I’m kicking off Season 3 of Reading Rural YAL with TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE, an amazing short story collection by Terena Elizabeth Bell. I’m absolutely obsessed with it. It’s experimental, cutting edge, and powerful – especially in its exploration of life during the pandemic and the January 6th insurrection. I say it a million and a half times in the video, but you *need* to get a copy of this collection.

To get one, you can visit my bookshop affiliate store here: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781952600227d

To learn more about Bell’s work and keep up with her work, visit her website: http://terenabell.com

In this episode, I talk with New York Times Best-Selling and Whippoorwill Award winning Kalynn Bayron, who is the absolute epitome of cool. We talk about everything from her time growing up in Alaska, the underrepresentation of rural folks of color in YA, challenges faced by authors of marginalized identities in publishing, her reserach and writing of THIS POISON HEART, rural folk magic, and so much more!

This is hands down one of my favorite interviews so far!

Get the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781547609956

Already read THIS POINSON HEART? Get the sequel THIS WICKED FATE: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781547609208

In this episode, I detail the creative assessment and community exhibition “Mythology of Me” That I would use after students had finished reading the book. I also give shoutouts to Mrs. Pamme Meier-Fisher, the teacher who inspired me to be a teacher and with whom none of this’d be possible and to Randy Bomer and his work BUILDING ADOLESCENT LITERACY IN TODAY’S ENGLISH CLASSROOMS.

To get THIS POISON HEART: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781547603909

To get BUILDING ADOLESCENT LITERACY: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780325013947

In this episode, I read from Baryon’s Whippoorwill Award winning book and discuss how rurality contributes to the building of characters’ layered identities in ways similar to how we do it in our own lives.

I also talk about ALAN and book boxes. For more info visit https://alan-ya.org/

In this episode, I sit down with Ginny Myers Sain. We talk about how place and rurality have impacted who she is and how she writes. She gives some solid tips and tricks for developing craft, especially through dialogue and one-act plays. We also chat about the representation of rural language varieties in young adult fiction. It was such a great conversation.

I hope you’ll join us.

For more on rural language variety representation in rural YA you can read this piece: http://www.drbickmoresyawednesday.com/weekly-posts/exploring-representation-of-rural-language-varieties-in-young-adult-literature-by-dr-chea-parton

To buy Dark and Shallow Lies: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780593403969

To buy Secrets So Deep: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780593403990

In this episode I outline two activities that I would use to teach this text. One involves a dramatic reading (which I hope Sain would love since I know she loves theater) and the other is to come up with your town’s claim to fame.

Get a copy of the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780593403969

Learn more about rural variety representation in YA literature: http://www.drbickmoresyawednesday.com/weekly-posts/exploring-representation-of-rural-language-varieties-in-young-adult-literature-by-dr-chea-parton

In this episode, I read from, summarize, and provide a brief critical place-based analysis of the Whippoorwill Award winning book. I specifically focus on place and how it shapes and is shaped by geography, history, and language practice.

To buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9780593403969

To checkout the Spooky Unit with reThink ELA: https://www.rethinkela.com/october-inquiry-unit-reading-and-writing-spooky-stories/

To see how you can support us: https://literacyinplace.com/support-us/

To review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reading-rural-yal/id1606560033

Whippoorwill Award winning author Tim Lockette and I talk about TELL IT TRUE, how his rural background influences his writing, what it means and can look like to challenge rural stereotypes, how reading can influence your writing, and rural language practices.

Shout-outs to Dr. Sarah J Donovan and EthicalELA.

Get the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781644210826

More information about Tim Lockette: https://timlockette.com/

In this episode, I talk about some ideas for teaching Tell It True, including turning the class into a newsroom, partnering with the art class for printing, and sharing with the community and school.

Daily Yonder Article: https://dailyyonder.com/meet-the-77-year-old-woman-keeping-her-towns-newspaper-the-montezuma-record-alive-as-its-last-remaining-employee/2022/07/06/

Get the book: https://bookshop.org/a/86567/9781644210826

More information about Tim Lockette: https://timlockette.com/

In this episode, I provide a brief summary, read the first page (or so), and provide some analysis on important and rural-salient themes of Tim Lockette’s Tell It True. Specifically, I focus my analysis on the importance of local news staying local.

Buy the Book: https://timlockette.com/