by Pam | Jan 27, 2017 | Blog
Tools such as storyboards, writing frames, scaffolds, and templates allow kids to use their analytical skills. For instance, if your child can remember the acronym POWER, it will help get him started: P is for plan, O is for organize, W is for write, E is for edit,...
by Pam | Jan 18, 2017 | Uncategorized
I wanted to prove that turning 60 hasn’t made me into an unadventurous bore. So I took on a dare to do the New Year’s Day 2017 polar bear swim. It was hovering below zero but my young friend Bella and I took the plunge anyway. (No, I didn’t get my...
by Pam | Jan 11, 2017 | Blog, Uncategorized
Hey, Toronto schools and libraries: last chance to book me for a presentation February 1, 2 or 3. Or, if you’re attending the Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2017, come say hi at the Orca Book Publishers booth (Nos. 410/412) at noon on Thursday,...
by Pam | Jan 4, 2017 | Blog
News worth celebrating: In 1800, almost nine of 10 people in the world were illiterate. Today, 90% of people can read. “Within a decade and a half, all girls and boys can complete primary and secondary education for free.” (a U.N. Sustainable Development...
by Pam | Dec 21, 2016 | Blog
For children’s writers, there’s a moral behind the tale of how the classic poem, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” (also known as “A Visit from St. Nicholas”) came to be. Clement C. Moore (July 15, 1779 – July 10, 1863) wrote...
by Pam | Dec 14, 2016 | Blog
Smart parents write lots of notes to their kids, and set things up so their children need to reply in writing. At school, notes often take the form of criticism. Parents can counter this association by leaving him notes to compliment him on a job well done; notes are...
