Author: Loree Burns

Posted on

Valentine’s Day

I had a LOVEly afternoon hanging out with the sixth graders at the John D. Runkle School in Brookline, Massachusetts. I showed some embarrassing pictures of myself (example below), talked about reading, writing, and SAVING stories and, of course, told them a bit about TRACKING TRASH.

The Runklerites (Runklers? Runkleonians?) were a great audience. They peppered me with insightful questions, didn’t laugh at my pictures, and gave me candy at the end of the day. Many thanks to Teresa Gallo-Toth (librarian extraordinaire) and Maxine Hunter (science teacher extraordinaire) for hosting my visit … and a hearty HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY to my new friends at the Runkle School.

Back home, I discovered–well after the rest of the world did–that the Children’s and YA Bloggers’ Literary Awards had been announced. Among the winners is my friend Linda Urban, who was given top honors in the Middle Grade Fiction category for her debut novel A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT. Congratulations to Linda and to all Cybils-celebrated authors and illustrators!


(That’s me, circa 1985, at the Everett High School science fair. It’s not a great shot, but I wanted you to see the GINORMOUS worm hanging from the ceiling. Nice touch for the earthworm table, don’t you think? Kelley Gillespie and I made him … out of pantyhose!)

 

Posted on

My Teacher is an Alien

MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN
By Bruce Coville
Scholastic, 1989

Category: Middle grade fiction

I missed Nonfiction Monday.

I missed Charles Darwin’s 199th birthday Tuesday.

Thank goodness for MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN Wednesday.

Okay, I made that last holiday up. But Bruce Coville did the impossible in the Burns house this week—he bridged the age and gender divide—and that is something to celebrate. All three of my kids enjoyed MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN … and I was reminded that nothing seems impossible to the very young.

 

Posted on

Writers With Ducks

I was inspired by Cindy Lord’s recent post to share this photo:

These are a few of the ducks given to me since TRACKING TRASH was published. Why duckies? Well, because my book tells the story of an oceanographer who studies ocean currents by tracking debris that has fallen from cargo ships … including a shipment of 28,800 plastic tub toys. (A ducky plays a role in Cindy’s novel, RULES, too.)

Who knew that so many children’s book authors collected ducks?

And who knew there were so many “breeds” of plastic duck in the world?

Each of my ducks has a story and reminds me of a part of my TRACKING TRASH journey. For example, the duck in the foreground was a gift from Curt Ebbesmeyer himself; it is a duck from the tub toy spill. The black duck at top is called Dead Duck (his eyes are stars and if I had taken the photograph from a lower angle you would see a drop of blood on his bill) and he was given to me by my friend, the zany and talented Eric Luper, who critiqued many, many drafts of the book.

And you thought nonfiction writers were all stodgy and serious …

 

Posted on

I.N.K.

A new blog was born this week, and lovers of nonfiction should check it out. Interesting Nonfiction for Kids (I.N.K. for short) will focus on “going deep into the world of the Dewey decimal system.” Writers who focus on biography, history, science, poetry, and more will be talking about their passions and their craft.

I love what writer Vicky Cobb (I raved about her I GET WET back in 2006) had to say yesterday about writing informational books: “information is the least of it.” Hear! Hear!

Long live I.N.K.!

 

Posted on

My Close Up

For readers in my little corner of the world:

On Thursday the Women’s Initiative* of United Way of Central Massachusetts is sponsoring an important violence prevention program: the one-act play My Close Up. The play, which addresses the issue of teen dating violence, was written by local playwright Jane Dutton*.

To read more about Jane and My Close Up, check out this article from yesterday’s Worcester Telegram. For details about this week’s performance, read on …

My Close Up
Thursday, February 7, 2008
6:30pm
Bancroft School
Harrington Theatre
110 Shore Drive
Worcester, Massachusetts

“My Close Up is a testament to the courage it takes to tell and, ultimately, heal.”

*I am swelled with pride at the work of my good friends Wendy O’Leary (Chairperson of the Women’s Initiative) and Jane Dutton. Brava, ladies. Brava! You each awe and inspire me.

 

Posted on

Madam President

MADAM PRESIDENT, The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics
By Catherine Thimmesh
Illustrated by Douglas B. Jones
Houghton Mifflin, 2004

Category: Middle Grade Nonfiction

A super book for Super Tuesday …

I met with the one and only Erica Zappy yesterday so that we could hammer out a presentation we are giving together at the Cambridge Science Festival in May. (Details on that soon.) I came away, as I always do, wowed by Erica’s passion for her work. I also came away with a pile of great books (Thank You, Erica!) … including MADAM PRESIDENT.

“Revised and Updated” since its 2004 publication, the book is a compendium of the history of women in politics. Author and illustrator use a clever frame to organize their profiles of twenty-two female political pioneers: a sassy, contemporary young lady who declares in the book’s opening spread,

“When I grow up, I’m going to be the president of the United States.”

“You …?” she’s asked, “a … GIRL? Well, maybe you could marry a president …”

And so we meet first ladies with passion and grit: Abigail Adams, Edith Bolling Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ladybird Johnson, Rosalyn Carter, and Hilary Rodham Clinton.

“And, of course, when you’re eighteen you can at least vote for the president …”

And we meet women who fought for our right to vote: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charlotte Woodward, Susan B. Anthony, Sara Bard Field, Mrs. J.L. Burn.

Thimmesh and Jones go on to introduce Congresswomen, Cabinet women, female political candidates, and international leaders, each with the perfect amount of detail. I learned new things about women I admire, met women I had not known before, and was inspired by the sassy heroine and the brilliant final art spread (a photomosaic of the White House composed entirely from images of women) to wonder about my own place in women’s history.

So, Dear Readers, go forth today and read about amazing women.

Go forth today and vote.

And if you really want to make my day, go forth today and vote for an amazing woman:

 

Posted on

Frogs

FROGS
By Nic Bishop
Scholastic, 2008

Category: Nonfiction picture book

Nic Bishop’s name on the spine of a book is fast becoming the mark of a must-read for me. There are his “Scientists in the Field” books, of course. And there is SPIDERS, which just last month was awarded a Sibert Honor medal for excellence in children’s nonfiction. And now, there is FROGS. And it is S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G.

The format is the same as for SPIDERS (Is there a whole series planned? Oh, I hope so.). Bold-colored pages and pullouts (sentences visually pulled from the text by changing the font size and color) are superbly coupled with images of frogs … the gleeful leap of a grass frog, the pulsating-on-the-page underside of a glass frog, the wide grin of a satisfied horned frog. Simple backgrounds and incredible lighting give the images an artistic feel, and as a viewer/reader you have no choice but to sit in awe of the unfettered beauty of a frog. The effect is breath-catching.

FROGS got my highest seal of approval: today I bought a copy for me and a copy for my soon-to-be-six nephew. It’s that good.

To read about more great nonfiction for kids, visit today’s Nonfiction Monday roundup at the Anastasia Suen’s Picture Book of the Day blog. (The Roundup won’t be up until later in the day.)