Congratulations, Robert F. Sibert Winners!

The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award is awarded by the American Library Association for most distinguished informational book for children.

Below you’ll find the covers of the 2019 The Robert F. Sibert medalist and honor winners.

Congratulations, all! from Guides by Deb!

Guides by Deb – Keeping your books in the hearts of young readers and in the hands of those who care for them.

This blog post was created by Debbie Gonzales, MFA. Deb is a career educator, curriculum consultant, former school administrator and adjunct professor, and once served as a SCBWI RA for the Austin Chapter. She's the author of six “transitional” readers for a New Zealand publisher and the forthcoming non-fiction picture book Girls with Guts: The Road to Breaking Barriers and Bashing Records (Charlesbridge, 2019). Deb earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Click here to access a website - Guides By Deb - which is jam-packed full of premier educators guides for all genres, all ages, and all kinds of fun.

Are you interested in discussing a reader’s guide project? If so, click here. Deb’s eager to hear from you!

Deb also hosts The Debcast - a podcast dedicated to the courageous female athletes of the past and present who demonstrate that playing like a girl means to approach sports – and life – with confidence, commitment, and drive in order to achieve any worthy goal. It means being aware that, when you excel in your sport, it’s a win for all girls – everywhere. The Debcast explores what it means to be an athletic girl with guts by talking with female athletes of all ages and walks of life, as well as authors who have written about them.

Simple Saturday: A Summer Melody

Hard to believe that, with one simple blade of grass, you can become a summertime musician! Well, believe it, my friend. What I'm telling you is the gospel truth!

Here's all you have to do:

Pick a piece of grass (wide-blade St. Augustine works the best) that is as long as your thumb - from the bottom knuckle to the fleshy pad at the top.

Lay the piece of grass flat, along the side of your thumb.

Align your thumbs together, knuckle to knuckle, stretching the piece of grass as if it were a reed. Make it straight and tight between your thumbs.  

  

Then, all you have to do is place your lips in the space between your knuckles and blow! When I did it my summer melody was so so high-pitched Tripod tilted his head in wonder and Cassius, the dog next door, began barking.

Play with the tension  of your blade of grass. For me, the tighter the tension the higher the pitch. Loose tension made a really comical sound...if you know what I mean.

Either way, get out there and make a joyful summertime noise. Toot! Toot!

Simple Saturday Prep: A Summer Melody

 Hey! Want to play a simple summer melody? No need to polish your flute or soak up a new clarinet reed. Nope. Tomorrow's Simple Saturday activity will be, truly, one of the most-simplistic-yet-oh-so-delightful posts yet.

I promise.

So, find yourself a clump of tall grass to park your little bootie in. It doesn't have to be, like, waist-high or anything. Just some long stuff on the verge of needing to be mowed. And then, get set to make a joyful summertime noise!!! All we need is the blue sky above, a grassy patch below, you and me.

Great company, wouldn't you say?