Lauren Thompson

A Recipe for The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

laurenthompson — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:37:41 +0000

A Recipe for The Apple Pie that Papa Baked

Try out the recipe I wrote to accompany The Apple Pie that Papa Baked!

Pie Crust:

2-1/2 cups flour (pastry flour is best, or all-purpose)
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled
½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon white vinegar
about 7 tablespoons ice-cold water

Pie Filling:

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut the butter and the shortening into small pieces and sprinkle over the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, mix together until pea-sized pieces form. Pour the beaten egg into a measuring cup, add the vinegar, then add water to ½-cup mark. Using a fork, slowly stir just enough of the liquid into the flour mixture to make a soft dough. Cut the dough ball into two, then wrap and chill while preparing the filling. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut into ½” wedges. In a large bowl, toss together the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Add a little more sugar if the apples are tart.
Dust a flat surface with flour and roll out one half of the chilled dough to form a circle 12 inches across and 1/8 inch thick. Gently place into a 9-inch pie pan. Pile the apple mixture into the crust. Roll out the other half of the dough and center it over the pan. Pinch the crust edges together. Cut a decorative pattern of small slits in the top crust.
Place the pan in the pre-heated oven. After 25 minutes, reduce heat to 375°F and bake another 20 to 25 minutes. The pie is done when the filling is bubbly and the top is golden brown.

The Christmas Magic

laurenthompson — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:19:48 +0000

The Christmas Magic

Illustrated by Jon J Muth (Scholastic Press, 2009)

Far, far North, when the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest, Santa begins to prepare for his big night of giving. Oppenheim Toy and Book Portfolio Platinum Award Winner – Best Book. Ages 3 and up.

Available in Fall 2009, a book that is very close to my heart: The Christmas Magic.

What is the magic that makes reindeer fly, and where does it come from? These are the questions I was pondering as the first words of this book came to me, needing to be written down. I wondered how Santa feels about all of this — perhaps he too finds the magic to be quite mysterious and wondrous. Santa loves all children every day of the year, but only once a year is he given the power to share that love.

“Every year, just when the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest, Santa feels a tingling in his whiskers.
Then he knows that the Christmas magic will soon be here.”

Imagine my delight when I learned that artist-par-excellence Jon J Muth wanted to illustrate the book. When I saw his first thumbnail sketches, I knew that he had really “gotten” it. Luminous and playful, his artwork captures my deepest intentions. With joy and love, we offer The Christmas Magic to you all.

The publisher, Scholastic Press, has created a beautiful promotional video.

Reviews and Notices

2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner

Publishers Weekly (starred review)
A sedulous and quirky Santa, who sports bunny slippers and feels a “tingling in his whiskers” (his mustache sticks out like the hands of a clock at 10:10) as Christmas nears, prepares for the arrival of the holiday. He calls his reindeer home and tends to them, then shines his sled, carefully selects toys and climbs a stepladder to tie up his enormous pack. Muth’s idyllic, wintry watercolors and pastels set the mood as “the night begins to thrum with magic, the kind of magic that makes reindeer fly.” Readers, like Santa, will feel the magic, too.

The Horn Book
“Far, far north, where the reindeer are, there is a snug little house with a bright red door. And in that house lives Santa Claus.” As soon as he “feels a tingling in his whiskers,” Santa (casually dressed in short blue pants, a gray-and-white striped shirt, a brown coverall apron, and bunny slippers) begins preparations for the big event. He calls in the reindeer, polishes to a shine his red sled, and consults his book, carefully pairing particular toys with deserving children. Thompson’s quiet text captures the story’s breath-held hush of anticipation leading to “the Christmas magic”: “It has come at last, as it always has, and always will.” Muth’s tranquil watercolor and pastel illustrations displaying the snowy, remote setting subtly incorporate familiar Christmas symbols and motifs. A perfect way to settle overexcited young ones for Christmas Eve bedtime. ELISSA GERSHOWITZ

Kirkus Reviews
Here’s a Santa Claus unlike any other. He lives with just a young reindeer companion and a cat. He has no elves as helpers but gathers the toys from a collection in his house and loads the sleigh himself. He wears a blue suit with a golden star at the end of his pointed hat. The spare text focuses on the Christmas magic drawing near, and the final spread with Santa’s sled rocketing skyward seems to symbolize the essence of that magical power. Muth’s muted watercolor illustrations are an excellent match for the lyrical text, with the soft grays, deep, midnight blues and the blue of Santa’s suit matching its melancholy quality. For those who find the jolly traditional Santa overbearing, this quieter approach may be a soothing alternative.

School Library Journal
Christmas magic will soon arrive. Readers see the white-haired gent taking care of all the mundane chores: grooming the reindeer, darning his warm socks, shining the sleigh, and selecting and packing the gifts. When all is ready, the magic comes and Santa flies off to share it with the world. Muth’s haunting watercolor and pastel illustrations bring the simple story to magical life. Santa’s bunny slippers are a particularly charming touch. Best for one-on-one or small-group sharing, this gentle and lovely book is sheer enchantment.–Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

The New York Times Book Review
from article “Snow Zone,” November 6, 2009, by David Barringer
After cranky creatures and existential storms, behold the uncomplicated gladness of the season. Here are the idealized colors of Christmas, in “The Christmas Magic,” by Lauren Thompson, with pictures by Jon J Muth, where the watercolor illustrations are glowing and pure and nostalgic. Tree boughs are light in cottony mittens of snow, and in the middle of a snowy field glows a humble yellow house with a red door and a smoking chimney: Santa’s house. The story, however, brings a twist to tradition.

This Santa differs from the usual rotund elf: he is thinner, more human, with a pointy mustache. With Christmas on the way, Santa, like a gentleman farmer, gets to work. He calls the reindeer, feeds them, struggles to push open a huge barn door and readies the sleigh in the barn, which, with a workbench and tools, looks like a garage. Santa oils boots, knits stockings and trims his mustache. He is a bachelor living alone in the woods — no Mrs. Claus, no elves, no factory. He is an at-home Claus, elf-employed and as content as Thoreau.

It’s a charming conceit, this stripped-down Santa. If he were to steer his sleigh into a nearby village, hop out and distribute toys, the conceit would be taken to a pleasant kind of logical end. The “magic,” however, grabs the reins and returns the story to a more familiar course. There is the impossibly large sack of toys for every child in the world, and the sleigh, pulled by flying reindeer, rising into the starry sky. The story ends with liftoff.

It’s a curious tale. The prose is as spartan as this new Santa, and the watercolor art is inviting, rich and warmly wintery, with the soft edges that artists love to impart to children’s sugarplum dreams. The transformation of Santa from chubby C.E.O. to single guy with a barn is welcome and endearing. But the ground-to-sky flight plan of sleigh and reindeer is a familiar transformation. Snow is good. Snow is complicated. And sometimes snow is just something pretty that melts too soon.

David Barringer is the author of “There’s Nothing Funny About Design.”

Mouse’s First Series

laurenthompson — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 07:36:48 +0000

Mouse’s First Series

Illustrated by Buket Erdogan
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Mouse discovers the sights and sounds of school, holidays, and seasons!
Ages 1 to 5.

Mouse’s First Christmas (1999) Mouse discovers the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas.

Mouse’s First Halloween (2000) Mouse finds that Halloween is “not so scary after all!” A New York Times Bestseller

Mouse’s First Valentine (2001) Mouse follows big sister Minka as she creates a valentine – for Mouse! A New York Times Bestseller

Mouse’s First Day of School (2002) Mouse explores a classroom and discovers dolls, books, and, best of all, friends! A New York Times Bestseller

Mouse’s First Summer (2003) Mouse and Minka enjoy the colors and celebrations of summer.

Mouse’s First Spring (2004) Mouse and Momma encounter springtime delights, including – whoosh! – the wind!

Mouse’s First Snow (2005) Mouse and Poppa enjoy a day of snow fun, from sledding to building a frosty little snow-mouse.

Mouse’s First Fall (2006) Mouse and Minka enjoy the colors, shapes, and fun of fall leaves, including piling them up and jumping in!

Ready-To-Read Mouse

Mouse Loves School (2011)

Mouse Loves Snow (2017)

Mouse Loves Spring (2018)

Mouse Loves Fall (2018)

Mouse Loves Summer (2018)

Mouse Loves Love (2018)

Little Quack

laurenthompson — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 07:14:08 +0000

Little Quack Series

Illustrated by Derek Anderson
Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Little Quack enjoys first experiences of bravery, friendship, silliness, and comfort with his duckling siblings! Ages 3 to 6.

Little Quack (2003) One by one, Little Quack’s brothers and sisters, Widdle, Waddle, Piddle, and Puddle, find the courage to leave the nest. Will Little Quack be just brave enough? A New York Times Bestseller

Little Quack’s Hide and Seek (2004) Little Quack is the last to find a hiding place, but it turns out to be the best of all!

Little Quack’s Bedtime (2005) Unfamiliar sights and sounds keep Little Quack and the other ducklings awake, but Mama’s reassurance sends them happily off to sleep. Gold Award, Oppenheim Book and Toy Portfolio

Little Quack’s New Friend (2006) Little Ribbet is small, green, can’t quack, and he’s a FROG! But like the ducklings, he loves to play, and that makes him a great friend.

Little Quack Early Learning Books

Little Quack Counts (2009)
Little Quack and Widdle in a counting adventure!

Little Quack’s Colors (2009)
Little Quack and Piddle in a colorful adventure!

Little Quack’s ABC (2010)
Little Quack and Waddle in an alphabet adventure!

Little Quack’s Opposites (2010)
Little Quack and Puddle in an up, down, over, under adventure!

Little Quack Bath Book (2006)
Waterproof edition of Little Quack, with detachable, inflatable duckling.

Little Quack Dial-a-Duck (2006)
Turn the dial and count the ducklings in this fun board book edition.

All Books

laurenthompson — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 06:42:55 +0000

My Books

Featured Books by Lauren Thompson

Polar Bear Night, illustrated by Stephen Savage (Scholastic Press, 2004)

One keen, cold night, a polar bear cub discovers the wonders of a winter night, including a star shower. A New York Times Bestseller, New York Times Best Illustrated, and New York Times Best Book of the Year selection; Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book. Ages 3 and up.

Polar Bear Morning, illustrated by Stephen Savage (Scholastic Press, 2013)

A polar bear cub explores her arctic world and finds something new – a friend. Companion to New York Times Best Illustrated book /New York Times bestselling book Polar Bear Night. Ages 3 and up.

The Apple Pie that Papa Baked, illustrated by Jonathan Bean (Simon & Schuster, 2007)

“These are the apples, juicy and red, / that went in the pie, / warm and sweet, /
that Papa baked…” for guess who! A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. Ages 3 to 7.

Click here for recipe!

Good Night, Bunny, illustrated by Stephanie Yue (Orchard Books/Scholastic, 2018)

“Good night, you, and good night, me. Good night kisses one, two, three.” Bunny says “good night” to the drowsy world, from the bluebells and pansies to the turtledove and ducklings in a row. Ages birth to 5.

The Christmas Magic, illustrated by Jon J Muth (Scholastic Press, 2009)

Click here for more!

One Starry Night, illustrated by Jonathan Bean (Scholastic Press, 2011)

One starry night, little ones everywhere are watched over with care. Most special of all, Mary and Joseph watch over their newborn babe … and the world is filled with love. Ages 3 to 6.

Mouse’s First Series

Mouse discovers the sights and sounds of school, holidays, and seasons! Ages 3 to 5.

Click here for more!

Little Quack Series

Little Quack enjoys first experiences of bravery, friendship, silliness, and comfort with his duckling siblings! Ages 3 to 6.

Click here for more!

More Books by Lauren Thompson

Leap Back Home to Me, illustrated by Matthew Cordell (Margaret K. McElderry/S&S, 2011)

A little frog leaps farther and farther into the world. Whee! And when he leaps home again, Mama is always there. Ages 3 to 6

Wee Little Chick, illustrated by John Butler (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008)

This wee little chick is a mighty little chick! Ages 1 to 4.

Wee Little Bunny, illustrated by John Butler (Simon and Schuster, 2010)

This wee little bunny is a busy little bunny! Ages 1 to 4.

Wee Little Lamb, illustrated by John Butler (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2009)

This wee little lamb is a shy little lamb! Ages 1 to 4.

One Riddle, One Answer, illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter (Scholastic Press, 2001)

A mathematical tale in which a Persian princess uses a clever math riddle to find the “one” she will marry. Ages 6 to 9.

The Forgiveness Garden, illustrated by Cristy Hale (Feiwel & Friends, 2012)

A long time ago and far away – although it could be here, and it could be now – hate happened, and revenge happened. But this time, a young girl decided to try something different. Ages 8 and up.

Ballerina Dreams: A True Story, with photographs by James Estrin (Feiwel & Friends, 2007)

Once upon a time there were five little girls who dreamed of being ballerinas on stage. They didn’t let their disabilities didn’t stop them!

“Hope Is an Open Heart”, illustrated with photographs (Scholastic Press, 2008)

Chew, Chew, Gulp! illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Margaret K. McElderry/S&S, 2011)

Eating isn’t hard to do. Follow us! We’ll show you! Ages 3 to 6.

Hop, Hop, Jump! illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Margaret K. McElderry/S&S, 2012

Move your body, have some fun! Watch! We’ll show you how it’s done! Ages 3 to 6.

A Christmas Gift for Mama, illustrated by Jim Burke (Scholastic Press, 2001)

A lavishly illustrated holiday tale about a mother and daughter who give each other gifts of love, in the tradition of “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. Platinum Award, Oppenheim Toy and Book Portfolio. Ages 6 to 10.

Love One Another: The Last Days of Jesus, illustrated by Elizabeth Uyehara (Scholastic Press, 2000)

A retelling of the Easter story. All ages.

How Many Cats? illustrated by Robin Ely (Disney/Hyperion, 2009)

How many cats come to play? Count up to twenty and back again as frisky cats enliven one dog’s quiet day at home.

Watch a Book Being Born

laurenthompson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 09:06:20 +0000

Watch a Book Being Born

Here is my first draft of what became the book Polar Bear Night. I wrote it in pencil, on a spare piece of notebook paper.

Click for a closer look!

See that line drawn across the second page? I remember thinking to myself at that point, “This is all wrong. Start over.” I sensed that the language should be much simpler and more poetic. Once I started again, the story really came to life for me. The whole process felt sort of magical.

Here is the finished version of the story.

Click for a closer look!

A Peek at My Diary

laurenthompson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 09:05:14 +0000

A Peek at My Diary

When I was ten (back in 1973), my family went to live in the Netherlands for a year. As a good-bye gift, my 5th grade class gave me a diary. I was fond of it immediately – it was so lovely, and though it was small it had a nice heft. This became the first of dozens of diaries and journals that I’ve kept over the years.

What did I write about? The usual things. Making a birthday present for my mom, building a “hut” out of fallen branches in the backyard, friends. Here is a page about a shopping trip with my father to buy marbles, a favorite game among Dutch children.

Click for a closer look!

An Interview with Lauren Thompson

laurenthompson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 06:32:05 +0000

An Interview with Lauren Thompson

What do you like to write about?

I like to write about the way I remember responding to special times when I was a child. I like to try to recapture that feeling and share it with children today. Those special times include holidays, but also big moments like jumping into the pool even though I was afraid to, or the sparkling magic of a starlit winter night.

Where do you get your ideas?

I find ideas everywhere in my daily life. The trick is to pick which ones are right for me to work on. When I worked as a children’s book editor, I read lots of stories every week, and I talked to authors about their ideas every day. But most of the time, these ideas, great as they may have been, just didn’t seem right for me. I still read lots of other authors’ books and come across ideas that way, too, ideas that aren’t quite right for me. But one of those ideas might trigger a memory from my childhood, or something I see in my son, and then I might be on to something. The ideas that matter to me are ones that remind me of something special in my childhood, some private joy (or pain) that I thought, at the time, hardly anyone else would understand. Now I know lots of people would understand, so I try to get that experience down in words. That way I can share it at last.

Do you write your books with pencil or pen and paper, or with a computer?

Every story goes through many drafts and forms through the process of writing it. Most of the time, I start on a pad of paper, or in a notebook. I like to use pencil, and I know I’m excited about an idea when the pencil point wears down but I don’t want to take the time to sharpen it. When the pages get messy, I might copy the story over in pen, to have a nice clean start. By the third pass, I’ll go to the computer and type it in. I hardly ever start on the computer, and that’s because part of the pleasure for me of writing is the physical act of writing. I’m very choosy about my paper and notebooks, my pencils, erasers, and pens. I like them to have a certain smoothness, to feel a certain way in my hand. I don’t get the same happiness from a keyboard or mouse. But it certainly is faster to write and revise on the computer.

Do you illustrate any of your own books?

No, I don’t. As a picture book writer, I have pictures in my mind as I write, but I can’t draw or paint those pictures well enough to meet the high standards of a publisher. But I enjoy drawing and watercolor painting just for the fun of it.

Do you tell the illustrator what to draw?

No. What usually happens is that when the illustrator turns in sketches, which are rough drafts of the paintings, the editor of the book will let me take a look at them. Mainly, he or she wants to give me a chance to catch any errors that everyone else missed. And sometimes the illustrator has drawn something that looks wonderful even though it doesn’t match my words perfectly. Then the editor may ask me to change my wording, which I am usually happy to do if it makes the book even better. Mostly, though, I try to stay out of it. I’m always amazed by what the artist sees in my words. Illustrators bring levels to a book that I never imagined, and I find that very exciting.

How did you first start writing for children?

I’ve been writing since I was a child, but I might not have started writing for children if I hadn’t started working in children’s publishing. Once I started reading lots of children’s books, I got the itch to try it myself. I think my first manuscript was an attempt to retell “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” in rhyme, which didn’t quite come off. I took a few classes so that I could get some feedback on my writing. I wrote steadily for about seven years before I wrote anything strong enough to be published.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Sometimes it takes a few weeks, and sometimes it takes a few years. I worked on Mouse’s First Christmas for two years before it “clicked” for me. Because of all that work, I was able to write Mouse’s First Halloween in a month or two. Sometimes I write a first draft for a story, but I’m not sure if I like it or not, or I’m not sure what I should do to make it better. In that case I put it aside. Then I come across it later (sometimes years later) and I see at last what the story is really about. Then I will start working on it again.

What are you working on now?

I have a number of picture books on my desk that I’m revising. (But I don’t know if any of them will ever become a published book!) I would also like to write a chapter book or novel, and I jot down ideas for that when I have them.

Do you have any advice for children who want to be an author when they grow up?

My advice is to read a lot, write a lot, and try not to worry about making your writing “perfect.” By reading, aside from enjoying the book, you are absorbing different ways of telling stories, different ways of seeing things, and adding lots of words and phrases to your vocabulary. Words are the primary tools for a writer, and you want to have all types handy when you are writing. Also, try to read different kinds of books. Try fantasy, historical stories, humor, and science fiction. Read different kinds of poetry. Read different kinds of informational books. Read comics, too! Read what you really enjoy, but stay open to other things, too.

Write as much as you can, too. This might mean keeping a diary, or having a journal to write poems and thoughts in. If something you write captures something very important to you, try revising it to see if you can capture it even more precisely. No matter what you write, remember that no one else has to read it unless you want them to. You may worry about being embarrassed about what you write, but don’t let that stop you — just write. Maybe later you’ll realize that you used a word incorrectly, or that you have changed your opinion about something. But that’s okay. All writers make changes to what they’re writing. That’s called revising, and it’s the secret to good writing.

The Story of My Life (So Far)

laurenthompson — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 06:23:04 +0000

The Story of My Life (So Far)

Once upon a time, in 1962, I was born, and my parents named me Lauren Anne Stevens. I was their only child for about a year, and then my sister Carol was born. We lived in Oregon at that time. When I was three, we drove across the country to Massachusetts. My earliest memory comes from that trip: I remember seeing the colorfully lit signs of a motel or restaurant as we pulled into the parking lot after dark. Once we were in Massachusetts, my brother John was born, and, when I was five, my youngest brother Douglas arrived. The four of us kids did most of our growing up in Holden, Massachusetts, near the city of Worcester. My dad was a psychology professor and my mom was a nurse.

When I was eight and when I was ten, my family lived for a year in the Netherlands. We went to Dutch schools and both times I became fluent in Dutch. Unfortunately, I have forgotten most of what I learned, except how to count (een, twee, dree) and basic phrases like “My name is Lauren” (Ik heet Lauren) and “I like it” (Ik leuk).

I always liked school, and I was pretty good in every subject. I loved to read and wrote a lot of stories and poems, but I enjoyed math and science, too. When I went to college, at Mount Holyoke College, I focused on math, though I took lots of courses in English and creative writing. Then I went to Clark University to get a masters degree in English. All in all, I was in school for twenty years.

I always thought I would grow up to be a teacher, and when I was at Clark University I taught English and composition classes. But I also got interested in the publishing business, and in 1988 I moved to New York to work in the editorial department of a children’s book publisher. I worked as an editor for eighteen years, helping writers and illustrators to make their books as good as they could be. I was also writing my own books and getting them published. Finally in 2006 I decided to spend all my time writing.

I live in Brooklyn with my wonderful husband, Robert, who is an English professor, a poet, and a musician, and our son. We live near a park where we can ride our bikes, play tennis, go for walks, and even cross-country ski, when there is snow.

So that’s the story of my life so far. What will the next chapter be?

Giving Back

laurenthompson — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 07:44:28 +0000

Giving Back

Ways to give back to our world

When I write a book about a polar bear, or girls with disabilities who love to dance, my ideas don’t just spring out of my imagination. I’m responding to wonderful things in the world around me. So I feel it’s important to give back to the world that gives me so much. Polar bears give me joy, and I want to give my support back to them. The five young ballerinas I met in writing Ballerina Dreams bring me much happiness, and I want to find ways to help them, and children like them, find happiness, too. For each of my books, I try to find ways to give back, through informing myself, writing letters or taking other small actions, and giving financial support.

If you enjoy my books, I hope you will consider giving back to the world that makes it all possible. Here are some organizations that I believe make a difference:

To help polar bears and other endangered species

There are many organizations doing research on and advocating for wildlife. Polar bears are endangered primarily by global warming; many groups are working to inform people about how to slow global warming, and every little thing we do to use less electricity and fuel makes a difference. National Geographic and the World Wildlife Fund are just two of the organizations that provide information for kids and adults.

To help children

In many societies, the best way to help children have healthier and happier lives is to help their mothers have healthier and happier lives — especially where it is difficult for girls to go to school, and for women to earn and keep their own money. Where women cannot take out traditional loans from banks, organizations like the Women’s World Banking help women start up their own very small businesses. Through their own banks, women can take out micro-loans to purchase a few goats, in order to sell their milk, or a portable stove in order to make and sell tortillas at a market.

Another way to help families and children is through Heifer Project International, Inc., which uses donations to give a cow, goat, or brood of chicks to families in need around the world.

The Seva Foundation works in the US and around the world, building safe water supply systems, providing preventive medical care, and helping communities to be self-sufficient. These services help children and their families have better lives.

To help children with disabilities

Dancing Dreams is the dance program of Joann Ferrara, the physical therapist and dance instructor featured in Ballerina Dreams. Visit her website to learn about her work and how you can help.

Children who have visible or invisible disabilities can gain much hope and encouragement from seeing others like them doing what might seem impossible. The Axis Dance Company, based in California but performing across the country, features several dancers who perform in wheelchairs.