The Children’s Book Review | March 21, 2016
The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Twenty Yawns?
Jane Smiley: Cheerful, colorful, loving, amusing, relaxing.
If you had to take a vacation with one of the characters from Twenty Yawns, who would it be?
Why? The mom. I would give childrearing advice and assume that she would not take it.
What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?
Sleep! Also laughing.
What’s on your nightstand?
Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, Writing the Frontier: Anthony Trollope between Britain and Ireland, and The Manual of Horsemanship of the British Horse Society and Pony Club, 1964 edition.
For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?
Sugar and Diet Coke
Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?
Computer
Can you tell us one more thing we may not know about Twenty Yawns, your writing style, or yourself?
About Twenty Yawns: Lucy has many more things to learn and I hope to be there for her as she learns them.
Twenty Yawns
Written by Jane Smiley
Illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Publisher’s Synopsis: From Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley and Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo.
As her mom reads a bedtime story, Lucy drifts off. But later, she awakens in a dark, still room, and everything looks mysterious. How will she ever get back to sleep?
Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley’s first picture book, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo, evokes the splashy fun of the beach and the quietude of a moonlit night, with twenty yawns sprinkled in for children to discover and count.
Ages 3 7 | Publisher: Two Lions | April 1, 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-1477826355
Add this book to your collection: Twenty Yawns
Available Here:
Praise for Twenty Yawns
★“[The] perfect bedtime story for the end of a busy day.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★“A sweet soporific.”—School Library Journal, starred review
★ “There’s so much right about this picture book, Pulitzer Prize– winning (for A Thousand Acres) Smiley’s first… And the twenty yawns (yes, you can count them) are pure genius.”—The Horn Book Magazine, starred review
Book Trailer for Twenty Yawns
Activity Kit for Twenty Yawns
Twenty Yawns Activity Kit by sarahshealy
About Jane Smiley
Jane Smiley is the author of numerous novels, including A Thousand Acres, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, as well as five works of nonfiction and a series of books for young adults. In 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 2006 she received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. This is her first picture book. She lives in Northern California. For more information, visit: facebook.com/janesmileyauthor
The Twenty Yawns Blog Tour
Thurs, Mar 17 Watch.Connect.Read
Fri, Mar 18 Sharpread
Mon, Mar 21 Children’s Book Review
Tues, Mar 22 Kid Lit Frenzy
Wed, Mar 23 Cracking the Cover
Thurs, Mar 24 Unleashing Readers
Fri, Mar 25 5 Minutes for Books
Sat, Mar 26 Booking Mama
Mon, Mar 28 A Rup Life
Tues, Mar 29 Children’s Book Review
Wed, Mar 30 Once Upon a Story
Thurs, Mar 31 NC Teacher Stuff
Fri, April 1 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust
Mon, Apr 4 Where Imagination Grows
Wed, Apr 6 Teach Mentor Texts
Tues, Apr 12 Jean Little Library
This interview with Jane Smiley was conducted by Bianca Schulze. Follow along with our content tagged with Jane Smiley, Lauren Castillo, Yawning, Bedtime Books and Speed Interview to discover more great books.
