First, congratulations are in order. The winner of the signed Finn Finds a Friend is: Julie Rowan-Zoch Sometimes when you least expect it, you find exactly what you're looking for. I know there have been times when, searching for something, I swear I looked in the exact spot minutes ago where I found the item. Gnomes, pixies, house elves or just great camouflage? Can't be old age, as my kids have had the same problem. Talking about "hiding in plain sight." I finally found th

Who hasn't missed something "right before their eyes?" That clue to a friend's feelings, the thing you're missing and just set down - somewhere, or perhaps that opportunity that you just didn't see. When I first saw the cover, I fell in love with How to Find an Elephant. I am honored to have the privilege to interview Kate Banks, who has won many awards, including the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for her picture book And If the Moon Could Talk. Kate lives in Europe, with her

While writers are often told to ask "what if?" or mash together two unlikely things, I find it interesting that Jenna's husband spurred this book, by asking her what if the sharks off the coast just wanted to find a friend. Check out her interview from this Monday - https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/2017/11/06/The-Picture-Book-Buzz---Interview-with-Jenna-Grodzicki. When I first heard the premise of a shark wanting to find a friend, I remembered the sharks in FINDING

If you know me, or have looked around my website, you'll guess that I love spending time outdoors. I have hiked, camped, and explored most of the National Parks in the western U.S. Many of my favorite, and not so favorite (leaking tent camper and a long gravel road), memories occurred when I spent time with my family outdoors. So, when Scholastic asked if I would be interested in books on National Parks - how could I resist? Scholastic has created two new, nonfiction nature s

My love of the ocean came from my grandparents. They lived in Seaside, Oregon and I spent many summers and holidays living on the beach - playing in the surf, collecting seashells & sand dollars, and climbing rocks. The crash of waves and the varied motions of the surf still enthrall and relax me. Although I never saw a shark off the Oregon Coast, a good friend encountered one and kept his surfboard, with a shark bite out of the end, as a souvenir. Today, I am excited to shar

I love when seemingly simple picture and board books offer the potential to teach a science lesson, open a world of understanding, or show us that we are not alone. In her interview on Monday, Lisa Mantchev stated "in Narwhal, the main character might be someone who has mobility issues or suffers from agoraphobia. The books become what the reader needs them to be." To me this is the essence of literature and is not restricted to classics or novels. This book offers numerous w