John Schu talks with Patrick Allen about readers, writers, and his newest book, Louder Than Hunger.
Given your vast experience as an advocate for reading, what is one memorable connection you’ve made with young readers?
John Schu: I LOVE celebrating stories at CCIRA’s Annual Conference. I always tell people about what a WONDERFUL and INSPIRING conference it is.
I’m grateful you’re chatting with me today.
Oh, I’ve made so many connections with young readers and writers.
Mario is the first person who comes to mind.
I’ll never forget when he approached me, a bit shy and nervous. He seemed unsure and kept rotating himself to the end of the line, not wanting to share in front of the others. He thanked me for talking about The One and Only Ivan and for sharing that it made me cry. “I read it last year,” he said. “It made me cry a lot.” We talked about how sadness in books can help us better deal with sadness in our own lives and better prepare us for difficult moments in life. “I know sadness,” he said. “My sister died last year. Books helped me. Ivan helped me.” My heart was full when I left that meeting. Full of grief for his loss, but also full from the connection our hearts made through sharing Ivan’s experience—and through that, our own. When we create conditions where children are safe to experience life through the lens of characters and their struggles and successes, books can be a bridge to connect and restore us. Stories have the power to strengthen and heal hearts. A teacher-librarian put The One and Only Ivan in Mario’s hands, but probably had no idea, when they did so, that they were also tattooing love and light and laughter and hope on his heart. Or maybe they did, and that’s exactly why they did it. A book often walks into our lives when we need it the most.
Photo courtesy of Unsplash
Your picture book collaborations with Lauren Castillo and Veronica Miller Jamison are superb… What surprises you about their interpretations of your words in This is a School and This is a Story?
John Schu: I’m so lucky Lauren Castillo and Veronica Miller Jamison said yes to illustrating my poems. That they said yes to illustrating my very spare and lyrical odes to story and libraries and connection.
Both times, I was surprised and delighted and honored by how they interpreted my words.
Both times, I was reminded of how school and books can inspire us, connect us, and make us more compassionate. I couldn’t wait to share both picture books with readers of all ages.
You’ve joined the ranks of children’s authors. Who inspires you as a writer?
John Schu: That’s very kind of you to say. So many children’s book creators inspire me. I’m going to limit my list to ten creators.
Katherine Applegate
Kate DiCamillo
Margarita Engle
Erin Entrada Kelly
Deborah Freedman
Meg Medina
Dav Pilkey
Jason Reynolds
Jasmine Warga
Jacqueline Woodson
Tell us about your latest book Louder Than Hunger. First of all, talk to us about your writing process. Then, tell us what you hope readers will discover about themselves in the pages.
John Schu: Louder Than Hunger is a novel-in-verse that tells Jake Stacey’s story. Jake is battling a very loud voice inside his head. A voice that tells him that he doesn’t deserve to take up space. A voice that tells him that he doesn’t deserve food and love.
While Jake doesn’t usually feel comfortable taking up space in his everyday life, he’s very comfortable taking up a lot of space on the page. He loves playing around with the placement of words. He loves poetry.
I knew right away Louder Than Hunger needed to be told in verse. I cannot imagine the story told in any other way. The white space helped me write the story. The line breaks helped Jake find his voice.
I hope readers are inspired to listen to music from the ‘80s and ‘90s.
I hope they’re inspired to watch The Golden Girls, Family Matters, and Fraggle Rock.
Most importantly, I hope the story helps them ask for help if they are struggling with anorexia nervosa. I hope it helps them feel less alone.
John, you inspire and instill hope in educators. You love readers and you love books. What do you hope your legacy will be?
John Schu: Thank you! I love this question!
I’m going to answer your question by sharing what I hope people say at my memorial.
John Schu helped spread joy through story.
He made us laugh.
He made us cry.
He listened.
He gave away a lot of notebooks.
He inspired us to support libraries and librarians, see many Broadway musicals, and go on joywalks.
He cared.
John Schu has made a career out of advocating for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, and the people that connect them. John is a children’s book author, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and the children’s librarian for Bookelicious. His greatest joy is sharing his love of reading with countless educators and students around the world.
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