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ENTRY TYPE: new
WORK TITLE: Kaboom!: A Volcano Erupts
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://jessicakulekjian.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: three.
EDUCATION:Holds bachelor’s degree (creative writing and education), M.A. (teaching).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and educator. Teaches second-grade language arts to homeschoolers through a public school in central CA.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:Notable Book in Poetry, National Council of Teachers of English, 2022, for Before We Stood Tall.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September, 2023, Kathleen McBroom, review of Kaboom! A Volcano Erupts, p. 80.
Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2021, review of Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree; December 1, 2021, review of First Notes of Spring; September 1, 2022, review of Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter.
School Library Journal, November, 2021, Susan Lissim, review of Before We Stood Tall, p. 86; December, 2021, Elissa Cooper, review of First Notes of Spring, p. 78; October, 2022, Heidi Dechief, review of Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers, p. 96.
ONLINE
Jessica Kulekjian website, https://jessicakulekjian.com (April 16, 2024).
Laura Lavoie website, https://lauralavoieauthor.com/ (August 4, 2021), “Writing from the Rocking Chair with Jessica Kulekjian.”
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators website, https://www.scbwi.org/ (April 16, 2024), author profile.
Jessica Kulekjian
Author, Educator
PAL MEMBER
About
Jessica Kulekjian teaches 2nd grade language arts and writes for children. She is the author of several picture books, including: KABOOM!, HIDERS SEEKERS FINDERS KEEPERS, FIRST NOTES OF SPRING, and BEFORE WE STOOD TALL, an NCTE notable book in poetry. Jessica lives in Central California with her family.
She is represented by Tracy Marchini and James McGowan of Bookends Literary
jessicakulekjian.com
Writing From the Rocking Chair with Jessica Kulekjian
August 4, 2021 lauralavoieauthor 7 Comments
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Finding time to write as a parent of young children can be tough. That’s why I’m so excited to have author, teacher, and mother-of-three Jessica Kulekjian on the blog today to talk about this topic that’s near and dear to my heart.
Scroll writer Twitter for a few minutes, and you’ll no doubt see tweets like this:
How do parents of little kids find time to write?! I never have a free minute and I’m always so exhausted.
I feel you. Many of us have been there: finger typing with a sleeping baby on our laps, jotting down ideas in notebooks and Notes apps between running errands and shuttling kids to practice, and silently wondering, Can I really do this?
Yes! You can. (I believe in you!)
I can’t promise it will be easy (is the road to publication ever easy?!), but it is possible. Read on for Jessica’s success story.
LL: Welcome, Jessica! Okay, let’s cut right to the chase: you have a pretty incredible story about how you wrote your first manuscript—typing on your phone while rocking your baby. Tell us more about that.
JK: Hi Laura! So happy to be here. It does sound crazy to type this “out loud,” but here goes… I went from first draft to book deal, thumb-typing on my iPhone from the rocking chair. Of course, there was tons of learning in-between. And at first… I didn’t even know that’s what I was doing.
This story might be a bit of a downer (in the beginning). Five months after I became a mother, I lost my mother to breast cancer. At the time, I was juggling my work as an elementary teacher, caring for my new baby who had the worst colic, and just trying to survive sleep deprivation. To cope, I started writing on my phone while nursing in the rocking chair. By writing, I mean, I poured streams of consciousness into journal entries filled with grief, or letters to my child saying, “I don’t know what I’m doing. What makes you cry so much? I want to help, and I don’t know how.” Those were tough times.
Fast forward seven years later. It was my 35th birthday and I was rocking my third baby while journaling on my phone. Even though I had known I wanted to be a children’s author since I was a kid, I had never pursued it. I had no clue how to start or how to fit it in with “real life.” For whatever reason, it took turning 35 for my brain to make some sense of it. LOL. That day, I made a conscious decision to devote my time in the rocking chair to picture book craft. I decided I was done ignoring this dream!
Black and white photo of author Jessica Kulekjian sitting on a couch with her three children.
Jessica and her children
Soon, I discovered other nooks-and-crannies of time I could take advantage of, like writing from the sidelines of soccer practice, swim lessons, or standing in line. I basically collected a lot of the minutes I spent waiting and turned them into writing. Eventually, I thumb-typed hundreds of drafts, revisions, and critiques. I sent query letters, accepted agent offers, and my first book deal, all from my iPhone.
Now, I work full time as a teacher, supporting students that homeschool through a local public school, and I homeschool my own three kids. I still write in the nooks-and-crannies, mostly in the early morning hours, and still quite a bit on my phone.
LL: That is an amazing story, Jessica. Personally, it resonates with me so much. My younger daughter had terrible reflux and had to be held upright for at least thirty minutes after each time she nursed. When you factor in how often young babies eat, I swear I didn’t sleep more than 30 minutes at a time for the better part of a year. I still have rambling emails I sent to myself about surviving sleep deprivation!
Let’s talk about your first book, which comes out next month. I’m so excited for it! Tell us more about the story. What inspired you to write it?
Cover of Before We Stood Tall
JK: Back in 2017, I was working on a story about a tree growing up. Since I was obsessing about trees and all they have to teach us, one of my critique partners, Kelly, sent me this Ted Talk by Suzanne Simard. I was rocking my baby to sleep as I learned about “Mother Trees” and how they are interconnected, how they cooperate, and how they pass on wisdom when they are injured or dying. In that moment I felt flooded with appreciation for my own mother and all that she passed on to me. I also felt gratitude for the opportunity to nurture the children and students in my life. I knew I needed to reimagine my tree story and highlight the community of the trees.
LL: I love that interconnectedness. Having a personal connection to a story you write makes it feel even more rewarding to see it come to life on the page.
Speaking of mothers, I know that I’m constantly seeing writers—particularly moms—commenting about how hard it is to write with young kids and asking for advice. Like you, I started writing when my oldest was a baby, but I won’t claim it was easy. What tips do you have for other parents who are struggling to find time for it all?
JK: Here’s a few things that I have come to learn that work for me. Consider what might work for you and toss the rest.
Notice all the ways you create off the page. Do you make up silly songs to distract a wiggly toddler during a diaper change? Do you improvise while cooking? Do you garden, or design spreadsheets, or dance? If you embrace all the ways your creative signature is written into your whole life, you might discover that your time away from the page is just as valuable to your time on the page. It’s your unique process and it’s all connected.
Celebrate your efforts! All the little and big steps matter.
If you struggle with a negative inner critic (I did and sometimes still do), consider revising that voice to match the gentleness and care you use when speaking to the children in your life.
Interior spread from the picture book BEFORE WE STOOD TALL, showing an aerial view of children looking up at trees.
Interior spread from Before We Stood Tall
LL: This is great advice. I always seem to get my best ideas when I’m cooking or planting… or even while mopping my floors!
Let’s talk about resources. When my girls were babies, I was always hesitant to sign up for webinars and classes. Life with young littles just felt so unpredictable—I didn’t want to spend the money on a class unless I was sure I could get the bang for my buck and not wind up missing it (or nodding off in my chair due to sheer exhaustion). What low-stakes resources would you recommend for busy parents?
JK: I hear that! Once my firstborn was a toddler, his “colic” had turned into other medical concerns, and it became clear that our family required a stay-at-home parent to meet his needs. We made some drastic financial sacrifices to do this, so paying for webinars or classes was NOT my priority. I didn’t even have a working computer for a long time! I didn’t pay for a single class or conference until I earned money from my first advance.
Here’s a small list of low/no cost resources I used when I was first starting out:
LOCAL LIBRARY!
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Pixar in a Box: The Art of Storytelling
Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s Website
Josh Funk’s Resources for Writers
Jess Keating’s Website and Newsletter
Storystorm
Reading for Research (ReFoReMo)
Magic Lessons Podcast
The Children’s Book Podcast
Writing for Children Podcast
LL: This is a fantastic list—I wish I had these resources all in one place when I was starting out!
It’s so critical for parents to have adequate support. I’ve personally been lucky to find many other writers who are also moms of littles, so we can swap all sorts of tips and advice. Of course, you are one of them! Any recommendations for finding your squad in the writing world?
JK: I’m convinced that the Kidlit community attracts some of the best humans on the planet. My only advice here would be to reach out and allow yourself to make new friends in any writing community you are naturally drawn to. It’s very rewarding to connect with others and grow up in this industry together.
LL: Thanks so much, Jessica! Readers, if you want to connect with Jessica and learn more about her upcoming books, you can find her here:
Website: jessicakulekjian.com
Twitter: @jesskulekjian
Instagram: @jessicakulekjian
Before We Stood Tall is now available for pre-order!
For autographed copies please order through Petunia’s Place by calling 559-438-1561 or emailing petuniasplaceorders@gmail.com
Photo of author Jessica Kulekjian.
Jessica works with homeschooling families through a local public school and writes in the early morning hours. Her passion for nature, free play, and learning inspires all her stories. Jessica’s debut, Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree, sprouts on bookshelves September 7, 2021 with Kids Can Press followed by First Notes of Spring (Bloomsbury, 2022) and Hiders Seekers, Finders Keepers (Kids Can Press, 2022). Jessica lives with her husband and three kids in the Central Valley of California.
Hey, Reader! If you enjoy my blog and would like to connect with me (Laura Lavoie), you can find me on Twitter and Instagram: @llavoieauthor
Jessica Kulekjian - Author
Personal Website
Twitter
Instagram
Biography
Jessica Kulekjian spent her California childhood outdoors – climbing trees, swimming and riding bikes into orchards where she invented stories with friends until the sun went down. As she grew, so did her love of writing, alongside a dream to become an author. Jessica first knew she wanted to write for children during high school, when her teacher used picture books as mentor texts to model writing lessons. Jessica went on to study creative writing and education in college and earned her MA in Teaching. Her favorite lessons to create include a picture book read aloud for students of any age.
Today, Jessica works with homeschooling families through a local public school and writes in the early morning hours. Her passion for nature, free play and learning inspires all her stories. Jessica’s debut, Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree, sprouts on bookshelves September 7, 2021 followed by First Notes of Spring (Bloomsbury, 2022). Jessica lives with her husband and three kids in the Central Valley of California, just a short drive away from majestic mountains, the world’s tallest trees and the deep blue ocean.
Twitter: @jesskulekjian
Instagram: @jessicakulekjian
Awards
Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers
2023 - Best Children’s Books of the Year, Bank Street College of Education, Joint Winner
2023 - Delaware Diamonds K-2 , Diamond State Reading Association, Short-Listed
Before We Stood Tall
2022 - 2022 Notable Books in Poetry, The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), Commended
Non-fiction
Kaboom! A Volcano Erupts, 2023
Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers, 2022
Before We Stood Tall, 2021
Kulekjian, Jessica BEFORE WE STOOD TALL Kids Can (Children's None) $17.99 9, 7 ISBN: 978-1-5253-0324-1
The cutting-edge topic of tree communities is expressed in a lyrical story bolstered by robust backmatter.
“Before we were mighty in the kingdom of trees….” This tantalizing beginning sets the stage for a series of short, unrhymed verses, all but one beginning with before. Although the subtitle and the art help decipher the poem, readers are advised to simply go through it aloud, savoring its sound and enjoying its rhythmic use of words and phrases that invoke magic and monarchies while weaving in arboreal vocabulary. Otherwise, it is heavy work to figure out pronoun references and backward-and-forward time sequences. For younger readers, the poem and illustrations are a lulling, if slightly confusing, introduction to forest life. For older readers, accessible paragraphs in the backmatter explain such concepts as mycelium’s role in tree communication, mother trees, arboreal layers, a seed’s journey, and species in a North American hardwood forest. The word kingdom is technically neutral, but it conjures images of kings to many ears, clashing with the note about mother trees. It was likely used for the sake of the poetry—arguably an acceptable reason. The appealing, sophisticatedly childlike art shows stylized flora, fauna, and humans of varied racial presentations, all within a palette of earth tones and with a nice variety of side, aerial, and underground views. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Relax and enjoy. (sources) (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Kulekjian, Jessica: BEFORE WE STOOD TALL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A671783237/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=28bddfce. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
KULEKJIAN, Jessica. Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree. illus. by Madeline Kloepper. 32p. Kids Can. Sept. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781525303241.
PreS-Gr 1--The life cycle of a tree is high lighted in this simple nonfiction title filled with lovely illustrations. Minimal text shows trees of many shapes, sizes, and species. However, the tree life cycle is not described in the usual seed-to-tree sequence. The adult tree tells readers about how it gives back to the earth with its seeds. It describes its leaves, branches, and bark, and the images show children and their dog examining tree rings that illuminate the tree's age. Readers are then transported with the seed underground. While detailed, earthy illustrations help kids see animals above and below ground, it will be difficult for kids to make out the sprouting seed. A bird grabbing a worm, two foxes in their burrow, and lots of rocks and soil are featured, obstructing the view of the seedling. Children will eventually be able to make out the words "out, out, out ... POP!" and see a very small sprout. The lyrical text complements the realistic images but provide little for those studying the life cycle. The author's note features a dense description of recent developments in tree communication and connection, tree layers, and the odds for seeds successfully reproducing. VERDICT Gentle text and realistic illustrations will help young children recognize details of trees and animals in hardwood forests, but students will find little to support their research.--Susan Lissim, Dwight Sch., New York City
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Lissim, Susan. "KULEKJIAN, Jessica. Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 11, Nov. 2021, pp. 86+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A683721530/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=26bda3d8. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Kulekjian, Jessica FIRST NOTES OF SPRING Bloomsbury (Children's None) $17.99 2, 15 ISBN: 978-1-5476-0473-9
An enthusiastic badger marches to her own music.
Eager to join the ensemble of the title, who "[melt] winter away with their melodies," Juniper auditions with "strong sticks, a thumpity toadstool, and rowdy rhythms." In response to her booming audition, a disapproving Mr. Moose demonstrates how his musicians make music with whistling flutes, humming strings, and tinkling keys. Juniper tries again, but her boisterous booms drown out their low-key melody. Mr. Moose warns Juniper spring won't bloom with her fast, loud, wild cacophony. Exiting her failed audition, Juniper hears a woodpecker tapping on a tree trunk and adds her own booms to the taps. Hearing a beaver clapping the ice with his tail, Juniper and the woodpecker join in with their booms and taps. Finding a rabbit thumping the ground, Juniper, the woodpecker, and the beaver add their booming, tapping, and clapping. Together their wild music rattles trees, shakes off snow, and awakens sleeping creatures. Could they be the "First BEATS of Spring"? Onomatopoeic repetition of large, bold display-type booms, taps, claps, and thumps dominates both text and illustrations. The background gradually morphs from snowy, bare winter woods into awakening springtime while the simple, comic shapes of the animal musicians produce a lively visual rhythm as their upbeat ad hoc music-making progresses from page to page.
Guaranteed to get hands clapping, fingers tapping, and feet thumping. (note on seasons) (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Kulekjian, Jessica: FIRST NOTES OF SPRING." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A684108345/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2e19b259. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
KULEKJIAN, Jessica. First Notes of Spring. illus. by Jennifer Bower. 40p. Bloomsbury. Feb. 2022. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781547604739.
K-Gr 2--Juniper the badger loves to play the drums (a perky red and white toadstool with sticks) and is excited to join other forest creatures in making music to wake up spring. But her audition ends in discouragement when Mr. Moose says spring must be awoken gently with flutes and strings, not noisily with drums. As Juniper walks through the forest, she hears beauty in loud, ordinary noises, like a woodpecker tapping a tree or a rabbit thumping the ground. When they join together to joyfully create music, winter melts away. There are plenty of repetitious onomatopoeia in big bold font throughout that readers will enjoy performing out loud. Adults will appreciate how Mr. Moose's negatives about Juniper's playing (too fast, too loud, too wild) become positives as Juniper's group grows. Kids will delight in the unexpected images in the full spread woodland scenes, such as toilets in animals' underground habitats. VERDICT Universal topics like seasons and being true to yourself always do well on shelves; this is a nice addition to spring collections and a reminder to celebrate your strengths.--Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Cooper, Elissa. "KULEKJIAN, Jessica. First Notes of Spring." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 12, Dec. 2021, p. 78. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686052255/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b971c74b. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
KULEKJIAN, Jessica. Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter. illus. by Salini Perera. 32p. Kids Can. Oct. 2022. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781525304859.
K-Gr 3--A father and child, both with brown skin and black hair, set out on a walk in an autumnal landscape. They pass several animals and insects that are hiding, preparing for their winter hibernation. As the walk progresses, so doss the season, and the pair is now in a wintry setting. Here they pass creatures who are seeking out warmer climates. Finally in late winter, the animals and insects are shown staying in the winter habitat and surviving by using the resources they have stored or are sharing. This is a soft, beautiful seasonal journey written in lyrical text with detailed and bright illustrations, stylized yet intricate and full of charm as they show the nature walk. Round side bars provide specific and fascinating details about the different creatures in the story. Includes a guide to tracking prints in the snow and a list of resources at the end. VERDICT An excellent book to use in earth and life science units as well as a perfect seasonal read. By grouping the animals into three categories, it makes concepts of hibernation, migration, and adaptation easier for young readers to understand.--Heidi Dechief
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Dechief, Heidi. "KULEKJIAN, Jessica. Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 10, Oct. 2022, p. 96. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A720065763/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ddc99adc. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Kulekjian, Jessica HIDERS SEEKERS FINDERS KEEPERS Kids Can (Children's None) $19.99 10, 4 ISBN: 978-1-5253-0485-9
People take vacations to warmer climes, put on heavier clothing, and hunker down in warm buildings in the winter. How do animals survive the season?
In a play on the traditional childhood chant, "finders, keepers, losers, weepers," Kulekjian divides animals into several groups according to how they tackle wintry weather. Hiders find places to hole up while it's cold; hibernation, brumation, diapause, and torpor are all introduced. Seekers look for places that are better suited to them (migration): places where food is easier to find or where the weather is warmer. And the finders keep warm with heavier coats, full with stashes of food, and close in order to stay warm together. Many animals in this last group have adaptations that help them survive winter conditions. The main text is printed right on the full-bleed spreads. Further information about the science or the species on the page is provided in round text bubbles; for example, bee colonies die out each autumn, the queen going into diapause, then laying eggs and starting new colonies each spring. Perera's digital illustrations reflect the palettes of fall and winter, the realistic-looking scenes featuring many opportunities to spy animals in their natural habitats. A brown-skinned parent and child are seen periodically, their bond and their love of the outdoors both clear. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A solid look at animals in the winter and the ways they weather the weather. (track guide, author's note, resources) (Informational picture book. 3-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Kulekjian, Jessica: HIDERS SEEKERS FINDERS KEEPERS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715352903/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=951efc63. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
Kaboom! A Volcano Erupts. By Jessica Kulekjian. Illus. by Zoe Si. Sept. 2023. 32p. Kids Can, $19.99 (9781525306495). PreSGr. 3.551.21.
This is a book that begs to be read out loud. A cheerful little red bird narrator warns readers to hush because a peaceful volcano has been slumbering for years. Then deep below, a whisper of magma stirs, and things begin to shift. The groggy volcano sputters, spurts, and growls, working itself up to a terrific Kaboom! and a loud declaration: "I'm awake!" While the volcano works itself into a tizzy, spewing lava, our avian narrator keeps up ongoing, accessible explanations of what's happening, using technical terms to explain concepts like tectonic plates, conduits, and ash. The volcano's words appear in large type; the bird's in tidy conversation bubbles. The story ends with the volcano falling back asleep, surrounded by its newly created land, home to flowers and butterflies. The vibrant illustrations align perfectly with the text, using palettes that effectively mirror the rising and falling action. There's ample back matter and listed sources, making this appealing for report writers. This is a fun and effective introduction to volcanology that should perk up elementary STEAM collections.--Kathleen McBroom
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
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McBroom, Kathleen. "Kaboom! A Volcano Erupts." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 1, Sept. 2023, p. 80. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A766069814/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=838312f1. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.