This book is perfect for any dino-loving, Hanukkah-celebrating kiddos!
I’m participating in a blog tour for this book.
Naomi Gruer is a freelance writer who has published articles, essays, a column, and a blog. As a Microsoft Guest Educator, she’s participated in World Read Aloud Day by Skyping with schools in Spain, Canada, and the U.S. She’s a preschool teacher in New Jersey, where she’s raised triplets and a younger daughter. This is her first picture book. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram.
HEAR ME ROAR! I’M A HANUKKAHSAUR is a picture book all about Miles, a dino-loving boy. He is determined to celebrate Hannukkah as a dinosaur because dinosaurs “can do it.” Even when he messes up, he is quick to fix or clean up his accidents a la fun dinosaurs.
Please note: I received a copy of this book, but the opinions, as always, are my own.
Welcome Naomi!
Me: Can you tell us a little bit about your writing journey? How has that brought you to this book?
Naomi: I wrote and illustrated my first picture book at age ten and published freelance articles starting in high school. Fast forward to re-discovering picture books as a mom of triplets. The picture books my kids wanted to hear again-and-again were magical, and I yearned to create that kind of magic. I joined SCBWI and a critique group, took classes, and attended conferences. I eventually signed with a literary agent who advises me, works on manuscripts with me, and sends my work on submission.
Me: Miles is so full of energy and heart. What gave you the idea for this story?
Naomi: I’m a preschool teacher, and I had a class of kids who pretended to be dinosaurs. They roared so loudly that my co-teacher and I suggested they roar outside! When one of the preschoolers wore a sweatshirt with a “Menorah-saur,” a dinosaur with Hanukkah candles instead of spikes, the seed was planted.
Me: I love all the incredibly creative dinosaur names and how they tied into the Hanukkah holiday! How many revisions did it take to get your manuscript to this final state? Did it go through many revisions or was this a gift of the Muse (i.e., good from the first draft)?
Naomi: Good question! Before my editor read the manuscript, it had gone through rounds with my critique group and agent. I’m not sure how many because the story maintained its focus on a kid with big dino energy while other elements were revised. My agent suggested emphasizing the cleaning up aspect, and the editor and I worked on wording so that interactions with family and friends were similar but not exactly the same. I’m glad you like the Hanukkah-dino names! I researched dino prefixes and suffixes and brainstormed like crazy. I have pages of dino names that didn’t make the cut.
Me: Can you talk a little bit about how your book came to be published at Kalaniot Books? Did you submit your manuscript many places or were they your first yes? Or did it somehow catch their eye in some other way?
Naomi: A conversation between my agent and a Kalaniot editor at the Bologna Book Fair led to HEAR ME ROAR! I’M A HANUKKAHSAUR coming to life. About six months earlier, the manuscript was on submission to fifteen editors, but there were no offers. In Bologna, the editor asked my agent if she had a client with a Hanukkah book and my manuscript was mentioned. Once the editor read it, the ball got rolling.
Me: The illustrations by Mel Zohar are pitch perfect. She captures Miles so well and I just love all the background details! Any favorite illustrations? Any illustration surprises?
Naomi: I agree! Mel did a great job expressing Miles’ energy and the world he lives in. In addition to loving how she illustrated people, I like the way she illustrated the onomatopoeias, the dino figurines that became a search-and-find aspect of the book, and the double-page spread of the “raptor romp.”
Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?
Naomi: I didn’t realize how rewarding it would be to work with an editor who was as excited for the story as I was. I appreciate that the process was collaborative and that every edit was made with the overall story in mind.
Me: Any advice for other new picture book writers?
Naomi: Write more than one picture book! If a manuscript doesn’t get an offer, you can send out a different one. Having many manuscripts in the works has enabled me to keep sending out fresh stories, and that has kept me hopeful that I will achieve my goals.
That is great advice. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog today Naomi.
But wait, dear readers, there’s more! Naomi is hosting a giveaway. You can enter it here. Good luck!