Louder Than Hunger: A Discussion with John Schu

The Book Stall proudly welcomes to the store author John Schu on Thursday, April 4 at 6:30 pm for a powerful discussion of his new book, Louder Than Hunger. Based on his own experience of these conditions, Mr. Schu presents a vivid and immersive look at a teenage boy’s experience of anorexia, OCD, and depression. As a revered teacher, librarian, and story ambassador, Schu has created a wrenching, transformative, and unforgettable novel in verse with a moving introduction by two-time Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. Mr. Schu will be in conversation with Heidi Stevens. This book is appropriate for readers ages 12 to adult.

This event is free with registration, to register, please visit our website or CLICK HERE.

More About the Book: Jake volunteers at a nursing home because he likes helping people. He likes reading mysteries and comics aloud to the senior residents. He likes skating and singing, playing Bingo and Name That Tune. He also likes avoiding people his own age . . . and the cruelty of mirrors . . . and food. Jake has read about kids like him in books, the weird one, the outsider, and would do anything not to be that kid, including shrink himself down to nothing. But the less he eats, the bigger he feels. How long can Jake punish himself before he truly disappears?

A fictionalized account of the author’s experiences and emotions living in residential treatment facilities as a young teen with an eating disorder, Louder Than Hunger is a triumph of raw honesty. With a deeply personal afterword for context, this much-anticipated verse novel is a powerful model for muffling the destructive voices inside, managing and articulating pain, and embracing self-acceptance, support, and love.

Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan says, “Every so often a book comes along that is so brave and necessary, it extends a lifeline when it’s needed most. This is one of those books.”

More About the Author: John Schu is the author of the acclaimed picture books This Is a School and This Is a Story. He also wrote the adult study The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life and was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker for his dynamic interactions with students and his passionate adoption of new technologies as a means of connecting authors, illustrators, books, and readers. As a children’s librarian for Bookelicious, part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and former Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs, Mr. Schu continues to travel the world to share his love of books. He lives in Naperville, Illinois. You can find him at www.JohnSchu.com and on social media @MrSchuReads.

More About Our Conversation Partner: Heidi Stevens is a Chicago-based writer and the Director of External Affairs for the University of Chicago’s TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health, which works to provide parents, caregivers, and communities the knowledge and tools to optimize foundational brain development in all children. Prior to joining University of Chicago, Stevens worked at the Chicago Tribune for 23 years, where she wrote a daily column called Balancing Act. She was awarded the Anne Keegan Award for Distinguished Journalism in 2018. Stevens maintains a nationally syndicated weekly column and serves on the Family Action Network (FAN) board of directors.