Nonfiction Monday is hosted today at Playing By The Book.

As we enter this splendid holiday season, I've selected Celebrations! written by Anabel Kindersley and photographed by Barnabas Kindersley with a forward by Harry Belafonte.

Celebrations! was published in association with UNICEF. The book provides a multicultural look at children's celebrations, both secular and religious, from eighteen countries around the world

This Writer's Wednesday I'd like to express my thanks for...

• A family that respects and supports my need to write.



• Friends who cheerfully read my work and provide thoughtful comments.



• and Fans who read my books and ask for more.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Practically Paradise.

My selection is One Grain of Rice: a mathematical folktale written and illustrated by Demi.

Drawing on her experiences from living in India, Demi retells an Indian folktale and illustrates her story in the glowing gold leaf and rich colors of traditional Indian artwork. One Grain of Rice tells the story of Rani who outwits a greedy raja with her clever use of a basic mathematical ploy and succeeds in feeding her starving country. Offered a reward for her honesty, Rani's request is a simple one - a single grain of rice to be doubled the next day - the amount to be doubled again every day for a thirty days. The raja learns a lesson about generosity as his storehouse is emptied and Rani's people are fed with a billion plus grains of rice thanks to her inspired use of math.

Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted this week by Random Noodling.

My offering is Winter Eyes - poems and paintings by Douglas Florian.

Here is a celebration of the simple joys of winter for young children. Homey and graceful watercolor and colored pencil artwork illustrates the forty-eight poems.

Writer's Wednesday

It's Writer's Wednesday and I'd like to share two very different, but valuable posts that I found thought provoking.

From Pen and Ink: I Am Thankful For My Writing Tools by Sue Berger...a post about gratitude. As writers, we often talk about how we struggle with our craft. Here is an opportunity to put that struggle in another perspective.

From Cynsations: Writing Across Formats: Dian Curtis Regan. If you've ever been tempted to venture into a new format, you'll find some great information here about how one format can inform your writing in others.

I began my career writing for adults. Then shifted to children's picture books and even did some screenplays. It was certainly a challenge, but everything I learned has been a positive influence on the other areas of my writing experience.

Enjoy!

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by In Need of Chocolate.

I'm continuing my "fun with math" by offering Math Appeal: mind-stretching math riddles written by Greg Tang, illustrated by Harry Briggs.

Playful puns and brilliantly colored double page spreads offer readers the challenge of finding strategies such as identifying the pattern in a group of objects in order to count them. Here is an engaging lesson in problem solving that could be used individually or in a classroom. Teacher notes are included at the end of the book.

Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted today by Liz In Ink.

My selection is The Tree That Time Built: a celebration of nature, science and imagination.

This anthology of nature-inspired poems is collected by Mary Ann Hoberman, U.S. Children's Poet Laureate and Linda Winston, anthropologist and teacher. The book includes more that 100 poems and a CD with poets reading their work.

Writer's Wednesday

Writing is serious business: Struggling through the fog of a first draft, the endless rounds of revision, the quest for publication, and if all goes as planned - learning the ins and outs of promoting your book.

Somewhere along the line, it's easy to forget to have a bit of fun along the way. Lighten your mood and brighten your day with these recent posts.

At Pen and Ink: Do You Speak Query? by Kris Kahrs

At Teaching Authors: A Savage-soothing Tip for Novelists Pseudo, Real and/or Lost by Esther Hershenhorn.

At The Librarian Writer: 3 Reasons I'm Not Concerned That My NaNoWriMo Word Count is Dismal.

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted to day by Shelf-employed.

My selection is The History of Counting, written by Denise Schmandt-Besserat and illustrated by Michael Hays.

To say that this book traces the development of counting would by accurate, but certainly wouldn't give the author all the credit do her. An archaeologist who specializes in the Middle East, Schmandt-Besserat has focused her expertise on one of humankind's most essential activities. Written with scientific accuracy, the book makes this complex topic very accessible without losing track of important details.

The History of Counting moves from primitive counting methods through the expected ancient civilizations from Sumerian to Roman and finally to the Arabic system used today. The text is enriched with discussions of abstract counting, the use of ten digits and a look at people such as the Paiela of Papua New Guinea who utilize unique methods for counting or reckoning "how many."

Written at a fifth grade level, the book includes a glossary and is illustrated with glowing paintings that provide a beautiful counterpoint to the text.

Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted today by Teaching Authors.

My selection is 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey.

Inspired by the Clement C. Moore poem, The Night Before Christmas, this fun-filled poem follows a bus load of school children on their field trip to a Farmer Mack Nugget's turkey farm where they set about rescuing the birds intended for dinner. The story begs to be read aloud and don't forget to share the colorful illustrations.

Nonfiction Monday

Nonfiction Monday is hosted today by Capstone Connect.

My selection is Animals in Fall, written by Martha E.H. Rustad. This deceptively simple book is an excellent standards-based science resource on animals and seasons. Short sentences and accessible vocabulary make it particularly suited for students who are struggling to develop their reading skills. Colorful photographs add information and visual appeal.

A glossary, index and bibliography of books and websites are included.