Guest Post by Children’s Book Author

A Guest Post by Author Cathy Ballou Mealey About Summer Reading

 

SOME READING ABOUT SUMMER READING

By Cathy Ballou Mealey,

Author of Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation

 

 

Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation cover Sloth and Squirrel riding a wave.

 

 

GUEST POST:

 

I’m celebrating summer, my favorite time to read, read, read. The sun lingers high in the sky, my deck chair is comfy, and the next thing I know my family is asking if or when we are having dinner. Just let me reach the end of this chapter…

 

But I don’t become that engrossed in every book. This summer, I’ve put down three promising novels that simply did not engage me. Which makes me worry – how many books should I bring on vacation? I am definitely the donkey in this illustration, with a giant tote of extra books propped just out of view!

 

 

Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation int1 Turtles and Donkey at beach.
Interior spread from Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation, written by Cathy Ballou Mealey and illustrated by Kelly Collier, Kids Can Press ©2025.

 

 

In Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation, the unlikely friends are going on a trip to Paradise Park, but of course, they prepare in very different ways. Sloth, usually the slower of the two, is ready in a flash, bringing only a tiny polka-dotted bindle. Squirrel is a fast and massive over-packer, tossing everything but the kitchen sink into an overstuffed suitcase. Did either of them pack even one book?

 

Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation int2 sloth was ready first.
Interior art from Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation, written by Cathy Ballou Mealey and illustrated by Kelly Collier, Kids Can Press ©2025.

 

 

Well, Sloth and Squirrel did consult a travel magazine when deciding where to go, and that definitely counts as summer reading. Also, audiobooks, graphic novels, comic books, cookbooks, museum placards, seed packets, cereal boxes, and even blog posts count as summer reading. At least they do for me!

 

 

Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation int3 Squirrel opened a travel magazine.
Interior spread from Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation, written by Cathy Ballou Mealey and illustrated by Kelly Collier, Kids Can Press ©2025.

 

 

I recently took a peek at the summer reading lists for students in my hometown. For elementary students, there are suggested titles and a recommendation to read as much and as widely as possible. For older students, there are selected texts, worksheets to complete, and assignments due on the first week of school. I felt grateful, remembering those three novels I chose to put down, that I did not have to puzzle out their exposition and themes, or draw a plot diagram. It’s empowering to have a choice in reading material, and it’s essential that we do our utmost to ensure everyone has access to books that are just right for them.

 

I hope all students are rewarded with a pizza party, sparkly stickers, or extra recess for completing their summer reading, math packets, and All About Me assignments. If you need a funny, sweet story about compromise, friendship, and exciting summer activities, I hope you will look for SLOTH AND SQUIRREL ON VACATION. And if you’ve found the most perfect, un-put-downable summer read for you, I hope you’ll tell me all about it!

 

 

Author Cathy Ballou Mealey headshotBIOGRAPHY:

Cathy Ballou Mealey is a scone lover and picture book author. SLOTH AND SQUIRREL ON VACATION and SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE are two books illustrated by Kelly Collier, out now from Kids Can Press. MAKE MORE S’MORES, illustrated by Ariel Landy, was published in 2023 by Sleeping Bear Press. Cathy lives north of Boston with her family, where she has seen plenty of squirrels and one moose.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CATHY:

Website: https://cathyballoumealey.wixsite.com/author

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/catballoumealey.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catballoumealey/

 

Description of Sloth and Squirrel on Vacation 

Finding a destination that best friends Sloth and Squirrel can agree on for their vacation is tough, until they learn that Paradise Park has “Something for Everyone!” Perfect! While Sloth happily lazes on the sand, Squirrel enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, paragliding, ziplining… until he starts to miss Sloth, and heads back to find him. Meanwhile, Sloth, finished with his nap, is missing Squirrel, and begins searching for him—in all the places Squirrel has just been! Will the friends ever have fun together? Young readers will appreciate how the two lovable, mismatched friends always find a way to work things out. This endearing story makes a funny and engaging read-aloud, offering lessons on caring for others and being adaptable.

 

BUY THE BOOK:

Purchase links for ISBN: 9781525312564
Bookshop
Barnes&Noble
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Picture Book Review Guest Post – The Bagel Who Wanted Everything

GET THE SHMEAR
BECAUSE SCOOPS ARE FOR ICE CREAM!

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR
ALAN SILBERBERG

BY LAUREN KASIARZ

 

lThe Bagel Who Wanted Everything cover plain bagel.

 

THE BAGEL WHO WANTED EVERYTHING

Written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg

(Viking Books for Young Readers; $18.99; Ages 3-7)

 

 

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

“The Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series meets The Food Group books in this tale of a plain bagel who dreams of being more!“

FROM KIRKUS:

“With charm and a lesson of self-empowerment, this bagel book has lox to recommend it.”

THE INTERVIEW:

Lauren Kasiarz: Let’s welcome today’s guest, Alan Silberberg. His most recent book, The Bagel Who Wanted Everything, is sweet, silly, and full of self-discovery.

Now let’s learn more about The Bagel Who Wanted Everything!

LK: What feels most unique to you about this story compared to ones you’ve previously written?

Alan Silberberg: The others are silly stories about Jewish holidays and funny food characters. In this book, though, it’s funny food characters, but I feel like I’m able to put more of my heart into it and say more about the human condition. It’s more of a heartfelt story for me.

 

 

The Bagel Who Wanted Everything int1 plain bagel and plain parents.
Interior art by Alan Silberberg from The Bagel Who Wanted Everything, written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg, Viking BYR ©2025.

 

LK: How did you come up with the idea for The Bagel Who Wanted Everything?

AS: This book came about as most of my books do – as a title. So then, I had to figure out the story and I didn’t want it to be a story about “plain is no good because plain is just plain.” I really struggled with telling this individualization story without denigrating being plain because plain’s awesome! And so, when I wrote up these other types of bagels, it took me a while to find that bagels are just one thing. And one isn’t better than the other.

LK: What was the most difficult aspect of writing The Bagel Who Wanted Everything?

AS: The hardest part for me is that I knew the sentence, “In a world of everything, why do I have to be one thing?” But I struggled with the ultimate message. How do I say it’s ok to be everything? By everything, I mean any combination or non-combination. I didn’t want to be judgey. And drawing, when you’re playing with a lot of brown tones, it was hard for me to get color into the book.

 

 

The Bagel Who Wanted Everything int2 each type of bagel was what it was meant to be.
Interior art by Alan Silberberg from The Bagel Who Wanted Everything, written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg, Viking BYR ©2025.

e

LK: Did you have any surprises while crafting this book?

AS: I didn’t have any surprises but I did have a moment where I said, “this isn’t funny. I’ve got to be funny.” And going back through it and saying, “well, I can’t really have a grandmother bagel be moldy and old. And then I went, well, maybe that’s funny.” So I had to push myself, not that it’s not a funny book, but I didn’t want it just to be cute.

 

The Bagel Who Wanted Everything int 3 confused bagel asks why be just one thing.
Interior art by Alan Silberberg from The Bagel Who Wanted Everything, written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg, Viking BYR ©2025.

 

e

Author Lauren Kasiarz Photo Credit Ann Marie Collins.
Lauren Kasiarz Photo Credit Ann Marie Collins.

Today’s guest post is by Lauren Kasiarz.
Watch the extended video interview with Alan Silberberg,
hosted by Lauren Kasiarz of @diversejewishbooks, on YouTube.
You can also find Lauren on IG here.

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The See-You-Soon Spice Box: A Guest Post by Pamela Ehrenberg for Jewish American Heritage Month

THE SEE-YOU-SOON SPICE BOX

Written by Pamela Ehrenberg

Illustrated by Gabby Grant

(Kar-Ben Publishing; $18.99, Ages 3-8)

 

 

 

The-See-You-Soon Spice Box cover grandson great grandma on video call.

 

PICTURE BOOK SUMMARY:

Silas and Great-Grandma Faye always end their video calls with “See you soon!” Great-Grandma Faye says that Havdalah, which separates Shabbat from the rest of the week, is like saying “See you soon!” to Shabbat. She shows Silas a spice box made by his great-grandpa, who used to say, “Havdalah is the time between Shabbat and ordinary days, when we get to feel both kinds of magic at the same time.” Great-Grandma Faye suggests she and Silas make Havdalah together over the internet until they can be together again. Silas makes his own spice box. When Great-Grandma Faye finally comes to visit, they say Havdalah with both spice boxes.

 

 

GUEST POST BY AUTHOR PAMELA EHRENBERG:

It’s such an honor to be here as a guest on Good Reads with Ronna—thank you so much for having me!

When I realized that your blog celebrated its 13th (b’nai mitzvah!) year sometime during the pandemic (belated mazel tov!), it made me think about all the ways that different cultures and traditions have come up with for keeping people connected—even in our world where so often we’re pulled by opportunities and experiences to end up living far away from people we love.

The See-You-Soon Spice Box is a modern take on a boy and his great-grandma who meet every week over video call for the Jewish ceremony of Havdalah, which is about saying goodbye (or “see you soon,” until next week!) to the Sabbath.

 

 

The See-You-Soon Spice Box int1 grandson great grandma chat on video call.
Interior art from The See-You-Soon Spice Box written by Pamela Ehrenberg and illustrated by Gabby Grant, Kar-Ben Publishing ©2025.

 

 

 

As a single parent (like the dad in The See-You-Soon Spice Box!), I had many years where in-person connections, especially with far-away friends and family, were super-difficult to schedule. And I think the pandemic made clear that there are a lot of people, for all sorts of reasons—disability, caregiving, job responsibilities, the challenges of life!—who can’t connect in person as often as we’d like.

 

 

 

The See-You-Soon Spice Box int2 what I like best about Shabbat activities.
Interior art from The See-You-Soon Spice Box written by Pamela Ehrenberg and illustrated by Gabby Grant, Kar-Ben Publishing ©2025.

 

 

 

But the pandemic also reminded us that connections helped by technology are nonetheless real connections with real humans. And that’s one of the wonderful things you’ve done all these years with your blog: you’ve connected creators at all stages of our creative journeys—pre-published, published, re-published, and those of us facing all kinds of uncertainties as we wonder what the next step will bring—and connected us with readers, who have realized all along that stories are one of the main ways that humans have always connected with one another.

 

 

The-See-You-Soon Spice Box int3 great-grandma Faye Havdalah items.
Interior spread from The See-You-Soon Spice Box written by Pamela Ehrenberg and illustrated by Gabby Grant, Kar-Ben Publishing ©2025.

 

 

At the end of The See-You-Soon Spice Box, when the great-grandma travels for an in-person visit, I think it’s a happy time for the family, to be able to connect in person. But I don’t think it changes their relationships, from the already-strong connections they’ve built across distances. Sometimes I forget that you and I haven’t yet met in person, since your blog makes me feel like I know you so well, even though we live 3000 miles away! Thank you so much for everything you do to keep readers, writers, illustrators, and stories connected in spite of everything!!

BUY THE BOOK:

Click this Bookshop.org link to purchase The See-You-Soon Spice Box or purchase a copy at your favorite independent bookseller.

Author Pamela Ehrenberg Photo Credit Alexandra Taylor
Pamela Ehrenberg Photo Credit: Alexandra Taylor

BIOGRAPHY:

Pamela Ehrenberg’s previous picture books include Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas and Planting Parsley. Her middle-grade novel Detour Ahead (co-authored with Tracy López) was a National Jewish Book Award finalist. She and her children live in Washington, D.C., and she can be found online at www.pamelaehrenberg.com, and on Instagram & FB: @PamelaEhrenbergAuthor

 

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Kids Emotions – I’m Happy-Sad Today Author Lory Britain

AN ENLIGHTENING GUEST POST
ABOUT KIDS AND MOODS
WITH LORY BRITAIN, PhD

I’M HAPPY-SAD TODAY:
Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings
Written by Lory Britain, PhD
Illustrated by Matthew Rivera
(Free Spirit Publishing; $15.99, Ages 3-8)

 

cover art by Matthew Rivera from Im Happy Sad Today by Lory Britain PhD
Images from I’m Happy-Sad Today by Lory Britain © 2019. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 1-800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.

 

“Grandma, I am so SA-MAD!”

 Oh … why, Momo?” I asked my 8-year-old granddaughter.

“I’m SAD that my parents won’t let me do what I want today and I am so MAD at them!” she replied passionately.

Thus began my journey to explore children’s complex feelings and to write I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings. Most books and early childhood materials focus on children selecting one feeling that represents how they feel. Yet, “mixed-together” feelings are common in childhood and throughout adulthood. Exploring the emotional life of children through this lens enriches our understanding and support of children.

 

int spread by Matthew Rivera from Im Happy-Sad Today by Lory Britain
Images from I’m Happy-Sad Today by Lory Britain © 2019. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 1-800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.

 

All children are faced with confusing, conflicted and ambivalent feelings during situations ranging from the “every day” such as their first sleepover to confusing and devastating situations involving abuse from a known adult. Often when children are struggling with coping skills, unrecognized mixed-together emotions are present. Children’s ability to understand both their own emotions and the emotions of others improves their inner emotional life, coping skills (self-regulation) and contributes to healthy relationships with those around them.

We can help children recognize all of their feelings, validate how they are feeling, and give them the lifelong tools to accept and express these feelings in developmentally appropriate ways.  And to quote my book, I’m Happy-Sad Today,  “When I’m older, sometimes I’ll still have different feelings mixed together inside of me. And that’s okay!”

 

back cover artwork by Matthew Rivera from Im Happy-Sad Today by Lory Britain
Images from I’m Happy-Sad Today by Lory Britain © 2019. Used with permission of Free Spirit Publishing Inc., Minneapolis, MN; 1-800-735-7323; www.freespirit.com. All rights reserved.

 

I’m grateful to Lory for sharing her insightful thoughts with us about children and their complex emotions. This important children’s book was just released yesterday so don’t miss your opportunity to learn more about I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings by Lory Britain and illustrated by Matthew Rivera.  Visit https://www.freespirit.com/early-childhood/im-happy-sad-today-lory-britain-matthew-rivera for invaluable resources for adults, buying options, and a glimpse inside.

This guest post was written by Lory Britain, PhD
www.lorybritain.com

 

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Mira Forecasts the Future Blog Tour

Bruce Springsteen, Superstorms, and Fortune Telling
on the Boardwalk

Inspiration for Mira Forecasts the Future

Guest Post for Good Reads With Ronna

By Kell Andrews

 

Mira Forecasts the Future book cover

 

Brief Summary of Mira Forecasts the Future:
Telling the future is a gift: you either have it, or you don’t. And Mira, daughter of the famous fortune teller Madame Mirabella, just doesn’t. When Madame gazes into the crystal ball, magic swirls. When Mira looks . . . nothing. Then one day Mira gets a pinwheel and a windsock, she finds her own form of “magic” in the science of predicting the weather—and saves the day for everyone! This engaging tale, with a fun touch of science thrown in, helps kids understand that we all have our own special talent.

 

Guest Post:
I’m a Belmartian by marriage, which means I claim the beach town of Belmar, NJ, as a home. During Superstorm Sandy, Belmar’s boardwalk was destroyed, and many homes were damaged or demolished.

My beach town was on my mind when I was looking for a picture book idea, and it combined with a line from a Bruce Springsteen song, “Asbury Park, Fourth of July (Sandy).” “Did you hear the cops finally busted Madam Marie for tellin’ fortunes better than they do.”

Sandy, storms, boardwalks, fortune tellers — they all came together in Mira Forecasts the Future, the story of the daughter of a boardwalk fortune teller who can’t see the future with magic, so she learns to predict the weather with science.

Mira learns about weather, and this book is the story of a girl who saves a surfing contest and the day. It doesn’t take place in the present or in the past, despite Lissy Marlin’s gorgeous Boardwalk Empire inspired ilIustrations, but somewhere in between.

It doesn’t take place in New Jersey — it could be Coney Island, Santa Cruz, or any beach town. Boardwalks and beach towns seem like tourist traps to those visiting, but there are real people who live there. I wanted to capture a warm small-town environment — flavored with salt water taffy and pizza by the slice, soundtracked by calliope music and the crash of waves.

Headshot of author Kell Andrews
Kell Andrews, author of Mira Forecasts the Future.

In Mira Forecasts the Future, I mixed together facts and fiction, and not just about the weather. There was a real Madam Marie, Marie Castello, who told fortunes on the Asbury boards, just as her granddaughter still does. Madam Marie was never arrested, so the fortunes she told must have come true.

There isn’t a real Mira. I hope instead there are a lot of them — kids who learn to use science to learn about nature, forecast the future, avert disaster, and make the world a better place.

Visit Kell Andrews’ website here to find out more about the author, book signings and more.

Visit illustrator Lissy Marlin here.

Get your copy of Mira Forecasts the Future (Sterling Publishing; $14.95, Ages 5-8) at B&N or your local independent bookseller today.

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Normal Norman by Tara Lazar Blog Tour & Guest Post

THE NORMAL NORMAN BLOG TOUR
including
A Guest Post from Author Tara Lazar & Giveaway

Normal_Norman_cvr

 

NORMAL NORMAN
Written by Tara Lazar
Illustrated by S. Britt
(Sterling Children’s Books; $14.95, Ages 4 and up)

Normal Norman by Tara Lazar with illustrations by S. Britt, is an ode to individuality, and a wonderfully wild and wacky way to reinforce the message to children that there’s no such thing as normal. Good Reads With Ronna asked author Tara Lazar to speak to this topic, wondering how she embraces her own unique brand of non-normality in her every day life. Oh, and since I haven’t said it yet, I recommend you unicycle, not run to your nearest bookstore to get a copy of Normal Norman AND enter our giveaway, too! 🍌

GUEST POST BY TARA LAZAR:

I am not normal.

Tara Lazar & Norman - Author Pic
Normal Norman author Tara Lazar alongside the personable, purple orangutan. Photo courtesy of Autumn Lazar ©2016.

I unexpectedly launch into foreign accents while talking. Think a “cawfee tawk” Linda Richman, morphing into a good ol’ cajun creole, followed by a dashing foray in the King’s English. (I’ve been brushing up on Nana’s Irish brogue, but it’s not quite there yet.)

I don’t dress like a 40-something, either. I know that What-Not-to-Wear show cautions against mini-skirts, Mickey Mouse sweatshirts and combat boots—especially all at the same time—but I don’t care.

Since I don’t walk very well, I’ve got a mobility scooter. I painted flames on it. Its max speed is 5mph, so the flames make me feel as close to being Danica Patrick as I’m gonna get.

I hate coffee, and I’m a writer. How weird is that? And, what’s even worse, I don’t care for chocolate. If you offered me a dish of ice cream or a plate of cheese, I’d cut the cheese every time.

Yes, I just made a fart joke. And I think it’s hysterical.

I told you, I’m not normal. And that’s precisely the way I like it.

Being normal is overrated. But when you’re a kid? Being normal is EVERYTHING! The slightest cowlick and you’re branded a nerd, a weirdo, a wackadoo. Wear glasses? Geek! Don’t even get me started on being pegged as the teacher’s pet! That was me all through my school years. I was taunted and teased, and one girl bullied me from 2nd grade all the way to senior year in high school. I didn’t dress normally enough or act normally enough for her.

I’ve tried to figure out why kids want everyone around them to conform. Maybe things are more predictable and safe that way. There’s nothing to be frightened about. Nothing will jump out suddenly, like a jack-in-the-box. You stay in your corner and I’ll remain in mine and we’ll get through this just fine.

I get it. Life is scary.

stopinthenameoflove
Tara Lazar doing her best mannequin-style Stop In The Name of Love.

But my mission in life is to make everything fun. If that means stopping in the name of love to snap a photo with mannequins at the mall, so be it. And if it embarrasses my 12-year-old, let her turn red. Let her see that things shouldn’t be so serious all the time. Let her learn to find joy in the most miniscule things–or a medley of 6-foot plaster mannequins.

When I wrote Normal Norman, I didn’t necessarily set out to write some grand statement about all this. I just wanted Norman to be funny and to have fun. What emerged was a character who did just as he pleased and loved every minute of it. What emerged, I suppose, is me—in purple orangutan form!

Norman's normal home
Reprinted with permission from Normal Norman © 2016 by Tara Lazar, Sterling Children’s Books, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Illustrations © 2016 by Stephan Britt.

The message to children, buried beneath the hilarity, is that there’s really no such thing as “normal”. With all of us being so different, how could there be only one “normal” expectation to live up to? The real normalness is being your true, normal self, in all its wonderful wackiness. Just like Norman…and me!

NN Blog Tour Schedule - FINAL

 

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