Winter Solstice Wishes

Happy Winter Solstice to Everyone!

I celebrated the turn of daylight by listening to Paul Winter's Silver Solstice CD. (You can listen to samples of solstice online. I encourage you to welcome winter with the wolves.)

I met Paul a few years ago at Rowe Conference Center in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. I was one of about 30 musicians who explored organic music with the saxaphone master. It was an experience I will never forget.

The beach chair countdown has officially begun.

It's 159 days! (That's five months and a few days, Beach Buddies!)

Think Sunshine!

Chocolate Blessings to Students and Staff

A warm (melted chocolate) thank you to the students and staff at Milton Hershey School.

On Friday, I spent the day on their beautiful campus, signing books, meeting with students, and sharing the research and writing process for their two centennial books. It truly was an honor to celebrate their centennial with them. Thank you for asking me to write these books. Thank you for welcoming me into your hearts and home.

For those little oak trees at the elementary school, remember to plant your roots, reach for the stars, and grow to be mighty oaks. I know you can do it. It's now your turn to share The Growing Story of Milton Hershey School with family and friends.

For the "quiet" middle-school students up on the hill, ride that roller coaster with gusto, and scream like you mean it. (I have no doubt that everyone will hear you and know the Hershey spirit that lives within you.) It's your turn to write the second part to Diary of a Milt. I hope to one day open my mailbox and find a signed copy of your book waiting for me.

I will remember this day with warm memories.

With HERSHEY Hugs,
Carol

Applause for Alison Ashley Formento!!!!!

Former Writing for Children student, Alison Ashley Formento, has announced her first picture book! This Tree Counts! is scheduled for release in March 2010 by Albert Whitman and Company.

Cheers! Cheers! Cheers! (I hope she sends me a signed copy when it's hot off the press!)

Thank You to Circleville Elementary!

Amber Brown and I want to thank the crews from Circleville Elementary School for their wonderful thank you notes and cards. They are currently decorating my office to inspire me as I work on three science fair books for curious students just like you!

THANK YOU!

Carol, Amber Brown =^..^=, and Junie B., too =^..^=

P.S. If you click on the photo, you can read the notes!

Queen Latifah, Jordin Sparks, and Carol Smalley ...

What do these three folks have in common?

We're all part of the centennial celebration at Milton Hershey School. (I'll be the one with the shortest line for autographs!)

Happy 100 Years, Milton Hershey School!

I look forward to my visit with you in just a few weeks.

Playtime for Teachers

Thank you to the Fulton-Montgomery Reading Council for inviting me to spend time with the reading teacher members last night at Canajoharie Elementary School. I presented a program called Touching Nonfiction.

We built structures out of marshmallows and toothpicks and crafted river valleys out of salt dough. (And, of course, we ate some very delicious food.)

I hope to visit some of these teachers and their students in their classrooms later this school year!

For other reading councils and teachers in the area, invite me! I love to play! (You will too!)

What's Peeking from Your Pocket?

Coming soon .... my emergent reader book on hamsters! The final edits are in the house and the book will soon be on the press.

Minds Were Mapped in Herkimer

Thank you to the Herkimer (NY) BOCES for inviting me to spend the day with gifted fourth graders from Herkimer, Ilion, and Poland schools.


We mapped our minds (to collect our thoughts about Henry Hudson) and mapped parts of New York State (from salt dough ingredients we measured and mixed ourselves).









These two maps were a bit different than the rest. They took a jet-eye view of eastern New York.

I had a wonderful time! Thank you, young explorers.

Thank you, Pine Bush Central School District!

Many thanks to the librarians, teachers, parents, principals, dough makers, and young explorers at E.J. Russell Elementary, Pine Bush Elementary, and Circleville Elementary Schools.

I had a wonderful time learning about Henry Hudson and making salt dough relief maps of the Hudson River Valley with you.

Have a fantastic school year, and HAPPY QUADRICENTENNIAL!

Green Esteem!

My latest book -- Green Changes You Can Make Around Your Home: And Who's Already Making Them -- is now available for sale on Amazon and other online resellers.

Take a peek! If each of us makes little changes in our daily lives, we can have a big impact on the planet!

And More Books!

More books have arrived. The Growing Story of Milton Hershey School is off the press and in the hands of elementary students of the private school founded by chocolatier Milton S. Hershey.

The book parallels the life of a red oak tree growing on Pat's Hill, which overlooks the town of Hershey, the amusement park, the chocolate factory, and the school.

Happy 100th Anniversary to the students and staff at Milton Hershey School!

A Box of Books!

Just in time to celebrate the birthday of chocolate maker Milton S. Hershey, Diary of a Milt is off the press. I received my copies yesterday, and middle-grade students at Milton Hershey School will receive their copies next week.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Hershey!

Teaching Artist Programs for 2009-2010 Announced

In preparation for the 2009-2010 school year, this week I am announcing a series of new classroom programs based on my books, including three publications hot off the press!

Create Living History Books

How big does an oak tree grow? In this workshop, I share a story within a story. In The Growing Story of Milton Hershey School, students observe the growth of a tree on a hill overlooking the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania. While the tree grows, so does the community, park, chocolate factory, and a special school. Students use the book as a starting point to write their own growing stories, where they parallel the growth of a plant with the history of their community, school, or family.









Grow Your Green Esteem

You can make a difference. In this workshop, students discover steps their families can take to shrink their carbon footprints. With a degree in environmental engineering, I guide students in an engaging conversation about green living. To celebrate their green esteem, each student makes an earth card using paper-engineering (pop-up) techniques. (Shh! It’s math!)











Discover the Past through the Present

The past and present merge in this workshop based on Diary of a Milt, a book I wrote for Milton Hershey School’s centennial celebration. In the book, a middle-grade student uncovers past history as he journals about his life in 1977–78. Adults encourage his passion for roller coasters as he explores a career as an engineer. Students examine journal-style writing and design a structure using toothpicks and marshmallows (like the book’s character).











Navigate with Explorer Henry Hudson

Read! Explore! Discover! Celebrate New York State history and Hudson’s voyage 400 years ago in a hands-on workshop where young explorers learn about Henry Hudson and the Hudson River and create relief maps with salt dough.








Bravo for Biographies!

Explore biographies through “extreme writing.” This workshop helps reluctant readers and writers find the passion behind the words using Ride the Giant Waves, the story of Hawaii’s extreme surfer Garrett McNamara, and No Hands Allowed, a glimpse into professional soccer star Damarcas Beasley’s young career. Students will write using sports- and activity-related prompts.











I am currently booking school programs for 2009-2010. My programs are New York State BOCES Aid Able, and I hold New York State Department of Education Fingerprint Clearance. Contact me today at Carol@CarolSmalley.com to reserve a date.

I look forward to visiting with you in the classroom!

Coming this September (III)

After a flurry of final edits, my book, TELL YOUR PARENTS: Green Changes You Can Make Around Your Home, for educational publisher Mitchell Lane, is running through the press. Part of a five-book series on green living and alternative energy, the book offers suggestions to upper elementary students (and their families) to reduce the size of their carbon footprints. Hidden between the covers are 10,000 worms. You'll have to read the book to learn the connection between worms and Planet Earth!

Coming this September (II)

Middle-grade students at Milton Hershey School will receive Diary of a Milt, one of two books I wrote for the Pennsylvania school's centennial celebration during the upcoming school year. To write this book, I needed to go back in time, to my own childhood and life in 1977-78.

I wrote this book in a diary format as a 12-year-old male student at the school. During the spotlighted school year, Elvis dies, disco lives, gas prices soar, the country faces an energy crisis, and girls arrive on campus as students.

I hope the MHS students enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! (For the record, I really don't ever want to relive that time period!)

Coming this September (I)

Currently on the press, The Growing Story of Milton Hershey School is the first of two books I penned for the centennial celebration of the private school founded by chocolate maker Milton S. Hershey. Elementary students and staff of the Hershey (PA) school will receive their copies on the founder's birthday in September!

Bravo for Beacon!

The final stop on this summer's Henry Hudson journey was Beacon, in the mid-Hudson Valley.

Five crews of studious sculptors created relief maps out of salt dough. Thank you to the young readers and explorers (and their handy parents and grandparents who helped with the workshop).

I had a wonderful afternoon with you. It's now time for the author's boat to go into dry dock for a few weeks before school begins and classroom visits commence.

Have a wonderful August. I hope to visit with you again.

Henry Sails South to Kinderhook

Explorer Henry Hudson and I sailed down the Hudson River Valley into the tiny village of Kinderhook today to meet with ten enthusiastic water engineers and map designers!

Four crews of salt-dough sailors crafted maps of the Hudson River Valley.

Thank you for inviting me. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and HAPPY READING!

Math in Middleburgh??

Shh ... don't tell them!

Today's group of young paper engineers from Middleburgh in Schoharie County measured, counted, divided, used symmetry, drew parallel lines, and created fantastic pop-up books.

Thanks, illustrators, for inviting me to visit your beautiful library today.

Have a wonderful summer library program. Read, explore, create, and do some math!