I am thrilled and honored to announce more book award news. A couple months ago, I shared that NO WORLD TOO BIG won the 2024 Green Earth Book Award – Intermediate Category. This month I have exciting news about two other books.
The National Science Teachers Association and the Children’s Book Council selected YUMBO GUMBO as one of the winning titles for their NSTA-CBC 2025 Best STEM Book list. Click here to find the full list of winning titles.
And the State Library of Ohio, the Ohioana Library Association with the Ohio Center for the Book, and the Choose to Read Ohio Advisory Council selected OPENING THE ROAD for the 2025 Choose to Read Ohio (CTRO) book list. The CTRO booklist features 20 titles for all ages selected by Ohio teachers, librarians, and other advocates for readers and reading. It’s in great company! Click here for a pdf of the titles.
I am beyond thrilled to see that OPENING THE ROAD continues to reach readers with every honor and recognition.
NO WORLD TOO BIG: YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE won two awards!
NO WORLD TOO BIG: YOUNG PEOPLE is the winner of the 2024 Green Earth Book Award in the Picture Book – Intermediate category! The Nature Generation gives the award. Here’s the cover sporting the 2024 Green Earth Book Award sticker. I missed last week’s virtual ceremony for that award because of travel, but Lindsay and Jeanette attended. We are so happy the book is reaching young readers!
It’s also the winner of the 2024 ILA Social Justice Literature Award in the Nonfiction Picture Book category. This award is from the International Literacy Association.
And the third bit of news…
Feliz cumpleaños del libro, El más gumbo delicioso! October is a month to honor and celebrate Louisiana Creole, Latino, Indigenous heritage and gumbo. YUMBO! Join me in welcoming the Spanish edition of Yumbo Gumbo to the world!
Happy book birthday, El más gumbo delicioso! October is a month to honor and celebrate Louisiana Creole, Latino, Indigenous heritage and gumbo. YUMBO!
I am excited this book is in the world and will reach a Spanish-speaking audience. Now available. Here’s the link to places to purchase your copy today! Gracias.
In March, we received news that NO WORLD TOO BIG was chosen as the winner of the 2024 Green Earth Book Award in the Picture Book – Intermediate category. The award celebration will take place virtually on Thursday, October 17, 7:00 – 8:30 PM, EST. The event is free to attend, although registration is required.
We are so honored to have our work recognized and hopefully encourage more youth to get involved!
NO WORLD TOO BIG: YOUNG PEOPLE FIGHTING GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE is the recipient of the 2024 Green Book Earth Award in the Picture Book – Intermediate category from The Nature Generation!
We are so happy this book is reaching readers! And besides the winners and honors, there’s a long recommended reading list.
It was also a finalist for the Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World, part of the SCBWI Legacy and Impact fund.
With this New Orleans Crockpot Red Beans & Rice recipe, there’s no need to watch the pot and worry about burning your beans! But I still cook them on a Monday. Growing up, families cooked beans on Monday or wash-day, to be near the pot.
When cooking beans on the stovetop, be sure to stir that pot so your beans won’t burn!
Ingredients:
1 lb. Camellia red beans
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ green bell pepper
2 -3bay leaves
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon thyme
1 medium-sized ham hock
½ lb. ham
½ lb. beef smoked sausage
½ 1b. hot sausage (chaurice)
¼ cup butter (4 tablespoons)
1 4 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups long grain white rice, cooked
French Bread
Directions:
Soak beans overnight. Put beans in a large bowl, cover with about 2 inches of water. Beans will absorb most of the water.
The next day, dice a yellow onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. Slice sausages and ham into bite-sized pieces.
Drain the remaining water from beans, rinse. Put the beans in a Crockpot; fill with water about an inch from the top. Add meat, all fresh and dried seasoning except garlic.
Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until beans are soft and easy to mash. Mash about a third of the softened beans on the side of the crock pot with a large spoon to create a creamy gravy.
Add butter, tomato sauce, and garlic. Cook for another 30 minutes.
Serve over cooked white rice with French bread. Bon appétit!
April is poetry month and Earth Day is celebrated every April 22nd. But do you know about the Earth Month Ecochallenge? It runs from April 1 – April 30, 2024. This month, pledge to take action. The more who do, the greater the impact. From their website, “This year’s theme, “Conserving Every Ecosystem, Caring for Every Creature,” highlights the intersection of conservation and behavior change. By focusing on daily actions and continuous learning, we aim to create a sustainable and just world, not just for humans but for all species and ecosystems we rely on.”
Below is an activity for kids using NO WORLD TOO BIG, a perfect fit for April’s Poetry Month, the Earth Month Ecochallenge, and Earth Day on April 22nd. Click here or on the worksheet to download the template.
What a fun book launch! Lots of moms, grandparents and a dad came to the Yumbo Gumbo storytime at Joseph-Beth Cincinnati. A sibling pair totally understood how big and little siblings relationships work and identified with my characters Annabelle and Beau. All the kiddos and their grown-ups were engaged, and they loved the bread basket craft. When a mom asked her son what he planned to put in his basket, he said cars. 🤣
NO WORLD TOO BIG is a finalist for the Russell Freedman Award for Nonfiction for a Better World. This award is given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Ilustrators (SCBWI) “to a work of nonfiction that contributes to our understanding of how to make our world and society better.”
See the full list of finalists on the @SCBWIIMPACT post on IG. The winner will be announced in March!
Lindsay, Jeanette and I are grateful to the youth who trusted us to tell their stories and the poets inspired to write about them.
By the late 1700s, the mayor of Paris wanted to end Carnival and ban King Cake!
As early as the 14th century, historians have found documented evidence to show revelers baked King Cakes to celebrate the winter solstice. And the fève or fava bean hidden inside was associated with bringing good luck for fertility, or a bountiful harvest, and more. The holiday became quite popular across Europe and whomever found the bean, or fève, became the king or queen for the day. There was dancing in the street, lots of drinking, and other raucous behavior that accompanied the celebrations. This provided the lowest levels of society temporary relief from societal pressures imposed by the ruling class. And in the 16th century, French bakeries (boulangeries) and pastry shops (pâtisseries) both wanted the sole right to sell the cake. It was up to the king to decide.
As Christianity spread across Europe, the church prohibited the pagan festival and the worship of non-Christian gods. To assure this happened, the church influenced their followers to celebrate Three Kings’ Day or the Epiphany on January 6th which coincided with the winter solstice. And like the three wise men, Christians would celebrate and recognize the divinity of the baby Jesus. However, the fun, festivities and cake remained popular.
In fact, in France, there was a king cake war because the cake was so popular. So who won? What establishment did the king pick to make and sell their official kings’ cake, the boulangeries or pâtisseries?
Interestingly, even today, who can sell what—and where there—remains a matter of French law! You see, there’s a difference between a boulangerie and a pâtisserie. My son is in his third year at École Ducasse in Paris studying French Pastry Arts and he enjoys viennoiserie, which is like blending pastry and bread-making, but that’s a whole other topic. A boulangerie specializes in bread and other baked goods, whereas a pâtisserie sells pastries. That’s a very simplistic explanation. It’s far more complicated!
The king’s edict of 1794 granted pastry chefs the monopoly to make the Gâteau des Rois. This ring-shaped gâteau was made of a brioche with a dough using yeast.
How did the boulangers respond?
The bakers couldn’t sell the ring-shaped cake, so they created something new. They made Galette des Rois with a puff pastry in the shape of a pie! This Kings’ Cake has multiple thin layers filled with frangipane, an almond paste. And yes, a fève is hidden inside. Today, instead of a bean, there’s a trinket of some kind, perhaps a tiny porcelain or plastic figurine.
Fast forward to Louisiana, once a French colony, where the cake tradition continues. In France, King Cakes are sold from January 6th throughout the month of January. In Louisiana, the first King Cake appears on the same date, kicking off the Carnival season. But there, they are consumed until Mardi Gras Day—Fat Tuesday. The King Cake baby is the most popular fève hidden in Louisiana King Cakes. And the baby comes in many sizes and colors.
I’ve had my share of King Cake varieties from different bakeries over the years and I continue to experiment with making my own. This year’s Epiphany cake was filled with Valrhona chocolate from Tain L’Hermitage, that my son brought home and caramelized for me.
Whether you prefer a Galette des Rois, Gâteau des Rois, or a variety of the Louisiana King Cake, you have until February 13, 2024, Mardi Gras Day, to eat your share. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find the fève!
My first trade review of YUMBO GUMBO and it’s a good one! It’s from the CLCD, Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database used by public and school librarians and teachers. The review is quite comprehensive, and this quote sums it up. So grateful!
Honored to see NO WORLD TOO BIG on Chicago Public Library’s Best Informational Books of 2023 list! And in such great company! Congratulations everyone! Follow this link to see the full list.
And I love to see it in libraries and bookstores, too!
A librarian friend shared this photo from the Wright Library in Dayton, Ohio
I am so excited to announce there’s a third poetry anthology featuring fourteen incredible young neurodivergent activists in the works! Once again, it is such an honor that these young people have trusted us with their stories. And I am thrilled to teamed up with the uber talented Lindsay H. Metcalf and Jeanette Bradley, too.
NO BRAIN THE SAME: Young Neurodivergent Activists Shaping Our Future will be on bookshelves in 2026!
Ki jou çé ojordi? What day is it today? Chicken knows!
It’s National Gumbo Day! In this short video, I use use Kouri-Vini /Krèyòl Lalwizyàn or Louisiana Creole to share a little bit about YUMBO GUMBO, my Storytelling Math Book with Charlesbridge Publishing.
The October Substack newsletter is live! Teachers and librarians will find news you can use. And there’s another educator Book Bundle giveaway for subscribers.
October: Smells like pumpkin spice and book challenges
Bookish news, giveaways, a profile of Nancy Churnin, and new mini lesson on sensory language!
We are a group of children’s book creatives who write nonfiction and informational fiction books who are also dedicated to supporting teachers, librarians, and students to help them discover ways to use our books with students.
EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It! I belong to a group of children’s book creatives who write nonfiction and informational fiction books. We are also dedicated to supporting teachers, librarians, and students to help them discover ways to use our books with students.
We’re publishing a newsletter on Substack! And each month we will share news and teaching tips.
Read our first post written by moi and subscribe to win a Back-to-School book bundle to support a school of your choice! And please share with others.
What can you do with all the cherry tomatoes and zucchini coming from your summer garden? I have one answer! Because my garden and farm share has been so bountiful, I tweaked a cherry tomato & cheese with pasta recipe that went viral on TikTok. But after a couple attempts, I discovered I prefer goat cheese to feta and used zucchini to make zoodles instead of using pasta. And hands down, this recipe is not only easy peasy, it’s healthy and delicious! Recipe below.
Baked Cheese & Cherry Tomatoes with Zoodles
Ingredients:
5-6 cups cherry tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup olive oil
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp dried basil, crushed
12-ounces goat cheese (or feta)
salt and black pepper to taste
Zoodles (zucchini noodles) or pasta
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F (204 °C).
2. Add cherry tomatoes to a baking dish and poke a couple holes in each tomato.
3. Top tomatoes with olive oil, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh basil. Mix well.
4. Add cheese to the dish.
5. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, stir. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow cheese to congeal a bit.
6. Boil a large pot of water to make Zoodles or pasta.
Zoodles:
Peel the skin off 2-3 large zucchinis, cut into wide 1/8th inch strips add to the pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes or until tender. Drain.
YUMBO GUMBO cover reveal today on Vivian Kirkfield’s Picture Books Help Kids Soar blog! Read about and see the photo inspiration behind this story. I also share one of many funny exchanges with my editor during the editing process.
Comment to enter the giveaway!
Written by moi, illustrated by Katie Crumpton, and published by Charlesbridge, YUMBO GUMBO will be on shelves February 20, 2024. Available for pre-order today!
I am so excited for you to see the cover of YUMBO GUMBO that will be on shelves February 20, 2024. My friend and fellow author, Vivian Kirkfield, will share it on her blog next week. Stay tuned!
Spending the morning with young readers and book lovers is something authors look forward to. Cover to Cover Children’s Books in Columbus, OH supports readers, writers, and illustrators, which is invaluable to book creatives and their communities.
Thanks to Bryan Loar, I had the pleasure of spending Saturday morning for their weekly storytime reading from NO WORLD TOO BIG. And Shelly from Green Columbus, a nonprofit focusing on the environment, talked about their work. See the video re-cap below.
I’ve been busy as a bee connecting with kids, librarians, and teachers at book festivals, bookstores, and school visits since the March release of NO WORLD TOO BIG.
This month I had the honor of being an author-in-residence at the Ohio University Stevens Literacy Center summer camp for kids funded by the The Jeanne Horton Memorial Fund for the Green Project. We had fun reading, writing, and crafting. See the video re-cap below.
Fun memories. Happy summer!
Funded by the by The Jeanne Horton Memorial Fund for the Green Project.
April is Poetry Month and every April 22nd is Earth Day. For all you eco-warriors, this activity calendar using NO WORLD TOO BIG: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change is filled with ideas.
It’s almost tour time! Lindsay H. Metcalf, Jeanette Bradley and I are kicking off our NO WORLD TOO BIG book tour with my regional SCBWI Ohio Central-South chapter tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 7pm/EST. Here’s the link if you’d like to register for this free event.
And we are all off to Washington, DC, where I will meet Lindsay and Jeanette in-person for the very first time after collaborating on two books together! Take that pandemic.
Then each of us will be on the road in different places to promote NO WORLD TOO BIG. Save the date if you’re in one of these cities on our tour. We’d love to meet you!
