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| Disney-Hyperion. March, 2014 |
In September I was pleased to feature an interview with the talented and prolific Lola Schaefer. This was in connection with the release of her non-fiction picture book, LIFETIME:The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives, which was named a 2014 Junior Library Guild selection, is on the 2014 Orbis Pictus Recommended Reading List, and has garnered plenty of fans.
Her non-fiction titles are as excellent in language as they are in subject matter. That attention to quality writing also distinguishes her fiction picture books, in which lyrical language and original concepts blend to create unforgettable stories.
ONE SPECIAL DAY released in March, 2012. Just two years later we celebrate the release of ONE BUSY DAY, both illustrated by Jessica Meserve.
My Goodreads review:
One Busy Day follows the siblings from Schaefer's earlier One Special Day into a classic older/younger sibling relationship. Predictably, the novelty of a baby has worn off and the older child is too "busy" to play with the younger one. In this case younger Mia occupies herself creatively, with illustrations mirroring her reality and her imagination. With very young children it provides an ideal opportunity to identify which illustrations are real and which are fantasy. Mia's energetic imagination entices older Spencer to join her in creative adventures.
The concept of a younger sibling resolving her loneliness is very empowering, and Schaefer's charming lyrical text is matched by Meserve's delightful images of Mia's reality and her imagination.
Read what Publisher's Weekly had to say about ONE BUSY DAY here. It was no surprise to me that Kirkus gave it a starred review.
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| Author Lola M. Schaefer |
The official release date for this new title is March 4, 2014. I'm pleased that Lola found time in her busy life to answer a few questions about these books for us. Welcome back, Lola!
Q: Are the characters in One Special Day and One Busy Day based on someone you know or personal experience? What was your inspiration for these characters?
Lola: Spencer, the protagonist,
is somewhat fashioned on our nephew Spencer. Of course, my nephew is older now,
but he has always been playful, silly, wild, yet compassionate and kind. When I
wrote One Special Day, my nephew was my inspiration. But the similarity stops
there. Our Spencer is the younger brother of an older sister Leah.
Q: Was this always planned as a series or sequel? If not,
how did ONE BUSY DAY come about? Are there more titles to come?
Lola: In today’s present market,
I think authors and publishers are hesitant to jump into a picture book series.
However, One Special Day sold well and it seemed to beg for a follow-up title. One
Busy Day was a natural progression. My editor and I brainstormed those typical
moments between young siblings and voilį¼, the plot emerged. Will there be more? We will just need to wait and see.
Q: Your language in these books (and your others) suit
apparently simple stories, yet involve similes, repetitive patterns, and
lyrical word choice. I know you
invest months, even years, in the research behind non-fiction titles. When it
comes to fiction, do you spend more time developing the story or the text?
Lola: Each book is dramatically
different. One Special Day flew onto the page. It seemed to come from some place
deep inside me and there was very little revision or editing. One Busy Day took
a bit longer. There’s always the fear that a follow-up book will be weaker, not
quite as engaging, and both the publisher and I did not want that to be the
case. Once the premise was established, the writing came in a few weeks. And,
of course, as with most books, the editor had a few suggestions that truly
strengthened the storyline.
For me, I obsess over each and
every word whether I’m writing nonfiction or fiction picture books. Language
needs to be minimal, but pop on the page. As an author, you want children to
participate in whatever you write and word choice, pacing, and content are the
hooks.
Q: What projects are in the works now? Anything you can
share?
Lola: I just sold another literary
nonfiction book to a publisher. I’m hoping they decide to use the same
illustrator as an earlier book. In another year, I’ll have a beginning chapter
book out that features a kind, yet brazen (in a totally honest-kind-of-way)
girl who is starting Kindergarten. The script contains a lot of dialogue and
monologue which is something new for me.
Thanks, Lola, for participating. I'm looking forward to reading these and all your future releases. In the meantime, Happy "book birthday" for One Busy Day. I hope families, teachers, and librarians will find and share this pair of books with young readers, early and often. These stories have the rich language, relationships, and layers that improve with each rereading.
