Defending Creativity in Schools with Author A.S. King

How do we raise innovators, rebels, and revolutionaries? This week, award-winning author A.S. King joins the show to answer that question and discuss her latest middle-grade novel, It Came From the Creek. We explore the real-life youth activists fighting book bans, the heartbreaking decline of creative writing in public schools, and the deep, late-night research into negligent chemical dumping that inspired her new book. Along the way, A.S. King shares her personal journey with self-esteem, the importance of nurturing lifelong childhood friendships, and how one teacher handing her a Paul Zindel novel changed the trajectory of her life. Key Takeaways Youth Activism: How students in Pennsylvania successfully organized to overturn a massive school board book ban when the adults could not. The Creativity Crisis: Why heavy testing burdens have pushed creative writing out of 90% of public schools, and why story-building is an essential life skill. The Puzzle of Writing: A look into A.S. King's creative process, how she weaves together haunted houses, the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies, and environmental hazards. Deep-Dive Research: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and 3 A.M. rabbit holes that uncovered the true history of toxic dumping in Pottstown, PA. The Power of Friendship: How A.S. King's perspective on connection and self-esteem has evolved, and why childhood friendships are worth nurturing well into adulthood. Mentioned in This Episode It Came From the Creek by A.S. King Me and Marvin Gardens by A.S. King (Companion novel) The Pigman by Paul Zindel About the Guest A.S. King is a multi-award-winning author of young adult and middle-grade fiction. She is the recipient of the Printz Medal and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. Known for her authentic, surreal, and deeply empathetic storytelling, she has spent her career championing the voices and complex inner lives of young readers. Connect with A.S. King https://www.as-king.com/ Have a question for Tricia? tricia(@)shiftingschools(dotcom)