Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptist; Crown, 2023.

Eb & Flow (Ebony and De’Kari) don’t have much use for each other and the enmity grows when Eb mars Flow’s beloved sneakers. Antagonism escalates and a cafeteria altercation results in a ten-day suspension that ultimately leads both characters to a clearer understanding of themselves, each other, and the challenges they face.

Why this book? Why will it matter to kids?

Eb & Flow is an accessible contemporary novel in verse told from dual points of view that invites middle grade readers to look beneath the surface of behaviors, words, and reactions in order to gain understanding and find common ground.

Levels and Layers of Learning

Grade level: 5-7

Social-Emotional Learning Themes

Acceptance, compassion, concern, connection, creativity, dedication, diligence, effort, empathy, encouragement, empowerment, friendship, generosity of spirit, gratitude, helpfulness, hope,  inspiration, kindness, loyalty, perseverance, persistence, perspective, resilience, resourcefulness, respect, responsible decision-making, relationship building , self-assurance, self-awareness, self-management, self-reliance, social awareness, tenacity, understanding

Content Area Connections: SEL, ELA, Community

Using This Book in the Classroom

Hit the Ground Running Ready Resources for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Parents

Learn more about Kelly and her books. 

Coming soon! The soundtrack for the book is currently being developed by Kelly’s daughter. Check back here or on Kelly’s website.

Write Away! Ideas to prompt writing

In Eb & Flow we learn of the conflicts beyond those with each other that the seventh-grade main characters are facing. Tell about a personal experience you have had in which a challenge you faced spilled into your actions, words, and their consequences.

Eb & Flow is told from two points of view. Which character did you relate to most? Why? Give specific examples from the story to explain.

As the story unfolds, we gradually learn more about the two main characters and their lives. How did the story details affect the way you perceived the characters from the beginning of the story to the end? Be specific.

How has reading this story affected your outlook or interactions with others, especially those who may be difficult for you to connect with?

Poetry Break Related poetry to recite before or following the reading of this book

Poetry breaks fit perfectly into brief moments in the school day—from opening or closing exercises to lining up for lunch; from zipping up backpacks and jackets to transitioning from one subject to the next. Reading a poem typically takes less than a minute; yet, it can introduce or reinforce a concept, provide clarity, celebrate language, exemplify rhythm, enhance vocabulary, expand understanding of a concept, increase attention span, initiate reflection, spark imagination, or simply summon a giggle. And, poetry soothes and strengthens the spirit.

“Poetry builds resilience in kids and adults; it fosters Social and Emotional Learning. A well-crafted phrase or two in a poem can help us see an experience in an entirely new way.” ~  Elena Aguilar

In recognition of National Poetry Month, the following is a listing of newly released poetry books of note followed by a listing of newly released novels in verse:

•  The Dream Team: Poems for Bedtime by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Anuska Allepuz
• How To Write A Poem by Kwame Alexander and Deanna Nikaido, illustrated by Melissa Sweet; pay attention to our natural world and then pick up a pencil and let your imagination soar. Perfect pick for Earth Day, too!
• Peek-A-Boo Haiku: a lift-the-flap book by Danna Smith, illustrated by Teagan White
• Push-Pull Morning: Dog-Powered Poems About Matter and Energy by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Serge Blochscientific concepts (gravity, inertia, magnetism, electricity, friction, etc.) are woven into humorous, relatable poems featuring a dog and his kid. “Dog-Powered Notes” at the end of the book define terms and explain physics concepts introduced in the poems.
• Remember by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade; a reflection on our connection to ourselves and the natural world.
• Soccer Queens poems by Charles R. Smith, Jr.; a collection of poems about the women soccer greats of the 1999 World Cup.
• Trees: Haiku from Roots to Leaves by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by Angela McKay
• Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Hyewon Yum

See also, previous Children’s Book Corner blog posts on poetry books here and here.

Novels in Verse

• Harboring Hope: The True Story of How Henny Sinding Helped Denmark’s Jews Escape the Nazis by Susan Hood
• The In-Between: a memoir in verse by Katie Heidrich
• Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca; see earlier Children’s Book Corner post featuring an interview with Rajani and resources for using her Newbery Honor Award novel in verse, Red, White, and Whole with students.
• They Call Her Fregona by David Bowles; sequel to They Call Me Güero

Additional Resources

ReadWriteThink Poetry Resources

Poetry Month celebration ideas 

Downloadable Poetry Posters

Poem In Your Pocket Day is April 27. Find suggested activities on ReadWriteThink.

Poem In Your Pocket Day Activity Sheet

“Five Reasons Why We Need Poetry in Schools” by Elena Aguilar

An affecting, informative post: “Honoring the Legacy of Poet Lee Bennett Hopkins”

And Then There’s This…
Enrichment activities, related books, online resources, craft projects, and ideas for further study

In recognition of Earth Day, celebrated this year on April 22, the following is a listing of newly released books of note focused on our environment and conservation:

• Bug Block by Christopher Franceschelli, illustrated by Peski Studio (board book)
• Can I Recycle This? A Kid’s Guide to Better Recycling and How to Reduce Single-Use Plastics by Jennie Romer, illustrated by Christie Young
• The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Jessie Hartland
• Global Warning by Steven B. Frank; middle-grade novel
• In the Pond Magic Flaps board book by Will Millard, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi
• In the Tree Magic Flaps board book by Will Millard, illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi
• Just A Worm by Marie Boyd
• The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It by Dee Romito, illustrated by Ziyue Chen
• One World: 24 Hours on Planet Earth by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Jenni Desmond
• The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker
• The Tree Book illustrated by Hannah Alice
• Trees: Haiku from Roots to Leaves by Sally M. Walker, illustrated by Angela McKay
• Water: How We Can Protect Our Freshwater by Catherine Barr, illustrated by Christiane Engel
• Water! Why Every Drop Counts and How You Can Start Making Waves to Protect It by Lisa M. Gerry
• See also, How To Write A Poem, above.
• Earth Day-related Children’s Book Corner post: This Is the Tree We Planted
• And don’t forget Book 2 of my Cayuga Island Kids series, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek.

ReadWriteThink Earth Day Activities

KidLit Crafts and Activities for Earth Day

Meet the Author

Kelly J. Baptist

Kelly J. Baptist (pronounced “Baptist, like the church,” says Kelly) won the 2015 We Need Diverse Books short story contest with The Beans and Rice Chronicles of Isaiah Dunn. Inspired by her work in an urban school district, Kelly continued Isaiah’s story with Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero and Isaiah Dunn Saves The Day. Kelly has also written a picture book, The Electric Slide and Kai, and the middle grade novels, The Swag Is In The Socks and Eb & Flow. Kelly is a huge Kobe Bryant fan and incorporates Mamba Mentality in all aspects of her life, especially writing! She lives in Southwest Michigan and keeps beyond busy with her five children, who always give her plenty of story ideas and background noise to write to.

Backstory: Q & A with Kelly J. Baptist

I am pleased to welcome Kelly to the Children’s Book Corner! I appreciate the time and care she took with the many questions I asked about Eb & Flow and her writing journey.

Judy Bradbury: Tell us about this project: first, how you became interested in writing a novel in verse, and secondly, why did you decide to tell this story as amiddle grade novel in verse told from two points of view.

Kelly J. Baptist: While in my first workshop as a student in Hamline University’s MFAC program, my workshop leader asked if I had ever considered writing the piece in verse. I probably frowned internally, but outwardly I said no. He suggested that I try out and see what I thought. I never did. Fast forward a couple of years, and when I sat down to write Eb & Flow, verse is what instantly emerged! Because it is about a conflict between a boy and girl, I thought it was quite appropriate to tell the story from both of their points of view. I wanted to get as close as possible to what each was thinking and feeling. As I like to say, there is always a story behind the story.

JB: Certainly, there are joys and frustrations when writing in this format. Tell us about an unexpected joy. What is one hurdle you experienced in the creation of Eb &Flow, or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote related to the writing of this novel in verse.

KJB: An unexpected joy was how easily the story flowed from me (no pun intended!). One hurdle I experienced had to do with the actual formatting. I wrote this with much more white space on each page and when it was typeset, it came to over 500 pages! Being the author, I was perfectly fine with that! But my editor let me know that I definitely had to reduce. I didn’t remove any of the story, but I did have to tediously go through each and every poem and adjust the line structures. The finished product features much longer lines than I originally intended.

In addition, Eb & Flow is an amazing example of life imitating art. I wrote the first words, “I don’t even hit girls,” on a cold Saturday in February 2020. That following Monday I went to work at my middle school, and a fight broke out between a boy and girl. I was walking the boy to the guidance office and he was visibly emotional and upset. What did he say? “Man, I don’t even hit girls!” I was in shock! I grabbed my notebook and ran to show our dean of students. That moment was confirmation that the story needed to be told.

JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you or about the writing of Eb & Flow?

KJB: With Eb & Flow, and whenever I have time, I like to write my stories in notebooks and then type them up. My process is that I have to go shopping for the right notebook, one that embodies my main character. Then I have to assign my main character a color, and that’s the color ink I write with! For Eb & Flow, I used pink and blue, though thinking about it now and seeing the cover of the book, I could’ve easily used red for Eb!

JB: As the story unfolds, readers gradually learn details about the lives of the two main characters that help to define who they are, what they grapple with, and how they respond or react in various situations. The characters become dimensional and authentic. What questions does your story consider, or what do you hope readers will take away from Eb & Flow?

KJB: How much do I have in common with the person sitting next to me or across the room or in the next office? What would happen if we built on common ground? What is the story behind the story? How effective are out-of-school suspensions? The value of an amazing, present, strong, invested, consistent parent (or parent figure) should never be understated; it changes the game. Every amazing, present, strong, invested, consistent parent needs a community to support him/her. It takes a village. Those are just a few of my ponderings regarding Eb & Flow.

JB: Who needs this story? Describe your target audience.

KJB: This story is for the kid who has fought at school, who has gotten suspended, who has had conflict with a classmate. It is also for the parents, teachers, principals, and community members of that kid.

JB: As a former middle-school Social Emotional Learning Interventionist, how do you see Eb & Flow connecting to curriculum or being used in schools or community programs?

KJB: This is a great question! Though I write full-time now and am no longer an SEL, I definitely used literature to teach self-regulation, relationship skills, and self-awareness. I think Eb & Flow has so many teachable moments, so many “let’s stop and think” discussion moments. Educators can really dive into the thoughts and feelings that are driving Ebony and De’Kari’s behavior, which sets the stage for students to recognize their own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I would love to create an educator’s guide for this book!

JB: What project are you currently working on?

KJB: I’m actually working on a screenplay! I’ve been reading a lot of scripts and it’s been another exciting adventure so far. Also on deck is an upper MG/lower YA (is that a thing?) novel that I’ve been writing on and off for a couple of years. And in line with the previous question, there are also some music-themed stories coming!

JB: What is one question you wish I had asked, and what is your answer?

KJB: Other than writing, what captivates you?

Answer: Music! I’ve been realizing how much I miss music! Growing up I played piano and wrote songs; when I got to college, I started playing the bass guitar. All of that took a back seat when I started my family and as I focused more on my writing career. Now, my youngest daughter, Natalia, will sit and create music and write songs for hours and hours. Watching her makes me reminisce and I want to tap back into those parts of me.

Meet the Jacket Art Illustrator

Learn more about Shannon Wright, creator of the cover for Eb & Flow.

Sidebar Spotlight New releases of note

Each month I receive several boxes of books to review from various publishers. As I read and peruse the books, I place them in two piles: those that I will consider featuring on the blog, and those that don’t fit the mission or theme of Children’s Book Corner blog for whatever reason. I highlight some of the books in the “possible” pile on Mondays (most weeks) on Instagram. Ultimately, I choose the one new release I will feature on my monthly blog post. Yet there are many terrific books I wish I could give a shout-out to, even if I can’t write an entire post about each one. So, Sidebar Spotlight is a means of giving a nod to new releases that, in my opinion, are noteworthy. I’ve linked each title to Bookshop so you can learn more. Happy reading, friends! And feel free to comment on these or other new books below.

Cloud Babies: Sometimes All We Need to Do Is Look Up by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Chris Judge; an affecting story about a child’s experiences returning to school after a serious illness and the challenges and ultimate joy of sharing her way of finding comfort through the journey with her peers.

Corner by ZO-O; an uplifting, creatively rendered, brilliantly detailed nearly wordless story celebrating resourcefulness, optimism, confidence, and creative expression.

How Do You Spell Unfair? MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison; biography of the first African American to win the Akron, OH spelling bee who went on to compete at the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC in 1936.

Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Claire Keane picture book biography chronicling the lives of two creators most intimately involved in the making of the iconic ducklings. A perfect companion to Mr. McCloskey’s Marvelous Mallards by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Becca Stadtlander, the subject of a previous Children’s Book Corner post.

Soon, Your Hands by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Elizabeth Lilly; three families weave through this joyous, contemporary story celebrating growth, connection, diversity, and love.

This Is A Story by John Schu, illustrated by Lauren Castillo; a nod to story, libraries, the joy of finding books that resonate, in a picture book that begins with one word and ends with “everything.”; bonus: the jacket becomes a celebratory poster when turned inside out.

Twenty Questions by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson; another winner by this dynamic duo offers questions sure to spark discussions and fire up imaginations.

You Are A Story by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell; a picture book with simple, straightforward text and a great final line celebrates individuality, promise, possibility, and choice.

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter from Your Motherland by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by E. B. Lewis; a lyrical reflection on evolution and our human connection for older picture book readers.

News, Updates, & Items of Interest

Contact me for 2023-24 school visit information.

Read-aloud of a portion of Cayuga Island Kids Book 2, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek

Readers Theater, complete with props! 

I’m looking forward to participating in Independent Bookstore Day  at Alice, Ever After Books on Parkside Avenue across from the Buffalo Zoo, in Buffalo, NY, on April 29th! I’ll be there from 1:00-2:30pm. Find details on all the events Meg has planned throughout the week here!

Find everywhere my books and I will be on my Events page.

Kindness tip: If you read and like a book, consider posting a review on GoodReads, social media, or on Amazon (if you bought it there). Authors and illustrators appreciate the shout-out. Even a one-sentence comment increases visibility of a book. Also consider placing a request with your local library to purchase a copy–another free way to support a book you recommend!

Earth Day is April 22! Book 2 of the Cayuga Island Kids chapter book series, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek, features themes of conservation, recycling, community activism, and teamwork. Find out more about this award-winning chapter book that begins with a plastic bottle and ends with a special bin big enough to hold plenty of recyclables, view the book trailer, and download the extensive Educator Guide and a variety of other activities.

This year’s Children’s Book Week Poster has been revealed!

The celebratory poster is illustrated by Australian-born illustrator Rilla Alexander. Learn more about the artist’s inspiration for the design. The poster and accompanying activities can be viewed here. Dates of Children’s Book Week 2023 are May 1–7 and November 6–12.

Libraries, schools, and homes may participate in Book Week and may request two free posters, Registration is currently underway online. Bookmarks become available in early March and will feature activities designed by K. O’Neill, Alfreda Beartrack-Algeo, Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, Lian Cho, and Jey Odin.

View the “Author Fan Face-off”  on TeachingBooks with Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan, authors of A Place at the Table featured on a past post on Children’s Book Corner.

School Trip is Jerry Craft’s third graphic novel featuring Jordan Banks and his peers, first introduced in Newbery Award-winning  New Kid. Find an interview with Jerry and educator resources for New Kid on an earlier Children’s Book Corner post.

Over to You…

Join the conversation! Offer your thoughts on the featured prompt related to this month’s post:

Share the title of a favorite novel in verse for middle grade readers.

You are also welcome to post a general comment.

Thanks for sharing!

Final Thought