As always, it’s an honor and delight to be part of Patricia Newman’s LitLinks blog, sharing connections between STEM and Language Arts. My guest blog outlines a fun and flexible approach for using science nonfiction books in busy classrooms. You’ll find it on Patti’s website right here!

So pleased and grateful to be featured as a guest on these terrific blogsites!

September 5: Erin Dealey, Book Birthday!

September 8: Archimedes Notebook with book review also posted on:

–            Perfect Picture Book Friday (Sept 8)

–            Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (Sept 11)

September 12: Mary Boone’s Six Questions With Kidlit Creators

September 15: Beth Anderson, “Especially for Educators” Series

September 20: Maria Marshall (group interview with nonfiction writers)

Coming on January 10: Patricia Newman’s LitLinks Blog, “Sharing the natural connection between STEM & Language Arts.”

Some books take years to bubble and brew…like this one! Five years after the idea popped into my head, it’s truly taking shape—and with artwork from the brilliant Violeta Encarnacion! It’s a dream-come-true to work with Atheneum/Simon & Schuster on this middle grade nonfiction project. Mermaids, unicorns, dragons…and more!

Wait…what? A picture book with RAY TROLL, artist/paleonerd/podcaster extraordinaire? YES! I’m all a-swirl to be working on this project with Ray and Sasquatch Books. It’ll be gorgeous!

Great news from Candlewick Press! OUT OF THE BLUE will be published as a lower cost paperback in June 2024. I’m thrilled that the book will be accessible to more readers. Thank you, Candlewick!

I’m a huge fan of the National Center for Science Education, a premier not-for-profit organization that works with teachers, parents, scientists, and concerned citizens to ensure that topics like evolution and climate change are taught accurately, honestly and confidently. They are AWESOME! And working very hard to create tools and resources to help students!

So, I’m supremely grateful to Lin Andrews, Director of Teacher Support at NCSE, for writing a glowing review of OUT OF THE BLUE for The American Biology Teacher, the award-winning professional journal for K-16 teachers. Lin took the time to not only read the book (okay, so that doesn’t take all that long . . . ) but also dove into the curriculum and videos. Some of her comments:

“The curriculum guide offers students the opportunity to engage with the evidence relevant to deep time, natural selection, adaptation, biodiversity, and much more. It even allows elementary students to tackle their first cladogram! By providing teachers with ready-made lessons, Shreeve increases the chance that her book will be used in classrooms, as it amply deserves to be. As a reviewer that spends a great deal of time looking for accurate evolution education resources, I give this book and accompanying resources two opposable thumbs way, way up!

Link to the entire review is here.

Super thrilled to win the Northern California Book Award for Children’s Literature: Younger Readers!

This wonderful group of poets, writers, and librarians review dozens of books written by authors living in northern California, across a wide spectrum of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translation, and children’s books. They select a short list of nominees and announce the winners at a ceremony at the San Francisco Public Library. Was I nervous? YES!

Along with the award, NCBA wrote this terrific review: “Evolution is a topic that has been tackled countless times in children’s books, but perhaps not with the same curiosity and beauty as Elizabeth Shreeve’s Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas, gorgeously illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon.” 

Check out my 3-minute acceptance speech here. Bottom line: Kids need ALL KINDS OF BOOKS! 

So happy to officially announce this next book with Norton Young Readers! It will be the companion title for THE UPSIDE-DOWN BOOK OF SLOTHS and both will be illustrated by the wonderful artist Isabella Grott. In preparation for finishing the manuscript, I traveled to Georgia and Florida for some armadillo spotting. (They are the most adorable little critters!) The Florida Museum of Natural History is terrific–and Cumberland Island National Seashore is truly a magical place. 

Now for a question: do you know what other animals are related to armadillos and sloths?