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This post is in partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Herald Press. All opinions are my own.
Book Information
Sparking Peace
Written by Teresa Kim Pecinovsky and Hannah Rose Martin Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo Ages 5+ | 40 Pages Publisher: Herald Press | ISBN-13: 9781513813707 Publisher’s Book Summary: Broken into beautiful. A story of friendship and healing. After breaking a neighbor’s window, a young child discovers friendship, transformation, and new beginnings in an unlikely story of peace. Gentle and moving, this poetic tale offers readers a hopeful path in the face of gun violence and despair, showing kids how peacemaking can turn conflict into friendship and new beginnings—and forge guns into garden tools. Children grow up with lockdowns and gun violence as part of their reality. As parents, caregivers, and educators, how should we respond? Sparking Peace provides a springboard for those seeking to discuss gun violence and trauma with children in a safe way that highlights help rather than harm. This picture book helps children learn about conflict while also carefully addressing gun violence and peacemaking. It includes resources that equip parents and educators to talk about gun violence and trauma, using a story of a broken window to show kids how conflict can be transformed through acts of peace. Suggested reading for ages 5–9. Author Interview with Hannah Rose Martin
Where did you get the inspiration for Sparking Peace?
Teresa actually reached out to me about possibly writing a book together about RAWtools, my partner’s nonprofit that turns guns into garden tools. Teresa and I realized that there really isn’t a long list of resources for caregivers to begin tough conversations with children, especially when it comes to gun violence. What was your writing process like for this book? It’s a crazy story, really. Teresa and I had one phone conversation to bounce around ideas of our characters and the storyline. Then she sent me the first half of the book that she wrote and I wrote the second half! I worked to keep our voices cohesive and I am so grateful it worked out the way it did. I have been having these conversations about “things that break hearts” with children for a long while now, so it was a gift to take real conversations with children and instill that same hope and vocabulary into this book. Why do you feel this is an important topic for children? Children across our country are faced with gun violence on a daily basis. It is the number one cause of death for children and adolescents 1-19 years of age, and that recently just changed from motor vehicle accidents being number one. Children in schools practice active shooter and lockdown drills and there is no common vocabulary or language used across the country- a teacher is not given any instruction as to how to introduce these drills and when they are, it is not cohesive or broken down by age appropriateness. We need to be able to concretely speak to the prevalence of guns in our society in ways that are appropriate and helpful to children. This book creates an opening into that dialogue and allows parents, teachers, librarians, and other caregivers to go as light or as deep as they find needed for their intended audiences. What is your favorite part about writing books for kids? Picture books are not just for children. I love that they intergenerationally tell a story that reaches the heart. Offering a story that can be unfolded, connected to, and shared is a gift and always will be. If I get to be even a little tiny aspect of that, that’s everything. What are you working on now? I am working on writing lessons to go along with Sparking Peace. Five lessons are being written to use in public spaces such as libraries and schools and five lessons are being written to use in church spaces where community members practice peace as a part of their faith. They are intergenerational and follow the theme of the story. I also keep a fun Google Doc of all of my ideas for future children’s books and who knows what may come of them! What is your favorite book? I am beyond proud of and thankful for Sparking Peace, but I must be honest in saying my all time favorite book, and one I have read over 100 times, including reading it aloud every year to each of my classes, is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. What a gift it is to learn to love and be courageously vulnerable through the life of a porcelain rabbit. Author Interview with Teresa Kim Pecinovsky
Where did you get the inspiration for Sparking Peace?
I was familiar with RAWtools as they had done a blacksmith event at my church when I lived in Houston, Texas. There was an open call at Herald Press for children’s books to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. The idea that became Sparking Peace was one of the pitches I sent for this open call. What was your writing process like for this book? I wrote the first half and spoke with Hannah about the story arc. She wrote the second half and I think it came together beautifully with the same voice. Why do you feel this is an important topic for children? Gun violence is the number one cause of death for children ages 1-18 in the U.S. now. Children are subject to gun violence indirectly, as well-practicing active shooter drills at school before they even know how to read and write. We wanted a book that addressed gun violence in a gentle and hopeful way for children and their caregivers. What is your favorite part about writing books for kids? I like the challenge of taking big concepts and making them accessible for children in a way that will resonate with them. I also love seeing the story come to life with the illustration process. What are you working on now? I have a few ideas I’m brainstorming but nothing ready to share yet! What is your favorite book? Oh wow, this is a tough question. The Giver by Lois Lowry remains one of my favorite books of all time. I loved it as a child, young adult, and now as an author myself. It is timeless and groundbreaking. Giveaway
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