Don’t Close the Book Just Yet
One meaningful picture book can become a week of learning, creativity, and family conversation. Discover how we use stories to inspire deeper homeschool moments.
Why Children's Book Reviews Matter More Than You Think
Have you ever finished a book, enjoyed it, and then moved on with your day without leaving a review? Most of us have. In fact, until I became an author myself, I had no idea how much those reviews mattered. As a reader, a review feels like a small thing,
A Launch Week Full of Stories
There are some weeks that leave you tired, and then there are weeks that leave you grateful. Last week was both. A week and a half ago on Tuesday, we officially launched Made to Fly Free. After over a year of writing, editing, illustrating, proofing, and preparing, seeing stacks of
More Than Just a Book Release
Launch Day Is Here It’s a funny thing sitting here on launch day. I’m surrounded by stacks of books while I sign copies and pack up preorders to drop in the mail today. And I can’t help but think back to the original spark of this story…
What This Book Is Not (And What We Hope It Is)
There are a lot of children’s books out there. Some are loud, some are rushed, and some feel more like a marketing message than a story. As I created this book, I thought carefully about the kind of stories I want filling our own home, because as a homeschooling
The Conversations That Happen Around Picture Books
Over Mother’s Day this past weekend, we took a family walk together. It was one of those blustery spring days — still chilly, but irresistibly sunny. As we walked, one of the girls looked high into the swaying branches and spotted a delicate hanging nest. We’re pretty sure it
What It Feels Like to Read Made to Fly Free Together
Spring has sprung, but here in Minnesota, we’ve had a slow start with a fair share of gray days, so we’ve been taking those opportunities to snuggle up with books for read-aloud time. The girls usually like to keep their hands busy while I read, and lately
We Didn’t Want to Do This Alone
As Made to Fly Free gets closer to releasing, I’ve been thinking about how to share it in a way that feels right because this book didn’t come from a big idea, but from the small, meaningful moments of everyday family life.
Writing a Children’s Book During Our Homeschool Days
This is what it looked like for me to write a children’s book during our homeschool days, right in the middle of normal family life. This is the time of year when the birds are so busy. They’re building their nests, creating their little homes, preparing for what’
How We Found Our Illustrator
Right around this time last year, Dave and I were out on one of our evening walks, and our conversation drifted to what what might be next for Pathfinder Press. I had a children’s story ready. The manuscript was written. But there was one very obvious bottleneck—I didn’
Meet the Illustrator Behind Made to Fly Free: A Conversation with Hannah Bird
One of the sweetest parts of creating Made to Fly Free has been partnering with Hannah. I’m a homeschooling mom with a story on my heart, and she’s a young illustrator stewarding her creative gifts so beautifully. There’s something really special about the people who help bring
Why Preorders Matter (The Honest Version)
A simple look at how preorders help us make better, thoughtful decisions as a family. Some parts of creating a children’s book feel more natural like the brainstorming, the writing, the story, the message you hope your children carry with them. But then there are the parts that we