Let's Go to School!
Increase kindness + elevate creativity by introducing "The Mae Way" to your class, your grade, or even the entire school!
About the Book
How Mae Got Moxie, selected as the 2026 Alabama Center for the Book Great Reads from Great Places title, is an Alabama-created children’s book and kindness initiative designed to encourage literacy, confidence, creativity, and character development in young students.
Through the story of Mae, a shy hedgehog who learns to embrace who she is, children are inspired to be kind, be bold, and be themselves.
First released in 2025, the book has also:
✔️ Recognized by the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), ranking second in the National Children’s Fiction Contest
✔️ Earned first place for the 2025 Alabama Media Professionals Communications Contest
✔️ Been featured in numerous local publications, including Birmingham Family, Over the Mountain Journal, and Bham Now
Mae at School
Teach kids about kindness, give them creative ways to express it, and watch the good vibes soar!
Get Your School Involved!
How Mae Got Moxie is perfect entry-point for:
✔️ In-class presentations
✔️ Programs & ongoing activities
✔️ Assemblies + experiential events
✔️ Readings
✔️ Field trips
More about "The Mae Way"--
✔️ The story = carries a core literacy component
✔️ The experience = interactive school presentation, involving participants
✔️ The habit = weekly classroom culture tools insure the application outlives the event
What Educators Say!
Dr. Tommy Bice
Board Chairman for i3 Academy
This experience may just be the spark that ignites the next generation of writers to pen their own stories as they seek to be the agents of change for good.
Karla Johnson
Librarian, Vestavia Hills Elementary West
... a meaningful, inspiring experience. Her empowering message left a lasting impression, reminding our
community that small acts of courage and kindness have a big impact.
More about "The Mae Way"
100% Alabama-made = local writers & artists + locally sourced
Presented at 25+ Alabama schools, engaging 6,000+ students
Inspired by 9,000 local hand-painted "heart cards"
Integrates STEAM & creative learning
Promotes kindness, confidence, literacy, and growth
Offered as classroom, assembly, and school-wide programs
Drives literacy engagement, interaction, and school culture
Features interactive stories and creative, hands-on activities
Reminds children their origins don't limit their potential
Stats About Mae
Awards & Recognition
First Place for 2025 Alabama Media Professionals Communications Contest.
Finalist for National Children’s Fiction Contest
Recognized by the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW)
Selected to represent Alabama at the 2026 Great Reads from Great Places hosted by the Library of Congress.
Growing Impact
✔️ 6,000+ AL students reached
✔️ 9,000+ hand-painted kindness cards distributed
✔️ 3,000-copy print run sold out within months
✔️ Growing statewide across Alabama (book currently in 10+ local bookstores in our great state)
✔️ Growing national reach (book currently carried in bookstores
in over 13 states across the US)
Why It Matters
The Mae Way helps students feel seen and included, build confidence and empathy, strengthen literacy through engaging storytelling, encourage creativity and curiosity, and create positive classroom culture through kindness in action.
The Path Forward
Connect with the Story
Begin by accessing the core literary component of How Mae Got Moxie.
Create Ways to Apply the Lessons Learned
Help students identify their own "moxie" while celebrating the "moxie" in others.
Craft a Culture of Kindness
Enjoy contagious culture of honor and celebration growing in your school!
From the Author
I'm Jennifer Hallman, a Birmingham-based children’s author and
creator of How Mae Got Moxie. This K-2 literacy project was entirely
produced in Alabama and focuses on resilience, kindness, and courage.
To date, I have presented to over 6,000 students across 25 Alabama
schools. These visits inspired "The Mae Way," a Tier 2 program currently in
development.
It integrates:
✔️ Literacy & SEL: Storytelling through English / Spanish books and
audiobooks.
✔️ STEAM & Career Pathways: Hands-on "behind-the-scenes" publishing
and printing content.
✔️ Character Development: Evidence-based kindness and courage
initiatives.
I am honored to share that How Mae Got Moxie was selected by the
Alabama Center for the Book to represent our state at the Library of
Congress August 2026.
As Mae takes the national stage, I invite you to help me take "The Mae
Way" to more students.