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...
The Book Blog
Cardinal Rule Press
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...
Bucket Filling: The Ins-and-Outs of Kindness
Kindness is free, but its effects are priceless. Kindness can turn a bad day into a good one, a frown into a smile, and a stranger into a friend. A...
THIS COULD BE YOU… A GROWTH MINDSET ISN’T JUST FOR KIDS
Just over a year ago I fulfilled a life-long dream of becoming a picture book author when Cardinal Rule Press published THIS COULD BE YOU. I, of course, wrote this...
The Bucket Filling Benefits of Nature
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt” -John Muir Travel with me in your mind for a moment as we walk...
Get Caught Reading Posters Featuring CRP’s own Vanessa Garcia!
Gotcha! There’s nothing more exciting than being caught reading your favorite book. To be asked what you’re reading is one of the most magical feelings; your eyes light up, your...
Finding Agency with Two Sisters in Hide and Shh!
Dinah and Chloe, the two sisters in Hide and Shh! A Not-So-Sneaky Sibling Story About Inclusion, have been out in the world for two months now. I’ve been lucky enough...
Picture Books to Read for Caribbean-American Heritage Month
The summer 2023 release of our new book It’ll Be Irie, by Donn Swaby, is fast approaching. It tells the story of a young boy named Raymond who moves from...
Helping Your Children Deal with Big Emotions: Reading and Growing Together
Navigating difficult situations involving feelings as a child can be very scary. Being nervous or anxious as an adult can oftentimes seem like part of our daily routine when we...
READY, SET, GO! Celebrating Three Years of Sportsmanship with EVIE’S FIELD DAY
Everyone loves to win, and no one likes to lose but both are part of life. How we deal with winning and losing is what matters. This is a core...
Play and Fill Your Buckets During National Family Month
June is National Family Month and family is certainly worth celebrating! As the school year winds down and we enjoy longer days, it is time to focus on the most...
10 Tips for Avoiding Teacher Burnout
It's getting close to the end of the year which means you may be experiencing teacher burnout at an all time high level of the school year. The stress of...
How to Outline a Picture Book Without Getting Overwhelmed
If you’re a planner like me, then odds are you like to approach your creative projects with a firm idea of where you’re going and what steps you need to...
This AAPI Heritage Month, Say “Aloha Everything!”
As a child, I always begged my parents for just one more bedtime story, never wanting to go to sleep. The magic of children's books transported me to such wonderful...
Family Screen Time
Families can’t go anywhere without being exposed to screens. Kids can watch TV while waiting to see a doctor or dentist, there are screens in the majority of school classrooms,...
National Join Hands Day and What the Bread Says!
Growing up, I was obsessed with listening to stories about my relatives. Every time I would visit my grandparents, I’d find myself immersed in the world they grew up in...
Celebrating the Birthdays of Some of our Favorite Books
We all can think back to our birthdays as children and how they were such magical days. Going to school in our best outfit and being met with birthday wishes...
Two Years of Spreading Kindness with Kindness is a Kite String
My Cardinal Rule Press book, Kindness is a Kite String, ends with this hopeful message: “Kindness is contagious. When you catch it, pass it on!” In the two years since...
How Dazzling Travis Made Me a Better Person
It's funny how writers don't always see themselves in their books. Recently, I was scrolling through a lineup of authors for an event where the site featured their book...