March 26, 2024

Good news! I have the honor of doing an Author Takeover on Facebook’s “Cozy Mystery Party” site on Tuesday, March 26.

Please tune in at 5 p.m., PT, for this fun, fast-paced question-and-answer format event! I will be talking about my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries, Books 1-5, and introducing Book 6, which releases this fall.

To participate, you must first request to join HERE. It’s easy, and you’ll enjoy this friendly group of cozy mystery writers and readers!

Thanks, Heather Doyle Harrisson, site admin, for the invitation.

I hope you see all of you there!

March 25, 2024

A round of applause for “Oliver J.,” third grader at Holmes Elementary School in San Diego, California!

Oliver’s mother informed me that Oliver not only read my Nutmeg Street: Egyptian Secrets, but used it to inspire his cereal-box book report!

Awesome, Oliver! And I look forward to meeting you and your classmates at your school during my author visit on April 16.

Thanks so much, Oliver and his mom, and keep on reading!

(Photo by Oliver’s Mom)

March 3 through 9, 2024

Ebook readers, here comes Smashwords.com’s  “Read an Ebook Week Sale,” from March 3 through 9.

All five of my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries ebooks will be on sale for 75% off for that week!

You can purchase my Books 1, 2, and 3 for only $1.00 each; Book 4 for only $1.25; and, Book 5 for only $1.50 by clicking HERE starting March 3. Look for the Sale. Then, click on “Children’s Books” under the “Fiction” category. My books will be in the 75% off section.

Here’s your chance to get caught up with the detectives before Book 6 launches this coming fall. Thank you!

(Graphic Credit: smashwords.com)

February 7 and 9, 2024

 

Thank you, Ms. Mary Kaplan, Ms. Hannah Wang, and your third graders at Oak View Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland; and, Ms. Becky Swanson, Ms. Buka Akiti, and your fifth graders at Prospect School in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, for inviting me into your media centers to read to the students for World Read Aloud Day (WRAD)!

I enjoyed meeting the students, reading aloud from my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries series, and answering the kids’ questions.

I hope to see you again next year for WRAD. And you other educators and students, too!

(Graphics Credits:  Books Ad by Sherrill Joseph. WRAD Ad by litworld.org)

January 26, 2024

 

Please meet my newest fan, vivacious fifth grader Elise D., from an elementary school in Pennsylvania. Welcome, Elise!

Elise’s teacher, Ms. Stacy Alfano, took this fabulous photo in their classroom of Elise holding my Book 5, Jacaranda Street: Gravestone Image, that she had finished reading.

Here is what Elise said about Jacaranda Street: “I loved the cliffhangers, and it made me want to read past my bedtime! The storyline is great, and kids will enjoy reading about other kids who are detectives!”

Thanks so much, Elise, for your kind words. And I love your smile! Perhaps it means that you plan to read more of my books??? I know Ms. Alfano is going to read Book 5 aloud to the Students soon. (Book 6 releases in Fall 2024.)

Thank you so much, Ms. Alfano, Elise, and Students. Keep reading, writing, and smiling! I hope to see you SOON for a virtual author visit.

All kids and educators, I encourage you to subscribe to this newsletter so you can keep updated on the detectives’ and my shenanigans. To do so, please click HERE, or copy and paste the address into your browser: https://sherrilljoseph.com/newsletter.

***And kids, do YOU want to appear in my newsletter as Elise did? Please talk to an adult. Ask them politely to email me a photo of you holding one of my books and the information you would like to share about it to   mysteryshewrote7@gmail.com.  Thanks!

 

Save the Date! February 7, 2024. Sign Up NOW!

Librarians, Teachers, and those who love them,

I am excited to announce that I will be participating for the first time in the upcoming World Read Aloud Day on February 7, 2024.

If you are a librarian, or a teacher in grades 3, 4, or 5, participating in WRAD, I would love to visit virtually that day to meet your students and read aloud from one of my Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries!

If you need official information about WRAD 2024, please click HERE, or go to the organizer’s site at https://www.litworld.org/worldreadaloudday.

Would you like to register to participate in WRAD 2024? Please click HERE.

Then, download the twenty-six page classroom ACTIVITY PACKET, loaded with lessons and crafts to help you and your students prepare and participate fully in the big event!

Finally, interested in scheduling me for WRAD 2024? Please contact meHERE to book your classroom’s slot for my virtual visit. Note: Please provide me with your grade level, the time of day, including your location and TIME ZONE, and the duration of my visit (15 minutes?) that you are requesting. I will get back to you ASAP! (I am in Southern California in the Pacific Time Zone.)

Here are some research-based important reasons (explained on page 1 of the WRAD Activity Packet) out of the University of Melbourne to read aloud to children:

  • Reading Aloud at home and at school is one of the best ways to help children develop literacy skills.
  • Reading Aloud helps us share stories.
  • Reading Aloud helps us build community.

So, won’t you please help fill up my calendar? I hope to spend WRAD, February 7, 2024, visiting classrooms around the world! And please tag the event on Social Media with hashtag #WorldReadAloudDay.

(Graphic by Sherrill Joseph)