1.0ALSC Bloghttps://www.alsc.ala.org/blogShelley Black Holleyhttps://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/author/shelley-black-holley/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="IpnIQUHOxD"><a href="https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2012/03/author-kevin-henkes-understands-children/">Author Kevin Henkes Understands Children</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2012/03/author-kevin-henkes-understands-children/embed/#?secret=IpnIQUHOxD" width="600" height="338" title="“Author Kevin Henkes Understands Children” — ALSC Blog" data-secret="IpnIQUHOxD" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> #PLA2012 I had the honor of hearing author Kevin Henkes speak yesterday.  He is one of my favorite authors and I use his books for storytime sessions quite often. He read parts of his books out loud to us, what a treat!  He feels “small things matter for children because small things are big to them.” Another major theme for him is imagination. His characters are bursting with it, like “Lily who wears her imagination on her sleeve.” Henkes likes repetition in words and pictures for his stories. He usually works out the story first, writing it out on paper then transferring the ideas via his typewriter. He wants the rhythm to be exactly right. It matters to him that “the book provides the reader or listener with something greater, honoring the inner life of children.” He gets the names for his characters from baby name and sometimes even telephone...https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Penny-and-Her-Song.jpg