Often, all it takes is a crumb – a little morsel of a moment – to spark an idea for a book. One that may not even seem like a moment at the time. My high-energy son was in eighth-grade, studying for a science test. Let’s just say science did not come easy to this […]
September
19
Embracing Inventiveness and Perseverance in Ethan Marcus Stands Up by Michele Weber Hurwitz
posted by CBethM
September
18
A Toast to Kate DiCamillo by Kirsten LeClerc
posted by CBethM
“I’m only eating toast today. Toast with a great deal of butter on it,” declared my daughter. She was six years old at the time and a Mercy Watson superfan. I humored her at breakfast, and she snacked on buttered toast for the next couple of days. Need I tell you how that turned out? […]
September
17
Disaster and Discovery: True Stories of Survival That Inspired Five Nonfiction Authors by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace
posted by CBethM
Imagine embarking for an unexplored world, relying on faulty maps based on guesswork and fake science. Your goal is a tropical oasis at the North Pole, inhabited by unknown species of animals and maybe a lost race of humans. It sounds like science fiction, but that was the prevailing belief in 1879 when the USS […]
September
16
Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!: Ten Picture Books about Farm Life by Jake Nuckolls
posted by CBethM
My Grandad is in his mid-90s. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, raised 3 children with my Grandma Dot, and grew up a farm boy; back when the technological revolution of the day was connecting a couple different farm houses via phone lines. They raised flocks of all types, grew much of their […]
September
15
Hey, Educators! Josh Funk Wants to Embarrass You! (Book Trailer Premiere for IT’S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK)
posted by CBethM
Educators are the best! I’ve written before about how #TeachersAreRockStars and how incredible it is that you work 100+ hour weeks basically year round, etc, etc. I love you all. And hopefully you look good in front of your students when you read my and other authors’ books. However, with my newest book, I […]
September
14
Getting Personal by Barbara Dee
posted by CBethM
HALFWAY NORMAL is out this month, and I’m getting nervous. Not for the usual reasons (“Will they like this book? Will it sell?”). What I’m nervous about is the public-appearance piece, especially the inevitable questions about my son’s health. When I first thought of writing this book, I made a deal with my son: I’d […]
September
13
From Journalism to Fiction by Dick Lehr
posted by CBethM
One thing I know a lot about is journalism – writing that is based on facts. I teach it. I write it. One thing I don’t know a lot about is writing fiction. – stories that are made-up. Which is basically why two years ago I decided to write a novel titled TRELL. I have […]
September
12
A Tool for Teaching Text Structures and Revision by Melissa Stewart
posted by CBethM
Back in 2013, when No Monkeys, No Chocolate was published, I created this Revision Timeline. Educators love it because in just 15 minutes students can watch the videos and see for themselves how much a professional writer revises. Students can also view three rejected manuscripts and do a text-to-text comparison. What they’ll discover is […]
September
11
I’m Raising Fearless Readers Who Will Try Anything by Dena McMurdie
posted by CBethM
When my girls were small, I decided that I wanted them to grow up without any limits. I wanted them to dream big and not let society’s boundaries define who they are or what they can do. I knew that if I introduced my kids to lots of ideas and subjects, it would help […]
September
10
Cover Reveal: The King of Bees by Lester Laminack
posted by donalynm
Waiting on a new book is something like waiting for a baby to arrive. There is much excitement and great anticipation. Though you know both parents, you are eagerly waiting to see that new little face in the world. Getting that first glimpse of the cover (and all the illustrations on the interior) for The […]
