{"product_id":"why-do-birds-sing-paperback-by-joan-holub-illustrated-by-anna-divito","title":"Why Do Birds Sing? Paperback by Joan Holub; Illustrated by Anna DiVito","description":"\u003cbody\u003e\n                            \n                                \n                                    \u003ch2\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Details\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n                                    \u003cul\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cb\u003ePenguin Young Readers\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e(2004-09-09)\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLanguage\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003eEnglish\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePaperback\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e48\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003epages\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e9780142401064\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eItem Weight\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e119.07\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003egrams\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                        \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e: \u003cstrong\u003e9.0 x 6.0 x 0.22\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cb\u003ecm\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n                                    \u003c\/ul\u003e\n                                    \u003cbr\u003e\n                                    \u003cp\u003eDo you love birds? If you do, you're not alone! Birds are fun to watch and they make great pets. There is so much to know about birds. Why do they have feathers? Can parrots really talk?  Why do birds build nests? Do birds like toys? Beginning readers will find the answers to these questions—and many more—in this lively, fact-filled book. Filled with colorful illustrations and photographs of wild and domestic birds, this is a perfect selection for any young bird-watcher or bird lover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n                                    \u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n                                    \u003cp\u003eThe reason I'm a children's book author\/illustrator today is that I have a lot of determination. I practiced drawing and revised my stories over and over because I wanted nothing more than to do what I'm doing now--writing and illustrating children's books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI always knew I'd become an artist and studied art in college in Texas. After graduating from college, I became an Art Director at a graphic design firm. I moved from Texas to New York to work in children's publishing. I got a job as Associate Art Director in children's books at Scholastic, where I designed books and enjoyed working with editors and illustrators. This was excellent experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI illustrated my first children's book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I had always written stories, but I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990's. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts -- \u003cb\u003eBoo Who?\u003c\/b\u003e (Scholastic) and \u003cb\u003ePen Pals\u003c\/b\u003e (Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap) -- both published in 1997.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow I write and illustrate full time. It is a great job. When I think of a idea, I write it down so that whenever I finish one story I'll have a bunch of ideas waiting that I can begin working on next. I especially love reading and writing funny stories, weird stories, and animal stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBooks I've written and illustrated include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCinderdog and the Wicked Stepcat Albert Whitman\u003c\/b\u003e, 2001 (ages 4-8, picture book)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbby Cadabra, Super Speller\u003c\/b\u003e, Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap, 2000 (ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow to Find Lost Treasure in All Fifty States and Canada, Too\u003c\/b\u003e Aladdin, 2000 (ages 8-12, NF)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Haunted States of America\u003c\/b\u003e Aladdin, 2001 (ages 8-12, NF)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eVincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars\u003c\/b\u003e, 2001 Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap (ages 6-9, NF)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHappy Monster Day!\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic,1999\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePen Pals\u003c\/b\u003e Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap, 1997 (ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eIvy Green, Cootie Queen Troll\u003c\/b\u003e, 1998 (ages 7-9)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRed, Yellow, Green What Do Signs Mean?\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic, 1998 (ages 4-8)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBoo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic, 1997 (ages 1-6)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eEek-A-Boo! A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic, 2000 (ages 1-6)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBooks I've written include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eI Have A Weird Brother Who Digested A Fly\u003c\/b\u003e, Albert Whitman, 1999 (picture book)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLight the Candles, A Hanukkah Lift the Flap Book\u003c\/b\u003e, Puffin, 2000\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Garden That We Grew\u003c\/b\u003e Viking\/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Pizza That We Made\u003c\/b\u003e Viking\/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eScat Cats!\u003c\/b\u003e Viking\/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBackwards Day\u003c\/b\u003e, Scholastic, 2000\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy Do Dogs Bark?\u003c\/b\u003e Puffin, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy Do Cats Meow?\u003c\/b\u003e Puffin, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Spooky Sleepover\u003c\/b\u003e, Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap, 1999 (ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePajama Party\u003c\/b\u003e Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap, 1998 (ages 4-7, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpace Dogs on Planet K-9\u003c\/b\u003e Troll, 1998 (ages 7-10)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBooks I've illustrated include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBreakout at the Bug Lab\u003c\/b\u003e Dial, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHector's Hiccups\u003c\/b\u003e Random House, 1999\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eShadows Everywhere\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic, 1999\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eHot Cha-Cha!\u003c\/b\u003e Winslow Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNo Fair!\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic, Hello Math\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe 100th Day of School\u003c\/b\u003e Scholastic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTen Little Ballerinas\u003c\/b\u003e Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI Love You Mom\u003c\/b\u003e Troll\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eI Love You Dad\u003c\/b\u003e Troll\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eMy First Book of Sign Language\u003c\/b\u003e Troll\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnswers to questions people sometimes ask me:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Where do you get your ideas?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI get ideas many different ways. Sometimes, ideas just pop into my head. I also listen to and watch the people around me for ideas. I read to get ideas. I daydream to get ideas. When I get an idea, I write it down in an idea notebook, so I won't forget it. I think ideas are the easy part of writing. I get lots of ideas for books all the time. Developing them into a book with a beginning, middle and end is the difficult, time-consuming part. The idea is important, but an idea isn't a book until it has been developed into a story that works as a whole from start to finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. When and why did you decide to become an author and artist?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI've been writing and reading stories all of my life. I didn't concentrate on writing children's books until around 1990. In 1991, I began regularly submitting manuscripts to publishers.I began writing because I had story ideas that I thought would make good books. I've always known I would become an artist--ever since kindergarten.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. Why don't you illustrate all of the books you write?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI haven't had time to illustrate all of the books I write, but I've usually been very happy with the work of the illustrators who have illustrated my books. I wasn't happy with the art in a couple of books, but I don't think it's fair to try and control the artist, so I keep out of the artist's way as much as possible. I continue to illustrate books by other authors as well. I have just as much fun illustrating a book written by someone else as I do illustrating books I write. As long as the story is good, illustrating it is fun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Did you like school when you were a kid?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost of the time. I got bored during the summer, so I was glad when school started. I loved getting a new lunchbox and choosing what I would wear the first day. But then after about 2 weeks of school, I wished for summer again. I like to read and I made good grades, so school was mostly fun for me.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5. How do you develop your characters and plot?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI've usually already decided on a main charater and 1\/4 to 3\/4 of a plot before I start writing a story. I just write and work out the rest of the characters and plot as I go along. I have a college art degree, but have no formal training as a writer. I learn the rhythm and structure of stories by reading books and thinking about how they are structured. I also read instructional books about how to write.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e6. What is your favorite part about writing? Why?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGetting an idea; finishing a book manuscript; getting an offer from a publisher; and seeing my book in a store are all big thrills. The process of writing is not always fun. But I'm driven to write, and time flies when I'm writing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e7. How hard has it been to get your works published?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was hard to sell the first manuscript. Then in 1996, I suddenly sold three manuscripts in three months to Grosset \u0026amp; Dunlap and Scholastic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e8. What are your favorite books besides the one(s) you have written?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSpaceship Under the Apple Tree; Martha Speaks; The Giving Tree; A Friend for Dragon; Chrysanthemum; Ruby the Copycat; Marvin Redpost--Is He A Girl?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e9. What do you look for in a good book?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSomething I think is funny or a feeling I can strongly identify with. A good idea and a memorable plot and characters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e10. Do you have kids or pets? Hobbies?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo kids, but we do have a great cat, who thinks he's our child. For hobbies, I like to hike, bikeride, and read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnna Divito\u003c\/b\u003e lives in Unionville, New York.\u003c\/p\u003e\n                                \n                            \n                            \u003c\/body\u003e","brand":"Best Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"New","offer_id":44900550148257,"sku":"BBSNIJ9780142401064","price":7.99,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0525\/2084\/5473\/files\/9780142401064.jpg?v=1744352991","url":"https:\/\/www.bestbookstore.ca\/products\/why-do-birds-sing-paperback-by-joan-holub-illustrated-by-anna-divito","provider":"Best Book Store","version":"1.0","type":"link"}