A River of Dust – Arrives in 4 days!!

I’m interrupting the regularly-scheduled Perfect Picture Book Friday post to celebrate the completion of a project that is dear to my heart.

*

It’s been eight years since I wrote the first draft of A RIVER OF DUST.

*

*

After three major revisions and myriad mini-revisions, the lyrical narrative came to rest at roughly 530 words. It alludes to continental drift, describes dust’s journey, and reveals a secret component of dust’s cargo. In doing so, it gives the youngest listeners a basic understanding of how dust from North Africa feeds the rainforest, and how the continents were once joined.

But the main narrative also shows how we’re all connected, no matter how far apart we may be. And it reassures children that we can maintain a connection even if we’re separated from something or someone we love. I call it STEM with a beating heart.

But what I am most proud of is the voice of the narrator. It is an ancient voice, one that reflects the wisdom of the ages. One that overcomes separation while waiting for reconnection. And it holds millions of years of patience in its timbre.

Six pages of robust back matter, titled “Questions For Curious Minds,” adds much more depth.

Check out some of the research papers and other materials I consulted while writing.

*

*

This stack doesn’t include websites or papers I consulted toward the end of fact-checking and sensitivity read phases, where I dug through Amazon soil composition studies and new research about the cultivation of crops by humans in the Amazon over thousands of years.

I also asked two experts to review sections of the back matter:

*

These two:

Douglas G. Capone, PhD, William and Julie Wrigley Chair in Environmental Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Southern California

Joseph M. Prospero, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Rosenstiel School, University of Miami (Some call him the “Father of Dust,” since he’s studied dust’s flight since the 1960s.)

Thank you to both! Your signed copies of the book are in the mail!

The back matter answers questions about:

• how the Amazon’s depleted soil supports its lush foliage,
• how the dust affects Atlantic Ocean ecosystems,
• how NASA uses Earth observation satellites to measure the dust,
• how scientists use computer models to understand the interconnections of ecosystems, and of course,
• how scientists used fossils and properties of magnetism to identify the process of continental drift.

For those of you who are educators, you’ll find educator guides, activities, and other materials under Learning Resources in the tab on the menu above.

If you would like to pre-order a signed copy of the book, along with a poster, bookmarks, and satellite magnets, please order through my indie bookstore, Folio Books (after release day, the SWAG will no longer be available, but you can still order signed copies). Or you can purchase on Bookshop, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

I would be honored if you could join me to celebrate A RIVER OF DUST’s release at either of these events.

*

I’m taking part in StoryTime Sprint on release day, July 25th at 5pm PT/8pm ET. The half-hour event includes a reading of the book, a short background discussion, and Q+A. Participants have 24 hours to post a review(s) on Amazon, Goodreads, or Barnes & Noble to be entered into a drawing for a copy of the book, a 20-minute Ask Me Anything about publishing call, or a 20-minute virtual classroom visit similar to the World Read Aloud Day format. Placing your review on more than one platform earns extra giveaway entries. If you’re interested in participating, you can sign up here.

*

*

If you would like to attend the one-hour book launch party through the Writing Barn on Saturday, July 29, at 10am PT/1pm ET, please sign up here to receive the Zoom link. The event includes a book reading, discussion of the book’s journey to publication with both the author and illustrator, a Q+A, and a quiz testing your knowledge of rainforest/dust/ocean/North Africa facts to win prizes. There will also be a virtual cake!!

*