The first time I met Amy Grimes, I ended up ugly-crying in front of a large group of complete strangers, and even my six-year-old daughter was trying to distance herself from me. When I finally was able to choke out words about how much her work had meant to me, her kind eyes and sparkling…
My first opportunity to read Ken Priebe’s Gnomes of the Cheese Forest and Other Poems was in preparation for this review, and I found myself forced to read it alone at the end of a long day. That’s hardly a fair reading for an illustrated collection of children’s poetry, but I grimly powered ahead because…
When evacuating from a wildfire what books do you bring? That may not be a question most people ask, but that’s a big question for a living-book homeschooling mother and, a few weeks ago, it was a question I suddenly had to answer. I’ve been building our family’s library for 10 years now, scouring thrift…
In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott advocates “writing [lousy] first drafts.” In other words, she says no-one should be trying to refine as they create. She compares writing to taking a Polaroid – just snap the picture! Then do the work of shaking it and you’ll see it slowly come into focus. Partway through our…
Ancient mythology and Aesop’s Fables certainly have a rightful place of importance in literature, but fairy tales offer something a little different to a child’s development. While there are some lovely fairy tale adaptations both on paper and on screen, the original versions of fairy tales work on a deeper level within a child’s mind—they enrich imagination,…
Every year, Sam Beaver travels with his father to a remote cabin in the Canadian wilderness. Sam is a young naturalist who loves to observe the world around him and jot down notes and questions in his journal. One day, he notices a peculiar thing, a baby swan (called a cygnet) who has no voice….
EDITOR’S NOTE: James’ short-story collection, A Year in the Big Old Garden, releases for Kindle today! SW: You are the managing editor at Story Warren and have skillfully edited many books (including The Green Ember Series for me). How is writing your own book different from editing and what from your editor skillset has helped? JDW: I…
To many parents who prize creativity, children’s animation occupies a lower rung on the artistic ladder. The stuff of Saturday mornings can often seem needlessly broad, hopelessly derivative, and crassly commercial (with a few notable exceptions). In other words, it too often starves young imaginations rather than sustaining them. But what happens when a one-time…
Stained glass windows do not make us treasure glass as much as they make us treasure light.  The glory of stained glass windows, like the glory of creation, consists in showcasing that which shines through it. There are those who spend a great deal of time persuading others that the world around us is opaque…
Some people collect stamps. Some people collect coins. Some people collect art. And Jerome? Jerome collected words. Are you a word person? Do you ever pause in your reading just to savor a particular turn of phrase, or marvel at the way words are spelled and sounded out? Have you ever gotten goosebumps during a…
Editor’s Note: Sally Lloyd-Jones shared this piece of lovely insight several years ago, and Vacation Bible School Season seems like a great time to revisit it. Enjoy! When I go into churches and speak to children I ask them two questions: 1. How many people here sometimes think you have to be good for God…
I’ve been thinking a lot about my grandfather lately. He was an adventurous guy, and in his later years that adventurousness extended to his wardrobe, particularly his funny hat collection. Each holiday had its own festive accessory, perhaps one that played music or moved around. A turkey hat for Thanksgiving, for example, and a Santa…
