News and Notes from the Field

It feels a bit silly doing a New Year’s Post when it’s *checks calendar* January 19th already. But I hit the ground running this year, and this is the first moment I’ve had to pause and catch my breath. ... Read More  

I remember the months of waiting for my first child to be born as both a thrilling and vulnerable time. As is my tendency when encountering change, I prepared and planned as much as I could. I followed developmental milestones ... Read More  

The week between Christmas and New Years’s is always a weird one for me. We’re poised on the brink between last year and next year, reflecting on 2023 and planning for 2024. Caught between leftover holiday indulgences and upcoming ... Read More  

The Lion Queen was inspired by the true story of Rasila Vadher, the first woman guardian of the last Asiatic Lions of India’s Gir Forest. The book is gorgeously illustrated by Tara Anand and published by Cameron Kids. There are ... Read More  

I'll be honest: I have no idea how it's even December already, so today's post celebrating Antarctica is a little less polished and a little more... random. We'll start with a couple fun facts leftover from Polar research, and ... Read More  

Iz the Apocalypse took me seven years to write. I’ve honestly lost count of how many versions there were. Characters and storylines came and went as I fought to figure out exactly how to tell Iz’s story. My husband ... Read More  

It started with a boring writers’ bio. When my first book, a middle grade novel called Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer, was published (Cormorant/Dancing Cat Books 2021), my writing accomplishments were pretty slim, so in my bio ... Read More  

I am beyond thrilled to share that Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth, is featured in the IndigoKids Christmas Gift Guide! This would be incredible news for any author, but it's particularly special for me. That's because ... Read More  

I’ve been making things up since I was a young child, although my talents went generally unappreciated back then. As a small maker-up-of-things, I felt insulted when playmates refused to believe my stories. So what if they were obviously ... Read More  

Hold on, you're saying to yourself, I think I've read this post before... You're not wrong! There are TWO World Migratory Bird Days every year, because - surprise! - migration is a round trip. At least, that's how we ... Read More  

There aren’t a lot of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) who grace the pages of history books. Perhaps it is because of lack of education or opportunity. Perhaps it’s because of gender roles. Perhaps it’s because the ... Read More  

One reason Antarctica is so unique is because it's been isolated from the rest of the planet for about 20 million years: ever since the Antarctic Circumpolar Current formed. The ACC - you guessed it - is an ocean ... Read More  

Who is the tree in your life? And whom will you be a tree to? There are many people in our lives, family, friends, teachers, and mentors, who nurture us and make us who we are today. How often do we ... Read More  

Science Literacy Week is almost over – almost, but not quite! There’s still time to get some free science-y goodness in your life, so hop on over to the Science Literacy Week website to learn about last-minute events happening ... Read More  

It’s the most, wonderful tiiiiiime of the year – at least, if you’re a science person! It’s Science Literacy Week! If you’re not familiar, Science Literacy Week is an annual, national celebration of all things science. Universities, libraries, and ... Read More  

People who write historical fiction generally love research. We have a reverence for minutiae and often find ourselves spending many hours reading about things that have nothing whatsoever to do with our stories. We love the hunt and the ... Read More  

What are the first words you think of when you read Teenagers are…? Did the words resourceful, hard-working, or resilient come to mind? We’ve all heard negative stereotypes about how today’s generation have it so easy, but we overlook the ... Read More  

I’ve always been fascinated by the story behind a book.  What sparks an idea or theme? My latest picture book, A Flower is a Friend with luminous art by Karen Patkau, published by Pajama Press, began with a packet of ... Read More