Education to the Core's Children's Book Author Spotlight: Pamela Tuck

Education to the Core's Children's Book Author Spotlight: Pamela Tuck
Welcome to Education to the Core’s Children’s Book Author Spotlight. This is a series of blogs that will highlight a specific children’s book author. Share their stories, their books, their love. It is my goal to not only highlight some amazing authors but share some great resources and how to pair their books with engaging and student-led activities and resources!

Each blog will not only highlight a specific author and their books but will also include an interview! Be sure to check in to the included podcast episode as well to hear directly from the author, their hopes of how educators will utilize their books in the classroom, as well as some hints to future releases!
I am so excited to introduce you to our Children's Book Author Spotlight, author Pamela Tuck!

Pamela Tuck

I was so lucky to have met Pamela Tuck over the holiday season of 2021 and purchase some of her books. I immediately was drawn to her when I struck up a conversation about one of her books I had in my hand. As soon as I picked it up, I knew it was special. Highlighting her family’s story of their participation in civil rights activism, I was immediately hooked. Not only a multiple award-winning author, Pamela herself is almost like a lifelong friend. I felt like I’d known her for years even though I just met her. Her personality shines through her writing and is truly so kind, generous, and passionate about her craft. A little bit more on Pamela is taken directly from her website biography. “Pamela Tuck is a native of Greenville, NC. She was inspired to become a writer after her grandfather, the storyteller in the family, captivated her with his tales. When she was a child, Pamela remembers entertaining her family by recording her own voice and telling “made up silly stories.” She won her first poetry contest in elementary school and continued to write short stories and plays. Most of Pamela's ideas come from her family and life experiences.”

Special Podcast Episode

Be sure to listen to this amazing and inspiring podcast episode with my interview with Pamela Tuck. She truly has not only an admiration for teachers but provides so many awesome activities and lesson topics for educators to use alongside these books in their classrooms.

Pamela Tuck's Children's Books

Throughout the interview, Pamela shares such great ideas and resources to use alongside her books! Below are Pamela’s current books and will be ever-growing I’m sure. Each book is linked to our Amazon affiliate account.
As Fast As Words Could Fly
Based on the true events of Pamela’s father, Moses Teel Jr., this book follows his journey about the desegregation of the school system in the 1960s within North Carolina. Using his talent of writing, specifically typing on a typewriter, he shines. Despite the fears and injustices he faced from students and faculty, he truly persevered. Check out the teacher guide for cross-curricular ideas and home connections with As Fast As Words Could Fly. Pamela focuses on various writing techniques, establishing voice, character development, realistic dialogue, connecting text to real-world scenarios. Education to the Core’s Writing Unit is the perfect pair with these writing techniques adding conventions and organization to the mix!

Mother of Many
As a mother of 11 herself, Pamela knew her life and family were the perfect characters of her next book. Wondering what a typical day looked like in the Tuck household?! Look no further! This text is full of rhyme, colorful illustrations, and how a family works together.
Sheldon the Mushroom
Here is the PERFECT text to pair with your next Social-Emotional Lesson! Focusing on acceptance and how to have empathy. Follow a lonely little mushroom on its journey that will captivate all audiences. As Pamela states, this text is the perfect lesson on character development and motivation as well as how to embrace diversity at a young age! Don’t forget to use this text as a great mentor text to begin the conversation of SEL and empathy within your K-2 or 3-5 classroom!

Color Struck
Inspired by another family member, Colorstruck is a novel that will touch the hearts of all readers. This novel is targeted for 5th grade and up, but don’t let that stray from a teacher read-aloud! Focusing on colorism, this text truly shows how important acceptance and empathy are needed no matter what color we are. Colorism is prejudice or discrimination against people with dark skin that occurs within a certain ethnic group or race. See within another character’s world, yet take away the courage and diversity the characters share.

It is Pamela’s goal and my own hope that these stories land in your classroom library. Let these texts begin to open up the dialogue to embrace diversity, enlighten, entertain, and expand your world! Are you an author or know an author that would be a great feature within this Children’s Book Author Spotlight?!? Reach out, comment below, and let us know! Be sure to check back each month to hear and read about a brand new author that will continue to inspire and entertain us for many years to come!
Written By – Christopher Olson
At Education to the Core, we exist to help our teachers build a stronger classroom as they connect with our community to find trusted, state-of-the-art resources designed by teachers for teachers. We aspire to be the world’s leading & most trusted community for educational resources for teachers. We improve the lives of every teacher and learner with the most comprehensive, reliable, and inclusive educational resources. If you enjoyed what we have to offer at ETTC, be sure to join our email list, so you won’t miss a beat. We are here to help with all your resource needs. Become a Premium Member of Education to the Core and receive immediate access to thousands of printable activities. For one small monthly or annual fee, everything ETTC can be at your fingertips all of the time.