This book features Jim Aylesworth, a popular picture book author. It discusses his life and work and the researching, writing, and illustrating of selected books. Discussion of children's reading development, including strategies and the author's philosophy about using books with children is included, while lesson plan ideas and activities for each title provide practical help and extend student learning. The book is a fascinating window into the life and work of this popular children's author and gives insight into "Old Black Fly, Tricky Fox," and each of his tales.

Playing on the...

Playing on the phrase, The author and you, a commonly taught reading comprehension strategy that teaches the learner how to look at the words of an author and make inferences about what is being said, this new series will assist teachers and teacher librarians in understanding the underlying purposes of an author as they prepare learning activities for students. The series focuses primarily on books for the elementary age child (K-6) and features insights into the author's background, purposes, and goals in writing his or her books. By furnishing an overview of an author's works, the books...

This title features the personal reflections of non fiction picture book author illustrator, Bob Barner, including insight into his life, his path to becoming a successful children's author illustrator and the back story behind his books. Mr. Barner offers activity suggestions for each of his featured books and interesting details to share with students that will pique their interest in writing and illustrating. His discussion of his creative process in such books as "Dem Bones, Stars, Stars, Stars" and "Bugs Bugs Bugs " is both fascinating and instructive to teachers and the young...

Award-winning author Deborah Hopkinson grew up in Massachusetts and after college moved to Hawaii where she worked as a college development administrator while nurturing her writing career. In this 9th book of the Author and YOU series, Hopkinson shares her curiosity and the manner in which that curiosity leads to investigation and research and then to her many fiction and nonfiction stories. The author discusses each of her books, providing the back story, the impetus for the book, and the research activities that brought each of the stories to young readers. The particular emphasis of...

Award-winning author Jane Kurtz spent most of her childhood in East Africa. In Jane Kurtz and YOU, she writes about animal spotting on the savanna, all-day treks on a treacherous road, and periodic visits to the United States where her fellow students asked, Did you see Tarzan? Each chapter contains a section that focuses on writing traits and the writing process, unlocking the mysteries of how authors come up with interesting ideas, hunt for vivid details, use words with sparkle and pizzazz, craft sentences and paragraphs that have pleasing rhythms, organize in clear and compelling...

This seventh book in the "Author and YOU" series features the life and work of Mary Casanova, award-winning picture book author, and author of middle grade fiction. This title discusses her life and work and the researching, writing and illustrating of each of her books, books that often present challenges in nature and focus on relationships between people and the environment. Her most recent books, middle grade novels, include "Jess"--a book promoted by the American Girl publishers as their Girl of the Year (2006). The back story of each of Casanova's books will provide ideas for lesson...