SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

January 20, 2008 by Travis Jonker

5 Questions With Leslie Helakoski

January 20, 2008 by Travis Jonker   2 comments

helakoskileslie2700.jpgI’m thrilled to have the first 100 Scope Notes author interview with Leslie Helakoski, author of “Big Chickens” and “The Smushy Bus”. It’s been a busy January for Ms. Helakoski, as she will have two new books published this month, “Big Chickens Fly the Coop” and “Woolbur”. I caught up with Ms. Helakoski (before her author visit to my school) to ask her about her career and the warm reception her books have been receiving.

Scope Notes: “Big Chickens” was selected as the 2007 Michigan Reads! Book. It was sent to 5,000 schools and libraries state wide. What was your reaction upon hearing this news?
Leslie Helakoski: I did the chicken dance, of course! It was very good timing
because I had quit my job to write and paint full time and I was kind
of nervous about it.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

bigchickenscover.gif

SN: Students want to know: when did you decide to become an author?
LH:When I read Jon Scieszka’s book, The Stinky Cheese Man. I was a graphic designer like he was and the book was such fun. I thought, “I want to do this.”

SN: “Big Chickens” has been a hit read-aloud in our libraries. Have you had any memorable reactions from students?
LH: My favorite reaction is laughter. I also love when kids are inspired to write or draw something after hearing the story.

SN: Was “Big Chickens” inspired by any real life events?
LH: Yes! The chickens in the book are me and my three sisters! When we were young, we would often play in the woods and pastures nearby. I was afraid of all the things in the Big Chicken book–leaping across a deep muddy ditch, cows, and falling in the water –although it was a bayou, not a lake. The cave/wolf part is made up but sometimes we
were chased by a large dog.

SN: You have two new books out: “Woolber” and “Big Chickens Fly the Coop”. What should readers expect from these?
LH: In Big Chickens Fly the Coop, the chickens really want to see the farmhouse but each time they set out, they get scared and run back to the coop where it is safe. Woolbur is about a sheep that does things his own way which drives his teachers and parents crazy. Both books are lots of fun and I can’t wait to read them to you. You can also be the first to know, I just finished writing a third chicken book called, Big Chickens Go to Town.

A big thank you to Leslie Helakoski for taking part!

Click here to visit her website

Filed under: Authors

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

November 2022

Kyle Lukoff is on The Yarn Podcast!

by Travis Jonker

November 2022

Cover Reveal Q&A: SOME OF THESE ARE SNAILS by Carter Higgins

by Travis Jonker

October 2022

Cover Reveal Q&A: A Super Scary Narwhalloween by Ben Clanton

by Travis Jonker

September 2022

Q&A Giveaway: A VERY BIG FALL by Emmy Kastner

by Travis Jonker

August 2022

Over on The Yarn: Amy Sarig King

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

One Star Review, Guess Who? (#181)

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

That Flag: An Interview with Tameka Fryer Brown

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Monkey Prince Vol. 1: Enter the Monkey | Review

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Readers’ Poll Results

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

The Value of Innocence for BIPOC Students, a guest post by David Mura

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Looking Ahead: Our 2023 Preview

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Best Books 2022 | The Year in SLJ Covers

Best Nonfiction 2022 | SLJ Best Books

SLJ Book Reviews Editors’ Favorite Books Read in 2022

Best Picture Books 2022 | SLJ Best Books

SLJ’s 2022 Best Books Are Live. Download a PDF of the Complete List.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tricia says

    January 21, 2008 at 6:34 am

    Thanks for sharing this. My son (who’s almost seven) LOVES Big Chickens. I read it to his K and 1st grade class and they loved it as well. We can’t wait for the sequel!

  2. Scope Notes says

    January 21, 2008 at 9:07 am

    Same here! It was also exciting to find out that there is already another “Big Chickens” sequel in the works! Thanks for reading.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023