Today, I’m excited to share a new book by Tanya Konerman and Melanie Cataldo that came out in May, Mud to the Rescue! How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive. Tanya graciously provided us some information about herself and the book.
Please tell us a little about yourself!
I’m a children’s author, writing fiction and nonfiction in both prose and verse for kids ages 0-12. My debut picture book, Mud to the Rescue! How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive, is a lyrical nonfiction look at the ingenious ways animals around the world use mud. It came out on May 20, 2025, from Web of Life Children’s Books. My ghost story for 9-12 year-olds, “Danger in the Dunes,” was chosen to represent Indiana in the anthology for middle graders, The Haunted States of America, published by Macmillan’s Laura Godwin Books in 2024. I am also a freelance writer and editor, and have been for over thirty-five years.
I live in the beautiful woods of southern Indiana, and enjoy outdoor adventures in Indiana and the Southwest, including hiking, white water rafting, and birdwatching, as well as indoor time reading and puzzling.
What inspired you to write this book?
Being an animal lover, I’m always fascinated with animals’ lives and how they are each a part of nature in their own ways. While reading about some favorite species, I discovered a common thread: hundreds use mud for various reasons in their lives, including to protect their skin from sun or parasites, to build homes, to eat as a stomach aid, to secure their nests or offspring, and even to have fun! Once I started researching, the hard part was deciding which animals to focus on while writing, because they are all so unique and interesting!
Did you encounter any challenges along the way?
Definitely. I’ve been researching and writing on this idea for eight years in various forms, trying to find the right combination of information and presentation. The story has been browsable nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, informational fiction, nonfiction in prose, and nonfiction in free verse. I’ve also completed a couple of R&R’s for editors, with the book making it to Acquisitions but being ultimately passed on, by Marketing in one instance. After this happened, I decided to step back and reevaluate, deciding to revise the story to make the book FUN, using free verse with lots of alliteration and onomatopoeia and focusing on fewer well-known animals who use mud in similar ways.
What do you hope readers will take away from this book?
I’d love for readers to see that animals encounter problems in their lives and can figure out ways to solve them, just like kids can. Some of their clever solutions are ingrained or taught, while others they figure out themselves. I’d also love for readers to enjoy learning more about these animals, and use that as a jumping off point for being curious about all animals, especially ones they see around them.
Book Title: Mud to the Rescue! How Animals Use Mud to Thrive and Survive
Author: Tanya Konerman
Illustrator: Melanie Cataldo
Publisher: Web of Life Children’s Books
ISBN: 9781970039092
Release Date: May 20, 2025
Find the Teacher’s Guide on the Web of Life website
Are there any other projects you’re excited about right now?
Yes! I am currently signing a contract with a publisher for another picture book (TBA 2027) focusing on animals and conservation (shhhh!). I’ve also been reworking a historical fiction picture book to be more contemporary, and am branching out into writing a free verse book for middle graders.
How can people get in touch with you or follow you on social media?
My website is a good way: www.tanyakonerman.com. I have a free monthly newsletter that people can subscribe to on there as well.
I’m also on socials:
BlueSky: tanyakonerman.bsky.social
IG: @tanyakonerman
Facebook: @Tanya Coats Konerman
Bonus question – Feel free to choose one of the following questions to answer if
you’d like to. When and where do you normally write?
I work from my home, surrounded by forest. I’m able to see and hear birds, deer, squirrels, raccoons, turkeys, turtles, frogs, and so much more all around me as I write. On warm days, I take my writing outside. In winter, I write early, 4am or 5am to start. In summer, I often switch that around to coincide with being able to write outside in nature.
Thank you so much for spending time with me talking about your new book, Tanya!
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Click here to read the previous author interview.