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Have you ever wondered what happens as a newborn's brain grows and develops into a child that, only a few years later, can read? It's quite a fascinating thing to witness as a parent. Here's a gentle overview of the brain science behind the development of reading and some ways to support each stage.

From birth to one year, babies’ brains form rapid connections in areas that handle vision, hearing, and language. They start noticing sounds and speech patterns that will later help with letter and...

Close your eyes and picture a white sandy beach. Now look out over the water. The white-capped waves are rolling to the shore as the sun dips below the horizon, creating a purple-pink glow across the sky.

It's beautiful, right?

Only if you can picture it.

When I close my eyes, there is nothing. It is black. If you were to give me this prompt, I would understand and comprehend it, but I would not see it. I have aphantasia.

Aphantasia is when someone doesn’t experience what we call the “mind’s...

Years ago, when I began planning my future as a children’s author, one of my biggest motivations was my belief that literacy is one of the most important factors in a child’s healthy psychological development. Childhood literacy is statistically declining at such a rapid pace that many believe we could be facing a quasi-literacy dark age within the next decade. That is a heart-wrenching thought.

My journey into the author space has connected me with people who share this passion for childhood...

I love magazines!

I know it feels very archaic to some people in this digital world, but there is nothing better than getting something other than a bill in the mail, especially when it’s a magazine curated to your personal interests.

It is a huge bright spot in my month.

I didn’t read a lot of fiction as a young adult, so magazines were paramount in keeping me reading and curious. While I read a lot of fiction now, I still love sitting down with an interesting magazine. I know some will say...

Phonics vs. whole-word reading.

And yes, educators and researchers do, in fact, call it the "Reading Wars," and this battle goes back to before the United States of America was a nation. So dramatic!

Here is some academic backstory to set the scene-

Many people think that phonics is the modern answer to the shackles of the era of whole-word teaching. You might be surprised to discover that phonics-based instruction dominated early American education, with the New England Primer of 1690 serving...

There are so many amazing book festivals across the country. Looking for a comprehensive resource for them all was challenging. I was only able to find the information from the website Bookreporter.com so we are going to give him all the credit here for this amazing compilation.

Here is the direct link to his website and straight to the book festivals page. I hope you find one near year!

https://www.bookreporter.com/book-festivals

May 2026

Altadena, CA: LitFest in the Dena

Dates: May 1-2

Website:...

You know the saying you are what you eat...

Well, the same applies to how you spend your time. You are what you do consistently.

In the last blog I talked about my excitement over the Analogue Bag trend, but when you're trying to make a dramatic change in your life, you need tangible ideas for how to make the transition.

You must have something to fill the void that stopping scrolling just created, or something to hand your child instead of a screen, and it needs to be convenient and...

Do You Need a Busy Bag?

Before smart devices became a part of everyday life, my fellow moms and I would pack our young children’s Busy Bags.

These bags were like an older version of a diaper bag and kept our little ones occupied while we stood in the line at the Post Office or to keep their little eyes off the candy aisle at the grocery store. Before tablets, parents had to help their children emotionally regulate themselves in boring situations like a dinner out at a restaurant or on long car...

Did you get the teacher's note about sending your child to school dressed as their favorite book character or to send a donation for the Dr. Suess birthday party...if so, then you are fast approaching National Reading Month!

National Reading Month is celebrated across the United States by schools, libraries, and literacy organizations, and is officially sponsored by Reading is Fundamental (RIF). It happens all month long, starting on Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2nd.

Their vision: A nation of...

My Youtube algorithm gives me a lot of child literacy videos due to my research interests, and recently a video called, Why Your Brain Learns Better From Paper, came into my feed. (I’ve linked the video down below in case you want to watch it.) It immediately caught my attention with its Luddite headline.

The video was based on a large international study that examined children across dozens of countries, income levels, and family backgrounds. The researchers found that children who grew up...

One of my favorite things about working in children’s literature is realizing how many people around the world share a love of reading. Reading is a lifeline and a source of joy and connection all over the globe for adults and children alike. Living overseas for a while gave me a glimpse (honestly, a fascination) into how other cultures approach storytelling. I follow several YouTubers from other countries for book reviews and literacy topics and it is a source of great enjoyment.

In 2026,...

Now that The Unicorn Shore series is complete and all three books have been published, I would like to share my heart behind why I chose to write this series first.

I wanted to write a series that felt magical, yet timeless. I wanted to send my heroine, Marigold, on an emotional and fantastical journey where she would find through courage to face her loneliness. Marigold wants a friend but doesn't know where to start. Her adventures in this magical realm help show her how to trust others,...

The Unicorn Shore: The Ring of Mischief

Book Three in The Unicorn Shore Series

ONE ENCHANTED RING. ENDLESS MISCHIEF.

Return to the magical Unicorn Shore in the third adventure of the series, as nine-year-old Marigold fulfills her promise by bringing her little sister, Sophie, to celebrate Eclipse’s coronation. At the castle, everyone gathers to cheer the new king when a powerful tremor cracks open a hidden crystal cavern in the hills nearby. Marigold and the...

Throughout history, authors have frequently used pen names. The practice has deep roots in publishing history and is especially common in children's literature.

Louisa May Alcott, author of "Little Women," wrote gothic thrillers under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard. More recently, J.K. Rowling has written under the pen name Robert Galbraith for her adult crime novels, wanting to separate this style of work from her beloved Harry Potter series.

Daniel Handler writes adult literary fiction under...

(This blog is a follow-up to the last blog about AI)

Watching AI trends over the last year, as well as following the emerging science looking at the impact it has on our lives and brains, has turned my initial fascination into one of concern. While I am not a full-blown hater of the potential of AI for things like medical advances, I have become deeply concerned about the psychological and developmental impact of AI on children and believe we should approach it with some skepticism and eyes...

AI.

I think most of us have had some fun with AI tools at some point over the last few years. In 2024, I was quite fascinated with, and naive about, AI and I enjoyed learning about it. It is, understandably, a very divisive topic, especially among writers and illustrators. There are so many reasons to limit AI use and I can't cover them all in one blog, so I will do this as a 2-part post to keep it manageable.

Most modern creatives, especially writers, have a deep fear of being accused of...

Draven the Kirin: A Magical Creature from Ancient Legends

In Eclipse’s Secret, we learn Draven is a kirin. But what exactly is a kirin? Let’s step into the world of myths and legends to find out.

What is a Kirin?

A kirin (pronounced “kee-rin”) is a magical creature from East Asian mythology. In Chinese stories it is called qílín, and in Japan it is called kirin. People have been telling stories about the kirin for thousands of years.

The kirin is often described as looking like several animals...

The Unicorn Shore: The Ring of Mischief

Book Three in The Unicorn Shore Series

ONE ENCHANTED RING. ENDLESS MISCHIEF.

Return to the magical Unicorn Shore in the third adventure of the series, as nine-year-old Marigold fulfills her promise by bringing her little sister, Sophie, to celebrate Eclipse’s coronation. At the castle, everyone gathers to cheer the new king when a powerful tremor cracks open a hidden crystal cavern in the hills nearby. Marigold and the unicorns dash off to investigate, but...

When we think about magical creatures, two of the most famous ones that come to mind are the unicorn and the pegasus. They both look like horses, they both show up in fairy tales and adventures, and they both feel like they gallop straight out of dreams. But even though they are sometimes mentioned together, they are different.

The Unicorn

A unicorn is usually described as a white horse with a single, spiral horn on its forehead. That horn is the unicorn’s most important feature. In legends,...

The Unicorn Shore: Eclipse's Secret

Book Two in The Unicorn Shore Series

Eclipse has vanished—and he took a dangerous secret with him.

When nine-year-old Marigold returns to the magical Unicorn Shore, she discovers that her friend Eclipse, leader of the Pegasus Clan, has mysteriously vanished. All that remains is a strange letter and an enchanted map covered in glowing symbols. With her unicorn friends Coral, Spark, Nibbles, and little Rose, Marigold sets off...