The Design Behind Follow Those Zebras

by Lindsey Owens, Designer

Editor’s Note: We at Lerner recognize that the spread of COVID-19 and the need to practice social distancing during this time have made many routines, such as visiting a zoo or even going to school, unsafe. We plan on continuing to use this space to talk about books, but also share online resources that could help keep everyone learning and engaged. The San Diego Zoo, for example, has a kid-friendly website with activities, videos, and even live cameras of your favorite zoo animals. Also, The Cincinnati Zoo is hosting a “Home Safari” on their Facebook page daily at 3pm EDT.

by Jordyn Taylor, Assistant Editor for Carolrhoda Books and Millbrook Press

For those who are stuck at home, I wanted to try to shed a little light on your day with this new book. I enjoy editing picture books because each one is different. And each one also comes about in a unique way, which makes it fun to ask, “Where did the idea for this book come from?”

by Carol Hinz, Editorial Director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books

John Coy and Natalie Capannelli’s new picture book, If We Were Gone: Imagining the World without People, is not your average picture book. In a review, Publishers Weekly called it a “disturbingly beautiful dystopian meditation.” When John, Natalie, art director Danielle Carnito, and I were working on the book, we certainly didn’t imagine that it would be released just as a global pandemic was spreading. The book’s launch party, which was scheduled for this past Saturday, was canceled, and our foremost concern is that everyone do what they need to do to take care of themselves–and to help those who need it.

If you’re curious about how If We Were Gone came to be and what sort of reactions students have had at school visits, author John Coy shares the story here. Read More

Lerner Digital Can Help You Plan for and Respond to School Closures

School closures are a challenge for everyone involved. Closures due to weather or other problems usually only last for a few days. Districts facing closures due to coronavirus or other epidemics may have to look for ways to help their students continue to learn even during a relatively lengthy time away from their school building.

by Ashley Kuehl, executive editor

To celebrate the March release of the Zest Books YA nonfiction title Votes of Confidence, 2nd Edition: A Young Person’s Guide to American Elections, I asked author and journalist Jeff Fleischer to explain some terms and trends we’re seeing in the news. Votes of Confidence gives young readers a clear, nonpartisan overview of how the American election system works, with plenty of real-world examples and a healthy dose of historical context. Every reader will learn something about American elections from this book.