Category: Especially for Educators

blog posts directly related to teachers and classrooms

Especially for Educators: “Connect Texts Across Time, Place, and the Human Experience” by Ann McCallum Staats and Beth Anderson

October 9, 2026

Author Ann McCallum Staats and I both celebrated a book birthday on 9/29/26 with the release of A QUILT OF STARS and THE PATRIOTS AND THE POX! As two former teachers, we know the best way to celebrate is with educators. These two books might appear to have nothing more in common than science and … More Especially for Educators: “Connect Texts Across Time, Place, and the Human Experience” by Ann McCallum Staats and Beth Anderson

Especially for Educators: “Celebrate All Kinds of Minds in Your Classroom” by Keila Dawson

August 14, 2026

NO BRAIN THE SAME is the third book in a terrific series that I would have loved to have had when I was teaching. You can find posts on the previous two on this blog here: NO WORLD TOO BIG and NO VOICE TOO SMALL. In this article, author Keila Dawson shares a GIVEAWAY! To … More Especially for Educators: “Celebrate All Kinds of Minds in Your Classroom” by Keila Dawson

#AmericanRevolution250 + Especially for Educators: “The Big Why” by Roxanne Troup

May 1, 2026

A great way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States is to encourage children to ask big questions about the founding—especially the WHYs! Every time I dive into researching a topic in this fascinating era, the WHYs open the way to deeper understanding and connection. In this post, author Roxanne Troup shares a … More #AmericanRevolution250 + Especially for Educators: “The Big Why” by Roxanne Troup

Especially for Educators: “What To Do When the Information Keeps Changing” by Elaine Kachala

April 24, 2026

Writing about current technology presents the challenge of how to keep up with ever-changing information. In this post, author Elaine Kachala puts the future in the hands of students with capable imaginations and critical thinking skills. GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of BUILDING HOMES FOR ALL by Elaine … More Especially for Educators: “What To Do When the Information Keeps Changing” by Elaine Kachala

Especially for Educators: “From Story to STEAM: Building Project-Based Learning from Picture Books” by Lindsay Moretti

October 3, 2025

If you’re not familiar with Lindsay Moretti’s endeavor for educators called KIDLIT GROVE, please…read on! In this post, she shares her process of using picture books as a springboard for creating Project-Based Learning (PBL) units. I totally agree with her—books don’t end with the last page! GIVEAWAY! Lindsay is offering winner’s choice: a free 1-month … More Especially for Educators: “From Story to STEAM: Building Project-Based Learning from Picture Books” by Lindsay Moretti

Especially for Educators: “Who Helps You Shine? Embracing a Growth Mindset to Reach Your Dreams” by Lisa Rogers

September 19, 2025

Here’s another fantastic book from one of the Kid Lit for Growing Minds members! In this post for educators and librarians, author Lisa Rogers, a former library teacher, shares how WOODY’S WORDS: WOODROW WILSON RAWLS AND WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS can be used as a springboard for students to practice a growth mindset. GIVEAWAY! … More Especially for Educators: “Who Helps You Shine? Embracing a Growth Mindset to Reach Your Dreams” by Lisa Rogers

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 3” by Beth Anderson

August 15, 2025

I felt like this last part should be titled “From whence it came and where it goes,” but that just seemed a bit unwieldy. Every manuscript I tackle teaches me more about researching, so I often add a note on what was special in the back matter—sometimes a short note, sometimes longer. It’s valuable for … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 3” by Beth Anderson

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 2” by Beth Anderson

August 8, 2025

Though much of the fascinating information I glean from research never makes it into the story, some of it earns a place in back matter if it has the potential to engage and benefit educators, librarians, parents, and, most of all, young readers. Images and graphics are always a favorite! GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 2” by Beth Anderson

Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 1” by Beth Anderson

August 1, 2025

As I worked on the back matter for what hopefully is book number twelve, I thought about all the fabulous kinds of information that awaits teachers in these often overlooked sections. I’ve explored back matter in posts and gatherings for writers, but I’ve never done it from an educator perspective. SO… I decided it was … More Especially for Educators: “Back Matter Bounty for the Classroom: Part 1” by Beth Anderson