Q&A with Dana Kramaroff

 

 

 

Dana Kramaroff is the author of the new middle grade novel The Do More Club. An elementary school teacher, she lives in Pennsylvania.

 

Q: What inspired you to write The Do More Club, and how did you create your character Josh?

 

A: I was inspired to write this book because it was always really common for me to be in situations where I was the only Jewish person. There were times in my life that I really liked being different and times when I wished I was like everyone else.

 

Being a teacher for many years also inspired me. I had so many students that felt like they had to hide their differences and that was a really important element I wanted to include. 

 

I created Josh by thinking of some of those students and especially the kind-hearted ones and the quiet leaders who struggled to figure out their place in the world. 

 

Q: Why did you decide to tell the story in verse?

 

A: As I was thinking about writing this book, there were really specific scenes that I envisioned in verse with the line breaks and white spaces on the page. I felt that verse was how I would make those poignant moments memorable.

 

I have always loved poetry and it flowed so easily out of me to tell the story in that way. 

 

Q: The Kirkus Review of the book says, in part, “The accessible verse, written almost entirely in lowercase, follows Josh’s awakening to the cause of justice.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: When I think of accessible stories, I must first talk about graphic novels. Graphic novels are so loved and as a teacher, I encourage my students (and their parents) to understand that graphic novels are real books.

 

I have always felt that novels in verse are a perfect bridge to all of the amazing novels written in prose. Students of mine who had never read a novel in prose were more likely to read them after I introduced novels in verse.

 

For those reasons, I hope that my story written in verse does feel accessible to students. 

 

When I started writing the verses, I actually wrote the whole book out on paper. I did not capitalize the start of a single sentence. I was a definite rule breaker and it felt freeing! People notice the lack of capital letters but it felt fitting for the flow and beauty of the words. 

 

Josh must learn that justice is not only fighting for what happens to your own people. I feel as if Josh’s journey in understanding what is just and what is not, is just beginning for him and his eyes were opened. Marcus, one of the members of the club, helps him to do that.

 

If I am ever able to write a sequel, I hope to address that even more. Josh has room to grow, as a human being, as we all do. 

 

Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?

 

A: My hope is that the book raises awareness of antisemitism for my readers, that children are able to find courage like Josh did, to share their true selves, and that children are inspired to use the book as a call to action in creating their own Do More Clubs, thus spreading kindness so hate can’t win. 

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I am working on another middle grade novel that will be coming out in 2026 with Penguin Random House (Rocky Pond Books). It is about a young girl in a bigger body who is trying to learn that the way she looks is the least interesting thing about her. 

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I love connecting with teachers and readers. If I am able to send your class a video message, Zoom with you, or answer letters, it would be my absolute honor.

 

I have been so lucky to have had amazing authors connect with my classes and it has meant so much to me and to their literacy journey. I want to be able to pay it forward! 

 

My website is danakramaroff.com and I can always be reached there or on social media!

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb