![\"\"](\"https:\/\/images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51yRT5iMLfL._SL250_.jpg\")
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A Cool Summer Tail<\/a> Booktalk:<\/strong> Do you ever wonder how animals stay cool in the summer? Well they wonder how humans do too!<\/p>\n Snippet:<\/strong> (Mama fox) Two years ago, I hosted this author on the blog tour for her first children’s book<\/a>. Today Carrie A. Pearson<\/a> is back for the sequel as she answers just 3 questions….<\/p>\n Q. When did you start writing?<\/strong> Author Carrie A. Pearson<\/p>\n Q. Describe your writing process.<\/strong> Sierra in rocking chair<\/p>\n While I dabble in pure fiction, I\u2019m most at home at the intersection of fiction and nonfiction. Science is the underpinning of a lot of my work so accurate research is crucial. I use the internet to begin my research, but find that personal interviews with experts often lead in directions I might not have dreamed. So, after I\u2019ve pulled together intelligent questions, I pick up the phone\u2014or visit locations whenever possible. In fact, when this interview posts, I will have just returned from Redwood National Park to interview and tour with a well-known park ranger for an exciting new project funded by a grant from SCBWI.<\/p>\n Q. Tell us about your latest book.<\/strong><\/p>\n A.<\/strong> A Cool Summer Tail<\/a> (Arbordale Publishing, March 2014) is a nonfiction picture book for readers ages 4-8 that explores how woodland animals adapt to summer heat. While the content is true to life, the story is told in a fictional style with lyricism, rhyming, alliteration, and imagery. The book is unique because it is told from animals\u2019 perspectives, and because it compares and contrasts how animals and humans adapt. A Cool Summer Tail is a companion to my earlier book called A Warm Winter Tail which won a Gelett Burgess Award <\/a>in the Nature for All Ages category. Christina Wald<\/a>, the illustrator for both books, created visuals that are authentic but still child-friendly and ask to be explored over and over. We hope each book individually and both books together will provide insights into the amazing world of animal adaptation.<\/p>\n A Gelett Burgess Award Winner in the Nature for All Ages category.<\/p>\n Readers who visit each stop on the blog tour and comment are eligible to be chosen for a free copy of A Cool Summer Tail and a plush animal featured in the book.<\/strong><\/em> One winner will be chosen randomly. Here are the tour stops and hosts:<\/p>\n August 11: You are here! It’s Nonfiction Monday!<\/a><\/p>\n Copyright \u00a9 2014 Anastasia Suen<\/a> All Rights Reserved. A Cool Summer Tail by Carrie A. Pearson (Author) and Christina Wald (Illustrator) Booktalk: Do you ever wonder how animals stay cool in the summer? Well they wonder how humans do too! Snippet: (Baby fox) How do humans stay cool in the summer, Mama? Do they hang out their tongues, like a spring that’s been … Continue reading A Cool Summer Tail<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,16,20,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6606","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-booktalks","category-interview","category-nonfiction-monday","category-picture-book-of-the-day"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6606","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6606"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6606\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asuen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nby Carrie A. Pearson (Author) and Christina Wald (Illustrator)<\/p>\n
\n(Baby fox)
\nHow do humans stay cool in the summer, Mama?
\nDo they hang out their tongues,
\nlike a spring that’s been sprung,
\nbreathing fast in and out like this?<\/p>\n
\nNo panting! No puffing!
\nNo huh, huh, huh huffing<\/em>!
\nThey sweat through their skin when it’s hot.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.asuen.com\/images\/orange.white.three.questions%20copy.jpg\")
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\nA.<\/strong> I started writing very early in life and continued because I realized my words provoked a response. Some of it was good\u2014like when I wrote an affectionate note to my grandma and received a warm hug\u2014and some was not so good\u2014like when I wrote a fictionalized biography that conveyed my teen angst (rather than the truth) and hurt people I loved. My teaching degree in early childhood education further reinforced the impact of words on people, especially little people. I love choosing just the right words to tell the story I want to share. To me, the power of words will never grow old!<\/p>\n![\"Carrie](\"http:\/\/anastasiasuen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/carrie-headshot.jpg?w=200\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nA.<\/strong> Since June 2013 when I took on the volunteer role of co-Regional Advisor for SCBWI-MI, my writing days often begin with email correspondence about various projects and activities for our region or the larger organization. At first, I worried my writing time would be eaten up, but the opposite is true; my brain is more engaged for creative writing after it has been called into service to solve problems or work out details. I am careful to chart out how my time will be spent early in the week and check my progress daily to stay on track. I write at my computer in my office that has a lovely view to the outside world. This view reminds me that as much as I\u2019d like to be writing 24\/7, my product will be more interesting if writing time is interspersed with doggy adventures, running, hiking, mountain biking, family and friends.<\/p>\n![\"Sierra](\"http:\/\/anastasiasuen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/sierra-in-rocking-chair-001.jpg?w=234\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"WarmWinter](\"http:\/\/anastasiasuen.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/08\/warmwinter-cover-art-high-res-with-burgess-award.jpg?w=255\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAugust 14: Brittney Breakey: Author Turf<\/a>
\nAugust 15: Deborah Diesen: Jumping the Candlestick<\/a>
\nAugust 18: Jennifer Chamblis Bertman<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Nonfiction](\"http:\/\/www.asuen.com\/images\/nonfiction.monday.jpg\")
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\n<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"