Jane Smiley, Author of Twenty Yawns | Speed Interview

The Children’s Book Review | March 21, 2016

The Children’s Book Review: Which five words best describe Twenty Yawns?

Jane Smiley: Cheerful, colorful, loving, amusing, relaxing.

If you had to take a vacation with one of the characters from Twenty Yawns, who would it be?

Why? The mom. I would give childrearing advice and assume that she would not take it.

What has been the best reaction from a reader, so far?

Sleep! Also laughing.

What’s on your nightstand?

Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter, Writing the Frontier: Anthony Trollope between Britain and Ireland, and The Manual of Horsemanship of the British Horse Society and Pony Club, 1964 edition.

For your writing energy: sugar or salt, tea or coffee?

Sugar and Diet Coke

Writing tools: computer, pen and paper, or all of the above?

Computer

Can you tell us one more thing we may not know about Twenty Yawns, your writing style, or yourself?

About Twenty Yawns: Lucy has many more things to learn and I hope to be there for her as she learns them.

Twenty Yawns

Written by Jane Smiley

Illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Publisher’s Synopsis: From Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley and Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo.

As her mom reads a bedtime story, Lucy drifts off. But later, she awakens in a dark, still room, and everything looks mysterious. How will she ever get back to sleep?

Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley’s first picture book, illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo, evokes the splashy fun of the beach and the quietude of a moonlit night, with twenty yawns sprinkled in for children to discover and count.

Ages 3 7 | Publisher: Two Lions | April 1, 2016 | ISBN-13: 978-1477826355

Add this book to your collection: Twenty Yawns

Available Here: 

Praise for Twenty Yawns

★“[The] perfect bedtime story for the end of a busy day.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★“A sweet soporific.”—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “There’s so much right about this picture book, Pulitzer Prize– winning (for A Thousand Acres) Smiley’s first… And the twenty yawns (yes, you can count them) are pure genius.”—The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

Book Trailer for Twenty Yawns

Activity Kit for Twenty Yawns

Twenty Yawns Activity Kit by sarahshealy

About Jane Smiley

Jane Smiley is the author of numerous novels, including A Thousand Acres, which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, as well as five works of nonfiction and a series of books for young adults. In 2001 she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 2006 she received the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature. This is her first picture book. She lives in Northern California. For more information, visit: facebook.com/janesmileyauthor

The Twenty Yawns Blog Tour

Thurs, Mar 17 Watch.Connect.Read

Fri, Mar 18    Sharpread    

Mon, Mar 21 Children’s Book Review             

Tues, Mar 22    Kid Lit Frenzy                            

Wed, Mar 23 Cracking the Cover                    

Thurs, Mar 24 Unleashing Readers                   

Fri, Mar 25    5 Minutes for Books                  

Sat, Mar 26 Booking Mama                          

Mon, Mar 28 A Rup Life                                 

Tues, Mar 29    Children’s Book Review             

Wed, Mar 30 Once Upon a Story                    

Thurs, Mar 31   NC Teacher Stuff                       

Fri, April 1    A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust

Mon, Apr 4   Where Imagination Grows           

Wed, Apr 6   Teach Mentor Texts                   

Tues, Apr 12 Jean Little Library     

This interview with Jane Smiley was conducted by Bianca Schulze. Follow along with our content tagged with Jane Smiley, Lauren Castillo, Yawning, Bedtime Books and Speed Interview to discover more great books.