Newark Valley students meet author of class novel ‘When the World Was Ours’

(WBNG) -- Stacy Mallery is a 10th-grade English Teacher at Newark Valley High School and three years ago she started incorporating Liz Kessler’s historical novel “When the World Was Ours” into the Holocaust unit that she taught.

The novel was published in 2021 and it follows the story of three young friends as they navigate the events of World War II and Nazi Germany.

On Wednesday, students got the chance to meet with Kessler to learn more about the deeper meaning behind the story.

“So, I’ve been super excited for the past three weeks waiting for this and to bring this opportunity to my students,” said Mallery. “So, they could meet a real author and just talk to the author about their choices and their writing choices and style.”

The English teacher believes this novel should be a staple in all school districts. The novel is based on a true story as well as Kessler’s own family history.

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