Small Reads for Brighters Days
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 […]
December is a rough time of year for anybody who’s feeling sad or left out. That makes it the perfect time to share We Belong, with its message of belonging and inclusivity. You could also print out this lovely mini-poster and display it, using it to jump start a discussion on belonging. [My Classroom Connections […]
In September, I visited Scotland with my husband, sister, and brother-in-law—and our daughter Maddie joined us for a couple of days in Edinburgh. I’m so grateful to have had this trip. Whenever I’m lucky enough to travel, I think about what people all over the world have both in common and in difference—and how to […]
Welcome, teachers, to the first Classroom Connections post of the new school year! I’m so glad you’re here! First things first, I have to tell you—I’m NOT here. I’m off the grid for the first half of September, but I hope you’ll enjoy these posts anyway! :>) So many educator friends have talked about the […]
It’s been a couple of months since We Belong came out, and I’ve been remiss about sharing a few nice things. A Kirkus review: “The overarching message that all are equal and belong on this beautiful planet Earth is enhanced by the final observation that when we learn from each other, we grow. Aguilera’s […]
Hi, educators and writers! Today, I’m delighted to be featured in children’s author/puppeteer/blogger/lovely human Lydia Lukidis’ Blissfully Bookish series. I hope you’ll skip on over there to find out what scared me about writing this book, what author I do or don’t want to have dinner with, and my single best marketing tip and revision […]
My biggest hopes for We Belong are that it gets used to spark good discussions and to create community. So I’ve created a template for you to use with your students to write a classroom or family poem. I used this template at the book launch and on some recent author visits with K-1 classes. […]
Howdy! Tonight’s the night! I’m celebrating sending We Belong out into the world with a virtual book launch event hosted by Red Balloon Bookshop (St. Paul, MN). The celebration is completely free, though of course you can order a personalized signed copy of the book if you like. I’ll be happy just to see some […]
Happy Poetry Friday! Welcome, everyone, to the Roundup! (Wondering what Poetry Friday is? Click here.) It’s been so nice to see some new people joining in and blogging these past couple of months. We are a welcoming community, and I hope you feel that and reach out with any questions you have! Well, it’s only […]
My next picture book comes out soon, and I can’t wait to start sharing it. It’s called We Belong, and it’s illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera and published by Carolrhoda Books. Here’s a graphic featuring Carlos’ gorgeous art to wet your whistle! Want a downloadable, printable, 18″ x 24″ poster similar to the graphic above? […]
