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Interrupting Cow and the Chicken Crossing the Road

As I began writing the second Interrupting Cow book (likely to be six of them) about a chicken–a Rhode Island Red– and why it crosses the road (each one uses an old joke at its center…the next two are about an old dog learning new tricks and a horse of a different color) I realized that all of Cow’s new friends, her accidental herd if you will, are different colors and different kinds of animals. A virtual variety.

Cover of Interrupting Cow by Jane Yolen

Interrupting Cow

A new line of easy readers (the next up from my Fish School rhymed books,  all for Simon & Schuster) are the INTERRUPTING COW books, This is the first, (2 and 3 are already written!) full of gag lines, puns. and each based on the interrupting cow plus…

Cover of Commander Toad and the Space Pirates by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad and the Space Pirates

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Commander Toad and the Intergalactic Spy by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad and the Intergalactic Spy

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Commander Toad and the Dis-Asteroid by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad and the Dis-Asteroid

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Commander Toad and the Planet of the Grapes by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad and the Planet of the Grapes

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Sleeping Ugly by Jane Yolen

Sleeping Ugly

This is the book I always use when I do storytelling concerts. It’s fun to tell and always gets listeners–young and old–in a good mood. Princess Miserella is the ugly sleeper of the title. The heroine is Plain Jane. She is ably assisted by the old fairy and Prince Jojo, the youngest son of a youngest

Cover of Commander Toad in Space by Jane Yolen

Commander Toad in Space

I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog’s name was “Star Warts.” I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you

Cover of Mice on Ice by Jane Yolen

Mice on Ice

One day I was watching the “Ice Capades” with my children and some little brain tickle produced the title “The Mice Capades.” Of course there was no plot or characters–just the title. Gradually that became an easy reading story idea which grew and grew and grew until it was a small chapter book.