![]() |
All Issues » Issue #121 » Words
March 5, 2009 Issue
Write by Night
children’s series authors are librarians by day
words by Nicole Humphrey
photography by Andrea Paulseth
Don and Becky Wojahn are school library media specialists. Their natural habitat is the temperate forests of northwestern Wisconsin, where they share their den with two animal-loving sons and two big, black dogs. This description of these local children’s book authors ends each volume of their co-written Follow That Food Chain series.
In these educational and interactive “who-eats-what” books, kids can page-turn their way to animal habitats around the globe, from the “dry, red expanse” of the Australian outback to the “hot, wet, air wrapping around you” in the rain forest. The choose-your-own-adventure format helps young readers weave their own unique food webs, from carnivore, to herbivore, to decomposer, and back again. Each animal’s dependence on their meal illustrates the importance of animal preservation, and Becky hopes it helps readers understand that a loss ripples throughout the whole food chain.
Don also shares Becky’s ecological concerns. A running inside joke between the two is that they would buy a parcel of land if they ever won the lottery, just so no one could interfere with any wildlife. I thought conservation was the natural impetus for FTFC, but the main motivation for writing the first book came closer to home.
“Our boys asked us, ‘What do bears eat?’ I didn’t know, so we’d look that up, and they’d say, ‘What does that eat?’ ” said Becky. “Or, what would win in a battle, a hawk or an eagle?” added Don. “You know, the kind of questions boys ask,” said Becky, laughing.
As school librarians, answering endless questions is all in a day’s work. Don, a former teacher, says working kids and encouraging them to read is a great perk, while Becky thrives on learning something new each day. Apparently, she’s learned the art of persuasion.
“I encouraged Don to become a librarian. It’s the best job in the school,” said Becky. “It took me awhile to figure it out,” Don added, deadpan.
Page 1 Page 2
Comments (0)
Post a Comment
|
Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 Back Against the Mall |
|
|
Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 Not So Secret Society |
|
|
Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010 Writing On Your Own |
|
|
Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010 Short and Sweet |
|
I read this story while working at the kiosk I own and operate in the mall,... |
|
|
Hilary
|
from article: Back Against the Mall |
|
"Imma let you finish Justin..." |
|
|
|
from article: Bon Iver and Kanye West Now Besties |
|
Nice letter. I think we need to reconsider the lawn. At least at the scal... |
|
|
coconut
|
from article: Reader Letters | Aug. 26, 2010 |
|
In a way I have heard his before. Freemasonry is not going anywhere an in s... |
|
|
Bill A.
|
from article: Not So Secret Society |
|
I love these! |
|
|
dreenes
|
from article: Summer Snow |
|
As a lifelong vikings fan, I can tell you that we have a leg up on our pack... |
|
|
Jizoe
|
from article: Are Minnesota Teams Cursed? |
|
Actually, Dave, in many Icelandic (ie., cold and dark) cities, they remove ... |
|
|
juice
|
from article: Reinventing Barstow Street |
|
Well, Patio Umbrella to you, too, Mr. Spams-a-lot! |
|
|
|
from article: Senior Art Students Fill Foster Gallery |
Insider Giveaway:
|



