New Joys! New Books!

Delighted to see the draft layout of my newest book on Endangered Rain Forests for grades 3 to 5, published by Capstone Press. It has been a wonderful experience re-living my research days and bringing it back to let the kids experience it.

Writing for children is a humbling experience. When I write for academic publishing, I use lot more words than necessary. Really, much of academic writing is also packaging. There is no room for humility in scholarship. That is hard sell and sets the trajectory of your career.

However, when I write for children, I am constantly asking myself - can the reader understand this? Why is this important? If the child did not know this, will the knowledge be incomplete? And my best critique is my son. My editor is much gentler than my son is! I appreciate these critical voices that enrich my writing. This constant engagement reminds me to write close to the interests of my readers and grab their attention. I am competing for their attention as a writer and I strive hard to make it worthwhile. 

I love the concept of this book. It moves away from the gloom-doom scenario and presents the causes in the manner of an investigation. I hope the students and teachers will join in debating how our habits, even if we are far removed from the rain forests, are affecting them miles and continents away.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey! I could not have done this without your support!