SAME PAGE by Elly Swartz

I am such a huge fan of Elly Swartz and her books, and I’ve been honored to feature Hidden Truths and Dear Student. When I heard about her newest book, SAME PAGE, and how it confronted the enormously important issue of book banning and censoring in schools, I had to read it. The book will officially be out tomorrow, January 14, 2025.

Bess Stein is more than ready to be 6th grade class president. She’s got tons of ideas—including a book vending machine—and her new friend June is beside her as vice-president. Together, they’re unstoppable.

But when the books the girls want included in the vending machine come under fire, Bess is stunned. How can one person believe they have the right to decide what other people can read? It turns out that June’s mom is leading the fight, and now everything’s a mess.

Bess misses June—but she wants to make sure kids who might like these books get the chance to read them, even if it means she and June can’t be friends. With such different opinions, will they ever be on the same page?

How does the title Same Page embody Bess’s story?

The title truly reflects the essence of this book. Same Page is a novel about take-charge, sixth grader Bess Stein, who brings together friends and a group of rockstar librarians known as the Book Warriors to fight a book ban happening at her middle school.

At its heart, this is a story about friendship, allyship, and doing the right thing even when—or especially when—the right thing is hard to do.

It asks the questions that I believe kids (and grown-ups) are asking today. What happens when you and your friend are not on the same page? What if it’s about something big? Something that goes to the very core of who you are? Can you still be friends?

And with these questions, came the title of Bess’s story.

Excellent! And, like I said, I love how SAME PAGE confronts the issue of book censorship. How did you know this was a book you needed to write?

 Same Page was inspired by current events – book bans are happening all over the country. According to PEN America, in the 2023-24 school year, there have been over 10,000 book bans – a number that is more than two times higher than just last school year. https://pen.org/memo-on-school-book-bans-2023-2024-school-year/

I wanted to share what this moment felt like from a kid’s perspective. Bess Stein is that kid. In Same Page, Bess experiences how it feels to lose the right to read books at school that reflect and honor her life and the lives and histories of her friends, classmates, and neighbors. And she exemplifies the actions kids can take and are taking to make a difference. To fight back. To be the change they want to see.

I love Bess. When her plans to fight the book ban fail. When people say some not nice things. She doesn’t hide. Well, maybe that one time under her covers. (We all need a moment, right?) But she gets up. She doesn’t let rejection, failure, people telling her she’s wrong, define her. She knows in her heart that she is more than what others say. She is more than her failed attempts. She realizes she has the ability to define her path and her worth. And she has decided—she is empowered, she is brave, and she is fearless! Go, Bess!

I also wanted to write a story that embraced the power and importance of being an ally – what happens to one person, should impact the hearts and minds of all. Right?! As one of the Book Warrior librarians in Same Page says, “Together we are strong vines.”

So proud of the Book Warriors on the page and in real life!

Me too! I’m also very impressed by the Same Page Book Club Guide. What learning outcomes were you considering when you built the guide?

Thank you, Karen. I so appreciate this.

I wanted readers to know they are not alone.

I wanted them to know they can be brave – even if they are scared.

I wanted them to know they can change the world.

I wanted them to understand that the ways they communicate – words, actions, silence – all have meaning and consequences. I wanted them to take charge of those moments with intention, compassion, and empathy.

And I wanted to give them another way to navigate the life moments that weave in worry. The moments that feel big – sometimes too big. In Same Page, Bess practices kindness meditation. Mindfulness is a way to give grace to yourself and others.

This book club guide, along with the Same Page Teacher’s Guide, were created with the help of two superstar educators, Dr. Rayna Freedman and Anna Kontos. I am so grateful.

All of this is so important! What is one of your goals for the coming year?

Lean in!

Lean into writing.

Lean into joy.

Lean into love.

Lean into family. I am new grandma!!!

Lean into whatever wondrous adventure this next chapter holds.

Bio

Elly Swartz is the award-winning author of six middle grade novels. Swartz’s books reflect her commitment to raising awareness about mental health and neurodiversity. Same Page, her newest novel, was named a Kids’ Indie Next List. Publishers Weekly said “…Swartz skillfully incorporates sensitive depictions of Bess’s anxiety and the comfort she finds in her Jewish faith and her dog, Barnaby, to tackle tween friendship drama and growing pains with nuance.” And Booklist noted, “… Swartz has written a timely and powerfully emotive story that is a perfect read for a budding reformer or activist.” Hidden Truths, was called “realistic fiction at its best” in a starred review by SLJ. Swartz is also the author of Dear Student, Finding Perfect, Smart Cookie, and Give and Take, novels for middle-grade readers.

Swartz lives in Massachusetts and is happily married with two grown sons, a grandson, and two pups. Connect with her at ellyswartz.com, on Twitter @ellyswartz, and on Instagram, Bluesky, and Threads @ellyswartzbooks.

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