Pamela S. Turner
I had several goals from the onset. The first was to make human evolution understandable. I have always been interested in the topic but found it very confusing
Pamela S. Turner
Pairing Nonfiction and Fiction
Nonfiction and fiction are like peanut butter and chocolate. Each excellent on its own, but when combined…so sublime.
INVITE A DISCUSSION
My nonfiction account Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune (2016, grade 6 and up) describes the dramatic rise and fall of a 12th-century samurai. One of the joys of researching the life of this Japanese hero was learning about the underlying political, social and economic currents that resulted in the 700-year-long rule of the samurai.… more
Getting Inside the Head of the Long Dead
Don’t be alarmed by the ghoulishness of my title. Trying to resurrect the life of someone who turned to dust centuries ago is a challenge, especially if the person left behind no personal writings such as letters or diaries. But it can be done. In preparation for writing Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune, I read all the academic and primary sources I could find about late-twelfth-century Japan.… more
Skinny Dip with Pamela S. Turner
For this interview, we visit with Pamela S. Turner, children’s book author with two new books out in 2016, Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune and Crow Smarts: Inside the Brain of the World’s Brightest Bird:
Which celebrity, living or not, do you wish would invite you to a coffee shop?
Sir Richard Francis Burton, the Victorian anthropologist, translator, linguist, and African explorer.… more
Sir Richard Francis Burton, the Victorian anthropologist, translator, linguist, and African explorer.… more
Untamed Companion Booktalks
To get you started on the Bookstorm™ Books …
The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours Jane Goodall
Scholastic Press, 2001 Uses stories of individual chimpanzees to share information about chimpanzee behavior and their environment as well as the author’s own biography Heavily illustrated with engaging photos Wealth of information presented in narrative, sidebar commentary, picture captions, quotations, and back matter
… more The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours Jane Goodall
Scholastic Press, 2001 Uses stories of individual chimpanzees to share information about chimpanzee behavior and their environment as well as the author’s own biography Heavily illustrated with engaging photos Wealth of information presented in narrative, sidebar commentary, picture captions, quotations, and back matter
Bookstorm™: Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall
This month, we are pleased to feature Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall, written by Anita Silvey, with photographs and book designed by the incredible team at National Geographic. This book is not only fascinating to read, it’s a beautiful reading experience as well.
It’s not often that a book offers us a glimpse into the childhood of a woman who has followed a brave, and caring, career path, but also follows her through more than 50 years in that chosen profession, describing her work, discoveries, and her passion for the mammals with whom she works.… more
Skinny Dip with Vicki Palmquist
What do you wish you could tell your 10-year-old self?
A good many things, but most emphatically I would tell myself to not listen to the comments about being too smart or showing off by using big words or being too curious. I have always enjoyed learning about new things and sharing what I’ve learned. I love discussing ideas and unknown-to-me corners of the world and people who have accomplished great things and shown great imagination.… more