The first thing Lisa Bullard wanted to be when she grew up was a shoe sales clerk. When that didn’t work out, she pursued her dream to be an award-winning writer. Her first publication came in grade school with a letter to a local newspaper. It took almost thirty more years for Lisa to see her first book in print. Not Enough Beds!, a picture book, was published in 1999. Two years later she won a Children’s Choice Award for Trick-or-Treat on Milton Street. Lisa has also written several nonfiction series, including the “Animal Opposites” books, which won a 2007 Teacher’s Choice Award.

Lisa began her acquaintance with the bookmaking process by working in the publishing industry for sixteen years. That background, combined with her own writing experience, gives her a unique perspective on how the book business combines artistry with industry. Now a full-time writer, Lisa also coaches new writers, teaches writing classes, and helps other writers to market their work more effectively.

Lisa is also part of the COMPAS “Writers & Artists in the Schools” program and makes numerous school visits to talk with students about writing and publishing. Her newest book features many of the activities she developed while working with these hundreds of student writers. Called You Can Write a Story: A Story-Writing Recipe for Kids, it takes young writers step-by-step through the story creation process.

Lisa lives in Minneapolis, with one cat who thinks he’s a dog, and a tailless cat who is shaped like a bunny.

Lisa says: “One of the best reviews I've received came from a five-year-old. Her grandmother explained to me that the little girl had enjoyed my first picture book so much that she had memorized the entire text—all 225 words!—and happily ‘read’ the story all by herself. Halfway through reading the book one day, the girl stopped. ‘But Grandma,’ she asked, ‘just what is a hubbub?’ ‘Hubbub’ is a celebration-dazed, noisy, overfull, lovely-to-say-out-loud word—the one perfect word for that point in my story—and the word I had to work hardest as a writer to make fit. What a tremendous feeling for me to know that I have introduced a word like ‘hubbub’—and many other equally wonderful words—to kids I might never meet face-to-face.”

This easy-to-follow story-writing recipe will take young writers step-by-step through the creative process. They will learn how to mix ingredients like characters, settings and action. They will stir them up to create conflict. They will cook up a beginning, a middle, and an ending to a story. Finally, they can follow the book’s advice on how to treat their family and friends to a feast of the imagination. It's a recipe they can use again and again!

Trick-or-Treat on Milton Street
illus. by Joni Oeltjenbruns
Carolrhoda Books, 2001 (paperback, 2004)
Ages 4-8, ISBN 978-1-57505-793-4

Charley is sure that Halloween will be ruined: he’s in a new neighborhood with nothing but old people, his mom is sick, and his new stepdad is a goofball! But Milton Street has more than one holiday surprise in store.

Awards
International Reading Association/Children's Book Council, Children's Choice Award; Storytelling World Awards, Honor Title; National Parenting Publications Children's Resources Silver Award

Not Enough Beds!
illus. by Joni Oeltjenbruns
Carolrhoda Books, 1999 (paperback, 2004)
Ages 4-8, ISBN 978-1-57505-797-2

When all the relatives show up for Christmas Eve, there aren’t enough beds for everyone. Follow along with Zachary as he works his way alphabetically through his zany family members and the hilarious places they end up spending the night.

Each title explores a high-interest, action-packed topic through simple text and reinforcing photographs.

Cranes (2007)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-6007-4
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-5895-8

Hovercraft (2007)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-6421-8
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-6427-0

Lowriders (2007)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-6379-2
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-6423-2

Powerboats (2004)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-0744-4
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-9921-0

Stock Cars (2004)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-0694-2
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-9922-7

Supercross Motorcycles (2007)
hardcover ISBN: 978-0-8225-6010-4
paperback ISBN: 978-0-8225-5898-9

Each title illuminates the concept of opposites through fun facts about twelve pairs of animals, accompanied by stunning color photographs.

Big and Small Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4273-0

Fast and Slow Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4274-7

Long and Short Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4275-4

Loud and Quiet Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4276-1

Smooth and Rough Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4277-8

Wet and Dry Animals
ISBN 978-0-7368-4278-5

Awards
Learning magazine: Teachers’ Choice Award for the series

To reinforce the concept of different colors, each title highlights a single color using eye-catching photographs and simple nutritional information. A child-friendly recipe completes each book.

Brown Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5380-4

Green Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5381-1

Orange Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5382-8

Red Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5383-5

White Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5384-2

Yellow Food Fun
ISBN 978-0-7368-5385-9

Simple stories illuminate basic concepts such as “time” and “families” to give young readers a better understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Marvelous Me
ISBN 978-1-4048-0042-7

My Body
ISBN 978-1-4048-0043-4

My Day
ISBN 978-1-4048-0045-8

My Family
ISBN 978-1-4048-0044-1

My Home
ISBN 978-1-4048-0046-5

My Neighborhood
ISBN 978-1-4048-0047-2