Bias, Books, and the Bizarre Realities in History with Author Beth Anderson

I was so fortunate to meet Beth Anderson through the Rocky Mountain chapter of SCBWI years ago and today I get to share her with all of you!! 

Beth is such an encouraging, helpful, and kind presence in the kidlit world. Her blog is a wonderful resource and her books will lead you down all the rabbit holes of history you never knew you needed to explore.

Some Highlights💃:

• Encouraged to become a writer by her final class of students. “The surprising reality of the world.”
• Picture books are relatable and great to share with all ages, middle school, even high school.
• “How can I tell them to go after their dreams if I’m afraid to do it?” -going for your dreams as a teacher
• The fear of telling grownups that you’re a writer vs. telling kids. So much scarier!
• Boom! Brain explosions.
• “It’s kind of a solitary endeavor to write but it’s not because you can’t write alone.”
• How to correctly pronounce ‘Huzzah!’
• The fallacy of perfection, even with founding fathers!

I could have talked to Beth all day about etymology and the historical pronunciations of words. In case you didn’t know, she has a book out about Benjamin Franklin’s failed attempt to change the alphabet to a more accessible format. Seriously go check it out here: An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin and Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley!

From lesser known history to word nerdiness, I always enjoy hearing from Beth and learning her (seriously, if you see a class of hers, TAKE IT! 😊♥️✍️).

Links Mentioned🔗:

Beth’s website

Beth’s Blog filled with all kinds of writing and education resources

Full list of Beth’s books and links to educator resources

Beth on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science: Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose! Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes on Bookshop, IndieBound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million

Lizzie Demands a Seat: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights illustrated by E.B. Lewis on Bookshop, Indiebound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books a Million

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)

Book Recommendations📚:

Pedal, Balance, Steer: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Alison Jay

The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Jessie Hartland

One Day This Tree Will Fall by Leslie Barnard Booth, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman

Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular by Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward

Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Rob Dunlavey

No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley; illustrated by Jeanette Bradley

The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His Mother by James McBride

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Facing the Mountain: A True Story of Japanese American Heroes in World War II by Daniel James Brown

Thank you, Beth!!! Stay tuned for next week with author and doctor Christine J. Ko!