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STEM Tuesday– Computers– In the Classroom

By on August 14, 2026   /   Computers, STEM Tuesday   /   Leave a comment

Hi Everyone! We offer you a special STEM Tuesday post today and hope that you enjoy it.

 

Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic lately for educators, writers, readers, and students. There have been numerous discussions, if not arguments, about how to proceed with the direction of AI when it comes to education and also in writing children’s books.  One positive outcome recently was at a conference held in Boston this summer.  At the America’s Youth AI Festival, 93 high school students from all 50 states met with other organizers and developed guidelines for AI use in schools.  As reported in Education Week, their suggestions are as follows:    Education Week, 8/7/2026

 

It should emphasize human relationships and judgement. It should protect the learning process while allowing students to build skills for appropriate use.  It should preserve students’ and educators’ right to refuse to use the technology.

 

Children’s literature is another approach to help educate and inform us all about AI.  More and more children’s books are being written that educate and discuss the background, infrastructure, and possible future of Artificial Intelligence.  The From the Mixed Up Files blog came up with an excellent list of recent books to use with children/students.  

 

Examples of books about AI: 

 

Science Comics: Computers: How Digital Hardware Works 

By Perry E. Metzger, Penelope Spector and Jerel Dye

 

This is a graphic-style book designed to teach about computer hardware, so it goes beyond AI.  I believe it would be of interest to kids enthused by graphic novels, upper elementary/middle school students, computer/technology teachers, and others interested in the background and history of computers, and how it relates to AI today. It is written in an engaging style, with “dinosaurs” dressed in Victorian garb as the main characters.  The authors include a website, www.veniac.com, which is listed as having activities for kids and adults. I checked out the website, and it is still a work in progress, but it’s useful to keep in mind for future engaging activities beyond the book.  

 

See Inside AI: Artificial Intelligence (by Alex Frith and Victoria M. Williams, 

Illustrated by Beatrix Hatcher)

 

This is a comprehensive, “lift-the-flap” style book that will engage many learners, from early elementary through upper elementary/some middle schoolers.  It starts by defining “What is Artificial Intelligence?” and digs deeper by describing “How Does AI Work?”  Some engaging tidbits in here will hook most kids, such as how AI can help track wildlife that might be in danger, such as Koalas in the recent wildfires in Australia.  It is also relatable to kids, in that it mentions video games using AI to create characters that act in more unpredictable, innovative ways. Another high-interest grabber:  using AI to develop toilets that can update you on your health, if you so choose!  

 

The book also touches on higher-level issues with AI, such as: Can AI make art?  How should it be regulated?  What happens when AI can design new robots/computers/AI models itself?  This book can be a jumping-off point for discussions about the future of AI, including ethics. 

 

Kids and teachers can also learn more about AI and this book by going to this link usborne.com/Quicklinks and typing in the name of the book: See Inside AI Artificial Intelligence 

 

AI Vocabulary from the book:  

Narrow AI: only able to do one specific type of problem-solving

Deep Learning: training computers to teach themselves

Natural Language Processing: technology that helps computers understand human language (chatbots)

 

Resources for further information on AI and education/curriculum/policy: 

 

Day of AI: is a free, global “education program and curriculum created by researchers at MIT RAISE to introduce K-12 students to AI”.  It is designed to be non-technical and focuses on hands-on, engaging activities. 

Day of AI: Homepage 

 

They have a variety of activities for many age levels and interests:

 

How We Teach Machines, Ages 4-8 

 

Changing the Game: AI in Sports (ages 11-18) 

 

AI: Family Resources 

 

Common Sense Media AI Family Guide 

 

MIT RAISE: is an organization that advocates for “responsible AI for social empowerment and education”. They focus on AI literacy, ethics, and tools to help educate about AI.

 

MIT RAISE Homepage: Includes curriculum, policy, and studies links

 

 

MIT RAISE Playground Homepage

 

MIT RAISE Playground: Dance, Train Your Own Robot etc

 

By Susan Kenyon, a former special educator who believes that good STEM books can help with the literacy problem. When not writing non-fiction, she can be found exploring the United States.  Recently based in the PNW, she is now off to explore fossils, mountains, and marmots in the Rockies with her favorite little people.

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WNDMG Author Interview: Huda Al-Marashi on her Middle Grade Novel HAIL MARIAM

By on August 12, 2026   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Diversity, WNDMG   /   Leave a comment

Author Interview – Huda Al-Marashi

I’m so excited to be able to introduce you to author Huda Al-Marashi today. Huda is a Middle grade author who has written many beautiful books, among which is a personal favorite of mine GROUNDED, and today we will be discussing her book: HAIL MARIAM which came out from Kokila/Penguin Kids on Feb 24, 2026

I adore reading Muslim middle grade, and the synopsis sounds so compelling. I am so excited to dive into this story and talk to Huda about this book!

Librarians and educators- you don’t want to miss this!

About HAIL MARIAM:

Hail Mariam is an interfaith Muslim take on Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret drawn from the author’s own experiences in Catholic school.

Sixth grade wasn’t supposed to be this complicated.

Iraqi American Mariam Hassan transfers to a local Catholic school and before her first day her parents remind her that she might be the first Muslim her classmates have ever met. No big deal, right? Just represent an entire religion while making new friends, keeping up with schoolwork, and figuring out who she is.

When Mariam’s younger sister, Salma, is diagnosed with a serious lung condition, her family faces endless doctor visits and sleepless nights. Mariam tries to lighten their burden and keep her own problems to herself—including the fact that she’s just been cast as Mary in the school’s Christmas nativity play.

Mariam wants to honor her faith and her new community, but she’s terrified of crossing a religious line. Can a Muslim girl be the lead in a Christian story? What will her family think? And why does she feel like every decision she makes represents all Muslims?

Mariam discovers that faith, much like friendships, isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. As she leans on her family, friends, and school community, she begins to see the power of interfaith cooperation and learns she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Hail Mariam is a celebration of the beauty of finding common ground.

Interview with Huda:

I loved getting to talk to Huda about her new book and I know you will enjoy meeting her and Mariam as well.

SSS: What a wonderful premise of interfaith commonality. Can you tell us a little bit more about what inspired this story?

HA: This story is based on so many of my lived experiences. Like Mariam, I went to a Catholic middle school, but I also went on to an all-girls Catholic high school and a Jesuit university. As I got older, I came to appreciate the ways in which being immersed in another religious tradition shaped me, and it was something I wished more people had the opportunity to experience. Even when we have major theological differences, it helped me to see the patterns among people of faith and how we value similar things. It got me thinking that I could use stories from my middle school years to show how my interfaith education broadened my horizons and allowed me to see those commonalities.

SSS: Tell us about the character Mariam- is she similar or different personality-wise from you?  

HA: Mariam is the eldest daughter of Iraqi immigrants so we definitely share the personality traits that tend to come with that. At home, she’s wants to be a dutiful daughter and sister, and at school, she wants to be recognized as her teacher’s sunshine. And while much of that does resonate with me, Mariam is far more conflicted than I ever was. In order for me to show her transformation, I started her off in an almost exaggerated place of right and wrong, and she struggles with the decisions she makes in the book far more than I ever did. For example, she wrestles with being cast as Mary in the Christmas play, however when I was in middle school and was also offered the part of Mary, I immediately said, “No, I can’t,” and the decision was over in minutes. 

SSS: I hardly ever see Iraqi rep out in the world. Thank you for this book. Tell us more about how culture affects Mariam and her story?

HA: Thank you for recognizing that under-representation! With this book, I hoped to show how our religious and sectarian differences have been exploited. I chose to make Mariam’s parents mixed sect and her mom’s best friend Christian as a way to reflect the various groups in Iraqi society and to show how integrated these communities are. We have a much longer history of coexistence than the politically-motivated strife that we see represented in the media.

SSS: I love the cover! Can you tell us more about how the concept came about?

HA: I love it too! From the beginning, we knew wanted to integrate Christian and Muslim symbols, and my editor shared a few concept ideas with the cover artist, along with pictures of when I was in middle school. And then we went back and forth quite a bit to capture Mariam’s inquisitive look and spunk.

Link to order here.

Writing Process 

SSS: When did you start writing the story and was the process a long one?

HA: It was so long! I drafted a version of this during Covid when I set a goal for myself to write a chapter a week, but it was my first attempt at writing a middle grade novel and I knew it had problems that needed to be addressed. I put it aside while drafting GROUNDED, a collaborative novel I wrote with Aisha Saeed, S.K. Ali, and Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow, but when that was finished, I had to face the draft again and I didn’t have the tools to fix it. Thankfully, I got into what was then known as the Highlights Foundation and is currently known as Boyds Mill Muslim Storytellers Fellowship, and I found the resources there to revise it into the draft that finally sold in 2024.

SSS: Are you a pantser or a plotter? And what helps you with finishing stories when you first start writing your drafts?

HA: I’m a bit of both. I’ll do a rough outline by hand and then try to feel my way through, drafting chapter by chapter, but once I have a draft, I go back to my paper and pen outlines to really think through what I’m actually doing and where I still need to go.

SSS: Any advice for fellow middle-grade authors looking to write MG?

HA: Since I was making the switch from writing for adults to writing for middle grade audiences, I had a lot of work to do on the voice. It was one of those things that I sincerely thought I was addressing in each revision, but my early drafts were far too serious and I would sometimes slip into a more adult voice. It wasn’t until my agent suggested that I lean into the humor that something clicked into place for me. I think that some levity will always be welcome in middle grade books. A little humor goes a long way!

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Do you have more books coming?

HA: I have one more middle grade on the way. I know it will tackle the themes that I’m always drawn to in my work, identity, faith, and family, but it’s still in its early stages so I’m not quite sure how it’s all going to show up!

 

Thank you Huda for joining us and I hope readers and librarians enjoy your book! I know I am so excited to dive in!!!

About Huda:

Huda Al-Marashi writes for both children and adults. She is a coauthor of the middle grade novel Grounded, which won the Walter Dean Myers Honor award, and the author of the memoir First Comes Marriage: My Not-So-Typical American Love Story. Her other writing has appeared in various anthologies and news outlets, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, and Al Jazeera. She is a fellow and mentor with the Muslim Storytellers Program at Boyds Mill, formerly known as the Highlights Foundation, and she lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and three children.

Website: www.hudaalmarashi.com

INSTAGRAM: @huda.almarashi

 

 

 

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Bringing Books & People Together: A MUF Member Spotlight on Megan Hunnicutt of Hunni Hound Books

By on August 10, 2026   /   Author Interviews, MUF Contributor Books   /   Leave a comment

You’ve probably resolved a ‘hangry’ afternoon with a snack vending machine…but have you ever heard of a book vending machine? Hunni Hound Books vending machines deliver stories on demand to ravenous readers at cafes and wine bars in North Carolina, and Mixed Up Files contributor, Megan Hunnicutt is behind the magic! Let’s hear more from this children’s writer about her brave books and her relentless commitment to bring books and people together.

 

headshot of megan hunnicutt

Thanks for agreeing to this interview, Megan. As a mom-entrepreneur myself, I’m inspired to learn about your online bookstore venture. How did Hunni Hound Books come to be for a busy mom like yourself? 

Hunni Hound Books was supposed to be a storefront. My husband and I found the perfect spot and hoped to buy the building. Unfortunately, our financing fell through and I was heartbroken. So I pivoted and decided to just start small and open up a little online storefront via Bookshop.com. Other local friends, families, and teachers knew about it and so I set up a little business where I would create online shelves for parents and teachers hunting for books that engage their kids. That expanded into pop-up shelves at coffee shops. 

 

What inspired the expansion into book vending? 

I had been seeing these book vending machines on Instagram and thought they were adorable. Such a great way to have a micro source de facto bookshop, no rent and relatively low inventory. So we took the leap, found the right machine, had it wrapped and placed in my friend’s wine café in Fletcher, North Carolina.

 

In addition to Hunni Hound Books, I heard you’ve had some recent career developments into the publishing world. Tell us more!

I’ve always wanted to be in publishing. Working with Bookshop, I spent a lot of time curating books and thought I had a knack for connecting books and readers. I felt like I was getting better at knowing what makes a book great. I’ve been applying for lots of publishing gigs, but being a mom that’s 49, it’s not an easy thing to do. I came across a post on LinkedIn from Jackie Garcia Morales. She was just starting out as an agent at Storm Literary and was looking for a very part-time assistant so I immediately messaged her. She told me later she felt like I had the most authentic message and as soon as we talked, we completely clicked. So now I am assisting with marketing her upcoming middle grade novel! I’m actually going to be interviewing her for MixedUpFiles to talk more about it. She’s been amazing and incredibly supportive.

 

Seeing both sides of the publishing world now, what kind of unique insight can you share with other writers that has made your (and might make their) journey easier?

Jackie is so incredibly down to earth. It’s been fun being able to sit and talk to her. She’s also a writer herself and went through the same thing all of us are going through. She writes, she queries, she’s had rejections. She finally landed her dream agent and now she’s going through the next step in the process. I think learning to be patient and know that agents are just people like us. They want the best for us. They’ve been there. I also think I’ve become more connected with just writing. Of course I wanna get an agent. I want to be published, but Jackie helped me remember why I love it and why it’s so important for all of us to keep going. Besides that, we had lunch the other day and it’s fun chatting with her about the publishing industry and the ins and outs of what we’re writing and things that seem to be striking a cord with editors.

 

You spent 15 years as a teacher. In what ways does that experience influence your writing and publishing career?

Organization! I’m learning that organization is incredibly important. Part of my work with Jackie has been developing a database with all of the various blogs and magazines and podcasts to help her promote her book. I’ve had a lot of fun digging through that and learning the ins and outs of Google sheets. It sounds so ridiculous but it’s helping me with order and structure in my writing. Also time management. I’m having to make sure I have time for Jackie, which in turn forces me to really make sure I have time daily to write.

 

The Sorrows of Hattie Springs book coverLet’s talk about your 2025 middle grade novel, The Sorrows of Hattie Springs. Give readers a quick pitch.

When twelve-year-old Maggie is forced into a grief support group after the death of her mother, the last thing she expects is to discover a hidden portal to Effugium—a magical realm where talking animals, fairies, witches, and the spirits of storytellers have long sought refuge from heartbreak. 

But Effugium is in danger. 

To save both Effugium and their own world, they’ll have to face their deepest losses—and help Maggie finally let her mother go.

 

What a powerful story! I love meeting other writers who touch on tougher yet very real subjects, like loss. What inspired you to write about grief and why do you think these stories are important for kids to read? 

I started writing the book when my mother had dementia. As I was writing it, she passed away. So, it was a very personal book. I thought about my own kids and what I wanted to give them in the process. I wanted to teach them that it was important that they faced the hard things. In the middle of all of that, I had to have open-heart surgery so I was facing not only the death of my mom, but my own mortality, and this book was the way that I was able to speak to my kids and tell them that everything was going to be OK.

 

Wow! That’s an intense experience to write through. What did you want readers to walk away with after reading The Sorrows of Hattie Springs? 

Life is hard. We have to face our battles head on. We can be afraid but we can be brave. And once we take that first step, things start to get better.

 

Well you definitely embodied that bravery while writing your novel. I wonder, the characters in your story discover strength in one another, who in your life do you find strength with?

My husband, Rob. He’s an absolute saint. He carried me through that heart surgery. He’s helping me raise four kids, two of them toddlers. He’s a special ed teacher who has a way with kids. They call him the kid whisperer. There’s no way I would survive this life without him.

 

Just for fun, since Hunni Hound vending machines have found homes in coffee shops– do you have a favorite cafe drink you enjoy? 

Absolutely! I’ve become obsessed with S’mores lattes and when they’re out of season, they have a special way to still make them just for me. 

 

Oh, I’ll have to snag your secret recipe! Okay, last one. What is lighting you up creatively right now? What’s next for you? 

My kids are completely my inspiration. I have two toddlers 18 months apart named Daisy and Walden. I have a 13-year-old daughter who’s vastly cooler than I was at that age named Charlie Hill and a son who I’m so proud of who’s starting at Fashion Institute of Technology this fall. They are the bravest, most creative kids I’ve ever met! I’m currently working on a YA horror and a romance book. Romance is everywhere these days and I absolutely have an inspiring romance with Rob so I figured I should probably write about it.

Thank you Megan. It was lovely getting to know you.

 

Learn more about Megan Hunnicutt on her website or follow her and Hunni Hound Books on Instagram at @meganmhunnicutt and @hunnihoundbooks. Read a sample chapter of The Sorrows of Hattie Springs (2025) and purchase this brave tale on Amazon today!

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