In Episode 41, I’m joined by Canadian children’s book writers Eric Walters and Lana Button to discuss their award-winning book, One Can. Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant, One Can tells the emotional story of a young boy’s generosity and the importance of community in tackling food insecurity. It is a story of hope and a reminder of the power of positive storytelling in children’s narratives.
Parents will love this book that shows children the cyclical nature of generosity, and in it, they will find a valuable resource for talking to kids about real-world problems like hunger and poverty.
More than an approach to writing moral stories, Lana and Eric share the incredible power children’s book writers have to uplift and empower children in a chaotic world. They also share important tips for writing children’s literature and reveal their secret to staying on the journey of their art.
Show highlights
- What started the book
- The reason for hope
- Writing the most critical part of the book
- Why this book is so special to Eric
- How to get into the psychology of a child
- Writing in changing times
“People can go further when they believe that something good is going to happen at the end. I strongly believe we’ve got to leave kids with a sense of hope in our stories.”
Eric Walters
One Can is out now from Groundwood Books.
Got any thoughts on this episode, or want to suggest authors you’d like to see on the show? Send me a note here.
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About Lana Button
Lana Button is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books for children, which have been translated into several languages. Lana’s books are often used in classrooms to enhance social-emotional learning. Her new book ONE CAN, co-written with Eric Walters, is a Lone Star Top Pick; Most Anticipated Book Ordered by Libraries, a CBC Books top 30 Canadian Book for Younger Kids, and received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.
About Eric Walters
Eric Walters has authored over 140 books, which have been translated into 16 languages and have won over 100 awards. It all started when he wrote his first book for his grade 5 students to help them become more interested in reading and writing.
About One Can
A child donates a can of food to their school food drive. But in an unexpected twist, they come to understand what it means to give and receive.
Created by an award-winning team, One Can tells a timely and touching story of a child who learns to give and receive—and wants only to give again in return.
Guest’s links
Buy One Can: https://houseofanansi.com/products/one-can?srsltid=AfmBOorKtGP–hPmbbjvBgNlGiOVgYaSHSH1D9OfpAXr1P6OQpw94HOJ
Host’s links
Book a one-on-one with Lola: https://wordcaps.com/coaching/
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