|
|
| photo: Saverio Truglia | |
John Schu is the author of the picture books This Is a School, illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison, and This Is a Story, illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Lauren Castillo. Louder Than Hunger (Candlewick Press, March 19) is his debut novel-in-verse. He's the children's librarian for Bookelicious, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and a former classroom teacher and teacher-librarian. He lives near Chicago and travels around the world sharing his love of books.
Handsell readers your book in 25 words or less:
Louder Than Hunger explores eighth grader Jake Stacey's experiences with anorexia nervosa and anxiety, showing the successes and setbacks of his journey toward recovery.
On your nightstand now:
Oh, there are always soooo many books on my nightstand.
Here are five of the middle-grade books waiting to be read:
The Secret Language of Birds by Lynne Kelly
Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang
Ultraviolet by Aida Salazar
Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respicio
And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps
Favorite book when you were a child:
As a child, I loved reading books based on TV shows, feature films, and media properties. They always reeled me in. I read Goofy's Big Race: Walt Disney's Fun-to-Read Library, Volume 4 and Jan Carr's novelization of Oliver and Company over and over again. Both books calmed me. They are tattooed on my heart.
Your top five authors:
I love booktalking books by Katherine Applegate, Lauren Castillo, Kate DiCamillo, Renée Watson, and Jacqueline Woodson. They inspire me to be a better writer and human. They write books that help hearts heal. They are AMAZING!
Book you've faked reading:
Wow! I've never been asked this question before. Should I feel ashamed that I've never faked reading a book before? Should I try it? Hmmm...
Book you're an evangelist for:
I'm an evangelist for Newbery Medal-winning The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. There was something about this book, this character, and the way Katherine's beautiful words reached from the page to draw me in. It is the forever book of my heart. I've given away thousands of copies. Please add it to the top of your to-read mountain if you haven't read it.
Book you've bought for the cover:
Browsing bookstores and libraries is one of my favorite hobbies. I love when a cover screams,
"PICK ME UP!"
"BUY ME!"
"YOU NEED ME!"
In 2021, I bought Donna Barba Higuera's The Last Cuentista from Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, Ill., because of Raxenne Maniquiz's artwork and Richard Oriolo's design. What a stunning cover for a beautiful story!
Book you hid from your parents:
This is a somewhat painful and complicated question to answer. In my book for educators and writers, The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life (Stenhouse), I write about how books can be the perfect prescriptions that let us know we're going to be okay. We give students access to these lifelines and leave room for the magic. The book I hid from my parents wasn't the perfect prescription to let me know I would be okay. It didn't provide magic and solace. It read more like a here's-how-you-can-develop-an-eating-disorder manual. A manual to help me become better at disordered eating, which is why I won't name the book, but I hid it from my parents because I didn't want them to connect any dots between the subject of the book and me. Thirteen-year-old me needed a book like Louder Than Hunger. I think it would have had a positive influence on my heart and health.
Book that changed your life:
Michael Cunningham's The Hours changed my life. Virginia Woolf, Clarissa Vaughan, and Laura Brown came into my life when I really needed them. When I really needed their stories. I skipped multiple classes one day during college to read it. I couldn't put it down. I started reading it again as soon as I finished it. I saw the movie based on the novel in the theater at least 10 times, and I memorized most of the screenplay.
Favorite line from a book:
I served on the Newbery Award selection committee that selected Kate DiCamillo's Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures. I think about this part of the book multiple times per week:
"And she felt it. Her father's heart, beating there inside of him. It felt very certain, very strong, and very large. Just like Dr. Meescham had said: capacious."
Five books you'll never part with:
Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman
It is a perfect picture book. I love how it shows the importance of each individual and how their presence impacts others.
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
I vividly remember my second-grade teacher reading Charlotte's Web aloud in 1988. When I close my eyes, I'm transported back to our classroom. I see her standing in front of the room reading aloud one of the most beautifully written stories. It is the first novel I remember a teacher reading aloud. At a young age, it taught me the importance and power of experiencing books together. I also remember that she cried. I think about that moment a lot. Thank you, Ms. Villender!
The Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE how this series turns so many dormant readers into avid readers. Magic!
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
I wish I could gift a copy to every elementary, middle, and high school classroom. I love how it highlights the beauty in finding the courage to tell your story and to share yourself.
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad
I was in the Seattle area doing school visits on The Puppets of Spelhorst's book birthday. I bought a copy from Brick & Mortar Books in Redmond. I read aloud the entire book in my hotel room. I was the only person in the room. I couldn't resist! It was written to be read aloud! I loved every moment I spent with the king and the wolf and the girl and the boy and the owl. What a gift!!
Book you most want to read again for the first time:
I wish I could read Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan again for the first time. Thankfully, I can re-read it whenever I want. I love that when we re-read a favorite book, it often offers something new.