Children's Books / Early Learning Beginner Reader
Date Published: 08-12-2025
Publisher: Mission Point Press
Interview with Karolyn Wallace
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
I Love It When We Read Together, my first book, is geared toward children and adults. It is less of a story and more of a feeling. My research spans the two decades I spent as an early childhood educator. It is this background from which I drew inspiration for wanting to shine light on the value of a shared love of reading between partners of all ages. Two influential trips include a visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy, in July 2016. The Loris Malaguzzi Centre welcomes an international crowd to learn about the Reggio approach to learning based on students’ questions and interests. The other noteworthy trip for me was a visit to the Planet Word Museum in Washington, DC, in September 2023. The sign that greets visitors says, simply, “The museum where language comes to life.” These two visits provide a foundation for my emphasis on the importance of conversation and comfort surrounding reading.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
Even after some 20 years of teaching, I found myself questioning the cycle of best practices in early literacy. I listened to podcasts about recent reversals in trends and debates about whole language. I also checked in with friends and former colleagues about updates in curriculum and opinions about phonics, comprehension, and reading skills.
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
The science of reading plays out on each page in my book. The simple text suggests ways to deepen reading comprehension through storytelling. Through research I have also gained an appreciation for early relational health and pediatricians who discuss the importance of literacy with new parents.
The landscape for my word building is the feeling of comfort and trust one gets from sharing a book together. The feeling can be built on trying any one strategy from any page in my book. Or, it can be based on trying multiple suggestions at once.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
I have been married to a journalist for over 40 years and my children are both excellent writers. My journey is entwined with theirs. We read together as a family for a long time at bedtime, on road trips, through audio books, too. I have never been disappointed in books they recommend to me and in their description of why they think I would like a book. It gets to a deeper understanding of who we are and how well we know each other. I love that!
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
Children’s picture books is where I feel most at home.
If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?
Yes! I would like to create a series of books focusing on shared experiences that underscore the importance of reading. For example, cooking.
Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?
Human characters appeal the most to me as a writer because I rely so much on my background experience as an educator.
Karolyn Wallace is a seasoned educator with over twenty years of experience teaching in elementary classrooms across public and private schools in Maryland, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, and New York. Before that, she was a broadcast journalist at local news affiliates in Los Angeles and Flint, Michigan. She is currently part of the team at The Children’s Learning Lab, where experienced educators connect with elementary students for online learning. She divides her time between Michigan and California, enjoying the company of her husband, children, and grandchildren.
https://mybook.to/LoveWhenWeReadTogether
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1 comments:
Thank you for sharing my thoughts in an interview!
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