A Brave Writer's Life in Brief

In celebration of Andrew Clements’ 65th birthday (born in May, 1949), we’re making a special offer! The Arrow for his novel, Frindle, is:

Half price till midnight May 31st: $4.95!

Just what is a frindle?

“I will never use the word PEN again. Instead, I will use the word FRINDLE, and I will do everything possible so others will, too.”

In 1990, Clements began writing his first novel, Frindle. Published six years later, the novel tells the story of a boy who creates a new word and tries to get it into the dictionary.

Some fun facts about Andrew Clements (from an interview with the New York Public Library):

• Writes in a cabin in the woods or in a shed behind his house where there are no distractions
• Takes about a year to complete and publish a novel
• As a teen, loved Jack London and the Sherlock Holmes stories
• Listens to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and John Mayer
• In his free time, plays guitar, tinkers in his workshop, hikes, and practices calligraphy

Advice on writing from Andrew Clements:

“I don’t know a single writer who wasn’t a reader first. Read, read, read. Read all the good books you can to learn what good writing sounds like and feels like. And think about what you read.”

When he doesn’t have anything to write: “I’ve learned to make myself make something happen next. The thought ‘I can’t think of anything to write’ is the same as ‘Nothing could possibly happen next’—and that is NEVER true.”

“Sometimes kids ask how I’ve been able to write so many books. The answer is simple: one word at a time. … You don’t have to do everything at once. You don’t have to know how every story is going to end. You just have to take that next step, look for that next idea, write that next word.”

So, celebrate Andrew Clements’ birthday and take advantage of this special offer! Offer ends on May 31st at midnight EDT.

Also, if you’d like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: Frindle (affiliate link).

The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.

Beverly Cleary is 98 years young this weekend, and to celebrate we’re offering the Arrow based on her book, The Mouse and the Motorcycle:

Half price through Monday at Midnight! ($4.95) OFFER HAS EXPIRED

Ralph S. Mouse is not just any ol’ mouse at Mountain View Inn.

He is always looking for adventure. So when a young guest named Keith arrives with a shiny miniature motorcycle, it’s Ralph’s lucky day. Right away, Ralph knows that the motorcycle is special—made to be ridden by an adventurous mouse. And once a mouse can ride a motorcycle . . . almost anything can happen! (HarperCollins)

The Mouse and the Motorcycle is the first book in a trilogy (Runaway Ralph and Ralph S. Mouse being the other two in the series). Clearly has written other popular children’s books, as well, featuring the characters of Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins.

Also, every April 12th is Drop Everything and Read Day! Beverly Clearly was so inspired by the idea when she learned about it that she wrote about D.E.A.R. in her book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Since then D.E.A.R. programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Cleary’s birthday.

So, drop everything and read plus take advantage of this special Arrow offer!

Also, if you’d like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: The Mouse and the Motorcycle (affiliate link).

The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.

“I like to think of myself as a storyteller.” ~Kate DiCamillo

We’re celebrating author Kate DiCamillo’s birthday today! The Arrow based on her book, Because of Winn-Dixie, is:

Half price for one day only: $4.95! OFFER HAS EXPIRED

When asked where she got the idea for Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo says she missed her childhood home in Florida. Then adds:

Also, it was the first time in my life that I had been without a dog. I was living in an apartment where no dogs were allowed, but there weren’t any rules about imaginary dogs. So I made a dog up, the best dog I could think of: a smelly, friendly, big old mutt.

That big old smelly dog in the book is, of course, Winn-Dixie, the pet of India Opal Buloni, a ten-year-old girl who is dealing with her mother’s abandonment. After moving to Florida with her father, Opal goes to the grocery to get macaroni, white rice, and tomatoes and comes home with her furry companion. Winn-Dixie then helps his young owner meet people in the community. Opal learns about forgiveness and acceptance as she gets to know her new friends, like Miss Franny Brock who once “fought off a bear with a copy of War and Peace,” and Otis, the ex-con musician who serenades the animals in his pet shop.

So, celebrate Kate DiCamillo’s birthday and take advantage of this special offer today!

Also, if you’d like to buy a copy of the novel, it’s available through Amazon: Because of Winn-Dixie (affiliate link).

The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.

“Questions are more important than answers… If I were a fairy godmother, my gift to every child would be curiosity.” ~Jeanne Bendick

Jeanne Bendick was born February 25, 1919, and in celebration of her birthday we’re making a special offer! The Arrow based on her book, Archimedes and the Door of Science, is:

Half price for one day only: $4.95!

An artist as well as an author, Jeanne Bendick used words and drawings to make difficult concepts understandable. Inspired by her grandfather who often took her to New York’s American Museum of Natural History, Bendick developed a lifelong interest in science and grew up to write over 100 books!

“One part of the job I set for myself is to make those young readers see that everything is connected to everything-that science isn’t something apart. It’s a part of everyday life. It has been that way since the beginning.”

In Archimedes and the Door of Science, Bendick introduces us to the ancient Greek mathematician, and her captivating illustrations help bring the story to life.

So, celebrate Jeanne Bendick’s birthday and take advantage of this special offer today!

The Arrow is a monthly digital product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It’s geared toward children ages 8-11 and is an indispensable tool for parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.