Middle School Writers Symposium 2024

Visiting Author Maggie Tokuda-Hall

April 8-9, 2024

Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in creative writing from USF. She is the author of the 2017 Parent's Choice Gold Medal winning picture book, Also an Octopus, illustrated by Benji Davies. The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea is her debut young adult novel, which was an NPR, Kirkus, School Library Journal and Book Page Best Book of 2020. Its sequel, The Siren, The Song and The Spy comes out September 2023. Her graphic novel, Squad, is an Ignyte and Locus Award nominated comic book, and her newest picture book, Love in the Library, has been named a Best Picture Book of 2022 by Book Page, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Publisher’s Weekly. Maggie is a founding member of Authors Against Book Bans. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog. --Author website

NPR News Story: Scholastic wanted to license her children's book — if she cut a part about 'racism'

Ms. Tokuda-Hall will workshop with all 5th and 6th grade English classes, and will present to the entire Middle School in Fulton on Tuesday, April 9 during flex block. She will also have lunch with students in the Campus Center Alumni Room on Monday, April 8 (space limited, so we'll take the first ten who arrive; students should bring their lunch).

Books in the Overlake Library: 

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall; Yas Imamura (Illustrator)
Call Number: Pic-F Tok
ISBN: 9781536204308
Sent to live in a War Relocation Center in the desert, Tama works in the small library and takes solace in the stories and George, the library's frequent patron whose constant smiles and companionship give Tama hope.