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Rebecca Pitts

  • Jane Jacobs for Young People
  • Story Salon
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    • Author Visits + Book Talks
    • Making Zines with Young People
  • Join for News
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  • Contact
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Issue Nº 36: The Email I Have Been Dying to Send

October 23, 2019

It’s really happening! I’m writing a book!

I'm thrilled to announce that Seven Stories Press has acquired my forthcoming Young Adult biography on the life of Jane Jacobs, the visionary urbanist and thinker who transformed the way we inhabit and develop our cities. Find out more about the book right here...


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Micro-Reviews for the Literary Child

This week’s family read aloud was Islandborn by Junot Diaz. Read my review of this beautiful book full of some pretty big ideas.


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Asides, Ideas, Miscellany

Hooray: humans beat the algorithm.

An entire Manhattan village owned by black people was destroyed to build Central Park.

You need this one in your inbox: HEATED is a newsletter for people who are pissed off about the climate crisis. (I have a feeling this one is going to go behind a paywall soon. As it should.)

“Prune the big limbs, then shake out the dead leaves,” and 49 other writing tools.

Adding this show to my one-day-soon-I-will-return-to-Boston itinerary.

Studio Ghibli fans: a PSA!

We are readying ourselves for some family travel which means I have been racking my brain for ideas for diversions for the children, including this journal for aspiring storytellers.


“Because Hanif is here, writing and happy. Because Eloisa is here, writing and happy. Because Maggie is here, writing and happy. Because Dionne is here, writing and happy.” Regarding Columbus, Ohio (and the “relentless and expensive anxiety of New York City”) by Saeed Jones.


Crowd-sourcing this list with a bookish question: Are you on Goodreads? Do you like it? Do you use it to discover new books?

Other thoughts? Ideas? Recommendations? I love connecting with fellow readers, writers, parents, and humans. Please drop me a line!

New here? Peruse the archive of letters right here or join below for monthly-ish news and notes.

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In Monthly Letters Tags biography, Jane Jacobs for Young Readers, Jane Jacobs, new sounds, history of Central Park, Regarding Columbus Ohio by Saeed Jones, Poynter's 50 writing tools, Studio Ghibli on HBO, Wee Society's Write On: Story Journal
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Jane Jacobs was born more than a hundred years ago, yet the ideas she popularized — about cities, people, and creating a more equitable world — remain hugely relevant today. “JANE JACOBS: CHAMPION OF CITIES, CHAMPION OF PEOPLE, the first biography on Jane Jacobs for young readers, paints a vivid picture of a headstrong and principled young girl who committed her life to building cities made for, and by, the people who live in them.

 

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Thank you for visiting me here! Are you a teacher, educator, librarian, parent, inspirational auntie or uncle, or champion of young people? I’d love to connect with you! Add your email right here for occasional news on author events, upcoming book releases, writing and drawing workshops for kids, and resources for inspiring a love of history, civics, and the arts in young people.

 

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