Two Books to Help Develop an Attitude of Gratitude!

This was first posted on my Starborn Revue blog in 2016. I wanted to share these two books with you here. It’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States, a day in which to remember what you’re grateful for in your life. These two books help us think about gratitude in a fun but meaningful way.…

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THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY by Derick Wilder, illustrated by Catia Chien — Book Recommendation

Title: THE LONGEST LETSGOBOY Author: Derick Wilder Illustrator: Catia Chien Publisher: San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, October 2021 Genre: Picture book Audience Age: 3 to 8 years Themes/Topics: dogs, dying, love, pets, hope Opening Sentences:  Mewmew wakes me, rumbledrumming my tummy. I strrrrretch my oldbones. Synopsis: This lovely, moving, heartfelt story tells of a much-loved old dog’s last day, from the…

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November 11, 2021. We Will Remember Them

I first posted this on November 12, 2018. I have updated it slightly. It is a long post, but I hope you will read it, and find meaning in it. Today is the 103rd anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended the 1914-1918 war, usually called World War I, known then as “the war…

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Laura Backes Bard and Jon Bard are FOR WRITERS!

Laura Backes Bard and Jon Bard are the forces behind the Children’s Book Insider (CBI), a monthly magazine/newsletter for children’s book writers and illustrators, and the CBI Clubhouse, which is a fabulous online one-stop-spot for all things kidlit. If you have a question about the process of creating children’s books, chances are there’s an answer…

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It’s Halloweensie time! Here’s my story…

It’s past the witching hour on Friday, October 29, and that means it’s time for… HALLOWEENSIE! Yes, it’s time for Susanna Leonard Hill’s fabulous Halloweensie contest, in which writers create Halloween-themed stories for kids using 100 words or fewer (not counting the title), and including special words selected by Susanna. This year the words that…

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I’m on the GROG blog today!

I’m very pleased to be featured on the GROG blog today, as my friend and writing accountability partner Kathy Halsey interviews me about editing in general, and my editing services in particular. The GROG blog is a group blog with a mission to provide guidance and support, resources for the craft of writing, opportunities to…

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BECAUSE OF THAT CROW by Beverley Brenna — Book Recommendation

Title: Because of That Crow Author: Beverley Brenna Publisher: Markham, Ontario/Brighton, MA: Red Deer Press, 2020 Genre: Middle grade contemporary fiction, with a touch of magic Audience Age: 8 to 12 Themes/Topics: grief, parents’ death, healing, coping, hope Opening Sentences: Everything was different because of that crow. Harris knew it. And he was pretty sure the others knew it, too. Grampa,…

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A Bit About Author Beverley Brenna

If you’ve been around my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I love to post about author Beverley Brenna. She’s a Canadian author of picture books, middle grade novels, and YA novels. One of her YA novels was a Prinz honor book a few years ago. She’s versatile, writing thoughtful, insightful books…

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