"My Geraldine Pu series was all about a child who gains confidence and self-assurance as she grows more independent in her young life. What an encouraging mirror for kids who’ve just embarked on a reading journey!"
"But writing children's books about engineering is more than just rhyming. The subjects and underlying themes are truly a manifestation of all I learned while in a liberal arts college."
"That was the moment, for me, that the false façade crumbled – and all this beautiful, rainbow light of history shone out. That’s why I wrote No Way, They Were Gay? So kids and teens today would have what I didn’t have when I was their age – the tools to tear down that false façade for themselves, and let the beautiful diverse light of our true heritage shine on them."
"So, how can we use books to encourage children’s interest in STEM? To do so, we need to ignite their excitement at an early age. Barriers to children embracing these fields include inadequate access and exposure, prejudicial expectations, and lack of interest, among other things. How can we help children overcome these obstacles? It’s easy. All we have to do is expose them to STEM-related books, both fiction and nonfiction."
Neurotypical characters get to have adventures and be the hero. Neurodiverse characters should get to as well.
My new book, Politics and Civil Unrest in Modern America (Abdo, 2021) is a response to the social upheaval of 2020. Americans are fighting back against police violence, calling for departments to be reformed, and, in some cases, abolished. Politicians at local, state, and national levels have responded in a variety of ways to these calls of action. Politics and Civil Unrest in America explores the government’s response to protests and policies introduced by legislators to combat police violence.
My instinct is to reassure the kids we talk to. I feel like telling them, “Some things are issues that only grown-ups can deal with. There’s only so much that kids can do.” But I’m learning to bite my tongue as Jennifer passionately teaches the kids—and me—about the true power kids hold.
Authors N.H. Senzai and Shannon Hitchcock had never met before, but in the summer of 2018, they decided to write a book together. They’ve stopped by TeachingBooks to chat about how their story came to be.
"Never before in my life have we needed mentors who could show us the path back to kindness and connection, compassion and hope. Even amid the sickness and meanness of a broken world, animal teachers promise us hope."
"...By creating the character of a kind, honest and supportive gorilla, the boy has someone he could share his feelings with and ask questions about death."
