In this post, we feature author Sarah Darer Littman, whose previous titles include Deepfake, a Junior Library Guild selection. You can hear her speak about her new novel, Some Kind of Hate, and try her “invitation to imagine” activity. You’ll also find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!
Some Kind of Hate
- Written by Sarah Darer Littman
- Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.
- Release date: November 1, 2022
Declan Taylor is furious at the world. After winning state as a freshman starting pitcher, he accidentally messes up his throwing arm. Despite painful surgery and brutal physical therapy, he might never pitch again. And instead of spending the summer with his friends, Declan is forced to get a job, and it seems like his best friend is ditching him—and even flirting with Declan’s crush. So, Declan begins to make new friends while gaming online, including Finn, who might be just as angry as Declan. As the two spend more time together, Finn also introduces Declan to others who understand what it’s like when the world is working against you, no matter how much you try. How white kids like them are being denied opportunities because others are manipulating the system. And the more time Declan spends with Finn, the more he sees what they’re saying as true. So when his new friends decide it’s time to fight back, Declan is right there with them. Even if it means going after former friends. When things turn deadly, Declan is going to have to decide just how far he’ll go and what he’s willing to sacrifice. In a stunning story set against the rise of white nationalism comes an unflinching exploration of the destruction of hate, the power of fear, and the hope of redemption.
From Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman.
“I had my whole summer mapped out and now there are just endless questions circling my woozy brain.”
Click here to view a longer preview of Some Kind of Hate, by Sarah Darer Littman.
Explore Some Kind of Hate
Listen to Sarah Darer Littman talking with TeachingBooks about creating Some Kind of Hate. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.
- Listen to author Sarah Darer Littman pronounce her name.
- Explore TeachingBooks’ collection of activities and resources for Some Kind of Hate.
Invitation to Imagine
TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Sarah Darer Littman.
Imagination Activity with Sarah Darer Littman
Think about a disagreement you had recently. It could be with a friend, with a sibling, a parent, someone online. Write about it. What emotions did you experience? How does your body feel when you’re arguing? How does the argument make you feel toward the other person?
One of the movies I used to love watching with my daughter was Freaky Friday, where a mother and daughter switch bodies after eating a magic fortune cookie.
Here’s your fortune cookie… BAM! Now you are the other person in your recent argument.
Write about the same disagreement but from the other person’s perspective. What emotions are you experiencing as this person. Why are you taking the stand you do? How does your body feel when you’re arguing? How does the argument make you feel toward the other person?
Now I’m handing you your second magic fortune cookie. BAM! Now you’re back in your own body again.
How did it feel to be writing as the other person? Jot down a few lines about that, and anything you might have learned from your Freaky Friday experience.
Finish This Sentence . . . with Sarah Darer Littman
As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Sarah Darer Littman’s response.
“While working on this latest project, I was surprised to learn that…”
While working on this latest project, I was surprised to learn that showing kindness toward those who might believe hateful things about us can make a difference. Learning that has changed the way I think and act.
“I am here tonight because people that I claimed to hate — a Jewish boss, a lesbian supervisor, black and Latino coworkers — treated me with kindness when I least deserved it.”
— Arno Michaelis, former white supremacist, receiving the Common Ground Award in New York on November 30, 2017
“A strange topic I’ve had to research for my books is …”
I’m sure I’m on a watchlist somewhere, because over the years my search history has included: how to disable a security camera, different ways to hack personal information, how to create deepfakes, and how to steal a plant from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, not to mention spending time lurking in white nationalist chatrooms on Telegram! I had to overcome some of my deepest childhood fears to talk to former Neo-Nazis.
Thank you!
To wrap up this Virtual Book Tour, we thank Sarah Darer Littman for signing a book for all of us.
More Connections to Sarah Darer Littman and Some Kind of Hate
- Discover book like Some Kind of Hate on TeachingBooks.
- Scholastic’s page about Some Kind of Hate, written by Sarah Darer Littman.
- Buy Some Kind of Hate, written by Sarah Darer Littman.
Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!
Author photo by Cate Barry Photography. All other text and images are courtesy of Sarah Darer Littman and Scholastic, Inc. and may not be used without expressed written consent.
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