December 2017
The Literary Resource for Teachers, Librarians, and Parents
Anthony Kennedy Shriver
Brings Decades of Friendship to the Disabled
Maddie Ziegler
Makes the Leap into Middle Grade Fiction
An Interview with Daniel Handler ‌
or Lemony Snicket
Jan Brett
Tells a New Tale of Goldilocks with an Aquatic Twist
One to Read: Josh Funk
Meet Alina Morse: the 12-year-old Inventor of Zollipops
Tammy Koelling
Introduces Young Readers to Tucker Wilson
Q&A
with Stacy McAnulty
KELLY CLARKSON Takes the Literary Stage
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Cover photo credit: Weiss Eubanks Story Monsters Ink magazine and www.StoryMonsters.com are trademarks of Story Monsters, LLC. Copyright ©2017 Story Monsters Press, ISSN 2374-4413, ISBN: 9781338199932: All rights reserved. Contents may not be published in whole or in part without the express written consent of the bylined author and publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual writers and are not necessarily those of Story Monsters Ink or its advertisers. Story Monsters Ink is published by Story Monsters Press Postal mail may be sent to Story Monsters Ink 4696 W. Tyson St., Chandler, AZ 85226 Phone: 480-940-8182
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Story Monsters Ink | December 2017 | StoryMonsters.com
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December 2017
In this issue 04 Kelly Clarkson Takes the Literary Stage
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Happy Holidays!
One to Read: Josh Funk
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28
Anthony Kennedy Shriver Brings Decades of Friendship to the Disabled
Meet Alina Morse: The 12-year-old Inventor of Zollipops
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Maddie Ziegler Makes the Leap into Middle Grade Fiction
Tammy Koelling Introduces Young Readers to Tucker Wilson
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20
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An Interview with Daniel Handler ... or Lemony Snicket
Jan Brett Tells a New Tale of Goldilocks with an Aquatic Twist
Q&A with Stacy McAnulty
36 38 40 42 48
Conrad’s Classroom How Does Your Garden Grow? Kids Can Publish Holiday Gift Guide Monsters at the Movies
50 51 52 58 62
School Bookings Directory Liv on Life Book Reviews Juicy Jack’s Spanish Corner Storytime Pup
Tell us what you think of this issue! Email your comments to cristy@storymonsters.com. StoryMonsters.com | December 2017 | Story Monsters Ink
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Kelly Clarkson Takes the Literary Stage by Melissa Fales
Kelly Clarkson is a musical force. In the 15 years since she was crowned the first American Idol, she has barraged the music world with hit songs and albums, earned a multitude of awards, and captivated audiences on sold-out concert stages all over the world.
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But there’s another side to this sassy songbird. Inspired by her daughter, River Rose, and her own lifelong love of reading, Clarkson has written two children’s books. Her latest, River Rose and the Magical Christmas, was released just in time for the holiday season. “Every parent appreciates a book that their kids both love and learn from and I’m hoping this is that kind of book,” Clarkson says. Books were an important part of Clarkson’s less than idyllic Texas childhood. Her father left when she was six years old, leaving behind emotional and financial wounds. “My mom was a teacher and she pushed me to become an avid reader,” says Clarkson. “Plus, when you’re poor, you have nothing else to do. Reading was a great form of escapism for me.” Thanks to her mother’s influence, Clarkson delights in a broad range of literature. “I read everything from Tolstoy to Harry Potter,” Clarkson says. “I’m all over the place. And I’m always taking recommendations from people about books they liked. I have a long list of books I want to get to.” Now that Clarkson is a parent herself, she appreciates her mother’s efforts even more. Becoming a celebrity may not have changed her much, but becoming a parent has. “Big time,” she says. “That’s when things get real. Even if you’re not a leader, you have to be one. You’re the one they look up to and rely on. It’s the hardest job there is, but I love every minute of it.”
“Let’s be real here, not every book is going to be lifechanging. But at the end of the day, you want to be able to keep up in conversation. You want to be able to stand your ground intellectually. Reading develops your mind. My mom instilled that in me and now I’m trying to instill that in my kids.”
Today, Clarkson is continuing the family tradition and passing her love of reading on to her own children and stepchildren. Her husband, Brandon Blackstock, has two children from his previous marriage, Savannah, 16, and Seth, 10, and Blackstock and Clarkson have two children together, River Rose, 3, and Remington, 1. “They have no choice … they are going to read,” Clarkson says. “I know sometimes our 10-year-old would rather be playing video games or going to the movies, but movies can’t do a story justice the way your mind can. Your creative mind has no budget.” Clarkson says she hopes her kids will find books that resonate with them long after they’ve turned the final page, like Matilda by Roald Dahl did for her. “I fell in love with it,” she says. “I didn’t have a father and my mother was a working mom who put herself through school, so I was left alone a lot. I related to the character. But it was my first bigger book and I relished that feeling of accomplishment when I finished it. I want my kids to know that feeling.” Clarkson wants her children to understand the benefits of reading beyond the pleasure of a good story. “Let’s be real here, not every book is going to be life-changing,” she says. “But at the end of the day, you want to be able to keep up in conversation. You want to be able to stand your ground intellectually. Reading develops your mind. My mom instilled that in me and now I’m trying to instill that in my kids.” Leading by example, Clarkson says she makes sure her children see her with a book in her hand. “Like StoryMonsters.com | December 2017 | Story Monsters Ink
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all parents, we’re busy,” says Clarkson. “But we always make time to read. It’s important for our kids to see us reading. If you want your kids to find something important, you have to show them that you find it important. They won’t if you don’t.” As much as Clarkson reads, she hadn’t considered writing books until she started working on a special project for River Rose. While on a plane returning home from London, Clarkson reflected on the travels her daughter had already taken at such a young age. “She had five major stamps in her passport by the time she was a year old,” says Clarkson. “It made me sad that she had all these experiences she wouldn’t remember.” Using the plethora of family photos she had on hand, Clarkson started making books about River Rose’s adventures in places like Europe and Australia. “I thought she’d enjoy reading them when she was a little older,” says Clarkson. People who saw the books commented that Clarkson should make them into 6
Story Monsters Ink | December 2017 | StoryMonsters.com
children’s books. “That was the first time the idea ever crossed my mind,” she says. Before she knew it, she was in talks with HarperCollins. Clarkson, who co-wrote some of her biggest hits, including “Behind These Hazel Eyes” and “Catch My Breath,” says writing children’s books exercises an entirely separate set of muscles than writing songs. “It’s totally different,” she says. “I felt like I was taking Writing Kids Books 101. You have to keep their interest in a completely different way.” Released in 2016, River Rose and the Magical Lullaby became a New York Times bestseller. In it, River Rose can’t sleep because she’s so excited to go to the zoo the next day. “We decided to make the story more relatable for kids than traveling around the world,” Clarkson says. “I mean, look at me, when I was growing up, we never went anywhere. We never left Texas.” When River Rose eventually falls asleep, she has an incredible dream about playing with all the animals. A highlight of the book is an included link to hear an original lullaby written and sweetly sung by Clarkson.
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Clarkson will also appear as a judge on The Voice this spring. And be on the lookout for more books about River Rose and her adventures. In the meantime, Clarkson, along with her millions of fans, will continue to search for the meaning of life. “I believe doing whatever makes you happy every day brings you closer to discovering what the meaning of life is for you,” she says. “Look, we’re all under construction. We’re all works in progress. I think we’re all trying to find out what gives our life meaning and hope and satisfaction and we’re all trying to do more of that. That’s what I’m focused on right now.” For more information about Kelly Clarkson, visit www.kellyclarkson.com.
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When it came time for a second River Rose book, Clarkson had a theme ready. “I said I had to do a Christmas one,” she says. “River Rose loves Christmas so much. Our whole family does.” Christmas is a major production at Clarkson’s Nashville home. “We go big,” she says. “We really get into it. We do Elf on the Shelf, we have three different trees. Yeah, it’s insane.” Clarkson found the second River Rose book easier to write than the first. “I knew exactly what I wanted,” she says. “I included numbers and counting to help kids with math. I knew I wanted to have a big snowball fight, but it needed to be special so we made the snowballs all different flavors.” Released in October, River Rose and the Magical Christmas is set on Christmas Eve. In it, River Rose attempts to stay up all night to deliver a letter to Santa in person. Try as she might to stay awake, she eventually falls asleep and dreams that she visits the North Pole where she meets Mrs. Claus and the elves. Once again, the book is accompanied by a link to hear Clarkson sing, this time a Christmas song she wrote. “It’s such a fun time of year and it’s so exciting for kids to know that Santa’s coming,” says Clarkson. “I wanted the story to capture all of that magic.” Clarkson also has a new album, Meaning of Life, heating up the charts. “It’s still pop, but it’s very urban and very soulful,” she says. It’s her debut album under her new deal with Atlantic Records. “I think it’s the album people expected me to make after I was introduced to the world via Idol,” she says. “It’s my best yet. It’s my favorite ever.”
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