Author Talk with Sue Granzella and Michael Leali

This event is free, but we appreciate your RSVP below so we can plan for your attendance.

Powerful tales of resilience from educators and librarians in the face of growing bigotry stoked by the far right.
‌
When Proud Boys stormed Drag [Queen] Story Hour at a local library, retired teacher Sue Granzella began traveling California and documenting the stories of educators and librarians who have been harassed and threatened for teaching honestly about race, gender, and sexuality.
‌
Pushed to the Edge is a powerful and timely collection of first-person accounts from the front lines of today’s culture wars, as Black educators, queer teachers, targeted librarians, and vulnerable students share their stories. The insights of California educators and students resonate nationwide—offering both a sobering view of what’s at stake in our schools, and a hopeful testament to those who refuse to back down.

“I found this to be a bittersweet—very bitter, very sweet—paean to the life of American teachers. There are few jobs more difficult or important, and yet our government, at every level, finds ways to make teaching less appealing. Sue Granzella has written a very gentle, very reasonable, and often upsetting account of how some very gentle, very reasonable, and justifiably upset teachers are handling this uniquely tough time in the history of American education. And though so much of what she reports is dire, these teachers, and their resilience, compassion and craftiness, will give you hope in bleak times as they find ways to look out for their most vulnerable students.” - Dave Eggers, founder of Scholar Match, co-founder of 826 National

A heartfelt contemporary middle grade novel perfect for fans of Front Desk, following Luca Salvatore, a young gay Italian American trying to save his family’s pizza restaurant and a life that feels like it’s falling apart after he learns that his parents may be separating and his first crush and best friend might be into each other.

Twelve-year-old Luca Salvatore is always running interference: in arguments between his younger twin siblings, in his parents’ troubled marriage, and between Will, the cute new boy in town, and Luca’s best friend, June, who just can’t seem to get along.

When the host of his favorite culinary TV show announces an open call for submissions for its final season, Luca is sure getting his family’s failing pizzeria on the show will save it and bring his falling-apart family together. Surprisingly, securing a spot is easier than kneading dough—but when the plan to fix everything comes out burned, Luca is left scrambling to figure out just the right recipe to bring his family and his friends back together.

From Lambda Literary finalist Michael Leali, The Truth About Triangles is full of heart, perfect for readers of Lisa Jenn Bigelow, Kelly Yang, and Maulik Pancholy.

“A big-hearted, generous book about family, friendship, and first crushes. There’s nothing cheesy about The Truth About Triangles (except the pizza). I loved it.” - Elana K. Arnold, Award-winning author of A Boy Called Bat and Damsel

"The Truth about Triangles is sure to satiate middle-grade readers hungry for good old-fashioned sibling rivalry, lighthearted best-friend fights, entertaining entrepreneurial insights, and exceptional LGBTQIA+ representation." - Booklist

Sue Granzella is a writer and longtime elementary school teacher in the Bay Area. Her writing has been recognized as Notable in Best American Essays and has won numerous awards including runner-up for Teachers and Writers Magazine’s Bechtel Prize. Her essays have appeared in over forty journals and anthologies, including The Masters Review, McSweeney’s, Full Grown People, Hippocampus, and many others. She loves stand-up comedy, hiking, road trips, dogs (it’s a problem), and reading the writing of 8- and 9-year-olds. Pushed to the Edge is her first book.

Michael Leali is an award-winning author of books like The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, which won SCBWI’s Golden Kite Award. His work has been twice nominated for Lambda Literary Awards among many other honors. He is a veteran high school English teacher, seasoned writing coach, and is currently a We Need Diverse Books mentor. He is also now adjunct faculty at the University of San Francisco's Writing for Young Readers program. He holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Napa Bookmine