Children’s Author Visits Schuylerville Thanks to Skidmore

SCHUYLERVILLE — Schuylerville’s 4th and 5th grade students recently had an opportunity to meet acclaimed children’s author Emma Otheguy, thanks to a partnership with the Department of Education Studies at Skidmore College.

Otheguy’s newest release is “Cousins in the Time of Magic,” a historical fiction novel that follows three cousins who are transported from present-day Miami to 1862 Virginia after stumbling upon a mysterious portal in their aunt’s yard. As the children journey through Civil War-era America, they gain a deeper understanding of Latin American and U.S. history.

Otheguy spent over an hour speaking with Schuylerville students. The conversation touched on the joys of storytelling, the writing process, and the importance of seeing oneself reflected in literature. With a Ph.D. in History from New York University and a research focus on colonial Latin America, Otheguy’s work often explores the connections between Latin America and the United States.

“One of the things I’ve always loved about being a reader is the chance to connect with authors,” Otheguy said in a news release. “When schools bring authors into the classroom, they’re not just encouraging reading—they’re inviting students into a lifelong relationship with books.”