So, in my last post, I covered rewilding and biodiversity and suggested a fun Earth Day or more generally spring activity. Rewilding and biodiversity are big themes in The Wall and the Wild, in which Ana, who wants a perfect garden, learns that she might be going about the process in some harmful ways. She's looking a little frustrated below. If you love Ana and the Wild, or just want to read some fun, whimsical, informative, and gorgeous picture books about these themes, you

I've been sitting on numerous blog ideas lately and resolved that I would write this one. Yesterday was Earth Day but we like to celebrate Earth Day all week ... and month ... and year. A favorite activity at home, which Ana and the Wild whole-heartedly endorse, is making and planting/launching seed bombs, or balls if you prefer a more benign designation. Seed bombs are a fun and easy DIY activity that aids rewilding. What's rewilding? Rewilding aims to restore ecosystems to

Lots of snow hit much of the United States over the past several days. Here in southwestern Ohio, we got about 12 inches. Our hound dog wasn't too thrilled as he is not a snow puppy, but he enjoyed barking at the snowplows when they came through. We spent a long time shoveling out from our door to our curb, and we're fortunate to live in a community with lots of snowplows that take care of the roads, streets, and parking lots. Ohio has upwards of 1,700 snowplows in its offici

Recently, I had several kids in a project group with my son ask how to write a story. I had some tools posted already, but I decided to make and add some more. You can check out the worksheets and videos on my Resources page, or keep reading ... No Problem, No Story Most stories center on one main character who has a problem to solve. In writer speak, we call that a conflict. The character—be they human, alien, animal, plant, imaginary creature, or talking toaster—has a chall

Okay, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO overdue with a blogpost. It's been a year? I would admit that I've been slacking except that I haven't...

Children's picture books cover a wide range of topics and styles. They can be narrative fiction, meaning they tell a story. They can also...

Happy Labor Day! Today is a day to celebrate workers, but often, that gets lost in the hubbub of picnics, parades, barbecues, yard work,...

So, I haven't blogged in a while, and I should probably write something about how much fun I'm having sharing Hide and Shh! with friends...