Created November 15, 2024 by Tanja Bauerle
Kim Tomsic is an award-winning, internationally published author of books for kindergarten-6th-grade readers. Kim also teaches writing classes for UCLA Extensions and the University of Denver. Her newest release, The Truth About 5th Grade, co-written by award-winning cartoonist Mark Parisi, is a laugh-out-loud diary that Kirkus Review describes as “Lively, fun, and deeply relatable.” Kim’s nonfiction picture book, The Elephants Come Home, illustrated by Hadley Hooper is on nine state reading lists and received the Norman A. Sugarman Honor, the Comstock-Gág Book Award, the California Young Readers Medal, the Keystone to Reading Award, and other accolades.
1. What is one thing we should know about you that's not in your bio?
I once owned a rabbit that thought it was a dog.
2. What should we know that will make us want to run out and get our hands on a copy of your book?
There are two sides to every story, especially in 5th grade. The Truth About 5th Grade is packed with drama, hijinks, and unexpected twists and turns. If you like fast page-turns + laughter + Diary of a Wimpy Kid, then this is the book for you! Reviewers are calling it a great choice for both reluctant and avid readers.
3. What is one thing you learned/discovered about your writing process or the publishing industry while you worked on this book?
How much fun it is to work with a co-writer! I've never co-written a book until I was paired with author and award-winning cartoonist, Mark Parisi. Working with a writing partner (especially one you've never met) can feel vulnerable. There's no time or space to be precious about your writing. You have to share messy first drafts, clunky ideas, and attempts at scenes that might go nowhere. I cringed when I first posted pages on our shared Google Drive. *Gulp* I thought. How embarrassing. But there was no time to be stingy with drafts. I needed to deliver pages, so that he could respond in kind. Mark never dogged my work (phew). And when I received pages from him, not only did I laugh so hard that milk blew out my nose (no joke) but I also doubled my energy. His ideas electrified me to get back to work. Mark and I were equally invested in the outcome. Add to that, Mark is a dream partner- gracious, tactful, funny, kind, and he has an awesome work ethic. That recipe made for an extremely rewarding experience. One of the greatest delights in collaborating was when I did things to chase his character up the proverbial tree and then watched as he untangled the mess I purposefully placed him (his character) in.
4. If you live in a scene in your story, what moment would that be and why?
I'd be at the Science Fair when the chaos unfolds. I love it when goals+stakes+drama collide!
5. Finish this sentence: I could never have written this book had it not been for...
the teamwork! I'm so grateful for Mark based on the reasons above; plus the main characters, Charli and Alex, have very unique and different voices and ways of seeing the world. Also, Mark and I have such an amazing editor, Dave Linker at HarperCollins. He's the mastermind who brought us together and guided us with space, trust, insights, fast replies, ideas, and a lot of encouragement.
In THE TRUTH ABOUT 5TH GRADE, Charli thought Alex would always be her BFF. From crushes to butterfly phobias, there’s never been a secret they couldn’t share. Charli even showed Alex the supersecret hiding spot for her diary. But when school starts and Charli learns that Alex has betrayed her by sharing her biggest, most secretest secret, she realizes that maybe her bestie isn’t so great after all. Meanwhile, Alex has no idea what he's done wrong. He doesn’t know why Charli’s not talking to him. He has no choice (right? RIGHT?) but to take her diary and try to correct the record. There are always two sides to every story.
Website: https://kimtomsic.com/
Instagram: kimtomsic
Facebook: Kim Tomsic