October 28 – It’s Dyslexia Awareness Month

About the Holiday

Dyslexia Awareness Month was first held in the UK in 2002 as a small movement of events organized through schools and businesses. In the ensuing years, it has grown to be recognized internationally, with programs, learning events, and public campaigns to bring messages and updates on improved inclusion and accessibility to communities around the world.

Developed in 1877 by German physician Adolph Kussmaul as “word-blindness,” the condition was first identified by German physician Oswald Berkhan in 1881 while studying the case of a young boy with severe issues in learning to read and write despite his high intellectual abilities. The condition was officially named “dyslexia” by ophthalmologist Rudolph Berlin in 1887.

Today, dyslexia affects from 5% to 10% of the world’s population. The theme for Dyslexia Awareness Month 2024 is “Until Everyone Can Read, and puts the focus on the latest research and resources for those with dyslexia and other learning differences as well as special activities for students, families, and communities.

Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids with Dyslexia and Learning Differences

Written by Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich | Illustrated by Fiona Lee

Bea had a big imagination. Her mom said she had “a way with words,” her dad said she was a “real word slinger,” and her brother thought she was “the greatest storyteller on Earth.” But reading and writing were “extra hard” for Bea. As she would describe it “words jump around the page and my eyes try to shoot laser beams to catch them.” Her parents told her it was dyslexia. Another thing Bea knew was that because she couldn’t finish her school work on time, she was stuck in the classroom at recess time—”stucker than stuck. Stuck in Stucksville, population: 1.”

Image copyright Fiona Lee, 2021; text copyright Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich, 2021. Courtesy of Magination Press.

Reading out loud made Bea want to melt into the floor, and when trying to write, she couldn’t get down the words she was thinking. One day her teacher, Ms. Bloom asked if she could read what she had written so far. “I woent let dullying bring me doun,” Ms. Bloom read then asked what “dullying” was. “Bullying,” Bea corrected her. Ms. Bloom smiled and kindly said, “I think you’ve figured it out with your brilliant brain, Beatrice. Bullying is dull.” Bea knew “brilliant” meant “super smart,” and, Ms. Bloom added, “it means bright and radiant.” Walking home that afternoon, Bea’s imagination and self-esteem soared.

Image copyright Fiona Lee, 2021; text copyright Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich, 2021. Courtesy of Magination Press.

The next day, Ms. Bloom gave Bea a tape recorder. At recess Bea told one of her stories into the recorder. Her words flowed and attracted Rudy, who asked what she was doing. Normally, Bea “would shrivel up and just wish him away,” but today she played her story for him. Rudy offered to draw pictures for her story, and that afternoon, he helped her become “unstuck.”

Image copyright Fiona Lee, 2021; text copyright Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich, 2021. Courtesy of Magination Press.

In the coming days and weeks, Bea attracted more friends. Sometimes they sat under the trees at recess to listen as she told her stories and sometimes they played on the playground. Now she wasn’t afraid of learning differently, and she and her best friend even created a comic book that Ms. Bloom copied and gave to all her classmates. And when Bea grew older? She became an author and even returned to Ms. Bloom’s classroom to read her book.

A superb and detailed Reader’s Note by Ellen B. Braatan, PhD, executive director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, follows the story. In it Dr. Braatan outlines the insights into dyslexia that Brilliant Bea highlights, ways in which adults can engage children in conversations about dyslexia, what dyslexia is, and the symptoms of dyslexia, as well as methods of evaluation and treatment, including remediation and accommodation.

Image copyright Fiona Lee, 2021; text copyright Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich, 2021. Courtesy of Magination Press.

This engaging story about one girl’s experience with dyslexia is charming and insightful. Shaina Rudolph and Mary Vukadinovich highlight the difficulties children with dyslexia face with reading and expressing their thoughts in conventional ways as well as the impact their learning difference has on making friends and having the same advantages as their peers during a school day.

Through Bea’s talent for storytelling, Rudolph and Vukadinovich emphasize how dyslexic children (and adults) can excel in a wide range of disciplines, from writing to science to art to music to any field of endeavor because they see things differently. Bea’s teacher, Ms. Bloom, demonstrates how early recognition of dyslexia and other learning differences coupled with understanding, remediation, and accommodation can make school and any environment inclusive and successful for all.

Fiona Lee’s bright and uplifting illustrations use a variety of perspectives to help readers see how those with dyslexia see the world differently. Bea’s imagination and storytelling talent are reflected in the soft sketches that soar from her mind or off her notebook. Her frustration is clear, but so is her resilience and determination to succeed. When her teacher gives her the tape recorder, readers can see how life-changing such a simple and thoughtful act can be.

Young readers will embrace Bea and this story of a sweet, creative, and giving child who also happens to be dyslexic. The story and the back matter provide parents, educators, and other adults a helpful and meaningful way to allow dyslexic children to see themselves in a book as well as to explain this learning difference to classmates, friends, and others.

Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids with Dyslexia and Learning Differences is a must addition to public and school libraries, pediatricians’ offices, and teachers’ programs. The book is highly recommended for home bookshelves as well.

Ages 4 – 8+

Magination Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1433837418

About the Authors

Shaina Rudolph is an author of books for children, including All My Stripes and Brilliant Bea. Shaina is also a member of The Society of Children’s Authors and Illustrators. Additionally, she has been an educator for 15 years. Visit Shaina at shainarudolph.com.

Mary Vukadinovich has been working with students with language based learning differences and diverse learning need for the last 17 years. As a reading specialist in Los Angeles, Mary values her opportunities to teach students with unique learning profiles, including dyslexia. Above all, she enjoys watching a child’s confidence grow while learning to love to read. When Mary isn’t teaching or writing, she is reading and telling stories to her own two children.

About the Illustrator

Fiona Lee is inspired by color, strong-willed kids, and the unintentional humor of animals. Working both traditionally and digitally, she captures detail, texture, and life’s small moments. Trained as a Science Illustrator, her clients include Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, UC Santa Cruz, and more. She lives in Vermont in a tiny house in the middle of a big hayfield.

National Dyslexia Awareness Month Activity

Watch these Informative Videos

Watch See Dyslexia Differently for a child-focused animated short that gives an overview of how dyslexia affects reading, writing, learning, and everyday activities as well as what strengths kids with dyslexia have, and highlights famous artists, inventors, singers, writers, scientists and more used the way they think differently to change the world.
Listen to a group of young people describe their dyslexia in this video from Learning Ally.
Hear Reading Horizons Dyslexia Specialist, Shantell Berrett describe various ways that dyslexics see words on a page and some remediation and accommodation aids.

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You can purchase Brilliant Bea: A Story for Kids with Dyslexia and Learning Differences at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

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About the Holiday

World Creativity and Innovation Day has been observed by citizens and organizations in over 50 countries since 2002. In 2018, the United Nations (U.N.) formally established the holiday to promote the importance of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development, both at the individual and group levels. This day also highlights the importance of applying creativity and innovation to problem-solving for today’s pressing issues, including scientific, economic, social, and sustainable development. Kids seem to do this inherently as they go about exploring and interacting with all the new things they see, hear, and do every day Books like today’s featured title can spur children to put their own unique talents to work to change an improve the world for all. To learn more about World Creativity and Innovation Day, visit the UN website.

Thanks to Betsy Ellor and Yeehoo Press for sharing a digital copy of My Dog Is NOT a Scientist with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

My Dog is NOT a Scientist

Written by Betsy Ellor | Illustrated by Louisa Vera

Yara knows she’s the best scientist in town, but how can she prove it when she always loses the school science fair to her neighbor Eddie, who taunts her about being older and smarter and not having a dog like Renzo to mess up his experiments. This year, though, Yara is determined to win. She already has her question to explore: “What makes paper airplanes fly?” and lots of planes to experiment with. But within minutes Renzo has chased down and torn them all apart. “RENZO!!” Yara yells. “Real scientists don’t chase their experiments,” says Eddie.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Next, Yara chooses to use her scientific observational skills to see if she can illuminate a lightbulb with a lemon. But again Renzo causes a catastrophe and Eddie is right there to see it and make a comment. Undaunted, however, Yara decides to test her hypothesis about “what makes grass grow fast.” She marks off sections of her backyard that are sunny, shady, dry, and wet and gets to work. Renzo feels the call of nature, too – only in a . . . umm . . . different way than Yara. And, yep, Eddie sees it too.

With one week to go to the science fair, Yara comes up with a hypothesis about insects and does a little problem-solving by erecting a Renzo-free tent to carry out her experiment. Maybe Renzo can’t read or maybe he just has to know, but that dogged dog digs deep and finds a way to upset another experiment.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Now the science fair is tomorrow, and while Eddie has a neat and tidy, perfect-looking project to present, “all Yara has to show is Renzo’s damage.” How can she report what she’s learned like a real scientist when she hasn’t learned anything? Yara thinks. With tears in her eyes she’s ready to concede to Renzo that “Eddie’s right…. You’re NOT a scientist . . . and neither am I.” But then Yara looks at her experiments in a different way—from Renzo’s point of view. Renzo, she realized, asked questions, made observations, and “even formed a hypothesis and tested it.”

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Her new perspective gave Yara another idea for her science project. The next day at the science fair, Renzo was Yara’s star exhibit. “Is My Dog a Scientist?” her display asked. Yara tells the judges how Renzo followed his curiosity, how he asked questions, observed, made a hypothesis, and then tested it—just like a scientist. “‘My project proves my dog really IS a scientist,’” she said. The judges agreed and presented Yara with the first-place ribbon. Even though Eddie whined, Yara knew she and Renzo were the best scientists in town—and now everyone else knew it too.

Back matter includes a step-by-step description of the scientific method, some question starters to get young scientists thinking about their own hypotheses, seven questions to spark experimentation, and an invitation for readers to email Yara and Renzo about their experiments. More ideas for experimentation as well as a curriculum guide are also available on Betsy Ellor’s website.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

In her clever and creative story, Betsy Ellor perfectly melds the scientific method with sure-to-produce-guffaws humor that will make this book a favorite with kids who are already hard-core scientists as well as those who just like tinkering to explore life’s mysteries. Yara’s determination to win the science fair provides Ellor with a compelling frame to drop examples of real science-based questions and vocabulary into realistic dialog and suspenseful storytelling. The competition between Yara and Eddie also increases the stakes and will have readers rooting for Yara through every mishap. Yara’s inspired thinking on the night before the science fair encourages kids to never give up and prompts them to look at problems with new perspectives and fresh ideas.

Luisa Vera gives kids so much to see and think about in her dynamic illustrations that readers will love exploring for the science, humor, and plentiful details that define the scientific method while demonstrating Yara’s and Eddie’s different approaches to research. But with Yara’s first exasperated “RENZO!!” all eyes will be on this mischievous mutt who just can’t help it if he has a heart for science and a penchant for mischief. Renzo’s various antics will have kids laughing out loud through each of Yara’s experiments and even to the science fair, where even Eddie’s entry attracts the “Renzo” effect.

Funny, effervescent, and loaded with real science, My Dog Is NOT a Scientist is sure to be a catalyst to spark kids’ interest in and understanding of the scientific method as well as the idea that scientific observation and experimentation is a creative process and one that can be unique to each person. The book would enhance any science curriculum for teachers or homeschoolers and is highly recommended for home, classroom, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Yeehoo Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1953458469

**Discover the real-life inspiration behind My Dog is NOT a Scientist!**

About the Author

Betsy Ellor lives in a home filled with kid shenanigans, canine chaos and creative projects run wild. Her picture book debut, My Dog is NOT a Scientist launches in 2023 from Yeehoo Press. Her 2021 anthology Heroic Care: 35 Writers & Artists Show What It Means To Care reached the top 30 on Amazon, and her family musical Sara Crewe has been performed across the US.

Midwest-born, Betsy started as a playwright, earning a degree in Creative Writing from Ball State University before shifting her focus to novels and picture books. Betsy works as an interior designer. This explains her uniquely visual voice and her passion for stories that keep creative thinking at the heart of scientific exploration. Betsy lives near the beach in Massachusetts with her son and dog (aka the bringers of chaos). She spends way too much time on the computer but frequently escapes for hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and beach time. Visit Betsy on her website.

About the Illustrator

Luisa Vera was born in Elda, Alicante. After Luisa finished her fine-arts career in Valencia, she went to New York, where she attended the School of Visual Arts. Since 1990, she has dedicated herself professionally to illustration. She is the author/illustrator of Let’s Go to the Museum, a Modern Art Museum Maze and has illustrated Casas del mundo, Salta que salta, among other Spanish-language titles for children. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, the Wall Street Journal, the International Herald Tribune, and The Vanguard, and her characters have worn their best clothes on book covers, posters, catalogs, children’s stories, and exhibitions. Luisa lives in Barcelona, Spain. You can follow Luisa Vera on Instagram.

Meet Yara and Renzo in this sneak peek of the book!

World Creativity and Innovation Day Activity

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Kids love inventing and experimenting, and these sparkle test tubes give children a fun way to be creative while making a cool way to relax and on those hectic days.

Supplies

Plastic test tubes with tight-fitting screw cap, available at craft or science supply stores. Having two or three will allow for more experimentation
Glitter glue
Hot water
Fine glitter
Chunky glitter
Small glass beads (optional)
Neon food coloring (optional)
Test tube stand (optional)
Whisk
Mixing bowl
Teaspoon

Directions

Fill a test tube 1/3 full of hot water and pour the water into the mixing bowl
Add 1 – 2 teaspoons of glitter glue (the more glitter glue that is added the thicker the liquid will be and the more the objects will be suspended in the liquid. To allow the objects to flow more freely when the test tube is shaken, add less glue
Whisk the water and glitter glue together
Add chunky glitter, glass beads, or try other small objects
Pour into test tube
Add more water to within a ½ – 1 inch of the top to allow for shaking
Experiment with amount of glitter glue, glitter, and colors

More Science!

Are your kids excited to discover more about the world – and even the cookies they like – through experiments like Yara and Renzo? Then they’ll love the 13 fun and eye-opening experiments on Betsy Ellor’s website. You’ll find them here!

A My Dog is NOT a Scientist Curriculum Guide for teachers, homeschoolers, librarians, and group leaders is also available for download on Betsy Ellor’s website here!

**You can find My Dog Is NOT a Scientist at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 14 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Just a Worm

Posted by Kath Carroll

Just a Worm

By Marie Boyd

Worm is inching along on a beautiful summer day singing a happy little ditty: “La la la la… Slop, slip, wiggle. / I’m taking a little twirl. / Dop, dip, squiggle. / I’m off to see the world.” And so he was! But on his way he passed two kids who just didn’t see worm the way he saw himself and made him wonder…. Worm bolstered his self-confidence, telling himself that there were a lot of things he could do.

Just then he wiggled up to a row of brilliant purple flowers, where caterpillars, a chrysalis, and a butterfly were hanging out. Just out of curiosity, worm asked one of the caterpillars what she could do, and—Wow!—when he learned about making a chrysalis and metamorphosis, and becoming a butterfly, he was impressed. And maybe a bit intimidated.

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Butterfly also seemed to have multiple talents as did Spider and Dragonfly, who informed worm that he’d never be able to fly because he was “‘just a worm.'” Worm seemed resigned to his fate when he came upon ladybug and asked what she could do. Ladybug said, “‘I protect plants by eating insects, like aphids.'” This reminded worm that he did have a talent. “‘I eat dead animals and plants and keep the garden clean,'” he said with growing confidence.

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By the time worm meets bee, he’s ready to advocate for his own contribution to the garden. Then when snail crawls by and tells worm about the slime that protects him, worm realizes he’s found a friend he can relate to because worm makes slime too! Snail thinks that’s pretty cool, and worm agrees! In fact, worm understands that he can do a lot of things and that many of them benefit the garden. He even lists them all for snail, and as he looks around at the beautiful flowers and luscious berries, he takes some credit for growing “all of this” and proudly states “I’m a WORM!”

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Marie Boyd’s clever story combines salient information about a variety of insects with worm’s confidence-boosting journey from feeling inferior to the other garden dwellers to realizing his own role and importance in the plants’ growth and vibrancy. From page to page, readers can sense worm’s developing appreciation for his talents, and when he shakes off his misgivings and gives ladybug a small list of his accomplishments, kids will be right there to cheer him on. Readers may be surprised to discover just how much worms do contribute to a healthy garden ecosystem even as they come to understand that there is no such thing as “just a worm” in nature. Worm’s personal growth will also resonate with children, who are trying out new things and beginning to find their place in the world.

Boyd’s beautiful and original illustrations, created with intricate paper quilling are wonderfully detailed, textured, and expressive of the uniqueness and interconnectivity of nature. She also weaves in metaphorical clouds, which at worm’s lowest point, turn grey and black as they build overhead. But with his newfound confidence, they dissipate to be replaced with white, fluffy clouds that also blow away to reveal a clear, blue sky.

A multilayered story that delivers two important life lessons in a unique and charming way, Just a Worm will become a quick favorite for home, school, and public library story times. The book would be especially fun to pair with home gardening or planting activities for classrooms, libraries, and extracurricular organizations.

Ages 4 – 8

Greenwillow Books, 2023 | ISBN 978-0063212565

About Marie Boyd

Marie Boyd is a law professor, author, illustrator, and self-taught quilling artist. Her author and illustrator debut, Just a Worm (Greenwillow Books 2023), follows worm through the garden as he learns about his neighbors and how he helps keep the garden healthy. Originally from Salt Lake City, Marie lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband and two young children. You can find her at marieboyd.com and on Instagram.

Just a Worm Book Birthday Activity

Make a Quilled Snail

Author/illustrator Marie Boyd built worm’s gorgeous garden world with quilled paper, and now you can make worm’s friend snail for yourself with this tutorial on her website!

Quilled Snail Craft

**You can find Just a Worm at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

January 30 – It’s International Quality of Life Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

How one achieves their definition of a good quality of life may differ for every person, but in general it encompasses being happy and satisfied with one’s relationships, work, living conditions, and self. Whether you find happiness and quality of life in outdoor or indoor pursuits, with others or alone, at work or at home, this month’s holiday gives you time to get in touch with your inner quiet place and reflect on changes or improvements to bring you more peace and happiness in life.

Charlotte and the Quiet Place

Written by Deborah Sosin | Illustrated by Sara Woolley

Charlotte is a girl who likes quiet who lives in a noisy world. Everywhere she goes, it seems, it’s impossible to escape from sounds that disturb her peace. At home the hallway creaks where “the floorboards groan,” the living room is like an arcade where the “TV bellows and blares,” and the kitchen is filled with Otto’s barks for his dinner. Even in Charlotte’s bedroom, “which is supposed to be a quiet place, the old steam radiator hisses, whistles, and whines. Where can Charlotte find a quiet place?”

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Image copyright Sara Woolley, 2015, text copyright Deborah Sosin, 2015. Courtesy of sarawoolley.com

When Charlotte goes to school, things are no better. In the classroom kids are boisterous and bells ring; the lunchroom echoes with clattering trays and scuffing chairs; and the playground blares with big voices and stomping feet but also with the little squeaks and rattle of the swings. “Even in the library, which is supposed to be a quiet place, the children giggle, yammer, and yell. Where can Charlotte find a quiet place?”

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Image copyright Sara Woolley, 2015, text copyright Deborah Sosin, 2015. Courtesy of sarawoolley.com

The outside world resounds with the din of jackhammers, horns, sirens, shouts, cars, music, and the “screeches, rumbles, and roars” of the subway. “Even in the park, which is supposed to be a quiet place, the leaf blower buzzes, blusters, and hums.” Charlotte puts her hands to her ears. “‘Nooo!’” she cries, “‘I have to find a quiet place!’”

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Image copyright Sara Woolley 2015, text copyright Deborah Sosin, 2015. Courtesy of sarawoolley.com

On Saturday Charlotte takes her dog for a walk in the park. Suddenly, Otto spies a squirrel and takes off running, wrenching his leash out of Charlotte’s hand. She chases after him down a hill, over a bridge, into the middle of a grove of trees. Out of breath, Charlotte and Otto sit beneath a tree. Gasping, Charlotte’s “belly rises up and down, up and down. Her breath goes in and out, in and out. Hooooo ahhhhh. Hooo ahhh.”

Slowly, Charlotte’s breath comes easier and “her mind slows down.” In this state, she discovers another, even quieter place. It is a place deep inside where her breath is soft and her “thoughts are hushed and low.” It is “a place as quiet as the small silence on the very last page of her favorite book, the silence right after ‘The End.’”

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Image copyright Sara Woolley, 2015, text copyright Deborah Sosin, 2015. Courtesy of sarawoolley.com

In a little while, Charlotte and Otto leave the grove, but now whenever home or school or the neighborhood is too loud, Charlotte remembers where she can find a quiet place. She simply closes her eyes and pays attention to that place deep in her belly and deep in her mind—“that quiet place inside.”

For so many children the world is a blaring, clattering place where their thoughts are drowned out by the noises around them. Deborah Sosin’s award-winning Charlotte and the Quiet Place validates these feelings and offers children a way to discover inner peace wherever they are. As a tonic to today’s hyper-stimulated environment, kids and adults alike will benefit from the method of mindful reflection Sosin presents. Sosin’s combination of evocative verbs and repetition makes the story fresh and an excellent read-aloud while also mirroring the sounds that are a part of our everyday life.

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Image copyright Sara Woolley, 2015, text copyright Deborah Sosin, 2015. Courtesy of sarawoolley.com

Sara Woolley’s beautiful watercolor illustrations vividly depict not only Charlotte’s world but the sounds that disturb her peace. Amid the fully realized home, school, and neighborhood environments, complete with realistic details kids will recognize, sharp cracks of equipment, blaring bells and whistles, high-pitched voices, and other noises spark the page. Portrayals of Charlotte, her hands over her ears and her eyes sad, express her distress in a way kids will understand. When Charlotte finds the grove of trees in which she first experiences inner peace, Woolley’s color palette turns softer, with peaceful tones of green, blue, and yellow where, previously, “louder” purples, reds, and golds predominated.

Charlotte and the Quiet Place is a very welcomed book for those times when peace seems elusive and will give comfort to children who prefer quiet places and have more introverted natures. The book would make a wonderful addition to all children’s book shelves as well as to school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Parallax Press, 2015 | ISBN 978-1941529027

Visit Charlotte and the Quiet Place on her own website! You’ll find resources, images and videos, and more!

View a gallery of artwork for books, comics, and other illustration work by Sara Woolley on her website!

Meet Deborah Sosin

Deborah Sosin is a writer, editor, and clinical social worker specializing in mindfulness-based psychotherapy. She holds an MSW from Smith College School for Social Work and an MFA from Lesley University. Debbie’s picture book, Charlotte and the Quiet Place, illustrated by Sara Woolley, was published by Parallax Press in 2015 and has won multiple awards including the 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Gold Award, the 2016 Independent Publisher Book Awards Silver Medal, and the 2015 National Parenting Publications Bronze Award. Debbie’s essays and op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, Boston Globe Magazine, Salon, Cognoscenti, Brevity Blog, The Writer’s Chronicle, Journal News, Writer’s Digest, Zone 3 Literary Journal, JMWW Journal, The Manifest-Station, and elsewhere. Her essays also appear in the anthologies Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What? and The Apollo 11 Moon Landing (Perspectives on Modern World History). (Photo by Kevin Day Photography)

You can connect with Deborah Sosin on: Her Website | Facebook | Twitter

Hi Debbie! I’m really thrilled to have you join me today to talk about your work. In your career you write for adults and children, work within the publishing industry, provide publicity services, and teach. How did you get started? Did you always want to write?

I kept a diary starting at around age ten and always loved writing for school or for fun. I started getting more serious about writing for publication in the past ten years, studied at GrubStreet, attended the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, and eventually went back to school to get an MFA in Creative Writing. I wish I had started earlier, but it’s been rewarding to finally follow my true passion.

What influenced you to write Charlotte and the Quiet Place?

I wrote the book as an independent project as part of my MFA studies at Lesley University. They say “write what you know,” so I thought about my childhood growing up in kind of a noisy house, where my brother played the piano, my father had a radio and TV on simultaneously, and my mother was on the phone a lot. And then I thought about my longtime meditation practice and how tuning in to my breathing has helped me find a quiet place inside. So I wanted to write a story about children finding their own quiet place inside themselves.

You give school presentations on mindfulness and your picture book Charlotte and the Quiet Place for various ages. Is there an experience from any of these that you would like to share?

School visits are my favorite part of being an author! No matter what age the students are, they love to help me tell the story by repeating the “noisy” sounds and the “hoo ahh” breathing sounds. We usually do a few calming/breathing exercises together and, without fail, even the squirmiest group will settle into a beautiful, shared, often profound silence. Once, when asked where Charlotte finds her quiet place, one kindergarten girl said, “In her belly and in her brain, where it’s calm.” Many kids get that idea. What could be better? I also love showing them my early scribbles and illustrator Sara Woolley’s wonderful sketches and storyboards, and sharing the step-by-step process of publishing the book, from concept to completion.

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Deborah Sosin reads Charlotte and the Quiet Place to students at Newton Montessori School. Photo courtesy of Newton Montessori School.

Can you talk a little about mindfulness and how it can benefit children?

Mindfulness has become a catchword these days, but my favorite definition is from Dr. Amy Saltzman: “Noticing what’s happening right here and now, with a friendly, curious attitude, then choosing what to do next.” Many top-notch scientific studies show that mindfulness can help kids with concentration, attention, self-soothing, anxiety, depression, sleep, mood, compassion, confidence…I could go on. Compared with adults, most kids are naturally mindful, that is “in the moment,” but kids do get stressed out and worried about the past or the future, so mindfulness helps. I sometimes worry that parents and teachers might use it for disciplinary reasons (“Enough! Go be mindful in the corner!”), which is not the point. It’s a whole-life practice, not a technique or intervention. And, as the book shows, mindfulness can lead us to a quiet place inside that we can access whenever we want.

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Students at the Cottage Montessori School in Arlington, Massachusetts play the Silence Game with director Karen Wagner, watching the sand in the hourglass. Photo courtesy of Stacey Moriarty.

Can you tell me a little about your work with Grub Street, a creative writing center in Boston?

I started taking classes at GrubStreet in 2008; my first class was “Six Weeks, Six Essays,” and from that class, I helped form a longtime regular writing group. I started blogging soon after and then submitted personal essays for publication, with some good luck. GrubStreet is a fantastic, inclusive community, with excellent faculty and a huge range of motivated, smart, and enthusiastic students, from beginners to veterans. After a few years, I applied to teach classes there and am proud to be on their instructor and consultant rosters now.

You are an accomplished choral singer, having performed at Lincoln Center, the United Nations, Boston’s Symphony Hall, and on an international tour. When did you begin choral singing? Do you have an anecdote you’d like to share from any of your experiences?

I’ve been singing my whole life and have been in choruses since elementary school. Singing with other people is extremely gratifying and, after all the “verbal”-type things I do, including my work as a psychotherapist, it’s a lovely change of pace. I spent about 15 years in the Zamir Chorale of Boston, which specializes in Jewish choral music. Our tours to Eastern Europe, Italy, and Israel were extraordinary. In 1999, when we sang at Auschwitz and Terezin, the sites of former concentration camps, it was hard to keep our emotions in check, but it felt important to revive the voices of the Jewish people that the Nazis had attempted to quell. A PBS documentary film, “Zamir: Jewish Voices Return to Poland,” chronicled our tour that summer. I think it’s still available through the Zamir Chorale website.

What’s the best part about writing for children?

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Children enjoy drawing their noisy and quiet places at an Oblong Bookstore event in NY. Photo courtesy of AM Media Group

After having focused almost exclusively on nonfiction for most of my writing career, it’s been wonderful to work in the very precise and rich world of picture-book writing with so many lovely, funny, imaginative, and supportive fellow writers I’ve met through SCBWI and the amazing Writers’ Loft in Sherborn, Mass.

Thanks, Debbie, for stopping by and chatting! I wish you all the best with Charlotte and the Quiet Place and all of your future endeavors!

International Quality of Life Activity

Share a Smile Cards

Life is better when you share smiles with those you know—and those you don’t! Try it! When you’re out today at school or other places, look someone in the eye and smile. You’ll probably get a smile back—and you can be sure that you will have made the other person’s and your day better!

Here are some Smile Cards that you can share. Why not slip one into your dad’s pocket or your mom’s purse, put one in your friend’s backpack, or sneak one onto your teacher’s desk? You can even leave one somewhere for a stranger to find! Have fun sharing your smiles, and see how much better you and the others around you feel!

Click here to print your Share a Smile Cards.

**You can find Charlotte and the Quiet Place at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Parallax Press

Picture Book Review

January 27 – It’s Celebration of Life Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established by Food for Health International to encourage people to take a holistic approach to taking care of themselves, not only their physical health but their emotional health as well. Celebrating all that life has to offer while taking time to enjoy family and friends and be mindful of others through mutual respect, inclusion, empathy, and gratitude goes a long way towards greater happiness and health. Sharing today’s book with your kids is a wonderful way to celebrate this month-long holiday all year around.

A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human

Written by Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by André Ceolin

“Welcome to Humanity! You’re really going to enjoy it.” With this expansive greeting, Matt Forrest Esenwine invites kids in to learn what they need to know “… to get the most out of [their] human experience….” First up is family—that group of people who spend so much time with you and “care about you the most.” But what does a family do? “Families love each other, disappoint each other, support each other, and get angry with each other, over and over—sometimes all in the same day. Weird, right?” But you can be sure that the “…whole ‘caring about you’ part never stops.

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Image copyright André Ceolin, 2022, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2022. Courtesy of Beaming Books.

So what do you do with all of that caring that comes your way? You can share it! How? Well, by being kind. Sure, we hear that word all the time, but what does “being kind” really look like? Esenwine and André Ceolin give some easy-to-emulate examples that don’t take any money or super strength or extra time. In fact, everybody carries one of the easiest—maybe even the most meaningful—way to show kindness right on their face: their smile.

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Image copyright André Ceolin, 2022, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2022. Courtesy of Beaming Books.

Once kids have kindness down, Esenwine moves on to empathy and urges kids to imagine why others may act the way they do, to think about what else may be going on with someone at home, in school, or elsewhere. Using empathy leads to compassion. What does compassion mean and how does it work? Esenwine and Ceolin show readers a few examples as well as reminding them that “we humans are quite good at ending up in the same situations again and again. Whatever another person is feeling, chances are, you’ll feel the same way at some point too” with a gallery of portraits of kids depicting emotions we all experience from time to time—and, often, every day.

One way of thinking about and reacting to situations that “has produced excellent results for over two thousand years,” Esenwine reveals, is the Golden Rule. He then shows kids how to apply this thoughtful idea to a range of situations to create better communication and understanding than getting angry or pushy or impatient.

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Image copyright André Ceolin, 2022, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2022. Courtesy of Beaming Books.

Esenwine acknowledges that there will be bad days among the good, but these too can be handled with honesty, apologies, and forgiveness. Yes, “being human can sometimes be messy,” but that’s where family and friends can help. And, of course, they’re there to celebrate the good times too. So what does all of this kindness and compassion and empathy come down to? The thing that connects us all: Love. “So, welcome to Humanity!” Esenwine emphasizes, “We hope you enjoy your humanness. And we love that you’re here.”

Sprinkled throughout the text are brief “Pro Tips” that in one sentence expand on an idea and give kids confidence in understanding and/or applying the values in their own life.

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Image copyright André Ceolin, 2022, text copyright Matt Forrest Esenwine, 2022. Courtesy of Beaming Books.

Matt Forrest Esenwine has created a book about treating others according to the Golden Rule that goes to the heart not only of how to do that but, so importantly, when and why. Sometimes the need for kindness and empathy can be apparent, as when a child or adult is sad, alone, or has a disappointment or obvious mishap. But what about when someone’s behavior seems to be a personal slight, disrespectful, or just going against the rules?

That’s were Esenwine’s gentle, straightforward, and honest storytelling invites readers to stop and really consider every person and situation individually, to dig deep into one’s own memory and experiences for better understanding and supportive responses. He also addresses the importance of apologizing and forgiveness. And he does all of this with humor and examples that will resonate with kids. Moreover, these elements provide a spark for further conversations among children and adults about specific incidents in a child’s life, possible reasons behind them, and how the child can respond in a kind, empathetic, and compassionate way.

From the first spread, which shows a sidewalk busy with people all thinking their own thoughts (some of whom reappear elsewhere), André Ceolin engages readers in looking closely and thinking about how the people may be feeling, what they are doing, and why they might be behaving in a certain way. He depicts the characters in detailed places and situations familiar to kids that will spark recognition and lead to meaningful discussions and understanding. Ceolin’s images on each page, as well as a portrait gallery of universal emotions, provide excellent social emotional learning tools for adults to share with children when talking about recognizing and reading others’ feelings through facial expressions. Bookending the text, Ceolin emphasizes the support and enduring love of family and good friends.

A well-conceived, heartfelt, and impactful book you’ll want to share again and again, A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human reminds readers that we’re all in this—school, work, sports, clubs: life—together and is a timely must-have addition to home, school, classroom, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Beaming Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-1506481739

About the Author

Matt Forrest Esenwine is an author and poet from Warner, New Hampshire. His debut picture book, Flashlight Night (Boyds Mills Press, 2017), was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the Best Picture Books for Kids of 2017. His poetry can be found in numerous anthologies, including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (National Geographic Children’s Books, 2015), I Am Someone Else (Charlesbridge, 2019), and Highlights for Children. You can visit him at mattforrest.com and connect with him on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube.

About the Illustrator

André Ceolin studied at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He has illustrated over twenty books for children. André lives in Brazil with his family. You can visit him at andreceolin.com and on Instagram.

Celebration of Life Month Activity

Kindness Cards

Here are some cheery cards that are sure to make the recipient’s day happier! Give them to a friend, a family member, your teacher, or your bus driver to show them that you care and that they mean a lot to you!

Random Acts of Kindness Cards Sheet 1 | Sheet 2 | Sheet 3

**You can find A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

January 10 – Houseplant Appreciation Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Missing the green leaves and colorful flowers of spring and summer? Maybe it’s time to recreate the sights of warmer days inside with houseplants! Placed in a sunny window, some plants will continue blooming all winter long, making you feel happier. Houseplants also provide health benefits as they produce oxygen, release moisture into that dry winter air, and improve air quality. Add a few herb plants and even cooking will take on new life. Whether you add just one plant or create an indoor garden, today’s the perfect day to get started.

Luna’s Green Pet

Written by Kristen Pendreigh | Illustrated by Carmen Mok

When Luna saw people on her block walking their dogs and playing with their pets, she wished she could have one. “But her apartment building had a very strict NO PETS! policy.” Luna’s friends tried to help out by suggesting other types of pets, including a pet rock, an expensive dog-shaped purse, and an ant farm, but none of these were quite what Luna was looking for. Then one day, she found a small discarded plant in a trash can. She decided it would be the perfect pet.