Newly Published Books

From Empathy to Action by Chris Hass, Katie Kelly (Education Faculty),
and Lester Laminack

The publisher explains about From Empathy to Action: Topics include building empathy and compassion, helping students become aware of issues within their communities, creating brave environments so students can engage in productive discussions around sensitive topics, engaging students in research that answers their needs and those of their community, and supporting students into action. Classroom examples, practical tools, and student voices are featured throughout.

 “How can we move children from simply talking about things to learning to take action – and feeling empowered to enact change? The book includes instructional strategies classroom teachers can adopt to help their children create positive outcomes for their communities while also building identities for themselves as real agents of change,” Dr. Kelly explains, adding, “Debunk the false deficit-based assumptions that young people aren’t ready for activism, and you’ll see what is possible when we commit ourselves to integrating civic learning into our classroom literacy instruction.”

 

Black Widow Underestimated and Hypersexualized by P.L. Thomas

Dr. Thomas’s first book-length scholarship on comic books, Black Widow Underestimated and Hypersexualized, is intended for a wide range of readers, from fans to educators and scholars.

The publisher description notes: “The overview and analysis explore the contradiction between Black Widow’s enduring popularity and the limited commitment to her solo series and character development in print. This discussion centers Black Widow as a representation of the inadequate care and commitment given to women characters in mainstream superhero comics.”

“Comic book scholarship,” Dr. Thomas said, “allows me to combine my academic work and my life as a writer with a hobby I began the summer before I entered the ninth grade.”

 

Imagineering Education by Thomas Riddle ’91

The book description notes: “Blending insights from classroom practice with lessons from immersive design, this book gives teachers and school leaders a practical framework for transforming learning environments into places of wonder, curiosity, and connection…. If you’re ready to design learning spaces that captivate hearts and minds, this book is your blueprint for making education an experience that students will never forget.”

Thomas will also be speaking at SZSW EDU 2026 in Austin this March. His session, “The Reimagineering of Education” will explore blending the art of storytelling, the science of design, and the heart of teaching to transform our schools into places where creativity, curiosity, and connection thrive.