Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley share No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change (Charlesbridge Publishing), celebrating twelve young activists and three activist groups on front lines of the climate crisis who have planted trees in Uganda, protected water in Canada, reduced school-bus climate footprint in Indonesia, invented alternate[...]
Aaron Becker shares The Last Zookeeper (Candlewick Press), a wordless picture book imaging a futuristic Noah's Ark in a luminous sci-fi parable for our changing world. Visit Aaron online at https://www.storybreathing.com You can pick up your own copy of The Last Zookeper wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or[...]
Britt Gondolfi and Amanda Romanick share Look Up!: Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution (Paw Prints Publishing), the story of Fontaine, a small pigeon who is fed up with the world's addiction to technology. Visit Jarrett online at https://www.fontainethepigeon.com You can pick up your own copy of Look Up!: Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution wherever[...]
Jarrett Lerner shares A Work in Progress (Aladdin Paperbacks), a poignant and "perceptive" journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustration about a young boy who struggles with body image. Visit Jarrett online at https://jarrettlerner.com You can pick up your own copy of A Work in Progress wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent[...]
Dave Roman shares Unicorn Boy (First Second), a magical journey about a boy who sprouts a unicorn horn and uses his newfound powers to help those in need! Visit Dave online at http://yaytime.com/ You can pick up your own copy of Unicorn Boy wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org[...]
Emma Otheguy shares Martina Has Too Many Tías (Atheneum Books for Young Readers), a lively and magical bilingual picture book that reimagines the beloved Caribbean folktale "La Cucaracha Martina." Visit Emma online at https://emmaotheguy.com You can pick up your own copy of Martina Has Too Many Tías wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores[...]
Kate DiCamillo shares Ferris (Candlewick), a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up. Visit Kate online at https://www.katedicamillo.com/ You can pick up your own copy of Ferris wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm.[...]
Lid’ya Rivera shares I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots (HarperCollins), a lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and loving the skin you're in that will inspire all children to appreciate their spots or what makes them different. Illustrated by Niña Mata. Visit Lid’ya online at https://www.lidyacrivera.com/ You can pick up your own copy of I Absolutely,[...]
Maple Lam shares Dim Sum, Here We Come! (Harper), a celebration of the traditional Chinese customs passed on from generation to generation: togetherness, love, family--and FOOD! Visit Maple online at https://www.maplelam.com/ You can pick up your own copy of Dim Sum, Here We Come! wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through[...]
John Schu shares Louder Than Hunger (Candlewick Press), a wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse that explores anorexia--and self-expression as an act of survival. Visit John online at https://www.johnschu.com/ You can pick up your own copy of Louder Than Hunger wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through[...]
Rajani LaRocca shares Mirror to Mirror (Quill Tree Books), an evocative novel in verse about identical twin sisters who do everything together--until external pressures threaten to break them apart. Visit Rajani online at https://www.rajanilarocca.com You can pick up your own copy of Mirror to Mirror wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping[...]
Victoria J. Coe shares the Make Way for Fenway books. The little dog with a GIANT personality from Fenway and Hattie is starring in his own chapter book series! AND Fenway and the Loudmouth Bird (Make Way for Fenway #3) is a 2024 Sid Fleischman Honor Award for Humor! Visit Victoria online at https://www.victoriajcoe.com/ You can pick[...]
Qing Zhuang shares Rainbow Shopping (Holiday House), a heartfelt tribute to Chinatown and spending days-off together in which sharing a delicious meal helps a child feel loved. Visit Qing online at qingthings.com You can pick up your own copy of Rainbow Shopping wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You[...]
Laura Numeroff shares If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (HarperCollins) and Raising a Hero, a story of about a puppy with a lot to learn on his adventure of becoming someone’s life-changing friend and helper. Visit Laura online at https://lauranumeroff.com/ Canine Companions website You can pick up your own copy of If You Give[...]
Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2024), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Sydney Taylor Book Award Website - link 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - link Purchase any of the Books -[...]
Hanna Mousabeck shares Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine (Chronicle Books), a story of a father and his daughters, who may not be able to return home . . . but they can celebrate stories of their homeland! Visit Hannah online at https://hannahmoushabeck.com/ You can pick up your own copy of Homeland: My Father Dreams[...]
Kirsten W. Larson shares The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of (Chronicle Books), a poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne. Visit Kirsten online at https://kirsten-w-larson.com/ You can pick up your own copy of The Fire of[...]
Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Chang share This Is Not My Home (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), a humorous and heartfelt reverse immigration story that will resonate across cultures and show us how a place can become home. Visit Eugenia and Vivienne online at https://www.vivienneandeugenia.com/ You can pick up your own copy of This Is[...]
Jason Chin shares The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey, a dive into the microscopic building blocks of life. BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin Jason Chin, winner of the Caldecott Medal for Watercress, dives into the microscopic building blocks of life in this companion to the award-winning[...]
Nonieqa Ramos shares Beauty Woke, a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale, and readers looking for a next-generation Sleeping Beauty will fall in love with the vivid art and lyrical text. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on March 7,[...]- John Schu and Lauren Castillo share This Is a Story, inviting us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on March 14, 2023.
- Torrey Maldonado shares HANDS, a story about Trevor, a twelve-year-old who is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and would do anything to protect his mom and sisters. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.
- Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd share You Are Not Alone, a story reminding us that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.
Andrea Wang shares Luli and the Language of Tea, a story that reminds us that when you're looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Hyewon Yum Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the[...]
Tiffany Jewell shares The Antiracist Kid, a book that teaches young children the words, language, and methods to recognize racism and injustice--and what to do when they encounter it at home, at school, and in the media they watch, play, and read. BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Antiracist Kid: A Book about Identity, Justice, and Activism by[...]
Tameka Fryer Brown shares That Flag, an affecting picture book that challenges the meaning behind the still-waving Confederate flag through the friendship of two young girls who live across the street from each other. BOOK DESCRIPTION: That Flag by Tameka Fryer Brown; illustrated by Nikkolas Smith An affecting picture book from Tameka Fryer Brown[...]
Jenny Kay Dupuis shares Heart Berry Bling, a story incorporating the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act into an intimate conversation between grandparent and child. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis; illustrated by Eva Campbell. On a visit to her granny, Maggie is excited[...]
Jackie Azúa Kramer, Jonah Kramer, and Zach Manbeck share Manolo & the Unicorn, a story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary--unicorns and oneself. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer, illustrated by Zach Manbeck To Manolo the world is a magical place--a place where he searches[...]
Eric Rosswood shares Strong, a picture book biography co-authored with Rob Kearney and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani. Strong is a fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Strong by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood; illustrated by Nidhi Chanani A Stonewall Honor Book! Strong[...]
Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez share I Can Be... Me!, a joyful picture book celebration of individuality, uniqueness, and children's freedom to express themselves while engaging in whatever kinds of play they choose. BOOK DESCRIPTION: I Can Be... Me! by Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez From bestselling author Lesléa Newman --[...]
Kim Taylor shares A Flag for Juneteenth, a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl. BOOK DESCRIPTION: A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective[...]- Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew. And, in lieu of a new episode today, I am pulling off to a rest stop. When I was a kid, my parents took us on lots and lots of road trips. My younger brother, baby sister, and I would pile into the family station[...]
Kaylin Melia George shares Aloha Everything, a story celebrating a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George and Mae Waite In this exciting adventure, you'll encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, royal hawks[...]
Katherine Roy shares Making More: How Life Begins, distilling the science of reproduction into its simplest components and highlighting the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from ferns and butterflies to trout, hawks, rabbits, and more. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Making More: How Life Begins by Katherine Roy Page Length: 72[...]
Darshana Khiani shares I'm an American, a beautifully depicted, thought-provoking look at the many ways we define what it means to be an American. BOOK DESCRIPTION: I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated by Laura Freeman Page Length: 48 pages Ages 4to 8, Grades P to 3 I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated[...]
Padma Venkatraman, contributor to Things We Do, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Padma Venkatraman website - padmavenkatraman.com Purchase the book - Things We Do CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full[...]
Sally J. Pla, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Sally J. Pla website - sallyjpla.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written,[...]
Rajani LaRocca, author of Mirror to Mirror, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Rajani LaRocca website - www.rajanilarocca.com Purchase the book - Mirror to Mirror CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. [...]
JaNay Brown-Wood, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: JaNay Brown-Wood website - www.janaybrownwood.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and[...]
Thushanthi Ponweera, author of I Am Kavi, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Thushanthi Ponweera website - www.thushanthiponweera.com Purchase the book - I Am Kavi CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. [...]
Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew. I am a teacher, a librarian, and a fan of kids. And, honestly? I’m angry. I’m angry about guns and about gun violence and I’m angry most of all that so many of these incidents involve young people, kids. And specifically, young Black kids and[...]
Heidi Stemple, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Heidi E. Y. Stemple website - www.heidieystemple.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written,[...]
Laura Shovan, author of Welcome to Monsterville, illustrated by Michael Rothenberg, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Laura Shovan website - laurashovan.com Purchase the book - Welcome to Monsterville CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this[...]
Charles Waters, co-author of Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Charles Waters website - www.charleswaterspoetry.com Purchase the book - Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s[...]
Meg Eden Kuyatt, author of Good Different, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Meg Eden Kuyatt website - www.megedenbooks.com Purchase the book - Good Different CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. [...]
Lyn Miller-Lachmann, co-author of Moonwalking, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Lyn Miller-Lachmann website - lynmillerlachmann.com Purchase the book - Moonwalking CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. Write to me or[...]
Teresa Robeson, author and contributor on No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Teresa Robeson website - www.teresarobeson.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written,[...]
Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew. I am a teacher, a librarian, and a fan of kids. And today I want to introduce you to a podcast where kids ask authors their burning questions about books and how they’re made. The show is hosted by my friend Grace. She’s an author, an[...]
Suzy Levinson, author of Animals in Pants, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Suzy Levinson website - suzylevinson.com Purchase the book - Animals in Pants CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. [...]
Reem Faruqi, author of Golden Girl, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Reem Faruqi website - reemfaruqi.com Purchase the book - Golden Girl CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. Write to[...]
Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Chris Baron website - www.chris-baron.com Purchase the book - The Magical Imperfect CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. [...]
Irene Latham, author of A Poem is a Nest, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Irene Latham website - www.irenelatham.com ArtSpeak project - www.irenelatham.com/artspeak.html Purchase the book - A Poem is a Nest CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a[...]
Andrea J. Loney, contributor on No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Andrea J. Loney website - andreajloney.com Purchase the book - No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and[...]
Today I want to introduce you to a podcast where middle grade readers talk about books. And to a friend of mine named Kitty. She’s a journalist, podcaster, reader, and, of course, a fan of kids, too! The Book Club for Kids is the place where young readers meet to talk about books. The[...]
Lisa Fipps, author of Starfish, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Lisa Fipps website - authorlisafipps.com/about Purchase the book - Starfish CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. Write to me or[...]
Robert Schechter, author of The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Robert Schechter website - https://www.bobschechter.com/ Purchase the book - The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written,[...]
Vanessa Brantley Newton, author and illustrator of Just Like Me, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Vanessa Brantley Newton website - https://www.vanessabrantleynewton.com/ Purchase the book - Just Like Me CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this[...]
Lindsay Metcalf, co-editor of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Lindsay Metcalf website - https://lindsayhmetcalf.com/ Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and[...]
Keila Dawson, co-editor of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Keila Dawson website - https://www.keiladawson.com/ Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited,[...]
Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki share Seen and Unseen, an important work of nonfiction featuring powerful images of the Japanese American incarceration captured by three photographers--Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams--along with firsthand accounts of this grave moment in history. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's[...]
Students, teachers, and librarians, you’re invited to participate in the Authors Take Action #ClimatePoemProject! I’m joining other children’s poets and authors to share poetry prompts on the theme of “climate” for National Poetry Month and Earth Day, April 2023. Authors Take Action website - #ClimatePoemProject
Divinity Roxx and NaShantá Fletcher share Me + You and Happy & Healthy, two stories celebrating diverse families and moving and grooving to your own beautiful beat. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Me + You by Divinity Roxx; illustrated by NaShantá Fletcher Page Length: 32 pages Ages 3 to 8 Diverse families and children celebrate one another[...]
Katrina Moore shares Grumpy New Year, a story about spending time with the special people in our lives, but also making plans to sleep, too, because nobody wants to be grumpy. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Grumpy New Year by Katrina Moore; illustrated by Xindi Yan Page Length: 40 pages Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to[...]
John Schu and Lauren Castillo share This Is a Story, inviting us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world. BOOK DESCRIPTION: This Is a Story by John Schu; illustrated by Lauren Castillo Page Length: 40 pages Ages[...]
Nonieqa Ramos shares Beauty Woke, a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale, and readers looking for a next-generation Sleeping Beauty will fall in love with the vivid art and lyrical text. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Beauty Woke by Nonieqa Ramos; illustrated by Paola Escobar Page Length:[...]
Natasha Khan Kazi shares Moon's Ramadan, a debut picture book and modern holiday classic capturing the magic and meaning of one of the world's most joyful and important celebrations. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Moon's Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi Page Length: 40 pages Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3 With radiant and welcoming art,[...]
Kim Rogers shares Just Like Grandma, a story about wanting, more than anything, to be just like the special elder in your life. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Just Like Grandma by Kim Rogers; illustrated by Julie Flett. Page Length: 32 pages Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3 In this lyrical picture book by Kim[...]
Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd of Alphabet Rockers share YOU ARE NOT ALONE, a story reminding us that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong. BOOK DESCRIPTION: You Are Not Alone by Alphabet Rockers; illustrated by Ashley Evans. Page Length: 56 pages Ages 4[...]
Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2023), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Sydney Taylor Book Award Website - link 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - link Purchase any of[...]
Traci Sorell and Madelyn Goodnight share POWWOW DAY, an uplifting, contemporary Native American story about a girl named River, who is recovering from illness and can't dance at the powwow this year. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight Page Length: 32 pages Ages 8 to 8, Grades P to[...]
Drs. Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi of CLC Collective share LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDS, a story honoring the diversity of family life and what family can mean based on our intersecting identities and experiences. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Love Without Bounds: An Intersectionallies Book about Families by Drs. Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi[...]
Benson Shum shares ANZU THE GREAT KAIJU, a story about a kaiju with an unconventional gift, and it’s sequel, ANZU THE GREAT LISTENER, which asks us to consider how not all acts of kindness are perceived as intended. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum Page Length: 40 pages Ages 4 to[...]
Visit thewritingbarn.com and click on “Classes” to sign up for “Becoming A Better Storyteller Through Podcasting” with me, Matthew Winner. Registration for the webinar is $25 and you can join live from 11-12:30 CT or view the archived recording via REPLAY within 48 hours of the event. Or both! PLUS, you’re one step closer to[...]
Suma Subramaniam shares NAMASTE IS A GREETING, a sweet, universal text shining a light on a word with significance far beyond yoga class, and SHE SANG FOR INDIA, a picture book biography about M.S. Subbulakshmi, a powerful Indian singer who advocated for justice and peace through song. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Namaste Is a Greeting by[...]
Rebecca Sheir shares THE GREAT BALL GAME, a classic folktale originating from the Cherokee, Creek, Ojibway and Menominee people of North America, adapted for a contemporary audience by the host of the Circle Round podcast. NOTABLE QUOTES: (3:28) “So I do try to think of a bunch of different children. So I'm not just writing[...]
Torrey Maldonado shares HANDS, a story about Trevor, a twelve-year-old who is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and would do anything to protect his mom and sisters. NOTABLE QUOTES: (6:19) “I wrote this book for lots of kids who feel alone and feel that they have to solve their problems by themselves, because[...]
The authors and illustrators you love, and some who may be new to you. The stories you can’t stop thinking about, and some that have been waiting for you to discover. The messages on the hearts of those who write stories just for you. This is the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew. I’m a teacher,[...]
Kids are full of wonder. They effortlessly ask questions about why things are as they are.They delight in seeing something new. They make new connections with what they’re learning, or connections with their classmates, or connections with their thoughts and ideas that help push the world around them to be bigger and bigger. Kids deserve[...]
The things we make say a lot about the people who make them. In every detail, from the language used on the show to the guests who join for interviews, from the publishers whose works are celebrated and amplified to the underrepresented stories and voices who are given the spotlight, these choices communicate a lot[...]
The Children’s Book Podcast does not look or sound the same today as it did when it debuted its first episode in July of 2013. But is podcast growth just part of the natural life cycle of a show? Can a podcast really stay the same? On today’s retrospective episode, we’re examining how the blueprint[...]
The Children’s Book Podcast released its first episode in July of 2013. Only it wasn’t called “The Children’s Book Podcast”. And it didn’t sound like the show with which most listeners are familiar. On today’s retrospective episode, we’re taking a look back at the different names the show has used and why finding the right[...]
Worth Noting is going to go on break. In the meantime, check out past episodes and watch the feed for something new and exciting in the future. We're cooking up a whole bunch of goodness and cannot wait to share it with you soon. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
From the Hungry Ghost Festival, Halloween, the Day of the Dead to Diwali, Guru Nanak, Bonfire Night and Thanksgiving! This episode is brought to you by Newsy Pooloozi. Show Contributors Jackson Hosking Saadhana Nagaraj Nirbhay Singh Chauhan Yuching Liu Adhyant Singh Chauhan Reyaansh Zaveri Yuvraj Singh Sahni --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Over the past few months, two far-right candidates, Georgia Meloni and Jair Balsanaro, have received a lot of global news coverage in the lead-up to national elections in Italy and Brazil. The outcomes of these elections are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Let’s talk about feeling social anxiety. Grace shares a memory of feeling nervous before an event, and Dr. Lockhart and Nakita discuss how we can check in with our anxiety. This is a rebroadcast episode of Everyday Feels. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Is it true that Antarctic rivers run red? Follow the fact-finding journey with today’s guest Karen Romano Young, kid’s author, illustrator, and traveling science communicator. This is a rebroadcast episode of Is That True?. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Lizzo visited the Library of Congress as their guest and was treated to the largest flute collection in the world. The instrument she played and, indeed, the very act of playing it, are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
At this moment, across the United States, in places like Baltimore, Maryland and Jackson, Mississippi, access to clean and safe water is becoming almost impossible. This water crisis in the United States is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Right now around the United States, in places like Baltimore, Maryland, and Jackson, Mississippi, getting access to clean and safe water is becoming almost impossible. The water crisis in the United States is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The Cleveland baseball team, known for over a century as the Indians, is getting a name change for the 2022 season. The reason behind the decision is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
What did the FBI find during the search of former president Trump’s property? Sarah talks about the investigation at Mar-a-Lago. And what is monkeypox? Susan Michaels-Strasser, the assistant professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center, shares about this zoonotic disease. This is a rebroadcast episode of Sarah Jones Breaks It Down. --- Send[...]
Historic flooding is impacting nearly 1 in 7 people living in Pakistan as the country enters its second month in the monsoon season. The reasons behind the floods and the catastrophic impact on the Pakistani people are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
In 1862, a catastrophic flood in California claimed the lives of over 4,000 people, destroying one-third of all property in the state. What new research is uncovering for the future of California is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Recently, Lizzo and Beyonce removed harmful words from songs on their new albums after being pushed and encouraged by their fans. These changes in ableist language are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed how very hot it is! Across the northern hemisphere, countries like the United States, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and many others are experiencing hotter temperatures than ever before. This global heat wave is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
In the first 6 months of 2022 alone, there have been over 250 mass shootings in America—in schools, at grocery stores, in churches, and as people were going about their everyday lives. No matter how sad and scary they are to talk about, these mass shootings are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message:[...]
On Friday, June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling on women’s reproductive rights that has stood for nearly 50 years. The implications of this decision are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
In early May, 2022, Disney announced the cast of the highly anticipated series adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians. The overwhelming reaction to one particular casting choice, as well as the author’s response, are Worth Noting --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
On March 31, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of its first nationally representative survey of high school students during the pandemic. The findings of this survey are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The Florida Senate passed the Parental Rights in Education Bill on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in a 22-17 vote. The implications of this bill are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Anti-LGBTQ legislation is on the rise and political leaders behind landmark bills in Florida and Texas claim these actions are to protect children. Meanwhile, Russia has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Behind each of these actions lie reasons that are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The Kingdom of Tonga in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and Fiji, is made up of around 170 islands. On January 15, 2022, several islands were impacted by the massive eruption of an undersea volcano. The effects this volcano had on the islands as well as on the people of Tonga are Worth[...]
Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “Love for Others”, a big picture meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “Unplugging from Tech”, a situational meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “I Am Love”, an affirmations meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
On January 6, 2021, and for the first time in our nation’s history, the US Capitol was invaded. The results of this insurrection and the impact on voter access to millions across our nation is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Historical reenactments can be a way to bring history to life for students as well as for sightseers visiting historical landmarks. But the harm and the trauma that can be reintroduced in doing so is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Last October, the all-white school board of the Central York School District in York, Pennsylvania, unanimously banned a list of educational resources. The books included on this list are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Earlier this month, Texas legislators passed Senate Bill 8, making abortions illegal after the sixth week of pregnancy. How this bill was written and the implications it can have on abortion rights throughout the country is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The Delta variant is spreading quickly across the United States, and COVID cases are on the rise. So why are some schools requiring all students wear masks while others are banning such mandates? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Twenty years ago, on September 11, 2001, a major event happened in the United States in New York City, the effects of which we are still confronting today. That event is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The 2020 Paralympics are currently underway in Tokyo, following the 2020 Olympic Games. What sets the Paralympic Games and their athletes apart from the Olympic games? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The Cleveland baseball team, known for over a century as the Indians, is getting a name change for the 2022 season. The reason behind the decision is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Rising sea levels are affecting tens of thousands of lives along the coasts across the globe. How is climate change impacting the people of the Quinault Indian Nation, located on land now called the state of Washington, and other tribes along the coast? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
It’s back-to-school season for many of the nation’s 73 million children, but in Texas—and in other parts of the country—what’s being taught in the classroom about our nation’s history is under question. What’s being left out and why? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
The rhinestone-emblazoned leotard worn by Simone Biles boasts GOAT, greatest of all time, and if you have any doubt about the 24-year-old gymnast or the path that led her to where she stands today, well, stick around because it’s Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Introducing Worth Noting, a kids podcast about current events. Join me, Matthew Winner, each week for a look at what’s going on in the world and how it impacts you and others. From scientific breakthroughs to historic achievements. From political upheaval to social justice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
This bonus episode is presented by A Kids Podcast About. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message
Evelyn Yang, author of A Kids Book About Sexual Abuse, talks in the newest episode of A Kids Book About: The Podcast about speaking up in any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. In it, I also tell my abuse story for the first time with my voice on a public and recorded forum. I[...]
This is the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew Winner. Your host, guide, and companion. I started this podcast in July of 2013 and have since published over 700 episodes on this RSS feed. I’ve spoken with authors, illustrators, editors, agents, publishers, librarians, booksellers, kids, and fans. But the one thing I’ve never done in these[...]
Today, with a full and grateful heart, I am welcoming back to the podcast Carole Boston Weatherford, author of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. May 31st, 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Tulsa Race Massacre, a horrific event that devastated the wealthiest African American community in the[...]
Today I am joined by Ilyasah Shabazz, author of The Awakening of Malcolm X, written with Tiffany D. Jackson. Bryan Stevenson said “We are all more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” And yet our criminal justice system might have us thinking otherwise. Ilyasah illuminates the humanity of inmates while also discovering the truth[...]
Jason June and Lori Richmond share Porcupine Cupid. Jason June talks of the magic we create when we’re connected and this story laces that magic throughout. Much like Porcupine Cupid, Jason June is in love with love and works throughout this story to ensure not to define what it means to be in love. Lori’s[...]
Archaa Shrivastav is the author of Families, Hair, and On-The-Go, three delightful board books in the We Are Little Feminists series. And We Are Little Feminists: Families is the 2021 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. This is an award given annually to[...]
Today I’m welcoming to the podcast by Soyeon Kim, illustrator of Once Upon an Hour, Sukaq and the Raven, You are Never Alone, and A Last Goodbye. Soyeon’s diorama illustrations are unlike anything I’ve seen before in picture books, each built within a wooden frame with individual components illustrated, cut out, and then suspended with[...]
Melissa Stewart, the author of Ick!: Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses and the editor of Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep. Melissa is an unwavering advocate for nonfiction in all places, whether that is at storytimes, in classroom instruction, on book lists, or wherever will make space for it. And whenever she talks nonfiction advocacy,[...]
Eric Gansworth shares Apple (Skin to the Core). Eric’s memoir in pictures and verse is also an exceptional audiobook which Eric reads himself. It’s a privilege for me to bring you this conversation today. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon[...]
Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith share I Talk Like a River, a most exceptional picture book by two most exceptional individuals. If you have not yet come to know I Talk Like a River, I can think of no better place to start. So I will leave you with three thoughts shared with me in[...]
Ilima Loomis and Kenard Pak share Ohana Means Family. Poi is an important and traditional food to native Hawaiian islanders, made from taro, and in this building rhyme story a family prepares the poi for their ohana's luau. Many stories have employed the structure of “The House That Jack Built” in order to tell a[...]
Duncan Tonatiuh shares Feather Serpent and the Five Suns, a creation story using Duncan’s iconic pre-Columbian Meso-American-influenced art style that takes readers into the depths of Mictlān, the underworld of Axtec mythology. It’s an epic story, and hearing Duncan tell it is testament to how strongly these influences move Duncan’s hands to create such wonderful[...]
Raúl The Third is no stranger to the podcast, but the books he brings to share today are easily some of my favorite work he’s done yet. ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market and ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat are the first in a multi-book and multi-format series which includes picture books, easy readers, and board[...]
Monique Gray Smith and Nicole Neidhardt share WHEN WE ARE KIND. This book is a beautiful rumination on what it feels like when we are kind and when someone or something is kind to us. Monique talks about kindness as a salve and the relationality and connection we have to one another and to the[...]
Shane W. Evans shares shares MY FRIEND!, his latest picture book with his best pal Taye Diggs. This book has such terrific rhythmic language, made only greater by Shane’s beautiful and evocative color blocking throughout the art. One of my most favorite things Shane shared in our conversation was how he is constantly working to[...]
Lulu Delacre shares LUCI SOARS. Lulu and I have been talking about recording a podcast for a long while now, but I’ve got to say that LUCI SOARS was the very perfect book to bring us together. This beautiful picture book about a girl without a shadow speaks to discovering yourself and your voice. Lulu’s[...]
David Levithan shares THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF AIDAN S. (AS TOLD TO HIS BROTHER). It’s David’s middle grade debut and the premise rests on what it means to tell your truth and what it means for someone to believe you. Aiden disappears and is missing for six days before suddenly being discovered in the attic[...]
Today’s episode is produced in partnership with the Association of Jewish Libraries as we celebrate the winners of the 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Award, recognizing outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Let’s first hear more about the award. Please welcome back Rebecca Levitan, the Chair of the 2021 Sydney[...]
Nikki Grimes, poet author and longtime friend of the podcast, shares LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE. Nikki’s new book showcases poems from the Harlem Renaissance written by Black women. Each poem is then followed by a Golden Shovel poem written by Nikki in response to the original. The Golden Shovel poetic form, created[...]
Vincent X. Kirsch shares FROM ARCHIE TO ZACK. I feel the need to be completely frank with you here. There are so many wonderful picture books out there and so many great stories of boys crushing on girls and girls crushing on boys. Some flirt with using the word “love”. Many embrace the innocent, complicated,[...]
Peter Sís shares NICKY & VERA: The Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued. Peter has had a storied career in children’s literature with many, many beloved books on many, many library shelves throughout the world. But today Peter brings to us a book that’s been with him his whole life. And[...]
Anastasia Higginbotham shares WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW: A Story of Liberated Childhood. It wasn’t that long ago that Anastasia joined me on the podcast to talk about NOT MY IDEA: A Book About Whiteness. Anastasia gets right to the heart of conversations, always working to secure the dignity, humanity, and power of her readers, our[...]
Natasha Yim shares LUNA’s YUM YUM DIM SUM, a new picture book written by Natasha and illustrated by Violet Kim. Natasha talks about being invited to submit a story for the Storytelling Math series for Charlesbridge, which includes titles by Grace Lin, Sara Levine, and Ana Crespo. She started with an idea to set the[...]
Jackie Azua Kramer and Cindy Derby share THE BOY AND THE GORILLA, a book about a difficult topic, and one handled with great grace and care. It’s a story that addresses the “800 pound gorilla in the room” while walking the reader down a path to healing. You have no doubt faced grief in your[...]
Susan Kusel and Sean Rubin share THE PASSOVER GUEST, a new picture book that takes place in Depression-era DC and follows a young girl named Muriel home from the Tidal Basin to her parent’s empty table side on the evening of Passover. On her way home Muriel meets a strange magician who encourages her to[...]
Yesenia Moises shares STELLA’s STELLAR HAIR, her debut picture book as both author and illustrator. There has been a surge of wonderful picture books featuring Black girls and boys and centering on hair thanks, in part, to the natural hair movement. Yesenia takes the topic interplanetary with, in her words, “big hair and bright colors”.[...]
Lamar Giles shares the LEGENDARY ALSTON BOYS ADVENTURES and THE LAST MIRROR ON THE LEFT, the most recent book in the series. I connected hard with the Alston Boys and am all-in for every page turn with Otto and Sheed and the memorable cast of characters that seem to threaten the very existence of time[...]
Michelle Meadows and Ebony Glenn share FLYING HIGH: THE STORY OF GYMNASTICS CHAMPION SIMONE BILES. Michelle’s skill at crafting detailed and engaging biographies for the very young in rhythmic, rhyming text is perfectly paired with Ebony’s caring touch in bringing important individuals and their lives to life on the page. Michelle talks in our conversation[...]
Cathy Camper shares TEN WAYS TO HEAR SNOW, her debut picture book illustrated by Kenard Pak. A child named Lina heads out across a newly snow-laden neighborhood to visit her grandmother at an assisted living home and notes the sounds of snow along the way. Lina prepares grape leaves with her grandmother, as is a[...]
Victoria Bond shares ZORA & ME: THE SUMMONER, the 3rd and final book in the ZORA & ME trilogy, co-authored by T.R. Simon and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Victoria shares about starting with children at their beginnings because, as she puts it, there’s “no better time to meet a reader than at[...]
Meg Medina shares EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. Meg has written many, many beautiful books, but this latest picture book is one that really moved me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. In EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY we meet two friends making the very most of their[...]
KA Holt shares BENBEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER. KA’s first book in the KIDS UNDER THE STAIRS series introduces readers to Ben B., Ben Y., Javier, and Jordan, four children forced to take a summer school class in order to improve their scores on the state assessment. It’s a story about learning how to exist[...]
Marilyn Singer shares WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU, illustrated by Alette Straathof. WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU is a beautiful, inclusive story about animals courting and finding their mate. And it's about humans doing the same. Do you know that experience of picking up a book unsure of what to expect, only to[...]
Wendell Minor shares SOUTHWEST SUNRISE, a new picture book written by Nikki Grimes. Wendell has worked on many widely recognized books and is a longtime collaborator with several prolific authors, including Jean Craighead George, author of JULIE AND THE WOLVES, Robert Burleigh, author of TINY BIRD: A HUMMINGBIRD’S AMAZING JOURNEY, and Brenda Peterson, author of[...]
Christopher Paul Curtis shares THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Christopher Paul Curtis is the author of many widely-loved and critically-acclaimed books including BUD, NOT BUDDY (Newbery winner and the Coretta Scott King winner), THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 (Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King honor), and ELIJAH[...]
Arthur A. Levine shares THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. When Arthur and I last spoke at ALA midwinter 2020 in Philadelphia, it was to launch Levine Querido, the independent publisher bearing his surname. THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL is a new picture book that introduces readers to Nate Gadol,[...]
Jelani Memory and company share titles from A KIDS BOOK ABOUT. Jelani is the founder of A KIDS BOOK ABOUT, an innovative company bringing difficult conversations to readers through lived experiences and #ownvoices. Taking on such topics as racism, divorce, failure, and belonging, A KIDS BOOK ABOUT is doing something different in the children’s book[...]
Oliver Jeffers shares WHAT WE'LL BUILD. In many ways it is a love letter to his daughter about our future together, in relationship with one another, and all that our collective knowledge and collective experience will do to help move us forward. Oliver notes in our conversation that “all art is reactionary”, and we spend[...]
Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison share I GOT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT. This book and others in the series star a spirited girl named Miraculous and her luminous ability to bring joy, space, and light into wherever she is. It won’t surprise you to know that Connie and Frank are much the same as their lead[...]
Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright share TWINS, an all new middle grade graphic novel. It’s fair to say that both Varian and Shannon put a lot of themselves into making this comic, but what surprised me most was how much of all of us are in these panels. Twins Maureen and Francine are off to[...]
Thrity Umrigar shares SUGAR IN MILK and BINNY’S DIWALI. These books represent two different strands of Thrity's life this year, as she puts it. Artist Khoa Le lends exquisite illustrations to SUGAR IN MILK to tell a story within a story of a girl who has recently immigrated to America and struggles to feel she[...]
Zetta Elliott shares A PLACE INSIDE OF ME. Zetta is a force on this earth and I had the good great fortune to connect with her to discuss A PLACE INSIDE OF ME, her new picture book illustrated by Noa Denmon. Zetta’s passion for writing as both a space for growth and for taking risks[...]
Eva Chen shares 3 2 1 AWESOME! and ROXY THE LAST UNISAURUS REX. Eva’s JUNO VALENTINE series brings forth the world of fashion in an inviting and inclusive way that Eva herself describes as something of a fashion feminist fairy tale. The latest in the Junoverse is 3 2 1 AWESOME!: 20 Fearless Women Who[...]
Fred Bowen and James Ransome share GRIDIRON: STORIES FROM 100 YEARS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. GRIDIRON is a work of love and devotion and history and fandom. It tells in a collection of brief chapters a history of a sport made up in moments, from memorable plays to memorable leaders and memorable events that[...]
Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton share JULIE'S LIBRARY. Julie Andrews is a woman who needs no introduction, so perhaps you’ll humor me as we do this a little differently. You, I’m guessing, have grown up with Julie Andrews. So have I. Her film works alone were staples of my childhood and, in turn, we[...]
Tami Charles (@TamiWritesStuff) shares ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER, a new picture book illustrated by Bryan Collier. Tami wrote this book for her son while thinking how to protect him from the cruelties of the world while also exposing him to the beauties. Is it not a parent’s job to protect their child and help to[...]
Linda Sue Park (@LindaSuePark) shares PRAIRIE LOTUS and GURPLE AND PREEN. Linda Sue’s newest middle grade novel, PRAIRIE LOTUS, takes place in Dakota Territory in the 1880s. Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will note that this is the same time and location of LITTLE TOWN ON THE PRAIRIE. That isn’t by coincidence. Linda Sue was[...]
Deborah Wiles (@DeborahWiles101) shares KENT STATE. Deborah is known for a great number of outstanding middle grade novels, but her YA debut is one that I believe will fully stop you in your tracks. KENT STATE is a novel in verse or perhaps more accurately a novel in voices about the events on May 4th,[...]
Meera Sriram (@Meeratsriram) shares A GIFT FROM AMMA: MARKET DAY IN INDIA, illustrated by Marionna Cabassa. I am always keeping an eye out for books that take the familiar and reshape and reshare in a new way. In this book, we take a color walk alongside our main character, noticing pinks and blacks and reds[...]
Frank Murphy (@frankmurphy2009) and Kayla Harren share A GIRL LIKE YOU, co-authored with his wife Carla Murphy. Frank affirms with this sequel to A BOY LIKE YOU why the world needs every kind of kid. Sensitive, outgoing, smart, brave, caring, energetic, creative, and whatever other words that might come to mind as you think of[...]
Adam Gidwitz (@AdamGidwitz) and Emma Otheguy (@EmmaOtheguy) share THE MADRE de AGUAS OF CUBA, book #5 in the UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY series, illustrated by Hatem Aly. If you have been following along with this chapter book series, you have no doubt noticed that it’s doing something a little different than the other books out there.[...]
Samara Cole Doyon (@HeartRoot_Fire) and Kaylani Juanita (@kaylanijuanita) share MAGNIFICENT HOMESPUN BROWN. This picture book is so many things and, whether you are reading it the first time or the twenty-first time, there is something new to discover with each new read. This is due in large part to the terrific balance between rich, poetic[...]
Rashmi Bismark (@rashmibismark) shares FINDING OM, her debut picture book illustrated by Morgan Huff and published by Mango & Marigold Press. In the story, Anu explores the mantra Om with her much-loved grandfather Appuppa. Rashmi was drawn to writing about the southeast asian experience and reflects on the #ownvoices responsibility in communication through art in[...]
Farhana Zia shares LALI’S FEATHER, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman and published by Peachtree Publishing Company. It’s a story about a girl who finds a feather and sets about trying to find the owner. What she finds instead is a good number of other birds who think their feathers are superior in beauty or sturdiness[...]
Kelly Starling Lyons (@kelstarly) shares GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY. Kelly is a wonder to me. Her books live in nearly every collection of our school library. Her JADA JONES series is so well-loved, that just mentioning her name in our library had students literally giddy to read her next book. She had not one[...]
Mike Curato (@MikeCurato) shares FLAMER, his YA graphic novel about a boy at scout camp the summer of 1995. This book is a lot of things. It’s a coming-of-age story. It confronts ideas of racism and homophobia. It looks at body image and coming to terms with identity in every sense of the word. It[...]
Lynnette Mawhinney (@lkmawhinney) shares LULU THE ONE AND ONLY, her debut picture book. There is a lot to be said for the question, “What are you?” It’s a question that dehumanizes the person at which it’s directed, but it also reveals a lot of it’s asker. Lynnette wrote the story as a means of showing[...]
Chad Sell (@chadsell01) is the co-creator of the CARDBOARD KINGDOM series and author-illustrator of DOODLEVILLE. In the world of DOODLEVILLE, doodles take on a literal life of their own. What you create might say a lot about you or your personality, but how you manage with your doodles when they start playing by their own[...]
Saadia Faruqi (@SaadiaFaruqi) and Laura Shovan (@LauraShovan) share A PLACE AT THE TABLE. This new middle grade novel in two voices examines the growing awareness of who you are outside of your family, an experience many of us go through as we enter middle school. It’s also available as an audiobook, and one so good,[...]
Tameka Fryer Brown (@teebrownkidlit) shares BROWN BABY LULLABY, illustrated by AG Ford. It’s a story about the intimacy of new parenthood, that time when everything else disappears and the whole world becomes baby. I find that the selection of baby books centering families of color created by authors and illustrators of color is lacking. Moreover,[...]
Christina Soontornvat (@soontornvat) shares A WISH IN THE DARK. Christina’s newest middle grade novel brings readers to a city on the brink of revolution. For Pong, Nok, and Soomkit, there is much to be learned about life. Who can you trust? Who is worthy of love and light? Where do you turn when the ones[...]
Alice Faye Duncan (@AliceFa41743636) and debut children’s book illustrator Charnelle Pinkney Barlow share JUST LIKE A MAMA. JUST LIKE A MAMA shines a light on caregivers and children not connected by blood, but by love. There are many different reasons why kids might not live with their biological parents and this is a truth that[...]
Juana Medina (@juanamedina) shares JUANA AND LUCAS: BIG PROBLEMAS. The JUANA AND LUCAS series are among my favorite chapter books ever. Juana, as it turns out, is also one of my favorite people. We first connected two or three years ago at the Baltimore Book Fest. Since then we’ve been trying to plan a time[...]
Lil Miss Hot Mess (@LilMissHotMess) shares about her debut picture book, THE HIPS ON THE DRAG QUEEN GO SWISH, SWISH, SWISH. Lil Miss Hot Mess has been performing in drag for many years now, more than the age of her readers at Drag Queen Story Hour, but it’s because of those readers and those story[...]
Rahele Jomepour Bell (@RaheleJomepour) shares OUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR, a new picture book written by author A. E. Ali that takes place in a classroom where every child’s favorite holiday is celebrated throughout the school year. Do you have a favorite day of the year? I share mine in this conversation, as does[...]
Flavia Z. Drago (@Diafla) shares GUSTAVO THE SHY GHOST. In her debut picture book, Flavia tells the story of Gustavo, a ghost who really wants company and to be around friends, but when he’s around others just can’t seem to be noticed. It’s also about sharing with others that thing that you really love. Shyness[...]
Valerie Bolling (@valerie_bolling) shares LET'S DANCE! with a team of 5th grade student co-hosts. Valerie’s debut picture book is called LET’S DANCE and it’s illustrated by Maine Diaz. All told, there are less than 75 words in the main text, but with those selectively chosen verbs and adjectives Valerie leave a lot of space for[...]
Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (@KosteckiShaw) shares PAPA BRINGS ME THE WORLD with a team of 5th grade student co-hosts. There’s a part in all of us that longs for opportunities granted with age, but for now held just-out-of-reach. In this story, Lulu’s dad is a photojournalist. His work takes him all over the world, but he[...]
Derrick Barnes (@Author_DDB) shares I AM EVERY GOOD THING and We're joined by my 4th and 5th grade podcast cohosts. CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT was received widely with praise and fanfare and awards and state book lists and my students, as well, were fully enamored with the story of the confidence carried[...]
Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (@jtbigelow) shares YOUR NAME IS A SONG and my 4th and 5th grade podcast students join as cohosts! Jamilah’s newest picture book is illustrated by Luisa Uribe, and Luisa’s art absolutely dances all across the pages to help bring this story to life. The girl who leads our story is upset after her[...]
Sonja K. Solter (@SolterK) shares WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW. Tori, our young protagonist, tells us her story, beginning with why she does not want anything to do with uncle Andy. But it’s those around Tori whose job it is to believe her, and that does not come easily at first. Sonja’s book is[...]
Seamus Kirst (@SeamusKirst) shares PAPA, DADDY, & RILEY, which is illustrated by Devon Holzwarth. This book, I think, speaks to a question many of our kids ask themselves: “Is my family right? Is this how families are supposed to look?” That question is one no child should ever have to ask, but it can come[...]
Danielle Dufayet (@DanielleDufayet) shares YOU ARE YOUR STRONG and FANTASTIC YOU!. I first connected with YOU ARE YOUR STRONG, Danielle’s debut picture book, when I was moved by the way her text gave space for readers to acknowledge their feelings. Using language that affirms difficult or confusing feelings and exploring where we find our strength[...]
Anastasia Higginbotham (@AHigginBooks) shares NOT MY IDEA: A BOOK ABOUT WHITENESS. Anastasia’s Ordinary Terrible Things book series has taken on the topics of divorce, death, and sex using straightforward language and respecting the reader with each page. Her most recent entry in the series is called NOT MY IDEA: A BOOK ABOUT WHITENESS and it[...]
Michael Genhart (@MGenhart) shares ACCORDIONLY, a picture book about two grandfathers with, at first glance, not a whole lot in common. What they do share is not only a love of the accordion but, more importantly, a family. Michael’s work tends to live in a space of welcoming and family. I know him previously from[...]
Jewell Parker Rhodes (@jewell_p_rhodes) shares BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. In her new middle grade novel, Jewell explores colorism, the school-to-prison pipeline, the history of Alexandre Dumas, and the sport of fencing. Donte and Trey are brothers, but Donte’s skin is dark, like his mom’s, and most new people have a hard time believing that they’re[...]
I want to take a moment to speak directly to all of you about recent events. Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Trayvon Martin. Freddie Gray. Janet Wilson. Pamela Turner. Christopher Whitfield. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. Their deaths alongside the deaths of countless others at the hands of the police and the hands of fearful[...]
Aram Kim (@StudioAram) shares LET’S GO TO TAEKWONDO!, a picture book that follows the same characters we met in NO KIMCHI FOR ME! into a setting not just about learning the martial arts, but also about bringing awareness to your mental health. I asked Aram if taekwondo was an interest shared from childhood. It wasn’t[...]
Charles Waters (@waterscharles) shares DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD: POEMS, QUOTES, AND ANECDOTES FROM A TO Z. Charles and Irene Latham were last on this podcast two years ago to share CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES, AND FRIENDSHIP. Their new book together, DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD, is beautifully illustrated cover[...]
Victoria Jamieson (@JamiesonV) and Omar Mohamed (@dantey114) share WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED, a graphic novel based on Omar's experience as a Somalian refugee Kenya. Omar's story is one that you won’t soon forget. It is a story about family and about surviving. It’s a story about education and advocating for yourself. In Omar’s experience, he[...]
Hallee Adelman (@HalleeAdelman) shares WAY PAST MAD and THE QUIET SHIP. Hallee’s books reflect big emotions and normalizing these big emotions we feel. WAY PAST MAD involves the quickly escalating feelings of anger and frustration when one thing after another feels like it’s working against us. Those feelings can be hard to get over, but[...]
Bethan Woollvin (@bethanwoollvin) shares BO THE BRAVE, a new picture book about a young princess on the hunt for monsters. All of Bethan’s picture books up to this point have been retellings of well-known fairy tales, but with a twist. LITTLE RED featured an empowered child unwilling to be bested by the wolf. RAPUNZEL refused[...]
Irene Latham (@Irene_Latham), Karim Shamsi-Basha (@arabinalabama), and Yuko Shimizu (@yukoart) share THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO. This true story is set in Syria in the town of Aleppo during recent wartime. While most of the city sought refuge and fled the city, many could not leave or chose to stay behind to help. This is[...]
Hello my beautiful booknerds. I am hard at work on another batch of episodes to share with all of you and I am really, really excited about what’s coming up. There is no shortage of truly stunning books being published. Books that I know will be on my shelves and on my mind for a[...]
Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew) shares HELLO, NEIGHBOR!: THE KIND AND CARING WORLD OF MR. ROGERS. Matt was first on the show back in 2015 for a book called WISH. At the time I used to close each episode with this question: I’m assembling an all-star kidlit kickball team? Who would you want to be on your[...]
Dylan Glynn (@DylanGlynn) shares RAIN BOY, his picture book debut, and BE AMAZING, written by Desmond is Amazing. In RAIN BOY, the title character is ridiculed at a party for bringing everything down. But rain is going to rain, right? When being who you are is what you do, it can be awfully difficult to[...]
I gave the Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts group the keys to the podcast for the week. Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What ways do you hope readers and teachers will connect with the book?” I’m joined by a very special group of bookmakers, including Rajani LaRocca, Elisa[...]
It’s our 4th day with the members of the Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts and we are going all the way back to childhood! Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What aspects of childhood do you see expressed through your art and/or your writing?” Joining me to share their[...]
The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts return for day 3 of 5, taking over this here humble podcast space! And today it’s all about the details! Writers and illustrators take in their surroundings and experiences and sometimes put it into their craft. Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “Are[...]
It’s Day 2 of the Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts! Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What did writing or illustrating your book teach you about your craft or about yourself?” Answer that question today is none other than Carrie Finison, Shelley Johannes, Anna Crowley Redding, Gregory Barrington, Qing[...]
It’s my first ever podcast takeover! Let’s get into it! The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts feature some really outstanding books by kidlit authors and illustrators debuting in 2020. Today, we’re going to hear a handful of new and debut picture book folks take on the question “What experiences or observations of the[...]
Torrey Maldonado (@TorreyMaldonado) shares WHAT LANE?!. This is a story about Stephen, a young black boy trying to find his way, one circumstance at a time. It’s a story about a neighborhood and a bunch of kids. It’s a story about confronting racism, confirmation bias, white privilege… all of it. And what it looks like[...]
Mahogany L. Browne (@mobrowne) shares WOKE: A YOUNG POET’S CALL TO JUSTICE, written with Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood and illustrated by Theodore Taylor III. This evocative picture book companion to WOKE BABY is an emotional powerhouse, laying groundwork for conversations about advocacy, anti-bias practices, intersectionality, disability acceptance, youth empowerment, and more. This book was[...]
Jillian Tamaki (@dirtbagg) shares MY BEST FRIEND, written by Julie Fogliano. Jillian won a Caldecott honor for her art in THIS ONE SUMMER, a graphic novel written by Mariko Tamaki, her cousin. She later turned a lot of heads in a picture book she wrote and illustrated called THEY SAY BLUE. But in choosing to[...]
Carole Lindstrom (@CaroleLindstrom) and Michaela Goade (@MichaelaGoade) share WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS. The story was inspired by Standing Rock, by indigenous people fighting pipelines and fracking, fighting for the earth. It’s a story for everyone, because we all have a part in this. But it’s also a story about acknowledging those who care deeply for[...]
Tami Charles (@TamiWritesStuff) and Jacqueline Alcántara (@_jacqueline_ill) share FREEDOM SOUP. What food traditions do you have in your family? And how do these traditions speak to your family’s history? This is a story about making soup, but it’s also a story about making traditions while looking back on the past. The origin of freedom soup[...]
Lily Williams (@lwbean) and Karen Schneeman (@themeanmagenta) share GO WITH THE FLOW, a comic about menstruation. Period. It's a story about getting your first period and how not all periods are the same from one woman to the next, but it’s also about destigmatizing menstruation in our society. It’s about public embarrassment, but it’s also[...]
Marcie Colleen (@MarcieColleen1) shares THE BEAR’S GARDEN, illustrated by Alison Oliver. The story, inspired by a community garden in Brooklyn, centers on a girl caring for a seedling until she can’t any longer. It’s a story about those hidden spaces that become worlds for the person or people who find them. And it’s also a[...]
Minh Lê (@bottomshelfbks) shares GREEN LANTERN: LEGACY, a brand new graphic novel from DC Kids. Stepping into the DC universe was an experience for Minh and how he made his mark was something truly unique and authentic. What results is a fast-moving, page-turning comic with depth and heart. One of the qualities I especially loved[...]
Katrina Moore (@kmoorebooks) shares ONE HUG and GRANDPA GRUMPS. ONE HUG is Katrina’s picture book debut. It’s about what a hug can mean to someone else and speaks to the nature of hugs as a means of comfort, communication, and companionship. GRANDPA GRUMPS is about communication between generations despite a language barrier. The earnestness of[...]
Ryan Andrews (@HeyRyanA) shares THIS WAS OUR PACT, a graphic novel about a band of friends determined to see where the lanterns end up after being sent down the river by the folks in their town as part of the Equinox Festival. There’s a legend that they turn into stars, but no one has actually[...]
I cohost a podcast on Book Riot called Kidlit These Days, where we examine the intersection between current events and children’s literature. It’s a lot of fun and feels like the most NPR thing I’ve ever done, which is pretty awesome in my mind. We’re about to record an episode celebrating our first anniversary of[...]
Deborah Marcero (@deborahmarcero) shares IN A JAR, a picture book about storing memories, shared or gathered on your own. It’s about making what’s distant near. There’s something very special about experiencing something with someone else and Deborah’s book speaks to being present, to stopping and noticing. I know we’re distant now, but I hope you[...]
Recorded live at ALA Midwinter 2020, Scott Simon shares SUNNYSIDE PLAZA, his middle grade debut about a group home for developmentally disabled adults. The story is loosely based on Scott’s own childhood experiences and I think it says a lot about who we see and who we make invisible in our society. We recorded this[...]
Little Feminist Book Club (@Little_Feminist) team founder Britt Murlas and educational director Archaa Shrivastav join me to share the WE ARE LITTLE FEMINISTS board book series, including HAIR, FAMILIES, and ON-THE-GO. Each board book is full of beautiful photos depicting all kinds of kids and families from all different backgrounds, traditions, ages, shapes, and skin[...]
This is a dedication to the life and light of Charlene Willing McManis, and the story she told the world. Traci Sorell (@tracisorell) joins me to share INDIAN NO MORE, a debut middle grade novel by the late Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell. Charlene poured a lot of life and a lot of history[...]
Margarita Engle (@margaritapoet) shares DREAMS FROM MANY RIVERS: A HISPANIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TOLD IN POEMS. Margarita blends voices of real people with fictionalized accounts in order to create a book of many voices and many experiences in order to represent hispanic history in the U.S. Choosing poetry as her vessel helped to[...]
Helena Ku Rhee (@HelenaRhee) shares THE PAPER KINGDOM, a new picture book illustrated by Pascal Campion. In our conversation Helena talks about the invisible people of our society or, rather, those that we have a tendency to make invisible. Helena’s parents were night janitors, much like the parents in THE PAPER KINGDOM, and Helena recounts[...]
Weshoyot Alvitre (@weshoyot) shares AT THE MOUNTAIN’S BASE, a poetic story written by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Weshoyot about a family nervously awaiting the return of a family member serving in WWII. This is a story where you notice the silence. The large illustrations and colorful thread framing and connecting the art draw eyes[...]
Nikki Grimes (@nikkigrimes9) shares ORDINARY HAZARDS, a memoir in verse that has not only garnered six starred reviews on top of being named a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and a Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book, but it is also without question one of the most beautiful, heart-breaking and heart-mending audiobooks I have ever[...]
Kat Leyh (@kaymlay) shares SNAPDRAGON, solo debut graphic novel about a girl named Snap, an old lady named Jacks (who might actually be a witch), and a favor that turns into something of an apprenticeship. Snapdragon is a kid who’s not afraid to question or explore an ominous setting or situation, being a bit of[...]
Today I’m welcoming Arthur A. Levine (@ArthurALevine1), head of Levine Querido and a publisher and advocate responsible for bringing many widely loved books in our world and in front of our readers. Arthur previews his Fall 2020 titles as well as what else is to come from Levine Querido. Our conversation looks broadly at publishing[...]
There are countless individuals working throughout publishing to center historically marginalized voices. Perhaps none do it more publicly or with greater lasting impact than those serving on award committees through the Association for Library Service to Children, or ALSC. That’s the branch of the American Library Association responsible for awarding medals such as the Newbery,[...]
Elizabeth Lilly (@elizabethmlilly) shares GERALDINE, a picture book about a giraffe whose family moves to a new town where they are the only giraffe family. Geraldine tries to fit in as much as she can, but an encounter with a schoolmate and a conversation centered on labels gives new light to what it looks like[...]
Last November I had the esteemed privilege of moderating a panel at NCTE, the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English. The panel was titled “Redefining the Boy Hero: Empowering Sensitive Boys and Bucking Gender Stereotypes Through Middle Grade Fiction”. Sitting on the panel among a standing room only crowd were four[...]
Today I am joined by a team of 3rd graders at my school. Specifically, these are 3rd graders who signed up to take a podcasting class with me. You may have heard them on previous episodes interviewing Ricardo Cortes about his illustrations in PARTY: A MYSTERY or asking Adam Rex about ARE YOU SCARED, DARTH[...]
Frané Lessac (@franelessac) shares UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS and UNDER THE MILKY WAY. Frané has made many beautiful books, but it was Traci Sorell’s debut picture book, WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA, in 2018 that really made me sit up and pay attention. Today Frané brings two picture books about the stars, both sharing a U.S.[...]
Elizabeth Zunon (@ElizabethZunon) shares BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES, which is written by Nikki Grimes. It is a bedtime story of a parent telling the story of putting her child to bed. Elizabeth’s illustrations play alongside the text in enticing the child to bed by likening the child to different animals throughout this bedtime process. It’s[...]
Angela Joy shares BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR. This beautiful book, illustrated by one-to-watch and the one-to-wow Ekua Holmes, is Angela’s debut to the children’s book world. The book answers a question from her daughter, and it also bears witness to history, to legacy, and to community. Angela included robust back matter, incorporating an author’s[...]
Ann Braden (@annbradenbooks) shares THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. This is a story about the strength of a 12-year-old girl named Zoey, even from before the moment when she realized she possessed such strength. It is a story about the things people tell us about ourselves and others, and how those things can become[...]
Rajani LaRocca (@rajanilarocca) shares MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM. Mimi, the main character in Rajani’s middle grade debut, enters a baking competition at her town’s newest sweet spot, but things aren’t quite as they appear. The baked goods they sell are awful and overpriced, the employees seem to be speaking exclusively in rhyme, and crowds of locals are[...]
Let's get up-to-date on plans for the podcast in 2020, including the introduction of Matthew In The Stacks, a brand new podcast available to Patrons. This show follows an ask-me-anything style format in which authors and illustrators submit questions they have about the libraries, librarians, and all things bookish. It’s a chance to turn the[...]
Jin Xiaojing shares I MISS MY GRANDPA. This stunning picture book examines remembering a lost loved one through the memories and characteristics of other family members. It is without doubt a book that will stop you in your tracks, without question one of the most stunning and memorable picture books I read this year. This[...]
Julie Fogliano (@oneredhen) shares JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO FLY, illustrated by Christian Robinson. Julie’s stories express themselves in poetic verse and they are some of my most beloved on our bookshelves. JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO FLY grew from a playful game she used to engage her daughter. It’s lines and page[...]
Today I invited contributors of THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE to share their work with you today. This picture book, beautifully illustrated by Marlena Myles and edited by Miranda Paul, is something really special and I credit that to the exceptional list of contributors that made it possible. Each poet used a different poetic style and[...]
Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex) shares ARE YOU SCARED, DARTH VADER?, which is nominated for our state book award. Adam also shares PLUTO GETS THE CALL, which is illustrated by Laurie Keller. Exploring fear, identity, and value through the context of humor (and Star Wars) takes just the right touch, and these books do so in wonderful[...]
Gilly Segal (@really_gilly) shares I’M NOT DYING WITH YOU TONIGHT. This episode was recorded live at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland as part of the Baltimore Book Festival. Kimberly Jones, Gilly’s co-author, had to cancel at the last minute and was sorely missed in this conversation. I’M NOT DYING WITH YOU TONIGHT is a[...]
Tiffany Jewell (@tiffanymjewell) shares THIS BOOK IS ANTI-RACIST, her debut book. Listeners, I cannot even do this interview justice in this intro. Tiffany Jewell is an anti-bias, anti-racist educator and leader. This book dropped like a bomb into my professional learning and having the opportunity to interview Tiffany was both an inspiration and an education.[...]
Paula Chase shares DOUGH BOYS, her latest novel and a companion to SO DONE. There are not an abundance of stories reflecting the diversity of black identity. Many stories being published today center on black pain. They take place in similar settings. They portray characters in similar ways. But there are many, many talked authors[...]
Mina Javaherbin (@minajuna) shares MY GRANDMA AND ME, her latest picture book. The story weaves memories from Mina’s own childhood with the observation of what your heritage brings to a place. Mina’s grandmother was a devout Muslim and this story speaks to the revelation that everyone, no matter what religion you observe, what part of[...]
Ricardo Cortés (@Rmcortes) shares PARTY: A MYSTERY. When my students first read PARTY: A MYSTERY they were stunned, they had lots and lots of questions, and they were each confident that he or she knew the solution to the mystery. But the more we discussed the book, the more their predictions changed. It was the[...]
Joanna Rudnick shares STORY AND PICTURES BY, a feature-length documentary exploring the power and reach of children's picture books through the lens of three of today's most original authors/illustrators: Mac Barnett, Christian Robinson, and Yuyi Morales. Joanna is the film's director and producer and she's also a mom of two really adorable readers. The project[...]
Karina Yan Glaser (@KarinaYanGlaser) shares THE VANDERBEEKERS TO THE RESCUE. In her third and latest installment in the VANDERBEEKERS series the five Vanderbeeker children find themselves in dire circumstances when new pets begin mysteriously arriving at their door. This might not seem like trouble alone, but the timing is less than ideal when the inspector[...]
Meenal Patel shares PRIYA DREAMS OF MARIGOLDS AND MASALA. In this picture book, a life is India is recounted through an intergenerational connection between Priya and her Babi Ba, her grandmother. There is an intimacy evident in their relationship and a fondness for where you come from and where you call home. The answer is[...]
Joyce Wan (@joycewanbooks) shares DREAM BIG. This new board book engages our youngest readers with affirming language to take on the world, and it does so through micro-biographies of women who have done exactly that. As we discuss in our conversation, Joyce used DREAM BIG as a means to help give parents the tools for[...]
Hena Khan (@henakhanbooks) shares MORE TO THE STORY, a novel is inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and centering on a Pakistani-American family with four daughters: Jameela, Aleeza, Bisma, and Maryam. We experience the story through Jameela, a writer and budding journalist who passionately wants to make her mark on the school’s newspaper. The story[...]
Laurel Snyder (@LaurelSnyder) and Chuck Groenink (@ChuckGroenink) share HUNGRY JIM. In this new picture book, a boy awakens to realize that he is a lion... and that he is hungry. Moreover, his appetite seems insatiable and his urges irresistible. If you detect a hint of Sendak, you won’t be wrong. But this is the kind[...]
Celia C. Pérez (@CeliaCPerez) shares STRANGE BIRDS: A FIELD GUIDE TO RUFFLING FEATHERS. Celia’s sophomore release is about four girls and one hat that bonded them in sororal friendship. It’s about the Floras and how traditions are made to be challenged. It’s about activism and how others will stand in your way. And as Celia[...]
Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic (@grubreport) shares THE END OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL. Stephanie’s debut takes on a challenging topic through a compassionate voice. The death of a pet can be practice for children for when a family member passes, but it can also be an opportunity for a child to care deeply for another living thing. This[...]
Tonya Engel (@tonyaengel) shares RISE! FROM CAGED BIRD TO POET OF THE PEOPLE, MAYA ANGELOU, written by Bethany Hegedus. Tonya talks about allowing her stream of consciousness to guide her when creating the art for RISE!. The result is a series of paintings rich in imagery and an inner strength that undeniably links that artist[...]
Daria Peoples-Riley (@dariaspeoples) shares I GOT NEXT. In her sequel to THIS IS IT, Daria explores allyship through a coming-of-age story on a community basketball court where decisions are made in a moment, and where how you play and what space you make for others is on display for all to see. Daria’s beautiful, layered[...]
Raakhee Mirchandani (@Raakstar) joins the podcast to share SUPER SATYA SAVES THE DAY. When readers meet Satya, the story’s namesake, we have only to take Satya at her word that her beloved cape makes her super. Unfortunately, her cape is still at the dry cleaners and Satya will need to face a day of school[...]
Ishta Mercurio (@IshtaWrites) and Jen Corace (@corachacha) share SMALL WORLD, their new picture book. The story circles around Nanda, a girl who dreams of space. As Nanda grows, her experience of the world and also her view of the world grows. In that way it’s a story of expanding circle, like tossing a stone into[...]
Kevin Noble Maillard (@noblemaillard) and Juana Martinez-Neal (@juanamartinez) share FRY BREAD, their upcoming picture book. We talk about culture and tradition and family and history. We also talk a lot about Kevin’s Aunt Fannie. There is a story behind the entire nature of fry bread and the way Kevin’s text approaches that story is through[...]
Illustrator Keith Henry Brown shares BIRTH OF THE COOL, which is written by Kathleen Cornell Berman. This picture book biography of the great jazz legend Miles Davis and his journey to find a sound that was beautifully and uniquely his own. That sound took him places. That sound was the birth of the cool. Keith’s[...]
Miranda Paul (@Miranda_Paul) joins to share LITTLE LIBRARIES, BIG HEROES. With more than 75,000 registered Little Free Libraries (LFLs) in eighty-eight countries around the world, there is great chance you’ve passed an LFL in your neighborhood at some point. This simple idea designed to build and support community around reading provides no-cost access to books[...]
Shannon Hale (@haleshannon), Dean Hale (@Halespawn), and LeUyen Pham join to share their bestselling PRINCESS IN BLACK series. There’s a bit of a conference din hovering throughout the background of this recording, but there is also a whole lot of humor and a whole lot of heart. As Shannon shares about making books with Dean,[...]
Theresa Thorn (@theresathorn) and Noah Grigni join to share IT FEELS GOOD TO BE YOURSELF: A BOOK ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY. There are more conversations about gender going on than perhaps ever before, but there are also lots and lots of adults and kids alike who are not quite sure exactly how to talk about gender.[...]
Dallas Hunt (@Dallas_Hunt) shares AWASIS AND THE WORLD-FAMOUS BANNOCK. Awâsis is bringing some of her Kôhkum’s bannock to a relative but she accidentally drops the world-famous bannock off a bridge. She meets several forest relatives on her way back to Kôhkum including a duck, a rabbit, a frog, an owl, and a bear. And while[...]
Adib Khorram (@adibkhorram) shares DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY. In Adib’s debut novel we meet Darius, a nerdy, overweight, Iranian-American boy who you will love deeply from the outset. I was rooting for Darius hour by hour as I listened to this audiobook, and what I was left with each time I paused to[...]
Author Mariana Llanos (@marianallanos) and illustrator Anna López Real join Matthew in conversation to share LUCA'S BRIDGE/El puente de Luca. LUCA’S BRIDGE is a border story. It is a family story. It is a story that centers on the universal language of emotion. Luca is an American citizen, but his parents are not. And when his[...]
Susie Ghahremani (@boygirlparty) is the author-illustrator of BALANCE THE BIRDS and STACK THE CATS. Susie’s books attempt to engage our youngest readers through simple shapes and eye-catching colors, exploring foundational skills such as balancing, counting, comparing, and predicting. In making these books Susie shared that she was trying to create a way for kids to[...]
Andrea Beaty (@andreabeaty) is the author of ROSIE REVERE, ENGINEER and its sequels as well as author of the QUESTIONEERS (@questioneerkids) chapter book series, all illustrated by David Roberts. Andrea shared much insight to how she crafts stories in rhyme and how, when searching for words, the right one is the right one. She also[...]
Rashin Kheiriyeh (@rashinkheiriyeh) is the illustrator most recently of THE BOOK TREE, authored by Paul Czajak, and STORY BOAT, authored by Kyo Maclear. Rashin is the illustrator or author-illustrator of over 70 books published around the world. Her voice as an illustrator is distinct and playful and her work has been celebrated the world over.[...]
Angie Manfredi (@misskubelik) is the editor of THE (OTHER) F WORD: A CELEBRATION OF THE FAT & FIERCE. The book releases in late September from Amulet Books an imprint of Abrams. Angie and I met only briefly before heading into the “Live at 25” Podcast Booth at the American Library Association’s annual conference in June,[...]
Kyle Lukoff (@Shekels_Library) is author of A STORYTELLING OF RAVENS and WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER, the latter of which was our focus in this conversation. WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER is about a trans boy who wants to make sure everything is just right for the arrival of his new sibling. Aidan considers throughout[...]
Isabel Quintero (@isabelinpieces) and Zeke Peña (@zpvisual) share MY PAPI HAS A MOTORCYCLE. The story is based on memories from Isabel’s childhood, but it’s also more than that. The story centers on Daisy, her father, and their nightly tradition of riding on Papi’s motorcycle through the neighborhood and town. We take in a lot as[...]
Mia Wenjen (@pragmaticmom) and Nat Iwata (@NatIwata) share SUMO JOE. SUMO JOE is a story told in rhyme about a boy and his friends upholding a centuries-old tradition considered through a modern lens. It’s the first picture book I’ve read that addresses the practice of sumo and it does so against challenges to gender restrictions while[...]
Torben Kuhlmann shares ARMSTRONG, his best-selling picture book about a mouse who dreams of setting foot on the moon gets a special anniversary edition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Torben and I found a private conference room on the exhibit hall that offered us space from the crowded show[...]
Ashley Franklin (@DifferentAshley) shares NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE. In this debut picture book readers meet Tameika, a theater-loving, stage-starring girl. She’s so excited for her school’s production of Snow White that she signs up for both audition dates. But after Tameika overhears classmates criticising that she’s too tall and too chubby and to black for[...]
Megan Lacera (@MeganLacera) and Jorge Lacera (@jlacera) share ZOMBIES DON’T EAT VEGGIES! In their debut picture book readers meet Mo, a zombie and chef with a taste for cuisine his parents, quite frankly, find revolting. But this isn’t exactly a story about picky eaters or about food aversions. Instead, Lacera and Lacera share a story[...]
Lorena Alvarez shares HICOTEA, a companion graphic novel to her 2017 debut, NIGHTLIGHTS. Guest host Mel Schuit interviews Lorena at the American Library Association's annual conference and they discuss the art and inspiration behind the graphic novels. For those not yet familiar, NIGHLIGHTS is a beautiful story about fear, insecurity, and creativity. In HICOTEA, Sandy, the[...]
Recorded live on the PopTop Stage at the American Library Association's annual conference, three Newbery Honorees and powerful female voices in the children's literature share the stories behind their successful and upcoming middle grade novels. Cece Bell introduces readers to SMELL MY FOOT!, the first book in her CHICK AND BRAIN series featuring a small[...]
Padma Venkatraman (@padmatv) shares THE BRIDGE HOME, a 2019 Global Read Aloud choice. The story centers on two sisters, Viji and Rukku, who are orphaned at the hands of an abusive father and a mother who is too afraid to leave him. Viji is the caretaker of her sister, and in no small way these girls[...]
Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler (@byronegg) share OPERATIC, a graphic novel they made together. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that, as with making picture books, Kyo wrote OPERATIC’s story in words and dialogue and left space for Byron to tell the story through paneled illustrations. The story in OPERATIC centers on a girl named[...]
Rowboat Watkins shares MOST MARSHMALLOWS, a story about things that most marshmallows do, like celebrating birthdays and going to school. Things that most marshmallows do not do, like dreaming. And the rarely discussed things that some few marshmallows secretly know. I love how Rowboat created the art for this story and I cannot wait to[...]
Meera Sriram (@Meeratsriram) shares her debut picture book, THE YELLOW SUITCASE. In Meera’s debut we meet Asha, who is traveling to India as she does with her family each year to visit her grandmother. But this year, they travel to mourn. Asha always brings a yellow suitcase which her grandmother fills with treats and trinkets[...]
Vincent X. Kirsch (@VincenzoXKirsch) shares HOW I LEARNED TO FALL OUT OF TREES. In Vincent’s story we meet Roger and Adelia, two best friends since forever. Adelia is helping Roger learn to climb and to fall from trees. But she’s also helping Roger learn how to let go and how to trust that you’ll be able[...]
Sarah Hoffman (@sarahhoffman101) and Ian Hoffman share JACOB'S ROOM TO CHOOSE, the follow-up to the 2014 release JACOB'S NEW DRESS. In this newest story Jacob and his friend Sophie encounter a confrontation from classmates when Jacob enters the boys restroom wearing a dress. Sophie experiences a similar issue in the girl's room and the later[...]
Kathy MacMillan (@kathys_quill), Manuela Bernardi (@the_mahnoo), and Kathrin Honesta share SHE SPOKE: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices and Changed the World. SHE SPOKE incorporates historical recordings from women throughout history, making history through their words, ideas, and actions. And the collaboration all started 15 years ago over some Harry Potter fan fiction. A critical[...]
Colleen AF Venable (@colleenaf) and Ellen T. Crenshaw (@etcillustration) are the author and cartoonist, respectively, of KISS NUMBER 8, a "layered, funny, sharp-edged story of teen sexuality and family secrets". Identity, self-discovery, and safe places. This conversation and today’s book take these three themes and weave them together to create something important, something timely, something needed. You can[...]
LeUyen Pham is the illustrator of over one hundred books for children. You have no doubt encountered Uyen’s work, whether through the bestselling PRINCESS IN BLACK series written by Shannon and Dean Hale, Anne Marie Pace’s VAMPIRINA BALLERINA series (which was adapted into a hit show on Disney), THE ITCHY BOOK (an Elephant & PIggie Presents[...]
Nic Stone (@getnicced) shares ODD ONE OUT, a young adult novel whose story centers on the dynamic between three friends: Courtney “Coop” Cooper, Jupiter “Jupe” Charity Sanchez, and Rae Chin. Their friendships to one another are complex, at times fragile, at times exciting, and always growing and expanding outward. ODD ONE OUT breaks the love[...]
Happy Teacher Appreciation week! I hope you’re sharing a whole lot of love for those individuals who work with our young minds each and every day. Schools are magical places and for many they are the source of countless formative memories in our journey of growing up and into the world. So… I recently started[...]
Andrea Tsurumi (@AndreaTsurumi) shares CRAB CAKE, a picture book about a cake-baking crab who does its thing among the ocean fauna, baking confections for all of the neighborhood animals. But crab's world is turned upside down when a garbage barge spills some of its load into the ocean. There’s something Andrea said in our conversation[...]
Victoria Jamieson (@JamiesonV), Newbery honor-winning cartoonist of ROLLER GIRL is joined by audio producers Kelly Gildea (@gildeak) and Julianna Wilson (@JuliannaNWilson) to share the process of adapting a graphic novel for the audiobook format. ROLLER GIRL tells the story of Astrid, who decides that this summer she’s going to forego the camp she’s attended year after[...]
Linda Sue Park (@LindaSuePark), Newbery Medal-winning author of A SINGLE SHARD shares her new picture book, GONDRA’S TREASURE. The story centers on a dragon whose mom’s family comes from the West and while dad’s family comes from the East. Gondra, like many children, is curious and open to her world and everything in it. She[...]
Breanna J. McDaniel (@readwellbewell) shares HANDS UP!, new picture book reframes the emotionally charged phrase by following a child throughout her morning, her family time, and her time in the community. There is intergenerational support illustrated throughout HANDS UP! and as I’ve been reading it aloud to children I am so in awe of how[...]
Melanie Gillman shares AS THE CROW FLIES, a graphic novel following a group of queer teens who meet while stuck on a week-long Christian youth camp backpacking trip. AS THE CROW FLIES is a full-color, hand drawn webcomic that was published as a print volume in 2017 from generous Kickstarter backing. Melanie is an American queer non-binary cartoonist,[...]
Nidhi Chanani (@nidhiart) shares SHUBH RAATRI DOST/GOOD NIGHT FRIEND, a new board book in which two children say goodnight in both Hindi and Engilsh to all of the animals in their Indian farm home. There’s an intimacy to sharing this moment with the characters in the book, as the sun goes down and as each goodnight[...]
Hayley Barrett (@hayleybwrites) and Juana Martinez-Neal (@juanamartinez) are the author and the illustrator of BABYMOON, a new picture book about that period just after a baby is born, when time is intentionally set aside for a new family to rest and to fall in love together. The experience of motherhood is complex and our guests[...]
A number of you have asked about plans to celebrate the 500th episode and, the truth is, you’re all part of the plan. I end every episode of the show by asking guests, “I’ll see a library full of children tomorrow morning. Is there a message I can bring to them from you?” And as[...]
Exploring big ideas and the way that stories can help us feel seen, understood, and valued. The Children’s Book Podcast features insightful and sincere interviews with authors, illustrators, and everyone involved in taking a book from drawing board to bookshelf. Hosted by a teacher and school librarian, each episode seeks to connect kids and listeners of all ages to powerful, impactful, and lasting stories, and the people who tell them.
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All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are directy attributed to Matthew C. Winner or their podcast platform partner. If you believe your copyrighted work is in use without your permission, you can follow our process outlined here. See terms of use.
All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are directy attributed to Matthew C. Winner or their podcast platform partner. If you believe your copyrighted work is in use without your permission, you can follow our process outlined here. See terms of use.
