January 2016

An Interview with Shannon Wiersbitzky

Shannon Wiersbitsky and I first met several months ago at the 2015 NCTE conference where WHAT FLOWERS REMEMBER was honored by the Children’s Literature Assembly as one of 2015’s Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts. (Find more about What Flowers Remember HERE.) It’s a pleasure to welcome her back to ReaderKidZ to talk about her newest book. DIANNE: The seeds… Read more »

What Flowers Remember

What Flowers Remember by Shannon Wiersbitzky (namelos, 2014) Delia’s been learning all there is to know from her elderly neighbor, Old Red Clancy’s “School of Gardening.” While Old Red keeps up a constant chatter filled with the Latin names of flowers and the best ways to cut and prune blossoms, Delia hatches a plan. Since Old… Read more »

What Does It Mean to Be An Entrepreneur?

  What Does It Mean to be an Entrepreneur? (Little Pickle Press, 2016) explores the initiative, tenacity, and persistence needed to successfully transform an inspiration into a functioning reality. Entrepreneurs approach problem-solving opportunities by asking the questions “What if?” and “What for?” From there, they tirelessly investigate options in search of creative ways to develop… Read more »

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

ReaderKidZ is pleased to celebrate Dr. King through several of the wonderful books that capture the boy, the man, and the pastor who inspired us to stand up and lead with words, not fists. MARTIN’S BIG WORDS: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Hyperion Books for… Read more »

World Read-Aloud Day

  LitWorld is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to empower young people to author lives of independence, hope, and joy. One of the ways they carry out their mission is through their sponsorship of World Read-Aloud Day. From their website:  We cultivate a love of reading and writing because having the chance to experience that… Read more »

Book of Nature Poetry

Last week had the ReaderKidZ talking about the Cybils and Poetry. This week kicks off with more of the same. Today, we’re featuring a peek at another book on the list of 2015 Poetry Finalists: National Geographic’s BOOK OF NATURE POETRY, edited by J. Patrick Lewis. All I can say is – this is an amazing… Read more »