Rebecca’s book came out last week and she graciously answered a few questions, so check out the interview below.
Rebecca, please tell us a little about yourself!
I write books about science and nature for kids. My love of nature traces back to my childhood. I grew up in the Pennsylvania countryside and played in the woods constantly.
That early connection with nature led me to study the life sciences in college and then to go on to graduate school. Early in my career, I worked as a plant biologist. But after I had children, I realized I wanted to share my love of science and nature with others, and I started writing for kids. I’ve written close to 100 books for children and teens, almost all of them on STEM topics.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was trying to write a picture book on pollinators, but ultimately the manuscript got rejected. You can read the full story here.
I finally decided to take the book in a different direction. Through my research on pollinators, I had found that I was fascinated by the diversity of pollinators with wings—bees, bats, hummingbirds. I decided to refocus and write a riddle book that explored different things with wings—and the different things that wings can do.
Did you encounter any challenges along the way?
The biggest challenge was teaching myself to write in rhyme. I had never done it before. It took a while to figure it out, and I wrote a lot of bad rhyme along the way. But I found I got better the more I did it, and now I love writing in rhyme.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
I hope they enjoy guessing the answers to the riddles. I hope they fall in love with Sally Soweol Han’s dreamy illustrations. And I hope the book sparks wonder about the winged things that share our world.
Have you developed any additional activities or teacher’s guides to extend the learning experience when reading your book?
A teacher’s guide is in the works!
Book Title: Wonder Wings: Guess Who’s Flying
Author: Rebecca E. Hirsch
Illustrator: Sally Soweol Han
Publisher: Abrams Kids
ISBN: 1419769251
Release Date: April 15, 2025
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snickett. I grabbed it from the YA shelf at my local library because I thought it looked interesting, and I love author’s voice. I also just finished Candace Fleming’s YA nonfiction book, The Enigma Girls, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?
I’m working on a follow-up riddle book on animal feet. It’s also illustrated by Sally Soweol Han, and it comes out next spring. I can’t wait to share that book next year!
How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?
They can contact me on my website, www.rebeccahirsch.com, and on Instagram @rebeccaehirsch. They can also read my newsletter at https://rebeccaehirsch.substack.com/.
Thank you, Rebecca!
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Read previous author interviews to learn about more newly-released books!