Running with Wolves

No, we do not run with wolves in the summer. 

It's something slightly less scary, but nearly as tangled and free.

School's out! Tide's in! 

It's our creative breath and bread, 

embracing this warmth of days that ease into night.

Time to experiment.

Time to paint.

Time to play. 

Paint pens + plastic animals

+ eye screws + beads.

 Sometimes you just need to wear a rhino around your neck.

Time to read.

The wildebeests and I have retreated into our reading cozies. 

These beauties are in my stack:

Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson

The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass

Happy sunshine, my friends!
Our summer story awaits!

 

A few book favorites so far:

The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly

Papillon, the Very Fluffy Kitten by A.N. Kang

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carre

 

Teacherly treats

I've been gussying up these tiny friends for Teacher Appreciation Week.

...because we like a good party.

Especially one with pencils.

Especially one with teachers.


And because I'm so grateful to teachers
for sparking me to be the curious person that I am,
I'm sharing a few printables for educators and their fans everywhere.

Feel free to print and share.*

{*Please keep the love vibes going. Please don't sell these for profit.
Please keep my name credited with my work. Thanks!}

Panda
Chameleon
Koala
Zoo

Thank you, Miss. B, Mrs. Walters, Mrs. Kelly, and Ms. Chu for sparking a love of words and books that still fire me up every day.

Thank you, teachers everywhere.

Books!

Chrysanthemum - Kevin Henkes

My Name is Yoon - Helen Recorvits, Gabi Swiatkowska

The Dot - Peter H. Reynolds

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse - Kevin Henkes

 

 Love That Dog - Sharon Creech
Word After Word After Word - Patricia MacLachlan
A Year Of Miss Agnes - Kirkpatrick Hill
Ramona the Pest - Beverly Cleary
Frindle - Andrew Clements
Murder is Bad Manners - Robin Stevens

Fairy Tale Day?

What do you do on Tell a Fairy Tale Day?

Put on your 10,000 league boots?

Fight ogres? 

Plant mysterious beans?

Talk to wishing fish?

Grab your notebook and spin new story magic into the world?

My friends at Puddle Jump Collective

make fairy tale art.

 

I had a little trouble honing in on a fairy tale for this project.

I played with princesses, 

pondered Bremen Town musicians,

 

until Thumbelina caught my attention.

 

Who doesn't need a good, thimble-size hero?

What are your favorite fairy tales?

A sprinkling of my favorites:

The Rainbabies - by Laura Krauss Melmed, illustrated by Jim LaMarche

Adelita - by Tomie De Paola

Little Gold Star - by Robert San Souci, illustrated by Sergio Martinez

The Girl Who Spun Gold - by Virginia Hamilton, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon

Tom Thumb - retold & illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson

Sleeping Beauty - by Trina Schart Hyman

Gold Slipper, Glass Sandal - by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

Novel fairy tales:

Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Searching for Dragons by Patricia Wrede