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The Shadow of a Bull a winning novel written by Maia Wojciechowska describes the story of Manolo Olivar, the son of Juan Olivar, the greatest bull-fighter. The citizens of Arcangel, the small town in Andalusia where Manolo lives, expect him to follow his father's footsteps and fight his first bull at the age of 12.

An interview is presented with an illustrator Caldecott Medalist Pinkney. Topics discussed include information on book "A Place to Land," and his role in visualizing and interpreting Barry Wittenstein's manuscript; his illustration on a portrait of Martin Luther King Jr.; and illustration of the Willard Hotel, the reflecting pool, and the Lincoln Memorial on the title page of the book.

The article presents an interview with author Christina Uss. Topics discussed include her debut book "The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle" about friendship, independence, and setting goals; inspiration from cross-country bicycling adventure to write the novel; including any characters on people she met on her cross-country bicycle trip; and humor in the novel.

An interview with American author Lesa Cline-Ransome is presented. Topics discussed include inspiration to write "Finding Langston" how novels are set during the Great Migration and fathers in each book and their struggles to become better dads to their sons. It also mentions Langston developed and get a more intimate portrait of Clem, the most lighthearted character in the book.

An interviews with author Lauren Wolk, is presented. It mentions prologue in the book "Beyond the Bright Sea" sets the conflict of the character Crow's search to know where she comes from. It mentions her to approach research about leprosy for writing "Beyond the Bright Sea." It also mentions Wolk is writing a middle-grade book that set in the 1930s on a mountain in Maine.

An interview with author and Newbery Honor winner Gennifer Choldenko is presented. Particular focus is given to her interest in writing historical fiction. Also mentioned are research process, inspiration behind the character of Lizzie in the book "Chasing Secrets: A Deadly Surprise in a City of Lies," and the difference between writing and visual art.

An interview with Stacy McAnulty, author of the book "The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl" is presented. Topics discussed include her inspiration for writing a novel about a character with acquired savant syndrome, how her mechanical engineering degree prepared her to be a writer and how STEM education become focus in many public schools.

An interview with author Elana K. Arnold is presented. Topics discussed in the interview include why do she was so drowned with the setting of his book "The Question of Miracles and Far from Fair", the important for young readers to see both lightness and darkness in novels, the difference in writing fiction for middle grade and writing for young adult, and books she remember most from her childhood. INSETS: Further Reading;Common Core Connections: Elana K. Arnold.

An interview with author Angela Cerrito is presented, who discusses about her books and writings. Topics discussed include Cerrito trip to Warsaw, Poland for conducting research on book "The Safest Lie," contribution of Ilana Abramovitch, manager at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, in offering advice on history, and writing of the novel from first person point of view.

An interview with author Ilyasah Shabazz is presented. Topics discussed includes racial discrimination faced by her mother Betty Shabazz, her collaboration with Renée Watson to write a novel on her mother's life up until eighth grade; and writing of the book "Betty before X." It offers reviews of several books including "Miles to Go for Freedom" by Linda Barrett Osborne, "Life under the Jim Crow Laws" by Charles George, and "The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963" by Christopher Paul Curtis.

An interview with middle-grade author Tracey Hecht is presented, When asked about her Nocturnals series, she explains how she balances themes, plots, and characters. Her nocturnal animals were based on characters that woke up when children were just going to sleep. Hecht reveals doing more research to help fill the ideas.

An interview with author Alan Gratz is presented. When asked what inspired him to write the book "Ban This Book," He refers the online story about a girl from a private Catholic high school where a parent wanted books to be removed from the school library. He cites that his book could be challenged by school personnel. He mentions that he is writing the book entitled "Grenade."

An interview with author Graham Salisbury is presented. It discusses the various books written by Salisbury such as "Under the Blood-Red Sun", and it states that when Salisbury was asked about his childhood memories of Hawaii, Salisbury discusses his time spent with friends and family. Salisbury discusses that he most identifies with the character of Sonny Mendoza in the book "Blue Skin of the Sea", and mentions that Salisbury admires the character of Mikey Donovan in "Lord of the Deep."

An interview with author Rita Williams-Garcia is presented. It states that Williams-Garcia's novel "One Crazy Summer" was nominated for the 2010 National Book Award for Young People and mentions that the books of Williams-Garcia are mostly character driven. Williams-Garcia states that Delphine character in the novel teaches the value of family relations and the importance of enjoying childhood. It discusses Williams-Garcia's views on dealing with racial issues in her novels.