Middle Grade Authors Inspire Readers

KARINA YAN GLASER Author of the The Vanderbeekers Series

Upper Elementary and Middle School hosted middle grade author Karina Yan Glaser on April 27. The New York Times bestselling author of The Vanderbeekers series and A Duet for Home, Ms. Glaser is also currently the Dorothy Carter 2023 Writer-in-Residence at the Bank Street School for Children. Ms. Glaser guided two fourth-grade homerooms through a writing workshop with a focus on how to use setting to bring a story to life. She met with the Mock Newbery Book Club, as well as a group who read A Duet for Home earlier in the year. To conclude her visit, Ms. Glaser gave an interactive presentation to all Upper Elementary students and faculty.

“She inspired students by sharing her homemade journals, and she captivated them with anecdotes of her pets, upon which the Vanderbeekers’ beloved animals are based. Throughout the author’s stay, GCDS students asked Ms. Glaser thoughtful questions that sought to connect her successful journey to their personal writing paths. The Vanderbeekers series has been consistently popular in the GCDS Library, and the waitlist continues to grow following Ms. Glaser’s visit,” said Ellen Gittes, Upper Elementary School Librarian.

WENDY WAN-LONG SHANG Author of The Secret Battle of Evan Pao

Author Wendy Wan-Long Shang visited the Middle School on Tuesday, April 11, to talk about her most recent book, The Secret Battle of Evan Pao, a 2022 ALA Notable Book selection, as well as her previous books. She spoke about her experiences growing up as a Chinese immigrant in Virginia and how discovering that Chinese soldiers fought in the American Civil War inspired her to write the story.

“We chose The Secret Battle of Evan Pao this year for the Middle School faculty and students to read because the novel speaks to ways that those with different perspectives and backgrounds can reach understandings that foster personal growth and a greater sense of community,” said Susan Polos, Middle School Librarian.