In this episode, I chat with Uma Krishnaswami about her latest work, Birds on the Brain. Uma has written for young readers for over 30 years, and she taught writing for 16 years. I think of this episode as a mini-masterclass in writing for children, and I’m so grateful for the tips Uma graciously shared.
Show highlights
- How Uma arrives at great ideas through story
- A chat about Book Uncle and the Istri Lady
- How to help children become better readers
- Plotting vs discovery writing
- Revealing Book 3 of the series
- Weaving data into storytelling for young readers
- Giving young readers reasons to see
- The No 1 stumbling block for writers
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About Uma Krishnaswami
Uma Krishnaswami has been writing for young readers for thirty years. Among her many titles are Book Uncle and Me, Birds on the Brain, Step Up to the Plate Maria Singh, Threads of Peace: How Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Changed the World, Monsoon, and Two at the Top: A Shared Dream of Everest. Uma is faculty emerita, MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Vermont College of Fine Arts. Many of her students have established successful writing careers.
About Birds on the Brain
The sequel to the award-winning Book Uncle and Me features bird lover Reeni and her quest to save her city’s bird count event when the mayor tries to shut it down.
Reeni is wild about birds! So when she and her best friend, Yasmin, have to pick a survey topic for a school project, asking their neighbors what they know about birds is an obvious choice. They are shocked to learn that no one — not one single person! — has heard about Bird Count India and the major event it is about to launch all over the country. Thousands of birdwatchers will be out counting birds as part of a global movement. Global means world, and isn’t this city part of the world? How come people don’t seem to care about the threats to city birds? And why is the mayor intentionally thwarting their city’s bird count event?
Reeni and Yasmin enlist help from Book Uncle, Reeni’s family and even their school bus driver. They must get people interested in the bird count, get them to ask the city government to support the event. After all, what’s good for the birds is good for all of us … right?
A funny, triumphant story about learning to advocate for both the human and non-human inhabitants of your community.
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