Past authors
Thursday, May 21
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Refugee
By ALAN GRATZ
Alan was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, home of the 1982 World’s Fair. After a carefree but humid childhood, Alan attended the University of Tennessee, where he earned a College Scholars degree with a specialization in creative writing, and, later, a Master’s degree in English education. He now lives with his wife Wendi and his daughter Jo in the high country of Western North Carolina, where he enjoys playing games, eating pizza, and, perhaps not too surprisingly, reading books.
He has wanted to be a writer ever since he was a kid. Now he is the author of sixteen books for young readers, many of which have won state awards, appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, and been voted their favorite book of the year by students and librarians. https://www.alangratz.com/
Thursday, May 14
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Superman Smashes The Klan
By Gene LUEN Yang
Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As the Library of Congress’ fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. American Born Chinese, his first graphic novel from First Second Books, was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the winner of the Printz Award and an Eisner Award. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the L.A. Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His other works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), Superman from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. His most recent books are Dragon Hoops from First Second Books and Superman Smashes the Klan from DC Comics.
We have been granted access to free copies of Superman Smashes the Klan through Comixology. Please see our weeklu newsletter for more info.
Thursday, May 7
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Front Desk
by Kelly Yang
Kelly Yang is a New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk, winner of the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature for her book titled, Parachutes. Kelly immigrated to America when she was six years-old and grew up in Southern California, where she and her parents worked in three different motels. She eventually left the motels and went to college at the age of 13 and law school at the age of 17. She majored in Political Science. After law school, she gave up law to pursue her passion of writing and teaching children writing. She has been a writing teacher for 13 years. Kelly has helped thousands of children find their voice and become better writers and more powerful speakers. She also has been a writer of non-fiction for the South China Morning Post. Her writing has been published by three top news outlets: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She has three children and splits her time between Hong Kong and San Francisco, CA.
Online Access to Books
A PDF of Front Desk is available at EPIC with a free account.
Audio version of Front Desk Audible 30 day free trial
Check your public library to see if they have a digital copy.
Other possible resources over the weeks include Hoopla and Overdrive.
We encourage you to read before May 7, but if you can’t you are still welcome to join us in the Zoom meeting!
Thursday, April 30
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
Katherine Paterson is the author of more than 30 books, including 16 novels for children and young people. She won the Newbery Medal twice, for Bridge to Terabithia in 1978 and Jacob Have I Loved in 1981. The Master Puppeteer won the National Book Award in 1977 and The Great Gilly Hopkins won the National Book Award in 1979 and was also a Newbery Honor Book. For the body of her work, she received the Hans Christian Anderson Award in 1998, The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2006, and in 2000 was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress.
The Patersons have four grown children and seven grandchildren. Katherine currently resides in Vermont with her faithful dog, Pixie.
(from http://katherinepaterson.com/biography/)
Online Access to Books
Audio version of Bridge to Terabithia Audible 30 day free trial
Download a PDF of at Scribd (Students can access a 30 day free trial through https://www.scribd.com/readfree make sure you use this link, or it will ask you for a credit card).
Check your public library to see if they have a digital copy.
Other possible resources over the weeks include Hoopla and Overdrive.
We encourage you to read before April 30, but if you can’t you are still welcome to join us in the Zoom meeting!
Want to get to know more about Katherine and Bridge to Terabithia?
Enjoy this video from Calvin College Festival of Faith and Writing to learn more about her life and what inspires her to write. Great for developing questions to ask her!
Questions for Reading or Listening
2. Another element in the novel is about how people’s expectations impact their relationships. Both Jess and Leslie feel the pressure that others put on them to behave in a certain way. Consider times when you have felt pressure to behave or act in a way that doesn’t necessarily feel like it is really who you are.
3. Think about people in your life- whether they are friends, family members, teachers, or other people that don’t make you feel the need to change who you are or act differently when you are around them. What is it about them that makes you feel like you can be just exactly who you are?
4. Something tragic happens in this book. In what ways can this book help others who may be facing loss or a recent tragedy?
5. Feel free to sketch a picture of an object that would reflect or symbolize one of the characters in the story. Think about why that object reflects the traits of the character you want to represent.
Thursday, April 23
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Ms. Bixby's Last Day
by john David Anderson
John David Anderson is an American writer of middle-grade fiction. His works include Ms. Bixby's Last Day, Insert Coin to Continue, The Dungeoneers, Sidekicked, Minion, Granted, and Posted. Anderson was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he currently resides. He is married to Alithea Anderson and is the father of twins,[1] Isabella and Nikhil.
Anderson attended Indiana University, where he received an undergraduate degree in English literature and attended the University of Illinois, where he received a master's degree in the same. John David Anderson went on a tour to schools to talk and improve kids' imagination in May 2019.
Online Access to Books
Audio version of Ms. Bixby's Last Day Audible 30 day free trial
Download a PDF of Ms. Bixby's Last Day at Scribd (Students can access a 30 day free trial through https://www.scribd.com/readfree make sure you use this link, or it will ask you for a credit card).
Check your public library to see if they have a digital copy.
Other possible resources over the weeks include Hoopla and Overdrive.
We encourage you to read Ms. Bixby's Last Day before April 23, but if you can’t you are still welcome to join us in the Zoom meeting!
Questions for Reading and Listening
We make bonds of caring with our teachers and they with us because we spend so much time with each other and see each other almost every day for a whole school year! Sometimes, we remember special teachers and their classes our entire lives.
We have all had many teachers. You might think about a teacher (or teachers) who stands out for you. What qualities made that teacher great? What do you remember especially about that teacher and the class? How did they inspire you to grow or believe in yourself?
You might also think about how each of the main characters played a very important part in making the mission successful. Have you ever had an important role to play in accomplishing something? What was it? What did you do?
You might also want to draw or doodle like Topher liked to do. You might choose to illustrate one of the characters in the book, or a particular scene. What do you think the picnic looked like? Could you draw it?
Thursday, April 16
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
by Meg Medina
Meg Medina is a New York Times best-selling author who writes picture books, as well as middle grade and young adult fiction. She is a first generation Cuban American who grew up in Queens, New York, where she set her YA novel Burn, Baby, Burn, which was long-listed for the 2016 National Book Award. Her novel Merci Suárez Changes Gears, about strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez as she navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between, received the Newbery medal in 2019. Some of Meg’s other books include Mango, Abuela, and Me, a 2016 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book; and Tía Isa Wants a Car, winner of the 2012 Ezra Jack Keats New Writers Award. Her next book is Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away. When she’s not writing, Meg works on community projects that support girls, Latino youth, and/or literacy. She lives with her family in Richmond, Virginia.
Where to access the book
Audio version of Merci Suarez Changes Gears Audible 30 day free trial.
Download a PDF of Merci Suarez Changes Gears at Scribd (Students can access a 30 day free trial through https://www.scribd.com/readfree make sure you use this link, or it will ask you for a credit card).
Check your public library to see if they have a digital copy.
If you attended our book club and would like to send her a thank you note, here is her mailing address:
Meg Medina
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, MA 02144
Questions for Reading and Listening
Good readers also make mental pictures as we read. You could draw one of your favorite scenes from the book. How do you imagine Edna looked when her eyebrows were all choppy? Or what do you think the Egyptian exhibit looked like? What scenes stood out and sparked your imagination?
Thursday, April 09
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
CeCE Bell
author of El Deafo
You can find more about her and her books at https://cecebell.wordpress.com.
Cece Bell is an author and illustrator of books for children. She grew up in Salem, Virginia and now lives and works in Montgomery County. Her graphic novel memoir, El Deafo, which chronicles her childhood experiences with hearing loss, received a Newbery Honor and an Eisner Award in 2015. Cece’s other books include the Geisel Honor-winning Rabbit & Robot series, I Yam a Donkey, and the Geisel-winning Chick and Brain: Smell My Foot! Her most recent book is Chick and Brain: Egg or Eyeball? She enjoys hanging out and discussing book ideas with her husband and frequent collaborator, author Tom Angleberger.
Here are some ways to access El Deafo:
Cece has been vlogging about El Deafo and reading parts of it on her website.
Right now you can sign up for 3 months of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited for $0.99 to access El Deafo for free on Kindle.
El Deafo is available on Epic! If you need access to Epic!, please email us at nationalbookclubforkids@gmail.com.
You can also check your public library for a digital copy.
Other possible resources over the weeks include Hoopla, Overdrive, and Scribd. Students can access a 30 day free trial of Scribd (make sure you use this link, or it will ask you for a credit card).
Reading and Listening Questions
First, it is our nature to want to fit in and of course we all need good friends, but we can diminish our greatness when we hide or are ashamed of what makes us different in an effort to be like everyone else. In order to be outstanding we can’t be afraid to stand out. Each and everyone of us has unique talents and gifts, struggles and strengths. Today, think about what makes YOU special and unique. What are YOUR super powers? Maybe you are a writer, an artist, a musician, a builder. You might be good at solving problems, making people laugh, or listening to others and helping them feel better. You know, during this time when we are all staying home, it is a wonderful time to explore and work on what your uniqueness is. Even sometimes the things we consider our weakness, turn out to also be our greatest strengths.
Second, how does struggle make us stronger? Life is filled with times that are easy and other times that are very difficult. In what ways do we grow stronger and better when we face challenges? What things are you learning about yourself now as we face this unprecedented time? What do you think the people around you are learning?
And third,Taking time to give warm fuzzies (put ups or compliments) is really powerful and makes a difference to people around us. Can you find what is unique and special about people? Can you find a way to acknowledge it by giving them a warm fuzzy/compliment about it? How does that person react when you do? How does their reaction make YOU feel?
So one: how are YOU unique/special? What makes you stand out?
And two: how do difficulties and challenges make us stronger?
And three: What are the special contributions/talents of the people in your life? What happens when you take time to acknowledge those to the person?
Thursday, April 02
2pm PST / 4pm CST / 5pm EST
Ruth VanderZee
author of
Next Year: Hope in the Dust
