Lie? Lay? Help!
Have I explained lie and lay yet? Don’t stop reading! It’s easier than you think.
All you have to do is remember what my grandmother always said: “Chickens lay. People lie.”
To lie is to assume a horizontal position. And this is the key: It does not take an object. You don’t lie something. You just lie. You lie on the bed, you lie on the floor, you lie on a bench. But you don’t lie an egg.
To lay is to place something on a surface. It takes an object. You lay something somewhere–you lay a book on a desk, you lay a pencil on the book, you lay a paperclip on the pencil. And a chicken lays an egg.
So if you’re doing something to an object, just as the chicken does to an egg–it’s lay.
If there is no egg or equivalent, then it’s lie.
More next week on the complexities of lie and lay!
Read MoreHow To Kill a Tardigarde
I don’t know why you’d want to (they’re kind of cute, if also terrifying), but I’ve been researching tardigrades for a new book. And they are HARD to kill.
Heat? They can survive temps up to 300 F.
Cold? They’re fine at -200 F.
Pressure? They’d be perky at the bottom of the Marianna’s Trench.
Vacuum? They have been blasted into space and survived. Some laid eggs in space. Eggs that hatched.
They are tiny (1.5 millimeters long at most), harmless, and indomitable.
Read MoreTaking a Break
Off on vacation this past week, so very little to post about, I’m afraid. Here’s where I was, and it was as lovely as it looked.
Read MoreJacket for Save the…Turtles!
The jacket for Save the…Turtles! is here! Looking very snazzy, with a dignified turtle against a vivid turquoise background.
One interesting thing I found out doing the research for this book–turtles are the only vertebrates with shells. Many, many animals have evolved shells for protection–beetles, clams, scorpions, lobsters. But it’s only occurred once among vertebrates. And that gave us the turtles, with an upper shell formed out of ribs and a lower shell out of what was once a shoulder bone.
on
Clever little reptiles! (Not all little, either. A big leatherback could have a shell considerably larger than the hood of your car.)
Happy Book Birthday, Save the…Lions!
Delighted to announce that Save the…Lions! is on bookshelves this week. Find out why lions are the only large cats that live in prides and other fascinating facts about how they live and what we can do to protect them. (Also, I think this one has the best photos in the series. Lions are very photogenic.)
Read MoreAmerican Born Chinese
Anybody who is interested in or cares about children’s literature, or graphic novels, or Asian-American culture, or just basically anything should read Jamie Fisher’s article about Gene Wang’s unparalleled American Born Chinese and the upcoming Disney adaptation (for which I cannot wait).
Read MoreBooklist reviews Save the…Rhinos!
Happy to see a nice review from Booklist for Save the…Rhinos! After the first book in a series, reviewers do not often follow up, so this is particularly welcomed. Thanks, Booklist!
“Thomson discusses threats to African and Asian species from poachers targeting their horns and from natural disasters. She notes that a single hurricane or tidal wave could quickly wipe out critically endangered Javan and Sumatran species, as each includes fewer than 100 rhinos. The efforts of local conservationists and worldwide supporters are discussed, and, in the back matter, readers are encouraged to help and given specific
ways of doing so. An informative book for readers who are concerned
about endangered animals.”
Sarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Thomson focuses on newfound connection, magic, and suspense to conjure a fast-paced, heartwarming mystery. Thomson’s world is populated by resourceful protagonists, fanciful creatures, and quirky supporting characters.”
—Publishers Weekly