Award from a reader!

Just want to share the wonderful letter I received from Raul in Taiwan. He asks if I ever received an award. And look at the lovely "award" I just received from Linda. It's a win-win situation!

And then it was May!

The IRA Convention always marks the end of the school year and beginning of summer for me. This year it was my last booking until July, when I will be conducted part of a writing for children course. IRA was good - hectic but good. I enjoyed seeing many friends and making new ones during the one day Institute I presented with several other writers. The highlight was meeting Ron Broda, the illustrator of In My Backyard. We had never met each other (illustrators are assigned by the publisher) but recognized each other immediately! Ron was a great presenter as well as a gifted artist. His original paper sculptures had everyone in awe.
I signed books in the booths of Maupin House and Boyds Mills Press. I also co-presented the Poetry Olio, always my favorite event at IRA.
Since I came back I have been mowing lawns, weeding and getting ready for the first guests in our B & B. More about that soon! Enjoy the last few weeks of the school year!

Spring is here - off to IRA

Spring is here - I have been raking, weeding, planting! I love it - the birds are building nests, hummingbirds whizz by my head and tonight a bunny hopped through the driveway. Last night, my kids made dinner for us and served it out on the deck while we watched the sunset. How perfect can it get?!
This weekend I'm off to the annual Reading Convention in Minneapolis. Hope to see many of you there! I'm presenting an all day Institute on Sunday, signing books on Monday and Tuesday and co-presenting the Poetry Olio on Wednesday night. If you love poetry, be sure to come for rhythm and fun!

The Big Read

Today is the first day of Global Action Week. Check out this website: http://www.campaignforeducationcanada.org/en/index.php

I hope you will do something special this week to celebrate reading and books!

Earthday!

Hope you were able to do something today that benefits the earth. My family and I planted 15 trees on our new acreage. I bought tomato plants and planted rhubarb. I weeded all day yesterday and today, we tilted the new vegetable garden and had a lot of fun working together on gorgeous Salt Spring Island. We will soon open our planned booklovers' B & B!
I am also putting the final touches on the text for a new book and getting ready for a day of poetry writing in the lower mainland next week.
Happy Earthday!

• Write an Earthday poem
• Keep a log of what you see outside your window (I see birds pulling worms from the soil, a bird gathering grasses to line its nest, two blue jays hanging on the birdfeeder, and yesterday, we had a wild turkey visiting our yard all day).
• Write a story about your favorite animal
• Take a photo of a wild animal such as a bird, a duck, a butterfly (I took this photo of a young owl last summer)

Happy Easter!

Both Emma and Henry wish you a HAPPY EASTER! May it be the start of a lovely Spring,

Margriet

Lower Mainland Author Visit Available

Back from Asia! I tried to bring warmer weather with me... It was hard to leave gorgeous Subic in The Philippines where my hotel was on a white sand beach, I swam with dolphins and I enjoyed meeting everyone in the lovely school. But it's good to be home again and do some gardening. The daffodils are blooming and the blossoms are out.

Now it's back to writing work! During the week of April 27 (later in the week) I will be in the lower mainland and it looks like I will have a day available to do author visits. If your school is interested, please let me know as soon as possible.
Happy Easter!

Hello from The Philippines!

This week I am doing writing workshops with middle school students at Brent International School in The Philippines. A great school with keen writers. It is very hot here, and very humid. Tomorrow the teachers are taking me out for dinner on the edge of a volcano!
Look at the amazing welcome I received at the school! I've never had my face on a real banner before :-)

Emma in Taiwan

I just spent a lovely week doing author presentations at Taipei American School in Taiwan. Emma was a huge success!

The school was lovely: nice students, great teachers and an amazing PTA. I enjoyed dinner with different people each night and had fun sharing books and stories.

You can view all of my photos from my 2009 Asia trip here:
http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=712337853

Hello from Myanmar

I had the privilege of speaking at the International School of Yangon, Myanmar this past week. I loved the country. We traveled to the heart of Burma, saw the Irrawaddy River, visited schools in small villages, met children in monastry schools and loved the country and its beautiful people.
Here is a photo of myself and my husband with a tradtional dance group from the Shan hills.
Now I am off to speak to students in Taipei, Taiwan.