So wonderful! Many thanks to your community.

So excited that we're able to give away reading buddies to up to 6,000 educators (!) at #NCTE23 , and you don't have to be a Title I teacher to qualify! ALL EDUCATORS, come by booth 900 at some point during the show to meet some of our First Book team and pick up your bear!

Our students have been working hard on a cool fundraising project for Refugeestrong! They are creating a “pop up market” that will offer a variety of handmade items for sale. Our first pop up will happen in December—stay tuned for dates & product sneak peeks, School District 73.5!

Taking a break from Youth Sports Color Studies- now on to Youth Sports Ink Studies!

What’s that? You’d like to see the cardboard cat castle I started 8 months ago and just finished this weekend? BEHOLD! Note: it was not 8 months of working time. It was approximately 2 weeks of work, 7.5 months of sitting in the living room unfinished.

Found this in the copy room. Looks like the assignment was to choose a hero—anyone—that inspires you. Lots of kids chose sports figures and family members. This young man chose Omar Mohamed, and it made my heart swell with joy. This is the power of sharing your story. Omar MO

A box full of treats, but the REAL treat is this new graphic novel by Pedro Martín! MEXIKID is out now, and it's truly one of the best graphic novels I've read. ❤️ Penguin Young Readers School & Library Penguin Kids

THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! ❤️

I'm so excited to be back in Portland for a few days! I'll be doing a workshop at one of my favorite bookstores in the universe, Green Bean Books. PDX pallies, I'd love to see you... please be in touch! Green Bean Books

View from vacation! (last week). There's actually a lake back there but... watercolors are hard. 😆

Swim lesson! Now with kids!

If anyone's still here and able, the wonderful writer Ann Clare LeZotte is in a coma after bone cancer surgery. Funds are being raised here: gofund.me/6cd7c6d0

Or just go to read a sweet note I wrote about her. She's dear to me.

Please DON'T tag her. But it's OK to post.

Some rain delays and some summer camp delays... but voila, another pool study!

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. OUT THERE, out now! :D

🌍June 20th is World Refugee Day🌏Celebrate & honor refugees from around the globe through books with your readers. We've got a list full of recommendations (from creators like Ruth Behar & Luma Mufleh) for your classroom or library through the link below! penguinschoollibrary.com/RefugeeBooklist

Another summer of swim lessons = another summer of color studies!

Amazing! As part of #ADayofWelcome 6000++ pupils joined Omar MO & Victoria Jamieson for thei session on 'When Stars are Scattered'. What a way to kick off Refugee Week 🧡 🧡 @ARU_AHSS Refugee Education UK Hub for Education for Refugees in Europe (HERE) UK for UNHCR ExpressYourselfNE The Bell Foundation Young Norfolk Arts Refugee-Led Research Hub ARU School of Humanities and Social Sciences

I truly can't wait for everyone to read this book!

This is wonderful news! Many thanks to readers in New Mexico- we're very grateful. Omar MO Refugee Strong

I'm pretty proud of this week's Mother-Daughter Watercolor Class!