Susan VanHecke

AN APPLE PIE FOR DINNER for Just 99 Cents!

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:32:00 +0000

Ooh, don't miss this great deal from Amazon for fun fall storytime!! Granny Smith gets pie with a little help from her friends—yummy kid-friendly recipe included!! Kindle edition just 99 cents all November!!

For accompanying activities, video, and more, head to AnApplePieforDinner.com!!

AN APPLE PIE FOR DINNER on National Apple Pie Day

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Wed, 13 May 2020 17:43:00 +0000

Happy National Apple Pie Day!

Might I suggest celebrating with An Apple Pie for Dinner? In which kind old Granny Smith gets pie with a little help from her friends—kid-friendly recipe included!

Fun pie activities, music, video, educators'/parents' resources, and—tastiest of all—Granny's yummy apple pie recipe at www.anapplepiefordinner.com.

A delicious kids' quarantine activity, baking your own apple pie, with easy directions in this how-to-bake-it video. Give it a try—it's as easy as pie!

UNDER THE FREEDOM TREE for Black History Month

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 17:53:00 +0000

Calling all teachers, librarians, and booksellers: For Black History Month, remember the award-winning Under the Freedom Tree, as seen in and recommended by USA Today. In taut free verse, this compelling picture book tells the daring story of the contraband slaves of the Civil War, who launch the beginning of slavery’s end near and under the sheltering tree known today as Emancipation Oak. Now available in paperback!

Photos, video, educators’ resources—including a readers theater script and Common Core-aligned teacher’s guide—at www.UndertheFreedomTree.com.

Talking UNDER THE FREEDOM TREE for Black History Month at An Author Writes

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Sat, 02 Feb 2019 15:05:00 +0000

Was honored to be interviewed by author Cheryl Holloway about Under the Freedom Tree, my picture book in free verse about the contraband slaves of the Civil War, who launched the beginning of the end of slavery.

By making the dangerous trek to the Union line and working for and ultimately joining the Union forces in the war effort—at the same time creating their own community and teaching themselves to read and write under the tree now known as the Emancipation Oak—these brave African Americans changed the course of history.

Grateful to be able to share the incredible story at Cheryl's blog An Author Writes as we celebrate Black History Month. Please check it out!

ESQUIVEL! Gets Two Covers; Susan VanHecke Writes as Susan Wood

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:21:00 +0000

Cover reveal!!

Jackets—English and Spanish—for Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist, illustrated by the ginormously talented Duncan Tonatiuh, are now official. Book files went to the printer last week; pub date's September 6 from Charlesbridge Publishing.

Pen-name reveal as well—I'll now be writing as Susan Wood. Easy to say, easy to spell, easy to remember...

More news soon!

Happy Birthday, Rock Trailblazer Gene Vincent—and a New Edition of His Biography

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 14:46:00 +0000

It's the late, great Gene "Be-Bop-A-Lula" Vincent's birthday today! He would've turned 81. The trailblazing rock 'n' roller was an influence on so many—the Beatles, Dylan, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin, Bowie, the Doors, Ramones, and the list goes on and on. That singular voice, that rebellious attitude endure...

It's also the book birthday of Race with the Devil: The Gene Vincent Story, the updated, revised ebook edition of my 2000 Vincent biography! Featuring new information, interviews, and photos, it remains the most comprehensive survey ever written of Vincent's groundbreaking career and turbulent personal life. Diehard Vincent fans and newbies to the rock 'n' roll legend alike should definitely check it out, as well as the book's website, which features additional photos, links, and more.

As John Fogerty, inducting Vincent into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said after singing an a cappella verse of "Be-Bop-A-Lula," "It doesn't get much better than that. I do believe that this record is probably one of the greatest records ever made. That voice, man—Gene Vincent. The sound of Cliff Gallup's guitar, the drummer screaming in the background—it's what we call attitude. Gene's image was loud, self-assured, and greasy. And what better way to talk about rock 'n' roll."

What better way, indeed...

ESQUIVEL en Espanol? Si! Si! Si!

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 22:09:00 +0000

Just received award-winning illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh's sketches for Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist, my picture book biography of Mexican bandleader and stereo sound pioneer Juan Garcia Esquivel. And they're brilliant! Beautifully stylized and so much FUN! Can't wait for this book to come out next year! Do a wiggly, squiggly happy dance with me to Esquivel's awesome "Peanut Vendor," won't you? Hee!

Also learned that Charlesbridge Publishing will be releasing a Spanish edition of the book along with the English. My first foreign language translation! Fantastico!

RACE WITH THE DEVIL: Gene Vincent Bio Updated and Revised

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Light and bright

Fifteen years ago I made my debut as an author with Race with the Devil. It was the first (and, to my knowledge, remains the only) American biography of '50s rock 'n' roll trailblazer Gene "Be-Bop-A-Lula" Vincent. I'd been writing for the major daily newspaper serving Vincent's home turf of southeastern Virginia. An article about the local hero turned into a book proposal, and after years of pitching it to publishers, St. Martin's Press finally bit (Vincent's being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 was the deciding factor).

Dark and intense

The book went out of print a few years ago, though secondhand and bargain-basement copies seem to sell regularly at Amazon, eBay, and other online outlets. Since there appears to be continued demand for Gene's story, I've decided to update and revise the book and publish it digitally. When I wrote Race with the Devil, Internet and e-mail in every home was just a glimmer on the horizon; thanks to cyberspace, I've since discovered so much more about the man, including from friends, family members, collectors, and historians with memories, info, and photos they've so generously shared. I also like to think I'm a much better writer now, many books later; it's been gratifying to prune all the wordy deadwood penned by that overly ambitious first-time author.

Sorta retro

So the revisions are almost complete, additional interviews nearly wrapped up, extra photos ready for inclusion. Next up: choosing a cover. I've narrowed down the field of seven created by my wonderful designer to these three. I love them all, but, alas, I can only use one. So I'm asking for your assistance.

Which do you prefer? Which is more appealing? Which best captures the essence of the Black Leather Rebel, an artist with the voice of an angel but whose life seemed eternally bedeviled? Let me know in the comments, if you like, or at susan at susanvanhecke dot com. Thanks!

Update, 4/21/15: Light and bright, the design up top, is in the lead!

Reading Rainbow Picks Up FREEDOM TREE

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 02 Mar 2015 18:10:00 +0000

More exciting Under the Freedom Tree news! The book is now part of LeVar Burton's Reading Rainbow app, RRKidz. Users can choose titles to read, or have read aloud to them, and follow along with the book's animated pages. So much fun!

Here's my fave Freedom Tree animation, when the three slaves who set the whole Civil War-changing contraband decision in motion make their daring escape from the Confederate line. Cool!

If you know a young reader who's handy with devices, definitely check out the app. The digital library is loaded—I mean loaded—with hundreds of fabulous books on every topic under the sun, plus there's LeVar's video field trips and more. Did I mention the free trial? Nice!

FREEDOM TREE Named CBC/NCSS Notable

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 22:12:00 +0000

Whee! Just heard from Charlesbridge Publishing that Under the Freedom Tree, my picture book about the contraband slaves of the Civil War, has been named a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People by the Children's Book Council and National Council for the Social Studies (CBC/NCSS).

From the CBC website:

"Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People is an annual reading list of exceptional books for use in social studies classrooms, selected by social studies educators...The selection committee looks for books that emphasize human relations, represent a diversity of groups and are sensitive to a broad range of cultural experiences, present an original theme or a fresh slant on a traditional topic, are easily readable and of high literary quality, and have a pleasing format and, when appropriate, illustrations that enrich the text."

Check out this list—so honored to be part of it (and thrilled to see so many Charlesbridge titles)!

ESQUIVEL! Illustrator Nabs Sibert, Belpré Honors

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Tue, 03 Feb 2015 16:54:00 +0000

Okay, so shameless boast: The illustrator of my next book, Duncan Tonatiuh, just took Sibert and Belpré honor awards for Separate Is Never Equal, his amazing picture book about Sylvia Mendez and her family's fight to desegregate California schools. How cool is that?

Separate Is Never Equal, published by Abrams, was named an Honor Book by both the Robert F. Sibert Award, for most distinguished informational book for children, and the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, honoring Latino illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience. The winners were announced by the American Library Association yesterday, alongside finalists in other youth media awards that included the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery, and Printz.

So excited for Duncan, and can't wait to see what he does with Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist, my picture book biography of Mexican bandleader and stereo sound pioneer Juan Garcia Esquivel, forthcoming from Charlesbridge in 2016!

Huge congrats to all of the ALA youth media award winners—you keep us inspired!

Vanderbilt U & FREEDOM TREE

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Great review of Under the Freedom Tree at Vanderbilt University's course blogs site. On children's literature professor Ann Neely's Neely's News blog, part of the VU motherblog, Holly Reichert and Lauren Patrowsky write of London Ladd's "bold" and "striking" illustrations and how the "[poetry's rhythm] allows for a nice ability to be read aloud." They also discuss how Freedom Tree can be used in the classroom, with units on the Civil War and emancipation for older elementary students and on poetry (especially free verse), and as a vocabulary builder.

It's always gratifying to see these words: "Definitely recommend[ed] for teachers to have as part of their classroom libraries." London and I so appreciate it!

Chicago Public Library Names FREEDOM TREE a Best Picture Book of 2014

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 11 Dec 2014 19:06:00 +0000

Whoa! Under the Freedom Tree's landed on Chicago Public Library's list of Best Picture Books of 2014!

Angela Johnson, Peter Brown, Yuyi Morales, Matt Phelan, Dan Santat, and so many others—illustrator London Ladd and I are honored to be in such amazing company.

Happy holidays, indeed!

FREEDOM TREE Makes Best Children's History/Politics Books List

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 23:39:00 +0000

Honored to have Under the Freedom Tree named one of 2014's Best Children's History/Politics Books by Smart Books for Smart Kids!

"[T]hese authors have taken sophisticated, and potentially difficult subjects and have turned them into fascinating, comprehensible reads for children," writes Debbie Glade, founder of the website devoted to books and educational materials that appeal to the exceptionally curious and interested child.

Earlier this year, Debbie did awesome interviews with Freedom Tree's brilliant illustrator, London Ladd, and myself, plus wrote this fab review.

And check out the other titles on the Smart Books list—pretty amazing company! Thanks so much, Debbie!

FREEDOM TREE Nominated for CYBILS Award

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 16:12:00 +0000

A little late to the party here, but delighted to learn that last month Under the Freedom Tree was nominated for a 2014 CYBILS Award in the Elementary/Middle-Grade Nonfiction category.

What are the CYBILS (Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards) all about? From the website:

The Cybils Awards aims to recognize the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal. If some la-di-dah awards can be compared to brussels sprouts, and other, more populist ones to gummy bears, we’re thinking more like organic chicken nuggets. We’re yummy and nutritious.

Some pretty fierce competition; I'm honored that Freedom Tree is included among this stellar bunch! Extra-special thanks to teacher/blogger Jeff Barger of NC Teacher Stuff for the nomination. Shortlist of 5-7 finalists is expected January 1. Fingers crossed!

ESQUIVEL! Illustrator Announced

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 15:00:00 +0000

It's official—we have an illustrator for my forthcoming Esquivel bio for young readers!

From Publishers Weekly's newsletter Children's Bookshelf:

Yolanda Scott and Susan Sherman at Charlesbridge have signed Duncan Tonatiuh (Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation) to illustrate Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist, written by Susan VanHecke (Under the Freedom Tree). The picture-book biography focuses on the innovations of Mexican musician Juan Garcia Esquivel, whose space-age pop orchestrations provided a soundtrack to the 1950s and 1960s lounge scene. Publication is slated for fall 2016.

I had my fingers crossed for the award-winning Tonatiuh; his vibrant work, inspired by ancient Mexican art, couldn't be more perfect to convey Esquivel's colorful story. Be sure to check out the gallery at his website.

So thrilled!

APPLE PIE on Parade

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 21:16:00 +0000

How to acknowledge Halloween, if at all, has proved more of a trick than treat for many public schools across the country. Does the holiday of ghosts, ghouls, and goblins have a place in the classroom? Are in-school festivities merely a secular tradition of masquerades and parties, or do they exclude students whose religion forbids Halloween celebrations?

Larchmont Elementary School in Norfolk, Virginia, has taken a wonderfully creative approach with its annual book character parade, which combines reading with good ol’ dress-up fun. Students are invited to create their own costume based on a character from a favorite book they’ve read. The last hour of the school day on the Friday of or just before Halloween, the students then proudly parade across campus in their costumes, holding the book the costume is based on, as parents, grandparents, guardians, and school staff snap pix and cheer them on.

Both my children—Larchmont alumni—have happy memories of the school’s book character parade. My daughter was a butterfly one year (the Butterfly Meadow series by Olivia Moss) and a ninja another (Owl Ninja of the Samurai Kids series by Sandy Fussell), while my son was Robinson Crusoe (by Daniel Defoe) and the periodic table of the elements (The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! from the Simon Basher series).

This year, second grade teacher Laura Marshall chose to dress up as the bartering, pie-baking Granny Smith of my picture book An Apple Pie for Dinner. What an honor! And how adorable is she? So adorable!

Though my kids are no longer in elementary school and I’m no longer a Larchmont parent, I’m delighted that I was still able to participate in the school’s book character parade this year—as an author. Thanks, Mrs. Marshall!

Record Collector Raves About RnRS

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 22:21:00 +0000

Not sure how we missed this review of Rock 'n' Roll Soldier in Record Collector (!!) magazine—better late than never, eh?

A choice snippet: "Vietnam has been pored over by filmmakers, musicians and serious writers for generations, but Kohler’s uniquely personal perspective puts the reader on the frontline, sharing the weight of a kitbag and the utter sense of bewilderment at the dangerous storm all around."

Nice! Many thanks for the kind words, RC!

Happy Second Printing, RAGGIN' JAZZIN' ROCKIN'!

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 20:54:00 +0000

Hooray! The award-winning Raggin' Jazzin' Rockin' is now in its second printing from Boyds Mills Press! To celebrate, I threw together this quickie trailer—enjoy!

And don't forget, part of every sale goes to the nonprofit NAMM Foundation's SupportMusic project, promoting music education in schools. Rock on!

FREEDOM TREE Wins AudioFile Earphones Award

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 17 Jul 2014 17:04:00 +0000

Yes! Myra Lucretia Taylor's powerful read of Under the Freedom Tree wins an AudioFile Earphones Award! I knew her performance was special from its very first moments...

From the July 2014 edition of AudioFile magazine:

Myra Lucretia Taylor's dramatic performance successfully delivers the powerful message about freedom in this prose poem for children. During the Civil War, three slaves flee north to Virginia, where they're protected as "contraband of war" and begin a new life. Taylor's expert modulations in pacing and tone, along with breathless whispers in moments of suspense, capture the fear and heightened emotions of the escape. Smooth and confident articulation conveys the free men's jubilation when the story culminates with the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. This engaging and educational recording includes background on the story's events and the significance of the Freedom Tree, in addition to a read-along. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award.

Myra Lucretia Taylor's dramatic performance successfully delivers the powerful message about freedom in this prose poem for children. During the Civil War, three slaves flee north to Virginia, where they're protected as "contraband of war" and begin a new life. Taylor's expert modulations in pacing and tone, along with breathless whispers in moments of suspense, capture the fear and heightened emotions of the escape. Smooth and confident articulation conveys the free men's jubilation when the story culminates with the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation. This engaging and educational recording includes background on the story's events and the significance of the Freedom Tree, in addition to a read-along. M.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award - See more at: http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/94097/#sthash.Z3vQYsyW.dpu

Many thanks, Recorded Books, for making the audiobook happen, Ms. Taylor for your brilliant performance, and AudioFile for the honor!

RnR SOLDIER Hits Wikipedia Via Velvet Underground

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Wed, 18 Jun 2014 18:13:00 +0000

So Howie Pyro wrote this cool piece at Dangerous Minds on offbeat Velvet Underground covers, including "There She Goes Again" by Dean Ellis Kohler and the Electrical Banana. Dean and I want to greatly thank Howie for mentioning our book Rock 'n' Roll Soldier, which details how the band, as Howie puts it, "recorded a Velvets cover in the middle of a Vietnam jungle in a gas-powered recording studio straight out of Gilligan’s Island, around ONE MONTH after the Velvets debut release!! Talk about being ahead of their time—woah."

Howie's article alerted us to an interesting development: Rock 'n' Roll Soldier recently entered the, ahem, hallowed halls of Wikipedia. Wiki's "There She Goes Again" page notes that Dean and the Banana's ultra-limited edition single is likely the first recorded cover of the song, then cites the book.

Wikipedia: In 1967 a band called the Electrical Banana did what is probably the first recorded cover of "There She Goes Again." The Velvet Underground album was released in March of 1967; in April the Electrical Banana covered the song, recording it in a tent in Vietnam and sending the master tape to a company in California to have 45 RPM records pressed (the subject of the HarperCollins book Rock 'N' Roll Soldier, 2009, by Dean Ellis Kohler & Susan VanHecke).

Very cool honor for Dean and the Banana; it never occurred to me that they might hold some kind of world record (no pun intended) for their VU cover!

Wanna hear it? Give a listen here, and check out a bit of the flip side—"She's Gone," penned by Dean—plus more Banana audio right here.

Multimedia FREEDOM TREE

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Fri, 23 May 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Oh heck yeah!! Look what I found in the mailbox today—the Under the Freedom Tree DVD and audio book! Both are absolutely stunning. Narrators/pro actors JD Jackson (DVD) and Myra Lucretia Taylor (audio book) give outstanding reads, so powerful and transportive I found myself asking, "Did I write that?" I'm truly blown away...

You can take a listen to a bit of the audio book here. Awesome, right?

RAGGIN' JAZZIN' ROCKIN' Raises Nearly $1.5K and Counting for NAMM Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Mon, 05 May 2014 13:09:00 +0000

It's always a good day when I can donate part of a Raggin' Jazzin' Rockin' royalty check to the NAMM Foundation to support music education in schools. I'm ever so grateful to buyers of the book, who've raised nearly $1,500 for NAMM so far, with more possible soon. Initial print run sold out; RJR's currently in reprint (yippee!) and will be back in stock in a few weeks. Yes, today's a good day...

Int'l Reading Association: FREEDOM TREE for National Poetry Month

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 19:19:00 +0000

Nice! International Reading Association recommends Under the Freedom Tree for National Poetry Month. Check out the other titles—whew, some very good company! Thanks so much, IRA!

FREEDOM TREE Goes DVD and Audio

noreply@blogger.com (susan vanhecke) — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 19:54:00 +0000

So excited to learn that Under the Freedom Tree—my children's book about the contraband slaves of the Civil War, illustrated by London Ladd—has officially gone multimedia!

Dreamscape Media has interpreted the book on DVD, with narration by the talented J. D. Jackson. While the DVD is available for purchase at Amazon, etc., this format is geared primarily for libraries (indeed, a WorldCat search shows 70 library systems across the US have already added it to their collections). Mr. Jackson's many TV and movie credits include roles on House MD, ER, Law & Order, Third Watch, Lucky Number Slevin, Cold Play, and Diary of a City Priest. He holds an MFA in theater from Temple University, is an adjunct professor at Los Angeles Southwest College, and recently won an AudioFile Earphones Award. Check out a preview and sell sheet for the DVD here.

Recorded Books brings Freedom Tree to audio—again in a format for libraries—with narration by the gifted Myra Lucretia Taylor. Ms. Taylor has appeared on Broadway in the Tony-winning Nine, as well as Macbeth, Electra, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Mule Bone, and A Streetcar Named Desire. She performed in the national tour of Wicked as Madame Morrible, and was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, where she appeared in The Winter's Tale and Pericles. TV and film credits include Law & Order, Conviction, Changing Lanes, Unfaithful, and Lobster Farm. Ms. Taylor has also received an AudioFile Earphones Award and is a Fox Fellow. Can't wait to hear her take on Freedom Tree!

It's always exciting when more readers have the opportunity to read/see/hear your book. I'm so grateful to Charlesbridge Publishing for making this happen!