Resources for Educators: 5 Kinds of Nonfiction
More and more, teachers are requesting educational resources that go beyond traditional teachers guides and activity sheets. So while I do still have those kinds of materials on my website, I’m also offering resources that delve deeply into the nonfiction reading and writing process from an author’s point of view. Some of these resources focus […]
10 Fave #BlPOCinSTEM Picture Book Biographies
Since my recent blog posts featuring #WomeninSTEM and #KidsinSTEM were so well received, I’ve decided to create a list of books by another group that deserves our attention–Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in STEM. It’s interesting to note than most of these books are written or co-written by white people. I hope that as […]
#KIDSinSTEM Picture Books
Last week I shared some of my favorite picture book biographies about female scientists. As I was compiling that list, I realized I should look at books that feature #KIDSinSTEM too. Here are some terrific titles everyone should know about—some nonfiction and some fiction. 11 Experiments that Failed by Jenny Offill (fiction) Bird Count by […]
10 Fave #WomeninSTEM Picture Book Biographies
Over the last 10 years, I’ve shared a lot of STEM-themed book lists, but it recently occurred to me that I’ve never written a post that highlights some of my favorite picture book biographies about female scientists. There are SO many to choose from, but here are a few that have really stuck with me. […]
Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep
There are SO many reasons, I love writing nonfiction for children. One of them is my colleagues. I’m so grateful to be part of such a vibrant, supportive community. Many people warned me that overseeing an anthology featuring fifty award-winning writers with busy schedules was an act of insanity. But despite their many priorities, my colleagues […]
Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year
Social media. Some people love it. Some people hate it. And some people have mixed feelings. Sure, it can be a time suck, but it’s also a powerful tool for sharing ideas. I’ve learned so much from blog posts written by educators, Twitter conversations with teachers and librarians, and discussions within Facebook groups focused on […]
Expository vs. Narrative: What’s for Dinner?, Part 2
On Monday, I shared an expository passage about the red-spotted purple butterfly’s unusual eating habits from my upcoming book Ick! Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses and talked a little bit about the process of writing the book. Today, we’ll continue discussing the differences between narrative and expository nonfiction by looking at two consecutive […]
Expository vs. Narrative: What’s for Dinner?, Part 1
Last month, I began a blog strand that involves comparing two books on similar topics, but with different writing styles. (Thanks for the idea, Kate Narita!) My hope is that these posts will help educators and other members of the children’s literature community learn to identify the two writing styles and understand the best situations […]
Expository vs. Narrative Nonfiction: Dep-Sea Denizens, Part 2
On Monday, I shared an expository passage about some amazing deep-sea critters called bone-eating snot flower worms from my upcoming book Ick! Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses and talked a little bit about the process of writing that book. Today, we’re going to continue our discussion of the differences between narrative and expository […]
Expository vs. Narrative Nonfiction: Dep-Sea Denizens, Part 1
Before Memorial Day, I began this blog strand by sharing an expository passage from my upcoming book Ick! Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses (on Monday) and a related narrative passage from Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis mellifera, a wonderful new book by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann (on Wednesday). You can scroll […]