Book Giveaway: A TEACHER LIKE YOU by Frank Murphy

Frank Murphy has written a new picture book, A TEACHER LIKE YOU illustrated by Kayla Harren and published by Sleeping Bear Press  It is available in bookstores now. SBP has agreed to share a copy with one lucky winner living in the United States.

All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you.

Sharing on Facebook, Twitter or reblogging really helps spread the word for a new book. So, thanks for helping Frank and Kayla.

If you have signed up to follow my blog and it is delivered to you everyday, please let me know when you leave a comment and I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Teachers have the power to change the life of a child with every new school day. Whether they’re discovering math or reading, practicing a new instrument or a new sport, or learning about our wonderful, diverse world, students can count on the kindness, innovation, and patience of a teacher. This is a wonderful celebration of all the ways teachers help their student’s bloom.

BOOK JOURNEY:

A Teacher Like You is the third title in Sleeping Bear Press’ “like You” series. I was excited to shift the focus a little bit and honor and appreciate my fellow teachers. For each book after A Boy Like You (which I authored by myself) I will always have a co-author who brings different dimensions of diversity to the table. For Teacher, I wanted to have a primary teacher (I teach 6th grade in a K to 6 school) partner with me. Choosing Barbara Dan was easy. Barbara teaches 2nd grade. We have been teaching in the same school for 16 years, together. We have taught together in 4th and 6th grades, too. Barbara’s journey to becoming a teacher and her experiences as a first-generation Korean American teacher and mother brought great perspectives. So, I’m thrilled to have Barbara as a writing partner.

When we first started imagining and writing Teacher it was a year before the pandemic hit. Our main goals were to celebrate and honor teachers. Also, we wanted to give teachers inspiration to remember one of the most important reasons why they possibly chose teaching – to inspire kids! We intentionally incorporated pieces of social emotional learning and growth mindset and leadership lessons we’ve both taught over the years.

As the revision process moved along and Kayla Harren began to create sketches, the process spilled into March 2020. Sarah Rockett (our editor) and the whole team knew we had to acknowledge what was going on in educators’ and students’ teaching and learning lives. So…there are subtle nods to virtual teaching and to teachers going above and beyond to build and sustain relationships with their students.

Barbara, Kayla and I (and the whole team at Sleeping Bear Press) hope that this book offers some measure of appreciation for the dedication teachers give. And we hope it inspires teachers to continue thriving and for everyone else to recognize the unique value teachers bring to our communities, each day. Educators are essential – from classroom teachers to museum docents to coaches to moms and dads to yoga instructors to school nurses and counselors and on and on – the list of “teachers” in our lives is a long one.

FRANKS BIO:

FRANK MURPHY is a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches. He has taught a wide variety of grades at the elementary for more than 26 years. A history buff, former basketball coach & Sixers fan, and popular speaker, Frank is the author of many fun historical fiction/biography books for young readers, including several popular Step into Reading History Readers – including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2006 Best Book Award Winner Ben Franklin & the Magic Squares. Most of his children’s books are about iconic people from the past like Teddy Roosevelt, George Washington, Frederick Douglass, and Clara Barton.

His newest picture book is A Boy Like You (July 2019) illustrated by Kayla Harren and published by Sleeping Bear Press. A Boy Like You is a loving tribute to boys, celebrating all the wonderful ways to be a boy and encouraging readers to be the truest version of themselves–while embracing empathy and kindness. As a teacher and father, Frank is committed to helping expand the definition of what it means to be a boy and a man, this is an important and timely message for anyone who cares about today’s male youth.

Frank was born in California, but moved to Philadelphia, PA when he was 8 years old. He’s been in the Philly area ever since. He currently teaches 6th grade.

He has written more than 18 children’s books and A Boy Like You is his favorite. He currently lives in Bucks County, PA. Visit his website at https://www.frankmurphybooks.com/.

KAYLA’S BIO:

Kayla Harren graduated from the School of Visual Arts in NYC with a BFA in Illustration. She illustrated the picture books Juma the Giraffe and Our Elephant Neighbors for Wild Nature Institute and PAMS Foundation.  Mary Had a Little Lizard, published by Sky Pony Press, was her debut picture book as an author/illustrator. Her artwork has been featured in Communication Arts, 3×3 Magazine, and the Society of Illustrators Illustration Annuals.  She won the June 2017 Highlights for Children Pewter Plate Award for her illustration.

Kayla’s books include Hannah’s Tall Order: An A to Z Sandwich and Mary Had a Little Lizard. She lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.kaylaharren.com. Kayla was recently featured on Illustrator Saturday.

Frank, thank you for sharing you new book and journey with us. Another great book to the “Like You” series. They just keep getting better. Love how it shows all the people who find ways to teach our children. It is such an inspiring the book and Kayla did a wonderful job of showing diverse children and teachers with her illustrations. They are gorgeous. Good luck with the book.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy