Earth Day, Every Day

We recently invited award-winning Leap author Bonnie J. Doerr to share her thoughts on Earth Day with our readers. Bonnie's a passionate conservationist and an author with an amazingly generous heart. Her MG novels about adventurous teens helping rescue endangered species will soon be joined

by an exciting new novel called Tangled Lines. And it's because of Bonnie's devotion to our world's environment that we asked her to write this post.

Earth Day elicits mixed feelings for me. While it’s uplifting to see and hear people the world over appreciating the wonders of nature and the importance of protecting our environment, it’s sad that we designate one day to remind ourselves of what should be obvious every day. We depend on the environment for our existence. But we have become increasingly separated from nature, living a plugged-in life inside four walls, within cities made of boxes stacked side by side and on top of each other, rarely considering the source of our sustenance.

This boxed-in life leads to nature deficit disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv in Last Child in the Woods. One deficiency of this disorder is a careless environmental attitude. If a child  never experiences wonder at a seed’s transformation into a living plant, never truly sees it grow to provide food, raw materials for shelter or clothing; if he never contemplates the source of oxygen while breathing forest air or experiences the sensation of wading in a creek, or swimming in a lake or ocean; if she never touches, sees, smells, or hears the flora and fauna that provide food, energy, and fertilizer to sustain life... Well, truth is, if a child doesn’t interact and connect with nature, how can we expect him to care about the environment? To a child living inside four walls his environment may be fine. Especially if he controls it with a thermostat. Ecology? Conservation? Meh.

I  combine my ecological passion and love of adventure to write about teens who don’t spend all day in a box. They experience wild outdoor adventures. Like many teens, they have family, school, and friendship problems. They can’t often control trouble in their own lives, but they boldly fight to protect wildlife and their local environment.

 Readers who never venture outdoors can inside the pages of my novels safely explore the ocean, tropical forests, and rugged beaches. They can survive wild storms, heroically outwit dangerous criminals, and solve mysteries that baffle adults, all while protecting wildlife and the ecological health of their own community.

I write with the hope that my characters’ appreciation for nature will slyly leak from eagerly turned pages onto the skin and into the hearts of my readers—that they, like my characters, will realize their power and use it to protect and create a healthy, enriching, and sustainable environment.

Find out more about Bonnie's books and her mission at her blog.

Fan of coloring pages? Here's an Earth Day freebie for you! Select the image on the left and print it. When you're done enjoying your coloring page, please recycle it. 

Discussion Questions for Stakeout by Bonnie J. Doerr

A surreal encounter with an ancient sea turtle propels Kenzie into peril in the Florida Keys… 

A haunting promise compels Kenzie to save sea turtles. When thieves rob the turtle nests, she determines to stop them. Fearless, wheelchair-bound Ana and savvy, island native Angelo assist Kenzie in an undercover sting operation. But as the stakes get higher, Kenzie fears losing her best friend and her own life.

Stakeout includes notes on the endangered hawksbill and loggerhead turtles as well as information about the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida.

If your class or group is reading Stakeout, here are some questions about the book:

Discussion Questions for Stakeout by Bonnie J. Doerr

Created by Mary Helen Sheriff

1.     What did you like about the book?  What did you dislike?  Why?

2.     What did Kenzie and Key Teens Care do to help the turtles?  Can you think of other things they could of have done?  Are any animals endangered in your community?  Are there organizations that support them?

3.     Describe the relationship between Angelo and Kenzie?  What do they have in common?  What is the source of trouble in their relationship?

4.     How does Kenzie’s relationship with Mike change over the course of the novel?

5.     Describe Fisher.  Describe Edna.  In what ways are they similar?  In what ways are they different?

6.     Give some examples of Kenzie’s dishonesty and explain why she was dishonest.  Would you have made the same choices as Kenzie?  Why or Why not?  How would you have handled Kenzie if you were her mother?

7.     List the clues that led to pinpointing the culprit.

8.     Describe Big Pine Key.  How does the setting influence the story?

9.     Shalima sells a product that promises luxurious hair and flawless, radiant skin.  Does this product actually provide this? Do you have any experience with buying products that aren’t all that they are advertised as?  What can people do to protect themselves from false advertising?

10.  What interesting facts did you learn about turtles from reading this book?

Answer Key can be found here.

BLOG AUTHOR

Mary Helen Sheriff lives in Richmond, VA with her husband, two children, and two cats. She has an MFA in children’s literature from Hollins University and is an experienced teacher of elementary, middle grade, and college students. Her most recent publishing credits include four middle grade short stories for a reading comprehension website and a YA short story for an anthology written for Ethiopians learning English. She is currently writing a novel and maintaining a blog where you can read her thoughts on writing and education. 

Love A Sea Turtle

Leap Books connected with Casey Sokolovic when she wrote to tell us how much she enjoyed Bonnie Doerr's book Stakeout, about endangered sea turtles. (That's Casey with the book). But when we heard about what Casey has done to help sea turtles, we asked if we could feature her on our blog. This is Casey's remarkable story:   

A third grade school field trip to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in 2005 sparked a passion within me to want to help the sea turtles. Coming home that day, I talked to my mother about the visit and how sad I was for the sick and injured turtles and wondered what I could do to help and “make a difference”. I developed a plan and, like many others my age, decided to hold a bake sale and sell lemonade. Science fairs, school open houses, farmers markets, civic events and most anywhere I could sell cookies and lemonade and talk about sea turtles, you would find me. A couple dozen cookies have turned into more than ten thousand cookies baked and sold.

    I wanted to help the sea turtles “last” and from that my mother and I came up with Help Them L.A.S.T. - Love A Sea Turtle. My passion for sea turtles has grown from baking and selling sugar cookies into a thriving local grassroots organization with passion, purpose, a strong non-profit, collaborators and community support.

    The mission statement of Love A Sea Turtle is committed to saving the world’s sea turtle population, inspiring young people to get involved, and providing hands-on environmental educational experiences and summer camps to underprivileged youth.
   

My work with the sea turtles has opened my eyes that there is a genuine need to get every student involved in volunteerism. I developed and filmed an educational video and in the last two years, have spoken to more than 5,500 students - showing the video (click here or see below) and speaking to them about sea turtles and getting involved.

    In late summer of 2007, coffee was added to go with the sugar cookies in an effort to attract adults to the cause. A visit to the roasting facility for Joe Van Gogh Coffee in Hillsborough, North Carolina, led to the creation of a Fair Trade Organic “Sea Turtle” blend of coffee. Joe Van Gogh agreed to donate 10% of net profits of the Sea Turtle Blend to the Sea Turtle Hospital every year.

    In the spring of 2008, Joe Van Gogh took notice of my sales of Sea Turtle Blend. The marketing team at Joe Van Gogh created an exciting logo and custom label. The big “public” launch for Sea Turtle coffee was in May of 2009. I was asked to set up my information display at several locations in Chapel Hill. The Sea Turtle Blend was a top seller in the Whole Foods Stores in NC/SC for Joe Van Gogh during the spring and summer. This fall, Fresh Market began carrying the Sea Turtle Blend in stores nationwide, and it continues to be a top seller.

    In May of 2010, I co-founded The Great Bake for Oceans’ Sake, a coast to coast grassroots bake sale initiative, to raise money for ocean causes. The initial idea was an effort to help raise money for the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies after the Gulf oil spill. The Great Bake has raised awareness and resulted in thousands of dollars being donated to multiple ocean related efforts. Love A Sea Turtle will be promoting bake sales for ocean conservation groups during National Week of the Ocean, March 31 – April 6. It’s simple: hold a bake sale and donate the proceeds to your favorite ocean conservation group.

Another of my fundraisers is a trail run that includes a 5K and 10K along with a nature walk. The run will be March 2nd and it is the 4th annual event.

What's with the Twibbon?

People have been asking about the Twibbon on our Twitter account. That multicolored ball shows that Leap Books is a partner on the Children's Book Council (CBC) Diversity Committee. The committee is "dedicated to increasing the diversity of voices and experiences contributing to children’s and young adult literature." Leap Books believes diversity enriches everyone's life experiences, so we strive to publish books that feature a variety of voices in our novels for teens and tweens. We think all children and teens should see themselves and their lives depicted in books.

We are always open to agented submissions portraying multicultural characters and diverse life experiences, so we are actively looking for authors and illustrators who can share their culture through words or art. For more about what Leap Books is looking for, watch for the article on multiculturalism by Sue Ford in WRITER'S GUIDE TO 2013 (The Writer's Institute) for an interview with our publisher.

Here are a few Leap Books with a diversity connection:

Island Sting and Stakeout by Bonnie J. Doerr both have a Cuban American hero.

 Under My Skin and Second Skin, set in Canada, have a First Nations hero.

For the Love Strangers stars teenager Darya, who along with her brother, was adopted from Russia.

Celebrate Earth Day with Us!!

Sea turtles hatching

Part of caring for the earth is rescuing endangered animals. Leap Books author Bonnie J. Doerr is passionate about saving species from extinction. She pours her passion into her books--eco-mysteries where green teens capture poachers and clean up the environment at the same time. But Bonnie doesn't just write about the endangered animals, she does hands-on research. Here's Bonnie on a pelican release:

Bonnie J. Doerr researching for her third eco-mystery about pelicans

And at the Key Deer Refuge in the Florida Keys:

Bonnie with a full-grown Key deer

And here are a few videos about Bonnie's research:





While in the Florida Keys to research for her books, Bonnie spent time doing interviews and making videos to let people know about the problems endangered species face:





Bonnie's books include the EPIC award-winning tween novel, Island Sting, about the Florida Key deer,

and the Green Earth award finalist, Stakeout, about loggerhead and hawksbill turtles:

In an interview with the Authors for Earth Day blog, Bonnie explained why she writes her books:

"My dream is to rekindle that spark of wonder and fascination with wild things by providing fun, fast-paced stories featuring young teens as environmental heroes. I write stories that organically show, rather than tell, young impressionable readers how fragile our environment is. I write especially for ages ten to thirteen. Readers this age are shaping enduring personal goals and values." Bonnie hopes those values include caring for our fragile planet.

To learn more about Bonnie J. Doerr, visit her website and her blog BonnieBlogsGreen. Bonnie is also featured on the Girl Scout website, Aurora Reviews (who gave Stakeout a 5-star review), and TBR.

To celebrate Earth Day, Island Sting and Stakeout are both on sale in the Leap Books store for 40% off. And the Island Sting e-book is FREE for Amazon Prime members and only 99 cents for other Amazon shoppers. Watch for the Stakeout e-book coming soon.

If you leave a comment below from now until April 30, 2012, your name will be entered in drawing for a free e-book or an autographed paperback of Stakeout or Island Sting. Enter as often as you wish. And let us know if you send friends, and we'll give you an extra entry.

Go forth and be GREEN!

Turtle Lovers Attend Eco-Mystery Author Presentation

Author Bonnie J. Doerr preparing for her booksigning at the Key Deer Refuge Center on Big Pine Key in Florida.

Many people were eager to get a signed copy of STAKEOUT, Doerr's latest novel on endangered sea turtles. The book is a finalist for the 2012 Green Earth Award.

About Stakeout:

A surreal encounter with an ancient sea turtle propels Kenzie into peril in the Florida Keys...

A haunting promise compels Kenzie to save sea turtles by ending a rash of nest robberies. Fearless, wheelchair-bound Ana and savvy, troubled Angelo assist Kenzie in an undercover operation that grows increasingly complicated and treacherous. Problems compound as Kenzie fears losing her first romance, her mother's trust, and her own life.

Stakeout includes notes on the endangered hawksbill and loggerhead turtles as well as information about the Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida.

2012 Green Earth Award finalist

Congratulations to Bonnie J. Doerr, whose eco-mystery Stakeout has been chosen as a finalist in the YA division for the Green Earth Award.

Given by the Newton Marasco Foundation (NMF), a nonprofit organization whose mission is "to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards." Each year the foundation chooses books that "inspire children to grow a deeper appreciation, respect, and responsibility for their natural environment" in several ages categories from picture book to young adult. In addition to receiving a monetary award, the author's books will be donated to Title I schools or military bases in Northern Virginia, Maryland, and/or Washington, DC.

Many authors hope for literary recognition, but Doerr said she's thrilled with this award because it shows her message about caring for the earth is getting through. Doerr's main character, Kenzie Ryan, and her sidekicks, Angelo and Ana, not only risk their lives to save endangered sea turtles from extinction, but they also clean up pollution and convince local stores to use cloth bags rather than plastic ones (which sometimes choke animals to death). A former science and reading teacher, Doerr has always dreamed of writing books that inspire teens to be green.

Top Choice Award: Stakeout

Author Bonnie J. Doerr's eco-mystery about sea turtles has received a Top Choice Award from Flamingnet.

Comments by the teen reviewer:

"This book is the perfect mystery. Full of suspense, action, and drama, Stake Out is one of the best mysteries I have ever read."

Advice for Teen Writers (Part II, Bonnie J. Doerr)

Anna's back...

with Part II of her interview with author Bonnie J. Doerr, the award-winning author of eco-mysteries, including Island Sting and Stakeout. 

Because Bonnie's responses are so much fun and comprehensive, we've dividing the interview into two parts. Here's PART 2: 

·                     How much research goes into each of your books?

I spend several weeks each year where my stories are set—the Florida Keys. Now that I live in western North Carolina, I make this research trip during February. Yes, I hate cold weather. But, hey, many animals and people migrate to the Keys for winter. I’m simply following my sources. Honest!

Island friends connect me with sources who are experienced and knowledgeable in specific environmental issues. These dedicated people help me build realistic plots. I ask them questions that begin like this: “Is it possible that...?” “What could cause...?” “What would happen if...?” 

I also spend hours observing and interacting with my star critters. For Island Sting I toured the National Key Deer Refuge and spent time with wildlife officers who protect the tiny endangered deer. While planning Stakeout, I spent time with personnel and patients at the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital, and participated in a nest-monitoring walk. Most recently, I fed injured pelicans and helped release rehabilitated pelicans. Wildlife volunteers and professionals are eager to provide facts, details, and personal experiences that enrich and inspire my stories.

Doerr feeding a Key deer

For me, there’s no substitute for field work. And, wow, do I take lots of notes and pictures. Thank heavens for digital cameras. But when I’m not on location, I spend many additional hours reading news articles and books about the wildlife and environment I feature. 

·                     Do you get really attached to your characters? Do you have a favorite?

On site at a pelican release

My characters do become very real to me. Once, while in Big Pine Key, Florida I nearly asked a Florida Fish and Wildlife employee if he’d recently seen his fellow officer, Mike Kaczynski. I was eager to know whether Mike and Kenzie’s mom were still an item. (Mike, Kenzie, and her mom are all characters in my books rather than real-life people.) Could have been embarrassing. In the book I’m working on now, Kenzie and Angelo are now attending school in Key West. So this coming February, I know I’ll be looking for them when I’m traipsing around town.

As for favorite characters? I think it changes from book to book. I was crazy about Fisher in Island Sting, but it was Ana who won my heart in Stakeout.

·                     How would you advise young adults who want to become published authors?

I’m going to answer this with everything I’ve got. Bet you’ll be sorry you asked.

I would tell aspiring authors (of any age) to study many genres. And I do mean study—via online courses, books, workshops, conference sessions, college programs, any and every way you can. As with any art, it’s important to first learn established rules and practice proven techniques. Then you’ll be prepared to change it all up when you’ve developed your own skills and style. 

Study and write with people who challenge and stimulate you. Then emerge from your comfort zone. Interact with a variety of real people in real life. Even if you write fantasy, your work has to connect with real people. 

Read much, listen well, and never stop learning. 

Don’t fixate on a troublesome manuscript hoping it will eventually, perfectly please everyone (including yourself). It never will. Let it go. Turn it in. Send it out. Move on. Capture that energy for the next project. You can return to that problem child later with fresh eyes.

Continually monitor and research the before-and-after aspects of all publishing options.  No one path is right for every author.

Last of all, the most challenging skill for pre- and post-published authors is learning to deal with criticism. Accept it, ignore it, or apply it, but do so with grace. Maybe I’ll paint the letters G-R-A-C-E on a pebble and carry it with me. Might help me follow my own advice.

For more information on Bonnie Doerr, her books, endangered animals, visit her at her blog, Bonnie Blogs Green, and her website for more information about her books and awards, and for lots of information about endangered species.

Here are Doerr's most recent books. Watch for PELICAN PERIL coming next.

Sea Turtle Rescues

National Geographic recently posted this video about Gulf turtle nests: Gulf Turtle Nests Abound, But Worries Remain. Our author Bonnie J. Doerr addresses some of the problems sea turtles face from poachers. Read about how young teen Kenzie and her friends capture those responsible for destroying turtle nests in the Florida Keys in Stakeout, Doerr’s latest eco-mystery.


And if you care about sea turtles, here are two more sites with information:

Pictures: Baby Gulf Turtles Released Into Atlantic

Videos: Sea Turtles Match Breathing to Dive Depths?

Be a Winner...

If you haven't been keeping up with KidLit for Japan, they have many wonderful items on offer. Bid to aid Japan. Two Leap Books authors have autographed copies of their books &/or swag up for auction. Watch for Bonnie J. Doerr's two book set, which begins today. Get copies of Island Sting and Stakeout.





Also up this week is stuff from author Judith Graves...

Win-Win Environmental Program

When you pair a green author with a green school, what do you get?

A fabulous environmental program that everyone goes away enthusiastic about. Author Bonnie J. Doerr headed to the Florida Keys recently for a book launch for her second book, Stakeout, combined with a research trip for her third book on endangered pelicans. Along the way she stopped at St. Stephens Episcopal Day School in Coconut Grove, Florida.

Ms. Doerr came prepared to discuss her book, Island Sting, about the Florida Key deer. She found students who not only knew all about these deer that are the size of a German shepherd, but the fifth graders will visit Sea Camp on Big Pine Key, Florida, the island setting for both Island Sting and Stakeout. Ms. Doerr shared her research about wildlife they may see at Sea Camp’s Newfound Harbor Marine Institute. The students and teachers were excited about the program, and the school librarian described Island Sting as a fun read and a perfect extension to the Sea Camp curriculum.

In third grade, eager students worked on creating picture books. Ms. Doerr enjoyed herself as much as the children. But what impressed her most was the emphasis St. Stephens places on green education. As part of their daily pledge, the students promise to care for the Earth and to recycle, conserve energy, and save water. One of Bonnie Doerr’s greatest joys is spreading the word about caring for the environment, and at St. Stephen’s she found kindred spirits.

For teachers eager to learn more about ways to use these books in the classroom, Bonnie Doerr will be presenting at the North Carolina Reading Association conference next week.

Are You a Mystery Buff?

Here's your chance to immerse yourself in a weekend-long crime/mystery writing extravaganza. Killer Nashville is happening next weekend. The conference runs from Thursday evening, August 19, to Sunday afternoon, August 22, 2010, and is jam packed with great speakers, including our own Leap Books author, Bonnie J. Doerr, who is writing an eco-mystery series. Book 1, Island Sting, is already out. And Stakeout's on it's way in 2011. Pelican Peril will follow in 2012. 

Here's a schedule if you're interested in attending. Keynote speaker is Jeffery Deaver; find out more about him on his website. And Bonnie Doerr will be presenting at a session on "Writing the YA Mystery." Agent and editor pitch sessions are included in the registration price. Hope to see you there.

SCBWI MD/VA/WV -- A Great Success

Author Bonnie J. Doerr is back after speaking at the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) conference in Maryland, where she had a great time meeting fellow writers and discussing how she balances her mystery plot with factual information about endangered animals.

She now has many fans waiting for Book 2 in her eco-mystery series: Stakeout. And Book 3 is underway, so all the teachers and librarians at the conference will have more great books for their schools and libraries. Keep an eye out for a sneak peek at Stakeout, which is coming soon. Kenzie's back and this time she's rescuing sea turtles--in a stolen boat, no less.