Great Minds in Your Neighborhood - Reflections on a Writer's Retreat

We know the names of the Great Minds around the world, but it is just as important to discover the Great Minds in our own neighborhoods. They may not get the same recognition as scientists like Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawking. Their work may not be as easily recognized as that of Steven Spielberg or J.K. Rowling, but they are special to us in different ways. They are much more accessible, and they teach us that genius is all around us. I have been reflecting on this idea since attending a writer's retreat earlier this summer in New Mexico at the Norbertine Abbey. Twelve of us got together to write by day and talk about writing by night.

I left New Mexico in 2017 after spending nearly 30 years there. Every June I return for an informal writer's retreat loosely organized by one of our previous SCBWI regional representatives. The group includes both published authors (see some of our book covers below) as well as pre-published authors. One of our greatest joys this June was celebrating Susan Wider and her book It's My Whole Life: Charlotte Salomon: An Artist in Hiding During World War II. Her book won the 2023 Jewish Book Award for Juvenile Fiction. A few years ago,  Susan was one of our pre-published writers, wondering if she would ever find an agent and an editor. Now she is an award-winning author with worldwide recognition. Check out her book at Norton Books for Young Readers. 

Vaunda Micheaux Nelson has been a celebrity in our little circle for many years. She has a knack for finding little-known heroes and telling their stories. Let 'er Buck! George Fletcher, The People's Champion illustrated by Gordon C. James tells the true story of an African American black rodeo champion. Vaunda won the Coretta Scott King Award for Bad New for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. I love sharing this book with my struggling readers. Bass was a former slave and had to memorize the arrest warrants because he could not read. Unrelated to Vaunda's book, I recently found out that the creators of the Yellowstone series are creating a TV series based on Bass Reeves.  Vaunda has a wonderful blog called the Book Itch. It was inspired by her book,  The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth, & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore, also illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. Check out The Book Itch and scroll to the bottom of Vaunda's blog to sign up for email updates.

Sharon Sivinski, a retired middle school science teacher, has decided to tell her non-fiction STEM stories via a fun YouTube channel called STEM with COG.  I just watched a 9-minute video on How Crude Oil and Transportation Produce Carbon Dioxide. Her style has a definite Bill Nye the Science Guy feel to it. She explains complicated concepts in engaging and visual ways. 

Kimberley Griffiths Little has published multiple children's book series and is now publishing sweet romance and romantic suspense under the pen name of Kimberley Monpetit. She has a YouTube channel where her many book trailers may be found.  

Chris Eboch has published over 100 children's books. (Check out her website for her middle-grade novels and writing workshops.) She also writes mystery and romance under the pen name of Kris Bock, including The Accidental Detective mystery series and The Accidental Billionaire Cowboys sweet romance series. Check out her page at Tule Publishing. 

Molly Blaisdell started joining us a few years ago from Texas. My husband and I split our time between Denver and Texas these days, so Molly and I are almost neighbors (except for the fact that Texas is a VERY large state). She has more titles than I can count, many of them with a science emphasis. Check out her books at https://www.mollyblaisdell.com/

Cynthia Grady, poet and picture book author has a website at https://cynthiagrady.com/books/. Her most recent book Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind includes excerpts of correspondences between one caring librarian and her students who were interred during World War 2.

Last of all, check out the titles from my new project, The HOT ROD series of Decodable Books, on my website at https://www.wordtravelpress.com/. Scroll to the bottom of the home page to see my list of titles, and then explore the rest of the website. There are pages full of strategies and free activities for working with struggling readers. Read Hank the Tank for free if you are a member of Kindle Unlimited.

Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my newsletter to receive updates about my new decodable book series.

The members of our little retreat are just a few of the many talented authors I have met through the local New Mexico Chapter of SCBWI.  When my husband and I moved to Colorado and I joined the Rocky Mountain SCBWI, I met dozens more. Whether you are an illustrator, an author, or a teacher wanting to connect with authors, checking out your local SCBWI chapter is a great place to start. You may just meet some great minds in your own backyard.

FREE Activity Guide for HANK THE TANK

I am excited to announce that my decodable reader, Hank the Tank, is available now in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats. The e-book version is FREE if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. The Activity Book is coming in August of 2023. Watch this blog or sign up for my newsletter for updates. This is a great book to share with kids who may be traveling to bear country this summer!

For a preview of the first chapter of the book, Download the FREE Hank Activity Guide. It includes a Scavenger Word Hunt based on Part 1 of the book (included in the Activity Guide.) The purpose of the Word Hunt is to encourage rereading in a fun and engaging way. Other activities cover phonological awareness, rhyme, and alliteration. There is also a fun Snack Attack Word Mash Up where kids get to invent their own words from food combinations. 

FREE Hank Activity Guide

The story is based on real events. In February of 2022, a black bear by the name of Hank the Tank made international news after he reportedly broke into dozens of homes in South Lake Tahoe. Concerned citizens made over 100 calls to the local authorities about a bear scavenging for food and destroying property. Authorities feared they would have to euthanize Hank.
 
Fortunately, Hank’s life was saved by science. Wildlife biologists made a very interesting discovery in the DNA left behind at the break-ins. Read the story to find out what happened. It is written in verse and is a fictional account, but it was inspired by real events. Then read the background information in the book to learn about the Real Hank, interesting facts about black bears, and tips for coexisting with wildlife. 
 
The story portion of the book was written to align with Level 2 of the HOT ROD Series (Higher Order Thinking Through the Reading of Decodables). It focuses on closed vowel sounds, digraphs (ck, ch, sh, th, ng), combinations (wh, qu), and nk. The Background Information section was written at approximately a 6th-grade reading level for independent reading (5th-grade for instructional level).
 
This book was specially designed for older students (grades 4 and up) and even adults who would benefit from controlled reading practice. Specific modifications are provided for grades 2-6+. Books in the series may be used to complement any reading program but were specifically designed for teachers who are implementing the Science of Reading in their instruction. There are also tips for parents on how to use a strategy called Pair and Share reading. The adult reads the Background Information, and the student reads the story, which is the portion written as a controlled text. Because of the focus on specific sound patterns, this book also provides an opportunity for children with articulation disorders to work on words in a story context with a speech-language pathologist. The higher-level vocabulary used in the background information section makes this book appropriate for students in general education as well. Lists are provided for target sound words as well as two different levels of vocabulary.

Books may be ordered through your local bookstore, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.

For more information about the series and to find the Scope and Sequence, visit www.wordtravelpress.com.