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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
How Could She Leave?
Trigger warning: This post contains content about suicide. Please, if you or someone you love is struggling, reach out for help. Suicide is preventable. People care about you, and there is help. One place to try is the Jed Foundation. It’s Poetry Friday! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) Although my topic today is
The Great Kindness Challenge
January 23–27 is the Great Kindness Challenge, and I hope you’ll read this beautiful article from Bookology about the kind of change this can inspire at your school. You don’t have to go all hard core, of course. Start small if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Maybe a simple bingo card or checklist of things students could
Box Your Shadow, Block the Sun — and Happy New Year!
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) I hope you had a beautiful Christmas/Hanukkah/winter celebration! I’ll share a few pics from mine next week :>) So, this month, our Poetry Princess challenge was the box. I don’t remember who suggested this, but we decided we could use a poetic form
Happy Holidays, Teachers!
Classroom teachers, librarians, media specialists, volunteers, home schoolers, tutors, and educators of all kinds, I hope you are finding some well-deserved rest and joy during this busy time. As the old year spins into the new, please know that your work is so important, and I’m grateful for you. Classroom Connections will return in January!
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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