Erin Dealey

Today we’re celebrating the Book Birthday of SO MUCH SNOW

by Kristen Schroeder,

Illus. Sarah Jacoby (Random House Studio.)

“Playful and full of wonder, this is an ideal pick for a seasonal storytime that celebrates wintertime joy.” 

– starred review, The Bulletin, DR 

You may not be ready for winter yet,

but are you ready for 6 Questions with Kristen?

Here we go!

Q 1. Since you live in Minnesota, I’m betting you have a few SO MUCH SNOW memories. Were they the inspiration for this book?

Kristen Schroeder: A snowy day in February inspired this book. I remember looking out the window and thinking we still had a long way to go before spring truly arrived. In Minnesota, we just had our first snowfall last week, in October, and we almost always get a significant snowfall in April. Sometimes it even snows in May. It’s a long winter!

Writing Process

Q 2. I love how the days of the week are layered into each spread of the story. (#Kidlit tip: Extra layers are great editor bait.) Was this element in your text at the beginning or did you add it in a later draft? Were there other changes as you revised?

Kristen Schroeder: This was one of those books that came out of my brain almost whole, which is rare. It still needed revisions, of course, but the overall idea with the days of the week, accumulating snow and animals was there from the beginning. That doesn’t mean it was easy though. SO MUCH SNOW is quite different from the other manuscripts I’ve written, and I felt unsure about whether it was working or not. My agent, Christa (Heschke) Cifelli, and assistant agent, Daniele Hunter, helped me with the language. It isn’t exactly a rhyming book but there are some rhyming phrases, repetition and alliteration that needed to be just right.

Books by Kristen Schroeder

Cheers to English Teachers!

Q 3. Given that you inherited your love of reading from your English teacher mom, were you also the kid who dreamed of growing up to be a writer? (Full disclosure: I am one such English teacher mom!)

Kristen Schroeder: English teacher moms are the best! I was more of a reader than a writer growing up. I absolutely loved the Scholastic book fairs and poured over the brochures, circling all the books I wanted to buy if I had an unlimited budget (which I did not). When my editor gave me the news that SO MUCH SNOW was chosen for the fall Scholastic flyer, it was a dream come true for sure.

Surprises & Takeaways

Q 4. What surprises did illustrator Sarah Jacoby bring to this project?

Kristen Schroeder: One of the reasons my editor at Random House Studio, Ann Kelley, wanted Sarah for this project was because she draws such adorable animals. I agree, her animals really are the cutest! I was surprised by the way she illustrated the snow. Instead of lacy snowflakes, Sarah’s snow is textured and circular, kind of like a snowball. It’s unique and wonderful. I couldn’t be happier with how this book turned out.

Q 5. What do you hope readers will take away from this book?

Kristen Schroeder: I hope SO MUCH SNOW encourages readers to celebrate winter, which sometimes gets a bad rap. When I moved back from Australia to Minnesota, I promised myself I wouldn’t complain about winter. Even though it does get long, I try to focus on the beauty and the wonder of experiencing four distinct seasons.

What’s Next?

Q 6. Can you share any projects you’re working on now?

Kristen Schroeder: I have another winter-themed manuscript out on submission about a Zamboni that I would love to see find a publishing home. I guess I am proving the adage, “Write what you know!”

Huge Thanks to Kristen Schroeder for joining the blog today.

To learn more about Kristen and her books, check out her Website: www.kristenschroederbooks.com

and follow Kristen Schroeder on social media: 

Instagram:  @klschroeder 

Twitter: @KLSchroed

Author FB Page: Facebook.com/KLSchroed

Happy Book Birthday,

SO MUCH SNOW!