Today’s interview with author Henry Herz celebrates the book birthday for his latest book, I AM SMOKE, illustrated by Mercè López. I hope you are reading this post while enjoying a lovely slice of cake topped with candles so you can appreciate smoke in your own home. When you’ve finished your cake, be sure to order your copy of I AM SMOKE, which will appeal to your nature-loving side as well as your love of imagery.
Henry is offering one lucky winner a picture book critique. I’m in an online critique group with Henry, and I can assure you this is a wonderful prize! Comment on the blogpost to enter the giveaway.
What age is your target audience?
I AM SMOKE is for older picture book readers aged six to eight. Though like any good picture book, it is intended to appeal to older readers as well.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by many things in the natural world. I love how much personality dogs possess. I’m amazed that you can cut a piece off of a succulent, stick it in the ground, and grow a brand new succulent. That’s like making a whole new person from just a finger! The range of defense mechanisms employed by animals is amazing—from camouflage to squirting ink to being poisonous to mimicking predators. I AM SMOKE was inspired by human ingenuity. Smoke is something we’ve all seen. Yet across the world and through the centuries, people have put smoke to an astonishingly wide array of uses.
What’s something you hope readers will take away from your book?
I’d love for readers to see how all people are linked through time and geography, and to look at the natural world a little differently. As Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell said about I AM SMOKE, “A fascinating, refreshing, and beautifully atmospheric take on something often taken for granted. I’ll never look at smoke the same way again!”
What’s next for you?
Upcoming events and book launches include:
-Moderating a DragonCon panel with actors from Netflix’s Norsemen series.
-Launching my contemporary magical realism early chapter book, THE MAGIC SPATULA from Month9 Books.
The middle-grade #ownvoices anthology from Albert Whitman & Co., COMING OF AGE: 13 B’NAI MITZVAH STORIES, will feature my sci-fi/humor short story, Bar Mitzvah on Planet Latke.
-The adult horror anthology from the Denver Horror Collective, THE JEWISH BOOK OF HORROR, will feature my short story, Demon Hunter Vashti.
-The young adult horror anthology from Blackstone Publishing, THE HITHERTO SECRET EXPERIMENTS OF MARIE CURIE, will feature my short story, Cheating Death.
-Highlights for Children has purchased two of my stories, but I don’t know when those will come out.
To connect with Henry and find out more about books:
Blog: https://www.henryherz.com
Twitter @HenryLHerz IG https://www.instagram.com/henry_herz/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Henry.Herz
Laura Roettiger Books 
I had never thought about all the uses of smoke and am so intrigued by this story! Looking forward to reading it.
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Thanks for reading, Susan. Yes, an interesting take on something we are all familiar with. Good luck in the giveaway.
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This is wonderful! I knew that Henry was prolific, but I honestly didn’t know HOW prolific he was! I can’t wait to read I AM SMOKE. I am looking at smoke a bit differently already! Thank you for sharing, Laura!
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Thanks for reading, Ellen. Unfortunately I’m dealing with a lot of smoke in the air and my eyes are not happy. Looking forward to reading this too. Good luck in the giveaway.
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What an intriguing subject! I just know my kiddo will be interested in hearing more about the many uses of smoke. Thank you for sharing!
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Thanks for reading, Heather. Yes, I am very intrigued as well. Good luck in the giveaway.
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What a fascinating and important topic—something I certainly don’t often think about, aside from smelling wildfire smoke (and having a dad who smoked cigars), yet there it is—a by-product of one of our five elements. Eager to get my hands on this book. The cover is beautiful and the content, I am certain, will be as well!
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Carmela, thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. I agree, it looks gorgeous and it’s a compelling topic for sure!
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I canNOT wait to read I Am Smoke. It sounds delightful.
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Joyce, thanks so much for reading. Good luck in the giveaway.
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Thankfully, our air is clear at the moment. This book is on my TBR list. Looking forward to reading it!
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This book looks so intriguing! I can’t wait to read it with my kids. Congrats on all of your successes Henry!
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Thanks for reading, Jennifer. I’m always happy to find unique picture books and I think Henry has a winner here! Good luck in the giveaway.
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Congratulations Henry, you really do have a lot of irons in the fire!
Looking forward to reading I AM SMOKE
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Aly, thanks for reading and sharing a pun. 😉 Good luck in the giveaway!
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This sounds like a creative approach to an unusual topic. It’s exciting to find picture books that surprise the reader!
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Thanks for reading, Janet. Yes, a special skill to create the ‘surprise.’ Good luck in the giveaway.
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Being in Northern California with so much smoke and sooty air this season, this is such a timely topic! I also love the POV that really livens up the topic!
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Thanks for following the blog and sharing your thoughts. I’m in Colorado and we’ve been seriously impacted by the California fires so I can’t imagine what it’s been like for you. Such an important topic and I love Henry’s creative POV.
Good luck in the giveaway.
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I just love reading these posts. I’m so excited about all you have coming up, Henry!
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Thanks, Lauren! I didn’t realize how much Henry had coming up either! Good luck in the giveaway.
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I am enjoying all the creative nonfiction books being published. I would have read more nonfiction as a child if I had access to books like I Am Smoke. This book has inspired me to take another look at my manuscript and rewrite it from the inanimate object’s POV.
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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Good luck in the giveaway.
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