The school year is off to a start for most of the U.S., bringing with it teachers and librarians and parents who are looking for fresh and fun books to recommend to their children. I’ve been looking forward to the release of my very first picture book, Trunk Goes Thunk! A Woodland Tale of Opposites (coming in early October from Gnome Road Publishing), along with many others by fellow kidlit authors! It’s not too late to pre-order your own signed copy from my local indie bookstore – The Snail on the Wall! I’d be so honored and grateful to personalize your copy for the special kid(s) in your life.
Click HERE to pre-order your signed copy today!
Today, I’m pleased to welcome Maxine Schur to First Stories! Her picture book, A Tale of Bread and Thread, just recently released, and I can’t wait to talk to her about this modern folktale! But first, a little more about Maxine:
Maxine Schur has lived in New Zealand and her first picture books were published by the New Zealand Department of Education, the BBC children’s television show, PLAYSCHOOL. She also worked as a children’s book reviewer for “Australia/New Zealand Bookworld.” After returning to the U.S., she took a job as a full-time children’s writer for Addison-Wesley Publishing and later founded her own children’s educational software company. You can find her online at her website: https://maxineroseschur.com/
Me: Hello, Maxine, and welcome to First Stories!
Maxine: Hello, Heather. It’s wonderful to be here!
Me: I love hearing about the first ideas that turned into stories that turned into a passion for writing that ended up driving writers to pursue careers in the publishing industry! I have a standard set of questions that I ask, so let’s dive right in. Tell me about your “first story.” The one that pushed you to consider publishing. What inspired you to write it. What was it about and where is it now?
Maxine: Strangely, the first story I wrote for children was nearly 50 years ago… but it’s finally being published this year! I originally titled the story, The Very Worst Baker in the World, and it was about a poor baker whose baked goods were terrible. The baker’s wife was a seamstress and her handiwork was awful. The story has a good bit of humor and wild, wacky action but the ending is heartwarming. When the baker attempts to sew, he becomes an expert tailor and when the wife tries her hand at baking, she becomes a great pastry chef. So the sly message of the story is that we all have hidden talents.
Over the years as I honed my craft, the story got stronger and stronger so this month it’s published by Lawley Books as A Tale of Bread and Thread. The picture book has wonderfully funny illustrations by Italian artist, Cristina de Liso.
Me: I love it! The very book that we’re celebrating as making its way into the world was the first story that pushed you into publishing! And what dedication and perseverance, to polish and hone a story for so long. Congratulations!
Are there any themes in that story that you can see in your writing today?
Maxine: I think if there are any themes in A Tale of Bread and Thread that I see in all my writing for young people today, it is the theme of the protagonist discovering strength within him/herself. This concept is important not only in picture books but in middle grade and YA novels. Children are often unknowable to themselves. While there is an external story which pits the child against adversaries, there needs to be an internal story as well in which the child realizes his or her weaknesses and must overcome an inner flaw or fear to thrive or even to survive.
Also, I think my writing journey with this story holds an inherent message for me and for all writers: If you have a good story idea, hold onto it and work hard at polishing your story until it deepens and sparkles!
Me: What a great message! And it’s so true – this industry requires so much perseverance and patience.
Looking back, what elements of that story made it unmarketable? Did you received feedback on that story? What did that feedback teach you?
Maxine: When I first wrote this story, it was longer—too long. I wrote it for a writing
class I was taking and the instructor loved it and took it to England with her
to see if she could sell the story for me. It didn’t sell because it was flawed. I don’t remember the feedback I was given but as I improved as a writer I gave myself the feedback! Looking at the manuscript with a cold, critical eye, I saw it as too long and not as funny and clever as it could be.
Me: Part of the polishing that you mentioned earlier is the craft of revision – “seeing something new.” It’s critical for all writing, including picture books. Being able to give yourself distance from your work and see it coldly and critically is crucial. Well done!
Why is this first story special to you? How important was it for your writing journey?
Maxine: Over the years I’ve learned to write more concisely and be very particular about word choice. I’ve also learned to depend more on my ear than eye, especially when writing picture books as they’re written to be read aloud. Also, as I developed as a writer, I began to slip snippets of poetry into my prose. A Tale of Bread and Thread is no exception. The book is not in verse but the beginning and ending words are. I don’t like didactic messages in books for kids. As Dr. Seuss once said, “Kids can see a message coming a mile away.” Yet when the message is in verse, somehow it feels more subtle. Here, for example is the ending which I think is an inviting way to deliver a message:
This story wasn’t meant to teach
To give a moral or to preach
But there’s a secret, and it’s true
It’s one I want to tell―just you
Beneath your thoughts and in your heart
Lie secret talents and hidden art
Try your hand at something new
Discover things that you can do
They’re hiding right inside of you
Things you never knew you knew!
Me: Very nice! Thanks for sharing your journey with this delightful book!
Maxine: Thank you for having me!
A Tale of Bread and Thread is available to order from Barnes and Noble here.
Everyone in the village is thrilled because the king is coming to visit! Before his
arrival, the king commands the village baker to bake him a delicious bread, and he
commands the baker’s wife to make him a beautiful handkerchief. However, their
bumbling causes a bizarre, wild mishap that terrifies the villagers. The couple’s
fate now looks dim. Yet all is not lost, for the blundering couple discover hidden
talents within themselves that guarantee a happy future.
In her original folk tale, Maxine Rose Schur creates a comic story full of madcap
humor, which also delivers an important message about the hidden talents within
each of us.
Heather C. Morris 
Leave a comment