Jennifer, tell us about your award winning Penny and Rio mystery series.

My books are about the dynamic canine detective duo of Penny and Rio.  Penny is the highly inquisitive, busy dog that always needs to know what is going on. Rio is more laid back and really loves to eat and take a good nap in the sunshine.  But together they make a great detective pair.

In the first mystery,  Penny and Rio: The Mysterious Backyard Meeting, Penny and Rio must figure out why a group of animals is having a midnight meeting in their backyard.  Upon discovering their evil plot, Penny knows she must stop them, but will Rio help or is she more interested in napping?  In this book, children will learn that not everything is as it seems and that everyone should take care of their pets.

In the second book, Penny and Rio: The Locked Doghouse Mystery, Penny and Rio must help a small mouse, named Squeaky, retrieve his precious belongings from a locked doghouse next door.  With the help of the large and loveable Great Dane, Hobbes, Penny and Rio set out to complete the task. But will the get the doghouse open in time? And what exactly does Squeaky have hidden inside anyway?  In this book, Penny and Rio learn that they can do anything as long as they work together.

What attracts you to writing for kids?

I have always loved to write.  I started writing when I was five years old and have been hooked ever since.  I write for children because I remember the joys of reading when I was a child.  I was always eager to go to the library to get more books.  I think it’s important to keep kids reading and I enjoy being a small part of that push.  My favorite part about being a children’s author is to visit a school and share my books with the students. I really love watching them get so excited about my characters and joys of reading.  By the time I leave, a lot of them have said they want to be authors when they grow up.  I hope they do!

Why did you join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators?

The SCBWI is a fantastic way to connect with other children’s authors and writers.  They offer small discussion groups that cover a variety of topics as well as semi-annual conferences chock full of awesome information.  At these conferences you can meet and listen to agents and publishers as well as authors discuss their craft. It is extremely informative and a wonderful resource for a new writer.

Do you have any tips for writers who are unsure how to approach writing for a young demographic?

Go to the library and check out books that are the age level you’d like to write. If you have kids, see what they are reading and ask them about it. Why do they like it?  What is fun or interesting about it?  And research, research, research.  It’s a lot of work, but fun and in the end you’ll have a better idea of how to write to your age group.

Jennifer, are there any children’s authors that you admire?

I admire Clara Gillow Clark; she writes mid-grade historical fiction.  I’ve also always admired Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary since I grew up reading all of their books.

To learn more about Jennifer Swanson’s books, visit: http://www.pennyandrio.com/

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