Category: Blog

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An Extravaganza!

An Extravaganza!

Book Launch and Library Fundraiser
Saturday, May 21, 11:00 am
8 Newton Street
West Boylston, MA

Please join me as I celebrate the publication of my newest book for children, HONEYBEE RESCUE, with a library fundraising book extravaganza!

Why a fundraiser? Because Beaman Memorial Public Library is my hometown library and the librarians there have not only supported my reading life for the past twenty years, but also enthusiastically supported my career, buying copies of my books for the children’s room, sponsoring town-wide reads based on them, and hosting six book launches in the Stiles Room. But mostly because I want this hub of our community to be here forever.

Why should you come? Because it’ll be fun! I’ll be sharing a little bit of the story behind HONEYBEE RESCUE: A BACKYARD DRAMA and giving away a some rescue honey harvested and bottled by Jon Nelson, star of the book. Because books make great gifts–for graduates, for teachers, for yourself, for summer birthdays, for your favorite Little Free Library, for your kid or grandkid’s classroom or camp or after school program, for leaving on a public bench as a gift to the world. And because this will be an easy way for you to help support the library, too.

Copies of HONEYBEE RESCUE, filled with eye-popping images by local photographer Ellen Harasimowicz, will be available for sale and signing along with all my other children’s books. Proceeds will benefit the Beaman Memorial Public Library Endowment Fund.

To read more about the books that I’ll have on hand, check out this page.

I hope to see you on Saturday!

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A Hometown Launch Celebration

A Hometown Launch Celebration

It’s finally here: launch month for Honeybee Rescue: A Backyard Drama, a new picture book from myself, photographer Ellen Harasimowicz, and Charlesbridge Publishing. To celebrate, my friends at Root & Press are hosting an evening launch event at their Worcester, MA store. Books will be available for sale and signing, of course, and there will be refreshments, raffles, and storytelling. I hope you’ll join us in-person to buzz up your hump day!

Wednesday, May 11 at 5:30pm
Root & Press, Cafe & Books
623 Chandler Street
Worcester, MA


Can’t make it in-person? Don’t fret! You can support the book and Root & Press by purchasing a copy through this convenient Bookshop link. And here’s a bonus treat: you can also order a copy of You’re Invited to a Moth Ball, the picture book Ellen and I released during the pandemic. All books ordered through this link will be mailed to directly to you.

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Calling All Nature Lovers

Calling All Nature Lovers

Please join me and children’s author Maria Gianferrari for a celebration of nature, nature spaces, and nature books at Worcester, MA’s TidePool Bookshop on Sunday, May 22nd at 1PM. We’ll be chatting about our most recent nature books, HONEYBEE RESCUE (illustrated by Ellen Harasimowicz and published by Charlesbridge Publishing), and BOBCAT PROWLING (illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline and published by MacKids Books) and also celebrating urban wildlife and habitats. We plan to raffle off two goodie baskets to raise funds for our favorite local conservation group, Greater Worcester Land Trust .

Order books through Tidepool here and you will automatically be entered into the raffle. You can also buy books in person at the store during the week before the event or at the event itself. Additional raffle entry tickets can be purchased, 3 for $5. The raffle baskets include:

Grand Prize Nature Lover’s Basket
Signed copies of Loree’s books HONEYBEE RESCUE, YOU’RE INVITED TO A MOTH BALL, HANDLE WITH CARE and CITIZEN SCIENTISTS
Signed copies of Maria’s picture books BOBCAT PROWLING, COYOTE MOON, HAWK RISING and WHOO-KU HAIKU
Pocket binoculars
Naturalist’s notebook
Massachusetts field guide to wildlife, birds, trees & wildflowers
AND … a virtual author visit from Loree & Maria!

Sweet Runner-up Basket
Signed copy of Loree’s HONEYBEE RESCUE
Signed copy of Maria’s BOBCAT PROWLING
Rescue honey from B.B. Apiaries (owner Jon Nelson is the star of Loree’s book!)
Honey dipper
Hershey kisses

We would love to see you there! If you use Facebook, you can RSVP for the event here.

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Do You Haiku?

Do You Haiku?

Please join me and a small band of local haiku enthusiasts to reconsider and reconnect with the natural world through this seemingly simple poetic form. We’ve been meeting online through the pandemic but starting this month, we will meet in person at the Beaman Memorial Public Library in West Boylston, MA. We welcome teenagers and adults, beginners and masters and everyone in between. The only requirement is that you be interested in exploring haiku in English. Join us monthly as we wander indoors and out, reading, writing, and sharing our poems.

*Please note: attendees must email [email protected] at least 24 hours prior to this program to register.

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Introducing …

Introducing …

My newest picture book for readers 5-8 years old–plus all their friends & family–is coming from Charlesbridge in May 2022!*

Honeybee Rescue, filled with eye-popping images by Ellen Harasimowicz, tells the story of beekeeper John Connery and the colony of honeybees that moved out of his backyard hive box and into his ramshackle garage. With a New England winter on the horizon, these bees needed a new home. But how does one relocate 70,000 honeybees and their honeycomb hive? Enter Mr. Jon Nelson, bee rescuer. This is a backyard drama you don’t want to miss.

Think this is a book for you or your favorite kid readers? Or your neighbors who keep bees? Or your parents or cousins or dentist? Perhaps the local library or elementary school? Pre-order a copy now so you can put it in their hands as soon as it’s available. (Pre-ordering a new book is one of the most helpful things you can do for your favorite authors. Truly!)

* All fingers and toes crossed that worldwide shipping delays and supply chain issues don’t impact this release date. I’ll keep you posted.

** Can’t wait to learn more about honeybee rescue-ing? Check out this article I wrote about Jon Nelson and his work, published in the the online literary journal Multiplicity.

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Writing and Teaching

Writing and Teaching

Do you know about Chalk + Ink, the podcast for writers who teach and teachers who write? If not, you should! Host Kate Narita, children’s book author and fourth grade teacher, has created a bright and thoughtful space for sharing and learning. I was honored at her invitation to share some of my thoughts and experiences. Want to listen in? Click here!