Pat Mora's Blog, page 20

Sharing Bookjoy

November is the gratitude month although we try to be grateful regularly, right?

Illustration by John Parra from Gracias~Thanks.

Healthy eaters delight in telling us about delicious fruits and vegetables, sharing their good habit and recipes with others (with some occasional sweet treats).

Reading is an important skill. For many of us, reading is more than a skill. It’s a unique pleasure. Like you, I feel blessed to be a reader and to have delicious books in my home. Ardent readers can delight...

November: National Adoption Month

November is National Adoption Month, and this year’s theme is “Teens Need Families, No Matter What.” Teenagers who have spent years in foster care need the commitment and care of a loving family to help them transition into adulthood with the foundation and support they may never have had. For tip sheets, resources, and info on how to spread the word, visit the Child Welfare website. #NAM2017 #adoption

Illustration by Cecily Lang from Pablo’s Tree, an adoption story.

The post November: Natio...

The Remembering Day: November 2

I have so many wonderful memories of family and friends. Our lives are enriched by such memories whether we are children or adults.

Pat

The Remembering Day/El día de los muertos

In this special bilingual picture book for children, Pat creates an origin myth in which she imagines how the Mexican custom of remembering deceased loved ones–El día de los muertos or the Day of the Dead–came to be. With tender illustrations by Robert Casilla that depict Bella and Mamá Alma’s loving relationship, th...

October Is a Grand Month for Bookjoy

The post October Is a Grand Month for Bookjoy appeared first on Pat Mora.

October 20: NCTE Celebrates #WhyIWrite

The National Day on Writing, October 20, was founded by the National Council of Teachers of English on the premise that writing is critical to literacy but needs greater attention and celebration. For the past 9 years, NCTE has seen hundreds of thousands of people share their responses and engage in activities around the theme of #WhyIWrite.

ZING! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators & Students encourages teachers to help students develop as writers.

"Written as a series of seven letters...

Tomás in Tempe

Childsplay Theatre Company will bring their production of Tomas and the Library Lady, based on Pat’s book, to the Tempe (AZ) Center for the Arts Oct. 21 through Nov. 12, 2017.

Tickets are on sale now at www.childsplayaz.org or at the Tempe Center for the Arts Box Office at 480.350.2822, ext. 2. The play is recommended for ages 5 and up. Tempe Center for the Arts is located at 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281.

The 1 p.m. performance on Saturday, October 21 is a special $12 Storybook...

Congratulations to the 2017 Mora Award winners!

Mattawa Elementary School, in the Wahluke School District in Mattawa, Washington, has received the 2017 Estela and Raúl Mora Award, an honor given by Pat and her sister in partnership with First Book. The award recognizes literacy activities during the month of April in celebration of Children’s Day, Book Day; also known as El día de los niños, El día de los libros; or Día. Mattawa Elementary School will receive a $1,000 credit for brand new books from the First Book Marketplace, as well as a...

Pat Smith: A Blessing & a Texas Legend

As far back as I can remember, Pat Smith has been warm and generous to me and a wonderful Children’s Day, Book Day (Día) supporter. She is the former Executive Director of the Texas Library Association (TLA), the largest state library association in the country, and is active in the American Library Association (ALA).

C reative and warm as a leader
R esponsive to change and issues
E xpansive in her thinking
A ffirming, helping all to succeed
Talented intellectually and strategically
 I nventi...

October 4: Feast of St Francis of Assisi

The Song of St. Francis and the Animals celebrates the tender relationship between the beloved saint and the animals whom he cherished. Woodcut artist David Frampton captures the exuberant songs of Francis and the animals in charming, colorful woodcuts that underscore the harmony between humans and the natural world.

Curriculum activities:

A good opportunity to explore the complex process of making woodcuts. Perhaps a local woodcut artist or an art teacher could explain the process and devi...

Our Unseen Mentors

I am in the final phase of my seventh poetry collection for adults (the first six are: Agua Santa: Holy Water, Adobe Odes, Aunt Carmen’s Book of Practical Saints, Communion, Borders and Chants). As I read, re-read, and tweak, the poems, I’ve returned to A Poetry Handbook by Mary Oliver, one of my favorite poets. Although I’ve never met her, I did have the pleasure of hearing her some years back here in Santa Fe. Talk about an enthusiastic audience! Many of them were women. Mary Oliver and he...