I love fractured fairy tales. So many great ones have come out this past year. I am pleased to introduce you to a charming story that takes a slightly dated fairy tale with a selfish ending and turns it on its head. Making it relevant to today's kids, while maintaining the underlying message and giving the blah ending a boost of cooperation. The Little Red Fort Author: Brenda Maier Illustrator: Sonja Sánchez Publisher: Scholastic (2018) Ages: 4-8 Fiction Themes: Diversity, fractured fairytale, cooperation, ingenuity, and determination Synopsis (from Barnes & Noble): Ruby's mind is always full of ideas. One day, she finds some old boards and decides to build something. She invites her brother

It is my pleasure to interview a very busy and creative debut picture book author. Brenda Maier is a wife and mother of five children. "Who provide endless inspiration for more stories," including her debut picture book - The Little Red Fort - which sprang on the shelves yesterday. And as if that isn't busy enough, she also works with gifted children at a large, local school district. Brenda, thank you so much for taking a few minutes to stopping by to talk about your newest books and writing. It’s my pleasure, Maria. Thank you for inviting me. ME: Tell us a little about yourself. (Where/when do you write? How long have you been writing? Have you always wanted to be a children’s writer?) BRE

It's so fun going into butterfly houses and having all the bright, vivid colors flutter around you. Maybe, if you're lucky, even land on your arm or hand. But what about those drab grey moths that congregate around your outside light or camping lantern? Last summer we had one of those crazy moths that wanted to become one with our lantern. When we stopped shooing it away and looked at it closely, there was a delicate beauty to it. We managed to save it, at least for one day at our campsite. I was excited to see the cover of the book when it was announced. Curious about what made a moth extraordinary. I hope you will also enjoy this book. An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth Author: Karlin Gray Ill

I have the pleasure of introducing you to Karlin Gray whose second picture book, An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth, released last Thursday. Unlike her debut nonfiction picture book, Nadia: The Girl Who Couldn't Sit Still (2016) and her upcoming nonfiction release Serena: The Littlest Sister (2019), this picture book is fiction and rhyming. Karlin Gray grew up as a Navy “brat”—moving every year or two. After living in ten houses and attending eight schools, Karlin moved again to Florida (where she worked on her B.A. in Creative Writing at Florida State University), Virginia (where she worked for newspaper publishers), New York (where she worked for book publishers), and Connecticut (where she wo

I love nonfiction picture books. Especially ones about people that are relatively (or totally) unknown. Joan Procter, the curator of the reptile house at the London Zoo in 1923, is just such a person. Today, I have the privilege of talking with Patricia Valdez, whose debut picture book is a biography of Joan Procter. Patricia Valdez is a scientist and author with a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley. She currently works at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She and her family are big fans of the National Zoo's Komodo dragon, Murphy. Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor is her first picture book. Patricia, Thank-you so much for stopping by to talk ab

I've been excitedly waiting for the launch of this book. I fell in love with the cover when it was first announced. The bright colors, energy, and enthusiasm are only a small taste of what the book has to offer. Even if you don't play soccer, this book will have you itching to get outdoors and play. The Field Author: Baptiste Paul Illustrator: Jacqueline Alcántara Publisher: Northsouth Books (2018) Ages: Fiction Themes: Soccer, teamwork, friendship, diversity, Creole (or Kweyol) and the Caribbean (St Lucia). Synopsis (from back): “A soccer story—for boy and girls alike—just in time for the World Cup! “Vini! Come! The field calls!” cries a girl as she and her younger brother rouse their commu

Have I got a treat for you today. The talented debut author Baptiste Paul! In addition to being "a dad, a native of Saint Lucia, and a sports fan," he is also the husband of Miranda Paul. He roasts his own coffee and chocolate and eats "anything [he] can grill." And he has a personality to match that smile. I have been anxiously waiting to post this interview since I received the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of The Field a few months ago. Baptiste's joy in his island heritage and Creole language radiates from this book. If you're looking for a treasure, be sure to run to your bookstore TOMORROW and check it out. Welcome Baptiste, thank you so much for talking with me. ME: Tell us a little abo

To celebrate the birthday of Dr. Seuss, Vivian Kirkfield created a challenge, "based on Bennet Cerf’s challenge to Seuss to write a children’s book using only 50 words" - #50 Precious Words. Here are the rules: #50 PRECIOUS WORDS WRITING CHALLENGE GUIDELINES Write a story appropriate for kids ages 12 or under, using only 50 words…they can all be different words, or you can use some of them over and over…just as long as the total word count of the story is 50 or less. It can be prose, rhyme, free verse, silly or serious…whatever works for you. Title is not included in the word count. No illustration notes please. Please post your story in the comment section. If you have your own blog and wan

I have admired and followed astronauts since I was little. When my kids were small, they too were enamored by and determined to be astronauts. We had the great pleasure to meet an astronaut during a school visit and explore Kennedy Space Station when the space station was still being constructed and the crawler was operating. We've also participated in numerous activities and summer space camps at the Museum of Flight, in Washington, over the years. With an environmental lawyer, who loved sailing, and an ecologist in the family, it is not surprising that many vacations involved snorkeling/diving trips. We even got to explore a Caribbean reef in a submarine. This book encapsulates, explores,