蜜柚直播

As they get older, some may even see that the display of children鈥檚 books 鈥� usually located at the back of the store 鈥� is now right up front at Target.

It is definitely a great time of the year for children. 鈥橳is a pretty good season for children鈥檚 literature, too, and no one appreciates it more than the authors and illustrators of the books themselves.

鈥淚t feels good to walk in a bookstore and see one of your books on a table near the front door,鈥� author-illustrator Chris Gall admitted. 鈥淭he rest of the year we鈥檙e in the back someplace. To hear parents talking about books for their kids, to know they might be talking about yours, that鈥檚 pretty great.鈥�

Gall is among many 蜜柚直播ans involved in the publication of children鈥檚 books. Since they only see sales summaries twice a year, it is hard for an author to measure just how much the holidays help their bottom lines. But retail analysts say 20-25% of all annual book sales come in the six weeks before Christmas, and kids鈥� books traditionally lead the charge.

Educators say there are five genres across children鈥檚 literature: Most of us cut our teeth, literally, on board books as toddlers. Picture books are stories relying on words and illustrations for kids 4-8. Chapter books, or easy readers, help 8-to-10-year-olds grasp stories without pictures. Middle grade readers take the next step, and young adult books cover a wide range of topics appealing to adolescents.

While Phoenix is home to a number of well-known authors writing for young adults, 蜜柚直播 is surprisingly rich with authors and illustrators focused on kids ages 4-10.

One of them is Lori Alexander, an Oro Valley author now earning high marks for recently released projects in nonfiction. 鈥淎 Sporting Chance,鈥� published in April, explores the history of the Paralympic Games. 鈥淎ll in a Drop,鈥� released last year, details the history of the microscope.

Both books grew from conversations at home. Alexander鈥檚 daughter had medical challenges when young. Her husband is a scientist.

鈥淚 had done board books, but nonfiction picture books seem like a good place for me now,鈥� Alexander said. 鈥淭he biggest thing is that I love researching them. I pick topics that are interesting to me and learn all I can.鈥�

Alexander is a Lori-come-lately to publishing. She was a human-relations specialist at Ventana Medical Systems.

鈥淲hen my daughter was young,鈥� she remembers, 鈥渨e went to the Oro Valley Library every day after school. The children鈥檚 books were little lifesavers. We loved those books. I started wondering if I could do that.鈥�

Alexander learned about the publishing business online. She developed a business and writing plan that incorporated national age-group curriculum standards. She cold-called agents. It worked. 鈥淎ll in a Drop鈥� was listed as one of New York Public Library鈥檚 books of the year in 2019.

Gall and Adam Rex, both author-illustrators of popular picture books, took more conventional routes.

Gall was a gifted illustrator who studied writing at the UA.

鈥淚 thought I鈥檇 make more money as an author,鈥� he explained. 鈥淭hen I realized they don鈥檛 make any money, either.鈥�

Like Alexander, Gall is edging toward nonfiction. His latest entry, published in August, is 鈥淛umbo,鈥� marking the 50th anniversary of the Boeing 747. Last year, he released 鈥淕o for the Moon,鈥� a story about Apollo 11 and the lunar landing.

Rex鈥檚 love for children鈥檚 books blossomed in high school while working for a Waldenbooks store in Phoenix.

鈥淚 hung out in the children鈥檚 book section,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 fell in love with the picture books.鈥� Now he produces them. His latest is 鈥淥n Account of the Gum,鈥� published in October.

Alexander, Gall and Rex have one thing in common: none of them has written a Christmas-specific book. 鈥淚鈥檇 rather focus on books people will buy all year long,鈥� Rex explained, but the three local authors all know this: It鈥檚 good to have a new one on the kids table when the table is right up front at the bookstore.