W.H. Beck's Blog: W.H. Beck

The website’s getting tweaked. Please be patient as things move around–and be sure to stop back by in a couple weeks!

So…I’m guessing galleys will be available soonish, since Malcolm’s on this list! (Rubbing elbows with Rebecca Stead’s new book, LIAR AND SPIES, no less!)

Children’s Galleys to Grab: BEA 2012

I'm talking about new poetry books for middle graders over on Project Mayhem this morning. Go take a peek!

Tuesdays I highlight a book (usually picture) that is popular (or should be!) in my library. Today's book is THAT PESKY RAT by Lauren Child.

That pesky rat wants to be a pet like all the other animals he knows, so he puts an ad up on the wall in the pet store. Luckily, near-sighted Mr. Fortesque read "cat" and the two live happily ever after.

In truth, this book had gotten pushed to the back of my mind. I was reminded of it when someone I knew came across an article I wrote in Library Sparks...

A grumpy retired search-and-rescue dog finds himself in a missing chick mystery in this funny chapter book. Much to enjoy–this has been on constant checkout in my library.

And now there's a sequel!

MALCOLM's heading to BEA in June! His/my brilliant editor will be presenting him at the Middle Grade Buzz Panel. Yahoo!

 

Last week I traveled to Columbus, WI to visit their elementary and middle schools.We talked about writing nonfiction and writing fiction. It was a great time! Thanks to literacy coaches Mary Jo Werner and Kay Lange for lining it up. I hope the students got as much out of it as I did.

I met with the second, third, fourth, and fifth graders. One of the classes stuck around and I finally remembered to pull out my camera.

Students made food chains of the animals and how they connect after reading...

Last week I traveled to Columbus, WI to visit their elementary and middle schools.We talked about writing nonfiction and writing fiction. It was a great time! Thanks to literacy coaches Mary Jo Werner and Kay Lange for lining it up. I hope the students got as much out of it as I did.

I met with the second, third, fourth, and fifth graders. One of the classes stuck around and I finally remembered to pull out my camera.

Students made food chains of the animals and how they connect after reading...

Tuesdays I highlight a book (usually picture) that is popular (or should be!) in my library. Today's book is BROTHERS AT BAT by Audrey Vernick.

Baseball season started this week in our house. Here's a math problem, just so you know what my life will be like for the next couple of months:

2 boys X (3 practices + 2 games a week) = A LOT OF BASEBALL

Good thing our family likes baseball. But maybe not quite as much as the family in this book. This is the true story of the Acceras, a family of 16...

Received this as an ARC and before I could even get a good look at it, my own household fourth grader (Colonel Mustard) gobbled up in one sitting. That's always a good endorsement, since Colonel Mustard very rarely actually sits. Even at the dinner table! But that's another post, perhaps . . .

Basically, Fangbone's an under-appreciated/overlooked warrior from Skullbania, who, in guarding the evil toe of Drool from Drool's henchmen who are trying to put the villain back together, ends up in a...