Goodbye Summer!

I love summer. I love the long, less-scheduled days and the joyful squeals and laughter of the kids, freely running around the neighborhood. I love the feeling of my bare feet on the earth. I love the smells of compost and flowers, of ripe tomatoes on the vine and freshly-cut grass. I love dirt under my fingernails and resting after a day of hard work in the fresh air. I love never having to consider a coat, or whether I need gloves or a hat.

But now, earlier sunsets and cooler nights are too obvious to ignore. Mums have replaced the frilly, technicolor annuals at the garden centers and, somehow, they feel more somber to me, less free and fresh, with their sturdy stems able to withstand chilly winds and first frosts.

So, slowly, I’ll begin the process of dismantling summer. Root-bound containers will be emptied, awaiting next spring. Things that can be saved or propagated will come inside, to ride out the months of cold and snow under the basement grow lights. Mounds of plant material will be composted to nourish the gardens next year, and, once first frost hits hard, it will be time to dig up dahlia tubers and put them away for safe keeping until the ground is warm again.

Eventually, I’ll make the best of it — with straw bales and pumpkins and mums, with warm, hearty soups and stews and freshly-baked bread. The fireplaces will be lit and Zak and I will decide that some mornings are “definitely hot chocolate” mornings. Our maple trees will burst with color, and I’ll notice that they’re beautiful. I’ll hear the loudspeaker and the marching band and fans cheering from the local high school on Friday nights. And, I’ll decide that “fall is nice, too.”

But, for now, I’m hugging summer goodbye. I know that it’s time, and I know it will be back… but, still, I just don’t want to let go.

Fall Tour Dates

📢 Fall Tour Dates Announcement📢

I'm so excited to be heading back on the road this fall to visit some of my favorite independent bookstores, local schools, and the @occchildrensbookfest! If you live in California or near any of these cities in the Northeast, I hope you'll come and say hello!

Construction Site Gets a Fright!

Happy Book Birthday to Construction Site Gets a Fright! It may still feel like the height of summer where you are, but September is here and Halloween is just 8 weeks away! I loved creating this special story with lift-the-flap surprises to help the whole family get ready for spooky season. If your little one is eagerly anticipating costumes and candy, they'll love revving up for Halloween with all of their construction site friends

New Book...Construction Site Taking Flight...pre-order now!

Wherever I go, I’m on the lookout for the coolest big (and bigger!) machines — because, well, I LOVE them (!), every bit as much as the kids who read my books. And, because I spend so much time in airports, it’s hard to NOT see and appreciate all of of the wheeled “ground crew” that keeps the whole operation running smoothly — getting us all where we need to go. And, that’s what has inspired the latest book in the Construction Site series, “Construction Site: Taking Flight!”

While the familiar Construction Site crew works to build an airport addition, they get an up-close look at the busy airport trucks, each with special skills and jobs to do, and all hard at work. And, just like with the construction crew, “teamwork makes the dream work!”

I hope your young reader will enjoy meeting my new truck friends.

Available September 26th. If you’d like to gift a copy for the holidays, please get yours early to avoid disappointment — you can preorder now, wherever books are sold.

A special thanks to @united Airlines for featuring me in this month’s “Hemispheres,” United’s in-flight magazine. (United also happens to be my personal airline of choice.) Thanks also to @agfordart for his beautiful work on the series and to @chroniclekidsbooks for nurturing the series for well over a decade. And, mostly, thanks to all of you, the loyal fans of the series.

The King of Kindergarten

Whether your little ones are excited to get #BackToSchool or worried about big changes on the horizon, there's always a picture book on the shelf that can help. I rounded up some of my favorites here to help parents, teachers, and school librarians tackle those big first day of school feelings.

Limited Barnes and Noble Edition!

If you thought yesterday's news was the only big announcement I had up my sleeve, guess what? There's another collector's edition coming from @barnesandnoble! The Construction Site on Christmas Night limited edition also hits stores on September 8th and features a sparkly cover AND pop out ornaments that the kids will love. Don't miss your chance to get this one under the tree this year!

New Limited Edition

It's going to be a big fall for Construction Site fans! I'm so excited to announce that @barnesandnoble will release a collector's edition of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site on September 8th. Little ones will love the super-shiny new cover AND a sticker sheet of their construction site pals. Make sure to order now because once these sell out they'll be gone for good!

Summer Food

There is something about a tomato, ripe off the vine and still warm from the sun, that feels like…peace. 🍅❤️

Black Krim (my favorite!) with basil from the garden, fresh mozzarella and balsamic glaze. Oh, and sea salt! (If I’m honest, my favorite way to eat this is on crusty bread with thin slices of COLD butter. But, I got on the scale the other day, so, you know. 🤦🏻‍♀️)

Joy Ride...lovely post!

Thank you so much @curlsupwithagoodbook for such a lovely post about Joy Ride. 🥰 🚴 •

Some of my favorite books that I’ve written are not bestsellers, and fly under the radar. “Joy Ride” is one of them, along with “It’s So Quiet” and “The 12 Sleighs Of Christmas.” I’d love it if you’d check them out and let me know what you think. ❤️📚
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Repost from @curlsupwithagoodbook
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I feel like summer 🌞 has really gotten away from me and we still have so many summer 🌞 books to share!

Our back to school collection is coming August 1st but until then let's pretend it's the 3rd day of summer break and you're looking for something to do...just like the main character in today's share!

Joy Ride by @sherririnker with illustrations by @florecitasdelcampo and published by @candlewickpress is the story of Joy who joins forces with her grandfather for a summer 🌞 project of fixing up an old bike 🚲 They create a one of a kind masterpiece that brings joy so much Joy until some neighborhood kids make fun of her. Will Joy let her joy slip away?

Why The Curlys love it:
📘 Max's 🐶 outfit Joy made
📘 Her awesome bike!! 🚲

Why Mommy likes it:
📗 Super adorable illustrations
📗 Intergenerational story
📗 The message to be true to yourself and stand out from the crowd

Life is so hard sometimes

Six years ago, we were at the cabin, our Fourth of July tradition. Dad made pancakes in the morning, we all went for brats and hot dogs at the firehouse in the afternoon, and we’d watch fireworks on the lake from the boat at night.

Now, Dad, the cabin, and even our sweet doggie are gone.

Only memories remain.

Good Bye Sweet Girl

For almost 16 years, she was part of our family. She grew up with our boys. She saw us through celebrations and holidays and moving to the suburbs and time at the lake and illnesses and tragedy and all of life’s twists-and-turns and ups-and-downs.

She brought us companionship and comfort and so much joy and silliness and fun.

She is forever entangled in our memories.

She was steadfast in her love and devotion to all of us, and we will miss her so, so much.

Thank you for everything, sweet girl. I hope you had the best time. We sure did.

Go dig in the dirt and catch those chipmunks.

And please say hi to Papa for us.

Comfort to me..

The first flush of roses is my favorite — before the mixture of comings and goings, (and the necessary dead-heading and trimming) when everything is fresh and alive and bursting with color.

The gardens have been my solace during this most difficult of times after losing my dad. I try to feel his presence in the earth and the wind, and in all that is newly emerging. #gardeningthroughgrief