WIGGLY WORMS AND NEWLY HATCHED CHICKS: A Visit with Mrs. Best’s Kindergarten Class

Over the last ten years I have written three books about Jennifer Best and her kindergarten students at Haynes School in Los Angeles, beginning with HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6 which follows the process of incubating eggs and raising chicks after they hatch.

After the chicks grow up, the chickens live in an enclosure at the school.

Every year I visit Mrs. Best's class (now in Room 4) to share my books and learn what the students are doing. My visit this year was timed to be on hatching day for the chicks. When I arrived, I saw three of the chicks hopping around in the incubator. Two eggs had yet to hatch. The children were watching the chicks directly in the incubator, or could see them enlarged on the screen in the front of the room which was projecting the image via YouTube. Technology is amazing!

I began my presentation by asking the children how they knew that chickens are bird. The answer: they have feathers and lay eggs. Then I showed them my ostrich egg and measured their wingspans.

My next books with Mrs. Best were BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM6 and PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6. The students had just finished raising painted lady butterflies and released them in the school garden. 

We talked about how worms are good for the garden and then I read WIGGLE AND WAGGLE while Mrs. Best acted out the story with my Wiggle and Waggle sock puppets. Then the students each had a chance to see worms up close, hold them, and inspect them with a magnifying glass. Afterward they drew pictures and wrote about what they saw.

Red worms are good for recycling nutrients in the soil..

In the year that I wrote PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 the students had a very successful vegetable garden. This year they also planted vegetables in a planter box outside. Unfortunately, hungry bunnies have invaded the school yard and ate all the vegetables except for a very large tomato plant and a pumpkin vine.

Jennifer Best and the giant tomato plant and pumpkin vine.

I had a fun afternoon in Mrs. Best’s classroom and enjoyed seeing all the projects displayed on the classroom walls. Before I left I gave each student a copy of my folding book WHO HAS MORE? WHO HAS FEWER? 

On one side of each page they can count the eggs of seven different kinds of birds. On the other they can count the baby birds just hatched from their eggs—just like the chicks they saw hatch in the incubator in Mrs. Best’s class. The students are lucky to have such a wonderful teacher as Mrs. Best who provides them with so many hands-on science opportunities.

Chick and eggshell inside incubator.

LETTERS FROM STUDENTS about my Room 6 Books

I love getting letters from students! The kindergarteners and Pre-K students at Foothill Elementary School in Pittsburg, CA, read HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6, BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6, and PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 as they raised butterflies in their classroom and planted a school garden. I just received their letters in the mail. I loved finding out about their favorite books and seeing the children's illustrations. Many thanks to their teacher, Heather Davis Puerzer, for sending the letters to me.

SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL and BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6 at the Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell, Iowa

At the Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell Iowa, with my book SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL.

I was pleased to be one of more than a dozen Grinnell College alumni with books on display (and for sale) at the Pioneer Bookshop, Grinnell, Iowa, during the recent Alumni Reunion weekend. 

My memoir, SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up inthe 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota was there as well as BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6, one of my recent books for children. SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL ends with my graduation from Grinnell, which coincided with my family’s move to California. 

Although I had majored in art at Grinnell, I didn’t know then that my eventual career would be as a children’s book writer and illustrator. A complete collection of my published books is in the Grinnell College Library.

CALIFORNIA STORIES: Caroline Arnold Books about California

I live in California, and not surprisingly, the subjects of nearly fifteen percent of my 170 books for children are found in California. The books range from one of my earliest publications, The Biggest Living Thing (1982) about giant sequoia trees in the Sierra Nevada, to Keeper of the Light (2022), about Juliet Fish Nichols, the lighthouse keeper on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay from 1902 to 1914. 

Recent titles, including the three books in my Room 6 series, can be purchased from my publishers or online. But most of my older books are out of print. Many of them are now available as e-books. And most of my books, even many of the old ones, can be found in public libraries.

I love learning about the world around me. As I researched the subjects in each of these California stories, I discovered new and fascinating things about the state I call home.

Here are the titles of my books connected to California history, people, places and animals, with links to my website or to updated or e-book editions.

Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog (2022)

Planting a Garden in Room 6: From Seeds to Salad (2022)

Butterflies in Room 6: See How They Grow (2019)

Hatching Chicks in Room 6 (2017)

A Day and Night in the Desert (2015)

Trapped in Tar: Fossils from the Ice Age , original (1987 and updated (2017)

A Bald Eagle’s World (2010)

When Mammoths Walked the Earth (2002)

Baby Whale Rescue: The True Story of J.J. (1999)

Bobcats (1997)

Bat (1996)

Fox (1996)

Stories in Stone: Rock Art Pictures by Early Americans (1996)

Killer Whale (1994)

Sea Lion (1994)

Watching Desert Wildlife (1994)

On the Brink of Extinction: The California Condor (1993)

House Sparrows Everywhere (1992)

A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up (1991)

Tule Elk (1989)

The Golden Gate Bridge (1986)

Saving the Peregrine Falcon (1985)

Pets Without Homes (1983)

The Biggest Living Thing (1983)

BOOK SIGNING of Planting a Garden in Room 6 at ALA in SAN DIEGO, June 30th. SAVE THE DATE!

A week from today at 2pm I will be signing my book PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 at the San Diego Convention Center in the Charlesbridge booth  (#1823) on the exhibits floor of the American Library Association annual conference. Planting a Garden in Room 6 and the other two Room 6 books, Hatching Chicks in Room 6 and Butterflies in Room 6 are newly published this year in paperback. If you are going to be at ALA that day, I hope to see you there!

AUTHOR VISIT AT WPC PRESCHOOL, Los Angeles, CA

Wiggle and Waggle sock puppets.

This morning I had an enjoyable visit with the children at the Westwood Presbyterian Church Preschool, Los Angeles, California, an annual event. Many of my books are in the school library. Earlier this spring all of the classes had raised painted lady butterflies, which provided an opportunity for me to discuss my book BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6. With the two-year-old and three-year-old classes, I also read WIGGLE AND WAGGLE accompanied by my Wiggle and Waggle sock puppets. With the four and five year old classes I shared A ZEBRA’S WORLD followed by a group Lion Hunt, and then read MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE and THE TERRIBLE HODAG AND THE ANIMAL CATCHERS. I was impressed by how good listeners the children were as I read the stories. I thank Director Bri Naiman for coordinating my visit and for being an enthusiastic Wiggle and Waggle puppeteer. 

It has become a tradition that I read this Hodag book at my visits to the WPC Preschool.

ROOM 6 BOOKS--Hatching Chicks, Butterflies, Planting a Garden--NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!

I am happy that my three Room 6 books, HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6, BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6,  and PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 are now available in paperback. Find them online or at your favorite bookstore. Buy one or get all three!

Back cover of HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6

Back cover of BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6: See How They Grow

Back cover of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad

2023 CLCSC AWARDS CEREMONY: Celebrating Books and Reading for Children

Book signing at the CLCSC Award Ceremony

On Saturday, October 21, 2023, the Children’s Literature Council of Southern California (CLCSC) held their annual awards ceremony at the Luminarias restaurant in Monterey Park, California. Winners this year included Marie Arnold (no relation), Joe Cepeda, Nikki High, Rex Ogle, and Benson Shum, honored for their contributions to the Kid Lit community.

After eating a delicious brunch, each of the honorees gave a five-minute talk telling about themselves and their books. Then, all of the authors and illustrators signed books (available for purchase at the event from Once Upon a Time Books.) 

With past awardees and our plaques.

As a past winner (2020) during the pandemic, when the ceremony was held online, I and other past winners were invited as special guests to be available to sign our books in person and to have our photos taken with our winners plaques. Attendees at the event also had a chance to bid on baskets of books at a silent auction.

It was a pleasure to be back in person at this annual event and to reconnect with the librarians and teachers who are members of CLCSC. I was also glad to have the chance to chat with the other authors who were there. With many thanks to everyone on the CLCSC board and award committee for a very enjoyable morning and for continuing to be champions of books and reading for today’s children. 

CELEBRATE THE EARTH at the April SCBWI Reading List with BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6

BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6 is one of the books featured on the SCBWI reading list for the month of April. Hurray! The April theme is "Celebrate the Earth". What better way to celebrate the Earth than by watching caterpillars transform into beautiful butterflies!

You can find my book by looking in the nonfiction section of the reading list. 

BUTTERFLY HAIKU CRAFT PROJECT

Step 1. Haiku

Let a butterfly inspire you to write a short poem called a haiku. There are only three lines in a haiku, totaling 17 syllables. The first line is 5 syllables. The second line is 7 syllables. The third line is 5 syllables like the first.

Here is an example written by my daughter when she was in fourth grade:

Butterfly, graceful,

Fluttering around at day,

Eating pollen grains.

Step 2. Butterfly Cut-Out

You will need a large sheet of black paper, a smaller piece of brown paper, tissue paper, pencil, scissors, glue.

Draw the outline of a butterfly on the black paper. Cut it out.

Draw “windows” in the wings and cut them out. Cut out pieces of tissue paper and glue them to the back of the butterfly. If you like, you can add small pieces of colored paper for decoration.

Draw an oval shape on the brown paper for the butterfly’s body and cut it out. Write your haiku on the body. Glue the body to the center of the butterfly.

Final step. Tape your butterfly haiku cut-out to a window and let the light shine through!

You can learn more about butterflies in my book Butterflies in Room 6.

 

 

AOB ZOOM VISIT AT TRUESDELL ELEMENTARY, Washington, D.C.

Last Wednesday, I spoke via Zoom to three eager classes of kindergarten students at Truesdell Elementary School in Washington, D.C. and enjoyed it very much  

The visit was sponsored by An Open Book Foundation (AOB), which brings authors to schools and then gives each child a copy of the author’s book. After my talk, every child received an autographed copy of my new book PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad. (I sent signed book plates ahead of time.) I found out that the school playground had just been redone and now the children have planted a school garden. So the book was very apropos!

I also shared the other Room 6 books, HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6 and BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6, as well as WIGGLE AND WAGGLE. The kids helped me sing the Wiggle and Waggle song and followed along with the hand motions. At the end of the program they asked lots of questions and couldn’t wait  to receive their books.

Many thanks to AOB and to my publisher, Charlesbridge, for helping to arrange this visit. And special thanks to Angela Brooks and Dara La Porte at AOB, and to Eboni Henry, the school librarian!

Check the website of An Open Book Foundation to find out about all the wonderful things they do to connect authors and children and to promote books and reading..

IT'S CATERPILLAR TIME! LEARN ABOUT PAINTED LADY BUTTERFLIES

Infographic from Carolina Biological Supply

Spring and summer are the perfect time to raise painted lady butterflies. This infographic from Carolina Biological Supply shows where they live and the four stages of life.

Cups of caterpillars from InsectLore. Everything the caterpillars need to grow is provided.

I just received my cups of caterpillars from InsectLore. The caterpillars (larva) will eat the special food at the bottom of the cups and in about two weeks form chrysalises. A week or so later they will emerge as beautiful butterflies.

Find out how a kindergarten class raised butterflies in their classroom and let them go in the school garden in my book BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6. 

PREVIEW OF NEW BOOK: PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 From Seeds to Salad

HOORAY! My advance copy of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad (Charlesbridge, 2022) just arrived in the mail. It looks beautiful! Many thanks to my editor, Alyssa Pusey, and Catherine Schaad, the designer of the book, for making this such a special book. The official publication date is not until March 15, 2022, so this is just a sneak peak.

This is my third book with Mrs. Best and her kindergarten students. During the three months of the growing cycle, the children planted flowers and vegetables in raised garden beds in the play yard outside their classroom, measuring, caring for, and observing the plants up close as they learned firsthand about the growth cycle. The children’s enthusiasm was contagious as they learned about the garden plants and watched them grow. I am extremely grateful to Jennifer Best for her cooperation with this project and for being my expert reader. I couldn’t have done this book without her.

PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 is a Junior Library Guild Gold selection. Although you won’t be able to buy PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 until March, you can preorder it on Amazon now. Meanwhile, you can look for the other two books in the series, HATCHING CHICKS IN ROOM 6 and BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6. 

 

HUMBOLDT COUNTY CHILDREN'S AUTHOR FESTIVAL PROMOTION VIDEO

A year from now, in October 2022, I will be participating in the biannual Humboldt County Children's Author Festival. In anticipation of that I have made a video for the Humboldt County Office of Education to help promote enthusiasm and prepare students and teachers for the festival. You can see my video on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/602047329 . Here is the text of the video:

I am CAROLINE ARNOLD, author of Butterflies in Room 6 and 170 other books for children.

I am so excited about the Author Festival coming up in October 2022.

            I always love to come to beautiful Humboldt County.

            I love visiting schools like yours to share my books and learn how you are using them in your classrooms and libraries.

            I love viewing the exhibit of children’s book illustrations at the Morris Graves Museum and seeing how other artists like me illustrate their books.

            And I always look forward to meeting old friends and making new ones at the festival.

 I love the theme of the 2022 Festival– Take Flight with Books.

            It is perfect for my books about birds and butterflies–true masters of the air.

            Books help us take flight in our imaginations–to faraway places, to other times in history, to the secrets of the natural world–even when we are stuck at home as we have been in this last year.

            When I was ten years old I met a girl who loved to read as much as I did. We went to the library together and checked out stacks of books. In the summer, we would spread out a blanket in the shade of the maple tree in my back yard and read our books together, sharing our favorite parts.

            I didn’t know then that I would grow up to be a writer. But I realize now that my love of reading helped me to become a writer. I was learning how other writers made their books exciting and made me want to turn the page. That’s my job today.

            Some of you may want to be writers or illustrators when you grow up. My advice is simple:  practice, practice, practice!

One way that you can practice your writing is by keeping a diary. I always keep a diary or log when I travel, which helps me remember all the exciting things I did and saw after I get home.

One way you can practice your art is by drawing in a sketch book. I like to go on sketching trips at the park with my granddaughter, who also loves to draw. Last summer during the pandemic it was a perfect outdoor activity when we couldn’t meet inside.

            I still love to read and draw and I belong to two book groups–one to discuss adult books and the other for children’s books.

            I also belong to a writer’s group. We share our stories and offer comments, helping one another to become better writers.

            By October 2022 I will have two new books to share with you-- Planting a Garden in Room 6: From Seeds to Salad, my third book with Mrs. Best and her kindergarteners, and Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fights the Fog, the true story of an intrepid lighthouse keeper in San Francisco Bay at the time of the 1906 earthquake.

            What I missed most during the pandemic were my in person visits to schools and libraries.

            I look forward to joining you in 2022 to Take Flight with Books at another wonderful Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival.

            Until then, have fun reading, writing, and drawing!

            Thank you!

           

ROSALYNN CARTER BUTTERFLY TRAIL

Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail at Lake Lure, NC

From roses to succulents, pollinator gardens to art installations, the Flowering Bridge at Luke Lure, in the mountains of western North Carolina, is a wonder of nature and testament to the volunteers who turned an abandoned bridge into a beautiful floral walkway.

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge is a stop along the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, which begins in Plains, Georgia, at the home of President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter. The mission of the trail is to promote the full life cycle of butterflies common in this area with a special emphasis on the monarch.

Monarch butterfly.

When Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter learned of the struggling Monarch Butterfly population and threatened migration from North America to Mexico, she called on her neighbor and friend Annette Wise for advice on planting the right native plants in her garden.  When friends and neighbors in Plains learned what she was doing, they wanted to provide habitat in their gardens to help pollinators. Eventually, a "trail" started of butterfly gardens one house at a time, one church at a time, one library, one state, and so on.

The more butterfly gardens that exist, the greater the population of Monarch Butterflies, which have been so threatened for the past several decades primarily due to the removal of milkweed plants from farms and properties.  Monarch butterflies need milkweed on which to lay their eggs. Otherwise, the cycle of life for butterflies ends.  All pollinators benefit from native nectar and host plants. Find out more about the relationship between monarchs and milkweed at my earlier post on this blog.

On an informational board at the beginning of the bridge is a panel describing common butterflies of the area.

I visited the Flowering Bridge and learned about the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail on a trip to North Carolina in August. I was pleased to see information about the Painted Lady Butterfly, the subject of my book BUTTERFLIES IN ROOM 6.  It was a rainy day and I didn’t see any butterflies, but I am sure that when the sun comes out, the garden will be full of them, feeding on nectar produced by the abundance of flowers.

You can read more about my visit to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge at my travel blog The Intrepid Tourist.

All Text and Photos copyright Caroline Arnold