7 Insights from the SCBWI Europolitan Conference in Belgium
This beautiful building is the musical instrument museum in Brussels, Belgium. What is the SCBWI Europolitan? A chance to meet people who live in Europe and write for kids in English. In 2017, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Europolitan Conference was in Belgium. In 2024, it will be in Cologne, Germany. Here’s […]
The Day a Hot Air Balloon Landed Behind Our Balcony
When it roars outside on our balcony and flames shoot into the air, it’s not a dragon It’s a hot air balloon. The one we saw tonight was very low and we wondered if it would clear the trees, or the playground. Another friend came up the hill from the concrete cathedral, because she thought […]
Welcome Aboard! Are You Ready to Make New Friends?
Train travel is always an adventure and sometimes you don’t have the words you need. A few years ago, we accidentally missed our train to Paris, then made some new friends, even though we didn’t speak the same language. Here’s the story for you, plus a few games to keep the kids entertained on your […]
Train Them Up the Way They Should Go
After a long, rainy winter, families in Germany are ready to get out of the house and have a little fun. Why don’t you come along? The joy of sustainability is becoming a theme around here. We accidentally discovered this festival while trying to repair the handle on a wicker basket. The basketmakers were attending […]
Is the Night Train the Right Train for You?
If you’ve ever been tempted to travel by sleeper car, this post is for you. Car travel can give you independence, but an adventure by train has an old-school flavor of romance. Flying Above The Clouds in the Night Train Magical Village Appears . . . Just Like Brigadoon 🙂 T.S. Eliot’s Skimbleshanks: The Railway […]
Please Welcome These Giants Into Your Library
Giant Trouble: The Mystery of the Magic Beans is a hilarious romp for ages 9 to 12. It’s also a story about not feeling welcome. So many people are experiencing loss of their homes and their peace. It hurts. But loss and sorrow don’t win the Battle of the Beanstalk! Eleven-year-old William of Marigold’s ingenious […]
Meet The Giants: 7 Big Reasons to Welcome Newcomers
The Marigold Kingdom gets a giant surprise one morning when some visitors show up carrying giant signs. Read an Excerpt In this scene from Giant Trouble: The Mystery of the Magic Beans, eleven-year-old Prince William is testing the soup recipe in the royal family’s restaurant in the Marigold Kingdom. He has to know if his […]
How to Get These Wonderful Kids Books At Your Library
How to use the Libby app to checkout books from your local library. To get you started, I’ve included a PDF with favorite books for ages 9 to 12.
Train travel in Belgium
Even more Day 1 of the travel to an environmental conference without breaking the environment. #BumpityBoulevardOnTheRails The traveling went faster than the blogging so now I’m playing catch-up. I’m looking for barriers and benefits to this way of traveling and finding both. So much of our behaviour connects to the stories we tell ourselves. Which […]
How to travel on the train
Green travel can be fun! This mini-post is a tiny bit more on how to get to a conference on the environment with breaking the environment. Why should life be serious all the time? The Rhineland in Germany is famous for “Frohsinn” which means “cheerfulness”. Their ability to manufacture good cheer comes out during Karneval, […]
In the beginning we go the wrong way
Day 1 in our quest to get to a conference on the environment without breaking the environment. I like trains and we’re about to go on a lot of them. Our mission? To get to an A Rocha conference in Southern France without flying. And back again. And to visit as many bookstores and libraries […]
A new place to find more book recommendations for 10 year olds
Planning a long voyage? Don’t forget the books! Does anything make a family trip smoother than having the right books along? I can face all kinds of travel complications when I have something to read. Want to find books your kids will love to read? There’s a new website called Shepherd you might enjoy. (It’s […]