No Matter Who You Are, You Can Achieve Remarkable Things by Joseph Elliott

January 21

When I was fifteen, I trekked from the west coast of Scotland to the east coast – a similar journey to that made by the characters in the book – with nothing but a tent, a sleeping bag, and a (much needed) waterproof coat. When it stopped raining long enough for me to appreciate the […]

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The Power of Listening by Clare Landrigan

January 20

I was facilitating a professional development session focused on how to administer a reading assessment.  A fifth-grade student just finished reading the text and I was beginning the part of the assessment in which we discuss the text together.  He seemed a bit nervous with all of the observers, so I tried to calm him […]

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Set to Simmer… by Jacqueline Alcántara

January 17

I loved the “Freedom Soup” manuscript as soon as I read it and even though I am not Haitian, I connected with it in many ways; loving family parties, grandmas cooking, and the importance of food and traditions.  I could instantly see the movement of the characters dancing, stirring and chopping. But once I sat […]

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Cover Reveal: MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK by Barbara Dee

January 16

There’s more than one way to tell a story. That’s one of the things I’m hoping readers take away from MY LIFE IN THE FISH TANK (Aladdin/S&S, September 15, 2020).  It’s my eleventh middle grade novel, and a bit of a departure for me. Most of FISH TANK is a regular first-person narrative from the […]

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BEYOND WONDERFUL—ON THE NIGHT OF THE SHOOTING STAR by Amy Hest, illustrations by Jenni Desmond – Review by Carol Coven Grannick

January 15

The children sit on a rug, in two uneven rows at my feet. I am on a preschool chair with a book in my hands, as yet unopened. Someone whispers. Someone else pokes someone. But then the quiet settles. “Hello, Friends,” I say. “This is one of my favorite books.” It’s my weekly reading time […]

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Are Your Striving Readers Helping Others? by Tammy Mulligan

January 11

I think we underestimate the power of helping when it comes to teaching striving readers.  In schools, striving readers are typically the ones who receive the most help. Striving readers see multiple teachers for instruction. Striving readers generally have reading buddies who help them figure out the words. And striving readers get lots of support […]

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Cover Reveal: The Wild Path by Sarah R. Baughman

January 09

Talking about the reality of addiction is important to me both generally, because it’s a widespread issue affecting millions of people, and personally, because I have loved ones who have struggled with it. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battled a substance use disorder […]

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Finding Happiness and other Emotions in Reading by Carrie Rodusky

January 08

“If you are afraid, sad, tired, or lonely if you feel lost or strange if you crave stories and adventure, and the magic possibility of a forest path -this book is for you” The above lines are taken from the opening pages of Some Kind of Happiness by Claire Legrand.  What an important way to […]

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Thank You, Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown

January 07

Music was a big part of my childhood. It seems I was always either about to do or doing something related to music. I listened to songs while I got ready for school, in the car going someplace or another, and at the end of my school day. I would sit for long spells on […]

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History with a Side of Humor by Michael Spradlin

January 05

Every writer who writes history for young readers, struggles to make it relatable and relevant. In my new book, CLOSE CALLS: How Eleven US Presidents Escaped from the Brink of Death, I felt I had some exciting subject matter to deal with. Presidential assassinations have been studied for years. But what about the time the […]

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