Here's an interview with The Writer's Story! 

This is a website about children--writing for children--because they are so important. It is not a political website but this is not a political post. It is human.

Praise be -- we're in Gilead.

Margaret Atwood was right.

It has all happened before. And it’s happening now. The fabric of The Handmaid’s Tale is being woven in our country. And the threads are getting tighter.

The stitches are both blatant and insidious. The lies are refutable, from the biggest inauguration crowd in history to the “law” by “Democrats” to separate children from their families, but if you speak lies like they’re truths, and repeat them, people start believing. If you hammer people with lies relentlessly, more will internalize that narrative. Lies become “alternative facts” which makes them sound true. That “truthiness,” as coined by Stephen Colbert, is our new reality. The line between true and false is murky, and in that murkiness a dangerous red fabric continues to expand. We don’t say the president is a liar, rather “fact challenged” as if that’s somehow acceptable because he’s a celebrity or …I don’t know why, but I haven’t forgotten to question.

Questioning is not popular in a tyrannical regime. Lou Dobbs, from the president’s news source, says the White House should assign someone to “slap the hell out of” reporters who actually question the president’s policies. Showing appropriate outrage, such as “Don’t you have any empathy?” for tearing children away from their parents, is not tolerable. Yet, according to a public defender, Border Patrol agents are telling refugee families that children are being taken away for a bath; the children are never returned. Sound familiar? Like Hitler’s Germany. Chilling. Having the historical knowledge and analytical ability to make the connection between the U.S. and the Nazi regime outrages the White House. Thinking and speaking out are not encouraged in Gilead.

Trump’s lies and outlandish behavior are all part of the grand plan: create chaos. He thrives on chaos because it’s disruptive, keeps everyone distracted, and takes no real skill. Putting people on a lurching roller coaster ride eventually makes them numb or exhausted—the perfect recipe for tyranny. In the midst of that confusion and fatigue, a tyrant becomes a “strong leader” and takes over.

As Margaret Atwood said (The Guardian, Jan. 20, 2012), “if you wanted to seize power in the US, abolish liberal democracy and set up a dictatorship, how would you go about it?” Her answer is that we “would need only the opportunity of a period of social chaos…”

Check.

Atwood continued, “I made a rule for myself: I would not include anything that human beings had not already done…” and her list includes this: “the tearing apart of human beings.”

Check.

She added, “Like any theocracy, this one would select a few passages from the Bible to justify its actions…,” exactly what the Attorney General did to justify tearing children away from parents. “I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13, to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained them for the purpose of order.”

Check.

If Trump gets us to the point of accepting what he and his administration say—even when it’s the exact opposite of what we see—we really are in Gilead.

The Secretary of Homeland Security tweets that what we see happening before our eyes, children separated from parents, is not actually happening.

Praise be.

I realize that speaking out may be dangerous. So far, we still have the First Amendment right of free speech, and musician Nina Simone said, “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times.” As a children’s author, I cannot sit silently by. I will take on the tough topics and write them. (Is it any wonder I’m writing a dystopian novel?) I will help refugees—and their children—in my community. I will fight for, as Jon Meachum puts it in The Soul of America, “our better angels,” and, thus far, the better angels have won … but not without effort.

We all need to grab a red thread (I’m alluding to the red dress of the handmaid, but if it conjures up an idea of Russia, that is also appropriate) and pull hard to unravel the ugly, dangerous fabric that’s tightening around us. Even Trump’s followers. Because what people forget to question when supporting an abusive, lying leader is, what happens when you get the tyrant who doesn’t support your views? And decides to open our borders to a flood of immigrants or take away everyone’s guns? There’s a reason for laws. There’s a reason for social norms like telling the truth. There’s a reason for striving towards the goals of liberty, equality, and freedom. They keep a democracy from turning into Gilead.

Blessed day.

Reader Review of THE BADGER KNIGHT, J Johnson

"The Badger Knight" by Kathryn Erskine

I enjoyed every minute reading this wonderful book ... until I became so worried about the protagonist that I was afraid to read more! But I came back to the book time after time. I couldn't stay away.

Adrian, a.k.a. The Badger, lives in a village where he is scorned simply because of his appearance and his ailments. When Adrian's best friend, Hugh, heads off to locate his father in the war, Adrian knows he must follow and contribute to the English side as a secretly skilled archer. On his own, Adrian faces danger, cold, and hunger, but he never gives up. Adrian's goal to join the battle takes a surprising turn when he encounters an injured knight. His quest to return Donald to the safety of his homeland becomes all that is important to Adrian. To do this, they will have to travel through enemy territory.

As you read this book, you step into a medieval world where each day is a struggle. The story came to life for me through the vivid descriptions of the setting and characters.

The main character, the Badger, began as a shy, uncertain boy and became a hero who was willing to risk his life to bring an injured knight home to his family. Adrian finds that encountering a real battlefield is quite different from sitting at a cozy fire and listening to stories about the glory of war.

There were no boring stretches where the reader simply tags along with Adrian on a solitary journey, perhaps because Adrian is rarely alone! The author was wise enough to put her main character in contact with other people, which kept the story interesting.

I was constantly wondering what would happen next -- usually with bated breath, as I liked the Badger very much and didn't want anything bad to happen to him. But trouble and danger kept finding him.

I would certainly recommend "The Badger Knight."

On a day I'm visiting a school I always wake up smiling. It's a gift. A chance to connect with at least one child, hopefully many, whether it's about writing or reading or, more importantly, making them feel heard, cared for, and important. It's a job teachers, librarians and administrators do every single day, but for an author it's a special occasion. Today, as I was leaving a school, a young man (7th grader) saw me -- "Oh! It's you!" -- and ran over to shake my hand. "Thank you for coming and thank you for answering our questions." Wincing a little, he said, "I know not everyone was listening, but most of us were." He shook my hand again, saying, "Thank you for inspiring us."

Often it's me who receives the gift of feeling heard, cared for, and important. That's one of the many reasons we authors love school visits. Thank you.

Golden Shovel Review of Richard Peck's THE BEST MAN

"Boys aren’t too interested in weddings. Girls like them."

Who knows what boys

are into and aren’t

You might be surprised, too

because some are interested

in friendships with girls, joy in the family, love between gay uncles and teachers, even in

gay uncles’ and teachers’ weddings

so there are boys, not just girls

who like

to bring love to friends, family, and even to them

Update: All free Skype visits have already been booked. I still do a limited number of short (15 minute) Q&A sessions for free.

FYI, I am doing 10 free Skype visits in 2018. So far 5 have been taken and it's only March...first come, first serve!

Virginia Festival of the Book! Come join us in Charlottesville! There are so many events and I'm happy to be on one of the panels with David Barclay Moore (THE STARS BENEATH OUR FEET) and Alan Gratz (REFUGEE) to talk about THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC OF BEING as we discuss Making Sense of the World through middle grade fiction at the Village School on Saturday, March 24th, from 12 - 1:30 pm.

Golden Shovel Review of THE FREEMASON'S DAUGHTER by Shelley Sackier

"He will never see my side of the story." In this case, I took the 1st line of the 2nd chapter because the first chapter starts with the character’s name and I wanted something more generic.

Review:

Crackling historical adventure / romance, she and he

from warring Scotland and England, but will

they cross over or never

see eye to eye, see

that your, my

and our side

can come together of

our own free will, like The

Freemason’s Daughter, a teen Outlander story

MAMA AFRICA has been named a Notable Social Studies book by the Children's Book Council and a Notable Children's Book of 2018 by the American Library Association!

Congratulations to Charly Palmer for winning the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award for Illustrator for MAMA AFRICA! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with her Song! And thanks to our wonderful editor on this project, too, Grace Kendall of Farrar Straus & Giroux!

Initiative for 2018 -- Golden Shovel Book Reviews, based on the poetic form created by Terrance Hayes. Here's how it works...

Take a line from the book and write a poem where each consecutive word in the sentence ends the line, e.g., "I am a coward," the first sentence of Elizabeth Wein's CODE NAME VERITY would be a 4-line poem, the first line ending in "I," the second line ending in "am," etc.

First up: LONG WAY DOWN by Jason Reynolds

Line from the first page (last stanzas of the first verse): This story is true / It happened to me / Really / It did / It so did

My poem/review:

The heart of this, the reality, feels achingly true

What might we be faced with, you and me?

Depends on our circumstances, and choices, really

A lurching, gut-wrenching elevator ride about what one person, many people, did

Now, what will this kid (or you or me) do, and how will he (or we) look back on what he did? 

Thanks to Kristen Flowers of KOIT for interviewing me on her podcast! 

If you haven't received one in the mail, here's a link to the Discussion Guide for The Incredible Magic of Being!

Today I had twins! It's the book birthday of The Incredible Magic of Being and my first picture book, Mama Africa! How Miriam Makeba Spread Hope with her Song. I hope you enjoy them both as much as I enjoyed researching and writing them!

I love this review of The Incredible Magic of Being which I'm sharing with you the day before it publishes (with just one edit to allay any fears).  :-)  Thanks to author Deborah M. Prum ... by the way, if you're studying Russian history, you don't want to miss her hilarious Czars and Czarinas!

This is how much I enjoyed Kathryn Erskine’s The Incredible Magic of Being:  the day after I finished reading the delightful book, I picked it up and read it again. I never do that.

Julian is a 9.63 year-old boy (his calculation) who loves physics and astronomy. He empathizes so fully with the people around him that he actually senses their thoughts and feelings. Oh, and one more thing…from the sound of things, it seems as if Julian’s death might be imminent.

Julian and his family move from D.C. to Maine to a house by a lake where they plan to operate a bed and breakfast. Pookie, Julian’s teenage sister, is miserable about the move and about life in general. One could say she is a toxic waste dump of misery.  Shortly after the family arrives, a lawyer comes to their door. He tells them that they have violated an easement agreement and that their neighbor is insisting they tear down the addition which Julian’s parents intended to use as a bed and breakfast.

At the end of each chapter, the reader finds a section called “Facts and Random Thoughts.” The sections contain fascinating information about physics, astronomy and Julian’s insightful reactions to the world around him.

Erskine nails Julian’s voice. He is all at once engaging, entertaining, and informative in a non-pretentious way. Although Julian is focused on end-of-life issues, the story is not maudlin in any way. The author manages to tell a poignant and moving tale without once being saccharine.

Science teachers take notice: this novel would provide an excellent complement to any section you teach on astronomy or elementary physics. For everyone else:  this is a charming book, which will be much beloved by its audience.

My favorite review line for THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC OF BEING (from School Library Journal):  "Julian's distinctive narration, awash in supernatural perceptions as well as a nine-year-old's natural misconceptions, is a tour de force....Touching contemporary magical realism, with a final twist that truly surprises."

STARRED REVIEW for MAMA AFRICA!  From Kirkus:  "An excellent perspective from which American readers can learn about apartheid and one of the pioneers who fought it through her art."

Also, illustrator Charly Palmer's artwork for MAMA AFRICA has been accepted by the Society of Illustrators for their "The Original Art" exhibit, highlighting the best artwork for children's books, 2017.  Congratulations, Charly! 

So thrilled to announce my new novel, THE INCREDIBLE MAGIC OF BEING!

Publishing Fall 2017 (Scholastic) 

It's what happens when you take a boy named Julian, his anxiety, a telescope, a treehouse, a life jacket, a Styrofoam boat, s'mores, even a statue of the BVM (as Julian would say, "Look it up"), and shake them up with a lot of personalities ... they turn into what I hope is great ride.

Short version: Like MOCKINGBIRD, only funny.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/72157-rights-report-week-of-november-28-2016.html

In an effort to expand my world view beyond American and European literature (what I grew up with) I'm up to 56 countries now -- see "2016 Reading Project" -- and still reading.  I'm enjoying the experience and also struggling with finding books from some countries, given my (embarrassing) English-only limitation.  Currently at around a quarter of the world's nations, I fear I may only get to about half.  If anyone has suggestions, please let me know! 

Schools looking for class sets or multiple copies, paperbacks of SEEING RED are available through Scholastic here:  http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/save-books-order-your-visiting-authors-work!

Here's a recent blog interview, with thanks to David Binder.  Also, PLEASE NOTE the new tab for my "2016 READING PROJECT."  I'll be updating the list of books from around the world periodically!

My 2016 Reading Project – A Children’s Book from Every Country of the World

Although I grew up in six countries, I realize that my reading has been disproportionately American and European authors. Inspired by Ann Morgan’s TED Talk and blog, A Year of Reading the World, my 2016 project is to read a children’s book from every country of the world (using the UN list of member states although I’m happy to include the observer and other states).  I found links to international children’s book sources on Ann Morgan's blog, and my local librarians have been fabulous, but if anyone has advice for finding more children’s books written by non-U.S. authors or has a favorite book that meets these criteria, please contact me: 

1)  the author at least grew up in that country, even if living elsewhere now
2)  the book is available in English

Ideally, I’d love the book to be reflective of the culture (which I interpret very broadly) or important events that happened there or be about current issues.  For example, my U.S. book is All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. 

I’d also like a mix of picture books and novels.  Frankly, I’m not a fast reader and 200 children’s novels would take a long time to read on top of other reading, writing, teaching, traveling, and life in general.

As I gather books, I’ll list them here by country, author and title, and eventually, what I’ve learned -- the fascinating differences and the common denominator, humanity.  Thanks for your help!  Peace, Salam, Shalom.

Mockingbird -- or Passarinha in Brazilian Portuguese -- is being made into a play in Brazil!  I'll actually be there in a couple of months but will miss the production, scheduled for September 2016.  I'm thrilled and honored, though.  Thank you, Sao Paulo!

Thanks, Scholastic for featuring me in the "Author Spotlight" for Seeing Red and The Badger Knight!

More exciting book news coming soon ....!

Mama Africa, my first picture book, is a go!  Here's the blurb from Publishers Weekly:

Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has bought Mockingbird author Kathryn Erskine's debut picture book, Mama Africa, to be illustrated by Charly Palmer, also a debut. The book tells the story of Grammy Award-winning South African singer and civil-rights activist Miriam Makeba, who brought global attention to the injustice of apartheid through her music while in exile. Publication is tentatively set for 2017; Linda Pratt at Wernick & Pratt Agency represented the author; the illustrator represented himself.

I can't wait to share her story -- and to see the stunning illustrations from Charly Palmer!

Thanks to the Fairfax Network, here's my appearance on the Meet the Author show!  There are clips about my research for Mockingbird and how I overcome writer's block, as well as info about the Mockingbird play and links to study guides for Mockingbird and Seeing Red.