If this is not a title and cover that will grab your attention--I'm not sure what will!Sophia Gholz is no stranger to my blog. I have reviewed BUG ON THE RUG; JACK HORNER, DINOSAUR HUNTER; and THE BOY WHO GREW A FOREST. But I must say, A HISTORY OF TOILET PAPER (Running Press Kids, 2022) is different from all of her other books.… Continue reading A HISTORY OF TOILET PAPER (AND OTHER POTTY TOOLS): A Review and Giveaway
Margriet Ruurs was the author expert in the recent issue of Talking Story on "Libraries Without Walls." She has published a plethora of nonfiction picture books so I decided to ask her a few more questions. Here are her answers as well as a chance to win one of her award-winning books, My School in the… Continue reading A CONVERSATION WITH MARGRIET RUURS and a GIVEAWAY
Have you ever wondered what the difference was between toads and frogs? Or, maybe as a child you were curious about how frogs ate. Or, maybe your kid wants to know the different sounds that frogs make.Whatever your question is about frogs, Annette Whipple's new "Truth About" book from Reycraft Books will answer it. With… Continue reading RIBBIT! THE TRUTH ABOUT FROGS: A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Mini- Author Interview
BATTLE OF THE BUTTS (Running Press, 2021) by Jocelyn Rish with illustrations by David Creighton-Pester, is really about a battle to determine which animal has the best buttocks of all. As Jocelyn tells her young readers in the introduction:You're the judge in the Battle of the Butts. As you meet each challenger in this battle and learn about… Continue reading BATTLE OF THE BUTTS: The Science Behind Animal Behinds– A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Author Interview
I first "met" Debbie Levy through the pages of her novel-in-verse, This Promise of Change. In her newest book, Photo Ark ABC, Debbie uses more than five different types of poems to playfully describe animals from Aardvarks to Zebra Finches. The accompanying photographs by National Geographic's Joel Sartore are outstanding, cute, and engaging. Children from ages 5-8 will "get" Photo… Continue reading PHOTO ARK ABC: NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK REVIEW, GIVEAWAY, and MINI-AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Nine curious children who grew up to become scientists. Nine adults who discovered new products, new species, and new ideas. These nine individuals are the backbone of Heather Montgomery's latest book, What's In Your Pocket? (Charlesbridge, 2021). Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga, this STEM book will be an asset to any K-3 classroom.REVIEWWhen you explore the great… Continue reading What's in Your Pocket? A Picture Book Review, A Mini Author Interview, and A Giveaway!
They say that titles should draw a reader into a book--and these two titles got my attention, how about yours?WOOF!WOOF! is Annette Whipple's second book in her "Truth About" series published by Reycraft Books. In 32 packed pages the author covers a gamut of information about these much loved pets. Readers in kindergarten through fourth grade will enjoy… Continue reading WOOF! and SCURRY! Two "The Truth About" Books, a Mini-Author Interview, and 2 Giveaways!
I am happy to be part of the Calkins Creek blog tour for Larry Dane Brimner's new informational book, Without Separation. INTRODUCTIONSince I'm interested in writing nonfiction picture books, I've taken several webinars recently with The Writing Barn. (BTW, they're affordable and a fantastic way to learn a new genre!). The last one I took was… Continue reading Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez- Picture Book Biography and Giveaway
When author Suzanne Slade read about June Almeida in National Geographic in April, 2020, many of us were still figuring out how the coronavirus pandemic would impact our lives. Suzanne put aside the book she was working on and spent two intense weeks (after serious research and interviewing June's daughter Dr. Joyce Almeida), to complete a decent first draft.… Continue reading June Almeida, Virus Detective: A Nonfiction Picture Book Review and Giveaway
After I took a webinar with Heather Montgomery on the "Dynamics of Science and Nature Writing," I knew I wanted to share her book, BUGS DON'T HUG (Charlesbridge, 2018) with you. Not only is each page filled with interesting and unusual facts, but showing bugs as babies with their mommies and daddies, makes the information completely accessible to… Continue reading BUGS DON'T HUG: Six Legged Parents and Their Kids- A NonFiction Picture Book Review and Author Interview