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via Wix Media The poet’s friend did not know about nature because he lived in the dry desert. What is nature? Poet’s friend asked him in a letter one day. Nature is very beautiful. In our nature, there are flowers, snow, hills, gardens, jungles, the poet said. Wow! I want to go there too! Can I come there? When can we go to the jungle? The poet’s friend had many questions. Oh, I’ll wait for you. Please come and we can go see the nature, said the poet. Then, the next morning, he went to the poet’s house and he went to his room. But the poet was sleeping. Wake up! Wake up! But he did not wake up. Then, he said, Have you forgotten that we go to see the nature? Then, like magic, the poet woke up. He said, We will go to see the nature. Let’s eat breakfast, then we will pack our things and go. Let’s go! They started walking to the jungle. What’s this? Haaaaaa! What’s this? Shouted the poet’s friend. That was a lion. Don’t be afraid, said the poet. After walking for some time through a thick line of trees, in sun and shadows, the poet’s friend said, I want water. There is no water in this forest, the poet said. Really? I don’t believe this! Of course! That is true! Did you not bring any water? Hmmm…I think, no. How did you forget such an important thing? Look water! The poet’s friend exclaimed. You had a mirage. No! I did not have a mirage. Let’s go and drink! The poet said, Oh, I can also see there’s water over there! Let’s go! But at that spot, an animal was enjoying the water. It was a hippopotamus. They had not seen it before. The poet and his friend went near and drank some water. But the puddle was soon dry. The two friends were happy but the animal wasn’t happy, he was angry. The animal began following the two, the poet’s friend and the poet. The poet said, Look, run fast. Then it is funny, the animal did not catch the two people. Because suddenly, he felt thirsty and could not run. The two people were safe. In the end, the poet’s friend said, nature is so good, it gives air, and beautiful trees, so green everywhere. I am so happy coming here. The End Saket Pattnaik reads books, loves to travel and plays the piano.

When she was nine and living in Arkansas, Carrie read The Call of the Wild, leading to a failed attempt to turn her dachshund and beagle into sled dogs. But author Jack London did succeed in inspiring her to create stories and share them. When procrastinating from writing, you'll find Carrie collecting fun words such as "collywobbles" and "conundrum" in notebooks while doodling in the margins. Carrie’s poems, “Once A House,” “The Trash Bandit,” and “The Moth,” are part of Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder. Little Thoughts Press: You used to be a professional photographer. Between light, composition, and focus, there's a lot of careful crafting taking place in photography. In what ways do you think your photography background has influenced your approach to writing? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: What a great question! I could talk all day on this topic, but I'll try to keep my answer short. LOL. Photography taught me to play with arrangements and find joy in editing. When framing a picture, you compose a line for the eye to follow, leading the viewer to see the story of each image. Rick Sammon often says, "Composition is the strongest way of seeing." The choices you make as you press the shutter—where to stand, what to include in the frame, what to leave out—are all in service of creating the best story. I've learned it's much the same in writing. We might say, "composition is the strongest way of telling." There are many ways we could write any story. But which point of view we choose and how close it will be, what we tell the reader, what we leave out—we use these choices to compose the most compelling story we can. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem, "Once A House," is a beautiful reflection on the relationship between people and the natural world. What inspired you to write this piece and what message do you hope young readers take away from it? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: Natalie Goldberg, the author of Writing Down the Bones, talks about drawing from our "compost," as it were while writing. While the initial spark was a photo of a centuries-old house (the writing prompt for a contest), this poem mainly grew from my childhood memories. As a free-range kid of the 70s and 80s, my dog and I wandered the woods frequently. We'd come across the ruins of old fallen-down houses from time to time. Even when I was a kid, I've always been fascinated by time and our place in its stream. Exploring the lonely chimneys and crumbling foundations broken apart by tree roots, I imagined who'd once lived there and the lives they'd led. In some small way, I'd love for the poem to spark a young reader's curiosity about our connections to all the lives—human and otherwise—who came before and will come after our own. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 2: Natural Wonder is all about celebrating nature. Do you have a favorite spot in nature or a place you have visited where the wonder of nature was on full display? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: A year into the pandemic, we moved to the foothills of the Appalachians in northern Georgia. Beavers, flocks of geese and ducks, more turtles and fish than you can count, and one lone Great Blue Heron live on and in the small lake at the edge of our backyard. So right now, my favorite nature spot is the view out my kitchen window. It's pretty cool. Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: Until four or five years ago, my writing consisted of funny posts on social media, essays about family stories, and the awkward and terrible start of a historical novel. I didn't pursue writing kid-lit until an ice storm. Trapped at home, I scrolled online, admiring pictures of my niece's new puppy. The words, "Spike the Dog-Dog was born on a cool fall day…" came and wouldn't leave. I had to get the story down to get it out of my head. After writing and creating cut-paper illustrations and having it all bound, picture books hooked me into writing kid-lit. I had no idea how hard picture books were back then, but I fell in love with the storytelling synergy between art and words. A few weeks later, I signed up for my first kid-lit writing class, led by the amazing Laurel Snyder, and I haven't stopped working on my craft since. We kid-lit creatives have the great privilege of being a part of a child's introduction to the world of stories. It's heady stuff. There's a real challenge in working to reenter a child's mindset and see from their perspective. But seeing through a kid's fresh eyes—that's also the reward. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, Scott Odell's Island of the Blue Dolphins, and Katherine Patterson's Jacob I Have Loved are three titles that immediately spring to mind. I read each multiple times! Looking at that list now, I see a theme of longing and searching for one's place in the world running through these stories. It's incredible how such a universal experience can feel so lonely. Thank goodness we have books to help us find the way. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: In addition to reading widely and writing like no one's watching, my advice would be to make a lot of compost. Get out and create as many experiences as you can. Explore other people's lives and memories by asking questions and listening to the answers. Read, write, see, do—make your life's compost pile huge. Your memories may take a few years to become rich soil for imagination, but trust they will. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Carrie Karnes-Fannin: I'm currently working on several projects. One is an early middle-grade novel influenced by the absurd humor of one of my favorite books, Douglas Adams' masterpiece The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Another is a humorous picture book about a fairytale superfan frog. Gort hops off on a quixotic quest inspired by the stories he's read. Everything goes terribly wrong in all the right ways for him. I'm not sure what sort of happy ending our froggy hero might find, but I'm having fun on the journey. Find Carrie and more of her work on Twitter, or via her website.

Life as a Tortoise I wake up on my back I hear the ducks quack Then I get up and stretch Grab my pencils I use to sketch Slowly walk outside I see the snakes slither and slide Walk for an age 'til I reach the lake I see a horse, eating cake I get out my paper and pen And start to draw a wren I see a willow tree with a hole in it With an owl, learning to knit I've almost finished my painting When it starts raining The colours start to blur and mix But I should be able to give it a fix And then, out of nowhere From out of thin air The rain turns to snow And the wind starts to blow So I turn to head home When I see a small gnome He looks at me pleading And I see he needs feeding So I bring him with me And give him some brie Then he said "thank you I was going to turn blue" So then he left, that little one And I was alone, with no one But then came along, sad but singing A little white dove, her voice sweetly ringing She said, "I saw you near the water And I liked your drawing of that little otter And can I stay here, at least for a bit My nest was destroyed, and it was in a flit" So I said yes, and she was delighted She knew a little song, so she recited And then she made a bed She rested her head I let her sleep And without making a peep I went to my bed of fog And then I slept like a log Life in a Forest The trees in the forest rustle The animals make hustle The river flows The rose bush grows The deer leap round the trees Feeling the forest breeze The fox stalks its prey Little mice come from the hay The leaves fall The parents call As the sun turns to rain Under the dirt it’s dark No sun or a small spark We come when wet Though don’t make a bet The birds fly down They destroy our town And get their share When we come for fresh air They expose us to all The worms, beetles and wood lice small Just at the beginning of life The leaves on the trees shake The branches seem to ache The flutter of small things Raindrops brought by wings The sloth, big and slow To the robin in the snow Our nests are sticks Which we need to fix The bark gets broken We make it a token When the sloth comes to play Issy Mooney is in year 8 (UK)- aged 12. She loves anything to do with Harry Potter and stories with a magical twist. She is currently enjoying the Eragon series of books by Christopher Paolini. Issy's poem, "A Christmas Fair" was featured in Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter. Issy's artwork and her story, "The Oak Tree," can be found in Issue Two: Natural Wonder.

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder with a sneak peek of the poem "Do Manatees Make Wishes" by Jonathan Sellars. The cover of the issue has a natural tree branch, rocks, and greenery against a pink and blue watercolor painted background. Jonathan Sellars loves rhymes and is waiting for the day someone invents a word that rhymes with his name. His poems can be found in The Caterpillar and Parakeet Magazines as well as flying high in The Dirigible Balloon. His first picture book, Polly Plum: Brave Adventurer, is available now through National Maritime Museum. Should you invent the word he’s looking for then please let him know @JSellarsLies on Twitter. Little Thoughts Press: Your poem, "Do Manatees Make Wishes?" makes me chuckle every time I read it because it reminds me of the way young kids will ask the most bizarre and probing questions. What is your method for tapping into and infusing your work with childlike wonder? In what ways does your use of rhyme contribute to that process? Jonathan Sellars: I really struggled at school when we had to study poetry. We had to write essays analysing these long, laborious poems that made absolutely no sense to me. I always came bottom of the class and made up my mind that poetry was just the worst. It took me a long time to realise that I was just driving down one lane of the great poetry highway, and that there are in fact many different lanes, home to many different types of poems. Some are very cryptic, some are very emotionally raw, and some are just there to entertain you; they rhyme, are fun to read, and only want to put a smile on your face. Those are my kind of poems. That’s all I think about now when I sit down to write poetry. How can I put a smile on the face of my younger self? If it’s not a poem they would have enjoyed then it’s not a poem I want to write. I think it also helps that I still look at the world with a childlike wonder and random thoughts, like whether manatees gaze up at the night sky to wish upon shooting stars, constantly pop into my head. I love the challenge of turning those thoughts into something tangible. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 2: Natural Wonder is all about celebrating nature. Do you have a favorite spot in nature or a place you have visited where the wonder of nature was on full display? Jonathan Sellars: Mountains. Mountains are my happy place. I always look at the blackbirds that flap around my small garden in London and think what a waste, why don’t they fly south and live in the Alps? Then they could spend every day soaring over snowy peaks, or whooshing up cliff faces, or discovering hidden valleys. But I guess they have their reasons. Like not being able to read maps. Or not liking the taste of mountain worms. It’s a shame though. Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Jonathan Sellars: I think the best stories are those that anyone can read, child or adult. Adults always love being taken back to when they were younger, when they weren’t bound by the constraints of their adult lives. Children on the other hand love reading about the adventures that still lie ahead. Everything I write aims to cross that divide. As for challenges, I think it's important to make sure any writing for children offers a fair reflection of the world. The world isn’t all good, but it isn’t all bad either, and there’s a lot more good than bad. The best stories are able to capture that and help children realise that they have the power to enforce positive change, because they really can. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Jonathan Sellars: In terms of poetry, it was always Michael Rosen. He made me laugh and laugh and laugh. In terms of longer stories, I’ve always been a sucker for adventures and so loved the Willard Price books growing up, although some of them haven’t aged well (I’m pretty sure in one of them they go whaling!). I was also, like most people, a big fan of Roald Dahl – I’ve made hundreds of (unsuccessful) attempts to recreate George’s Marvellous Medicine. I’ll probably stop when I get to a thousand. I'm also sure, sadly, that I went through a long period in my teenage years when I didn’t read at all. Although that now motivates me to write something that would have persuaded that sulky adolescent to sit down and give it a go. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Jonathan Sellars: I have a real obsession with Michael Morpurgo. Even though I only read him for the first time a few years ago I find it mad that he started writing for children in the 1970’s and he’s still writing for them now. He doesn’t speak down to children, or try and win them over with cheap laughs, his stories just seem to draw you in with the power of his storytelling. He’s a real hero of mine and I haven't come across a better writer. I’d also give a shout-out to The Dirigible Balloon which is a website dedicated to children’s poetry. It has a huge range of poems from poets all over the world and is a brilliant resource. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Jonathan Sellars: Writing isn’t about perfect grammar and spelling. It’s about getting an idea out of your head and onto a piece of paper. You don’t have to share it with anyone, but don’t you dare let it rot inside your brain. And don’t worry if you don’t think it’s very good. Nothing you write will be perfect the first time. But at least once it’s out there you can come back to it and make changes. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Jonathan Sellars: I was lucky enough to have a picture book, Polly Plum: Brave Adventurer, published this year. Of course, it rhymes, and yes it’s meant to make you laugh, but hopefully it has a nice message hidden away in it as well. Why not give it a go and let me know what you think. I also post poems on Twitter (@JSellarsLies) and on Instagram (@JonathanSellarsLiesHere) if anyone is interested.

Once upon a time ago, a boy lived in Masupia. His name was Varra Sheikh. He had a friend, his name was Marra Sheikh. Varra loved to invent things on his own. He invented a rocket one day. His plan was to go to the moon and find some moon rocks to bring back. He also wanted to click some photos of the moon. The next day, Varra called his friend Marra. He told him that he wanted to go exploring, and travel in space. “How we will be going,” Marra said. Varra said, “We will go by rocket.” “Wow! But where?” Marra said. “To the moon,” Varra said. “When will we go?” Marra said. “Today is Tuesday so, we will go on Thursday,” Varra said. On Thursday, Varra and Marra met. They talked about things they’d need. Varra said everything they needed was ready like spacesuits, shoes, clothes, etc…. and the rocket. Then Marra said, “We have to reach the spot where the rocket is by car.” They went by car to that spot. In the evening, they reached the spot and looked around all the arrangements. Then, Varra showed the inside of the rocket to Marra. The rocket was ready to launch. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, ZERO… THE ROCKET LAUNCHED……… THEY WERE GOING TO THE MOON. Soon after lift-off, they reached near the orbit of the moon. After some time, they landed. “Wow, I am walking on the moon,” Marra said. Then Varra also began walking on the moon. He said, “Yes, Marra we are walking on the moon. Now let us pick some moon rocks”. Both started picking some moon rocks. Some minutes later, Varra said, “Finally, I have finished.” “I have also finished,” Marra said. “Now we must click some photos of the moon soil,” Varra said. Marra also clicked some photos of the earth from the moon. “Finally, I have finished,” Marra said. “I have also finished,” Varra said. “Let’s go back to earth,” Marra said. Their “ADVENTURE TO THE MOON” was complete, they said together. The rocket was again ready to launch. Ten, Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, ZERO… THE ROCKET LAUNCHED……… THEY WERE GOING TO EARTH. The rocket launched on Sunday, at 1:00 AM. They reached earth on Monday, at 1:03 PM. Back on earth, they went back to their homes and slept nicely. Varra woke up the next morning when his dad knocked. “Dad!” Varra showed his father the moon rocks and pictures of the moon. “Wow, my child! These are so good!” Varra’s dad said and hugged him. THE END Saket Pattanik is eight years old. He loves cars and traveling. In his spare time, he makes things from discarded items. Saket's story, "Trip to the Nature" was part of Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder's bonus features.

It is as if I were a dog, sticking my head out the window. The mighty breeze bashes against my face. “When will we be there yet?” yells my sister for the 700th time. My mom responds with a hint of annoyance in her voice, “We still have 6 hours!” Ugh. I'm even starting to get mad. I just want to get to California as soon as possible. I want to feel the warm California breeze, brush against my skin. I stick my head back in the car and close the window. But two minutes later, I end up putting my head out the window again because I feel car sick. Our car begins to rumble and slow down. We come to a stop. I sit there wondering why. Soon after my mom turns around and says “I'm sorry kids but our car just died!” After waiting an hour on the side of the road, we get our car towed. After another two hours, Mom comes over and says, “It looks like we are going to have to find another way to get to California. There is a train station close by so we will see if we can catch the train." I feel wounded. I just want to get to California. Another 30 minutes go by before we get to the train station. Our train leaves in three minutes! We panic and rush onto the train just before the doors close. We find seats and I lean my head against the window. I barely move, just staring at trees rushing by. After a long two hours, the train slows to a stop. I stand up from the seat and my legs feel tingly up and down, trying to wake up. Though I am in pain, I stand up and wobble a little. My excitement levels are off the charts. I burst out of the seat and run off the train, my heart pounding in my chest. I freeze. Just standing there, creating a forever memory in my mind, feeling the California breeze rush all around my body. Finally, I'm in California. Keira Legge is 10 years old and in 5th grade. She would love to travel all over the world, but she wants to visit Mexico. That is her favorite type of food and she wants to visit and eat at as many Mexican restaurants as possible. When Keira is not writing a new story, she is playing softball. She loves pitching on her softball team. Keira's stories have previously appeared in Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter and Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder. You can read about her writing process, favorite books, and more in this past interview.

via Wix Media Hello, everybody! Can you feel the change in the air? Fall is here—kids are back in school, leaves are turning, and Little Thoughts Press' kidlit celebration of the fall season is just around the corner. The submissions window for Issue Four closed on September 1st. Our theme was "autumnatopeia," a fun portmanteau our editor-in-chief Claire created, combining two of my favorite things –Autumn and onomatopoeia. (More ononomatopoeia here.) If you submitted a poem, story, or illustration—thank you! We sincerely appreciate you trusting us with your work. Once received, how did we choose what to accept? I'm happy to say there were many delightful submissions, so it wasn't an easy task. (I’m glad I don’t have the final decision.) For my part, first, I scanned each piece to confirm it was on the theme. Next, I noticed language and sensory details. How did the writing play with Autumn's sounds, rhythm, and images? Did it say something new? Or in a new way? As our magazine is aimed at the child reader aged ten and under, I tried to adopt a kid's point of view—would a child want to hear this read again and again? Finally, I gave a recommendation on each submission as a yes, no, or maybe, along with a few comments about why. Then our editor Claire took over to complete her reading and make final decisions. In addition to asking the same questions about each piece, she has the added task of envisioning how the selections will gel with each other in the magazine. Given the limited space, Claire puts a lot of thought into creating a nice mix of voices (from both kid and adult contributors), topics, styles, etc., for the final publication. Some trends emerged from the in-box: Leaves, ghosts, pumpkins, and campfires were recurring images across the board Changing weather and back-to-school activities were also common topics Most of the longer pieces (stories) centered on Halloween Though we cannot provide feedback on individual submissions, these were some of the reasons for passes: While most poems and stories used both elements making up "autumnatopeia" a few didn't have one or the other. (Some even had neither.) A handful of pieces seemed more for an adult reader than a kid. Some submissions were good but very similar, so we had to choose among them. I can’t wait to see how this issue turns out! Thank you again for the privilege of considering your work. I enjoyed reading every one of your autumnatopeia creations and hope you submit again in the future. Until next time, as we say in my part of the world, Happy Fall, Y'all! ~ Carrie

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Three: Hit the Road with a sneak peek of the poem "Summer Vacation" by Sue Lancaster. A blue page with black text and a graphic of a red car. Sue Lancaster is a children's writer living in South West London with her husband, two children, and pet budgie, Buddy. Before turning her hand to writing, Sue worked in TV as a Production Manager and got her degree in Media Studies at the University of East London. She grew up in Clacton on the coast of Essex and spent much of her childhood writing stories and poems, playing with her three cats, and being tormented by her two older brothers. Little Thoughts Press: You created and operate the children's lit magazine The Toy! Can you tell us a bit about what inspired you to start your own press and how running The Toy has changed or informed your own writing? Sue Lancaster: My inspiration came largely from existing publications such as yours! As a children’s writer, I aspire to physically hold my words in printed form and for small children to experience my writing in this way too. However, when I started researching journals and magazines to submit to, it became apparent that – with the exception of a few – most of the literary publications for children are online or digital only. I know there are lots of children’s writers out there who, just like me, dream of their stories and poems being published in print, and by launching The Toy earlier this year, I have already been able to make that dream come true for a few of them! The magazine is still in its early days (I'm just working on the second edition now), but I am thoroughly enjoying doing it. Being on the other side of the submissions process has made me much more aware of the work that goes into it and why my own writing might not always be accepted. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 3: Hit the Road is all about travel and summer adventure. Can you tell us your favorite place you've traveled to, as well as somewhere you hope to go in the future? Sue Lancaster: Being from the UK, most of my travels take place in Europe. This summer I went to Italy and did a bit of a tour around Tuscany with my husband and our two children, which was beautiful. I'd love to see the northern lights at some point in my life, so a visit to Iceland or somewhere like that is definitely high on my wish list. Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Sue Lancaster: I was first drawn to writing for children when my own two were very little. Seeing how much pleasure they got from picture books at such a young age really inspired me to give it a go myself. Writing kid-lit is hard - it is such a competitive industry and it's a huge challenge to stand out among the many other talented writers out there. However, the thought of my words being read and enjoyed by little ones is immensely rewarding and I can't wait for the day my children hold one of my actual books in their hands (fingers crossed!). Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Sue Lancaster: As a child, I devoured stories by Shirley Hughes, Judith Kerr, Jill Murphy, Janet and Allan Ahlburg, and later, Enid Blyton. All these authors played a huge part in my early love of reading and writing. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Sue Lancaster: Julia Donaldson was a huge inspiration to me when I first started writing kid-lit a few years back. Her rhymes are flawless and she creates such fun and imaginative characters. I am also fond of anything by Chris Haughton and Peter Bently. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Sue Lancaster: I would advise young writers to: 1) Read lots! Get a feel for what makes a good story or poem, and seek inspiration from other successful writers. 2) Write lots. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect - the more you write, the better you will become. 3) Enjoy it! Writing is lots of fun and can be very rewarding! Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Sue Lancaster: I wish I had some news about an upcoming publication, but sadly I don't at the moment! Instead, these links will take you to some of the poems I've already had published online this year: In The Dirigible Balloon Tail Tales in Tyger Tyger In Paperbound Also, if anyone would like to purchase the first edition of The Toy, they can do so right here.

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue Two: Natural Wonder with a sneak peek of the story "Rain, Rain Come to Stay" by Meredith Flory. The cover of the issue has a natural tree branch, rocks, and greenery against a pink and blue watercolor painted background. Meredith Flory is a military spouse, mother, educator, and writer currently living in El Paso, TX. Her short stories and writing on travel, parenting, military life, and pop culture have appeared in various publications. She can be found at www.meredithflory.com and on Twitter @MeredithFlory. Little Thoughts Press: In your story, "Rain, Rain Come to Stay," two children, Dylan and Tina, are thrilled to finally see rain again after their family moves to the desert. Their neighbors are less enthused, though, and the siblings end up going door-to-door delivering rain gear to convince the other children in the neighborhood to come out and play in the rain. I was struck by the community activism at the heart of this story and the effort these kids make to bring their neighbors out of their comfort zones and introduce them to a new experience. It's a message that feels very fitting for our current time. Can you talk a bit about where the idea for this story came from, and how you balance imparting lessons with storytelling when writing for a young audience? Meredith Flory: My kids love outdoor adventures, and so much of my writing is inspired by our play outside as a family. We are from the East Coast and love rainstorms, but we currently live in a desert with over 300 days of sunshine a year. When it rains here my kids always splash and play in the mud, and when we get the occasional inch of snow they are overjoyed. They are often the only kids outside because so many people here are not used to precipitation. When we do find other families to play with in rain or snow, it’s always fun to see all the ways people cobble together gear since we don’t need it most of the year here - socks on the hands, parents' oversized gear, etc… I think my background in teaching and studying children’s literature academically helps me notice when I’m sounding too much like a mom as I write. Making sure to play and continue getting excited about learning helps me think about how the characters might make it a learning experience, rather than being told it is. Younger children are so excited to learn something new, and children’s literature should reflect that. It’s easy to lose that as an adult, but playing outside can help. I have another manuscript about a little girl who sees a porcupine in the wild for the first time that’s not based on my children, it's me! I saw one camping in my 30s and I was delighted, so I tried to think about how I would have reacted if I was my daughter’s age. Little Thoughts Press: Issue 2: Natural Wonder is all about celebrating nature. Do you have a favorite spot in nature or a place you have visited where the wonder of nature was on full display? Meredith Flory: Yes! As a military family, we move a lot and always try to visit different National Parks. A few years ago we went “glamping” outside of Big Bend National Park and it was the first time I saw the night sky in a place without light pollution. Seeing the Milky Way for real was amazing! In this month’s Muse Magazine by Cricket Media, I have an article inspired by that trip about ways kids can help protect dark sky areas and lower light pollution. There’s also a waterfall in east Tennessee that’s really special to several generations of my family, and I always try to visit when I’m there. I love watching my kids skip rocks, hike, and play in the water in the same place I did as a kid. Little Thoughts Press: What initially drew you to writing kid-lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience? Meredith Flory: I’ve been a bookworm for as long as I can remember, so children’s books are where I first fell in love with reading. That’s what is most rewarding! Your story might be the thing that helps a child fall in love with reading or a certain subject. My son is obsessed with sharks, and that happened after we read a picture book about them. I love watching him learn so much about this one thing because of a really cool book we read. My mom is a kindergarten teacher, so we always had tons of books. My husband and I both used to teach, and I’ve done work on literacy in other jobs as well. So, after a long time of teaching, book reviewing, etc., I decided that I wanted to try writing my own. I think the most challenging thing about working in children’s lit is the expectation from people without a lot of knowledge of publishing and writing who assume it’s something easy or not as important as other kinds of writing. That’s a big bummer! Writing for kids is important and takes certain writing skills. Also learning to write in different ways was challenging since I write for adults too. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid-lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Meredith Flory: I have always been a voracious reader, but there are a couple I can think of that really impacted my writing. I like to joke that I bookended my academic career with Roald Dahl’s Matilda. The first book report I wrote in elementary school was on Matilda, and my project that I defended to get my master’s degree in children’s literature was on Matilda. That character made me feel like it was awesome to be a bookworm. My other favorite as a kid was Mary Downing Hahn. I love ghost stories and she was my go-to at the library for a while! She actually came and did a talk at my public library about writing when I was in elementary school, and I begged my mom to take me. I sat through it and then she signed all of the paperbacks I had bought at Scholastic book fairs by her. They are on a shelf next to my writing desk. When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant was my favorite picture book and I still have my childhood copy. Its memoir, southern front-porch style storytelling is probably closest to what I do now from my favorites. Little Thoughts Press: And what about today? Any kid-lit writers you love and want to shout out? Meredith Flory: Ah! So many and I’m afraid I’ll forget someone. Jan Brett has been writing since I was a kid, but I really fell in love with her books as an adult. I love exploring her extra stories in the art, and her voice really appeals to me. Mindy Alyse Weiss is just the biggest champion of up-and-coming kid lit writers on Twitter. Matt Forest Esenwine has lovely books and has encouraged me personally - Flashlight Night is my favorite of his and goes really well with the Natural Wonder theme. Mo Willems and Lane Smith always make my kids and me laugh, and they both have amazing careers. I’m going to also shout out a children’s illustrator. So often they don’t get the same attention as writers but they are half of the storytelling and make our books beautiful! My absolute favorite right now is Raissa Figueroa. I have bought two of her prints, and both of the Oona books she did with Kelly DiPucchio (a fabulous writer). Whenever I’m trying to develop characters, I try to think about what they might look like if she illustrated them for me. I found her because of my love of mermaids, which reminds me of Maggie Tokuda-Hall. I fell in love with her writing when I read The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, which is not children’s, but her new picture book Love in the Library is just lovely. I post a lot of what we are reading on Instagram @merediththemom so follow me there because I could list authors all day! I try to connect books to homeschool lessons, holidays, or current events on there to be a resource for parents. Also, when my critique partners get published I can’t wait to shout about their books! They are winning contests and signing with agents. I love their stories, and they keep me on track. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Meredith Flory: Read a LOT. Different types of books, lots of different authors. Think about what you liked and didn’t like in each book. Fill up notebooks with lots of writing and doodling that you don’t have to share with anyone and doesn’t have to have grammar like you need for school. Then, when you do write a story you are ready to share, know that someone telling you how you can improve it - a teacher, a friend, a parent - doesn’t mean you aren’t a good writer, it means they love your stories and want to help you get better. I still have to remind myself of this when I get feedback from other writers or my agent. Also, if you are serious, there are lots of contests and places that can publish kid’s writing if it’s okay with your adults — like Little Thoughts Press! But also contests at school, the library, local newspapers… I volunteered for the library in the summer when I was younger and had an op-ed piece published in the local newspaper at 16. You are never too young to use your voice. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Meredith Flory: In March, I signed with the Blue Ridge Literary Agency to represent my picture book manuscripts and I’m so excited to start this part of my publishing journey with my agent Dawn Dowdle. Also, for Mental Health Awareness Month, I’m writing and doing some advocacy work I’m proud of to help other families. An op-ed on my experiences as a military spouse accessing mental health care appeared on Military.com this month and I’ll be doing some work with Partners in Promise as well.

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter with a sneak peek of the story "Christmas Countdown" by Keira Legge. Keira Legge is 9 years old and in 5th grade. She loves reading. Her favorite books are the Justin Case Series and Case Closed Series. In school, her favorite subject is Social Studies. When she is not in school, she plays softball and karate. Keira loves to travel with her family. They went to Hawaii. That was amazing! Her goal is to go to Australia someday. Keira’s story, “Christmas Countdown,” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter. Little Thoughts Press: “Christmas Countdown" has a unique structure where the story is told in small snippets for each day leading up to Christmas. It kind of reminds me of diary entries. Can you tell me about how you decided on this structure for your story? Was there anything specific that inspired you? Keira Legge: I read a book series called Justin Case by Rachel Vail and it was written in a diary style and I loved reading it so I thought I would write my story in that same style. When I heard the 12 days of Christmas song, the idea of writing a story about the days leading up to Christmas came to me. Little Thoughts Press: "Christmas Countdown" features a lot of wonderful holiday traditions—decorating, family photos, notes to Santa. What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? Keira Legge: I love putting decorations around the house while listening to Christmas music. I also really enjoy driving around with my family looking at all the lights on houses and seeing different light shows. It makes it feel so magical. Little Thoughts Press: One thing I love about writing stories is being able to imagine experiences that are different from my own, and one thing I find challenging is writing dialogue that sounds natural and realistic when spoken by kids. What do you enjoy most about writing, and what do you find the most challenging? Keira Legge: It is fun to create different stories, I love imagining ideas and then being able to bring them to life. It is the best. The most challenging is coming up with ideas and themes. I liked this because I was given the theme of winter which helped me figure out what to write about. Little Thoughts Press: What are your favorite books, and/or what is the best book you've read recently? Keira Legge: My favorite books are the Justin Case series by Rachel Vale and the Case Closed Series by Lauren Magaziner. Lauren Magaziner has inspired me to write. I have signed copies of her books and she even wrote me a letter. It was awesome! I am currently reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and am loving it. Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter? Keira Legge: Playing in the snow with my friends. We have had some big snow storms lately and it has been so much fun building snowmen and having snowball fights. Little Thoughts Press: What inspired you to start writing and do you have any advice for other young writers? Keira Legge: Other than Lauren Magaziner, my mom and my teachers have inspired me to write. My mom and I worked on a picture book called The Comfy Spot together, which was published recently. My advice is that anything can be a story, it can be big or small, it can really be anything you want. You just have to write it down. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Keira Legge: For those that don’t like to write, I want to say that it doesn’t have to be boring. You can write about anything you want, it can be about your family, your favorite game, it can be magical or completely make-believe. There is no end to the possibilities in writing, so just let your imagination go and write it down. And thank you for having my story be a part of this. It has been such a cool experience. It was awesome to see my story published and with such amazing illustrations.

photograph of a snowflake, via Wix Media Up in the sky Sparkles everywhere Everyone looks Up at the sky And the lights went off And the moon and the stars brightened up the whole town And then that was the end Henry Austin- Fernald is 5 years old and lives in Maine with his little sister and parents. Henry loves when his mom or dad read to him, especially Magic Tree House books or other stories about magical adventure. He also loves playing dressing up, swimming in the ocean, and making backyard forts with his friends. Henry’s poem “(Hanukkah) Candles” appears in Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter.

A photograph of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter with a sneak peek of the story "Solstice" by Amy Neufeld. Amy Neufeld (she/her) has a degree in English and diploma in Theatre Arts. Amy is a contributor to Shameless Magazine and CBC Radio’s The Irrelevant Show. Amy has been published in Daily Drunk Magazine, Flash Fiction Magazine, Frazzled, and Little Old Lady Comedy, and is a member of Pat the Dog’s 2021 Women’s Room for playwrights. Amy is a knitter and a friend to animals. Amy’s story, “Solstice” is part of Little Thoughts Press Issue One: Magical Winter. Little Thoughts Press: In your story, "Solstice," two kids witness a magical event in celebration of the winter solstice. You've told me that you wrote this story specifically for our Magical Winter theme. Can you talk a bit about what inspired you to connect the winter solstice to the theme of magic? Do you do anything special to celebrate the solstice? Amy Neufeld: We used to live in Edmonton, Alberta, which is quite far north, and therefore gets a lot of darkness in the winter. I heard about people who celebrate that darkness rather than bemoan it, and would have "longest night of the year" parties. We moved back to Kitchener, Ontario shortly after I learned about these parties, but I really liked that idea of celebrating the long winters, since we can't avoid them. And the longest night of the year feels like a time not only when magic could happen, but when it should happen! That's probably why so many religions and cultures have celebrations around that time. So I thought a magical solstice world where night stretched out even longer and lights made all of your winter dreams come true sounded like a pretty great place to start a story. Interestingly, our neighbourhood builds a Reindeer Runway every year on Christmas Eve, where candles in paper bags are placed along a street to welcome Santa and his reindeer, and this year we were able to go and actually see the candle pathway just as I imagined it in my story. Talk about magic! We haven't been able to have a party for solstice these last few years, but I make sure we get out for an evening walk to look at all the lights on the longest night of the year. Little Thoughts Press: You have a background in theater arts and playwriting. In what ways does your performance background inform your writing? Are there similarities to how you approach your fiction and playwriting? What do you think are the biggest differences between these forms of writing? Amy Neufeld: I think my background in theatre has helped me when it comes to writing dialogue. For a lot of plays, you have to communicate most of what's going on through dialogue, and there's a subtlety to that so characters aren't just spouts of exposition. So I think reading and performing plays has helped tune my ear to dialogue. I approach all of my writing in basically the same way, and the first part of that is deciding which container the story goes in. Is this a novel, a play, an essay, or a short story? In terms of reading plays, I can tell when I've found a script that I really like because I can start to see it play out on the stage, and I apply that to my other writing as well. When it really comes alive in my mind, when I can see it all like a play or a movie, then I feel like I've got something interesting to work with, and that I've found the right container for the story. I don't know that there are many differences, besides the structural ones, to writing plays versus stories for me. It's all about finding the characters' voices, making those true, honest, and specific, and letting them tell the story. Little Thoughts Press: You also write for both adult and kid audiences. What initially drew you to writing kid lit and what do you find most challenging and rewarding about writing for a young audience compared to writing for adults? Amy Neufeld: I started writing plays for young audiences because I formed a theatre company for that age group, and it was easier to write plays for us than to find them. I've always thought that high school is the most effortlessly dramatic time in anyone's life, and so I love it as a backdrop for a story. I'm working on a novel about seven teenagers who get lost in the woods, and their hormonal teenage state provides as much drama as their precarious situation! You have to be sharp when writing for young audiences. They're the most honest group, and will be very blunt about what they like and don't like. With my playwriting, I learned quickly about pacing and engagement, and I think those factors are relevant in all my work. Whatever else it is, your writing has to be entertaining. There are lots of different ways that writing can be entertaining, but there has to be a payoff for the reader/audience. So that challenge of young audience's honesty is also what makes it really rewarding to write for that group. I've also benefited from having young readers in my home. My daughters, 8 and 11, are my beta readers for my kid lit, and they let me know what they like and what they think I should change. Reading my stories to them, I can also (sneakily) watch their reactions, so I can see the parts where I lose them, and I know that's an area that needs some work. Little Thoughts Press: Which kid lit authors and books were your favorites growing up? Amy Neufeld: I loved, and still love, the author Gordon Korman. He writes incredible stories for and about teenagers, and uses humour so well. Read I Want To Go Home if you're looking for an introduction to his work. I also really loved series like The Baby-Sitters Club and Sweet Valley High. It takes a lot of energy to invest in reading a book initially. You don't know the world or the characters, you're unfamiliar with the writing style, so I always find starting a new book to be a tentative experience before I get hooked. So I love a series because you get to start a new book but skip all that initial anxiety because you already know the world and the people in it. Little Thoughts Press: What is your favorite thing about winter? Amy Neufeld: I live in Canada, and we get a lot of snow and cold in the winter. I wish I was more interested in outdoor winter activities, and while I do enjoy tobogganing or taking a walk when it's snowing, if I'm honest, my favourite thing about winter is getting cozy under a blanket with a mug of hot tea and reading for an entire afternoon. Little Thoughts Press: What advice would you give to young writers? Amy Neufeld: Keep writing, and write what you like. Don't worry about what's popular or what your friends like reading - write the things that you want to read. Get a library card, and read as much as you can by other writers. When you find a book that you really like, take a moment and think about what, specifically, you liked about it. Was the main character really relatable? Did the author use humour to navigate challenging subjects? Was there really amazing world-building that allowed you to see the landscape? These observations will start to inform and support your own writing as you get better and better through practice. Little Thoughts Press: Is there anything else you wish I had asked? Any upcoming projects, publications, or other news you'd like to share? Amy Neufeld: In addition to the YA novel I mentioned earlier which I'm currently revising (and looking for beta readers if anyone is interested!), I just received a grant to work on a middle grade nonfiction book about knitting, not a how-to guide, but a why-to guide, with essays from my own experience to discuss my favourite hobby. My new play, Witches in the Woods, a re-telling of Hansel and Gretel, will be getting a staged reading in March, along with workshops. I'll post details about those events when I have them on my theatre company's Facebook page. I'm building my website at www.amyneufeldwrites.com, and it should be live within the month. The best way to find out what I'm doing is on Twitter where I'm @AmyRNeufeld.