“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 […]
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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 […]
Read MoreGreat 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 […]
Read MoreStarting 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 […]
Read MoreBook 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 […]
Read MoreBreaking 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 […]
Read MoreRevisiting Misty of Chincoteague
This summer I went to a writing retreat (at the beach home of my friend and critique partner, Susan) on the pleasant shores of Delaware. The house was just north of Chincoteague and Assateague, the setting of my all-time favorite book from my elementary years, Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry. I hadn’t thought about the […]
Read MorePicture Book Biographies
Picture book biographies are one of the hottest trends in children’s book publishing. From mathematicians to ancient astronomers to obscure inventors, picture books are bringing inspiration and understanding about how real people impact the world in which they live. My published works are early reader biographies, so I have experienced researching and writing about people […]
Read MoreA Blizzard of Ideas: Storystorm, 2019
I was in the doldrums. It was the end of December and I had just completed my most recent writing project. My writing life stretched out in front of me. What, I wondered, would I write next? I had half-formed ideas for the picture books I wanted to write. The ideas were best when I […]
Read MoreThe Journey from Idea to Publication: Writing “Explorations in Science”
I am pleased to announce the publication of Explorations in Science: Independent Extension Projects for Gifted and High Ability Students. The book will help teachers differentiate instruction in their classrooms for their advanced learners. A companion volume, Explorations in Social Studies,is due out in January. Gifted education was my specialty during my teaching career. I […]
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