Holiday Book Drive - Year Eight!

It’s time to get started, delivering book joy to the young scholars of Leading with Literacy in Chicago. Can you believe it? It’s Holiday Book Drive Chi… year EIGHT!

Last year’s Delivery Day was so much fun. Holiday Book Drive Chi partner Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy is not just a pastor serving his community. He also happens to be the chaplain of the DePaul’s Men’s Basketball Team — and he invited some players to join us in delivering books to Bronzeville schools!

The energy and excitement were electric, and I loved the messages that the players shared with students: That school and reading are gifts that prepare you for life and opportunities well beyond your grade school years.

Thanks to your help, last year we hit an incredible milestone. Since the start of the drive in 2017, together we have collected and delivered more than 5,000 books to young Chicago scholars!

How did we reach 5,000? At the outset of each drive, the prospect of repeating or exceeding the previous year’s total is a little intimidating! And then we remember how we get there…

One book, one box, at a time. From YOU!

To keep bringing incredible books into scholars’ homes and home libraries, we once again need your help — big time!

While it remains to be revealed, exactly what literacy gifts this season will bring, Pastor Neal and I have faith that many beautiful books and moments are in store. And we’d be so very honored if you’d join us in Holiday Book Drive Chi’s 8th year, by donating books or financial gifts toward the purchase of books!

In the weeks leading up to Winter Break and beyond, Leading with Literacy will deliver your donations to students in schools all over Bronzeville and other nearby Chicago neighborhoods. The books shared during Holiday Book Drive Chi don’t just bring holiday joy - Pastor Neal and his partners deliver books all year round.

Want to join the book joy in year eight? Below, you’ll find details about how Holiday Book Drive Chi works, and how you can help. We so hope you can!

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How to Give

To make a donation of books or a financial gift, please EMAIL ME via my website Contact page and let me know what you plan to send. The info goes into a spreadsheet that keeps donations organized.

(I apologize that I cannot share my personal address publicly.)

Books and financial gifts are accepted from October 1 through early December. As books are donated, I’ll share them below, so you can check out what Chicago readers will be reading, and perhaps get some ideas for your home library, too!

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More Book Drive Details!

• We Love Books! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new and not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles are all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number = 30: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to provide an entire classroom that very book - so all students can share in the same reading experience, which is the ultimate wish of our partner teachers and schools.

• Publisher Partners: Authors, if you think your publisher might be interested in (and able to!) provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know! We can provide a letter from Leading with Literacy for tax purposes.

• Set Up a Team Donation: If you’d like to collect books or funds for our drive through a local club or organization - such as a troop, dance studio, basketball team, chess club, etc. - that would be amazing! Let me know, and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give.

• Financial Gifts: Financial donations are most welcome, too! I combine financial gifts and place orders for full-class donations through Scholastic. Great deals to be had there!

• Shouting It Out: I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit this post often, as well as Instagram and Twitter/X. Search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest donations.

Now, wiithout further ado, this year’s books!

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Thank you Adam and Leslie Schulte for kicking off the drive with this entire classroom donation of…

LITTLE GOLDEN BOOKS

(By various authors and illustrators)

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Thank you Richard Ho and Roaring Brook Press

for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

A TASTE OF HOME (By Richard Ho, Illustrated by Sibu T.P., Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Conway Familiy for sharing this entire classroom donation of…

ANIMALIA (By Graeme Base, Scholastic)

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Thank you Ariel Bernstein for sharing 20 copies of your book…

YOU GO FIRST (By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, Paula Wiseman/S&S)

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Thank you Laura Gehl for sharing 10 copies of your books…

THE HIKING VIKING (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Timothy Banks, Capstone)

WHO MADE THIS MESS? (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Aleksandar Stojsic, Capstone)

SNOW IS… (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez, Paula Wiseman / Simon & Schuster)

DONUT (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Andrea Zuill, Random House Studio)

APPLE AND MAGNOLIA (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Patricia Metola, Walker Books)

BRILLIANT BABY EXPLORES SCIENCE (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Jean Claude, little bee books)

ODD BIRDS (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Gareth Lucas, Abrams Appleseed)

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Thank you Robin Newman for sharing 5 copies of your books…

WHO’S WRITING THIS STORY? (By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke, Creston)

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Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer for sharing 3 copies of your books…

PORCUPINE HAD A FUZZY SWEATER

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Angela Edmonds, Magination Press)

SOMETIMES I AM HOT LAVA

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Amélie Videlo, Beaming Books)

THE LAST DAY JULIAN WAS MY BEST FRIEND

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, Two Lions)

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CURRENT TOTAL:

129 BOOKS!

If you’d like to give, contact me here!

We can’t wait to see what this year’s holiday book drive brings! Thank you for being part of it!

Holiday Book Drive - Year Seven!

Holiday Book Drive Chi is back for year SEVEN! This annual book joy event is a partnership with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy, who is a champion of kids and reading and the absolute best teammate, partner and friend!

This fall and winter, we’ll again be working with friends of literacy all over the country to deliver books to young readers in Chicago.

Last year, literacy supporters donated more books than ever before - more than 1,000 books! Here are the all-time book drive totals, year-over-year, leading up to our record-breaking drive:

• 2017: 408 books

• 2018: 433 books

• 2019: 623 books

• 2020: 728 books

• 2021: 828 books

• 2022: 1,103 books

That’s 4,123 books in all, since the start of the drive! Surpassing 1,000 titles in 2023 really blew us away. Can we top that total this season, too?

Holiday Book Drive Chi has shown us that anything is possible! And Pastor Neal and I are ready to get to work in year seven, with the dream of delivering as many beautiful books as we can to Bronzeville schools and home libraries!

We are thrilled to announce that Holiday Book Drive Chi year seven is officially open for donations!

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about being a part of this year’s effort. If you don’t see the answer to your question, please email me via my Contact page. We hope you can join us in collecting as many books as possible, so we can spend December making book deliveries to Chicago classrooms, before Chicago Public Schools students head off for Winter Break!

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2023 Book Drive Details

• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new and not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles are all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number = 30 books: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to provide an entire classroom that very book - so all students can share in the same reading experience, which is the ultimate wish of our partner teachers and schools.

• Publisher Partners: Authors, if you think your publisher might be interested in (and able to!) provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know! We can provide a letter from Leading with Literacy for tax purposes.

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them - on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Set Up A “Lemonade Stand” For The Drive: If you’d like to collect books or funds for our drive through a local club or organization - such as a troop, dance studio, basketball team, chess club, etc. - that would be amazing! Let me know, and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give.

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too! I combine financial gifts and place orders for full-class donations through Scholastic. Great deals to be had there!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit this post often, as well as Twitter/X and Instagram. Search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest donations.

How to Give

If you’d like to make a donation, PLEASE CONTACT ME via my website Contact page to arrange delivery. I apologize that I cannot share my personal address publicly - I know that would speed up the giving / receiving process!

Book and financial gifts are accepted through December 2023. Then, in the weeks leading up to Winter Break, Leading with Literacy and I will begin delivering your donations to students in schools all over Bronzeville and other nearby Chicago neighborhoods.

And we have fun news to share… we already have books! A huge thank you to New York Times bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller, who has again kicked off the drive with two amazing donations!

We are on our way to making it a drive to remember! Thank you so much for your friendship and partnership, Pat! Getting to 1,000 isn’t easy - each and every donation makes a tremendous difference. Friends, if you are able to help, please know that your love and support is deeply appreciated.

Without further ado, here are this year’s books!

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Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive (again!) with an entire classroom donation of…

A GIRL CAN BUILD ANYTHING

(By e.E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Keisha Morris, Viking)

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Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for also sharing copies of your book

LUPE LOPEZ: ESTRELLA DE LECTURA!

(By e.E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Joe Cepeda,

translated by Georgina Lázaro, Candlewick)

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Thank you Beth Anderson for sharing an entire classroom donation of your picture book…

FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE

(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by Caroline Hamel, Kids Can Press)

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Thank you Yarnell and Rowe families for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

DIARY OF A PUG: PUG BLASTS OFF

(By Kyla May, Scholastic)

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Thank you Lenert family for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS: THE LIGHTNING THIEF

(By Rick Riordan, Disney Hyperion)

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Thank you Lenert family for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

I PROMISE

(By LeBron James, Illustrated by Nina Mata, HarperCollins)

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Thank you Lenert family for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

THE LEMONADE WAR

(By Jacqueline Davies, Clarion)

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Thank you Tootie Nienow for sharing an entire classroom donation of your picture book…

THERE GOES PATTI McGEE!

(By Tootie Nienow, Illustrated by Erika Medina, Farrar, Straus Giroux)

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Thank you Conway family for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA

(By Lauren Wolk, Dutton Books for Young Readers)

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Thank you Bradley family for donating an entire classroom donation of the book…

THE PARKER INHERITANCE

(By Varian Johnson, Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic)

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Thank you Lauren Kerstein and Two Lions for donating entire classroom donations of your books…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

and ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE MAKE WAVES

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions)

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Thank you Mia Wenjen for sharing an entire classroom donation of your picture book…

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE

(By Mia Wenjen, Illustrated by Robert See-Heng, Barefoot Books)

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Thank you Kate Simpson for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

THE PAPER MUSEUM

(By Kate S. Simpson, Union Square Kids)

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Thank you Dinslage, Jarvis and Rowe families for sharing entire classroom donations of…

TY’S TRAVELS: ZIP, ZOOM!

and TY’S TRAVELS: WINTER WONDERLAND

(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Nina Mata, HarperCollins)

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Thank you Becky Scharnhorst and Flamingo Books for sharing

TWO classroom donations of your book…

HOW TO GET YOUR OCTOPUS TO SCHOOL

(By Becky Scharnhorst, Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, Flamingo Books)

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Thank you Sarah Kurpiel and Greenwillow Books for sharing

an entire classroom donation of your book…

SNAKE’S BIG MISTAKE

(By Sarah Kurpiel, Greenwillow Books)

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Thank you Bea Birdsong and HarperCollins for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

BOOP!

(By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Lizzie Hunter, HarperCollins)

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Thank you Clo Ewing and the Burns Family for sharing an entire classroom donation of Clo’s books…

STELLA KEEPS THE SUN UP

STELLA AND THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING TOOTH

(By Clothilde Ewing, Illustrated by Lynn Gaines, Simon & Schuster / Denene Millner Books)

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Thank you Jilanne Hoffmanm and Chronicle Books for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

A RIVER OF DUST

(By Jilanne Hoffmann, Illustrated by Eugenia Mello, Chronicle)

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Thank you Elite Chess for sharing an entire classroom donation of books from these series…

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, THE BAD GUYS, BIG NATE, and DOG MAN

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Thank you Ariel Bernstein for sharing 25 books with the drive, including your titles…

YOU GO FIRST

(By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Marc Rosenthal, Paula Wiseman Books)

WARREN & DRAGON: 100 FRIENDS

(By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Mike Marlbrough, Puffin Books)

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Thank you Kim Campbell and Elite Chess for sharing 25 copies of these books…

I SURVIVED, THE SECRET RESCUERS, DOG SQUAD, ESCAPE THIS BOOK: TOMBS OF EGYPT, HOPE, POLAR NIGHTS, and TRUE STORIES OF ANIMAL HEROES

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Thank you Jan Milusich for sharing 20 copies of your books…

CLEO’S BIG IDEAS: ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER

CLEO’S BIG IDEAS: ONWARD AND UPWARDS!

(By Janice Milusich, Illustrated by Jennifer Ball, Eifrig Publishing)

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Thank you Raven Howell for sharing 20 copies of your books…

A COLORFUL BEGINNING

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Carina Povarchik, Black Rose Writing)

SEASONS

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Ann Pilicer, Jan-Carol Publishing)

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Thank you Andria W. Rosenbaum for sharing 15 copies of your book…

OUR CLASS IS A COUNTRY

(By Andria W. Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Dream Chen, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Elite Chess for sharing 15 copies of the book…

TANI’S NEW HOME

(By Tanitoluwa Adewumi, Illustrated by Courtney Dawson, Tommy Nelson)

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Thank you Liz Bedia for sharing 12 copies of your A Dinosaur’s Day books…

DEINONYCHUS GOES HUNTING

TRICERATOPS FOLLOWS ITS HERD

T. REX MEETS ITS MATCH

DIPLODOCUS FINDS ITS FAMILY

(Illustrated by Marie Bollmann, By Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, DK Children)

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Thank you Raven Howell for sharing 12 copies of your books…

SANTA’S SLIP UP

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Savannah Horton, Pen It Publications)

and PINKIES UP

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Lisa Rush, Handerson Publishing)

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Thank you NoNieqa Ramos for sharing 11 copies of your books…

BEAUTY WOKE (By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Paola Escobar, Versify)

HAIR STORY (By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Keisha Morris, Carolrhoda Books)

THE TRUTH IS (By NoNieqa Ramos, Carolrhoda Lab)

YOUR MAMA (By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara, Versify)

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Thank you Robin Newman for sharing 11 copies of your books…

THE CASE OF THE BAD APPLES (By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke, Creston)

DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT! (By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Susan Batori, Sleeping Bear Press)

THE CASE OF THE POACHED EGG (By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke, Creston)

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Thank you Jackie Azúa Kramer and Simon & Schuster for sharing 10 copies of your book…

EMPANADAS FOR EVERYONE

(By Jackie Azúa Kramer, Illustrated by Lenny Wen, Simon & Schuster)

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Thank you Tammi Sauer for sharing 10 copies of your book…

ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL

(By Tammi Sauer, Illustrated by Fernando Martin, Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books)

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Thank you Lauren Kerstein for donating 10 copies of your books, including…

REMEMBERING SUNDAYS WITH GRANDPA

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nanette Regan, Beaming Books)

and HOME FOR A WHILE

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Natalia Moore, Magination Press)

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Thank you Laura Gehl for sharing 7 copies of your books…

PEEP AND EGG (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

WHO MADE THIS MESS? (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Aleksandar Stojsic, Capstone)

DONUT: (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Andrea Zuill, Random House Studio)

BRILLIANT BABY EXPLORES SCIENCE (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Jean Claude, little bee books)

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Thank you Jenna Elyse Johnson for sharing a 5 copies of the book…

JEANIE & GENIE: THE FIRST WISH

(By Trish Granted, Illustrated by Manuela Lopez, Little Simon)

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Thank you Katrina Tangen for sharing your book…

COPY THAT, COPY CAT!

(By Katrina Tangen, Illustrated by Giulia Orecchia, Barefoot Books)

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FINAL TOTAL:

882 BOOKS!

Thank you for being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars!

We can’t wait to see what this year’s holiday book drive brings!

Holiday Book Drive - Year Six!

Holiday Book Drive Chi is back for year six!

I am thrilled and honored to be partnering with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy again this fall and winter to deliver book joy to young readers!

In 2021, literacy supporters across the country donated more books than ever before - 828 titles! - which brought us over the 3,000 mark for total books collected since the start of the drive:

• 2017: 408 books

• 2018: 433 books

• 2019: 623 books

• 2020: 728 books

• 2021: 828 books

That’s 3,020 books in all!

What will this year bring? Can we reach 1,000 titles in 2022?

Pastor Neal and I would LOVE to deliver as many beautiful books into Bronzeville schools and home libraries as possible this season —

— and we are off to an extraordinary start, thanks to the help of author Pat Zietlow Miller! Pat, a longtime friend of #HolidayBookDriveChi, has sent not one… but TWO full class donations of two of her 2022 releases! What an incredible kick-off for Holiday Book Drive Chi year six!

Friends, you’ve been incredible. The best. Can we do it again?

Holiday Book Drive Chi is officially open for donations!

Below, you’ll find how you can be a part of this year’s effort. If you’d like to collaborate, EMAIL ME via my Contact page. We so hope you will join us!

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• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - are all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.

• Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too! I combine financial gifts and place orders for full-class donations through Scholastic. Great deals to be had there!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2022. On Delivery Day - set for Dec. 15 - we will bring your donations to schools all over Bronzeville and other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Let’s make this a holiday full of JOY again in 2022!

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Below, you’ll find all of the books donated for Holiday Book Drive 2022, so far:

Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive with an entire classroom donation of…

IN OUR GARDEN

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Melissa Crowton, G. P. Putnam’s Sons)

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Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for also sharing an entire classroom donation of…

SEE YOU SOMEDAY SOON

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Suzy Lee, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Debra Kempf Shumaker and Running Press Kids for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

PECULIAR PRIMATES

(By Debra Kempf Shumaker, Illustrated by Claire Powell, Running Press Kids)

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Thank you Bradley family for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

HARBOR ME

(By Jacqueline Woodson, Puffin)

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Thank you Lenert family for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

DRAGONS IN A BAG

(By Zetta Elliott, Random House Kids)

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Thank you Campbell, Yarnell and Rowe families for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

TY’S TRAVELS: ALL ABOARD!

(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Nina Mata, HarperCollins)

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Thank you Conway family for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

DAISY COMES HOME

(By Jan Brett, Puffin)

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Thank you Jenna Johnson for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AND I’M IN MY BATHING SUIT

(By Justin A. Reynolds, Scholastic)

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Thank you Beth Anderson for sharing an entire classroom donation of your picture book…

FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE

(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by Caroline Hamel, Kids Can Press)

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Thank you Two Lions for donating two full-class donations of your books…

A CHRISTMAS TOO BIG

(By Colleen Madden)

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg)

I AM ABLE TO SHINE

(By Korey Watari, Illustrated by Mike Wu)

ANNI DREAMS OF BIRYANI

(By Namita Moolani Mehra, Illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat)

THE BEST GIFT FOR BEAR

(By Jennifer A. Bell)

And…

DANCING WITH DADDY

(By Anitra Rowe Schulte, Illustrated by Ziyue Chen)

I AM YOU: A BOOK ABOUT UBUNTU

(By Refiloe Moahloli, Illustrated by Zinelda McDonald)

PRUETT AND SOO

(By Nancy Viau, Illustrated by Jorge Lacera)

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Thank you Katey Howes and The Innovation Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

A POEM GROWS INSIDE YOU

(By Katey Howes, Illustrated by Heather Brockton Lee, The Innovation Press)

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Thank you Annelouise Mahoney for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT

(By Annelouise Mahoney, Two Lions)

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Thank you Becky Scharnhorst and family for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

MY SCHOOL STINKS!

(By Becky Scharnhorst, Illustrated by Julia Patton, Philomel)

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Thank you Rosie J. Pova and Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

THE SCHOOL OF FAILURE

(By Rosie J. Pova, Illustrated by Monika Filipina, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

CHAMELEON CAN BE

(By Carolina Farías, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

PIPER AND PURPA FOREVER

(By Susan Lendroth, Illustrated by Olivia Feng, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

CEDRIC’S TAIL

(By Amani Uduman, Illustrated by Agnès Ernoult, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

WHEN I’M NOT LOOKING

(By Farren Phillips, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

DODOS ARE NOT EXTINCT!

(By Paddy Donnelly, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

THE PERFECT PARTY

(By Laurel P. Jackson, Illustrated by Hèléne Baum-Owoyele, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

MILO’S MOONLIGHT MISSION

(By Kathleen M. Blasi, Illustrated by Petronela Dostalova, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

MY MONSTERPIECE

(By Amalia Hoffman, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Yeehoo Press for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

MASHA MUNCHING

(By Amalia Hoffman, Yeehoo Press)

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Thank you Dinslage family for sharing an entire classroom donation of…

SIMON B. RHYMIN’

(By Dwayne Reed, Scholastic)

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Thank you Brandon Todd for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

TOU-CAN’T!

(By Brandon Todd, Philomel)

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Thank you Brittany J. Thurman and Atheneum / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books for sharing

an entire classroom donation of your book…

FLY

(By Brittany J. Thurman, Illustrated by Anna Cunha, Atheneum / Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)

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Thank you Becky Scharnhorst and family for sharing an entire classroom donation of your book…

THIS FIELD TRIP STINKS!

(By Becky Scharnhorst, Illustrated by Julia Patton, Philomel)

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Thank you Solonge Robinson for donating 40 copies of your books…

DON’T RUN FROM THE SUN

WHEN THE SUN COME UP AND THE MOON GOES DOWN

and

WHEN THE MOON COMES UP AND THE SUN GOES DOWN

(By Solonge Robinson and Aquabah Gonney-Buckner, ASA Books)

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Thank you friends of Leading with Literacy for sharing two entire classroom donations…

18 DAYS UNDERGROUND (By Joanne Mattern, Scholastic)

and

FOXCRAFT: THE TAKEN (By Inbali Iserles, Scholastic)

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Thank you Clothilde Ewing and Dow and Schaper families for sharing 25 copies of…

STELLA KEEPS THE SUN UP

(By Clothilde Ewing, Illustrated by Lynn Gaines, Denene Millner Books / Simon & Schuster)

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Thank you Theresa A. Smith-Hickman and the Dinslage family for sharing 20 copies of…

I CAN… JUST TRY!

(By Theresa A. Smith-Hickman, Illustrated by Tyrus Goshay, Tgosketch Press)

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Thank you NoNieqa Ramos for sharing 12 copies of your books…

THE TRUTH IS

(By NoNieqa Ramos, Carolrhoda Lab)

HAIR STORY

(By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Keisha Morris, Carolrhoda Books)

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Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia for sharing 10 copies of your book…

DIPLODOCUS FINDS ITS FAMILY

(By Marie Bollmann and Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, DK / Penguin Random House)

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Thank you Lauren H. Kerstein for sharing 10 copies of your book…

HOME FOR A WHILE

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Natalia Moore, Magination Press)

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Thank you Cynthia Harmony for sharing 6 copies of your book…

MI CIUDAD SINGS

(By Cynthia Harmony, Illustrated by Teresa Martínez, Penguin Workshop)

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Thank you Michelle Schaub for donating six copies of your books…

FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Carmen Saldaña, Charlesbridge)

KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING: THE UPLIFTING POWER OF EMPATHY

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Claire LaForte, Cardinal Rule Press)

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Thank you Valerie Bolling and Boyds Mills Press for sharing a copy of your book…

LET’S DANCE!

(By Valerie Bolling, Illustrated by Maine Diaz, Boyds Mills Press)

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Thank you Monica Acker for sharing a copy of your book…

BRAVE LIKE MOM

(By Monica Acker, Illustrated by Paran Kim, Beaming Books)

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CURRENT TOTAL:

1,103 BOOKS

Thank you for being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars!

We can’t wait to see what this year’s holiday book drive brings!

Holiday Book Drive - Year Five!

Holiday Book Drive Chi is back for year FIVE, woohoo! And I have the best news: We get to deliver book joy to young readers in person again! In 2020, in partnership with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy in Chicago and literacy supporters across the country, we collected and donated more books than ever before - 728 titles!

But we really missed being able to talk to students and bring stories directly into classrooms. This December, we will be able to make deliveries face-to-face, in accordance with all district social distancing and masking rules, of course!

When Pastor Neal and I met this week to talk through the details for Delivery Day 2021, I also got to pass along our first book joy bundle of the season! An incredible gift of an entire classroom donation of BE STRONG from New York Times bestselling author Pat Zietlow Miller. Thank you, Pat!!

BE STRONG by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jen Hill (Roaring Brook Press) is a follow-up picture book to the international sensation BE KIND. The book released this August and is just as fabulous as the story that came before it. I’m so excited that the readers served by Leading with Literacy will be getting BE STRONG for their home libraries!

What will Holiday Book Drive 2021 bring? It’s hard to say, but I’ve learned over the past four years that our hopes and dreams for what we might be able to accomplish together are never as big and beautiful as what springs forth from the simple goal of placing new books into children’s hands. I asked Pastor Neal a bit about the impact of Holiday Book Drive 2020, in the height of covid. Here’s what he had to share!

Like the rest of the world, 2020 brought about so many challenges and at times feelings of being overwhelmed. While we all grappled with the pandemic and its effects, I felt especially concerned for our young scholars. Not only were they forced to navigate virtual learning, they missed out on being in class with other students .

As usual and especially last year, the literary heroes from our Holiday Book Drive came through, and each donation lifted our spirits and allowed love to overshadow covid -19. At times, the delivery had to be creative… meeting teachers in parking lots, driving by in front of homes for contactless delivery, and leaving boxes with security in student-less schools. We are grateful and looking forward to serving students in person by delivering awesome love from our heroes directly to them.

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Starting on October 1, we are officially open for donations for Holiday Book Drive 2021! Here’s how you can be part of this year’s effort - we so hope you join us!

• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - are all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.

• Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!

• Book-Skype Combo: Also, authors! If you’d like to donate a copy/copies of your book to a class, and offer a free virtual visit alongside it, that would be terrific! I’d be happy to help make those arrangements.

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too. Whatever works best for you!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2021. On Delivery Day, we will bring your donations to schools all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Let’s make this a holiday full of JOY again in 2021!

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Below, you’ll find all of the books donated for Holiday Book Drive 2021, so far!

Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive with an entire classroom donation of…

BE STRONG

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Jen Hill, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Beth Anderson for donating an entire classroom set of…

TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE

(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by S. D. Schindler, Calkins Creek)

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Thank you Jarrett Lerner for donating an entire classroom set of…

GEEGER THE ROBOT TO THE RESCUE

(By Jarrett Lerner, Illustrated by Serge Seidlitz, Aladdin Quix)

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Thank you Lisa Katzenberger for donating an entire classroom set of…

IT WILL BE OK

(By Lisa Katzenberger, Illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett, Sourcebooks)

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Thank you Bradley family for donating an entire classroom set of…

BEYOND THE BRIGHT SEA

(by Lauren Wolk, Dutton Books for Young Readers)

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Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer for donating an entire classroom set of…

A SCARF FOR SQUIRREL

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Clair Rossiter, Highlights Puzzle Readers)

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Thank you Two Lions for donating an entire classroom set of my debut picture book…

DANCING WITH DADDY

(By Anitra Rowe Schulte, Illustrated by Ziyue Chen, Two Lions)

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Thank you Two Lions for donating 30 copies of your books…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(by Lauren H. Kerstein, illustrated by Nate Wragg)

HUDSON AND TALLULAH TAKE SIDES

(by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weyant)

BETWEEN THE LINES

(by Lindsay Ward)

JULIUS AND MACY

(by Annelouise Mahoney)

COMET THE UNSTOPPABLE REINDEER

(by Jim Benton)

… and A SARI FOR AMMI

(by Mamta Nainy, Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat)

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Thank you Norene Paulson and Albert Whitman for donating an entire classroom set of…

WHAT’S SILLY HAIR DAY WITH NO HAIR?

(By Norene Paulson, Illustrated by Camila Carrossine, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Laura Renauld and Beaming Books for donating an entire classroom set of…

SQUIRREL’S SWEATER

(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)

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Thank you Raven Howell for donating an entire classroom set of…

EEK! MY INK!

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Anke Rappen, AcuteByDesign)

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Thank you Amber Hendricks and Beaming Books for donating an entire classroom set of…

SUPERHEROES DON’T BABYSIT

(By Amber Hendricks, Illustrated by Kyle Reed, Beaming Books)

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Thank you Michal Babay for donating an entire classroom set of…

I’M A GLUTEN-SNIFFING SERVICE DOG

(By Michal Babay, Illustrated by Ela ´Smietanka, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating an entire classroom set of…

HIDE AND DON’T SEEK: AND OTHER VERY SCARY STORIES

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Quill Tree Books)

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Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating an entire classroom set of…

ANNA, BANANA, AND THE FRIENDSHIP SPLIT

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Illustrated by Meg Park, Simon & Schuster)

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Thank you Dows, Rowes, and Schapers for donating an entire classroom set of…

TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A WHOLE IN THE SKY

(By Kwame Mbalia, Rick Riordan Presents)

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Thank you Moran Family for donating an entire classroom set of…

CHANGE SINGS: A CHILDREN’S ANTHEM

(By Amanda Gorman, Illustrated by Loren Long, Viking)

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Thank you Dinslage Family for donating an entire classroom set of…

JADA JONES: CLASS ACT

(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, Penguin Workshop)

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Thank you Annelouise Mahoney for donating 25 copies to create an entire classroom set of…

JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT

(By Annelouise Mahoney, Two Lions)

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Thank you Lindsay Ward for donating 25 copies to create an entire classroom set of…

BETWEEN THE LINES

(By Lindsay Ward, Two Lions)

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Thank you Norene Paulson and Imprint | Macmillan for donating 24 copies of…

BENNY’S TRUE COLORS

(By Norene Paulson, Illustrated by Anne Passchier, Imprint | Macmillian)

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Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, Page Street Kids and Harper Kids

for donating a total of 20 copies of the books…

BESS THE BARN STANDS STRONG

(By Elizabeth Gilbert Media, Illustrated by Katie Hickey, Page Street Kids) and

BALOONS FOR PAPA

(By Elizabeth Gilbert Media, Illustrated by Erika Meza, Harper Kids)

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Thank you Sue Lowell Gallion for donating a total of 20 copies of your books…

PIG & PUG AND FRIENDS

(By Sue Lowell Gallion, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, Beach Lane Books) and

OUR WORLD: A FIRST BOOK OF GEOGRAPHY

(By Sue Lowell Gallion, Illustrated by Lisk Feng, Phaidon)

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Thank you Jodi McKay for donating a total of 20 copies of your book…

PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE

(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Lauren H. Kerstein for donating a total of 20 copies of your books…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE MAKE WAVES

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions

HOME FOR A WHILE

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Natalia Moore, Magination Press)

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions

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Thank you Anica Mrose Rissi for donating 15 copies of your book…

ALWAYS FOREVER MAYBE

(By Anica Mrose Rissi, Quill Tree Books)

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Thank you Laura Gehl for donating 14 copies of your books…

BRILLIANT BABY: Does Math, Explores Science, Plays Music and Fights Germs

(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Jean Claude, little bee books)

BASEBALL BABY and SOCCER BABY (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Reggie Brown, Little Simon)

PEEP AND EGG: I’m Not Hatching (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, FSG)

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Thank you Michelle Schaub and Cardinal Rule Press for donating 12 copies of your book…

KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Claire LaForte, Cardinal Rule Press)

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Thank you Richard Ho for donating 10 copies of your book…

THE LOST PACKAGE

(By Richard Ho, Illustrated by Jessica Lanan, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Kira Bigwood for donating 10 copies of your book…

SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY

(By Kira Bigwood, Illustrated by Celia Krampien, Atheneum)

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Thank you Mikuta Family for donating 10 copies of…

STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME

(By Jason Reynolds, Illustrated by Raúl the Third, A Caitlyn Dloughy Book / Atheneum)

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Thank you Bea Birdsong for donating 9 copies of your books…

SAM’S FIRST WORD (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Holly Hatam, Little, Brown)

HOW TO SPOT A BEST FRIEND (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming, Rodale Kids) and

I WILL BE FIERCE! (By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you NoNieqa Ramos for donating 8 copies of your books…

HAIR STORY (By NoNieqa Ramos, Illustrated by Keisha Morris, Carolrhoda) and

THE TRUTH IS (By NoNieqa Ramos, Carolrhoda)

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Thank you Nalini Raghunandan for donating 8 copies of your books…

FANNY THE CHAMP and FANNY SAVED THE DAY

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Thank you Mike Wu for donating 6 copies of your books…

ELLIE MAKES A FRIEND (By Mike Wu, Disney-Hyperion)

HENRI’S HATS (By Mike Wu, Disney Press) and

ELLIE (By Mike Wu, Disney-Hyperion)

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Thank you to an anonymous donor for giving 6 copies of…

WHEN YOU ARE BRAVE

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler, Little, Brown)

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Thank you Robin Newman for donating 5 copies of your book…

DON’T CALL ME FUZZYBUTT!

(By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Susan Batori, Sleeping Bear Press)

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Thank you Andrea Hall for donating 5 copies of your book…

SHE’S ON THE MONEY

(By Andrea Hall, Illustrated by Li Zhang, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Alastair Heim for donating 5 copies of your book…

QUIET DOWN, LOUD TOWN!

(By Alastair Heim, Illustrated by Matt Hunt, Clarion Books)

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Thank you Christine Van Zandt for donating three copies of…

A BRIEF HISTORY OF UNDERPANTS

(By Christine Van Zandt, Illustrated by Harry Briggs, becker & meyer kids!)

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Thank you Gabi Snyder for donating two copies of…

LISTEN

(By Gabi Snyder, Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, Paula Wiseman)

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Thank you Debra Kempf Shumaker for donating two of your books…

TELL SOMEONE

(By Debra Kempf Shumaker, Illustrated by Tristan Yuvienco, Albert Whitman)

FREAKY, FUNKY FISH

(By Debra Kempf Shumaker, Illustrated by Claire Powell, Running Press Kids)

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Thank you Kristy Everington for donating a copy of…

ISOBEL ADDS IT UP

(By Kristy Everington, Illustrated by AG Ford, Random House Studio)

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Thank you Leah Rose Kessler for donating a copy of…

RAT FAIR

(By Leah Rose Kessler, Illustrated by Cleonique Hilsaca, POW! Kids Books)

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Thank you Melissa Stoller for donating a copy of…

PLANTING FRIENDSHIP: PEACE, SALAAM, SHALOM

(By Callie Metler, Shirin Rahman and Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Kate Talbot, Clear Fork)

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Thank you Anna Lazowski for donating a copy of…

T. REXES CAN’T TIE THEIR SHOES

(By Anna Lazowski, Illustrated by Steph Laberis, Doubleday Books for Young Readers)

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CURRENT TOTAL:

828 BOOKS

Thank you for coming along on this journey and being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars!

I can’t wait to see what we do together this holiday season!

A Month Full of Gifts

Even in the midst of a pandemic, December has been a month full of gifts. Maybe it’s the mistletoe, but I’ve been feeing it - so fortunate to be on the receiving end of several incredible gestures of love and support, as 2020 comes to a close.

One present was the opportunity to gush about books and writing to my book debut group, PB Debut Troupe 21. (Goodness, I’m so humbled to call these authors peers and friends!) It was a blast dishing about my earliest picture book memories (Little Golden Books), favorite authors (many!) and trusty writing snack (peanut butter topped with Mini M&Ms). Here’s the link to my interview on our Troupe Tales blog. Hope you enjoy it!

Then, as I was scrolling Instagram, an illustration popped into my feed: A sneak peek of my debut picture book, DANCING WITH DADDY, which will publish in October 2021 (Two Lions)!! The art is gorgeous and completely conveys the joy, sparkle and intimacy I felt when writing the manuscript. Thank you Ziyue Chen for your phenomenal vision and art! I can’t wait to share more soon. Stay tuned… cover coming January 2021, most likely!

Illustration by Ziyue Chen

And again this holiday season, our house has been bursting at the seams with books for nonprofit Leading with Literacy on Chicago’s South Side. We received more donations than ever before in our 4th annual Holiday Book Drive Chi year! This month and into early 2021, Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy will be sharing more than 700 new books with young readers in Bronzeville and surrounding neighborhoods. Pastor Neal and I are blown away by the generosity of authors, publishers and literacy friends from all across the country - in the midst of COVID, no less. Book joy is most certainly alive and well, and our hearts are so grateful! Visit the Holiday Book Drive 2020 blog post to see all the books donated this year. Incredible gifts!

Sharing stories and life happenings here is a continual source of great happiness and blessings. I have many of your Christmas cards hanging in my dining room, and I cannot tell you how much joy it brings me to see your smiling faces throughout my day. Longing for the time when we can exchange hugs and laughs in person… hopefully soon!

Sending my holiday best to each and every one of you! I pray you feel all the love there is for you, in our earthly world and in the kingdom of heaven - xo Anitra

Deliver Book Joy! Holiday Book Drive 2020

Who could have imagined what 2020 would bring? Last year’s book drive, Holiday Book Drive 2019, was the biggest one yet. My hopes were sky high for the fourth annual Delivery Day.

As I announce Holiday Book Drive 2020, it’s clear our effort will be different this year, due to coronavirus and district-wide e-learning in Chicago Public Schools. Yet, it’s also true that the book drive is needed more than ever. Now is not the time to hesitate or stop working to deliver book joy to young readers.

A classroom delivery from Holiday Book Drive 2019

The schools served by Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy in Bronzeville, on Chicago’s South Side, share that many of their students are in learning environments that are not ideal for home learning. Internet connectivity for students and teachers alike is an issue. And students in daycares do not have one-to-one support and have very noisy work stations, which causes more difficulty in focusing. I asked Pastor Neal how we can best help his community this year.

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Pastor Michael Neal’s Free Little Library in Bronzeville.

What impact has Covid had on your community in 2020?

Covid-19 has in most cases left a feeling of despair and anxiety. Yet it has also allowed a spirit of resilience come to the forefront.

With school visits restricted, are you still able to connect with young readers?

We are not allowed in schools as children are not either. It is our plan to focus on supporting virtually with recorded read alouds.

In what ways can authors and advocates of literacy meaningfully contribute to Holiday Book Drive this year?

The teachers and educators feel even more strongly that the book drive would be good, especially seeing that with children being at home, they are not certain what type of reading material they have access to. 

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So, this year, the drive goes on! We will deliver books directly to our partner teachers and principals at the schools. Then, parents will schedule a time to drive by and pick up their child’s book. Amen!! There is still a way, and we are running headfirst toward it. Please join us!

We are officially open for donations for Holiday 2020! Here’s how you can be part of this year’s effort…

• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.

• Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!

• Book-Skype Combo: Also, authors! If you’d like to donate a copy/copies of your book to a class, and offer a free Skype alongside it, that would be terrific! I’d be happy to help make those arrangements.

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too. Whatever works best for you!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2020. On Delivery Day, we will bring your donations to schools all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Let’s make this a holiday full of JOY!

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Below, you’ll find all of the books donated for Holiday Book Drive 2020, so far!

Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive with an entire classroom donation of…

THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Frank Morrison, Chronicle Books)

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Thank you Bradley family for your entire classroom donation of…

ONE CRAZY SUMMER

(By Rita Williams-Garcia, Quill Tree Books)

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Thank you Robin Newman for an entire classroom donation of your book…

THE CASE OF THE BAD APPLES

(By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke, Creston Books)

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Thank you Raven Howell for an entire classroom donation of your book…

CHUCKLES AND SMILES: Children’s Poems

(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Jordan Wray, Warren Publishing)

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Thank you Lauren H. Kerstein and Two Lions for an entire classroom donation of your book…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions)

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Thank you Dow and Taylor families for your entire classroom donation of…

THE PARKER INHERITANCE

(By Varian Johnson, Scholastic)

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Thank you Schaper and Bateman families for your entire classroom donation of…

The KING OF KINDERGARTEN

(By Derrick Barnes, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Nancy Paulsen Books)

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Thank you Beth Anderson for an entire classroom donation of your book…

LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights

(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by E. B. Lewis, Calkins Creek)

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Thank you Moran family for your entire classroom donation of…

HIDDEN FIGURES

(By Margot Lee Shetterly, HarperCollins)

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Thank you Mikuta family for your entire classroom donation of…

LAYLA AND THE BOTS: Happy Paws

(By Vicky Fang, Illustrated by Christine Nishiyama, Scholastic)

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Thank you Schulte family for your entire classroom donation of…

ZOEY AND SASSAFRAS: Dragons and Marshmallows

(By Asia Citro, Illustrated by Marion Lindsay, The Innovation Press)

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Thank you Happel, Ris and Rowe families for your entire classroom donation of…

I GOT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT

(By Connie Schofield-Morrison, Illustrated by Frank Morrison, Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

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Thank you Maria Dismondy and Cardinal Rule Press for two entire classroom donations…

EVIE’S FIELD DAY

(By Claire Noland, Illustrated by Alicia Teba, Cardinal Rule Press)

COOKIE & MILK

(By Michele McAvoy, Illustrated by Jessica Gibson, Cardinal Rule Press)

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Thank you Baecher, Klaus and Oxie-Twohig families for your entire classroom donation of…

FINDING LANGSTON

(By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Holiday House)

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Thank you Laura Renauld and Beaming Books for an entire classroom donation of your book…

PORCUPINE’S PIE

(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)

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Thank you Sarah Aronson for an entire classroom donation of your book…

JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG

(By Sarah Aronson, Illustrated by Robert Neubecker, Beach Lane Books)

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Thank you Conway family for your entire classroom donation of…

THE GRUFFALO

(By Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Puffin Books)

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Thank you DiOrio, Osmundsen and Pihl families for your entire classroom donation of…

SHURI: A BLACK PATHER NOVEL

(By Nic Stone, Scholastic)

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Thank you Katey Howes for donating 25 of your books…

MAGNOLIA MUDD (Illustrated by Valerio Fabbretti, Sterling Children’s Books)

and BE A MAKER (Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic, Carolrhoda Books)

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Thank you Jodi McKay for donating 20 copies of your book…

PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE

(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman & Company)

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Thank you Poler family for donating 15 copies of the book…

RESTART

(By Gordon Korman, Scholastic Press)

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Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia for donating 12 copies of your book…

BESS THE BARN STANDS STRONG

(By Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, Illustrated by Katie Hickey, Page Street Kids)

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Thank you Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum for donating 10 copies of your book…

BOATS WILL FLOAT

(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Brett Curzon, Sleeping Bear Press)

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Thank you Gene Napue for donating 10 copies of your book…

IN MY POD

(By Gene Napue, Illustrated by Nate Mericle, Story Poem Time Books)

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Thank you Campbell family for donating 10 copies of…

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN

(By Jason Reynolds, Scholastic)

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Thank you Christy Mihaly for donating eight of your books…

FREE FOR YOU AND ME, Illustrated by Manu Montoya (Albert Whitman & Co.)

HEY, HEY, HAY! , Illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Holiday House) and

The GOVERNING THE UNITED STATES series (Rourke Educational Media)

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Thank you Sue Lowell Gallion for donating eight of your books…

OUR WORLD, Illustrated by Lisk Feng (Phaidon),

ALL EXCEPT AXLE, Illustrated by Lisa Manuzak Wiley (Aladdin) and

TIP AND TUCKER: Paw Painters, By Gallion & Ann Ingalls, Illustrated by Andre Ceolin (Sleeping Bear Press)

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Thank you Laura Gehl for donating seven of your books…

PEEP AND EGG stories, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, BABY PALEONTOLOGIST, Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

HAPPY LLAMAKKAH!, Illustrated by Lydia Nichols, MAY SAVES THE DAY, Illustrated by Serena Lombardo

and ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

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Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer for donating six of your books…

EMERGENCY KITTENS!, Illustrated by Dave Mottram (Doubleday Books for Young Readers) and

WHO IS JACKIE CHAN? (Penguin Workshop)

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Thank you Katy S. Duffield for donating five of your books…

CROSSINGS, Illustrated by Mike Orodán (Beach Lane Books) and

the GOOD SPORTS series, Illustrated by Karl West (Rourke Educational Media)

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Thank you Susan S. Novich for donating five copies of your book…

GUESS WHO IS BEHIND THE DOOR: A Counting Book In Four Languages

(By Susan S. Novich, Schiffer Kids)

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Thank you Deb Gruelle for donating four copies of your books…

SLEEPY TIME COLORS and TEN LITTLE NIGHT STARS

(By Deb Gruelle, Illustrated by Gabi Murphy, ZONDERKIDZ)

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Thank you Alastair Heim for donating four copies of your book…

IF I HAD YOUR VOTE

(By the Cat and the Hat, with a little help from Alastair Heim, Illustrated by Tom Brannon, Random House)

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Thank you Jackie Azúa Kramer for donating three copies of your book…

THE BOY AND THE GORILLA

(By Jackie Azúa Kramer, Illustrated by Cindy Derby, Candlewick)

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Thank you Amy Nielander for donating two of your books…

THE LADYBUG RACE (Pomegranate Kids) and

GRAMA’S HUG (Page Street Kids)

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Thank you Corey Rosen Schwartz for donating a copy of your book…

MOOTILDA’S BAD MOOD

(By Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, Illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, little bee books)

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Thank you Nancy Churnin for donating a copy of your book…

FOR SPACIOUS SKIES

(By Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Olga Baumert, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Jarm Del Boccio for donating a copy of your book…

THE HEART CHANGER

(By Jarm Del Boccio, Ambassador International)

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Thank you Sharon Giltrow for donating a copy of your book…

BEDTIME, DADDY!

(By Sharon Giltrow, Illustrated by Katrin Dreiling, EK Books)

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FINAL TOTAL:

728 BOOKS

THANK YOU for coming along on this journey and being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars!

I can’t wait to see what we do together this holiday season!

Book Joy Delivered! Holiday Book Drive 2019

The 2019 Holiday Book Drive was the biggest one yet!

On Dec. 12, 650 books were delivered to students served by Leading with Literacy on Chicago’s South Side. Sooooo many books! I shared them with Pastor Michael Neal, founder of Leading with Literacy, in two batches. The first delivery…

And the second!

(Here’s a roundup of all the books donated in 2019!)

As the holidays neared, I prayed that authors, publishers, family and friends would be interested in the book drive again in 2019 - that the books would arrive in time and that the titles delivered would be enjoyed and shared broadly, to foster an enduring love of reading.

Wow, prayers were answered. The 2019 drive was a heart-racing joy, from start to finish. Generosity and momentum just grew and grew, culminating in an action-packed Delivery Day. We received so many donations that we were able to deliver books to classrooms at EVERY grade level in one Chicago Public School - a Holiday Book Drive first!

And that was just the start. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the day…

To all those who pushed pause on their incredibly busy lives to place an order of books, or collaborate with their publishers on a special delivery - from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. The books that you shared are now being enjoyed by hundreds of young readers!

And a most-enormous thanks the Delivery Day dream team - my dear friend Chazmin Baechler and Pastor Michael Neal. Chaz and I so enjoyed our time with Pastor Neal, visiting the schools where he has such incredible partnerships and touring the Timothy Community Corporation, where many exciting things are underway for residents of Bronzeville.

(We love your new Free Little Library, Pastor Neal!)

So with Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I send my heart-filled gratitude to all for your help in making the Holiday Book Drive happen… again! I sure hope you’ll join us in 2020 for a fourth year of book giving joy!

Holiday Book Drive 2019: Ready, Set, Go!

I’m thrilled to be teaming up again with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy, a non-profit on Chicago’s South Side, for the 3rd Annual Holiday Book Drive. Here we are, making final arrangements for the 2019 event. Me in my dining room. Pastor Neal lakeside in lovely Washington Park.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of authors, publishers, family and friends, the Holiday Book Drive has connected hundreds and hundreds of young scholars with nearly one thousand new books. Click the links below to see the impact of our past two holiday seasons:

Delivery Day 2017 here

Delivery Day 2018 here

We are officially open for donations for Holiday 2019! Woohoo! Want to get involved? Here’s how you can be part of this year’s effort!

• Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - all welcome, and very appreciated!

• The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.

• Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!

• Book-Skype Combo: Also, authors! If you’d like to donate a copy/copies of your book to a class, and offer a free Skype alongside it, that would be terrific! I’d be happy to help make those arrangements.

• Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!

• Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.

• Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)

• Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too. Whatever works best for you!

• Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2019. On Delivery Day (Dec. 12), we’ll visit classrooms all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy!

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Here, you’ll find photos of the donated books and an up-to-date total!

I kicked things off with my donation of a signed copy of…

ONE PLASTIC BAG

(By Miranda Paul, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Millbrook Press)

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Thank you Bradley Family for your full classroom donation of…

BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE

(By Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick Press)

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Thank you Moran Family for your full classroom donation of…

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

(By Katherine Applegate, HARPER)

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Thank you to the Baechler, Hulsen, Klaus and Twohig families for their full classroom donation of…

GHOST

(By Jason Reynolds, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)

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Thank you to the Arturi, Dow and Happel families for their full classroom donation of…

HI! FLY GUY

(By Tedd Arnold, Scholastic)

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Thank you Doug Cenko for a complete classroom donation of your book…

MY MAMA IS A MECHANIC

(By Doug Cenko, Blue Manatee Press)

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Thank you Wendy Greenley for a complete classroom donation of your book…

LOLA SHAPES THE SKY

(By Wendy Greenley, Illustrated by Paolo Domeniconi, Creative Editions)

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Thank you Katey Howes for a complete classroom donation of your book…

BE A MAKER

(By Katey Howes, Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic, Carolrhoda Books)

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Thank you Moran Family for your full classroom donation of…

THIS IS ME

(By Jaime Lee Curtis, Illustrated by Laura Cornell, Workman Publishing)

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Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer and Beach Lane Books for your full classroom donation of…

IT’S A FIELD TRIP, BUSY BUS!

(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Claire Messer, Beach Lane Books)

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Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for your full classroom donation of…

LORETTA’S GIFT

(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Alea Marley, Little Bee Books)

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Thank you to The Schulte Family for your full classroom donation of…

I AM ENOUGH

(By Grace Byers, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo, Balzer + Bray)

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Thank you Bea Birdsong and Roaring Brook Press for your full classroom donation of…

I WILL BE FIERCE!

(By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Schrero Family for your full classroom donation of…

JADA JONES: ROCKSTAR

(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, Penguin Workshop)

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Thank you Geneva friends for your donation of 51 books to the book drive…

including the titles below, and many, many more!

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Thank you Raven Howell for the donation of 37 of your books,

including a full classroom donation of…

GREETINGS! (By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Ann Pilicer, Michelkin Publishing), and

GLIMMER: SONG OF SUN! (By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Carina Povarchik, Spork)

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Thank you Ariel Bernstein for the donation of 28 of your books, including…

WARREN & DRAGON: VOLCANO DELUXE and SCARY SLEEPOVER

(By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Mike Malbrough, Viking), as well as

WHERE IS MY BALLOON? (By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Scott Magoon, A Paula Wiseman Book)

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Thank you Kelsey Skea and Two Lions for the donation of 18 of your books, including…

SANTA’S STORY (By Will Hillenbrand), THIS BOOK IS GRAY and DON’T FORGET DEXTER! (By Lindsay Ward),

IT’S NOT HANSEL AND GRETEL (By Josh Funk, Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor),

JUNIPER KAI: SUPER SPY (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis), and

PIPPA’S NIGHT PARADE (By Lisa Robinson, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming)

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Thank you Katy Duffield for the donation of sixteen of your books, including…

The REMY & RUBY’S RESCUE RANCH series, EMERGENCY VEHICLES, DESENTIERRO DINOSAURS!,

DOZER BUILDS A HILL, PETS AROUND THE WORLD, QUE COMEMOS, AYUDANTES DEL BARRIO,

and COUCH POTATO (Rourke), as well as

FARMER McPEEPERS (Rising Moon), ALIENS GET THE SNIFFLES TOO! (Candlewick),

and LOUD LULA (Two Lions)

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Thank you Lauren Kerstein and Two Lions for the donation of 10 copies of your book…

ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE MAKE WAVES

(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions)

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Thank you Richard Ho and Roaring Brook Press for the donation of eight copies of your book…

RED ROVER: CURIOSITY ON MARS

(By Richard Ho, Illustrated by Katherine Roy, Roaring Brook Press)

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Thank you Denise Shimabukuro for the donation of six of your books, including…

FROZEN II: ANNA, ELSA, AND THE SECRET RIVER

(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Denise Shimabukuro and

Maria Elena Naggi, Disney Press), and FROZEN II: READ-ALONG

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Thank you Patricia Toht for the donation of five copies of your book…

DRESS LIKE A GIRL

(By Patricia Toht, Illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean, Harper)

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Thank you Nancy Viau for the donation of five copies of your book…

CITY STREET BEAT

(By Nancy Viau, Illustrated by Barbara Bakos, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Jenna Grodzicki for the donation of five copies of your book…

I SEE SEA FOOD

(By Jenna Grodzicki, Millbrook Press)

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Thank you Laura Renauld for the donation of your book…

PORCUPINE’S PIE

(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)

as well as THE WONDER THAT IS YOU (By Glenys Nellist, Illustrated by Aurelie Blanz),

I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (By Tammi Salzano, Illustrated by Ada Grey),

SPARKY! (By Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans), and DRAGONBREATH (By Ursula Vernon)

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Thank you Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum for the donation of four copies of your book…

FROZEN II: ANNA, ELSA, AND THE SECRET RIVER

(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Denise Shimabukuro and

Maria Elena Naggi, Disney Press)

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Thank you Natalee Creech for the donation of four of your books…

WHEN DAY IS DONE

(By Natalee Creech, Illustrated by Robert Dunn, Beaming Books) and

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD’S LOVE!

(By Natalee Creech, Illustrated by Joseph Cowman, Worthy Kids)

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Thank you Lauren Eldridge for the donation of four copies of your book…

SLEEP TRAIN

(By Jonathan London, Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge, Viking)

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Thank you Cathy Ballou Mealey for the donation of your book…

WHEN A TREE GROWS

(By Cathy Ballou Mealey, Illustrated by Kasia Nowowiejska, Sterling Children’s Books)

as well as BIRDS (By Carme Lemniscates) and

DO YOU BELIEVE IN UNICORNS? (By Bethanie Deeney Murguia)

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Thank you Melissa Stoller for the donation of your books…

READY, SET, GORILLA!

(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, Clear Fork Publishing)

RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND

(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith, Clear Fork Publishing)

SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH

(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Sandie Sonke, Clear Fork Publishing)

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Thank you Jackie Azua Kramer for the donation of your books…

IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP

(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg, Clavis)

THAT’S FOR BABIES

(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg, Clavis Publishing)

THE GREEN UMBRELLA

(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Maral Sassouni, NorthSouth Books)

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Thank you Shannon Bramer for the donation of three copies of your book…

CLIMBING SHADOWS

(By Shannon Bramer, Illustrated by Cindy Derby, Groundwood Books)

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Thank you Laura Gehl for the donation of your books…

PEEP AND EGG: I’M NOT TAKING A BATH

(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, Farrar Straus Giroux)

and

JUNIPER KAI: SUPER SPY

(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis, Two Lions)

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Thank you Jarrett Lerner for the donation of your books…

ENGINERDS

and

REVENGE OF THE ENGINERDS

(By Jarrett Lerner, Aladdin)

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Thank you Ruth Spiro for donating two of your books…

BABY LOVES THE FIVES SENSES: SIGHT! and HEARING!

(By Ruth Spiro, Illustrated by Irene Chan, Charlesbridge)

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Thank you Jacob Grant for donating two copies of your book…

BEAR OUT THERE

(By Jacob Grant, Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

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Thank you Michelle Schaub for the donation of your books…

FRESH-PICKED POETRY: A DAY AT THE FARMER’S MARKET

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Amy Hungtinton, Charlesbridge), and

FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS

(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Carmen Saldana, Charlesbridge)

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Thank you Mike Ciccotello for donating three art prints and a copy of your book…

TWINS

(By Mike Ciccotello, Farrar Straus Giroux)

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Thank you Sarah Aronson for the donation of your book…

JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines

(By Sarah Aronson, Illustrated by Robert Neubecker, Beach Lane Books)

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Thank you Jodi McKay for the donation of your book…

PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE

(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman)

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Thank you Mia Wenjen for the donation of your book…

SUMO JOE

(By Mia Wenjen, Illustrated by Nat Iwata, Lee & Low Books)

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Thank you Susan Romberg for the donation of your book…

THE HOUSE THAT CLEANED ITSELF

(By Laura Dershewitz and Susan Romberg, Illustrated by Meghann Rader, The Innovation Press)

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CURRENT TOTAL:

623 BOOKS

THANK YOU for coming along on this journey and being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars! I can’t wait to see what we do together this holiday season!

A Very Special Valentine

Today, with a happy heart, I’m sending out a big Valentine’s Day hug to the dozens and dozens and dozens of authors, editors, publishers and literacy supporters who made the second-annual Holiday Book Drive for Chicago kids possible.

You guys! Friends of #HolidayBookDriveChi donated more than 450 books for the Bronzeville-based non-profit Leading with Literacy. From the bottom of my humbled heart, THANK YOU for contributing to this effort. Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy shares me in expressing his deepest gratitude for your generosity again this year.

And so, here’s a very special valentine for everyone who played a role in the 2018 #HolidayBookDriveChi event. Your hearts are absolutely enormous, and the joy you shared can be seen in the faces of every child in this video…

Happy Valentine’s Day to each of you! I hope you’ll join hearts with us again in Holiday 2019, as we continue working to put new books in the hands of kids!

xoxo

Anitra

Author Spotlight: Sue Fliess

My girls sat down to pen their letters to Santa the other day. My middle crafted an awesome list complete with illustrations, for extra clarity. I was going to share it with you, but I didn’t snap a picture in time, and it’s already on its way to the North Pole!

After finishing their lists, the girls paused to create a special gift: “If Santa gets cookies,” my middle said, “Mrs. Claus needs to get something.” They decided that frozen pancakes would probably be Mrs. Claus’ preferred snack. (The note: “SAV THIS FOR MISIS CLOS”)

Why was my daughter so inclined to include Mrs. Claus in her Christmas preparations? I think it has a little bit to do with a spunky holiday adventure we’ve been reading - new picture book MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Mark Chambers (Two Lions).

MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS is a rhyming holiday picture book that puts Santa’s bride in control of the reindeer fleet’s bridles and Christmas Day. The story - set in a quaint and cozy North Pole village - begins on Christmas Eve. The whole team is ready to go… but where’s Santa?

Mrs. Claus checks on her hubby and finds him sick in bed, red-nosed as Rudolph. It’s clear the big man isn’t up to the big task this year. “I have a solution,” says Mrs. Claus, eyes glimmering behind emerald tinted cat-eye glasses. “I’ll go in your place!”

Mrs. Claus wastes no time getting to it. With the help of her elf crew, she gathers supplies and maps her route. Everything is on the up, up and up until the weather goes south and the sleigh springs a leak….

Where beloved Santa uses magic to deliver joy to girls and boys, Mrs. Claus is a master of improvisation, who confronts problems with smarts, gusto and flair. When she returns to the North Pole after a job well done, she finds her partners, the elves, awake and ready to celebrate her victorious voyage. Chambers’ illustration in this scene really captures this book’s jovial tone and positive spirit.

Fliess’ rhyme in this Christmas tale-with-a-twist is engaging, bouncy and bright, a perfect extension of Mrs. Claus’ pep and spark. Check out this incredibly cute trailer, which features some of the story’s standout rhymes…

Sue Fliess, the author of more than 20 books for children, has a natural gift for engaging children, and this winter she’ll visit classrooms across the country to talk to kids about reading, writing and imagination. I asked Sue questions about her school visits, and she kindly shared a few sweet stories with us. I hope you enjoy this Author Spotlight with Sue!

3 Questions with Sue Fliess

You're in the midst of sharing MRS. CLAUS with students. What are some of the questions kids are asking about the story and about writing books? 

I’m so glad you asked this! I just visited a Virginia school where I talked to pre-K through 8th grade, and the middle school students were working on analyzing the plots of some of my books. One group chose Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins and let me know they were working on the theme of grit. Which I love. It’s the perfect word to describe the heart of the story. Since Mrs. C doesn’t have magic, she relies on her intellect, quick-thinking, and grit! At another school visit this fall, the kids noticed and appreciated that Mrs. Claus is using modern technology to get the job done—her list and her map are all on her handy tablet! At school visits, I often get asked “What’s the hardest part about writing a book?” My answer is usually, writing the ending. I have lots of stories started and stalled because I haven’t found quite the right way to end it. I always strive to ‘bring it home’ at the end, and there’s not always a clear path to the end!

School visits provide such wonderful quality time with young readers. How do you structure your school visit days, to make the most of this precious time?

I feel like I could talk all day long about writing, my books, my process, so I need to be conscious of our (the students and myself) precious time together. In order to give the school the most bang for their buck, I offer a variety of presentations geared towards the different grades/ages, from nuggets about writing and how I get my ideas, to research, revising, and getting to the heart of your story. But I always make sure I touch on the things I think they’ll find the most interesting, that they can take back to their own writing—to feel like they really got something out of my time with them, rather than just being entertained. My hope is always that it kicks their brains into gear so the teachers can piggyback on my visit and extend the messages into their lesson plans. So far, the feedback from schools is that this is happening, so hooray!

Can you share a story from a school visit, that hit an emotional chord with you or has inspired your work? 

At one school visit last spring, I was talking about research for one of my books that involves a machine that the character builds (Mary Had a Little Lab). I asked the kids, “If you could invent a machine that could make anything, what would it be?” Some answers included ice cream, unicorns, money, wishes, and then one boy said, “I would invent a machine that makes Sue Fliesses, so you could be here every day!” I got a little choked up! The kids’ enthusiasm and joy that I am visiting their school is totally contagious, and absolutely the most rewarding thing about school visits. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do this with my life! 

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Thank you, Sue! MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS is available at or through your local bookstore, or via the online bookseller of your choice. Sue Fliess (@SueFliess) - pronounced "fleece" - is the author of numerous children's books, including Tons of Trucks, Shoes for Me!, Robots, Robots Everywhere!, The Bug Book, and many, many more. Mark Chambers (@markAchambers) is an illustrator and author of children's picture books and young fiction, who is represented by The Bright Agency.

One lucky reader will win a signed copy of MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS! Here's how to enter:

*** Win MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS ***

Simply...

1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)

2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter

3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by EOD 12/7/18 

(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)

GOOD LUCK!