A Mom for Umande

A Mom for Umande

I’m multi-tasking today, I’m participating in an event for the picture book A Mom for Umande.

So, I’m repeating my previous Perfect Picture Book Friday post about the book.  

The original PPBF includes the interview with Author Maria Faulconer.
A Mom for Umande
Written by Maria Faulconer
Illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung
Dial Books for Young Readers, April 2, 2014
Non-fiction
Suitable for: Ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: Orphans, Zoos, Caregivers, Surrogate Moms


Opening Lines: On a cold winter’s night, the zoo is quiet. The visitors have gone home. In the darkness of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a baby gorilla is born. His name is Umande, which means “swirling mists” in Swahili. Umande is wet and trembling. He crest, as if to say “Will you hold me?”


Synopsis: From inside book jacket: When Umande was born, his mother didn’t know how to take care of him. So, he was hand-reared by keepers at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. For eight months, the keepers crawled on the ground with him to show him how to walk; coughed in his face to teach him discipline; and gave him happy gorilla grumbles to encourage him. But for Umande, something was still missing. Luckily, a thousand miles away at the Columbus Zoo, a mom was waiting just for him. This touching story about finding a home is a true testament to the powerful bonds we form and the families we make.


Link to Resources:  Umande is mentioned on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website. The zoo’s website has fun activities for children including a Zoo Keeper Training game. Umande lives in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. Maria Faulconer lists several zoos in her author’s note where one can learn more about gorillas, hand-rearing or conservation programs. The Lincoln Park Zoo has several educator resources on its website. The book is a great conversation starter about parenting — the need for a parent/role model — and adoption issues too.


Why I Like this Book:  The book is about a gorilla born at the local zoo we visit. How could I not pick this one up for my son? The story and beautiful illustrations share Umande’s survival with the help of zoo keepers, who act like his mother, and to his finding a gorilla, who would be his mother and take care of him. in the author’s note, she mentions a total of 18 keepers and caregivers spent thousands of hours taking care of him. The book received a Starred-Review on Kirkus Reviews.

GIVEAWAY
Here’s the giveaway info first and then, I’ll share something about my Mother:

Winner will receive a special Mother’s Day gift basket including:

  • Lavender and Vanilla Candle
  • A Book of Simple Pleasures
  • A Lavender Lotion and Hand Soap Set
  • Vanilla Rose Bubble Bath and Body Lotion
  • Lavender Chamomile Shea Butter Soap
  • A White Flower in a Wooden Box
  • Lavender Soap in a Keepsake Box 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Mom
I wanted to participate in this giveaway, because I really love how Maria Faulconer shares the story of Umande and his path to having a mom.

Plus, participants were asked to talk about their own moms.


I love my mom. She’s very humble and often questions her input into her lives. But, I don’t know how I would be where I am today without her (and my Dad). She encouraged all of her children and offered support (even if she didn’t see the point of our endeavors). She trusted us on many levels. For this, I remain grateful.
I am very blessed to have Mom as my mom. Thanks to technology, we are able to talk almost daily, and randomly email and FaceTime. Well, she wants to FaceTime with Enzo. 🙂


Really, I’m blessed to have many great Moms in my life like my sister Tracy, my sister-in-law DeAnne, my mother-in-law Barb and so many friends and relatives. I appreciate all the moms, who read this blog and interact on Facebook too. Thanks to the Internet — good and bad — no one really has to mother alone now.


Event Participants
There are a number of other posts about Umande as part of the giveaway. Here’s the schedule, if you would like to check out some different blogs.
May 4 – Coffee Books 7 ArtPieces of Whimsy,  21st Century Once Upon a Times
May 7- In Between the PagesBeauty and the ArmageddonDeal Sharing AuntA Book and a Latte
May 8- The Phantom ParagrapherCurling Up With a Good Book,  Stacy S. Jensen
May 9- Ishiee’s Book Blog,  Maureen’s BooksBookworm for Kids
May 10- LuLo FangirlRefreshingly RikiBumbles & Fairytales,  Books Are Love
I hope you all have a wonderful Mother’s Day and enjoy the weekend.
Here’s the official blog tour blurbs on the book and a bio on Maria. She’s a delight and the book is too.


A MOM FOR UMANDE by Maria Faulconer
The heart-tugging true story of how a baby gorilla found love in the arms of a surrogate mom.
When Umande was born, his mother didn’t know how to take care of him. So, he was hand-reared by keepers at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. For eight months, the keepers crawled on the ground with him to show him how to walk; coughed in his face to teach him discipline; and gave him happy gorilla grumbles to encourage him. But for Umande, something was still missing. Luckily, a thousand miles away at the Columbus Zoo, a mom was waiting just for him.
This touching true story about finding a family will resonate with animal lovers and adoptive families alike.
Illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung
A Mom for UmandeGoodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About Maria Faulconer
Maria Faulconer has published fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. She loves writing stories, especially ones that tug at the heartstrings. A huge animal lover, and an adoptive mom herself, she knew when she saw a photo of a baby gorilla snuggling with his surrogate mom that she had to tell their story – A Mom for Umande. Her first children’s book, Arianna and the Strawberry Tea, was used for a statewide literacy program. She currently writes for Colorado Springs Style magazine and is working on a YA novel. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two children.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Baby Penguins Love Their Mama!

Baby Penguins Love Their Mama!

Here’s my Perfect Picture Book Friday choice for Mother’s Day weekend:

Baby Penguins Love Their Mama!
Written and Illustrated by Melissa Guion
Philomel Books, An imprint of Penguin Group, 2014
Fiction
Suitable for: Ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: Mothers, Family, Concept: Days of the week, Animals, Penguins


Opening Lines: Once there was a family of penguins. A mama penguin . . .
Synopsis from Amazon: When you’re a mama penguin with lots (and lots) of little ones to take care of, the days can melt together in a blur. Monday: swimming lessons. Tuesday: sliding. Wednesday: waddling. And on and on. Mama loves her babies so much. Do they know, she wonders, just how much?


As it turns out, they do–because they love her just as much! And to show it, they surprise her with a thoughtful gesture of their own on Sunday.


Link to Resources: Melissa Guion has a link on her website to Nothing But Penguins. Think about the activities your mom or dad do with the little ones in the house. For Mother’s Day, you could create a card for your mom and list some of the things she does with you and for you.


Why I like this Book: I love penguins. I love concept books (days of the week). I love mothers. Guion’s debut picture book Baby Penguins Everywhere! was published in 2012. This was another fun, random find at the library.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day Weekend. The baby penguins share a touching message for mamas in this book.


Last month, I shared the book  A Mom For Umande by Maria Faulconer. For anyone in the Colorado Springs area, Maria is having a book signing and reading on Saturday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate Blvd. Umande’s story is very touching and beautifully illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung.


Find more Perfect Picture Books at Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.

A Mom for Umande

A Mom for Umande plus an Author Interview

Here’s my Perfect Picture Book Friday choice (plus keep reading for a Q & A with the author):

A Mom for Umande
Written by Maria Faulconer
Illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung
Dial Books for Young Readers, April 2, 2014
Non-fiction
Suitable for: Ages 4-8
Themes/Topics: Orphans, Zoos, Caregivers, Surrogate Moms


Opening Lines: On a cold winter’s night, the zoo is quiet. The visitors have gone home. In the darkness of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a baby gorilla is born. His name is Umande, which means “swirling mists” in Swahili. Umande is wet and trembling. He crest, as if to say “Will you hold me?”


Synopsis: From inside book jacket: When Umande was born, his mother didn’t know how to take care of him. So, he was hand-reared by keepers at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. For eight months, the keepers crawled on the ground with him to show him how to walk; coughed in his face to teach him discipline; and gave him happy gorilla grumbles to encourage him. But for Umande, something was still missing. Luckily, a thousand miles away at the Columbus Zoo, a mom was waiting just for him. This touching story about finding a home is a true testament to the powerful bonds we form and the families we make.


Link to Resources:  Umande is mentioned on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website. The zoo’s website has fun activities for children including a Zoo Keeper Training game. Umande lives in Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo. Maria Faulconer lists several zoos in her author’s note where one can learn more about gorillas, hand-rearing or conservation programs. The Lincoln Park Zoo has several educator resources on its website. The book is a great conversation starter about parenting — the need for a parent/role model — and adoption issues too.


Why I Like this Book:  The book is about a gorilla born at the local zoo we visit. How could I not pick this one up for my son? The story and beautiful illustrations share Umande’s survival with the help of zoo keepers, who act like his mother, and to his finding a gorilla, who would be his mother and take care of him. in the author’s note, she mentions a total of 18 keepers and caregivers spent thousands of hours taking care of him. The book received a Starred-Review on Kirkus Reviews.


Q & A with Maria Faulconer:
Maria and I live in the same town and have met through local SCBWI, Pikes Peak Writers, and community writing events. She offered to answer a few writerly questions after I read the book:
Q: How long have you been writing picture books? 
Maria: I began my writing career after attending the very first Pikes Peak Writers Conference in 1993. I remember being so intimidated by all the “real” writers there that when a friend of mine introduced me to Toni Knapp, a writing teacher, the first words out of my mouth were,  “You don’t have room in your class, do you?” She did. And that’s how it all began.
Q: When did you learn about Umande’s story and begin writing it?
Maria: I first learned about Umande’s story when a dear friend showed me a newspaper photo of a baby gorilla snuggling in the arms of his surrogate mom. An adoptive mom myself, I was so captivated by the joy on their faces that I knew I had to write a story about him.
Q: Have you ever seen Umande in person? If not, do you plan to visit him at the Lincoln Park Zoo one day?
Maria: I’ve never met Umande in person. He had already been transferred to the Columbus Zoo to meet his surrogate mom when I learned about him. So I wrote the entire story from interviews and photos the amazing keepers at the zoo shared with me. Yes, I hope to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo and meet Umande in person!
Q: How long did it take you to write the manuscript and get it submission ready? 
Maria: It took two years, and many revisions, to write the manuscript and get it ready to submit. I was struggling with the voice, when Toni Knapp, who is now a member of my critique group, said, “Write it in first person.” That’s when the story came to life. I could just hear Umande saying, “Won’t anyone hold me?”
Q: Do you have an agent or did you submit directly to a publisher?
Maria: I submitted my manuscript directly to Stephanie Owens Lurie, who was then the President and Publisher of Dutton Children’s Books. Once I had an offer, I found an agent who negotiated the contract for me.
Q: How much time did you put into researching Umande’s story? 
Maria: I spent months in Primate World at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo,  interviewing the extraordinary keepers and caregivers who hand-reared Umande. I can’t thank them enough for the many hours they spent patiently teaching me about gorillas and hand-rearing.
Q: For a non-fiction work, how were you able to condense Umande’s story in picture book format? 
Maria: I’ve been writing non-fiction for more than twenty years and currently write for Colorado Springs Style Magazine, so I’m used to condensing stories to fit specific word counts. What was most difficult in writing A MOM FOR UMANDE was finding the “heart” of the story with so many wonderful details to choose from.
Q: What’s your word count? Did it change at all during the pre-publication process? I wasn’t sure if you had a number of revisions. We writer types always like those numbers.
Maria:  My published word count is 944. And yes, it’s down from 1469 words when I first wrote it! As a non-fiction writer, I love facts and details. But I learned that it is so much more powerful to focus on the important kernels. (Stacy here, the word count doesn’t include the back matter and author’s note.)
Q: How long did it take from the sale of the manuscript to publication?
Maria: I sold my manuscript in six days—which was so exciting. And then it took seven years for A MOM FOR UMANDE to be published. During that time, my imprint changed from Dutton Children’s Books to Dial Books for Young Readers. And I worked with several editors before Nancy Conescu—a wonderfully talented and supportive editor—took Umande—and me—from the final editing process through to publication. Although seven years is a long time, I’ve learned that my experience is not uncommon. There are always unforeseen delays.
Q: What advice do you have for picture book writers?
Maria: My advice for picture book writers is first and foremost, to take workshops and classes to learn your craft. Denise Vega, SCBWI’s co-regional advisor, is an amazing teacher and writer, and I would say “run don’t walk” if she is giving a workshop. Second, find a supportive and caring critique group. Visit first to make sure it’s a good fit for you. And finally, get involved in your local writers’ organization. I was active in SCBWI for years. That’s how I first met the wonderful Stephanie Owens Lurie, who spoke at one of our conferences. Throughout the years, I kept in touch and sent her manuscripts. And then finally, I sent her A MOM FOR UMANDE, and she loved it!
Q: Anything else you want to add (or wish I had asked, just let me know).
Maria: Perseverance is key, so don’t give up! I published my first picture book, ARIANNA AND THE STRAWBERRY TEA, in 1998, and it’s still in print. It was promoted on the Regis Show, which was a thrill.  During the ensuing years, I sold stories and poems to magazines, but I also received enough rejections on other projects to paper a small bathroom. But I kept going. Now, sixteen years later, A MOM FOR UMANDE was born. It was worth the wait.


I really appreciate Maria sharing her story and Umande’s with us! I hope you can find A Mom for Umande in a bookstore or at your library. Find more Perfect Picture Books at Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog.