Welcome to Library Lions interviews. Author, Brianna DuMont is stopping by to share her books and her Library Love. Take it away Brianna!

My name is Brianna DuMont, and I write nonfiction books for middle graders with a quirky edge. My Changed History series starts with Famous Phonies: Legends, Fakes, and Frauds Who Changed History. It reveals the underbelly of some of our favorite legends. Students tend to read only the sanitized, textbook version of history’s movers and shakers, which does an injustice to the real person behind the mask. And humor makes everything better.

Author’s Roar
I want to roar for libraries after speaking to teachers in my hometown of Chicago. They told me they didn’t even have a library and that many public schools don’t either. When I was a kid, it was my escape, my lunchroom when I didn’t have a friend in my new school, my paradise. For every student to not have access to a library blows my mind. Where do they go for research papers? For the next great novel? For a safe haven?
It sounds traumatic, probably because it is. I can’t imagine not having a librarian to turn to when I need to do research or want to talk about my latest favorite book. The fact that anyone can pick up my book at a library to read for free is an important first step in getting kids interested in nonfiction.

A Lion’s Pride of Programs
School visits are one of my favorite things to do as a writer. (Besides research!) I get to connect with students and help them become genuinely interested in my favorite subject—history. My last school visit was with thirty awesome 6^th graders. We got into groups of five, and each group researched their favorite candidate for who could be the “real” Shakespeare. Then we debated based on each candidates’ education, background, and written evidence. Some kids just loved the idea of a man named Bacon (Sir Francis Bacon, that is), and all of them stuck by their guy (or girl in Queen Elizabeth’s case). Usually the most engaging part of a school visit is the Author Q&A, but with a debate, everything gets to be interactive.

Library Love When You Were a Cub
I always loved library visits to my local St. Louis library. It was one of the only times my parents would allow my brother, sister, and me to wander off alone. I’m sure it’s because they knew they could always find me in the historical fiction section surrounded by a pile of books. My dad insisted on reading every book I took home. I think I was about 11 when he gave up trying to keep up.

More Library Love
Libraries are indispensable to me as a nonfiction writer. I use both the Loyola University library and the Chicago Public Library for my research. When anything new happens for my series, such as being featured in the January issue of Scholastic, I know my local librarians will be as excited as me to chat all about it. Going to the library is the perfect de-stressor. I enjoy browsing, then finding a cozy spot to work for a few hours. It’s great for getting out of the house as a stay-at-home writer!

Hooray for ALA!
I attended my first ALA this year, and it was amazing! My publisher, Sky Pony, brought 80 books, and I signed and gave them all away. I got to connect with librarians, bloggers, teachers, and book clubs from across the country. It really opened my eyes to the big book world available. Like the 24 hour robotic library I found!

Thank you, Brianna for your terrific interview!

Let’s Link Up

Website: briannadumont
Facebook: Brianna DuMont
Twitter: @brianna_dumont
Instagram: brianna_dumont

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Note to Librarians: If you’re a Youth Librarian working in a school or public library we’d love to hear about you and your library.  Email Janet on the Contact page on this website for an interview.

Note to Authors: If you’re interested in Roaring for Libraries on this blog, contact Janet.