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SCBWI Member Videos: How to Apply for Awards and Grants

2024

Arizona

Nevada

Needle in a Haystack: How Clyde W Tombaugh Found an Awesome New World

https://www.dianephelpsbudden.com

This title is an in-depth look at ravens--physical characteristics, food and social habits, and their remarkable intelligence.  The special human/raven relationship is also explored. Over 32 four-color photos illustrate the text; also includes glossary, bibliography, and index. Panelist Pick of the 2013 Southwest Books of the Year.

The Un-Common Raven: one smart bird

https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Haystack-Clyde-Tombaugh-Awesome/dp/B0CNVB77J1/

Farm boy and self-taught astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh trained his homemade telescope on the planets. He drew the surfaces of Mars and Jupiter and shared his drawings with Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. Gadzooks! They hired him to search for a new planet! After 300 days of scouring the sky with a powerful telescope that could take photos, Clyde pinpointed Pluto’s location on February 18, 1930. His tenacity paid off— he found the last planet in the solar system. This 1280-word biography of Clyde W. Tombaugh is a confirmation of the twin pillars of success—passion and perseverance.

Soaring gracefully through Sedona’s blue skies, ravens are fascinating birds to watch, and display a cleverness that can be, yes, almost human in its use to gain food and shelter.  I wrote this story for children, "Shade: a Story About a Very Smart Raven," because I am amazed by these beautiful birds and the heart-warming connection possible between birds and humans.

The tale is inspired by a true story that local resident Emily Cory shared with the author. Emily based her master’s thesis on the feasibility of using ravens, much like canines, to assist search-and-rescue teams locate hikers lost in the desert.  Ravens are one of the smartest birds in the world, great at solving problems, and able to form strong bonds with humans. Ravens are also known for their excellent eyesight. 

Because there is little written for children about ravens, this book provides children with a new appreciation of these “backyard” birds found throughout Arizona, the West, and many parts of the world.

Shade; a story about a very smart raven

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