Nadine Kaadan is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator from Syria currently living in London. In this interview she describes her creative process and personal journey as a writer and artist.
Juana Martinez-Neal’s first picture book as both author and illustrator—Alma and How She Got Her Name—was awarded a 2019 Caldecott Honor and Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Honor,…
Let’s talk about literature in the classroom: the books that children choose for independent reading and the books that teachers read aloud to the entire class, whether students are gathered on a rug or on Zoom. At Collaborative Classroom, we know how much the stories in these books matter for learning, identity, and connection. And through our work selecting authentic children’s literature for our literacy and SEL curricula, we know how hard it can be to find books that reflect the full range of human experiences. But finding these books is exactly what we must do
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“From the princesses to the dragons to the stories themselves, sometimes it seems like I have been looking at the same books for fifty years. The princess, curiously…
Tanny McGregor has a wealth of experience as educator, author, conference speaker and teacher on special assignment for West Clermont Schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. She brings a deep understanding…
It’s February 2020 and Black History Month is more important than ever. Why? Because although this year may imply clear vision, we still haven’t achieved 20/20 hindsight when it comes to Black history. So yes, we should seize the opportunity to shine an extra bright light on it in February and then carry that focus throughout the year. Let’s work to ensure that Black history and culture are seen, understood, honored, and reflected upon by all. And ultimately, that they are fully integrated into and viewed as American history. Period.
If you haven’t heard of Saadia Faruqi yet, you will soon because she seems to be everywhere at once these days. Her popular early reader series Yasmin has…
Reading opens the universe to children, so even if they stay close to home this summer, books can fire up their imaginations and take them far away. We…
Children’s books are the cornerstone of many of Center for the Collaborative Classroom‘s programs; in a way, the authors are our behind-the-scenes collaborators. We want teachers, administrators, students,…
Among the many roles Jill Eisenberg plays as Director of Curriculum and Literacy Strategy at Lee & Low Books, a critical one is working with schools across the…
Among the many roles Jill Eisenberg plays as Director of Curriculum and Literacy Strategy at Lee & Low Books, a critical one is working with schools across the…
Eloise Greenfield (May 17, 1929 – August 5, 2021) is a towering figure in the field of children’s literature. We were honored to interview Ms. Greenfield in 2018. She shared about her writing life, and in the process, touched on the topics of teaching, family, society, and growing up in Washington, DC.
A Conversation with Jane Bean-Folkes I recently sat down with Jane Bean-Folkes to talk about her experiences as a researcher/ practitioner working on literacy issues. She is an…
Will you be attending the upcoming International Literacy Association 2018 Conference in Austin, Texas? Lee & Low Books is excited to partner with Collaborative Classroom on a panel…
Jennie McDonald is the Director of Publisher Relations and Rights at Collaborative Classroom. In her work, she manages the integration of authentic children’s literature in Collaborative Classroom curricula.…
One thing you should know about me is that I can never resist a good children’s book! On vacations, I always look for a new title; I’m a…
Children’s books are the cornerstone of many Collaborative Classroom programs; in a way, the authors are our behind-the-scenes collaborators. We want teachers, administrators, students, and parents to be…
In this interview, Dr. Jonda McNair speaks about the transformative power of reading education, children's literature, and diversity.
Being a teacher and a parent brings some unique challenges. I suppose some teachers reading this post may have gone through this and can empathize. Maybe you see…
I have a confession to make. When it comes to children’s literature, I like chapter books more than picture books. I feel much better now. I needed to…