School visits

No kittens, puppies, or stupid people stunts. I promise!

January 16, 2015

I don’t do YouTube. This squirrel just doesn’t need another shiny object to distract her from writing. But once in a blue moon someone I know recommends something on YouTube, and today is a blue moon day. The video is from William Cappel Elementary in Troy, Missouri. Click here to view. In it, teachers and […]

Read the full article →

An Author Visit for Earth Day? Let’s “Planet”!

July 31, 2014

If you’re a librarian or teacher, you already know that having an author visit your school can make a difference in students’ writing knowledge and practice. But having an author visit who’s a member of Authors for Earth Day can make a difference for our planet, too. As an Authors for Earth Day (A4ED) participant, […]

Read the full article →

A Blast from the Past — Stories from My Second-Grade Self

July 26, 2013

I was visiting a school last spring when I mentioned to a couple of teachers that I still had some of the stories I’d written when I was a kid. “You should use them in your presentations,” one teacher said. The other teacher agreed. “Kids would love to see what you wrote when you were […]

Read the full article →

Travels of an Author

March 22, 2013

Last week, I was in Paris making snow angels at the Eiffel Tower. Next week, I’ll be in Kansas City, talking with students in the Lee’s Summit school district. But no matter whether I’m traveling near or far, chances are I won’t ever journey as many miles as my books do in the publication process. […]

Read the full article →

It’s School Visit Season!

October 17, 2012

I’m excited to be visiting schools again after the long summer break. Tomorrow, I’ll be at Claymont Elementary in Ballwin, Missouri. Claymont is in the Parkway school district, the same district as my old elementary school, Mason Ridge. Mason Ridge also happens to be where I first knew I wanted to be a writer, thanks […]

Read the full article →