Award-winning author Padma Venkatraman returns with an uplifting middle grade novel in verse SAFE HARBOR (Nancy Paulsen Books; on sale January 21, 2025). In this poignant novel-in-verse, Padma Venkatraman tells the story of two kids who help rescue a wounded seal, and in learning it’s okay to show their emotions, find their own safe harbors.

Venkatraman was inspired to write SAFE HARBOR after walking along the shore near her home in the Ocean State, where she was surprised to see a seal on the beach. Like Geetha, Padma grew up in India and now lives in Rhode Island. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as an oceanographer, and was the only BIPOC woman in her graduating class at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at the College of William and Mary. Her personal experience compelled her to make sure to feature BIPOC females in leadership STEM roles in the novel and acknowledge mental health challenges, illnesses, and disorders without stigmatization and stereotyping.

"Safe Harbor" by Padma Venkatraman

René Hohls is currently the president of the California School Library Association (CSLA). She currently works in Mendocino County at Fort Bragg Unified School District and spent the last 10 years as the Learning Resource/Library Specialist for the Ventura County Office of Education.

She has worked with many districts to provide direct library services and professional development training for all levels of school library staff on delivering quality services and programming with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusive practices for all students and staff members.

René approaches everything in her life with curiosity and a passion for reading, finding endless ways to weave these together in her classroom and professional training sessions. René has been active in the Ventura County Reading Association and the California Reading Association.

Varsha Bajaj (https://amzn.to/42IBf2v) is the New York Times bestselling author of the middle grade novel, Thirst. (Nancy Paulsen books, 2022). Thirst was a Global Read Aloud (2022-23), on the Bluebonnet list (2023-24) many state lists, received starred reviews and was translated into several languages. Her other middle grade novels include Count Me In, and Abby Spencer goes to Bollywood. She had the privilege of helping to create and write the books for the American Girl doll, Kavi Sharma, It’s Showtime Kavi.

Varsha also writes picture books. Her latest picture book is called A Garland of Henna. Varsha has new picture books and a middle grade novel coming in 2025-2026.

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Amazon: A Garden of Henna

Amazon: Thirst

Janet Wile and Christine Flores from Central Unified School District (California) talk about their wildly successful programs "Athletes as Readers and Leaders" and "Slammin' at the Library."

http://BookFloodPodcast.com

http://GoldenLibraries.com

Ruta Sepetys, #1 New York Times bestselling author, and Steve Sheinkin, Newbery Honor-winning author, have co-written "The Bletchley Riddle."

"Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II—Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park."

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"The Bletchley Riddle" from Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3Z1gb3x

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Katie McNamara serves as a teacher librarian at North High School in Bakersfield, California; and director of the Teacher Librarian Program at Fresno Pacific University. She is a Google Certified Innovator and AASL Tech Troubadour. She served as president of the California School Library Association (2020-2021).

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Connect with her @KatieJMcNamara. 

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Amy Hermon is the host of the School Librarians United Podcast. As host, Amy has interviewed more than 150 school librarians in 33 States, Canada, UK, Ghana, Australia and New Zealand. 291 episodes downloaded in all 50 States and over 153 countries. 

School Librarians United

School Librarians United Playlists

Colby Sharp teaches fifth grade at Parma Elementary School in Michigan. He is married and the father of five children.

Sharp is the co-author of The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library (2022) and Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids (2018), both with Donalyn Miller. He is also the editor of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection (2018).

Colby Sharp Website

Morgan Walsh is the Co-Founder of Open Books which donates LGBTQ+ books to elementary schools across the country.

She is also an actor, writer, entrepreneur, and mother of three living in Los Angeles. She has worked in film and television for over 20 years, most recently starring in BET's "Games People Play." She is also the co-founder of 10th Avenue Tea which won most innovative product by Expo West in 2017.

https://openbooks.org

You can see a sample of the books that Open Books donate here: Open Books 2024 Book Donation Set

Jerry Craft is The New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels "New Kid," "Class Act," and "School Trip." "New Kid" won the Newbery Medal (2020), the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature (2019, Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020).

These books are available on Amazon:New Kid: https://amzn.to/3Ab6Q0J Class Act: https://amzn.to/3Ab7dZb School Trip: https://amzn.to/4dT5sxzBoxed Set: https://amzn.to/4ecfcU1