​RESUME

OVERVIEW

I'm an experienced freelance writer, open to assignments and commissions. 

Subjects: Social studies (government, law, political science, history); science (nature, technology).

Qualifications: Children’s writer and blogger, experienced with meeting assignment specifications and deadlines; environmental, policy studies, law degrees and expertise.

Specialty: Translating complex concepts into clear, simple language.

Experience: I've written nonfiction and fiction for the trade press, book packagers, educational publishers, and magazines, including picture books, MG, and YA, articles, stories, and test passages.

EDUCATION

University of California, Berkeley School of Law, J.D.
Dartmouth College, B.A. cum laude, Policy Studies/Environmental Studies

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Published books

• Mel Brooks: A Little Golden Book Biography, Little Golden, 24 pages, ages 4 to 8, 2024.
• Ultimate Food Atlas: Maps, Games, Recipes & More, National Geographic Kids, with Nancy Castaldo, 160 pages, ages 9 to 12, 2022.
• Patience, Patches!, Dial Books, 32 pages, ages 2 to 8, 2022. 
• The Supreme Court and Us, Albert Whitman & Co., 32 pages, grades 2 to 6, 2022.
• Barefoot Books WATER: A Deep Dive of Discovery, Barefoot Books, 64 pages, ages 8-12, 2021
• Free for You and Me: What Our First Amendment Means, Albert Whitman & Co., 32 pages, grades 2 to 6, 2020
• Hey, Hey, Hay! (A Tale of Bales and the Machines that Make Them), Holiday House, 32 pages, 4-8 years, 2018
• Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought, Lerner/Twenty-First Century Books, 13-18 years, 2018
• Raise Your Hand series: Three books for grades 3-5, including Run for Office, Organize and Volunteer, Be an Entrepreneur, Rourke Educational Media, 2022.
• Governing the United States series: Six books for grades 1-4, including Ask the Mayor, Ask the Governor, Ask a Congressperson, Ask a Judge, Ask the Attorney General, and Ask the President, Rourke Educational Media, 2020
• Shaping the Debate series: Six books for grades 5 to 9, including these topics: Climate Change, Free Press, Free Speech, Human Rights, Immigration, and Women’s Rights, Rourke Educational Media, 2019
• Separation of Government Powers (Understanding American Democracy) Bright Point Press, 64 pages, high school hi lo, 2023.
• Biomass Power (The Power of Energy) The Child's World, 32 pages, grades 2-3, 2023.
• Energy from Water (Energy for the Future) Focus Readers, 32 pages, grades 3-5, 2022.
• Sunlight (Natural Resources), Pop! 32 pages, grades 3-4, 2019
• Rocky Mountain National Park (Natural Laboratories: Scientists in the National Park), Rourke Educational Media, 48 pages, grades 4-8, 2019
• California's Redwood Forest (Natural Wonders of the World), Focus Readers, 32 pages, grades 3-6, 2018
• Elephants (Animals of Africa), Focus Readers, 32 pages, grades 4-6, 2017
• Using Math in Fashion (Math You Will Actually Use), Rosen Central, 48 pages, grades 4-6, 2017
• Getting Paid to Make Cosplay Costumes and Props (Turning Your Tech Hobbies into a Career), Rosen Publishing, 80 pages, grades 7-12, 2017
• All About Apps (Cutting Edge Technology), Focus Readers, 32 pages, grades 4-7, 2017
• Moose (Animals of North America), Focus Readers, 32 pages, grades 3-5, 2017

Poetry

• "Brick by Brick" and "Out of a Stone ... A Sword" in Dirigible Balloon, March 2023.
• "Opossums" trio in Two Truths and a Fib Poetry Anthology, Bridget Magee, 2023. 
• "Conductor" in Paperbound, winter 2023 
• "Pigeon Perspectives" and "Stacking Grandpa's Firewood" in Imperfect II: Poems about Perspectives, Tabatha Yeatts, 2022. 
• "Hand in Hand" and "Pond-ering" in 10.10 Poetry Anthology: Celebrating 10 in 10 Different Ways, Bridget Magee, 2021
• "Luna Moth" and "Beetle Soup" in The Bee is Not Afraid of Me: A Book of Insect Poems, Emma Press, 2021.
• "Stand Up!" in Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving, Pomelo Press, 2020.  
• "Who Cooks for You?" Light (Journal of Light Verse), 2020, reprinted in Poem City Anthology 2023, Rootstock Publishing, 2023.
• "Johnny" in Montpelier's Poem City Celebration, 2019.
• "The Alaska Purchase" and "Rejecting Harry Potter" in Imperfect: Poems about Mistakes, an Anthology for Middle Schoolers, Tabatha Yeatts, 2018.
• “La Feria—The Fair” (nonfiction poem), Highlights for Children, April 2016
• “Muse” (poem),  Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Bulletin, Nov./Dec. 2014.

Science/nature articles and activities

• "The Pull of the Penguin," Ask, March 2021
• “Moth Metamorphosis” (word game), Spider, Sept. 2020
• "High-Flying Hero," Ask, January 2020.
• "Peppertree Potions," (science), ASK Magazine, April 2018
• “Metamorphosis” (science/word play game) Spider, April 2018
• “On Pins and Needles” (veterinary acupuncture) Fun for Kidz, Nov./Dec. 2017
• “Attack of the Flying Squid,” Ask, March 2017
• “Look Out! Salamander Crossing!” Fun for Kidz, Nov./Dec. 2016.
• “The Probability of Purple Peas,” Ask, Sept. 2015
• “Tower Power” (solar power technology), Schoolwide, Inc., March 2015
• “Harnessing the Desert Sun”, AppleSeeds, July 2014

History/Social Studies articles and stories

• "High-Flying Hero," Ask Magazine, January 2020
• "Abby Goes to La Feria," FACES, May/June 2017
• “Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys,” Schoolwide, Inc., March 2015
• “Marching to Montgomery and Beyond” (interview), Cobblestone, Feb. 2015
• “All in the Family—The Story of the Pinzon Brothers,” AppleSeeds, Sept. 2012
• "Hola, Amiga" (story), Imagination Café, April 2012

​Blog Posts (see more HERE)​

• “Writing for Children’s Magazines”
• “Celebrating Multicultural Children’s Book Day”
• “Making Science Sing: Writing creative nonfiction about science, for kids”
• “Tackling Tough Topics . . . With Picture Books”
• "Opportunities in Writing for the Educational Market" 

ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES

• Reading mentor at elementary school
• Presenter, Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF)
• Judge, Rate Your story
• Judge, Cybils Awards for children's books
• Elementary school environmental educator
• Board chair, land conservancy
• Board chair, music school
• Board member, community concert series 
• Cellist, quartet and community orchestra
• Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, League of Vermont Writers, Vermont Humanities Council, Vermont Historical Society, 12x12 Picture Book Challenge.