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ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: After the Shelter
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.brendareevessturgis.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 265
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born June 25, 1962; married Gary Sturgis, 1981; children: Seabren, Stephen, Stephanie, Stacie.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and childcare provider. Portland Nannies, South Portland, ME, nanny.
MIILITARY:U.S. Air Force; served beginning 1980, including at Aviano Air Base, Aviano, Italy.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Brenda Reeves Sturgis grew up with a love of reading and writing poetry. After graduation from high school, she served in the U.S. Air Force, married, and raised four children. A meeting with children’s author Lynn Plourde inspired Sturgis to pursue her interest in writing, and her talent for storytelling has resulted in several picture books, among them the holiday-themed storytime romps 10 Turkeys in the Road and No Fun in the Sun for Santa! Ten Elves Count down to Mischief! [open new]Sturgis lives in Maine, site of her book The Lake Where Loon Lives, an adaptation of the classic nursery rhyme “The House That Jack Built” steeped in New England nature.[suspend new]
Illustrated by David Slonim, 10 Turkeys in the Road introduces a farmer who becomes frustrated when ten wild turkeys block the country road to his leading home. Stopped by their silliness, the farmer honks the horn of his truck and one turkey flies away. Nine turkeys remain in the road, performing circus routines that include being shot out of cannons and dressing up like clowns. As the farmer cycles through other approaches to clearing the roadway, the turkeys depart, one by one, but Sturgis’s ending reveals that the silly birds may not be as flighty as they seem. Praising 10 Turkeys in the Road as “a cute combo sure to bring many smiles,” a Kirkus Reviews writer added that “Slonim’s bright acrylics amp[lify] the loopiness of Sturgis’s verses.”
[resume new]Seeking to inspire compassion for people experiencing homelessness, Sturgis wrote Still a Family, about a young girl and her mother having to live apart from her father because the shelters situate men separately. With the girl comforted by her ever-present doll, the trio manage to spend time together at the park and at a soup kitchen, and they alternate caregiving as each parent looks for work. For this book’s positively familial but fundamentally solemn subject matter, Sturgis saw fit to write in prose for a change. GROG contributor Kathy Halsey declared that Sturgis “sprinkles facts and dispels myths about the homeless in this sweet story of a young girl and her parents,” which proves “upbeat and honest.” Appreciating how the birthday ending “has a hopeful note,” a Kirkus Reviews hailed Still a Family as a “sensitive and necessary picture book to provide comfort and raise awareness and empathy.”
Sturgis was enlisted by fellow author Lynne Marie—they first met two decades prior at an SCBWI conference—to help fashion rhyming text for the enchanted sibling rivalry tale BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle. Marie partly modeled the story on her experiences living with each of two sisters during different periods of her youth. The story finds two mismatched witchy siblings—Matilda favors pink good-witch vibes, while Malin tends toward the gothic and grisly—getting overheated in a decor dispute. Summing the book up as a “rhyming tale that pits glitter against gloom,” a Publishers Weekly reviewer concluded that the authors “succeed in showing the particular magic that is compromise.”
After the Shelter follows up on Still a Family by portraying a girl and her mother as they transition from shelter life to an apartment of their own. A neighbor helps watch Lily on weekends while her mother works. Lily misses her best friend Madeline, prompting visits back to the shelter, but their new life includes opportunities for Mom to attend college, for Lily to find new friends at day care, and for the smell of cooking lasagna to fill their apartment. The informative back matter describes government programs available to assist people dealing with poverty and homelessness. Observing that the “simple yet heartfelt tale balances realism with optimism,” a Kirkus Reviews writer praised After the Shelter as a “poignant … warm and hopeful offering that speaks to both the challenges and joys of starting over.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2011, review of 10 Turkeys in the Road; December 15, 2016, review of Still a Family; February 15, 2025, review of After the Shelter.
Library Media Connection, January-February, 2012, MaryAnn Karre, review of 10 Turkeys in the Road, p. 61.
Publishers Weekly, June 17, 2024, review of BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle, p. 115.
School Library Journal, October, 2011, Grace Oliff, review of 10 Turkeys in the Road, p. 121.
ONLINE
Albert Whitman & Company website, https://albertwhitman.wordpress.com/ (January 30, 2017), author Q&A.
Brenda Reeves Sturgis website, https://www.brendareevessturgis.com (September 20, 2025).
GROG, https://groggorg.blogspot.com/ (January 30, 2017), Kathy Halsey, “Still a Family—Book Review and Interview with Brenda Reeves Sturgis.”
Jena Benton website, https://jenabenton.com/ (October 14, 2024), “Simply 7 with Lynne Marie and Brenda Reeves Sturgis: BroomMates.”
Maine Reads, http://www.mainereads.org/ (July 10, 2012), “Brenda Reeves Sturgis.”
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them), https://taralazar.com/ (January 16, 2017), Brenda Reeves Sturgis, “Social Media Inspires Social Awareness.”
Youth Services Book Review, https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/ (May 7, 2025), Dina Delic, review of After the Shelter.
Brenda Reeves Sturgis is the author of several picture books for children. 10 Turkeys in the Road, published by Two Lions publishing, illustrated by David Slonim. The Lake Where Loon Lives, published by Islandport Press, illustrated by Brooke Carlton, and Still a Family, published by Albert Whitman and Co illustrated by Jo Shin Lee, and Broommates published by Little Press Publishing, illustrated by Nico Ecenarro. She lives in Maine at the edge of the woods with her husband of 28-years, and she is the mother of four children and eight grandchildren.
Q&A with Brenda Reeves Sturgis
January 30, 2017albertwhitmanandco
Still a Family, a picture book by Brenda Reeves Sturgis with pictures by Jo-Shin Lee, is a sweet look at a family who remains together, despite living at different homeless shelters.
stillafamily_cvr
We were lucky enough to sit down with Brenda Reeves Sturgis to chat about Still a Family, writing routines, and the importance of having a great team.
Q: Why write children’s books?
A: I have wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I love children, adore them, and am a nanny for Portland Nannies in my other life. I am the mother of four children, and seven grandchildren. I love writing, and so writing for children combines two of the things I love most in this world. I believe children believe what we tell them and they become what they believe and if my books help a child to believe that there is hope to get out of a homeless shelter, that there is hope for their family to find and live a better life, that there is hope that things will get easier then it is nothing short of a gift for me to be able to write about it. This story has been a magical experience, I am so humbled and honored to be part of Still a Family.
Q: What was your inspiration for your title?
A: My inspiration in creating Still a Family ensued after a social media discussion about the plight of the homeless, and why there wasn’t a book to educate children about this very serious subject. I thought it was a meaningful subject, and one that I wanted to write thoughtfully and carefully, with a lot of heart. There are over six million children displaced into shelters annually, that’s a lot of people who are touched by poverty, or dire circumstances. It was my hope in writing this book that this story touches hearts and hearts change lives.
Q: What makes your book stand out?
A: This book is not merely about a child living in a homeless shelter, but a story about how a family remains a family while living in a homeless shelter. This gives it a sense of realism because everybody wants to connect with their own children or spouses. This book is a perfect marriage between art and text. The art makes this book stand out. Jo-Shin Lee did phenomenal work on this story, Albert Whitman couldn’t have chosen a more perfect illustrator to illustrate this very serious subject matter. It was illustrated in a non-threatening way to a child, in kid-friendly colors, and childlike illustrations. This makes this book visually appealing and I hope the text tells an important story to parents and for their children, and most of all, I hope it raises awareness to the journey of homelessness and gives everyone a desire to help, instead of roll up their windows, lock their doors, and avert their eyes.
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Q: Do you have a regular routine while creating a book?
A: I tend to be a fast reviser, spending hours and days at my computer until I get the subject matter, the text, and the story just right. I am in incessant researcher; I am always dabbling into my thesaurus or on Rhyme Zone to find new ways to say something. It is always my deepest desire that the text I write will sing to the reader. I hate to keep editors waiting for me, and so I often write in the middle of the night. My usual writing time is 3:00 a.m.
Q: What’s the easiest and hardest part of creating a book?
A: I think the easiest part is my relationship with my agent, Karen Grencik of Red Fox Literary; she is an amazing agent and allows me the liberty of bouncing ideas off her, and she is always willing to look at my work and gets back to me quickly. The hardest part for me is always finding the problem in the story. I enjoy the process and I enjoy finding inventive language. It’s difficult to remain optimistic hoping that an editor will love what I have written and want to take a chance to see what I can bring to the table.
Q: Do you have any writing quirks?
A: I am a solitary writer, obsessive compulsive about getting everything exactly right. As I said above, I hate to keep editors waiting and so I tend to write quickly but carefully, always cognizant of an editor’s other commitments and time.
Q: What was the process of working with your editor like?
A: Working with Andrea Hall was a dream for me. She was very attentive, and thoughtful in her revision notes. We worked closely for a year on a rewrite and many revisions. She had a very clear vision for Still a Family and I trusted her implicitly from our first hello. She made every page better, every word count, and she was a delight. I am hoping that we can work together again because it was an amazing and surreal experience for me, and one for which I am eternally grateful. 9780807577073_int2
Q: Are you working on any other projects?
A: I am working on several projects presently. I’ve recently paired with a wonderful writer that I’ve known for years, and we have partnered and are creating stories together. She is a perfect Yin to my Yang, and she was my very first friend at Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. We are in the process of writing fractured fairy tales both in rhyme and in prose.
Q: What books did you like to read as a kid? What type of books do you like to read now?
A: I loved all books that I could get my hands on, and would spend all weekend every weekend holed up in my room, reading and writing. When my friends were at parties, I was home reading. It was a normal occurrence in my house for me to read two or three books in a weekend. It is still my favorite way to spend a lazy weekend. Tea and books, books and tea, and occasional coffee. I love autobiographies, I love history books, I love a good YA, and of every picture book is a great book to read.
Thanks, Brenda! Learn more about Still a Family on our website.
About Brenda
Brenda Reeves Sturgis
10 Turkeys in the Road
Brenda Reeves Sturgis
Brenda Sturgis was born Brenda Lee Ferris on June 25, 1962, weighing in at a whopping 3.5 lbs.(That’s like 3½ packages of hot dogs!) She wore 20-inch doll clothes and fit inside a shoe box!She was a ferocious looker of Golden Books,falling asleep with picture books in her hands and a thumb in her mouth. When she grew up she filled pages and pages and books and books with poetry. While in high school she missed out on many peer parties because she was hunkered in her house reading; but it washer favorite pastime then—and still is today.
Brenda Reeves Sturgis
In 1980 she graduated from Westbrook High School, in Westbrook, Maine. She joined the United States Air Force, where she proudly served at Aviano Air Base in Aviano, Italy. She married in 1981 and had four children in the following years. She traveled to wonderful, far-away places like Venice, Rome, Trieste, Florence, Spain, and South Dakota.
In 2004 while with her daughter at an author visit, fate intervened and Brenda met picture book author Lynn Plourde. Brenda asked Lynn the question that would change the direction of her life: “How do I become a writer?” Lynn directed Brenda to the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.) Brenda became a member and never looked back.
In 2007 Brenda won first place and an honorable mention in Roxyanne Young’s Smart Writers Contest, judged by famed writer and Blueboard creator Verla Kay, with her story, “The Football Game,” now retitled, “Touchdown!” In 2008 Brenda sold 10 Turkeys in the Road to Margery Cuyler after being paired with her at RUCCL (Rutgers University Council of Children’s Literature). In 2014 Brenda won the MeeGenius Author Challenge with her story Touchdown!
Brenda lives on a lake that she loves in Maine. When she is not busy enjoying life, she is researching and writing, writing and reading, and she is very busy grandparenting. Brenda is the mother of four children and seven grandchildren. She’s married to her perfect prince, Gary. She likes liver and onions, Brussel sprouts, and chocolate, but not all at the same time!
Simply 7 with Lynne Marie and Brenda Reeves Sturgis: BROOMMATES
October 14, 2024 / jenabenton
It’s not every day you get to read about two very different witchy sisters written by two different authors!
LynneM HeadshotLynne Marie has visited my blog several times before. She is an award-winning, multi-published author of several picture books including MOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE SCARES, with more forthcoming. She’s the Director of RateYourStory.org and ThePictureBookMechanic.com, and an Editor/Columnist at http://www.writeforkids.org. She splits her time between New York and Florida. When she’s not writing slightly spooky stories, she’s celebrating holidays — spooky, silly and sweet over at www.seasonsofkidlit.com. You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Twitter, on Instagram, or on Facebook.
BrendaBrenda Reeves Sturgis first met Lynne Marie at a SCBWI conference about 20-years ago and they became fast friends. She is an award-winning, multi-published author of three picture books including STILL A FAMILY, a book that was named a top 100 picture book by the NY Public Library, as well as a top 20 book by The Mighty Girl website and featured on PBS NYC 13’s show “Let’s Learn.” She has three picture books forthcoming. When Brenda is not busy writing (rhyme makes her heart sing), she enjoys spending time with her family in Maine. You can learn more about her at her website.
BroomMates FINAL FINALBROOMMATES is a story of two witch sisters who are different in every way. One is a girly girl and the other is as goth as it gets. As you can imagine, these two sharing a room is absolutely rife with problems, especially when it comes to decorating that shared space. Magic battles ensue reaching a crescendo of sibling rivalry unlike any I’ve seen before. Yet the illustrations by Nico Ecenarro give the book a retro vibe that makes this story feel like a classic.
Welcome Lynne Marie and Brenda!
Me: I love the idea of two witch siblings with opposite tastes and flair for décor. Where did the idea for this story come from originally?
Brenda: BroomMates is the brainchild of Lynne Marie. It originated from her childhood and her sisters, so I will defer to her as she can give you the backstory of her brilliant idea and concept.
Lynne Marie: BroomMates (Roommates – get it?) was inspired from sharing a room with my sisters in my childhood (Jean) and teenage years (Michele). Sharing a room with Jean inspired the different decors aspect (she liked pink and orange and I liked black, green and purple LOL), as well as the line drawn down the middle (lol) and Michele inspired the messy room. There were lots of bitter battles LOL But looking back we just laugh. Thankfully, I was able to add some creativity and take some liberties and make the best of the situation! If you’re wondering about the characters, they were inspired by me, Jean and Michele. So really a composite of a few people, put together in a way that worked well for the story.
Broommates interiors1
Me: Ha! That’s terrific. Both of you are writers with published picture books. How did this story evolve into a joint project? What drew each of you to this witchy story (besides the fact that you’re both writers)?
Lynne Marie: Based upon their familiarity with Moldilocks, I was asked by a publisher to submit. I had this story in my treasure chest and pulled it out, thinking it might be a good fit. But I noticed many of their stories are in rhyme so I called upon Brenda, my partner in rhyme, to work on it together. Being in the business and being published, our experiences allow us to look at our work with objectivity. Even so, we loved what we came up with – which was a good start. The publisher really liked it, but they wanted the main characters to be on the broom for the entirety of the story, so we politely declined a rewrite and moved on by submitting to The Little Press. Thankfully, it worked out and it has been a wonderful collaboration!
Brenda: Lynne Marie suggested collaborating on this picture book with her several years ago. She had originally written BroomMates in prose and she wanted to turn it into rhyme. Rhyme is at the heart of me. I love writing it and I love reading it, so I jumped at the chance to work with Lynne on it. We converted it together, first taking it out of prose and worked on scene after scene one rhyme at a time.
Me: The text is succinct and rhyming. Did that make working on a manuscript together harder? What was it like working as a team on this picture book? Was this a true team effort where you worked on paragraphs side-by-side (or email by email)?
Lynne Marie: Since Brenda and I both wanted to be picture book authors, we have been on the same path together for many years. During that time, we have written together and hoped to have a book to share! So we were very excited as our dream finally came true with this book. Whatever worked best at the moment to get the job done is what we went with. I believe Brenda covered it. In fact, we just finished up the sequel to BroomMates, TombMates, in the same way! We are very happy with the result and hope the publisher takes on the project, which was pitched and requested!
Brenda: It is always a joy working with Lynne Marie, I trust her implicitly to know what works and what doesn’t story and plot wise, and she trusts my ear in rhyming. I always defer to her story wise and she trusts me if something is off. If I say “The meter is off a beat,” even if she hears it a different way she trusts my ear in rhyme. We have worked together on many manuscripts but this is our first published book together. It is never difficult working with Lynne because she is the ultimate professional.
We would set up times to Facetime, or go into Google docs and talk on the phone at the same time editing as we went along switching rhymes, coming up with fun ideas and words together. I think, when working as a team, it is really important to listen to the other person’s perspective and Lynne and I work very well together. There can be challenges if each one of us hears things differently, different words sound different to each one of us because of our own accents. I am from Maine and she is from New York, so sometimes I hear things as three syllables and she might hear them as two. We did work side by side, and we also sent emails back and forth. What we have found that seems to work for us is a process where Lynne can go into Google docs and write notes and ideas on how a scene should go. I then go in and write a stanza or two in rhyme. Then we meet in the doc and tweak back and forth with word choices.
Broommates interiors2
Me: Interesting. And that sequel certainly sounds promising! What is one thing that surprised each of you in writing this story together?
Lynne Marie: With this story I was surprised at how we were able to keep the story very much the same and not lose much when converting it to rhyme. In contrast, with TombMates (which I actually wrote before BroomMates), I had to get rid of some longer and more complicated scenes, language and aspects that just did not facilitate the rhyme or the rhyme scheme or the new pacing.
Brenda: It is always surprising to me how long these things take, Lynne could tell you better as she is a meticulous record keeper, but I think we went back and forth on this manuscript for well over a year writing and rewriting . We have a deep respect for each other, so really we agree on most everything when writing.
Me: Can you talk a little bit about the marketing of the book. How did you come to work with The Little Press? (I love their books!)
Lynne Marie: Michele and I often run into each other professionally, and we have done Girl Power Hour together (please keep an eye out for information on this spectacular October event and check out GIRL POWER HOUR). So during one of her presentations, she shared that she was looking for holiday books – I thought of BroomMates right away and sent it in (as it was already completed for the original publisher submission). Thankfully, she loved it as much as we did!
As to the marketing, we are all of us working as hard as we can to make this book a booming success! Follow my blog at and me on Facebook or Twitter/X for updates and registration information on our Launch and Learn Webinar (featuring me, Brenda, and our Illustrator Nico) which is being held on October 1st! There is a small fee, but all registrants will get a copy of the book from Amazon which can be received, gifted or donated to a local library or shelter.
And, Michele has gone above and beyond in her support of the project and in providing promotional resources and for that Brenda and I are grateful.
Brenda: Little Press has done a phenomenal job marketing this book. Michele gave us each a marketing plan that we followed and The Little Press has really gotten behind this book for us creating the book trailer and the educational guide and setting up signings.
Broommates interiors3
Me: That’s wonderful! It sounds like you made the right publishing match. I also have to say that the illustrations by Nico Ecenarro are perfect! I love his style and I adore the end pages, not to mention all the extra touches he gave to the background details. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?
Lynne Marie: Brenda and I were not involved with the selection of the illustrator, so when we got to see the first sketches, we were pleasantly surprised. As the project developed, our expectations were exceeded! And he added so many fun details that I had never imagined! And now, we are just in love with the art and hope to see it as a series and/or a show. His art just lends to that!
But also, Nico has proven to be such a Team BroomMates player so we are grateful to have his art in our book and his person on our team!
Brenda: Nico did a fantastic job on the illustrations, I was elated when it all started coming together and then when I saw the finished project, I knew he was the perfect illustrator for BroomMates. He is incredibly gifted and clever. I think one of my favorite pages is the illustrations with the T Sweep poster, in reference to Taylor Swift, she is an icon and her ERA’S tour this year has been otherworldly. Children everywhere will pick up on that brilliant reference. I love it all really. I adore the bickering birds back and forth (this was Michele’s idea) and I love that Nico chose the broken broom to act as the room divider. I also love the end pages where Nico blended the styles of the two sisters. The drawing page will also be fun for children. As the only thing I can draw is boxes, this is a fun page for me personally too.
Me: What advice for other aspiring picture book writers would you each give? Would you recommend working as a team?
Lynne Marie: I think the most important things I can share is to really, really, learn your craft by reading picture books, writing, reading craft books and attending classes and conferences. Writing a great story isn’t easy and Brenda and I did not become published overnight. We worked hard to make every word count and tell a story that’s both fun and has a takeaway for the reader!
As to working as a team, I think each prospective co-author would have to consider the players (including some self-evaluation) as well as other factors. What works for us and our personalities may not work for others.
Brenda: The advice that I would give is that you really have to have thick skin and a stick to it attitude. Lynne is great at this and never gives up. She is the perfect writing partner, and we are presently working on a second book to accompany BroomMates that the publisher is anxiously anticipating. I would recommend working as a team if you can find someone that is the yin to your yang. I feel incredibly blessed that Lynne brought me in on this project. She and it are nothing short of a blessing.
That’s wonderful ladies. Thank you both so much for stopping by my blog today Lynne Marie and Brenda. And good luck with the sequel! I can’t wait to see that one too.
Dear readers, this book was released in September. However, as we are in the middle of spooky season, I can guarantee that this is a fun book you won’t want to miss this time of year.
Monday, January 30, 2017
STILL A FAMILY - Book Review and Interview with Brenda Reeves Sturgis Part 1 - by Kathy Halsey
The connection I made to Brenda Reeves Sturgis via Tara Lazar's Storystorm community made today’s post possible. STILL A FAMILY by Brenda Reeves Sturgis has a book birthday tomorrow. Today I review the book and begin a two part interview on Brenda. Read Part 2 of my interview onThursday, February 9.
BOOK REVIEW
STILL A FAMILY is a timely picture book that shares what some folks deem a "difficult" topic" for children – homelessness. Yet, the book is upbeat and honest. Brenda sprinkles facts and dispels myths about the homeless in this sweet story of a young girl and her parents who navigate the hard truth of being apart, yet together. Children and some adults may not know that there are very few shelters where families can remain intact. Men usually live in a shelter just for them, while women and children are housed in another.
Check out the book trailer above for another book look.
Author Sturgis picks just the right details and tone to share in this young girl's story. She makes friends, has a doll named Molly who is always in tow, and meets her father in the park for family fun, just like most families do, homeless or not. But, reality is portrayed realistically. Our main character misses her own bed and the quiet of her home; she stands in soup kitchen lines, and she wishes her shoes weren't so tight. Her parents look for work daily, and sometimes when it rains, they must create a lean-to. The young girl's refrain, "We're still a family" will reassure young readers that love prevails even in hard times. Jo-Shin Lee's compelling, child-like illustrations will also make young readers feel a part of the narrative.
The Author's Note and Resources section in the back matter further illuminate the problem of homelessness and what we all can do to help. Finally, even though Amazon indicates age ranges as K-3 grade, I feel that students grades 4-8 could also appreciate this picture book. Innovative teachers will find a way to incorporate social studies and service learning/community projects into a unit with this book.
Author Brenda Reeves Sturgis
How We Can Help
1. Brenda suggests sharing or buying a copy of this book for your local homeless shelter. She sent me a free, autographed copy for review purposes. (A percentage of every copy of STILL A FAMILY will go toward helping homeless shelters.)
2. I plan to buy a second copy to donate to my downtown Columbus, Ohio shelter. I'll contact the shelter and see if I can conduct a story time with the children there. Since my burgeoning bookshelves need a weeding, I'm going to also donate a variety of gently-used children's books, too. (You may want to do the same thing and brush up on your read aloud skills. It's a win-win for all.)
3. Brenda speaks from her heart when she says, "My goal is to touch a million hearts. And my ultimate goal is for those million hearts to do SOMETHING, anything, to help. Even one small thing can help somebody: purchase socks, buy a bus pass, donate money, or a book. We see homeless people on the streets and we avert our eyes, we put our heads down, we fidget with our radios, we lock our doors. Most of us do this BECAUSE... it is scary."
4. You can purchase this book via Amazon (click here) or at your favorite book store.
Q & A with Brenda, Part One
K: Before you wrote STILL A FAMILY, did your research include visiting homeless shelters or talking with homeless children? What opened your heart to this topic?
B. I have not had the honor of speaking to children in shelters yet, however that is my biggest goal and my life's upcoming mission. Although I have made several calls to shelters, I have not been able to get "in" the door yet. Shelter staffs are always so busy helping day in and out.
Once the book comes out, I plan to go to shelters to read and share it. Fourteen years ago, at the beginning of my writing career, I did create a book drive for shelters and children's hospitals. Many authors sent me copies of their books, which I sent to shelters across the country. This serious problem has been on my heart for many years, and now I can actually do something to raise social awareness.
K : I was impressed by your ability as a writer to broach a so-called "tough" topic. How did you get the tone right and what other craft considerations came into play?
B: Kathy, this is a great question! Thank you for asking it. At first, I wrote this book in rhyme. The opening stanza started like this, "In the hubbub of the city, under brisk and starry skies, I plumped my chilly pillow and arranged our scarce supplies." As a rhymer, this was where my heart wanted to go with this story. However, the rhyme did not fit the story AT ALL. It was too upbeat. BUT...after thoughtful editorial feedback, and trying to find the right tone, I knew it had to be rewritten in prose. Prose to me has always been like pulling teeth. BEYOND DIFFICULT.
K: What other members of your personal writing community helped you make this book shine?
B: My editor, Andrea Hall, Albert Whitman & Company, gave me wonderful direction with tone and clarity. In the first draft, the family hit tough times, Dad lost his job; the electricity was cut off. I liken these events to a tornado that picked up speed and landed this family in the shelter. After many rounds of revision, Andrea asked for something different.
Now my brilliant critique partner, Carrie Clickard (MAGIC FOR SALE) said, "Brenda, they don't want to know how they got into the shelter, they want to know how a family stays a family while living in a shelter." And just like that, the light bulb came on; I wrote the story; Andrea was correct in her vision. (K's note - a great editor is key - we need to listen up and understand what they and our CPs are telling us!)
K: What advice do you have for us non-rhymers?
B: Writing rhyme is so tough. Your meter must be 100% spot-on, and it's hard to sell. (Think foreign rights, translation, and salability in the foreign market.) People told me, "If you never want to be published, write in rhyme." I'm a tad stubborn and didn't believe them, so I pushed on and did sell 10 TEN TURKEYS IN THE ROAD to Marshall Cavendish and then to Scholastic. THE LAKE WHERE LOON LIVES, a cumulative rhymer, sold to Islandport Press, and TOUCHDOWN is published by MeeGenius. (Find all my books on my web site here.)
K: And now a few rapid-fire questions and answers:
K: Favorite dessert? B: Creme' Brulée
K: Favorite author? B: Lisa Wheeler, Kelly DiPucchio, the late Linda Smith, Carrie Clickard, Jenni Bielcki, and Mona Pease.
K: Favorite place to write? Always in my yellow sunshiny office.
More about Brenda's journey as an author, more advice to writers, and more folks she'd like to thank on Thursday, February 9.
K: We writers can be chatty, but Brenda's parting words to GROG readers today are, "Don't lose heart. Keep on. Keep believing that your dream can happen. Do the work you need to do. Use everyday to help somebody because you get back what you put out ten-fold - whether it's good or bad, it all comes back."
K: Thank you, Kelly. Remember, more inspiration on February 9. Until then, Brenda and I ask you to go make a difference for others however you can.
Posted by Kathy Halsey at Monday, January 30, 2017
The Lake Where Loon Lives
Brenda Reeves Sturgis, author
Brooke Carlton, illustrator
Islandport Press
P.O. Box 10, Yarmouth, Maine 04096
www.islandportpress.com
9781939017246, $17.95, www.amazon.com
"The Lake Where Loon Lives" is a complete adaptation of the old story poem "This Is the House Where Jack Lives." Instead of Jack, the main character is a fearless, sedate Mama loon and her two baby chicks. The rest of the story concerns, a fly a fish a boy, a lake, a struggle, and a peaceful resolution on a lovely, moonlit lake. Spectacular, original, wacky water color paintings fully express all the drama contained in "The Lake Where Loon Lives." Whoever heard of annoying flies that practice a trumpet, or a Mama Loon who wears a flowered hat and has tea from a camp stove, or a pair of loon chicks who water ski? If you can imagine it, the loony pictures of "The Lake Where Loon Lives" will evoke it, hilariously! Exciting vocabulary melds with familiar verse patterns and tell the highly unlikely story filled with splashy adventures of "The Lake Where Loon Lives." The scenery of rural Maine informs and pervades this charming book by two very talented, creative individuals.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"The Lake Where Loon Lives." Children's Bookwatch, July 2014. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A377530863/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4fdb29f8. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
Sturgis, Brenda Reeves STILL A FAMILY Whitman (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 1, 31 ISBN: 978-0-8075-7707-3
A preschool-age girl copes with living in a homeless shelter with her mother and without her father, who is housed in a different shelter. Sturgis' first-person text is paired with Lee's naive illustration style to deliver an effective and affecting account from the protagonist's perspective. The father in the family appears to be a white man, while the mother's darker brown skin indicates that she is a woman of color, and the girl's skin tone is most like her father's. The text repeatedly underscore's the title's message that they are "still a family" even though they must live separately in different shelters. The story depicts ways they stay connected with visits to the park, meals at a soup kitchen, and shared co-parenting while the adults alternate caring for their young daughter and looking for work. Throughout, the girl's doll provides a sense of comfort and consistency. While there is no happily-ever-after resolution, the ending has a hopeful note as the family marks their daughter's birthday and the text re-emphasizes the title's message. An author's note and resource list in the backmatter round out the book with context for readers. A sensitive and necessary picture book to provide comfort and raise awareness and empathy. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Sturgis, Brenda Reeves: STILL A FAMILY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A473652345/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=92af16f0. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle
Lynne Marie and Brenda Reeves Sturgis, illus. by Nico Ecenarro. ittle Press, $18.99 (34p) ISBN 978-1-956378-27-6
Two "witchy mismatched sisters" learn to tolerate each other's differences in this rhyming tale that pits glitter against gloom. Tasked with sharing "broom and room," the pale-skinned siblings struggle to accept each other's tastes: "One liked colors, one liked black, they never could agree.// Matilda gathered songbirds, and Malin dead debris." After a magic-amplified dispute about the best bedroom decor wreaks havoc on their mutual space and belongings, their differing desires meet, at last, in the middle. Electric hues give a punk vibe to Ecenarro's drawings of the siblings facing off and then coming together, while bits of pop culture tucked throughout (a poster of Taylor Swift look-alike "T. Sweep") make the quarrelsome sisters feel contemporary. Though the sibs seem to reach consensus more by mistake than through deliberate effort, Marie and Reeves Sturgis succeed in showing the particular magic that is compromise. A character-drawing tutorial concludes. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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"BroomMates: A Brewing Boundary Battle." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 24, 17 June 2024, p. 115. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A800405166/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2b67a73e. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
Sturgis, Brenda Reeves AFTER THE SHELTER Whitman (Children's None) $18.99 4, 10 ISBN: 9780807504307
A young family makes a new life with support from their caring community.
"It's worth the climb," Lily's mother says as they open the door to their new apartment on the third floor of a walk-up. Though their home is just a few blocks from their old one, in many ways, it's been a long journey; Mom and Lily have transitioned from a shelter for unhoused people to their own place. They're supported by friends at the shelter, a social worker, and a kind neighbor who offers to watch Lily on weekends while Mom works to build a better life for them. The story celebrates their new opportunities--like Lily's excitement about Mom cooking lasagna in their own kitchen--but also acknowledges the bittersweet emotions of leaving behind shelter friends, particularly Lily's BFF, Madeline. Visits to the shelter offer comfort and continuity, showing how Lily and Mom maintain meaningful connections while expanding their world with a new day care and friends for Lily and college for Mom. Sensitively illustrated by Everson in purples, blues, and cheerful yellows (Lily's favorite color!) that add joy to the narrative, this simple yet heartfelt tale balances realism with optimism. An author's note with facts about homelessness provides valuable context, making this a poignant and much-needed story for children and their caretakers alike. Lily and Mom are brown-skinned; their community is diverse.
A warm and hopeful offering that speaks to both the challenges and joys of starting over.(Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Sturgis, Brenda Reeves: AFTER THE SHELTER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2025. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A827101018/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6f992f7a. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
After the Shelter by Brenda Reeves Sturgis, illustrated by Amy Everson
Posted on May 7, 2025 by susanh579
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After the Shelter by Brenda Reeves Sturgis, illustrated by Amy Everson. Albert Whitman, 2025. 9780807504307
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4.5
Format: Hardcover picture book
What did you like about the book? After the Shelter is a picture book about a young girl, Lily, and her mother who leave the homeless shelter they are staying and move into an apartment building on their own. The book follows the girl and her mother as they leave the shelter, move into the apartment, start school, adjust to their new life, and make new friends.
I thought that this book had a unique take on characters experiencing homelessness, and presented the issue to young readers in an accessible manner. I liked how Lily appreciated the small joys in her new life, like sleeping in a trundle bed, or getting their own TV from a store called Second Chance. This book is very positive, and I liked the backmatter at the end that educated readers on the various government programs available to folks experiencing homelessness or poverty. Lily and her mother are depicted with brown-toned skin, and there are numerous diverse characters throughout the book.
Anything you didn’t like about it? Overall, the illustrations felt a little flat. I would have liked to see some more color and depth added to the backgrounds of the pages, like on pages 3-4, when Lily is saying goodbye to her friend Madeline, instead of just having a blank beige background.
To whom would you recommend this book? Parents and teachers who are looking for more diverse representation in their collections, or who may be looking for resources to explain homelessness to young readers.
Who should buy this book? Elementary schools and public libraries
Where would you shelve it? I would shelve this book in the Picture Book section
Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No
Reviewer: Dina Delic, Morrill Memorial Library, Norwood, MA
Date of review: May 5, 2025