Spring is a thing, am I right? Just when it doesn’t seem possible for one more activity to culminate, it does! All the best, of course — graduations and clap outs, assemblies and field trips, recitals and parties — things you wish you could just s l o w d o w n to sip and savor.
Taking stock and recapping the happenings of spring is something I’ve been longing to do for a while, to absorb its many gifts and give some big and overdue thanks. Mid-June is precisely that moment for me to take in a cool glass of lemonade in the shade … because things are about to ramp up! Later this month, I’ll be launching into an exciting season of upcoming book events for Starlin, a brand new chapter book series now available for preorder. (More on that in a bit!)
For now, grab that lemonade (or iced tea, or whatever your fave may be) and join me on the porch swing for a ‘lil spring recap!
May began with a surprising, humbling and simply wonderful honor. My hometown school district invited me to join the Alumni Hall of Fame! The honor was announced and given at high school commencement.
It was a gorgeous spring day when we arrived at my old school — formerly Bethany High School, now Okaw Valley High School. The gym was much the same as it was when I sat on a folding chair at my own high school graduation, 28 years ago — save the gold accents shifting to royal blue. The class of 2026 had 34 students, the exact size of my graduating class in 1998!
It was such a special day! I got to catch up with lifelong friends (soooo good to see you Deacon, Natalie and Brigham!) and reflect on my journey and the powerful influence of my teachers and school community on my career path. The acceptance speech also gave me an opportunity to recognize my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Overlot, who gave me my favorite writing project ever — turning Charlotte’s Web into a stage production. Thank you Mom and Dad, Dan and girls, and Bethany friends, for believing in me and supporting me all these years. I love you to the top of the grain elevator and back!
May also brought the most joyful school visits. The first stop was a school in Chicago’s Kenwood neighborhood. I popped into the class a little early and got to watch a most-masterful teacher in action. Her phonics lesson just blew my mind! Thank you for welcoming me into your classroom, Ms. Woehling! Thank you Pastor Neal for introducing us! And thank you Two Lions for sharing Willow and Bunny, illustrated by Christopher Denise, with the class!
This bright young group jumped right into our chat about personification, then we prioritized a little silly time. That’s what the end of the school year is all about!
It made complete sense to learn that the incredible Ms. Woehling (far right in our group photo) is A.T. Woehling, the author of the All About May series, published by Simon & Schuster. Ms. Woehling is so engaging and fun — and so are her stories! Be sure to check out her two phenomenal early readers.
Story joy continued in a visit with kindergarteners in Wheaton in suburban Chicago. We talked about favorite things, and I shared Dancing with Daddy, illustrations by Ziyue Chen. (I love sneaking on my bow when Daddy pulls it out of his pocket in the story to deliver a little picture book magic!)
After the presentation, a student told me that he liked learning about Elsie’s tools ... then, he shared his awesome tools with me! It was a beautiful reminder of the enormous power of books as windows and mirrors — unforgettable.
My awesome sister Betsy works at this sweet neighborhood school, and it was lovely meeting her colleagues and students and seeing her dynamic, welcoming, loving classroom — a perfect reflection of who she is and all the good she brings to the world every day!
That closes the chapter on spring book things — now here comes summer! There are two awesome events immediately on deck.
On June 28, I’ll be signing advanced reader copies of Starlin: Picture Day Drama at the Beaming Books booth at ALA in Chicago. Then, on July 18, I’ll be sharing and signing copies of Dancing with Daddy and Willow and Bunny with readers at the 2026 Grayslake AuthorFest in downtown Grayslake, Illinois.
Both book events will bring opportunities to catch up with writing friends I love and meet new readers. I absolutely cannot wait. If you plan to attend either event, please let me know so we can meet up for coffee and a hug. (I can never get enough of either of those things!)