#KidsNeedBooks Is Evolving to #KidsNeedBooks AND #KidsNeedMentors! We’re thrilled that authors & educators are teaming up to help students learn to love reading & writing. Building relationship between authors and classrooms can be so powerful. Imagine a book delivery from an author in the fall, staying in touch throughout the school year (via postcards or… Read more »
The Benefits of Being an Octopus
#KidsNeedBooks Update
Wow! What an incredible past few weeks it’s been. Since I wrote my first post about #KidsNeedBooks, hundreds of books have gotten into kids’ hands thanks to the generosity of over 85 authors, and giveaways are still going on. Check out this great article in School Library Journal about the movement! We’re excited to keep… Read more »
A Pre-Order Campaign and a Partnership!
Exciting News! My pre-order campaign launches today! Not only do pre-orders play a key role in a book’s success, but when you pre-order THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS from Bartleby’s Books, you… 1) Support a fabulous independent bookstore 2) Get a signed, personalized copy 3) Get a pair of super cool octopus tattoos, AND 4) Support… Read more »
#KidsNeedBooks
A few weeks ago, the brilliant Donalyn Miller published a #NerdyBookClub post that highlighted a simple but powerful truth: kids need books. I’m a former middle school teacher, so I know how many obstacles can stand in a teacher’s path, and how many teachers push forward anyway determined to support their students with whatever resources… Read more »
Crossing Our Divides, One Honest Word at a Time
My column in the Brattleboro Reformer this month examines the role that honesty plays in our ability to cross divides, whether it’s a class divide, a racial divide, or if it’s about guns, a theme that run through The Benefits of Being an Octopus. I also had the chance to talk with Olga Peters on WKVT-Green Mountain Mornings… Read more »
On the Radio
Here are some recent radio interviews I’ve had the privilege of doing. I’ve gotten to talk about the revision process for The Benefits of Being an Octopus, the shifting landscapes around the issue of guns, and my love for democracy. 1) A Conversation with Olga Peters of Green Mountain Mornings on WKVT Ann Braden talks… Read more »
A Critical Investment in the Health and Future Careers of Low-Income Kids
In The Benefits of Being an Octopus, Zoey’s family relies on their EBT card (aka food stamps or SNAP benefits) to be able to have healthy food in the fridge. This month, there’s a good article in The Atlantic by Derek Thompson discusses the importance of supporting low-income families with the financial assistance that is needed so… Read more »
On Goodreads!
It’s now possible to add THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS to your Goodreads to-read list! Just click this button, and then click on the arrow next to “Want-to-Read” and select “Want to Read” to get it to register.
An Official Title!
Coming up with the right title for a novel is always a process. I had the working title I used when writing it, but I knew that wouldn’t be the final version. A year ago, I bounced ideas off my critique partners, but none of them felt quite right. Over the past month, my editor… Read more »
Friendships that Span Political Boundaries
In the The Benefits of Being an Octopus I explore how difficult — yet how necessary — it is to develop friendships cross barriers. This TED Talk by Caitlin Quattromani and Lauran Arledge centers on a great examples of two friends who were able to maintain their relationship in a true and honest way, despite their… Read more »