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Debbie’s Blog

Welcome to my new blog, which now includes content from many of the blogs I’ve created over the years. You can now also access content via category from this one page instead of having to search for my individual blogs, which were scattered over various platforms and websites.


MY LIFE IS A ZOO series by Jess Keating (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky)

If you’re looking for funny, smart middle grade books and lots of entertaining animal facts, you need to check out Jess Keating’s “My Life Is A Zoo” series. I met Jess through Torkidlit and Nerd Camp; she’s funny, smart and entertaining in person, too :-). The third book in her series, . . .




AWKWARD by Svetlana Chmakova needs to be in every school library

Just finished AWKWARD, an absolutely wonderful middle grade graphic novel by Svetlana Chmakova (Yen Press/Hachette, 2015). This needs to be in every school library. Why? Because it Svetlana does SUCH a great job at capturing the awkwardness of middle school personal interactions, especially for the insecure and shy. I wish this . . .



Don’t stress about getting everything perfect the first time

I love this quote by Robert Cormier so much that I’ve made it available as a free, print-ready poster. Download the poster here. (after opening the image, right-click for PC, ctrl-click and hold for Mac) Also see my free, print-ready Archives.




Don’t count on elves to finish your stories

One of my favourite Neil Gaiman quotes: “Just write. Many writers have a vague hope that elves will come in the night and finish any stories for you for you. They won’t.” You can see the original video in which he offers advice for young writers:





Free, print-ready poster: “Reading Lets Your Imagination Soar”

Added to my For The Love Of Reading resource for teachers, librarians, booksellers and young readers: a free, print-ready “Reading Lets Your Imagination Soar” poster. For all my free, print-ready material, please see Debbie’s Print-Ready Archive. I’ve also added a greeting card version of just the found object art to my Zazzle card shop (Canada/U.S.).