NESCBWI Virtual Shop Talk: Beyond the Bookshelf: Engaging the Homeschooling Community

Homeschooling represents a significant and growing part of the U.S. education landscape.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), an estimated 3.4 million

school-aged children were homeschooled in the United States during the 2024-2025 school year.

For kidlit authors, this diverse community offers exciting opportunities to extend the life of a

book beyond the bookshelf into curriculum, enrichment, family learning, and literacy

experiences.

In this Shop Talk session, participants will explore who makes up the homeschooling

community, discover practical ways to find homeschoolers, reimagine how they can complement

the ways homeschoolers learn and leave with actionable next steps for building authentic and

mutually beneficial relationships.

is a home educator and writer for children. A former college administrator

and middle school teacher, her stories uplift underrepresented voices, helping young readers to

feel seen and valued. Combining homeschooling and children’s books, Desira created and hosted

a popular Soul School Series – a set of conversations with a leading home education expert and

award-winning kidlit authors and illustrators. She is the 2024 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award

Winner and a 2025 PB Rising Stars Runner-Up. Desira is a member of SCBWI, the PB

Collective and an active participant in conferences and writing communities. When she’s not

writing, Desira enjoys taking long walks, traveling, swimming, line dancing, and spending time

with her amazing family in Maryland. Born and raised in New Jersey, Desira earned a Bachelor

of Arts degree in Communication from Rutgers University, and a Master of Education degree

from the University of Maryland.

7:30pm- 8:30pm EST

$10 for Premium members

$15 for Non members

Please Contact Bridget Bick with any Questions at