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Author Interviews

The Weight of Everything: An Interview with Author Marcia Argueta Mickelson
Author Interviews

The Weight of Everything: An Interview with Author Marcia Argueta Mickelson

The new YA novel The Weight of Everything strikes the perfect balance between grief, romance, and self-exploration through the eyes of one girl’s personal experience. Six months ago, Sarah’s beloved mother died in a car accident. Her dad fell apart, and Sarah had to leave her fine arts boarding school to take care of him and her little brother. She’s sure she doesn’t have the time or emotional energy for a relationship with her sweet, handsome classmate, David Garza. But when a school project leads her to delve into her mother’s Mexican and Guatemalan roots and rediscover her love of art, her perspective shifts.

Today award-winning author Marcia Argueta Mickelson joins us to discuss how she relates to Sarah’s story, her inspiration, and her creative process. Read on to download two free educator resources!

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Sasquatch and Squirrel: An Interview with Author Chris Monroe
Author Interviews

Sasquatch and Squirrel: An Interview with Author Chris Monroe

Have you ever had a rough start to a friendship? Strawberry the Sasquatch can relate. After years of being on her own, an extremely friendly squirrel named Nutty shows up. After a series of hilarious mishaps, Strawberry isn’t sure she and Nutty can get along. But thanks to some cloud watching, seed portraits, and stale marshmallows, the two find a way to be friends.

Sasquatch and Squirrel is the new hilarious picture book from Chris Monroe, creator of the Monkey with a Tool Belt books.

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Men of the 65th: An Interview with Author Talia Aikens-Nuñez
Author Interviews

Men of the 65th: An Interview with Author Talia Aikens-Nuñez

Honor and Fidelity. That is the motto of the 65th Infantry Regiment, the only Puerto Rican unit in the United States Army. Discover their story in the new YA nonfiction Men of the 65th: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War.

Today author Talia Aikens-Nuñez joins us on the Lerner blog to share her inspiration, a surprising research discovery, and her hopes for the young adults learning about the Borinqueneers for the first time. Read on to download the free discussion guide!

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Indigo and Ida: An Interview with Author Heather Murphy Capps
Author Interviews

Indigo and Ida: An Interview with Author Heather Murphy Capps

In the brand new middle grade Indigo and Ida, Indigo is an eighth-grade investigative reporter, and she’s taking the world by storm. She breaks an important story, exposing an unfair school policy, she’s suddenly popular for the first time. But when she notices that the school’s disciplinary policies seem to be enforced especially harshly with students of color, her friends insist she’s imagining things. Indigo draws strength from the story of the trailblazing Ida B. Wells who fought for racial justice.

Today author Heather Murphy Capps joins us to discuss why she wrote this story, the origins of Indigo’s name, and the her hopes for young readers. Keep reading to download the free discussion guide and enter a Goodreads giveaway!

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Rise to the Sky: An Interview with Author Rebecca E. Hirsch and Illustrator Mia Posada
Author Interviews

Rise to the Sky: An Interview with Author Rebecca E. Hirsch and Illustrator Mia Posada

Trees are the tallest living things on Earth. But how do they grow to be so tall? Science writer Rebecca E. Hirsch presents a poetic introduction to the tree life cycle in Rise to the Sky: How the World’s Tallest Trees Grow Up. Accompanied by Mia Posada’s detailed collage illustrations, this book features the tallest tree species from around the world, including the coast redwood, the Sitka spruce, and the giant sequoia.

Today Rebecca and Mia join us to talk about how they wrote and illustrated this masterful picture book. Read on to discover their hopes for young readers and download the free activity guide!

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Nearer My Freedom: An Interview with Co-Author Lesley Younge
Author Interviews

Nearer My Freedom: An Interview with Co-Author Lesley Younge

Nearer My Freedom: The Interesting Life of Olaudah Equiano by Himself by Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge has earned recognition with five starred reviews and praise from industry professionals. This new release explores Olaudah Equiano’s life story—his childhood in Africa, enslavement, liberation, and life as a free man—through “found verse,” a creative approach to primary source analysis. The authors selected excerpts from Equiano’s autobiography to create the poetic retelling, adding annotations to deepen understanding.

Today co-author Lesley Younge joins us to discuss the process of co-authoring such a unique nonfiction title and why it is perfect for 6th and 7th grade readers.

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NEVER GIVE UP: AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DEBBIE DADEY AND ILLUSTRATOR JULIANA OAKLEY
Author Interviews

NEVER GIVE UP: AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR DEBBIE DADEY AND ILLUSTRATOR JULIANA OAKLEY

Meet Hungarian American biochemist Katalin “Kati” Karikó. She became fascinated by science as a child and grew up determined to find a way to use messenger RNA—a copy of a part of DNA that provides cells with instructions to make proteins—to help fight illness. Never Give Up: Dr. Kati Karikó and the Race for the Future of Vaccines follows her journey from her childhood in rural Hungary to leading the way in the creation of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Today author Debbie Dadey and illustrator Juliana Oakley join us to discuss the inspiration behind their work and their hopes for young readers as they discover Dr. Karikó for the first time.

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The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent: An Interview with Author Ann Jacobus
Author Interviews

The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent: An Interview with Author Ann Jacobus

Hopeful and compassionate, The Coldest Winter I Ever Spent follows eighteen-year-old Del as she discovers she cannot fully value life without accepting the realities of death. She’s in a healthier place more than a year after a suicide attempt. She’s sober, getting treatment for her depression and anxiety, and volunteering at a suicide-prevention hotline. But when her aunt receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, Del is forced to confront the demons she’s been keeping at bay.

Today author Ann Jacobus shares her inspiration for the book, her research, and her writing routines. Read on to download the free discussion guide!

Content warning: This book does involve discussions of suicidal ideation and references to suicide.

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