Grant Overstake

The Real Education of TJ Crowley has been added to Catholics Read through the Association of Catholic Publishers.

This matters because it places the work directly into Catholic schools, parish programs, and reading groups—communities that are willing to engage difficult history with care and seriousness.

The project pairs an Audie Award–winning full-cast audio drama with a word-for-word Scriptbook designed for read-and-listen use. It’s already being used in classroom and small-group settings.

Set in Wichita in 1968, the story follows a young boy confronting racial division shaped by redlining. It begins with experience, not argument, and gives students something concrete to return to in discussion.

You can see the listing here:
https://catholicsread.org/current-titles/f/the-real-education-of-tj-crowley-coming-of-age-on-the-redline

Classroom resources:
https://real-education-tj-crowle-1naiyry.gamma.site/classroom

Wichita History on the National Stage

Tonight at 7:30 PM on PBS Kansas Channel 8, I join Victor Hogstrom One on One to discuss how a story rooted in 1968 Wichita became the 2025 Audie Award winner for Best Young Adult Audiobook.

The Real Education of TJ Crowley was built by a coalition of local artists, the ARISE Ensemble, historians, educators, funders, and community partners. Together, we created a read-and-listen experience that is now expanding into classrooms across Kansas through The Real Education Project.

This is about more than an award. It is about scaling a proven civic learning model where history and thoughtful dialogue meet.

Watch tonight at 7:30 PM on PBS Kansas Channel 8.

Educators, donors, and community partners are invited to explore how we can bring this model to more classrooms and public spaces across the state. Learn how to join us here:

Grant Overstake | The Real Education Project | Narrative-Based Education The Real Education Project partners with schools and libraries to teach resilience, empathy, and human connection through award-winning storytelling and dialogue.

The Scriptbook Edition is now live.

After years of work — and a journey that began with the Audie-winning audio drama — The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline has returned to the page.

This new Scriptbook Edition lets you read every word, follow the voices, and experience the story the way it was created: as a powerful “read + listen” journey into 1968 Wichita.

It’s now available direct from the publisher — so your purchase supports indie books, indie authors, and the community that shaped this story.

Buy Scriptbook: www.grainvalleypublishing.com
Listening Options: See platforms where the audio drama is available https://bitl.to/5alT