‘Pete the Cat’ author sang books as a kid By JENNy APPLEGATE Dispatch MeDia Group
Children’s book author Eric Litwin will appear at the Home & Garden Show Feb. 19. Anyone who has read a Litwin book aloud can attest to that. The rhythm of his stories makes them
theme showed my daughter, when she was in preschool and thought every problem was huge, that life still was just fine. Is that one of your personal beliefs? A: It’s definitely for me and the kids. I write the message that I need to hear, and I think that’s why “Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes,” “Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes,” “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” and “Pete the Cat Saves Christmas” ring true to both children and adults. There’s something profoundly important about reminding ourselves to stay positive. Q: Did you like to read when you were a kid? A: Yeah. But it was tough for me, so I sang my books and I chanted my books, and I think that’s one of the reasons I’m so motivated to make books more musical.
H&G Show celebrates local authors In a fitting tribute to our theme Story Book Gardens, The Dispatch has invited notable authors from right here in Columbus to join the Home & Garden Show on Library Day. You will recognize many of these accomplished writers and their published books, spanning children, teens and adult topics. Come say hello, bring your copy of their book for an autograph or purchase a copy at the show. Most authors will have their books for sale, and our book store partner Fundamentals Children’s Books will also be onsite with some of the titles.
Appearing in the Gardens area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jessica Fries Gaither
Fries Gaither is an experienced science educator and an award-winning author of books for students and teachers, including “Notable Note-
books: Scientists and Their Writings.” Her teaching career has spanned elementary and middle school grades in several states. She loves reading, cooking and spending time with her husband and three dogs.
Patricia Sargeant /Olivia Matthews
Award-winning author Sargeant writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance. She also writes mysteries under the pen name Olivia Matthews. Her “Sister Lou Mystery” series was inspired by the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of Peace in Columbus. Raised in New York City, Patricia now lives in Ohio with her husband.
Linda Stanek
Stanek is the author of “Once Upon an Elephant,”
winner of the 2017 Children’s Choice Book Award, and also a finalist on state lists in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Her other children’s books include “Night Creepers,” “Beco’s Big Year,” “The Pig and Miss Prudence.” She is a co-author of a college textbook about cheetahs, and a grade-leveled, STEM-correlated comic book series for Pakistan.
Jeff Wilson
Wilson has hosted nearly 200 episodes on HGTV and the DIY Network. His book, “The Greened House Effect,” follows the deep energy retrofit of his family’s 70-year-old-home to reduce their energy bills by over 90 percent while making the home a more comfortable, healthier place to live.
Kerry Winfrey
Winfrey is the author of the young adult novels “Love and Other Alien Experiences” and “Things Jolie Needs to do Before She Bites It,” both from Feiwel and Friends. She’s written for many websites, including HelloGiggles. She tweets @KerryAnn and her website is kerrywinfrey.com. She lives with her husband, baby, and dog in the middle of Ohio.
Robin yocum
Yocum is an award-winning novelist and former crime and investigative reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. His fifth novel, “A Perfect Shot,” is set in his native Ohio River Val-
ley. He also is the author of the Edgar-nominated, No. 1 Amazon best seller, “A Brilliant Death.” His other novels include “A Welcome Murder,” “The Essay” and “Favorite Sons.” He lives in Galena.
Disaptch Special Sections | Friday, February 16, 2018
For children’s book author Eric Litwin, no story is ready to be published until he has told it (or sung it) hundreds — or even thousands — of times to audiences packed with children and adults. Litwin — who has sold a combined 10 million-plus copies of his nine books, including the original “Pete the Cat” titles and the “Groovy Joe” series — gives 300 to 400 performances a year. When crafting a new tale, he said, he analyzes how his crowds react and adjusts his storytelling for maximum fun. “By the time I’m through, that’s why the words just roll off the tongue,” he said in a telephone interview.
seem like songs — which is deliberate. The 51-year-old former teacher, who lives in Washington, D.C., firmly believes in the power of interactive reading. “When kids start reading, they have to read by sight words and phonetics,” he said. “But I believe children should have lots of ways that they can read books. We need to also have music and rhyme schemes and patterns.” Q: What do you like about writing kids’ books? A: I love writing books that help children love reading books, and I love writing books that have a positive message, like “It’s all good.” I love writing books that can be used as a resource for teachers, and I love writing books that have music. Q: In the “Pete the Cat” books, I appreciated how that “It’s all good”
Appearing in the area of the Simple Bath Home Stage from 2-4 p.m.
Julia DeVillers
DeVillers is a bestselling and award-winning author of middle grade and young adults books, including her latest collaboration with Maddie Ziegler, “The Audition: How my Private Journal Became a Bestseller,” which was adapted into the Disney Channel Original Movie “Read It and Weep.”
See Authors, Page 36
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