I have long admired the NF Fest, "...a month-long crash course in writing nonfiction for children. Learn the craft from 20+ authors and illustrators through daily posts that will get you researching and writing in small steps. It's all free!" 

Besides their blog blitz in February, they have an active year-round Facebook group that I highly recommend joining https://www.facebook.com/groups/NFFest.

Here is the link to my post about one way I use mentor texts. Enjoy! www.nffest.com/2026/02/how-i-use-mentor-texts-for-craft.htmlOrganized by the Nonfiction Ninjas, NF Fest is a month-long crash course in writing nonfiction for children. Learn the craft from 20+ authors and illustrators through daily posts that will get you researching and writing in small steps. It's all free!
Organized by the Nonfiction Ninjas, NF Fest is a month-long crash course in writing nonfiction for children. Learn the craft from 20+ authors and illustrators through daily posts that will get you researching and writing in small steps. It's all free!

I'm thrilled to announce that our NCTE panel/writing workshop, Writers Inspiring Writers: How Both Authors and Students Use Mentor Texts to Achieve Their Writing Dreams, will be available for free as a live Zoom! To register, fill out this Google Form

Thank you to the American Library Association/ Association of Library Service to Children for including FORESTS on the 2026 list of Notable books, commenting, "Join a poetic, informative journey through magnificent forested landscapes across the globe and the forces that shape them." 
Enjoy the full list of titles at this link www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/notalists/ncb

I'm thrilled to head out to Denver next week to attend the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English. Ever since they awarded CAVES an Orbis Pictus Recommended Title award for Outstanding Nonfiction, I have come every year.

I am on two wonderful and very different panels this year. The first one is: WHAT IF It's Not Boring: Dreaming Up Innovative Text Structures to Inspire Young Writers. Session Code 2: F.50 “Pick your path” adventures. Counting and rhyming. Virtual field trips. Comic book style. Pondering . . . is it a butt? Or a face? Join this panel of nonfiction authors who dreamed of innovative ways to go beyond boring facts. With actionable student writing activities and bold library-building mentor texts, this panel will wake up a new sense of possibilities in your classroom. I'll be with Melissa Taylor, Beth Anderson, Amy Seto Forrester, Kari Lavelle, and Dana Marie Miroballi. I'm in awe of them!

My second panel immediately afterward is in partnership with the South Nevada Writing Project...and there will be writing activities as part of the program!

Writers Inspiring Writers: How Both Authors and Students Use Mentor Texts to Achieve Their Writing Dreams
Session Code 2: G.50  Dream with NCTE award-winning authors, Southern Nevada Writing Project directors, and teacher-consultants in this presentation inspiring educators to help young writers dream and create. Participants will engage in writing, learn that writing does not happen in isolation—even award-winning authors are inspired by other writers—and discuss how to use mentor texts to foster classroom writing.

​The authors joining me are Jolene Gutiérrez, Laura Purdie Salas, and Michelle Schaub. Dr. Sophie Ladd and others from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas will moderate.
​

Please note that I will be signing FORESTS ***before*** my panels at 10am in Scholastic booth #200
I look forward to seeing you there!

Thank you to all who came out to celebrate Forests! And a special thank you to my husband who helped me with the puppets.

Please join me to celebrate the launch of FORESTS at Children's Book World, 10580 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles. I'll bring puppets and you can take the What Forest Are You? personality quiz. There MIGHT also be some sweet treats :) See you there!

Come join me and my puppets for a fun and educational story time! We'll learn about amazing forests all over the world and what we can do to help them. Part of the author's proceeds will be donated to the National Park Foundation and the National Forests Foundation.

I'm so excited to attend my first American Association of School Librarians conference! I will be signing FORESTS at four different times, and participating in a fantastic panel with authors Melissa Stewart, Charles R. Smith, and librarian Tom Bobe. Come say hi!

I'm so pleased that Forests received a lovely starred review from Kirkus. You can read the full review here.