I don’t remember learning about Sojourner Truth in school. Maybe I did. Most likely I didn’t. History books tend to leave out people whose life and accomplishments don’t fit neatly into one little box (especially the accomplishments of an African American woman), and if you know anything about Sojourner, you know she wasn’t about fitting into a box. Sojourner Truth was more about breaking the box. Born in the late 1700s, Sojourner was an unwilling participant of one of the mo

In third grade, I tried out for a community play. I earned the prestigious role of Mouse #3 in Cinderella, and for months, I diligently practiced my one line. “Make way for Cinderella!” Family and friends were invited to the play to witness my big debut, but I didn’t get a chance to speak my line. Instead,  greedy Mouse #2  spoke my line and her’s and therefore, I had nothing to say. My mother bought me a new white shirt for the big performance! I was wearing make-up! I was w

Here we go... 1. Quit moving to what’s next and celebrate what’s now. This year my illustrator and I were invited to the Ten Boom Museum in the Netherlands to chat about our book on the Ten Boom sisters. Big deal! A few months later, my daughter went the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and found my Ten Boom book. Super big deal! My mom beat cancer. My dad beat cancer. My favorite uncle beat cancer. Even bigger big deals! But with each of these even

Recently, I visited a group of readers via Skype. The girls and their moms asked ALL kinds of smarty pants questions about the next Gutsy Girl and with the release of the fourth Gutsy Girl book quickly approaching (it’s this week, people!), I wanted to share part of our conversation with you! An early sketch of Dr. Jennifer Wiseman from the illustrator, Beverly Wines Who is the next Gutsy Girl? The fourth Gutsy Girl is Dr. Jennifer Wiseman. Dr. Wiseman is an astronomer and as