The first graders gaped at me like zombie fish. Can you picture it? Twenty-four six-year-olds sitting crisscross apple sauce on their industrial blue classroom carpet, their tongues languid in slack-jawed mouths, eyes round and unblinking—and standing in front of them, me: a twenty-something grad student halfway through my library science degree, at my first ever […]
October
02
Sky Luck: A Story of Abundant Thinking by Erica Lee Schlaikjer
posted by CBethM
Is it possible to create your own luck? Turns out, it is. Years ago, I remember learning about a psychology study from Dr. Richard Wiseman, who wrote The Luck Factor, concluding that luck is not purely random chance but can actually be influenced by your own attitude and behavior. People who consider themselves “lucky” tend […]
September
30
The Bare Bear Facts by Karen Jameson
posted by CBethM
I can “bearly” contain my excitement at the upcoming release of BEAR LOVES HIS HOME, written by yours truly and beautifully illustrated by Ishaa Lobo. Published by the esteemed Yosemite Conservancy, our cub makes his debut on August 26, 2025. This lyrical nonfiction picture book comes from the heart, combining my lifelong passion for national […]
September
12
TEN NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS ON WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS IN SPACE SCIENCE BY SANDRA NEIL WALLACE
posted by CBethM
Braving sexism, racism, and ableism, and with few support networks in a field dominated by men, many women trailblazers in space science didn’t realize how their discoveries and innovations were interconnected and often simultaneous. These ten nonfiction picture books centering women superstars in space science form a sisterhood of engineers, mathematicians, innovators, and scientists who […]
September
10
The Astronomer Prince by M.O. Yuksel
posted by CBethM
We all know about scientists like Copernicus, Galileo, and Einstein. But have you ever heard of Ulugh Beg? If not, you’re not alone. Most of us grew up with the same familiar names in science, the ones who dominate our textbooks. Yet history is filled with brilliant thinkers we don’t know about whose contributions have […]
September
05
Ten Books About Expressing Your Fears & Finding Your Bravery by Ana Siqueira
posted by CBethM
Being scared isn’t a weakness—it’s part of being human. These stories will show how each character reveals a unique fear and their path to find bravery. Vera la Valiente is Scared by Ana Siqueira and Teresa Martinez Fear: Roller coaster Bravery: Sharing feelings and asking for help Vera is muy valiente—she climbs like a mountain […]
August
19
DIVING DEEP by John David Anderson
posted by CBethM
When I was young, my family lived that apartment life for several years before being able to afford a mortgage. I don’t remember much about the apartments, save for thin walls and scuttling roaches, but I do remember the dumpster. As one of those leave-the-house-after-lunch-come-back-for-dinner kinds of kids, I spent many a Saturday afternoon unobserved, which […]
August
15
How to Be a Writer by Jen Kleinknecht
posted by CBethM
If you’re looking for advice on writing a book, this piece will disappoint you. I don’t know how to write a book, but I do know a good book when I read one. If you are an author, or like me, a champion of books, please keep reading. This is what I believe every reader, […]
June
12
Be Scared, But Be Brave by Maura Jortner
posted by CBethM
I’m a huge scaredy cat. I don’t use this term lightly, nor without full knowledge of its meaning; I live with a seventeen-pound cat named Shiloh who is frightened of many things, including: the vent under the pantry, shoes, the occasional misplaced school bag, any new item put on the kitchen table, and the cat […]
May
30
My Precious: How Magical Objects and Totems in Both Fantasy and Realistic Fiction Help Young Readers Deal with Tough Times by Mima Tipper
posted by CBethM
When I began writing the manuscript that would become Kat’s Greek Summer, the WIP title was Greek God Summer. I saw Kat, my fourteen-year-old protagonist, going on something of an odyssey during her summer in Greece. One where she would face metaphoric god-like characters—both good and bad—as well as endure god-like trials—again, both good and […]
Nerdy Book Club