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We're Writing a Musical!

8/5/2025

Mark your calendars!

The story of our favorite giant, Ella Kate Ewing, is coming to the stage in May 2026.

That's right. We're turning Stand Straight, Ella Kate into a musical--or some people might call it an opera--for children and well-behaved adults. I'm writing the lyrics. My pal Ruell Chappell is writing the music. We hope audiences enjoy seeing it as much as we've enjoyed creating it.

More info right here. Ticket information over here. Thank you, Missouri Humanities Council, for your kind support.

Summer Workshops 2025

3/13/2025

Calling all aspiring authors and illustrators!

We're offering a series of online workshops in July. Participants (age 7 and up) will learn how to create a compelling main character, craft a page-turning plot, and add impressive illustrations.

The one-hour workshops will be offered on Zoom on the following days:

Monday, July 7 at 9:00 am Pacific, 11:00 am Central, 12 pm Eastern
Wednesday, July 9 at 10:00 am Pacific, 12 pm Central, 1 pm Eastern
Friday, July 11 at 11:00 am Pacific, 1 pm Central, 2 pm Eastern

Fees: The cost of each workshop is: $75 per person; $125 for a sibling group, and $250 for public libraries. We invite you to attend one, two, or all three workshops. (Discounts available for the three-day series.)

For more information or to register, contact us right here.

We Love Wisconsin

9/20/2024

Thank you to the Children's Book Award Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association for honoring How Mr. Silver Stole the Show. A book about a kitty who wins an award itself winning an award is dizzyingly delightful! Glad we spent those formative years in Wisconsin way back when.

Who Is Hong Kong BOB?

2/21/2024

That's what I was wondering when I heard that Mystery on Magnolia Circle was popular with Hong Kong BOB. Turns out Hong Kong BOB is Hong Kong's Battle of the Books list, where students from nearly 50 international schools in Hong Kong and beyond read a selection of books and then compete in trivia contests based on the books. I've seen the questions about Mystery on Magnolia Circle and they're good! I'll be Zooming with some of these students as they prepare for battle. May the best school win and, more important, may everyone have fun.

Kiddies & Kitties

11/10/2023

Whoever said adults shouldn't work with children or animals never met the kiddos and kitties in St. Louis. (Thanks to Lucas Peterson/St. Louis County Library for the photos.)

Meet Me in St. Louis, Part 2

11/10/2023

Meet Me in St. Louis

10/19/2023

We Have A New Book Coming Your Way

7/28/2023

We have a new picture book coming your way in October 2023! This one's based on a real-life stray cat who become a celebrity way back in 1947. If you like stories about underdogs or undercats, this one's for you.

Thank You, Keystone State!

2/24/2023

Thank you, Pennsylvania, for selecting Mystery on Magnolia Circle to be on your 2023-2024 Young Reader's Choice Award List. Nobody loves the Keystone State more than I do!

I'm looking forward to connecting with many Pennsylvania young readers in the months ahead. Let's solve some mysteries together, shall we?

Readers are Leaders!

9/5/2022

Reading is everything. Why? Because when you're a good reader, everything is easier and more fun: school, work, and life itself. So, of course, it breaks my heart when I read about kids who struggle with reading just because adults fail to teach it properly. (Note to fellow adults: Come on. Let's get our act together on this, shall we?)
In addition to making life easier and more fun, reading also builds empathy skills. (Goodness knows how much we need those lately.) Reading also helps to build leadership skills. I think I knew this intuitively, but I loved reading this cool article by Dr. Rose Reissman about how using *our* books can help middle schoolers be real leaders. Wow! The students at Dr. Reissman's school (Ditmas I.S. 62) in Brooklyn, New York, are lucky to have such an advocate in their corner. And I'm sure Principal Marielena Santiago is nothing like Principal Noah Memree in Don't Check Out This Book!

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