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Kathy MacMillan

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Born
in Baltimore, MD, The United States
February 11, 1975

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Megan Whalen Turner, Guy Gavriel Kay, Hilari Bell, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ric ...more

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November 2013

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Kathy MacMillan is a writer, American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and signing storyteller. She writes picture books (the Little Hands Signing series and The Runaway Shirt, Familius Press), children’s nonfiction (She Spoke: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices and Changed the World, Familius Press), and young adult fantasy. Her debut young adult novel, Sword and Verse (2016) was a finalist for the Compton Crook Award, and its companion novel, Dagger and Coin (2018) has been called a “complex feminist fantasy” by author Heidi Heilig. She has also published 8 resource books for educators, librarians, and parents, including Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press). Kathy serves as the Mentorshi ...more

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Kathy MacMillan It was originally intended to be, but then one of the other characters stepped up and demanded to have her story told, so I am working on the sequel n…moreIt was originally intended to be, but then one of the other characters stepped up and demanded to have her story told, so I am working on the sequel now. But what I really suspect you are asking is : "Is this one of those books where I am going to invest a lot of time reading it and then it ends in a cliffhanger and I have to wait a year or more to find out what happens?" This book does function as a standalone, with what I hope is a satisfying ending. No cliffhangers here! I do hope that once you read it you will want to spend more time with these characters and want to read the sequel though!(less)
Kathy MacMillan Yes! Though SWORD AND VERSE functions as a standalone (i.e. no cliffhanger ending!), I am working on a sequel that picks up the action in another char…moreYes! Though SWORD AND VERSE functions as a standalone (i.e. no cliffhanger ending!), I am working on a sequel that picks up the action in another character's point of view. The second book should be out in 2018.(less)
Average rating: 3.6 · 3,783 ratings · 741 reviews · 38 distinct worksSimilar authors
Sword and Verse (Sword and ...

3.47 avg rating — 2,792 ratings — published 2016 — 16 editions
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Dagger and Coin (Sword and ...

3.71 avg rating — 154 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions
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Nita's First Signs

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4.54 avg rating — 109 ratings2 editions
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The Runaway Shirt

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3.87 avg rating — 86 ratings4 editions
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She Spoke: 14 Women Who Rai...

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4.25 avg rating — 68 ratings4 editions
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Nita's Day: An Interactive ...

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4.11 avg rating — 57 ratings
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Baby Storytime Magic: Activ...

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4.07 avg rating — 55 ratings — published 2014
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Storytime Magic: 400 Finger...

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3.82 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 2009 — 5 editions
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Little Hands & Big Hands: C...

4.39 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions
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Kindergarten Magic: Theme-B...

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3.63 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions
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More books by Kathy MacMillan…

Level Up Your Library Service to Deaf Patrons

Hands Up: Live ASL Practice for Library Staff (Intermediate) Wednesdays, April 22 to May 27, 2026 from 12-1 PM Eastern/11 AM-12 PM Central/10-11 AM Mountain/9-10 AM Pacific Online sessions via Zoom (6 weeks, 1 hour per week). Includes recording access for all sessions through June 28, 2026. Practice your ASL for the library setting in … Continue reading Level Up Your Library Service to Deaf Patron Read more of this blog post »
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Published on April 16, 2026 06:00
Sword and Verse Dagger and Coin
(2 books)
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3.48 avg rating — 2,946 ratings

The Whispering Dark
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Kathy MacMillan Kathy MacMillan said: " A spooky paranormal read centered around a deaf character who uses a cochlear implant and also signs a little. Andrew creates a breathtakingly detailed world in which those who brush with death forge a connection to other realities. At the heart of t ...more "

 

Kathy’s Recent Updates

Kathy MacMillan wrote a new blog post

Level Up Your Library Service to Deaf Patrons

Hands Up: Live ASL Practice for Library Staff (Intermediate) Wednesdays, April 22 to May 27, 2026 from 12-1 PM Eastern/11 AM-12 PM Central/10-11 AM Mo Read more of this blog post »
Kathy MacMillan rated a book it was amazing
Call Your Father by Tracy C. Gold
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A poignant companion to Gold and Mineker’s previous collaboration, Call Your Mother, this book is a perfect gift for father figures of all kinds. We follow the protagonist from the time he is a little baby rolling on the rug, babbling “Ba ba ba! Da d ...more
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Out Cold by E.J. Ridley
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This moody high school mystery, the first in a promising new series, gives big Veronica Mars vibes while introducing two characters who are gripping in their own right. Rook is a champion weightlifter forced to go into hiding and give up her passion. ...more
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Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt
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This delightful sequel to Good Different follows Selah as she enters the brave new world of writing camp, armed with the autism diagnosis she received in the first book, and plenty of tools to help her manage sensory overwhelm. But a new environment ...more
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The Gallaudet Eleven by Kerry O'Malley Cerra
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In this groundbreaking nonfiction picture book, Deaf author Kerry O’Malley Cerra and Deaf illustrator Kristina Gehrmann bring forth the long-overlooked story of eleven Deaf men who participated in NASA experiments for ten years to help researchers un ...more
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Space for Saffron by Rie Neal
Space for Saffron
by Rie Neal (Goodreads Author)
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Saffron is a lovable space nerd who sometimes gets so excited to DO SCIENCE that she just can't get out of her own way. After a particularly embarrassing disaster costs her mom her job, Saffron and her moms relocate to Silicon Valley to take over the ...more
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Articulate by Rachel Kolb
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Many hearing people, if they think of deaf people at all, tend to make generalizations—either they sign, or they speak and speechread. Either they spend all their time in the Deaf community or they are fully integrated into the hearing world.

But as
...more
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Dreams Take Flight by Brittany Richman
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This lovely nonfiction picture book tells the true story of Nellie Zabel Willhite, who became the first licensed deaf pilot in the US. The world was far from accommodating when she was growing up as a deaf child in the early 1900s, but with a combina ...more
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Octo, PI and the Mysterious Voice by Sarah McDavis
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Octo, PI is back for another adventure, along with trusty sidekicks Tank the chameleon and junior investigator Lightning the hummingbird. This time, there’s a creepy voice (maybe a ghost?) scaring animals at night. Octo has to get to the bottom of it ...more
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The Girl in the Walls by Meg Eden Kuyatt
The Girl in the Walls
by Meg Eden Kuyatt (Goodreads Author)
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Meg Eden Kuyatt’s verse is easy to read, drawing the reader into V’s world with its perpetual forward rhythm, but don’t be fooled into thinking that means this book is simple. There’s nothing simple about this spooky story that centers around a ghost ...more
More of Kathy's books…
Quotes by Kathy MacMillan  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“What might happen if writing were a shared endeavor, meant t connect people instead of being hoarded as a tool of power and privilege.”
Kathy MacMillan, Sword and Verse

“Mati took in my expression, and a moment later I was in his arms. His kisses washed over me like floodwater over parched earth. I clutched him helplessly, tears falling down my face and mingling with his as he whispered my name.”
Kathy MacMillan, Sword and Verse

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