Literacy Specialist. Developer of Educational Resources. Writer.
A bit belated, but I have a new book out, Bess!
Meant for 3rd and 4th graders, this guided reader (level P) tells the story of how girls aren’t allowed to act in Shakespeare’s London, so Bess pretends to be a boy to get a role. When it’s showtime, can she let her parents — and the Globe — know it’s her? BESS deals with the theme of how deep, societal change moves ever so slowly and how we can still play a part in it.
The Buffalo News published one of my essays today. It parallels the country’s reaction to COVID-19 with my daughter’s leukemia diagnosis, and how we can utilize long-term thinking strategies for dealing with the related anxiety.
Over the last week, a feeling of apprehension has swept over the country. With the coronavirus infecting thousands of Americans and cities taking drastic measures to slow the spread, citizens rush to combat this pandemic. We scramble for some sense of control, bury our fears and hope that life will soon return to normal.
It won’t.
The current reaction to COVID-19 reminds me of how I felt six years ago when my daughter…
It may be fall, but Snow Day is now available! This is my latest book for Teacher Created Materials, and it was a blast to write. Because it’s based on my actual children and Buffalo weather, this one’s even more special to me. Here’s the overview:
Snow Day
This early chapter book features full-color illustrations to capture the attention of 4th-6th grade children who enjoy modern retellings of classic tales. In this spin on Hansel and Gretel, Lia and Tim are playing outside on a snow day when they get lost in the woods. They find a candy shop owned by the mysterious Mr. Gretel, who gives them as much candy as they can eat. But they’ll have to rely on their own smarts when it comes to getting home! Kids will be captivated by this fast-paced adventure story that appeals to reluctant readers.
Should you read it, or any of my work, I’d love to hear your reactions.
I published an essay with The Osborne Association as part of their #SeeUsSupportUs campaign.
This one’s about the degrading treatment one receives when visiting a loved one in prison. If you haven’t joined #SeeUsSupportUs already, please consider doing so to support families coping with having an incarcerated loved one.
Here’s the beginning of the essay:
The Sunday of that visit, we arrived at 7:45am in hopes of getting in at 8:30—we had a seven-hour drive back to Buffalo and wanted to leave by noon. We received visitor pass #56.
There were no signs telling us where to go, where to wait, what to do. Just a room of silent women, some with children, some itching to go outside and smoke.
To read the rest, go to http://www.osborneny.org/news/voices-from-see-us-support-us-pamela-brunskill/.
“Whether separated due to immigration or incarceration, these children are in limbo.”
I have a new article on Teen Vogue this week that compares the long-term effects the trauma children at the border are facing to the trauma children with incarcerated parents face. Can the empathy shown towards children at the border be extended to children with incarcerated parents?
Click here to read the article!
Pamela Brunskill 