Skip to Main Content

Spotlight on Jennifer Ward

Photo provided by author.

About the Author:

Jennifer Ward has written numerous award-winning picture books, including Just You and Me, illustrated by Alexander Vidal; How to Find a Bird, illustrated by Diana Sudyka; Round, illustrated by Lisa Congdon; and Mama Built a Little Nest and Mama Dug a Little Den, both illustrated by Steve Jenkins. A former elementary educator, Jennifer now travels the country as a public speaker visiting schools and literacy conferences. She lives with her family in Edwardsville, Illinois. 

Sleepy

Surprising Ways Animals Snooze

Illustrated by Robin Page

From award-winning author Jennifer Ward and Caldecott Honor illustrator Robin Page, this “real eye-opener” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) nonfiction picture book interweaves informative poems and prose to show the many different ways animals snooze!

Just like people, all animals need sleep, but not all animals sleep in the same way. When dolphins sleep, half their brain stays awake. Snakes sleep with their eyes open. Giraffes sleep in five-minute intervals, while koalas sleep for twenty-two hours a day! From grizzly bears to hummingbirds, there are creatures of all sizes and habitats to wish a good night in this cozy and compelling book.

CLICK HERE FOR A GUIDE FOR SLEEPY!

Q&A

Q: Your latest book Sleepy dives into the different ways animals get rest. What made you want to explore and highlight the variation of animal sleeping styles?

I’m always curious about animal behavior – especially wild animal behavior.  I am also a bird-nerd. I volunteer with a wild, native songbird hospital and I spend a lot of time outdoors, immersing in the bird-world anywhere it may be. Years ago, I read an article in Audubon Magazine about research on sleep patterns in Frigate birds, which was an interesting study because this species will spend weeks and even up to two months flying out at sea – and this species cannot float on the water or swim because its plumage is not waterproof –  so of course, scientist were curious to know how these birds managed to both sleep and fly day after day, week after week, without drowning. When did they sleep? And how? Sleep is such a basic concept, but it’s also a really fascinating thing from a neurological standpoint, especially in the wild animal kingdom. My curiosity was sparked and a book was born.

 

Q: As a writer, what is your favorite part of creating stories and books? 

My favorite part is the creative aspect.  I find it fun and challenging to play with words and piece them together to tell a story or share information in an engaging manner. Each word in a picture book carries a lot of weight, so I spend a lot of time thinking about my word choices! I also love creating an ending that works really well, which is like placing a bow on a gift. (Some bows turn out better than others sometimes.) Of course, knowing that my books reach readers and resonate with readers is truly a favorite part of creating books!  I believe this is true for all authors and illustrators.


Q: Animals are often the focus of your picture books. What animal is your favorite and why?

They sure are. When I was a child, I always knew I’d work with animals somehow and someway, someday.  My favorite animal? That is a tough question because I have SO many favorites. Okay. Let’s do this. Domestic fav: horses. (But don’t tell my cattle dog or chihuahua.) Wild fav: It’s a tie between the blue whale, hummingbirds (in general), the Carolina Wren, and the Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker. I might be a bit bird biased.
 

Q: What do you hope young readers take from your books and stories? Do you identify with any specific characters, or even a certain kind of reader?

I hope readers of my books will become curious about the natural world outside their windows, and I hope that my books are ones that readers will want to read again and again. I do identify with the animals in my books, in a sense, because I feel innately connected to the ones I closely observe, which leads me to learn more about them and write about them. I certainly identify with the reader who finds comfort, joy and a sense of community with animals, whether wild or domestic, and the reader who finds companionship with a book.

 

Q: As a former teacher, you know how important it is to encourage students to reach their full potential. Who was that teacher or influence for you?

My parents were a large influence. They were always cheering my creativity – particularly books I made when I was young. I made so many books when I was a child, just for fun, and they saved them all. Once I became a teacher, my parents bought me a beautiful picture book as a contribution for my classroom library. They inscribed it with a message stating that the book’s author reminded them of me: a person who has a love for animals, children and creativity – and that they hoped to share my volumes (published books) in years ahead. The idea that I could actually write books for children wasn’t on my radar at that time in my life.  My parents, however, were visionaries, evidently!


I love to show samples of my childhood writing to young students when I visit schools so they can see that I, a published author, struggled with writing, spelling and punctuation when I was in grade school. Writing is a hard skill to master! It’s so important to encourage children with their writing efforts and let them know it’s okay to make mistakes. The important thing is to practice. And have fun with it when you can!

Also by Jennifer Ward

Join the Conversation