Our Projects

Welcome! The grade levels and ages listed here are estimates, simply meant to guide you. You know your kids and students best—every reader grows at their own pace. Many books are wonderfully universal and work well across multiple age groups, and some titles remain a perfect fit for readers who may still be developing their skills, especially with a bit of guidance or support. And remember: nonfiction picture books can be powerful tools at any age—even in high school—as supplements, mentor texts, or just great stories worth encountering. Thank you for sharing books with young people, embracing beautifully diverse stories, and keeping the magic of reading alive.

Feel free to use and share any of the educator materials provided here—just kindly credit Room 228, and please note that none of our resources are permitted for resale. Read away!

An Educator’s Guide for Follow the Water by Ellen Cochrane

A captivating true story about a girl who fell out of a plane over the Amazon—and walked out of the jungle eleven days later. Complete with sidebars that explore and explain the science that allowed Juliane to survive her fall, the diversity of life in the Amazon jungle, the natural history of Peru and much more, Follow the Water is a powerful and unforgettable true story of survival against all odds. This guide provides educators and students with a framework to explore the natural environment and the depth of human resolve. Essential questions guide students through Juliane’s incredible journey, through the mystery, beauty, and challenges of the Amazon jungle, and will help them explore universal and highly relevant themes for young people. The interdisciplinary activities allow for student discovery and exploration. Students will engage with science, art, and language to enhance their understanding of the world around them, of how we are all interconnected, of causes and effects, of structure and function, and of stability and change in the natural world and in life and literature.

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Educator Guide for Deborah Heiligman’s nonfiction biography Loudmouth

Deborah Heiligman is a National Book Award finalist, a YALSA Nonfiction Award winner, and a Printz Honor winner. In Loudmouth she tells the extraordinary true story of a woman who was a fearsome fighter for change in her complicated new country—and a complicated human being in her own right. This is an essential read for young people, or for anyone who wants to use their voice to make the world a better place. The accompanying educator guide explores contextual vocabulary and historical figures, has students creating interactive timelines, writing research-based letters and epistle poems surrounding topics from the book, and engages students through movement and role-playing.

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Educator Guide for My Selma by Willie Mae Brown

In her memoir, Brown immerses her readers in the fear and uncertainties that the southern Black community experienced regularly in Selma, Alabama in the mid-1960s. Despite these many abuses, her memories of Selma are beautiful and filled with joy, love, and admiration for the people, for the locales she frequented, and for her family and home. In this educator guide, students will explore contextual vocabulary, the power of primary sources, and unique writing choices. Brown’s story teaches young readers today of the past, with the hope of changing the world of the future.

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Educator Guide for Some Kind of Hate by Sarah Darer Littman

Declan Taylor is riding high. His pitching helped the baseball team win state, and the future looks bright. But when an accident puts the future he imagined for himself in doubt, he finds himself heading down a rabbit hole that will change his life—and the lives of everyone around him—forever. This educator guide asks students to explore difficult and sometimes painful topics. This guide serves as a reflection tool to help them process, critically analyze, and understand the world around them. The guide empowers students to dive deep into language and universal themes, vibrant stories, and characters who are just as confused, flawed, and interesting as any real-life friend.

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Author’s Guide: Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson’s mastery of examining sophisticated topics through age-appropriate story-telling is inspiring. This author study guides educators through many of Woodson’s chosen techniques so students can analyze, evaluate and practice them in their own reading and writing.

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