Pay it Forward with Books and Kindness
Recently, the whole world celebrated a global holiday called World Kindness Day. This holiday is all about celebrating kindness and small acts of generosity that can change the world. Schools...
The Book Blog
Cardinal Rule Press
Taking Time to be Thankful
The end of the year is approaching and with it, a rush of holiday shopping0, food preparations, and visits with family. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. These...
November is Native American Heritage Month!
It's November! And you know what that means? Aside from the colorful leaves and the looming winter season, we celebrate our Native American friends! November is Native American Heritage Month!...
Celebrating all Backgrounds through Picture Books
One of the amazing things about stories is that it provides readers the opportunity to identify aspects of themselves within the characters, or learn about characters that live a completely...
Breathing Life into Bread is Making History
What the Bread Says has been such a gift. The book is about my grandfather and how he taught me the family story – his story and history – as...
A Guide for Writers, Authors and Booksellers to Master Productivity
In the fast-paced world of literature and book-related professions, productivity and organization are essential ingredients for success. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a seasoned author, a dedicated bookseller, or a...
LILA LOU’S LITTLE LIBRARY…BOOKS CONNECT US
In celebration of the release of my picture book, Lila Lou’s Little Library, two years ago, my family built our own little library in our front yard. It had always...
Chapter Books for Early Readers
It can be challenging to find age-appropriate chapter books for early readers. You don’t want something too easy, but it should still be entertaining! This is why we have curated...
How Raja's Pet Camel has done "out in the world" since its release
It’s hard to believe Raja’s Pet Camel has been out in the world for 3 years already! Raja and Kamal were born in my mind a decade before that, so...
Cookie & Milk - A Sweet Deal with Cardinal Rule Press
Cookie & Milk has been out in the world since October 2019 and it’s been a great ride. When I wrote this story I knew I had something special and...
BUCKET FILLING AND A GROWTH MINDSET
This month marks one year since I began giving Bucket Filler Presentations for Cardinal Rule Press. I’d like to share some insight that I have learned along the way. This...
Fall is Coming, You Better Be-leaf it!
Do you know what September 23rd brings? FALL! There are many things I love about Fall. In some places, the air gets chilly and the leaves change colors, for example...
My Amazing Book Launch Month!
On July first, my picture book, “It’ll be Irie” published by Cardinal Rule Press, made its world debut. What seemed like such a far-off time back in Winter of 2022,...
Picture Books Celebrating Grandparents
I am honored today to share a few of my favorite picture books that showcase positive, loving relationships between children and grandparents. With the growing population of kids who live...
How American Sign Language May Benefit Your Child!
American Sign Language is a form of communication that many use in the United States, whether hearing impaired or not. ASL is expressed by movement of the hands and face....
How Reading Books Empowers Children Going Back to School
The back-to-school season is upon us, alive with excitement and anticipation! New clothes, new school supplies, and–let’s not forget–wonderful books. For some kids, it’s their first venture into school. If...
So You Want to Write About Disability for Kids?
Here’s a phrase that took me over a decade to be able to say out loud: I’m disabled. Why? I think it was a mix of societal stigma and naivete...
Building Bridges and Filling Buckets on International Friendship Day
Happy International Friendship Day! On this day I’m thankful for the friends I’ve had throughout my life who have been there to share a hug, laugh, or cup of coffee...
Learning About Mental Health Through Picture Books
Mental health awareness month is May, but that doesn’t mean the importance goes away in July! Teaching children about mental health struggles and ways to overcome them is crucial. Reading...
Winnie-the-Pooh & Accessibility, too!
Children's illustrated books like Winnie the Pooh have not been fully accessible to over eight million children with special needs in the U.S., until now. Children ages 3-8 who are...