SCBWI-MI Mentorship Contest: An Interview with PAL Mentor, Kelly DiPucchio

SCBWI-MI is holding two mentorship competitions this year! Both are for picture book text.
The difference between the two mentorships is the eligibility. The mentorship with Kelly
DiPucchio is for Published And Listed (PAL) members, and the mentorship with Lisa Wheeler is
for Associate and Full Members (non-PAL).

The submission window for the PAL mentorship is April 1-22, 2019.
The submission window for the non-PAL mentorship is June 3-24, 2019.

Complete submission instructions can be found on the SCBWI-MI website. On that page, click
the link (after the red words “click here” to download a pdf that explains membership status,
eligibility and submission instructions).

Both mentorships are going to be fantastic. For questions about eligibility or submissions please
contact SCBWI-MI Mentorship Coordinator, Ann Finkelstein.

Kelly DiPuccio is the author of numerous picture books with PAL publishers. Check her website for more information about her books. Kelly is a New York Times best-selling author for GRACE FOR PRESIDENT and THE SANDWICH SWAP. GRACE FOR PRESIDENT and GASTON were IRA Teachers’ Choices Reading List awardees. The Association for Library Service to Children chose GASTON as a Notable Children’s Book in 2015. Kelly has also been the recipient of the Gwen Frostic Award from the MRA, the NAPPA Gold Award and the 2010 Parents Choice Award. The SANDWICH SWAP was co-written with Queen Rania al Abdullah of Jordan.


What do you like best about writing picture books? 
There are countless “bests” but I think I most enjoy that brief honeymoon phase when I’m hopelessly in love with a new idea and the writing feels effortless.

What do you like least?
When the honeymoon phase is over.

Describe a typical writing day. 
A typical writing day for me includes meditation, coffee, a glut of social media distractions, and a fair amount of self-doubt.

Which of your books was the most fun to write? Why? 
EVERYONE LOVES BACON was probably the most fun I had writing a book because I wrote it as sort of a tongue in cheek story that I had no serious intentions of ever publishing. That allowed for greater freedom and completely pacified my inner critic.

When you’re reading for pleasure, what features of a book typically impress you the
most?
A strong voice and a solid ending.

What brings you joy? 
Feeding wild birds, dogs, babies, beach-combing, visiting new places, funny, brilliant friends, my never-ending search for esoteric knowledge, spending time with my family, having more than 30 books.

What inspires you? 
I feel the best inspiration is the kind I don’t go looking for. It finds me.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I have an impossibly long bucket list of places I want to visit. At the top of my list would be Italy
for a second time, followed by Ireland, Hawaii and Egypt to see the pyramids.

If you could have dinner with any person throughout history who would it be?
What would you discuss?
I’d love to have dinner with my grandma again. I’d ask her loads of questions about the afterlife and if we could find more players, we’d play pinochle and eat tapioca pudding for dessert.

What aspects of being a picture book mentor are you most looking forward to? 
I’m looking forward to paying it forward! I would not be where I am today without the
wonderful people I met through SCBWI when I started down this path 20 years ago.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects? 
I’d love to! In April, I have a rhyming picture book coming out with Farrar, Straus, Giroux called WE'RE GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT. It’s illustrated by Jay Fleck who created the most adorable animal crewmates you will ever see. And the long-awaited follow-up to my 2008 bestseller, GRACE FOR PRESIDENT, will come out in September. GRACE GOES TO WASHINGTON, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, and published by Disney-Hyperion tells a story about true leadership and how our government makes decisions for our country and its citizens. I’m really excited for Grace to meet a brand-new batch of young readers!

Ann Finkelstein is a former scientist who discovered that writing novels is more fun than wrangling test tubes. She coordinates the SCBWI-MI mentorship program and helps Charlie Barshaw host Lansing Area Shop Talks.









Stay tuned for additional reminders about the upcoming SCBWI-MI Picture Book Text Mentorship Competitions. Ann will be back later this spring for an interview with Lisa Wheeler, the mentor for associate and full (non-PAL) members.