KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH DATES

My new picture book, KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING: THE UPLIFTING POWER OF EMPATHY releases April 1st. My publisher, Cardinal Rule Press, is running a special pre-order campaign. Pre-order KINDNESS from your favorite online or local independent bookstore and upload the receipt HERE to claim a free gift!
Help me celebrate by attending one of my upcoming events.:

April 1, 1pm EST

Story Time with Cardinal Rule Press

Includes GIVEAWAY of signed copies of the book and a class set of bookmarks.

Register HERE.

April 1, 8pm EST

Book Launch with Andersons Bookshop

Register HERE.

April 17, 11am EST

Story Time with The Book Stall

Register HERE.

CELEBRATE World Read Aloud Day 2021

I'd love to read my books to your classroom or homeschool audience on World Read Aloud Day 2021. I still have a few spots available, so sign up here!

VIDEO TRAILER OF MY UPCOMING PICTURE BOOK: KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING.

My new picture book in verse, about the power of kindness to ripple through a community, does not release until April 1, 2021. But in the meantime, enjoy this trailer. And don’t forget to preorder the book!

My Poetry Featured in Two New Anthologies!

I’m happy to announce that my poem “Staycation” is included in HOP TO IT, a timely new anthology by Editors Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong. This anthology includes 100 poems by 90 poets—with fun factoids sprinkled throughout, thematic mini-lessons, and extensive back matter featuring useful tips to help maximize student learning.

My poem “Granny’s Teapots”, originally published in FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS, is included with diverse selection of contemporary and historical poets, covering a broad range of topics--from personal subjects like emotions and family, to the wonders of the natural environment. 

FINDING TREASURE CHOSEN as 2020 NOTABLE POETRY BOOK!

The National Council of Teachers of English picked Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections as one of its notable poetry books for 2020. See the complete list here.

Dream Big Little Scientists Online Tour

So many ways to investigate Dream Big Little Scientists throughout the month of February. Click on each title to visit the site and learn more about my new book!

Feb. 10 Cracking the Cover

Feb. 11 Celebrate Picture Books

Feb. 12 Red Canoe Reader

Feb. 16 Christy's Cozy Corners

Feb. 18 The Children's Book Review

Feb. 18 Storymamas

Feb. 21 Sincerely Stacie

World Read Aloud Day 2020

Wednesday, February 5th is World Read Aloud Day, and I am excited to celebrate by sharing my books and writing tips with students. If you are a teacher or librarian and you and your students (grades K-5) would like to Skype with me for WRAD, you can reserve a 20-minute time slot HERE

A Collection of Collections for FINDING TREASURE release!!!

Brooklynn's animals.

David and Declan's Legos

Author Chana Stiefel's wind-up toys.

Illustrator Darcy Day Zoell's quilts.

Alexander's hot sauce bottles.

Eamon's cats.

Author Leslion Bulion's playing cards.

Jeff's golf hats.

Author Eileen Meyer's sea glass.

Ben's flies.

My grandma's seashells.

My neighbor's bird houses.

Author Irene Latham's rabbits.

Author Lori Degman's sea glass.

Author Nancy Cavanaugh's puzzles.

Author Patricia Toht's teapots.

Riley's hats.

My father-in-law's trains.

Author Laura Purdie Salas' rocks.

My button box.

Thank you to everyone who shared collections for my FINDING TREASURE #countdowntocollect, which released September 17, 2019.

Fall Events

It’s going to be a busy fall with the release of my new book FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS. I’ll be doing story times, school visits, and conference speaking. Here’s were you can find me:

September 17: Andersons Bookstore, Downers Grove IL, 6pm: BOOK LAUNCH!

September 21: 57th Street Books, Chicago, 10:30am: STORY TIME and CRAFT!

October 8 and 9: An Open Book, DC: SCHOOL VISITS!

October 12: AISLE & IATE Conference, Springfield IL: PRESENTATION: POETRY, LITERACY’S SUPERFOOD!

October 21: Clarendon Hills Library, Clarendon Hills IL, 4pm: STORY TIME and CRAFT!

October 26: The Book Stall, Winnetka IL, 10:30am: STORY TIME and CRAFT!

Poem in Your Pocket Day!

The students at Olive-Mary Stitt School in Arlington Heights were gracious enough to share their Poem in Your Pocket Day with me. What a thrill to sign their Author Wall in the LCR. (Look who I signed beneath. WOW!)

National Ag in the Classroom Day 2019

Yesterday was National Ag in the Classroom Day, and I was lucky enjoy to share FRESH-PICKED POETRY, the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year, with readers around Wisconsin. A special thank you Sheila Everhart, the Janesville Area Coordinator, and Darlene Arneson, the State Coordinator, for the opportunity. The students at Madison Elementary, Washington Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Milton Intermediate School were fabulous audiences, as were the young patrons of the Milton Public Library. Another thank you to Mid-State Equipment for allowing me to sit in the cab of the massive John Deere tractor for the live-stream reading of my book. And of course, the biggest thank you to farmers for feeding the world.

WORLD READ ALOUD DAY 2019

February 1st is World Read Aloud Day, and I am excited to celebrate by sharing my books and writing tips with students. If you are a teacher or librarian and you and your students (grades K-5) would like to Skype with me for WRAD, you can reserve a 20-minute time slot HERE.

NCTE #BuildYourStack

Thank you, NCTE for inviting me to be a guest blogger on #BuildYourStack, where I discuss how teachers can using poetry to reinforce grammar concepts.

Association of Illinois School Library Educators (AISLE) Conference 2018

Connecting Illinois Authors and Illustrators with Illinois Librarians at AISLE 2018 along with fellow authors Alice McGinty, Alexandria LaFaye, and Fern Schumer.

Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom Book of the Year

Fresh-Picked Poetry has been selected as the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Book of the Year for 2018. I can’t wait to share the excitement of farmers’ markets and poetry with students throughout Wisconsin. Find great lesson plans and other resources on the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom website.

Fresh-Picked awarded Growing Good Kids Award

Thank you to the American Horticultural Society and Junior Master Gardeners League for bestowing the 2018 Growing Good Kids Award upon Fresh-Picked Poetry! 

http://jmgkids.us/bookawards/

A Harvest of Riddle Poems from Lincoln School

Thanks for sharing the results of our poetry workshop, young poets of Lincoln school. These riddle poems are delicious! 

Red Carpet Welcome at Lincoln School

What a warm welcome from the students at Lincoln School in River Forest. These two talented artists designed a welcome sign complete with bins of farmers' market vegetables. Thanks for sharing your day reading and writing poetry with me, Lincoln School learners!  

Fun at District 58 Authors Fest

I had a fabulous time reading and writing farmers' market poetry with the students from Pierce Downer, Hillcrest, Henry Puffer, Highland, and Belle Aire Schools.  What a great way to celebrate National Poetry Month. 

Illinois Reads Book Festival 2018

I want to thank Du Quoin Middle School Word Squad and 5th Grade teacher Leslie Small for their deliciously warm welcome at the Illinois Reads Book Festival in Du Quoin, Illinois this past Saturday, March 10th. This enthusiastic batch of readers shared a bounty of alliterative words and adorable balloon apples at their booth, FRESH-PICKED ALLITERATION.  How poetic!