Award-winning children’s author shares insights with education students Newbery Honoree Kyle Lukoff visits campus

Eastern welcomed acclaimed children's author Kyle Lukoff to an educational lecture, Q&A session, and book signing on March 25. The event, attended by more than 40 students, faculty, and community members, highlighted Lukoff's award-winning works and provided insights into their use as educational resources for youth.

Lukoff has created a diverse portfolio of books throughout his career, including picture books, young-adult novels, and beginning-reader books. He is also recognized as a leader in LGBTQ+ representation in children's literature. His books "Too Bright to See," "When Aidan Became a Brother," and "Call Me Max," among others, highlight underrepresented LGBTQ+ identities and experiences.

"Too Bright to See" earned the Newbery Honor and Stonewall Award and was a National Book Award finalist.

Previously a school librarian, Lukoff now brings his own twist to classroom visits, focusing on learning and critical thinking. "Becoming a librarian helped me understand what kids want and don't want in a book," he said.

His first published work, the 2018 picture book "A Story Telling of Ravens," introduces children to collective nouns of groups of animals, such as schools of fish, a flocks of birds, or a murder of ravens. Lukoff shared a prompt he enjoys asking students: "If there were a bunch of 'you's, what would your collective noun be?" He joked that his collective noun would be a "grouch" of Kyles.

During the event, Lukoff emphasized the importance of adapting lesson plans to students' level of understanding. He discussed his book "I'm Sorry You Got Mad," which explores the character Jack learning to apologize to a classmate through a series of letters. It teaches children the importance of genuine apologies and holding oneself accountable.

An unanticipated problem Lukoff encountered was that many first graders don't know what written letters are. "Now I start by asking if anyone has ever gotten a letter in the mail," he said.

He also worked into his lesson a question originally posed by a student: "Why did the teacher have Jack write letters instead of just talking?" A concept not touched upon previously, Lukoff now asks that question to encourage deeper thinking among young readers.

"When you're writing for an audience, you're going through a series of cognitive steps in terms of developing your storytelling," said Susannah Richards, who organized the event. She highlighted the subtle, intricate decisions made to create a healthy balance of learning, comprehension, and entertainment in children's literature. "You're thinking about how [readers] may perceive your words on paper, and it becomes a different level of investment," said Richards.

Richards also spoke to the value of giving college students the ability to connect with authors like Lukoff. "It's terrific to have an opportunity to give both future educators, English majors, and anyone who's interested in the world of 'writing for the world,'" she said.

That message resonated with students in attendance. "As an aspiring educator, I'm thinking about getting authors to speak in my future classroom," said Isabella Pucci, a senior studying elementary education.