I’m pretty sure at some point when Jackie and I were walking around Santa Fe we talked about wondering if people there ever get tired of or stop noticing the view. I wondered the same thing when I lived in coastal Massachusetts for a summer. Do people who grow up with that view get complacent, […]
Learn about Elections with President Squid
I don’t know if Aaron Reynolds was trying to write an allegory of the current political climate when he wrote President Squid (illustrated by Sara Varon and released in March) but he might as well have been. About President Squid The picture book tells the story of a squid who decides he wants to be […]
Creativity Boost: Honor the Transition
I spent the last five days at a writing and meditation retreat in Santa Fe, which was amazing and wonderful and inspiring and tiring. I spent most of yesterday trying to get home after storms in Dallas messed up air travel for the whole center of the country and beyond, finally making it home about […]
Creativity Boost: Do Something Scary
Last week I shared my first creativity boost/challenge in a while, complete with a Facebook Live video (which you can see at the end of that post if you want to). It was all about giving things up to give yourself time and space to be more creative. How it Went for Me I’m actually […]
The Sky’s the Limit When You Play with Up! Ebook
Kids seem to be naturally drawn to blocks, building towers out of anything handy that can stack. Whether you’re a parent or a teacher, there are tons of ways to transform your block area into a place full of learning opportunities for science, math, reading and more. The Up! ebook is chock-full of more than 30 ideas […]
Remember Anna Dewdney with Llama Llama Activities
I was so sad to hear that Anna Dewdney, author of the Llama, Llama series of books for preschoolers and young children, died earlier this month at age 50 from brain cancer. Her stories have taught so many children about patience, kindness and the power of a mother’s love, and she was a real advocate […]
Lessons for Writers from Hamilton: An American Musical
I am maybe more than just a little bit obsessed with “Hamilton: An American Musical.” When I first listened to the cast recording, I didn’t really know what I was getting into. I just knew a lot of people loved it, it had won all these awards and I had, through other things, learned about […]