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A Finding Family Book Trailer and Teaching Guide!
In less than a week, my second picture book coming out this spring will be here! Here are two resources for you: a book trailer and a teaching guide. Hope you find them helpful! [My Classroom Connections posts share a way to connect one of my books or poems to a classroom
Where Time Goes: Ekphrastic Poems from the Poetry Sisters
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Before my poem draft, I’m sharing a video about my membership Facebook Group (subscriptions handled through Patreon). If you’re writing poems or picture books for kids, you might find it interesting. Okay, the Poetry Sisters wrote ekphrastic poems this month–poems inspired by art.
An Activity Sheet for Severe Weather Awareness Week
Sometime in early spring, most states celebrate Severe Weather Awareness Week. If you’re talking with students about weather and storms soon, you might like to use this activity sheet for the life cycle of a thunderstorm. I made it to go with my forthcoming book (March 28), Zap! Clap! Boom! Just click, and a downloadable
The Idea and A Poem Grows Inside You
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Howdy, everybody! Thanks for all your well wishes–my back is feeling better! It’s been a super busy February so far with author visits, my 35th wedding anniversary <3, freelance deadlines, and endless promotion for my 3 spring books. But I’m really trying to hang in
I’m Late for National Umbrella Day, but…
[PS for Pre Script? Please see Rose Capelli’s wonderful review of Finding Family here.] Okay, I admit I missed National Umbrella Day on February 10. But it’s never too late to celebrate. Here’s the book trailer for my forthcoming board book, Puddle Song! I adore that giant rainbow umbrella on the cover (art by Monique
Somewhere, Mom Is Sewing
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) This week, I’m sharing another Poetryaction. There’s a lovely new book by Nancy Bo Flood out called Walking Grandma Home. Click here to read my post about it from Wednesday. And here’s my poem. Although I wrote it about my own mom, horrific world news
Walking Grandma Home
Hi, Educators! Usually on Wednesdays, I share something related to one of my books and how you can use it in your classroom or library. This week, though, I want to share about a new picture book by someone else–the lovely Nancy Bo Flood. Nature and compassion are the two themes I think about when
Lydia Lukidis and Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench
From Laura: Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Lydia Lukidis is one of those kidlit bloggers who is always so generous about celebrating other authors’ books (including mine). Plus she’s an all-around lovely person. And when I read her new book from Capstone, Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of
Celebrating National Weatherperson’s Day with a Book Trailer and a Thank You!
This Sunday is National Weatherperson’s Day! I’m celebrating by sharing my book trailer for Zap! Clap! Boom! and giving a big old shoutout to meteorologist Paul Douglas, who read my manuscript several times for accuracy and gave me lovely feedback. Paul is not only a meteorologist. He’s also an author (have you read his
Fixing What Rips–a Cascade Poem
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I’ve been dealing with some back pain–what the heck? I’ve never had back pain and don’t have any idea what I’ve done. But anyway, I was soaking in a steaming hot bathtub last week and totally flaked on the live write for the Poetry Princesses.
Finding Family Is Not ONLY a STEM Book
This piece first appeared in my January 2023 Small Reads e‑letter for educators. Subscribe here. On March 7, my first 2023 book will come out: Finding Family: The Duckling Raised by Loons. Because it’s nonfiction, the publisher (Lerner Books) will probably emphasize the science aspect when it markets the book. That makes total sense! And
Figure It Out, Henri Weldon, by Poetry Friday’s Tanita S. Davis!
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Poetry Friday is famous!!! Okay, maybe not actually famous, but it’s got a big role in Tanita Davis’ (y’all know she’s one of my Poetry Sisters) JUST-PUBLISHED middle-grade novel, Figure It Out, Henri Weldon. From the publisher: “Seventh grader Henrietta Weldon gets to switch school
Oooh, It’s a Book Trailer!
I’ve got three books coming out in March, and I can’t wait to share them with you! Here’s the first one, coming out March 7 with Millbrook/Lerner. It’s a STEM book, but so much more, too! (More on that next week.) The book trailer goes live today! Lerner’s sharing the video (conceptualized by me and
Five Fall Favorites, a Poetryaction
Happy Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Whee! My blog MIGHT be receiving comments. If you’re willing, would you try commenting? It could be very brief! Thanks :>) I’ve really missed comments the past couple of weeks. [Note: If you get an error message, no worries. I’ll know the problem still exists.]
You Can Give Mittens, Even If You’re NOT Knittin’
The holidays may be over, but there are still kids who need mittens to warm their hands. There’s a fun feature in the Statesboro Herald from December that encouraged families to take a field trip to buy some mittens to donate. Give them to a homeless shelter or a school teacher to pass along to
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Are You Looking For?
Go to my Poetry page for:
- National Poetry Month projects through the years
- Small Reads Roundups (poems grouped by topic)
- Introductions to several favorite poetry forms