LET'S CELEBRATE WORLD SPACE WEEK

 World Space Week is October 4-10, 2025

Let's get the celebration started with this action song from Storybots.

Click here. 

My cat Roary has boarded his sink-rocket. He's ready for more SPACE WEEK action. 

How about you?!

If you said YES, explore space with The Friz aboard the Magic School Bus.

Click here to launch this game.

Then WATCH OUT! You could find yourself zooming away to become lost in space with the Magic School Bus.

Click Here to share the wild ride

Now, go on board the International Space Staion to visit a real astronaut Chris Hadfield.

See what he eats while in space. And why it's never bread. Click Here.

See how he goes to bed to sleep in space. 

Click Here.

What book do you think would be the BEST to take along to read in space?

How about my coming soon book? It's OUT OF THIS WORLD full of smiles! ORDER HERE!

COLOR BACK TO SCHOOL WONDERFUL!

 It's back to school time. 

Let's make this a colorful year!

For some great ideas for creating colorful crayon art and being creative with broken crayons. 

Check out these sites.

Number One

Number Two

Number Three

And, of course, being National Crayon Collection Month, August is the perfect time to share several of my favorite children's books that star crayons.

Of course, I have to include the story of Crayola Crayons' Invention. The Crayon Man (Natascha Biebow/HMH Books for young readers, 2019)

Red: A Crayon's Story (Michael Hall/Greenwillow Books, 2015)

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let's draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can't be red, no matter how hard he tries! Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He's blue! This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

The Day The Crayons Quit (Drew Daywalt/Philomela Books, 2013)

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun.

What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

COMING SOON!

The Crayons Trick or Treat (Drew Daywalt, Philomel Books, September 6, 2022)

The Crayons want to go trick-or-treating, but they're not sure what to say! In a humorous Halloween story, Purple Crayon teaches the rest of the crayon box the magic words to say when they ring their neighbors' doorbells. (Hint: It's NOT "Boo!")

AND NOW!

1.Make up your own story about a colorful adventure. And make your favorite crayons the stars of your story.

2. Choose your very favorite crayon. Tell why you LOVE it. And convince at least 2 other people they should LOVE it too.

LET'S READ TOGETHER!

Join me and enjoy this book with me!

I'll do it in several parts so I can tell you a little about the book and a little more about the animals as we go along.

Here we go--Part 1.

Next, Part 2.

Ready to share Part 3 with me?

Now, let's finish WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL HAIR!?

READ WITH ME! WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL TEETH!?

 Grab your copy of 

WHAT IF YOU HAD ANIMAL TEETH!?

Now, you're ready to read along with me.

Click Here!

Did you choose your favorite animal teeth?

If not, please go back and pick. 

It's FUN to have a favorite and imagine those animal teeth being your teeth for one day.

My favorite are ELEPHANT teeth, called tusks.

What animal teeth did you choose? 

SANDRA MARKLE READS ON WORLD READ ALOUD DAY

Join me this February as I celebrate WORLD READ ALOUND DAY by reading my Scholastic book Could You Ever DIVE WITH DOLPHINS!? 

Ready to join me? Click HERE!

WINTER WONDERS!

 

Some animals are perfectly suited to living with ice and snow. Check out this book I wrote about camping out with Adélie penguins raising their chicks. Or READ IT HERE.

So those animals would think you're lucky to have cold winter weather. There is definitely a special kind of winter fun to enjoy. These activities will give you ideas for ways you can make the most out of living where winter is--well--wintery!

GO ON A SCAVENGER HUNT

You might find maple seeds like these.

FIND:

• Something older than you are
• Something younger than you are
• A seed
• Something rough
• Something smooth
• Something that will change in the spring

HELP YOUR LOCAL BIRDS

You can get a good look at birds that spend the winter in your neighborhood, if you invite them to dinner. An easy treat to make is a peanut butter pinecone. Loop a string around the top of a pine cone and tie a knot. Next, smear peanut butter on the cone and roll the cone in birdseed. Then have an adult partner hang the pinecone where birds will be able to perch and eat. 

Now, keep watch. Use bird books and search on-line to help you identify the birds visiting your bird diner. Also, answer these questions:

1. What time of day do the birds come to eat? 

2. Do the birds come more on stormy or sunny days?

3. Do the birds take turns and feed one at a time? Or do they compete to eat?

4. Which birds usually chase other birds away?

Create a colorful bar graph to share the data you collect about your dinner guests.

Remember, to replace your pinecone with a fresh treat from time-to-time to keep the dinners coming back for more.

IMAGINE!

While you stay snug and toasty warm inside, think what fun it could be to take a trip to Antarctica. And while there stay and play with Adélie penguins. READ ABOUT THE FUN HERE!