Crafty Ellie

I always put lots of crafts and games and pranks in my Ellie McDoodle books. Kids can read the story, but they can also, if they want, follow the instructions on how to play the games or make the things Ellie makes.
Here's Ellie and Mo testing a roller coaster they've made out of foam pipe insulation (cut in half, tape the ends together for a longer ride) and a marble.
I learned the idea from a 4th grade teacher, Diane Allen. (The note in the margin means, make sure I check with her to find out why her 4th graders made roller coasters in her classroom.)

This is a first draft, and apparently that art was sketched on Sept. 2.

The book comes out next Sept.

In the meantime, I'm working on picturebooks...

-- Ruth McNally Barshaw

The Perfect Card!

Crafts are easy...you just need paper, pen, crayons, scissors, glue, glitter, paper punch, pencil, more glitter, eraser, markers, ribbon, and imagination!

Crafty Girl

Hi and happy National Craft Month, I'm so happy to have been asked to guest blog for March! This li'l gal's been feeling quite crafty now that Spring is so close!   a : )

It's National Craft Month!

Sally almost added that Trudy also wanted to be a cloud, but she thought that might be too weird.
Clouds don't need braces. Silly frog.

~ Priscilla

Joy- Dr. Seuss

This week we're devoting to the super talents of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss!

Who hasn't been influenced in some way by his imaginative characters, rhyme, and frequent use of anapestic meter? He's definitely a favorite in our house!

I guess I read more than you...

I know...I  know...it's not a competition.

Dr. Seuss Day All Week!

Kenton couldn't stop thinking about having super powers just like Dr. Seuss - making up fun, new words for the whole wide world to read and say out loud.  

We are celebrating Dr. Seuss Day all week long ~
which includes his birthday as well as Read Across America Day - both on March 2nd!