#SOL17 - 20/31 - It's Monday!

      I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community for Day Twenty of Thirty-One.
           

          Visit Jen at Teach MentorTexts and Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders to see what they've been reading, along with everyone else who link up.  tweet #IMWAYR

Happy Spring!  My poem, Ode To Wind 
is visiting Today's Little Ditty today.

         I know many of you have heard me say how much we need rain or snow. Recently, I even posted a picture of a couple of puddles because I was so excited. While it was wonderful, that little rainstorm lasted about 20 minutes! Despite recent snow, and significant snow in the mountains, Colorado's plains and foothills have emerged in drought-like conditions. There are fires in various places happening right now.
        Somehow I seemed to have read three stories about rain this past week. And if you consider also the sci-fi talk about potable water on Mars, I can also count The Last Day on Mars as a futuristic water challenge.
       Here are the current facts from Water.org, including one in ten people on earth, 685 million people who lack access to safe water.

Figuring out how to make water.

Non-Fiction - Enjoyed Again

         Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at her blog, Kidlit Frenzy.   

         Come read to discover everyone's recent non-fiction picture books.

       Tweet - #NFPB15


       I'm lucky to have found these three books, two at the library, and one at the library sale! I couldn't believe it was there! The year is nearly gone, and it's a time for celebrating so many wonderful non-fiction picture books. I've enjoyed them all, and learned a lot!

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine - written by Laurie Wallmark and illustrated by April Chu

          It’s an inspiring book for those interested in women’s restrictions in the past, the early beginnings of computing, and how people who work hard to solve problems when passionate about them. Ada Lovelace was a daughter of Lord Byron, but estranged from him early in life. Her mother loved mathematics, and supported Ada’s interest in pursuing learning math. Eventually, Ada was introduced to the well-known mathematician, Charles Babbage, becoming a life-long friend. His analytical machine was a wonder to her, but unfortunately he never built it. Ada worked to create a program that would solve difficult problems in mathematics, and designed an algorithm that was a plan. This was all on paper, but years later, computer scientists tested Ada’s software, and found it worked, with only one tiny error. So far ahead in her thinking, and despite the times in which she lived, it’s wonderful that Ada’s work is still available today.  There is detailed back matter adding to the story, and Chu’s illustrations fill each page of text with extended detail both of the historical times, and Ada’s excitement for mathematics.

12/31 New Book Coming - A Must for Nature Lovers

           Great to be writing for the Slice of Life Challenge at the blog, Two Writing Teachers.   And today I'm also posting at Alyson Beecher's blog, Kid-Lit Frenzy for Non-Fiction Picture Book Wednesday. I've had the pleasure of viewing an advanced copy of a book I know everyone will love, and want to share it with you.

           On April 1^st, Laura Purdie Salas’ new poetry picture book, Water Can Be, will arrive on your doorstep if you pre-order now! You can find all about Laura here at her website. You can find her blog, Writing The World for Kids, information for writers, for teachers, for students, and for visits to your classroom.  Most recently, Laura became a new "teaching author" at the blog, TeachingAuthors. She is a busy writer, and writes wonderful books for children.