by kmessner

Exploring Another Secret World

I’ve got some exciting news to share…

Thanks to all of you who read OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW and shared it and talked about it and read it aloud to kids while you sipped hot chocolate, Chronicle Books has asked illustrator Chris Silas Neal and I to work on a follow-up book!  UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT will explore the hidden secret world of a vegetable garden while a child and grandparent plant,weed and harvest up above.

I’ll be spending a lot of time in my vegetable garden this summer, looking even more closely than usual at the spiders, ants, grubs, and worms that live alongside (and underneath!) my basil, marigolds, and tomatoes.

So if you happen to walk through my neighborhood and see me sprawled on my belly, peering into the dirt with my notebook at my side, don’t worry. I’m no crazier than usual; I’m just doing research.

21 Replies on “Exploring Another Secret World”

  3. Congratulations. I’m sure it will be as fabulous as Over and Under the Snow. Have fun researching and getting down and dirty like Marty.

  8. Kate,

    That’s wonderful news — the perfect summer project on which to work.

    And your virtual writing camp for teachers seems to filling a big need. So glad to be a part of it.

    Keep that good news coming!

    All best,
    Donna

  13. June 5, 2012

    This is my first free write. Am I suppose to post here?

    Well…here goes!! (nervous)

    Everyone has their favorite summer spot, right? Mine happens to be Rye Beach, New Hampshire. I know, most people don’t think of the ocean when they think of NH. One is more apt to think about mountains and skiing or the fall foliage. And for good reason…NH only has about 25 miles of coastline. Also, most people couldn’t tolerate the cold water. It’s a milestone if the water temperature gets up to 63 degrees!
    But Rye Beach is my little piece of heaven. Why? There are so many reasons. As you walk the path to the beach and the ocean comes into view, the brilliant sparkle of the water is truly breathtaking. There may be a sailboat or lobster boat in the distance to create a postcard perfect scene. The fragrant overgrown beach plums along the way exhilarate as you get ever closer to the sand. Once you reach the end of the path, you view an expanse of beach to your left and to your right that, in total, stretches at least a mile. And you can actually see wide open beach, as Rye is a well-kept secret, hence no crowds. When its low tide the beach doubles in size, as the water recedes several hundred feet. In fact, it is quite a hike from the soft sand, across the slightly pebbly sand, over more and more water packed sand, until you finally reach the water’s edge.
    Then there’s the ocean water. Always crystal clear, never strewn with seaweed or jellyfish (those cold temps keep them at bay), no death-defying undertow, gentle, playful waves…its perfection.
    No crowds, no loud music, soft breezes, the warmth of the sun and an expanse of sand. And it’s all mine!