Nonfiction
Whether she's writing about deadly diseases, traveling in Japan, homeland security, roller derby mamas, Gilbert's economic development or how to make marshmallow bunnies, Sara is a writing chameleon able to take on the "voice" and style of any publication. Please contact Sara if you'd like to see hard copies of her articles.
Books and E-books
Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Tribute to Moms (Health Communications Inc., 2008)
Harried moms everywhere, stop, breathe, and find a place to re-center. For Sara, the out-grown nursery rocking chair is her centering point. Once used to nourish her children physically, emotionally, and spiritually, now it keeps Mom grounded when life gets crazy. Sara urges other busy moms to find their own “touchstone of tranquility” in her essay “The Rocking Chair” featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul: A Tribute to Moms. Published by Health Communications Inc., this latest installment in the Chicken Soup series is full of uplifting and life-affirming essays about motherhood. Currently this book can be purchased online at the Health Communications Inc. website, as well as, other major online booksellers, but will be in local bookstores and mass retailers before Mother’s Day 2008.
Health Communications Inc.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
I Wish Someone Had Told Me That! -- 64 Successful Children's Authors Give You The Advice They Wish Someone Had Given Them [E-book] (Write4Kids.com, 2008)
Sara and fellow Gotham Girl Emily Goodman are both featured in this informative e-book put out by Write4Kids.com. Sara talks about using magazine writing as a way to hone your craft, soothe a bruised ego, and make a few bucks along the way. Sara took her own piece of advice, "See a hole, fill it in," and landed this e-book credit because of it. When the editors at Write4Kids.com said they wanted "successful children's book authors," Sara lobbied for all those successful children's magazine writers too. And now she is featured on pages 123-4.
Reprint Rights: Available.
First-Time Authors (The Institute of Children's Literature, 2003)
Anyone who is a student of The Institute of Children's Literature will recognize this book. Sara was asked to submit her nonfiction article "The Candy Woman Can," first published in New Moon in 2000, to this ICL textbook. The profile of food scientist Michelle Frame, who works for the Just Born Company (the marshmallow Peeps people), continues to be one of Sara's most popular pieces with kids and teachers. Said one teacher, "I use this article to show my students that nonfiction doesn't have to be boring."
Reprint Rights: Not available.
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Magazines
Roller Mamas (Raising Arizona Kids, November 2007)
Some moms like to scrapbook to unwind after a busy day. Others like to sip wine and chat with friends. Some Valley moms strap on their helmets, lace up their skates, and head out for a night of high-powered roller derby as their chosen form of stress relief.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
To read some of Sara's other articles for Raising Arizona Kids go here.
The Man Who Made Polio History (The World Health Organization's Perspectives in Health, 2005)
Iron lungs. Leg braces. Isolation wards. For anyone 50 or older, these words bring back vivid memories and sometimes heart-breaking stories. Younger generations--with more than a dozen immunizations under their belts--can't remember the years of polio epidemics. Most are unaware that, half a world away, polio still exists and continues tol ravage children in Africa and southern Asia.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
Read the whole article here.
Finding Books for Lo-Hi Readers (Raising Arizona Kids, December 2006)
When some argue that reading is a dying art form, you might not get much public sympathy when you complain that you can't find appropriate high-school-level books for your fifth grader to read. Parents, kids, teachers, and leaders in the children's publishing field weigh-in on how to feed the voracious appetite of a "lo-hi reader."
Reprint Rights: Not available.
To read some of Sara's other articles for Raising Arizona Kids go here.
Gaming Grannies (NYC Plus, June 2006)
Watch out, pimple-faced, prepubescent boys, grandma is blasting into your world. With time on her side and no homework to drag her down, she'll be ready for a Donkey Kong showdown next summer vacation. Dr. Peter Magaro, a cognitive psychologist, says that besides being the cool grandma, some types of gaming can actually be good for the senior brain.
Reprint Rights: Available.
Read the whole article here.
The Purple Death: Spanish Influenza (Learning through History, 2005)
U.S. at War. Mystery Virus Leaps Around the Globe Killing Scores in Its Path. Scientists Race to Find a Cure. Not the headlines about the SARS virus in 2005, but the headlines from 1918 when one of the world's deadliest viruses circled the globe killing more than 21 million people. Scientists predict our world will be hit by another lethal pandemic soon. Will we be ready?
Reprint Rights: Not available.
Want to learn more about the Spanish flu? Then see Sara's article for Perspectives in Health on the deadly disease.
Diabetes: Are You at Risk? (Scholastic's Science World, November 2003)
The CDC predicts that one in three Americans born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes. Are your current eating habits and couch potato lifestyle setting you up to be another teen statistic? Learn what type 2 diabetes is, who is at risk, and how you can prevent it. Olympic medalist in swimming Gary Hall, Jr. talks about living life to its fullest despite having diabetes.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
Read the whole article here.
Ningyou (Appleseeds, January 2006)
Girls around the world play with dolls. In ancient Japan, dolls weren't just playthings for children. They were also used as talismans, objects with magical properties used to protect their owner from evil or injury, and as art. Over the years, dolls became so popular that a holiday, Hinamatsuri, was created just for them.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
Obento: American-Style (Tomorrow's Child, 2005)
Look into the school cafeteria's trash can. What do you see? Crusts from PB&J sandwiches, half-eaten apples, and plastic. Tons and tons of plastic. The average school-aged child who brings a disposable lunch generates about 45-90 pounds of garbage a year. Does your child's annual lunch garbage weigh more than she does? Learn how to raise a "greener" and healthier child by packing their lunch the Japanese way--Obento.
Reprint Rights: Available.
Want to learn more about Obento? Then go here.
Making the Team of Your Dreams: How to Ace Your Dance Team Audition (Dance Spirit, February 2004)
You wouldn't expect to ace a science test if you'd never cracked open the book. Similarly, don't expect to ace a dance team audition if you don't do some prep work. Sara--who has been on both sides of the audition table--gives you 37 pointers on how to stand out from the crowd, sell yourself as a professional, and keep your cool even if you flub up.
Reprint Rights: Not available.
WHAT IS SARA WORKING ON NOW?
"Though THE SPOTTED CRANE SUMMER still demands most of my attention, I am trying to drum up some new business. I've got to start raising funds for next year's SCBWI LA Conference.
In the meantime, I've been putting my skills to work writing advertisement copy. I am swapping a short article on obento-making (Japanese boxed meals) for a free ad in a tiny specialty paper. There are writing jobs everywhere! You just have to know where to look and not be too embarrassed to say, 'Are you interested in bartering or swapping services?'"--September 2008.
