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History, Media

Driving the Green Book Macmillan Podcast

Driving the Green Book is a brilliant podcast series hosted by Alvin D. Hall that explores travel and the Green Book during the era of legal segregation in the United States. Listen to stories from African Americans who used the guide to travel safely. And Hall makes connections to today’s events involving traffic stops and unfair treatment of Black travelers.

Read more about it and listen to the first episode at USA TODAY. And then subscribe!

Uncategorized

No Voice Too Small Flipgrid Book Club

Flipgrid Book Club


Check out our NO VOICE TOO SMALL Flipgrid Book Club, featured in Flipgrid’s Discovery Library. Parents and educators can access videos, mini writing workshops, art class with Jeanette Bradley, and the No Voice Too Small pledge. Readers can watch and respond to the videos with their own recordings and writings! For privacy, teachers can copy this module into their own classroom Flipgrid sites. 

School Visits

With the knowledge that schools are reopening differently in every district – some online, some in person, some hybrid – Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley and I have created a flexible school author visit package for NO VOICE TOO SMALL.

Writing Craft

September 2020 Mentor Text Study: Revisiting Tim McCanna

In this month’s author study, I revisit master storytelling Tim McCanna in this month’s Reading for Research blog post!

Diverse Books, Nonfiction, Picture books

Opening The Road Reviews

HONORS:

  • Ohioana Book Award 2022 finalist.
  • Bank Street College of Education Best Books of the Year 2022 and with a ⭐️ for Outstanding Merit
  • Jane Addams Book Award Finalist 2021
  • New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2021
  • John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s Noteworthy Book for Young Readers 2021

So honored OPENING THE ROAD earned a ⭐️ for outstanding merit on the Bank Street College of Education 2022 Best Children’s Books of The Year list! Congratulations to Team Green!

What an honor to see OPENING THE ROAD listed as a Jane Addams Children’s Book Award finalist for younger readers 2022!

I am so grateful that OPENING THE ROAD made the NYPL Best Books for Kids 2021 list!

School Library Journal subscribers can read their full review here.

“Dawson’s text makes a stark, complex topic accessible and comprehensible to younger readers.”

I am honored to see OPENING THE ROAD on the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s Noteworthy Books for Young Readers list of Stories of Protest, Resistance, and Change!

This review of OPENING THE ROAD on by Lisa Browne on her COLORUL STORIES blog warms my heart! My objective in writing this story – achieved!

TWOBOOKWORMS Blog review of OPENING THE ROAD: “Books like this make history interesting and personal.”

This 8th grade teacher created a lesson plan, Picture Books and the Green Book, to introduce her students to the Jim Crow era and recommended OPENING THE ROAD.

GoodreadsFromRonna Five Recommended Reads for Kids – Black History Month 2021

A review by Jilanne Hoffman for Perfect Picture Book Friday

A wonderful review from Vivian Kirkfield for Perfect Picture Book Friday

What a review! Click on the picture to read the full review.

Come 2021, The Green Book’s Creator Gets the Kid Lit Treatment History in the making! The story of the Green Book for the babies! by Carrie McClain, Black Nerd Problems blog.

Available now! Get your copy wherever books are sold!

Bookshop | Beaming Books | Amazon | B&N

Activism, History, Nonfiction, Picture books

OPENING THE ROAD: The Story Behind the Story

OPENING THE ROAD is the true story behind the Green Book guide Black Americans used to travel safely during legal segregation and the mail carrier who wrote it. I was honored to reveal the cover of my upcoming release on author Tara Lazar’s blog. Click on the cover to see a sample spread from the book by the talented artist Alleanna Harris.

I also wrote about my inspiration, the story behind the story, and a little about my road to publication.

BEEP! BEEP! On our way, be there January 26, 2021!

And there’s a GIVEAWAY! Comment on the blog post to enter a chance to win a copy of OPENING THE ROAD: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book.

Beaming Books | ISBN: 978-1506467917
40 pages | ages 4-8

Pre-order wherever books are sold!

Activism, Nonfiction, Picture books

Kirkus STARRED Review!

It is what it is. GOOD TROUBLE!

NO VOICE TOO SMALL got a star 🌟 from Kirkus Reviews! Click on the picture to read the review.


Thank you to the wonderful words by  Nikki GrimesCarole Boston WeatherfordTraci SorellCharles WatersHena KhanJanet WongJoseph Bruchac,Guadalupe Garcia McCallAndrea J. LoneyLesléa NewmanGreg NeriS. Bear Bergman, and Fiona Morris.  And to Charlesbridge Publishing, our editor Karen Boss and Literary Agent Emily Mitchell who represented us in this project.

We can’t wait to share this book with readers of all ages!

Activism, Picture books

No Voice Too Small Activity Guide

I write activity guides for all my books. Enjoy!

Click on the cover to download a copy of the No Voice Too Small Activity Guide.

Flipgrid Book Club


Check out our NO VOICE TOO SMALL Flipgrid Book Club, featured in Flipgrid’s Discovery Library. Parents and educators can access videos, mini writing workshops, art class with Jeanette Bradley, and the No Voice Too Small pledge. Readers can watch and respond to the videos with their own recordings and writings! For privacy, teachers can copy this module into their own classroom Flipgrid sites. 

School Visits

With the knowledge that schools are reopening differently in every district – some online, some in person, some hybrid – Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley and I have created a flexible school author visit package for NO VOICE TOO SMALL.

Diverse Books, Nonfiction, Picture books

Reviews are coming in!

ALL THE FEELS! Check out this video review of NO VOICE TOO SMALL by Kirsten Williams Larson.🎤 Empower youth. They are are our future and our hope.

Check out other reviews by Kirsten on her YouTube channel where she dives deep into nonfiction books. Excuse me while I grab a tissue. 😭

Activism, Diverse Books, Nonfiction, Picture books

SLJ Review: Inspiring!

What does the School Library Journal think of No Voice Too Small?

Pre-order your copy today!

Charlesbridge | ISBN: 978-1-6235-4131-6
40 pages | ages 5-9

Bookshop | Charlesbridge | Amazon | B&N

Picture books, Writing Craft

Reading for Research: Mentor Text Author Studies 2019

It’s been a joy to be a part of the 2019 Reading For Research team of bloggers that study stellar picture books.  

Best of 2019 from the Reading for Research Team

November 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Cece Bell

October 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Yuyi Morales

September 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: David Michael Slater

August 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Susan Verde

July 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Ashley Spires

June 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Lesléa Newman

May 2019

Reading for Research Mentor Text Study: Anika Aldamuy Denise

March 2019

Five Favorite Mentor Texts

January 2019

Reading for Research: Mentor Text Study: Tim McCanna

Picture books, Writing Craft

August 2020 Mentor Text Study: Revisiting Kevin Henkes

Revisiting author/illustrator Kevin Henkes today over at the Reading for Research blog. Imagery, repetition, and alliteration, oh, my!

Picture books, Writing Craft

Picture Book Summit 2020 Author Study #3

Join us at this year’s Picture Book Summit to hear the very talented picture book author-illustrator Peter Reynolds!

I was honored to write about his work. Read my author study to learn more about him and while there register for the virtual conference.

Picture books, Writing Craft

Picture Book Summit 2020 Author Study #2

Register for Picture Book Summit to hear the very talented picture book author Lesa Cline-Ransome! I was honored to write about her body of work. Read my author study to learn more about her and while there register for the virtual conference.

Author visits

2020 nErDCampPA

It was such a joy to spend time talking books with authors, educators, and kids at the first virtual nErDCampPA! I ended up on three panels, one about nonfiction, another about teaching activism through picture books and a storytime panel reading to the kids I write for.

Already looking forward to next year to talk about my new book!

Picture books, Writing Craft

Picture Book Summit 2020 Author Study #1 –

Register for Picture Book Summit to hear the very talented author and illustrator Sophie Blackhall! I was honored to write about her books. Read my author study to learn more about her and while there register for the virtual conference.

Picture books, Writing Craft

July 2020 Mentor Text Study: Revisiting Nikki Grimes

It’s time for another Coronavirus Creative Mentor Text Author Study post!

In August 2018, I wrote a mentor text author study featuring poet and author Nikki Grimes. Since then, Grimes has released two new picture books this year. Let’s look at those books. Read more at the Reading for Research blog.

Happy reading! Stay safe!

Activism, Picture books

NO VOICE TOO SMALL Book Trailer

The book trailer of the day on Shelf Awareness is NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History! Video by Jeanette Bradley.🎤 Jeanette, Lindsay, and I are so excited to get this book into the hands of kids. 👊

Releases September 22 from Charlesbridge Publishing.

You can preorder the book today anywhere books are sold!

Bookshop | Charlesbridge | Amazon | B&N

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZscOlw0ZBQM&feature=youtu.be

Book trailer created by Jeanette Bradley

Charlesbridge Publishing, September 22, 2020
Nonfiction picture book for ages 5-9
ISBN: 978-1623541316

Picture books, Writing Craft

June 2020 Author Mentor Text Study: Revisiting Kim Norman

This month I discussed informational picture books and looked at at Give Me Back My Bones by Kim Norman, illustrated by Bob Kolar over at the Reading for Research blog. What a fun read!

Picture books, Writing Craft

May 2020 Author Mentor Text Study: Revisiting Lesléa Newman

I took a look at Lesléa Newman’s latest book for our May Reading for Research mentor text author study!

Happy reading!

Picture books

Remote Learning with Authors & Illustrators

Children’s picture book, middle grade, and young adult authors and illustrators are rallying to help during a time when schools are closing and students are challenged to study remotely due to COVID-19. We know parents will be challenged, too.

In addition to what schools are providing, here are some additional resources and homeschooling help.

I hope you find something useful!

Check back for updates!

Story Seeds kids use their own story ideas and pair up with real authors. Together they collaborate and “grow” their ideas into original short stories.

Picture book and middle grade author Kate Messner created Read, Wonder, and Learn! Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources for Learning Anywhere are videos featuring picture book and middle grade authors and illustrators on her website. And it’s growing daily.

Authors Everywhere! is a YouTube Channel focused on providing content for kids like read alouds, writing prompts and writing exercises.

Author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka created “Draw with JJK” that will air every weekday at 1:00pm Central or catch the videos on his YouTube channel. 

Picture book and chapter book author Grace Lin created Ask Authors podcast, that launches March 17th. She plans to have a weekly 5-10 minute podcast featuring a guest author who will answer one question from a child reader. Episodes will end with a book review or a joke. Read more about the podcast in this article from the Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Nonfiction science Picture book author Melissa Stewart created mini-lessons on her website addressing content from her nonfiction picture books.

Musician Emily Arrow creates fun songs for many popular picture books. 

#StoryMarch includes illustration prompts by The Greater Boston Illustrators Group.

And I created a study guide for my picture book, The King Cake Baby that includes activities comparing and contrasting it to it to the classic Gingerbread Man story. And here’s an easy kid-friendly king cake recipe and the movement and song 5 Little King Cake Babies for preschool and Kindergarten aged children.

Explore the world of children’s literature on KidLitTV. Read alouds, author and illustrators interviews, crafts and cooking.

Picture book author Mac Barnett will begin reading his picture books on InstagramLive out loud at noon Pacific Time on March 15, 2020. The recording will be up for 24 hours.

Picture book author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers will read one of his picture books online starting this Monday, 2pm EST. Details coming!

Picture book author-illustrator Arree Chung will offer a month long Creativity Camp and focus on writing, drawing and storytelling if he gets enough interest. Find the details on his Facebook post here.

Picture book Author Tara Lazar will broadcast LIVE from her YouTube channel daily at noon Eastern time reading her books and giving writing tips.

Author/illustrator Mo Willems hosts LUNCH DOODLES with Mo Willems on his YouTube channel. Go check out Mo’s Studio!

Author/illustrator Katy Kelly is hosting virtual author visits to 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade classes reading one of her books every day until it’s finished. Connect with her at http://www.katykellyauthor.com/.

FREE Young Writer’s course for ages 6-10 from the fabulous folks who teach writing at Children’s Book Insiders!

Scholastic Learn At Home offers activities to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing while at home.

Picture book author and dance instructor Connie Dow has ideas for learning through movement activities, built around picture books for young children on her blog.

Picture book author/illustrator and former homeschool mom Danna York’s blog has ideas that incorporate books, nature, classic movies, art and more.

Find MORE resources on this Google Doc with of other creatives helping out. And check out the hashtag #kidlitquarantine on Twitter.

Other children’s book resources:

Storyline Online has picture books being read by celebrities. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.

Brightly Storytime is a read-aloud video series for Babies and Toddlers to Teens.

Free access to ebooks and audio books at Mims House books during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Librarian Bookends presents all things books! #UnitedByBooksCOVID19 – brilliant elementary and middle grade book resources from authors and illustrators, and publishers.

An Open Book Foundation is a nonprofit that brings authors and illustrators to qualifying D.C. schools to support literacy created a list of resources here.

Hope you found this post helpful. And feel free to share with others who have kids affected by these recent school closings.

Stay healthy!

Activism, History, Nonfiction, Picture books

Opening the Road: Victor Hugo Green and His Green Book

GREEN LIGHT!

I am so excited to announce my latest book deal! And I am thrilled to be working with my agent Dawn Frederick at Red Sofa Literary, Beaming Books, editor Naomi Krueger and the talented illustrator Alleanna Harris to bring the story of Victor Hugo Green and his Green Book to young children. Stay tuned.

BEEP! BEEP!

Coming to a shelf near you on January 19, 2021

History, Holidays, Louisiana, Mardi Gras

Why is there a baby in a King Cake?

Ever wonder why there’s a baby in a King Cake? Or how the tradition of eating King Cake during the Carnival season came about? Read my guest post over at Alphabet Soup to find the answers.

Comment and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a signed copy of my picture book, THE KING CAKE BABY!

Happy Mardi Gras!

Diverse Books, Picture books

FREEDOM SOUP – A Multicultural Children’s Book Day Review

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators. 

Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. All kids should have access to diverse books like the one I reviewed this year.

FREEDOM SOUP by Tami Charles and illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara was sent to me Candlewick Press at no cost in exchange for an honest review. Published December 10, 2019, the book has earned four starred reviews! Read those reviews from Kirkus, SLJ (School Library Journal), Shelf Awareness, and Publishers Weekly.

Food is a wonderful way to celebrate culture and history. That’s exactly what Charles does in her story about the Haitian dish, Soup Joumou, also known as Freedom Soup. An intergenerational story, readers follow along as a young child and her grandmother cook together.

Every New Year’s Day Ti Gran makes Freedom Soup but on this day she is teaching Belle how to make the soup, just like she was taught when she was a little girl.

Readers can sway to the rhythm of Charles’ lyrical language and Alcántara’s colorful, expressive illustrations filled with movement. Both text and art will entice children to  dance like Belle and tap their toes like Ti Gran while imagining the sounds of the Haitian kompa music.

As they cook, Ti Gran teaches Belle the history of Haiti, the place where she was born.

“Know why they call it Freedom Soup” Ti Gran asks.

“Because it’s free?

It’s the same answer I always give. Ti Gran laughs her loud, belly-deep laugh.

“Oh, Belle. Nothing in this world is free, not even freedom.”

Charles recounts the country’s history of slavery so children understand what it meant to be enslaved. Ti Gran explains, “Freedom Soup was only for the free.”

As the soup cooks Belle and Ti Gran dance their way through the rebellion that lead to the revolution and cheer for Haiti’s independence.  Charles provides a recipe for Freedom Soup and an author’s note with background information on Haiti and her personal family connection to the story. FREEDOM SOUP is a fun and engaging story but it also introduces young children to the true history of a country and the people who resisted slavery and won their freedom.

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

MCBD 2020  is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board

Super Platinum

Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings,

Platinum

Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls,

Gold

Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS : A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Jo, Candlewick Press,

Silver

 Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe,

Bronze

Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard. Barnes Brothers Books,  TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books,  Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books Talegari Tales

Author Sponsor Link CloudJerry Craft, A.R. Bey and Adventures in Boogieland, Eugina Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Kenneth Braswell & Fathers Incorporated, Maritza M. Mejia & Luz del mes_Mejia, Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Josh Funk and HOW TO CODE A ROLLERCOASTER, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture GrooveLauren Ranalli, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! By Dr. Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang and Me On The Page, Afsaneh Moradian and Jamie is Jamie, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Gwen Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen & The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher (Founders of Inner Flower Child Books), Ann Morris & Do It Again!/¡Otra Vez!, Janet Balletta and Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo & Bruna Bailando por el Mundo\ Dancing Around the World, Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, Sarah Jamila Stevenson, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Teresa Robeson  & The Queen of Physics, Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, , Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore & Stories by the Girlfriends Book Club, Finding My Way Books, Diana Huang & Intrepids, Five Enchanted Mermaids, Elizabeth Godley and Ribbon’s Traveling Castle, Anna Olswanger and Greenhorn, Danielle Wallace & My Big Brother Troy, Jocelyn Francisco and Little Yellow Jeepney, Mariana Llanos & Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess/La Ñusta Diminuta, Sara Arnold & The Big Buna Bash, Roddie Simmons & Race 2 Rio, DuEwa Frazier & Alice’s Musical Debut, Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book seriesGreen Kids Club, Inc.

Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts

A Crafty Arab, Afsaneh Moradian, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Bethany Edward & Biracial Bookworms, Michelle Goetzl & Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Educators Spin on it, Shauna Hibbitts-creator of eNannylink, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joel Leonidas & Descendant of Poseidon Reads {Philippines}, Imagination Soup, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Serge Smagarinsky {Australia}, Shoumi Sen, Jennifer Brunk & Spanish Playground, Katie Meadows and Youth Lit Reviews

Louisiana, Mardi Gras, Recipes

Easy Peasy King Cake Party!

If you want to host an Easy Peasy King Cake Party for Carnival…

See my earlier post for the recipe.

Who’d like to help?

You’ll need three Pillsbury Crescent Dough Sheets.

Roll out each dough sheet into a rectangle

Mix cinnamon and sugar for the filling and divide among each dough sheet.

Gently roll each from the shortest side of the rectangle.

I can do it myself!

Connect here, here, and here to create an oval shape.

And place the cake into the oven to bake.

Whoever finds the baby will need a crown! The origami crown was easy peasy for the 10-year-old but a challenge for the younger kids. But I had a plan B!

Make a paper plate crown. Here’s a video. Easy peasy!

Don’t forget the baby!

Soften the icing while the cake cools…

Soften the icing while the cake cools…

…so it spreads easily.

…so it spreads easily.

Easy peasy!

See! I can do it all by myself!

Let it flow! Let it flow!

Allow the icing to pour over the sides of the cake. YUM!

Add the sugar sprinkles in a pattern- purple, green, and gold.

I picked purple. I’m first!

What’s next?

Then…

My turn!

And one more round of sprinkles.

There’s more than one way to get the job done.

Easy peasy!

Voilà. It’s a king cake!

Let’s eat!

Time to cut the cake.

Check your piece for the baby before you eat.

I didn’t get the baby.

Who got the baby?

All hail to the Queen!

What an easy peasy and fun king cake party!

Find the recipe here. If you can’t find dough sheets, here’s an Easy Peasy Crescent Roll King Cake Recipe.

Why is there a baby in a king cake? How did the tradition of eating king cake during the Carnival season come about? Read my guest post over at Alphabet Soup to find the answers.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Picture books, Writing Craft

January Mentor Text Author Study: Julie Abery

Today I looked at books by Julie Abery for my January Reading for Research Month post. What a wonderful way to start 2020!

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