Find more great Horn Book content at these links:

Interviews with authors and illustrators
Recommended books: reviews and themed booklists
App and e-book reviews
Movie reviews
Event news and recaps
Events calendar

Chris Barton on Whoosh!

by Elissa Gershowitz
Jul 13, 2016 | Filed in Authors & Illustrators
barton_whooshIn our July/August 2016 issue, senior editor Elissa Gershowitz chatted with author Chris Barton about his new picture book biography Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions. Read the full review.

Elissa Gershowitz: What is one of the challenges and/or rewards of writing a picture-book biography of a contemporary figure?

Chris Barton: One big reward so far has been the cautious hope in kids’ voices when they ask, after I’ve read that last page aloud, “Is he still alive?” It’s as if they picked up on my use of the present tense but can’t quite bring themselves to believe that the inspiring life they just heard about is still happening. I love telling them, “Yes, he is.”

Elissa Gershowitz

Elissa Gershowitz is editor in chief of The Horn Book, Inc. She holds an MA from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons University and a BA from Oberlin College.

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

NOTES FROM THE HORNBOOK

Fanfare 2025 Annotations
by Horn Book
OUT OF THE BOX PREMIUM

Fanfare 2025 extras
by Horn Book
OUT OF THE BOX

Fanfare 2025 Booklist
by Horn Book
INTERVIEWS

Jason Reynolds in Conversation with The Horn Book
by Elissa Gershowitz
INTERVIEWS

Tae Keller Talks with Roger
by Roger Sutton
NOTES FROM THE HORNBOOK

Five questions for Laura Amy Schlitz
by Horn Book and Sarah Ellis
More
RECOMMENDED
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing.

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?