My writing
Awards Won: Best Illustrated Book—Jewish Book Council * Oregon Book Award—Literary Arts * Oregon Spirit Book Award—Oregon Council of Teachers of English * Once Upon a World Award—Simon Wiesenthal Center * Honor Book—Jane Addams Peace Association * Notable Book of Jewish Content—Association of Jewish Libraries * Notable Book for a Global Society—International Reading Association * Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award—New York Libraries * Take Our Daughters/Sons to Work Day Selection
reading together: share in the wonder of books with a parent-child book club
The essential guide for parents interested in starting a book club with their kids and raising their children to become book-loving adults. Written by a group of moms and their teen children who started a book club while the kids were in first grade, this how-to book shares the dos and don’ts they learned over more than 100 meetings and 100 books.
Brimming with insight and inspiration, Reading Together includes the details of organizing and structuring meetings, tips on finding diverse books and choosing titles that spur discussion, common book club challenges and how to overcome them, and more. Readers will also find plenty of curated booklists with brilliant recommendations for middle grade and YA readers across genres. Reading Together promises a stronger parent-child bond and is the perfect gift for bookish parents, parents of bookish children, and parents looking to encourage reluctant readers.
“A rich resource of book recommendations…The book’s bright graphic design is a plus, as is the authors’ mindfulness toward diversity and inclusion. Parents and teachers looking to foster a bookworm’s spirit need look no further.” —Publishers Weekly
Enough is Enough:
How students can join the fight for gun safety
Young people are suffering the most from America’s gun violence epidemic. They are the ones crouching behind locked doors during active shooter drills, the ones afraid to go to the mall, movie theater or concerts. Both a history lesson and a call to action for teens who want to change the weak gun laws in our country. Featuring a foreword by Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, plus profiles of 20 young activists who are fighting for gun reform across the country. This handbook illustrates how teens can get involved—both locally and nationally—to join the fight and save lives. Learn more at enoughisenoughbk.com.
“A powerful and exhaustive resource.... Looks at the problems, solutions, history, and actions that can be taken. Lots of illustrations, graphics, and personal stories will help sustain readers’ interest.” —School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW
“This is a book that every library needs on their shelves.”—School Library Connection
“McCann writes passionately in her deeply researched and highly informative book about guns in America. This lively and smoothly written book is replete with sidebar features as well, including profiles of students activists like survivors of the Parkland and Sandy Hook shootings. Clearly McCann’s book is a work of advocacy—a clarion call to action, and she expresses her hope that it will inspire readers to become gun safety advocates. One hopes she will succeed.”—Booklist STARRED REVIEW
“A diverse compendium that will entertain, inform, and inspire.”–Kirkus Reviews
FINDING FAIRIES
A comprehensive guide to fairies of the world: their legends, their habits and the secrets to finding and befriending them. From the remote jungles of Guatemala to the scented peach groves of China, fairies live on every continent. Discover the secrets of Japan's Kobito fairies who can't resist cherry dumplings. Make a paper flute and call a musical Jakui fairy of South America. Check under your bed for Little Dirt, a fairy of the Hopi Indians, who loves a big mess, but also brings good luck! Full of recipes, songs, games and crafts to attract magical creatures, this enchanting book is for everyone who still believes in fairies.
"This book is just plain fun."–New Age Retailer
More Girls Who Rocked the world
Oregon Book Award finalist!
A follow-up collection of true, inspiring profiles of young women throughout history who made their mark on the world before turning twenty. From Annie Oakley and Cleopatra to Malala Yousafzai and Adele—each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself—you’ll get to know these queens of empires and icons of entertainment. Also included are profiles of gutsy teenagers who are out there rocking the world right now and personal aspirations from today’s young women.
“A diverse compendium that will entertain, inform, and inspire.”–Kirkus Reviews
Girls Who rocked the world
"In an appealing, conversational style, McCann presents short biographies of young women from all over the world, from ancient to contemporary, who prove that youth need not prevent one making a difference... An inspiring, empowering compendium.”–Kirkus Reviews
“Fascinating stories.”–Washington Post
“Clever… funky.”–Detroit Free Press
Take Our Daughters to Work Day book selection
Scholastic & Book-of-the-Month Club Selection
boys who rocked the world
This thought-provoking collection provides 46 biographies of strong, independent men and boys who made their first impact on the world before the age of twenty. From Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Steve Jobs to Crazy Horse and Stephen King—each has his own incredible story of following his passions and making his dream come true. The stories in this book show that it’s never too soon to start making a difference.
“This title is a perfect motivational tool for young men. It hits home about how you can do what you dream even at an early age if you work hard.”—VOYA magazine(Voices of Youth Advocates)
Chicago Public Schools Recommended Reading List
Take Our Sons to Work Day book selection
Luba: the angel of bergen-Belsen
An incredible true story of Jewish heroine, Luba Tryszynska, who saved the lives of more than fifty Jewish children while imprisoned in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World War II. This amazing biography has won 9 literary awards, including the Jewish Book Council's Best Illustrated Book of the Year, the Oregon Book Award, and the International Reading Association's Notable Book for a Global Society.
“One of the most hopeful and humanitarian stories I’ve ever read.”–Booksense
“A story that is both important and inspirational.”–School Library Journal
“Incredibly powerful and moving.”–Midwest Book Review
“Just when it seems a nonfiction Holocaust book can’t tell us anything new, along comes a story like this one. Essential to the history.”–Booklist
“One of the beautiful, positive stories that emerged from that awful time, to be remembered and passed on to young and old alike.”–Kirkus
“McCann has documented her account with great care… a straightforward tone that neither flinches from nor overdramatizes a stark historical episode.”–Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A welcome story of hope.”–Publishers’ Weekly
Going Places
A collection of essays written by real kids whose lives and views of the world were changed by travel. In their own words, these wanderers tell what they discovered about overcoming fear, challenging themselves, and reaching out to people different from themselves. Contributors include Mark Pfetzer, who at 15 was the youngest person ever to climb Mt. Everest; Diana Silbergeld, who had visited 16 countries by the age of 12; and Sarah Stillman, who journeyed to Indonesia and interviewed young girls working in Barbie doll factories.
“A stimulating, original collection and very highly recommended reading.”–Midwest Book Review
Girls Know best
Written by real girls, these essays speak to girl readers, giving advice on everything from how to deal with school, friends, siblings, parents, divorce, babysitting, boys, sports, and beauty.
“The perspective is fresh and welcome. Girls are sure to relate to this well-done offering.”–School Library Journal
Boys Know It All
Stereotypes and pressure to conform often smother boys' creativity and leave their fresh, original ideas unheard. In this book, boys speak their piece about what it means to be a boy. Written by real boys, these essays offer help for tough situations like talking to girls and surviving older siblings, and offer creative ideas like how to invent your own family traditions. This is a fun book that also tackles serious issues about growing up male in America.