Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author JaNay Brown-Wood (JAM, TOO?)!
Read on to learn more about the author, the book, and a giveaway!
Meet the Author: JaNay Brown-Wood
JaNay Brown-Wood, PhD is an award-winning children’s author, poet, educator, and scholar. Her previous books include Imani’s Moon, winner of the NAESP Children’s Book of the Year Award, and Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story!, winner of the CELI Read Aloud Book Award. She lives in Sacramento, California.
About the Book: Jam, Too?
Lustrous illustrations and a rhythmic text featuring a cumulative list of sounds bring to life the thrill of an impromptu jam session and the joy of making music together.
A drum circle is forming on the beach, and one fascinated child would love to join in. Soon there’s everything from a conga’s pat-a-pat-a, pat pat to some bongos’ taka taka, ta ta—and it looks like so much fun! But what do you do when you don’t have a drum? Well, when you let the music move you, you just might find other ways to jam, too!
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I grew up surrounded by music! My father often blasted John Coltrane and Miles Davis on Sunday mornings. Anita Baker and Nat King Cole bounced off the walls when my mother cleaned. But I especially remember going to jazz concerts and festivals to watch my cousins, Jeanette and Michael Harris, who are actually professional musicians today. They helped inspire JAM, TOO. But the specific moment the story idea jumped into my mind was when I was on a trip, and a travel commercial kept playing on loop mentioning all the beautiful beach-side places travelers could visit. From there, I envisioned a drum circle with the rhythms and beats playing out in my head…and thus, JAM, TOO was born.
YABC: Who is your favorite character in the book?
My favorite characters in the book are the drums. While they are not actual, living characters, by using onomatopoeia, I gave voice to each drum that is so fun to read aloud. But, I also like the main character who steps outside of their comfort zone and tries something new: dancing.
YABC: What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?
This is such a tough question because Jacqueline Alcántara did a phenomenal job illustrating the book. She deftly captured movement and rhythm right on the page! But if I had to pick a favorite scene or spread, it is the spreads and scenes where our protagonist dances across the pages. When I first looked at these scenes, they took my breath away! I just love them! I feel most proud of these spreads because my words helped to evoke such beautiful images that Jacqueline brought to life. Talk about a fantastic collaboration of words and pictures.
YABC: What came first, the concept, landscape, characters, or something else?
The sounds came first. I am someone who enjoys beatboxing—not that I’m any good at it—but I love making percussive sounds with my mouth. So, it was the sounds of the drums that came first, and the rest of the story grew from that.
YABC: What can readers expect to find in your books?
Joy. I hope readers find joy in my books as well as something educational that they may not have known before. As an author and an educator, I try to infuse something educational in each of the books I write, whether it is a new concept or new vocabulary words like the names of numerous drums found around the world. So, I hope that when children read my books, they are experiencing joyful, educational moments with loved ones.
YABC: What is your favorite snack when writing?
While some of my favorite snacks while writing include grapes and popcorn, I’d say my most favorite is tea. I love to sip on a steaming cup of tea with honey and a splash of milk. It often calms me and helps my creativity to flow.
YABC: If you were able to meet them, would you be friends with your main character?
Absolutely! My main character and I would have our own jam sessions including drums and dance—and I know we’d have a blast!
YABC: What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?
“I can’t.” That’s probably my least favorite expression. I am a believer that we all have more inside of us than we even realize, especially when faced with challenges. So, I like “I’ll try my best” much more than “I can’t.”
YABC: What do you do when you procrastinate?
Procrastinate—me? Never! That’s how I’d like to answer this question. But, in all honesty, I pull out my phone and play word games when I am procrastinating. I especially like games that are similar to Bananagrams or Scrabble. Clearly, I love words. That’s probably why I am an author and a poet.
YABC: What fandom would you write for if you had time?
I would write fandom for Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone series. I love her writing and fell head-over-heels for her characters. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series which is releasing this year!
YABC: What’s up next for you?
I have many exciting things happening this year! I actually have SEVEN books publishing in 2024, so I’ve been having a great time sharing my new books with the world. I also will be releasing some virtual story time starts called Jammies with JaNay (check my website soon for more information) as well as in-person events where I share my work with the community. On top of that, I am busy traveling the country doing author presentations with amazing listeners everywhere!
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
If you’d like to learn more about me or get updates about where I’ll be or what I’ll be doing, join my free newsletter. You can subscribe at the bottom of my website: www.janaybrownwood.com. I do giveaways and share lots of fun information on my newsletter. I hope you’ll join!
You can also learn more about me or contact me here: https://blinq.me/OlWtsmj8aZW6
Title: JAM, TOO?
Author: JaNay Brown-Wood
Illustrator: Jacqueline Alcántara
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Release Date: February 27, 2024
ISBN: 9780593323762
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Age Range: 3-6
*Giveaway Details*
One (1) winner will receive a copy of Jam, Too? (JaNay Brown-Wood) ~ US Only!
*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway!*
Love how unique the cover is!
omigod, my son would LOVE this one; he loves to jam!
Music and beautiful artwork, this would be great to post on my insta and blog
This looks wonderful!
The cover is fun and as a musician, I enjoy books featuring the power of music.