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Part One - Part Nine

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Writing Tips from Kate DiCamillo | Part 1

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Bad Kitty author shares his ideas for writing!  

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Bad Kitty author shares his ideas for writing!  

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Nick Bruel

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Creator Corner with Nick Bruel | BAD KITTY

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50 Great Books to Entertain Quarantined Kids (newborns to HS!)

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50 Great Books to Entertain Quarantined Kids (newborns to HS!)

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CLOSE

- Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.

Our colleague Hannah Yasharoff from the USA TODAY Life team is here to share some reading ideas your kids, whether to read to your infants, recommend to your high schoolers or pass along to somewhere in between, to stay entertained while stuck at home.

The old adage that books can take you anywhere feels especially poignant now.

There are plenty of good viewing options while you and your family are home under quarantine: Streaming offers many happy TV shows. Or you can catch up on beloved movies that are scary, triumphant or sweet. Need more ideas? Check out our comprehensive list of 100 things to do while stuck inside during a pandemic.

But if you're looking to keep the kids entertained and away from screens for a little while, reading can offer an escape, whether that's exploring made-up worlds or tackling ideas and issues closer to home. These 50 book options - some classics, some new favorites - are the perfect antidote.
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Newborns to age 3

Ages 4 to 8

Ages 9 to 13

Ages 14 and up

"To All the Boys I've Loved Before," by Jenny Han: Lara Jean has written letters to every boy she's had a crush on. But they've been kept safely in her own room - until they're all mysteriously mailed at once. Now a Netflix rom-com favorite. ($9.66 at Books-A-Million)

"Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda," by Becky Albertalli: In the source material for the movie "Love Simon," a teenage boy's email addressing his sexuality winds up in the wrong hands, turning into a blackmail scheme that could threaten to out him before he's ready. ($9.66 at Books-A-Million)

The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest deals, reviews, and more.

Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/04/01/coronavirus-50-great-books-kids-all-ages-read-quarantine/2909410001/

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50 great books to entertain quarantined kids, whether they're newborns or high schoolers

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CLOSE - Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission. Our colleague Hannah Yasharoff from the USA TODAY Life team is here to share some reading ideas your kids, whether to read to your infants, recommend to your high schoolers or pass along to somewhere in between, to stay entertained while stuck at home.

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Every Wednesday hear a new author.

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At Penguin Middle School, we take pride in publishing the best books for every middle schooler. Tune in for videos from your favorite best selling authors, animated shorts featuring our popular characters, insider staff scoop on our books, and much more!

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Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach, CA

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Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach, CA

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Learn about bioluminescence in the ocean!

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Roundhouse Aquarium Teaching Center on Facebook Watch

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A virtual author visit with Lauren Tarshis (author of the I Survived series)

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A virtual author visit with Lauren Tarshis (author of the I Survived series)

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Lauren Tarshis Virtual School Visit for I Survived Readers

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Magination Press offers story readings that help children with worries.

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Magination Press offers story readings that help children with worries.

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Magination Press Story Time: Dawn Huebner reads What to Do When You Worry Too Much

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Create a SUMMER SAFARI Adventure from Home with Jack and Annie!

The magic tree house has whisked Jack and Annie away on a NEW adventure this summer, and you get to come along! This week, learn about animals, explore faraway lands, and experience cultures from around the world with Jack and Annie on your own SUMMER SAFARI! Your adventure starts today-right from HOME!

Settle in for fun storytime videos from Mary Pope Osborne, download safari-themed activities, craft ideas, and recipes, play trivia games, participate in reading challenges, and more!
Join us on safari ALL WEEK, beginning August 3!
Are you up for the challenge? Complete the Summer Safari reading challenge to download an exclusive prize!

Are you ready for adventure? Read and explore with Jack and Annie!

Featured Books

Do you want to learn more? Check out these companion Magic Tree House Fact Trackers!

Featured Fact Trackers

DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING MATERIALS TO GET STARTED!

READ ALONG WITH MARY POPE OSBORNE

Mary is your summer safari guide on this week's Home Adventure as she reads from Jack and Annie's newest adventure, Late Lunch with Llamas! Watch the video below, and read along with Mary Pope Osborne!

Continue to explore South America with Mary as she reads from Afternoon on the Amazon. You can view the storytime video below!

LISTEN ALONG WITH LISTENING LIBRARY

DOWNLOAD ADDITIONAL SERIES RESOURCES

ASK THE AUTHOR

Watch below as Mary answers a few of your frequently asked questions!

We hope you enjoyed adventuring with Jack & Annie! With a parent's help, use this form to tell us a bit more about your experience.

To give back to teachers. Mary Pope Osborne created the Classroom Adventures Program, which provides free downloadable resources including lesson plans for every book and nonfiction Fact Tracker in the series. Please click here to find even more educational resources for this week's Home Adventures books and Fact Trackers!

Did you miss a week of Home Adventures? Check out the Home Adventures Archive for past adventures!

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Create a SUMMER SAFARI Adventure from Home with Jack and Annie! The magic tree house has whisked Jack and Annie away on a NEW adventure this summer, and you get to come along! This week, learn about animals, explore faraway lands, and experience cultures from around the world with Jack and Annie on your own SUMMER SAFARI!

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Join Harry Potter and journey into the wizarding world with our new site! Discover puzzles, quizzes, crafts and more to guide you through the very first book.

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Yes, Mary Poppins reads to you! Starts April 29.

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Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children's author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It's a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading. Produced by American Public Media.

Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children's author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It's a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading. Produced by American Public Media.

Introducing Julie's Library

Introducing Julie's Library

Welcome to Julie's Library, where books bring us together. Every week, Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton will settle into the reading nook for a new story. Coming April 29.Sign up for the newsletter to receive book recommendations and more: https://bit.ly/2xunhoA

Team Julie Andrew and Emma!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇮🇴🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Mandy gave me hip

When I was young I had a challenging life. Mandy gave me an escape and drew me into another world and adventure that was my respite from my troubling life at the time. The story drew me in and I found myself right next to her, cleaning that little cottage, making it a haven from all the noise outside all those wonderful typed pages!

I kept that book and shared it with my daughter! She loved it as well!

I was so excited when I saw this podcast site!! I already passed it off for my daughter to look at as well.

Can't Wait!

I love Julie's voice and even just the intro was amazing. #JulieAndrews!

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julie’s library: story time with julie andrews

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‎Julie's Library: Story Time with Julie Andrews on Apple Podcasts

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‎Join beloved icon Julie Andrews for story time! Julie and her daughter, children's author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton, invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime...

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Author of Journey, Quest & Return

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Ready Set Draw! Aaron Becker's Watercolor JOURNEY

Aaron Becker's wordless picture books Journey, Quest, and Return have delighted children's book readers of all ages with their playful, rich, and majestic watercolor art. Now young fans of the book can learn how to create their own watercolor painting with Aaron. The Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator introduces viewers to basic watercolor tools and techniques on Ready Set Draw!. After just a few minutes children will have a brilliant watercolor painting ready to be displayed!

Did you, your child, or a student create their own watercolor paintingl after watching this episode? Share your images with us! Post them on our KidLit TV Facebook page OR use the hashtag #ReadySetDraw on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter so we can find you! We can't wait to see what you've made!

SUPPLIES

Watercolor paint (tubes or cakes)

Watercolor paper

Brush suitable for watercolors

Palette for mixing; you can use a plastic egg tray too.

Pencil

Many big box and art supply stores sell watercolor sets suitable for small children.

LIKE IT? PIN IT!

ABOUT THE BOOKS

Return
Written and illustrated by Aaron Becker
Published by Candlewick Press

Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl turns back to a fantastic world for friendship and adventure. It's her third journey into the enticing realm of kings, emperors, castles, canals, exotic creatures and enchanting landscapes. This time, it will take something truly powerful to persuade her to return home.

Quest
Written and illustrated by Aaron Becker
Published by Candlewick Press

A king emerges from a hidden door in a city park, startling two children sheltering from the rain. He gives the children a map and some strange objects, than he is captured by hostile forces that whisk him back through the enchanted door. Just like that, the children are caught up in a quest to rescue the king and his kingdom from darkness, while illuminating the farthest reaches of their imagination. Colored markers in hand, they make their own way through the portal, under the sea, through a tropical paradise, over a perilous bridge, and high in the air with the help of a winged friend.

Journey
Written and illustrated by Aaron Becker
Published by Candlewick Press

A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. When she is captured by a sinister emperor, only an act of tremendous courage and kindness can set her free. Can it also lead her home and to her heart's desire?

ABOUT AARON BECKER

Like many American boys born in the wake of the Apollo missions, Aaron Becker decided early on he would be an astronaut. His mother was an astronomy teacher at a local college in his hometown Baltimore. She would take him along on her nighttime field-trips to the observatory; its musky smell relieved with the opening of its domed roof. At some point, he surmised that a career in actual space travel required military training, and this seemed like a lot of work. So he switched gears and started drawing pictures of outer space instead. There was palpable joy in this: creating civilizations and stories filled with a cast of characters of my own design. To be sure, these worlds were reflections of places inside of him. But more importantly, drawing was an immediate path for creating something he could manage on his own terms. These worlds were his and his alone. With a pad of paper and a set of markers, he could pretty much do whatever he wanted. For an eight year old confined by the limitations of his material existence, this seemed like a pretty good deal.

CONNECT WITH AARON BECKER
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Vimeo

CONNECT WITH KidLit TV
Facebook Group | Facebook Page | Instagram | Newsletter | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube

Ready Set Draw!

Executive Producer: Julie Gribble
This post contains affiliate links.
Did you like this article? Leave a comment below.
We love hearing from you!

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Ready Set Draw! Aaron Becker's Watercolor JOURNEY - KidLit TV

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Aaron Becker's wordless picture books Journey, Quest, and Return have delighted children's book readers of all ages with their playful, rich, and majestic watercolor art. Now young fans of the book can learn how to create their own watercolor painting with Aaron. The Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator introduces viewers to basic watercolor tools and techniques on Ready Set Draw!.

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Collections by Follett is a new, collaborative way for educators to collect and share resources from anywhere, at any time, and with anyone.

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A free online event for parents, kids, educators! May 1-2, 2020

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Have you ever wished you could attend a book festival-one filled with authors and books your students will adore-only to find out you missed the registration deadline or can't afford conference admission and plane tickets? Me too! But, guess what? The Everywhere Book Fest is one you can attend. Online. For free. I know!

What, where, and when is Everywhere Book Fest?

The Everywhere Book Fest is a virtual celebration of authors, books, and readers that brings the book festival experience to everyone!

Live and pre-recorded sessions with your favorite picture book, middle grade, and young adult authors.

Friday, May 1st and Saturday, May 2nd, 10 AM to 4 PM Eastern Time

How can I watch?

You'll be able to access both live and pre-recorded sessions through your web browser or on YouTube. Be sure to check out Everywhere Book Festival all over social:

Which authors will be there?

There are so many authors coming to the Everywhere Book Fest, we can't list them all. Check out amazing writers and illustrators from Adam Rex to Grace Lin to Jason Reynolds to Meg Medina, and so many more.

Can kids go to the Everywhere Book Fest?

The whole event is kid-friendly, so it is perfect for teachers who are looking for something to either share with their students as entertainment, or tie in with their own lesson plans.

Is there a schedule?

Yes! You can check out any session you want. The good news is that a virtual book fest means that sessions don't fill up. Yay!

Can I get signed books?

The Everywhere Book Fest is working with indie booksellers to offer you signed books locally. This means you get to hold the books in your hot little hand and support your favorite local bookseller.
What are you waiting for? Go sign up!

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The Everywhere Book Fest Is Coming, and We're So Excited

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Have you ever wished you could attend a book festival-one filled with authors and books your students will adore-only to find out you missed the registration deadline or can't afford conference admission and plane tickets? Me too! But, guess what? The Everywhere Book Fest is one you can attend. Online.

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Storytime with Michelle Obama (Reading The Gruffalo)

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Storytime with Michelle Obama (Reading The Gruffalo)

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https://youtu.be/WyhgubvRYF4

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Listen to authors like Kate DiCamillo and Meg Medina!

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Kara LaReau, author of the Infamous Ratsos series and the new picture book Baby Clown, talks to Candlewick Press about her writing aspirations, her publishing career, and all the trouble she might have caused as a kid. Also, to get readers excited about Rise of ZomBert -the first book in her creepy new...

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Candlewick Press Presents is a new audio podcast about the storytellers behind your favorite children's books! To celebrate Candlewick Press's twenty-fifth anniversary, we sat down with local authors and illustrators of picture books, board books, and middle-grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction to discuss their journeys into the world of children's publishing.

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Learn to draw Mercy Watson!

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Learn to Draw Mercy Watson with Chris Van Dusen!

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Scroll dow to the Virtual Storytimes!

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Build Your Home Library

For a limited time, these family classics are available for just $5.00 each at select retailers.

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

I Don't Want to Be a Frog

Our Mission

READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER

is a nationwide movement developed by

Penguin Random House in partnership with

Parents magazine that celebrates the importance, and power, of the shared reading experience between an adult and a child. Reading aloud regularly to babies and young children is one of the most effective ways to foster early literacy and is a key factor responsible for building language and social skills.

Resources for Parents

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Build Your Home Library For a limited time, these family classics are available for just $5.00 each at select retailers. The Bear Ate Your Sandwich I Don't Want to Be a Frog Our Mission READ TOGETHER, BE TOGETHER is a nationwide movement developed by Penguin Random House in partnership with Parents magazine that celebrates the importance, and power, of the shared reading experience between an adult and a child.

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Read Together Be Together Videos of Authors

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Read Together Be Together Videos of Authors

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Wonderful videos with many stories, drawing, non-fiction videos, etc. I love these videos because there are so many choices!

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Every time we read, we learn a little bit more about the world around us. Do some learning at home with these super fun and educational videos from Simon Kids!

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Starts April 1!

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There are many webcam resources for you here! You can have kids watch for fun or take field notes of their observations!

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from Wild Earth

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Cincinnati Zoo

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A Cat's Best Friend

Watch the Facebook live at 3pm ET Monday! Don't have social media? It's ok! A YouTube version of the video will be posted on this page shortly after the Facebook Live ends.

Check out our Kris & Remus shirts on our online shop - Domestic orders of $25 or more receive FREE shipping.
Request a personalized message from Andie, Kris and Remus on Cameo!
Read more about Kris and her companion dog in these blogs written by their keeper Andie!

A Cat's Best Friend Home Activity

It's undeniable that Kris and Remus are unlikely friends. They can be your pals at home too! You can make your own Kris and Remus by saving and repurposing two old toilet paper tubes or cutting an old paper towel roll tube into two pieces. No recycled tubes laying around? Use any other recycled materials like plastic bottles or rolled up scrap paper. Next use paint, crayons or markers to decorate one roll to look like Remus and another to look like Kris. What colors or patterns will you use to tell them apart?

We want to see your pals Kris and Remus, so please upload your artwork to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to [email protected] . We may share your amazing artwork on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Rhinos Rule!
Check out lots of arts and crafts projects on our online shop. Order a painting made by Seyia that supports rhino conservation!
Rhino Home Activity

Rhino Handprint Art

Can you name all 5 species of rhino? Now count to 5 on your hand. Looks like you're ready to use that hand to create your own rhino handprint art!

Finger paint is tons of fun, but you could also trace your hand if there is no paint available. Have everyone at home participate to create a "crash of rhinos". Be sure to add ears. Your rhino needs 3 toes on each foot. Of course, don't forget the rhino's most prominent feature...it's horns! How many horns does our black rhino have?

We want to see your crash of rhinos, so please upload photos of your art to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to . We may share your amazing artwork on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Penguin Parade

Purchase your own cuddly penguin plush that's made out of 16 recycled water bottles!

Penguin Home Activity

Penguins are EGG-cellent parents! Penguins take turns balancing their egg on their feet to keep it safe and warm. The egg could be any thing around the house (pillows, stuffed animals, balls, etc). Designate a start and a finish line in your play area (i.e. living room, backyard). Your goal, as a penguin, is to keep your egg safely balanced on your feet as you waddle from start to finish. If you drop your egg, you have to start over.

This could be simple to complex for all ages, or could even be a relay race if there are multiple kids. Make an obstacle course! For older kids, it could be a smaller object balanced on a spoon.

We want to see your penguins playing, so please upload your photos or videos to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to [email protected] . We may share them on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Lion Around with John & Imani

Purchase your own cuddly lion here - proceeds from online sales help support the Cincinnati Zoo!

Activity 1- Lion's Mane Craft

Using whatever paper products you have at home (paper plate, construction paper, scrap paper, card board, etc.) transform yourself into John the Lion. Be sure to capture his mane, whiskers and colors!

We want to see your pride of lions at home! Share with us on Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to [email protected] . We may share on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Activity 2- Snapshot Safari

Download the Zooniverse App to help Snapshot Kruger monitor the amazing biodiversity of South Africa's oldest and most renowned protected areas from your own home.

Look through images taken by camera traps in Krueger national park and identity if there is any wildlife shown in the image. Follow these steps in order to participate:

1. Download the Zooniverse App

2. Click snapshot safari

3. From the projects list choose snapshot Kruger

4. Scroll down and look for a button called empty or not.

5. Answer the questions on if there is an animal in the image.

This is a fun project and it helps scientists understand the diversity and dynamics of wildlife populations

Let us know if you spot a lion!

Hanging with the Sloths

Purchase your own cuddly sloth here - proceeds from online sales help support the Cincinnati Zoo!

"Leaf it" to Moe

What are sloths most known for? Living life in slow MOE-tion! The reason they move so slowly has a lot to do with their leaf-lined bellies. Leaves have low nutritional value, which leads to a low energy lifestyle.

Head outside and collect an assortment of leaves of different shapes and sizes. Use your leaves to re-create Moe. Use whatever other supplies you have at home to make your leaves look like Moe, Lightning and their rainforest home.

We want to see your masterpieces, so please upload your artwork to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to We may share your amazing artwork on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Sign your kids up for a Zoo Summer Camp.

Expand for Leaf it to Moe Art

Awesome Ocelot

Activity 1 - Print this a-MAZE-ing ocelot activity.

Activity 2 - Sneaky Sihil

Ocelots are known for their stealth. They must rely heavily on moving through their environment undetected. If you were sneaky Sihil, what would you be trying to avoid? What would you be trying to sneak up on? For this game, designate who will pretend to be Sihil and who will be Sihil's Predators or Prey. There can be multiples of each role depending on how many people are playing! Next, designate a play area (i.e. living room or backyard) that the players must stay within. Sihil's Predators or Prey should have their backs turned so that they cannot see Sihil's approach, but they should be using their ears to listen very carefully! It is Sihil's job to tag the Predator or Prey on the back without being detected. Sihil's Predator or Prey can turn around to try to catch the ocelot moving. Sihil must freeze to stay in the game. An ocelot that is standing very still is all but invisible because of its excellent camouflage. If Sihil doesn't freeze fast enough, the predator will catch her or the prey will escape.

Play again and again but switch up the roles or the play area. Sihil camouflage costumes encouraged, so please upload your photos or videos of your Sneaky Sihils in action to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to We may share your photos on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Consider signing up for Summer Camp. All Zoo Camps are age-appropriate and are guaranteed to be a WILD time.

Check out all our merchandise in our online store - proceeds from online sales help support the Cincinnati Zoo!

Prickly Porcupine: Rico

Check out all our merchandise in our online store - proceeds from online sales help support the Cincinnati Zoo!

Wild Art

As you watch Rico, make note of all the colors, shapes, and textures that you see on each part of his body. Does his tail look the same as his nose? How do his feet compare to his teeth? Next use whatever supplies you have available to re-create Rico at home! Try getting Rico just right, and then try making other silly versions of Rico out of your pure imagination. Looking for more to add to your creation? How about his favorite foods or him exploring his habitat? What supplies do you have at home that could really show off his texture (toothpicks, leaf stems, sticks? We want to see your masterpieces, so please upload your artwork to Instagram or Twitter using #ZooHomeSafari, post it in the comments of our Facebook Live Video, or email it to We may share your amazing artwork on our Facebook/Instagram stories and our website.

Schedule a Frisch's Zoo on the Move where the Zoo comes to you. You can partner with a Cincinnati Zoo instructor and create a masterpiece from a not-so "still life" observation.

Expand to see Rico Art!

Watch the Home Safari Facebook live below!

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Home Safari Resources - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden®

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A Cat's Best Friend Watch the Facebook live at 3pm ET Monday! Don't have social media? It's ok! A YouTube version of the video will be posted on this page shortly after the Facebook Live ends. Check out our Kris & Remus shirts on our online shop - Domestic orders of $25 or more receive FREE shipping.

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This could be fun for a group of kids to do together (virtually!)

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April might be one of the year's best reading months: With spring comes a mix of mild sunny days and cloudy rainy ones that seem suited to match any bookish mood. It's also National Humor Month and National Poetry Month, which makes it the perfect time of year to dive into funny stories and all kinds of verse (or, funny verse, a magnificent two-fer)!

Here are 10 challenges for kids of all ages to enjoy this month:

Celebrate National Siblings Day on April 10 by reading a book about siblings. Share the story with your own sibling if you have one!

Laugh your way through a book of jokes. Memorize one of the jokes and tell it to a friend.

Think of a skill or hobby you'd like to learn or get better at. Find a nonfiction book with information or how-tos.

Read a book in a voice that sounds like your oldest or youngest relative.

Check out a book with penguins to read on World Penguin Day, April 25. The flightless birds really soar on the pages of kids' books!

Ask a Librarian: Wish your librarian at school a happy School Library Month. Then ask, "What's your favorite book that rhymes or your favorite poet?"

Read a book aloud to a plant you want to see grow.

Think of your favorite movies. Find out if any of them were books first and, if so, read the book! (Ask an adult for help with your research if needed.)

Find your favorite reading spot in your home. If it's possible, design a sign to make it yours.
Download a printable version of this reading challenge below.

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Shower Your Shelf with Books: An April Reading Challenge for Kids | Brightly

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April might be one of the year's best reading months: With spring comes a mix of mild sunny days and cloudy rainy ones that seem suited to match any bookish mood. It's also National Humor Month and National Poetry Month, which makes it the perfect time of year to dive into funny stories and all kinds of verse (or, funny verse, a magnificent two-fer)!

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Activities to go with books

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If your child is a fan of Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series, then they'll love these printables and activities that go right along with some of the most beloved stories. Between drawing activities, word searches, matching games, and more - there's something for every reader.

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Magic Tree House Printables and Activities | Brightly

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If your child is a fan of Mary Pope Osborne's Magic Tree House series, then they'll love these printables and activities that go right along with some of the most beloved stories. Between drawing activities, word searches, matching games, and more - there's something for every reader.

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....a video sharing the book's creation

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Hair Love | Meet author Matthew Cherry & illustrator Vashti Harrison

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Kate is an author with great resources on her website. Check out her latest book, Chrip!

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout, and . I'm happy that you found your way here!

This is a library of resources for kids, families, teachers, and librarians to make sure that reading & learning can happen anywhere this spring. Some of you may be out of school as communities try to prevent the spread of a virus known as COVID-19. Here's a great page from NPR that explains what that's all about, in a kid-friendly comic. National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Jason Reynolds shares "How to Fight the New Bad Guy in Town," a PSA for kids, on the StorySeeds podcast here. And this excellent & important post from author Laurie Halse Anderson does a great job explaining why we're seeing closings (and why that's important) for older readers.

Below, you'll find a growing collection of resources that include everything from first-chapter and picture book read-alouds (all shared with permission!) to drawing and writing mini-lessons. Be sure to check back often, as new resources will be added every day. If you'd prefer to browse learning-at-home resources by age group, my daughter Ella has put together the pages below, with even more resources, organized by grade level. (Thanks, Ella!)

Resources for grades PreK-2 (ages 3-7)
Resources for grades 3-5 (ages 8-10)
Resources for grades 6-8 (ages 11-13)
Resources for grades 9-12 (ages 14+)

Many teachers & librarians have also reached out to ask about permission to read books aloud to your students via closed platforms like Google Classroom, Zoom, and unlisted YouTube links. Individual publishers have been sharing their own guidelines for online read-alouds, and you'll find a round-up of those here.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE NEXT PRESIDENT: THE UNEXPECTED BEGINNINGS AND UNWRITTEN FUTURE OF AMERICA'S PRESIDENTS, illustrated by Adam Rex. Writing challenge: After the read-aloud, write your own presidential platform. What changes would you make to your country if you were in charge?

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of OVER AND UNDER THE POND, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal (shared with permission from Chronicle Books). After the read-aloud, look out your window - or step outside if you can - and see what hidden nature you notice!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of THE BRILLIANT DEEP: REBUILDING THE WORLD'S CORAL REEFS illustrated by Matt Forsythe. After the read-aloud, check out the Coral Restoration Foundation website. Learn more about the threats coral reefs are facing from NASA's Climate Kids page, and check out this page about how kids can help our oceans. Challenge: Make a poster or drawing to teach people about how we can all help coral and other sea creatures!

OVER AND UNDER THE RAINFOREST, Kate's book with illustrator Christopher Silas Neal doesn't come out until August, but we got special permission to share an early read-aloud! After the story, check out this page with more information on the wildlife of Costa Rica, where Kate did most of the research for this book. Writing challenge: Write a short article to teach people about your favorite rainforest animal!

Tracey Baptiste, the author of The Jumbies series, shares a mini-lesson on comparative mythology. She talks through how creatures from different mythologies have traits in common and encourages kids to find those similarities in the mythologies they come across. She's also sharing some reading resources such as D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, The Element Encyclopedia of Mythical Creatures, and her own Jumbies Field Guide available at her website.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares a read-aloud excerpt of her chapter book JASMINE TOGUCHI FLAMINGO KEEPER, along with a writing prompt (and a peek at a real daruma doll)!

Author Leah Henderson shares a first chapter read-aloud of her middle grade novel THE MAGIC IN CHANGING YOUR STARS. Writing Challenge: Find out who Ailey Benjamin Lane is named after. (Hint: His first name comes from an African-American dancer & choreographer with the initials A.A. His middle name comes from an African-American farmer & naturalist who searches out the stars and who created an almanac in 1792. This person's initials are B.B.) Who could they be?

Author-illustrator Jarrett Lerner shares tips and techniques to help you draw ANYTHING and EVERYTHING!

Veera Hiranandani, author of the Newbery Honor winning book The Night Diary, The Whole Story of Half a Girl, and The Phoebe G. Green series offers a diary writing prompt to help you get to know your characters and create an inspired story!

Author Jason Reynolds shares a read-aloud from his MG novel, GHOST. In this chapter, the main character talks about world records, so after the read-aloud, check out this page from the Guiness Book of World Records, with some records you can try to break at home!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from TRACKING PYTHONS: THE QUEST TO CATCH AN INVASIVE PREDATOR AND SAVE AN ECOSYSTEM. After the read-aloud, you can learn more about invasive species from National Geographic and the National Wildlife Foundation. Also check out this article from New York State Conservationist Kids!

Kate also shared this article about the python scientists, with photos and infographics.

Author & illustrator Grace Lin teaches viewers how to draw a Chinese Dragon and shares some tidbits about Chinese culture! You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Carole Lindstrom shares a read-aloud of WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS.

Author Jo Knowles reads from the first chapter of her MG novel WHERE THE HEART IS and offers students a fun writing exercise! For more about Jo and her books, or for teachers/book group guides that go along with her books, visit her website.

Kelley McMorris, who illustrates the RANGER IN TIME chapter book series, shares a video about how she illustrates a book cover. After you watch, try using Kelley's process to design a new cover for one of your favorite books!

Author and illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi shares a read-aloud of her picture book WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, gives a drawing demo and challenges young readers to create their own imaginative squirrels, and shares a crowd-sourced "Where Are My Books?" music video. You can find lots of free, print-ready activities and other fun bonus info at https://www.debbieohi.com/wamb

Author Erin Entrada Kelly gives a peek into the notebooks for several of her novels, including HELLO, UNIVERSE. Writing challenge: What's in your notebook? Take a little time to write in it today, inspired by Erin's ideas!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of STRANDED. Writing challenge: Choose a wilderness setting of your own - the Arctic, the desert, the rainforest - and imagine you're stranded there. How will you survive? Write an imaginary journal documenting your adventure. Check out these wilderness survival skills from Outdoor Life for ideas!

Author Nikki Grimes shares poetry selections from WORDS WITH WINGS. Writing challenge: Try writing your own poem today, in the style of one of Nikki's read-alouds! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Ann Braden shares a read-aloud excerpt from THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. Note: the octopus is a pretty amazing creature, so after the read-aloud, read up on them at this page from National Geographic Kids!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. After the read-aloud, read more about helpful insects here and check out these garden activities from KidsGarden!

Author Sarah Albee shares a STEM mystery, "Did the Doctor Do It?" as part of her series exploring the science and intrigue of poison throughout history. Check out more of Sarah's Poison videos here.

Middle grade and Young adult author, Paula Chase offers a mini-writing exercise to help students build stories around their unique traits.

Author Nancy Castaldo reads some of BACK FROM THE BRINK with tips how we can all use our voices through our writing to make a difference. Here's the link to the reader's guide for more activities.

Author Debbi Michiko Florence shares an early read-aloud excerpt of her upcoming MG novel KEEP IT TOGETHER KEIKO CARTER, along with a writing prompt!

Author & illustrator Grace Lin shares the first story from her early reader, "Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same!" You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from RANGER IN TIME: RESCUE ON THE OREGON TRAIL. Writing challenge: Choose your favorite event in history and imagine how a search and rescue dog might be able to help out. Then so some research about your historical event, and write your own story about Ranger's adventures there!

Christina Soontornvat shares how she came up with the idea for her new middle grade fantasy novel, A WISH IN THE DARK. Writing challenge: Use Christina's model to brainstorm your own list of ideas for stories that might be inspired by a classic tale! And check out more videos from Christina here!

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her forthcoming middle grade novel-in-verse, BEN BEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER.

Author Mae Respicio reads a few pages from her upcoming middle grade novel, Any Day With You, and shares a quick, fun writing prompt. Writing challenge: Imagine you've been planning a beach day with your best friends. You're so excited to go but when you get there... everything goes wrong and not the way you expected it to! Describe what happens.

Author Elly Swartz shares tips on how to use the emotion in your life to create authentic characters! Writing challenge: Take a few minutes to journal about a day when you felt an especially strong emotion - joy or fear or excitement! How might you use those emotions in a fictional story?

Author Lisa Yee drinks water, reads the first chapter of Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and fumbles when she comes across a couple of lines in Latin. Writing challenge: Try rewriting a scene from this chapter from the point of view of another character!

Award-Winning author Michelle Cusolito shares a writing mini-lesson to help writers add more sensory details to their writing. You can find more resources related to Michelle's book FLYING DEEP: CLIMB INSIDE DEEP-SEA SUBMERSIBLE ALVIN here.

Author-illustrator Lita Judge shares a video about how a sketching trip inspired one of her picture books! After you watch, take your own mini-sketching trip. Go to your kitchen or your bedroom, your porch or your backyard, and sketch what you see. Observe closely!

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud excerpt from CHIRP, a mystery for kids that's set on a cricket farm! After the read aloud, you can learn more about entomophagy (eating insects as food!) from CBS Kids, and check out a real cricket farm's website!

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a video mini-lesson on how to create a good beginning for a story!

And another video writing workshop from Chris, called Four Elements of Character. (This is an 8-minute video where you pause & write sometimes, so the full activity will take about half an hour. Recommended for writers ages 10 and up.)

Author Aisha Saeed shares a read-aloud of her picture book, BILAL COOKS DAAL, along with a related activity!

Author Emily Jenkins shares a read-aloud of A GREYHOUND, A GROUNDHOG.

Author Lisa Schroeder shares a read-aloud excerpt from her MG novel MY SECRET GUIDE TO PARIS, along with a writing exercise!

Author Janet Fox shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of her MG novel THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS. Writing challenge: Try writing a short scene of your own in which something unexpected happens!

Author & illustrator Jess Keating shares some thoughts on where ideas for stories come from! (This is part of a series Jess shares on writing & you can find more on her YouTube channel.)

Author Chris Tebbetts shares a read-aloud of the first chapters of MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE, co-written with James Paterson.

Poet Charles Waters shares poetry from DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD (by Charles Waters and Irene Latham)

Author Abby Cooper reads the first chapter of her middle grade novel, FRIEND OR FICTION.

Author Lynn Plourde shares some tips on starting an observation notebook!

Author-illustrator James Burks shares a video lesson on how to draw Squirrel from his graphic novel series, Bird and Squirrel!

Author Kristen Larson shares an engineering design activity based on her book WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane.

Author Liz Garton Scanlon shares a video lesson on writing am ETHEREE - a ten line poem in which each line is one syllable longer than the last.

Author-illustrator Karen Romano Young shares a video doodling tutorial. You can also check out Karen's #AntarcticLog comics, a weekly series of comics about Antarctica - as well as the Arctic and anyplace where climate change is being studied.

Author KA Holt reads an excerpt from her novel-in-verse, HOUSE ARREST. Mini-lesson: listen for as many poetic devices as you can find (metaphor, simile, assonance, hyperbole, etc.)

Author Jennifer Roy shares a video read-aloud from her historical novel YELLOW STAR, along with a writing prompt about looking for symbols of hope in tough times, recommended for ages 10 and up.

Author Laurel Snyder shares some thoughts on fiction and making up stories, along with a read-aloud of CHARLIE AND MOUSE OUTDOORS.

Author Caroline Starr Rose reads her picture book, A RACE AROUND THE WORLD: THE TRUE STORY OF NELLIE BLY AND ELIZABETH BISLAND. When you've finished listening, visit the article, How to Pack Like Pioneering Journalist Nellie Bly, Who Circumnavigated the Globe in 1889 with Just a Small Duffle Bag, to see what Nellie brought on her journey. Challenge: Plan your own trip around the world. What would you like to see? Where would you like to visit? Mark these places on a map.

Author Corinne Demas shares a read-aloud of THE DISAPPEARING ISLAND.

Author Lauren Tarshis shares a read-aloud of the first two chapters of I SURVIVED THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC. After the read-aloud, check out this link to read about Robert Ballard, the oceanographer whose team discovered the wreck of the Titanic more than seventy years after it sank.

Author & poet Nikki Grimes shares poems about one of her favorite cakes, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, along with five steps to creating your very own poem about your favorite food! For more of Nikki's read-aloud videos and lessons, check out her YouTube Channel here.

Author Sarah Aronson shares a read-aloud of JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG. And here's a FlipGrip page where kids can share their projects and ask questions.

Author Chelsea Clinton shares an excerpt from her book START NOW: YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Author Bruce Hale shares a read aloud of BIG BAD BABY.

Writing Challenge: Write about the same experience in multiple ways (letters, poems, illustrations, and screenplay).

Bonus challenge: Write positive affirmations for your family members.

Author Sayantani DasGupta shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of THE SERPENT'S SECRET.

Author Deborah Underwood reads INTERSTELLAR CINDERELLA (illustrated by Meg Hunt) and gives kids a mini-lesson on how to write their own fractured fairy tales.

Author Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of UP IN THE GARDEN AND DOWN IN THE DIRT and answers questions from kids in a "Family Book Club" video recorded earlier this year (thanks to Read-Aloud Revival for making this recording publicly available for learning at home this spring!)

Author-illustrator Brian Biggs shares a read-aloud of his EVERYTHING GOES board books.

Author Jessica Young shares a read-aloud of HAGGIS AND TANK (illustrated by James Burks) with a mini-lesson on sound words.

Author-illustrator Brandon Reese shares a read-aloud of his picture book CAVE DADA. And here's a link to download a coloring page, too!

Here's a fun challenge from author Laurel Snyder ... She's written a brand new book, but doesn't have any pictures for it. Will you help? She'll read you the story of The Beastly Collective, and you'll draw your favorite animals, while she teaches you some brand new words!

Author Christine Evans shares a read-aloud of Evelyn the Adventurous Entomologist, illustrated by Yasmin Imamura.

Author and illustrator Grace Lin shares a chapter from her book, The Year of the Dog. You can find more of Grace's reading & drawing videos on her YouTube channel.

Grace Lin teaches families how to draw a dog from the number 5 (just like in The Year of the Dog!)

Amy Guglielmo, co-author of POCKET FULL OF COLORS shares a read-aloud of her picture book biography of Disney artist Mary Blair. Art challenge: Collect a rainbow of colorful objects inside or outside as a fun follow up activity. Take part in the "Rainbow Hunt," and draw a picture of a rainbow to post in your window for neighbors to see on their daily walks.

Author Kerry O'Malley Cerra demonstrates an easy tool students can use to summarize. This tip can also be used for writers as chapter checks!

Japanese American author, Kathleen Burkinshaw reads a chapter from her MG historical fiction, The Last Cherry Blossom based on events in her mom's life as a 12 yr old in Hiroshima during WWII. Also learn a little about her mom's favorite Japanese folk tale. You can find a Discussion Guide on her website www.kathleenburkinshaw.co

Newbery Award winning author Meg Medina shares a writing lesson on Creating Tension.

Kerry Madden shares a read-aloud of ERNESTINE'S MILKY WAY.

Author Buffy Silverman shares On a Snow-Melting Day: Seeking Signs of Spring and a little science show-and-tell.

Author Diane Zahler shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of The Marvelwood Magicians and a writing prompt.

Abigail Rayner shares a read-aloud of The Backup Bunny.

Michelle Cusolito reads aloud her book Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible ALVIN (illustrated by Nicole Wong) while Jeff Angeley of Southcoast Lessons provides live musical accompaniment. You can find more resources related to Flying Deep here.

Author Meg Fleming shares a read-aloud of her picture book, Sometimes Rain.

S.K. Ali, co-author of THE PROUDEST BLUE, shares directions for making a paper boat.

The niece and nephew of Cedella Marley read her book, Get Up, Stand Up, a picture book adaptation of one of Bob Marley's beloved songs that has a timely message for children: To counter injustice, lift others up with kindness and courage.

Author Lisa Yee talks about Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and reads passages from the book. Writing prompt for today: Do you think boys and girls can be friends?

Would you rather be an #astronaut or #aquanaut? Perhaps you need more info to decide. Check out Jen Swanson's video below. Then make your choice and draw a picture of your suit!

Author Jo Watson Hackl Shows How to Take Your Reading to the Next Level by Exploring the Natural World of Your Characters.

Author Heather L. Montgomery reads-aloud chapters from SOMETHING ROTTEN: A FRESH LOOK AT ROADKILL.

Author Heather Shumaker offers a weekly author chat called Fiction Friday. She shares tips and ideas for writing fiction, reads a short excerpt from her middle grade novel The Griffins of Castle Cary, adds in a mini writing lesson, a few corny jokes, and encouragement to young writers and readers.

Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez talks about finding writing inspiration from your own family history (video is in English and then in Spanish).

Kate Messner shares a read-aloud of HOW TO READ A STORY, illustrated by Mark Siegel & shared with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Kimberly Derting shares a read-aloud of CECE LOVES SCIENCE with permission from HarperCollins.

Author & science teacher Anne Ruppert shares a try-it-at-home fingerprinting activity from SOLVE THIS: FORENSICS (by Kate Messner & Anne Ruppert, published by National Geographic)

Author Jacqueline West shares a read-aloud from The Shadows, volume one of her bestselling MG fantasy/mystery series The Books of Elsewhere, along with a writing activity for you (and possibly your pet!) that will help you think about character and dialogue. For more info and other videos, visit her website! www.jacquelinewest.com.

Author Carter Higgins shares a read-aloud of BIKES FOR SALE with permission from Chronicle Books.

Author Deborah Underwood reads FINDING KINDNESS, illustrated by Irene Chan (Godwin Books/Macmillan, 2019).

Author Melanie Crowder reads a chapter from her middle grade novel, Three Pennies, and shares a quick and easy craft to go with it. Writing Challenge: Think of one of your favorite books-does an animal make an appearance in the story? In Three Pennies, the author writes several chapters from the point of view of an owl (named Owl). Try to add a chapter to that favorite book you've got in mind, writing from the point of view of an animal in that story.

Author Cynthia Levinson reads The Youngest Marcher: The Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. Thanks to Simon & Schuster Kids for permission.

Loree Griffin Burns, author of books like Citizen Scientists and the upcoming picture book You're Invited to a Moth Ball, shares her favorite book of all time: The Flora and Fauna of Hosmer Street. It's not a book she wrote, but rather one she made with her three kids. For one year, Loree, Sam, Ben, and Cat committed themselves to getting to know their animal neighbors; what they found surprised them. In this video, Loree show listeners a few of their best finds (garter snake! walking stick! a skeleton!), what they learned (the more you look, the more you see!) and, of course, how to start creating The Flora and Fauna of Your Place.

Many people have heard of the secret network that helped many enslaved blacks escape to freedom in the North called the Underground Railroad. But how many of you have heard about the Overground Railroad? Author Lesa Cline-Ransome reads from her book, The Overground Railroad, illustrated by her husband, James Ransome.

Author Kathleen Blasi reads HOSEA PLAYS ON, which depicts a day in the life of street musician Hosea Taylor, who made his community better, with his open-hearted giving. After the read-aloud, you can take a look at the newspaper article that inspired Kathleen to learn more about Hosea Taylor and served as the research springboard for HOSEA PLAYS ON.

Author Laya Steinberg reads her picture book THE BEST SUKKOT PUMPKIN EVER and shares a seed planting activity.

Author Jewell Parker Rhodes shares a read-aloud of the first chapter of GHOST BOYS.

Roy Freeman shares a read-aloud of CORDUROY, written and illustrated by his father, Don Freeman.

Author Nancy Tupper Ling shares a read-aloud, along with a lesson on how to make a list poem about your favorite place in the world.

Author Sarah Scheerger reads her picture book, Mitzvah Pizza, and shares a story about the real-life pay-it-forward pizza place that inspired the story. Classroom activities for the story are found here.

Writing Lessons! Many families are using this time at home to work on writing projects that range from stories and poems to special interest research reports and even novels. Here are some craft lessons from authors to help with ideas & strategies!
Author Meg Medina shares a video lesson on creating tension. Author Jennifer Torres shares a mini-workshop on setting with a video and pages to download. Here's a lesson from author Paula Chase on writing dual points of view. Author Josephine Cameron shares creative writing tips about how choosing the perfect setting can help you shape the character, plot, and relationships in your story.
Additional Resources:

Want to see even more author & illustrator videos? Check out the Authors Everywhere YouTube channel, created by Susan Tan!

Check out STEM Tuesday from The Mixed of Files of MG Authors blog for weekly book lists, interviews, and activities.

Want to try writing some poetry today? Joyce Sidman shares an amazing collection of ideas to get you started.

Here's another poetry lesson from Kathryn Apel - writing a didactic cinquain!

If you're stuck at home, it's a great time to start a writer's notebook! Author & Poet Amy Ludwig VanDerwater has a whole collection of posts from different writers, called "Sharing Our Notebooks." Check it out -so many ideas here!

Author Madelyn Rosenberg shares a collection of writing prompts here.

Here's a collection of video mini-lessons from nonfiction author Melissa Stewart - great for teaching informational writing, including research, text features, text structure, rich language, voice, and revision.

Author & poet Laura Shovan shares a collection of poetry mini-lessons on her website!

The folks at Middle Grade at Heart share a list of MG novels with discussions questions & related activities here.

Author Victoria Coe has a playlist of writing lessons for kids with 25 lessons.

Author Sarah Darer Littman offers short readings and writing prompts on her website.

On the Kids Ask Authors podcast, you can hear author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer a kid question! Kids can submit their own book reviews, poems or jokes! https://www.kidsaskauthors.com Subscribe to the podcast here: http://ow.ly/8OPg30qr7WD

Erica S. Perl (@ericaperl) is doing a weekly Instagram live author event called "Winging It with Erica S. Perl" featuring read-alouds, writing prompts, and occasional shakings of a tail feather. Tune in every Tuesday at 2 pm EST and wish her good cluck!

The KidLit TV team, a group of diverse children's book authors and illustrators, has created a virtual library of FREE read aloud, drawing & writing tutorials, podcasts, art activities + reading resources for kids. https://kidlit.tv

Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author & illustrator, shares daily drawing lessons on his YouTube channel.

Author Kathryn Hulick invites you to investigate a ghost story as a scientist, based on her book STRANGE BUT TRUE.

New Books to Check Out!

In case you're missing your weekly trip to the library or bookstore, we also want to let you know about some new books out this spring!

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Read, Wonder, and Learn! Favorite Authors & Illustrators Share Resources for Learning Anywhere - Spring 2020

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Hello, friends! I'm Kate Messner, a former classroom teacher, forever-educator, and the author of more than three dozen books for kids. These include picture books like Over and Under the Snow, The Brilliant Deep, and The Next President ; the Fergus and Zeke easy reader series; the Ranger in Time historical chapter book adventures; nonfiction like Tracking Pythons and Solve This: Forensics ; and novels like All the Answers, Breakout , and .

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Many book-related and drawing activities.

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"children’s book illustration" "advice for illustrators" drawing illustration "kidlit illustration" kidlit "illustrating picture books" "children’s literature" "school closures resource"

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Updated Mar.13/2020: Because so many schools are closing due to concerns re: Corona virus (aka COVID-19), I'll be uploading resources for K-8 educators and y...

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Reads a story a day on Instagram Live.

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mac Barnett (@macbarnett)

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Celebrate spring with good books and learning activities.

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Young learners are buzzing with excitement as the weather warms up, baby animals are being born, and there's so much more to do outside! Channel your students' energy into learning with these 12 ideas to help engage your students in all the wondrous seasonal changes that happen in spring.
Nonfiction Books About Spring Fiction Books about Spring Seeds, Plants, and Trees Beautiful Butterflies Amazing Animals Insects and Bugs Weather Spring Up Students' Vocabulary Spring Activities Spring by the Numbers Delightful Decorations Spring Cleaning
Want more great content? Subscribe to our Teacher Newsletter below and get teaching ideas delivered right to your inbox.

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12 Spring Topics and Book Ideas to Teach Them

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Young learners are buzzing with excitement as the weather warms up, baby animals are being born, and there's so much more to do outside! Channel your students' energy into learning with these 12 ideas to help engage your students in all the wondrous seasonal changes that happen in spring.

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Melissa is a scientist who happens to also write really great children's books! There is a lot of great stuff on her website.

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Copyright 2001- Melissa Stewart. All rights reserved. All materials on this site may be copied for classroom or library use but may not be reprinted or resold for commercial purposes. This website is COPPA compliant. If you are a child under age 13 and wish to contact Melissa Stewart, please use the email address of a teacher, librarian, or parent with that adult's permission. Webhost Privacy Policy.

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Copyright 2001- Melissa Stewart. All rights reserved. All materials on this site may be copied for classroom or library use but may not be reprinted or resold for commercial purposes. This website is COPPA compliant. If you are a child under age 13 and wish to contact Melissa Stewart, please use the email address of a teacher, librarian, or parent with that adult's permission.

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Author of the FunJungle series, Spy School series, and the new Charlie Thorne series. Check out the Save The World Section!

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Author of the Wings of Fire series (and many other books).

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Be sure to visit the "Poems & Stories" tab!

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Hi, welcome to robertmunsch.com. I hope you enjoy this selection of my work, as well as the creative art and short stories donated by kids and teachers.

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Find a variety of booklists to help your child find their "best fit" book!

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Meet your favorite children's authors and illustrators. More than 130 interviews!

The very best fiction and nonfiction books for kids, selected by our children's literature expert.

Celebrate cultural heritage, poetry, books and reading throughout the year.

Children's Books

Authors & Illustrators

Just for Fun

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Meet your favorite children's authors and illustrators. More than 130 interviews! The very best fiction and nonfiction books for kids, selected by our children's literature expert. Celebrate cultural heritage, poetry, books and reading throughout the year.

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Author of Mr. Lemencello series and many others (including his latest, Shine!)

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"A fun-filled, suspenseful intellectual puzzle, designed by a gamer, that will appeal to fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society."
-Shelf Awareness, on Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

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Author Chris Grabenstein's Official Website

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"A fun-filled, suspenseful intellectual puzzle, designed by a gamer, that will appeal to fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society." -Shelf Awareness, on Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

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Learning Resources Available

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Welcome to Shel Silverstein | Shel Silverstein

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Shel Silverstein's children's books, stories, poetry, illustrations, fun activities for kids, and teaching resources.

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Dav Pilkey (Author/Illustrator) Grahic Novels!

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Dav Pilkey (Author/Illustrator) Grahic Novels!

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Activities, videos . . . lots to see and read!

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Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated numerous popular, award-winning books for children, including the Captain Underpants and Dumb Bunnies series.

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Many downloadable materials available in the teacher/parent/librarian tab.

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Welcome to the official Kevin Henkes website! Here you'll find videos, teaching resources, book information, interviews, games, articles, and much more. Thanks so much for coming by. Congratulations, Kevin!

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Be sure to visit the "Resources" tab for wonderful Eric Carle materials!

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Welcome to the Official Eric Carle Website! Discover Eric Carle, Learn how he makes his tissues and even find out where his museum is!

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There are many National Geographic Readers that can be linked with these videos!

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Parking fees apply when visiting. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance members receive complimentary parking by registering their vehicle.

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Activities, videos, book information...fun stuff!

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Jan Brett's website offers many activities to keep kids involved and busy!

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Author Jan Brett’s Free Coloring, Video and Activity Pages

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A collection of projects and activities of books for kids, and classroom activities and lesson plans for teachers about particular subjects, curriculum areas, themes and professional topics.

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Many books can be connected to the learning for every grade level!

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Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

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Meet Fiona, a baby hippopotamus that was born 6 weeks premature at the Cincinnati Zoo. She is the smallest hippo ever to survive. Follow the remarkable story that has lead her to become an international phenomenon. Weekly episodes will be posted on The Fiona Show Facebook page, or you can watch them below.

Episode 7 - The Season Finale

Episode 7: The Season Finale. A live look at Fiona today. You've watched her remarkable journey, now her caretaker Jenna is here to answer your Fiona questions.

Episode 6 - Fiona Phenomenon

Episode 6: The Fiona Phenomenon. A look into the effect Fiona has had on her care team, the Cincinnati community... and the world.

Episode 5 - Family Reunion

The labor of love to get Fiona strong and healthy would only be a true success if her care team could safely reintroduce her to her Mom and Dad.

Episode 4 - More to Explore

Episode 3 - Bigger and Better

Episode 2 - The Struggle

Episode 1 - The Beginning

Watch never before seen video of Fiona's birth and hear her care team reflect on how it all began.

The Fiona Show Trailer

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The Fiona Show - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden®

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Meet Fiona, a baby hippopotamus that was born 6 weeks premature at the Cincinnati Zoo. She is the smallest hippo ever to survive. Follow the remarkable story that has lead her to become an international phenomenon. Weekly episodes will be posted on The Fiona Show Facebook page, or you can watch them below.

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(Author of the Lunch Lady Series, Hey Kiddo & many others)

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Jarrett J. Krosoczka-Author & Illustrator

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Info on New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka and his dozens of published books.

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Author of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing Freckle Juice, and many more!

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Watch videos of celebrities reading great books! Pick up or order the books to reread!

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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The "Kid" Series (Kid Scientists, Kid Athletes, etc.)

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The "Kid" Series (Kid Scientists, Kid Athletes, etc.)

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If you are not familiar with this series you can read excerpts here!

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INCLUDES TRUE STORIES ABOUT

J. K. ROWLING NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON CHARLES SCHULZ GABBY DOUGLAS

PLUS PEYTON MANNING, JEFF KINNEY, PABLO PICASSO, AND MORE!
i
K ID
LEGENDS
TRUE TALES OF CHILDHOOD FROM THE BOOKS
KID ARTISTS, KID ATHLETES, KID PRESIDENTS,
KID AUTHORS, AND KID SCIENTISTS
STORIES BY DAVID STABLER ILLUSTRATIONS BY DOOGIE HORNER AND ANOOSHA SYED

INCLUDES TRUE STORIES ABOUT

J. K. ROWLING NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON CHARLES SCHULZ GABBY DOUGLAS

PLUS PEYTON MANNING, JEFF KINNEY, PABLO PICASSO, AND MORE!
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART ONE
IT'S NOT EASY BEING A KID

J. K. Rowling, Kid Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Peyton Manning, Kid Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Charles Schulz, Kid Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

PART TWO
PERSEVERANCE

Pablo Picasso, Kid Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Muhammed Ali, Kid Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Kid Scientists . . . . . . . . . . . 60

2
PART THREE
FAMILY MATTERS

Jeff Kinney, Kid Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

John F. Kennedy, Kid Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Gabby Douglas, Kid Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

Fun Facts���������������������������������������������������������������� 103

About the Author and Illustrator������������������������ 109

S he created the amazing character Harry Potter,

but her time in school was anything but
magical. J. K. Rowling had to fend off a bully, defy
the low expectations of her teachers, and overcome
her own shyness on the way to becoming one of the
world's most famous authors.

Sometimes the best ideas come in a flash, like magic.

It took six years for Jo-who now called herself
J. K. Rowling-to write the first Harry Potter
adventure. When the book was finally published, it
made the author an overnight sensation.
J. K. Rowling's life also began with a rail trip, in a
manner of speaking. Her parents met on a train
7
traveling north from England to Scotland in the winter
of 1964. It was love at first sight, and they were mar-
ried the following spring. Jo was born on the last day of
July in 1965.
Jo's father, Peter Rowling, managed an aircraft fac-
tory. Her mother, Ann, worked in a laboratory. They
began reading to their daughter when she was very
young. One of Jo's first memories is of her father reading
to her from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
Jo had measles at the time, but even as an adult she still
remembers the characters from the book: Mole, Mr.
Badger, Ratty, Toad of Toad Hall, and all the others.

When Jo was almost two years old, her mother gave

birth to another baby, a girl named Dianne. To keep Jo
occupied while her sister was being born, Jo's father
8
gave her a ball of Play-Doh. Even years later, Jo still
has a vivid memory of "eating the Play-Doh" while her
sister was being delivered.
During their childhood, Jo and Di were constant
companions. They loved to play games together,
especially involving make-believe. Their favorite was
called the "cliff game." Jo would grab hold of the top
step of their staircase and hang on as though she was
about to fall off a cliff. Then she'd plead with Di to
rescue her before she plummeted down the steps.

Di never did. Time and again, Jo let go and plunged

to the floor below. Then it was her sister Di's turn to
hang off the cliff.
Jo and Di also liked to make up stories, mostly about
rabbits. The sisters desperately wanted a pet rabbit of
9
their own. They even named their dog Thumper, after
the rabbit in the Disney movie Bambi. But they could
never catch a bunny to bring home with them.
Instead, Jo made up fantasy stories, which she read
aloud to her sister. In one story, Di fell down a rabbit hole,
where a family of bunnies gave her strawberries to eat.

Di loved hearing her sister tell stories and begged

Jo to retell them over and over. To help remember them,
Jo started to write them down. The first story she ever
set to paper was about a rabbit called Rabbit who caught
the measles. While sick, he was visited by his friends,
including a giant bee named Miss Bee.
At age seven, Jo wrote her first adventure story, an
action-packed thriller called "The Seven Cursed
Diamonds." It wasn't her best effort, but as she
continued to imagine new stories, Jo began to think
10
that she would like to be a writer someday. She didn't
tell anyone for fear they would dismiss her dream. She
thought her stories were not yet good enough.
Around this time, Jo and Di became friends with a
brother and sister who would provide the inspiration for
Jo's most famous character. Ian and Vikki Potter lived
down the street from the Rowlings in the village of
Winterbourne. At Jo's suggestion, the four friends
dressed up and played Witches and Wizards. Ian would
don fake eyeglasses and his father's long coat to portray
the wizard, while Jo made up spells and potions for the
three girl witches to cast.

Something about Ian's costume-and his distinctive

last name-stuck in Jo's mind. She would return to
them later . . .
11
When Jo was nine, her family moved to a new home
in a tiny town in the English countryside. The ancient
village of Tutshill was home to a real castle that dated
back to medieval times, many centuries ago. Inside was
what people believed to be the oldest toilet in Britain.
Just a short walk from their house was a forest
where Jo drew inspiration for her imagined adventures.
"My mother used to give me a sandwich and a drink
and I'd be in the forest until nightfall," Jo recalled.

In the fall, Jo enrolled in Tutshill Primary School.

It's never easy being the new kid, but for Jo it was
especially hard. If Jo thought that her talent for story-
telling would make her popular, she was about to learn
that the opposite was true.
On the first day of school, Jo met her new teacher: a
12
short, severe-looking woman named Mrs. Morgan.
She instantly struck fear in Jo's heart by handing out an
arithmetic test-math was Jo's worst subject. Even
more frightening, the quiz was full of questions about
fractions, which Jo had not yet learned. Despite giving
her best effort, Jo scored a zero.
After grading the test, Mrs. Morgan instructed Jo
to sit in the far right row of desks.

This, Jo discovered, was the "stupid row," where the

teacher put her poorest-performing students. The
"clever" kids sat on the left. "I was as far right as you
could get without sitting in the playground," Jo later
remembered. But Jo worked hard and finally earned a
promotion to one of the left-hand rows.
Jo's difficulty fitting in continued in middle school;
13
she later described her younger self as "quiet, freckly,
short-sighted, and rubbish at sports." Jo arrived at
Wyedean School expecting the worst. She had heard a
rumor that on the first day of class, the older students
would dunk the head of a new arrival down the toilet-
and then flush it. That never happened to Jo, but she
did have to confront a bully for the first time.
Although Jo didn't start the fight, she refused to
back down when the other girl started punching her.
For a few days, Jo became a hero among the other
students for standing up to her tormentor. But Jo knew
the truth. The only reason she hadn't gotten flattened
was because her locker held her up, like a human punch-
ing bag. She spent the next several weeks peering
around every corner in case the bully was waiting to
ambush her.

As she got older, Jo grew less quiet and less shy. She
ditched her glasses and started wearing contact lenses,
which made her less scared of being punched in the
face. She began to excel at her English and foreign
language classes, although math and science remained a
challenge. Her chemistry teacher described her as "a
daydreamer who never answered questions about
15
science and hated taking part in experiments." (Jo later
got her "revenge" by making him the model for Severus
Snape, the sinister Professor of Potions at Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.)

By Jo's final year of middle school, she was widely

regarded as one of the smartest and most capable
students at Wyedean. The teachers voted her Head Girl,
a kind of class president. When dignitaries visited, it
was Jo's job to show them around. She was also in
charge of organizing school assemblies. Jo said later
that she based the character of intelligent, resourceful
Hermione Granger on herself during this period.
Although Jo's school days were difficult, they did
prepare her for the challenges she faced as an adult. As
a single mom, she struggled to pay her bills and get her
16
literary career off the ground. She spent many after-
noons writing in coffee shops while her baby daughter
slept in a stroller beside her. But she persevered because
she had faith in the power of her imagination.
In 2001, after she won worldwide fame as the creator
of Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling returned to Tutshill
Primary for a visit. She was hailed as the school's
greatest living graduate. In July 2006, the Wyedean
School library was dedicated in her honor. Her story-
book life at last had a happy ending.

Want to learn more about your favorite authors?

Check out Kid Authors.

P eyton Manning has played quarterback in the

National Football League for more than fifteen
seasons. He has a reputation as one of the game's
greatest players in critical moments. But the most
pressure he ever faced didn't come on the football
field-it came on the stage. Long before he was a
Super Bowl champion, Peyton Manning was his
middle school's master of the tango.

On Sundays after the Saints' game, the boys would

invade the opposing team's locker room to meet the
players and ask about offensive strategy. Sometimes
they'd pick up discarded athletic tape from the locker
room floor and use it to make their own football.
They'd go out on the Louisiana Superdome field and
throw passes until their dad called them to go home.
As much as Peyton loved the game, football didn't
always come easy. His brother Cooper seemed as if he
was built to run and catch passes; Peyton was awkward
by comparison. He was also terribly accident prone. One
time, while riding in the car with his mom, he fell out

20
the door and cut his head on the road. Another time,
while lifting weights with his dad, he tripped and fell
face first into a rack of barbells.

But no matter what mishap befell him, and no

matter how hurt he was, Peyton picked himself up and
kept going. Courage was a trait that would help him
throughout his NFL career, where tough decisions and
bone-crushing tackles are part of the game.
Another important quality a quarterback must have
is the ability to handle pressure. Peyton didn't learn that
quality only on the football field. He learned it on stage
in front of an audience of family, friends, and neighbors.
He learned it beneath the hot spotlights, under the spell
of the South American dance known as the tango.
When Peyton started eighth grade, he had the
choice of taking a computer class or a musical theater
class. Determined to save most of his free time-and

Over the next few weeks, Peyton tried so hard to

wriggle out of the production. But as the saying goes:
the show must go on. In Peyton's case, the show was
called "The Boyfriend." He was assigned the part of
Miguel, a headstrong bullfighter who performs a show-
stopping tango with Lola, played by his classmate Sabra
Barnett. Not only would he have to dance, he would
also have to dress like a Spanish bullfighter.
22
Peyton's costume consisted of a red ruffled tuxedo
shirt, tight black pants with a yellow cummerbund tied
around his waist, and high-top patent leather shoes. He
was mortified.

Even worse than his outfit, Peyton learned that the

musical would be performed twice-once on Friday
night, for the students, and again on Saturday night, for
the families of the cast. Peyton would be forced to dance
in front of his parents, his older brother Cooper, and his
younger brother Eli. And there was nothing on earth
that frightened him more than being on stage in front
of his brothers!
Peyton faced a difficult decision. He could try to
get out of the play-maybe pretend to be sick or fake a
23
sprained ankle on the day of the show. Or he could hud
dle up with his theater teacher, study the dance moves,
and learn how to tango. Peyton knew the choice he had
to make.
On the night of the first performance, Peyton took
the stage to raucous applause-and a little laughter-
and proceeded to delight the crowd with a spirited
performance as Miguel. He stomped, he snorted, he
wiggled his fingers above his head like a bull's horns. "I
went full-speed on that tango," he later said.

The next night, he was back at it all over again, this

time for his whole family. "If they'd had an eighth-grade
highlight film," said his mom, "Peyton's tango would
have made it." In fact, someone in the audience did make
a video recording of the show for posterity.
24
But it was many years before Peyton would allow
anyone outside his family to watch the video of his per
formance. "Don't look for it," he warned anyone hoping
to see him dancing as Miguel the bullfighter. "It's deep
in the Manning vault, I can assure you."

And there it remained until one day the footage

popped up on YouTube. No one is quite sure how it got
there. Maybe one of Peyton's brothers decided to have a
little fun at his expense.
By that time, he had already become an All-Pro
NFL quarterback, famous for coming through in the
clutch-at critical moments-as huge crowds screamed
and cheered from the stands. A silly little video wasn't
going to bother him.
At a press conference before his first Super Bowl in
2007, Peyton was asked if the upcoming game was the
most pressure he had ever faced. Not even close, was his
25
reply. Dancing the tango in front of family and friends
was much tougher. "Now that's pressure," he said.
The next day, Peyton went out and led his team, the
Indianapolis Colts, to a victory over the Chicago Bears
to win the world championship. "It was a wonderful
team game," he said afterward. "Everyone did their job."
He may have been talking about the Super Bowl, but
Peyton could have said the same thing about his middle
school musical.

Want more stories about famous sports stars?

Check out Kid Athletes.

L ong before he created Charlie Brown, Snoopy,

and the rest of the Peanuts gang, Charles
"Sparky" Schulz was just a quiet kid with a
sketchpad who felt uncomfortable sharing his
drawings with others. Only by overcoming his
shyness could he make the leap from secret doodler
to superstar cartoonist.

29
At first, Sparky kept his drawings private. He was
shy and didn't like to call attention to himself. At family
gatherings, he sat alone with his face buried in his
sketchpad. He rarely joined in conversations with his
relatives, but sometimes an aunt or uncle would ask
what he was drawing. "Let him alone!" Sparky's mother
would admonish them.
One time, Sparky's parents took him to visit his
Aunt Clara in the Wisconsin countryside. Clara's son
Reuben also liked to draw. In fact, Reuben impressed
the adults with his drawing of a man sitting on a log.
Sparky took one look at his cousin's sketch and thought,
"I could do better than that!"

When Sparky was in kindergarten, his teacher

handed out crayons and asked the class to draw
something they had seen. Inspired by the harsh
Minnesota winter, Sparky drew a man shoveling snow.
30
Then he added his own flourish: a leafy palm, a tree he
had learned about from his Uncle Monroe, who lived
in California. A less open-minded teacher might have
criticized Sparky for letting his imagination run wild.
Instead she praised his originality, saying, "Charles,
you're going to be an artist someday!" After receiving
such praise and encouragement, Sparky was a little less
reluctant to share his art with other people.
Then one day, Sparky's friend Raymond showed off
the cover of his looseleaf binder. On it he had drawn a
man riding a bucking bronco. Sparky had never thought
to display his drawings like that. Soon his own binder
was festooned with sketches of cartoon characters
like Mickey Mouse and Popeye. When his classmates
noticed, they asked him to decorate their notebooks as
well. Sparky was elated.

Not only that, but the older kids weren't as impressed

by his artwork as his younger classmates had been.
When he was singled out for an award in penmanship,
he could hear the other students snickering behind his
back as he got up from his desk to receive his pin and
certificate.
Once again, Sparky retreated into his bashful shell.
32
He rarely spoke in class and tried to hide his drawing
ability. His grades began to suffer, and he was forced to
repeat the eighth grade.
In junior high, Sparky even lost confidence in the
one thing he knew he was good at. When assigned to
write about William Shakespeare for English class, he
came up with the idea to illustrate the paper with his
own drawings. But then he decided against it. To his
dismay, another boy followed through on a similar
project and received high praise.

But inspiration was not far away. It took the form of

a mischievous black-and-white beagle who convinced
Sparky to believe in himself again. No, not Snoopy,
although Sparky would one day base his famous
creation on his childhood pet. This dog was called
33
Spike. And he was known to eat anything he could get
his paws on.
Spike once scarfed down an entire rubber ball.
Another time, he jumped onto Carl Schulz's dresser and
gobbled up a wad of money from the barbershop. The
pooch appeared to be indestructible-no matter what
Spike ate, it just seemed to pass right through without
causing him any problems.

One winter night, when Sparky was fourteen, he

decided to use Spike's misbehavior as the inspiration for
a cartoon. He drew a picture of the gluttonous beagle
sitting up and added the caption: "A hunting dog that
eats pins, tacks, and razor blades is owned by C. F.
Schulz, St. Paul, Minn."
He signed his cartoon "Drawn by 'Sparky.'" Then
34
he did something unusual for such a shy boy. Instead of
hiding the drawing in his sketchbook, he sent it to the
editors of the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" comic strip.
To Sparky's surprise, they agreed to publish it. On
February 22, 1937, Sparky's drawing appeared in more
than 300 newspapers worldwide.

Sparky was immensely proud of his achievement.

Although he remained shy and suffered many setbacks
as an artist-including when his high school yearbook
committee rejected his drawings-he never again lost
faith in his artistic abilities. And eventually others saw
his skill, too. As a young man, he applied for a place in
a correspondence course at the Federal School of Applied
Cartooning in Minneapolis. His work was so good that
the school offered him a position as an instructor.
The job was perfect for Sparky. The quiet introvert
35
who had disliked showing his art to others was now
encouraging students to share their illustrations with
him. Even better, Sparky had more time to work on his
cartoons, including one about a group of kids and a pet
dog. His creation-"Peanuts"-became the world's most
popular comic strip. Its main character, Charlie Brown,
was just like Sparky: a boy filled with self-doubt who
takes inspiration from his brash, mischievous beagle.
Charlie Brown may never have received the
recognition he deserved, but Charles Schulz certainly
did. He was rewarded with the admiration of millions of
comics fans worldwide.

Curious about other artists? Pick up a copy of Kid Artists.

TWO
PERSEVERANCE

40
Pablo Picasso entered the world howling. Seconds
after he was born, one of the hospital physicians, his
uncle Don Salvador, leaned down and blew a huge
cloud of cigar smoke in the newborn's face. The baby
grimaced and bellowed in protest-and that's how
everyone knew he was healthy and alive. At that time,
doctors were allowed to smoke in delivery rooms, but
this little infant would have none of it. Even at birth, he
refused to accept things as they had always been done.

The baby was named Pablo Diego José Francisco

de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios
Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito
Ruíz y Picasso-whew! He was known to his friends
as Pablito, a nickname meaning "little Pablo," and he
learned to draw before he could walk. His first word
was piz, short for lápiz, the Spanish word for pencil. It
41
was an instrument that would soon become his most
prized possession.
Pablo inherited his love of art from his father,
Don José Ruiz y Blasco, a talented painter. Don José's
favorite subjects were the pigeons that flocked in the
plaza outside the Picassos' home in Málaga, a town on
the southern coast of Spain. Sometimes he would allow
Pablo to finish paintings for him. One of Pablo's earliest
solo artworks was a portrait of his little sister, which he
painted with egg yolk.

But painting was not yet his specialty. Drawing

was. Pablo mostly liked to draw spirals. When people
asked him why, he explained that they reminded him
of churros, the fried-dough pastries sold at every
streetcorner stand in Málaga. While other kids played
42
underneath trees in the Plaza de la Merced, Pablo stood
by himself scratching circles in the dirt with a stick.

At school, Pablo found it hard to concentrate. Rather

than completing classwork, he filled the margins of his
notebook with pencil sketches of animals, birds, and
people. His teacher grew exasperated with his lack of
attention. She wrote a note to his mother saying: "Pablo
should stop drawing in class and pay attention to his
lessons."
It was clear that Pablo hated rules, and he took every
opportunity to disobey them. When adults told him
what to do, he did the opposite. He once got in trouble
for coloring the sky a bright red instead of the "normal"
blue. Pablo was often banished to the "calaboose," a bare
cell with white walls and a bench, which served as a
holding pen for unruly students.
43
"I liked it there, because I took along a sketch pad
and drew incessantly," Pablo later said. "I could have
stayed there forever drawing without stopping." He
even began misbehaving on purpose so that he would
be sentenced to detention and sent to the calaboose.
The one person who understood that Pablo wasn't
acting out for no reason was his father. One day when
Pablo's mother caught him drawing on the wall with a
nail, Don José took him to the beach to blow off steam.
As Don José stretched out to take a nap, Pablo sat
beside him and drew a dolphin in the wet sand.

When Don José awoke, he was astonished by the beauty

of his son's drawing. "Could it be Pablo who drew this?"
he wondered.
That afternoon, Don José took a closer look at the
image Pablo had drawn on their living room wall.
44
What at first looked like random scratches soon took
shape. Don José recognized a reindeer and a bison
running away from a group of men on horseback who
were armed with bows and arrows. At that moment,
Don José knew what to do to get Pablo to stop
misbehaving. He decided to take him into his studio and
teach his son how to paint.
From that day onward, Pablo and his father were
inseparable art partners. In search of new subjects to
portray, they began going to the bullfights. Pablo was
mesmerized by the sight of the brave picadors as they
charged ferocious bulls.

He saw El Lagartijo-"The Lizard"-one of the

most famous bullfighters in Spain, and he met Cara
Ancha, the celebrated Andalusian matador. When
he was only nine years old, Pablo completed his first
45
painting, Le Picador, a portrait of a man riding a horse
in the bullring.
Two years later, Pablo's family moved to a new town,
La Coruña, on Spain's Atlantic coast. Don José got a
job as an art teacher at the local college. Even though
he was much younger than the other students, Pablo
enrolled in his father's class. He also took courses in
figure drawing and landscape painting. By the time he
turned thirteen, Pablo's skill level had surpassed his
father's. Don José was so impressed that he handed his
son his brushes and vowed never to paint again.

When Pablo was fourteen years old, his family

moved again, this time to Barcelona, where Pablo
enrolled in the prestigious School of Fine Arts. His
teachers quickly noticed his skills and allowed him
to skip two grades. But just as in Málaga, Pablo had
46
trouble adhering to the school's rules. Before long he
was back to his old tricks, cutting class so that he could
wander the city streets, sketching interesting scenes
that he observed along the way.

Pablo repeated this behavior at his next school,

the Royal Academy of San Fernando in Madrid. This
time, Pablo's father refused to tolerate his son's antics
and stopped his allowance. At age sixteen, Pablo found
himself on his own for the first time, forced to support
himself on nothing but his artistic ability.
It has been said that the older Pablo grew, the
more childlike his art became. During some periods
he painted almost entirely in blue or depicted only
circus performers. During his Cubist period, he painted
people and objects broken down into geometric shapes.
When he died in 1973, at the age of ninety-one, Pablo
47
left behind more than fifty thousand artworks in a
wide variety of styles and materials-paintings, prints,
ceramics, sculpture, and more. He was considered the
world's best-known artist.
When it came to making art, Pablo Picasso lived
by his own rules. Wherever inspiration led him, he
followed-something that would not have surprised
anyone who had known him as a child growing up in
his native Spain.

Loved what your read? Pick up a copy of Kid Artists.

The Case of the

Missing Bicycle

L ong before he took the name Muhammad Ali to

reflect his newfound religious faith, a rowdy and
rambunctious kid named Cassius Clay displayed all
the traits of a great heavyweight champion. He was
brash, he was fast on his feet, and he packed a wallop.
But it wasn't until he lost his most prized possession
that he discovered the real fighter within.

49
Cassius Clay may not have been born a heavyweight,
but even as a kid, he knew how to throw a punch.
At birth, Cassius weighed six pounds, seven ounces-
just about average for a baby born in 1942. But like all
great boxers, he quickly figured out it's not the size of
the man in the fight, but the size of the fight in the man.
Or in his case, the infant.
One day when Cassius was six months old, he was
lying in bed next to his father, Cassius Sr. He stretched
his little arms to yawn and accidentally slugged his dad
in the face, almost knocking out his front tooth.

Cassius's dad later called the blow his son's "first

knockout punch."
Right then and there, his parents should have known
that Cassius was born to box. But just to be sure, he
50
kept giving them hints. He took to walking on his tip-
toes, like a fighter dancing nimbly around the ring. And
he never stopped talking, as if constantly egging on an
opponent. Cassius's mother, Odessa, even started calling
him "G. G." for all his "gibber-gabber."
Then there was the peculiar brand of dodgeball that
Cassius liked to play. He would challenge his younger
brother Rudy to throw rocks at him. With the lightning-
fast reflexes he would later show in the boxing ring,
Cassius quickly dodged every flying stone.

No matter how many rocks Rudy threw, he was never

able to hit his big brother.
Sometimes Cassius's pugnacious disposition got the
better of him. For example, he had a bad habit of get-
ting up in the middle of the night and throwing every-
thing in his dresser onto the floor. No one knew why he
did it, but his parents counseled him to keep his temper
under control.
51
Cassius and Rudy often got into trouble in their
neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky. One time they
destroyed a birdbath in the yard of one of their neighbors,
Mrs. Wheatley. People started calling the Clay brothers
"the Wrecking Crew" for the damage they caused. Some
even started bolting the doors to their houses whenever
Cassius and Rudy came around.

That wasn't the kind of reputation Cassius wanted.

He realized he would have to find a better outlet for his
energy. Fortunately, he was soon presented with the
perfect opportunity.
When Cassius was twelve years old, his parents gave
him a new bicycle, a red-and-white Schwinn that cost
$60. It was just about his most prized possession.
52
One day he was out riding his new bike with his
friend Johnny Willis when a rainstorm overtook
them. To stay dry, the boys parked their bikes outside
Louisville's Columbia Auditorium and headed inside,
where a large bazaar was under way. Cassius and Johnny
spent the day browsing the booths and eating ice cream
and popcorn.

At the end of the day, when they returned to retrieve

their bicycles, the new red Schwinn was gone!
Tears filled Cassius's eyes as he felt his anger rising.
What should he do? He had no idea who took his bike,
but he did have an idea of what he'd like to do to that
person when he found out.
As luck would have it, Cassius found out that a police
officer was in the basement of the Columbia Auditorium.
53
Boiling with rage, Cassius stormed into the base-
ment. But when he opened the door, what he saw was
no police station. To his surprise, he discovered a gym
filled with men and boys punching bags, jumping rope,
and sparring in the center of a velvet-lined boxing ring.
If he wanted a fight, it looked like he'd come to the
right place.

"Where's the policeman they told me about?" Cassius

asked.
Someone pointed to a kindly looking white-haired
man who appeared to be in charge of the gym.
"I'm Joe Martin," said the man.
54
"You're gonna whup him, huh?" Martin replied.
"Don't you think you ought to learn how to fight first?"
That thought had never occurred to Cassius. All his
life he'd been throwing punches, ducking flying rocks,
and promising to pummel anyone who crossed him.
He'd never realized that there was a right way and a
wrong way to fight.
So when Joe Martin offered him boxing lessons at
his gym, Cassius jumped at the chance. The search for
the bike thief was put on hold and his training in the
ring was begun.
Cassius became a dedicated trainee. He spent almost
every waking moment learning to box at the gym.
Joe started by teaching him the fundamentals: how
to stand, how to punch, how to move his feet. When

Almost immediately, Joe saw that his new student

possessed one of the most important attributes a box-
er can have: speed. Cassius knew how to anticipate an
opponent's punch and then dodge out of the way at
the last possible second. He never seemed to blink, not
even for an instant, always keeping his eyes locked on
the hands of his opponent. Cassius was so fast with his
eyes, Martin said, that you could hand the other boxer
a screen door and he wouldn't hit Cassius with it fifteen
times in fifteen rounds.
56
To complement his quickness, Cassius used fitness
and nutrition to build up his body. Some days, he got
up at four in the morning and ran several miles before
heading over to the gym. For breakfast, he drank a
quart of milk and two raw eggs. At school, he needed
two trays to carry his huge lunches.

Cassius refused to drink soda pop, because he didn't

want to put on weight. Instead, he carried around a
bottle of water with a clove of garlic in it. By the time
he was done training, he was fit and trim and weighed
89 pounds.
After six weeks of lessons, Cassius was finally ready
to step into the ring for the first time. His opponent was
named Ronnie O'Keefe. As they squared off under the
watchful eye of a referee, the two young boxers looked
tiny in their oversized fourteen-ounce boxing gloves.

Want more? Look for Kid Athletes at your local

bookstore or library.

A
make-believe trip into outer space turned
an ordinary kid from the Bronx, New York,
into a "star child" fascinated by moons, plan-
ets, and suns. That kid was Neil deGrasse Tyson.
When he grew up, he brought that passion into
the classroom and onto TV, becoming one of the
world's most beloved science educators.
60
One starry night, in the autumn of 1957, the life of
nine-year-old Neil deGrasse Tyson' changed forever.
In the middle of a vast, domed amphitheater, the house
lights dimmed and a booming voice announced:

Comets streaked. Planets whirled. The moon waxed

and the constellations appeared. A meteor vaporized,
leaving a glowing trail in its wake. Seated in the dark,
Neil was transfixed by a celestial light show the likes of
which he had never seen.
This was Neil's first visit to a planetarium-the
Hayden Planetarium in New York City-and his first
encounter with the wonders of astronomy, the science
of observing the sky.
When the lights rose, Neil realized that what he
had just seen was only an amazing simulation projected
61
onto the theater's dome. Nevertheless, Neil's interest
had been piqued, and his imagination fired. He decided
then and there that he wanted to follow the stars for the
rest of his life.
"The study of the universe would be my career," he
said later, "and no force on Earth would stop me." From
then on, whenever someone asked Neil what he wanted
to be when he grew up, he proudly answered:

I'M GOING TO BE AN
ASTROPHYSICIST!

What seemed like a journey of a thousand light

years was in fact just a short ride on a subway. Neil
grew up in New York City, not far from the Hayden
Planetarium, in the Castle Hill neighborhood of the
Bronx. Later, he lived in Riverdale, in the fittingly
named Skyview Apartments. Neil was the second of
three children. Both his parents worked for the U.S.
government.
62
Neil attended public school in New York City, and
he did not distinguish himself in the classroom. One
teacher complained on his report card that Neil should
spend less time socializing and more time studying.
"Your son laughs too loud," another remarked to Neil's
mother during a parent-teacher conference.

But there was one teacher who saw potential in the

young boy. She knew that Neil was interested in the
stars and planets. So when she saw a newspaper ad for
an astronomy class at the Hayden Planetarium, she cut
it out and gave it to him.
The visit to the planetarium left Neil feeling that the
universe was calling him to study it. But he still didn't
know how. Then, one day, a friend named Phillip lent
him a pair of binoculars.
63
"What am I supposed to do with these?" Neil won-
dered. "Look in people's windows?"
"No, silly," Phillip said. "Look up!"
And when Neil did, he saw a whole new world of
wonder. That night, he used the binoculars to gaze up
at the moon, mesmerized by the giant craters on its
surface. Magnified by the binoculars, the moon was no
longer just a circle in the sky-it was another world
waiting to be explored.
Then, when Neil was eleven years old, his parents
gave him his first telescope. It was small, but it seemed
infinitely more powerful than the binoculars. Now Neil
could see way past the moon to the planets beyond.
Even far-off Saturn, whose majestic rings Neil had read
about, seemed as close and as clear as his own out-
stretched hand.

I SEE THE MAN

ACTUALLY, I'M SATURN.

64
Neil could not get enough of his new hobby. In fact,
his fascination with the universe soon outgrew the
power of his beginner's telescope. He needed a larger
instrument. But that would cost money, and his parents
were not very wealthy.
Determined to have a more powerful telescope,
Neil started a dog-walking service in his apartment
building. In time, he had earned about half the money
he needed, so his parents chipped in the rest.

I HOPE THIS TELESCOPE

Neil's new telescope was a thing of beauty: a five-

foot-long tube that "looked like a cross between an
artillery cannon and a grenade launcher," as Neil once
described it. It came with a long extension cord that had
to be plugged into an electrical outlet. Neil also bought
a high-tech camera so he could take photographs of the
things he saw in the sky.
One night, Neil brought his new telescope up to the
65
tar-covered roof of his building to test it out. A dentist
who lived a few floors below let Neil plug in the cord
inside his apartment. But a kid dragging around tele-
scopes and cameras is bound to arouse suspicion. Another
neighbor saw him, thought he was a burglar, and called
the police.
Two officers quickly arrived and climbed up to the
roof to make sure Neil wasn't up to no good. Neil
assured them that his expedition was all in the interest
of science. He encouraged the officers to peer through
his telescope while he told them facts about the planets:

AREN'T SATURN'S
RINGS AMAZING?

The officers had to agree. It really was pretty amazing.

Neil continued with his astronomical investigations
for the next several years, eventually earning admis-
sion to the prestigious Bronx High School of Science.
The summer he turned fifteen, Neil signed up for "space
66
camp" at the Hayden Planetarium, where his adventure
had begun. For the next month, Neil studied the stars
and talked to scientists about the universe.
He also took a class with the planetarium's director,
Mark Chartrand III, who became his first role model.
Dr. Chartrand had a way of using humorous examples to
make complex scientific ideas understandable to every-
one. Neil received a certificate for completing the course,
signed by Dr. Chartrand, which he still has to this day.
On returning home from camp, Neil was asked to
give a talk to fifty adults. He told the audience all about
what he'd learned at the planetarium. The sponsors of
the talk paid Neil $50-more money than he had ever
earned in a single day. "That's one hundred dog walks!"
Neil marveled, thinking back to his old job.

DON'T TELL MY MOM

I'M EATING DESSERT
BEFORE DINNER.

WE WOULD LOVE TO
HAVE YOU HERE AT
CORNELL.

In the end, Neil declined Professor Sagan's offer

and decided to attend Harvard University. But their
connection would one day be renewed. In 2015, several
years after Carl Sagan died and Neil had succeeded him
as America's best-known astrophysicist, TV producers
asked Neil to host a new series of Cosmos programs.
In 1996, Neil returned to the place where his love
for astrophysics began-the Hayden Planetarium-but
68
now he was its director, a job he still has today. Neil
revived Dr. Chartrand's tradition of presenting every
astronomy student with a graduation-style diploma. He
signed each one, as a way of honoring the scientists who
came before him.
Like Dr. Chartrand and Professor Sagan, Neil uses
humor and plain language to convey his enthusiasm
for the science of astrophysics. That common touch has
helped make Neil deGrasse Tyson one of the most
popular and respected scientists in the world.

IF YOU SEE SATURN,

TELL HIM I SAID HELLO.

Want to keep reading? Pick up a copy of Kid Scientists.

By middle school, Jeff 's pencil sketches were getting

huge-literally. He drew immense four-foot-tall
drawings that attracted the attention of his teachers.
They started putting his work on display inside a glass
case in the school lobby.
Patrick became Jeff 's biggest fan. One day, without
asking permission, Jeff 's little brother brought one of
78
his sketchbooks to school and passed it around. The
other kids were amazed at Jeff 's realistic renderings of
Star Wars characters. Some even offered to buy Jeff 's
drawings. But when Jeff found out what Patrick had
done, he was furious. He didn't think his drawings were
good enough to be put up for sale.

It was many years before Jeff worked up the courage

to sell some of his drawings. In college, he spent three
years sending his cartoons to newspapers, hoping some-
one would buy them. But all he got was rejections. "I
realized that the problem was that I couldn't draw well
enough," he admitted. "My drawings weren't
professional grade."
Then one day Jeff hit upon the idea of creating a
character based on himself as a child. He would present
the boy's sketches and observations in the form of a
79
diary. That way, it wouldn't matter if the drawings
didn't look professional. He was inspired by reading a
Harry Potter book. "He's brave, he's magical, he's pow-
erful," Jeff said later, "and I wasn't any of these things
as a kid, so I wanted to create a character who was
more like I was."
For the next four years, Jeff wracked his brain try-
ing to remember the details of his childhood. He spent
hours on the phone with his siblings, writing down
every funny story they could recall: all the pranks that
Scott and Annmarie played on him, the fights he had
with Patrick, and his adventures in school.

When he had enough material to fill a dozen sketch-

books, Jeff showed his work to an editor at a comic book
convention. To his surprise, the editor told him his
work was just what publishers were looking for. A short
80
time later, Jeff signed a contract to write the first book
in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.
More than ten years and a dozen books later, Jeff is
one of the world's most popular authors. Over 180
million copies of his Wimpy Kid books have been sold.
Jeff and his wife, Julie, even own their own bookstore,
An Unlikely Story, in his adopted hometown of Plain-
ville, Massachusetts.
No one is happier for Jeff 's success than his brothers
and sister, who know what an important role they
played in making this frustrated middle child the writer
he is today.

Don't miss more true tales in Kid Authors.

BORN 1917

H e was the youngest man ever elected

U.S. president, but he was no kid. When he
took office in 1961, John F. Kennedy had already
survived a slew of childhood illnesses, fought in a
war, and written a book about courageous Amer
ican leaders. But the biggest challenge faced by
"Jack" may have been escaping from the shadow
of his older brother.
82
"If you bring up the eldest son right," Jack Kennedy's
mother once explained, "that is very important because
the younger ones watch him. If he works at his studies
and his sports until he is praised, the others will follow
his example."
That was certainly the rule in the Kennedy household.
Oldest brother Joe got all the praise while the next-oldest,
Jack, was treated like a pale copy of the original. From
the time the boys were little, their father went around
telling everybody that Joe would be president of the
United States someday.

Eager to please his parents, Joe reveled in his role

as "Golden Boy." But that didn't sit well with Jack. To
him, Joe did not seem like a role model. He seemed
like a bully.

The brothers also staged epic wrestling matches. Joe

used his superior size and strength to easily pin Jack to
the canvas.

And then there was the disastrous bike race. One

day, Joe challenged his brother to cycle around the neigh
borhood. Each took off from the same spot headed in
opposite directions. They pedaled furiously around the
block to see who could return to the starting line first.
As the competitors sped toward the finish, it looked
like anybody's race. But neither brother was willing
85
to concede defeat. Instead of stopping, they collided
head-on.

Joe walked away without a scratch. Jack was not so

lucky. His injuries resulted in twenty-eight stitches. "At
least I showed him I won't back down," Jack told himself.
Jack took every opportunity to exact even a small
measure of revenge on his rival. At dinner one night,
Joe was served his favorite meal of roast beef with
orange meringue. As usual, the other Kennedy kids had
to wait until Joe's plate was filled before digging into
their own. Seeing his chance, Jack dove across the table,
snatched the beef from Joe's plate, and stuffed into his
own mouth. A full-on, two-fisted brawl broke out.
86
But Jack's moments of triumph were few and far be-
tween. Indeed, Joe's status within the family only grew.
When their father was often away on business, young
Joe stood in for him as head of the household. At dinner,
he sat at the head of the table, carving knife in hand,
and meted out punishments to the other children. "I'm in
charge!" he'd gleefully declare whenever Joe Sr. left town.

It took a long time, but eventually Jack came to see

Joe in a new light, although they never became close. One
year, when Joe went away to camp, Jack briefly assumed
the duties as head of the household in their father's ab
sence. By summer's end, Jack was begging Joe Sr. to let
him go to camp with Joe the next year. The responsibility
of being a role model was too tough to bear.
88
By the time he was a young adult, Jack understood
that the pressure of living up to Joe's example had
taught him important lessons: how to be tough, how to
compete, and how to win. He followed Joe to college,
then on to law school, and then into military service. At
each step, Jack's achievements exceeded those of his older
brother, something even his demanding parents could
not fail to notice.

Which is exactly what happened. John F. Kennedy

entered the White House on January 20, 1961, when he
was just forty-three years old (making him the youngest
president ever elected to office). He helped advance the
U.S. space program and inspired Americans to work to-
gether to send the first man to the moon. Today, many
polls still rank him as one of America's most popular
presidents.
As an adult, John F. Kennedy admitted that he owed a
lot of his success to his big brother Joe. Yes, they fought
90
like crazy, and at times they seemed to hate each other.
But the constant competition inspired the younger Ken-
nedy to work harder, play faster, and study longer.
In a book of reminiscences about his older brother,
he wrote the following:

Learn more presidential history in Kid Presidents.

G abrielle "Gabby" Douglas took home a gold

medal in 2012 as a member of the "Fierce Five"
U.S. gymnastics team at the Olympic Games. But
she wasn't born fierce. Though she may have always
known how to stand tall on the balance beam,
Gabby had to learn how best to stand up for herself
when those around her tried to knock her down.

It would not be the last time Gabby would have to

deal with bullies.
Gabby's childhood became consumed with rolling
and tumbling. When she was three, her older sister
Arielle taught her how to do a cartwheel. By the very
next day, Gabby had moved on to handstands, flips, and
other tricky maneuvers. Within a week, she was doing
one-handed cartwheels.
Amazed by her sister's progress, Arielle told their
mom, Natalie Hawkins, that Gabby should start gym-
nastics lessons. But Natalie worried that her daughter
would hurt herself, and she refused.

So when Gabby was six, Natalie signed her up at

a local gym that offered weekend gymnastics classes.
Soon Gabby was receiving formal instruction for about
six hours a week.
After two years, Gabby was ready to move on to the
next level of training. Her mother found another gym
that provided more rigorous instruction. The goal there
was to train young gymnasts to compete and win tour-
naments at the highest level, including the Olympics.

Then, one day, when it was time to clean the chalk

off the uneven bars after class, one of Gabby's team-
mates greeted her with a cruel taunt. "Why doesn't
Gabby do it?" the girl asked. "She's our slave." Gabby
was terribly hurt by the remark, but she didn't confront
the girl or say anything to her instructors. It wasn't
until years later that she found the courage to talk
about the incident, though she never forgot about it
during that time.

Gabby knew she'd been bullied, and she suspected it

was because she was the only African American girl in
the class. But she was afraid that if she spoke up, she'd
be isolated even more-maybe even thrown out of the
gymnastics program altogether. So she held her tongue
and kept the hurtful comments to herself. She didn't
even tell her mother.
Over time, the bullying took a toll on Gabby's per-
formance. She finished in tenth place at her first junior

"I thought you might be ninth or tenth," he said,

"but never fourth!"
Gabby had finally reached her breaking point. How
could she have faith in her abilities if her own coach
thought so little of her? She knew that it was time to
stand up for herself, put an end to the bullying, and find
a coach who believed in her.

Coach Chow was impressed. He was also friendly

and patient, taking the time to show Gabby new moves
and expressing confidence in her abilities.

Absolutely not, Gabby's mom replied. "There's no

way I'm sending my baby across the country."
But Gabby knew she had to take a stand for what she
believed in-she had only two short years before the
next Olympic Games! Faced with her mother's refusal,
all she could feel was frustration and anger. "If I don't
change coaches, I'm quitting gymnastics!" she declared,
and then she stormed out of the room.
100
When her anger cooled, Gabby realized that threaten-
ing to quit unless she got her way was not a smart idea.
Teamwork was the way to go. Once again, she enlisted
her sisters Arielle and Joyelle to help convince their
mother to change her mind. Finally, after much begging
and pleading, they wore her down. Natalie realized that
when her youngest daughter set her heart on something,
she wouldn't let go. She agreed to let Gabby leave home
to pursue her Olympic dream.

In October of 2010, Gabby packed her bags and

made the thousand-mile trip from Virginia Beach to
West Des Moines. She moved in with a host family
and began training with Coach Chow six hours a
day, six days a week. Gabby missed her family. There
were days during the long, frigid winter when she
thought about giving up and returning home to
sunny Virginia Beach.

101
But with the help of her new coach, Gabby consis-
tently improved on each apparatus. She led the U.S.
team to a gold medal at the 2011 World Championships
in Tokyo and then collected gold, silver, and bronze
medals at the U.S. National Championships in 2012.
Later that year, the sixteen-year-old phenomenon-
now known affectionately as the "Flying Squirrel"-led
the American gymnasts to victory in the team competi-
tion at the Olympics. After all the bullying she'd expe-
rienced, and all the hard work she'd put in practicing,
Gabby had finally found a team with whom she could
shine. She was now one of the fabulous "Fierce Five."

Looking for more stories about Olympians?

Read Kid Athletes.

102
TURN THE PAGE
FOR SOME

FUN FACTS
ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE

BARACK OBAMA's first job was scooping ice cream

at Baskin Robbins. He has hated ice cream ever since.

World-renowned artist VINCENT VAN GOGH

loved to collect insects.

Artist ANDY WARHOL disliked school so much

that, every morning, a grown-up had to drag him
kicking and screaming out of the house.

Basketball player YAO MING grew up thinking he

was too tall to fit through a doorway-let alone make
it in the professional basketball leagues of the NBA.

Every president started out as a kid! Forget the

legends, tall tales, and historic achievements-
before they were presidents, the future leaders
of the United States had regular-kid problems
just like you. John F. Kennedy hated his big
brother. Lyndon Johnson pulled pranks in class.
Barack Obama was bothered by bullies. And Bill
Clinton was crazy clumsy (he once broke his leg
jumping rope). Kid Presidents tells all of their stories and more
with full-color cartoon illustrations on every page. History has
never been this much fun!

Forget the gold medals, the championships, and

the undefeated seasons. When all-star athletes
were growing up, they had regular-kid prob-
lems just like you. Baseball legend Babe Ruth
was such a troublemaker, his family sent him to
reform school. Race car champion Danica Pat-
rick fended off bullies who told her "girls can't
drive." And football superstar Peyton Manning
was forced to dance the tango in his school play. Kid Athletes tells
all of their stories and more with full-color cartoon illustrations
on every page. Other subjects include Billie Jean King, Jackie
Robinson, Yao Ming, Gabby Douglas, Tiger Woods, Julie Krone,
Bruce Lee, Muhammad Ali, Bobby Orr, Lionel Messi, and more!
Every great artist started out as a kid. For-
get the awards, the sold-out museum exhibi-
tions, and the timeless masterpieces. When the
world's most celebrated artists were growing
up, they had regular-kid problems just like you.
Jackson Pollock's family moved constantly-
he lived in eight different cities before he was
sixteen years old. Georgia O'Keeffe lived in the
shadow of her "perfect" older brother Francis. And Jean-Michel
Basquiat triumphed over poverty to become one of the world's
most influential artists. Kid Artists tells their stories and more
with full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly every page. Other
subjects include Claude Monet, Jacob Lawrence, Leonardo da Vin-
ci, Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Beatrix Potter,
Yoko Ono, Dr. Seuss, Emily Carr, Keith Haring, Charles Schulz,
and Louise Nevelson.

Forget all of the best sellers, the sold-out book

tours, and the crowds of fans seeking auto-
graphs. When the world's most beloved authors
were growing up, the had regular-kid problems
just like you. Laura Ingalls Wilder's family
never stayed in one place long enough for her to
make friends. Langston Hughes had to deal with
his parents' divorce and his mother's struggle
to make enough money. And J.K. Rowling was so shy that bullies
picked on her at school. Kid Authors tells these stories and more
with full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly every page. Learn
all about the young lives of Stan Lee, Jeff Kinney, Sherman Alex-
ie, Jules Verne, Zora Neal Hurston, J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allan
Poe, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Lewis Carroll, Mark Twain, and
Roald Dahl.
Forget the moon landing, the Nobel prizes,
and the famous inventions. When the world's
most brilliant scientists were growing up, they
had regular-kid problems just like you. Albert
Einstein daydreamed instead of paying attention
in class. Jane Goodall got in trouble for bring-
ing worms and snails into her house. And Neil
deGrasse Tyson had to start a dog-walking busi-
ness to save up money to buy a telescope. Kid Scientists tells these
stories and more with full-color cartoon illustrations on nearly
every page. Learn all about the young lives of Stephen Hawking,
Temple Grandin, Nikola Tesla, Ada Lovelace, Benjamin Franklin,
Marie Curie, Isaac Newton, Rosalind Franklin, Sally Ride, Rachel
Carson, George Washington Carver, Vera Rubin, and Katherine
Johnson.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AND ILLUSTRATORS

Authors DAVID STABLER and illustrator DOOGIE HORNER

have created many books. Their collaborations are Kid
Presidents, Kid Athletes, Kid Artists, and Kid Authors. David
Stabler lives in New York City, and Doogie Horner lives
in Philadelphia. ANOOSHA SYED is an illustrator and
character designer for animation. She lives in Toronto.

Text and illustrations copyright © by Quirk

Productions, Inc.

All rights reserved. Except as authorized under

U.S. copyright law, no part of the book may be reproduced
in any form without written permission from the publisher.

WITCHES!
and other
SECRET CODES!

"Two-headed monsters, giant tentacles, angry demons - Tales from

Lovecraft Middle School is great creepy fun!"
-Ransom Riggs, author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
LOVECRAFTMIDDLESCHOOL.COM
QUIRK BOOKS

"Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab has the perfect formula:
Mega-watts of funny writing plus giga-hertz of hands-on
science equals fun to the billionth power!"
-Chris Grabenstein, New York Times best selling author of
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
NICKANDTESLA.COM
Did you love these
cool stories?
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PLUS PEYTON MANNING, JEFF KINNEY, PABLO PICASSO, AND MORE! i K ID LEGENDS TRUE TALES OF CHILDHOOD FROM THE BOOKS KID ARTISTS, KID ATHLETES, KID PRESIDENTS, KID AUTHORS, AND KID SCIENTISTSSTORIES BY DAVID STABLER ILLUSTRATIONS BY DOOGIE HORNER AND ANOOSHA SYED PLUS PEYTON MANNING, JEFF KINNEY, PABLO PICASSO, AND MORE!TABLE OF CONTENTS PART ONE IT'S NOT EASY BEING A KID PART TWO PERSEVERANCE 2 PART THREE FAMILY MATTERS but her time in school was anything butmagical.

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Kid Scientists TRUE TALES OF CHILDHOOD FROM S C I E N C E S U P E R S TA R S CURRICULUM GUIDE STORIES BY DAVID STABLER  ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANOOSHA SYED Kid Scientists: True Tales of Childhood from Science Superstars contains kid-friendly and relatable childhood stories of sixteen of theworld's most important and innovative scientists.

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Doodle alongside Mo Willems, author of Elephant & Piggie, The Pigeon books, and many more!

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Author and Illustrator Mo Willems has been awarded the American Library Association’s Caldecott Honor three times for his picture book illustration. Additionally, he is the recipient of two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors for his Elephant & Piggie early readers. Mo began his career as a writer and animator on Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards. His work has been exhibited around the world, including solo retrospectives at the High Museum in Atlanta and the New-York Historical Society. Over the last decade, Mo has written three musical theater works based on his books, two of which were commissioned and toured by the Kennedy Center.

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Click on Jeffers Icon to watch his storytime videos.