The Iron Giant.  Naima.  Hollis Woods.  Juan de Pareja. We readers know they are people who don’t exist but we get involved anyway. Why? It’s complicated. And yet it’s simple. Characters inspire. They inspire is to try. They inspire us…

A wordsmith recognizes the plasticity of language and delights in the potential of a word. Words are like Play-Doh, moldable, colorful, and brimming with potential. Learning to spell should be like breaking off a piece of brightly colored Doh, rolling…

I recently sent out a text to a handful of my adult friends who are life-long readers asking them if they have a favorite fictional character, and if they do, why? I was blasted with immediate responses and, frankly amazed…

Welcome to Blackbird & Company! If you’re looking for a fun and inspirational language arts program, we have everything you need. Whether you are in a classroom, a homeschool, or an independent study program, we want to empower you, encourage…

  “Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.” So said Harper Lee. Louisiana, 1995. Texas, 1996. Ontario, 2009. Mississippi, 2017. These are a few of the times and places Harper…

I bought these cookies at an after-Christmas-sale for $1 nearly 7 years ago. They have a shelf life in common with Peeps! I keep them tucked in a drawer with my poetry trinkets. I take a peek every now and…

Inspired by this Native Vermont image discovered while poking about on Pinterest, take inspiration from a food chain. Take inspiration from the “>”mathematical sign, from the chain of dominance in games such as rock-paper-scissors. Now, write a poem!   Example:…

This after Thanksgiving craft bears repeating! Thanks Tracey…   I am the Martha Stewart generation—a young mom before the days of DIY, blogs, Handmade Nation, and Etsy (and email and cell phones for that matter). Crafting in those days was…

  These pumpkins don’t grow on vines but they have something in common with fortune cookies and piñatas. The Recipe: 1. Take a lunch-sized paper bag and fill the bottom with torn paper. 2. Before twisting closed, insert a handcrafted…