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For Educators

Classroom guides

Free, photocopiable guides for teachers and librarians — discussion questions, activities and standards alignment for grades 3–7.

The Mirror: Basic Training

Book One. Ages 8–12, grades 3–7, 29,500 words across 17 chapters. The guide is built to be used in pieces — twenty-six discussion questions grouped by section, short and week-long activities, math and science extensions, and Common Core ELA anchor standards for each question. It opens with content notes so you know what is in the book before you assign it.

Download the educator’s guide (PDF) Editable version (Word) Librarian sell sheet (PDF)

Free to photocopy and distribute for classroom and library use. The Word version is editable if you want to adapt it to your unit. A guide for each book goes up around its release.

To order for a school or library: both editions are available to the trade through Ingram at a 55% discount, returnable. Book One is paperback 979-8-953278-00-3 and hardcover 979-8-953278-06-5; all six books, both editions, with ISBNs and prices are listed on our trade page. Journalists and reviewers: see the press kit. For a single copy, order on Amazon.

Classroom guides go up as each book releases, free to download. Join the newsletter and it comes to you the day it lands.

Teaching the whole series

All six books are written. A class that starts the series will not be left waiting on an unfinished one.

Basic Training · October 5, 2026
Extra Life · November 16, 2026 · Kindle pre-order open
Full Throttle · January 4, 2027
Critical Hit · February 19, 2027
Freeze Frame · 2027
Game Over · 2027

School & library visits

I'm booking visits for the 2026–27 school year — in person across Louisiana, or by video call anywhere. I also make trips to Austin for signings, so for a larger event there I can be present myself; for a class reading in the Austin area, my daughter Kaity is the one who'll come — she edits these books with me, and Jr is her brother.

Request a visit

Planning a unit and need something the guide doesn't cover? Ask — I'd rather write it than have you improvise it. hello@kateryncole.com

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Tell me about your school

Fill this in and I'll reply personally, usually within a day or two, with dates that could work. Nothing here is a commitment on either side.

New guides as each book lands

The newsletter goes out when a book releases — the guide goes with it.

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