This post is written by Peter Kahn, teacher and editor of Respect the Mic, a expansive, moving poetry anthology, representing 20 years of poetry from students and alumni of Chicago’s Oak Park River Forest High School Spoken Word Club. When I began my career as a high school English teacher in 1994 I soon realized […]
Category Archives: Book News
September
22
Cover Reveal: I’m an American by Darshana Khiani
posted by CBethM
I’m an American, my second book, launches on May 2nd, 2023. I’m excited to be revealing the cover to this wonderful, inclusive, thoughtful book-loving community. I’m an American features a classroom of diverse students exploring the question: what does it mean to be an American? My writing is inspired by the questions I wonder and […]
September
21
Cover Reveal: IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY by Sydney Dunlap
posted by CBethM
Hi everyone! It is such an honor to have a chance to introduce myself and my book, IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY. This story began a long time ago when I was teaching elementary school in Virginia and used to flip through TV channels at night before going to sleep. One evening, I landed on a […]
September
09
Cover Reveal: Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson, Illustration by Junyi Wu
posted by CBethM
Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson Illustrated by Junyi Wu Publication Date: 4/11/23 From the singular imagination of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson comes a magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight. Clay has had his fill […]
August
31
Cover Reveal of Trucker Kid by Carol Gordon Ekster
posted by CBethM
Trucker Kid, my sixth book to come into the hands of children, launches on January 1, 2023. I’m excited for book-loving nerds to be the first to see the cover. Nerdybook Club is where my two passions, education and books, come together with like-minded #kidlit folks. I taught fourth grade for 35 years where everything […]
May
13
Cover Reveal for Rare Birds by Jeff Miller
posted by CBethM
IN THE WORDS OF JEFF MILLER… Maybe it’s because I grew up near a lake, but I always like to imagine good stories as life rafts. I picture them slowly coasting towards anybody feeling alone or adrift in open water. Maybe that someone is tired from swimming through a difficult time. Or maybe they just […]
May
12
MIDDLE GRADE MUNCHIES
posted by CBethM
We’ve all been there: it’s the afternoon and you’re a little bit snacky. Do you want something salty or sweet? Maybe you even dip into a few chapters of what you’re reading or a new book while you munch on some popcorn, candy, or fruit. Well, what if you could snack AND chat with your […]
April
20
Omar Rising and Reading Aloud by Aisha Saeed
posted by CBethM
Since childhood, I’ve loved losing myself in stories. Every weekend my parents would cart my brothers and I to our local library and we’d haul home as many books as we could carry. There’s something special about grabbing a good book and diving into a different world all without leaving the comforts of your home. […]
April
08
Cover Reveal: The Edge of In Between by Lorelei Savaryn
posted by CBethM
Check out the excerpt of the middle grade retelling of The Secret Garden, available April 19, 2022 from Viking BYR. Lorelei Savaryn (loreleisavaryn.com) is an author of creepy, magical stories for children. She holds a BA in creative writing and is a former elementary teacher and instructional coach. When she isn’t writing, she spends her […]
February
04
Cover Reveal: HAVEN JACOBS SAVES THE PLANET by Barbara Dee
posted by CBethM
When you’re writing middle grade fiction, there’s one unbreakable rule: Always end on a hopeful note. No matter how serious the topic, you want the reader to close the book feeling inspired, challenged, entertained, enlightened—anything but hopeless or depressed. Except what do you do if you’re writing about the climate crisis? How do you do […]
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