Children’s Literature

Picture Books

I have read thousands of non-fiction picture books in and out of classrooms. Many are magical. But many science books especiall plant books, are kind of boring. Plant science is magical. Plants are magical. And science is life. I want picture books to be fun and engaging in ways that build scientific curiousity and content knowledge but also inspire children to relate to everyday-nature around them, no matter where they live. As a teacher for 15 years, I also think about how these texts can be utilized in early elementary classrooms. My manuscripts complement grade-appropriate Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and standard tree units, and can be read as companion texts to life science units and lessons, whether it’s about trees, boogers, or birds. I also want to help kids write creatively about science. Life science and literacy belong together like monarchs and milkweed. Let’s teach more science through story-telling.

Other projects

In graduate school, I wrote a historical-fiction middle-grade novel from the perspective of 200+ year-old tree. The manuscript explores several topics in science, ecology, ant-racism, and urban development. But like most writers, I felt it wasn’t good enough. So I’m rewriting it. Again. But fresher. I love picture books but remain committed to writing chapter books and middle grade books about plant magic that are responsibly weave magic and science together to entertain and teach kids. Other picture book projects include manuscripts about socioemotional development and skills for young kids. In education, I work with schools to build school arboreta, add interpretive signage to campuses, lead PD to teachers about tree science, and support myriad outdoor learning initiatives. It is my hope to pair my kidlit with school visits and supports in my career.

Honors/Notes

  • Taft-Nicholson Artist-in-Residence in Summer 2022 for children's fiction

  • Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) member

  • Creative writing teacher for children and adults