Katie Kawa

Jackie Robinson became the first African American Major League Baseball player, and the story of how he broke baseball's color barrier brings the worlds of sports and history together. How was he chosen to break this barrier, and what struggles did he have to face once he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers? These questions and many more are answered through age-appropriate text, including sidebars that provide additional information about this member of...

"Gender identity is a concept that young people are talking about in increasingly open ways, and they need resources to help them better understand this complex topic. This sensitive and age-appropriate overview of gender identity features helpful definitions and explanations, an introduction to the use of preferred pronouns, and tips for talking to both peers and adults about this topic. Fact boxes and graphic organizers supplement the carefully...

"Is television bad for kids? This question has been asked by parents, scientists, and more ever since television sets first entered people's homes, and different people have come up with different answers. As readers are challenged to form their own opinions about the effects of television on young people like them, they strengthen their critical thinking skills and learn to respect a variety of viewpoints. The unbiased main narrative is presented...

"Freedom of the press is an issue that's often in the spotlight. Some people believe it's an essential part of a democracy, while others believe the press has too much freedom. Before readers can join in this debate about the press and the factors threatening its freedom, they need to know the facts about this topic. Facts are presented using accessible language and fact boxes that simplify complicated data and statistics. Readers deepen their understanding...

"'Fake news' is a term used by politicians and on social media. It can be difficult to know what news sources to trust, or if any can be trusted. The question of whether or not we should trust the news is at the center of this critical thinking exercise, which is also an accessible introduction to media literacy. As the informative main text details each side of this debate, fact boxes present statistics readers can use to back up their point of view....