Happy New Year! Plans! Goals! Revisions! Reviews! Resolutions! Hopes! Dreams! ‘Tis the season. Even if you don’t write them down in a journal, these things are probably fluttering about in your head. They are in mine. They don’t like to be ignored. I read about the idea of reflecting on the past year to understand…
When they’re over, will you be keeping the holidays in your heart? Today is the first day of Kwanzaa, and it’s Boxing Day (UK and Canada). Happy Kwanzaa to those who are celebrating. So, are you basking in the afterglow of yesterday? Still feeling the charm of Christmas all around you? Ahh. Or are you…
Have you had any success finding middle-grade novels featuring Hanukkah? Well, today, I don’t have any books to talk about because sometimes, you just gotta make a tart. Last night was the first night of Hanukkah. When I was a kid, my mother would have prepared a special dinner of brisket and a salad (everything…
December and Christmas go hand in hand. Fa la la la la. While I love the Christmas spirit, it’s important to remember that there are other holidays in December that deserve our respect and attention: Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. When I was a kid, my family celebrated both Christmas and Hanukkah. We had a beautiful menorah,…
Today I’m bringing you a list of middle-grade novels (for ages 7-12) to gift the children in your life. A book is always a good idea, don’t you think? This list is based on the New York Times Bestseller List for middle-grade books. But before I get to those, I have to recommend a book…
Don’t look now, but the holidays are right behind you. I hope you had a gratitude-and-family-filled Thanksgiving. If you enjoy online shopping, today’s your day. It’s Cyber Monday. In addition to Amazon, check out uncommongoods.com, live-inspired.com and basbleu.com Here are some gifts for kids and another for the writers in your life (you?). KIDS AGES…
Some books are so charming, you can’t help but fall in love. Always, Clementine by Carlie Sorosiak is one of those books. Written for 8-12-year-olds and published in September 2022, it is the story of two lab mice, Clementine and The Other Mouse, who are freed by kindhearted scientist Felix and deposited into a mailbox…
Here’s the bottom line to today’s post. I want to give it to you upfront because I think this is so, so, so important. Here it is: Spend time with people at a big gathering who are pursuing the same hobbies you are. Or who have the same passions. Or who have the same issues….
November is Native American Heritage Month. It began as a single day, American Indian Day, and continued until 1990 when George W. Bush extended it to encompass the entire month. These special heritage months are important because they remind us that our country is full of people who may or may not look like us,…
I’m veering off course today. This post—dedicated to my sister and to all the women out there just living life—is intended for mature readers. Boo, and Happy Halloween! Halloween was my sister’s favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. She loved the costumes. It was always about the costumes for her. (Never the…
