Feb 6

Feb 6 Episode #49: Mulan Q&A

In honor of Grace’s latest Mulan novel published this week, the Book Friends Forever sit down together as Grace answers a few questions about the book from podcasts listeners.

First, what’s happening in our lives?

Alvina has been feeling really tired lately and unmotivated but she can’t quite figure out what it’s from exactly. She recently tried out the new fitness trend, Orange Theory Fitness with a friend and is really excited about something different!

Grace has finally been able to shake the jet lag and is back on track. On some of her recent long walks, she has been thinking of starting a Mastermind Group!

Mulan novel Q&A:

1. How did this project come about? How were you hired to write the Mulan novel? …were you approached by Disney or was it something you or your agent pursued? I am always interested in how IP projects work. (For those of you that don’t know, IP stands for Independent Property. In this case, Mulan belongs to Disney).

2. What did you use for inspiration? Did you have to stick to the Disney Mulan or did you delve deeper into her origin of the story?

3. What were some of the differences in traditional versions of the Mulan take and how did you decided which aspects to exclude or include?

4. How does a historical character like Mulan inspire young women to be independent and fierce? Do you see her as a modern role model?

5. What was the most challenging aspect of writing Mulan?

6. I noticed you use the color red for Mulan Books. What does this color symbolize?

Grace provides wonderful answers to these great questions! Tune into the episode to hear all the details and get to know some of the facts behind the creation of Mulan: Before The Sword.

What are we grateful for?

Grace is grateful for her favorite local bookstore called High Five Books. They are helping her collect recordings of kids asking questions and doing book reviews for her new podcast Kids Ask Authors!

Alvina is grateful for the hot water dispenser that she recently has in her new condo. She is loving it! She wants to try and drink hot water with lemon every morning.

2-Minute Book Review by Alison Morris

“I will be Fierce!” by Bea Birdsong and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani.

This book helps readers of all ages see that reframing something we view as ordinary as something extraordinary can actually change the way we approach a situation and increase our feelings of accomplishment.

Alison Morris is a nationally recognized children's book buyer with an infectious enthusiasm for reading and 20 years' experience matching books to readers. As the Senior Director of Title Selection for nonprofit First Book, she oversees the curation of children’s and young adult books on the First Book Marketplace, hand-selecting a diverse range of titles that speak to and address the needs of kids in underserved communities, with a keen eye to inclusion, authenticity, and kid-appeal. She previously served as Senior Editor at Scholastic Book Clubs, Children's Book Buyer for Wellesley Booksmith and The Dartmouth Bookstore, and was the founding blogger of the ShelfTalker children’s book blog for Publishers Weekly. She'll be joining us from her home near Washington, DC where she spends LOTS of time discussing books with her husband, illustrator and graphic novelist Gareth Hinds.