Author Visit with Students at WILDWOOD SCHOOL, Los Angeles, CA

Yesterday I had a delightful visit with kindergarten and first grade students at Wildwood School in West Los Angeles.  They were an enthusiastic audience with lots of questions and comments. In advance of my visit they had all read my books A Penguin’s World, A Panda’s World, A Zebra’s World and A Killer Whale’s World. Each class chose an animal and did an art project with cut paper or torn paper, so they were especially interested in learning how I create the cut-paper art for my books. During my program I also talked about birds and measured the students' wingspans, went on a “lion hunt”, showed slides, and finished by reading Wiggle and Waggle and singing the Wiggle and Waggle gardening song with them. I thank Jennifer DuBois in the library for arranging my visit and for doing such a good job preparing the students.

AUTHORS FESTIVAL Huntington Beach, CA, Visit to Sun View School

Signing Books at the Huntington Beach Library

Yesterday I participated in the 27th annual Authors Festival in Huntington Beach, California, which included a visit to enthusiastic students at Sun View School in the morning followed by a reception at the Huntington Beach Public Library in the afternoon where I had the chance to chat with authors who had visited other schools, and meet teachers, children, and parents from the district. Many of the children were proud winners of the writing and illustrating contest “Spin Us a Story.” I congratulate them!  Perhaps, some of them will grow up and become authors and illustrators!

Ready for my presentation at Sun View School

I thank Christine Barry at Sun View school for doing such a good job to prepare the students for my visit and to organize the day. She had checked out many of my books from the public library and read them to each class. And she coordinated a delicious potluck lunch and sent out the book order. It was a pleasure to visit Sun View and meet the students, teachers and parents.

Authors Festival banner at the Huntington Beach Library

I thank the Friends of the Children’s Library and the Authors Festival Committee for doing a terrific job, as always, to make this a successful day.  The excitement for books and reading was evident everywhere.  I especially thank the Employees Community Fund of Boeing California for their generous grant supporting the Authors Festival.  I was honored that one of my books, Taj Mahal, was chosen as a thank you gift to the employees group. I have participated in the Huntington Beach Authors Festival almost every year since it began. Every year I see how meeting a “real live” author has such an important impact on the children in the schools. It is an ideal way to spark the love of books and reading.

NEW BOOK: A DAY AND NIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE, Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

Wee-o! Wee-o! calls the prairie dog. Morning is here!
Are you ready to fly through the day alongside hawks and bees? Creep through the night alongside foxes and skunks? Come spend a day and night on the North American prairie. The clock is ticking … Time to look, listen, and learn!
Every day and every night animals are busy on the prairie. They find food, water and safe places to rest. They have everything they need.

A DAY AND NIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The cut paper illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night. This book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.
Sidebars on each page spread expand information in the text. Back matter includes a map of grasslands of the world, fun facts, a glossary and index, and a guide to websites appropriate for the age group.

A DAY AND NIGHT ON THE PRAIRIE is one of four books in my new series Caroline Arnold’s Habitats published by PictureWindow Books (Capstone.) It is available in both hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition.
Go to my website for Common Core connections, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

NEW BOOK: A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE FOREST, Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

Cheerup, cheerup! call the robins. Morning is here!
Are you ready to scamper through the day alongside rabbits and squirrels? Prowl through the night alongside bears and raccoons? Come spend a day and night in a North American deciduous forest. The clock is ticking … Time to look, listen, and learn!
Every day and every night animals are busy in the forest. They find food, water and safe places to rest. They have everything they need. 

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE FOREST follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night. This book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.
Sidebars on each page spread expand information in the text. Back matter includes a map of deciduous forests of the world, fun facts, a glossary and index, and a guide to websites appropriate for the age group.

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE FOREST is one of four books in my new series Caroline Arnold’s Habitats. It is available in both a hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition.
Go to my website for Common Core connections, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

NEW BOOK: A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE DESERT, Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

Tap-tap, tap-tap! pecks a Gila woodpecker. Morning is here!
Are you ready to race through the day alongside roadrunners and jackrabbits? Hunt through the night alongside coyotes and snakes? Come spend a day and night in the Sonora Desert. The clock is ticking … Time to look, listen, and learn!
Every day and every night animals are busy in the Sonora desert. They find food, water and safe places to rest. They have everything they need. 

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE DESERT follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night. This book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.
Sidebars on each page spread expand information in the text. Back matter includes a map of deserts of the world, fun facts, a glossary and index, and a guide to websites appropriate for the age group.

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE DESERT is one of four books in my new series Caroline Arnold’s Habitats. It is available in both hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition.
Go to my website for Common Core connections, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

NEW BOOK: A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE RAIN FOREST, Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

Cricka, cricka! Calls the toucan. Morning is here!
Are you ready to climb through the day alongside monkeys and coatis? Sneak through the night alongside snakes and jaguars? Come spend a day and night in the Amazon rain forest. The clock is ticking...Time to look, listen, and learn!
Every day and every night animals are busy in the rainforest. They find food, water and safe places to rest. They have everything they need. 

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE RAIN FOREST follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night. This book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.
Sidebars on each page spread expand information in the text. Back matter includes a map of rain forests of the world, fun facts, a glossary and index, and a guide to websites appropriate for the age group.

A DAY AND NIGHT IN THE RAIN FOREST is one of four books in my new series Caroline Arnold’s Habitats. It is available in both hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition.
Go to my website for Common Core connections, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

CAROLINE ARNOLD’S HABITATS: A Day and Night in the Rain Forest, Desert, Prairie and Forest--New Series Written and Illustrated by Caroline Arnold

My new books are just out from PictureWindow Books (Capstone)!  The series, Caroline Arnold’s Habitats, includes four titles, A Day and Night in the Rain Forest, A Day and Night in the Desert, A Day and Night on the Prairie, and A Day and Night in the Forest.  Like my earlier PWB series, Caroline Arnold’s Animals, the books are illustrated with my own cut-paper collage art. The large format (10 x 10 inches) makes them perfect for reading aloud in a classroom or library or for reading alone to a young child. Fascinating extra facts appear as sidebars and in the extensive back matter.

6:00 A.M., illustration from  A Day and Night in the Desert

Each book follows a 24 hour cycle of activity, highlighting the role of each animal in its habitat and how the habitat supports a variety of life. The illustrations progress from daylight to darkness to daylight again, visually supporting the progression of activity through the day and night.

9:00 P.M., illustration from A Day and Night in the Desert

The Caroline Arnold’s Habitats books are available in both a hardcover library binding and in a paperback edition. You can go to my website to find Common Core connections to each book, suggested projects and activities, and links to the other titles in the series.

Visit to LA’S BEST YOUNG AUTHORS at Ann Street School, Los Angeles

Welcome sign made by students at Ann Street School

Two days ago I had a wonderful visit with a group of  third grade students at Ann Street School in Los Angeles who are participating in the LA’s Best Young Authors Program.  In preparation, they had made a colorful welcome sign for me, read some of my books (from copies checked out from the library), and made a lovely thank you card with a picture of a zebra on the African plain (inspired by my book A Zebra’s World.)

Books created by students at Ann Street School

During our hour together I showed my slides, answered questions, and shared my books. The students then shared their books with me. Each student chose a favorite page for me to read. I was impressed by the good writing and creative art!  Then, while I read the first chapter of my book Wiggle and Waggle, the students colored their own Wiggle and Waggle pictures.  It was a fun visit with a very enthusiastic group of young writers!

LA's BEST YOUNG AUTHORS at Bushnell Way School

Yesterday I spoke to a lively group of young authors at Bushnell Way Elementary School in Los Angeles as part of the LA's Best author visit program.  The students and staff made me feel welcome with banners and a beautiful bouquet of roses for me to take home.  During the first part of the hour we talked about writing, measured wingspans (two students wingspans equal that of bald eagle), sang the Wiggle and Waggle song, after which I showed my slides. A favorite part for many of the students was feeling my 14-million year old fossil megalodon tooth.  The students then shared their writing projects that they have been working on since the beginning of the school year. Finally, while the students colored their own Wiggle and Waggle pictures, I read the first chapter of the book. Altogether, it was a rewarding visit for all!

SCRATCH BOARD ART: Perfect for Black and White Animals and Other Subjects Too

Scratch board is the perfect medium for drawing pictures of black and white animals such as zebras and penguins, or for creating dramatic effects with any subject.  Using a sharp instrument to draw on the dark surface, the black layer is removed, revealing white underneath.

On one of my school visits I saw amazing scratch board artwork made by the children after reading my books A Zebra’s World and A Penguin’s World.  They had also done drawings from A Koala's World and A Kangaroo's World. Scratch board is also a great medium for depicting animals that are primarily active at night. You can buy scratch board at an art store, or you can create your own by coloring with crayon on heavy paper and than painting over it with India ink.  Scratch board comes in white or with colors underneath the black.