Making History
Here are some of my latest newsworthy moments!
Grog Blog Panel
Planting Seeds for Picture Books with Agricultural Roots
Karen is featured as one of four children’s authors in this discussion re agricultural-themed books for children.
LITERALLY IN GOOD COMPANY
THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET was mentioned in the March/April issue of Bethesda Magazine.
A CABBAGE DREAM
I’m thrilled to announce my next book, THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET. So excited to work with Sarah Rockett and the Tilbury team. Can’t wait to see Alejandra’s beautiful art!
CHEF’S KISS
Food Network celebrity, Chef Maneet Chauhan shared THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET with her children.
“What an absolutely lovely book…Our young girls need to read this and I love that you [Karen Greenwald] are spreading the strength.”
THE BEST EDUCATION
“Summit International Awards Karen M. Greenwald’s BEST IN CATEGORY in Educational Marketing win means her work didn’t just break through the noise—it set the benchmark for marketing excellence. It means industry leaders deemed Greenwald’s work the best in its field.”
Jocelyn Luciano,
Principal/Managing Director
A Teacher Feature
Kansas History Teacher of the Year Rachel Swearengin included A VOTE FOR SUSANNA in her highly acclaimed book, Making Time for Social Studies: A Four-Step Process for Unit Planning in the Elementary Classroom.
AN AMBASSADOR OF MUD!
This prominent magazine goes to the membership of NIAF. So proud for this review to be featured!
“Karen Greenwald’s gorgeously illustrated, thoroughly researched first children’s book in English about the Arno River’s flooding of Florence on Nov. 4, 1966, will inspire young and old alike. A magnificent gift for historians and Italophiles…the book offers a boots-on-the-ground look at how priceless cultural patrimony was saved…
The “Author’s Note” is one of the most fascinating sections of the book, detailing Greenwald’s research. It included primary interviews.”
Kirsten Keppel
Ambassador Magazine
National Italian American Foundation
AN ITALIAN & ENGLISH INTERVIEW
With over “35,000 readers biweekly…[and a] social media network featuring more than 100,000 readers a month,” it is a true honor to be so prominently featured in the print and online publication-L’Italo Americano! Grazie mille for your kind words, Francesca Bezzone!
You can read it HERE in either English or Italian!
FB: Tell us two good reasons to pick up your book!
KMG: I love this question! While the flood happened almost 60 years ago, it has contemporary importance. CEDAF holds conferences about it, Mud Angels still return for flood anniversaries, and many say that the mud smell still wafts through grates on especially hot days. The flood lasted eighteen hours, but lessons learned and restoration needs persist. Even now, children treat visiting Mud Angels like celebrities. They are a symbol of what’s possible. As the American Library Association’s Booklist review said, the book shares a “true episode worth commemorating.” Secondly, I recently had the honor of seeing a video of a visiting parent reading my book to a third-grade class. At the story’s end, a child on camera found out that her grandmother was one of the original Mud Angels. She hugged the book (and I teared up)! The parent asked the class: “How can we be inspired by this book?” Another child answered, “They were teenagers and that proves that kids and teenagers can change the world!” I could not have asked for a better answer to the reader’s question or to yours!
Un post su un blog italiano
Award-winning author Karen M. Greenwald’s new book THE MUD ANGELS: HOW STUDENTS SAVED THE CITY OF FLORENCE is almost here!
When the Arno River floods the city of Florence, Italy in 1966, it leaves slimy, smelly mud everywhere. A young girl watches students from around the world, many from the US, help save the town’s rare treasures, earning themselves the nickname Gli Angeli del Fango, the Mud Angels. Learn more about this new release, available 4/4/24, by reading Karen’s post exclusively for the Italian Language Foundation’s blog!
A FLOOD OF COMFORT
What an honor to have an article/interview by Intoscana’s Marta Mancini featured, especially on the 57th anniversary of the Arno flood.
Mancini especially wanted this article to appear in the November 4th issue as a way to offer hope to the (once again) flooded region.
Click HERE to read it.
Please note: the article appears in Italian but can be translated on the site.
"COVER"ED INTERNATIONALLY!
NEWS IN CONSERVATION Magazine
How thrilling to see THE MUD ANGELS make NEWS IN CONSERVATION magazine’s cover, be pictured in the Table of Contents, and have a full page article featured in the IIC’s June/July issue!
You can read the article HERE.
A LOT OF MUD FRA NOI (AMONG US)!
Che onore! Thank you, FRA NOI Magazine for featuring THE MUD ANGELS in your beautiful summer print and online publications.
INTERVIEW BY A GURU!
Check out what I shared with the kidlit guru herself, the fabulous Debbie Ohi.
We cover my passion for kidlit charities, advice for young writers, and what inspired A VOTE FOR SUSANNA: THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR!
Click to HERE to read the full INTERVIEW.
A VERY FESTIVE VOTE!
Library of Congress National Book Festival/Library of Congress Center For The Book: Great Reads From Great Places Author Panel!
Every year, the Library of Congress Center for the Book features a book from each state and territories, creating an annual list of “Great Reads.” Books are chosen by their state library or Library of Congress affiliate.
A VOTE FOR SUSANNA: THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR has been chosen by the Kansas Center for the Book to represent Kansas for this list and at the 2022 National Book Festival of the Library of Congress!
“The State Library of Kansas is proud to name A VOTE FOR SUSANNA as the book to represent Kansas at the National Book Festival.”
—State Librarian Ray Walling
A NOTABLE KANSAS WIN
“The 2022 Kansas Notable Books list recognizes 15 books written by Kansans or about Kansas,” said Ray Walling, Acting State Librarian. “Readers can be transported back in time to the 1887 election in Argonia or to… This year’s titles include something for everyone…”
The KS Notable Books list features 15 books, published the previous calendar year, which are about or set in KS, or written by a KS author. This year’s committee includes reps’ of public/university/school libraries, teachers, academics, & writers.
KS Notable Books authors will be awarded medals at the Kansas Book Festival at Washburn Univ. (9.24). Kansas Notable Books is a project of the KS Center for the Book (KS affiliate, LOC Center for the Book). For the full press release, click HERE.
PICTURE BOOK POWER PLAYER
Grateful that A VOTE FOR SUSANNA inspired this beautiful feature article in Kansas COUNTRY Living Magazine (circ. 133,000). Copies of the book and the magazine were included in gift bags given by Sumner Cowley Electric Coop to the region’s schools!
BANTER IN BETHESDA
Bethesda Magazine March/April 2022
A VOTE FOR SUSANNA and Karen M. Greenwald featured in Bethesda Magazine’s BOOK REPORT. “There are many women throughout history who have laid the foundation for our lives and the opportunities that we have today, and yet so many of their stories are unknown,” says Greenwald.
A HISTORIC CLOSE-UP
On Air with Good Day, Kansas!
Emmy winning Good Day Kansas! host Jillian Carroll interviewed author Karen M. Greenwald about A VOTE FOR SUSANNA, the surprising history, and historic Kansas sites you can still visit today! She then featured a visit to Salter’s house months later on social media for a look at Greenwald’s story.
“Her [Salter’s] story of unexpected and unprecedented events is told beautifully and in a child friendly way by children’s author, Karen M. Greenwald.”
Jillian Carroll
KSN NBC’s Emmy-Winning Host,
Good Day, Kansas
Booking It!
MAY 5-30, 2026
Become a #BOOKHERO and help @nchurnin, @hilarymargitich, and me fill the sparse shelves of a library in need with brand-new books! For each book you donate, you’ll be entered in our incredible raffle-think, EDITOR and AGENT reads! Donate one of the books listed here and get 2 raffle entries per book-it’s a win-win! Just DM one of us your receipt (minus any private data) and you’ll officially be a #BOOKHERO!
MARCH 13, 2026
THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET OFFICIAL LAUNCH
The National Women’s History Museum invites families, classrooms, & educators to a special Brave Girls Virtual Story Time celebrating the launch of THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET, a new children’s picture book by Karen M. Greenwald, illustrated by Alejandra Ruiz, & published by Tilbury House Publishers (imprint of Penguin Random House). Inspired by the true story of Katie Stagliano & her organization Katie’s Krops, the book follows a child who grows an unexpectedly massive cabbage and discovers how one small act of generosity can help feed an entire community.
THROUGH MARCH 31, 2026
THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET BOOK DRIVE/RAFFLE
When you directly donate a copy of THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET to 501(3)(c) children’s literacy charity, READER TO READER, you’ll be entered in our CABBAGE RAFFLE to win a $500 GIFT CARD for BELLE by KIM GRAVEL (courtesy of her!) or a $150 GIFT CARD from world-renowned RASTELLI’s! There is no limit to how many entries you can earn. The book can be ordered as a pre-order or after its launch on 2.17 (aka, National Cabbage Day!).
FEBRUARY 17, 2026
IG INTERVIEW
Join Karen for a live interview on Instagram with kidsgardening.org to celebrate NATIONAL CABBAGE DAY…and learn about THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET!
JULY 18-28, 2025
#SUNWRITEFUN
Founded by Karen and Jenny Buchet, a new #SunWriteFun begins! Give us a 200-word Nonfic or Info Fic piece related to this year’s theme: STEAM or S.T.E.A.M. Prizes are MEGA! Authors get involved as donors, judges, and participants. Opportunities to donate kidlit books to underserved libraries remain a hallmark.
MARCH 19, 2025
WEBINAR
Karen and fellow Author Kirsten Larson will present a webinar focused on NonFiction Picture Books.
MARCH 2-30, 2025
Hear the buzz? Celebrate Women’s History Month and Read Across America by becoming a #BOOKHERO! Join @nchurnin, @hilarymargitich, and me help fill a library in need with brand new or pre-order books (like THE CABBAGE SEED’S COLOSSAL SECRET)! For each book you donate, we’ll enter you in our FAB #raffle! Want extra chances to win big? Donate one of the books listed here and you’ll get 2 raffle entries per book! Just DM one of us your receipt (minus any private data) and you’ll officially be a #BOOKHERO!
SEPT. 27-29, 2024
GALBANI MD ITALIAN FESTIVAL
Learn about an important reaction to a terrible flooding of the Arno River and how groups of international students saved Italian history! THE MUD ANGELS: HOW STUDENTS SAVED THE CITY OF FLORENCE will be featured at Booth 64. While there, enter to win great prizes from I AM BOOKS and help underserved school libraries offer their students the rare opportunity to enjoy new books!
OCT. 15, 2024
LAW COURSE
For the second year in a row, Karen has been asked to speak about A VOTE FOR SUSANNA and THE MUD ANGELS to Georgetown University Law Center’s “Literacy and the Law” students.
SEP 8, 2024
PBS DOCUMENTARY
PBS KS CH 8 will air a brand-new documentary called,“Great Women of Kansas” featuring Susanna Salter’s story. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A VOTE FOR SUSANNA both during the broadcast and in the documentary. Karen also has a featured interview in the docu’s bonus content.
AUG 26, 2024
CENTER FOR AMERICAN WOMEN AND POLITICS
In the 137 years since the first elected woman (Susanna Salter!) served as mayor, how are today’s trailblazers overcoming age-old, persistent barriers? What can be done to help more women get elected to this office?
JULY 18-28, 2024
#SUNWRITEFUN
Founded by Karen and Jenny Buchet, a new #SunWriteFun begins! Give us a 200-word Nonfic or Info Fic piece related to this year’s theme 1980’s. Prizes are MEGA! Authors get involved as donors, judges, and participants. Opportunities to donate kidlit books to underserved libraries remain available.
JULY 12, 2024
nErD Camp, PA
How do you navigate HEAVY topics when writing picture books? Join Authors Debbie Zapata, Karen M. Greenwald, and Nancy Churnin as they discuss three different stories about communities caught in the midst of emotionally charged circumstances.
MAY 1, 2024
THE WALDO INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL VISIT (Grades 2-6).
Read about it HERE.
From the school’s Founder/Managing Director’s Press Release:
“Karen M. Greenwald’s visit and the story of ‘The Mud Angels’ align perfectly with our commitment to fostering a global perspective among our students. This event will not only be a highlight of our academic calendar but also a meaningful opportunity for our students to learn about the impact of ignoring that which divides us and working towards a common goal. We are eager for our students to engage with this inspiring story.”
APRIL 4, 2024
THE MUD ANGELS: HOW STUDENTS SAVED THE CITY OF FLORENCE BOOK LAUNCH
Celebrated Italian bookstore, I AM BOOKS will host THE MUD ANGELS VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH with 2 special guests!
MARCH 4-31, 2024
#BOOKHERO
March is here and Karen is at it again, w/@nchurnin & @hilarymargitich! Please help us change lives by donating new kidlit books to the Red Lake Nation Reservation’s Elementary School and get a chance to win cool (writing and other) prizes!
FEB 12, 2024
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S FORUM
Karen is honored to be 1 of 18 alumni invited to do a special book signing at the event.
The event celebrates Georgetown women from each of the nine schools and includes phenomenal plenaries, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. From law to business, policy to science and government, technology to the public sector, the Forum features discussions on timely and intersectional issues…
FEB, 2024
WORLD READ ALOUD DAY
Karen was invited to speak to schools in Singapore, MD, and NH re: A VOTE FOR SUSANNA: THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR.
JAN 29, 2024
KANSAS DAY
This is a holiday celebrating the birth of the state. Schools do a variety of things to celebrate, including inviting speakers.
On January 29, 2024, Karen will join Manchester Elementary’s KS History Teacher of the Year to chat with students about A VOTE FOR SUSANNA: THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR.
OCT 12, 2023
NATIONAL WOMEN’S HISTORY MUSEUM: LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP
Women have made great strides in the world of politics. However, in 2023, there are still many US cities that have never elected a woman to serve as mayor. While every candidate and mayor’s experiences in the process differ, enormous gender-based barriers persist. The 1887 election of Susanna Salter, America’s (and the world’s) first woman elected mayor who served, continues to shed light on today’s process, media representation, campaigning, resistance, and success of women in local politics. Join moderator Wendy Doyle of United WE, children’s author Karen M. Greenwald, Mayor Mattie Parker of Fort Worth, former Mayor Melina Carnicelli of Auburn (NY), and former Mayor Diana Smith of Seneca Falls (NY) for a discussion about their election victories, obstacles in office, and how Mayor Salter’s story reflects their own.
OCT 10, 2023
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER
Karen will be speaking to Professor Richard Roe’s Literacy and the Law class. A VOTE FOR SUSANNA: THE FIRST WOMAN MAYOR is now on the syllabus!