This past October, I had the pleasure of meeting an author whose books I've admired for years- Russell Freedman- who spoke at the 26th Mildred Laughlin Festival of Books sponsored by the University of Oklahoma School of Library and Information Studies.

I've always thought of Russell Freedman as a biographer and historical writer but he prefers to call himself a "factual author." Either way, Mr. Freedman's award-winning books have been enriching learning environments of young people and inspiring people (and us children's authors) for decades.

A few of his almost 50 titles include, Lincoln: A Photobiography (Newberry Medal); Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery (Newberry Honor); and The Wright Brothers (Newberry Honor). Some of his recent titles include: Give Me Liberty!: The Story of the Declaration of Independence; and Defense of Liberty: The Story of the American Bill of Rights. 

Mr. Freedman, who delivered the 2006 Arbuthnot Honor Lecture for American Library Association, said he is always baffled by the question "Why do you write for kids?" He said, "I write for kids because I'm really writing for myself and for my fifth grade teacher (who told him he was a good writer), and for my parents. I figure if it's good enough for them, then it's good enough for kids . . . I write for myself and other kids like me . . . . a simple book for children can have an impact that very few adult books can have." He said, "Besides, adults are obsolete children and I say 'to Hell with them'!"

He said he gets ideas for his books by writing about what he wants to learn and about the people he most admires, like Eleanor Roosevelt and Louis Braille. (Did you know Louis Braille invented his system of printing and writing for the blind, using raised dots felt by the fingers when he was only 15 years old? Amazing!)

Mr. Freedman spends months doing thorough research before he writes a single word. Not only does he research on the Internet and in libraries, but also in person, even traveling to other countries and hiring drivers to track down people and places he is interested in. 

He said he believes in serendipity and that once when he was getting an exam by his doctor, his doctor asked him what he was writing. He told him he was writing about Eleanor Roosevelt and it just so happened his doctor was friends with someone who knew Eleanor's grandson. So a month later, he met with his doctor's friend and Eleanor Roosevelt's grandson! 
When asked how he goes about writing and collecting photographs for his books, he said he usually starts by writing two rough drafts. 

Then he looks for photos that amplify his text. He may find several hundred but narrows it down to a final 50 - 70 photos which he uses in his final book.

Then he writes his third and fourth drafts accommodating his text to the photos and likewise, the photos to his text. (For a perfect example of how his text and photos blend together like a delicious pastry, read his award-winning photo biography on Lincoln.) He said, "Every photo should make a point not mentioned in the text." 

He then puts a tag on every single photo showing where each is to be placed within his text, making sure that each photo is on the page with its corresponding text for the proper layout and design of the book. 

To show the importance of photos throughout his books, he shared a fan letter he received from a young boy. The boy had read his photo biography on Lincoln, saying it was very good and asking, "Did you take the pictures yourself?" Mr. Freedman laughed, saying he took that as a great compliment because he wanted to present Lincoln in a real way and that boy must have thought that he and Lincoln were best pals. 

While he wasn't around when Lincoln was president, he did say he was alive during the great depression in the 1930s. He draws upon his memory of this period in history, as well as upon being only five years old and finding his father crying like a baby, in his newest book, Children of the Depression, which was released this past November. 
 

Darleen Bailey Beard is the award-winning author of two picture books, two novels, and a chapter book.  Her latest novel, Operation Clean Sweep, is nominated for the 2007 Okalahoma Sequoyah Award.  Check out her web site: www.darleenbaileybeard.com