Schuylerville’s 4th and 5th grade students had a special opportunity to meet acclaimed 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.
Emma Otheguy spent over an hour speaking with Schuylerville students, who were highly engaged and eager to learn about her life and what inspired her to become an author. The conversation touched on the joy 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 rich connections between Latin America and the United States. She says it is one of her goals to share these meaningful stories with school-aged children.
“One of the things I’ve always loved about being a reader is the chance to connect with authors,” said Otheguy. “When schools bring authors into the classroom, they’re not just encouraging reading—they’re inviting students into a lifelong relationship with books.”