We moved my daughter home from RISD in March because of COVID-19. The school kept changing the move out date so it was an abrupt departure that left my daughter and her friends reeling. They had a week to move out, then a week of regularly planned Spring Break, and then distance learning began. I…
If your pets seem to attract fleas like a magnet, you’re probably already looking for effective flea drops to use this summer. Fleas are quite annoying and tackling a massive infestation is not an easy endeavor. It takes time and patience to get rid of these nasty invaders. Here are some tips to help you…
I think I have been asked “Where am I from?” a lot since I was a child. It was a question that always felt a little uncomfortable, even if the person expressed a genuine curiosity. If I deflected from the implied question and answered that I was from California, or Southern California, or Seal Beach…
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…
Book Review Request Thank you for thinking of me. Unfortunately, I am unable to keep up with the majority of book review requests at the moment. I am focusing on supporting diverse #OwnVoices creators in all children’s book genres with the exception of young adult. Please consider my non-profit, Read Your World (formerly known as…
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…