Coyotes, Cockroaches, & Justice: Building a book for young people (Brattleboro LitFest)

Charlene Allen (author of “Play the Game”) and Dayna Lorentz (author of “Wayward Creatures”) will talk about taking real world concepts of and turning them into fiction. Both “Play the Game” and “Wayward Creatures” introduce audiences to Restorative Justice Circles and how they work in two different contexts – while also telling the riveting stories of young people navigating harm within their respective communities. We’ll have readings from the books, some fun activities, snacks, and a sample restorative justice circle.

Charlene Allen works with community organizations to heal trauma and fight injustice, especially the beast called mass incarceration. She received her MFA from The New School, her JD from Northeastern University, and her BA from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She lives in Brooklyn with her fabulous family and their very silly dog. Play the Game is her debut novel. You can visit her at www.charleneallen.com.

Dayna Lorentz is the author of the middle grade novels Wayward Creatures and Of a Feather (Clarion Books/HarperCollins Children’s), the No Safety in Numbers trilogy (Speak/Penguin Random House) and the Dogs of the Drowned City series (Scholastic). She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Bennington College. Dayna is a staff attorney with the Vermont Judiciary and lives with her husband, two kids, and two cats in Vermont. If you ask nicely, she will show you the proper way to eat a cupcake. Visit her at www.daynalorentz.com and NoSafetyinNumbersBooks.com.