Read or I'll Bite You!

It is often asked of me:  "Gosh, Erica, what WON'T you do to get kids to read?"

And the answer is (now more obviously than ever):  NOTHING!

Here's the evidence:

Will you wear funny hats?

Yes.

Will you attempt to train an orange juice jug to fetch?

Yes again.

And now, the question that for many authors is a dealbreaker:  will you allow yourself to be consumed by wolves, or - if you live in a city and wolves are not readily available - attacked by a small rodent in the name of reaching more readers?

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!

P.S. In addition to these videos, posted by Mr. Schu and Shannon Miller, me, and Kidsmomo, there's a fabulous author interview up by the lovely Ms. Audrey Vernick (a talented author herself, of the hilarious Buffalo picture books and the new middle grade novel Water Balloon) who has also been known to wear funny hats in the name of promoting literacy. 

One can't help but wonder how she feels about guinea pigs...

Boy oh Boy!

It has been a bit of a tough week and it is only Tuesday.  My kids are overscheduled, exhausted and begging to be propped in front of the glowing screen.  My book deadline looms (we're in the single digits now, people).  And it is raining again.

And not even Supertramp can save me.  Or the Weathergirls.

Though bless their hearts for trying (wow, were low-tech videos awesome back then or what?).

However, here's the bright spot in my week.  A sixth grade boy writing for the website Book Trends gave When Life Gives You O.J. one of the best reviews I've ever received.  And when I say best, I don't just mean that he loved the book (though he did).  He clearly thought about it a lot and wanted to express exactly what about it made it so special to him.  Which is more than many adult reviewer do. 

So Max, wherever you are, thanks!  You made my week!  And if you find your way to my website and read this post, please email me so I can send you a signed copy and some awesome When Life Gives You O.J. tchotchkes.

Technical Difficulties!

Yesterday, I skyped with three classrooms in honor of International Dot Day.  Or rather, I tried to, but my skype settings were apparently not up to snuff, so a lot of excited kids could hear me... but couldn't see me.  So I made this video to make up for it, and I thought other folks might enjoy seeing it, too.  

Thanks again Mr. Schu and Shannon Miller and Mrs. Linde for hanging in there with me!  And please send me those hat drawings... I'm not kidding!  I'll make one into a real hat!

International Dot(ty) Day!

I am super-excited this week.  Here's why:

1) This Thursday is International Dot Day!  Inspired by Peter H. Reynold's modern classic, The Dot, which is about making your mark on the world, teachers, librarians and students everywhere will be taking time to do something creative!  Peter has suggested a couple of dot-centric ideas here and I applaud everyone who stops whatever they are doing on Thursday and just spends even five minutes being creative with a pen or crayon or chalk or brush or marker in hand.

2) Several teachers and librarians have told me that as part of their International Dot Day celebrations, they will be using Dotty!  I could not be happier or more honored to have Dotty join in this day of creativity, imagination and, well, dottiness.

3) And - here's the best part! - on Friday, I will be participating in one of these celebrations by skyping with Mr. Schu and Shannon Miller!  I'm guessing the tech-saavy Mr. Schu will find a way to share this, and if so I will follow suit (or, should I say, follow schuit?).  I'm actually skyping twice this week - on Wednesday, I'm skyping with 6th graders at Prairie Creek Intermediate School in Iowa.  MY first question for them is: is your school mascot a prairie dog (and if not, why not)?

Happy DOT WEEK, everyone!  Now, don't be shy... go out and make your mark!

Back to School Awesomeness

Since my birthday is in August, I feel a certain kinship with other people who have birthdays close to mine.  Some of my best friends and some of my favorite people seem to have end-of-summer birthdays like me.  Including Mr. Schu, whose birthday was the toast of the town this past weekend:

Also, Reading Rockets, which turned ten in August!  Happy birthday, Reading Rockets!

Most people think of this time of year as back-to-school season (though if you think of it as "Erica's birthday season," that's okay, too).  I want to share two very cool things I discovered today that made my day:

1) Dotty Back-to-school e-cards from Reading Rockets!  How awesome are these?  Wanna send some?  Click HERE.

2) Dotty lunchbox notes!  Click, print, make your kid's day!  They also have Katy Duck and other adorable pals.

Also, Mr. Schu and Reading Rockets (peanut butter and chocolate, if you will) join forces here to bring you some of my videos, including this read-aloud of Dotty:

Happy back-to-school, everyone!  Hope it is awesome!