I was mulling our conversation over afterward, and began to write down the story of Amelia. Or, we can rewind ourselves to just before the thing happened, when we were feeling good, and continue on from there. In other words, if something bad happens, say someone cuts us off in traffic, we can choose to pass on the negative energy by grouching about it for the rest of the day. The way we choose to react is a choice to pass along a certain energy in the world. We realized that every time something happens to us, it is a chance to react well. Long ago I was hanging out with my sister and discussing the power of our actions on the world.

Last fall, you published BECAUSE AMELIA SMILED, in which the titular act of kindness causes a ripple effect throughout the world. And I do my best to hear as many of their ideas as possible. When kids interrupt me at a school visit, it is almost always because they are so excited to share their ideas. However, I am also a parent and read lots of books to my own son. I think that it’s wonderful to make a child so excited about books and stories that they’re ready to jump out of their seat. When pressed, I take the kids’ point of view. Teachers tell me that the book helps them talk about interruption in the classroom, while also encouraging some kids to interrupt! I am not at all sad about that. When you do school visits, what have teachers shared about the difference that book has made in their classroom? He lives in Kew Gardens, NY with his wife and son.įrom the minute it came out, your Caldecott Honor-winning INTERRUPTING CHICKEN was embraced by teachers. His books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, Spanish, French, and Finnish. David received the Ezra Jack Keats award for LEAVES in 2008, and a Charlotte Zolotow Honor for POUCH! in 2010. Scholastic named it one of the top 100 books of all time for children. His book INTERRUPTING CHICKEN was awarded a 2011 Caldecott Honor, as well as many state awards. David Ezra Stein was born in Brooklyn, NY.

Ezra stein