Monica Kulling

Readings

My aim is to present the art of writing biography in such a way that kids realize that the facts of a person’s life, even their own, make for an interesting story depending on how these facts are crafted.

I talk about how I came to write biography. How do I decide on the person I will write about? My first biography was the life of Amelia Earhart — more specifically, her disappearance. What facts did I need to write this story? Research is key to writing biography. All facts must be backed up by two reliable sources. If you choose to write about someone alive, an interview is essential. I then read one of my inventor books. It’s A Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph is geared for an older age group, up to grade five, while All Aboard! Elijah McCoy’s Steam Engine is for a slightly younger audience. When I write about an invention, I am more interested in what made the inventor tick than in how the invention works or the ultimate success of the invention. Struggle is the story. Success is the happy ending.

I ask the kids to think of someone they’d like to write about. What are the most interesting facts about that person? Fiction techniques are very much the tools a biography writer uses to bring a person to life. The facts gain colour and dimension, through dialogue and accurate description. You write your way into your subject’s life by imagining life as they lived it.

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Biography

MONICA KULLING was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and received a BA in creative writing from the University of Victoria. She has published over 30 books for children, including picture books, adaptations of classic novels, movie tie-ins, and biographies. Known for introducing biography to young children, Monica has written about, among others, Harriet Tubman, Houdini, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Amelia Earhart. Monica’s first Canadian book, It’s A Snap! George Eastman’s First Photograph was voted an OLA 2009 “Best Bets” selection. It is nominated for a 2011 Silver Birch Award. Monica Kulling lives in Toronto, Canada.