Out d’Coup LIVE | Alan Gratz on his latest book ”Two Degrees,” climate change, and controversy

This week I welcome Alan Gratz to the show. We'll be talking about his latest #1 New York Times bestselling young adult novel, Two Degrees and the controversy over the Kutztown Area School District's canceling their "One Book, Once School" middle school program that was set to read Two Degrees. Why did they cancel reading his book? It's a familiar story of right-wing extremism infecting our schools. Right-wing members on the school board and in the community objected to reading a book that accepted the reality and the threats posed by climate change. 

On April 15th, Gratz will be one of the Featured Speakers at the 25th Annual Kutztown University Children's Literature Conference. In the wake of the decision by the Kutztown Area School District to cancel their "One School, One Book" program, he made extra time to meet with the community while in town. He will be doing two events at Firefly Bookstore in Kutztown on April 15th as well. At the evening event, he will be interviewed by Joslyn Diffenbaugh, founder of the local Teen Banned Book Club. Details for the events can be found on Firefly Bookstore's Facebook page and through the links in the show notes. 

Alan Gratz is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of nineteen novels and graphic novels for young readers, including Two Degrees, Captain America: The Ghost Army, Ground Zero, Refugee, Allies, Prisoner B-3087, and Ban This Book. A Knoxville, Tennessee native, Alan is now a full-time writer living in Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and daughter. Learn more about him online at www.alangratz.com.

LINKS:

• Alan Gratz's home page: https://www.alangratz.com/about/
• Get Two Degrees at your local bookstore: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781338735673
• Firefly Bookstore events on April 15: https://bit.ly/40nVH4m
• Article: "In Kutztown schools, the right's culture warriors block a book on climate change," by Will Bunch, The Philadelphia Inquirer: https://bit.ly/3Kk3ACR
• Article: "Kutztown One Book, One School literacy program halted after outcry over book's focus on climate change," by Lisa Mitchell, The Reading Eagle: https://bit.ly/3ZMzywI
• Kutztown Organized for Educational Excellence (KOFEE): https://www.kofee.info/

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