December Desert Rain Frog

Squeak!

As the pressures of the holiday season start to build, take a minute to observe (and draw!) the Desert Rain Frog. That adorable squeak-toy sound is their mad/scared voice! If you want to know more, watch this incredibly close-up video of what a night is like for this tiny buddy.

I wanted to return to a simpler animal to draw this month. The second sheet is hopefully a light-hearted exercise in empathy and gratitude.

I’m still busy with a few more fun Highlights assignments, and just starting on my new picture book The King of Books. I expect to be fully immersed in book-making soon and straight through the upcoming World Read Aloud Day on February 7th, 2024. For that reason, I’m only offering a few slots to classrooms this year with my newsletter readers getting the first shot at signing up.

Watching: Murder at the End of the World (Hulu). A locked door mystery meets The Thing meets Hackers (but not really, I’m just old and that’s the reference in my brain). From the people who brought you The OA, although it feels entirely different.

Listening: Tierra Whack. She’s amazing. She might not be for everyone, but she’s absolutely for me. Love her lyrics, her flow, and her creativity. Start with Peppers and Onions. Then jump to Dolly.

Reading: I’ve long wanted to read Stephen King’s The Stand. So many people claim it as their favorite King book! I knew I couldn’t read a beast like that in our library’s 2-week window so I picked up a sturdy used hardcover and am enjoying it so far! Maybe I’ll even finish it before 2024?

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season.