Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Bacon
Hi Beth, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
If you are reading this now, you probably know how to read.
Do you remember what it was like when you were learning how to read?
It takes time and patience to become a fluent reader. Reading is hard to learn!
Plus, if you learned how to read before smartphones, your experience was probably much easier than it is for today’s kids. Back then, reading was one of the few ways to satisfy curiosity, expand horizons, and explore ideas independently. Today, thanks to the internet, kids can do all that without doing much reading at all. So if you think about it, for many of today’s kids, learning to read doesn’t seem so urgent.
Still, reading is vital. The act of reading helps with brain development. When kids read, they focus their minds. They practice creativity, empathy, and reasoning. Without solid reading skills, our next generation—and their brains—will be at a huge disadvantage.
So… the original question was about my story. My story is that I’m passionate about shifting avoidant readers into avid readers. I do it by writing funny, smart books that meet kids where they are… and take them a little further along the reading journey. I do it because I have a special place in my heart for youngsters, for reading, and for working toward a brighter future by helping kids today. The books I write are fun and silly—but they have a serious function. Reading is vital for cognitive development, critical thinking, and thriving in our society.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As an independent creative person, my time is filled with writing, editing, designing, and teaching. Marketing and communication take a lot of time too, and that is my biggest challenge. I wish I had a sales team or a set of influencers to help amplify my work. I find it challenging getting the attention of busy teachers and parents so they can become aware of my books. I regularly attend events at libraries and bookstores, but in-person attendance is low for these events. Social media is where everyone is these days, but I find it hard to break out in a very busy social media landscape. It is a quandary: how to use social media to get kids and parents to spend more time reading paper books?
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I write and design books for young readers. Here is a list of my books:
• I Hate Reading, HarperCollins (First Edition: Upstart Books, 2008). This middle grade fiction story is about the frustrations (and joys) of reading.
• The Book No One Wants To Read, HarperCollins. This story is told from the book’s perspective. A lonely book make a deal with the reader: you turn my pages, and I’ll make it fun.
• Alphabuddies: G is First, HarperCollins. This is a graphic novel picture book. The letter “g” wants to be first in the alphabet, but “a” doesn’t want to give up the spot. It’s about taking turns as well as the art of reading.
• Blank Space, Pixel Titles (self published). This picture book, written in concrete poetry, is about a child who loves the blank space between the words in a book.
• The Worst Book Ever, Pixel Titles (self published). This story is about a book that wants to get banned from the library and invites the readers to help get the attention of librarians.
• The Grandmother Effect, Histria Books. This is a creative nonfiction picture book. It’s a heartwarming story about grandmothers that it carries a scientific (STEM) message about the importance of grandmothers through human history.
• The Family That Santa Almost Forgot, Little Fig Publishing. This is a fiction picture book. It’s a retelling of the Night Before Christmas poem.
• The Panda Cub Swap, Histria Books. This is a non-fiction picture book is the true story of Lun Lun and her twin cubs at Zoo Atlanta.
• Helping the World Get Well: Covid Vaccines, Blair Publishing. This picture book tells the story of a child who wonders why she needs a vaccine. It provides nonfiction information in a story format.
• COVID-19 Helpers, Blair Publishing. This picture book helps children understand the Covid pandemic and the measures our society took in response.
• (upcoming) When the Revolution Came To Town, Penguin Dial. This is a graphic novel, the creative nonfiction biography of a girl’s experience in Tunisia during the Arab Spring.
HONORS AND AWARDS
2024 NFPW National First Place Award in Graphic Design for The Family Santa Almost Forgot.
2024 NFPW National First Place in Children’s category for The Grandmother Effect.
2024 Bank Street Books Finalist for Alphabuddies: G Is First
2023 Mom’s Choice Award for The Panda Cub Swap
2023 Chanticleer Lil Peeps First Place for The Panda Cub Swap
2022 iParenting Media Award for The Panda Cub Swap
2022 Bank Street Books Finalist for The Book No One Wants To Read
2020 Emory Global Health Institute eBook Award, first place for COVID-19 Helpers
2015 Marion Dane Bauer Prize for Middle Grade Writing, award and scholarship selected by faculty of Vermont College of Fine Arts
2014 Candlewick Picture Book Prize selected by Candlewick Publishing editors
2009 Library Media Connection Editor’s Choice Award for I Hate Reading
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
When I was a child you could always find me with a book close at hand. I read every book in my fourth grade classroom, so my teacher had to buy more books. Years later, when my own kids stated clearly that they “hated” reading, I was shocked. Reading was my comfort. Books were my friends. Instead of insisting that my kids read more, I took the opposite tack. I got curious. Why did they hate reading? What was going on in their world that was different from my childhood? That’s when I learned how today’s technologies are deeply affecting all facets of child development. Instead of fighting this dynamic, I acknowledged it and used the “old school” medium of books to create stories that are fun and engaging complements to our media culture.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bethbaconauthor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebooksandkids/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BethBaconAuthor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@authorbethbacon4865
