My “Creative Jazz Writing Workshops” this summer left me with fodder aplenty to start a new book. As I made the rounds to fourteen (count ‘em!) Migrant Summer School sites in towns like McFarland, Wasco, Taft, Arvin, Lamont, Rosamond, Tehachipi,…
Recently returned from a 2-week tour through Migrant Education Summer Programs located at schools around Kern County, CA. And I mean AROUND this huge county. Stops included far-flung school districts in small agricultural towns as well as the outskirts of…
OK, so here’s my take on the 7-1 shellacking of Brazil in today’s World Cup semi-final. In our house, we’ve been watching the matches in Spanish, so when I turned on the game and heard the commentators marveling about the…
First, let me go on record to say that a public, well-funded neighborhood library elevates the civic and cultural well-being of society. But as Texas librarian Brian Kemp demonstrates, there is also a place for free, public book deposits where…
Two weeks ago, I got a bell-hop to leave his post at his hotel in downtown San Antonio and help me move my gear into the city’s vast convention center. “What kind of convention did you say this was?” he…
This past weekend I attended the two-day “Publishing University” in San Francisco, put on by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Always wise to invest in a bit of professional development–just to keep clear of ruts and bad habits! I…
On Feb. 8th, the Orion Alternative School in Redwood City, CA put on their fantabulous, annual Children’s Book Author and Illustrator Fair. Charm, gumption and tradition seem to be their key for assembling 8-10 well-known children’s book creators from near…
Recently had the pleasure of attending the National Title I Conference in San Diego. Three or four thousand education administrators gathered from around the country to share and learn research findings and best practices. (Talk about your array of accents!)…
So there I was last week ready to send my latest mini-picture book to the printer when our translator Victor Reyes said not so fast. The story (“Mailman Joe”) is a story in verse featuring 55 English / Spanish cognates…
Attention jazz fans, lovers of insects and, specifically, musical flies who buzz around in tuxedos. Happy New Year! A hope you’ve had a groovin’ winter break. Start your 2014 in rhythm with this offer from Rafflecopter. A copy of Jazz…