Category Archives: teachers

A new baby orca in the Salish Sea

It’s been a busy two weeks since A Whale of the Wild splashed down in bookstores on Sept 1st. Wildfires have occupied most of my attention this last week but I prefer to focus on much happier news. For example, there is a new baby orca in the Salish Sea! You can read all about it on the Center for Whale Research website. The photo below is by Katie Jones who helped me vet A Whale of the Wild.

Last Thursday I got to spend an evening with one of my favorite writers Janet Fox on the Books in Common NW writers series. We had a lovely chat about my book and hers, The Artifact Hunters. It was great fun and you can catch the whole conversation here. It starts a little slow because we are waiting for folks to join the zoom, so skip ahead a minute if you like.

I had hoped to create some science videos in my backyard here in Oregon this month as a supplement to school visits, but at the moment my back yard has the most unhealthy air in the entire world because of wildfire smoke, so I’ll be postponing that for now. Fortunately I haven’t had to evacuate yet and I’m grateful for all the help and prayers that people are sending.

If you are looking for a way to support people in my state, the Oregon Food Bank is going to have 40,000 extra folks to feed this month, so a donation there would be very welcome. If you are looking for more literature-specific aid, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC) gives direct aid to displaced booksellers and burned or shuttered book shops.

Thank you!

For Wolf Fans

If you are studying at home and love wolves, here’s some bonus content for middle grade students who liked A Wolf Called Wander.

Here are the resources I referenced in the video. If you are looking for information about animals of the world, national geographic has a terrific website for kids. For information about Oregon animals and habitats try the Oregon Dept of Fish and Wildlife.

If you want to look at some wolves and track their behavior like a wildlife biologist does, you could follow this link to the Wolf Conservation Center in New York where they have some wolves you can watch on wildlife cameras. bit.ly/34ulJH4 will take you there.

If you just want to practice drawing a wolf, here is one of illustrator Mónica Armiño’s pictures for practice and inspiration.

And finally if you want to write me a letter, you can reach me at the bookstore where I work: Annie Blooms Books, 3834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, Oregon 97219. I promise I’ll write back and send you a signed bookplate.

Vote for the New York History Book Prize

I’m so honored that my book LAST OF THE NAME was chosen as a finalist for the New York History Book Prize. It’s in the company of books and authors I admire very much. There is a public voting component to this prize. You don’t have to be from New York to vote, any fan of history books can cast a vote here. Voting is open until the end of the day April 30th. Historical fiction is sometime overshadowed by other books but it was my favorite genre when I was a kid which is why I write it as often as I can. Thanks to the New York Historical Society for sponsoring this prize and to teachers and librarians and booksellers everywhere who keep putting historical books in kids’ hands.

A Whale of the Wild ARCs

Advanced Review copies are finally here for A Whale of the Wild. Just look at that gorgeous cover art by Lindsay Moore. The book will be on sale in September. I’m going to be sending a dozen of these to teachers and librarians use the contact form on my website. Tell me the name of your school or library and the address where I can send it.

Booksellers the ARC is available on Netgalley and from your HarperCollins sales rep. I am in the process of signing first editions and YES! I do want to come to your bookstore. It it scheduled for September of this year. Let’s talk about making some version of a bookstore visit possible.

League of Exceptional Writers October 12th at 2pm at Powells

It’s starting again! I can’t wait to hear what this year’s mentors bring to the League. We are starting off with poet and humorist extraordinaire Sue Cowing who has come all the way from Hawaii. Come see us this Saturday October 12th at 2pm at the Cedar Hills Powells 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. Parking is free! There will be another event going on at the same time so come find us over by the magazines. Can’t wait to see all of my awesome League members and hear about their writing and drawing.