A Conversation on Gary D. Schmidt w/ Paige Gowing and Lander Hultin | E2

In this episode, librarian Paige Gowing and English instructor Lander Hultin join to explore the work of celebrated author Gary D. Schmidt. Best known for his deeply moving young-adult novels, Schmidt’s storytelling addresses universal themes—identity, resilience, empathy, and moral growth—through richly drawn characters and historical settings.

He’s received two Newbery Honors (Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy in 2005; The Wednesday Wars in 2008), a Printz Honor, and a National Book Award finalist nod for Okay for Now. His most recent works include Just Like That (2021), The Labors of Hercules Beal (2023, winner of the Josette Frank Award), and the forthcoming A Day at the Beach (2025).

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