GAMES,
PUZZLES,
AND
RIDDLES
IN
CHILDREN’S
BOOLS:
AN
INTERVIEW
WITH
AUTHOR
JODY
FELDMAN
Sharryn
Larsen
Walker,
Ph.D.
Jody
Feldman,
author
of
The
Gollywhopper
Games
Abstract
After
reading
Jody
Feldman’s
book,
The
Gollywhopper
Games,
the
pre-‐service
teachers
enrolled
in
a
children’s
literature
course,
interviewed
her
by
telephone
or
through
Skype.
In
small
groups,
the
pre-‐service
teachers
first
brainstormed
questions
to
ask.
Then,
as
a
class,
the
pre-‐service
teachers
and
their
instructor
interviewed
Jody
during
one
class
period.
Presented
here
is
a
compilation
of
the
interviews
from
six
different
sections
of
the
course.
After
reading
the
award-‐winning
book,
The
Gollywhopper
Games,
pre-‐service
teachers
interviewed
St.
Louis
children’s
author
Jody
Feldman
through
telephone
and
Skype.
This
collaboration
between
a
children’s
author,
a
college
professor,
and
pre-‐service
teachers
is
one
that
has
excited
and
motivated
all
the
participants
to
read
more
children’s
literature,
and
to
examine
how
one
writer
hones
her
craft.
Jody
began
each
interview
with
a
description
of
her
background
and
how
she
came
to
write
children’s
books.
From
there,
the
interview
was
guided
by
the
questions
posed
by
both
the
pre-‐service
teachers
and
their
instructor.
Presented
here
is
a
compilation
of
six
interviews
over
a
one-‐year
period.
JF:
I
often
begin
my
school
visits
by
asking
the
audience
to
choose
their
future
relationship
with
writing.
By
a
show
of
hands,
I
ask
for
those
who
want
to
be
writers
when
they
grow
up,
those
who
want
to
incorporate
writing
into
their
occupations,
those
who’d
rather
take
jobs
where
they
didn’t
have
to
write,
and
those
who’d
choose
to
never
write
anything
ever
again.
I
disclose
that
when
I
was
in
school,
I
didn’t
want
to
write
again.
So
when
I
started
college,
I
majored
in
psychology.
I
Sharryn
Larsen
Walker
is
an
was
good
at
helping
my
friends
with
their
problems,
so
what
assistant
professor
of
Literacy
in
could
have
been
more
perfect?
But
after
taking
a
couple
the
Department
of
Education
at
courses,
I
was
bored
out
of
my
mind.
I
thought
about
Central
Washington
University.
She
different
degree
options.
Since
I
was
at
the
University
of
primarily
teaches
courses
in
Missouri,
with
one
of
the
best
journalism
schools
in
the
children’s
literature
and
literacy
country,
I
decided
to
take
advantage
of
that
program.
The
methods.
Previously
she
served
as
disconnect
here,
however,
was
in
journalism,
one
has
to
faculty
at
Stephens
College
and
as
write.
I
decided
to
focus
on
the
advertising
end
of
the
a
clinical
associate
at
the
program,
which
didn’t
seem
as
intimidating,
and
I
found
I
University
of
Missouri.
was
good
at
it.
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