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This Covid-19 pandemic is a historical happening, and it’s important to document the way we are feeling and dealing. Students must be feeling a myriad of emotions as their social and academic lives have been completely turned upside down. Journaling can help our minds organize our emotions onto different shelves instead of them all piled on one shelf about to break. So, I created three READ and WRITE journaling pages inspired by my books that I hope you’ll use to learn from and bring about some inner calm and understanding. If you enjoy these PDFs, please feel free to share :)

Stay well, friends-
Shanda

Since we’ve all been cooped up from the pandemic, let’s draw Fire Truck from my newest illustrated book, FIRE TRUCK VS. DRAGON (written by Chris Barton)!

Click on the images below to view/print the coloring sheets.

If you are up for the challenge, here are some steps to drawing the characters from FIRE TRUCK vs. DRAGON (written by Chris Barton and illustrated by me!) Don’t get caught up in trying to draw perfectly. Just enjoy yourself and the process of combining lines and shapes to make something new!

Click on the images below to view/print the activity sheets.

And here are some cuties drawn by my cuties (9 yrs) and (5yrs)…

Barton’s energetic day-in-the-life story of an unlikely pair of friends, Fire Truck and Dragon, teaches young readers quite literally to look beyond a book’s cover. While the title and jacket imply a battle between the two powerhouses, the amicable story is anything but that. While the children in the book wish to see an epic fight go down, Fire Truck and Dragon defy stereotypes and proudly flaunt their friendship, reminding onlookers that not only do they get along swimmingly but they also have many hidden talents that shouldn’t be overlooked: they enjoy cooking together, attending and participating in social functions, fostering creative hobbies, and most importantly, sharing time with each other and the neighborhood kids. McCloskey’s vibrant illustrations implement a striking primary color palette with expressive characters and fun, roughshod linework to match the liveliness of the plot. This book teaches readers to express and appreciate differences, value unlikely and unexpected friendships, and be proud of yourself and your loved ones for things you succeed at. -Booklist

What an honor to be on this list of fantastic books! Thank you to the Indiana Library Federation and all who nominated and/or voted to make this possible!

Read the full review here: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-52213-7

Full Review:
“After Lucas spots T-Bone the Drone in a toy-store window, it’s love at first sight, and the little, anthropomorphized gadget becomes his constant companion. Learning to control a drone is hard and absorbing work, so much so that Lucas ignores his friends’ calls to play Wiffle ball. McCloskey’s (Doll-E 1.0, 2018) watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are wonderful at giving a drone’s-eye view of the neighborhood and the playground, and she also cleverly humanizes this particular little quadcopter, stretching or drooping its front and back propellers to give a whole range of expressions (delight, worried, triumphant) to the eye in its central hub. Once Lucas and T-Bone finally catch up to the ball game, Lucas alienates himself further by having T-Bone deflect the ball over a fence—where a growling dog lives. The diverse group of playmates come together, using trial and error and teamwork to retrieve their ball in an exciting, comic, and inspiring resolution. A good cautionary tale about technology and isolation, with a shout-out to innovation.” -Booklist