I’m participating in World Read Aloud Day, like many other children’s book authors, by offering free Skype visits on February 24th!

I’ll read from either of my books, recommend some of my favorite titles from other authors, and answer student questions. If you would like to schedule a Skype visit just send me an email: robin@blueeggbooks.com!

THEY JUST KNOW: ANIMAL INSTINCTS would be a great choice for lower elementary classes. To read a sample, PEEK HERE!

THE MIDNIGHT WAR OF MATEO MARTINEZ would work best for grades 2-6. To read the first chapter, PEEK HERE!

Since the winter rains have rolled into California I’ve brought my Sulcata tortoise, Marigold,  inside. She’s been hanging out under my office desk. She likes it there and is sure to make an appearance during my Skype visits! Come take a peek into my office…

Availability: [Pacific Standard Time]

February 23 (Limited Availability)

3:00PM: BOOKED – BLENHEIM, NEW ZEALAND

February 24

7:00AM: BOOKED – MAINE (5TH GRADE)

7:30AM: ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL

8:00AM: BREAKFAST IS THE BEST!! 🙂

8:30AM: BOOKED – DENTON, TX

9:00AM: BOOKED – SAN ANTONIO, TX

9:30AM: BOOKED – LA PAZ, BOLIVIA

10:00AM: BOOKED – BIDDEFORD, ME

10:30AM: BOOKED – HUDSONVILLE, MI

11:00AM: BOOKED – HOUSTON, TX

11:30AM: BOOKED – ASHEVILLE, NC

12:00PM: BOOKED – WARNER ROBINS, GA

12:30PM: YUM!! LUNCH 🙂

1:00PM: BOOKED – CHICAGO, IL

1:30PM:

2:00PM:

 

This morning my first professional review for The Midnight War of Mateo Martinez went up: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robin-yardi/the-midnight-war-of-mateo-martinez/

I found out via a twitter friend, while still piled in bed with my kids. “You can give me hugs if it’s bad and high fives if it’s great,” I told them.

“Why would it be bad?” my daughter asked.

“Well, they might not like it…”

I read the whole thing out loud, it was good, really good, then I looked back up to the top and saw the star.

“Oh my G*d—they gave Mommy a star!”

“What does that mean?” My daughter asked, giving me a half hearted high five.

Shortly after this my son cried, wept actually, for about twenty minutes over a cracked candy cane, I toasted all the morning bagels and the kids were late to school.

Clearly, a starred review doesn’t mean that the morning will go smoothly!

For those of you who don’t know what a starred review is or why it would be important, just trust me, this is a moment to celebrate!

Let’s all do the star dance, just for a minute, then go about our business as usual.

Christina McMahon hosted me for one of her Short and Snappy interviews!

She asked such lofty questions as: “HOW DOES YOUR PARENTING INFLUENCE YOUR WRITING? HOW DOES YOUR WRITING INFORM YOUR PARENTING?”

And my answers? They had to be fewer than 50 words.

This might be my new gold standard for interviews!

Me, with an unlimited word count:

(Pink Angels, De Kooning)

Me, with 5o word answers:

(Red Canna, O’Keefe)

I got something special in the mail this week. It came in a slim, puffed-up manila envelope. My daughter was expecting some pants we ordered, which look like this:

 

She’s way cooler than I ever was and when those pants do come she’s gonna rock them. Anyway, she tore open that envelope she said, “Whoa, these are not my pants.” Nope. The contents of that slim, puffed-up manila envelope were even better than rainbow pants covered in tiny emoticons.

 

It was my first Advance Review Copy of my first picture book! In the book world we call Advance Review Copies ARCs. They get sent out to book reviewers and buyers, teachers and librarians, mistakes get found and fixed (we already found one), and hopefully people decide to buy it!

But honestly, right now, the most important thing about my first ARC is… I get to hold it.

Turn the pages.

Cuddle up with kids and read it.

Pore over the adorable illustrations by Laurie Allen Klein.

      

I feel like if they made those rainbow emoticon pants in my size, I could rock them too!