Vivian Kirkfield has written a new middle grade non-fiction book, FROM HERE TO THERE, illustrated by Gilbert Food and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. It is available for pre-order and is coming out on January 19th. They have agreed to share a copy with one lucky winner.
All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you.
Sharing on Facebook, Twitter or reblogging really helps spread the word for a new book. So, thanks for helping Vivian and Gilbert.
If you have signed up to follow my blog and it is delivered to you everyday, please let me know when you leave a comment and I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!
BOOK DESCRIPTION:
Celebrating the invention of vehicles, this collective biography tells the inspiring stories of the visionaries who changed the way we move across air, water, and land. Perfect for fans of Mistakes that Worked and Girls Think of Everything.
In a time when people believed flying was impossible, Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier proved that the sky wasn’t the limit. When most thought horseback was the only way to race, Bertha and Karl Benz fired up their engines. From the invention of the bicycle and the passenger steam locomotive, to the first liquid-fuel propelled rocket and industrial robot, inventors across the world have redefined travel. Filled with informative sidebars and colorful illustrations, this collective biography tells the story of the experiments, failures, and successes of visionaries who changed the way the world moves.
BOOK JOURNEY: FROM HERE TO THERE
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be on your blog, Kathy. I’m excited to be celebrating the launch of my newest book, a nine-story compilation of nonfiction picture book biographies, illustrated by the brilliant Gilbert Ford and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. And it’s definitely been a journey…FROM HERE TO THERE.
WRITING JOURNEY:
This writing journey for this book checks all the boxes of an adventure of a lifetime. It started in 2016. My sister mentioned that a friend of a friend was the granddaughter of someone famous. My ears perked up because I’m always ready for a story. It turns out that in 1905, a young Swedish immigrant arrived in New York City with only $60 in his pocket. He worked as a logger and then as a miner, and finally he opened a car dealership, but when he couldn’t sell even one car from his showroom, he bought it himself and started a shuttle service. Driving miners from the town to the mine for 15 cents a ride or 25 cents for a round trip was so popular, Eric had to stretch the car by cutting it and adding extra seating…but even that wasn’t enough. So, he built a bus! And then another. And another. And the Greyhound Bus Company was born.
That felt like such a great story to me. I did some research and was able to speak with the granddaughter who was extremely helpful. When the story was ready, my agent sent it out on submission – and in the summer of 2017, the amazing Ann Rider at HMH let us know she loved it. However, she had a concern because Eric Wickman is pretty unknown and she wondered if the bus was a popular enough vehicle to merit a stand-alone picture book. Would I be willing to write a few more narrative nonfiction bios about inventors of other things that go?
PUBLICATION JOURNEY:
And this is where the writing journey merges with the publication journey. When an editor asks if me if I can do something…I almost always say YES! Here’s my original email to her.
And here are some ideas for the other three or four things that go, but I am open to any ideas you have and can research and write on any topic you prefer.
COMPUTER-DESIGNED SUBMARINE: of great interest because it gives the collection some diversity (Raye Montague is an African-American woman, one of the hidden figures, not of NASA as portrayed in the movie, but of the Navy during the 1950’s).
SKATEBOARD: originally created by surfers in California to use when stormy oceans prevented them from riding the waves. They screwed roller skate wheels onto their boards and surfed the city streets. And in 2020, skateboarding will debut as an official sport of the Tokyo Olympics.
HOT AIR BALLOON: has a fabulous aha moment and was invented by two brothers working together as a team – the creative genius with ADHD, and the practical scientist who kept the project on point. (I wrote this as a stand-alone picture book, but can tighten it for the compilation).
CAR: might never have left the workshop of Karl Benz if not for his wife’s secret plan to promote the car by taking the kids on a road trip to grandma’s house. (there is a stand-alone picture book coming out in October from Charlesbridge)
We decided against the skateboard and moved forward with the others. Over the next few months, I researched and wrote. In October, Ann decided that instead of targeting Grades K-2, we were going to gear the stories to Grades 3-6. In addition, she suggested we change the title to THINGS THAT MOVE so that we could include robotics. By December, I had a better idea of what I wanted to do and had already written a few of the stories although I still didn’t know how many stories there would be. I reached out to Ann again with a list that included the train, bike, hot-air balloon, robot, car, and submarine.
At this point, Ann let me know that she really wanted 7-10 stories…and she definitely wanted one about the rocket. I felt we needed more diversity as well – and I suggested doing a story about the folding wheelchair, which opened doors for mobility-challenged individuals. She loved that idea!
The editor wanted all the stories to have the same structure as the BUS story and include:
- Engaging opening lines.
- Child main character who has a dream/goal.
- AH-HA moment.
- Fun language/great rhythm/excellent pacing.
- Legacy paragraph that shows how the invention impacts us today.
- Satisfying ending that echoes the opening lines.
The biggest challenge was finding certain pieces of information…the AH-HA moment and childhood incidents…those took a huge amount of digging. And sometimes I had an inventor chosen, but had to pick a different one because I couldn’t find those pertinent pieces of information. For each visionary, I wrote a rough draft and revised and then gave the manuscript to one of my critique groups. While they read that one, I moved on to the next story. When I received feedback on a previous manuscript, I’d revise that. Working with a short deadline can be stressful…but it can also give you clarity in knowing what needs to be done. And somehow, with the help of my amazing critique partners who were always ready to look at a new draft or a revised one, I did it!
The editor requested the manuscripts be delivered to her inbox by May 1st. After that, she brought on Gilbert Ford as illustrator. Ann had given me the link to his website and I was thrilled – I knew he was the perfect artist to bring these stories to life. While he worked on the project, copyeditors and factcheckers went through each page, each line, each word of the manuscript, even making sure links in the bibliography were correct. It was such a good feeling to know that the HMH team was working together to create the best book possible – a book I hope will spark the curiosity of young readers and perhaps inspire those children to embark on new journeys of their own.
VIVIAN’S BIO:
Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. Her bucket list contains many more than five words – but she’s already checked off skydiving, parasailing, banana-boat riding, and visiting critique buddies all around the world. When she isn’t looking for ways to fall from the sky or sink under the water, she can be found writing picture books in the picturesque town of Bedford, New Hampshire. A retired kindergarten teacher with a masters in Early Childhood Education, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and shares insights with aspiring authors at conferences and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWords International Writing Contest and the #50PreciousWordsforKids Challenge.
She is the author many picture books including Sweet Dreams, Sarah (Creston Books); Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee Books); From Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and the upcoming Pedal, Balance, Steer: Annie Londonderry, First Woman to Bike Around The World (Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills & Kane, Spring 2023).You can connect with her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Linkedin, or just about any place people with picture books are found.
GILBERT FORD’S BIO:
Gilbert Ford holds a BFA in illustration from Pratt Institute and an MFA in writing for children and young adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. He is the author and illustrator of The Marvelous Thing That Came from a Spring, named a Best STEM Book of 2017, and has illustrated many middle grade jackets, as well as the award-winning picture book Mr. Ferris and His Wheel. He lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him online at GilbertFord.com.
Vivian, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. This 96 page book is jam packed with interesting fun information that will capture the interest of children, teachers, and adults. Gilberts illustrations add the finishing touch to make this a standout winner. Good luck with the book.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Vivian shared her ideas for this book on StoryStorm and I thought, “Wow! What a wonderful concept!” Seeing it described again here, and seeing Gilbert’s amazing illustrations, there’s no doubt this book will rock the writing community and be heaped with praise.
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By: authordebradaugherty on January 5, 2021
at 3:02 am
I’m such a fan of Vivian’s books (and of Vivian as a person!) and I’m really looking forward to reading this one. Thanks for giving us a peek into what I know will be a fabulous book, Kathy.
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By: Colleen Paeff on January 5, 2021
at 4:24 am
Really looking forward to reading this Vivian! So glad you took up this challenge in writing this book.
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By: Virginia Rinkel on January 5, 2021
at 8:00 am
Thank you for taking us along on the journey, Vivian! Wishing you all the best and success! Lynne Marie
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By: Lynne Marie on January 5, 2021
at 8:09 am
I love reading about visionaries and how they changed the world for the better! Congrats, dear Vivian!
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By: danielledufayet on January 5, 2021
at 11:05 am
This looks like a great book. I can’t wait to read it!
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By: Michele Helsel on January 5, 2021
at 11:05 am
This looks so fun – congrats, Vivian!
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By: Sue Heavenrich on January 5, 2021
at 11:08 am
Loved Vivian’s storystorm post about From Here to There…and learning more about the book here. Can’t wait to read the collection (and your 6-point list is a keeper for any writer!)
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By: Buffy Silverman on January 5, 2021
at 11:11 am
Looks great. Shared on FB, Twitter, and PInterest!
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By: carolbaldwin on January 5, 2021
at 11:25 am
I’m looking forward to reading this book. It looks so interesting. I posted this on Twitter, too. Congrats again, Vivian!
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By: Kim A Larson on January 5, 2021
at 11:33 am
I love this book! I was lucky enough to see some of the stories in draft form, and I can’t wait to see the whole book that has come together! Congrats to Vivian and thanks for sharing, Kathy! I love reading your posts when they come to my inox!
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By: Ellen Leventhal on January 5, 2021
at 11:34 am
What an exciting idea for a book, Vivian–looking forward to reading it! And of course I love Gilbert’s illustrations!
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By: Nancy Furstinger on January 5, 2021
at 11:38 am
Wow, Vivian! 1, the timeline! 2, what a fabulous book! Can’t wait to read it. My aunt and uncle were long-time employees for Greyhound. They ran Greyhound stations in Washington and Oregon (probably other places too). I actually worked for them (and Greyhound) several summers when school/college was not in session. Can’t wait to read that story! I wonder if they know the background history? Hmmmm. Congratulations, Vivian!
I follow by email and I will tweet this post, Kathy. 🙂
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By: Angie on January 5, 2021
at 11:41 am
Wonderful idea for a book!
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By: Becky Ross Michael on January 5, 2021
at 11:50 am
Looks brilliant, I really want to see the section on wheelchairs. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
I’ve tweeted a link to this post: https://twitter.com/carlrscott/status/1346502076465991682, and shared n image on Pinterest with a link as well: https://www.pinterest.es/pin/336573772157835784/.
I also follow your blog daily by email: crs(at)codedivasites(dot)com
Thanks again, stay safe everyone!
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By: carlrscott on January 5, 2021
at 12:05 pm
This interview is so moving.
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By: Natasha Wing on January 5, 2021
at 12:28 pm
I loved hearing about how this book came together. Congratulations, Vivian — I’d love to win a copy (I also subscribe to this wonderful blog).
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By: Christy Mihaly on January 5, 2021
at 12:32 pm
It’s really an amazing achievement. I cant wait to see the book.
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By: David McMullin on January 5, 2021
at 12:36 pm
Such a great book. Congratulations, Vivian!
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By: Wendy Wahman on January 5, 2021
at 12:45 pm
Congrats, Vivien! Can’t wait to read this. (I’m signed up for the emails, too.)
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By: Susan Johnston Taylor on January 5, 2021
at 1:03 pm
Go, go Vivian! Looking forward to reading this book!
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By: Jilanne Hoffmann on January 5, 2021
at 1:35 pm
I read about Vivian’s story in her post on Storystorm and fell in love with it. I also love reading about how it came about.
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By: pathaap on January 5, 2021
at 2:13 pm
Vivian, I really enjoyed reading about how this book came about. Good luck with it!
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By: authorjanetparkinsonbryce on January 5, 2021
at 2:30 pm
I’m so excited to read this book. Congrats, Vivian!
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By: clairebobrow on January 5, 2021
at 5:06 pm
This is a highly anticipated book – I am really looking forward to reading it! I’ve been reading many of Vivian’s interviews on social media and this is the first one (I think) that says the page count (96 wow!) – I was wondering how long it is and now (thanks to Kathy) I know! Congrats to Vivian and Gilbert!
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By: doreenrobinson on January 5, 2021
at 7:23 pm
Vivian, this is so exciting! You have really put together a wonderful collection that will be of great interest to children of all ages! Talk about inspiring struggling readers to keep trying! This will do so! I’m looking forward to purchasing my own copy, and more for some very special youngsters I know! The information you shared about the writing and research process, the publisher’s specifications, and the page count information are very helpful! Thank you so much!
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By: writeremmcbride on January 5, 2021
at 7:58 pm
This looks like such a fascinating book. I can’t wait to read it. Thanks for the post.
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By: rosihollinbeck on January 6, 2021
at 12:34 am
Such a fantastic tale. Love Vivian and all her amazing stories.
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By: jeanjames926 on January 6, 2021
at 12:29 pm
From here to there. ❤️❤️
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By: Emmie R Werner on January 6, 2021
at 4:28 pm
I’m so excited for this book to release. The illustrations look amazing, too! Thanks for sharing your journey in creating this book, Vivian!
Kathy, I shared on twitter and I get your blog daily. 🙂
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By: Judy Sobanski on January 6, 2021
at 4:48 pm
This is a really cool concept! I loved reading fun bios of people when I was young, so I’m sure this will be well received!
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By: lindilumens on January 6, 2021
at 5:38 pm
I’m so excited to read this book after reading the story behind the story. I love where your “yes” led you, Vivian!
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By: Jolene Ballard Gutiérrez on January 6, 2021
at 9:36 pm
What an inspiring book and book journey, Vivian!
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By: Melanie Ellsworth on January 7, 2021
at 10:39 am
What a fascinating book journey! I am really looking forward to reading Vivian’s latest book!
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By: claireannette1 on January 7, 2021
at 3:49 pm
I am so excited for this book! It looks wonderful! Such good work, Vivian! Wonderful illustrations, Gilbert! Congrats! I bet this was quite the journey for you both as well!!
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By: Marci Whitehurst on January 7, 2021
at 10:39 pm
I saw one of the stories as a draft and can’t wait to read the read.
So happy for Vivian. She writes great stories that both kids and adults can learn from.
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By: Linda Evans Hofke on January 8, 2021
at 8:21 pm
This book looks just fabulous. And Vivian’s journey is inspiring!
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By: Beth Charles on January 9, 2021
at 7:33 pm