ART PROJECT FOR KIDS: Eyes in the Dark--Drawing Nighttime Animals

When daytime animals go to sleep, nighttime animals wake up. Imagine what it would be like to go on a nighttime walk and see some of these nocturnal animals peering in the dark. 

Here's how you can make your own illustration of the animals you might see.

You will need:

    Black construction paper.

    Chalk.

    Googly eyes. (You can buy these at a craft store.)

    Glue.

Use the chalk to draw your animals on the black paper. Glue the eyes in place. What kind of nighttime scene did you create?

Animals that are active at night are called nocturnal animals. You can read about both daytime and nighttime animals in my Day and Night books.

VISIT TO THE MILL VALLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY, Mill Valley, California

Children's Room of the Mill Valley Public Library, Mill Valley, CA.

On a recent trip to the Bay Area in Northern California, I visited the beautiful Mill Valley Public Library, tucked among the redwoods in the town of Mill Valley in Marin County. The large windows of the library look out onto Mill Park, a grove of giant redwood trees along Mill Creek, which was roaring with water after a week of heavy rain. In the early days of Mill Valley the water power of the creek ran a sawmill. Today the  trees are preserved as a public park.

Redwood trees in Mill Park, Mill Valley, CA.

My parents lived in Mill Valley for thirty-seven years and I often visited both the redwood grove and the library. On the day of my recent visit (during the Christmas holidays) the library was busy with families and people checking out books. When I looked at the catalog I found that the library has 44 of my books in its collection. I was pleased to see that a number of them were checked out, including my book about Angel Island in San Francisco Bay, Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog. 

Entrance to the Mill Valley Public Library.

REMEMBERING EDITH RENFROW SMITH, July 14, 1914—January 2, 2026

Edith Renfrow Smith, age 110

Edith Renfrow Smith, the first black graduate of Grinnell College, lived a life devoted to her family and community. After graduation she moved from Iowa to Chicago but always maintained close family ties to the town of Grinnell where she had grown up. She has died at the age of 111. I first learned about Edith when I was involved in the production of the children’s book about her life, NO ONE IS BETTER THAN YOU: Edith Renfrow Smith and the Power of aMother’s Words, written by Monique Shore. (I provided editorial advice.) In the book I learned about Edith's childhood in one of the few Black families in Grinnell and about her later life in Chicago, where she married and raised her children, became a teacher, and then, after retirement, spent many years as a volunteer in the community.

In September 2024 I was honored to meet Edith and talk with her about her memories of Grinnell during the time that my husband Art’s father and his siblings were also growing up in Grinnell. (Edith was a classmate of Art’s uncle Don.) Edith was a living, breathing link to the past, and I was impressed that her mind at 110 was still so sharp. Her key to a long life? A positive outlook and joy for life. When asked about her secret she said:

“The Lord gives you the birthdays, and you take ‘em,” says Edith. “You have no choice. Take what you have, make use of it, and be thankful for what you have. Don’t let life pass you by. Remember, this is your life. It’s wonderful to live long enough to enjoy just being here.”

Edith will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her memory will live on.

You can read her obituary in the Chicago Sun Times.

Edith in her graduation robe and as a young child with a ribbon in her hair. (Temporary wheat paste murals in Grinnell, created for the dedication of Renfrow Hall, 2024.)  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

"The world is so full of a number of things,

I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."

....Walter Louis Stevenson

As I have been going through boxes of mementos, I found the Golden Book verson of A Child's Garden of Verses, poems by Walter Louis Stevenson--one of my most loved books as a child. Some of the pages are torn and colored with crayon, but it is still one of my favorite books. (The poems were first published in England in 1885.)

As a new year begins I think back on so many of the books I enjoyed as a child and how they began my love of books and reading.

May the new year be filled with more good books!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2026!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS: Celebrating with BABAR AND FATHER CHRISTMAS

Among my favorite books as a child were the stories of Babar the elephant, which we checked out from our local library. Written originally in French, we read the translated English version. There are more than a dozen Babar books. Babar was created by author/illustrator Jean de Brunhoff in 1931. After his death in 1937, the series was continued by his son Laurent de Brunhoff.  In Babar and Father Christmas (1940), Father Christmas brings gifts for the whole elephant family, including the children-- Pom, Flora and Alexander--cousin Arthur, and the monkey Zephir.

In this holiday season I send you best wishes for a very happy celebration with your friends and family!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

From The Intrepid Tourist

AUTHOR VISIT AT MARSHALL ELEMENTARY, Glendale, CA

In the auditorium of Marshall Elementary, Glendale, CA. The tiger is the school mascot.

On Tuesday, December 16, I had a good day at Marshall Elementary School in Glendale, California. The day was sponsored by the Glendale Assistance League, who not only brought in the authors for the day and gave each teacher a copy of one of our books, but also gave a generous check to the school for the purchase of books for the library. I was one of four authors visiting classrooms--Franz Vischer, Joe Cepeda and  Callie Miller were the others. I gave presentations to first and second grade students. Because it was the week before the winter break holiday, the school was decorated with holiday cheer and many students and teachers were wearing hats and colorful sweaters. The school mascot is the tiger.

I was pleased by the good response to my presentation by the students and teachers. They especially liked my new book My Friend From Outer Space, enthusiastically helping to count down from 10 before shouting, BLAST OFF!

Special thanks go to everyone on the Assistance League committee for coordinating everything and making sure the day ran smoothly! My personal guide was Jo, who introduced me and kept me on schedule. I thank all the Glendale Assistance League volunteers who helped--introducing me in the classrooms, helping out with the book signing, and bringing the delicious snacks and lunch. It was another successful Authors and Illustrators Day! 

Entrance to John Marshall Elementary School, Glendale, CA.

AUTHOR VISIT AT ANDERSON SCHOOL, GARDEN GROVE, CA

Anderson Elementary School, Garden Grove, CA, wall mural.

Last week I had an enjoyable author visit at Anderson Elementary School in Garden Grove, California (Westminster School District). I had a full day, speaking to two groups of kindergarten children in their classrooms and to grades one through six in the multipurpose room. With the younger children I did an interactive presentation in which they participated in a Lion Hunt (similar to a Bear Hunt) and helped sing the Wiggle and Waggle song. With the older children I used PowerPoint slides to talk about my books and being an author. I am grateful to the teachers who helped me navigate the technology of the screen for my slide show--every school seems to have a different system!

With my PowerPoint Presentation in the MPR

I thank teacher Denise Greene who organized the day and wrote the grant that supported my visit and funds for the purchase of my books for the school library. And I also thank Principal Kimberly Breckenridge for guiding me around the campus and for introducing me. I also thank Denise for providing my lunch--a delicious sandwich from Jersey Mikes.