A Calendar of Celebrations and Inspiration

In this Meet-the-Author Recording, Meg Medina, Library of Congress Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, shares her memories of when her Abuela came to live with her family in New York City and how those memories inspired her 2016 International Latino Book Award-winning title, Mango, Abuela, and Me (Candlewick, 2015).

Though The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn (HarperCollins, 2023) is "completely fictional," Sally J. Pla’s novel draws from her own social and sensory issues. Learn more about her connection to the story, its importance, and her hopeful message to readers.

Activate the Sora student reading app today to give your students instant access to hundreds of always available ebooks and audiobooks including classics and popular favorites. And, the best part is that this Sora Starter collection is completely free to your school. Simply sign up and get your students reading on any device! Share the book, then deepen your readers’ engagement with resources for each title on TeachingBooks.

We often hear authors answer questions like, "how do you decide what to write about?" This week, we receive an answer to a twist on this question when Stuart Gibbs gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at "Mission: Write," his video series for kids. As a bonus, enjoy learning the questions he frequently receives from elementary students—and their answers.

Search for a Giant Squid (Lee & Low, 2023) is an interactive STEM adventure that takes readers on a deep-sea journey of exploration and discovery. Visit the Virtual Book Tour to hear the sibling creators share how their childhood reading experiences inspired the book.

In this For Teachers, By Teachers post, Elizabeth Santiago emphasizes the power of storytelling to engage students and foster empathy. Santiago also discusses her own writing journey, highlighting the significance of diverse voices in literature and how her teaching experiences influence her creative process.

Add TeachingBooks resources easily into your already rich lessons. This session focuses on secondary ELA examples with lesson plans, discussion guides, and author resources. Put final touches on units of study, discover ideas for book discussions, and differentiate to embrace all learning styles.