Where do you find inspiration? Barbara Herkert found it growing near her home. Here she shares how she brought the source of her own inspiration to young readers in THIS OLD MADRONE TREE. GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below to be entered to win a copy of THIS OLD MADRONE TREE! And congratulations to … More Mining for Heart: “Uncovering Strength, Resilience and Hope” by Barbara Herkert
Kids love animals—especially the weird ones! Elizabeth Shreeve shares a science book for ages 7-10 that celebrates one of Earth’s most unique group of critters. The Teacher Guide comes with “The Adaptation Game,” a fun, card-based activity developed with STEM experts. GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment after the post to enter the drawing for a copy … More Especially for Educators: “Passive to Active: Using a Game to Engage Students with Nonfiction” by Elizabeth Shreeve
It’s always hard to approach an expert to ask for their time and expertise. And when you don’t have a track record and published titles to prove you’re bonafide, the real deal, worthy of trust, it can be truly daunting. In this post, debut author Becca McMurdie shares her approach and the sample letter that … More Behind the Scenes: “How to Get an Expert Interview for Your Nonfiction PB” by Becca McMurdie
With a goal of writing a book for kids about volcanoes using lyrical language, author Nell Cross Beckerman not only researched for information, she also used her own and gathered more sensory input. Here’s how using her senses paid off in writing VOLCANOES. Congratulations to Claire Annette, winner of Lori Alexander’s giveaway of a picture … More Behind the Scenes: “A Sensory Recipe for Writing Nonfiction” by Nell Cross Beckerman
Transforming a pile of information into story is a challenge. And then when you think you’ve done it, you learn it’s not working as you’d hoped. In this post, author Lori Alexander shares how she continued to revise until the story came alive. Her examples are informative, and the tips she leaves us with are … More Behind the Scenes: “A Biography’s Journey: From Dry to Lively” by Lori Alexander
If I asked you to name a detective, I’d likely hear Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, Dick Tracy, and maybe even Allan Pinkerton… BUT…I’m willing to bet no one would mention Kate Warne. I’m hoping HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: KATE WARNE AND THE RACE TO SAVE ABRAHAM LINCOLN might change that and shine some … More Cover Reveal! Hiding in Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln
Sometimes a large professional conference can be as puzzling as that famous cube with all the squares. Never fear, author Kerry Aradhya, has some tips to help you make the most of a conference opportunity. AND…she’s offering a GIVEAWAY to one lucky person who comments on the post below—a copy of ERNO RUBIK AND HIS … More Behind the Scenes: “How to Navigate a King-Size Conference” by Kerry Aradhya
Sharing the past can inspire the future! In her new book, author Melissa Mwai gives young readers a peek into the Harlem Renaissance, and in this post, she shares three activities for the classroom to build understanding of the time, make use of nonfiction text features, and extend learning. Leave a comment below to get … More Especially for Educators: “Harnessing the History of the Harlem Renaissance” by Melissa H. Mwai
Think back…do you have a favorite piece of furniture from your past? One that comes with precious memories? One that’s part of YOUR story. But what if that special piece of furniture could share ITS story? Author Cathy Stefanec Ogren’s latest book is just such a tale, and here she shares how she found the … More Mining for Heart: “How a Little Red Chair Sparked a Picture Book” by Cathy Stefanec Ogren
In an article I wrote recently for GROG Blog about my experience with illustration notes with THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE, my look back over the editorial revision process showed that when the text was clarified, the notes weren’t needed. In this post, Maria Marianayagam shares a very different experience. Once again, there are no … More Behind the Scenes: “Why Art Notes Can Make or Break a Manuscript” by Maria Marianayagam
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 