CHILDREN'S AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Aside from the numerous awards Nancy Tupper Ling has earned over the years, Nancy stands out for her commitment to go beyond writing what she knows—she writes from the heart. With this focused approach, she creates beautiful poetry and engaging children's stories that resonate with readers.
Nancy's writing endeavors often contain a multicultural element. And this connection with other cultures started at a young age. Let's dive into our interview with Nancy to learn more about her and her writing career.
1) Which children's book has most impacted you? Why?
The book that impacted me the most was Crow Boy by Taro Yashima. Today it sits, worn and torn, on my shelf. Long before the concept of diverse books serving as “mirrors and windows,” I loved this story because it transported me into the world of a boy named Chibi from rural Japan. A window was opened.
Believe it or not, it also served as a mirror since I, too, was shy and didn’t always fit in. My heart was moved when Chibi was suddenly seen and understood for his talent of talking to the crows. I grew hopeful about the world around me.
2) What do you love about writing for kids?My answer relates to why I create in general. It’s fairly simple: to touch another person’s life with my words.
2) What do you love about writing for kids?
While I’m not a great knitter, when my daughters wear a sweater that I labored over; it brings joy. Many of us feel the same way whenever we’re creating. We wonder what we’re giving back to the world in this time that we have here.
Also, having biracial children of my own, I tend to write stories that are multicultural in nature. Of course with my picture books, receiving some Ooos and Ahhs, a pause from a busy-busy day, a moment of meditation; a sense of wonder, any or all of these reactions from a young reader would be the cat’s meow.
3) In addition to writing for kids, you're an award-winning poet. How has poetry helped you become a children's author?I see poetry as the railway tracks which led into writing for children. Having come to the world of picture books as a poet, I tried to apply a lyrical style to my stories. I’m not saying it was easy to pivot into the world of children’s writing from poetry, but it did seem fairly natural.
Still, I had to learn to rely less on the beauty of the word, and allow room for things like illustrations and plots.
No matter the genre, I’ve had to continually learn about each craft I’ve tackled. I always encourage others to write anything and everything because you never know what will land where and what will carry you forward.
So often we can be overwhelmed, wondering how we can possibly make a difference in this big world. In some ways, children are less inhibited. They take life minute by minute. Tackling the Bible is a bit daunting, too…but the idea of telling Bible stories through tiny poems focused on “one” seemed doable.
4) What sparked the idea for your newest book, One Perfect Plan: The Bible's Big Story in Tiny Poems?
I began thinking about how one action, one word, one life, and one death on a cross could change the world. And I carried this idea forward, envisioning David with his sling and one stone, that slayed his big enemy, Goliath. I wanted to be sure to include the women of the Bible as well, like Esther:
One queen—
emboldened by God to be brave
for a time such as this;
her people are saved.
The hope was that families could experience God’s redemptive story in one sitting, and by including references to original Bible verses, they will be inspired to read even more from God’s Word.
5) Your Junior Library Guild Gold Selection book, For Every Little Thing: Poems and Prayers to Celebrate the Day, was a joint effort with another author to select poetry from different cultures. What do you hope readers take away from it?
Yes, the idea for the anthology, For Every Little Thing, with my co-author, June Cotner, began with the title “Counting Blessings” based on a poem by contributor, Barbara Younger.
One queen—
emboldened by God to be brave
for a time such as this;
her people are saved.
The hope was that families could experience God’s redemptive story in one sitting, and by including references to original Bible verses, they will be inspired to read even more from God’s Word.
As we started gathering poems to include, I was inspired to write a poem called “For Every Little Thing.” Voila! This soon became the title poem. And as June and I put a proposal together, gratitude was at the heart of it.
Our hope was to foster “appreciation for the small and big gifts of the world,” and by journeying through a child’s day, from waking up to falling asleep, our selected poems and prayers will awaken a sense of gratitude in readers of all ages.
6) What is one practical way parents can help their children practice the art of observation?I love Mary Oliver’s quote about observation. She wrote: “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
In my mind, we should take time to be “noticers” with our children. Get outside, not just for sports, but walking in nature each day, if we can. And then, ask one another what we observe with all five senses: what did you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch today? That’s a great start!
NANCY TUPPER LING is the winner of the prestigious Writer’s Digest Grand Prize and the Pat Parnell Poetry Award. She draws her inspiration from the multicultural background of her family and the interwoven fabric of familial culture which is, on the surface, seemingly everyday.
She is the author of numerous books for children and adults, including One Perfect Plan: The Bible’s Big Story in Tiny Poems (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing/Penguin); For Every Little Thing (Eerdmans); The Story I'll Tell (Lee & Low Books); Family Celebrations (Andrews McMeel); Double Happiness (Chronicle Books), and more. She is also the founder of Fine Line Poets.
Additional children's book by Nancy: