During Teacher Appreciation week, the Soaring ‘20s picture book debut group is celebrating the teachers, past and present, who have made a difference in our lives. Now, more than ever, we appreciate teachers’ efforts to find connections with their students even (and especially) when times are tough. Scroll down to read our stories.
But first . . .
Two Giveaways for Teachers!
We are running a giveaway through our Twitter account, @soaring20spb, for two separate book bundles:
Click here to head to Twitter and enter the giveaway for the Upper Elementary bundle, which includes:
WHEREVER I GO by Mary Wagley Copp, illustrated by Munir Mohammed (Atheneum)
WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek)
THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Vivien Mildenberger (Sleeping Bear Press)
RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE By Anna Crowley Redding, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (HarperCollins)
INVENT-A-PET by Vicky Fang, illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Sterling Children’s Books)
Click here to head to Twitter and enter the giveaway for the Lower Elementary bundle, which includes:
CLYDE GOES TO SCHOOL by Keith Marantz, illustrated by Larissa Marantz (Penguin Workshop)
CLYDE LIKES TO SLIDE by Keith Marantz, illustrated by Larissa Marantz (Penguin Workshop)
THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK by Kjersten Hayes, illustrated by Gladys Jose (Sourcebooks)
HOW LONG IS FOREVER? by Kelly Carey, illustrated by Qing Zhuang (Charlesbridge)
TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism by Jen Malia, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Albert Whitman)
Now for those stories we promised.
Celebrating Our Favorite Teachers
Vicky Fang
Vicky Fang, high school, 1993.
My drama teacher in high school, Mr. Lindberg, shaped who I am in so many ways. What I loved about him was his ability to see and respect his students. He wasn’t afraid to talk about the mess and beauty of the world with his students in a real way. He didn’t underestimate or sugarcoat, and he set an example of honesty, kindness, imperfection, thoughtfulness, and passion. To this day, I think about some of the lessons I learned from him, and I appreciate the advice he gave me even long after I graduated. I know I’m not the only one. He recently retired, leaving a legacy of amazing performances and inspired alumni. Thank you for everything, Mark Lindberg.
— Vicky Fang, author of INVENT-A-PET, illustrated by Tidawan Thaipinnarong (Sterling Children’s Books)
Angela Burke Kunkel
I don’t remember the exact moment, but I’m sure that Alexandra Mikan, my eleventh-grade English teacher, was the one who encouraged me to apply to the “Fresh Voices” competition, a part of Connecticut’s annual Sunken Garden Poetry Festival. When I placed as a semi-finalist, Ms. Mikan spent days with me after school, working with me one-on-one and helping me prepare for the reading that would determine which teen poets would read at the festival. She spent hours listening to me read, reviewing each poem with me line by line. She talked about emphasis, line breaks, word choice . . . and I also remember the moment she cried during one of my poems (teen me was so taken aback!). While I didn’t place as a finalist or read at the festival, the time Ms. Mikan spent with me helped build my belief in myself as a writer — and I even became a high school English teacher. I’m forever grateful to her for those hours spent after school in a classroom, talking about poetry, after what I’m sure was already a very long day.
— Angela Burke Kunkel, author of DIGGING FOR WORDS: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built, illustrated by Paola Escobar (Random House/Schwartz & Wade)
Kirsten W. Larson
I want to give a shout-out to fifth-grade teacher Lori Mann. From letting students sample new genres through “book tastings,” to hosting after-school book clubs, Miss Mann’s mission is to connect young readers with books. She even installed two Little Free Libraries in front of her Title 1 School.
Teacher Lori Mann with her Little Free Library
— Kirsten W. Larson, author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek)
I truly had wonderful teachers, but when I went back to college to pursue writing, it was my English teacher, Gerald Mackey, who made all the difference. He didn’t treat me like just a student. He treated me like a writer. I took myself, my work, and my path more seriously and I am forever grateful to him!
— Anna Crowley Redding, author of RESCUING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE: How We Almost Lost the Words That Built America, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Harper Collins)
Jen Malia
I want to recognize pre-K teachers Miss Joy (English) and Miss Viky (Spanish) who have taught all three of my kids in a Spanish immersion program at Courthouse Academy. I named the second-grade teacher in TOO STICKY! after Miss Joy and tried to capture her patience and support in the classroom. My daughter, Holly, and son, Nick, had therapists shadowing them in their pre-K classroom. Miss Joy and Miss Viky made Holly and Nick feel included and loved.
Jen Malia and her kids celebrate TOO STICKY!
— Jen Malia, author of TOO STICKY! Sensory Issues with Autism, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff (Albert Whitman)
Be sure to visit the Soaring ‘20s blog all week for more posts celebrating our favorite teachers. Do you have a story about a special teacher in your life? Please share in the comments!