Climate change is on the minds of everyone, including our children. Ellen Herbst, a UCSF psychiatrist and mother of two, suggests that the climate crisis is impacting the mental health of children and adolescents. She explains that children are, appropriately, being educated about climate change in many schools and learning about it in the news. […]
Finding the Heart of Your Story
I had the opportunity to spend a lovely day attending an inspiring workshop called “Creating the Hearts and Bones of Your Next Nonfiction Picture Book.” Sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI, the presenters were Colorado powerhouse writers Beth Anderson, Laura Perdew, and Julie Danneberg. These three women, who are prolific nonfiction picture book […]
Book Review of “Energy from the Earth” by Susan Wroble
As greenhouse gases warm the planet and the climate crisis looms, students are understandably concerned about the future. Students wonder what can be done to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and what the future of energy will look like. Susan Wroble’s new book Energy from the Earth (part of an educational series titled “Energy for the Future”) offers […]
The Best Children’s Books That Capture the True Spirit of Christmas
Part of the magic of Christmas is telling and sharing stories. Christmas picture books offer the opportunity to share the Christmas message with the children we love. The images and language in these special picture books convey the beauty and emotion of the season. Year after year, I seek out and collect children’s books that […]
Book Review: We Are Water Protectors
“We fight for those/ Who cannot fight for themselves. The winged ones/ The crawling ones, The four-legged/ The two-legged/The plants, trees, rivers, lakes, The Earth. We are all related.” We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade, is a powerful reading experience for children that highlights how water affects and connects all […]
A How-To Guide to Twitter Pitch Parties: Reflections by a Twitter Novice
Twitter pitch events provide a way to get the eyes of a potential agent on your work. The traditional submission process involves researching agents and sending off your manuscript— and can feel like a shot in the dark. At a Twitter pitch party, you put your precious manuscript out there, its essence squeezed into 280 […]
Great Lives in Colorado History Biography Series: Great on So Many Levels!
The “Great Lives in Colorado History Biography Series” offers Colorado’s 3rd and 4th grade students the opportunity to peek into the lives of some of Colorado’s most interesting personalities from the past. In a partnership among the Denver Public Schools Social Studies Department, the Colorado Humanities Organization, and publisher Filter Press, the 33 biographies were […]
Starting the Conversation: Using Picture Books to Talk to Children about Racism and Protest
We live in a time when we are confronted by the complexities of race and racial identity. The deaths of Black men at the hands of police officers has challenged our collective consciousness. Recent events have left me simultaneously heartbroken for the tragedies the Black community has endured for so long, yet optimistic that we […]
Book Review: The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
“This is for the unforgettable…and the ones who survived…and the ones who didn’t.”…“This is for the undefeated. This is for you. And you. And you. This is for us.”(from The Undefeated) The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander with illustrations by Kadir Nelson, is a powerful reading experience that highlights for children the history of African-Americans and the […]
Breaking Barriers; Inspiring Others: Author Julia Alvarez
In early November, I had the opportunity to hear Dominican-American author Julia Alvarez (say Hoo-lia!) speak about her life and books. Julia was in Denver to celebrate her book In the Time of the Butterflies, which had been chosen as the “Big Read” for the Denver Community for 2019. Since her first novel, How the […]