Oh, readers. This book. Talk about a work of art.
Here at PBB, we like to talk about a book’s one outstanding element. But I’m really not sure where to begin with FINDING FAMILY – The Duckling Raised by Loons, the latest from Laura Purdie Salas and Alexandria Neonakis, because every element is superlative. Neonakis’s luminous art immediately puts you in mind of the best wildlife paintings, or even spectacular wildlife photography. Each page turn draws you so close that you can’t help but feel intimately connected to this loon pair and their mysterious duckling guest. Here’s a quick synopsis:
On a lake in northern Wisconsin in 2019, loon researchers were surprised to discover a mother and father loon caring for a mallard duckling. Normally loons and mallards live very different lives and do not get along. Follow along as the duckling grows and displays a mix of both loon behaviors and mallard behaviors. Intriguing verse and striking illustrations combine in this heartwarming tale of unexpected animal cooperation.
Nobody shines any brighter than Laura Purdie Salas at crafting evocative, lyrical language. There isn’t one word here that isn’t necessary, not one image that doesn’t make you feel something. Take notice of the text on the spreads shared here, and you’ll see what I mean.
I invited Laura to drop in for a chat. Welcome, Laura!
JE: I have to tell you, Laura, that after viewing the PDF of this book, I went ahead and ordered my own copy. My animal-loving heart felt an instant connection, and I couldn’t resist this sweet, beautifully told, TRUE tale of inter-species adoption.
LPS: Aw, thanks! I’m honored!
JE: So, I have questions. First of all, you mention in the back matter that Editor Carol Hinz approached you with this idea. Had you already heard of the loons/duckling saga? Were you at all hesitant?
LPS: I’m embarrassingly abysmal at keeping up with both news and pop culture. I had no clue what Carol was talking about when she brought up this whole ducking/loons situation!
I was hesitant, for several reasons. Here are just a few of them!
a. What if I spent a gazillion hours on the project and then Millbrook didn’t acquire it?
b. What if I couldn’t deliver something Carol loved?
c. What if I didn’t really know how to write an engaging narrative nonfiction book? Most of my other nonfiction picture books are expository books, showing examples of different concepts.
d. What if the duckling came to a sad end? (This was a concern before I started the research.)
e. What if Carol/Lerner no longer wanted the manuscript once they learned the true story left many questions unanswered? (This was a concern after I did some research and fell in love with the story.)
f. What about all of my own book ideas that I’d set aside if I wrote this manuscript?
So I can safely say that I had many hesitations. However, I’ve worked with Carol and the Lerner team on a number of projects, so I swallowed my doubts and dove in.
JE: (Note to readers #1: See? Folks with multiple published books have the same angst as newcomers!) (Note to readers #2: The PDF I received of this book showed single pages at a time, rather than entire spreads, so please ignore that white gap between pages. It doesn’t exist in the actual book.)
Let’s talk about the writing, Laura. Your experience shows on every page of this beauty. The text is so lyrical and pretty, without it sounding like you’re TRYING, if that makes sense. I know that “effortless” flow reflects a great deal of deep, thoughtful work and nit-picky revision. How do you know when a text is “there?”
LPS: Thank you so much, Jill. I’m thrilled if it sounds effortless! First, know that I tried many different approaches before deciding on the lyrical voice. And in this case, Carol gave me feedback on several versions along the way. But generally, I decide that a text is “there,” is ready to submit, when I feel like my revision efforts are making it different but not stronger.
JE: That’s a great rule of thumb.
LPS: I might try draft 7 and then realize draft 6 was stronger. If I get to draft 8 or 9 and keep feeling pulled back to draft 6, then that’s sort of when I feel like I’ve gotten the manuscript as strong as I can make it. So that’s the draft I’ll submit––always aware that more revisions will come after a manuscript is acquired, too.
Here’s a bit of how the opening evolved. In quotations and in yellow are excerpts from the notes to myself that I write as I start/finish each draft.
JE: You’re incredibly generous to share this and show your actual process, Laura. Don’t we writers love this kind of peek into someone else’s mind? Fascinating!
LPS: And that opening text stuck! It’s how the book opens. Many other bits kept changing and evolving for much longer, though.
JE: I don’t even know what to ask you about Alexandria Neonakis’s stunning art. I was only a few pages into the book when I felt very strongly that nobody else could have illustrated it as well.
LPS: I spent so many hours poring over photos and videos taken by Linda Greener, a volunteer with the Loon Project. So there was an awful lot for the art to live up to. I was excited and immensely relieved to see Alexandria’s art! She captures the relationships and Duckling’s personality in such a lively way! There’s quirkiness and humor in Duckling’s expressions, and yet Alexandria also nails the mysterious moments, the uncertain ones … I feel super lucky to have my words collaborating with Alexandria’s art in this book!
JE: Tell us about other books you have entering the world this year.
LPS: It’s a bountiful spring! Besides FINDING FAMILY, I have a rhyming nonfiction picture book called ZAP! CLAP! BOOM! THE STORY OF A THUNDERSTORM (Bloomsbury), gorgeously illustrated by Elly McKay. And I have my first ever board book! It’s called PUDDLE SONG (Creative Editions), and it’s a rhyming celebration of puddles and play, beautifully illustrated by Monique Felix. Whee!
JE: CONGRATULATIONS! Those multiple release seasons are few and far between! Tough to know which way to turn, when it comes to promotion. One more question, speaking of multiples: Do you have lots of projects going at one time, Laura, in various stages?
LPS: I do! Besides having several books making their way through the publishing process, I usually am actively working on at least three different projects. By actively, I mean that I work on it at least a few times over each month. I tend to spend my writing time on one project until I hit a wall.
JE: I can relate!
LPS: I might need more research, or I don’t know what to do next, or I need the manuscript to sit a while before I read it again with fresh eyes. Then I pull up one of my other works in progress and dive into it. I generally have several in rotation at any given time. The hope is always that by the time I go back to that first project, something will have shifted in my brain to help me climb whatever wall I had hit. If I were just working on one manuscript, I’d probably feel like I had writer’s block. But since I have multiple manuscripts going, I never feel blocked. I just feel like I’m shifting focus for a little while.
JE: I work in a similar way, as do lots of our readers, I’ll bet. Some manuscripts never do gel, but when anything gets close to a finished draft, I tend to get sucked in and race for the finish line. Thanks so much, Laura, for sharing so much of yourself with our readers. You are awesome!
Bio: Laura Purdie Salas was born and raised in Florida and never saw a loon until she moved to Minnesota. Laura has written more than 135 poetry, nonfiction, and fiction books, and she’s grateful for the nice honors and recognition her books have received. Laura visits schools, does professional development for teachers, and runs a membership Facebook Group for aspiring and working children’s writers. Visit Laura at https://laurasalas.com
Twitter: @LauraPSalas
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraPSalas/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurapsalas/
Patreon Group: https://www.patreon.com/LauraPurdieSalas
Readers, by leaving a comment, you’re automatically entered to win your own copy of FINDING FAMILY! Contest will remain open until April 21st. U.S. residents only, please.
_________________________________
See blog posts about the Loon Project: https://loonproject.org/recent-events/
I enjoyed reading about your writing process. What an interesting topic and a beautiful book. Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Mark!
Congratulations, Laura! The book looks and sounds wonderful. I appreciate the peek at your process as well. All the best with your new releases and thank you, Jill, for sharing.
Thanks, Mary. It’s always interesting to go BACK through my drafts and view the evolution of a book from a distance :>)
Thanks Jill and Laura for sharing the changes via further revisions! This book looks so magical!
The art is amazing!I appreciate you sharing your thought process and notes to yourself on what needs to be done next.
Thanks, Kathy! Alexandria did a magnificent job capturing Duckling. Sigh…
So fun! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Katie!
Stunning! You’re right, Jill – my animal-loving ❤️ needs this too. I can’t wait to see the whole thing. Congratulations on such an important, beautiful piece of art, Laura.
Thank you, CJ! Writing most of this during the pandemic…I wonder if that gave a bit more depth to me and my writing.
Thanks for featuring this book, Jill. I love loons and I’ve loved Laura’s other books. Laura, it’s so helpful to my own writing attempts to hear and see more about your process. I wish you much success with this one!
Thank you so much, Jane! You are such a lovely connector of people and books. :>) A librarian through and through!
I just got this book from my library last week and it is STUNNING! Laura, you know I’m a huge fan of you and your work and this book is just perfect. And thanks so much for sharing your process—my revision process could definitely benefit from doing something similar!
Thanks, Debra D
I can’t get over how great these illustrations are. This is a great addition to any library!
Aren’t they lovely?!
So generous Laura – thank you for sharing your process and congratulations on the book!
Thank you, Cathy!
A different kind of Ugly Duckling story. One that’s true! And beautifully illustrated. I’m hooked. It’s great also to read Laura’s process. Thanks, Jill, for sharing this.
Thank you, Kathy–Can you believe I never thought of the Ugly Duckling corollary. Too funny!
Thank you for sharing your revision process and how you work with your editor. This is a special book – Congratulations!
Thanks so much, Claire.
Thank you so very much, Jill! Your enthusiasm for FINDING FAMILY brightens my day! (And it’s only Tuesday, and there was a split second when I thought it was Friday, so that tells you how my day was going before I came and read your lovely words.) Thank you for helping to spread the word!
Haha. You’re welcome. Thank YOU, Laura, for writing such a beautiful book!
I so appreciate being able to see the actual revision process in action! Thank you so much for sharing this – great interview!
Thanks, Beth :>) Revision is so much fun, usually.
Thank you Jill and Laura! I am especially appreciative, that you shared an example of how you work through a segment, really helpful and excellent. I cannot wait to read this book, and I’m really glad that there wasn’t a sad ending!
Thanks, Jennifer. I hope you enjoy the book. The ending is a mystery, like so much of life. It allows me to keep my optimism :>)
I enjoyed the personal revision notes you shared with us today as they are excellent reminders for me to improve my story and add heart and depth. I’m excited to read your work!
Thanks very much, Danielle :>)
Oh Laura, FINDING FAMILY is beautiful! I have it on reserve but my update says it’ll be weeks. I may just treat myself to my own copy! Congratulations! –And of course, I love the peek into your process!
Thanks, Patricia <3 I hope you enjoy it, whenever you end up getting it!
As an adoptive mom and a nonfiction picture book author, I enjoyed this interview on SO many levels! Thank you Jill and Laura for taking the time to share these thoughtful and informative questions and answers. I loved the “paring to lyrical” example of text revision. Keeping essential facts at forefront while making the words sing is one of the joyful challenges of writing nonfiction. This is a superlative example of success at doing that!
Thank you so much, Janet! That means a lot.
I love seeing insights into your process, Laura, and the progression of your word choices from stationary to active/descriptive. This is such a sweet, heart-filled story. Congrats on making a beautiful book!
Thanks, Jilanne!
How fascinating! This is a story I want to read.
Thank you, Cindy!
I’m so excited to see this book!
Lyrical text!
Beautiful illustrations!
Nature!
So much love!
Thanks, Natasha :>) It was a challenging project, but I’m so happy with how the book came out…
Thank you for this wonderful interview, Jill and Laura! And thank you for the insights into your writing process and even the concerns you had prior to starting the project, as well as during, Laura. It is encouraging to see how you kept going with the research and the writing. It is a beautiful book!
I’m super good at coming up with concerns! :>D Thanks Elizabeth.
This is an amazing story, and what a beautiful picture book! I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the interview!
Thank you, Angie!
My copy from the library is due tomorrow. I loved going back to it after reading your process. So glad you decided to write this book.
Thank you, Sandie! I love hearing that it was worth reading twice :>)
Loved this look behind the curtain at Laura’s process. Thanks!
Thank you, Rebecca!
Fabulous post, Laura! So great to see your process. What a priceless learning experience!
Thanks so much, Susanna! Although it’s always kind of a pain to dig things up and answer questions like this, I always learn so much by going back to the process. So it’s always worth it for me, too…
Jill and Laura, thank you for a lovely interview and a peek into the making of Finding Family. It looks and sounds gorgeous!
Thanks so much, Vijaya!
Such a lovely book! I want to read it to a classroom of kids.
Thanks, Kathy!
I love Laura’s books and this one is beautiful and moving. Proud owner of a copy. Thanks for the interview, Jill, and thanks, Laura for sharing a bit about your process.
Thank you so much, Maria :>)
I read the ARC from Netgalley. Right away, I emailed my friend at the Vermont Center for Ecostudies who likes me to recommend books for their resource library. I loved reading about your research process.
Thank you so very much for spreading the word and sharing your lovely review! I remember it!
This book sounds wonderful. Thanks for the peek into the process!
Thank you, Carol!
Jill, thank you for this lovely interview with Laura. And, Laura, thank you. What a lovely true story of a duckling being raised by a loon. There is so much to learn here–like the weight of bones between mallards and loons–your research has been extensive. Thank you for letting us see a glimpse of how you wrote the book. I’m looking forward to reading the whole book.
Thanks, Denise–I hope you like it!
Laura, congratulations on this amazing book about loons raising a duck. I’ve been at our local monthly Salon where you’ve shared some of your writing experiences. And I love how transparent you’ve been about the financial aspect of writing picture books! AND, you critiqued one of my books. Thank you!
Aw, thank you so much, Mary! Hope your writing is going well!
I can’t wait to read this book to my kids. We just read Trumpet of the Swan together and are all about eggs and ponds right now!
Hooray! I love when topics/themes show up in bunches in my reading :>)
Thanks for sharing part of the process. I always learn something! I’m looking forward to reading this book. I love every book Laura has written. Such talent!
Thanks, Penny! And I was so happy to see a recent book announcement in PW Children’s Bookshelf for you. Whee!
Thanks, Penny! And I was so happy to see a recent book announcement in PW Children’s Bookshelf for you. Whee!
Jill, You had me at ” wildlife photography” and “animal-loving heart.” 🦆But what a treat to read Laura’s perspective…her doubts, process, and obvious integrity of craft. Thank you both for sharing!
Thank you so much, Crystal!
This book looks and sounds absolutely beautiful! I love your work and can’t wait to add this to my library collection.
Thanks, Kerry–so good to see you here!
Love this story and can’t wait to read the book. I grew up on a farm and we had one lone gosling in a huge flock of ducklings. He was so confused- LOL. So interesting to hear this occurs elsewhere.