Old Year Out, New Year In

As always it was a hectic end of year, lots of work, N1H1, holiday prep and always some good things happening.

I did my first online classroom visit using Skype and it was great.  I did have to comb my hair and look presentable but I could do this visit from my office!  I could see the classroom and they could see me.  The students had been prepped and they had great questions.  We spent a little over a half hour.  Here is what their teacher had to say:

Hello Karen,

Thanks for a successful skype!  My students filled out a 

reflection sheet afterwards, and it was amazing how much 

they absorbed.  Your discussion on why you write 

children's literature really resonated with them.  Many 

students wrote that they would begin to write about their 

'childhoods'.  Your honest and meaningful explanation 

really affected them!

Take a look at the website charactercounts.org and see Four Feet Two Sandals is still being recognized by thoughtful students, teachers and educators.

And on another front my story,  the Best Toys Ever first published in Chicken Soup for the Kids Soul was part of a creative family interactive advent calendar for this month of December.  See the website info@Growinggreatfamilies.com

These are only a few new things happening with my books and my writing life.  Much more to come in 2010.  And right off the bat I will start with a trip to Park School in Baltimore on January 4.  I am looking forward to sharing reading, my books and the writing life with students there.  More when I return.

Happy New Year!