THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT by Kimberlee Gard, Interview + Giveaway!

Despite being a writer, grammar is *not* my strong suit. Aside from the basic parts of speech, I can’t remember what anything is called or what most of the rules are. Mostly, I rely on intuition and whether something sounds right, based on decades of reading. That’s why I’m so taken with Kimberlee Gard’s Language is Fun series, which turns grammar and language into engaging stories that even I can grasp! I’m thrilled to have Kimberlee here on PBB to chat about the latest installment in her series, THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT, which just released last week. But first, the publisher’s description:

Andrea: Hi, Kimberlee! Welcome to Picture Book Builders! Congratulations on your latest addition to the Language is Fun series, THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT! Can you tell us how you started this series and how you came up with the language arts topics they focus on, including the inspiration for compound nouns?

Kimberlee: Thanks so much for welcoming me to Picture Book Builders and for the opportunity to share my latest book! The idea for this series was originally sparked by my own struggle with dyslexia and the difficulties I endured as a child while learning to read. However, the aspiration grew stronger when my oldest son was in kindergarten and had trouble reading and identifying letters. I realized then that I wanted to create books that were entertaining and engaging but would also help young readers grow in their knowledge and understanding of language arts concepts. My journey to getting published was long, but I am incredibly grateful my books found a home at Familius. I have an amazing team who believes in these stories and sees the vision for them. Learning reading and writing skills can often feel overwhelming to reluctant and struggling learners. I know because I was one of them, but by creating fictional stories with characters that explain concepts in a new and engaging way, my hope is that children will learn and grow while enjoying the books.

Andrea: Your stories are definitely engaging and entertaining! The first four books in your series feature anthropomorphized letters and punctuation marks. Did it feel different to write from the POV of an animal main character (with his dragonfly friend) in this book?

Kimberlee: I absolutely love being an author and creating characters of all sorts, and yes, the characters in THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT have shifted a bit but it’s been fun to switch to a new cast—a cast we will be seeing more of in the years to come!

Andrea: Oh, that’s great! I love Bulldog and Dragonfly! I also love all the different compound nouns you include in the book. They’re fresh and fun, and one of them is surely a favorite place for PBB readers! (Spoiler alert: It’s “book + store!”) How did you approach choosing the compound nouns – did you start with the plot and then choose characters (“bull + dog”) and settings (“car + wash”), or was it the other way around?

Kimberlee: I did a lot of research for this book and had a long list of compound nouns that I thought were fun and would make for the best illustrations, then I plotted the story out in an outline. I wrote the first couple drafts on an airplane flight home, squeezed into the middle seat between two strangers. I’m sure I looked a little silly scribbling sentences, flipping through notes, doodling images, while trying to keep my elbows locked at my sides, but by the time we landed, the story was done, and I was really excited about it. I sent it to Familius the next week.

Andrea: That’s amazing. I wish I could write on planes. Can we talk about the structure of the book? Each right-hand page contains a sentence that ends with the first part of the compound noun, followed by an ellipsis. When the reader turns the page, they discover the second part of the noun, and it’s a surprise to find out what the compound noun is. My favorite example of this in the book is the page that says, “The hunt was on until DRAGON…” and the page shows the end of a dragon’s tail plus a shadow of a dragon on the ground. So the reader is primed to see a dragon on the next page, but instead, they read the end of the sentence, “…FLY stopped him.” The illustration then shows a smiling dragonfly instead of the expected dragon. It’s such a brilliant structure – it keeps readers turning the pages to see what the compound noun actually is! How did you come up with this structure?

Kimberlee: I give Christopher Robbins, the founder of Familius, all the kudos for the page-turn idea. I love the reader interaction it creates. This matched with Sandie Sonke’s amazing illustrations has brought this book to life. I will let you in on a little secret though—the Dragonfly page-turn was the most difficult illustration for Sandie to come up with. We went through several rounds of ideas and illustration dummies before she had the idea for a shadow on the ground which led to the dragonfly reveal on the next page. I think it’s brilliant!

Andrea: Me too! And all of Sandie Sonke’s illustrations are so vibrant and kid-friendly. The book is also a great example of how illustrations and text rely on each other in a picture book. After so many books together, do you and Sandie discuss the text before she starts on the illustrations? Or do you use art notes in your manuscript?

Kimberlee: I feel so lucky to be paired with Sandie as an illustrator for this series. She is incredibly talented. For this book, I did write in a few art notes, but only one or two that would explain the vision for the text. As the work progressed, I added some ideas along the way (like our first book, THE LITTLE i WHO LOST HIS DOT, in the window of the bookstore). I have learned that the more freedom an illustrator has, the more the story can grow and evolve. It’s truly an example of teamwork and two visions coming together to create something neither of us could do on our own. 

Andrea: Yes, I totally agree! I wish I’d had your books in my ELA classes as a kid, instead of the dry grammar textbooks I loathed! They really make learning language arts fun and memorable. Are you planning more books in the Language is Fun series? What else are you working on?

Kimberlee: I hear that a lot and I am so grateful my books can make a difference for young readers in all aspects of their learning and growth. And YES!!! We do have more books planned for the series which is exciting. I’m also devoting a lot of attention to school visits where I can personally meet readers and share my journey and my own reading struggles and encourage students that often our greatest obstacles can become our greatest opportunities. 

Andrea: Yay! I’m so happy there will be more books in the series! And I’m sure we have lots of educators out there who would be interested in having you visit their schools! Thanks so much for chatting with me about THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT, Kimberlee! Where can readers find you on the internet?

Kimberlee: Thank YOU for this amazing opportunity! I would love to connect with your audience. Readers can find me on my website at https://Kimberleeberleegard.com, where I have a lot of free resources to go along with my books, or on my socials at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kimberleeberlee.gard/ and Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Kimberleeberlee.gard/

Kimberlee is giving away a copy of THE COMPOUND NOUN TREASURE HUNT to one lucky winner in the continental U.S. Please leave a comment below before August 31st to enter!

Kimberlee Gard is the award-winning author of several picture books including the Language is Fun Series, and Snoozapalooza. Her books have made best-seller lists and Vooks, a streaming app for kids, has transformed her titles into living story books that are now featured on Netflix. In addition to writing, Kimberlee speaks at conferences and schools where she shares her story and struggle with dyslexia and encourages others to believe that with determination and persistence any dream can come true. She lives on a small hobby farm outside of Denver with her family and a gaggle of barnyard friends. More information can be found at www.kimberleegard.com. 

Sandie Sonke is a Southern California native and a Cal State University Fullerton grad with a degree in studio art. She finds joy in simply sketching in her sketchbook or drawing tablet.  She is a freelance illustrator and mom to two sweet, silly kids who inspire her daily. She loves to create whimsical and colorful illustrations. She hopes to bring a little happiness to those who view her work. For more info about Sandie and to view her portfolio, go to https://www.sandiesonkeart.com. Follow her on socials at FB: https://www.facebook.com/sandiesonkeillustration/ and IG: @sandiesonke.