Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins

Marianne Celano and Marietta Collins are co-authors who write children's books addressing social issues and difficult conversations. They collaborate on picture books that help parents and educators discuss complex topics with young readers. Their most notable work is "Something Happened in Our Town," a children's book that tackles the subject of police violence and racial injustice. The book follows two families—one white, one Black—as they discuss a police shooting with their children. Celano brings a background in psychology and child development to their writing partnership. Collins contributes expertise in education and community engagement. Their work focuses on creating age-appropriate resources for discussing racism, social justice, and current events with children. They aim to provide tools for families to have honest conversations about difficult subjects in society.

Reader reviews of Celano and Collins' work center primarily on "Something Happened in Our Town." Parents and educators praise the book for providing a framework to discuss police violence and racism with children. Many reviewers note the book's balanced approach in showing both white and Black family perspectives on the same incident. Readers appreciate the book's age-appropriate language and the way it validates children's feelings about traumatic events. Teachers report success using the book in classroom discussions about current events and social justice. Some parents mention the book helped them start conversations they had been avoiding. Criticism focuses on the book's heavy subject matter, with some readers questioning whether young children should be exposed to these topics. A few reviewers found the content too complex for the target age group. Others wanted more depth in addressing systemic racism. Some readers felt the book oversimplified complex issues or that the solutions presented were inadequate for the problems discussed.