Enter to Win!

I'm thrilled to announce a special giveaway of some of my all-time favorite picture books: One VERY lucky winner will win this collection of Llama Llama titles, plus the adorable Llama plush.

Anna Dewdney’s loving voice and incredible talent echo from every page of every sweet book. On a personal note, “Red Pajama” was my go-to reference for how to create a perfectly rhyming picture book, and it will forever own a place in my heart. I hope you’ll check out the rest of this series — and her other titles as well. Each one is an endearing treasure.

To enter: 1. Follow my account, 2. Like this post, 3. Comment and TAG TWO FRIENDS by 11:59 PM EDT on July 25th. Winners will be announced here on my Instagram! US only please.

Barnes and Noble Pre-Order

Construction Site fans, the Barnes & Noble Preorder Sale is back! Today through July 17th, if you preorder your copy of Construction Site: Garbage Crew to the Rescue through @barnesandnoble you can receive 25% off, using code PREORDER25! Valid for Premium and Rewards Members. Premium members also get double stamps AND an additional 10% off. #saleforthepages

Garbage Crew to the Rescue!

When the fireworks are done
And the barbecues, too
Their work has just begun
It's the mighty GARBAGE CREW!

I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! 🇺🇸 But, don’t forget: When our festivities end, their work is just beginning. So, here's a MIGHTY, BIG THANK-YOU to all of the workers out there who clean up after the celebrations are over!

Book Signing

Garbage Crew To The Rescue! Illustrated by the incredibly talented (and also incredibly nice) AG Ford. 😃 Big jobs are much more fun with a friend!

Really?

See the perforation lines on the graham crackers, implying that you can easily break them into four nice, even, clean pieces? Really? All Lies!!!

Shenandoah University Children's Lit Fest

This weekend, I'm giving a talk at the Shenandoah University's Children's Literature Conference, where I'll be joined by a wonderful lineup of children's authors and illustrators. If you're in the Warrenton, VA area, you can catch me at Eva Walker Park on Saturday at 11 AM for a reading and signing with Antoinette Portis and Troy Cummings. This special event is hosted by @openbookwarrenton. If you're in the area I'd love to see you there.

Thanks Dad

Every morning, I would sit down with my coffee and call my dad. We would chat about recent happenings, the news, the weather, what we had planned for the day, if we’d “heard from anybody,” and any complaints or gossip we had to share. Even though we had just spoken yesterday (and sometimes even yesterday afternoon!), we would shoot the breeze for a good while.

Every. Morning.

After my dad died and our sweet doggie of almost 16 years was getting ready to leave us, we got Maisy.

I just fully realized that, when I sit down with my coffee every morning, Maisy insists (INSISTS!) on being on my lap.

And, I honestly just processed how comforting that is.

Thanks, Dad.

Words Matter

Our words matter. What we say matters. How we say things matters. What a beautiful lesson from @always.upper.elementary.

Our words have great power — and great power comes with great responsibility — whether those words are spoken aloud, sent via text or written in social media.

Juneteenth

Kids across the country are enjoying their summer vacation, which might mean they missed the opportunity to share their Juneteenth family traditions or learn all about the history and meaning of Juneteenth with their classmates. “Juneteenth Is” written by Natasha Tripplett and illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien, is a big-hearted ode to the history of the Black community in the United States, a tribute to Black joy, and a portrait of familial love. I hope it’s a story you’ll share with your young readers this year, and for years to come.

Enter to Win!

I read Frog and Toad to my boys at bedtime so often when they were little; the soft, silly sweetness of those stories was the perfect way to end the day. Now, I'm thrilled to see a new generation discovering these charming characters in the Apple TV animated series — but OF COURSE, books are always my first choice.

Over the next two weeks, you can enter for a chance to win this personally curated collection of Frog and Toad favorites that includes this awesome tote bag, plush friends for bedtime, a nonfiction book all about frogs and toads (for your little fact-finding amphibian enthusiasts!) and Frog and Toad: The Complete Collection.

To enter: 1) follow my account, 2) like this post 3) comment and tag two friends — by 11:59 PM on July 1st. US only, please.

And keep checking back all summer for more of my summer reading giveaway series — and (need I mention?)… Keep reading!

Father's Day

Father's Day weekend is coming fast, and if you're looking for a sweet, sentimental, or silly gift that kids and dads, grandpas, or father figures can enjoy together, here's a great reading gift list to get you started!

In 2019, Psychology Today published an article detailing the unique benefits for children who read with fathers and father figures. Research "shows that mothers do read to their children more often than fathers. But research also tells us that fathers have… vital roles to play in their children's literacy development."

So what is it about reading with Dad that hits a little differently? Moms often focus on a story's content with kids, while dads use stories as a springboard for wide-ranging conversations. Reading with a male caregiver also models reading for growing boys--and helps keep them reading! AND, studies show that reading with the kids before bed helps dads just as much as it does the kids. Male caregivers report that reading with "their children at bedtime helps them feel emotionally and physically closer to their kids, especially if they have to be away all day at work."

That's a win for everyone!

To all the dads, grandads, uncles, stepdads, and father figures out there, I wish you a wonderful weekend -- and keep up the good reading!

Win Lois Ehlert Collection

Summer means long, sunny days, outdoor fun, bare feet, campfires, catching fireflies — AND more time to read with the kids! But, an Education Week study published in 2023 revealed that "20 percent of children ages 17 and under aren't reading any books at all over the summer…”.

So THIS SUMMER, I want to do my part to promote excitement about reading!

All summer long, I'll be hosting a giveaway here on my Instagram. Every two weeks, I’m giving away a collection of books from authors, illustrators and with themes that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE; I’m SO EXCITED to share these titles with you and your family!

I’m starting the series with a collection of books by Lois Ehlert. Filled with colorful collage imagery, Ms. Ehlert’s books remind me so much of summer: they’re bright, colorful and just so FUN! And, on a personal note, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom was the very first thing that I bought when I learned that I was expecting our first son. The book is an absolute treasure, and I think every home library should have it.

To enter, follow my account, like this post, and comment and tag two friends by 11:59 PM EDT on June 17th. Winners will be announced here on my Instagram!

Unofficial Start to Summer

The unofficial start to summer has arrived, and if you’re looking for ideas for how to beat the screens while the kids are home, here are five fun, simple, and inexpensive activities to keep the little ones working on their literacy skills even when school is out.

My Baby Graduated!

Our baby graduated from high school yesterday. It was a rough, emotional day for this mama, but also a really joyful celebration.

This is my fave photo — Zak with his sweet, proud Grandma.