Originally posted on Writing for Kids (While Raising Them):
Skipping around the interwebs, I stumbled upon a magical discovery. Kate DePalma, Senior Editor at Barefoot Books, tweeted about their new Build-A-Story-Cards, and I gasped at the adorableness. Always on the lookout for tools to create better stories, I immediately seized the opportunity to investigate. I’m…
A magical dream world that readers will want to return to over and over again
It’s a good day for sailing. Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him. He spoke of a place where the ocean meets the sky. There, whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float….
A natural successor to Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
“…This charming and engaging celebration of life is a must-read and a must-have. A natural successor to Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go! that deals with navigating life’s ups and downs.” —Booklist From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Katherine Applegate, comes Sometimes You Fly, a sweet book of encouragement, filled with humor and insight…
Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan & Eric Fan (Quarto Kids)
We truly hope we don’t sound disingenuous whilst drooling over this incomparable picture book. We had been waiting for the Fan Brothers next offering with great anticipation and had seen glimpses, but now it’s in our hands we can’t begin to tell you what a treasure this is. Without doubt, this is positively one of…
Post-Storystorm Thoughts: Adam Lehrhaupt’s IDEA JAR
Originally posted on Writing for Kids (While Raising Them):
by Adam Lehrhaupt This is my idea jar. I keep all my story ideas in it. You know the ones. The same ideas we spend all of Storystorm coming up with. Our brilliant, wonderful, genius ideas. The ideas we will turn into fantastic manuscripts. Manuscripts that…
Illustrators Introduce a New Generation to Margaret Wise Brown
Originally posted on Young People's Pavilion:
HarperCollins Children’s Books announced the acquisition of New York Times bestselling and award-winning illustrators Anna Dewdney, Loren Long, Jerry Pinkney, Greg Pizzoli, and Christian Robinson to illustrate several works from Margaret Wise Brown, the beloved storyteller who brought us Goodnight Moon. Starting in 2016, readers are invited to…
A humorous and heartbreaking story about sisters, spies, and World War II
Originally posted on Young People's Pavilion:
Read this story on Daily Kos “At turns hilarious, at turns heartbreaking, Shawn Stout’s story shows us the damage that a whisper campaign can do to a family and a community, and at the same time shows us, each of us, a way to find our hearts. Frankie…
Character, Hook, Word Choice: 3 Craft Elements & 8 Hats by Tracy Marchini (plus a giveaway)
Originally posted on Writing for Kids (While Raising Them):
by Tracy Marchini I’ve worn a number of hats in my career—and for the most part I have always had at least two hats on at once. Now, I’m a children’s author who is celebrating her picture book debut, CHICKEN WANTS NAP, and a Literary Agent…
Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
An unsung hero and literacy champion whose teaching changed many lives. An excellent homage to an African-American woman who taught ahead of her time. – Kirkus Reviews In Mississippi in the mid-1800s, it was illegal for enslaved people to learn to read and write. Getting caught meant thirty-nine lashes with a whip as punishment. But…
How to Write a Descriptive Essay
What is a descriptive essay? The descriptive essay is a genre of essay that asks the student to describe something—object, person, place, experience, emotion, situation, etc., according to Purdue University. Create reader interest with a catchy introduction, reads page 167 of Writing With Power by Perfection Learning. The text suggests that you try out several…
