by Barbara Nass
First, let me start by thanking Tara for hosting me and my debut picture book, FIX AND STITCH. Tara was a gift to me. And I mean that literally. When I retired, my work team gave me consulting time with Tara as a retirement gift. I can’t think of a better way to have jump-started my journey into picture book writing.
They say “write what you know”. And for a time, I struggled with the notion of writing a STEM story about tech and especially one to inspire young girls into this field. In my previous tech career, I mentored women across my organization and the few (emphasis on few) that were in tech. I also promoted tech careers at St. Elizabeth University as well as Rutgers University. I was all in on developing a tech-related story, but ideas that were picture-book-worthy didn’t come.
Other ideas did come, though. And the one that was the springboard for FIX AND STITCH began with the question of how a porcupine gets its first hug.
That idea could have gone in many directions. But instead, wound up about Squirrel, a creative tailor, who helps solve Porcupine’s problem. But in FIX AND STITCH, Squirrel has his own need. The birds have headed south, the last of the leaves are on the ground and winter is coming. Squirrel must build his winter home before it’s too late.
Instead, he delays, again and again, continuing to help his woodland neighbors, each with their own amusing dilemma. Squirrel just can’t say “no”.
Aha! I did write what I know. Squirrel grew up in a family like mine.
And while this story offers a message of kindness and friendship, what was the message that young readers would take away? I wanted a story about empathy, not self-sacrifice. Revision was needed and an author’s note added opening the door for discussion with children. In fact, I’ve already received notes from parents letting that they’ve had these important conversations after reading the story and author’s note. One even told me that it was quite a meaningful moment with his daughter. This feedback means everything to me. So, while I hope young readers will delight in this story of a clever tailor and his ingenious designs, I also hope they walk away with this life lesson in balancing empathy with attending to one’s own needs. A lesson that quite a few adults have now told me, they wished they had learned at an early age.
I want to thank Karen Grencik and Barb McNally for wanting this story told. And to Liza Woodruff, an amazing illustrator who truly captured the spirit of the story and its characters.
Congratulations on all your success, Barbara!
Blog readers, Barbara is giving away a copy of FIX AND STITCH. Just leave one comment below to enter and a random winner will be selected at the end of the month.
The winner of the last giveaway, MILKWEED FOR MONARCHS (critique), is Ashley Bankhead. Congrats, Ashley, and expect an email from me shortly.
Barbara Nass grew up in Brooklyn, NY. married, and raised her son in New Jersey. There, the family enjoyed hiking New Jersey’s scenic park trails. A woodland habitat she used as the setting for FIX AND STITCH, her debut picture book. A tech executive, whose career roots began in early childhood education, Barbara will forever treasure those moments when her students first learned to read. Barbara now lives in Manalapan, New Jersey. Visit her at BarbaraNass.com, Instagram @barbara.nass.writer, and Twitter/X @barbara_nass.
Source : FIX AND STITCH, A Debut Picture Book Weaves a Balance (plus a giveaway)
