Author and Illustrator Spotlight – Page 2

Speaking Out Loud: The Voices Behind the New YA Nonfiction Ban This!

What would you do if your school removed books from the library—books that reflected your identity, your history, your reality? In Ban This!: How One School Fought Two Book Bans and Won (and How You Can Too), a powerful group of students and educators from Central York High School in Pennsylvania show exactly how they […]Read more

Watch Them Grow: An Interview with Author Carrie A. Pearson

Sure, baby animals are cute. But have you ever seen what they look like before they’re born? Watch Them Grow: The Fascinating Science of Animal Beginnings introduces readers to a variety of animals and shows how they develop some of their defining features. Today author Carrie A. Pearson joins us to share why she writes […]Read more

Honoring a Decade of Out of Darkness

Ten years ago, Carolrhoda Lab released Out of Darkness into the world and the story quickly began to carve out a powerful space in the hearts of readers and classrooms alike. Ashley Hope Pérez’s award-winning novel—a haunting, lyrical, and unflinching look at love, racism, and tragedy in 1930s Texas—has inspired readers across the country. Now, […]Read more

Author Interviews

Ultrawild: An Interview with Author Steve Mushin

What if submarines could filter sewer water? What if compost cannons could blast seed bombs over half a mile? Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan for Rewilding Every City on Earth takes readers through an avalanche of scientifically plausible inventions to fight climate change, rewild cities, and save the planet. Maverick inventor Steve Mushin creates a tour […]Read more

Author Interviews

Zeyna Lost and Found: An Interview with Author Shafaq Khan

Set in 1970, Zeyna Lost and Found follows twelve-year-old Zeyna, a British Pakistani girl caught between two worlds—and two continents. What begins as an awkward family trip to Pakistan quickly spirals into a high-stakes search when Zeyna’s parents mysteriously vanish, leaving only cryptic clues and whispers of a jewel heist behind. With her annoying little […]Read more

Author Interviews

No More Gnomes: An Interview with Author and Illustrator Beth Mills

In Beth Mills’ hilarious new picture book, No More Gnomes, Herbert’s legendary manners are pushed to the brink when Ms. Goat (yes, a goat) starts filling the yard—and Herbert’s life—with an ever-growing army of rude, gnome-sized nightmares. It’s a story of politeness under pressure, lawn ornament invasion, and one boy’s noble quest to say no […]Read more

Author Interviews

Displaced: An Interview with Author Patrick Ochieng

Displaced is a story of everyday courage and unexpected community through the eyes of fourteen-year-old Kim. Post-election violence forces Kim and his family to flee their home in suburban Kenya. While staying in a camp for displaced persons, he struggles to adapt to his new reality. Kim gradually befriends other displaced kids, and they hatch […]Read more

Author Interviews

Nafu Wants Food: An Interview with Author Subi Bosa

Set in a fantasy land inspired by the architecture of Burkina Faso, West Africa, Nafu Wants Food by Subi Bosa is a graphic novel perfect for developing readers. Nafu is Mongo Village’s resident monster and protector, so the villagers happily give Nafu all the food they want. But after greedily gobbling up the last of […]Read more

Author Interviews

Trumpets of Death: A Herald of Change and Growth

For many, the forest is a place of refuge. In the new graphic novel, Trumpets of Death by debut author Simon Bournel-Bosson, the rolling hills and dense trees become a place of transformation and maturity. Read on to take a sneak peek at this stunning and contemplative exploration of intergenerational conflict and humanity’s broken bond […]Read more

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