STEAM Activity for Kids

Since ROBOTS DON'T MAKE YOU GO TO BED has come out, I've had the pleasure of doing a couple of STEAM events at libraries. These events start with a read aloud of the picture book. Then kids are given time to explore different stations with activities set up. Some of these stations include robot toys that kids can program. Others have art supplies so kids can draw their own robots. 

If you're looking for a STEAM activity for your classroom or library, you can do a similar activity. 

Many schools and libraries already have robotic toys. If you already have some, it makes sense to use whatever you have. If you don't have anything yet, you might want to consider investing in this, and not just for this activity. Buildable and programmable robot toys can encourage exploration in the sciences and inspire little inventors. 

Many of the toys available on the market are for the 8+ age group, but younger kids may be able to participate with guidance and supervision. There are some options for younger kids, too. Here are some that I've found:

• Thames & Kosmos Kids First Andy: The Code & Play Robot is a programmable robot for ages 4+.
• Gears! Gears! Gears! Robots in Motion is a buildable robot toy for ages 5+.
• Snap Bots are simple snap-together toys that look like robots for ages 3+.

Learn more about ROBOTS DON'T MAKE YOU GO TO BED and order your copy. 

If you're planning an activity and would like me to read ROBOTS DON'T MAKE YOU GO TO BED via Zoom, use the contact form at the bottom of the page to reach out to me. 

Robots Don't Make You Go to Bed

ROBOTS DON'T MAKE YOU GO TO BED is out now!

When Owen wins a build-a-robot kit, he assembles what he hopes will be the perfect mother. Robots don’t make you eat your breakfast. Robots don’t make you clean up your toys. And robots definitely don’t make you go to bed. But there are some things that make mothers unique, and Owen soon realizes that a robot mother can never replace the real thing. With a Tim Burton-esque art style, a die-cut and embossed cover, and a gentle moral, Robots Don’t Make You Go to Bed is perfect for aspiring inventors and anyone with a mother.

I'm grateful to my publisher, Familius, for making my manuscript an actual picture book. I'm also grateful to Susanna Covelli, the talented illustrator who brought my text to life. 

Get your copy!

STORY MAGIC Teacher and Library Resources

Are you reading STORY MAGIC in your classroom or book club? The STORY MAGIC Teacher Resources may help. 

The resources include:

• A writing activity based on the concept of "story magic spells"
• Other writing, research, and art activity ideas
• Discussion questions
• Reading comprehension questions
• Vocabulary questions

I hope you find these resources helpful. You can download the STORY MAGIC Teacher Resources here. 

Story Magic Cover, ARCS, and Pre-Orders

Girls are forbidden to practice story magic. Only bad things happen when they do. Everyone knows this, but that doesn't stop twelve-year-old Kaya A'Dor from learning the basics from her older brother Hob. The trick is to sense a listener, one of the magical beings that inhabit the world, and tell it a story. If the listener is pleased and likes the story, it will allow the storyteller to work magic.

Although Kaya knows the risks, she attempts a little story magic to impress Hob. When Hob is taken prisoner in Prima, the faraway capital city, Kaya is convinced it's her fault, either because someone discovered what she was doing or because the bad luck has found her.

Desperate to save her brother, Kaya will do anything to make it to Prima, including story magic. With each story she tells her ability to wield story magic grows and she soon begins to wonder if her brother's imprisonment was really her fault or something else entirely. Each story brings her one step closer to finding Hob and leaving everything she's ever known behind.

Story Magic will be out on October 27, 2020.

Want Story Magic as soon as it comes out? You can pre-order it now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or your local bookstore. Pre-orders really help authors, so I really appreciate it!

If you're a reviewer, you can request a copy at NetGalley.

Story Magic

I am so thrilled to announced that my next middle grade novel will be published by Jolly Fish Press. It's called Story Magic. Here's the announcement from the PW Children's Bookshelf.

You can add Story Magic on Goodreads.

I can't wait to share Story Magic with all of you. Stay tuned for more details!

I Have Another Book!

I’m so excited to talk about my new novel. It’s called Monster, Human, Other. I love the cover.

Here's a bit about it:

Wren is human. Isaac is not. Having switched places at birth, they now live with each other’s families. Growing up among a different species is difficult—for Isaac, who has to keep many secrets, and for Wren, who is teased for her lousy human senses. They’re told it’s necessary, though. The exchange is the first step in an ambassador program meant to ensure peace.

But not everyone wants peace. There are creatures that live deep underground, coming up to the surface to feed. They have a plan to stir up trouble, and so far, it’s working. In the end, it’s up to Wren and Isaac to prevent a looming war and to save both their kinds.

The book is recommended for children ages 8 to 12, but I officially give permission to older people to read it, too. 

You can order it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore.

I Have a Facebook Page!

I now have a Facebook page.

Yes, this means that until now, I have not been on Facebook. I know, I know. I might as well have been living on the moon. 

You can see my Facebook page here. I don't know how often I'll update it, but I'll try to post any exciting news as well as events that are open to the public. For more frequent updates, follow me on Twitter. I'm also on Quora and GoodReads. 

It seems like a lot, but I'm still only scratching the surface of social media options available. 

As a writer, I want to connect to readers, and of course I also need to promote my book. But I need time to write, too, and I'm not talking about status updates. From my conversations with other writers, I know I'm not the only one who struggles with this. 

But that doesn't mean I can't do social media. It just means I have to learn how to manage my time there. It's worth it because, as I said, I really do want to be accessible to readers. 

And that means being on Facebook.  

Many people depend on Facebook to connect with others and to keep track of events, so after a long time of putting it off, I've added Facebook to my list of social media sites. Who knows? Maybe I'll love it.

Dead Boy Is Out Now!

Dead Boy, my debut children's novel, is available now. 

Praise for Dead Boy:

"Gale takes readers on a dark and surprisingly funny journey.... A great recommendation to middle grade fans of dark humor." –School Library Journal

"A stinky, creepy tale for anyone who's ever felt like an outsider." –Kirkus Reviews


Get a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your local bookstore. It's recommended for ages 8 through 12.