I have been the beneficiary of many touching acts of kindness and one of my most cherished was gifted me by today’s Friend Friday guest, Irene Latham. She has a stunning book, written with Charles Waters, entitled Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes and Anecdotes from A to Z , illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini… Read more »
I’m grateful to recent Friend Friday guest, Margo Sorenson, for introducing me to Bonnie Graves, fellow historical fiction lover. As Bonnie shares below, historical fiction gives us great tools for looking at tough issues through the lens of the past. I am eager to read Catch Me When I Fall (Fitzroy Books), her latest book…. Read more »
Okay; I’m going to admit that I am completely jealous that Margo Sorenson was voted “Walking Dictionary” in 9th grade. Who wouldn’t want to have every word at her/his/their command at such a vulnerable age? Now that she’s a grown-up, I admire how Margo has spun her word-love into a sibling rivalry picture book that… Read more »
We do get by with a little help from our friends! I am so grateful to Lesa Cline-Ransome for connecting me with today’s guest, Ann E. Burg, one of her BFFs. Ann’s novel, Flooded, Requiem for Johnston (Scholastic) is an inventive approach to exploring an historical event. Read on to find out more of the… Read more »
I love it when my friends help me make new friends! Thank you Dana Sullivan for connecting me with Susan Novich. And thank you Susan for sharing your book creation story with us today; while I needed a reminder of its message, I especially love its happy ending: a brand new (debut!) board book, Guess… Read more »
If memory serves (and there’s no guarantee of that these days!) I first had the pleasure of meeting the effervescent Nancy Coffelt at the Humboldt County Children’s Authors Festival many years ago. In fact, I think I was a one or two book author at the time and in awe of the depth of Nancy’s… Read more »
Cameron Kelly Rosenblum drew a tough Friend Friday slot: just a few days after an unsettled (and unsettling) election. But I am grateful she is here today because I think the messages of her essay are essential at this particular time. Please read on for more about how The Stepping Off Place (Quill Tree Books)… Read more »
My sweet friend Helen Ketteman and I have known each other longer than dirt’s been around. In our early writing careers, we were part of a magical group called The Write Sisters, meeting each summer for an annual marathon critique session and pj party prior to the summer SCBWI conference in LA. I learned one… Read more »
These past few months have forced me to slow down. To think things through. To practice letting go. (I was cleaning the garage and ran across my beloved Away suitcase and it took me a second to recognize what it was!) Lily LaMotte visits today in celebration of her graphic novel, Measuring Up, illustrated by… Read more »
I clearly remember meeting Jennifer Jacobson on a crowded exhibition hall floor during a conference. I think we literally bumped into each other! Within minutes, I was privileged to get a sneak peek at the F&Gs of her then-forthcoming picture book, This is My Room (No Tigers Allowed) (she was my Friend Friday for that;… Read more »