Picture books are a different breed of read. I’m not talking about longish storybooks, easy readers, or basic concept books. I mean the concise, every word counts, rhythm aware, yummy sounds and images that enchant-us-to-tears books. A librarian once told me that my books were never the “behind the couch” books at her house. When [...]
Last weekend, several teachers received credits or clock hours for attending the annual Western Washington SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators) conference. Each year at this gathering, we learn from national experts in the field of writing and publishing for children. Authors, editors, agents, and other professionals share what they know through keynotes, [...]
It’s incomprehensible to me that we’re again having to defend school libraries and their librarians. School personnel claim their main focus is reading, and yet school administrators will put library programs on their hit lists. Today a librarian contacted me requesting a statement she could share with her superintendent in support of keeping school library [...]
With Haiti in our hearts, minds, and media these days, we’ve all had opportunities to support relief efforts and send out thoughts and prayers. When we work with kids, there’s so much more we can do. School service projects to raise money and awareness of disaster relief are appreciated and benefit both the giver and [...]
I’m over at Deb Lund ad lib supporting NaNoWriMo’s this month. It’s National Novel Writing Month. If you (or your students) are NaNo-ing, bop on over and play with my daily NaNoNuj. The best part is that you can use these November blog entries any time of the year.
I also wanted to share a little [...]
National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, as the frenetic writers who commit to this month of insanity lovingly call it (they don’t have time to say the whole thing), is quickly approaching. Get your students motivated to write. There’s even a NaNo site just for them, and while they’re at it, join them!
Follow me on [...]
You teach. You know your kids respond more when you model what it is you want them to do. But you don’t have time to write. Write anyway. Park yourself at your desk, at the magic white board that displays your awful words on the wall, at that old overhead projector, or whatever you got [...]
Dear Deb Lund, I was wondering if you would help me. I am writing a story that has to do with a talking dog but I don’t know how to end it. All the things I try my critic says that is so lame! Will you help me?
That’s the email I got from [...]
Attention all Teachers!
On Monday I’m leaving for Japan with my 12 year old son Kaj for three weeks. We’ll both be blogging, but Kaj’s will focus not only on Japan (until we get home), but on reading. Books have been his escape, his food for his imagination, and talking about books has been a way [...]
I love using the writing of others to trigger new writing by students, whether it’s prose or poetry. “Ode to my Socks” by Pablo Neruda is one of my favorites to use. It’s also my favorite when we talk about similes. Start a collection by looking through poetry for children that has a pattern or [...]
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