Laura Purdie Salas is an award-winning author of more than 125 books for children, including her recent books Snowman – Cold = Puddle: Spring Equations, illustrated by Micha Archer, and Lion of the Sky: Haiku for All Seasons, illustrated by Mercè López. Her books have received such honors as Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books for Children, IRA Teachers’ Choice, the Minnesota Book Award, and NCTE Notable book. Laura went to kindergarten in Florida and now lives in Minnesota. She hates crowds and knows a good friend makes everything better.
I write because…
Books saved my life when I was a kid. I want to make books because they’re the most important thing I can contribute to.
I read because…
Books always help me either escape the world or fall in love with it even more.
My latest published book is…
Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten (Two Lions, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata). Clover Kitty is overwhelmed by school, and she has to figure out some survival tools (including friendship).
I wrote this book because…
I wondered, What is the least scary thing I can think of, and can I make a character who’s scared of it? My answer: a pile of puppies (which morphed into kitties eventually).
Best moment…
Clover’s fur-flying hissy fit (brilliantly illustrated by Hiroe). Who hasn’t felt like that?
My special place to write…
I got a treadmill desk two years ago! Now I can walk, write, and look at trees and sky all at the same time.
Necessary writing tool…
I love a clean desk, a keyboard, and a cold drink. Bonus points for crashing waves and/or a donut.
The person who has been my greatest writing inspiration is…
I want my books to make readers feel the way Madeleine L’Engle’s books made me feel. And Lee Bennett Hopkins’ many poetry anthologies made me fall in love with poetry.
Currently reading…
Tracking Pythons by Kate Messner. I’m rereading Dictionary for a Better World by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, and I read a picture book daily (hooray for curbside library service!).
Favorite bookshop…
Red Balloon Bookshop in St Paul, Minnesota—they’re amazing in their support of local authors and their love of kidlit.
All-time favorite children’s book I didn’t write …
An Island Grows by Lola Schaefer; God Bless the Gargoyles by Dav Pilkey; This Is Just to Say by Joyce Sidman…yikes, does anybody really answer with just one?
Favorite illustrators…
Ekua Holmes, Violeta Dabija, Kenard Pak
A literary character I would like to vacation with…
I’d love to travel with Vicky Austin from L’Engle’s books. She is passionate and full of heart and science, too. In fact, I might like to be her!
When I’m not reading or writing…
I am playing games, watching bake-offs on TV, and eating way too many donuts and other treats.
Learn more about the author at www.laurasalas.com.
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Clover Kitty Goes to Kindergarten
Written by Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata
Publisher’s Synopsis: Clover Kitty does NOT want to go to kittygarten! Although she might like a friend to play with, kittygarten feels overwhelming for a sensory-sensitive kitty like Clover. And when she arrives, it is exactly as she fears: her classroom is too loud, the lights are too bright, and everyone comes too close. So Clover throws a fit…and decides to quit kittygarten. But when a classmate comes to check on her, she begins to reconsider. Maybe it’s time for Clover to give kittygarten another chance.…
Ages 4-6 | Publisher: Two Lions | August 1, 2020 | ISBN-13: 978-1542042468
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4 Comments
Thank you, Bianca! It was really fun to do this interview–although a couple of the questions were SO hard to answer…
I can relate! My son is about to be starting kindergarten but with the pandemic going on we are having to make arrangements for him to learn in a smaller classroom setting at a pre-K program (although it’s not really pre-K for the class he will be in) He has went through a lot of new changes and has a little anxiety about starting.
I would love to read this with my granddaughter who is starting Kindergarten this year.
Congratulations to these three lucky winners who will each be receiving a copy of Clover Kitty Goes to Kittygarten very soon:
Maile C. (KS), Margo F. (CA) and Gina F. (LA)!