NCTE and NCSS 2024 - Pragmatic Mom

I was thrilled to be able to sign books three times at NCTE and NCSS. I signed We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court at both NCTE and NCSS. It was a dream come true for teachers at NCSS to tell me that they used Simon Tam’s case in their classrooms! These teachers were generally high school teachers teaching AP U.S. History or Civics.

It was a shocking but happy surprise to learn that We Sing from the Heart was named an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children during a lunch banquet. Sadly, I was not at the event. I was at NCSS for my We Sing from the Heart book signing.

I also did a book signing for Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World at NCTE and, again, it’s always such a great privilege and pleasure to meet teachers!

I also loved meeting folks in the children’s book publishing community, including editors, authors, illustrators, translators, publishers, and more! I was also able to meet more teachers from our panel on How Stories Can Help Students Feel Brave and Take Risks – NCTE Boston Presentation.

NCTE and NCSS were both in Boston and on the same weekend. This never happens but it was so great for me because I live in Boston!

Here’s my video of NCTE 2024 in Boston:

p.s. Related posts:

How Stories Can Help Students Feel Brave and Take Risks – NCTE Boston Presentation

My NCTE Panel: How Stories Can Help Students Feel Brave and Take Risks

NCTE 2023// Food: The Universal Language that Connects Us All panel

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My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal
Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat

California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods

California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
Pennsylvania Mountain Laurel Book Award Nominee 2026-27
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection