I volunteer as a School Reading Partner through my local school district. My job? Reading one-on-one each week with two first graders I’ll call Eva and Nick. Although the program provides reading materials, the selection is limited. So each Friday, I bring in a big bag of books hoping some …
Hello everyone! If you don’t know me, I’m someone who enjoys a good laugh and today’s book, PIG THE WINNER by Aaron Blabey, delivers more than just a chuckle. My wife and I were in a bookstore and I saw this one, read it, and had to buy it, because …
I’m on deadline this week and, like virtually every project I’ve ever done, woefully behind. I’ve come to the conclusion that this is just the way I work. I start slowly and ramp up the speed and productivity the closer the deadline gets. So as a kind of cop out, …
This spring marks the debut of one of our loyal subscribers, Danielle Dufayet. I couldn’t be happier to talk with her about her book, You Are Your Strong (Magination Press/illustrations by Jennifer Zivoin). In a minute. First, here’s what I like about this one. As we all know, kids often …
The Fox on the Swing written by Evelina Daciūtė and illustrated by Aušra Kiudulaitė is translated into English from Lithuanian. It is quirky, odd, unexpected, and delightful. This book is charming and unique. The text is chatty and clever. The fonts change and morph into the illustrations creating a seamless …
I’m a lifelong Wisconsinite. And while I’ll never wear a cheese head, I do have an affinity for all things Wisconsin. Cows. Overalls. Fish fries. So I’m pleased to introduce a Wisconsin-made picture book today. EASTER ELF is written by Rochelle Groskreutz, who resides in Mukwonago, and illustrated by Leah …
Today, A Little Chicken, written by yours truly and illustrated by Dan Taylor officially flies the coop! Dot is the star of A Little Chicken. The first sentence tells the reader a lot about Dot. This is what Kirkus had to say about A Little Chicken: “The effortless prose rises …
Today I’m over-the-moon to announce the release of my new book (March 12) — A COMPUTER CALLED KATHERINE: HOW KATHERINE JOHNSON HELPED PUT AMERICA ON THE MOON, illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison. Long before the Hidden Figures movie and book (2016) introduced many people to Katherine Johnson, A COMPUTER CALLED …
Introducing characters can be tricky. What do we want readers to know about them? And how do we reveal these traits? In Baabwaa & Wooliam, author David Elliott takes the direct approach. He begins the book by introducing each character in turn, accompanied by Melissa Sweet‘s dignified portraits (click on …
Do you know how many people have walked on the moon? (Hint: check out the post title.) That’s right! Only twelve astronauts—ever—have visited our beautiful moon. You’ve probably heard a lot about the moon’s first guests, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and their famous Apollo 11 landing. Yet most people …