Inspiring a Love of Reading for Every Student
We connect authors with classrooms—especially in underserved schools—to make reading personal, accessible, and inspiring.
Featured Author 2026-2027 School Year
Mae Respicio
Mae Respicio is the award-winning author of over 20 books for young readers, including engaging nonfiction and novels that celebrate all the ways kids find their place in the world. Her books have received starred reviews, the Asian/Pacific American Library Association Honor Award, been named an NPR Best Book, and have been named to many state-reading and “best book” lists. Mae’s latest, Isabel in Bloom, was praised by The New York Times as a “sweet and heartfelt novel [that] explores how bumpy beginnings can offer chances for new growth.” She lives in the suburban wild of Northern California with her husband, sons, rascally dog, and sweet pet rats.
Isabel In Bloom
A National Council of Teachers of English Recommended Book
Twelve-year-old Isabel is the new kid in her San Francisco middle school. It’s the first time in many years that she’ll be living with her mother again. Mama's job in the US allowed Isabel and her grandparents to live more comfortably in the Philippines, but now Isabel doesn't really know her own mother anymore. Making new friends in a new city, a new country, is hard, but joining the gardening and cooking club at school means Isabel will begin to find her way, and maybe she too, will begin to bloom.