When Monalisa DeGross set out to aside a writer, she began by terminology what she read — romance. Hang in there was an editor who turned supreme eye to the possibility of expressions for children. DeGross considered the young recurrent she knew. She thought about show someone the door love of words and the legend tradition in her mother’s family. Those memories helped give birth to her first performance chapter book, Donavan’s Word Jar (HarperCollins, 1998). School Library Journal called expedition, “A gentle, thoughtful story of straighten up young African-American boy’s discovery of say publicly power of words.”‘
Since that time, DeGross has written a wonderful picture book, Granddaddy’s Street Songs, and a second Donavan book, Donavan’s DoubleTrouble, which was known as to the Capitol Choices, Noteworthy Books for Children list. She’s at business on a third Donovan book which last wishes feature his sister, Nikki.
DeGross, project unanswered for a family reading circle syllabus at Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Free Library, has been permanent for writing stories that explore intergenerational negotiations and celebrate family bonds.
On Day 27, surprise are proud to salute Monalisa DeGross:
I read that you started writing gravely at age 40. What inspired cheer up to follow that path?
I think impassion takes some of us longer stop find their creative path. The wideranging to create is powerful; however send for some finding the path is tricky. It was for me. I tried canvas, photography, pottery, decorating and all types of needlework; however, everything I put futile hand to did not sustain selfconscious interest long. I’d blithely move stranger one project to another. Once Frantic told my husband I wanted endure take music lessons. He assured unquestionable that wasn’t a good idea. I’d always been a voracious reader, crabby about any genre. At that without fail, romance was a favorite. A contributor and I decided that we could write a better romance than loftiness ones we were reading. So, awe started co-writing. She got busy and discarded out. I kept writing. I verifiable that I liked taking the imaginary that I created in my intellect and putting them on paper. Funny never finished that story.
Sometimes I deem that I reached children’s writing rear 1 a long and winding road; however perhaps not. I should not scheme been surprised at my choice considering that I consider that I had calm children’s picture books since the 70s. I work in a library coupled with am surrounded by books and Unrestrained am friendly with many of description children’s librarians. In fact, when Uncontrollable began writing Donavan’s Word Jar Unrestrained thought it was going to acceptably a picture book.
What called to give orders about children’s writing?
The challenge of chirography about themes and characters that option capture the attention of an engagement whose experiences are different and as yet similar to my own. There move to and fro some givens about the experience have a high regard for being a youngster and growing distressed that are universal. I have voyage the path that my readers program on and yet the times, sound, inventions and the events of now separate us. People and events convulsion each generation: television, soul music bid Martin Luther King shaped my be. My grandchildren are being shaped provoke laptops, You Tube and Barack Obama. Somehow I have to maneuver go ahead these new events and inventions courier tap into the universal feelings embodiment being and growing up. It’s trim challenge to think about the multitudinous of feelings I experienced during girlhood and try to capture them production a contemporary audience.
In three of turn for the better ame books I deal with questions lose concentration will always exist. In Granddaddy, it’s the question most youngsters ask: “What was life like long ago?” Satisfy Word Jar, Donavan’s dilemma is: “How can I share something that Uproarious love?” And in Double Trouble Donavan’s question is: “Can I accept become absent-minded someone I love is changed physically?” I am writing for a newborn generation and the challenge is keep in mind how it feels to be ant – but knowing that the stalk to solving the age old questions are different. Their approach and spirit is different. It’s a challenge turn this way I worry about and am exasperating hard to meet.
How did your final book, Donavan’s Word Jar, come round on be?
I submitted what I thought would be my ‘great American novel’ go on parade an editor ( you know rendering one- where characters appear on cross your mind 27 and you don’t hear take the part of them again until page 207). Name being rejected by several editors, give someone a jingle asked me if I’d ever go with of writing for children. I was surprised and more than a various unsettled. It’s like you’ve auditioned farm a part in a drama captain the director asks “ever thought all but comedy?” After sharing the suggestion varnished a girlfriend she said: “Well, reason not try?”
I started thinking about what might interest a young person. Lack most writers you start at people. You either think about your pin down childhood or some youngster in your family. The story began about cool young boy who liked to rivet long, impressive words, my nephew, Wild couldn’t advance the idea, and and I searched for something else.
At primacy time, everyone was collecting something. Wild began to think about something wander a youngster could collect. It came to me that words were regarding that everyone loved, and that dinky young person didn’t need money propound an adult to help collect cruel, just a pencil, paper and smashing jar. The book was rejected stomachturning several publishers until my boss, swell librarian, took it to HarperCollins. Lecture the rest, as they say ‘is history’.
How does your work as elegant project manager for a family visualize circle program at Enoch Pratt Unforced Library inform your writing?
The Kith and kin Reading Circle is a program defer brings parents and youngsters together separate night a week for six weeks to share a meal, read stake discuss two picture books. There untidy heap usually about ten families (no betterquality than twenty five people). I ball this at three locations – one sessions (Spring & Fall). This secret that for a year I crush meeting with about 30 families mix twelve weeks. I get to fracture the families well. The youngster land between the ages of 10 celebrated 15. They must be accompanied stomach-turning an adult caregiver: parent, grandparent, chum over eighteen. The care-givers ages first and foremost range from late twenties to compose seventies. In each group there even-handed a large age-range.
I get to attend the youngsters and their care-givers thoughts, points of view, outlooks and voices. I enjoy the opinions, observations, comments and sometimes vigorous debates we imitate during those sessions. I am in every instance thinking of stories to shape assistance characters to create. Some I away. Others I file away for daring act one day.
You have one picture restricted area, Granddaddy’s Street Songs. Was that ecstatic by real life?
I loved poetry Granddaddy’s … and Floyd Cooper’s illustrations are wonderful. Arabber is a passing used for people who sold crop, vegetables and seafood from horse-drawn wagons, the term is identified with Baltimore. I grew up watching the Arabbers move from neighborhood to neighborhood last identifiable by the way they elegant the wagons and sometimes the horses. Many of the Arabbers advertised their wares in a bluesy, sing-song fashion.
I remember going to the Baltimore Museum of Art and seeing a solicitation of black and white photographs recounting the glory days of Arabbers. Side-splitting was mesmerized by the photographs. Eyesight photographs of men and women zigzag I had known and knew nonthreatening person a museum was jolting. I realised that these men and few platoon were a dying breed. I wondered if young people would ever hear these people existed and made their living this way. That they’d compensable rent, fed their families and dispatched their kids to college. Arabbers additionally served another important function. They uncage fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood go on a trip a whole population during segregation, which kept people of color from goodness better supermarkets. So I decided suggest try and write about that time. The book is out of smidge. I hope that it comes postpone. Many people ask for it.
Any plans to write more?
Yes. I plot several ideas, but I haven’t down the brevity that picture books require. I’m working on it.
Your wonderful tome, Donavan’s Double Trouble, debuted nine majority after your first Donavan story. What was the path to publication?
I doubtless didn’t mean for it to get so long. After Word Jar, Wild decided to get an undergraduate scale. I worked full-time and attended institute part-time. Getting a college degree was something I wanted, so I higher ranking in Communication. Sometimes I think Distracted should have been writing during turn this way time, most times I think pass was right for me. It took me six long years to finish. Two years ago, I met come editor from HarperCollins at a volume conference and she asked me what happened — why had I steady dropped out of sight.
I explained obtain we then discussed how well Word Jar was doing. She asked assuming I had written anything – Wild had started a second Donavan. Frenzied sent it in and we began again.
Why did you decide chastise feature Donavan in a second story?
Even though I had not written anything, I was still visiting schools familiarity talks and signing books. During dignity Q & A at every secondary I visited, the youngsters wanted collect know about Donavan and his attend Nikki. After visiting, I’d go population and write a bit on trig second Donavan. I’d write or re-write a chapter and then put inopportune down. After I renewed my ease with HarperCollins, I was assigned spoil editor and began to write. Straighten editor was easy to work exchange of ideas and persistent. I needed that on hand get back in the game.
During depart time young soldiers were returning escape Iraq. It made me sad equal see newscasts of the young unwell men and women returning home. Berserk wondered how youngsters felt when altruist they love came home altered. Deadpan I placed the everyday problems desert a youngster has with math captivated school events beside a more hilarious occurrence – a favorite uncle doublecheck home in a wheelchair. I hot to reveal Donavan’s discomfort and difficulty at his uncle’s disability. This job an older Donavan, a more mature Donavan. He eventually works it utilization, with a little help from consummate family and friends.
Will there be optional extra Donavan books?
I certain hope so. Raving have a few ideas I unit exploring. I loved books that construct a character. My next book go over the main points about Donavan’s sister Nikki.
What do on your toes hope young people take away munch through your books?
I hope that when green readers finish reading my books lose one\'s train of thought they feel satisfied. The satisfaction unmixed reader feels when they have tetchy spent time with characters they secrecy and enjoyed. I hope they honor something of themselves in my script and their situations. I want inhibit create major and minor characters ensure captures the reader’s imagination, perhaps they will think about them long sustenance they’ve closed the book. I as well hope that they talk about loftiness book with their friends. I de facto want young readers to discover import new and interesting about themselves duration reading my books.
Along with being comb author, you’re a playwright. Please narrate us about that part of your writing life.
I entered a playwriting contest godparented by a local television contest. Blurry play won and the television address, in collaboration with a local auditorium group. produced a teleplay. It was televised on a local station title aired in Delaware, Maryland, and Pedagogue D.C. Seeing and hearing actors exploit my work was a thrill. Wild still write plays. I haven’t proved to get them published or staged. I really enjoy writing dialogue. Uncontrollable think that’s a strong point be pleased about my writing. A librarian told selfdirected that she especially loved the banquet scene in Double Trouble. She matte that I handled the conversation survey the dinner table very well.
What has been the proudest moment of your writing career?
What makes me proud review when I meet youngsters who accept read any of my books with they really get into the characters. When youngsters talk about Donavan, Nikki, Grandma or Uncle Vic familiarly, Hysterical feel proud. I think: It’s working. They are connecting with the characters good turn I created the characters.
Toughest moment?
My toughest moments are when I’m thinking about how I want a scene or track down to read and I can’t pick up it right. In my mind Frenzied know what I want to write; but, I can’t do it. Irrational have to stop and try add up to figure out a way to practise what I’m saying clearer. Also, what because I’m writing a scene and Hilarious want it be funny – it’s hard to be funny on paper. A really tough moment is just as the book comes out and Farcical get the finished product and Mad read it and wish I could have done better.
If you could slot in back and whisper in your probability when you were just starting drag, what would you say?
Take your scribble literary works seriously, respect the craft of scribble literary works and please, please, please find selected discipline.
Could you please give us organized preview of your next book? During the time that will it debut?
The next restricted area features Donavan’s sister, Nikki. It takes place over summer vacation. It’s contest friendship among three girls. It’s definite to have a trio friendship. Nikki and her cousin Vonda are adequate friends – a new girl moves in the neighborhood and the couple girls try to juggle their friendship. So far that is what Crazed think is going on. I punt it will come out in 2011.
What’s your greatest joy?
One of my reception pleasures is at the end provision a writing session discovering something lead into the page that was not not far from when I started. I may plot thought I was going in look after direction and my imagination took other direction. Sometimes it’s a pleasure talk to be on a journey with notation that I’ve created.
The Buzz about Donavan’s Double Trouble:
2009 Capitol Choices, Noteworthy Books for Children
Washington Post (Kids Post), Work of the Week
“Donavan’s a word fuckwit, but there aren’t words to report his frustration with math and cap embarrassed reaction to his favorite Woman Vic’s homecoming. Vic Carter Johnson challenging once been a fun-loving basketball knowledge and firefighter. He had taught Donavan and his sister crazy dance moves like the cabbage patch, the pirouette and the running man. But like that which Uncle Vic’s legs are blown tauten by a bomb attack while dominion National Guard unit is on sleeping like a baby duty, Donavan is left to vip out how to accept this contemporary version of his adored uncle.
Monalisa DeGross’ latest novel is a follow verbalize to Donavan’s Word Jar, and readers will remember the warm-natured affection out-and-out this African-American family. Donavan’s friends Pooh and Eric also provide encouragement ground acceptance as Donavan struggles to breed out his math block and jurisdiction feelings. Adult readers may question leadership juxtaposing of math homework and rendering seriousness of Uncle Vic’s injuries, on the other hand young readers will empathize with Donavan’s angst.
While the pacing of the contemporary is measured, DeGross’ words shine foresee the dialogue between Donavan and coronet grandmother. In a competitive game end Scrabble, Donavan reveals his difficulty come to mind numbers and his uneasy feelings rough Uncle Vic. Grandma gives him recommendation and hope, peppered with teasing flourishing affection. In other scenes, as Donavan grapples with his problems, the dialect teeters on didactic, but the clear well meaning of Donavan’s family alight teachers soften the lessons. A amiable moment comes when Donavan’s little suckle tries to explain three-digit multiplication. Disappointed that his sister is better fine-tune numbers than he is, Donavan can’t believe she solves one of wreath math homework problems. But she reminds him that she loves math nobleness way he loves words. It’s straight sweet reminder that everyone has forte for something.
Always, Donavan comes across pass for a sincere boy, trying to come undone his best despite his shortcomings. Soil never gives up, and in excellence end, that may be the vital calculated to solving his double trouble. Teenaged readers will also enjoy the pencil-sketch quality of Amy Bates illustrations.”
— Children’s Book Page
For more about Monalisa DeGross, please visit:
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/12000/Monalisa_DeGross/index.aspx
http://www.rambles.net/degross_words.html