https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/cathy-and-ellen daily 1.0 2021-02-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614091721701-LO1K5KN13R7ZEXJH73DP/NewShelfLighter.jpeg Cathy and Ellen - Welcome to our site! We write fun, funny books that make kids WANT to read! Come on in and see what we’re all about…. https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/about daily 0.75 2021-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613420824961-6GF8V56PZQ27P3AUL3EW/GodzillaCropFace.jpg About Us photo by D. Manfredi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614010748635-WHYHFYY97TZF6WPOZI68/ElleAuthorCrop.jpeg About Us photo by Margot Draillard-Vandenberg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613832272191-NRQCSHUY5NXH1PCMPJ3Y/CandE.jpeg About Us Cathy and Ellen Cathy Hapka and Ellen Vandenberg met many moons ago as editorial assistants in New York City. They’ve been coming up with wacky ideas and laughing their heads off together ever since! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613762871403-7M4UW1IWISWM22P00BQO/IMG_5513-1.JPG About Us - Ellen’s daughter poses with one of her heroes, former astronaut Mark Kelly (now a U.S. Senator) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613775504383-S2SURKEFKRBZXZN8VFXP/G+as+AG.png About Us The original Astronaut Girl! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613838057191-WX7IPYRRTU5PFKCIN612/Willsteveedited.jpeg About Us Illustration © Debbie Palen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613837518237-P77NA42QDOH9EBGZ3RWC/bookshelflight.jpeg About Us One of Cathy’s many (many) bookshelves…. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613838292863-E5XDBTPP3C9TBN8QBGP8/EllenCarSmaller.jpeg About Us Ellen in the car on her way to visit Cathy! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613765840097-RJHOAAQ5AZBIKR374B96/IMG_2291.JPG About Us Cathy is off for a ride https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613837094489-XXABFN202K9TJITGYY3H/WillandStevesmaller.jpeg About Us Will and Steve from How Not to Babysit Your Brother, illustration © Debbie Palen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613839668917-B6DYSN9VBWG5Q9PQS0I0/CreadingEdited.jpeg About Us Cathy reads as much as she can! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613838900326-GH2BER7MEYOB0NNSDQQD/EllenTobyEdited.jpeg About Us Ellen snuggles with her real-life Astro Cat. (The bandage on her arm is probably his fault….) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613765689389-VFGV7VB9OONJ9OVU8UK2/2E4132B8-16A0-4C6E-AE0D-067D8332408B.JPG About Us Cathy pretends to go on a space walk, thanks to Instagram filters https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/astronaut-girl daily 0.75 2021-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613753024312-9O69AOJCMP8UFMGR43H8/Astronaut%252BGirl%252BIGStory%252B2.jpg Astronaut Girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614442639813-6WFWU5L3YFDJUPZHL6N8/Astronaut+Girl+Journey+to+the+Moon+Book+%231+final+cover.jpg Astronaut Girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614442677057-95OTEI09I7J51RGUUKPR/Astronaut+Girl+Star+Power+Book+%232+final+cover.jpg Astronaut Girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614452108151-D83JELNH2D7O55456MHV/Astronaut+Girl+Silver+and+Gold+Book+%233+final+cover.jpg Astronaut Girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614452129502-YJ95PCLAH7Y9AZ2ZP2VK/Astronaut+Girl+Mission+to+Mars+Book+%234+final+cover.jpg Astronaut Girl https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613772301064-WPY6CNO8PWEA7DDD73LM/AGbackSmall.jpg Astronaut Girl Illustrations © Penguin Random House LLC Illustrations by Gillian Reid https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/how-not-to daily 0.75 2021-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613841796976-W2QE40RPXMGLUGUGAFAX/WillSteveBookEdited.jpeg How (Not) To - How To/How Not To Step into Reading with Will and Steve! These brothers might be family, but they couldn’t be more different! These lively, laugh-out-loud stories from Random House’s popular Step Into Reading® program — illustrated by Debbie Palen in hilarious full-color throughout — are sure to keep even the most reluctant reader engaged and begging for more! Illustrations © Debbie Palen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613844342680-UH6AWTNRTCMY0TGBAFUH/BabysitCover.jpg How (Not) To https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613844663325-UT7BLK6C3QQK14HRUCHT/ThirdGradeCover.jpg How (Not) To https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613844698664-HQA3YZUSCA2KGJ0M841N/ClassPresCover.jpg How (Not) To https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613844715013-AREAGAV9Z96XRR2YCUSX/KgartenCover.jpg How (Not) To https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613844731363-I4WOW8WHG90EUQL81SHJ/FirstGradeCover.jpg How (Not) To https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1613845490057-MKYU9OWHF25I66BHUI94/Screenshot_2021-02-20+How+Not+to+Start+Third+Grade.png How (Not) To https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/resources daily 0.75 2021-02-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6026c3e64426522988ded071/1614454612915-4C3MZ18KE4RRZQNOFZBU/Astronaut+Girl+IGFB++%283+of+4%29.JPG Resources Astronaut Girl School and Library Resources Astronaut Girl and her crew are blasting off to your classroom! Action-packed, easy-to-read stories are the stepping stone a child needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner reader and becoming fluent. Dear Educator, Val, aka Astronaut Girl, is on a mission to know everything about outer space! And she has no time to waste on fake science or made-up stories. Her new neighbor, Wallace, loves imagining different worlds and characters – especially when they involve his favorite science fiction TV show. The new friends disagree on many things, and they have a habit of wishing for different things at exactly the same time. This is the magic moment that catapults them into their outer space adventures. Are these adventures real or imagined? No one knows, but the lessons the kids learn during their journeys always come home with them. Invite Astronaut Girl and her crew into your classroom! Your students will have a blast — with a little help from science! KEY THEMES Astronaut Girl and her crew can inspire your students to discuss a variety of key topics: *STEM/science *Girl empowerment *Teamwork/cooperation *Diversity *Creativity/imagination *Friendship *Writing and personal expression Prompts for Classroom Discussion Astronaut Girl #1: Journey to the Moon *If you had the chance to visit the moon, would you rather practice your back flips or look for artifacts from Apollo 11? Or would you spend your time collecting moon rocks to bring home? What else would you do? *Would you like to be an astronaut when you grow up? Why or why not? *What did Val and Wallace do wrong that caused them to become separated? What could they have done differently? Have you ever gotten lost, and what happened? *Have you ever tasted dehydrated astronaut food? What flavor would you take with you to space? *If Astro Cat could talk, what do you think he would say about his time on the moon? Astronaut Girl #2: Star Power *Would you rather travel to the future (as the crew does in this book) or to the past (like in the first Astronaut Girl adventure)? *In this story, Val uses her coding skills to save the day. What is your greatest skill, and how do you use it in everyday life? *Which of the stars the crew visited was your favorite? Which of PRIMROSE’s voices was your favorite? What other funny voices could she have? *Does your family ever tell stories like Wallace’s? If you got to tell a story at Wallace’s BBQ, what would it be? *In this story, Zixtar’s tentacle saves the day. What is another useful tool you would like to add to Zixtar’s tentacles? Astronaut Girl #3: Silver and Gold *Do you think science will ever be able to turn things invisible (like the ship in this book)? If you could turn yourself or something else invisible, what would you do? *Val loves the carnival ride in this story because it reminds her of her favorite thing: Outer Space! What’s your favorite thing, and what kind of ride would you like to go on based on that favorite thing? *Is it possible to have more than one best friend? What happens when a friend moves away? Do you think Val and Carlos are friends at the end of the book? If so, how did that happen? *Which do you like better, silver or gold? Or is another mineral or gemstone your favorite? Why? *The Baby, Astro Cat, and Carlos have a dance party on the asteroid! Show us your best out-of-this-world space dance moves! Class Project Ideas Astronaut Girl #1: Journey to the Moon Class science project: Build your own sextant Class writing project: Keep a diary or create a graphic novel Class art project: Build a superhero Astronaut Girl #2: Star Power Class science project: Map your favorite constellation Class writing project: Have a storytelling day Class art project: Fun with funny voices! Astronaut Girl #3: Silver and Gold Class science project: Bring in rocks from home and try to identify them Class writing project: Write an essay about friendship Class art project: Make mineral/gemstone jewelry https://www.cathyandellenbooks.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-06-25