Get ready for an unforgettable summer adventure! With a second season of Netflix’s hit original series Shadow and Bone coming soon and the 10th Anniversary of the publication of Shadow and Bone approaching, now is the perfect time to revisit this bestselling series and introduce a new generation of readers to the Grishaverse.
Enter for your chance to win a classroom set of Shadow and Bone to share with your students before summer break begins!
All teachers who enter will also receive an invitation for their classroom to join a nationwide virtual Back to School celebration with New York Times bestselling author Leigh Bardugo this Fall! Plus, we’ll share teacher’s guides full of discussion questions and lesson plan ideas to incorporate Shadow and Boneand Six of Crows into your classroom curriculum next year.
Download free educator resources and teacher’s guides (available in both English and Spanish!) to use alongside the book. Plus, enter to receive a free Latinitas art print to display in your classroom or library.
We’ve put together a roundup of titles to get you excited about National Poetry Month, including titles like National Book Award Finalist, CSK Steptoe Award Winner, and William C. Morris YA Debut award finalist Me (Moth); Caldecott Honor Book A Place Inside of Me; and My Thoughts are Clouds.
Plus, request a digital preview copy of Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann!
Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group invites storytellers ages 10–14 to continue the adventure of literary legend Gary Paulsen’s final novel, the New York Times bestseller Northwind.
“Story, as far as I’m concerned, is everything. Simply everything.” —Gary Paulsen
Literary legend Gary Paulsen (1939–2021) takes readers on one last adventure with his novel Northwind, another stunning survival story from the author of Hatchet, set alongside a rugged mythical coastline centuries ago. All storytellers ages 10–14 are invited to continue the adventure in the Northwind Storytelling Contest. Entries are open February 4th through April 1, 2022.
The contest will be judged by Gary’s son, Jim Paulsen; Jennifer Flannery of Flannery Literary, his longtime agent, and Wesley Adams, Gary’s editor at Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers. The judges will be looking for a unique voice and a strong sense of storytelling. The winning storyteller will receive a $500 AMEX gift card, journal, a class set of Northwind, admission to a writing workshop, and see their short story published. Five runners up will be invited to a writing workshop and receive a journal and a copy of Northwind.
Many will enter, few will win. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C., age 10-14. Parental permission is required to enter. Must enter by 12:00 a.m. on April 1, 2022. Void where prohibited. Subject to all applicable laws. For complete rules and requirements, visit bit.ly/NorthwindContestRules.
Writing Prompt: At the end of Northwind, Leif turns away from signs of civilization to head back off on his own in a canoe at sea with limited supplies. In 1,000–3,000 words, continue Leif’s story or write a story about your own character embarking on a journey alone at sea.
A middle-grade novel by James Bird about a boy sent to his Ojibwe family to straighten out his life.
Benjamin Waterfalls comes from a broken home, and the quickest fix he’s found for his life is to fill that emptiness with stuff he steals and then sells. But he’s been caught one too many times, and when he appears before a tough judge, his mother proposes sending him to “boot camp” at the Objibwe reservation where they used to live.
Soon he is on his way to Grand Portage, Minnesota, to live with his father – the man Benny hasn’t seen in years. Not only is “boot camp” not what he expects, but his rehabilitation seems to be in the hands of the tribal leader’s daughter, who wears a mask. Why? Finding the answer to this and so many other questions prove tougher than any military-style boot camp. Will answers be enough for Benny to turn his life around and embrace his second chance?
The Brave Feiwel & Friends ISBN: 9781250247759 On Sale Now! Ages 9-12
Perfect for fans of Rain Reign, this middle-grade novel The Brave is about a boy with an OCD issue and his move to a reservation to live with his biological mother.
Collin can’t help himself—he has a unique condition that finds him counting every letter spoken to him. It’s a quirk that makes him a prime target for bullies, and a continual frustration to the adults around him, including his father.
When Collin asked to leave yet another school, his dad decides to send him to live in Minnesota with the mother he’s never met. She is Ojibwe, and lives on a reservation. Collin arrives in Duluth with his loyal dog, Seven, and quickly finds his mom and his new home to be warm, welcoming, and accepting of his condition.
Thank your everyday hero for all the ways they make a difference!
To celebrate the release of the new picture book Amos McGee Misses the Bus (on sale November 23, 2021), let’s thank everyday heroes for their kindness and generosity! Nominate someone who has made a difference in your life or your community for their chance to win a grand prize including a $500 gift card and a set of books including Amos McGee Misses the Bus and Caldecott Medal winner A Sick Day for Amos McGee. Two first prize winners will also be selected to win a set of books! Only everyday hero nominees are eligible to win prizes. Sweepstakes ends 10/22!
Back-to-school season is just around the corner! Get ready to kick off your Best School Year Ever! Enter the Friends Forever Sweepstakes for your chance to win a virtual classroom or library visit from Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham, creators of the bestselling Friends middle grade graphic novel series. The winner will receive a virtual classroom visit, plus a classroom set of Real Friends, Best Friends, and Friends Forever. Everyone who enters will also receive a video from Shannon Hale delivering her “Best School Year Ever” kick-off speech, where she’ll share a special back-to-school message for students everywhere.
Librarians provide so many vital services to their community and truly make a difference in the lives of their patrons, just like Lydia Sigwarth’s librarian Deb Stephenson. To celebrate the release of Dear Librarian, we asked readers to nominate a librarian who made a difference in their lives for their chance to win a grand prize! We received over 1,900 entries to our Dear Librarian sweepstakes, filled with stories of librarians going above and beyond for their patrons. We’re excited to share some of our favorite entries below! Thank you to these life-changing librarians for all that you do for your community!
Betsy Bird interviewed Lydia Sigwarth about the book, and how she and Deb Stephenson felt when they read these nominations: Lydia said, “We especially loved stories that reflected our own – kids whose lives had been changed by a special librarian in their life. It was also so inspiring to see all the amazing things librarians are doing all over the country. From rural communities to NYC to Alaska, librarians were making a difference in their communities and it was so, so hard to pick favorites when they all obviously deserved to be celebrated.” Read the full interview on the Fuse 8 blog!
In honor of our new picture book Dear Librarian, on sale June 1, we’re hosting a librarian appreciation contest!
Nominate a librarian who made a difference in your life for their chance to win a $1,000 Amex gift card and a collection of books for their libraries! (Contest ends Friday, April 30, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET)
