Can young readers handle difficult topics?

Author Leah Schanke thinks so. It's just one of the reasons she wrote her debut picture book, Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery.

In this interview, Leah Schanke and Kelli Panique celebrate Black History Month by shining a light on how she discovered the story of this book and the steps she took to bring it to life—including tips for bringing your own historical stories to life.

You'll discover:

• How she came to writing picture books
• Why she writes history for young readers
• What inspired her to write Robert Smalls's story
• How her critique group helped this book come to life
• The big change that made the original story more kid-friendly
• What she said when editors asked her to "age up" the story
• Leah's research process
• How she stayed true to her vision of the story
• The context notes she includes for the editor or illustrator
• The pitch event that connected Leah with her publisher
• Tips for writers of nonfiction and historical fiction
• Her favorite thing that didn't make it into the book
• The book she wishes she wrote

Books mentioned in this episode:

• Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls's Voyage Out of Slavery by Leah Schanke and Oboh Moses
• Be Free or Die: The Amazing Story of Robert Smalls' Escape from Slavery to Union Hero by Cate Lineberry
• Twenty-One Steps: Guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
  by Jeff Gottesfeld and Matt Tavares

Resources mentioned:

• Picture Book Summit Podcast: The Appeal of Dark Picture Books

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