An Umbrella With White Butterflies by Farhad Hassanzadeh, illustrated by Ghazaleh Bigdelou is a story about how four children unknowingly impact one another on the eve of the new year. Today as I write this, it’s World Read Aloud Day, a celebration of reading with children all over the world. This book of interconnection, An…
I was creating Classroom Connections for one of my books, and my editor suggested I include information about SEL- which is Social and Emotional Learning. Understanding our emotions, becoming aware of others, and finding relevant books to help us understand ourselves and others are included within Social and Emotional Learning. My illustrator partner for Luis…
Why do tortoises have no hair? You’ve probably wondered where tortoises’s hair has gone. Here, in the illustration below, is where his problem started, with the scent of the frying mandazi. (East African doughnut.) You’ll see he has hair. The tortoise tale is written and illustrated by Maxwell Abwamba. He graduated from high school in…
Allow this Persian cat to draw you to the work of Iranian children’s book author, Farhad Hassanzadeh and illustrator Ghazaleh Bigdelou. Iran, like the U.S., is fighting for its people suffering in the corona virus pandemic. In our global fight, I’m acknowledging and celebrating the art of picture books from book creators around the world….
In respect for out connected world, in hard times and in beauty, I want to honor books for children in other countries of the world where children are also studying and reading at home like U.S. kids. It’s also International Children’s Book Day on April 2. But I’ll continue the whole month. We’ll take a…