KidLit Summer Camp Day 2
Welcome to Day 2! Did you miss Day 1’s interviews? No worries - you can find Day 1’s content here.
Today’s content focuses on books that take place in the real world - contemporary fiction and nonfiction.
Book coach and author Stephanie Dethlefs talks about the importance of contemporary fiction, and how it can help young readers navigate difficult topics.
Author and book coach Joanna Cooke talks about the importance of wonder when writing nonfiction for young readers.
Author Sylvia Liu talks about how her background in environmental law has contributed to her writing and offers solid tips for moving forward in your writing endeavors.
Author Grace K. Shim shares the ups and downs on her journey to publishing her debut YA novel in her inspiring and transparent interview.
Ways you can thank our guests for their generosity:
follow and thank them on social media (don’t forget to tag them and you can use #kidlitsummercamp to refer to this event)
buy their books or request your library buy them
leave a positive review for their books, podcasts, YouTube channels, etc.
Stephanie Dethlefs
Stephanie Dethlefs is a writer, certified book coach, teacher, and lifelong avid reader. She has spent decades working with writers of all ages in the classroom as a teacher and now as a book coach where she’s finding her own voice and holding space in which others can find their own. Stephanie is the author of the middle grade novel Unspoken and numerous published articles and essays, and hosts *How to Write a Novel* on YouTube. She lives in Pacific NW Washington with her family.
Connect with Stephanie on her website.
Stephanie hosts a YouTube channel, where she makes videos for writers.
Joanna Cooke
Joanna Cooke writes stories for young people. Her books, including The Sequoia Lives On, Call Me Floy, and Fire Shapes the World, focus on nature and the human experience, as well as several books for the educational market. Joanna holds an MFA in Creative Writing and an MEd in Elementary Education. Prior to writing, she spent 10 years working as an environmental educator and naturalist in California’s Sierra Nevada. She now lives with her family and cats in Jackson, WY, where she enjoys dinner parties and all things outdoors.
Connect with Joanna on her website and Instagram.
Joanna’s books are available in the KidLit Summer Camp book fair.
Sylvia Liu
Sylvia Liu grew up with books and daydreams in Caracas, Venezuela. Once an environmental attorney, she now spins stories inspired by oceans, kraken, and the intricacies of family and friendship. She’s the author of Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation (Razorbill), Manatee’s Best Friend (Scholastic), and A Morning with Grandpa, illustrated by Christina Forshay (Lee & Low Books). Sylvia is the co-founder of the kid lit resource website Kidlit411 and lives in Virginia with her family and a fluffy cat.
Connect with Sylvia through her website, Instagram, and Twitter.
Sylvia is the co-founder of the KidLit411, a repository of KidLit info and news.
Sylvia’s books are available in the KidLit Summer Camp book fair.
Grace K. Shim
Grace grew up in Tulsa Oklahoma as one of two Korean-Americans at her high school (her sister was the other one). Today, Grace writes books with Korean-American protagonists that she wished she had read about as a teen.
Connect with Grace through her website, Instagram, and Twitter.
Grace’s books are available in the KidLit Summer Camp book fair.