Readers know Amanda H. Midkiff as a middle-grade fiction author. But recently, she released her first picture book, Mel the Snail’s Writing Trail. Keep reading to find out why she decided to try out a new type of children’s book and what we can expect from her next.
Tell us a bit about Mel the Snail’s Writing Trail. What is it about and what inspired you to write your book?
Before I became a library teacher, I was a primary classroom teacher for twenty years. Literacy-based learning has always been my approach, so I introduce most skills and topics by reading a story.
As a second-grade teacher, I shared a picture book entitled Leo the Late Bloomer before I started teaching reading skills. It revolved around the idea of learning at your own pace. I loved how the story put anxious students at ease. However, there were no books to be found regarding the challenging but rewarding process of learning to write. Now we have one! Mel the Snail’s Writing Trail is designed to bring surety and calmness to students who feel pressure as they learn to write.
Who is your target audience, and what do you hope readers get out of your book?
My target audience is any student interested in learning to write. More specifically, the story is designed for English language learners, occupational therapy (OT) students, and PreK to second-grade children. It’s also super fun for anyone else! After all, as C.S. Lewis said, “No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally—and often far more—worth reading at the age of fifty.”
The illustrations Rodrigo Paulo created for your book are—pardon the pun—picture perfect. Why did you choose him, how do you feel he captured your vision for your book, and how was the process of working with him?
I chose Rodrigo because I had seen his work and loved it! He is so flexible and easy to work with. I knew he would be able to bring Mel to life!
Creating a picture book means having the perfect illustrations, because that is what really matters to the children. It’s how they relate to what’s happening. And illustrations are what tell the story when someone doesn’t know how to read the words.
The pictures are fun and more than once I’ve already heard, “I love these pictures!”
Now that your book is published, how will you measure whether it’s a success? What is your goal for your story?
I hope students, teachers, and parents will find Mel the Snail’s Writing Trail an enjoyable adventure. My desire is that it is relatable to children as they go from learning the alphabet to writing their thoughts. If those things happen, it is a success.
What feedback have you received so far on your book?
I always appreciate feedback! I’ve had a few five-star Amazon reviews, and I’ve had personal messages from parents who took a picture of their child(ren) enjoying their new book. I love that!
Hearing from parents is amazing, and so is hearing from colleagues. Recently, two OT teachers enthusiastically contacted me because they said the story perfectly explained the process of becoming a writer to their students. The reaction of the students was very positive. I was over the moon! Even more exciting, one of the OTs used it for her yearly observation and when she was finished, another OT asked for the book!
Lastly, I have had a great response from YouTubers who featured Mel on their channels. (5 Minutes with Uncle Ben, Troop Tiny Tales, Ace Parenting Club, My Bedtime Stories, to name a few.) That was such a thrilling experience for me.
People have thoroughly enjoyed seeing Mel come to life . . . especially me!
Your previous books were written for a middle-grade audience and were explicitly Christian in nature. This is quite a departure from the other books you’ve published. Why did you feel the time was right to create a picture book?
Simple answer: It seemed like a fun thing to try! I had talked with a few of the other Argyle Fox Publishing authors during one of our monthly Zoom meetings and their encouragement and enthusiasm lit a fire under me. I had wanted to write a picture book for years, so that’s what I did. I sat down and poured out Mel the Snail’s Writing Trail in twenty minutes!
How was this publishing experience different, and do you suspect you’ll do it again?
Being a librarian and elementary classroom teacher, I have read many picture books to children. I know the magic of picture books lies within the pictures, so the creativity really came from investing time in making sure the pictures were just right. That is very different from creating a chapter book, which may only have one illustration per chapter.
As far as publishing another picture book? You bet!
Do you already have another book up your sleeve? If so, can you give us a sneak preview of what it’s about and when you plan to present it to the world?
Mel’s little cousin, Melanie, will be on the scene in a few months with a fantastic tale of learning how to spell her name. Mel may even make a grand appearance in this new adventure called Melanie Snail Learns to Spell.
Is there anything else the world should know about you or your writing?
I am grateful for every person who encourages my writing. I am a word collector, especially the ones that are kind and helpful. They sit right in my heart on display for when I need a little smile. I am grateful that the stories we have published have resonated with people and they are enjoying them!
We’re also thankful, and here’s to more people loving your stories!