Author Interview and GIVEAWAY with Charlotte Offsay about The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Katie Rewse

Interviews 6 Minutes

Hi Math is Everywhere Readers,

Today is full of fun, hope, and inspiration as we get to chat with my friend, and wonderful author, Charlotte Offsay about her new picture book The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Katie Rewse.

 

Head shot Photo by Natalia L Photography

Book description:

Cora is excited to enter the local sandcastle-building contest―until the contest is canceled due to litter at the beach. Determined to help save their favorite place, Cora and Mama get to work picking up the single-use plastics that have washed onto the shore. It will take more than four hands to clean up the beach, but Cora is just getting started.

Kaitlyn: Hi Charlotte, thanks so much for being here today!

Charlotte: Hi Kaitlyn, thank you so much for having me and for featuring The Big Beach Cleanup today! It is a treat to be interviewed by such a kind and generous friend and member of the kidlit community! 

Kaitlyn: You are too sweet, thanks again for being here. To start us off, can you share how you came up with the idea for this book?

Charlotte: The heart of The Big Beach Cleanup stemmed from a desire to write a story that empowered children to be the change they want to see in the world and to know that they don’t  have to be superheroes to take action and make a difference. It took me a while to find the right way into this story but one morning while walking my children to school I stopped to pick up a piece of trash and toss it in a nearby trash can. My simple action sparked endless questions and big conversations around where trash goes when it is dropped on the street and the impact litter has on our beloved beaches, animals and planet. We spoke at length about the importance of doing our part and inspiring others around us to do the same. That day I went home and wrote the first draft of what would eventually become The Big Beach Cleanup!  

Kaitlyn: Wow, I love that so much. We talk a lot about being the change you want to see, and this book will definitely spark that for many many kids, I believe! Can you share why you think this book is so important to share with our little ones? 

Charlotte: I believe that it’s important to empower our children with the knowledge that they are never too small to make a difference and they have the power to join hands with those around them to make it happen. It is my hope that The Big Beach Cleanup inspires readers to join hands with Cora and help make the changes our oceans and planet so desperately need. I also hope that readers are inspired to think about the changes they want to see in the world, to know that they can make a difference, and are encouraged to join together with those around them to create those changes.

Kaitlyn: Yes yes yes! Working together is so important in the world, especially in publishing. Can you share who helped you bring this book into the world? Who was the editor you worked with and why did you enjoyed working with this editor? 

Charlotte: I was fortunate to get to work with Christina Pulles at Albert Whitman. Christina connected with my vision for The Big Beach Cleanup from the beginning. Her comments were kind, thoughtful and essential in making the story what it is today. Christina encouraged me to create more conflict for Cora in her attempts to gather the community to help her and to see the importance of an ending that went beyond the sandcastle competition. She also selected the perfect illustrator for our book, the talented Katie Rewse who is an ocean advocate herself!

Kaitlyn: That’s the best when you find the perfect person to help! (And note to self, readers, more conflict, always!) You have another wonderful partner who helps you get your books into the world. Can you share who your agent is and why you enjoy working with this agent?

Charlotte: I am represented by Nicole Geiger of Full Circle Literary. Nicole is a dream agent. She is communicative, kind and a true teammate. She pushes me to write beyond where I think I can go, she involves and walks me through every step of the submission/publication process, she takes the time to entertain and think out all of my ideas and is thoughtful about my career as a whole. As a former editor herself she also provides invaluable advice well beyond just the book contract!

Kaitlyn: It sounds like you found the best partner! Can we dive a bit into marketing? This book is all about beaches; did the marketing plan change because of COVID? If so, can you share how? 

Charlotte: COVID has certainly forced authors to walk a different path in the world of book marketing! Fortunately though, I have been able to do a lot of marketing for The Big Beach Cleanup virtually. From blog tours, to a virtual book launch with my favorite local independent bookstore, Children’s Book World LA, to author panels with NJSAL and UCLA Extension, to virtual school visits there has been a lot to do from the comfort of my own home. That said, I look forward to being back with kids in person and hopefully organizing some in person clean up events with my favorite local ocean advocacy non-profit, Heal the Bay.   

Kaitlyn: I can’t wait to hear all about those clean ups and get involved in my community, as well. I’m so glad you’ve been able to continue marketing virtually, too. Can you offer some advice for up-and-coming authors?

Charlotte: I believe that the best work comes from the heart and writing about what you care most about in the world. My advice is to write about what you are passionate about, write the books you want to see in the world and surround yourself with a strong support system – publishing can be a rollercoaster!

Kaitlyn: So very true! Can you each share a bit about your next book(s) and/or projects you’re working on now?

Charlotte: I have two other upcoming picture books. How to Return a Monster is being illustrated by Rea Zhai and is coming out this September from Beaming Books. How to Return a Monster is a story about a child’s attempts to reverse course when a new baby joins the family. A Grandma’s Magic is a picture book celebration of grandmothers and all the ways in which they are “magical.” It is being illustrated by Asa Gilland and published with Doubleday Books for Young Readers in Spring 2022. 

Kaitlyn: Oh, those sounds wonderful; I can’t wait to hear more about them soon! Finally, if you could spend a day with your favorite author or illustrator, would you sit by a fireside and chat or go out on an adventure together?

Charlotte: What a fun question! I am a big Julia Donaldson fan and would love to spend the day going on a long walk with her and sitting outside for a picnic while soaking up all her author wisdom/magic! 

Kaitlyn: That sounds amazing! Count me in! Thanks so much again for joining us and sharing such wonderful insight today!

Links to buy The Big Beach Cleanup

Signed copies: https://www.childrensbookworld.com/big-beach-cleanup-signed-copy

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books/the-big-beach-cleanup/9780807508015

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0807508012/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sin?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sin-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0807508012&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Bio 

CHARLOTTE OFFSAY was born in England, grew up in Boston, and currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two small children. Through her work, Charlotte hopes to make children laugh, to inspire curiosity, and to create a magical world her readers can lose themselves in time and time again.

Charlotte’s debut picture book, The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Kate Rewse will be published by Albert Whitman in Spring 2021, followed by How to Return a Monster, illustrated by Rea Zhai releasing Fall 2021 with Beaming Books. A Grandma’s Magic, illustrated by Asa Gilland will be published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers in Spring 2022.

Learn more about Charlotte’s work at charlotteoffsay.com and follow her on Twitter at @COffsay and on Instagram at @picturebookrecommendations. Charlotte is represented by Nicole Geiger at Full Circle Literary.

Kaitlyn review of the book 

Giveaway 

Would YOU like to win a SIGNED copy of The Big Beach Cleanup (US only)? 

Here are all the ways to get into the giveaway (each one is an extra entry):

  1. Comment on this post
  2. Share in the comments below that you added The Big Beach Cleanup to your Goodreads “Want to Read” list and/or your Amazon Wishlist 
  3. Share in the comments that you ordered a copy of The Big Beach Cleanup
  4. Share in the comments that you did a purchase request for The Big Beach Cleanup at your library
  5. If you’ve read the book, share that you’ve left a critique on Amazon or Goodreads.
  6. Quote retweet my tweet about this blog post on Twitter and tag three friends.

Thank you all for reading and supporting such a wonderful creator!

If you haven’t checked out the #SpringFlingKidlit #donor appreciation, make sure to watch those hashtags to help thank our generous donors, and read some of the entries on Ciara O’Neal’s blog!

Published

45 thoughts on “Author Interview and GIVEAWAY with Charlotte Offsay about The Big Beach Cleanup, illustrated by Katie Rewse”

  3. Definitely sounds like a book for our times – children seeing how small things they can do can lead to big changes for our beautiful world! Best of luck with the book, and the two to come!

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  4. What a fantastic message for children—be the change ❤️ Loved hearing how this story came about from one tiny action. Thank you both for sharing this amazing interview! The book looks gorgeous and congratulations on those to come!

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  5. Empowering children is so important. Sorry but I’m going to bring up a hard subject. I’m particularly thinking about that at the moment after this week’s shooting of an unarmed 13 year old boy in my beloved Chicago. He was Latino just like 95% of my former students. We worked hard to help put them on a path to better education and making good choices. I’m still in touch with so many families and I know I made a difference.
    I can’t wait for in person events again so that you’re able to spread this message in a hands on way.

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  7. Thanks for letting us know more about Charlotte and her new book! It’s already on my “to read” list and I just tweeted in support. Congrats!

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  9. Congratulations, Charlotte! I love this message of empowering kids to be the change they want to see in the world. Can’t wait to read this book with MY kids!

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  11. Congratulations Charlotte and Katie. I have this on my GoodReads to read list and need to ask my library to purchase it. We don’t have many beaches here, but the woods, and parks need to be cleaned up too.

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  13. I am excited to share this book with my students. What a great topic to discuss with them as they begin heading to the beach. The book will also serve as a nice connection to an upcoming project we are participating in called #BackyardBio where my students will be closely observing nature. I have the title on my Goodreads “to read” list. Sadly, the book is unavailable at my local library at this time. I will keep trying.

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  14. I love this idea and have participated in highway cleanups around here. Maybe someday I will live close enough to a beach (my happy place) to participate in a cleanup there. I can’t wait to read this book and see how the author added conflict for Cora as she tried to get more helping hands. I have this book on my Goodreads TBR and have requested it at my library.

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    1. Aww love that, and what a great aspiration, beaches are so lovely, we just took Kiara to her first beach recently and.she loved it. Hope you get a chance to read this soon and thanks for helping do highway cleanups!

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  16. Looks great!! I did a Lake Michigan cleanup last summer and was appalled… this topic is definitely something I want to be important to my kid, and this book looks like a great way to accomplish that. I added to Goodreads as well.

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  18. Congratulations! Sounds like a great read as well as a great topic! We live about an hour and a half from the beaches in New Jersey. We always try to instill the importance of keeping our beaches clean! I will be sure to place this on my “to be read” list! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂

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  21. Sounds like a lovely book with a powerful message – each of us, no matter the size of the action, can make a difference. I loved reading about Charlotte’s inspiration for the story – proof that stories are everywhere, we just need to see them and bring them to life.

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  22. As a teacher and advisor, my FCCLA club adopted a project to help clean up our school (and our students loved our school janitor). They ask her, our janitor, what could they do. She recommended cleaning the outside of the lockers. And we did every Wednesday during my Leadership Service Learning class and after school. It took several weeks. We were a middle school of twelve hundred. Our whole school was affected and couldn’t believe that we were cleaning and undertook this project. It was a simple task but valued by the janitorial staff and the kids loved taking part, nor did they consider it beneath them. The outward effect is that others students wanted to help and be involved.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Omg I got the chills; this is amazing! And aren’t custodian’s just the best people ever? I love that your student s love and appreciate her and want to help. Thank you for helping them be all they can be; it sounds like you’re a phenomenal teacher. They will remember that experience their entire lives!

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