Happy Birthday And That’s The Tooth!

And That’s the Tooth is Terri Fields fourth book with Arbordale. She has written about dangerous animals, making tortillas and tornadoes. This month she releases her first photographic nonfiction book with us, and kids are sure to chomp on these facts.

But we wanted to go behind the book and learn a little more about Terri’s writing process. Here is that interview.

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer?
From the time I was a little girl.

You have written many types of books; do you have a favorite genre of book to write? Or read?
No.  I love to read, and I like to read different genres. I think it helps me be more creative to write different types of books.

Why teeth? What inspired a picture book on types of teeth?
It’s thrilling when a baby gets their very first tooth and a significant moment in most children’s lives when the tooth fairy arrives. Those things helped me see the significance of the topic, but it was a random question that actually inspired this book. A six-year-old chomping on popcorn said, “I’m sure glad I have teeth to chew this! Do all animals have teeth?” I had no idea, but it led me to start investigating animal teeth as a topic for a book. I love puns, so “And That’s the Tooth!” popped into my head for a title.

The question answer format is different from your fictional picture books, how was the writing process different for this book?
I did a lot of research for this book. In trying to decide which animals to feature, I researched about thirty different animals before choosing the ones in this book. While I didn’t have to develop characters for AND THAT’S THE TOOTH, I had to create riddles and hints that would be hard enough not to give away the answers, but not so hard that kids wouldn’t want to take a guess. I think this format will encourage children to look at the page carefully and then predict the answer. I’m excited about that because prediction is an important reading strategy.

Did you find any surprising facts as you researched this book? I think a lot of the facts in the book will surprise both the children and adults.

And That’s the Tooth releases on February 22^nd in paperback and digital editions. You can preorder from arbordalepublishing.com or from your local bookstore.

Announcing new Fall Titles

Fall is Coming

The fall books have just arrived, and we are ready to share the shiny new covers with you! This week, we will highlight each of the titles and its creators individually, but get an overview today!

Teeth come in all shapes and sizes, just like their animal hosts. Some teeth are sharp to grab prey and tear apart the meat. Other teeth are flat to chew plants and some animals have both kinds to eat plants and animals. And That’s the Tooth delivers unique and fun facts about animal and human teeth through engaging riddles. With hints to help solve each riddle, children will be actively involved as they giggle, guess, and learn.

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Just like humans, animals use their homes for shelter and to raise their young. Animal homes might be easy to see, or they may be hidden (camouflaged) for protection. Some animals are great builders and other animals borrow homes that other animals have made. Different animals might just use natural places like caves or holes in trees to make a home. And some animals might even carry their home on their back! Sticks, mud, leaves, cotton, and grass are all things that animals might use to build a home. Whether by digging, spinning, building or borrowing, animal homes are as varied as the animals themselves. This is a perfect sequel to Mary Holland’s Animal Anatomy and Adaptations series.

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When a young river otter sneaks into a zoo, she wonders if she should be more like some of the other animals she meets. She wants a trunk like the elephant or be loud like the gorilla… By imitating and comparing herself to these other animals she learns to appreciate herself. Educational components are woven throughout this fun, read-aloud story and sidebar information complements and extends the learning, making it a perfect book for a wide variety of ages.

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Weather changes daily. Sometimes it can even change from one moment to another—like a sudden storm. Weather affects our daily lives from what we wear to what outdoor activities (or lack thereof) we can do. Learning about weather and how to dress and prepare for it is an important skill to learn. Maybe even more important is the skill of observation. By asking simple questions, children become engaged and can start to observe and make correlations about the weather around them so they will understand how the weather impacts their lives.

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You can learn more about each book and download the educational extras on the book homepages, and join us tomorrow for an interview with Terri Fields on writing And That’s the Tooth!

Book Launch: Tornado Tamer

The truth has a funny way of coming out! In Terri Fields newest picture book Tornado Tamer, a town plagued by tornadoes hires a tornado tamer to build a cover. The weasel builds a cover, but tells the town that only those special and smart enough will be able to see the cover.

If this story sounds familiar, it is. This adaptation of The Emperor’s New Clothes incorporates tornado facts throughout the book and in the “For Creative Minds” section readers can even make their own tornado!

After researching tornadoes author Terri Fields wanted to share some amazing stories with readers:

The most extreme tornado winds can get up to 300 miles per hour. These fierce winds can destroy homes and buildings. They can uproot trees and plants. They can lift cars, trucks, and even trains. The wreckage tornadoes leave can be more than a mile wide and up to 50 miles long. No doubt, these wicked winds can create tremendous damage, and yet, there have been some amazing stories of what tornadoes did not destroy. To celebrate the release of the new picture book The Tornado Tamer, by Terri Fields, here are just a few of those stories.

• In Charlotte, North Carolina, strong tornado winds tore three young children from their beds. Their house was knocked to the ground and torn apart. Amazingly though, when the three kids were found tossed far from their home, they had only a few minor cuts.
• Tornado winds in Minnesota ripped off the roof of a house and sent it flying. Those same brutal winds caused heavy furniture to overturn. However, the homeowners found the cat bowls had not moved at all, and the water and the food in them were fine too.
• In Kansas, a tornado plucked the feathers right off a flock of chickens.
• An Alabama man was hurt in a tornado so badly that he was unconscious for three days. When he finally awakened, he remembered that he’d left his pants in his closet with $600 in a pant pocket. Since the house had been destroyed, he had little hope of seeing the pants or the money again. But his son found the pants stuck in a nearby fence, and all the money was still in the pocket!
• In Oklahoma City, a woman went out to a parking lot to see that most of the cars had been smashed into each other, but to her delighted surprise, her car was fine. It was even still in the same parking spot she’d left it. There was just one difference; the tornado had stripped her car of its paint.
• In Huntsville, Alabama, a woman was trying to get into her house, but the tornado struck before she could open the door. She pushed herself against the door and hoped for the best. After the tornado passed, she peeled herself from the door, only to see that her house had been destroyed, but the front door was still standing.

Get your own copy of Tornado Tamer, enter to win our Goodreads giveaway!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Tornado Tamer

by Terri Fields

Giveaway ends February 29, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway