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W. NIKOLA-LISA, Author
W. Nikola-Lisa is a former elementary school teacher with seven years of teaching experience in public and private settings. He has a doctorate in elementary school reading and language arts, with a special interest in children's literature. For the last eighteen years he has taught at National-Louis University in Chicago where he works with teachers in an off-campus graduate program in curriculum and instruction.
He began writing children's books in the late 1980s, publishing his first book Night Is Coming in 1991. Since that time he has published eighteen picture books. Some of his most popular titles are Bein' With You This Way (1994), Shake Dem Halloween Bones (1997), Summer Sun Risin' (2002), Setting the Turkeys Free (2004)and How We Are Smart.(2006)
In addition to writing children's books, W. Nikola-Lisa also writes articles about children's literature which have appeared in the professional literature, including Language Arts, Children's Literature in Education, The Lion and the Unicorn, The New Advocate, Teaching and Learning Literature, and Horn Book Magazine.
How We Are Smart by W. Nikola-Lisa, Sean Qualls (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 9-12 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Lee & Low Books (May 1, 2006) 
ISBN: 1584302542 
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal After briefly explaining the theory of multiple intelligence's (there are eight basic ways to be smart), Nikola-Lisa introduces 12 smart people. These individuals represent a variety of backgrounds and range from well known (Thurgood Marshall, Matthew Henson, Georgia O'Keeffe) to less familiar (astronomer Annie Jump Cannon, Congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink, Native American poet Alexander Posey). Each colorful spread contains a portrait, a quote, a short profile, and a poem. .... the poems have an inviting, raplike beat and clearly convey the essence of their subjects' accomplishments. Each one ends with a summary of the person's strengths and talents and prompts readers to think about their own abilities and interests. For example, for Marian Anderson: Yes, Marian was smart–/gracious yet compelling;/her voice like a waterfall,/powerfully overwhelming./Are you smart like Marian? The striking paintings feature close-up portraits set against backgrounds that evoke important life moments. Done in paper, pencil, and acrylic, they skillfully incorporate angles, shapes, and shadows to create unique representations. Explanations of the different types of intelligence are appended, and readers are encouraged to think about how they might be manifested in their own lives. This creative blend of poetry, biography, and psychology might spur interest in some of these gifted individuals, and might also inspire youngsters to view themselves and others from a fresh perspective.–Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist A new take on the many recent collective biographies, this picture book for older readers celebrates 12 high achievers and their different ways of being smart--from artist Georgia O'Keeffe ("picture smart") and ballerina Maria Tallchief ("body smart") to physicist Luis Alvarez ("logic smart"). Each subject gets a double-page spread that includes a simple, rhyming poem, a personal quote, and a brief biography opposite a portrait, in muted colors, set against a background of elements that clarify the person's work. .... the poetry makes the concepts accessible ("she used movement to show / what she felt deep inside"). Readers will enjoy the individual stories; the repeated line at the end of each life story ("Are you smart like . . . ?") may even serve as an inspiration. The extensive back matter discussing the educational theory of multiple intelligence's is for adults, but there's plenty here for young people, too. Hazel Rochman Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
Setting the Turkeys Free by W. Nikola-Lisa Reading level: Baby-Preschool Edition: Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Jump Sun; (September 1, 2004)
ISBN: 0786819529
A young boy uses his hands, paint, sequins, and everything imaginable to make beautiful turkeys in his picture. Soon his imagination takes over, and the turkeys take on a life of their own. But Foxy the fox is on the prowl. How can the boy hold tight to the turkeys he loves and keep them safe from harm? A child's voice and bright bold artwork capture the sweetness and humor in this warmhearted story.
My Teacher Can Teach--Anyone
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Felipe Galindo
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Edition: Hardcover
Publisher: Lee & Low Books; (August 1, 2004)
ISBN: 1584301635 
To Hear the Angels Sing: A Christmas Poem
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Jill Weber Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding: 32 pages
Publisher: Holiday House; (August 1, 2002)
ISBN: 0823416275
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly A musical poem about Jesus' birth works in harmony with perky acrylic-and-watercolor pictures to sound a festive note. Relying on repetition, Nikola-Lisa's (Shake Dem Halloween Bones) words communicate the quiet anticipation and happiness of that holy night in Bethlehem: "Three wise men followed from afar,/ from afar, from afar./ Three wise men followed from afar/ the brightly burning light." Young readers will immediately warm to Weber's (Harp O'Gold) playfully tweaked perspectives, merry angels and cheerful stable-dwellers. Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Summer Sun Risin' by W. Nikola-Lisa, Don Tate Reading level: Baby-Preschool Edition: School & Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Lee & Low Books; 1st edition (February 1, 2002)
ISBN: 1584300345
From sunrise to sunset, an African American boy spends an activity-filled summer day helping his family on their farm. Feeding animals, mowing hay, picking vegetables, and eating freshly caught fish fill the hours. Set in Texas in the 1950s, Summer Sun Risin’ is Parenting Reading Magic Award winner W. Nikola-Lisa’s tribute to childhood, farm life, and family togetherness. Don Tate’s sun-drenched paintings depict the family’s daily activities and trace the sun as it travels across the sky.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly Adopting a laconic, rural voice, Nikola-Lisa (Bein' with You This Way) ... conjures up a compelling, comforting rhythm from the accumulation of small details: "Birds in the roost, kittens in the yarn, Cows linin' up down by the barn. Pa cracks the door, I swing it wide. Summer sun's shinin', floodin' inside." Ages 3-6. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
America (Lee and Low): A Book of Opposites/Un libro de contrarios by W. Nikola-Lisa Reading level: Baby-Preschool Edition: School & Library Binding: 24 pages Publisher: Lee & Low Books; (May 10, 2001)
ISBN: 1584300280
Text: English, Spanish
Illustrated by ten talented and ethnically varied children’s book artists, this new edition celebrates in words (both Spanish and English) and images what America is all about: diversity. Young children are led through a land of opposites, where they learn how to differentiate between high and low, wet and dry, and rough and smooth.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly Youngsters can celebrate differences, read Spanish and learn opposites in America: A Book of Opposites/un libro de contrarios by W. Nikola-Lisa, with 10 different illustrators. Each double-page spread, representing a different "land" in the United States, illustrates a pair of opposites in both English and Spanish. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Can You Top That? by W. Nikola-Lisa, Hector Viveros Lee Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Lee & Low Books; 1st ed edition (October 1, 2000)
ISBN: 1880000997
Children drawing animals on the ground at the park compete to see who has the most impressive one, from a fish with one fin to a horse with ten heads.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Opening pages wordlessly introduce a boy deeply involved in his sidewalk chalk drawings. A friend happens by, and offers the following, "Hey, I got a fish with one fin! Can you top that?" Each succeeding spread presents another child repeating the previous dare while adding a similar challenge. For example, "A fish with one fin-I got a mouse with two tails! Can you top that?" The fun ends when the sidewalk artist offers, "Why that ain't nothing. I got an elephant!" which he promises to produce as soon as the other children make good on their brags. Disappointed with his unimaginative dare, his friends scatter and the story ends with the winking child proudly taking a toy elephant out of his backpack. As explained on the copyright page, the innovative deep-color illustrations were produced in a complicated process involving pencil drawings, black India ink, and gouache. The end result is a woodcut effect. The children depicted are particularly appealing.... Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist ...the parade of crazy animals may spark readers to come up with their own inventive creatures. Kathy Broderick Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
HALLELUJAH : A CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION by W. Nikola-lisa Reading level: Ages 4-8
Edition: Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Atheneum; 1st ed edition (October 1, 2000)
ASIN: 0689816731
Describes the plum-purple sky, yew-green hills, silver strands of moonlight, and other colorful things which provide the setting for the birth of a black baby Jesus.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist "A black baby Jesus--Hallelujah !" That's the refrain in this joyful picture book that celebrates the birth of Christ with short, vivid, chanting lines and bright, rhythmic, color-block paintings in a style reminiscent of Jacob Lawrence. Everyone in the pictures is black--the Holy Family, the shepherds, the three kings bearing gifts--and the dramatic words and geometric pictures set the people in a universe of brilliant colors, elemental shapes, and powerful movement. Inside the stable there's "A toss of hay, / A fold of blanket, / A sky-blue scarf, / and a black baby Jesus." Outside are green hills, a purple sky, a slate-gray donkey, a red velvet canopy, and a host of angels in many colors presiding over the splendor. The text is great for reading aloud, and the pictures will appeal to the felt-board crowd, as well as to a more sophisticated audience. Saint James' illustrations for Karen English's Neeny Coming, Neeny Going (1996) won her a Coretta Scott King Honor, and here again she expresses a universal theme with a childlike simplicity. Hazel Rochman Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
The Year with Grandma Moses by W. Nikola-Lisa, Grandma Moses Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st ed edition (October 15, 2000)
ISBN: 0805062432
A collection of paintings and memoirs by the American folk artist describing the seasons and their related activities in rural upstate New York.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Nikola-Lisa's careful selections and spare approach effectively convey the spirit of this self-taught, spirited woman. For more information, readers may consult Zibby Oneal's Grandma Moses (Puffin, 1987). It would be interesting to pair The Year with Grandma Moses with Barbara Cooney's Miss Rumphius (Viking, 1982). Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist This series of 13 paintings by Grandma Moses celebrates the seasons in rural America. From spring to spring, her paintings evoke hard work and simple pleasures in a way that is full of heart but free of sentimentality. The author casts his readership net wide by incorporating two parallel texts--one is his own narrative aimed at the picture-book set, the other, which shares excerpts from the painter's memoir, is better suited to middle-graders. His narrative loosely links the images in a seasonal cycle of harvests and sleigh rides, while Moses' reminiscences offer crisp details of doing laundry, feeding the farmhands, and sugaring maple syrup. Randy Meyer Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
America: My Land, Your Land, Our Land by W. Nikola-Lisa Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Lee & Low Books; 1st ed edition (June 1, 1997) 
ISBN: 1880000377
Rhythmic text and illustrations by fourteen different African-, Hispanic-, Asian-, and Native-American artists evoke the characteristics of the landscape of the United States.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Each of Nikola-Lisa's contrasting word combinations "Wood Land/Farm Land," "Wet Land/Dry Land" are set on juxtaposed pages beneath a picture drawn by one of 14 contributing artists. This format gives children the opportunity to extend the varied images with their own poems, essays, stories, and drawings... Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Shake Dem Halloween Bones by W. Nikola-Lisa Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Paperback Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; (September 29, 1997) 
ISBN: 0395730953
Paperback: (August 26, 2000)
ISBN: 0618070346
It's Halloween night. The city is quiet. The city is still. But as the lights go down, the music comes up - and the guests start to arrive at the hip-hop Halloween ball! And oh, what a party it is. Told in hip-hop rhyming text, L'il Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Tom Thumb, and all of their fairy-tale friends come together for a rapping, stomping, shaking Halloween romp.
Editorial Reviews
From Horn Book "The rhythm is infectious. . . . This should keep the storytime set jiggling to the last scoo-bee-doo-bee-doo-wah. Yeah!"
From School Library Journal This is a nicely designed book, from its endpapers (saffron at the beginning, cobalt at the end) to its simple, homespun typeface. It truly conjures up a lovely summer's day on a farm, and can be used during storytimes or as a cozy one-on-one bedtime story. Anna DeWind Walls, Milwaukee Public Library Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Tangletalk by W. Nikola-Lisa, Jessica Clerk Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Dutton Books; 1st ed edition (April 1, 1997) 
ASIN: 0525453997
In a zany tale filled with wordplay, rhymes, and riddles, a man lives in a topsy-turvy world where the city is May, the month is Boston, babies fly, his socks simmer in a pot, and his chair dashes up the chimney." Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal Inspired by verses from Peter and Iona Opie's The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren (Oxford Univ., 1959; o.p.), the author describes a day in Old Boston where everything is topsy-turvy. A top-hatted young man and his feline companion observe their upside-down world at home, in the city streets, and at the park. The book begins and ends with the phrase, "'Twas in the month of Boston,/In the wonderful city of May,/The snow was raining wildly,/The streets were dry and gay." In-between, readers discover a delightful barrage of rhyming nonsense verse highlighted by detailed double-page artwork. The meticulous watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings are flavored with intricate Victorian details. An enjoyable trip through a very strange day.Barbara McGinn, Oak Hill Elementary School, Severna Park, MD Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews An agreeably nonsensical, prettily illustrated tale in verse, where ``the flowers were singing sweetly,/The birds were in full bloom. -- Copyright 1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Till Year's Good End
by W. Nikola-Lisa
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Edition: Board book
Board book: 32 pages
Publisher: Atheneum; (October 1, 1997) 
ASIN: 0689800207
One Hole in the Road
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Dan Yaccarino Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: School & Library Binding Publisher: Henry Holt & Company (September 1, 1996)
ASIN: 0805042857
This raucous counting book takes a light-hearted look at the ever-increasing chaos of road construction. The text is simple enough for young readers learning their numbers and funny enough to keep older children amused. Bold, vibrant illustrations capture an all-too-familiar scene in a book that is built to last.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal A counting book with a minimal, singsong text?"One hole in the road, Two flagmen waving, Three sturdy barricades warning passersby" that traces city workers' attempts to repair a hole in the road. The illustrations are done in a simple cartoon style with subdued colors on acid-free paper. Multicultural workers of both sexes scurry throughout the pages with their wrenches and shovels in hand, to no avail. At the end, 10 of them look down into a hole that's just as big as it was before. The layout is spacious and each double-page spread is well balanced in its design. The orange-and-black stripes of the barricades decorate the back cover?a nice touch. Sure to be popular with toddlers. Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist A single hole in the road causes considerable commotion in this clever counting book that is reminiscent of Eve Merriam's Bam Bam Bam (1995), or even Margaret Wise Brown's classic The Noisy Book, in its action-packed city setting.... oh, my! Who would have thought decaying urban infrastructure could be such fun? Michael Cart
From Kirkus Reviews A smart, funny piece. (Picture book. 2-6) -- Copyright 1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Bein' With You This Way by W. Nikola-Lisa Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Audio CD Publisher: Live Oak Media; Book & CD edition (January 1, 2003) 
ISBN: 1591125995
Hardcover Publisher: Live Oak Media; Bk&Cassett edition (September 1, 1999)
ISBN: 0874995469
School & Library Binding Publisher: Lee & Low Books; (March 1, 1994)
ISBN: 1880000059
In a rap-style prose poem, expressively illustrated in colored pencil, a racially mixed group of children enjoying a sunny day at the playground discovers the virtues of racial diversity and, at the same time, the basic identity of all human beings. --
Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews An exuberant story in which a little girl invites others on the playground to join in celebrating their differences in appearance; as they slide and swing, play chess and checkers, examine nature, rollerblade, run, and play leap frog, they acknowledge that they have light or dark skin, curly hair or straight, eyes of blue or brown, and so on--which may be ``perfectly remarkably strange'' but is also ``delightful, simply out-of-sightful.'' The cheerful faces and colorful outdoor scenes in Bryant's vibrant paintings harmonize so well with the bouncy rapping that children will clamor for an immediate reread; a second time round could be a natural opening for discussions of physical differences, which in turn may lead to talk about other kinds of similarities and differences. (Picture book. 3-8) -- Copyright 1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
From Publishers Weekly Bryant's full-page, ginger-toned watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations give the book its buoyancy and warmth. Ages 2-8. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --
From AudioFile In a multicultural world, our differences are our strength. Echoing this message, BEIN' WITH YOU THIS WAY is a playground rap about the marvelous physical differences among people of different ages and races that make us all unique and yet, ultimately, the same. Shayla Narvaez's exuberant performance of the rhythmic text is enhanced with music and a chorus of children calling out the response lines. Listeners will demand repeat performances! T.B. AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright AudioFile, Portland, Maine --
No Babies Asleep
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Peter Palagonia
Reading level: Baby-Preschool
Edition: School & Library Binding
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; (May 1, 1995)
ASIN: 0689318413 
Night Is Coming (Picture Puffins)
by W. Nikola-Lisa, Jamichael Henterly
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Edition: Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Puffin Books; Reprint edition (May 1, 1997)
ISBN: 0140562281
School & Library Binding: Dutton Books (January 1, 1991)
ASIN: 0525446877
Describes the sights, sounds, and sensations of the coming of night to the countryside.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly A child imagines everything and everyone on her grandfather's farm settling down at nightfall, in a soothing bedtime story complemented by glowing, full-color artwork.
1, 2, 3, Thanksgiving by W. Nikola-Lisa, Robin Kramer Reading level: Ages 4-8 Edition: Paperback, Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company; (September 1, 1996)
ISBN: 080756110X
Hardcover Publisher: Sagebrush Bound;
ISBN: 0613757165
A Thanksgiving counting book depicting the numbers one through ten through scenes of a family preparing for the holiday.
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist. This counting book leads children through Papa's one fat turkey, Mama's two pumpkin pies, and so on as the family sits down to a Thanksgiving feast. "Straightforward and pleasing, this picture book will fit into many Thanksgiving read-aloud sessions."
Presentations
I spend the greater part of the year traveling around the nation visiting schools and libraries on a regular basis. Typically, I am invited into a K-5 building to talk with students about my writing, either by classroom,r grade level, or multi-grade level grouping. All of my presentations are filled with elements of storytelling, puppetry, music, and lots of artifacts from my publishing experiences.
My goal in visiting school is to bring the world of publishing to life: I juggle scarves to show who's involved in publishing a book; I play the harmonica to show the importance of rhyme and rhythm; I tell stories to explore the world of character. Students and teachers will walk away both entertained and informed.
I also visit community public libraries and offer a 45-minute presentation followed by book sales of selected titles and enough time to sign each book purchased.
Program Fees
Please contact me directly about fees as they are dependent upon travel time, lodging needs, and number of schools/days involved. I typically offer 45-minute assemblies to grades K-2 and 3-5. For larger schools, where three assemblies are necessary, I offer author programs to grades K-l, 2-3 and 4-5.
I also conduct public library presentations and family reading programs.
W. Nikola-Lisa
4908 N. Paulina
Chicago, IL 60640-3419
Phone (773) 802-4832
mailto:nikolalisa@earthlink.net
Website http://www.nikolabooks.com
10/03/07 date this page was last edited Click HERE to return to state page