A Shell Is Cozy Today on “Take Five,” I’m recommending a nonfiction book for grades K – 4 called A Shell is Cozy, written by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long, published by Chronicle Books, 2023. Growing up, I enjoyed many summer vacations on Carolina beaches. I spent hours strolling the shore, toes in… Read more »
For Teachers
Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien
I recently discovered a gorgeous picture-book biography written and illustrated by Katie Wray Schon, published by Waxwing Books in 2025. Painting Wonder lifts us into the world of Pauline Baynes, the artist who illustrated C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and drew the Middle-earth map for J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Moving… Read more »
Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of a Thunderstorm
Today I’m recommending Zap! Clap! Boom! The Story of a Thunderstorm by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Elly MacKay (Bloomsbury, 2023). Like Laura, I grew up in the southeastern United States, where, in late summer, thunderstorms brewed almost every afternoon. I welcomed their drama and the brief cool they ushered in. Sample page: Rustling, murmuring,… Read more »
How to Help Kids Pay Attention to Nature
This post first appeared on Patricia Newman‘s LitLinks blog on Sept. 25, 2024. LitLinks, LitLinks-Grade 3-5, LitLinks-Grade K-2 GUEST BLOGGER CYNTHIA ARGENTINE In a fascinating study, scientists discovered that “nature connectedness” helps people feel life is worthwhile. Those who felt more connected to nature also felt happier and healthier.[i] Wonderful! But before we drop everything and head outdoors, consider… Read more »
Adam Smith Knew We’d Love Jane Austen
Are you a fan of Jane Austen? Ever wondered why her stories remain popular with generations of readers and movie-goers? Adam Smith, the economist and philosopher, helped me see Austen’s genius in a new light. My daughter led me to this. She’d been studying Adam Smith in college. She told me about his insights into… Read more »
Tea of the Week
Cha Preto Pekoe Black Tea by Gorreana
My son and his fiancée brought me a box of this organic Portuguese tea from the Azores. It’s a lovely, smooth, refreshing breakfast tea!