For the past couple of years, I've chosen a word as the theme for my year. Before I move on to this year's word, let's take a look at 2015 and how I did with that theme:

My theme for 2015: Compassion.

I tried to incorporate it into my life in different ways:

Interaction: Like a lot of people in my generation, I can lean towards "judgey" at times ( Read more... )

*Dusts off blog ( Read more... )

Twenty-five years ago today, in the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, while the city was sleeping off its St. Patrick’s Day revelry-or was still partying full-force-two men dressed as Boston police officers gained entry into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. You know the rest: canvasses cut out of the frames, 13 master works of art stolen, ( Read more... )

2015 has not gotten off to a great start around here. Lots of little things (minor car accident, writing-related stuff, sick kids, etc), but the big cloud that's been hanging over my head has finally lifted ( Read more... )

2014 is on its way out, and let me tell you, the last three weeks of this year have been...less than stellar. Crappy, in some cases. Deaths in my family and in my husband's, work issues, writing issues, The Bronchitis That Won't Die--all of which are making me eager for 2015 and its fresh start ( Read more... )

Well, I'm glad blogging wasn't on my resolution list for 2014. Taking stock of the past year, for me, means I go back and look at the plans I set, and how the year stacked up before I attack the next one.

So here's what I set out for in 2014, with my end-of-year notes in blue:

This year [2014], my theme is "Be Deliberate".

Here's how I want to ( Read more... )

Ollie Truong.
Geocaching addict.
Wilderness Scout.
Asthmatic.
Accidental hero.
Two weeks after Ollie and his best friend Moxie solved one of the biggest mysteries in the US, the media explosion has yet to die down and life has become difficult for Moxie and Ollie. Very difficult. Like, TV vans outside the house difficult.
To escape the onslaught and ( Read more... )

Today is the official release day of Ollie and the Science of Treasure Hunting! Yay! I'm celebrating on a thunderstorm-filled day in Viterbo, Italy, where I am spending the month of July teaching in a summer study abroad program (tough life, I know).
But, I DO miss cheering this book on from the States. OLLIE is a special book to me because it hits ( Read more... )

There's been a lot of really good, important conversation around the lack of diversity in children's books lately:

Walter Dean Myers in the NY Times.
Kate Messner's ongoing discussion and call to action around Varian Johnson's THE GREAT GREENE HEIST on her blog.
Mitali Perkins' ongoing discussion, and her editor's confession.
The We Need Diverse ( Read more... )

Hi!

BonBon Break magazine is hosting a Scavenger Hunt for World Read Aloud Day!
Reading aloud is one of my favorite ways to enjoy a book.
One that I've read aloud recently is BEEZUS & RAMONA, by Beverly Cleary.
UP! TALL! AND HIGH! by Ethan Long is another fun one to share.
G​​uess I'm a sucker for humorous titles.
Happily, I also have a soft ( Read more... )