Posts by Beth
Finding Grace, by Becky Citra — Middle Grade Book Recommendation
Title: Finding Grace (A Gutsy Girl Book) Author: Becky Citra Publisher: Toronto: Second Story Press, 2014. Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, set in 1954 Audience Age: 8-12 Themes/Topics: Friendship, secrets, families Opening Sentences: Dear Grace, I have been accused of a crime! Someone stole Nancy Collier’s brand-new glow-in-the-dark yo-yo today. Miss Noonan did a desk check.…
Read MoreEmma Walton Hamilton’s Editor-In-A-Box
Do you struggle with the revision process? Do you sometimes wish you could have someone coach you along as you decide what to include, what to leave out, whether you have the right word, and whether you’re using that word correctly? Do you ever feel overwhelmed when you look at the big picture of the…
Read MoreInternational Dot Day is Coming SOON! (September 15th-ish)
If you’ve been reading my blog for at least a year, you’ll know that I am a strong proponent of International Dot Day, the day when children and grown-ups around the world celebrate creativity in the spirit of Peter H. Reynolds’ wonderful picture book, The Dot. In The Dot, the main character, Vashti, is sure…
Read MoreMarcie Colleen — Interview with Teacher’s Guide Expert
I am delighted to bring this interview with writer and teacher’s guide creator Marcie Colleen to you today. Marcie is, as you will see, a woman of many talents, and I’m grateful to call her friend (although we haven’t yet met in person). I got to know Marcie through our mutual involvement in Julie Hedlund’s…
Read MoreMoving Forward — by Sitting Still
Every once in a while, no matter how determined one is to move forward in whatever one is doing, it’s a good idea to stop for a little while, take a break, change focus for a while. I’ll be taking a blog-break for the rest of the summer. It’s not that I’ll be doing nothing…
Read MorePerfect Picture Book Friday CELEBRATION!
I don’t have a Perfect Picture Book to share with you today (my last PPBF of the season was posted in May — The Very Fairy Princess: Graduation Girl), but something very special is going on in Perfect Picture Book Land today, and I wanted to help celebrate! Susanna Leonard Hill’s amazing brainchild, PERFECT…
Read MoreHow to Make a Picture Book, Part 3b
The Making of Bubblegum Princess Story Development, Part 2: Our corgis can fly! It’s extremely frustrating when you know your picture book story is not quite working, but you don’t know why, or how to fix it. Maybe you’ve become wedded to the plot, or tangled in rhyme, or too fond of your characters to cause…
Read MoreThe Writing Process Blog Hop
Friend and writing colleague Emily Lim has tagged me in the Writing Process blog hop that has been making the rounds. Thank you, Emily! I know Emily through Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 and Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and now we’re both taking Emma Walton Hamilton’s Just Write For Middle Grade online/home study course.…
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