Sally Lloyd-Jones, a British-born children’s book writer, moved to the U.S. in 1989 “just for a year or two” and stayed. Before writing books, Sally edited them, and freely shares her knowledge about the entire book-making process. In a presentation called “Collaboration Is Not Compromise,” Sally explains how she and artist Sue Heap worked closely together on Handbag Friends, and How to Be a Baby: By Me, the Big Sister (a critically acclaimed title that landed on the New York Times bestseller list and was also one of just six children’s titles cited as a 2007 Best Book by the New York Times). For youngest children, Sally uses Old MacNoah Had a Farm and Handbag Friends to encourage them to sing, laugh, dance, interact, and to see reading and books as a way of communing and connecting with others. With 4th- and 5th-graders, Sally enjoys demystifying the writing process with her workshop, “The Anti-Perfectionist Writing Approach: ‘Being Messy Is Good.’ ” With a slide show, she takes students through early drafts of her picture-book manuscripts, edited versions and the finished product, emphasizing the importance of trial and error. Sally has also written books for people of faith, and has numerous presentations and workshops for children and the adults who care for them, to encourage spiritual growth.
