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It was one of those happy times when my editor, Liz Szabla, sends me an email that begins, “I am excited to tell you . . . .”

These days, or maybe since time immemorial, authors usually receive emails that begin with the words “unfortunately” or “sadly” or “regrettably.”

Then the message gets worse after that. 

But not so on this fine, sunny morning!

My middle-grade novel, Shaken, still less than half a year old, was selected to be on the 2025 Kansas NEA Reading Circle List. 

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And no, I’m not exactly sure what any of that means. But I do know that these state lists are important for raising the profile of a book, and for getting those books into the hands of teachers and students.

Doing some quick research, I learned this: Since 1926, KNEA has published a list of recommended books by reading level as a service for school librarians and classroom teachers. 

MANY THANKS, KIND FOLKS IN KANSAS!

I’D LOVE TO VISIT YOUR SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR, GIVE ME A JINGLE!