Blog/News
Reverse-Engineering an Engineering Process from the Past
They are short and for kids, but nonfiction picture books can require the sleuthing skills of Veronica Mars, the puzzling wizardry of Sherlock Holmes, and the science chops of Bill Nye. When I set out to write about how The Great Blondin engineered his tightrope across the Niagara Gorge in 1859, I hoped to find [Read More]
For Educators—STEM Experiments & a Handy STEM Glossary/Companion
Hey, educators, I know how busy you are. Having ready-made lessons and tools can ease your workload as you make curriculum connections with your students. To that end, click here for the fabulous curriculum guide and readers theatre. As a bonus, below is a downloadable one-page STEM glossary companion and two simple balance experiments to [Read More]
Author’s Note & Afterword for King of the Tightrope
The back matter for King of the Tightrope is fabulously designed by the smart folks at Peachtree Publishing, but there’s more to the story than fit the limited pages available. In the Author’s Note and Afterword below, you’ll learn a bit more about the uncovered history of Jean Francois Gravelet, The Great Blondin. Watch for [Read More]
What Do You Do When Your Book is Scooped?
I was honored to be featured on author Kirby Larson’s Friend Friday blog about how I was scooped (or pre-empted) on several books. Click here or scroll down to read about how choosing a new focus made King of the Tightrope: When the Great Blondin Ruled Niagara a much better book. For a chance to [Read More]
I’m Teaching a Picture Book Biography Class
Word got out about the success of my 2018 online picture book biography class, so I’m bringing it back. If you’d like to join my class, facilitated through a Zoom virtual classroom, click here for more information. I’m not just a fan of picture book biographies, I dedicated my MFA critical thesis to the craft [Read More]