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Jennifer L. Holm
Biography
Jennifer L. Holm loved reading as a child and would even rake the lawn while reading a book. She grew up to become an author and won a Newbery Honor for her first novel, Our Only May Amelia, which was inspired by her father's family stories. She is the author of several other highly praised novels, including the Boston Jane trilogy and the Babymouse series on which she collaborates with her brother, Matthew Holm. She continues to find inspiration in her family's stories and her latest novel, Penny From Heaven, based on her mother's Italian American family, won a Newbery Honor in 2007. Jennifer lives with her husband, son, and cat in Maryland. She still likes to rake the lawn while reading (although she's not very good at it).
The Scoop
1. What sparked your imagination for Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf?
I had written a book of poetry told from the point of view of a girl who makes funny observations about her life and her family. At the time Ginee Seo, my editor, and I began to work on Middle School, there were a lot of poetry books out, and we decided that we wanted to do something a little different. Ginee had always been intrigued by the idea of following a kid around and trying to tell a story through the detritus of their life (scraps and things left behind in the backpack, in the desk, etc.). I loved this idea and ran with it. And this is where the now infamous "box" came into play.
My mom is total pack rat. She'd saved all this stuff from my childhood—report cards, little notes, newspaper articles, holiday cards, homework assignments, corsages, invitations, buttons, school photos, chewed-on pencils, you name it—in a large cardboard box squirreled away in the back of her bedroom closet. I got the box and started to go through it. It was fascinating to re-live my life through this "stuff". The most touching things she kept were the little notes she used to stick in my lunchbox at school so I would be cheered up when I was having a bad day. (And let me tell you, I had more than my share of bad days in middle school!)
2. What challenges do you face in the writing/illustrating process? How do you overcome them?
Lately, I'm having a hard time balancing family and work. I have a four-year-old son and a new baby, and there just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything. (So, I'll let you know when I overcome this issue—it may be in about 18 years or so!)
I often get writer's block (the curse of the writer!) and the way I handle this is to go for a nice long jog. It really helps to clear my head and think things through.
3. What tips or advice can you share with students who hope to start writing?
Read, read, read! Anything—books, magazines, graphic novels, the back of the cereal box—it doesn't matter.
4. Do you have a fun writing topic to get students started?
Yes! Write a haiku about the food you hate the most.
For example:
Hot dogs taste kind of
rubbery when they're left on
the grill for too long.
See? You're a writer!
5. If you were not writing/drawing, what do you think you would be doing?
Sleeping. Seriously.
6. What is your advice to parents for passing the joys of reading on to their children?
Read for your own pleasure. Kids will soak up your joy of reading and will become readers themselves!
Book Covers
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Last Updated: 08/26/2008