Melissa talks about the primary ways she does research for her books: reading books, scientific articles, and magazines on the topic, carefully using content from the Internet, and consulting with experts.
Through her career, Melissa has been able to travel all over the world. It allows her to see the animals firsthand and to really understand how they thrive in their environment, how they move, what they eat. These up-close encounters infuse her writing with more vibrancy.
Melissa has been keeping nature journals since she was 20 years old. She often goes back to those journals for inspiration, but also for the observations she’s made of certain animal behaviors.
Children’s nonfiction writer Melissa Stewart has published more than 200 books on a wide range of science and nature topics. Melissa says she writes for children because books for young people can change the way that they see themselves and the way that they see the world.
Author Christina Soontornvat learned that whether through an exhibit, program, or story, kids — anyone! — need to feel something in order to really learn and retain something.
Bilingual speech-language pathologist Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan discusses effective assessment and instruction strategies for ELLs with learning disabilities.
