Resources for Home and School
Printables & More
Coloring & Activity Pages
Set the creativity—and the crayons—free! Enjoy these fun add-ons for my books.
Learn why sequencing is an essential skill for reading and literacy, and download free printables to practice using the picture book Violet and the Woof!
I've shared a handful of coloring pages, so now for even more fun! Below find a Vampire Dot-to-Dot and a Draw Your Own Ghoul page! I would LOVE to see your finished Ghouls. Feel free to share them on Instagram with the hashtag #halloweengoodnight or on my Facebook page. A few may show up as featured images on my website! (With your permission, of course.)
Especially for Education
Resources for home or classroom. For printable packs and unit studies, look below.
I created these school planning pages out of desperation. I SO needed to get back on track! Did they help? Some more than others. But I can say for certain that they are 100% cute. In this download you’ll find a weekly lesson plan, semester schedule, grade report sheets, and book/media record sheets. All can be sized for any planner, including the Happy Planner.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I can't help but look for little things to do or add to make the holiday more meaningful and memorable. Especially since Thanksgiving is traditionally a day of gorging oneself before (finally!) turning on the Christmas music (actually, I start Christmas music in early November - can't help myself). Thanksgiving gets lost, slipped in between the fun of costumes and candy and the magic and mystery of Advent and Christ's birth.
Last summer I went a little nutty. See, I was SO excited that our curriculum recommended a timeline. SO SO excited that timeline figures came with it. Until ... I opened the packaging. The timeline figures were ... ugly. So I made ancient history timeline figures using classic art! And now I'm sharing them with you, free!
Picture it: the big kids are on their nature hike, and the toddler is either whining to get out of the stroller or backpack, or crying to get back in it. What if your toddler could join in the fun? What if your preschooler had a resource that needed no (or very little) reading, with cheery drawings, and easy, fun activities?
Yes, to celebrate the release of my third picture book, A Year With Mama Earth, I’m creating a nature journal inspired by Rebecca Green’s illustrations and the book’s lyrical text. I’m aiming the printables at PreK-3rd graders, and plan to include an abundance of STEAM activities: loads of natural science, art, creative writing, and so much more.
Learn why sequencing is an essential skill for reading and literacy, and download free printables to practice using the picture book Violet and the Woof!
I first "met" Karlin when she asked to do an author interview on the release of my first book, Halloween Good Night. Of course I had to follow suit (i.e., steal her excellent idea!) to celebrate the release of her second book, An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth.
Printable Packs & Lesson Plans
More than just printables, assembled printable packs FULL of resources for classroom or home!
Nearly every elementary school teacher will need to prep a lesson on fairy tales, specifically comparing fairy tale versions. Many wonderful options exist, and many we’ve used ourselves. One of my favorites has always been Little Red Riding Hood. Of course when it came time to write a fractured fairy tale of my own, I picked one of my favorite tales! Find a FREE comparative literature printable unit study based on Violet and the Woof and Little Red Riding Hood.
Enjoy this FREE Halloween Unit Study. A full week of Halloween fun for PreK, Kindergarten, First Grade, all centered on the book Halloween Good Night by Rebecca Grabill.
Contests, printables, activities, oh my!
Every few weeks I add new printables, crafts, activities that you won’t want to miss! And every few months I announce giveaways and exclusive events. Sign up below and never miss a thing!
Crafts, Games & Imaginative Play
Book-inspired sewing, paper-crafting, games, costumes and so much more!
Holiday scented playdough? Beautiful consistency and long-lasting? Yes, please! We can’t make Christmas cookies every day (can we?!?), and many little hands don’t always make light work, as the proverb says. What do we do when it’s not cookie-making time, or littles are quite ready for the real thing?
I’ve created a set of Violet and the Woof stick puppets—complete with a puppet stage. Print (card stock is best for this), cut, paste onto craft sticks to retell the story of Violet’s adventure again and again. And be happy knowing you’re helping develop the love of literature and early reading skills.
Find six of the absolute cutest and easiest DIY Halloween costumes for kids. All no-sew and take less than an hour to make. Plus they’re literary, based on the picture book, Halloween Good Night.
Yes, I managed to collect the corniest yet entirely appropriate jokes available. I added them to my book release goodie bags, but I'm sure they'd go over with a groan at any Halloween occasion. And here they are for you! Forty jokes in total on five printable pages. Enjoy!
Just in time for Halloween crafting fun, here are ten FREE finger puppets, printer-ready, just waiting for little fingers and the accompanying book, Halloween Good Night by Rebecca Grabill (me). In fact, there's the link to purchase (affiliate), or check it out from your library!
What's more fun than dressing up on October 31st and filling a bag with treats? Slime! Piñatas! Crafts! Fun! From all around the web, I've curated my favorite Halloween crafts for preschoolers to early elementary, each to go along with the picture book, Halloween Good Night. Without further introduction, let's get some BOO! on!
I could almost die from the cuteness of these finger puppets! To think, an adorable zombie? A cute-as-a-button vampire? All the creatures in my book, Halloween Good Night, in finger-puppet form. Perfect craft and plaything for preschoolers!
What, you may ask, is a Globster? Well, one might say it's a mythical sea monster, a relative of the classic horror beast, The Blob. Or, if you're familiar with the amazing picture book Halloween Good Night, you'll learn that a Globster is: epically cute, squishably cuddly, not the slightest big frightening, and every preschooler's new must-have bedtime friend!
And More!
A collection of downloads and activities.
Carry the new release, Violet and the Woof, with you everywhere with these adorable free wallpapers! Made for iPhone, iPad, and desktop/laptop, you can smile every time you unlock your device.
Whether for cuteness or story, enjoy the free wallpapers I’ve created featuring some of Ella’s images. And while you’re at it, why not read the book!
Shop Education
A Growing selection of educational resources at your fingertips.
Enjoy these beautifully designed homeschool planning sheets to keep track of everything all year.
A weekly planning sheet with space for multiple days or students designed with flexibility in mind. Includes gratitude and a look ahead.
Semester Schedule listing times by hour from 5am to 11pm, five days a week. Perfect for tracking class schedules and recurring events.
Grade Record. Print one for each student if you need to keep track.
Media/Books list.
For more details on how I use this resource, check it out here!
These 84 Ancient History Timeline Figures-Cards pair ancient history with classic works of art. Each card holds an ancient event or person, date, at least one classic painting, illustration, or photograph and its details (artist and date when created, if known). These will carry your student from creation to Alexander the Great. Included are major people and events from Biblical history (Moses, Joshua, Babylonian Captivity, etc.), people and events from the broader cradle of civilization (Queen Hatshepsut, Homer, Olympic Games, etc.), and historical peoples across the globe (Danger Cave People, Shang Dynasty, Buddha, etc.).
Print on heavy paper or card stock, laminate if desired, and cut out. Use as flashcards, paste in a timeline book, or use on the wall as a bulletin board or display. Try our Washi Tape tip to show your students what’s happening all over the world during that time in history!
(If you’re looking for the promotional giveaway of this resource, please click here!)
The My Year Nature Journal gives you 12 full months of nature journal printable activities to support your nature and outdoor education. The journal is perfect for those who love Charlotte Mason, Montessori, kinesthetic and hands-on learning, or for those who simply want to enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors. It is designed to compliment the picture book, A Year With Mama Earth, but can easily be used independently. 195 pages of outdoor adventure!
Each month contains:
Monthly teacher’s guide with instructions and suggestions.
Outdoor hands-on activities for exploration--enough for one activity each week of the month.
Indoor rainy-day pages (because rain happens!).
A selection of science concepts, art, language arts, conservation/nature appreciation geared to Kindergarten through 4th grade to accompany themes in the picture book, A Year With Mama Earth.
Blank, grid-lined pages each month for free expression. Plus, if printed double-sided, the reverse of any page with a bleed-through risk will be grid-lined.
Writer’s corner for budding young authors!
Links to online expansions--an entire deep-dive into the monthly topics including curated videos, crafts and additional resources!
You'll also receive 4 beautifully designed color cover options to accompany any style from natural to fun to contemporary.
A Few Topics Covered, listed by month:
September—seasons, observation, describing words, five senses
October—leaves, the color wheel, personification, spiders
November—gratitude, clouds, nature mandalas, winter habitats
December—constellations, evergreens, pine cones, gift-giving & lists
January—snow, winter animals, birds, shelter, verbs
February—night animals, animal tracks, states of matter, characterization
March—textures, camouflage & mimicry, trees & soil, story structure
April—metaphor & simile, poetry, weather & graphs, spring, buds
May—flowers & seeds, gardens, life cycle of a flower, decomposition, recycling
June—bees, wetlands, food webs, parts of speech
July—fireflies & insects, night creatures, observation, thermal energy
August—sun & shadows, seasons, rocks, water cycle
A word about grade level and design:
The My Year Nature Journal is designed to serve students from kindergarten through about 4th grade. While not every page will be easy for a kindergartener to do independently, every month plan will have something for everyone. The re-use-ability value of this resource is high. You can print this journal and use as many years as you like and there will always be something new to discover.
You’ll notice the design is not the “typical” elementary style of chunky cartoons and bubble-letter fonts. I believe, as Charlotte Mason did, that children of all ages benefit from exposure to beauty, and will rise to the expectations set by design. This journal will easily become a keepsake showcasing a full year of exploration and expression.
Do you want to skip the hassle of printing? Do you need only one or two copies or want a beautifully bound nature journal that will be a keepsake for years to come? The paperback My Year Nature Journal is now available.
The FULL My Year Nature Journal is FINALLY HERE!!! MORE pages you won't find anywhere else, NEW cover options for all styles, EXPANDED educational opportunities!
Designed to compliment the picture book, A Year With Mama Earth, this printable includes Two options. Print the Teeny Tiny Nature Journal to make a half-sized booklet, just right for Preschoolers. Or print the Itty Bitty Nature Journal, especially sized for tiny toddler hands! Bind either according to this video (use a paper punch instead of an awl, with only two holes, to make it even easier) or however you like.
Find a curated selection of links, videos, and more Nature Journaling fun at my website. I hope you love this resource! If so, I would treasure your review or a comment at my website! Happy Journaling! :-D
View by Title
Find crafts and activities for a specific title by selecting the book.
Through rich storytelling and vibrant artwork, this book brings to life the deeper traditions surrounding the Wise Men, their prophetic mission, and their role in the Feast of Epiphany. Follow the kings from their possible childhood homes to “the East” where they joined together to study the stars. See how their legendary origins may echo back even to the time of Daniel and how they bring back together the peoples scattered at the Tower of Babel.
What a stunning book! … I can't wait to gift this book to everyone I know.
—Donna Koppelman, author
Throughout Advent and Christmastide, The Joy of Advent gives families the opportunity to come together and focus their hearts on the scarlet thread of Christmas—Christ’s love and sacrifice. Woven through the tapestry of Scripture, and utilizing the Jesse Tree, this treasured ecumenical book helps to create poignant memories and beloved traditions.
“I cannot put the book down and am ready to recommend it to our young millennial couples.”
—Samuel E. Chiang, Deputy Secretary General, World Evangelical Alliance
My Year Nature Journal gives you 12 full months of nature journal activity and free-creation pages to support your nature/outdoor education. The journal is perfect for fans of Charlotte Mason, Montessori, kinesthetic and hands-on learning, or to simply enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors.
Rebecca Grabill's first collection of poetry, published by Flying Ketchup Press, brings her readers home to rural Michigan and into the world of a woman on the path less traveled—wife, daughter, teacher, author, and mother of six.
Sweetened Condensed is two parts sugar, three parts milk: the life of a writer and mother of six encapsulated into raw moments of lyrical free verse with the author's black and white photography.
This is not a saccharine swig, but full-body, rich mouthful of poems and pictures that show the deep truth of family.
—Mary Logue, author of Sleep Like a Tiger
A Year With Mama Earth is a poetic exploration of the seasons.
Mama Earth rustles her autumn wings to cool her hot, tired face. She sighs, and the first September frost crackles over bowing stalks of corn.
“With enchanting text and radiant artwork, A Year with Mama Earth offers a joyous celebration of nature’s beauty and the changing seasons.”
— THE CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL
Violet and her little brother set out on a long, long journey, a journey fraught with danger and peril. Is Violet’s make-believe story just in her imagination?
With excitement and more than a few surprises, Violet and the Woof will have readers wide-eyed, smiling, and asking for the story again and again. Illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova.
“VERDICT A fun, lighthearted addition to most picture book collections.”
— SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
Gliding through the moonlight come the monsters big and small,
sliding up your stairway and oozing down your hall.
They aren’t very scary, in fact they’re rather sweet.
So snuggle into bed and let them whisper, “Trick or treat!”
Ghastly ghouls count down to Halloween in this not-so-terrifying bedtime tale.
"Grabill Makes An Oft-Adapted Rhyme Feel Utterly Fresh..."
Publishers Weekly Starred reivew
I am so delighted to share coloring pages. Some were lovingly prepared by me, and some by the marvelous illustrator, Dasha Tolstikova who illustrated Violet and the Woof.