Tag: Author

Julie Darling and Rebecca Lowe standing in front of the sign describing their AI Summit talk.
Resources, News and Updates

February News

Julie Darling
Julie Darling and Rebecca Lowe standing in front of the sign describing their AI Summit talk.

The 2nd Annual Michigan Virtual AI Summit was a whirlwind! If you’re interested, you can find many of the presenter slides posted. To find these, follow the link, scroll down, and click the + next to the meeting room assignment.

It was lovely presenting with Chad Williams and Rebecca Lowe (pictured right) about policy, practice and the power of the school librarian…and how that all relates to A.I. I briefly met keynote speaker Ethan Mollick. His book Co-Intelligence is fascinating and should be the next A.I. book you read.

I’m currently at work on a secret project (send me all your productivity and motivational tips!) and so the newsletter and events will slow down a bit. You’ll likely hear from me every other month for 2025 – unless there’s something urgent that I simply can’t wait to share.

Save the Date!

On Saturday, April 12th I’ll give a live STEM storytime at the Ypsilanti District Library.

MEDIA

I had a feature article in the December edition of Computers in Libraries magazine. Tips for Helping Little Computer Scientists and Little Hackers appeared in the print edition.

What I’m Reading Right Now

The American Library Association Youth Media Awards were just announced!

I’m particularly excited about the Newbery award winner The First State of Being which was also a National Book Award finalist. Caldecott honor and Coretta Scott King award winning My Daddy is a Cowboy is also delightful. Kwame Crashes the Underworld, a John Steptoe winner and Coretta Scott King honor is a really fun read and finally the Caldecott award winner Chooch Helped has really gorgeous illustrations. So many wonderful books on this list!

I’ve also been reading Unmasking A.I. and Infinite Education, two very different, but both timely and relevant books on A.I.

Author Julie Darling reading at Schuler Books
Uncategorized

December News

Julie Darling

The STEM storytime at Schuler Books was really fun!

I read Little Hackers and Little Computer Scientists, we sang some songs from the guidebook and participants made Tasha’s decoders to use to send secret messages.

Author Julie Darling reading at Schuler Books

In January, I’ll take a break from writing this newsletter. I hope you all find some rest and rejuvenation after the hustle and bustle of the winter holiday season. I’m certainly looking forward to resting, recharging, and recalibrating. Do you make resolutions? Mine will be to establish a reasonable, regular schedule for working on my novels.

Forthcoming Events

On Tuesday, December 17th, I’ll speak on a panel at the Michigan Virtual 2nd Annual AI Summit.

If you’re there too, I’d love to connect!

I’m also reading Little Hackers for Iowa’s Computer Science Education Week on Thursday, December 12th. Anyone can register to attend here, you don’t have to be an Iowa resident. Consider checking out the additional events they have going on that week. They’re pulling out all the stops for this week-long computer science in education celebration.

Media

Ed Tech magazine published an article about the books and my inspiration. You can read Q&A: Embrace Age-Appropriate Computer Science Concepts for Elementary Students here.

I was also featured in Ann Arbor Family magazine. You can read Author Julie Darling Teaches Computer Science by the Book here.

What I’ve Been Reading

I’ve been diving into all things A.I. in preparation for my presentation and for some secret activities that I’ll tell you more about later on. There has been a lot of content dropped by several organizations, recently. 

UNESCO has been weighing in, with frameworks designed for students and teachers. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology has listening sessions,toolkits and more. I’m re-reading Co-Intelligence in anticipation of Dr. Mollick’s keynote at the forthcoming A.I. summit and of course pouring over our district content too. It’s a lot. I feel equally excited and terrified by how quickly everything is moving. I’m curious about your thoughts, share them in the comments?

Resources, News and Updates

November News & Media

Julie Darling
Book Launch! Photo Credit: Jan Gray

Thank you for those who made it to the book launch. I was so honored by those who made it that night and those who wanted to come but couldn’t make it. Thank you so much for your support!

Media Recap

We were on the radio!
Darren Cools (the illustrator for the books) and I were interviewed by April Baer on Stateside, Michigan Public/NPR. If you missed it, it’s not too late to listen, here’s the link. Our interview starts at around the 22 minute mark.
I also spoke to Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Ann Arbor Public Schools, Library Service Department about librarianship, teaching, writing and how I’ve wanted to be an author since elementary school.  SCBWI also interviewed Darren and I for our “book birthday”, a feature posted on the day the books released. They asked about our inspiration and creative process. If you’re interested, you can read that interview here.

Upcoming Events

I’ll be at the YpsiWrites 5th Birthday Celebration this Saturday 10/26 at the Ypsilanti District Library, Whittaker Branch. The event will be 1-4 p.m. I’m scheduled to read at 2:55. Ill be in the vendor area at Ann Arbor Community Bookfest selling and signing books on Sunday, November 3rd. This year, this event will be hosted at the Downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Don’t miss my STEM Storytime at Schuler Books on Saturday November 16th, at 11 a.m. I’ll be reading Little Computer Scientists and Little Hackers, guiding participants through making a Caesar Shift cipher decoder (and selling and signing books).

Resources, News and Updates

Book Launch! Invitation & Media

Julie Darling
Book Launch Event! Thursday October 3rd, 6-9 p.m.

Book Launch Party!

The book launch party will take place on Thursday, October 3rd from 6-9 p.m. at Corner Brewery. You can find more details here.

Our new book set releases on 9/30/24!

September 30th, 2024 is the official release date for our new 3-book series! Check out the books page for links, more details and extras.

We’re going to be on the radio!

D. J. and I did an interview for Stateside!

It airs on our release date, 9/30 at 3:20 p.m. and again at 8:20 p.m. EST.

You can listen to Michigan Public live here, just click the play button at the top of the screen.

Do you want to know more about writing or illustrating children’s books?

If you’d like to learn more about writing or illustrating children’s books, SCBWI is one of the best organizations around…for wherever you are in your publishing journey.

One of the perks they have are ‘book birthday’ features to celebrate publications for their members. Ours will be posted here on 9/30.

A picture of the sunrise on a river and me sitting in the distance on a stand up paddle board.
Giveaways, Resources, News and Updates

September News | Book Launch!

Julie Darling

Photo Credit: Anna Cools

Pictured above is me, attempting to soak up the last dregs of Summer. It’s been in the 90s here in Michigan, which makes it impossible to believe that Fall is almost upon us. Despite clinging to these final hot and sunny days, I couldn’t be more excited for it to be September. This is the month the books will release!!! I can’t wait to finally hold them in my hands. I can’t wait for you all to have access to them. They’re available for pre-order on Amazon now. You can also pre-order them here on the Routledge website starting on September 9th.

I’ve also received word from my publisher that I have fifteen sets to give away across book launch events. Like and reshare any of my book launch social media posts throughout September, including this blog post, to be entered into the drawing.

Lastly, a request. The #1 way authors get discovered is through Amazon reviews. Once you see the books, if you have a moment to give an honest review on Amazon, I’d be eternally grateful.

AI Tool I’ve been experimenting with.

Over the summer I gave three presentations about AI in Education. The first was as a spotlight speaker at the Longwood University Summer Literacy Institute, the second was on a panel for the Michigan Education Association, this talk will be turned into a course soon, accessible to MEA members and the final presentation was to the librarians at Ann Arbor Public Schools.

After each of these talks, participants messaged me about the songs they’d created using the music creation AI tool, Suno. If you’d like to listen to the songs I shared at the presentations, you can listen here. Suno is fabulous for creating catchy music with lyrics that reflect your prompt. My favorite is ‘Library Beats’.

I’d love to hear your Suno creations too! If you want to, you can share with me over social media or send the link to my email: AuthorJulieDarling@gmail.com

Image States that I'm Presenting at ISTELive24
Resources, News and Updates

Read | Write | Tech – June 2024

Julie Darling

This June I’m gearing up for two big events!

I’ll be presenting at the 2024 ISTE conference and Ann Arbor SummerFest in the same week! I’ll also be giving away signed copies of my first book, Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects at both. I’d love to see you there!

June also means Summer reading! Scroll down for details about programs and websites for kids and adults, alike.

There will not be a July newsletter, while we concentrate on book launch and book tour event planning. Sign up for the emailed newsletter here for this content, plus special book launch giveaways and discounts delivered directly to your inbox!

If you missed my National Children’s Book Week: CS For Young Readers panel presentation last month, the recording is now available here.

June Presentations – More Details

On Monday, June 24th from 3-4 p.m. I’ll be presenting Teaching CSTA K-2 Standards Using Books, Games and Songs at the 2024 ISTE conference in Denver, CO. This session will be in-person, live-streamed and recorded, for ISTE conference participants. You’ll need to register for the in-person and/or virtual conference to attend.

On Friday, June 28th from 5-8 p.m. you’ll find me with illustrator D. J. Cools and Booksweet in the KidZone tent at A2SF, giving a sneak preview reading from our forthcoming titles, Little Hackers and Little Computer Scientists, singing the Debugging and Silly Password songs from the Guidebook and teaching kids about binary, ciphers and cybersecurity vocabulary. Enter the in-person drawing for a signed copy of Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Projects and a basket of makerspace supplies. Free event.

Summer Reading Resources

AI powered Sona gives you recommendation based on book descriptions that you type in.

Literature Map asks you to enter the name of an author you like and then creates a map of other authors you may also enjoy.

Which Book gives you curated recommendations which can be selected by region of the world, mood, character, plot and bestsellers.

The American Library Association puts together recommended Summer reading lists compiled for Pre-K through 8th grade. You can access the lists here.

Barnes & Noble has a Summer Reading program for kids in grades 1st-6th as well as suggested Summer reading lists for all ages.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, Pizza Hut does in fact still have their read books for free pizza program for Pre-K-6th graders. It’s called BookIt. You can find more details and enroll here.

Don’t forget about independent bookstores and your local public library! They also have fantastic Summer reading contests, prizes and incentives (and everything is free)!

If you’re looking for additional reading ideas, the Library of Congress has great reading lists from every state, you can peruse the 2024 compilation here. Consider taking a walk in your area and exploring some of the Little Free Libraries! You can locate many of them on this Little Free Library World Map.

Happy Reading! – Julie

Resources, News and Updates

Read | Write | Tech Newsletter

Julie Darling
Read. Write. Tech.
Volume 1
January 2024
A photo I took on a walk around this time of year, a few years back.
Happy New Year from gray, cold Michigan, where everything feels…dormant. That’s what I love about early January, to me everything also feels possible. It’s a perfect time to curl up with a book, a warm beverage and have a little space to think. I hope that’s how you feel too. I hope you get a chance to slow down, and some headspace to recalibrate. Some time to be cozy, warm and perhaps even daydream a bit.
This is the very first of a monthly (or so) newsletter of my thoughts and resources related to librarianship, writing, making, reading and technology. Probably not all at the same time (although you never know)!
If you have ideas for books and resources I should consider including in my upcoming newsletters, or just want to say hello, I’d love to hear from you!  Feel free to email me at authorjuliedarling@gmail.com
January Resources
Resources to celebrate MLK Day Freedom’s Ring, King’s I Have a Dream Speech – Animated From Standford.edu.
This scrolling text features animated extras, including a spoken recording of the I Have a Dream speech, contextual images, and song. 17 minutes and 8 seconds (although you can skip through it if you’d like).

Kid Explorer: Who Was MLK, Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Presented by a kid, this video covers a lot of ground in 4 minutes and 15 seconds. This would likely work well for upper elementary school and older students. Make sure to preview first, to determine if it will work for your learner(s).

University of Michigan’s MLK Symposium 2024 In-person and live streamed events from the University of Michigan, for their annual MLK Symposium.

Tech Tools to Try
Common Sense Education has developed free lessons for K-12 to effectively teach about Internet safety, digital citizenship and more. The lessons are grade-banded, age-appropriate and comprehensive.

Alice is a free download for 3D worldbuilding. It can be used to teach the fundamentals of computer science and/or an introduction to the Java programming language. This one is SUPER engaging and fun (includes a full The Sims™ character builder). Since it’s image rich, the download takes up space (i.e. this won’t work on a phone or Chromebook).
Speaking Events
Image credit: MACUL, Bill Van Loo. Pictured: Bill Van Loo, Sarah Van Loo and Myself
MACUL 2024 Conference
March 13th-15th
Grand Rapids, MI.
I’ll be speaking on Friday 3/15 at 11:30 a.m. EST

ISTE 2024 Conference
June 22nd-26th
Denver, CO.
I’ll be speaking at Monday 6/24 at 3 p.m. EST

I’ll be speaking at both conferences about teaching the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) K-2 standards using books, games and songs. These talks are based on my 3 book series (forthcoming – Summer 2024); Little Hackers, Little Computer Scientists and Supporting the Development of Computer Science Concepts in Early Childhood: A Practical Guide for Parents and Educators.
As a Gen Xer who enjoys reading books featuring technology, I loved Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. It’s the story of two video game designers and how friendship can change and evolve over the course of decades. It also touches a little on the experience of women in male-dominated industries. Have you read it? Maybe we should start a book club?!
I recently received an exciting package in the mail. It came all the way from Japan! Yotsuba&! Is one of my favorite all-ages graphic novels. This copy is written in the original Japanese format (which I bought for a friend). The English-language version is readily available here. The whole series is really lovely.
Books My Students Loved
Some stuffies spent the night at our school and got up to shenanigans.
Just before Winter break we completed our district-wide Great Lakes Great Books competition (a Michigan-based, student choice award). K-5 students got to vote across the district (organized by one of my fabulous colleagues!) and were able to vote for their favorite selection for the actual award, regardless of the bracket winners. We’ll find out who won the official award in the Spring! In the meantime, we also voted as a district. Students learn about our district-level winners next week. Since you’re getting this sneak peek, please keep it a secret until this Friday (when all students will have heard who won during their library classes)!
District Winner for K-2nd Grades: Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
A whimsical, delightful book about bravery and unlikely friendship. Knight Owl also won a Caldecott Honor for the fabulous illustrations.
District Winner for 3rd-5th Grades: The Sweetest Scoop: Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Revolution by Lisa Robinson and Stacy Innerst
A picture book biography about the founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. This book is entertaining, engaging and will make you want to eat ice cream…even when there’s snow on the ground.
Interested in More From Me?
Want an autographed copy of my book Social-Emotional Learning Using Makerspaces and Passion Project? You can order one here through Booksweet!
Never want to miss a book release? Follow me on my Amazon author page for updates.
A cumulative list of books mentioned in the Read. Write. Tech. newsletters can be found here.
January 2024 Newsletter Read | Write | Tech