News
A hands-on approach to reading
By Karrie Allen
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CHATHAM — Keeping children involved and interested in, well, anything can be difficult, but local award-winning author Nancy Castaldo has found a way to do so with her activity-packed, fact-filled books.
Already an author of eight children’s books, she recently published two more, “Keeping Our Earth Green” and “Leap Into Space.”
“Keeping Our Earth Green,” A Kids Can! Book, written so that children can learn “green” issues in kid-friendly language and then apply what they’ve learned, has been published not only during a time when going “green” has become very important for the environment, but also in time for America Recycles Day, which was Saturday.
America Recycles Day, according to the National Recycling Coalition, “is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.” Through this day, now in its 10th year, the National Recycling Coalition “supports local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling.”
The purpose for this day is to “continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment,” according to the NRC. The nearest local coordinator is Debbie Jackson at the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation at 518-402-8705.
“Keeping Our Earth Green” helps children explore such things as making a dam, cleaning up an oil spill, making recycled paper or a compost pile, how to write to a public official or how to make a solar cooker. The book clearly states the environmental issue and then provides a hands-on activity relevant to that issue. The book is also very colorful and easy to read — it’s an “excellent resource for both children and adults alike,” according to a press release.
“Leap Into Space,” also A Kids Can! Book, provides all kinds of information about the universe with experiments and activities, colorful illustrations and lots of facts and photos. It follows a series of books on different habitats — oceans, rainforests, deserts and rivers. “It was time to look up,” said Castaldo of this newest book.
Castaldo, a Chatham resident for most of her adult life, has “always enjoyed writing.” Her first published piece was a poem in Seventeen Magazine at 16. In college, she combined her interest in writing with science and photography. She majored in biology and chemistry and did a year-long internship at Audubon magazine.
“After I married, I continued to work as a freelance writer for many magazines while working full time as an environmental educator and an advertising executive,” she said.
When her daughter was born in 1990 (she graduated last year from Chatham High School), Castaldo became a full-time freelance writer and had her first book published six years later. “Along the way I earned a masters degree from SUNY Albany in children’s literature,” she said. Now she is considered a full-time author.
A member of the Sierra Club’s National Education Committee as well as a local Girl Scout leader and school volunteer, Castaldo had “plenty of opportunities to try out different activities and become inspired,” she said. “I hope along the way they also were empowered to make a difference with what they learned from these activities,” she said of those who have read her books, and that school visits and book tours still help her keep in touch with kids and their interests. “It’s also hard not to be inspired by the area we live in,” she added.
Previous to writing children’s books, she wrote a lot of articles for travel, nature and parent magazines. She was a contributing editor of Berkshire Magazine and wrote a monthly column, “Naturally Speaking,” for The Paper. However, she loves writing for children. “It’s wonderful to share my enthusiasm for subjects that I am passionate about,” she said.
Castaldo said it generally takes her six months to research and write each book (shorter for her picture book “Pizza for the Queen”). But, she loves research. “I was one of those students who would choose the paper over the test.” She said it gives her an excuse to talk to historians, scientists and in the case of “Leap Into Space,” astrophysicists.
Her books are also beautifully illustrated, but according to Castaldo, because her books are usually published by different publishing houses, each editor selects the illustrator for each book, hence the different illustrators. “Mostly my input extends to providing research for the photos or illustrations,” she said.
Castaldo has been busy this past week speaking with radio stations.
Locally, she said the Chatham Public Library and the Morris Memorial are planning a joint six-week program in the spring. The program will feature both writing activities and eco action projects over the six weeks, ending on Earth Day, April 22. More information will be provided closer to the event.
Castaldo said she is in the process of researching a couple of other nonfiction titles and has also completed a young adult novel, which “I hope to have on bookshelves soon,” she said.
Her books can be found nationwide and locally at Blackwood and Brouwer Booksellers in Kinderhook, which last year hosted a story hour with a reading of Castaldo’s book “Pizza for the Queen,” accompanied by pizza cookies. The books can also be ordered online.
Both “Keeping Our Earth Green” (ages 8-14) and “Leap Into Space” (ages 8-13) are 128 pages and retail for $12.99.
For more on Castaldo and her books, visit www.nancycastaldo.com. Her Web site also provides information for teachers who would like to arrange a school visit by Castaldo.
CHATHAM — Keeping children involved and interested in, well, anything can be difficult, but local award-winning author Nancy Castaldo has found a way to do so with her activity-packed, fact-filled books.
Already an author of eight children’s books, she recently published two more, “Keeping Our Earth Green” and “Leap Into Space.”
“Keeping Our Earth Green,” A Kids Can! Book, written so that children can learn “green” issues in kid-friendly language and then apply what they’ve learned, has been published not only during a time when going “green” has become very important for the environment, but also in time for America Recycles Day, which was Saturday.
America Recycles Day, according to the National Recycling Coalition, “is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products.” Through this day, now in its 10th year, the National Recycling Coalition “supports local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling.”
The purpose for this day is to “continue to promote the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling and encourage more people to join the movement toward creating a better natural environment,” according to the NRC. The nearest local coordinator is Debbie Jackson at the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation at 518-402-8705.
“Keeping Our Earth Green” helps children explore such things as making a dam, cleaning up an oil spill, making recycled paper or a compost pile, how to write to a public official or how to make a solar cooker. The book clearly states the environmental issue and then provides a hands-on activity relevant to that issue. The book is also very colorful and easy to read — it’s an “excellent resource for both children and adults alike,” according to a press release.
“Leap Into Space,” also A Kids Can! Book, provides all kinds of information about the universe with experiments and activities, colorful illustrations and lots of facts and photos. It follows a series of books on different habitats — oceans, rainforests, deserts and rivers. “It was time to look up,” said Castaldo of this newest book.
Castaldo, a Chatham resident for most of her adult life, has “always enjoyed writing.” Her first published piece was a poem in Seventeen Magazine at 16. In college, she combined her interest in writing with science and photography. She majored in biology and chemistry and did a year-long internship at Audubon magazine.
“After I married, I continued to work as a freelance writer for many magazines while working full time as an environmental educator and an advertising executive,” she said.
When her daughter was born in 1990 (she graduated last year from Chatham High School), Castaldo became a full-time freelance writer and had her first book published six years later. “Along the way I earned a masters degree from SUNY Albany in children’s literature,” she said. Now she is considered a full-time author.
A member of the Sierra Club’s National Education Committee as well as a local Girl Scout leader and school volunteer, Castaldo had “plenty of opportunities to try out different activities and become inspired,” she said. “I hope along the way they also were empowered to make a difference with what they learned from these activities,” she said of those who have read her books, and that school visits and book tours still help her keep in touch with kids and their interests. “It’s also hard not to be inspired by the area we live in,” she added.
Previous to writing children’s books, she wrote a lot of articles for travel, nature and parent magazines. She was a contributing editor of Berkshire Magazine and wrote a monthly column, “Naturally Speaking,” for The Paper. However, she loves writing for children. “It’s wonderful to share my enthusiasm for subjects that I am passionate about,” she said.
Castaldo said it generally takes her six months to research and write each book (shorter for her picture book “Pizza for the Queen”). But, she loves research. “I was one of those students who would choose the paper over the test.” She said it gives her an excuse to talk to historians, scientists and in the case of “Leap Into Space,” astrophysicists.
Her books are also beautifully illustrated, but according to Castaldo, because her books are usually published by different publishing houses, each editor selects the illustrator for each book, hence the different illustrators. “Mostly my input extends to providing research for the photos or illustrations,” she said.
Castaldo has been busy this past week speaking with radio stations.
Locally, she said the Chatham Public Library and the Morris Memorial are planning a joint six-week program in the spring. The program will feature both writing activities and eco action projects over the six weeks, ending on Earth Day, April 22. More information will be provided closer to the event.
Castaldo said she is in the process of researching a couple of other nonfiction titles and has also completed a young adult novel, which “I hope to have on bookshelves soon,” she said.
Her books can be found nationwide and locally at Blackwood and Brouwer Booksellers in Kinderhook, which last year hosted a story hour with a reading of Castaldo’s book “Pizza for the Queen,” accompanied by pizza cookies. The books can also be ordered online.
Both “Keeping Our Earth Green” (ages 8-14) and “Leap Into Space” (ages 8-13) are 128 pages and retail for $12.99.
For more on Castaldo and her books, visit www.nancycastaldo.com. Her Web site also provides information for teachers who would like to arrange a school visit by Castaldo.
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