Day #15: Research is Fun

My second picture book is coming to a book store near you. (But you have to wait until 2016!)

It's called "Around the World in a Bathtub." I am so thankful that the good people at Charlesbridge Books believed in the project because it allows me to continue one of my passions: helping children learn through about the vast world around them.

I love to travel (though I don't get around the globe nearly as much I'd like). I love maps. I wanted to be an explorer when I was a kid. And you know what, even though I don't get out much, I still constantly exploring.

The "Bathtub" book is a bit like my first story, "Why Do I Have to Make My Bed?" in that it looks at a wide variety of families from different cultures. But "Make My Bed" focused on history whereas "Bathtub" is more about geography. It's also about culture and language. That last part (language) has been the tricky part. Because in each scene in the book a child and parent say the words "yes" and "no" in their native tongue. And although I've looked up the translations online and in print, I'm not yet positive that the context is correct.

For example, one of my students (who is from Japan) told me that the Japanese word for yes ("Hai") might be said to someone you respect, but if I parent is saying "Yes, you will take a bath," then the word "Hai" would not be used.

So, I have sent a slew of emails to various language professors. So far, I have received two useful bits of feedback from Hindi instructors. I think the India section is taken care of. I still need to hear back from teachers regarding Turkey, Japan, and Inuit Culture. I wish I had the resources to visit all of these places! But for now, it's fun to research and imagine what life is like around the world.

Challenge Total: $118.62