Drop Everything and Read with Newsela’s Own Authors
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Drop Everything and Read with Newsela’s Own Authors!

Hilary Lyons
Apr 12, 2023

Curling up with a good read on a cozy April day…is there anything better? Not in our book!  Drop Everything and Read Day is a favorite holiday here at Newsela. Some of our Newsela colleagues are even published authors, so this DEAR Day we’re sharing some of our favorite reads written by our own coworkers.

We can’t wait for you to check out these books and see all the talent we have in our ranks.

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Richard Ho, author of Year of the Cat, is our Executive Editor for ELA. Year of the Cat follows the aftermath of the Great Race to the Jade Palace and explores the story of Cat, the one animal who did not receive a year in the Chinese zodiac calendar. If you’re a teacher with conflict-prone students, this book will drive home the importance of sincere apologies, while students have a laugh along the way. 

Want more? This Newsela Cornerstone Activity on Chinese Religion and Philosophy explores the Chinese zodiac and more. 


Ico Romero Reyes, author of Toxic: The World's Deadliest Creatures, is a Senior Editorial Production Lead for Interactive Media. In her book, Toxic: The World’s Deadliest Creatures, she explores the ways that creatures from all around the animal kingdom use poison to defy predators and subdue prey! If your students are the type to be interested in the world’s deadliest spiders, snakes, scorpions and more, this book might be for them.

Want more? Read about Australia’s most venomous creatures in this Newsela article. 

Veronica Thompson, author of Earth-Friendly Earth Day Crafts, is Newsela’s Senior Manager of Brand & Creative Services. Her hands-on book, and others like Earth-Friendly Science Crafts and Earth-Friendly Tech Crafts, are a perfect read and activity book for this time of year, after all Earth Day is right around the corner! If you’ve got some reusable materials laying around and teach 3rd-5th graders who need a creative outlet - this pick is for you. 

Want more? Newsela’s Earth Day Text Set explains the origin of Earth Day and how you can help the Earth. 


Tanu Wakefield, author of Undersong is the Senior Editorial Production Lead for ELA. Her book, Undersong, explores the strain of music that hides beneath our daily encounters with the world, through different forms of poetry. As it’s also National Poetry Month, Tanu’s book is the perfect extra-curricular activity for students looking for more verse and less prose. 

Want more? Check out our resources for National Poetry Month!

We hope you enjoy the amazing talents of our coworkers and for more fun reads, check out the poem wrote for Read Across America Day and other great resources.

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