Zachary rested his chin on the tabletop and counted the seconds as he resisted the lure of jellybeans in the jar in front of him. “One-Dastardlygoody, two-Dastardlygoodies…twenty-Dastardlygoodies…eightynine-Dastardlygoodies…ninetyseven-Das—” With a groan, he grabbed the jar and jammed his hand in for the sweet candies, then stuffed them in his mouth. These weren’t ordinary jellybeans. They were…
Americans observe Hispanic Heritage month from September 15 to October 15 each year to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain. This year, President Joe Biden issued this statement: “During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we reaffirm that diversity is one of…
Hi there, and thanks for taking a moment to dip into the blog. I have an author interview with Ethan Nicolle. I just finished reading his novel Brave Ollie Possum. I think if you or your child liked The BFG by Roald Dahl, you’ll like this. It was a lot of fun to read. I…
Does September feel like a restart to you? To me, it’s even better than January 1 and the start of a new calendar year. September is sharpened pencils and blank notebooks, big hopes, new chances. Kids get new school supplies and, often, new clothes and maybe a new pair of shoes. Mostly what they get…
An old house has a past, whether you know about it or not…and that past echoes through the halls and the walls, whether you hear it or you don’t…and the idea of being forgotten makes an old house cranky…people too. April loved her old Victorian home where she lived with her parents in a little…
We can’t always go around bestowing sunshine and rainbows. Some days are just “blah,” and it can be hard to find the motivation or initiative to do much of anything. But doing nothing has NEVER been an inspiring activity. If you’re doing nothing, you can’t find the oomph to write or read or create. So!…
Do you remember these lines: “You like my special chocolate cake, don’t you, Bogtrotter? It’s rich and delicious, isn’t it, Bogtrotter?” They are from Matilda by Roald Dahl. It’s the scene where Miss Trunchbull summons poor Bruce Bogtrotter to the stage in the school auditorium so she can humiliate him for eating her chocolate cake….
Today I have for you an interview with an author of graphic novels. It’s always so interesting for me to learn about the creative process of other writers. As I mentioned in a previous blog, I’m not generally a reader of graphic novels. Maybe that’s some of you too? Anyway, after talking with children’s librarians…
It’s back-to-school month for a lot of kids. I was just talking to a friend, and we decided we were lucky to have been part of the generation of kids who didn’t have to go back until after Labor Day. Far more civilized. Of course, we got our summer start later, but all that faded…
I just finished reading A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Roman Young. It’s a fun story about 11-year-old Pearl who wants to save her small library in her equally small New York neighborhood. After the library loses the head of its claim to fame—the statue of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay—the…
