Diana Thistle

Children's nonfiction writer/ghostwriter

Canada

My specialty is taking children's nonfiction from concept to final copy. Whether you have a paragraph, an outline, or a first draft—bring me your vision, and we'll bring it to life.

I grew up reading Highlights for Children magazine every month, and that's where I sold my first children's piece, "Grow Your Own Sprouts," in 1998.

Since then, my writing for children has included books, magazines, activity card decks, test preparation passages, and STEAM articles for a subscription box company.

I majored in music at university, and I write for kids about music whenever I get the opportunity. STEAM is hot these days, and I like to think that I'm making the "A" in STEAM hotter by writing about the physics of music or the story of a musical invention.

But enough about me. I want to hear about YOUR ideas. What creation for children do you want to bring to life?

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Portfolio

Books

Cricket Media
2019
Melody and Harmony: Inspiration and Math

Cricket Media published my explanation of the physics of musical harmony in 2019. It's an 11-page ebook in PDF format. The piece was originally published as a magazine article, shown in this file.

Scholastic Canada
2008
Clever Manka

Scholastic Canada announced that they were looking for retellings of folktales. I proposed "Clever Manka," and they published it as part of their Moving Up with Literary Place series. Grade 5 reading level, 16 pages.

KidHaven Press
2003
Hippos

When I contacted KidHaven press, they happened to be looking for authors for their Animals Attack! series. I got hippos. Man, you will never see me go anywhere near a hippopotamus. 48 pages.

Card Decks

Chronicle Books
2004
Activity Card Decks

In 1999, I wrote half of the text for an activity card deck for author/editor Lynn Gordon. Over the next five years, I wrote the text for another seven decks under Lynn's excellent editorship.

Magazines

YES Mag
2003
Wild Medicine + Möbius Magic

I broke into this magazine with a magic trick using a möbius strip, and later sold them an article about zoo doctors for their zoos issue.

Odyssey: Adventures in Science
2002
Monster in my Basement + Dreaming Up Discoveries

For the Sleep and Dreams issue of this American science magazine for kids aged 10 to 16, I told of famous discoveries inspired by dreams, and I fictionalized one of my own lucid nightmares.

ELA Test Preparation passages

test preparation company
2019
CATcerto for Two Paws

Yep, that's Nora the Piano Cat, in her role as prerecorded soloist for an orchestral piece written just for her. I've written fiction, expository, literary nonfiction, drama and poetry for this Texas test preparation company, for grades 3 through 8.

test preparation company
2018
Martin's Marvelous Marble Machine

I get to choose my own topics for the test prep passages. So, another offbeat musical genius who became a YouTube sensation! Here is Martin's Marvelous Marble Machine.

test preparation company
2017
Poem: The Fibonacci Jive

I especially enjoy the poetry assignments. Need any children's poetry written?

STEAM and future

subscription box company
2019
STEAM-themed magazine articles

I've written a number of articles for a magazine to accompany a STEAM-themed toy in a monthly subscription box. There might be an article about the physics of the toy, a principle in physics, a short bio of a scientist, and a cartoon panel. I can't give samples, so I have given you another poem instead :) Email me with your project and let's get started!