King of the Zoo:

Successfully tuckering out tigers since 2013! @scholastic @politics_prose @kidsandprose #picturebookmonth

Not AGAIN! The children, too?! The King of the Zoo is...

ME, that's WHO!!! Getting zoo-ey with it to launch KING OF THE ZOO at Politics & Prose with Jackie Urbanovic:

This one goes out to my PTA peeps!

When I do author visits, my goal is to connect with everyone in the room.  By this, I mean that I want to connect with the kids and their teachers. 

Today I received a lovely note that I want to share because it was so cool to learn that I connected with someone else as well.  Thanks so much to Vered Kogan, the mom and school volunteer who wrote.  Thanks also to all the parents who help out at school assemblies, and hopefully take some messages away, deservedly, for themselves:

Hi Erica,

I am a mom at [school]. We briefly met after your presentation (I walked out with you and [school contacts]). 

I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit our school and speak with the children. My daughter thought that your talk was “great” and I did as well- you have really inspired me to (finally) sit down (as you suggested) and write/edit my idea for a children’s book. My biggest takeaways from your presentation are: be silly, write down your ideas so you won’t lose them, CELEBRATE throughout the process, “edit, edit, edit", add humor, and your “secret sauce”- real emotions.
 
I wish you continued success with your writing and inspiring. I believe that the ripple effect from your talks and books will reach wide and carry on for many years. I can certainly say that you have changed the way I think about writing and my own ability to JUST DO IT!
 
Warmly,
 
Vered Kogan

#Thanksgivingukkah #Thanksgivanukkah?

Tastes great either way: Ace's sweet potato latkes! Enjoy!

Hey Isabel! You Made My Day!

Thanks for writing, and for your nice words about my books. I will write you back right now, but until my letter arrives I hope this blog post will do.
Yours truly,
Erica