Picture Yourself Writing Poetry: Using Photos to Inspire Writing by Laura Purdie Salas Capstone Press, August 2011 32 pages Ages: 8 and up This title is one of the Picture Yourself Writing ____: Using Photos to Inspire Writing series, and it’s quite effective—it inspired me to write! Not only does it demonstrate how one can use images to get ideas for poems, it also
I have a confession to make. I’ve never been much of a journaler, my creativity has always been bursty, and I have never in my life had anything resembling a daily writing habit. But I really need one. “Need” is the right word, too. I almost wrote “should,” but that isn’t quite correct. It’s 1:30 p.m., and I’ve accomplished next to nothing so far
Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation by Jan Reynolds Lee & Low Books, September 01, 2011 40 pages Grades 3–4 I’ve always been fascinated by the Maasai, so I was pleased to see this book about their culture written for children, and this book didn’t disappoint. Straightforward text is combined with Maasai proverbs and beautiful photography
I had such a great time at SCBWI Western Washington’s Weekend on the Water retreat this year. Nestled in a cozy lodge-style resort on the Hood Canal, 49 other writers and I had the privilege of learning from superstars Arthur A. Levine and Linda Sue Park. I wanted to capture and share just a few of the nuggets of wisdom
Author Jean Reidy’s new picture book, LIGHT UP THE NIGHT (Hyperion, October 2011) was inspired by her connections to Uganda and its children, many of whom have been displace due to past civil war or orphaned by AIDS. To celebrate the release of the book and honor those children, she is holding an online auction to benefit literacy in Africa and
For many writers, November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a month-long commitment to creativity wherein writers turn off their inner critics and pound out a complete 50,000-word novel in 30 days. I’ve seen the results, and it’s nothing short of amazing. A self-imposed deadline can be very motivating, especially when shared with others! Alas, how could picture-book writers join in the
Odyssey does such a great job with their science magazine for kids. Check out the cover of this month’s issue for October 2011, with the theme “Slimes and Other Messy Science:” FUN, no? And here’s my article and activity, which appear on pages 20–24: Enjoy!
Some people think nonfiction is dry and boring. How can facts be fun, right? WRONG! Humor in nonfiction not only gets and keeps readers engaged, it can also help them retain the information longer. My fellow writers of nonfiction for kids (on the NFforKids Yahoo group and on Twitter) and I have put together a list of our favorite FUNNY nonfiction titles for kids. Here’s what
I’m absolutely thrilled to announce that I’ve been selected to serve as a judge in the nonfiction picture book (NFPB) category of the 2011 CYBILS (Children’s and Young Adult Blogger’s Literary Awards)! I write nonfiction picture books, so I read a lot of nonfiction picture books. Now, I get to help recognize the best of the best. Nominations have opened, titles are rolling
The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs: A Scientific Mystery (Exceptional Science Titles for Intermediate Grades series) by Sandra Markle (Author) Millbook Press (Lerner), October 2011 48 pages Ages: 9–12 From the publisher’s web page: Panamanian golden frogs aren’t just cute, little, and yellow. They’re also the national symbol of Panama. But they started to disappear about fifteen years ago. What’s killing them?