AWE! IT’S EVERYWHERE! + Interview with Author Chana Stiefel + A GIVEAWAY!

Hello Picture Book Builders!

Today I’m thrilled to be able to feature one of my very favorite books of the year, AWE! IT’S EVERYWHERE! and its AWE-some author, Chana Stiefel!

Here’s the review I posted of this glorious book when it came out earlier this year:

This is an absolutely STUNNING picture book. Dare I say I am….in AWE! With writing that is succinct and poetic, and illustrations that are breathtakingly beautiful, this book introduces the concept and emotion of awe to young readers. It invites kids to consider the numerous situations in which they may have already experienced awe and asks them to continue to live their lives in a state of wonder and curiosity — to look for awe everywhere, from the smallest to the biggest moments. Awe is truly all around us, if we choose to find it. A good reminder for children and adults alike!

WELCOME, CHANA!

RGL: As this book has been out since March, there are already a few interviews I’ve read where you talk about the inspiration for this book and how you got to thinking about it after listening to a podcast about the work of Dacher Keltner and then reading his book, Awe: The new Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life.  What a great example of the truth that ideas (and awe!) are everywhere! So instead of asking what sparked this book, let me ask a slightly different question: Why did you feel it was important for kids to have a book on this topic?

CS: Thank you for inviting me to Picture Book Builders, Rebecca, and for leading with such an important question. First, as parents and educators know, it’s very important for kids to be able to name their emotions and communicate how they’re feeling. For example, “I’m sad, I’m anxious, I’m bored, I’m angry” (sometimes all at once). Expressing emotions can lessen the intensity of the moment, build empathy, and encourage problem solving.

Experiencing awe adds layers to this. Research shows that awe has the power to change the way we think and feel. When a child (or a person at any age) experiences awe in nature (ie, the brilliant colors of autumn leaves or a sky full of stars), they may feel calmer and less anxious. When awe-struck by a performance or sports event, they may feel more connected to the audience around them, and they might want to dance, sing, or throw a ball. When witnessing someone being awesomely generous, they may be encouraged to be more giving and kind. And when they get teary-eyed or feel chills when exposed to music or art, they may feel the urge to create.

So awe = calmness + connection + kindness + creativity. All things that kids of all ages need right now.

Finally, because everything is so fresh and new to kids, they are natural repositories of awe. (Try taking an awe walk with a child!) Building a practice of experiencing awe from a young age can have positive lifelong effects.

RGL: I know Susan Gal also illustrated your incredible book, The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs. How did having a previous project together change how you collaborated this time around?

CS: Although we didn’t meet until after The Tower of Life came out, Susan and I bonded over that book. It was such a privilege and honor to bring Yaffa’s Eliach’s story to life in words and pictures. Susan’s illustrations are beyond stunning. After we met, we discovered that we had many shared interests like travel and hiking. So when I wrote AWE!, I clearly had Susan in mind. I’m so grateful she said yes! Early in the process, even though it’s not traditional for authors and illustrators to work together, Susan and I met at Books of Wonder in New York City. We sat for a few hours, brainstorming new ideas and discussing layouts. The process was awe itself.

RGL: Let’s talk about craft for a moment. As you know, I LOVE writing in rhyme, and while this one includes some perfectly rhymed couplets, you also mix them with more lyrical free verse, which is NOT easy to pull off. You also use several slant end rhymes, which I often caution new writers against using, but you (as the pro you are) work in so beautifully here, along with tons of internal rhyme and other lyrical tools. (I particularly love the line: “Awe can be mystical, lyrical, spiritual…a miracle!”). You break a lot of “rules” with this manuscript, so I’d love to know more about your choices. Was this a story that came out of you this way or were these decisions more purposeful?

CS: Wow, what a huge compliment coming from you! I loved your “Rhyme is NOT a Crime” webinar on 12 x 12. I like to experiment with new things, for example, playing with point of view (LET’S FLY is written in first person), new settings (WAKAWAKALOCH takes place in the Stone Age), etc. I wanted to introduce awe to kids without being didactic. Awe is a topic that lends itself to lyricism and the text poured out of me as a polyhybrid mixture of second-person lyrical prose, a series of rhyming couplets, those slanty rhyming lines, and more. I can’t truly put my finger on how it evolved in this way, but it took a lot of word smithing, brainstorming, sleepless nights, and hundreds of read alouds. Somehow it works! I do not recommend trying this at home, but I DO recommend writing from your heart.

RGL: I love that answer! And thank you so much for watching my 12×12 webinar on rhyme and for your kind words about it! (For those who aren’t 12×12 members and may have missed it, feel free to email me at RebeccaWrites4Kids@gmail.com and I can get you details about how to access it) But now, back the interview…

RGL: What was the most challenging hurdle you faced in the creation of this book? What was the most joyful part?

CS: The challenging hurdles were 1) Organizing the text into a narrative that flows (ie, I used opposites like big/small, silent/loud, dark/light); 2) Deciding what stays and what goes. We had so many images in mind, we could have done a second book; and 3) Figuring out a lyrical ending that sends kids on an awe journey of their own.

There was so much joy in creating this book! One of the most joyful parts was seeing Susan’s awe-inspiring art for the first time. Then we had the opportunity to enjoy “One Awesome Day” in New York City, which included trips to the big blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History, a star show, lunch with librarians at Scholastic, views of NYC from the Edge (101 stories high), a signing at Books of Wonder, and dinner with our families. Pure awe and joy!

RGL: And now, my favorite question to ask my guests: What is one question no one has yet to ask you about the making of this book that you would love to answer? (And what’s the answer?!)

CS: Ooh! Great question. Here it is: Are there any Easter eggs (or if you’re Jewish, afikomans) in this book? The answer is YES! I had told Susan that every time my mom is out in nature and enjoying beautiful scenery, she spreads her arms wide to take in all the wonder. My kids and I call that “Savta pose.” (Savta is “Grandma” in Hebrew.) Starting with the cover, how many times can you and/or readers find Savta pose in AWE? The next time you experience awe, try Savta pose and send me a pic! 🙂

RGL: Ooooh, how fun!!! I counted but I’m not going to give away the answer I got. Readers, feel free to post your guesses in the comments below!

Thank you, Chana, for joining us today!

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Chana has generously agreed to send one signed copy of AWE! (US-shipping only) to one lucky reader! To enter, just comment below and I will announce the winner on my next post, scheduled for December 15th.

ALSO, the WINNER of last month’s GIVEAWAY, a copy of my recently released book, I WISH THAT YOU KNEW, illustrated by Alyssa Russell, is….

***Sheri Delgado- Preston!!!**

Sheri, Congrats! Please email me at RebeccaWrites4Kids@Gmail.com to claim your prize!

Chana’s bio:

Chana Stiefel is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children. Her nonfiction picture books include AWE!, Let’s Fly!, Let Liberty Rise, and The Tower of Life, which received many honors, including the 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award and a Robert F. Sibert Honor. Her funny fiction includes Bravo, Avocado, My Name is Wakawakaloch, and Daddy Depot. Chana’s most recent nonfiction middle grade is How Rude: Animals That Burp, Toot, Spit, and Screech to Survive. She loves to visit schools and libraries to share her passion for reading and writing with children. Chana is represented by Miranda Paul at Aevitas. Follow @chanastiefel on Instagram. Learn more at chanastiefel.com.