Young adult novelist Stef Wade has an outdated library book and her four-year-old son to thank for her picture book A Place For Pluto, which received honorable mention in the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ Tofte/Wright Children’s Literary contest. Here, in her words, is how that came about:
The day my four-year-old son checked out a planet book from our local library, I was in the throes of revising a
young adult novel in hopes of agent
Stef Wade
representation. There were no plans in my head to write a picture book, let alone, begin a career in that genre. When the outdated library book
listed Pluto as a planet, I had to let my son down easy.
“Aw buddy, Pluto isn’t really a planet anymore,” I said with resign.
“What?” he replied. “That is SO sad!”
In that exact moment, an idea formed. It formed so quickly, I ran to my computer after he fell asleep and wrote A PLACE FOR PLUTO from beginning to end. At the first word, it was meant as a story to read to my son, by the last, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had something special.
So when I finally connected and signed with my agent, Christa Heschke of McIntosh &
Otis, for my young adult work, about two months later, I added in a “by the way, I have this
picture book…” to our conversation. She was on board and the search for a publisher for Pluto
began!
A PLACE FOR PLUTO may have been my first picture book, but hasn’t been and will
certainly not be my last. As the daughter of an early elementary teacher, I have a passion for
picture books that tell and teach. I love connecting with teachers, librarians, and educators and
have had the time of my life visiting schools all over the Midwest this past year talking about
space, belonging, and following your dreams.
My next picture book, LANCE COTTONWOOD IS AFRAID TO FALL, releases in Fall 2020,
relaying the story of the best student leaf in the class who excels at everything but is afraid of
his final exam…falling.
I am so honored to receive honorable mention for the Tofte/Wright Children’s Literary
Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers, alongside Patricia Sutton. Over the span of this
last year, my lifelong dreams of becoming a published author have become a reality and to be
recognized amongst so many great authors in the state of Wisconsin puts the cherry on top of
an unbelievable year.
For more information on school visits, appearances, and what’s coming next, please visit
me at www.stefwade.com.