Best picture books, chapter books, young adult books, graphic novels and non fiction for kids.
I’ve always had a fascination with Ancient Egypt. It makes me happy that my kids get an introduction to ancient cultures at school. Isn’t it amazing how these books make history from so long ago feel like we are part of it? And there are still secrets to be discovered from these stories of Pharaohs…
This was my first World Read Aloud Day as an author. I did Skype author visits with three classrooms. I was supposed to meet with a fourth, but I forgot to check their time zone and we ended up having to reschedule. The classrooms ranged from first to third grade. All the kids asked really…
I was not raised in a camping family. My first camping excursions were summer camp-related to Junior High School leadership camp, which revolved around cabins rather than tents. I did my first “real” hike in college one summer when a group of us drove from Boston to the Catskills and camped in a tent. It…
I first discovered Niki Nakayama through the NetFlix show Chef’s Table which my oldest child gushed about and insisted that I watch. I love food documentaries in general, but Chef’s Table is my favorite because it shows how adversity plays a huge role in each person’s story. Niki Nakayama’s story is no different. She had…
Fashion designer Prabal Gurung is known for his elegant designs that graced former First Lady Michelle Obama, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Stars who wore Prabal Gurung on the red carpet include Demi Moore, Rachel Weisz, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Anne Hathaway. Helen Mirren, Diane Kruger, Olivia Munn, and Oprah Winfrey. But to…
There is such a refined elegance to I. M. Pei is only matched by his warm personality. It’s a combination that allowed him to move in the upper echelons of society in any country. In a way, he reminds me of my own father. Both immigrated from China in pursuit of their education. Though they…
Haing Ngor might be best known for winning an Oscar for his performance in the movie, The Killing Fields, about the genocide of the Cambodian people by the Khmer Rouge regime. But in a way, Haing Ngor’s life has always been on behalf of helping his people, and this movie was just a different platform…