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Longtime Teacher Shares a Lesson in Inclusion in Debut Picture Book
Dan Gill taught middle school social studies for more than five decades. In his picture book debut, Gill draws from a childhood encounter with racism that inspired him to set aside an empty chair in his classroom as a sign of welcoming everyone. Here, the author reflects on how his story and this symbolic gesture have helped spread a message of inclusion.
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Spring 2025 Children’s Flying Starts
We spotlight the authors of five of the season’s most promising children’s and YA debuts.
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Spring 2025 Flying Starts: Stefany Valentine
Debut author Stefany Valentine's YA novel 'First Love Language' has become a mirror for her own journey in reconnecting with her biological mother and heritage.
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Spring 2025 Flying Starts: Xan Kaur
Newly minted bestselling author Xan Kaur hopes to set straight long-held misconceptions about South Asian America and the rural South in her gothic horror debut 'When Devils Sing.'
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Spring 2025 Flying Starts: Amanda Baehr Fuller
In retrospect, Amanda Baehr Fuller's cozy picture book 'Bunny Made Tea' represents a natural progression in her art-centric life and career.
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Spring 2025 Flying Starts: DeAndra Davis
The seed for DeAndra Davis's debut YA novel All the Noise at Once was planted when her son was diagnosed with autism, and grew from other factors like the Black Lives Matter movement and interactions with the police.
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Spring 2025 Flying Starts: Kay Healy
Fabric artist Kay Healy has created and exhibited soft sculptures of engrossed readers and their books, but she hadn’t planned on becoming a children’s book author until the idea arrived for her first graphic novel, 'Casey’s Cases: The Mysterious New Girl.'
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Four Questions for Tae Keller
Tae Keller—author of the Newbery Medal-winning middle grade novel 'When You Trap a Tiger'—makes her picture book debut in 'We Carry the Sun,' illustrated by Rachel Wada.
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Pride Month 2025: Q & As with Children’s and YA Authors Celebrating Queer Culture and History
In celebration of Pride Month, we asked eight creators of children’s books showcasing queer history, culture, and joy to reflect on their works.
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Q & A with Jeanne Walker Harvey
We spoke with author Jeanne Walker Harvey about her new picture book biography, 'The Glass Pyramid: The Story of the Louvre Museum and Architect I.M. Pei,' and how she chooses STEAM subjects to explore in her books and school visits.
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