Category: nonfiction

Behind the Scenes: “‘Twas a Long Time Coming: A New Look for Benjamin Franklin” by Gretchen Woelfle

October 20, 2023

One look at my bookcase will tell you I’m a fan of Benjamin Franklin. That man was into everything! For a writer, no matter what you want to share about him, there’s the challenge of focus, scope, and finding the best way to tell the story. In this post, author Gretchen Woelfle shares how she … More Behind the Scenes: “‘Twas a Long Time Coming: A New Look for Benjamin Franklin” by Gretchen Woelfle

Especially for Educators: “Five Fantastic Geology Activities for Young Children” by Leslie Barnard Booth

October 6, 2023

This week we’re featuring another gorgeous picture book about geology! Author Leslie Barnard Booth shares some fantastic classroom activities for educators based on her new book A STONE IS A STORY.  Leslie is also offering a giveaway of a 30-minute virtual classroom visit! Just leave a comment after the post to get in the drawing! … More Especially for Educators: “Five Fantastic Geology Activities for Young Children” by Leslie Barnard Booth

Mining for Heart: “The Journey of a Rock, a Story, & a Writer” by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

September 29, 2023

Ever interview your main character? What if it’s a rock? Sounds like a good idea to me! Once you start asking questions a path can open. In this post, author Carmela LaVigna Coyle takes us down her path to her beautiful new picture book, SOMETHING SPECTACULAR: A ROCK’S JOURNEY. GIVEAWAY! Carmela is offering a copy … More Mining for Heart: “The Journey of a Rock, a Story, & a Writer” by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

Especially for Educators: “Using Science to Teach Language Arts” by Elizabeth Shreeve

September 15, 2023

Kids love sloths! I love sloths! And I love the bonus of science in language arts lessons. Here’s a science book  that’s perfect for teaching language arts—on a topic that students can’t resist. Elizabeth Shreeve shares a flexible, fun “Discovery Tree” activity developed with a STEM teacher especially for busy classrooms. GIVEAWAY! Just leave a … More Especially for Educators: “Using Science to Teach Language Arts” by Elizabeth Shreeve

Behind the Scenes: “Circular Thinking” by Sue Lowell Gallion

August 18, 2023

There’s nothing more fun than a book that is a shape! The first book of the nonfiction board book series by Sue Lowell Gallion and Lisk Feng (Phaidon Press) caught my eye immediately. It looks like a globe and stands up! One thing I didn’t think about was what that means for the writing. So … More Behind the Scenes: “Circular Thinking” by Sue Lowell Gallion

Mining For Heart: “THIS IS TAP: A Nineteen-Year Breech Birth” by Selene Castrovilla

July 21, 2023

When I picked up THIS IS TAP, I was delighted by this lively, lyrical, rhythmic, toe-tapping, sparsely written, standout biography. So I reached out to Selene Castrovilla wanting to learn about how it came to be. Here’s a terrific post from Selene about how an idea in her heart found its way to the page … More Mining For Heart: “THIS IS TAP: A Nineteen-Year Breech Birth” by Selene Castrovilla

Mining for Heart: “A Transformation Invites New Life” by Jessica Stremer

June 23, 2023

Stories of inanimate objects offer their own special challenge. As with all stories, I think the secret is to find a meaningful personal connection that also connects to children. In Jessica Stremer’s new book, GREAT CARRIER REEF, she was drawn to the idea of transformation. Read on to find out how this idea played out … More Mining for Heart: “A Transformation Invites New Life” by Jessica Stremer

Behind the Scenes: “What’s the Big Idea?” by Donna McKinney

April 28, 2023

In today’s post, Donna McKinney hits one of my favorite topics—structure. I’m fascinated by the way playing with structure can open up your thinking and writing. Her book LIGHTS ON! started with a list of fascinating undersea creatures, but then she needed to find a way to shape the information to be engaging for kids. “What’s the … More Behind the Scenes: “What’s the Big Idea?” by Donna McKinney

Behind the Scenes: “Separating the Curds from the Whey in Search of Accurate Information” by Cathy Ogren

April 21, 2023

While every historical rabbit hole offers interesting tidbits and discoveries, there’s always the challenge of accuracy. It takes time and perseverance to sort it all out, but somehow, for me, it’s nerd-ily fascinating. In this post, Cathy Ogren shares how she searched out the facts for PEW! THE STINKY AND LEGEN-DAIRY GIFT FROM COLONEL THOMAS S. … More Behind the Scenes: “Separating the Curds from the Whey in Search of Accurate Information” by Cathy Ogren

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