Press Kit
Biography
Debra Kempf Shumaker started reading at the age of four and hasn’t stopped since. She grew up on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin but now lives in the suburbs of Northern Virginia with her husband, three sons, and two cats. Debra is the author of Freaky, Funky Fish, Peculiar Primates, Tell Someone, and the upcoming Wind Is a Dance. When she isn’t reading or writing, she enjoys hiking, gardening, and watching Jeopardy.
Representation
Debra is repped by James McGowan & Sophie Sheumaker at BookEnds Literary.
Links To Full Size Cover Images/Book Info
Downloadable Author Photos/Bios
Upcoming Events
- November 7th & 8th: VAASL (Virginia Association of School Librarians) Conference in Williamsburg, VA. Details here:
- November 16, 2024: Books by the Banks Book Festival, Cinncinatti, OH. Details here.
- November 23rd, 2024 at 1:15 pm and 2:45 pm: Two Author Panels at NCTE, Boston, MA—The Uplifting Power of STEAM and The Poetry of Nature.
- December 4th, 2024 at 7:00 pm. Writing in Rhyme” class for adults at Cascades Library, Sterling, VA. Details here.
Audio / Video Interviews
- Tell Me About Your Book Podcast with Oaky Tyree
- Reading With Your Kids Podcast with Jed Doherty and learn more about PECULIAR PRIMATES, November 6, 2022.
- New Books Network Interview — Peculiar Primates with Mel Rosenberg, September 7, 2022.
- Something’s Happening Here Podcast with Harlan Marks, January 26, 2022
- Reading with Your Kids Podcast, December 9, 2021
- “Empowered Publicity,” Children’s Books Spotlight Series, December 2, 2021
- Interview with Mel Rosenberg—“You’ve Got Mel”—about Freaky, Funky Fish and my writing journey. October 6, 2020
Blog Interviews
- Featured on Kerry Aradhya’s Blog, “Picture Books and Pirouettes”, October 23rd, 2024.
- Featured Author on Jonathan Roth’s Blog, September 25, 2024.
- Featured Author on Chelsea’s World of Books Blog, January 3, 2024.
- NF Fest Blog: Writing a Rhyming Nonfiction Picture Book: A Game of Jenga TM, February 1, 2023.
- Lit Links Blog: How to use primates to teach across the curriculum, January 4, 2023
- Simply Seven with Debra Shumaker—Peculiar Primates, October 11, 2022
- Picture Book Builder’s Blog, October 4th, 2022
- Dynamic Book Duos Blog with Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, September 27, 2022
- Behind the Scenes: “Working With Experts To Verify Information In Backmatter.” August 20, 2021
- Lit Links Blog: Share FIN-tastic Fun About the Odd Ways Fish Survive, May 19, 2021
- Author Debra Shumaker on about how to Publish Expository Nonfiction, May 12, 2021
- CritterLit Interview with Debut Author Debra Shumaker, May 6, 2021
- KidLit411 Author Spotlight: Debra Kempf Shumaker, April 30, 2021
- Simply 7 with Debra Shumaker—Freaky, Funky Fish, April 29, 2021.
- First Draft To Final Book—Freaky, Funky Fish, April 28, 2021
- Math Is Everywhere Blog—Interview with Debut Author Debra Shumaker, April 23, 2021
- Troupe Tales: Meet Troupe 21’s Debra Kempf Shumaker
- Cover Reveal for Freaky, Funky Fish, September 25, 2020.
- Author Debra Kempf Shumaker on the Art of Perseverance, April 22, 2020.
- The Face of Perseverance, November 15, 2017