I was invited to a lunch given by Boyds Mills Press. They gave us yummy food and talked about their Spring titles and gave us a bag of books to bring home. Two authors spoke about their new books.
Here is what they talked about:
Boyds Mills Press Luncheon
Big Tractor (not much need to say more! Looks great!)
No No Kitten – about imagination
Space Boy and his [Sister] Dog – also about where your imagination can take you
Book by Jane Yolen, Heidi Semple & Melissa Sweet – You Nest Here With Me
Bedtime book with science facts
“The great Rebecca Kai Dotlich” – 11 very very very short stories. One Day The End.
Illustrator put in a story on every spread.
Ends with: “One day I wanted to write a book. So I did.” September 2015.
With Calkins Creek, they’re trying to bring history to engage kids and make it come alike.
Gail Jarrow – writes thrillers — If you can make science and history thrilling for kids, you have done a great thing!
Fatal Fever — Typhoid Mary as you’ve never seen her before. She was a cook, and that’s how she infected so many people.
A turning point time in human health 1930s. Woman born in 1900 lived only 48 years. In 1950, 72 years. Now, we’re only up to 81.
These diseases were brought under control in this time.
35,000 people in the US died of typhoid fever in 1900.
Cornell University had 29 students die, so they worked on eradicating Typhoid Fever.
The age group hit the hardest by typhoid fever were young adults. She put in individual stories of people who had Typhoid.
Kathy Cannon Wiechman – Like a River
Captures the soul of the Civil War. A story first, populated by beautiful characters, with a strong voice.
She didn’t like history as it was introduced to her — dates and facts.
As story, she loves history — people and stories.
Inspiration – The Sultana Disaster – 3 weeks after end of Civil War
Took Union prisoners and sent them north on steamboats. Owners got paid for the number on the boats. Sultana built for 300, carried 2500 people. Boilers exploded, and killed more people than died on the Titanic. Mostly returning prisoners of war.
The more she found out, the more she had to tell the story.
Told in two parts, from two points of view — a boy and a girl. The girl is dressed as a boy, and a soldier, too.