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Author Guest Post: “Using Objects as Inspiration and Ignition for Young Writers” by Brigit Young, Author of Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences

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“Using Objects as Inspiration and Ignition for Young Writers”

In my writing workshops with kids, I teach the older writers about the difference between a strong, hook-the-reader opening and an inciting incident. The inciting incident, I explain, is the event that not only changes the protagonist’s life but also makes them choose another one. They must be compelled to action that inevitably transforms their path.

In my most recent middle grade novel, Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences, a book serves as my protagonist’s catalyst for change. While the opening involves a new girl parading into school and disrupting the setting’s equilibrium, my protagonist could still choose to go on living her life as is, albeit with a new person to gossip about. But after unexpectedly seeing this new girl in synagogue on Yom Kippur, the new girl hands my protagonist a book. This book tells the story of the MS St. Louis, a ship full of Jewish refugees that was turned away by North America and sent back to Europe during World War II. For my main character, this book shakes her to her core. It changes her sense of her country and the world around her. When she finds out the book is on a list of challenged books at her school, she’s incensed, and therefore her change of paths becomes inevitable. She must act, even if it takes her much of the book to figure out how or even exactly why.

As I worked on a manuscript that employs a physical book as a tool for the inciting incident, I found inspiration for a new writing exercise for students. Like a key in the door, in this exercise students use an object to open their story. Give each writer an object, either in words on slips of paper or from pictures – sometimes photos from magazines spark the imagination in a special way. Anything works! You can assign them a mirror, a lamp, the wooden plank of a raft, a cell phone, a family heirloom, a tennis ball, or even whatever they see around the room. The students must write two scenes. The first scene is the opening, and it does not involve the object. The first scene tells us who the character is, and it sets up their flaws and inner desires. This scene can be a paragraph or ten pages, depending on how long the class is and how much gusto the students feel that day.

At the very end of that first scene, students must introduce their character to their assigned object. The second scene reveals how that object instigates a new path for the character. I’ve had one student write about finding a text on a cell phone that wasn’t meant to be sent to them, and it informed them their best friend was betraying them. Their character had to leave her previous social life behind, despite being terrified of change, and from there a story began. Another was instructed to use “a piece of jewelry” as their object, and they took some inspiration from Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift! Their first scene placed the character at a Taylor Swift concert, and someone she didn’t take any note of slipped a friendship bracelet onto her wrist. Only at the end of the second scene did she realize that the bracelet held a code telling her where her lost mother might be. These kids are little geniuses!

As a modification for the younger writer, instead of asking for two scenes, give the writer an object and ask them to write a description of the object. Then tell them to end their scene with that object changing a character’s life. You’ll be surprised at what magic comes from this – often literally! Apparently, according to my youngest students, pretty much any object in our world can turn into a magical portal that takes people to alternate dimensions. Watch out the next time you’re picking up that soda can or turning on the night light…

So often the role of a writing teacher is to help young writers find an “in.” Kids just require a way to put pen to paper. They need a nudge to tap into that vast imagination already existing within them and ready to pour out. While there are hundreds of techniques to do so, I’ve been pleased to find one more. Put that book or mirror or friendship bracelet in their mind’s eye and allow the visceral muscle and sense memory of a literal object to ignite the events in their story.

Published September 17th, 2024 by Roaring Brook Press

About the Book: Perfect for fans of Star Fish and From the Desk of Zoe Washington, a nuanced middle grade from the author of The Prettiest about two girls—one “bad” and one “good”—who join forces against book banning and censorship.

Rose is a good girl. She listens to her parents and follows every rule. After all, they’re there for a reason—right? And adults always know best.

Talia, the new girl from New York City, doesn’t think so. After only a week at school, her bad reputation is already making enemies. First on the list: Charlotte, Rose’s lifelong best friend.

So why can’t Rose stop wondering what it would be like to be Talia’s friend? And why does Rose read a banned book that she recommends? Rose doesn’t know. But the forbidden book makes her ask questions she’s never thought of in her life. When Talia suggests they start a banned book club, how can Rose say no?

Pushing against her parents, her school, and even Charlotte opens a new world for Rose. But when some of Talia’s escapades become more scary than exciting, Rose must decide when it’s right to keep quiet and when it’s time to speak out.

About the Author: Brigit Young was raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan and now lives with her husband, daughters, gecko, and dog in New Jersey. Her debut middle grade novel, Worth a Thousand Words, was a Junior Library Guild selection as well as a Best Book of 2019 from The Bank Street College of Education. The Italian translation was the recipient of the Andersen Prize for Best Book for 12-14 year olds. Her sophomore novel, The Prettiest, received multiple starred reviews and was featured on several reading lists including Best Books of 2020 from the Chicago Public Library, Seventeen Magazine‘s 50 Books for Teens That You Won’t Be Able to Put Down, and NBC News’ 9 Books to Help Young Girls Build a Positive Image. Bank Street College of Education listed her third novel, Bright, as a Best Book for 12-14 year olds with the honor of outstanding merit. Her next middle grade novel, Banned Books, Crop Tops, & Other Bad Influences, is forthcoming in September, 2024. Additionally, Ms. Young has published short fiction and poetry in journals like The North American Review, 2 River View, Eclectica Magazine, and Burrow Press, among others. She has taught creative writing to kids of all ages in settings ranging from a library to a hospital.

Thank you, Brigit, for this awesome writing activity!

Author Guest Post: “A Deep Dive into Summer Love: Bringing Characters to Life” by Robby Webber, Author of What is This Feeling?

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“A Deep Dive into Summer Love: Bringing Characters to Life”

As an author, one of the most common questions I get is: “How did you get the idea for your book?” I think this is a pretty common question for most authors, really, and I love hearing each answer and understanding the way creative minds work. For me, it always starts with a character.

Characters come to me like friends waving from across a bridge, asking me to cross and embark on a new journey with them. It might take a few drafts to fully learn everything about them, but the basics are there from the beginning and they inform the story.

In my first book, If You Change Your Mind, I knew Harry had experienced heartbreak and found himself struggling to believe love even truly existed. Naturally, his story became all about romantic comedies. For my sophomore novel, I Like Me Better, I knew Zack was the popular soccer star with more insecurities and depth beneath the surface. Naturally, his story became about authenticity and self-worth.

My newest novel is called What Is This Feeling? and from the beginning I knew Teddy McGuire was a dramatic theater star who believed in luck and destiny and miracles. His story then became about believing in himself.

Crafting characters is the most fun part of a story for me. I love immersing myself in setting nearly as much, but character work takes the cake. It’s not always easy, and in some projects it takes a lot more time and effort than others, but it’s so enjoyable and rewarding.

It’s widely accepted that characters should have a lie and a want, which should likely be challenged and (in most cases) should change by the end of the book.

When bringing characters to life, it’s important to think about them as a fully rounded person.

That woman in line at the coffee shop has had an entire morning before she opened the door and ordered a matcha latte, and she will have an entire day after. She has motivations and preferences—she stopped at this downtown coffee shop because she is going to a job interview nearby and she’s wearing her sister’s heels even though she can’t walk in them. There’s an undercurrent of cause and effect from every choice: the heels are too big, so she trips and spills her drink all over a handsome stranger…who happens to be the manager interviewing her in half an hour.

For me, that’s how a story is born. There are so many ways this can go now, but which one is most compelling and which one is right for our heroine? Is the manager her new love interest? Her new nemesis? Both?

Especially when writing romance, the love interest(s) will in many ways act as something of a mirror for both the good and bad qualities of the protagonist. So, while Teddy loves fictional pop star Benji Keaton, Sebastian finds him too over-hyped and cringe. While Teddy believes in magic and fate, Sebastian is much more grounded and logical. While Teddy loves to be on stage and perform, Sebastian prefers to stay behind the scenes. In the genre this is known as the ‘grumpy/sunshine’ trope, but that actually formed as a result of Teddy and realizing his arc.

Without getting into spoilers, Teddy’s misbelief is that he’s not truly in control of his own destiny. He is a go-getter, but he accredits his wins and talents to a lucky friendship bracelet. He believes the universe will have the final say, not him. So, throughout the book, we see his misbelief challenged.

In If You Change Your Mind, Harry must learn to trust love and himself. In I Like Me Better, Zack must learn to like and believe in himself first and foremost.

Writing young adult books—especially for queer teens—I tend to focus a lot on self-worth and confidence. It wasn’t a very conscious choice when determining the path of my career as an author, but it happens naturally every time I write. My fourth book is a rom-com set in Paris and features some similar topics. I think expressing themes and lessons through characters is both exciting and gratifying.

And themes can (and really should) be explored outside of the main protagonist’s storyline. Sometimes I know readers resonate more with the love interest or side characters and find their arcs to be more engaging for that reason, so they shouldn’t be neglected, and should be living and breathing with lives off the page.

Connecting to characters is my favorite part of any story in any medium, and I find the human experience to be an endless well of fascinating topics. The way we relate to one another is so compelling to me as a writer and reader, and I think that’s such a key ingredient in any good story.

So, when crafting characters, I’d recommend really diving deep. Who are they? What do they believe? Why do they believe that? How does it inform how they interact with the world and people around them? And what should they learn or experience?

My favorite exercise for this is journaling. I’ll write entire journal entries as my main character. Maybe it’s about a fear or a hope or even just their day. Getting in their head (especially if you don’t write in first person normally) will be a game changer as you see the world through their eyes.

Similarly, spending some time writing random scenes is also a great way to hone in on craft and develop characters at the same time. These aren’t scenes you’ll include in your manuscript, but slice of life moments to see how your character thinks and reacts to things. Maybe they’re stuck in traffic or rushing around the grocery store before Thanksgiving or nervous for their first day of school. It could be anything, but just placing them in situations and seeing what feels natural for them can be a fun and revealing exercise.

You’re going to be spending a lot of time with your characters. There is a good chance one of their voices will wake you up in the middle of the night or pop into the back of your mind when you’re doing the dishes. I’m lucky enough to feel like my characters are my friends and I’d say if you feel that way too, it’s a positive sign. After all, if you enjoy your characters’ company and find them to be interesting, dynamic, believable people, there’s a good chance readers will too!

Published September 17th, 2024 by HarperCollins

About the Book: Theater star Teddy McGuire is ready for all his dreams to come true. He and his best friend, Annie, have been counting down the days to the end-of-the-year drama club trip to New York City. To make it even more magical, if they can win the annual scavenger hunt, they’ll get a chance to meet their popstar idol, Benji Keaton.

But the universe has other plans: when Annie can’t go on the trip, Teddy is forced to room with tech crew loner Sebastian, who has no interest in the scavenger hunt—or Teddy—and seems to have a secret agenda of his own.

On a larger-than-life adventure across the city, the boys will discover a lot more than what’s on their checklist, including masquerade mishaps, obstacles of Jurassic proportions, Hollywood starlets, and, most surprisingly of all, sparks beginning to fly between them.

In a joyful romp from author Robby Weber about chasing your destiny, Teddy and Sebastian are about to learn the secret to making their own luck.

About the Author: Robby Weber is a Florida-based writer who loves sunshine, summer and strong-willed characters. He can normally be found as close to the ocean as possible with his dog, Arthur, and a novel from Reese’s Book Club. He is the author of If You Change Your Mind, I Like Me Better, and What Is This Feeling?

Thank you, Robby, for this deep dive into making romance writing come to life!

Author Guest Post: “Encouraging Kids’ Curiosity” by Sarah Albee, Author of Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber

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“Encouraging Kids’ Curiosity”

I’ve always been curious about the origins of everyday things. I love to ask people if they know who invented the [insert everyday thing here], or where [insert everyday thing here] originated. It’s one of my favorite cocktail party games. (I am so much fun at parties!)

So it probably tracks that I also love books for kids that trace the origins of stuff most of us take for granted; books that show us where something came from in entertaining and fascinating ways. Books like these spark a kid’s curiosity. If this topic has such a cool origin story, a kid reader might think, then maybe this other thing, or that one, or that one might, too! I love these books so much I try to write them as often as possible. (Or as I might phrase it at a cocktail party, “these topics comprise a large part of my oeuvre”.)

So I’m excited to tell you about my latest book, Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber. It was inspired by my fascination with bouncing balls. I’ve played basketball all my life, and whether a hooper is aware of it or not, anyone who becomes somewhat proficient at dribbling and shooting a basketball learns quite a bit about the laws of motion, and angles, and friction, and air pressure. But I wanted to know more, much more, about rubber itself. And I quickly realized that the modern world couldn’t function without this miraculous substance. It’s a very STEAMy book, with sidebars about polymers and elasticity and other physical properties.

Here are some excellent recent books that also trace the origins of everyday things. These are all books I wish I’d written. And they’re books that would make excellent additions to your classroom.

Concrete: From the Ground Up by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve Light

Confession: before I read this book I thought concrete and cement were the same thing. (They’re not.) The history of concrete—a combination of stone, sand, water, and cement (limestone and clay)—goes way, way back. With its clear and whimsical illustrations, the book explores the earliest use of concrete by the ancients as a way to hold stone and brick together, and then, later, its use by the Romans as a structural material. The Romans used it to build aqueducts and amphitheaters (such as the Colosseum) and even the dome of the Pantheon. But their recipe was lost. Many centuries later, concrete was reinvented, and civil engineers added steel rods running through it to create an even stronger material: reinforced concrete.

Perkins Perfect Purple by Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn. Illustrated by Francesca Sanna

A chemist by trade, Englishman William Perkin attempted to create a synthetic version of quinine, a medication used to treat malaria. Although his effort was a failure, he discovered something else when cleaning his equipment. The leftover mucky stuff was a lovely shade of purple. This once-costly color could suddenly be made from inexpensive coal sludge. And suddenly Victorian England was awash in the color purple. It’s a great example of the unexpected consequences of scientific experimentation that can lead to new discoveries.

The Story of the Saxophone by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by James Ransome

As a kid I was semi-obsessed with the beautiful, almost voice-like sound of the saxophone. So I was beyond excited to see the history of this instrument told by my favorite author-illustrator team, Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome. And it’s a fascinating history, especially as told by Lesa, a brilliant storyteller. The illustrations are equally captivating—James embeds saxophones on each spread that are collages of actual images. (Listen to their interview on NPR here.)

This is the history of an object, yes, but the larger theme is the power of curiosity.

Glitter Everywhere! Where it came from, where it’s found & where it’s going

By Chris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

I loathe glitter, but I love Chris Barton’s writing, and this is a perfect kid-friendly topic. It’s the history of sparkly stuff from ancient times (beetles, mica) to the present. Importantly, it includes a frank discussion about the environmental damage glitter has wrought on the environment. (Also check out his books about Day-Glo colors and SuperSoakers.)

Here are some classroom activities you might consider for your students:

  • Ask students to write “Today I Learned,” in their writer’s notebooks, and then choose a nonfiction book. They can record an interesting fact or facts about something they’ve learned from the book.
  • Have students write down the sentence “I wonder where _____ comes from.” Ask them to brainstorm a list of five everyday objects they’d like to learn more about, and then choose one object to research.
  • After reading a book about the history of an object, ask students to create an infographic, art project, or other display of their choice that traces the origins of that object (such as rubber, concrete, the saxophone, or a topic of their choosing) from its invention to the present day.
  • Ask students to film a short video in which they ask people (teachers, students, family members) if they can tell you about the origins of an object. Sometimes the answers can be hilarious!

Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber
Author: Sarah Albee
Illustrator: Eileen Ryan Ewen
Published October 22nd, 2024 by Charlesbridge

About the Book: Ever wondered what makes rubber bounce? Or why it’s stretchy? And WHY is rubber so . . . rubbery?! Learn the fascinating science and history behind this ubiquitous material!

With sidebars, graphics, fun facts, and more, the history of rubber reveals plenty of fascinating secrets and surprises. Elementary school readers will discover that early balls didn’t bounce; that people in the rainforest made waterproof gear from rubber thousands of years before Europeans got into the act; and that sneakers, bicycles, and cars created demand for more and more rubber!

Back matter includes a time line and a bit about the complicated implications of harvesting rubber.

About the Author: Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of many nonfiction books for kids. Her most recent titles are both picture books: Bounce!: A Scientific History of Rubber and The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington. Other popular titles include Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done; Fairy Tale Science; Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries; and Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up.  She and her husband, a high school administrator, live in New York City and have three grown children. Visit her at www.sarahalbeebooks.com

Thank you, Sarah, for sparking our curiosity and inspiring us to spark our students’!

Author Guest Post: “The YA Classroom: Using Young Adult Fiction as a Means to Teach the Unteachable” by Ian X. Cho, Author of Aisle Nine

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“THE YA CLASSROOM: Young-adult fiction as a means to teach unteachable ideas”

While school is a vital place for teens to learn invaluable knowledge, lessons, and skills, there are some things in life that cannot be taught in a curriculum. But this is where YA books can serve as a fantastical additional classroom.

The illuminating power of the YA genre comes from its dynamism. Filled with interiority, emotional richness, and often written in first-person, YA books allow young readers to dive headfirst into the lives of fictional kids. Many YA stories create a heightened reality by stripping away rules and gatekeepers, which forces characters to take bolder strides toward their problems.

Often, these problems can be hard to voice in real life, but YA fiction is a creative space to illuminate complex things. Below are four random ‘unteachable’ things you might find in YA books…

MEANING IS A CHOICE: Sometimes life hits the skids. But while there’s no study plan to help kids understand misfortune, YA books can be a way to explore not only tragedy, but also, what can come of it. In Adam Silvera’s They Both Die At The End, a senselessly unfair event drives the characters of Mateo and Rufus out into the real world. Within their ensuing adventure, a key takeaway isn’t how the boys react to meaningless tragedy, but rather, how they choose to make something meaningful of their limited time.

YOUNG ADULTHOOD IS A PARADOX: Growing up is complicated and often paradoxical. In our modern world, many teenagers are simultaneously heading toward adulthood and yet somehow already adults. In the opening chapters of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen works part-time as a hunter, which makes her an additional provider for her family; Later she chooses to stand-in for her sister at the Reaping, which makes her an adult-like protector. The liminality of young-adulthood is not only a key element in modern YA, but one source of its inner tension.

CURIOSITY CAN BE A COMPASS: Our modern world can be deeply confusing and irrational, and a clear path isn’t always visible. In Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time, Meg Murry is thrown into an adventure that takes her to bizarre and often terrifying worlds. But her curiosity and intelligence are pivotal compasses that help her to navigate the darkness. When coupled with her capacity for love, these elements make her a powerful protagonist. Meg doesn’t shy away from complicated mathematical, scientific, and philosophical concepts—and in doing so, young readers are encouraged to do the same.

NO ONE REALLY KNOWS JACK ALL… BUT MAYBE THAT’S OK: For plenty of teens, it’s a rite of passage when they realize that many adults are not actually wiser or more competent. In my novel Aisle Nine, 17yo Jasper lives in a world riddled with hell portals and monsters. Without parents or school, Jasper works as a clerk in a discount store (that has a portal) and spends his days watching adults make up crap as they go along. This unspoken truth—that almost everyone is rolling with the punches—can be deeply comforting.

The journey toward stable adulthood is neither straightforward nor a straight line. But YA fiction shines in its ability to not only show zigzagging paths toward bigger lives, but the strange insights we can learn along the way…

Published September 24th by Harper Collins

About the Book: It’s Black Friday—and the apocalypse is on sale! Ever since the world filled with portals to hell and bloodthirsty demons started popping out on the reg, Jasper’s life has gotten worse and worse. A teenage nobody with no friends or family, he is plagued by the life he can’t remember and the person he’s sure he’s supposed to be.

Jasper spends his days working as a checkout clerk at the Here for You discount mart, where a hell portal in aisle nine means danger every shift. But at least here he can be near the girl he’s crushing on—Kyle Kuan, a junior member of the monster-fighting Vanguard—who seems to hate Jasper for reasons he can’t remember or understand.

But when Jasper and Kyle learn they both share a frightening vision of the impending apocalypse, they’re forced to team up and uncover the uncomfortable truth about the hell portals and the demons that haunt the world. Because the true monsters are not always what they seem, the past is not always what we wish, and like it or not, on Black Friday, all hell will break loose, starting in aisle nine. Rising star Ian X. Cho delivers an unforgettably freaky and hilarious YA debut with Aisle Nine, perfect for fans of Grasshopper Jungle or The Last of Us.

About the Author: Ian X. Cho lives on Australia’s sunny Gold Coast. He writes fiction for young adults and works as a freelance graphic designer. In his free time he enjoys creating 2D pixel animations.

Thank you, Ian, for showing the importance of YA in the journey of young adulthood!

Author Guest Post: “Tackling My Own Book’s Educators’ Guide” by Anna Olswanger, Author of A Visit to Moscow

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“Tackling My Own Book’s Educators’ Guide”

Near the bottom of this page is a download link to the student guide for A Visit to Moscow. If you open the link, you’ll discover several discussion questions, beginning with this one:

“Rather than opening directly with the Rabbi’s arrival in Moscow, the book opens and closes with Zev’s dreamlike, enigmatic vision. Why do you think the author chose to bookend the story with these sequences? From whose perspective or perspectives are we experiencing this story?”

When Creators Assemble! (the nonprofit that works to bring graphic novels into educational spaces) was developing the guide, I wondered how I would answer the question myself. Why did I bookend the story of Zev’s vision? Why didn’t I just tell the simple, chronological story of the rabbi visiting Moscow and discovering Zev as a little boy, hidden away by his parents to protect him from the Soviet government’s antisemitism? Why add the dream-like, enigmatic opening and ending?

The simple answer is that, like any author, I wanted to add my own thumbprint to a story I had heard. I wanted to make it my own. But then I thought about where my part of the book had come from.

In listening to the story that would become A Visit to Moscow from Rabbi Rafael Grossman, the inspiration for the rabbi character in the graphic novel, I asked him endless questions about the real Zev and his family. I wanted to understand how the little boy, who had never been outside the room he was born in, would view the world. Would he be angry? Would he be afraid? Would he be bitter?

Zev, the little boy, later told Rabbi Grossman that when his mother was sleeping, he would turn the shade a little to see what was outside. Zev knew that in the winter it snowed. He knew there was rain. He knew when it was warm and when it was cold. As he looked out the window, he wondered about the world. He thought it was made up of mean people because he couldn’t go out and play, but—Rabbi Grossman emphasized—Zev never thought the world was ugly. He wanted to know more about it.

As soon as Rabbi Grossman arranged for the family’s visas to Israel, Zev and his parents were put on a flight to Europe. Zev thought the car that took them to the airport was an incredible thing. The airplane totally fascinated him. He talked about it later at his bar mitzvah in Israel and said he went up to God and then came down.

Rabbi Grossman said that when he visited the family in Israel, Zev ran around showing him things: his school books, his soccer ball, his kippah. Zev was excited and full of life, introducing his pals to the Rabbi, shouting, singing–not at all restricted. He seemed to love everything about his life.

Rabbi Grossman said Zev was extremely happy in Israel. His life was filled with learning the language, making friends, and playing sports. He traveled on buses and went to every part of Israel. Later, he went to a hesder yeshiva (a yeshiva program that combines advanced Talmudic studies with military service in the Israel Defense Forces) and received a degree in mechanical engineering. He married and had children. And through it all Zev had a very strong, loving relationship with his parents. Zev talked about the world as a beautiful place. He talked about Lebanon and how the mountains were extraordinary.

Lebanon, where as a young man he stepped on a land mine while on reserve duty and was killed.

That view of the world as an extraordinary place sustained Zev, whether in the one room in Moscow where he could only peek out the window or in the openness of the land and cities of Israel. I think for him, being alive on this earth was like being in heaven.

And that is what I added to the story to make it my own, Zev’s feeling of being alive on this earth. It’s why I added the opening where the adult Zev has just died and is looking down at the area in Lebanon where he stepped on a land mine and sees the lush landscape—a river, haze, the ruins of a rampart. He thinks he’s looking down from heaven, and then everything starts to disappear. He can’t remember his name or who he was. He hears a voice and follows it. He sees a man (later we realize it is the fictional version of Rabbi Grossman, the rabbi who visited Zev and his family in the Soviet Union) at his Shabbat table with his family. The man is about to tell his family a story, and the story is his meeting Zev and his parents during a visit to Moscow. I then added the ending where Zev remembers all the events in the book, realizes he has died, remembers he has been alive. That was where I added the line, “He remembers being alive was like being in heaven.”

The book couldn’t have been just the simple story of what happened to Rabbi Grossman. It had to include what Zev knew, what Rabbi Grossman knew, and what I came to know through hearing the story, writing it, and reading it—that this world, in all its richness, is heaven.

Will students have any idea about my reason for including the mystical bookends to the story as they try to answer that question in the student guide? No, but they might imagine a reason, and that is the start of making sense of what we experience in life and making our own story part of life’s big story. Hearing a story we don’t quite understand and working to make sense of it by filling in the blanks is, at least for me, what being a human in the chain of history is about.

Published May 24th, 2022 by West Margin Press

About the Book: This haunting graphic novel takes place in 1965 when an American rabbi travels to the Soviet Union to investigate reports of persecution of the Jewish community. Moscow welcomes him as a guest—but provides a strict schedule he and the rest of his group must follow. One afternoon, the rabbi slips away. With an address in hand and almost no knowledge of the Russian language, he embarks on a secret journey that will change his life forever. Inspired by the true experience of Rabbi Rafael Grossman, A Visit to Moscow conveys the spiritual Holocaust and dev­as­tat­ing antisemitism that existed in the Soviet Union, and the com­mit­ment of one Jew to bringing the hor­ri­fy­ing real­i­ty into the light. It offers a window into the bias that still exists against Jews today, both in Russia and in America. This brief, beautiful, digestible visual narrative is a perfect on-ramp for student interest in the history of religious persecution, the oppression in the Soviet Union, and the experience of the Jewish people at large. It’s a wonderful tool for teachers—approachable, brief, illustrated. A volume that can be read and discussed in a 40-minute class or used as the foundation for broader study.

2023 Eisner Award Nominee, Best Adaptation from Another Medium

2022 Brightness Illustration Award Longlist

About the Author: Anna Olswanger first began interviewing Rabbi Rafael Grossman and writing down his stories in the early 1980s. She is the author of the middle grade novel Greenhorn, based on an incident in Rabbi Grossman’s childhood and set in New York in the aftermath of the Holocaust. She is also the author of Shlemiel Crooks, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book and PJ Library Book, which she wrote after discovering a 1919 Yiddish newspaper article about the attempted robbery of her great-grandparents’ kosher liquor store in St. Louis. Anna is a literary agent and represents a number of award-winning authors and illustrators. Visit her at www.olswanger.com.

About the Illustrator: Yevgenia Nayberg is an award-winning illustrator, painter, and set and costume designer. As a designer, she has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts/TCG Fellowship for Theatre Designers, the Independent Theatre Award, and the Arlin Meyer Award. She has received multiple awards for her picture book illustrations, including three Sydney Taylor Medals. Her debut author/illustrator picture book, Anya’s Secret Society, received a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection Award. Her latest picture book is A Party for Florine: Florine Stettheimer and Me. Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, Yevgenia now lives and draws from her studio in New York City. Visit her at www.nayberg.org.

Thank you, Anna, for this insight into analyzing your graphic novel!

Author Guest Post: “Why Comedy Can Help Open Up Difficult Discussions” by Kate Westom, Author of Murder on Summer Break

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“Why Comedy Can Help Open Up Difficult Discussions”

At a recent event someone laughed off the idea that my YA novel Murder on a School Night could possibly have any kind of serious message behind it. Whilst I admit that I can see how he got that impression – it is after all a comedy murder mystery where two teen detectives investigate a series of murders involving menstrual products – he was wrong. I actually wrote the book with a serious intention. I wanted to get people talking about periods more freely, to try and bust a taboo that I strongly believe shouldn’t exist, and to open up conversations around the things that can go wrong with periods. Especially considering we live in a time when serious and painful conditions such as endometriosis affect 1 in 10 people and yet can still take on average between 8-10 years to diagnose*. I also did it because I strongly believe that sometimes the best way to get into topics people might find hard to talk about, is with humour.

Obviously, humour isn’t always the answer. But it is one I think can often be overlooked or brushed away as frivolous when it has a great societal function. The great thing with jokes is that they unite people. Sharing a laugh with someone is a great ice breaker because it’s essentially a way of saying “Oh look we both found that funny, there’s something we have in common.” (Similarly, if you don’t laugh at a joke because you think it’s awful, you’ll probably also bond over that, albeit in a much less cheerful way.) This bond makes people feel more likely to open up.

My first book, Diary of a Confused Feminist was the comedy diary of Kat Evans, who was struggling with her mental health. To this day I still get messages from readers, parents, teachers, and librarians saying the book helped them/their student/their child, open up about their own mental health struggles, simply because it made the discussion less scary for them. That’s one of the great things that humour does, it can minimise the threat. The laughter acts like a small release valve so that conversations don’t feel so impossible or hard to navigate. And that’s also why I thought it was important to continue talking about mental health in the sequel to Murder on a School Night, Murder on a Summer Break.

In Murder on a Summer Break, the narrator Kerry has previously struggled with anxiety which she is on medication for. She also has a panic attack at one point in the book. I felt it was important to include Kerry’s anxiety and panic attacks to show a character who’s gutsy and out there solving crime, but also struggling with her mental health, because anyone can be struggling at any time.  And that maybe by putting it in the context of a larger comedic novel people will see it in a context that helps them to process it in their own life or that of someone that they know.

Of course, there’s a time and a place for comedy and some people don’t respond to it. But using it to get the conversation started can relax everyone. It can show that you’re approachable, create a bond, and form the foundations of a safe space where you can address things together.

*The aforementioned man that I had the discussion with is now more than equipped to write an essay on menstruation and menstrual disorders. I felt a little sorry for him getting an unexpected presentation on periods at a drinks reception. But in the words of Shirley Jackson “If you don’t like my peaches don’t shake my tree.” And he shook my tree.

Published September 10th, 2024 by HarperCollins

About the Book: Amateur sleuths and wannabe influencers Kerry and Annie are back on the case when a social media festival inspires some killer content—and several on-camera influencer deaths—in this page-turning and sidesplitting sequel to Murder on a School Night from author and comedian Kate Weston.

After catching the menstrual murderer red-handed, Annie and Kerry are now the Tampon Two, Barbourough’s most famous—well, only—detective duo. So Annie (and decidedly not Kerry) is enjoying her five minutes of fame.

Except life in the spotlight seems to be a magnet for death these days. After a famous prankster is found dead with a condom stretched over his entire head, the Tampon Two are on the scene at their small village’s Festival of Fame to catch another killer.

Honestly, Kerry doesn’t know how she ended up here again, but this might be her one chance to prove to the folks at the local paper that she has what it takes to be a reporter—and to prove to herself that she doesn’t need her boyfriend, Scott, to save the day. Or even Annie, who definitely has stars and hearts in her eyes investigating all these influencers.

With Annie distracted, Kerry has to work quickly, before one more live stream can be cut off by yet another grisly death. And this time, the murderer might be following her—and not just on social media—in their quest to create some truly killer content.

About the Author: Kate Weston is an ex-stand-up comedian (never won any awards) and a bookseller (never won any awards at that either). She now writes books for teenagers. Her first book, Diary of a Confused Feminist, was longlisted for the CWIP Prize and nominated for the Carnegie Medal. This is her third book for teens.

Thank you, Kate, for this reminder to that humor is sometimes exactly what is needed!

Author Guest Post: “Web of the Spider in the Classroom” by Michael P. Spradlin, Author of Rise of the Spider

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“Web of the Spider in the Classroom”

Having written a great deal of historical fiction for young readers, I’ve been considering the inherent value of this genre for middle graders for some time. Is learning about the past through fiction a viable methodology? Or should we only stick to studying…the past? I know that professional educators, librarians and smarter than me writers have long wrestled with this question.

I can only speak from anecdotal experience, but that experience tells me the answer is a resounding yes. My historical novel Into the Killing Seas, based on the true story of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis during World War II, has probably generated more reader mail to me than any of my books. And a common and consistent thread running through all of those letters was how many of those students were so intrigued by the true story that they had turned it into a research project and had gone on to read one or several of the excellent non-fiction books about the disaster. As the song says, “reader, you make my heart sing.” (I know it doesn’t really say that, but this is my piece, and I can do what I want).

My earlier historical fiction (I call them the World War II Adventures Series) had been centered around a group or person who experienced the war through a great deal of pain and hardship. The challenge with writing THE WEB OF THE SPIDER series is that it revolves around the rise of Nazism in pre-war Germany. Beginning in 1929, when Hitler’s movement is starting to pick up steam. His two fold strategy was working. One, he blamed the Treaty of Versailles for being unnecessarily punitive to Germany. And two, he placed the rest of the blame for Germany’s struggles squarely on the back of its Jewish citizens.

In the first book, The Rise of the Spider, we are introduced to Rolf, a twelve year old boy, living in the quaint village of Heroldsberg. It is a gorgeous place, just a few kilometers from Nuremberg, and while people are struggling, things are not as bad in Heroldsberg as they are in the rest of the country. Rolf and his best friend Ansel, spend their days at school, playing football (European) and wandering the woods and waters nearby. Rolf lives with his older brother Romer and his Papa who owns a toy factory in Nuremberg. His mother passed away from the Spanish Flu when Rolf was born in 1918. His life is quiet and fairly people until one day when two young men arrive in town.

They are representatives of the Hitler Youth, here to establish a chapter in Heroldsberg. To Rolf, there is something off about them. Their actions are a little too deliberate, their hair and clothing are too perfect, and their words too carefully chosen. With warning bells going off, Rolf decides to ignore and stay away from them. But he is alarmed when his brother Romer, becomes enamored by their words.

Things deteriorate rapidly. Romer is further drawn in and when a Jewish business is burned, Rolf suspects Romer had something to do with it. When Romer makes a decision to join the Hitler Youth his family is splintered even further, and more unrest takes place in the village.

When Romer finally runs away, Rolf and his Papa race to the Nuremberg Rally grounds, where Hitler is speaking during the Nuremberg Rally, but they are too late. When a violent riot erupts, they are caught up in it. And in the aftermath of violence, Rolf will need to make a choice between his family and his country.

Dealing with topics like political violence, socio-economic theory, and antisemitism and distilling it down to a middle grade audience, while keeping up the action, suspense and intrigue was probably the most challenging writing I’ve ever done. And my hope is that his book will help readers have a beginning understanding for the problems and social issues that we still face today. It is unfortunate that recent events have resulted in a new wave of violence and antisemitism. What is old is new again.

But maybe, just maybe, my little book can help.

Working with a reading specialist, I have created a curriculum/teaching guide that I hope will prove useful in leading discussions about The Rise of the Spider.

Web of the Spider: Book 1, The Rise of the Spider

Introduction:

Historical fiction has repeatedly shown us, that certain stories and narratives can serve as powerful windows into the past. It can offer educators and students opportunities to delve into pivotal moments in history. The Rise of the Spider is set in 1929 Germany, where a young boy named Rolf and his best friend Ansel find themselves caught in the crosshairs of political upheaval. I hope this story will help educators explore the value of historical fiction in the context of teaching history and fostering critical thinking skills.

Plot Overview:

The story unfolds in the quiet town of Heroldsberg, where Rolf and Ansel witness the ominous arrival of Hans and Nils, members of the Hitler Youth. The plot takes a poignant turn as the friends watch in horror as Rolf’s brother Romer becomes entangled in their web of recruitment. The novel begins to  shed light on the rise of totalitarian ideologies and the impact they had on communities during a crucial period in history.

Themes for Classroom Discussion:

  1. The Power of Propaganda:
    • Use the book as a jumping off point to discuss the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion during the 1920s and 1930s. Compare to how political propaganda is used today.
    • Encourage students to analyze propaganda materials of the time, fostering media literacy skills. Be sure to be careful in using these materials as the can be disturbing.
  2. Youth and Ideological Indoctrination:
    • By 1933, the Hitler Youth had replaced all other youth programs in Germany. Discuss the role of recruiting young people into political causes during other periods of history.
    • Discuss the ethical implications of using young people to facilitate political change.
  3. Family Dynamics During Political Upheaval:
    • A person’s political beliefs can have a positive or negative impact on family dynamics. Discuss the role politics can play in a family life.
    • Encourage students to reflect on how political beliefs can strain familial bonds and create internal conflicts.

Teaching Strategies:

  1. Historical Inquiry Projects:
    • Assign projects that prompt students to investigate the socio-political climate of 1929 Germany.
    • Have them present findings through multimedia formats, fostering research and presentation skills.
  2. Character Analysis:
    • Guide students in conducting in-depth character analyses, exploring the motivations and conflicts faced by Rolf, Ansel, and Romer. How are they alike? How are they different?
    • Connect character development to broader historical themes. How does Rolf’s journey compare to other both fictional characters and real people from history.

Published September 24th, 2024 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

About the Book: Witness the chilling rise of Hitler’s Germany through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy in this first book in the action-packed middle grade series Web of the Spider for fans of I Survived and A Night Divided.

1929, Heroldsberg, Germany. Rolf might only be twelve years old, but he’s old enough to know that things have not been good in his country since the end of the Great War. Half of Germany is out of work, and a new political movement is taking hold that scares him. Every night, Rolf’s father and older brother, Romer, have increasingly heated arguments about politics at the dinner table. And when two members of the new Nazi Party, Hans and Nils, move to town as part of the Hitler Youth, Rolf is uneasy to see how enamored Romer is by their promises of bringing Germany to glory.

Rolf doesn’t trust Hans and Nils for a moment. For all their talk of greatness, they act more like bullies, antagonizing shop owners who are Rolf’s friends and neighbors. Yet Romer becomes increasingly obsessed with their message of division, and Rolf watches in horror as his family fractures even further.

When there is an act of vandalism against a Jewish-owned business in town, Rolf fears Romer might have had something to do with it. Can Rolf find a way to intervene before things get any worse?

About the Author: Michael P. Spradlin is the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author of the Spy Goddess series, The Youngest Templar series, and the Web of the Spider series, as well as several works of historical fiction, including the Western Heritage Award winning Off Like the Wind: The Story of the Pony Express. He currently resides in Lapeer, Michigan, with his wife, daughter, and his schnoodle, Sequoia. Learn more at MichaelSpradlin.com.

Thank you, Michael, for sharing this teaching guide!