Books and Jams Contributors and Artists

Carolyn Wilhelm writes the majority of posts on this site and blog. She writes children’s books, as well.

Miss Owl’s adventure and learning posts are at this link. She has participated in the blog for about seven years.

Miss Frog is our new teen consultant who brings a wealth of knowledge about art, Chakras, and other interesting things.

Profe Oxana Cerra is a graphic designer and website designer. She has illustrated books for us. We use her clipart in our printables.

I-Reid writes most of the travel posts. She also blogs about and writes books. She advises on Lunar New Year and other cultural curriculum and posts.

Pieter Els illustrates our books, designs clip art we use in our educational downloads, builds our site, and provides tech help.

Crystal blogs at Castle View Academy, is an author, and provides VA tech help.

Morgan writes about prematurity, parenting, France, and Reunion Island. She advises on cultural aspects of curriculum and posts.

Carolyn Wilhelm has a BS in Elementary Education, an MS in Special Studies of Gifted Children, and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12. She was a National Board Certification Middle Childhood Generalist. She is a licensed, certified teacher in Minnesota through 2026. Retired, she now volunteers at an elementary school. Carolyn is a wife, mom, and grandmother. One of her now-adult children was adopted from South Korea. She became a trained Climate Reality Leadership Corp member in August 2019.

Carolyn and her daughter wrote A Mom: What is an Adoptive Mother?

Her other self-published children’s picture books include the following:

Alex Asks About Auntie’s Airplane Day: An Adoption Day Story

Chloe and the No Good, Very Sad, Deplorable Pandemic: 3-in-one book: picture book, coloring book, writing my pandemic memories

Chloe and the No Good, Very Sad, Deplorable Pandemic: A Coloring Book

Climate Change Captives 2035 and Project SAVE: Students Help Save the Earth

The Frogs Buy A New House: An Economics Story for Children

Super Spoons to the Rescue; A Math Measuring Story

A story she wrote about Christmas in the Netherlands is in the anthology Mom for the Holidays: Stories of Love, Laughter & Tantrums at Christmas & Hanukkah edited by Nolan and Demas.

Shewas the author of the Wise Owl Factory, which has (mostly) free educational materials for parents, teachers, homeschools, libraries, and scout groups to use. She lives with her witty and helpful husband of 52 years, and visits her children and grandchildren as often as possible.

She lives in Minnesota, and when not enjoying time with my grandchildren and creating lessons, she is involved in local writing and blogging groups — and loves taking time out in nature to observe her favorite bird, owls.

A class certificate from continuing educational renewal units for teachers.

Carolyn-holding-long-eared-owl-at-Hawk-Ridge-in-Dulluth-MN

Here is a female long-eared owl I adopted at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, Minnesota, at a family owl evening around a campfire with their naturalists.

photo of Sharp-shinned hawk adopted by Carolyn Wilhelm

Here is a photo of a Sharp-shinned hawk she adopted. Daytime birds are OK, too!

Education Is My Passion

I have a BS in Elementary Education, an MS in Special Studies of Gifted Children, and an MA in Curriculum and Instruction K-12. I had National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist 2004-2014. I am a licensed, certified teacher in Minnesota through 2020 I have recently been certified in First Aid and CPR (Pediatric through Adults) by the Red Cross. As you can see, I practice what I teach, learning is for life!

Writing Is My Love

I am a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and have free lessons on a site they are associated with, ReadWriteThink. I also write at The New Book Review.

I Love Books

I write reviews for The New Book Review and also write a column for the Midwest Book Review.

Curriculum Is My Specialty

I write curriculum for the grade levels I have taught over the years, including self-contained grades one, two, three, four, and five. I have also taught gifted education and thinking skill classes from kindergarten to grade six.

My main emphasis is on a subject that is close to my heart, literacy. Many of my lessons are based on specific children’s books to encourage comprehension and a love of reading. I also enjoy writing lessons for math and social studies, among others.

I hope you find many helpful lessons and educational materials on this site.

Affiliate Disclosure

Carolyn writes curriculum for the different grade levels she has taught over the years including self-contained grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. She also taught gifted education and thinking skill classes for grades K-6. She had National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist 2004-2014. She is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), and has free lessons on a site they are associated with named ReadWriteThink.org. She writes this blog and shares many free resources here.