Rob Sanders writes fierce and funny picture books. From fiction to nonfiction, Rob’s unique style and voice rings with clarity. Rob is a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes. Every school day he teaches elementary school kids about books and words and reading and writing. Rob also mentors other writers, leads writing workshops, critiques manuscripts, and spends time collaborating and learning with others who share the same passion.
I wrote
Stitch by Stitch: Cleve Jones and the AIDS Memorial Quilt
Cleve Jones' extraordinary life was pieced together, then stitched tightly into different types of quilts. From the blanket that his great-grandmother made…
If you want to read an LGBTQ+-themed picture book for Pride, why not start with the first one? When Heather Has Two Mommies was released more than 30 years ago, it was groundbreaking and it continues to be heartwarming to this day. Heather is a girl whose favorite things come in twos—two pets, two gingersnaps, two moms. On the first day of school, Heather tells her classmates about her moms and the class discovers the uniqueness of each other’s families.
New in the UK, a rediscovered modern classic for today's generation in an updated, beautifully illustrated edition.
All but unavailable since 2009, this delightful, important modern classic is back by public demand - revitalised in an updated, beautifully illustrated new edition for young readers. Celebrated author Leslea Newman and bestselling illustrator Laura Cornell tell the story of a little girl called Heather. Heather's favourite number is two - she has two arms, two legs, two pets and two lovely mummies. But when Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy ... and Heather doesn't…
Sunny is a 12-year-old with a new heart and new plans for the summer—have amazing experiences, find a new best friend, and kiss a boy. Sunny takes readers on one heart-racing adventure after another as she navigates difficult family situations, goes on a first-kiss quest, and learns to surf. When she makes a new best friend, she discovers that maybe it’s not a boy she wants to kiss after all. Three words to describe this book: humor, heart, and hope.
When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a New Life Plan: 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time. Her New Life Plan seems to be racing forward, but when she meets her new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. With the reemergence of her mother, Sunny begins a journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James.
As with Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World, the sophomore…
The stakes couldn’t begin any higher—a night in a cemetery, summoning spirits, and the mystery of a dead cousin (and that’s just the first three chapters). The main character of Cemetery Boys is a transgender, gay sixteen-year-old boy who is excluded from the rite of passage that would firmly cement him in his close-knit, diverse, East LA community. There’s romance, suspense, and more than a few spine-chilling moments as well as the main character, Yadriel, who will grab your heart and not let it go.
Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him.
When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.
However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose…
Growing up in the 60s and 70s I never saw a character like me in a book. I finally found that character in Flamer. If you ever wondered what it’s like to be queer, closeted, chubby, and bullied—or if you experienced it yourself—then you need to meet Aiden Navarro. If you remember a first crush who broke your heart and crushed your spirit or felt you couldn’t go on until you found out you could, then you might just see yourself in the pages of this book, too.
Award-winning author and artist Mike Curato draws on his own experiences in Flamer, his debut graphic novel, telling a difficult story with humor, compassion, and love.
"This book will save lives." ―Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of National Book Award Finalist Hey, Kiddo
I know I’m not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They’re mean, and scary, and they’re always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.
I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.
It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's…
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t grow up learning LGBTQ+ history. Everything I’ve discovered, I’ve learned on my own as an adult. It’s time for that to change. This book can help kid readers (and adults) learn that LGBTQ+ history is part of American and world history. Our stories aren’t controversial, but not teaching history sure is. This book will give you an introduction to the LGBTQ community’s heart—our history.
2016 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People List
Lambda Literary Award Finalist
On the Rainbow Book List
Who transformed George Washington’s demoralized troops at Valley Forge into a fighting force that defeated an empire? Who cracked Germany’s Enigma code and shortened World War II? Who successfully lobbied the US Congress to outlaw child labor? And who organized the 1963 March on Washington? Ls, Gs, Bs, and Ts, that’s who.
Given today’s news, it would be easy to get the impression that the campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality is a recent development, but it is…
Cleve Jones' extraordinary life was pieced together, then stitched tightly into different types of quilts. From the blanket that his great-grandmother made for him as a boy, to the friends he gathered in San Francisco as young man, it is almost as if he was destined to bring the art of quilting to a new public awareness. Mentored by Harvey Milk, Jones debuted idea for the AIDS Memorial Quilt during a candlelight memorial for Milk in 1985 and created the first panel for the quilt in 1987. The AIDS memorial quilt, one of the largest public arts projects ever and an iconic symbol of hope that remembers 94,000 lost souls, is Jones' shining achievement. It has since toured the world and been seen by millions of people.
This evocative biography is a touching tribute to Jones' life of advocacy and an inspiring message for young readers to take away. Includes a timeline of the quilt and other useful backmatter.
True confession: I’m not a baker, but I love it when other people bake. It’s riveting to watch how they transform the humblest of ingredients into desserts that are beautiful and delicious. I get super excited to see this creative process unfold, which is why I adore The Great British Baking Show and other competitive reality baking programs. They inspired me to write Marvelous Jackson because my main character desperately wants to snag a coveted audition spot on The Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship. He relishes the frenetic energy and noise of a kitchen packed with ambitious and talented people—just like I do!
Since losing his mom, thirteen-year-old Jack Wilson has spent most of his time seeing just how much trouble he can get away with so that he feels like a winner at something. But he takes his mischief too far and is faced with the possibility of unbearable consequences. He knows it’s time to make a big change.
After rediscovering the love of baking he once shared with his mother, Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay on the right path, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones—and…
After losing his mom, a struggling thirteen-year-old boy in northern Wisconsin rediscovers the love of baking he once shared with her and decides to audition for the world-famous, big-hearted Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship television show in Chicago. Jack is sure that his new sense of purpose will help him stay out of trouble, so he throws himself into learning the finer points of sprinkles and scones -- and hopefully even mending his broken relationship with his dad.
