Behind the Scenes: “Making the Moment of a Calculator’s Invention Relatable for Kids” by Jan Lower

March 31, 2023

How do you make a story about math and electricity comprehensible and relatable for kids? Author Jan Lower knew she needed to “show don’t tell,” but how? Finding connections for elementary aged children in the main character’s actions and processes, she crafted each sentence to build a child-friendly and engaging text. Here’s how Jan did … More Behind the Scenes: “Making the Moment of a Calculator’s Invention Relatable for Kids” by Jan Lower

Behind the Scenes: “Discover the Victorious “V” in Voice!” by Caitlin DeLems

March 24, 2023

Voice—mysterious, essential, unique—that quality that every editor wants, the “flavor” bestowed by the author that makes a story come alive. Here Caitlin DeLems shares her struggle to find voice in her nonfiction book PITCH PERFECT AND PERSISTENT! THE MUSICAL DEBUT OF AMY CHENEY BEACH. And you’ll see that even Caitlin’s blog article has voice! GIVEAWAY! … More Behind the Scenes: “Discover the Victorious “V” in Voice!” by Caitlin DeLems

Mining for Heart: “Dishwashing Machine Inventor Josephine Cochrane, Original Boss Lady” by Kate Hannigan

March 10, 2023

Thank goodness for dishwashers! Did you ever wonder who created this time-saving invention? Here’s how author Kate Hannigan found a story of more than the invention.  And we have a GIVEAWAY! Just leave a comment below to get in the drawing for a copy of JOSEPHINE AND HER DISHWASHING MACHINE.  Dishwashing Machine Inventor Josephine Cochrane, … More Mining for Heart: “Dishwashing Machine Inventor Josephine Cochrane, Original Boss Lady” by Kate Hannigan

Mining For Heart: “An Outside-In and Inside-Out Look at Creating a Book” by Keila Dawson

February 24, 2023

If I was still teaching, I’d have both of these books in my classroom! In varied types of poetry, voices of kids speak out and invite all to join in their call to action. With a book like this, the challenge of finding the “heart” is different than in a narrative. This post from Keila … More Mining For Heart: “An Outside-In and Inside-Out Look at Creating a Book” by Keila Dawson

Especially for Educators: “Write to Persuade the USPS—Deborah Sampson Deserves a Stamp!”

February 17, 2023

As an educator, I always appreciated opportunities to connect learning objectives with real world action. And when those also connect to literature and an inspiring piece of history, even better! That’s why I was excited to hear that there’s a Forever Stamp campaign underway to honor Deborah Sampson. (And…we’re heading into Women’s History Month!) SPECIAL EDUCATOR … More Especially for Educators: “Write to Persuade the USPS—Deborah Sampson Deserves a Stamp!”

Behind the Scenes: “Searching for Just the Right Title” by Gretchen Woelfle

February 10, 2023

Once in a great while a title jumps onto the page. But mostly, titles are tough! Seldom is the title you start with the final one. It evolves with the writing and story. Here’s a post from Gretchen Woelfle about her quest for just the right title and how it became A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL BLAZES … More Behind the Scenes: “Searching for Just the Right Title” by Gretchen Woelfle

Mining for Heart: “Silence Your Inner Critic with the ‘So What?'” by Danielle Dufayet

January 6, 2023

We’re back! Welcome to 2023! What happens when your “so what?” or “heart” of your story is also the obstacle to writing it? “Drawing a blank” is agonizing to artists of all kinds and of all ages. Here Danielle Dufayet shares her latest book and how she battled her inner critic.  Danielle is offering a … More Mining for Heart: “Silence Your Inner Critic with the ‘So What?'” by Danielle Dufayet

Behind the Scenes: “Adding Doorways into Your Story for Broader Appeal” by Lindsey McDivitt

December 9, 2022

Here’s a fabulous post by author Lindsey McDivitt on how she used a “family story” and made it viable as a picture book manuscript by developing a plot with “doorways.” While some might call these by different names, such as hooks or layers, doorways is perfect, a way to welcome readers in. Read on to … More Behind the Scenes: “Adding Doorways into Your Story for Broader Appeal” by Lindsey McDivitt

Behind the Scenes: “Using Placeholder Words and Stanzas until the Lightbulb Moment” by Debra Shumaker

December 2, 2022

I absolutely loved Debra Shumaker’s book, FREAKY, FUNKY FISH, so when I learned of her new one, PECULIAR PRIMATES, I invited Debra back in hopes she might share something about it. Her topic in this post is valuable not only for authors, but educators, too! I get stalled way too easily and frequently on imperfect … More Behind the Scenes: “Using Placeholder Words and Stanzas until the Lightbulb Moment” by Debra Shumaker