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Author Guest Post: “Sating the Thirst of Bloodthirsty Teens” by Darren Simpson, Author of Thirst

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“Sating the Thirst of Bloodthirsty Teens”

My love of horror goes a long way back. I used to think it started in my early teens, when I first discovered Stephen King and James Herbert on my mum’s bookshelves. But on reflection, it goes back even further than that, to the fateful day I read Roald Dahl’s The Twits as a small boy. Not horror, as such, but certainly horrific.

I’d never come across a novel so deliciously cruel. Worms in spaghetti. Bird pies. Glass eyes watching from the bottom of your beer. I was hooked, and have been a fan of Dahl’s books ever since. I’ve seen The Twits work its grotesque magic on my own sons, too, while reading it with them at bedtimes.

But back to my mum’s bookshelves. There’s a reason I’d started exploring them. As a young teen in the 90s, my book options were limited. I was raised in army estates abroad, and as much as I loved the library on wheels that dropped by once a week, I’d soon exhausted its supply of Goosebumps and Point Horror novels. After that, it seemed there was nowhere else to go. Not for non-adults, at least. I found myself at the cusp of a chasm, with middle grade horror on one side and adult horror on the other. So I took the leap.

These days, thanks to the YA boom, that chasm isn’t so wide. But it’s still there.

Today’s older children and teens love horror as much as I did. You see it in their hunger for Stranger Things. In their fascination with Backrooms and Momo. In the way they throw themselves into Halloween. And I see it first-hand when I visit schools. Every time I ask the kids filling assembly halls to put their hands up if they like horror, almost every hand shoots up. Children and teens are a bloodthirsty bunch. For who can resist the thrill of being scared while also being safe? That’s the gift of horror.

So where do these readers go when middle grade stops delivering that thrill? There’s an abundance of horror in YA, but while YA can offer the darker, more mature scares teens crave, it also exposes them to real-life horrors – toxic relationships, for example, or addiction and domestic abuse – for which they’re not quite ready.

This is the gap I wanted to fill with Thirst – a folk horror novel that dodges those more adult, real-life horrors but doesn’t skimp on darkness or shocks. I walked a tightrope while writing Thirst, doing my best to serve up genuine, visceral scares that don’t patronise teens, while also avoiding gratuitous violence and fading to black when the need arose. Rather than describe darker moments in gruesome detail, I employed the power of suggestion. Encouraging readers to use their imaginations does wonders for any horror or ghost story. As a fan of both genres, I know that the most chilling scenes take place not on the written page, but in the reader’s mind.

I hope Thirst serves as a stepping stone for teen readers, helping them to cross that chasm between middle grade and YA. Sadly, when it comes to fiction, young teens are a somewhat neglected age group. This is tragic when you bear in mind the fact that it’s during early teens that many people stop reading for pleasure. In light of this, I’d love for Thirst to ultimately become part of a wider trend. We need more teen novels that keep teens reading, so they can continue into adulthood and enjoy the myriad perks of becoming a lifelong reader.

If you’re looking for teen-appropriate horror beyond Thirst, here are a few books in that field that I’ve personally enjoyed. Some are officially upper middle grade (as mentioned, specifically teen books are sadly lacking), but they all sent a shudder or two down my spine, which is as good an indicator as any of some genuine bite.

Bone Jack by Sarah Crowe
The Worlds We Leave Behind by A.F. Harrold and Levi Pinfold
The Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes

Wyrdwood by Curtis Jobling
Song of the Saltings by Racheal King
Gloam by Jack Mackay

Thirst
Author: Darren Simpson
Published October 6th, 2026 by Pushkin Children’s Books

About the Book: Nobody talks about the strange happenings in Maimsbury. No one speaks of the hooded figures glimpsed in the woods, nor the children’s game that went so horribly wrong. But most of all, nobody dares whisper their doubts about the river they have worshipped for centuries.

Like everyone in Maimsbury, Gorse is used to the sacrifices made every spring to the River Yeelde. The life of a farm animal – in return for a year of plenty – seems a fair trade. That is, until a tragedy leads Gorse to a blood-curdling discovery.

Because this year is a Brim Year, and after giving so much, the river needs more than an animal’s life to sate its thirst…

About the Author: Darren Simpson is the critically acclaimed author of Scavengers, The Memory Thieves, Furthermoor, and Thirst. His award-winning books have been translated into several languages and he’s been nominated twice for the prestigious Carnegie Medal. He also once won a budgie at school. Darren lives with his wife and sons in Nottingham and loves long walks with headphones, playing the drums, and
reading in bed on rainy Sunday mornings.

Thank you, Darren, for sharing about the horror gap and recommending some titles!

Author Guest Post (and Giveaway!): “Getting Unstuck” by Jennifer Liss, Author of Wide Eye

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“Getting Unstuck”

Narrative writers of all ages get stuck. Many writers refer to it as writer’s block, but for me, it feels less like a wall, and more like everything shifts into slow motion.

It’s as if I’ve been swiftly paddling down a deep river that suddenly becomes shallow. My paddle scrapes along the river bottom. I’m still moving, but it takes too much effort.

If your student writers are frustrated, I suggest experimenting with the following techniques. Getting unstuck is personal, but it’s likely that once they find the right tool for them, it will work again and again as they write.

Try this: Read! Reading is a surefire way to release my seized-up writing brain. Recently, I was stuck in the “mushy middle” of a new manuscript. I set it aside to read a chapter of Aubrey Hartman’s The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest. Her clever dialogue and tenderhearted characters jumpstarted my writing brain.

Try this: Draw! If the words aren’t coming, sketch. Doodle whatever images, characters, or actions are in your mind. See if the words follow.

Try this: Move! Taking my ideas on a walk always helps me get unstuck. Let’s say I can’t figure out how a character in my story will react to finding out she’s been lied to. As I walk, I train my thoughts on this story problem and don’t let my mind stray. Will my character get mad? Will she cry? Will she respond with a lie of her own? (If walking isn’t an option, try any kind of movement: dance in your seat, roll you head side to side, jump in place.)

Try this: Interview! Pretend to be a character in your story, and ask a partner to interview you. Have them ask questions, such as: Who do people think you are, but who are you really? What do you want? What’s getting in your way?

Try this: List! Take a break from composing sentences. List nouns that come to mind. Then list verbs. After you’ve come up with your lists, try your hand again at a sentence.

Try this: Listen! Like reading, listening to music seems to trigger my imagination. When I was working on Wide Eye, if I got stuck, I’d listen to the indie folk band Big Thief. Their music has nothing to do with my book, but the lead singer’s voice always seemed to crack open my thoughts.

***

Giveaway! Jennifer will send a pack of Wide Eye stickers and bookmarks to the first teacher who contacts her via Instagram. Send Jennifer (IG @bookmarkedbyjen) a DM with the message: Unleashing Readers Giveaway.

Publishing October 6th, 2026 by Pushkin Children’s Books

About the Book: A whimsical middle-grade adventure about a young girl, a wacky museum, and a local monster, exploring the transformative power of imagination.

Every year, 10-year-old Meridian spends her summer with Grandpa Frank on Wide Eye Lake, where she helps out at his quirky museum dedicated to the mysterious Wide Eye monster.

But this year, something is different. Tasked with organizing the museum’s old files, Meridian stumbles across more than just faded photos and scribbled sightings of mysterious paw prints. Hidden among the clutter are some old mementos that unlock a long-buried family secret—one that turns her entire world upside down.

Not only does Meridian have a family mystery to solve, but this summer she has to avoid two prankster classmates who just so happen to be vacationing nearby. Summer at Wide Eye Lake really isn’t turning out to be the magical escape it used to be. Can Meridian rediscover the magic of the lake and the local stories she once loved, or will her family be forever changed?

Wide Eye is a heartwarming, family-focused middle-grade adventure that explores the power of imagination and the healing nature of friendship.

“A gem of a novel – a masterclass in how to write for children and make them laugh but also challenge them.” —Iqbal Hussain, author of The Night I Borrowed Time

“[A] thoughtful, character-driven summer adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews

Find an educator’s guide for Wide Eye here.

About the Author: Jennifer Liss writes books for children and teens. She is the author of the middle grade novel Wide Eye (Pushkin Children’s), a London Times Children’s Book of the Week. Her middle grade novel JAMES ON THE EDGE is forthcoming in 2027, also with Pushkin Children’s. For twenty years, Jennifer has worked in educational publishing and has written dozens of books for struggling and reluctant readers, including Doubles, which received a School Library Journal (SLJ) starred review. Jennifer is a regional coordinator for the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a recipient of the Highlights Foundation Lee Bennett Hopkins Scholarship and the Boyds Mills PJ Library Scholarship. She lives in Northern California with her husband, who is a public school teacher, and her two teenage sons. Follow her on IG @bookmarkedbyjen

Thank you, Jennifer, for these great tips for writer’s block!!

Author Guest Post: “Most Lessons Begin with a Book” by Mary Louise Kelly, Author of Dogs in Coats

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“Most Lessons Begin with a Book”

As I look back on my forty-three years of teaching, I remember that nearly every new unit of study began with a book. Whether we were exploring Greek mythology, inventors and inventions, famous artists, poetry, famous explorers, habitats, The Chronicles of Narnia, or the wonderful works of Roald Dahl, books always came first.

Books opened the door to discovery. They sparked research, inspired lively classroom discussions, and led to creative group projects. One book might lead to an Invention Convention, another to an entire Greek Week celebration. Our hallways would soon be filled with beautifully illustrated original poetry, and students who had worked together on projects formed lasting friendships. Time and time again, I saw that a good book could become the starting point for knowledge, curiosity, and a genuine love of learning.

Teaching English as a Second Language

One of the most memorable experiences of my career was walking into a classroom of five-year-olds who spoke only German while I spoke only English. At first, the children looked at me with complete confusion as we read stories and sang songs entirely in English.

It was remarkable to watch what happened over the following weeks and months. Slowly, those same children began understanding the language, then speaking it with growing confidence. Before long, they were communicating in beautiful English.

To encourage their progress, I made a small booklet for each child filled with blank pages. They would draw pictures of anything they wished, and I would sit beside them and write the English word for each drawing. As their confidence grew, single words became simple sentences, and soon they were reading them back to me.

By October, those same children were confidently performing songs and fingerplays for their parents.

I give great credit to Dr. Seuss.

Why I Wrote Dogs in Coats

I have always loved numbers and counting. Mathematics came naturally to me, and throughout my teaching career I became convinced that children build confidence in math when they master their addition and multiplication facts early.

I also happen to love dogs of every size and breed. For many years, alongside my teaching career, I worked as a dog sitter. Eventually, those two passions; teaching and dogs; came together in an idea that became Dogs In Coats.

It actually took me four years to gather enough photographs for the book.

One of the highlights of that journey was organizing a professional photo shoot in Elmira, New York. Beforehand, I visited a children’s second-hand clothing shop and purchased a variety of colorful children’s vests. On the day of the photo shoot, dog owners visiting the local dog park were invited to have their dogs photographed for the book. Each owner signed a permission waiver, their dog was fitted with a little vest, and then off they went into the large fenced dog park to run, jump, play, and simply enjoy being dogs.

Our photographer captured wonderful action shots throughout the day. More than sixty dogs participated, and we carefully recorded each dog’s name so every photograph matched the correct furry model.

It was an incredible day and a complete success.

One Final Thought

The wonderful person who helped organize that photo shoot is someone I have known her entire life. Today, she and her husband have a delightful son named Andrew, who was in first grade when Dogs In Coats was published.

I decided to send an entire case of books to Andrew’s class. Inside each one I wrote:

“To Andrew’s first-grade classmates; Keep on Counting!”

A week later, I received one of the greatest surprises of my career. A large manila envelope arrived filled with handwritten thank-you notes and wonderful drawings of dogs from every student in the class. That envelope reminded me why I became a teacher in the first place and why I became a children’s author.

There is no greater reward than knowing a book has brought joy, curiosity, and smiles to young readers.

Published May 1st, 2023

About the Book: Dogs in Coats is a children’s picture book for ages 5–7 by former elementary educator Mary Louise Kelly.

Drawing on more than forty years of classroom experience, Mary combines engaging photographs of dogs with early addition concepts to encourage observation, conversation, confidence, and joyful learning. Rather than treating math as a separate subject, the book invites children to explore numbers through curiosity, storytelling, and the familiar delight of seeing dogs in playful seasonal settings.

Featuring real dog photography, playful seasonal scenes, and interactive addition activities, Dogs In Coats encourages children to build confidence while discovering that learning can be both meaningful and fun.

About the Author: Mary Louise Kelly is a retired elementary educator whose teaching career spans more than forty years across Pennsylvania, Ecuador, and Vienna, Austria.

Throughout her career, she has believed that children learn best when education begins with curiosity, imagination, and meaningful connections to the world around them.

Today, Mary continues sharing that philosophy through her children’s books, school visits, and author presentations, encouraging young readers to discover that learning can be joyful, interactive, and filled with wonder.

Whether she’s visiting classrooms, speaking with young readers, or writing her next book, Mary remains inspired by the same simple belief that guided her throughout her teaching career:

When children are curious, wonderful learning naturally follows.

Learn more at: https://marylouisekellyvienna.net/

Thank you, Mary Louise, for your post!

Author Guest Post: “Writing from the Margins” by Romina Garber, author of Wolves of No World: Lobizona & Cazadora

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“Writing From the Margins”

I wrote WOLVES OF NO WORLD for teen-me.

Like Manu, I was born in Argentina, and I immigrated to the United States when I was young. Growing up in Miami, I read every story I could get my hands on, but I never found myself represented on the shelf. There were no books like Lobizona available to me.

Young Romina would have loved to read the adventures of an immigrant girl with painful periods who finds her place in a magic school where everyone speaks Spanglish and eats Argentine foods and returns to their homeland once a month to stay connected to their roots!

The inspiration behind the worldbuilding of my series is a curious Argentine law: ley de padrinazgo presidencial 20.843. It declares the President of Argentina godparent to the seventh consecutive son or daughter in a family, which means the state covers all their educational expenses. When I researched the history of this law, I came across an old legend that claimed seventh daughters would be born brujas and seventh sons would be lobizones.

The fact that the law is still in effect today underscores the enduring power of myth, and shows how the stories we tell can shape the reality of a particular population. Consider the term illegal, and how it can negate one’s humanity and worth when applied to a person, paving the way for subhuman treatment by the law.

I used the folklore at the root of this Argentine law as the basis for the magic system to underscore how thin the border is between fantasy and reality in this story.

At its heart, Wolves of No World is a celebration of the immigrant identity. Since many paranormal creatures are essentially humans with a supernatural ability, they’re partly of our world and partly of another. To demonstrate this duality, every full moon the Septimus must return to Lunaris, a magical realm that is the source of their power.

Manu’s hybrid identity as a human and a Septimus is a threat to both her worlds, and rather than having two homes, she’s left with none. As an immigrant, this sense of homelessness is one I’ve struggled with my whole life.

Here are five more books that draw from cultural myths/legends/politics from around the world, offering today’s teens a chance to find themselves on the page:

Cemetery Boys (Cemetery Boys, #1) by Aiden Thomas | Goodreads

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: A trans boy determined to prove his gender to his traditional Latinx family summons a ghost who refuses to leave.

Amazon.com: Raybearer: A Novel: 9781419739835: Ifueko, Jordan: Books

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko: In this West-African-inspired fantasy, a girl with the ability to see people’s memories must navigate the political council of the Crown Prince and rise to challenge the systems that oppress her.

Woven in Moonlight

Woven in Moonlight by Isabel Ibañez: Inspired by Bolivian history and politics, the story follows a girl who steps in as a decoy for an exiled royal and offers herself to a usurper king to spy and reclaim her people’s city.

Amazon.com: Shadow of the Fox: A Coming of Age YA Fantasy of Samurai and Ancient Demons: 9781335145161: Kagawa, Julie: Books

Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa: A Japanese-inspired fantasy about a half-human, half-kitsune girl who goes on a grand adventure to help protect the world from demons.

A Song Below Water

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow: Set in a modern-day Portland where mythical creatures live alongside humans, it follows two sisters who must learn to use their voices. The novel explores identity, power, sisterhood, racism, and Black girl magic.

Lobizona
Published August 4th, 2020 by Wednesday Books

Cazadora
Published August 17th, 2021 by Wednesday Books

Wolves of No World 2-in-1 Collector’s Edition
Published September 15th, 2026 by Wednesday Books

About the Book: In the duology, Manuela Azul is an undocumented immigrant, crammed into a small Miami apartment with her mother, hiding from ICE and from her father’s Argentine crime family. When disaster shatters her carefully constructed world, she follows the only clue she has about her past—a mysterious emblem—into a secret realm of witches and werewolves, cursed cities, and illegal magic rooted in real Argentine folklore. In this hidden world, she discovers that it’s not just her U.S. residency that is illegal. It’s her entire existence. Steeped in Argentine folklore and written partly in Spanglish, WOLVES OF NO WORLD is the rare fantasy that earned both starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and is dedicated to “all our children caught in the crosshairs of nationalism.”

About the Author: Romina Garber is a New York Times and international bestselling author whose books include The Last Vampire, Castle of the Cursed, Lobizona, Cazadora, & the ZODIAC quartet. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and raised in Miami, Florida, Romina landed her first writing gig as a teen—College She Wrote, a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later picked up for national syndication—and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She is a graduate of Harvard College and a Virgo to the core.

Website: www.rominagarber.com
Instagram: @rominagarber
Facebook: @rominabooks

Thank you, Romina, for this thoughtful post and these amazing recommendations!

Author Guest Post: “The Book That Taught Me WHAT IF?” by Jonathan White, Author of The Secret on the Second Shelf

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“The Book That Taught Me to Ask WHAT IF?”

Every reader has one book that changes them.

Not because it wins awards. Not because it becomes their favourite story of all time. But because it arrives at exactly the right moment in life and quietly changes the way they see the world.

For me, that book was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

Like many readers, I picked it up expecting an entertaining science-fiction adventure. What I found was something far more profound. Yes, it was hilarious. Yes, it was wildly imaginative. But beneath the humour was something that would shape me for years to come: an invitation to be endlessly curious.

Every chapter seemed to ask another impossible question.

What if?

What if the universe was stranger than we could possibly imagine?

What if the impossible was simply something we didn’t understand yet?

Those questions stayed with me long after I finished the book.

Looking back, I don’t think The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy simply made me fall in love with science fiction.

I think it made me a curious person.

That curiosity followed me everywhere. It led me to read about history, astronomy, mythology, and scientific discoveries. The more I learned, the more I realised that every answer simply opened the door to another fascinating question.

I’ve come to believe that’s one of the greatest gifts a book can give a young reader.

As parents, teachers and librarians, we often celebrate books because they improve literacy, expand vocabulary and encourage a love of reading. Those are great outcomes, but I wonder if there’s an even greater one.

The very best books don’t simply provide answers.

They teach children to ask better questions.

A child who begins asking Why?, How? and What if? doesn’t stop being curious when they close the final page. They carry that curiosity into the classroom, into conversations, into museums, into science, into history and, ultimately, into life.

Years later, when I sat down to write The Secret on the Second Shelf, I realised I wasn’t trying to recreate Douglas Adams’ humour or his wonderfully eccentric universe.

What I wanted to recreate was the feeling his book gave me.

The feeling that anything might be possible.

The feeling that an ordinary child could stumble across an extraordinary mystery.

The feeling that turning one more page might reveal something that changes the way you see the world.

That’s why The Secret on the Second Shelf blends mystery, history and the supernatural. I wanted readers to enjoy an exciting adventure, but I also hoped they’d finish the story wanting to know more about the real places, the historical events and the mysteries that inspired it.

Of course, as every author knows, once a book leaves your desk it no longer belongs entirely to you.

It belongs to its readers.

I wanted to find out whether the curiosity I’d tried to weave into the story would actually come alive, so I took The Secret on the Second Shelf, together with the short film created to accompany it, into schools across the UK.

Standing in front of classrooms was a very different experience from sitting quietly behind a keyboard.

After each presentation, I invited questions.

I expected a few polite hands to go up.

Instead, they seemed to come from every corner of the room.

Some pupils wanted to know which parts of the story were based on real history. Others asked whether time travel could ever be possible, how I came up with the mystery, what inspired particular characters, or whether there would be another adventure. A few even challenged me with questions I’d never considered myself.

Those were my favourite moments.

The children weren’t simply asking about the book anymore. They were asking about history, science, imagination, writing and the world beyond the final page.

Watching that happen gave me an incredible buzz.

As an author, you spend months, sometimes years, working alone, hoping your story will connect with someone you’ve never met. Standing in those classrooms, I could actually see curiosity taking hold. One question sparked another. Children began building on each other’s ideas, offering theories, making connections and imagining possibilities I hadn’t even thought of.

It reminded me exactly how I had felt all those years earlier when I first closed The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Not satisfied.

Inspired.

Inspired to ask another question.

And then another.

Those school visits reinforced something I’ve come to believe wholeheartedly; books don’t have to provide all the answers to be successful.

Sometimes their greatest achievement is encouraging readers to keep asking questions long after they’ve finished the story.

If one child leaves The Secret on the Second Shelf wanting to learn more about the Great Plague, visit Cambridge, read another science-fiction novel, write their own mystery, or simply look at the world with a little more curiosity than they did before, then I feel I’ve succeeded.

Because curiosity doesn’t end with childhood.

It begins there.

And sometimes all it takes is one remarkable book to spark a lifetime of asking, “What if?”

About the Book: When fourteen-year-old Tim Shaw discovers a secret, he is hurled more than 300 years into the past. Trapped in seventeenth-century England, Tim must unravel an ancient mystery and uncover the truth behind his mother’s disappearance before time runs out. Blending history, mystery and the supernatural, The Secret on the Second Shelf is an adventure for readers aged 8+ who love puzzles, hidden secrets and impossible questions.

In May 2026, the story was also released as an audiobook, bringing Tim’s adventure to life through the narration of David Sweeney-Bear, an award-winning voice actor. Whether readers choose the printed book or the audiobook, the story invites them to step into the past, embrace their curiosity and discover that some of history’s greatest mysteries may still be waiting to be uncovered.

About the Author: Jonathan White is the author of The Secret on the Second Shelf. Inspired by writers including Douglas Adams, Roald Dahl and Terrance Dicks, he has spent much of his life asking “what if?”, a curiosity that has taken him from a career in technology and engineering leadership to travelling and working across the UK, Estonia, Bulgaria, Malaysia and Cyprus, gathering ideas from the people, places and history he encountered along the way.

His passion for storytelling extends beyond the page. In addition to writing the novel, Jonathan created a short film inspired by its world and has visited schools across the UK, sharing both the story and the film with young readers. Seeing children debate theories, challenge ideas and ask thoughtful questions has only strengthened his belief that the best books don’t just tell great stories, they inspire a lifelong curiosity about the world around us.

You can discover more about The Secret on the Second Shelf, watch the book trailer and short film, see behind-the-scenes footage from the audiobook recording sessions with award-winning narrator David Sweeney-Bear, and explore additional content from the world of the story at the official website.

Website: The Secret on the Second Shelf | Jonathan White | Fantasy Adventure for Children

TikTok: The Secret on the Second Shelf | Book Trailer & TikTok shorts

Thank you, Jonathan, for this post about the magic of books!

Author Guest Post: “Empathy and Gratitude Through Immigration Stories” by Nazanin Agange Ford, Author of My America Blooms

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“Empathy and Gratitude Through Immigration Stories”

I’ll come right out and say it: the world has me worried.

From tragic ICE events, to the ongoing conflicts around the globe, to heat domes, and measles outbreaks, I am worried about a lot of things that I feel helpless to affect. And, if a fairly reasonable, generally non-panicking adult (me) is worried, what are our kids feeling?

Anxious?
Confused?
Maybe a little less kind than usual?

Did that last one surprise you?

Let me explain. When I have a lot on my “worry” plate, I don’t have as much room to think about others. For me, this creates an isolating narrative, which transforms the worries into frustration and anger. I think this is true for others, too.

The best way I know to tackle this spiral is with gratitude and empathy. These are small mindset pivots I can make to create space for problem-solving, dialogue, understanding, and hopefully respect. Our kids need that infusion of gratitude and empathy to operate in this uniquely challenging world, too.

All stories hold the power to inspire gratitude and empathy. In particular immigrant stories, which are also timely right now, offer eye-opening perspectives, even for those of us who are immigrants. These stories can provide a bridge toward understanding and appreciating every member of our community a little better.

When I wrote My America Blooms, I hoped it would help more people understand the challenges of starting a new life in a new place, and I wanted those who have experienced it to know they weren’t alone—that they could share their story, too. But I also wanted to share my gratitude for all the kindnesses and opportunities people offered my family.

Here are eight great immigrant story picture books I recommend for spreading gratitude and empathy.

We Came to America - by Faith Ringgold (Paperback)

We Came to America by Faith Ringold (Alfred A. Knopf, 2016) – a boldly illustrated, simple and poetic text that pays tribute to “every American who came before us” and honors the children who will carry the “message of diversity into our nation’s future.”

    • Activity: Using colors and inspiration from Ringold’s illustrations, have children recreate their favorite page.
    • Discuss: Is the picture you chose about your own ancestors? Did you learn something new about other Americans?

Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation: Danticat, Edwidge, Staub, Leslie: 9780525428091: Amazon.com: Books

Mama’s Nightingale, A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat, illustrated by Leslie Staub (Dial Books, 2015) – a family is separated because of the mother’s immigration status and the child “discovers that her words can change the world” and reunite her family.

    • Activity: Have children write a short letter about something they want to see changed.
    • Discuss: How did writing a letter help make people aware of the mother’s situation? What would you feel if someone you knew was experiencing something like this?

Amazon.com: Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States: 9780316571753: LaRocca, Rajani, Voun Lee, Huy: Books

Some of Us, A Story of Citizenship and the United States by Rajani LaRocca, illustrated by Huy Voun Lee (Christy Ottaviano Books, 2025) – describes the path to becoming US citizens in a poetic way with beautiful images depicting the diversity of immigrants.

The Welcome Chair | Book by Rosemary Wells, Jerry Pinkney | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster

The Welcome Chair by Rosemary Wells, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Paula Wiseman Books, 2021) – follows the journey of a chair through generations and various families of immigrants. There is a heartwarming story of belonging with each new owner.

    • Activity: Have children tell the story of the welcome chair’s next home. They can write and/or illustrate their story, or share it aloud.
    • Activity: Create a “welcome” space in by writing welcome in as many languages as you can collect.
    • Discuss: What does it mean to be welcoming? How does it feel when you are welcomed?

Rostam's Picture-Day Pusteen by Ryan Bani Tahmaseb: 9781623543815 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen by Ryan Bani Tahmasek, illustrated by Fateme Mokhles (Charlesbridge, 2024) – Rostam is worried about wearing his father’s traditional pusteen for picture-day. When he braves sharing about his Persian culture, his classmates are excited to learn more and try on the pusteen.

    • Activity: Using paper bags cut to fit like vests, have children draw and decorate their own pusteens with symbolic colors, patterns, and materials.
    • Discuss: Do you have any traditional clothes or clothes that have been passed down? Have you ever worried about standing out and feeling out of place?

Gibberish: Vo, Young: 9781646141104: Amazon.com: Books

Gibberish by Young Vo (Levine Querido, 2022) – Everything Dat hears in his new country sounds like gibberish, until a new friend helps him start to make sense of the strange sounds.

    • Activity: Make up new words or share words from a different language for items around the room. Make signs and put them on the items. Have gibberish day where you use the alternate words when talking about the items.
    • Discuss: How do Young Vo’s illustrations show how the world changes for the main character as he begins to understand his classmate’s words?

Wishes by Muon Thi Van | The Scholastic Parent Store

Wishes by Mu’o’n Thi Văn, illustrations by Victo Ngai (Orchard Books, 2021) – spare, lyrical text shares several wishes, while illustrations depict a family leaving their home, becoming refugees, and eventually arriving in a new country.

    • Activity: Make a list of wishes, either the children’s own (“I wish”) or inanimate objects like the story does. These can be shared or kept private in a personal wish jar. Children can share wishes to create decorations, like mobile(s) hung from the ceiling or a constellation of wishes on a wall.
    • Discuss: What do the things that we wish for tell us about each other? Do most people have the same wishes? Are wishes important? Why or why not?

New - by Niña Mata (Hardcover)

New by Niña Mata (Harper, 2025) – an uplifting story of a child starting school in a new country and making a friend.

    • Activity: Make a poster of things everyone can do to help someone new feel welcome.
    • Discuss: Share stories of when each of you were new somewhere. How did it feel to be new? What helped you feel comfortable? What made you feel uncomfortable?

My America Blooms
Author: Nazanin Agange Ford
Illustrator: Fateme Mokhles
Published June 30th, 2026 by Beaming Books

View Discussion and Activity Suggestions for Educators and Parents for My America Blooms HERE

About the Book: Inspired by the author’s experience of immigrating to the U.S. from Iran, My America Blooms shares a story of hope.

My America Blooms is a story about a young girl who is uprooted from her home in Iran. When she and her family are forced to flee Tehran, she brings a pocket of golnar petals from her beloved garden. In America, she begins to tend a new garden as she creates a new life as an immigrant. America brings friendships, community experiences, and stability, planting the seeds of hope. But every garden has its thorns–the girl must dig deep within herself to cultivate the promises of her new home.

This hopeful story embodies the American dream in all its complexity. Fateme Mokhles’ evocative, impressionistic art depicts the immigrant experience through the eyes of a child, while Nazanin Agange Ford’s moving words remind all readers that they belong.

About the Author: Nazanin Agange Ford was born in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States at a young age. She grew up in Southern California and now lives in Nevada with her husband, two daughters, and an Aussie Labradoodle. Her writing explores her Persian heritage and the adventure of growing up. Naz is a former teacher and journalist. She is a member of Inked Voices, the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge, and the American Library Association.

About the Illustrator: Fateme Mokhles is an illustrator and interdisciplinary artist whose practice is rooted in storytelling. Born in Iran and now based in California, she often draws inspiration from her heritage and lived experiences. Fateme is also the illustrator of Rustam’s Picture-Day Pusteen. Her illustrations bring a sense of belonging and depth to children’s literature, inspiring imagination and connection.

Thank you, Nazanin, for sharing these books that we can bring to our spaces to spread empathy and gratitude!

Author Guest Post: “Teaching the Next Generation about September 11th” by Jacqueline Jules, Author of Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember

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“Teaching the Next Generation About September 11th”

“What happened at the Pentagon?” one of my students asked me. “Why are they ringing that bell?”

It was September 11, 2008, seven years after the 9/11 attacks. I was an elementary school librarian in Northern Virginia. A select group of students, chosen to be my library helpers, had just walked into the library. They gathered around me, watching a wall-mounted television in the center of the room. I had turned it on earlier that morning so the staff could watch the dedication of the Pentagon Memorial on C-Span.

“Why are they reading names?” another student asked. “Did people die?”

I won’t forget the upturned faces, focused on the television screen that morning. All six of my library helpers stood silently, watching a man in a white Navy suit, wearing white gloves, pull the cord on a large golden bell. Another man read names from a podium on an outdoor stage. The solemnity of the dedication ceremony was very clear to my students. Yet they were baffled by the reason for it. I was surprised. 

As residents of Northern Virginia, these students were certainly familiar with the Pentagon. Like me, they’d seen the huge five-sided building with its enormous parking lot on their way to the airport or a nearby mall. But not one of the six children in front of me knew that the Pentagon had been attacked on September 11, 2001.

I shouldn’t have been shocked. These students were only four years old in 2001 and unlikely to remember much. Not all of them had even lived in Virginia at the time of the Pentagon attack. Why should they know what happened?

A good question. As a teacher, it was something I thought about a lot. Should 9/11 be a part of our curriculum? Can we understand our present society better when we have knowledge of past events?

Today’s students may not be aware of the drastic changes in airport security since 9/11. Even more importantly, they may not be aware of the way Americans came together to help each other and rebuild after 9/11. Knowing that Americans overcame tough circumstances in the past can give students the courage to face future challenges if they arise. The history of 9/11 can demonstrate the resilience of American society. The Pentagon was rebuilt within a year. It’s a story of perseverance our students should be aware of.  

My collection of narrative poems, Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember, portrays the reactions of young people who experienced September 11th  in Northern Virginia where the Pentagon is located. Kelvin, age 5, is on the swings at recess when he is frightened by a loud sound. Emily, age 13, describes her feelings as she watches her teacher holding on to his desk, visibly shaken by the news he shares with the class. Cyrus, age 10, waits for his father, a fireman responding to the Pentagon attack. Tyra, age 14, watches rubble cleared from the Pentagon while riding the bus to school.

The twenty poems in Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember could be performed as a Reader’s Theater. If the class has more than twenty students, the introduction can be divided up into extra speaking parts. Role-playing the different characters can help students understand and discuss many perspectives. Other teaching ideas for Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember can be found in the Teacher’s Guide posted on my website and at the Bushel & Peck website.

I hope you will consider discussing September 11, 2001 in your classrooms and at home. We are approaching the 22nd anniversary of the event. Today’s children will have no knowledge of this history if educators and other adults don’t introduce it.

Published September 19, 2023 by Bushel & Peck Books

About the Book: A moving book of poems to remember 9/11 at the Pentagon.

On September 11, 2001, American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. One hundred and eighty-four innocent people were killed. The event occurred at 9:37 a.m. and was part of a coordinated terrorist attack against the United States involving four hijacked flights.

Author Jacqueline Jules, who was a school librarian living in Arlington, Virginia on 9/11, tells the story of that day through a tapestry of poems. These poems tell the stories of young people from all aspects of the Arlington and Pentagon communities and are composites drawn from personal experiences with students and friends residing in Northern Virginia at the time of the attack.

September 11th changed childhoods. Anyone old enough to remember that day will never forget, but today’s children need to be told the story.

Download the Teacher’s Guide: http://jacquelinejules.com/images/Teacher’sGuideSMOKE%20AT%20THE%20PENTAGON.pdf

“A powerful, humanistic look at the aftermath of a national tragedy, and an important purchase for modern collections.”―School Library Journal, starred review

About the Author: Jacqueline Jules is the award-winning author of over fifty books for young readers, including the Zapato Power series, the Sofia Martinez series, Unite or Die: How Thirteen Became a Nation, My Name is Hamburger, The Porridge-Pot Goblin, and Tag Your Dreams: Poems of Play and Persistence. A retired elementary school librarian and teacher, she has created numerous resources for her website, available to educators for free download. Please visit www.jacquelinejules.com.  

Thank you, Jacqueline, for this reminder that history needs to be taught!