For a long while before I wrote Counting By 7s I had been drawn to children with learning differences. I was struck by how many of the achieving kids where my sons went to grade school were outsiders. I have thoughts scribbled in many, many notebooks about things I observed in those years. When two […]
Category Archives: Book News
April
26
It’s Time for a #VirtualFieldTrip to the Everywhere Book Fest! by Anna E. Jordan
posted by CBethM
There were plenty of things about field trips in the “before times” that were difficult. Budgets for busses were minimal, permissions slips never came back, charging for events magnified inequities between students, and chaperones were often hard to find. Even so, we know that authentic experiences with experts inspire children and give classroom learning context. Our […]
April
08
Meet Liz Lawson and THE LUCKY ONES
posted by CBethM
The pre-publication buzz for Liz Lawson’s debut young adult novel The Lucky Ones (Delacorte Press) was hard to miss. Throughout the winter, non-stop praise flowed from a starred Kirkus review, positive notices from School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly, and glowing individual responses from readers with advance copies. Unfortunately, as the April 7, 2020 publication […]
March
19
The Whatifs Cover Reveal Q&A with Author Emily Kilgore and Illustrator Zoe Persico
posted by CBethM
Hi! We are so excited to share some behind-the-scenes information about our upcoming picture book, The Whatifs. Thanks for hosting us, Nerdy Book Club! How did you come up with the idea for The Whatifs? Emily: The idea first appeared in my second grade classroom back in 2013. My students and I were getting […]
March
18
Cover Reveal: Turning Point by Paula Chase
posted by donalynm
I’ve always thought one of my author super powers was titling my books. The vibe of a book usually speaks to me and the title springs from that vibe. I have successfully (in my opinion) named seven books and had no reason to think that my streak would end. Then in walks, Turning Point. […]
March
15
Why Authors Love Editors by Laurie Wallmark
posted by donalynm
We authors love our editors. A lot. When we submit a manuscript, we think it’s pretty darn good. (Otherwise we wouldn’t have submitted it.) But after an editor get ahold of it, we realize just how much better our story can be. They help us polish our manuscripts, so they sparkle. I thought I’d share […]
February
28
Audiobooks & 2020 ALA Youth Media Awards by Robin Whitten & Emily Connelly
posted by CBethM
Every year, we’re excited to see the winners of the American Library Association youth media awards—announced in January—and especially to celebrate the audiobook winners and audiobook versions of print winners. The 2020 Odyssey Award for the best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults went to Hey, Kiddo: How I Lost My Mother, Found My […]
January
31
The Books My Students Are Reading (January 2020) by Colby Sharp
posted by Colby Sharp
Spending the day with a group of fifth grade readers each day is magical. The love of story they have in their hearts gives me hope for the world. Each month, when they go to recess, I ask them to leave the book they are currently reading in a pile by the door. During my […]
January
28
Cover Reveal: The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung
posted by donalynm
We are thrilled on Nerdy Book Club to reveal the cover for Mike Jung’s upcoming 2020 book, The Boys in the Back Row (Levine Querido)! We cannot wait until young people can read and share this book later this year. Cover Art by Dion MBD. Publisher’s Description Best friends Matt and Eric are […]
January
19
Cover Reveal: Flying Over Water by N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock
posted by donalynm
Authors N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock stop by Nerdy Book Club to share the cover of their upcoming book, Flying Over Water, how the story began, and their collaborative process writing the book. What inspired this story? Shannon: My friend’s daughter converted to Islam and that piqued my interest in the religion. I […]
