial or auto-alert as these become available to read and review. I'm aware that the pipeline is lengthy and that these will require your time and attention at various points in the process, but it's fun to imagine what else might be tickling your curiosity and imagination as new stories emerge and move, eventually, to the rest of us. The upcoming titles and potential future ones should have readers here joining me in your fan club and also subscribing to follow you on your blog and on social media.
Since I'm arriving a tad late to this pajama party-interview series, I'm excited to share this link to Maria Marshall's earlier interview with Laurie on her blog, THE PICTURE BOOK BUZZ, HERE. Their conversation is not one you'll want to miss. While you're there, you might want to subscribe to Maria's blog- it's a consistent winner!
Readers, here are the details you'll want to know about how to keep up with Laurie's releases:
SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: https://www.lauriewallmark.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauriewallmarkauthor/
Twitter: @lauriewallmark
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lauriewallmark/
Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-wallmark-4a815711/
BIO
Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Cook Prize Honor Book, Crystal Kite Award, Mathical Honor Book, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE, HEDY LAMARR’S DOUBLE LIFE, NUMBERS IN MOTION, CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER, and her debut fiction picture book, DINO PAJAMA PARTY. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and is a former software engineer and computer science professor.
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