18 Mar Chana Stiefel and LET’S FLY: BARRINGTON IRVING’S RECORD-BREAKING FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD Plus a Giveaway!

Another day, another amazing author and friend. I am thrilled to introduce you to Chana Stiefel. She is the author of MANY amazing books, but today we’ll discuss her collaboration with Barrington Irving and her book, LET’S FLY. As a reader, writer, and teacher, I love books that teach us about something or someone we didn’t know without being didactic. Yes! Non-fiction and biographies can be exciting and fun. LET’S FLY: BARRINGTON IRVING’S FLIGHT RECORD-BREAKING FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD by Chana Stiefel and Barrington Irving is exactly that.

EL: Thank you so much for coming today, Chana. Before we get too deep into the book, will you Tell us a little about yourself?

CS: Thanks for having me on your blog, Ellen. I’m so happy to be answering your questions. I live in northern New Jersey, though I grew up in Miami. I love to travel, hike, and visit museums and bookstores. I also love to swim. I’ve written several books (at least in my head) while swimming.

 EL: I think a lot of people want to know what it is like writing with a co-author. Will you tell us? Is it easier or more difficult, in your opinion?

CS: Collaborating on LET’S FLY with Barrington Irving was an honor and a pleasure. With his permission, I had originally written the story in third person. But after many drafts (and several rejections), I reimagined the story in first person, told from Barrington’s perspective—the challenges of his childhood in Miami, learning to fly, and ultimately achieving his dream of becoming the youngest person and first Black man to fly solo around the world.

It made sense for Barrington to be co-author, because it is, after all, his story. I interviewed him a few times to get the voice and details right, and we sent drafts back and forth for accuracy. Ultimately, we want kids to feel like they are sitting in the co-pilot seat next to Barrington as he shares his story. (You can hear him read it on the audiobook!)

EL: I love how you put your reader right in the co-pilot seat! Chana, you are so prolific and write in different genres. How do you decide what to write about and when?  

CS: Thank you, Ellen. I used to think my books were a window into my scattered brain, but now I think they’re a reflection of my many interests: my family, my Jewish heritage, my fascination with nature and science, my love of the outdoors, my sense of humor, and so on. My fictional books all stem from real-life experiences. For example, DADDY DEPOT, my debut about a girl who tries to return her father to the daddy store, started as a bedtime story with my daughter, who was mad at her dad. MY NAME IS WAKAWAKALOCH is about a cave girl who wants to change her hard-to-pronounce name (ahem!). I keep a running list of ideas as they come to me, and I write the ones I feel most passionate about. Of course, not all of my manuscripts see the light of day or become books. But some do, and it’s so thrilling when that happens!

 EL:   We talked about the date for this post. Next week is March 23. Will you explain why that’s important?  

CS: Sure! On March 23, 2007, Barrington took off from Miami on his round-the-world adventure, an anniversary worth remembering! When he left, he had only $30 in his pocket, he had no weather radar, and he didn’t know how to swim. But thousands of schoolchildren were cheering for him. So he climbed aboard his plane, called Inspiration, and took off! On June 27, 2007, after flying 26,800 miles in 97 days, with 26 stops in 12 countries, he landed safely and became a world-record breaker.

EL: Barrington’s such a fascinating and inspiring person. Where can readers learn more about him? 

CS: I agree! There’s a bibliography in the backmatter of LET’S FLY!, which includes a middle-grade biography that I wrote about him called SKY HIGH (Scholastic, 2012). Also, readers can watch this awesome interview with Craig Melvin, host of the TODAY Show, which aired on February 3rd. And also visit the websites of Flying Classroom, Barrington’s virtual STEM program for kids; Experience Aviation, his after-school, nonprofit aviation program for children; and BITTS: Barrington Irving Techincal Training School, where he teaches and mentors young adults for jobs in aviation. 

EL: I think the illustrations are perfect for your book. Did you get to communicate with your illustrator? 

CS: Thank you. I also love the illustrations by Shamar Knight-Justice. Having seen his work, I recommended him to Jessica Garrison, our editor at Penguin Random House, who agreed that he would be the perfect illustrator for this book. Thankfully, Shamar said YES! He’s amazing. As a school principal in Atlanta, he wakes up before dawn each morning to draw. 

Shamar and I never communicated directly during the illustration process, which is pretty common when creating picture books. I was able to give some feedback through our editor. Soon after the launch, Shamar and I met in person at a public school in New York City, where we presented LET’S FLY to a group of 4th graders. Penguin gifted each child a book and they were so excited.  

EL: Do you have a writing routine? If so, will you share it?

CS: This year, my husband and I are empty nesters for the first time. So I have less of a routine than I used to because my schedule is my own. I find myself writing whenever or wherever inspiration strikes, usually after coffee and exercise.

EL: What do you do when the words won’t come?

CS: Usually, a walk or swim will help. But often I’ll put my writing aside and help out a friend by critiquing their manuscript, or I’ll read and review some new picture books. 

EL: Do you have anything else in the pipeline that you can talk about?

Yes! My first middle grade novel—historical fiction based on my childhood growing up in Miami in the 1970s and ‘80s—is on submission. (It’s four years in the making! Fingers crossed!) 

And I’m so grateful that I have two more books coming out. HOW RUDE!, a nonfiction middle grade about animals that toot, spit, burp, and exhibit other “rude” behaviors to survive, comes out in Fall 2025 from Union Square. And I have a yet-to-be-announced picture book coming from Scholastic in Spring 2026. It’s my second collaboration with Susan Gal, who illustrated our award-winning book, THE TOWER OF LIFE. The illustrations are jaw-droppingly stunning! I’m in awe of her work and I can’t wait to share it with the world.

EL: Amazing!! Do you have any words of advice for aspiring kidlit writers?

CS: Never give up on your dreams. To quote Barrington, who inspires me every day: “The only person who can stop you from doing something great is you….Just take the first step. Whether you trip or stumble, you’re still moving forward.”

Visit Chana at her website, chanastiefel.com.

LET’S FLY is available on Bookshop.org or wherever books are sold.

EL: Thanks so much for joining us today, Chana! And now it’s time for a

Chana is happy to give away a signed copy of FLY: BARRINGTON IRVING’S RECORD-BREAKING FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD  to one lucky winner.  (U.S only) Just comment on this post to get in the running. Let me know if you are a subscriber or if you’ve shared the post in order to get an extra chance to win.

Until next time,

Ellen

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