For Teachers & Parents

A New GET ORGANIZED Edition!

My very first published book, GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT, came out from Free Spirit Publishing in 2006. Happily, this little study skills and organization tool for middle graders has done extremely well, with more than 60,000 copies in print and editions in seven languages. Free Spirit felt it was time to update the book… Read more »

The Importance of Author School Visits

This excellent post from Nerdy Book Club reminds me once again of the importance of author school visits. The post is written by a teacher, describing the enormous impact an author can have on a school – teachers discussing the presentation, students lining up to read, and students determined to write and illustrate their own… Read more »

A Teacher/Librarian Lesson Plan Tool Kit

As a former middle school and high school teacher, I know how valuable simple tool kits are – especially tool kits that provide a lesson plan that’s fun, engaging, and informative. That’s one huge reason why I partnered with Curious City to create a website for THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE that includes an… Read more »

Get Organized For Teachers!

This week, in a continuation of my focus on getting organized for the new year, I have some tips for teachers to share with you. And please do enter the grand giveaway for a classroom set of GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT, and more! Here again is what the giveaway contains: a complete classroom set… Read more »

Get Organized For Parents!

Continuing with the giveaway I posted about last week (a classroom set of GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT, plus so much more…), this week some tips for parents who want to help their kids. And parents, if you would like to enter the contest on behalf of your child’s teacher or librarian, feel free. (I… Read more »

Get Organized!

January is the month to Get Organized! My first book, in print since 2006 from Free Spirit Publishing, with over 60,000 copies sold and available in eight languages, is still helping middle grade kids get organized. With downloadable worksheets, helpful suggestions, various strategies, and humorous anecdotes, GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT has garnered praise from… Read more »

Be Kind

When my son was younger I told him that he should keep two words in mind as he went out in the world: be nice. Now I would change those words to be kind. There’s nothing wrong with nice. My mother would have used the word correct. (Which is one reason I’ve come to dislike… Read more »

Gaming The Library

A library to the uninitiated (i.e., young students everywhere) can be a bit confusing. Fortunately, we’ve got a game for that! For librarians, teachers, parents, readers, book groups……the clever Kirsten Cappy of Curious City has created an Event Kit with a fun and interactive game that encourages students to find puzzle pieces hidden in different… Read more »

Page Through The Parks: Yosemite!

I’ve never been to Yosemite National Park. This is something I’m longing to remedy. In the meantime, I can live vicariously, along with all of you, through Barb Rosenstock’s THE CAMPING TRIP THAT CHANGED AMERICA. This lovely picture book, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, tells the story of how John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt saved an… Read more »