COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on educational systems. Now that kids are learning remotely and educators are scrambling to adjust to online platforms, I want to make it as easy as possible for my books to be useful. To that end, I have compiled some of the most helpful book-specific connections in one place. * Please… Read more »
There’s a common belief among new nonfiction writers that primary sources are the only way to find absolute facts. Secondary sources are assumed to be inferior, less trustworthy, less valuable. I beg to differ. Don’t get me wrong, I get a rush when I find primary sources. As kids in my school visits can attest,… Read more »
Are you following February’s fabulous and free Nonfiction Fest, described as a month-long crash course in writing children’s nonfiction? I was honored to contribute the following blog post about creative structures available to picture book biography writers. I hope you enjoy it. Choosing a Structure for Your Picture Book Biography By Donna Janell Bowman Dear… Read more »
They are short and for kids, but nonfiction picture books can require the sleuthing skills of Veronica Mars, the puzzling wizardry of Sherlock Holmes, and the science chops of Bill Nye. When I set out to write about how The Great Blondin engineered his tightrope across the Niagara Gorge in 1859, I hoped to find… Read more »
Hey, educators, I know how busy you are. Having ready-made lessons and tools can ease your workload as you make curriculum connections with your students. To that end, click here for the fabulous curriculum guide and readers theatre. As a bonus, below is a downloadable one-page STEM glossary companion and two simple balance experiments to… Read more »
The back matter for King of the Tightrope is fabulously designed by the smart folks at Peachtree Publishing, but there’s more to the story than fit the limited pages available. In the Author’s Note and Afterword below, you’ll learn a bit more about the uncovered history of Jean Francois Gravelet, The Great Blondin. Watch for… Read more »
I was honored to be featured on author Kirby Larson’s Friend Friday blog about how I was scooped (or pre-empted) on several books. Click here or scroll down to read about how choosing a new focus made King of the Tightrope: When the Great Blondin Ruled Niagara a much better book. For a chance to… Read more »
Word got out about the success of my 2018 online picture book biography class, so I’m bringing it back. If you’d like to join my class, facilitated through a Zoom virtual classroom, click here for more information. I’m not just a fan of picture book biographies, I dedicated my MFA critical thesis to the craft… Read more »
The more I visit with literacy gatekeepers, readers, and new children’s book writers, the more I hear the assumption that authors are wealthy. In reality, after spending years honing their craft, often accumulating student loans for advanced degrees along the way, authors rarely make a living from the sale of their books—creations that can require… Read more »
In what section of the library can you get bitten by a snake? —Hisssstory! What does a prank-loving author like me do when she’s booked for fourth-grade expository writing workshops on April Fool’s Day? Why, prank the librarian (sorry, David!) and infuse the workshops with a few shenanigans, of course. It was great fun to… Read more »
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