Welcome — Start Here for Schools & Librarians
Absurd MG fiction with a media-literacy twist
Hello! I’m Jacob Buller. I’m a middle-grade author who blends absurd adventure with kid-friendly media literacy.
Here you’ll find The Stinkwater Escapee, an ongoing MG series in two different formats:
Text is published every other week,
Podcast form for in-between weeks with narration of the text, complete with fake ads and short PSAs.
The additional content helps young readers understand how persuasion, storytelling, and “truth-claims” work. It’s a light, humorous way to build critical-thinking skills for Grades 4–8 without breaking the fun of the story.
What educators often ask:
Is it appropriate for my students? — Yes. Written for Grades 4–8, with clear MG tone and emotional logic.
Is the media-literacy component curricular? — The PSAs introduce evidence, claims, and tactics of persuasion in accessible kid language.
Is there audio? — Yes: chapters and fake ads are produced as short audio episodes through Mudwater Mutters.
Do you visit schools? — Absolutely. I offer classroom talks and media-literacy workshops for Grades 4–8.
If you’d like to explore how this might fit your school or literacy goals, you’re welcome to reach out.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and especially for all you do for young readers.
— Jacob