Update - Winner Announced! Celebrate Summer Reading & Fun with Eileen Rajala Meyer!

715: Congrats to Carrie Wilken on winning Eileen's book giveaway! We'll be in touch soon with more details.

A special thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate Summer Reading & Fun!

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6/20:

Hi, parents, librarians, book fanatics, writers, and readers of all sorts! It's June 20th, the official first day of summer. And what better way to celebrate the season than by throwing on your flipflops, heading to the beach, and building a sandcastle? Build a Sandcastle, by the incredibly talented author and rhymer, Eileen Rajala Meyer, captures summer fun as she invites you to the beach with her MC. Follow a young girl as she spends a day at the beach with all the friendly creatures at the ocean and even gets tips on how to build the perfect sandcastle, too. Want to know more about Eileen, her new book, PLUS want a chance to win your own copy? Read on...

Q: Hi, Eileen! Welcome back to #SeasonsOfKidLit.com & thanks so much for joining us today. We really enjoyed reading Build a Sandcastle! How did you come up with the story idea?

A: Great question—and thank you for the opportunity to join the #SeasonsOfKidlit Blog today! I’m a big fan of your interviews and insights. 

Usually, my new project ideas are the result of just being present and curious about the world around me. I got the idea for my new picture book, BUILD A SANDCASTLE (Illustrated by Manica Musil, Reycraft Books), while taking a stroll on a nearby beach. We were in the midst of the global pandemic—walking on the beach near my home in north Florida became a favorite moment of joy during those difficult days. As I enjoyed my sunrise outing, I thought about what people typically do at the beach . . . teens with boogie boards racing into the surf, families sharing sandwiches from their picnic baskets, and kids building sandcastles. All sorts of sandcastles. Wait! Kids building sandcastles! That was the seed of a new picture book idea. I returned home and jotted down a few notes about the concept:  

a day at the beach building sandcastles

making memories, vacations, creativity 

what about science aspects? how to build one?

Q: Are there real-life experiences that you drew upon to write the story? 

A: This picture book could be seen as a non-fiction “how to” book. Rhyming text leads a young builder through the step-by-step process of building a sandcastle. 

I did have real life experiences to draw upon . . . when I was young, my family vacationed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula every summer. There was a beautiful white sand beach along Lake Superior that we always visited. Even in summer, the lake water could be quite cold, so building sandcastles became a favorite pastime. As an adult, I carried on the same traditions with my family. So, I have many wonderful memories of beach days, vacations, and building sandcastles! BUT for this book I needed more expertise than that of a casual beach-goer. So, I read articles and watched videos posted by sandcastle builders. I compiled a word bank of beach-related words and construction terminology. And I returned to the beach again and again to experiment with sandcastle building. Once I had completed this necessary homework, my brain bubbled over with fresh insights and ideas. Then I was ready to write.

Q: You cleverly combined STEM with a day at the beach! How do you feel that combination made the project more unique and helped it sell?

A:  Well-crafted manuscripts which include STEM elements seem to attract interest from editors. When I thought about writing about sandcastle building and beach play—I wondered about weaving in science as well. It’s an interesting combination that provides a nice surprise. Editors are often looking for fresh ways into topics. Adding useful tips on each page spread—shared from a spunky starfish— relating to construction, safety, and science provided bonus information and a unique take on a day at the beach. 

Q: The rhyme in this story is wonderful and playful. What would you suggest that writers consider when deciding whether or not to write their stories in rhyme?

A: Children love rhyme, and rhyming picture books are popular and promote early literacy. (The repetition of sounds and words aids language development.) I envisioned this as a fun “how to” guide for sandcastle-building with some basic science elements woven in. As a poet, I knew that writing in poetic meter and rhyme was the perfect fit for this project for young listeners and readers.  But not all projects fit that mold. 

A few things writers should consider before committing to writing a project in rhyme:  the age of your reader, the vocabulary needed (does it lend itself to rhyme?), and of course, your story. As you know, I am a member of the Rhyme Doctors Team. (We share free monthly posts about writing in rhyme at RhymeDoctors.com) We remind our readers, one of the hard things about being a rhyming author is that the meter and rhyme are secondary to story. Story comes first -- no amount of stellar rhythm and rhyme will make up for story issues. 

Q: What rhyming resources would you recommend to prospective rhymers?

A: 

• A rhyming dictionary is a must (Use a book or online equivalent)

• A dictionary and thesaurus are always on my desk

• I’m also a big fan of the online Reverse Dictionary (reversedictionary.org) to think about words associated with a topic. That search can often lead to a new word or idea to play with.

• Your library! I’m a big fan of studying picture books and poetry collections to better understand what other writers do that works well.

Q:  The art is absolutely amazing! Did you have any say as to the illustrator and/or input in the art? Can you share some of your favorite spreads? Why are they your favorites? 

A:  Manica Musil’s beautiful sewn-felt artistry makes this book stand apart. She carefully crafted the little boy and girl characters with incredible details on their clothing and sand pails. She also brought a starfish and crab to life on the pages, each with their own personality. Paired with my rhyming text, her illustration style added unique charm that we hope really appeals to little listeners and readers. 

My editor, Sunita Apte, at Reycraft Books, had the vision to see the fit with Manica’s work. I wasn’t that familiar with Manica’s work since she is from Slovenia and has published mostly outside of the United States. She’s an amazing talent! I think my favorite spread is one containing the completed sandcastle. How she creates a sandcastle’s intricate details with sewn-felt artistry is truly astonishing! You’ll have to take a peek, too.

Q: BONUS QUESTION: What's your favorite thing about summer?

A: A day at the beach is right up there at the top (which Heather and I are lucky to take advantage of living near the coast!)

Would you like to leave a tip or a treat for our readers?

A: A treat! I'd like to offer a copy of my new book to one winner.

WOW! Thanks for such an amazing treat. And thanks SO much for kicking off summer with us. We loved having you!

Giveaway Details: Readers, to enter to win Eileen's amazing book giveaway, 1) share this post on social media and 2) leave a comment below to thank her for stopping by! Sandcastle pictures and GIFs are appreciated, too.

Giveaway winners will be drawn and announced on or about 7/11!

Books will be shipped in the US only.

About Eileen Rajala Meyer:

Eileen Rajala Meyer has fond memories of summer days spent at the beach. She is the award-winning author of The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About Our 16th President (Illustrated by Dave Szalay, Charlesbridge Publishing). Her poems have appeared in children’s poetry anthologies, including the recent Schoolapalooza (Bushel & Peck Books), and children’s magazines such as Highlights High Five, Ladybug, and more. A member of the Rhyme Doctors team, she shares articles and tips about different aspects of writing poetry and rhyme in a free monthly newsletter. When she’s not writing, Eileen likes to stroll on the beach near her home in Florida. Visit EileenMeyerBooks.com and RhymeDoctors.com to learn more. 

For more about Eileen, check out the below links:

X: Eileen R. Meyer (@Writer_Meyer) / X

IG: Eileen Meyer (@eileenmeyerbooks) • Instagram photos and videos

Facebook: Eileen R. Meyer

To purchase this book from Reycraft, click here: Build a Sandcastle Trade Book (Hardcover)

To purchase Eileen's books on Amazon, or to leave a review for them, click here.

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