A Letter from the Author: Julie Bogart on Becoming a Critical Thinker

By: Julie Bogart Back in 1996, when the internet was a baby, I imagined it would become a global piazza that would lead us to mutual understanding and warm caring—the whole kumbaya effect. What I found? Young mothers hurling insults at each other over which well meaning parent was ruining the planet faster—Pampers users or

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The Magic Words: How to use poetry prompts to unlock creativity and confidence in academic writing students

By: Joseph Fasano In 2022, I was invited to speak with a class of second graders in New Jersey to teach them about the craft and magic of poetry. I developed a prompt, The Magic Words framework, that could help them unlock images, thoughts, and feelings without worrying about how to structure a piece of

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A Letter from Diane Shader Smith

Diane Shader Smith, mother of Mallory Smith, author of Diary of a Dying Girl Salt in My Soul, my daughter Mallory Smith’s posthumously published memoir, captivated a wide audience, from academic institutions like Harvard and Stanford to higher-profile platforms such as the White House and Capitol Hill. It also reached international forums including NATO and

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Books for Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month

Penguin Random House Education is proud to celebrate Latinx & Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs annually from September 15th through October 15th. We are highlighting the works of our authors and illustrators from the Latinx and Hispanic community, whose stories and characters have a profound impact on our society. Here is a selection of titles

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Jacqueline Woodson’s Red at the Bone Defense Kit

Red at the Bone has become one of the most banned books in the country with teachers, librarians, and community leaders fighting to keep this seminal book on shelves. Riverhead Books has created a special “Defense Kit” to aid those seeking to defend Red at the Bone and freedom of expression itself. The Kit features a letter from Jacqueline, discussion questions from

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Celebrate 100 years of James Baldwin

We’re celebrating the centennial of James Baldwin’s birth by sharing a collection of his work. Explore titles and learn more about the literary legend and civil rights champion.   James Baldwin (1924–1987) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, appeared in 1953 to excellent reviews, and his

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The New York Times’s 100 Best Books of the 21st Century

The New York Times recently published their list “100 Best Books of the 21st Century.” We are pleased to announce that there are 49 titles published from Penguin Random House and its distribution clients included in this list. Browse our collection of Penguin Random House titles here. Browse the full list from The New York

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New Thematic Educator Guides: Teaching Media Literacy

The COVID-19 global pandemic forever changed the way humans interact with information and with each other. Social media saved us from disconnection, but it also provided an opportunity for the dissemination of disinformation, the rise of polarization, and the distrust of traditional news media. Amidst concerns over children’s mental health and internet communication, many state

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