Shannon Stocker – Författare

This inspiring picture book tells the true story of world-famous deaf percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie.This is a story of music.Of obstacles.Of strength and hard work.Of all you can accomplish when you dream.As a child, Evelyn Glennie's ears began to hurt. Voices became distant whispers. Ringing phones sounded like muffled crunches in her ears. But when she was told that she would need to wear hearing aids for the rest of her life, Evelyn was determined that this this would never stop her from playing music. Instead of giving up on her dreams, Evelyn found new ways to listen...With stunning illustrations from Devon Holzwarth, and a special note from Evelyn Glennie herself, this is the perfect book to inspire children to never give up on their dreams.

2025 Crystal Kite Honor Winner for Midsouth RegionTwyla is far from fine. With her varsity field hockey career on the line, her friendships in shambles, and a medical diagnosis that is far from the truth, Twyla simply wants to be heard. Stronger at the Seams is a powerful coming-of-age story about disabilities, chronic illness, and learning to advocate for yourself.Twyla enters high school sure of three things: Her best friends will always be there for her, the next four years will be amazing, and her mom was right when she said there’s a reason behind everything. Then, during a field hockey game, she gets extremely nauseous and struggles with concentration. What should have been a great year starts spiraling. Despite a diagnosis of mild digestive issue, Twyla doesn’t feel right. She’s exhausted, sick more often than not, and struggling to keep up at school — but every doctor says she’s “fine.” As her world starts to unravel, Twyla realizes that the hardest part isn’t being sick… it’s being ignored.Between mounting medical appointments, shifting friendships, her varsity hockey career in shambles, and family tensions she doesn’t fully understand, Twyla must learn how to speak up — even when it feels uncomfortable, scary, or impossible. As questions about her health collide with long-buried family secrets, Twyla begins to discover that finding her voice may be the key to holding herself together.Stronger at the Seams is a powerful young adult coming-of-age novel about:Advocating for yourself when no one else willLiving with chronic illness and invisible strugglesNavigating friendships, school, and family pressureLearning that strength doesn’t always look the way we expectPerfect for readers who love emotionally rich stories like Wonder and The Fault in Our Stars, this Crystal Kite Honor–winning novel offers a compassionate, hopeful look at resilience, self-discovery, and what it means to be truly heard.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard SelectionFrom Schneider Family Award-winning author Shannon Stocker comes The Roach King of Raleigh, an unflinching YA novel about a high school sophomore who’s determined to rise above his circumstances—even if it means starting a secret roach breeding business. Even if it means letting people in.Quill Jenkins used to have a great life: a picture-perfect family, a big house in a nice neighborhood, and a best friend he could count on. But then his friend moved away, his brother left for college, and his dad’s drinking caused his parents to split. Now Quill and his mom live in a broken-down rental house owned by a neglectful landlord, who also happens to be the father of Quill’s high school nemesis.More than anything, Quill wants to save enough money for a new house, but his mom refuses to let him get a job. So when he finds a hidden attic space inside his closet, then overhears the pet store owner arguing with a delinquent roach breeder, an idea is born. He strikes a deal and starts breeding roaches in the hidden room, reluctantly working with his classmate Harley and Harley’s twin sister, Zuri, to keep the whole operation a secret.But as the roach business takes off, new complications arise: his dad’s condition steadily worsens, his beloved neighbor Mr. Dave suddenly goes MIA, and Quill learns that the truth has a way of creeping into the light.The Roach King of Raleigh:is a contemporary young adult novel for readers 13 and up and adult fans of YAcomes from Shannon Stocker, the winner of the 2023 Schneider Family Award for Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussionis a powerful coming-of-age story that explores poverty, addiction, neurodiversity, friendship, and resilience