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“Mom, I’m bored!” The dreaded three words of motherhood.

We live in a world that hates boredom. Actually, that was the world I grew up in. Now we live in a world that is intolerant of boredom. As adults, we’ve been conditioned this way too. Think about the last time you stood in line, sat in traffic, or waited at a doctor’s office. How long did it take before you pulled out your phone? Probably seconds, not minutes. Our kids see that too, and they learn from it.

Boredom feels wrong…like...

Why I Love Writing Junior Novels

If you’re not quite sure what a junior novel is, you’re not alone. In today’s publishing world, it’s a bit of an in-between category. Under the umbrella of children's literature, these books fall somewhere between early chapter books (Magic Treehouse or Junie B. Jones) and full-length middle grade, text-only novels (Harry Potter or Wings of Fire). As you read my examples, you might be thinking how big of a jump that is between the two. This is where the junior...

Somewhere around Mrs. Winestock’s third-grade English class, I became firmly convinced that starting a sentence with and or but would mean the end of life as I knew it. I imagined a giant red F scribbled across my paper, my promotion to fourth grade in jeopardy, and my future as a writer ruined.

Fast-forward to college years and journalism school, where I was at last liberated from my fear of the coordinating conjunction’s role in my inevitable downfall as a writer. I learned the truth and I...

Illustrations play an important role in helping young children learn to read. They support early comprehension, provide context, and help make stories more engaging. And kids love pictures! But somewhere between early readers (think-Step Into Reading levels by Scholastic) and middle grade(books with no in-chapter images), something subtle but significant changes. Children’s cognitive development is growing during this stage, and the structure of the books they read should grow alongside it....

As a parent, former teacher, and author, I’ve seen the early chapter book space change gradually. Over the past ten years, books intended for 6- 9 year olds have started to include storylines and tone more commonly found in books for older readers. Characters with sharp humor, themes of exclusion, and emotionally intense moments have become more common in stories for children who are just beginning to explore friendship and learning about themselves.

As trends have shifted, something important...

I shared in an earlier post about my family’s military experience and my role as a grief and trauma counselor. I cannot stress enough the potential power reading together has in helping children process difficult emotions (adults too).

Books teach empathy, courage, resilience and hope. When children see characters navigating fear, sadness, or loss, they begin to understand their own feelings in a safe and gentle way. Stories give language to things kids may not know how to say. They offer...

Choosing the Right Books for Your Child

Finding books that match your child’s reading ability and maturity can feel complicated. With a range of categories and reading levels available, it’s not always obvious where to begin or when it’s time to transition to more challenging material. One of the most frequent questions parents ask is: How do I know when my child is ready for something harder?

Reading readiness can be measured in a variety of ways. To better understand how books are...

How Good Reading Habits Help Kids Become Confident Writers And What You Can Do to Support Both

In this post, we’ll look at how reading and writing develop together and why strengthening both can help children grow as thinkers and communicators.

Reading and writing are often taught as if they’re separate. One focuses on understanding. The other helps with expressing. But the two are closely connected. Reading provides children with the language and structure they need to write. Writing, in turn,...

If you’re like most parents you want your child to feel confident and curious, prepared to handle what school and life may bring. One of the most lasting ways to support that growth is reading.

It’s easy to treat reading as another academic skill. But it supports so much more. Reading strengthens language, supports clear thinking, encourages empathy, and builds emotional awareness.

The earlier it becomes part of a child’s routine, the more natural it feels. However, it’s never too late to...

April 30th is Release Day for The Secret of the Shell!

The Unicorn Shore: The Secret of the Shell (A Junior Novel)

Book One in a Magical Junior Novel Series for Young Readers aged 6-9.

“This book is unicorn gold!”—Amazon Reviewer

“Well written with just enough suspense… and plenty of magical unicorns!” —Amazon Reviewer

She thought it was just a fairy tale—until the shell whispered her name.

Nine-year-old Marigold always believed Grandma Pearl's stories about magic hidden in the waves. But nothing...