"I hope that readers will be able to see how cultures and artists from all around the world have interacted with each other as the world became more connected over time."
"Lines in the sand have no place in an empathetic society. I want to kick over every one I see."
"Discussing the pandemic through the lens of wildlife strikes me as an ideal way to open a conversation with children. Look how nature bounces back when people get out of the way."
"Macy’s teacher Miss Black throws books in the trash on purpose knowing Macy will fish them out and read them on the sly. She mothers Macy through books."
"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.
