What does it mean to be kind? Is it simply about minding your manners and going through the motions?
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Have you been using video chat applications like Zoom to talk to friends and family during this period of social distancing? Perhaps you’ve been dreaming of hosting your very own virtual book club? If so, here are a few custom backgrounds for fans of my books to help give your video calls a new look!…
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Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that we are surrounded by heroes? The heroic people around us may not have super powers — at least, not the kind that allows them to read minds or leap tall buildings — but the qualities they possess and the powers they have to do good…
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Back in 2018 I wrote a blog post which began, “These are dark times. In our country and our world, we’re surrounded by divisiveness, greed, mean-spiritedness, hatred, cynicism, fear, and rage. So much so, the darkness sometimes threatens to cover us all in shadows.” And truly, these words seem more fitting now than they did…
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Each May during Teacher Appreciation Week, educators across the nation are thanked by students and parents for all the things they do to provide support and guidance within their schools and individual classrooms. And this year, as families find themselves facing the new challenge of distance learning, perhaps you, like so many others, are discovering…
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Dear Parents, Educators, and Caregivers, These Tree Girl activity worksheets were created as part of my Tree Girl read-along video series to be enjoyed by children of all ages. Each chapter presents something fun and new to learn about or explore. Pick your favorite activity or subject in each chapter, or do them all! The…
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“Intellectually, we finally have come to understand that the wealth of this nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity. Take this resource base away, and all that is left is a wasteland.” — Sen. Gaylord Nelson In 1948 Sir Fred Hoyle, a British astronomer, predicted…
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I was in my twenties before I discovered and fell in love with J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. A little later in life than many other Tolkien fans, perhaps, but it was absolutely the right time for me — reading his richly layered and beautifully crafted universe opened the door to new worlds…
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