ReaderKidZ and Water Sings Blue Giveaway

As mentioned below, I am the Author-in-Residence at ReaderKidZ this month, a poet for National Poetry Month. Thanks, ReaderKidZ. It's a privilege!

Here are the posts so far:

"What's Your Story?" About my childhood as a budding poet/writer

"A Letter to Readers" About the beach and how it inspired this book

Water Sings Blue Giveaway The announcement at ReaderKidz

FAQs: How Can I Help My Child Enjoy Poetry A very nice guide by Jeannette of ReaderKidz


ReaderkidZ has asked my publisher to give away a copy of Water Sings Blue in connection with their posts, and the folks at Chronicle have kindly agreed. However, my site is better equipped to host a giveaway, so we're doing it here.

Since we're celebrating poetry this month, you can qualify for the giveaway by writing a haiku about an ocean animal or some other maritime topic (like boats) and leaving it in the comments. The winner's name will be drawn and announced at the end of April. Please also make sure you are easy to get in touch with by leaving contact info in your comment or at least by checking back.

Thanks again, ReaderKidZ and Chronicle!

Run Away with a Book - Summer Giveaway

Yes, I do write books! For this giveaway, I will send the winner copies of ALL THREE of my published books. (Next year I'll have two more out.) That would be an original folktale called The Secret-Keeper (picture book), a comic middle grade fantasy called The Runaway Princess, and a sequel called The Runaway Dragon.

To enter, leave a comment listing some of the books you've been wanting to read this summer, whether they just came out, are about to come out, or you missed them somehow and want to play catch-up. I will do a drawing from the comments after the giveaway closes at midnight on June 25th.

And by the way, it's not just the kids who get excited about the school year ending: we teachers are counting the minutes! The beach is calling... Beach pictured is in Terasawa, Japan, but I guess I can settle for Santa Monica or Leo Carillo, since I live in L.A.

(Of course, summer school is calling, too. I'm trying not to listen.)

Books I am looking forward to reading? There are sooo many, but here are just a few: Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer (out this week!), a picture book by Candace Ryan called Animal House (July), and Scumble by Ingrid Law (August).

Please remember to check back, or leave your contact info in your comment.

Update #1: Chachic wants to know if this giveaway is international. Yep! It's a global community of readers, and I can't bear to leave you out just because I might have to ship a package to Ireland or the Philippines.

Update #2: This giveaway is now over. The winner will be announced shortly.

Winners of the How-Did-I-End-Up-with-Two-Copies-of-This? Book Giveaway, Part 2

We have a winner! We even have a second place winner, since I discovered I have a second, pristine copy of the classic fantasy, Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, as well.

--Caroline has won copies of The Magic Thief: Lost by Sarah Prineas, Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus by R.L. LaFevers, and A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce.

--Sydney has won a copy of Tom's Midnight Garden, winner of England's Carnegie Medal.

I've heard from Caroline, but Sydney, you need to send your snail mail address to my author's e-mail address (see link to my website above right). Then I can send out your book.

Happy reading!