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December 2018 / January 2019
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| Welcome to the winter holiday issue of Flying Tidings! If you missed the September issue, you can read it here; and if you know someone who’d like to receive this author newsletter, sign them up here. You can also follow me on INSTAGRAM. OK, let’s get right to it—here’s what’s in store: |
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Author-to-Go |
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NCTE |
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Wikipedia |
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Contest |
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East, West, and In-Between
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| In preparation for some desk time in the New Year, I did some recent travelling. Had a MARVELOUS time at MATELA in Billings, MT, where hundreds of dedicated educators gathered to learn and share their book-love (I met one teacher who lives in a town of 100 residents and she teaches grades K-12 in one room!) and also in Nashville, TN, at Harding Academy (these kids were so thoughtful, smart and creative!) I’m very grateful to the many people who made my visits so enjoyable and memorable. |
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| Montana landscape |
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| Speaking at the MATELA conference in Montana |
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| Lisa Montgomery in her library at Harding Academy in Nashville, TN |
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| Amazing parent volunteers at the McPherson-Medwedeff Library |
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| Books are all signed and ready to be distributed. |
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| NCTE-Houston Rocks! |
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| I’m partial to the more walkable cities of San Antonio and Austin when it comes to visiting Texas …. but I was honestly blown away by the gorgeous weather, lovely convention center, and fine hospitality of Houston, site of this year’s NCTE. I spent time with colleagues, perused the exhibits, celebrated the Orbis Pictus and Charlotte Huck Award winners (congrats to all!), and enjoyed connecting with the dedicated educators at the National Writing Project. Next year: Baltimore—I can’t wait! |
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| Sandra Neil Wallace and Jonathan Auxier with their award-winning books. |
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| Entrance to the NCTE Exhibit Hall |
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| Typewriters, obituaries, mentors, and more ... |
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| “You just go where your psychology leads you.” —Bruce Springsteen.
I can’t agree more. Each writer creates through the lens of her/ his own experience and personality. My writing life is a bit accidental—I didn’t study it in college and I was a high school language teacher upon graduation. But a combination of childhood experiences, a love of words, and the generous intervention of several mentors brought me to this wonderful, challenging field of children’s literature. More about that journey here. |
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| So many good books |
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| … and not nearly enough time to read them all. But we try, we try. December / January is to book lovers as March Madness is to NCAA basketball fans. Below are links to just a FEW of the mock Caldecott/ Newbery/ Sibert lists plus other short lists, for the 2019 ALA Youth Media Awards. They will be announced in Seattle on Monday, January 28 at 8:00am PACIFIC time (11am EST.) Have you picked your winners yet?
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| Looking Ahead, Contest |
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| Happy New Year! In 2019 and 2020 there will be new biographies from my desk, so stay tuned for those announcements. As always, I’m GRATEFUL for your support, your book-love, and all that you do in your homes, classrooms, and libraries to keep good books in the hands of young readers.
And now for the contest! Below are a few questions that can be answered in the Wikipedia article. Email your answers to jen@jenbryant.com by January 31st and we will choose two winners from all of the correct replies to win a signed copy of the Jen Bryant book of your choice.
- In what town did Jen grow up?
- What was Jen’s father’s occupation?
- Name one of Jen’s writing mentors.
- Which book of Jen’s was adopted for the theater?
- Name two languages into which her books have been translated.
- Where did Jen go to college?
- What is the title of Jen’s first novel in verse?
- Which book won the Sibert medal?
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| Thanks for reading this issue of Flying Tidings!
Until next time, keep in touch:
Jen Bryant | e-mail | Facebook | Instagram |
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