Spring's the Season
a Trip’s Insights
PROUD TO BE PUERTO RICAN
Just recently I returned from Belize and Guatemala where I was conducting research for my upcoming non-fiction picture book. Landing in Belize two days after the Super Bowl halftime show, conversation veered to Bad Bunny as soon as guides and drivers learned we hailed from Puerto Rico. According to USA Today the 2026 performance brought in 4.157 billion views globally within 24 hours. So, no wonder the interest.
We were struck by the sheer joy the show brought to folks in both countries. They told us that seeing their flags parade at the end of the show and hearing their countries’ names listed after the call, “God bless America”, was a point of unifying pride for many people. It made me proud to see how Bad Bunny was able to bridge differences with a joyful show that celebrates the island’s language and heritage.
How lucky to have been caught up in this recent celebration of the island. The Children’s Book Council has honored me with their latest “Get Caught Reading Poster.” Downloadable for free and perfect to add to yours or your kid’s school library. Check it out and notice the color of the ocean. That’s my Puerto Rico!
MEET THE AUTHOR
STORY, SKIT, AND SIGNING
I’m delighted to present at the Takoma Park Library this coming Saturday March 28 at 1:00 pm. Join me for a rollicking unrehearsed skit of the first story in Rafi and Rosi Menu! Will one of your kids be the one to play Rafi or Rosi in “Little Spiders”? Arañitas, is both the title of the story and a delicious salty and crunchy snack. More about the program and venue here.
ON EXHIBIT
TRAVELING art WITH THE CARLE
I’m happy to announce that art from Olinguito, from A to Z: Unveiling the Cloud Forest, Olinguito, de la A a la Z: Descubriendo el bosque nublado, is part of the exhibit Splish, Splash, Story, along with selections from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. What an honor to have the Pinocchio lizard featured in this show along with pieces by Ashley Bryan, Eric Carle, Leo Dillon, Hilary Knight, Leo Lionni, Arnold Lobel, Petra Mathers, John Parr Miller, Wendell Minor, Jennifer O'Connell, Jerry Pinkney, Allen Say, Uri Shulevitz , William Steig, and Paul O. Zelinsky among others. Currently on view at the Minnesota Maritime Museum until July. Details here.
SPOTLIGHT on Schools
The Pros and cons of in-person and Virtual Visits
If you wonder how to choose between virtual and in-person author visits you are not alone. From the perspective of the presenter I can say that an in-person visit is a break in the usual school schedule, allows for the chance to have one-on-one interactions with students, and inspires lessons. An assembly can make the school day special with the promise of new books and author-student interactions during the Q&A or book signing. It gives teachers the opportunity to extend the visit in their classrooms with their own lessons. This was the case with the third graders at Sully Elementary in Sterling, VA last Wednesday. Before departure, they handed me adorable thank you cards in English and Spanish that made me smile. The honorarium for an in-person visit is usually higher, since it takes into account travel cost and time.
Still, for the school that is on a budget, the virtual visit might be the right option. It can be the perfect choice for a group of older students who’ve been studying my work or have read a specific book of mine. Since I present from my studio, surrounded by original materials, this program allows for a more intimate conversation. I answer all the questions students have prepared in advance in the language of their choice, English or español. I recently held one such visit with 25 educators who had read Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos. This was the title chosen by the Chicago History Museum’ book club. It turned out to be an enlightening conversation for all involved.
The earth is Poetry
April
In April we celebrate poetry and the earth. Olinguito de la A a la Z Descubriendo el bosque nublado: Olinguito from A to Z Unveiling the Cloud Forest and Cool Green: Amazing Remarkable Trees both, honored by the National Council of Teachers of English, pay homage to the earth and its bounty, look them up in your nearest public library.