“This picture book has much to offer for young readers about life’s challenges and how we handle them.” — School Library Journal

Caron Levis is the author of the picture books, Stop That Yawn!May I Have A Word?, Stuck with the Blooz, and Ida, Always, which the New York Times Book Review calls, “an example of children’s books at their best.” Her newest titles include Mama’s Work Shoes, and This Way, Charlie. Her stories for teens and adults have been published in magazines and anthologies and have been selected for the Estrogenius Festival and the Samuel French OOB Festival’s Final Forty. The film adaptation of Attendant won Best Short in Sunscreen Film Festival West (2018) and selected for the Garden State Film Festival. Caron is a professor at NYU and The New School’s Creative Writing MFA program where she is the advisor for the Children/YA concentration. Caron has an LMSW from Hunter College and faciliates young people’s loss and bereavement groups for The Jewish Board. After many years as an arts educator, Caron now loves using acting and writing to teach social, emotional, and literacy skills to students of all ages through her author workshops. Having trained in acting and dabbled in playwriting, Caron also enjoys turning theatre techniques into writing tools for groan-ups through her workshop Act-Like-A-Writer and helping shy writers unearth their public speaking voices through Page-to-Stage.

Feathers Together

Harry N. Abrams |
Picture Book

From the award-winning team behind Ida, Always and This Way, Charlie comes an uplifting story of animal friendship, inspired by a real-life pair of storks whose bond overcame great distance

Best friends Malena and Klepetan always adventure together! The two excitedly prepare to fly thousands of miles for the flock’s annual migration to a warm winter. But when Malena is injured, she stays in Croatia while Klepetan goes to South Africa—and the pair must navigate the turbulent winds of separation for the first time.

Being apart is hard. Malena and Klepetan miss each other achingly, and they have big feelings about adventuring on their own. But even over the vast distance, the two brave explorers discover ways to enjoy their separate seasons while keeping their hearts connected—and their hopes aloft that spring will bring them back together.

This Way, Charlie (Feeling Friends)

Abrams Books for Young Readers |
Children’s

From the award-winning team behind Ida, Always comes a story about a friendship that grows between a blind horse and a gruff goat

All the animals at the Open Bud Ranch can see that Jack likes keeping his space to himself. But when Charlie arrives, he doesn’t see Jack at all. He’s still getting used to seeing out of only one of his eyes.
The two get off to a bumpy start. At first, Jack is anxious and distrustful. But one day, he summons his courage and guides Charlie to his favorite sunlit field: this way, Charlie. And so begins a powerful friendship that will be tested by life’s storms—but will ultimately change each life for the better.

Mama’s Work Shoes

Abrams Books for Young Readers |
Children’s

All about the adjustment a toddler makes when her mother returns to work, this humorous picture book takes on a big emotional milestone with a light hand.

Perry knows all of Mama’s shoes. She knows that the zip-zup shoes are for skipping and swinging in the park. She knows that the pat-put shoes are for splishing and splashing in the rain. And she knows that no-shoes are for bath time and bedtime. But, one morning Mama puts on click-clack shoes, and Perry wonders what these new shoes are for. When Mama drops Perry at Nan’s house, and the click-clack shoes take Mama away for the whole day, Perry decides she hates these shoes!

Perry later hides the click-clack shoes . . . and all of Mama’s shoes, just in case. Mama then explains that the click-clack shoes bring her to work in the morning, and they will also bring her home to Perry every single evening—clickety-clack fast!

Stop That Yawn!

Atheneum Books for Young Readers |
Children’s

Pack your toothbrushes, but leave your pajamas and pillows behind for this one-of-a-kind bedtime story from Ida, Always author Caron Levis and bestselling illustrator LeUyen Pham. And whatever you do…DON’T YAWN!

Gabby Wild has had enough of bedtime. Yawn, curl, snuggle, snore—what a bore!

So instead of tucking in, she jets out—with poor Granny in tow—to a place where beds are for bouncing, hushes are shushed, and it’s never too late for ice cream. But sometimes, even when you grit your teeth and seal your lips, it’s impossible to stop that…YAWN!

There’s a yawn on the loose! Can Gabby stop that yawn from spreading the snooze, or will it be lights out for Never Sleeping City?

Ida, Always

Atheneum Books for Young Readers |
Children’s

A beautiful, honest portrait of loss and deep friendship told through the story of two iconic polar bears.

Gus lives in a big park in the middle of an even bigger city, and he spends his days with Ida. Ida is right there. Always.

Then one sad day, Gus learns that Ida is very sick, and she isn’t going to get better. The friends help each other face the difficult news with whispers, sniffles, cuddles, and even laughs. Slowly Gus realizes that even after Ida is gone, she will still be with him—through the sounds of their city, and the memories that live in their favorite spots.

Ida, Always is an exquisitely told story of two best friends—inspired by a real bear friendship—and a gentle, moving, needed reminder that loved ones lost will stay in our hearts, always.

Author Storytime & Activity

Includes a live storytime plus one interactive activity and/or Q&A session (both if time allows.)Kids will make connections about friendship and feelings while reading and explore the power of imagination and friendship via a creative group activity (adapted to age.) Optional post activity sheets allow you to take the visit further.

Story-Making Magic Tricks

Learn the real author magic behind creating a story and how to—POOF—make your own! Student use their “magic hats” (senses, imagination) and “magic wands” (pencils and paper) to learn some “magic tricks” to conjure characters, setting, action, main idea and more. Students get glimpses of the process behind This Way, Charlie and other books and leave with the inspiration, ideas, and the spell they need to start their own animal friendship story. Story elements adapted for age.

Dramatic Re-VISION

Get students engaged in the power of ReVISION. Students will learn and practice Caron’s Acts of ReVISION as they get to see the small and big changes she has made in the many, many, many, many….drafts of her books.

Words-For-Loss

Strengthening caregiver communication with children about bereavement, loss, and love. In this workshop, participants will learn how to use Ida, Always, by Caron Levis and other picture books on loss to creatively and confidently explore love, death, and grief with young children. Using her experience as a loss & bereavement group facilitator, Caron will enhance participants’ knowledge about how children process and cope and offer strategies for supporting kids whether they’ve experienced a loss personally or have become curious about the lifecycle. Participants will leave with walk away practical tools they can start using immediately to support and strengthen communication in their families and communities. (Workshop time: 90-120 minutes with participant #: 6-30; Large Lecture also possible: 60 minutes)

Turn to Me

Techniques for talking about tough topics with young children. In this workshop, participants will explore using picture books as a way to creatively engage kids in challenging conversations on any topic and navigate Big Feelings, Big Events, and Big Questions. Participants will leave with information and practical tools they can start using immediately to support and strengthen communication in their families and communities. (Workshop time: 90-120 minutes with participant #: 6-30; Large Lecture also possible: 60 minutes)

Rajani’s Upcoming Events

Caron’s Blog

Stop That Yawn Activity Sheets

May I Have a Word Activity Sheets

More Activities and Info

Honors, Awards & Recognition

Christopher Award
Frostburg Univeristy Children’s Literature Centre Award
Sakura Medal (by students in international schools of Japan)
Goodreads Choice Award Finalist
Cybils Award FInalist
Florida Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award nominee
Junior LIbrary Guild selection
BankStreet Books Best of the year selections

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.

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