Scholastic Reads: Recent Episodes
Scholastic Inc.
A podcast about the joy and power of reading, exploring topics that matter to parents, educators, and the reader in all of us
In this episode, we’re spotlighting bestselling author Aaron Blabey. Aaron visited our New York City headquarters in late 2023 from his home in Australia.
He talked with host Suzanne McCabe about the genesis of Cat on the Run, his latest series for young readers. In Book 1, Cat on the Run in Cat of Death!, Princess Beautiful, the world’s biggest cat video star, is accused of a crime she didn’t commit. Can the most famous feline on the planet avoid capture and prove her innocence? Readers will find out in Aaron’s hilarious new trilogy about the perils of social media and cancel culture.
You probably know Aaron from The Bad Guys, his mega-bestselling book series. The Bad Guys was made into an animated movie in 2022 by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks. A sequel is on the way next summer.
Aaron is also the author of the popular series Pig the Pug and Thelma the Unicorn. With the 20th and final installment of The Bad Guys due out in November, Aaron says that he’s ready to step away from writing.
“I always wrote my books specifically for my own kids, to make them laugh, but now they’re all grown up,” he told Publishers Weekly. “It was a magical time but it’s over, just like childhood. It’s bittersweet but it’s also beautiful.”
→ ResourcesCat on the Run in Cat of Death!: How do you avoid capture and prove your innocence when you’re the most famous feline on the planet? Princess Beautiful finds out the hard way.
Cat on the Run in Cucumber Madness: Social media star Princess Beautiful has been plunged into a world where danger lurks everywhere, and cucumbers are no laughing matter.
The Bad Guys: In Aaron’s wildly-popular book series, The Bad Guys, a motley collection of wannabe heroes are doing good deeds—whether you like it or not.
→ HighlightsAaron Blabey, bestselling author and illustrator
On creating the character of Princess Beautiful in Cat on the Run: “She was inspired by the world we currently live in, I have to say. My kids are now 15 and 18, and I’ve been watching them navigating social media…. I’ve been watching with interest how that universe is sort of playing out in the world. I also have a really highly strung cat. Those two things . . . and the old movie The Fugitive, they all kind of clicked together in my head, and Cat on the Run popped out.”
On writing The Bad Guys: “I was only trying to make my son laugh, but it seems that the same stuff that makes him laugh has made lots of other kids laugh.”
On writing graphic novels: “We live in a world where kids are just bombarded with visual information, and they’re so visually literate. What I’ve tried to do with The Bad Guys and also certainly with Cat on the Run is do something that feels relevant for them.”
→ Special ThanksProducer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming SoonAlice Hoffman: When We Flew Away: A Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary
In this episode, we celebrate the 35th anniversary of Reach Out and Read and an uplifting new book collection. Marty Martinez, the nonprofit’s CEO, and Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, talk with host Suzanne McCabe about 35 for 35—a new, curated collection of titles for young children.
A joint venture between Reach Out and Read and Scholastic, with help from several other publishers, the 35 for 35 project will distribute 350,000 free books to children ages five and under during their well-child visits.
The books celebrate the vibrant neighborhoods and diverse cultures of the children who are served by Reach Out and Read. Kids will be introduced to titles by acclaimed and emerging authors and illustrators, including poet Nikki Giovanni, basketball great LeBron James, and writer and educator Joanna Ho.
“Evidence shows that if children are exposed to books and reading through their pediatric well-child visits,” Marty says, “they’re more likely to get read to at home. They’re more likely to spend time with their parents or caregivers connecting over a book.”
As Chief Executive Officer of Reach Out and Read, Marty leads the Boston-based nonprofit’s vast network, which includes more than 6,000 program sites in all 50 states and nearly 30 regional, state, and local affiliates. He has spent decades working on behalf of young people and families in underserved communities across the Boston area. Most recently, as the city’s Chief of Health and Human Services, Marty led Boston through some of the most acute challenges posed by the pandemic.
In her role as Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, Judy helps to ensure equal access to books and literacy for all children through partnerships with nonprofits and other organizations. She currently serves on several boards, including at Reach Out and Read and the Ruby Bridges Foundation, where she is Board President.
For many years, Judy led the iconic Scholastic Reading Club, aka the Book Clubs. She is known fondly in the office as our Reader-in-Chief. During the pandemic, Judy went back to school, earning a master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
→ ResourcesReach Out and Read: For 35 years, the Boston-based nonprofit has helped millions of young families across the country access literacy through well-child visits.
35 for 35: Learn more about this free, curated book collection, a collaboration between Reach Out and Read and Scholastic.
→ HighlightsMarty Martinez, CEO, Reach Out and Read
“The mission of Reach Out and Read is to provide opportunities and moments for children and their parents to have shared moments of connection and bonding through reading.”
“We’re a very simple model that integrates early literacy and books into well-child visits for our children five and under all across the United States.”
“A child learns to read and then reads to learn.”
“It opens doors not only for a child but for a whole family when you focus on early literacy.”
Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer, Scholastic
“Programs like these don’t happen unless someone leads the charge.”
“Twelve publishers from across the publishing industry contributed titles to [35 for 35].”
“For American democracy to continue, we have to have literacy.”
→ Special ThanksProducer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming SoonBad Guys Author Aaron Blabey Talks About Cat on the Run
When We Flew Away: Author Alice Hoffman Discusses Her New Novel About Anne Frank Before the Diary
In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with author Derek Milman. Derek talks with host Suzanne McCabe about his latest YA novel, A Darker Mischief. The gripping story revolves around Cal, a queer teen from a poor town in Mississippi. At Essex Academy, an elite boarding school in New England, Cal tries to fit in and falls in love along the way.
“I would encourage any teen picking up A Darker Mischief,” Derek says, “to see how Cal can surmount everything that has happened in the past and his sense of unbelonging and intense alienation to find love.”
In addition to A Darker Mischief, Derek is the author of the acclaimed Scream All Night (Balzer + Bray, 2018) and Swipe Right for Murder (Jimmy Patterson, 2021). A graduate of the Yale School of Drama, Derek has performed on stages across the country and appeared in several TV shows and films, including The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
→ ResourcesA Darker Mischief: Check out Derek Milman’s boarding school thriller about a queer teen named Cal, who finds himself swept up into a world of old money and privilege privilege.
You Are Loved: This curated book list from Scholastic celebrates LGBTQIA+ themes and experiences, with stories centered around identity, acceptance, and love.
→ HighlightsDerek Milman, author, A Darker Mischief
“While the secret society [in A Darker Mischief] is based on this very real secret society that’s still functioning at Yale, it’s fictional at the same time.”
“Cal comes from a poor family from a small town in Mississippi, and he has to contend with a lot and confront moral choices, in terms of how he can survive at Essex.”
“There are going to be things in life that you have to confront and decisions you’re going to have to make in order to get ahead, but you’re going to have to find a way to preserve who you really are and your values.”
“Holden [Caulfield in A Catcher in the Rye] might have been the first time I felt like I really connected with a kid in a book.”
“A lot of young love, especially young, gay love, is not easy.”
“Queer teens need a classic, sweeping, epic romance.”
→ Special ThanksProducer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming SoonReach Out and Read: 35 for 35
Kelly Yang Has the Scoop on Top Story
“Children are just suffering more,” says Dr. Linda C. Mayes, director of the Yale Child Study Center. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Mayes specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry. Like other health care professionals, she is sounding the alarm about the rise in anxiety and depression in young people. In this episode, Dr. Mayes talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the reasons for this disturbing trend and explores how we, as a society, can address the challenges our children are facing.
Dr. Mayes is also the Arnold Gesell Professor of Child Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Psychology at the Yale Child Study Center and Special Advisor to the Dean at the Yale School of Medicine. She heads the Child Study Center–Scholastic Collaborative, which arose from a shared commitment to exploring how literacy can be used to foster resilience among children and families.
→ ResourcesNew Mental Health Resource From Scholastic: Check out our new online hub of books and curated, free resources fostering emotional health with insights from leading child development experts.
Meet Dr. Linda C. Mayes: The director of the Yale Child Study Center, Dr. Mayes is an expert in developmental psychology, pediatrics, and child psychiatry literature.
Kids & Family Reading Report: There’s lots to explore in Scholastic’s biennial national survey of parents’ and children’s reading attitudes and behaviors.
Reach Out and Read: Learn how the nonprofit organization partners with pediatric care providers to help families make reading a part of their routines.
→ The ConversationWhat trends are you seeing at the Yale Child Study Center in terms of children’s mental health? What types of emotional and behavioral disorders are kids presenting?
At the Child Study Center here in New Haven, what we’re seeing is no different than what’s being seen across the country and around the world. The increase in mental health needs among children and adolescents often is framed as a post-COVID phenomenon. But over the past few years, there’s been a steady increase in children’s mental health needs—depression, suicidality, anxiety, increased feelings of stress—that speaks to an overall stress among children and families.
COVID and the pandemic added to the mental health crisis. The pandemic also highlighted some of the fragilities in our healthcare system. One might think in the same way, that the pandemic highlighted the mental health needs and vulnerabilities of our youngest citizens, and that we’re seeing an increased volume is important to know. We’re also seeing an increase in severity. Children are just suffering more, and we’re seeing children thinking about suicide at an earlier age. We’re seeing more eating disorders starting at an earlier age.
Our children’s distress is also an expression of the increasing distress and fragmentation of our society. Children, in a sense, are like the canaries in the coal mine. They’re experiencing the distress, the increased lack of civility, the increased fragmentation.
The lack of civility and lack of empathy among adults is striking. Where did that come from?
I think there are multiple causes. We’ve had an economically stressed society. We have the stresses of the pandemic. We have a politically divided society now. Whatever side of the aisle you’re on, to use that metaphor, it’s very hard to cross the aisle. We’ve lost the ability to have a conversation where you see the other person as an individual who may or may not agree with you, but who is still an individual worthy of respect. How to do that is a fundamental skill. It’s the glue that holds society together. When children see and feel and experience that kind of fracturing, it’s not good for their—or anyone’s—mental health.
What signs should parents and educators look for if they think a child needs clinical intervention?
When children are just not themselves, when they’ve changed, when they might have been the outgoing, playful, always-helping child who now is quiet, maybe even a little bit irritable, when there’s a real change in who they are in their presentation. Typically, people talk about when grades start to go down. That’s another indicator. When kids start to lose their enjoyment for the things they dearly loved. If they love to read, for example, but they stop reading. Or they love to play with friends, but now they just want to stay in the house. Those kinds of changes in behavior are important to notice. It’s not always the child who’s sad and withdrawn. It can be the child who suddenly is acting out or the child who is now afraid of a whole number of things. Those kinds of changes, and especially parents who know their children well, when they see that they’re just not themselves, that’s what to pay attention to.
If a child is withdrawn, they may not want to speak. Are there ways to spur conversation without asking repeated questions?
One of the most important ways is to be present. Sometimes, it may be taking a walk, or reading a book together, or just doing something together. Silence can be quite deafening. In our busy lives, families don’t often have those moments, those dinner-together moments, or those quiet walk-after-dinner together moments, or those times just sitting on the steps and talking. Those are the kinds of moments that bring people together. A child may not start talking right then. They may need to have a bit of quiet reassurance that, yes, somebody is going to be there, and they’re going to be listening.
Many areas in the U.S. have a shortage of mental health professionals. What is being done to make treatment more accessible and more effective?
There’s a shortage of healthcare professionals broadly, and there’s a shortage of healthcare professionals around children’s needs broadly. That includes physicians, pediatricians, psychologists, and social workers, because mental health for children is delivered not just by one profession.
Before addressing what is being done and what can be done, we need to ask the question of why. Why is there a shortage of healthcare providers, especially post-COVID, but why is there especially a shortage of mental health providers? There are a few reasons that we, as a society, need to look at very deeply. One of them is how we think about mental health. We often think about it as “the other,” that it’s not a part of overall health, that it’s not a part of physical health. The division between physical and mental health is an artificial one. They go together.
Another why is the stigma about mental health. As much as we’ve tried to work on it, it’s still alive and well in this country. It still impacts policy and decisions that people make about going into the field. It affects how we reimburse and support mental health, especially children’s mental health. Generally, children’s health is reimbursed less. By reimbursement, I mean by commercial payers and the individuals or institutions that pay for care. Then you take children’s mental health care and it’s not on par with other kinds of care. It’s very hard [for a health care professional] to make a wage that would support themselves and their family after years of training. So, we have a reimbursement structure that also perpetuates the bias.
As a country, we need to put that front and center because the other things we can do to improve access or care will be great and are great. During the pandemic, we learned a lot about the delivery of telehealth. We learned how to deliver mental health care across virtual platforms, making it available to children and families across state lines, from rural to urban, extending the capacity of a clinician in an urban area. We still need to increase broadband access in rural areas, and states need to work together so that clinicians can deliver care across state lines.
We’ve also learned that some children need just a few sessions with a mental health care provider. Some even respond to one or two sessions. Thinking more creatively about how we deliver services across telehealth platforms will improve access dramatically. We’re in a revolutionary time for mental health care for kids.
Can you describe the mechanisms by which literacy can lead to improved physical and mental health outcomes?
How does literacy impact health? It opens the world. You learn what a variety of people do. You also learn about your body. You learn how it works, what’s good and not good. Reading—including storytelling—is stress-relieving. Reading has dropped blood pressure to a healthy level in some studies. It’s what we call emotionally organizing.
Reading also brings people together. If you’ve read a good book, you tell a friend about it, and soon the two of you are talking about that book. The same is true if a child brings you a book and wants you to read it. Reading builds interpersonal links between parent and child or teacher and child. It’s a very strong glue for building relationships. And we know from research that relationships and social connectedness have as strong an impact on health as good nutrition and not smoking, for example.
So, it’s through those areas, and then another, what we would call a meta or proxy variable: If you’re more literate, you’re more educated. If you’re more educated, you know how to access health resources better. You make better choices. Yet we have two systems—our healthcare system and our educational system. The two don’t always work together. What’s good for kids in this country is to bring health and education together.
There’s a significant finding in Scholastic’s latest Kids & Family Reading Report that reinforces this notion. Kids who read more reported better mental health overall, with fewer occurrences of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
Yes, and that’s a very important finding. As a researcher, though, I need to warn that it’s associative and not necessarily causal. It may be that children who have better mental health read more and by reading more, they feel better.
The report also found that 41% of students get most of their books at school, which highlights the importance of teacher curation and accessibility. Are you and other experts seeing adverse effects on children due to book banning?
I deeply worry for our society because of book banning. In my world, the medical world, we talk about symptoms that are the danger signs of something more serious. A very high fever, for example, or very high blood pressure, or a very low white blood cell count, indicates that something serious is going on in that individual. I see book banning as one of those indicators of something serious going on in our society, what we talked about earlier, the fractionated society.
I can certainly talk about book banning and children, but I think we also need to think about what it says diagnostically about our social fabric. That said, there are no empirical studies about book banning that I know of, but it’s just common sense. You don’t limit a child’s curiosity. You don’t say to them, “You shouldn’t read this. This book has principles that aren’t good for you.” Let them read it and have an open discussion. Let them watch a television program, watch it with them, and have an open discussion. When you ban a book, you’re saying that certain forms of knowledge and experience are off-limits. That is just fundamentally against learning, building curiosity, [and] building an ability to engage with the world in any way.
I do realize that my stance is from a particularly liberal point of view. I’m very aware of that. At the same time, I know what’s good for children and I know what’s good for children’s learning, and I know that inhibiting or prohibiting pathways to learning in any way is not good for children’s cognitive development.
What measures among key stakeholders are being taken to improve literacy outcomes for children, even starting with preschoolers?
I would say even starting with infancy and prenatally. I think one of the fundamental messages, if you want to go back even further, is that talking, storytelling, building relationships, using words, is a fundamental literacy skill. So, a mom or a couple who are pregnant: Talk to the baby inside the mom’s tummy. Build up a repertoire of stories, and when that baby comes, you’ll have the repertoire of stories. When you have your infant in your arms, talk to them about the world around them. Tell them stories about yourself. Tell them stories about what just happened during the day. Tell them about the sun and the rain outside. You’re building literacy when you do that. Literacy doesn’t have to just be by books, by just using words and creating a narrative.
That said, while we certainly need more pediatricians in this country, and more access to children’s special healthcare, we miss an opportunity in the healthcare world, and this gets back to bringing education and health together. We miss an opportunity to not use pediatricians even more than Reach Out and Read already does. We should use pediatricians as the conduit for literacy and the conduit for books because pediatricians are the individuals or healthcare professionals are the individuals that children see before they are of school age.
But it’s not just putting books in children’s hands, it’s also having adults know how to use those books. It’s not just reading the words, but helping the child think about what else could have happened in a story. The blue bear did this with his friend, the goose, but what else could bear have done? Or what was goose thinking about? Why do you think goose did that? To really help children expand that narrative and to engage with them around building out the story, not just literally reading the story. In doing that, you’re encouraging their imagination. The most fundamental way to build literacy is to build narrative and storytelling.
Many teachers are encountering not just mental and emotional challenges among students, but also behavioral issues to an extent they haven’t seen before. What advice do you have for educators who are feeling overwhelmed and don’t have the resources to address this rise in students’ mental health needs?
There are three things I would say to teachers. One is that, besides parents, you have the hardest and most responsible job in our society. You’re taking care of and launching our next generation. I deeply appreciate not only the work that all teachers do, but also the stress that teachers are under and the burdens they feel.
I also would say is that if you can hold in mind, and it’s incredibly hard to do, when a child is melting down in front of you or angrily yelling or out of control, that all behavior is a communication, and then take just a little space inside yourself to wonder what is this child trying to tell me? What are they trying to say with this behavior? Maybe the child won’t know, but you’ll know that they’re communicating something through their behavior. Maybe they’re trying to say that they’re scared. Maybe they’re trying to say that they’re exhausted. Maybe they’re trying to say that they need you or they need someone more, but they’re trying to say something. It’s a really hard thing to do in the moment, but it’s extraordinarily important.
Behavioral disruptions are happening across the country at all ages. It’s not just kids in classrooms. We’re seeing adults lose it in various settings. When children cause behavioral disruptions, the preschool phrase is often, “Use your words.” Preschool teachers know that if you can get the behavior into words, you can help.
The third thing I would offer to teachers is, if you can, have a peer or someone else you can talk to. You have your own mental health needs that shouldn’t go unheard.
Guns are now the leading cause of death among children and teens. Do we know the psychological and social impact of community violence, mass shootings, and even active shooter drills in schools?
I have many colleagues who think a lot about this and who are much more expert in it than I. For example, here at the Child Study Center, we have our Child Development-Community Policing Program. My colleagues Steven Marans and Carrie Epstein and the rest of their team, Megan Goslin, are often called to consult and help teachers, and they do that in such a clinically skilled and sensitive way.
We have an enormous availability of guns in this country and a history of guns being used to express a range of distress and feelings. The corollary is that it has happened so often, we’re numbed by it. A staggering number of mass shootings have happened in this country, defined as four or more injured. Some of them don’t even make the news at this point.
What’s the effect on children? Broadly, school is no longer as safe a place as it once was. What do active shooter drills do? As a researcher, I would want to know more about that, but I’m guessing it makes children more scared. I’m guessing it raises the anxiety level of teachers, too. Whether they’re effective for that event, may it never happen, is another question. I’ve often heard people compare active shooter drills to back when the threat of nuclear war began. Schools had drills, and kids were asked to get under their desks. If you look back on it, it looks kind of crazy.
My worry about active shooter drills is, not just are they effective, not just do they raise teachers’ anxiety and children’s anxiety, but my worry is that we may be putting our attention in the wrong place. We’re putting our attention on the possibility that this terrible thing might happen. Really, our attention should be on why? Why is it happening more frequently? Why is it that we can’t look at the harsh truth of the availability of guns? Why can we not look at other societies experiencing the same broad global stress that don’t have these kinds of mass shootings? Ask those questions.
Researchers at the Yale Child Study Center-Scholastic Collaborative have identified altruism as a hallmark of resilience. How can altruism play a role in helping children and communities emerge stronger after a traumatic event?
It’s not just us. There’s a large body of work about altruism across several settings, altruism and prisoner of war situations, altruism during natural disasters. Altruism is a fundamentally human capacity. We also see it in some non-human primates, as well. It’s the ability to reach outside of yourself and think about the needs of others, to make some sacrifice of yourself in order to help someone else.
So, for example, in the darkest of situations, like in a prisoner of war situation, when you take your food ration and give it to the person next to you who you know is starving, although you yourself don’t have much. It’s the ability to reach out and make a connection to someone else, thinking outside yourself about someone else’s needs. You see it all the time in this country. When there’s a tragedy, you see people coming together in the most remarkably altruistic ways: firemen risking their own lives to bring a family to safety, families who have almost nothing bringing everything they have to the neighbor down the street whose house was wiped out by a tornado. It’s a basic human. We survive because we are a community.
So, what can we do more of? Talk about altruism. Highlight it. Altruism is good for your health. It’s a very ironic message, that by sacrificing yourself for someone else, you also are doing something good for yourself. You’re improving your own health and your own likelihood of a healthy outcome. But you don’t do it for that reason. You do it because of the basic human need to create community.
→ Special ThanksProducer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming SoonTop Story: Author Kelly Yang Talks With a Scholastic Kid Reporter
A Darker Mischief: Celebrate Pride Month With Author Derek Millman
We hear a lot about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies these days. But the work is often misunderstood, and even disparaged. In this episode, Lindsey Cotter, Chief Inclusion Officer at Scholastic, and Malia C. Lazu, Founder and CEO of the consulting firm Lazu Group, discuss effective ways to create more inclusive environments. Doing so is not just a moral imperative, they argue. Statistically, it leads to better outcomes for everyone.
Lindsey has been at Scholastic for more than 20 years. Before taking on her current role, she served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Employee Services. Malia is a Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management and the author of From Intention to Impact: A Practical Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024).
Early in her career, Malia worked with singer Harry Belafonte and other civil rights leaders to help bring more opportunities to young people in marginalized communities. “Instead of just rushing in with solutions and answers,” Malia writes, “we listened and learned before we took action.” Her book is essential reading for anyone serious about implementing DEI policies.
→ Resources7 reasons why your organization isn't making DEI progress: Malia C. Lazu discusses common pitfalls in DEI implementation.
From Intention to Impact: Check out Malia’s book on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
→ HighlightsLindsey Cotter, Chief Inclusion Officer, Scholastic Inc.
“How do we use DEI as a way to strengthen our ability to communicate and interact with one another, to have an awareness of the differences in culture, and be sure that the things that we’re doing from a business perspective as well as an interpersonal perspective are respectful of one another? That’s hard. It’s a journey. It’s not a destination.”
“My mother was a kindergarten teacher, and she colored in the characters in picture books. She did the same thing with cards because there was no representation.”
“This [work] is going to make a difference for girls coming up now, for women who are out there.”
Malia C. Lazu, author, From Intention to Impact: A Practical Guide to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
“After [the murder of] George Floyd, so many people were asking us, ‘What can we do?’ What can we do?’ As a woman of color, as a woman of color firm, it was a frustrating question because we had been talking about what you could do for hundreds of years, long before I was born.”
“Being an ally is about deconstructing power and trying to keep doors and windows open [for others].”
“I’ve had clients look at me and say, ‘But we’re good people.’ I wish that were enough. If you set an intention to do something that you haven’t done before, you need to know that you probably don’t have the tools, skills, or understanding to do it, and you need to respect those blind spots in yourself.”
→ Special ThanksProducer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming SoonDr. Linda C. Mayes on Supporting Children's Mental Health
Kelly Yang Has the Scoop on Top Story
If you’ve ever been to summer camp, or wish you had gotten the chance to go, you’ll love hearing author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka talk with host Suzanne McCabe about his latest graphic memoir. It’s called Sunshine: How One Camp Taught Me About Life, Death, and Hope.
Camp Sunshine is not just any camp. It’s a place in Maine where seriously ill kids and their families get the opportunity to just be themselves and enjoy campfire stories, wilderness activities, and the company of others who also are facing extraordinary challenges.
During his senior year of high school in Worcester, Massachusetts, Jarrett signed up to be a counselor at Camp Sunshine. While he looked forward to the experience, he didn’t quite know what to expect. He didn’t know that it would change his life forever.
Sunshine, which is published by Scholastic Graphix, is the recipient of the 2023 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction, among other honors. Jarrett is also the author of the award-winning graphic memoir, Hey Kiddo!, and the wildly-popular Lunch Lady graphic novel series. To find out when he will be visiting your area, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @StudioJKK.
→ Resources Studio JJK: Learn more about Jarrett’s books and Ted Talks, and get writing and illustrating tutorials from a master.
Express Yourself: Jarrett is featured in this Washington Post article about how everyone can benefit from creating art.
Hey, Kiddo: A Conversation About Family, Addiction and Art: Hear Jarrett talk with Scholastic Reads podcast host Suzanne McCabe about the challenges he overcame as a child to become an award-winning author and illustrator.
→ Highlights Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author, Sunshine
Volunteering at Camp Sunshine “was something as a part of the experience of high school as the prom.”
“I kept photo albums, and in those photo albums, I placed [my] sketches. In fact, we basically recreated what my photo albums look like with those chapter headers.”
“I hope that young readers can understand that they have the power to make a big difference in someone’s life.”
“The story is told through the perspective of me . . . a young kid who had his health and was unsure he could make a difference in the life of anyone.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Meet Our Scholastic Kid Reporters
A New Goosebumps Series Heads to Television
In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with British author and screenwriter Simon James Green. Simon joins host Suzanne McCabe to talk about Gay Club!, his hilarious new novel for young adults. The story revolves around Barney Brown, a self-described chess geek who wants to lead his high school’s LGBTQIA+ Society to better days. But Barney faces unexpected competition in the group’s presidential election from rival Bronte, who manages to have the voting opened to the entire student body at Greenacre Academy. Little by little, the stakes are raised, showing the teens at their worst—and, ultimately, their best.
Simon is also the author of Heartbreak Boys, Alex in Wonderland, Noah Could Never, and You’re the One That I Want, among many other acclaimed titles.
→ Resources Read With Pride: These LGBTQIA+ books for kids are relatable and eye-opening for all readers.
Learn More About Simon James Green: Find out why Simon is considered one of the UK’s leading writers of LGBTQIA+ fiction for teens.
Order Gay Club! on Amazon: Barney is a shoo-in for president of his school’s LGBTQIA+ Society until he’s not. Simon James Green’s new YA novel offers “shade, scandals, and sleazy shenanigans.”
→ Highlights Simon James Green, author, Gay Club!:
“You can’t help but look at the state of politics, both in the UK and the U.S., and all around the world, actually, and just see how increasingly ridiculous things seem to be getting…. I wanted to capture a little bit of that sort of craziness.”
“When I go into the schools and visit students, I am filled with a sense of hope because my overwhelming impression is that they are very open, very accepting. They really don’t understand this pushback from various adults in their communities. They don’t get it. They think it’s ridiculous.”
“It’s very hard to work out who you are as a young person if you never see yourself represented in a book.... I never got to see an LGBT character in a book or an LGBT storyline. And so I grew up having no real idea about that. It would’ve had such an amazing effect on me if I’d seen a kid going through what I was going through, feeling similar things. It gives you an enormous amount of reassurance and comfort. It lets you know you're not the only one. And beyond that, of course, even if you're not LGBT yourself, what it does is it opens your eyes to the whole world, the wider world, the stuff that your friends, your peers, are going through.”
“What you need to do is stand together, united, to fight for your rights and for freedom, and for the freedom to read whatever book you want to read in the school library.”
“I wrote my first book when I was 12 years old on my grandmother’s typewriter in her little study at home.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon The Scholastic Innovation Lab
Goosebumps Heads Back to Television
In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with British author and screenwriter Simon James Green. Simon joins host Suzanne McCabe to talk about Gay Club!, his hilarious new novel for young adults. The story revolves around Barney Brown, a self-described chess geek who wants to lead his high school’s LGBTQIA+ Society to better days. But Barney faces unexpected competition in the group’s presidential election from rival Bronte, who manages to have the voting opened to the entire student body at Greenacre Academy. Little by little, the stakes are raised, showing the teens at their worst—and, ultimately, their best. Simon is also the author of Heartbreak Boys, Alex in Wonderland, Noah Could Never, and You’re the One That I Want, among many other acclaimed titles. → Resources Read With Pride: These LGBTQIA+ books for kids are relatable and eye-opening for all readers. Learn More About Simon James Green: Find out why Simon is considered one of the UK’s leading writers of LGBTQIA+ fiction for teens. Order Gay Club! on Amazon: Barney is a shoo-in for president of his school's LGBTQIA+ Society until he’s not. Simon James Green’s new YA novel offers “shade, scandals, and sleazy shenanigans.” → Highlights Simon James Green, author, Gay Club! “You can't help but look at the state of politics, both in the UK and the U.S., and all around the world, actually, and just see how increasingly ridiculous things seem to be getting…. I wanted to capture a little bit of that sort of craziness.” “When I go into the schools and visit students, I am filled with a sense of hope because my overwhelming impression is that they are very open, very accepting. They really don't understand this pushback from various adults in their communities. They don't get it. They think it's ridiculous.” “It's very hard to work out who you are as a young person if you never see yourself represented in a book. And certainly for me, in the ‘90s . . . I never got to see an LGBT character in a book or an LGBT storyline. And so I grew up having no real idea about that. It would've had such an amazing effect on me if I'd seen a kid going through what I was going through, feeling similar things. It gives you an enormous amount of reassurance and comfort. It lets you know you're not the only one. And beyond that, of course, even if you're not LGBT yourself, what it does is it opens your eyes to the whole world, the wider world, the stuff that your friends, your peers, are going through.” “What you need to do is stand together, united, to fight for your rights and for freedom, and for the freedom to read whatever book you want to read in the school library.” “I wrote my first book when I was 12 years old on my grandmother’s typewriter in her little study at home.” → Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl → Coming Soon The Scholastic Innovation Lab Goosebumps Heads Back to Television
In 1923, Scholastic founder and CEO Maurice R. Robinson deemed that artistic students should be celebrated every bit as much as their athletic peers. Robinson created the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to recognize talented young artists and writers from across the United States.
The program gained fame through the students who won its awards, many of whom went onto groundbreaking careers in art, fashion, film, and literature. They include Bernard Malamud, Ezra Jack Keats, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Cy Twombly, Kay WalkingStick, Robert Redford, Stephen King, Ken Burns, Yolanda Wisher, Zac Posen, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman.
A century after Robinson laid out his vision, the program is still going strong. The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which administers the program, recently published A Thousand Familiar Faces: 100 Years of Teen Voices. The new anthology offers a look at life through young people’s eyes, whether they’re grappling with World War I, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, or the September 11 attacks. You’ll find memoirs, poems, and essays about teenage life, family, identity, grief, racism, and immigration.
In this episode, Hannah Jones, Deimosa Webber-Bey, and Henry Trinder join host Suzanne McCabe to talk about A Thousand Familiar Faces. Hannah, who edited the anthology, is also an author. She won a Scholastic Award, herself, in 2004. Deimosa and Henry combed through the Scholastic archives to find the best of the best of student writing from the past 100 years. Deimosa is the director of Information Services & Cultural Insight at Scholastic, and Henry recently earned a master’s degree in library science from Pratt Institute.
→ Resources A Thousand Familiar Faces: A new anthology of award-winning teen writing features works dating back to the 1920s. You can download it for free here.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the awards have fostered creativity among young people since 1923.
→ Highlights Hannah Jones, editor, A Thousand Familiar Faces
“It was [surprising] how vital and important and immediate and fresh the voices from the ’20s and ’30s and ’40s felt.”
“I want every single one of these writers to just have their moment of being read by someone new.”
Henry Trinder, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces
“Poetry was a more dominant form as a means for expression for the teenagers in the ’20s and ’30s. As that went on, short stories became more popular, and now, it seems, essays have become much more popular.”
“It was comforting to read these stories and see myself in them.”
Deimosa Webber-Bey, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces
“It was very satisfying to . . . come away that much richer in knowledge about Scholastic history, about teenagers, about the 20th century.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Pride Month: Author Simon James Green Talks About Gay Club!
In 1923, Scholastic founder and CEO Maurice R. Robinson deemed that artistic students should be celebrated every bit as much as their athletic peers. Robinson created the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards to recognize talented young artists and writers from across the United States. The program gained fame through the students who won its awards, many of whom went onto groundbreaking careers in art, fashion, film, and literature. They include Bernard Malamud, Ezra Jack Keats, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Cy Twombly, Kay WalkingStick, Robert Redford, Stephen King, Ken Burns, Yolanda Wisher, Zac Posen, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Gorman. A century after Robinson laid out his vision, the program is still going strong. The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, which administers the program, recently published A Thousand Familiar Faces: 100 Years of Teen Voices. The new anthology offers a look at life through young people’s eyes, whether they’re grappling with World War I, the Great Depression, the Vietnam War, or the September 11 attacks. You’ll find memoirs, poems, and essays about teenage life, family, identity, grief, racism, and immigration. In this episode, Hannah Jones, Deimosa Webber-Bey, and Henry Trinder join host Suzanne McCabe to talk about A Thousand Familiar Faces. Hannah, who edited the anthology, is also an author. She won a Scholastic Award, herself, in 2004. Deimosa and Henry combed through the Scholastic archives to find the best of the best of student writing from the past 100 years. Deimosa is the director of Information Services & Cultural Insight at Scholastic, and Henry recently earned a master’s degree in library science from Pratt Institute. → Resources A Thousand Familiar Faces: A new anthology of award-winning teen writing features works dating back to the 1920s. You can download it for free here. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Administered by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the awards have fostered creativity among young people since 1923. → Highlights Hannah Jones, editor, A Thousand Familiar Faces “It was [surprising] how vital and important and immediate and fresh the voices from the ’20s and ’30s and ’40s felt.” “I want every single one of these writers to just have their moment of being read by someone new.” Henry Trinder, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces “Poetry was a more dominant form as a means for expression for the teenagers in the ’20s and ’30s. As that went on, short stories became more popular, and now, it seems, essays have become much more popular.” “It was comforting to read these stories and see myself in them.” Deimosa Webber-Bey, researcher, A Thousand Familiar Faces “It was very satisfying to . . . come away that much richer in knowledge about Scholastic history, about teenagers, about the 20th century.” → Special Thanks Producer: Maxine Osa Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl → Coming Soon Pride Month: Author Simon James Green Talks About Gay Club!
In this episode, we’re celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with New York Times bestselling comic artist Betty C. Tang. Betty talks with host Suzanne McCabe about her extraordinary new graphic novel, Parachute Kids.
The story introduces readers to 10-year-old Feng-Li, a Taiwanese girl who can’t wait to vacation in the United States with her family. But she gets shocking news along the way. Her parents will be heading back to Taiwan after the family’s vacation, leaving Feng-Li and her older brother and sister to fend for themselves. By turns harrowing and hilarious, the story shows the siblings learning to navigate a strange new country and language on their own, while struggling to hold the family together.
Betty is the New York Times bestselling illustrator of the Jacky Ha-Ha series of graphic novels by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein. She has worked for several Hollywood animation studies, including Disney TV and Dreamworks Animation. She also co-directed an animated feature called Where’s the Dragon?
→ Resources
Parachute Kids:Betty C. Tang’s graphic novel about three siblings living on their own as undocumented new immigrants is inspired by her experiences growing up as a parachute kid.
Honoring AANHPI Voices: Check out these great titles for young readers.
→ Highlights
Betty C. Tang, author, Parachute Kids
“A lot of times, books tend to make parents the bad guys, [but] parents who want an opportunity to provide a new life for their children are not villains.”
“I wanted to be a manga artist, and I couldn’t. So now here I am creating a graphic novel.”
“[Feng-Li’s] purpose is to hold her family together before she loses everything.”
“To the immigrant readers, whether they’re parachute kids or not, I would like them to realize that they’re not alone and that they can get through this.”
“Sometimes, as a newcomer, you really feel like you’re the only one.”
“I hope the book will help foster a sense of empathy.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Pride Month
In this episode, we introduce you to siblings Merwin and Louise. The two tiny sycamore seeds are living in a world filled with dinosaurs, asteroids, and volcanoes. Merwin and Louise are the creation of author and illustrator Brian Selznick, who discusses his new novel, Big Tree, with host Suzanne McCabe
The siblings’ story began with an idea from filmmaker Steven Spielberg. It evolved into Big Tree, an epic adventure of more than 500 pages. In the episode, you’ll hear a clip of the audiobook, which is narrated by Meryl Streep.
Brian is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator whose books have sold millions of copies, garnered countless awards worldwide, and been translated into more than 35 languages. He broke open the novel form with his genre-defying thematic trilogy, beginning with The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which was adapted into Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning movie, Hugo.
→ Resources
Big Tree: The fate of all life on Earth may depend on the bravery of two little sycamore seeds, Louise and Merwin, in this trailblazing adventure.
Big Tree audiobook: The audio version of Big Tree is narrated by Meryl Streep and features music composed by Ernest Troost.
→ Highlights
Brian Selznick, author, Big Tree
“[Steven Spielberg] realized he had never seen a movie told from the point of view of nature—a movie about nature from nature’s point of view.”
“The pandemic hit, and it became very clear that the movie was never going to happen…. But I had fallen in love with these characters and the story.”
“When you begin Big Tree, it looks like we’re in a forest today, but then you eventually discover there’s a dinosaur walking by, and you realize we’re 66 million years in the past.”
“The anthropomorphizing that I’m doing is all based in scientific ideas.”
“We’re facing a real threat to the environment today. The world is in real danger.”
“I really do hope that [readers] take away a love for the characters because that’s the main thing I feel about Merwin and Louise.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
Betty C. Tang: Parachute Kids
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Everyone loves a good Titanic story. Jennifer A. Nielsen has written a great one! In this episode, she talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Iceberg, her new middle grade novel. It’s already a best-seller.
Iceberg follows the journey of 12-year-old Hazel Rothbury, who is traveling alone on the Titanic. She dreams of escaping her fate as a factory worker by telling hidden stories about the majestic ship that is speeding across the Atlantic Ocean.
Jennifer is also the author of the Ascendance series, the historical thrillers Resistance and A Night Divided, and several other acclaimed titles.
→ Resources
Iceberg: In this middle-grade novel, readers meet 12-year-old Hazel Rothbury, who is traveling from her home in England aboard the celebrated Titanic.
Jennifer A. Nielsen: Learn more about the New York Times bestselling author.
→ Highlights
Jennifer A. Nielsen, author, Iceberg
“Curiosity is such a gift, a trait, for anybody to have, and Hazel is thick with it.”
“There are so many ‘What if’ questions. What if this one thing might have been different? Could all of history have changed?”
“You can write your future, and if you don’t like the future that is ahead for you, write!”
“A reader will always get what they need from a story.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
EARTH DAY—Brian Selznick: Big Tree
AAPI MONTH—Betty C. Tang: Parachute Kids
During Women’s History Month, we celebrate women who paved the way in a range of fields—from politics and the law to aviation and technology. In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Ruchira Gupta, a journalist, author, and activist who is ensuring a future for girls who otherwise might not have one. Ruchira has worked tirelessly to help girls in India, Nepal, and elsewhere escape the brutal world of child sex trafficking. She is the co-founder of Apne Aap, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that empowers women and girls to escape the vicious cycle of prostitution.
Ruchira’s work with vulnerable women and girls inspired her new novel for young adults. It’s called I Kick and I Fly. The story introduces readers to 14-year-old Heera, who is growing up on the outskirts of a red-light district in India. Heera escapes being sold into the sex trade when a local activist teaches her kung fu and helps her understand the value of her body. As Gloria Steinem says, I Kick and I Fly is a book “that could save lives.”
Ruchira is also a visiting professor at New York University. Her documentary about sex trafficking in India and Nepal, The Selling of Innocents, won an Emmy Award in 1996 for outstanding investigative journalism. She holds a Doctor of Humane Letters from Smith College.
→ Resources
Meet Ruchira Gupta: Learn more about the author, artist, and activist, who divides her time between New York and Forbesganj, her childhood home in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Apne Aap: The NGO that Ruchira co-founded works to end sex trafficking by preventing intergenerational prostitution.
I Kick and I Fly: Order the new YA novel by Ruchira Gupta.
Celebrating Courageous Women: Check out these biographies for young people from Scholastic.
→ Highlights
Ruchira Gupta, author, I Kick and I Fly
“I Kick and I Fly is about a young girl who's only 14 years old, and she’s born in a nomadic tribe in India. She’s about to be sold into prostitution until a woman’s right advocate enrolls her in a kung fu program. Through the practice of kung fu, she discovers the power of her body, and fights for it.”
“I've been running an NGO called Apne Aap, which means self-action in Hindi. The NGO works amongst nomadic tribes which are marginalized, so marginalized that prostitution is passed on from mother to daughter, and pimping from father to son.”
“I was a journalist, and I was walking through the hills of Nepal, when I came across rows of villages with missing girls. I decided that I wanted to find out more, so I began to ask the men drinking tea and playing cards where the girls were. And the answer changed my life. They told me that they were in Bombay. Now, Bombay was nearly 1,400 kilometers away, and these villages were in remote Himalayan hamlets…. I followed the story, and I ended up in the brothels of Bombay. I saw little girls as young as 13 and 14 locked up in tiny rooms for years.”
“I went on to win an Emmy for outstanding investigative journalism. And when I was on stage in the Broadway Marquis Hotel, and everyone was clapping, and there were the bright lights, all I could see were the eyes of the women in the brothels of Bombay who had spoken out in my documentary, because they said they wanted to save their daughters.”
“Behind the story of me being a journalist was that I used to love reading books as a child. And librarians were some of the most important people in my life. My mother enrolled me as a 10-year-old in a library. These librarians would tell me, ‘Take this book, take that book,’ so I lived in the world of stories. I became a free thinker because of the stories I read, because of the family I grew up in, which encouraged ideas, but also the books that I read.”
“I saw the mothers who were scared to come to our meetings slowly challenge the men who would say, ‘We’ll bury you alive,’ ‘We'll cut your head off,’ et cetera. And they would still walk from that mud hut to our mud hut, which is just 500 feet away, but it was really an emotional journey. They would come in spite of the heckling, the shouting. I could go back home to the safety of my garden and my walls, and the women could not. And yet they took this on.”
“The three top organized crimes in the world are drug smuggling, arms smuggling, and human trafficking. A girl can be traded, or a boy can be traded again and again, whereas drugs can be consumed only once.”
“Most of the kids trafficked in the U.S. are from inside the country. They are normally poor, they are normally female, and they are normally from a marginalized race, Black, or from Native American communities, and they’re teenagers.”
“How do we say there’s bodily autonomy compared to bodily shaming? How do we say, instead of bullying, there’s friendship and equality? How can we say that, instead of alienation, there’s community? All these things are there in my book.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
THE TITANIC—Jennifer A. Nielsen: Iceberg
EARTH DAY—Brian Selznick: Big Tree
When Akim Aliu was a young boy, he and his family moved to Canada. His parents wanted a better life for their two sons. Akim’s father is Nigerian, and his mother Ukrainian. Whether they lived in Ukraine, Nigeria, or Canada, the family faced discrimination and bigotry.
Things didn’t improve when Akim developed a love of ice hockey. Money was tight, and the sport wasn’t welcoming to children of color. Still, Akim’s parents did everything they could to help him follow his dreams.
Akim made it all the way to the National Hockey League. But he faced systemic racism at every level of the game. He’s now speaking out in the hope that a new generation of young athletes won’t have to endure the brutality he did.
In this Black History Month episode, Akim talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Dreamer, his new graphic memoir for 8- to 12-year-olds. Co-authored by Greg Anderson Elysée, the bookis illustrated by Karen De La Vega and Marcus Williams, and published by Scholastic Graphix and Kaepernick Publishing.
Akim also founded the Time to Dream Foundation and is co-chairman of the Hockey Diversity Alliance, where he continues his mission of broadening access and eradicating racism in youth sports.
→ Resources
Dreamer: Akim’s graphic memoir for 8- to 12-year-olds is co-authored by Greg Anderson Elysée and illustrated by Karen De La Vega and Marcus Williams.
Hockey Diversity Alliance: Find out how the organization that Akim co-founded is changing the face of hockey.
Racism in the NHL: As this New York Times article explains, Akim publicly addressed racism in the hockey world in 2020.
35 Books for Black History Month: These titles for grades K-12 celebrate individuals whose contributions have changed the world.
→ Highlights
Akim Aliu, co-author, Dreamer
“The whole goal around doing this book was to inspire the next generation of kids who look like me, Black and Brown kids, but also at the same time, the kids who are socio-economically disadvantaged. My story is one that had a lot of trials and tribulations, but I also learned a lot through my journey.”
“It’s a book to inspire people who are going through tough times, to know that anything is possible. I’m a kid who was born in Africa who ended up making it to the NHL.”
“Hockey . . . is my passion, and it’s my love. I’m glad I got those $10 pair of skates, because they gave me an opportunity to be where I am today.”
“Starting at such an early age, at 11, 12 years old, and hearing the N-word being hurled at you, and not being able to do anything about it…. The hardest thing about it was just never, ever playing with anybody else who looked like me.”
“In my 12 years that I played professionally, I played with one other player of color…. There’s not really anybody to turn to that you can have a conversation with, that would understand what you’re going through.”
“There are a lot of kids who look like me and come from the areas that I come from that also deserve an opportunity and deserve not to be excluded from our game.”
“For me, dreaming and faith go hand in hand because . . . it’s believing in something that you can’t yet see.”
“I hope kids don’t give up on their dreams.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
Ruchira Gupta: I Kick and I Fly
Brian Selznick: Big Tree
If you haven’t met Eva the Owlet, you’re in for a treat. She’s headed to Apple TV+ for her own animated series, which debuts on March 31.
Eva is the adorable narrator of Owl Diaries, a New York Times bestselling book series by author and illustrator Rebecca Elliott. In this episode, Rebecca talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the runaway success of Owl Diaries and Eva the Owlet, the upcoming adaptation from Apple TV+.
Rebecca will be participating in this year’s World Read Aloud Day, which takes place on February 1. For the past 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. The global effort, created by the nonprofit Lit World and sponsored by Scholastic, is celebrated annually in more than 173 countries.
This year, for the first time, there will be a live read-a-thon featuring Rebecca and several other favorite Scholastic authors, including Dav Pilkey and Brian Selznick.
“Many studies have shown the educational benefits of children reading aloud,” Rebecca says. “But that’s not the main reason you should read aloud. The main reason is it’s fun, and it’s about sharing stories. To be human is to want to share stories.”
→ Resources
Rebecca Elliott: Learn more about the best-selling author and illustrator.
Eva the Owlet: The spirited narrator of Owl Diaries gets her own animated show.
World Read Aloud Day: Download the “WRAD-a-thon” schedule and instructions.
100 Best Read-Aloud Books: Check out this list of favorite read-alouds for young readers.
→ Highlights
Rebecca Elliott, author, Owl Diaries
“Eva Wingdale—she’s a creative and adventurous owlet, and she lives in Treetopolis next to her best friend, Lucy…. She’s got a little brother and an older brother who can be a bit of a pain sometimes, and her parents. She goes to Treetop Owlementary School with her friends. She just gets up to lots of adventures.”
“Owls obviously are all around us. In fact, I can hear owls most nights here. But you rarely ever see them, so you can almost imagine that owls have a secret world, where they do go to school, and they do speak to each other on their Pinecone phones.”
“Kids will smell a moral a mile off. [But] if you can impart some sort of tiny life lessons in a fun way, then why not.”
“I wrote the kind of book that I would have wanted to read when I was eight or nine. Maybe that’s why it worked…. I was obsessed with animals and nature, but also, of course, being that age, obsessed with my friends, my family. I loved starting clubs.”
“Eva is always starting clubs, too. Family and friends should always be the most important thing at that age. It’s everything. But if you can get in some fantastical adventure—of course, the main characters fly. They’re like superheroes.”
“Every chapter ends on some sort of cliffhanger, so it makes [readers] want to pick up the book the next time.”
“I hear from lots and lots of parents, [saying], ‘My child has learning difficulties. My child has dyslexia. Or my child is a reluctant reader. And it was Owl Diaries that got them reading every night, and now we look forward to story time.’”
“Eva the Owlet, based on the Owl Diaries series, will be released on Friday, March 31, in over 100 countries. I have seen a tiny bit of it, and it’s just amazing how they’ve brought my illustrations to life. It’s 3-D. It’s beautiful. It’s funny. It’s fun. It’s fast-paced. It’s cute as anything, and they still got the diary-writing element in. Obviously, I like it because it’s based on my books, but it’s such a classy show. The girl who voices Eva is just an incredible talent.”
“Many studies have shown the educational benefits of children reading aloud—vocabulary, comprehension, understanding what they’re reading, and confidence in their own voice. Reading aloud just affirms the value of reading…. But you’re never going to get a kid to do anything by [listing] the educational benefits of something. So for me, that’s not the main reason you should read aloud. The main reason is it’s fun, and it’s about sharing stories. To be human is to want to share stories.”
“Films and TV are great, but books put you in the action.”
“If you’re reading a funny book out loud, and the person you’re reading to laughs, my goodness, that’s an amazing thing.”
“Any book you like is better read aloud if you can share it. And it doesn’t need to be books. It can be comics. My 10-year-old gets a fantastic kids’ newspaper. He’ll read aloud his favorite stories.”
“In terms of picture books for young readers, you just can’t beat The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. It’s so fun to read aloud. Part of the success of The Gruffalo—it’s a fantastic story, and kids love to hear it—is parents love to read it. It’s funny, but the flow, the rhythm, is just so pleasing.”
“For older kids, I do think a scary book is a great read-aloud. My favorite would be The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It’s about a boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard. Each chapter is a story in itself.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
Akim Aliu Introduces Dreamer
A Conversation With Ruby Bridges
In 1941, when Yaffa Eliach was six years old, German troops invaded her town in what was then Poland. Most of the Jewish population was rounded up and murdered. Within two days, 900 years of history was sundered. But Yaffa and her family managed to escape. After the war, Yaffa settled in the United States. After earning a PhD, she educated others about the Holocaust until her death in 2016.
Yaffa is the subject of a new picture book by Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Susan Gal, the book is called The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs.
Chana is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children. In this episode, she talks with host Suzanne McCabe about telling Yaffa’s remarkable story in The Tower of Life and why teaching young people about the Holocaust is so important.
“The Nazis’ mission was to dehumanize the Jewish people,” Chana says. “By restoring humanity to the victims, Yaffa restored their dignity.”
→ Resources
Meet the Author: Includes a teaching guide for The Tower of Life and summaries of other books by award-winning author Chana Stiefel.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Learn more about Yaffa Eliach’s “Tower of Faces,” and get resources for observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27.
→ Highlights
Chana Stiefel, author, The Tower of Life
“Yaffa was born in a shtetl called Eishyshok, which was then part of Poland and now Lithuania. She was born in 1935. When the Nazis invaded, the Jews were rounded up into the synagogue. Her father had told the family to hide.”
“Two of Yaffa’s grandmothers, not just her mother, worked. One of them sold candles at the local market, and the other was the town photographer. Yaffa’s grandfather had visited America in the 1920s, and he came home with this new invention, a camera, and they started a business above the family pharmacy. Everyone would come to have their photo taken. People would send New Year's cards—Rosh Hashanah cards—to their families who had left Eishyshok.”
“When Yaffa fled, she had the sense to tuck some of those photos into her shoes. She held onto them throughout the war, and that definitely played a role in the incredible exhibit she later created.”
“The focus of my book is not so much the war, but the life before the war and the rebuilding afterward, and how Yaffa rebuilt her town.”
“I learned from Yaffa’s daughter, Smadar Rosensweig, who is also a professor, that her mother was a groundbreaking teacher, and she wanted to teach. She wanted to create a curriculum about the Holocaust. But after the war, many survivors didn't even want to talk about their history, and she felt it was so important. She realized that a lot of the history that was being taught was from the Nazi perspective, and she wanted to change that.”
“She encouraged Holocaust survivors to tell their stories, and she began documenting them. And that was groundbreaking work. No one had done that at that point.”
“In 1979, President Jimmy Carter wanted to build a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust in Washington, D.C., and he asked Yaffa to help build a memorial. She didn’t want to focus on death and dying and destruction. She wanted to focus on the lives that were lived and the beautiful lives of the people from her town. She remembered the photos she had tucked in her shoes, and she thought, well, other people must have photos, too.”
“She traveled for 17 years, to six continents, to nearly all 50 states, and she collected 6,000 photographs, and she built this “Tower of Life,” which has over a thousand photographs in it.”
“Yaffa wanted people to see themselves in these photographs. That, essentially, was her mission. And you do, you connect, because here you are seeing people celebrating with their families, having weddings, playing outdoors, the picture of Yaffa feeding the chickens, hugging each other. And it’s very relatable. And you realize the tragic endings for many or most of these people all around her.”
“One thing that really was gripping to [illustrator Susan Gal] was that when she started to research Nazis, she was seeing a lot of images come up of present-day Nazis, neo-Nazis. And that was really upsetting and disturbing to her, and she just threw herself entirely into this story because she felt it was so important.”
“If you look at the book, you’ll see that the pages of the Germans and Nazis invading, those people, the soldiers don’t have faces. Because [the illustrator] felt that if you try to take away someone’s humanity, you don’t deserve to have your face in a book. So she erased their faces.”
“When Yaffa and her family were in hiding, her parents taught her that a glimmer of light can chase away the darkness. Yaffa’s mother taught her how to read and write by etching letters into the walls of a shelter where they were staying. They were clay walls. You'll see a page where her mother is writing on the wall, and that’s actually my Hebrew handwriting. I speak and write in Hebrew. The words are tikvah, which means hope, shalom, which means peace, ohr, which means light and haim, which is life. And those are the major themes of the book.”
“When you see a lot of photographs of the Holocaust, you see these horrible photos of emaciated victims, and they’re dehumanized. That was what the Nazis’ mission was, to dehumanize the Jewish people. So that’s what you see in the photographs, people who are starving, and they don’t even look human. By restoring humanity to the victims, Yaffa restored their dignity. [She showed] that these were people just like you and me. And I think that’s a universal message, that we need to stop hating each other and bullying, and we need to stop just othering people. We are all human, and we need to see our common bonds.”
“There are so many wonderful books out there about Jewish life. In addition to books about the Holocaust, it’d be wonderful if people could also enjoy books about Jewish life.”
→ Special Thanks
Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
World Read Aloud Day
Akim Aliu Introduces Dreamer
How can individual members of a community help children flourish in the classroom? One way is through mentoring. Scholastic’s nationwide mentorship program helps students boost their literacy skills while creating meaningful bonds with caring individuals. Our read-aloud mentoring program, which comes with books and teaching guides, is called R.E.A.L. — READ, EXCEL, ACHIEVE, and LEAD.
In this episode, in honor of National Mentoring Month, educator Christian Adair tells host Suzanne McCabe how the R.E.A.L. program has enhanced learning and community engagement in his Kentucky school district. “You want to be very thoughtful and purposeful when you engage the community,” he says. “You need to start creating a relationship before you ask [a potential mentor] to do something. You need to acknowledge their existence. You need to acknowledge that they’re worthy, and they’re wanted.”
Christian is the founder and director of Alpha League, a mentoring and leadership organization focused on underserved and marginalized boys and young men. He currently leads mentoring initiatives in the Fayette County Public Schools.
→ Resources
R.E.A.L.: Learn more about Scholastic’s read-aloud mentoring program.
Bridging the gap between the community and the classroom: Educator Christian Adair discusses the power of mentoring.
→ Highlights
Christian Adair, educator and mentor, Fayette County Public Schools
“We have over 185 languages in our city of Lexington, and over 94 languages in our school system. Spanish is the second most spoken language…. Because of that, we wanted to be more inclusive and diverse in our literature, bringing in readers and volunteers to interact with our students.”
“We wanted our kids to have books with characters that looked like them. And we wanted students to have books with characters that didn't look like them.”
“We wanted our African American students to see men of color reading. But we realized that it was just as important for our teachers to see men of color reading. It was just as important as for our White female students to see men of color reading.”
“The students were benefiting, but I think the [mentors] benefited just as much if not more because they became educators, in a sense. They were connecting to our students, and they found themselves in that.”
“The books were reflective of our students, and that’s probably one of the most exciting things, when kids open up a book and say, ‘Wow, that’s me in that book.’”
“This program isn’t just about reading. This program is about the connection and the fact that I was there. I showed that I cared…. That’s when I realized I had to go get more men, especially men of color, to come in and read.”
“We were thinking literacy, literacy, literacy. But social emotional learning also took place…. We know that when you build family and community engagement, you build relationships with your students, and you’re able to reach them and educate them better.”
“One of the first books I actually read from cover to cover was about Malcolm X, and that wasn't until high school. I am 50 years old, so I didn't have that connection [before]. And the reading wasn't that fun. When I did read, it was a Sports Illustrated, it was about sports . . . because that’s what I was shown. That's what I thought I was supposed to be. And I didn't see the books about all the amazing accomplishments of African Americans to this country, not just to the African American community, but all the contributions that African Americans have made for everyone to do better in the United States.”
“We got to say that 56,000 books went home. We had over 500 new volunteers. We had over 150 men of color volunteering. We had over 50 businesses and organizations volunteering and competing to be in our schools.”
“Historically, men of color haven't felt very welcome in the schools. We haven't felt welcome because our interaction with school, according to the data, hasn’t been that great. When you create a welcoming atmosphere and an understanding that they have value, they can bring value to the school because they're going to bring a lens that isn't there. They're going to bring a cultural connection…. But you have to do it on purpose. You have to let them be themselves and tell them to bring their authentic self. Tell them to bring their stories.”
“You want to be very thoughtful and purposeful when you engage the community…. You need to start creating a relationship before you ask [a potential mentor] to do something. You need to acknowledge their existence. You need to acknowledge that they’re worthy, and they’re wanted. Sometimes, we only go after people when we want to ask them to do something for us, when there should be some type of relationship started before then.”
“We had high school students volunteering, too…. I envision those students continuing after they graduate. [Many are going to want to become] teachers, and we need more teachers.”
“Coaches were reading at football practice. I asked them to read for five minutes before practice starts. [I said], ‘They might not hear what you said, but they saw that you were reading.’”
→ Special Thanks
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon
Remembering the Holocaust
World Read Aloud Day
Black History Month
The arrival of the Mayflower in Plimouth in 1620, and the Pilgrims’ feast with Wampanoag Indians a year later, are recalled each November when we celebrate Thanksgiving. But what actually happened at that three-day feast, and how did the narrative change over time?
In 2021, host Suzanne McCabe posed those questions to Chris Newell, an award-winning educator and author, and a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine. In this episode, Chris returns to talk about Native American Heritage Month and what it means to him.
Later, listeners can hear the original conversation about Chris’s acclaimed book for children, If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving. With help from Wampanoag scholar Linda Coombs, Chris offers young readers a fuller understanding of how we came to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, as well as the toll that colonization took on Indian tribes. In the discussion, Chris and Suzanne were joined by Katie Heit, a senior editor at Scholastic and the editor of the What If book series.
→ Resources In 2021, Smithsonian Voices spotlighted If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving.
If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving is available from Scholastic and Amazon.
In this Nation article, author Rebecca Nagle explains what’s at stake in Haaland v. Brackeen, a case before the Supreme Court that threatens to overturn the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.
→ Highlights Chris Newell, author, If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving:
“English is a foreign language. Our languages are actually the original languages of this landscape.”
“When we teach about Native peoples . . . we start in the present to make sure people understand that these cultures are still here. They are still valid, and they are still just as valuable to the future of this country as they were during colonization.”
“The biggest issue we’re facing right now is a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act. This particular case before the Supreme Court is a big deal for all tribes in the United States because it could affect the way the U.S. looks at the sovereignty of our nations.”
“What we call Thanksgiving today didn't exist necessarily in the seventeenth century, and you learn that in the book…. I give people a more real picture of how our country actually came to be. There is some good, but there’s also a lot of bad and ugly.”
“It’s about looking at these histories, being critical of them as human beings, and saying where things went wrong so that we can learn from them and create a better collective future for all of us.”
“I wanted to make sure that in the book the Wampanoag people were being centered within their own historical narrative. That involves including the complexity of life before 1620.”
“The 1621 feast . . . became a seminal moment of the creation of the country. And it’s a very beautiful feast of Native people and colonists getting together. But as much as we have lionized and lauded the story in history, it was so unremarkable to the English that they actually only wrote a paragraph about it.”
It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year. “The [Civil War] was still raging. The North was winning. Abraham Lincoln was in charge of the Union Army, and they were thinking, ‘What do we do after the war is over? The Southern states are going to still be part of this country. How do we bring all these people together?’ There was a lot of pressure on Abraham Lincoln to find a way to heal from the bloodiest war on this landscape ever.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Dr. Karen Mapp on Family-School Partnerships
The arrival of the Mayflower in Plimouth in 1620, and the Pilgrims’ feast with Wampanoag Indians a year later, are recalled each November when we celebrate Thanksgiving. But what actually happened at that three-day feast, and how did the narrative change over time? In 2021, host Suzanne McCabe posed those questions to Chris Newell, an award-winning educator and author, and a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine. In this episode, Chris returns to talk about Native American Heritage Month and what it means to him. Later, listeners can hear the original conversation about Chris’s acclaimed book for children, If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving (https://www.amazon.com/You-Lived-During-Plimoth-Thanksgiving/dp/1338726374). With help from Wampanoag scholar Linda Coombs, Chris offers young readers a fuller understanding of how we came to celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, as well as the toll that colonization took on Indian tribes. In the discussion, Chris and Suzanne were joined by Katie Heit, a senior editor at Scholastic and the editor of the What If book series. → Resources In 2021, Smithsonian Voices (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-american-indian/2021/11/23/if-you-lived-during-the-plimoth-thanksgiving-by-chris-newell-exposes-new-truths-about-a-major-american-holiday/) spotlighted If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving. If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving is available from Scholastic (https://shop.scholastic.com/parent-ecommerce/books/if-you-lived-during-the-plimoth-thanksgiving-9781338726367.html) and Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/You-Lived-During-Plimoth-Thanksgiving/dp/1338726374). In this Nation article, (https://www.thenation.com/article/society/icwa-supreme-court-libretti-custody-case/) author Rebecca Nagle explains what’s at stake in Haaland v. Brackeen, a case before the Supreme Court that threatens to overturn the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. → Highlights Chris Newell, author, If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving: “English is a foreign language. Our languages are actually the original languages of this landscape.” “When we teach about Native peoples . . . we start in the present to make sure people understand that these cultures are still here. They are still valid, and they are still just as valuable to the future of this country as they were during colonization.” “The biggest issue we’re facing right now is a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act. This particular case before the Supreme Court is a big deal for all tribes in the United States because it could affect the way the U.S. looks at the sovereignty of our nations.” “What we call Thanksgiving today didn't exist necessarily in the seventeenth century, and you learn that in the book…. I give people a more real picture of how our country actually came to be. There is some good, but there’s also a lot of bad and ugly.” “It’s about looking at these histories, being critical of them as human beings, and saying where things went wrong so that we can learn from them and create a better collective future for all of us.” “I wanted to make sure that in the book the Wampanoag people were being centered within their own historical narrative. That involves including the complexity of life before 1620.” “The 1621 feast . . . became a seminal moment of the creation of the country. And it’s a very beautiful feast of Native people and colonists getting together. But as much as we have lionized and lauded the story in history, it was so unremarkable to the English that they actually only wrote a paragraph about it.” It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year. “The [Civil War] still raging. The North was winning. Abraham Lincoln was in charge of the Union Army, and they were thinking, ‘What do we do after the war is over? The Southern states are going to still be part of this country. How do we bring all these people together?’ There was a lot of pressure on Abraham Lincoln to find a way to heal from the bloodiest war on this landscape ever.” → Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin Associate producer: Constance Gibbs Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl → Coming Soon Dr. Karen Mapp on Family-School Partnerships
We often talk about the joy and power of reading. But how does a child get there? How do kids cultivate the skills they need to recognize words and make sense of them on a page?
In this episode, Dr. Julia B. Lindsey talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the science of reading and how she recommends putting it into practice. Dr. Lindsey is a leading expert on foundational skills and early reading. She is also the author of an invaluable new book for educators, Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills.
A former kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Dr. Lindsey earned her PhD in Literacy Education at the University of Michigan School of Education. She now works with teachers, district personnel, and curriculum developers to translate reading research into practice. You can follow her on Twitter @JuliaBLindsey.
→ Resources What is the Science of Reading? Learn more about how children learn to read.
Reading Above the Fray: Reliable Research-Based Routines for Developing Skills:A link for educators to purchase Dr. Lindsey’s book
Reading Above the Fray: Purchase the book on Amazon.
→ Highlights Dr. Julia B. Lindsey, author, Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research-Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills:
“Reading is a deeply unnatural process. Our brains were not set up to do this. And it's incredible that we're at a place in human history where we do learn to read and we do learn to write. But it is a hard process that we’re still learning a lot about how to do it better and what our brains are actually doing in order to both read words and comprehend them.”
“You should not try to learn English for the sole purpose of teaching your child to read English. If you want to go down that path, that’s awesome, and I applaud your multilingualism. But if you are a Spanish-speaking home, and you read in Spanish, as well, read those Spanish books with your child. Support your child in learning how to read in Spanish.”
“If we're able to give children culturally responsive texts that reflect their background, they're more likely to succeed in those texts and experience those early, joyful, motivating moments of becoming a reader that they need to fuel them through all of the challenges associated with learning how to read.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving • Dr. Karen Mapp on Family and School Partnerships
In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month with three favorite Scholastic authors. First, Carmen Agra Deedy talks about her extraordinary new picture book, The Children’s Moon. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche, the book is available in both English and Spanish editions. Carmen is a master storyteller who was born in Havana, Cuba, and grew up in Decatur, Georgia. Her acclaimed picture books include Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, Rita & Ralph’s Rotten Day, and The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet. Next, author and actress Sonia Manzano, known to generations of kids as the beloved Maria on Sesame Street, discusses Coming Up Cuban, her lyrical new novel for middle graders. Sonia, who has won 15 Emmy Awards, is also the author of Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx and The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, which won the Pura Belpre Award in 2013. Sonia’s animated series for PBS Kids, Alma’s Way, was recently renewed for a second season. Inspired by her own childhood, it features a 6-year-old New Yorker of Puerto Rican heritage. Last but not least, Claribel A. Ortega introduces Witchlings, her highly-anticipated novel for middle-graders. The imaginative story follows a group of aspiring witches who learn that the magic in their lives is found not so much in the spells they cast but in the friendships they make. A former newspaper reporter of Dominican heritage, Claribel is also the author of Ghost Squad, a New York Times bestseller.
In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month with three favorite Scholastic authors. First, Carmen Agra Deedy talks about her extraordinary new picture book, The Children’s Moon. Illustrated by Jim LaMarche, the book is available in both English and Spanish editions.
Carmen is a master storyteller who was born in Havana, Cuba, and grew up in Decatur, Georgia. Her acclaimed picture books include Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale, Rita & Ralph’s Rotten Day, and The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet.
Next, author and actress Sonia Manzano, known to generations of kids as the beloved Maria on Sesame Street, discusses Coming Up Cuban, her lyrical new novel for middle graders. Sonia, who has won 15 Emmy Awards, is also the author of Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx and The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, which won the Pura Belpre Award in 2013. Sonia’s animated series for PBS Kids, Alma’s Way, was recently renewed for a second season. Inspired by her own childhood, it features a 6-year-old New Yorker of Puerto Rican heritage.
Last but not least, Claribel A. Ortega introduces Witchlings, her highly-anticipated novel for middle-graders. The imaginative story follows a group of aspiring witches who learn that the magic in their lives is found not so much in the spells they cast but in the friendships they make. A former newspaper reporter of Dominican heritage, Claribel is also the author of Ghost Squad, a New York Times bestseller.
→ Resources The Children’s Moon by Carmen Agra Deedy: “The well-told tale works on multiple levels,” says School Library Journal. (Check out the Spanish edition, La Luna de los Niños, here.)
Coming Up Cuban by Sonia Manzano: Follow the journey of four young people who navigate Castro’s revolution and its aftermath.
Witchlings by Claribel A. Ortega: Visit the magical town of Ravenskill with 12-year-old Seven Salazar.
Celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage: Check out these fiction and nonfiction titles for K-12 students.
→ Highlights
Carmen Agra Deedy, author, The Children’s Moon:
“You begin with an idea, and it may be very small. It grows into a book when you hold on to that idea with both hands and refuse, refuse, refuse to let go.”
“If you can keep a curious mind, if you keep learning, you can learn anything. You can learn everything from quantum physics to how to make your own tortillas.”
Sonia Manzano, author, Coming Up Cuban:
“I hope that [my readers] put themselves in the shoes of other people. I think the only way we can really have a better society is if people understand another person’s point of view and see how we all feel the same things.”
“Smart is putting two and two together, and everybody has a brain, and everybody can use it.”
Claribel A. Ortega, author, Witchlings:
“If people had magic, we would do the same thing [as witches]. We would use it to settle petty grudges.”
“When I sit down to start writing, I already have a really good idea of what it feels like to live in this [imaginary] world.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon The Science of Reading • R.L. Stine • Revisiting Thanksgiving
Every September, we celebrate banned books. These are the stories that are so powerful—and so transformative—some people think others shouldn’t be able to read them. Banning or censoring a book may be done with good intentions, but it ends up limiting access to diverse, often marginalized, voices and deprives readers of important historical information.
In this episode, award-winning author Amy Sarig King talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Attack of the Black Rectangles, her new novel for middle graders. The book, which takes on censorship and intolerance, is based on an experience Amy had in her Pennsylvania town. After her son came home from school with a novel about the Holocaust, in which certain passages were blacked out, the author sought to find out why. What followed may surprise you.
Amy is also the author of The Year We Fell From Space, Me and Marvin Gardens, and several other acclaimed titles for young readers.
→ Resources Meet Amy Sarig King: Find out why The New York Times calls Amy “one of the best Y.A. writers working today.”
The Devil’s Arithmetic: Learn more about Jane Yolen’s 1988 novel about the Holocaust, which became the subject of Attack of the Black Rectangles after being censored at a Pennsylvania school.
Banned Books Week: Explore online book events, discussions, and resources for September 18–24.
The Ultimate List of Banned Books: Check out these groundbreaking titles for ages 3 to 13 that have been challenged or banned.
→ Highlights
Amy Sarig King, author, Attack of the Black Rectangles:
“I find it amazing that in the middle of a very harrowing, very educational, and very age-appropriate scene about the Holocaust, it would be interrupted with this large, black distraction.”
“When you take [away] intellectual freedom, that’s quite a big step in any society. If we look back through history, people who succeeded at limiting what their citizens could read, it never ended well.”
“We have to move forward and face truths and accept them.”
“I wrote the book because . . . I wanted to see a different outcome.”
“If you don’t like the book, put it down. If you don’t like the TV show, change the channel.”
“You have a freedom to not do a thing as much as you have a freedom to do a thing. We’ve had opt-out policies in our schools for years. They have worked perfectly, seamlessly.”
“If you’re going to protect students . . . you should protect my child. You should protect every child.”
“We need to start having conversations.”
“The best thing you can do is make your voice heard.”
“We learn to use our voices when we’re young. We don’t just suddenly show up when we’re 18.”
“Books are important. [They] change lives. They open minds.”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Celebrating Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month • The Science of Reading • R.L. Stine
Every September, we celebrate banned books. These are the stories that are so powerful—and so transformative—that some people think others shouldn’t be able to read them. Banning or censoring a book may be done with good intentions, but it ends up limiting access to diverse, often marginalized, voices and deprives readers of important historical information. In this episode, award-winning author Amy Sarig King talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Attack of the Black Rectangles, her new novel for middle graders. The book, which takes on censorship and intolerance, is based on an experience Amy had in her Pennsylvania town. After her son came home from school with a novel about the Holocaust, in which certain passages were blacked out, the author sought to find out why. What followed may surprise you. Amy is also the author of The Year We Fell From Space, Me and Marvin Gardens, and several other acclaimed titles for young readers.
In this episode, we’re honoring John Lewis, the civil rights hero and Congressman who died in 2020. The bond that Lewis forged with young Tybre Faw is the subject of a new picture book by best-selling author Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Keith Henry Brown, the book is called Because of You, John Lewis: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship.
Andrea joins host Suzanne McCabe to talk about the inspiration for the book—the moment she saw Tybre, then 12, reading William Ernest Henley’s poem, “Invictus,” at the Congressman’s funeral.
“I watched this child honoring this civil rights hero, and I wondered what had led him to this moment,” Andrea says.
Tybre first met Lewis in 2018 in Selma, Alabama. His two grandmothers had driven him from their home in Tennessee to the annual march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. The bridge was the site of an assault by state troopers on Lewis and hundreds of voting rights demonstrators in March 1965. “Bloody Sunday” would prove to be a turning point in the civil rights movement, outraging the nation and leading to the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act.
Later in the episode, U.S. Representative Nikema Williams shares her memories of Lewis and explains how Tybre and other young people are following in the courageous leader’s footsteps. Williams now represents Georgia in the same congressional seat Lewis once held.
→ Resources Because of You, John Lewis: Pinkney’s new picture book explores Lewis’s remarkable friendship with Tybre Faw.
Meet Tybre Faw: People writes about the new book and Tybre’s bond with John Lewis.
More Books by Andrea Davis Pinkney: Check out these additional titles from the award-winning author.
17 Books About the Civil Rights Movement: These stories for students in grades K-8 introduce young readers to the era’s pivotal figures and events.
Meet Congresswoman Nikema Williams: Williams, who represents Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, met John Lewis when she was starting her career in politics.
→ Highlights Andrea Davis Pinkney, author, Because of You, John Lewis: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship:
“I watched this child honoring this civil rights hero, and I wondered what had led him to this moment.”
“Tybre and John Lewis became close friends. In my research, I learned that John Lewis, himself, had a similar childhood wish, which was to meet his civil rights hero, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
“That’s what Tybre does. He wakes up, and he wishes, and he marches toward a new future.”
“When John Lewis came out of the back of that church on that day and walked right up to [Tybre], he said he knew that he had been chosen for something very special, and indeed he has.”
“The illustrations are somewhat journalistic. At the same time, [illustrator Keith Henry Brown] has created paintings that are of a spiritual nature.”
“I hope that kids will be inspired to follow along with Tybre Faw and say, ‘Our voices matter.’”
U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA):
“I can hear the words of Congressman Lewis very clearly when he tells us that, oftentimes, you don’t choose the moment, the moment chooses you.”
“Lewis was everything that you imagine him to be and more. He wasn’t that person to disappoint you.”
“He understood that this work was ongoing and that our fight and our struggle wasn’t just the struggle of a day, a week, or a month, but it was the struggle of a lifetime.”
“Watching Tybre and what he’s going to bring to this country, I am so optimistic for what the future holds.”
“No is not the answer when you’re fighting for justice and equality.”
“We see so many students—children—changing the world, just by making their wishes and their concerns heard.”
“We all have an obligation to speak up and ‘find a way to get in the way.’”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Back-to-School Resources • Amy Sarig King: Attack of the Black Rectangles, censorship, and intolerance
In this episode, author and illustrator Aaron Blabey talks about the creation of The Bad Guys, his hit book series with Scholastic. The series inspired the 2022 computer-animated film of the same name from DreamWorks Animation. Aaron describes the series, which follows the adventures of a hapless gang of criminal animals who finally do good, as “Tarantino for kids.”
The impulse for creating the series, Aaron tells host Suzanne McCabe, “was to make sure my son had a book to read that was fun.”
The author and illustrator, who was an award-winning actor in Australia in a previous life, is also the creator of the Pig the Pug series and Thelma the Unicorn.
→ Resources Aaron Blabey: Learn more about the #1 New York Times best-selling author.
The Bad Guys: Read the books. Watch the movie.
→ Highlights Aaron Blabey, author and illustrator, The Bad Guys:
“Mr. Snake is my favorite of the ‘Bad Guys’ because he’s the one who struggles the most with the journey, which makes him the most interesting to write.”
“Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake are two halves of me…. I think we all have it—your optimistic side and your pessimistic side.”
“When kids saw the cover with the guys in the suits, with a shark and a wolf and this title, The Bad Guys, I think there’s this sort of frisson of ‘that looks a little bit naughty.’”
Of his teenage sons’ view of him: “’It’s just Dad in the garage. How hard can it be?’”
→ Special Thanks Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
→ Coming Soon Because of You, John Lewis: A Conversation With Author Andrea Davis Pinkney and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams
In this episode, we’re spotlighting the Scholastic Summer Reading program. Authors Christina Soontornvat, Kwame Mbalia, Tracey West, and Lauren Tarshis join host Suzanne McCabe to introduce the books they will be sharing with young readers this summer. Lauren offers a sneak peek of her upcoming I Survived The Wellington Avalanche, 1910, which is due out in September.
Later in the episode, Shane Garver, associate vice president of rural education at Save the Children, explains why now—especially now—is the perfect time for kids to grab a book and get lost in a reading adventure. Shane also discusses Save the Children’s pivotal role in getting books into the hands of children in rural America through its partnership with Scholastic. Participants in the Scholastic Summer Reading program can be a part of that mission, helping to unlock a donation of 100,000 books with their reading minutes.
The Summer Reading program will be available through August 19. Students can sign up for stories, games, author events, and other free resources on Home Base.
Resources:
Summer Reading List for 6- to 7-year-olds: Encourage joyful summer reading with these engaging books.
Summer Reading List for 8- to 10-year-olds: Keep kids reading all summer long with these riveting fiction and nonfiction titles.
Top Book Series: Find the perfect summer series for your young readers.
Classic and Contemporary Young Adult Novels: From The Giver to The Fault in Our Stars, this list of 24 classic and modern YA titles will get—and keep—teens reading.
Save the Children: The humanitarian aid organization champions the rights of the world’s 2.3 billion children.
Highlights:
“My memories of the summer are eating blackberries that my grandparents would grow on their farm and then . . . have a big bowl of blackberries and a book, and just nothing else to do. And it was pretty good.”
—Christina Soontornvat, author, Diary of an Ice Princess series
“I want young readers—I want all readers, actually—to be able to pick up this book and just get whisked off onto another adventure.”
—Kwame Mbalia, co-author, Last Gate of the Emperor
“Even as I grew and evolved as a reader, I was always still drawn to children’s fiction. It’s a bit hard to describe why—but I just feel like children’s fiction is [frankly] a lot more fun and allowed me to escape to amazing places.”
—Tracey West, co-author, The Underdogs series
“I was not a reader as a child. I had some big reading struggles. But I do have a wonderful memory of my father reading Winnie the Pooh to my brother and me.”
—Lauren Tarshis, author, I Survived series
“We see this summer as a critical foundation to either catch up and move ahead, or perhaps have the achievement gap widen.”
—Shane Garver, associate vice president of rural education, Save the Children
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys • Because of You, John Lewis
In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with Alex Gino. Alex is the acclaimed author of several queer and progressive middle grade novels, including Rick, You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P!, and the newly-released Alice Austen Lived Here.
Alex talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Melissa, which was originally published as George in 2015. The novel introduces young readers to a transgender girl who yearns to play the role of Charlotte in her school play. The book won a Lamda Literary Award and a Children’s Choice Book Award, among many other honors. It also was the most-banned book in the United States in 2020.
“As a trans person writing about another trans person, when Melissa’s story is challenged, someone is saying that my existence is too scary, too deviant, too monstrous, to show to children,” Alex says. “It hurts.”
Resources:
Melissa: Alex discusses changing the name of their acclaimed 2015 novel, George.
Books by Alex Gino: Learn more about Alex’s other titles.
Celebrate Pride Month: These 19 novels encourage young people to “read with pride.”
Highlights:
“I didn’t figure out who I was until I was 19, [when] I found the word genderqueer in a book.”
“I have heard so many positive, wonderful stories of people who were able to figure who they were because they saw Melissa.”
“The book doesn’t make someone trans, but it gives tools for talking about it.”
“I love hearing from adults who say, ‘This is the book I wish I had when I was a kid.’”
“A character in a book can be real in the sense [that] they have thoughts. They have beliefs. You’re inside their mind in a way that you’re often not inside the minds of real people. If my book can help someone respect who’s in the world, that’s invaluable.”
“My book would not have been banned 20 years ago because my book wouldn’t have existed. Something needs to exist, and something needs to be recognized in order to be challenged.”
—Alex Gino, author, Melissa
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Summer Reading • Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys • Because of You, John Lewis
In this episode, we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with authors Debbi Michiko Florence and Gita Varadarajan. A former classroom teacher, Debbi is the author of award-winning middle grade novels Keep It Together, Keiko Carter, and Just Be Cool, Jenna Sakai, among several other titles.
Debbi is a third-generation Japanese American, who was born in raised in California. She now lives in Mystic, Connecticut, where her upcoming middle grade novel, Sweet and Sour, is set. She talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Sweet and Sour and the summer romance between characters Mai and Zach.
“All of my books star Japanese American main characters,” Debbi says. “It is such an honor to be able to write from my personal experience and background, but [also] to be able to focus on universal things like friendship and those first-crush feelings.”
Later, Gita talks about her upcoming picture book, My Bindi, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. “The bindi in Hindu culture is considered the third eye,” Gita explains. “It looks inward, and it symbolizes strength, your inner strength.”
Gita earned her master’s degree in literacy education at Teachers College at Columbia University. Born and raised in India, she developed a love of storytelling hearing her grandfather weave fantastical tales. She is currently an elementary school teacher in Princeton, New Jersey.
Resources:
Celebrating AAPI Month: Check out these 15 featured titles from Scholastic.
Support AAPI Bookstores: Scholastic has curated a list of 25 Asian American-owned bookstores from coast to coast.
Books by Debbi Michiko Florence: Debbi’s author page on Amazon links to all of her titles for young readers.
Have Lunch With the Authors: Scholastic Book Clubs President Judy Newman interviews authors Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan about Save Me a Seat, their delightful middle-grade novel.
Highlights:
Debbi Michiko Florence, author, Sweet and Sour:
“I was an avid reader, and I loved to write stories, but I never quite connected that being an author could be a career.”
“For me, my middle school years are the most emotionally memorable—big changes and friendships and romantic feelings. So I like to revisit that a lot.”
“I hope that young people who read my books can see themselves in them and their friendships and learn how to treat one another.”
“All of my books star Japanese American main characters. It is such an honor to be able to write from my personal experience and background, but [also] to be able to focus on universal things like friendship and those first-crush feelings.”
Gita Varadarajan, author, My Bindi:
“A story like My Bindi is universal to all kids. ‘Hey, show your authentic self, and be proud of all parts of you….’ When you love yourself, the world will see the beauty in you.”
“As an immigrant, myself, I know firsthand what it feels like to leave your home and move to a new country. It can make you feel lost and unrooted and lonely in so many ways, that you bring little things with you that remind you of home.”
“When we think of Asian Americans, I don’t think we acknowledge the vastness and the breadth of the Asian diaspora and the complexities of the histories of the people and the countries of origin.”
“My hope is that the AAPI community will become more involved in mainstream conversations in America and that our voices and ideas are taken into account as we define who is American.”
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Pride Month: Alex Gino Introduces Melissa • Scholastic Summer Reading • Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys
During the pandemic, an increasing number of children and adolescents have reported struggling with anxiety and depression. How can we help them process their emotions and get the support they need? In this episode, Dr. Amanda Alexander and Dr. Jose Paez talk with host Suzanne McCabe about the role social and emotional learning (SEL) plays in the classroom and how it can foster the knowledge and skills kids need to thrive. Amanda and Jose also discuss how reading and storytelling can help children and families cope with the higher levels of stress and anxiety many are feeling.
“Across racial lines, across socioeconomic status, folks were dealing with a lot during the pandemic,” Amanda says. “We realized that we needed to tend to our mental health and well-being. The acknowledgement has led to meaningful conversations among educators and parents about the needs of our children.”
Amanda is the Chief Academic Officer at Scholastic, and Jose is a clinical fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center. They are part of the Yale Child Study Center – Scholastic Collaborative, a partnership that arose from a shared commitment to exploring how literacy can be used to foster resilience among children and families.
Resources:
Advancing SEL: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides resources to schools and statehouses to promote the understanding of SEL and SEL instruction.
Yale Child Study Center – Scholastic Collaborative: Learn how the Collaborative is developing ways to build child and family resilience.
SEL Resources: The editors of Scholastic Magazines+ have curated worksheets, letter-writing templates, and book recommendations for early-elementary and upper-elementary students.
Social and Emotional Learning Collections: Check out these book collections for primary and elementary school classrooms.
Highlights:
“Isn’t it important for all of us to be aware of ourselves, to be able to manage our emotions, to engage with others, and to make sound decisions?”
—Dr. Amanda Alexander, Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic
“The concept of literacy can also be translated into emotional literacy, helping kids put words to emotions. Books are a great avenue to do that.”
—Dr. Jose Paez, Clinical Fellow, Yale Child Study Center
“America is a democracy, and in a democracy, it’s important for citizens to be educated. We learn by reading books and forming our own opinions about matters and events in the past. That level of interpretation and judgment belongs to the reader as an individual in a democracy. The taking away of books essentially stops that process from happening.”
—Dr. Amanda Alexander, Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic
“I find myself talking about things such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation a lot more openly and a lot more frequently during my sessions with children and parents alike.”
—Dr. Jose Paez, Clinical Fellow, Yale Child Study Center
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Celebrating AAPI Month With Authors Gita Varadarajan and Debbi Michiko Florence • Author Alex Gino Introduces Melissa • Summer Reading • Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys
In this episode, author and actress Holly Robinson Peete talks about her family’s journey with autism. Holly became a fierce advocate for families like hers after her son R.J. was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.
Holly and R.J. recently collaborated on a picture book, Charlie Makes a Splash! It tells the story of a boy with autism who finds calm and joy playing in water. In the back of the book, Holly shares insights and resources that have helped her family navigate autism.
Holly is the co-founder of the HollyRod Foundation with her husband, former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete. They started the nonprofit in 1997, after Holly’s father, Matt Robinson (the original Gordon on Sesame Street), was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. The foundation provides help for families living with Parkinson’s and autism.
Holly is also the author of Same But Different and My Brother Charlie, which won an NAACP Image Award.
Resources:
Understanding Autism: Knowing the signs can help you help your child.
5 Great Reads About Autism: Autism awareness and acceptance reach far beyond parents raising children with autism.
Charlie Makes a Splash! Holly’s latest book, a collaboration with her son R.J., will be available on August 2.
Holly Robinson Peete:
“R.J. has become an amazing advocate for himself—and now he’s a published author.”
“There are some hard, cold facts about raising a child with autism…. My husband and I were very stumped. We didn’t have any resources. We didn’t have any books like My Brother Charlie or Charlie Makes a Splash! And we certainly didn’t have any books with back matter and information about our journey and resources.”
“I love that R.J. cares about other kids with autism. It’s probably the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen…. He can just sort of be around them and understand exactly what they’re feeling and thinking.”
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Understanding SEL • Celebrating AAPI Month With Authors Gita Varadarajan and Debbi Michiko Florence • Alex Gino Talks About Melissa • Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys
In this episode, we celebrate Women’s History Month and the power of women to transform our world, one stitch at a time. Host Suzanne McCabe, who is the editor of Scholastic Kids Press, talks with Kid Reporter Camille Fallen, 13, about a recent interview she conducted with celebrated textile artist Bisa Butler and Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, an educator and the author of the bestselling Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.
Bisa’s vibrant textile portraits, which are inspired by black and white photographs she collects, tell the story of both ordinary and notable Black Americans. She uses the medium of quilting to interrogate the historic marginalization of her subjects, while conveying the subjects’ humanity and complex individuality.
“My work is a recording of what life is like for me as a Black woman and the way I see things,” Bisa says. “By creating these portraits, I’m giving other people a window into how Black people see themselves. It’s an insider’s view of a community that is not always paid attention to, a community that has been mischaracterized deliberately, lied about, or ignored.”
Bisa, who had a solo show in 2020-’21 at the Art Institute of Chicago, will be honored this spring at the 60th Anniversary Benefit Gala of the American Folk Art Museum.
Bisa is a former high school art teacher. Gholdy, an associate professor of language and literacy at Georgia State University, has served as a school district curriculum director and a middle school teacher. Camille, who lives in Virginia, is a member of the award-winning Scholastic Kids Press team.
Resources:
Storytelling Through Art: Watch the full video of Kid Reporter Camille Fallen’s interview with Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad.
Art as Anchor Text: Access the exclusive curriculum that Gholdy created for Bisa’s art and other free resources from Scholastic Art magazine.
Scholastic Kids Press: Read stories by Kid Reporter Camille Fallen and our team of Kid Reporters around the world. If you know a student with a nose for news, the application process for the 2022-’23 school year is now open.
Learn More About Bisa Butler: This recent article in ARTNews describes how Bisa’s quilt portraits honor the Black experience.
A Conversation With Gholdy Muhammad: In a previous Scholastic Reads podcast episode, Gholdy talked with host Suzanne McCabe about the urgent need for anti-racism education.
Highlights:
“I gravitate towards stories because that’s how I learn, and that’s how people learn. We are just naturally attracted to stories, and stories about women’s history and Black history are so incredibly important.”
—Kid Reporter Camille Fallen
“I hope that people who are not Black look at the work, and they still see themselves, and they realize that we are the same. Don’t be fooled by skin color or artificial constructs of race, class, money. I want them to see those people in my portraits and realize, ‘This person is a human being just like me.’”
—textile artist Bisa Butler
“We’re teaching young people about the beauty in themselves, in each other, and the world…. Black joy is really important because of a history of misrepresentation, underrepresentation, oppression, violence, racism, folks telling us that your language is not enough, your mind isn’t enough, your hair isn’t enough, your skin. And it is another reminder that we have to resist that.”
—Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Helping Children Cope With Trauma • Autism Acceptance: A Conversation With Holly Robinson Peete • Aaron Blabey Talks Bad Guys • Celebrating AAPI Month With Authors Gita Varadarajan and Debbi Michiko Florence
In this episode, author Andrea Davis Pinkney and her husband, illustrator Brian Pinkney, join host Suzanne McCabe to talk about their new picture book: Bright Brown Baby: A Treasury. Andrea and Brian have created dozens of acclaimed books for children, including Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America, Martin Rising: Requiem for a King, and illustrated biographies of Alvin Ailey, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald.
Andrea, who is an executive editor and vice president at Scholastic, wrote the libretto for an operatic adaptation of Ezra Jack Keats’s 1962 classic, The Snowy Day, which had its world premiere at the Houston Grand Opera in December 2021.
In the episode, Andrea and Brian talk about their creative process, trends in children’s literature, and the recent loss of Brian’s father, Jerry Pinkney, an award-winning illustrator of more than 100 books for children.
Resources:
Books by Andrea Davis Pinkney: See more titles by the Coretta Scott King award-winning author.
The Art of Brian Pinkney: See more of Brian’s illustrations.
Share Black Stories: Scholastic has curated titles ranging from picture books to young adult novels that center around Black lives and Black joy.
Remembering Jerry Pinkney: The New York Times calls the late children’s book illustrator “one of the most revered artists in the genre.”
Picture the Dream: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Children's Books: Learn more about the first exhibition to delve into the events, people, and themes of the civil rights movement through children's books, which Andrea curated.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Celebrating Women’s History Month with Artist Bisa Butler and Educator Gholdy Muhammad
In this episode, we’ve made World Read Aloud Day a family affair. Author Tami Charles and her son, Christopher, join host Suzanne McCabe to discuss Tami’s picture book, All Because You Matter, which was named the Best Children’s Book of 2020 by Amazon. Next, author Varian Johnson and his daughters, Savannah and Sydney, read from Varian’s graphic novel, Twins, which was chosen as a top-10 graphic novel of 2021 by the ALA Graphic Novels & Comics Round Table. Then, author Aida Salazar and her children, Avelina and M.J. Santos, read from Aida’s brand-new picture book in verse, In the Spirit of a Dream: 13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color.
Created by the nonprofit LitWorld and sponsored by Scholastic, World Read Aloud Day is celebrated in more than 173 countries. The annual event takes place this year on February 2. Participants are invited to grab a book, find an audience, and, yes, read aloud.
Research shows that reading aloud provides several benefits to children. It helps strengthen their cognitive development, improve their vocabulary, and increase their attention span. Best of all, it fosters joy. As one teacher told us: “My favorite part is when I look up and see ‘that look, that smile’ that tells me I’ve hooked one more reader who will fall in love with reading for a lifetime.”
Resources:
World Read Aloud Day: Access free virtual events, a read-aloud virtual kit, book recs, and more.
Tami Charles: Learn more about the New York Times-bestselling author.
Varian Johnson: “Reading a well-written book is akin to watching an acrobat on a tightrope,” says Christopher Paul Curtis. “And Varian Johnson is the best of acrobats.”
Aida Salazar: Meet the award-winning author, arts activist, and translator whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Sharing Black Stories With Andrea and Brian Pinkney
Artist Bisa Butler and Educator Gholdy Muhammad
The arrival of the Mayflower in Plimouth in 1620, and the Pilgrims’ feast with Wampanoag Indians a year later, are recalled each November when we celebrate Thanksgiving. But what actually happened at that three-day feast, and how did the narrative change over time?
In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Chris Newell, the author of If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving, a new book for children. With help from Wampanoag elder and scholar Linda Coombs, Chris offers young readers a fuller understanding of this pivotal encounter in American history and shows the devastating toll that colonization took on Indian tribes along the Eastern coast.
Chris is an award-winning educator, as well as a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy tribe. He is joined by Katie Heit, the editor of Scholastic’s What If book series.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Sharing Black Stories
Clifford the Big Red Dog first found his home at Scholastic in 1963. His now-famous creator, Norman Bridwell had been rejected by nearly a dozen other children’s publishers. Beatrice de Regniers, then the editor of Scholastic’s Lucky Book Club, took one look at Bridwell’s black-and-white drawings of Clifford and said, “The kids are going to love this!”
What made de Regniers so sure that Clifford would win over young hearts? “That’s how kids feel,” she said. “They feel like, ‘I don’t belong here. I’m somebody odd in the crowd.’”
Since then, more than 160 Clifford titles have made their way into print. The books have been translated into more than 20 languages and sold more than 134 million copies. Along the way, TV series and video games have been created about the lovable character.
Now, Clifford is hitting the big screen in Clifford the Big Red Dog, a new movie from Paramount Pictures. The film, which is also available for streaming on Paramount+, is directed by Walt Becker and produced by Jordan Kerner and Iole Lucchese, who is Chief Strategy Officer at Scholastic and President of Scholastic Entertainment. Caitlin Friedman, SVP and General Manager of Scholastic Entertainment, serves as Executive Producer.
In the new film, Darby Camp stars as Emily Elizabeth, the little girl whose puppy magically grows to be 10 feet tall. She and her Uncle Casey, played by Jack Whitehall, must cope with Clifford’s somewhat unmanageable size in a New York City apartment.
The film also features John Cleese, as animal trainer Mr. Bridwell; Izaac Wang as Emily Elizabeth’s steadfast friend, Owen; and Tony Hale as Zack Tieran, the scheming villain of tech giant LyfeGrow. Kenan Thompson turns in a hilarious performance as Clifford’s baffled—and intimidated—veterinarian.
In this episode, Kerner talks with podcast host Suzanne McCabe about his role producing the movie. He explains the hopeful message that everyone’s favorite big red dog offers this holiday season and gives a behind-the-scenes look at filming in New York City, where the CGI-animated Clifford was represented by two talented puppeteers. Kerner has served as a producer on dozens of films for television and the big screen, including The Mighty Ducks, George of the Jungle, Charlotte’s Web, and The Smurfs. He is a former Dean of the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving
In this episode, author Tami Charles joins host Suzanne McCabe to talk about her latest book, Muted. The young adult novel in verse introduces readers to three aspiring musicians: Denver, Dali, and Shaq. The gifted Black teens are coping with high school, family, and friends in rural Delaware Valley.
The girls get their first big break when they meet Sean “Mercury” Ellis, the undisputed king of R&B. But Merc has other ideas for them.
Tami, herself, is no stranger to the music scene. In her teens and early twenties, she tasted fame with an all-girl R&B group. She found her voice. But as the title of her book suggests, not everyone does. Muted amplifies the voices and the promise of Black and Brown girls, while painting a harrowing picture of the abuse and violence that many suffer in silence.
A former classroom teacher, Tami is also the author of The New York Times-bestselling picture book, All Because You Matter, which began as a love letter to her young son.
Resources:
Learn more about author Tami Charles and her books, including Muted and All Because You Matter.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Clifford the Big Red Dog Hits the Big Screen
In this episode, we celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month with some favorite Scholastic authors. First, Sonia Manzano revisits her 2015 memoir, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx. You may know Sonia as Maria, the beloved character she played on Sesame Street for more than 30 years. Growing up in a struggling Puerto Rican family in the 1950s, Sonia wondered how she could contribute to a society that didn’t see her. “I felt invisible,” she says. Her story of resilience and hope continues to inspire readers of all ages. Host Suzanne McCabe also talks with Pam Muñoz Ryan, the award-winning author of Esperanza Rising and several other celebrated novels. Pam discusses the genesis of her latest book, an enchanting novel for middle-graders called Mañanaland. The mythical tale introduces readers to a brave boy named Max, who learns what it means to help people fleeing danger and persecution. In the final segment, author Justin A. Reynolds and illustrator Pablo Leon introduce their new graphic novel, Miles Morales: Shock Waves. It is already a hit with young Marvel fans. “Maybe you’re not able to have web slingers and scale the city walls,” Justin tells kids, “but your voice can travel just as far.”
In this episode, we celebrate Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month with some favorite Scholastic authors. First, Sonia Manzano revisits her 2015 memoir, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx.
You may know Sonia as Maria, the beloved character she played on Sesame Street for more than 30 years. Growing up in a struggling Puerto Rican family in the 1950s, Sonia wondered how she could contribute to a society that didn’t see her. “I felt invisible,” she says. Her story of resilience and hope continues to inspire readers of all ages.
Host Suzanne McCabe also talks with Pam Muñoz Ryan, the award-winning author of Esperanza Rising and several other celebrated novels. Pam discusses the genesis of her latest book, an enchanting novel for middle-graders called Mañanaland. The mythical tale introduces readers to a brave boy named Max, who learns what it means to help people fleeing danger and persecution.
In the final segment, author Justin A. Reynolds and illustrator Pablo Leon introduce their new graphic novel, Miles Morales: Shock Waves. It is already a hit with young Marvel fans. “Maybe you’re not able to have web slingers and scale the city walls,” Justin tells kids, “but your voice can travel just as far.”
Resources:
Books for Young Readers: These titles for children and young adults spotlight Hispanic and Latine culture.
Sonia Manzano: Find out about the latest projects from the 15-time Emmy Award winner.
Pam Munoz Ryan: “I am a reader, writer, author, and pilgrim,” Pam says. “Every book is a journey.”
Justin A. Reynolds: Justin always wanted to be a writer. His stories are now inspiring kids everywhere.
Pablo Leon: Meet the background artist and illustrator who brings a superhero to life in Miles Morales: Shock Waves.
Celebrating Our Cuentos: Choosing and Using Latinx Literature in Elementary Classroomsby Julia López-Robertson for grades K – 6 highlights ways to infuse classrooms with literature by a range of Latinx authors and illustrators
Rooted in Strength: Using Translanguaging to Grow Multilingual Readers and Writers by Cecilia Espinosa and Laura Ascenzi-Moreno demonstrates the power of honoring and leveraging the language and cultural resources of multilingual students in the learning process.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving: A Conversation with Author and Educator Chris Newell
Muted: A Conversation with Author Tami Charles
In this episode, award-winning author Alan Gratz discusses the 9/11 attacks and the complicated fallout in the United States and abroad after that fateful day. Alan’s latest book, Ground Zero: A Novel of 9/11, helps young readers understand what it was like to be in Lower Manhattan when two airplanes struck the Twin Towers, and how the attacks led to a 20-year war in Afghanistan.
Ground Zero features nine-year-old Brandon, who finds himself in an elevator in the North Tower when an explosion jolts him and the other passengers sideways. His father is working at Windows on the World, a restaurant that occupies one of the top floors of the building.
The novel also introduces readers to Reshmina, an 11-year-old Afghan girl who, in 2019, is living with her family in a remote, mountainous region of the country, where U.S. and Afghan National Army soldiers are battling the Taliban.
“Afghans did not do this attack,” Reshmina says to a U.S. soldier when he recalls 9/11. “You are seeking revenge against the wrong people.”
In Ground Zero, Alan deftly explores the parallels between Brandon and Reshmina’s lives, and shows why we, as a country, need to ask tough questions about our actions, both past and present. Alan is the New York Times best-selling author of Refugee, Allies, and Code of Honor, among several other titles.
Resources:
Meet Alan Gratz: In his latest middle-grade novel, the best-selling author of 17 titles for young readers spotlights the September 11 attacks.
Encountering History: In this webinar, Scholastic Magazines+ editors and a classroom teacher offer ways to address the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks with upper-elementary students.
Resources for Teaching 9/11 for Grades 3 - 12: Articles, videos, and lesson plans from the editors of Scholastic Magazines+ help teachers discuss the 9/11 attacks in the classroom.
Anniversary in the Schools Webinar: Join students and teachers from around the world to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11 by registering for the 9/11 Memorial & Museum’s free Anniversary in the Schools program.
“Empty Sky”: Read a 2011 essay recalling the 9/11 attacks in Lower Manhattan by Scholastic Reads host Suzanne McCabe.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Honoring Hispanic Heritage
A Conversation With Muted Author Tami Charles
A new school year is upon us, and students are returning to the classroom—some for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic was declared in March 2020. How can educators and families navigate an uncertain landscape? To help everyone get off to a great start, the Yale Child Study Center + Scholastic Collaborative have created “Back to School, Back Together,” an online hub with SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) resources, stories of resilience, and expert insights.
In this episode, Lauren Tarshis, who is Senior Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, and Publisher of Scholastic Magazines+, as well as the author of the best-selling I Survived book series, talks with host Suzanne McCabe about “Back to School, Back Together.” The site was designed, Lauren says, “to help teachers feel fortified, optimistic, ready.”
Three teachers, Janine Hsieh, Shaniqua Ashby, and Chrissy Casey, also join Suzanne to talk about ClassroomsCount™, a platform that Scholastic recently launched to help educators in communities around the country raise funds for books and resources for their students.
Resources:
Back to School, Back Together: SEL resources and expert insights from the Yale Child Study Center + Scholastic Collaborative to help educators and students heading back to the classroom.
ClassroomsCount™: Learn how educators can raise funds to purchase books and resources from Book Clubs, The Teacher Store, The Scholastic Store, and Scholastic Magazines+.
A Lending Library With Love: Teacher Chrissy Casey, who is featured in this episode, helps promote a love of reading among kids of all ages in the Malvern, Pennsylvania, area.
Bringing Books to Kids: Find out more about Casey’s Book Mobile and the fundraiser she launched with help from ClassroomsCount™.
Scholastic Magazines+: Texts, digital resources, and ready-to-teach lessons for students in PreK through 12th grade.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Acclaimed Author Alan Gratz Talks About Ground Zero: A Novel of 9/11
A Conversation With Muted Author Tami Charles
According to the Scholastic Teacher & Principal School Report, more than 60% of educators say that reading over the summer supports students’ academic success. The Scholastic Summer Reading program was designed to help engage students even when they’re not in the classroom. The free, annual initiative keeps kids motivated to read all summer long, while expanding access to books. The program hosts virtual author events, provides e-books, and empowers kids to unlock a donation of 100,000 print books from Scholastic that are distributed in rural communities by Save the Children.
In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Lizette Serrano and Dr. Sayantani DasGupta about the joy of reading and how kids can access all of the free literacy resources on Scholastic Home Base over the summer. Lizette is the vice president of educational marketing and event planning at Scholastic. She has a wealth of experience motivating kids to read for pleasure —not just in the summer months, but all year long.
Sayantani, who is a pediatrician by training, is the New York Times-bestselling author of Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond, a wildly-popular middle-grade fantasy series. Her latest book, a stand-alone novel from The Kingdom Beyond, is called Force of Fire. She teaches at Columbia University in the Graduate Program in Narrative Medicine, the Institute for Comparative Literature and Society, and the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race.
“If there’s ever been a time that all of us—young readers, teenage readers, adult readers—need the healing power of story, it’s this summer,” Sayantani says. “There is so much loss and confusion and anguish that we’ve all been through.”
Find out how you can help your kids discover their best selves in the pages of a book.
Resources:
Scholastic Summer Reading: Gain access to a fun, free, and safe program for kids.
Check out Home Base, a free 3D interactive world that celebrates favorite stories through book-based games, live author events, and a community of readers. Learn more about New York Times-bestselling author Sayantani DasGupta.
Special Thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon:
Back to School, Back Together: A new website from Scholastic offers literacy curricula, classroom libraries, culturally responsive SEL programs, and interventions for striving readers.
Remembering 9/11: Acclaimed author Alan Gratz talks about his latest novel, Ground Zero
Author Tami Charles explores the music biz in Muted, her ripped-from-headlines YA novel in verse.
In this episode, we celebrate Pride Month with new queer romances by award-winning YA authors Leah Johnson (Rise to the Sun) and Molly Knox Ostertag (The Girl From the Sea).
Leah’s best-selling debut novel, You Should See Me in a Crown, is a 2021 Stonewall Honor Book and was the inaugural YA pick for Reese’s Book Club. Leah dedicates Rise to the Sun “to the Black girls who have been told they’re too much and to the ones who don’t believe they’re enough.”
Molly describes The Girl From the Sea, a graphic novel about first love, as “absolutely the most self-indulgent book I've ever done, [with] a lot of delicious wish fulfillment.” It debuted on the Amazon YA bestseller list. Molly’s 2017 graphic novel, The Witch Boy, is being adapted into a feature film by Netflix.
Rise to the Sun and The Girl From the Sea are both included in Shondaland’s Summer 2021 Reading List.
Resources:
Leah Johnson writes things: Learn more about this Midwestern author, essayist, and pop culture whiz.
Molly Knox Ostertag: Delve into Molly’s comics, art, and animation.
Read With Pride: Check out these essential LGBTQIA+ titles for young readers.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Diving Into Summer Reading
Inside the Music Biz with Tami Charles
In this episode, we spotlight Asian American heritage and the immigrant experience with author Kelly Yang and educator Don Vu.
Kelly is the award-winning author of the bestselling Front Desk series for middle-graders. She has won numerous accolades for her work, including the 2019 Asian Pacific American Award for Children’s Literature. Here, she talks with podcast host Suzanne McCabe about her writing journey and about Room to Dream, the latest title in her wildly popular series about the indomitable Mia Tang. It’s due out September 21.
Kelly also describes the struggles that she faced immigrating to the U.S. with her parents when she was a child. “You don’t have to strip away everything about yourself to conform,” she says. “That was a hard lesson for me growing up because there were definitely times I felt that pressure.”
Later in the episode, Dr. Don Vu, an educator with more than two decades of experience in the classroom, talks about his new book, Life, Literacy, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Supporting Our Immigrant and Refugee Children Through the Power of Reading. Educators and parents will want to hear Dr. Vu’s incredible insights into helping young students thrive as readers, writers, and learners. He also tells the moving story of his own family’s escape from Vietnam in 1975, when the city of Saigon fell to North Vietnamese forces.
Dr. Vu’s experiences as a refugee growing up in California helped him develop empathy for families much like his, who arrive in America with little more than a dream.
Resources:
Front Desk: Learn more about author Kelly Yang and her books for young people.
Life, Literacy, and the Pursuit of Happiness: Learn more about Dr. Don Vu and his new title for educators.
19 Books by Asian & Pacific Islander Americans to Read All Year: Here are lots of great titles to share with the young readers in your life.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Celebrating Pride Month with authors Leah Johnson and Molly Knox Ostertag
Inside the music biz with authors Tami Charles and Lamar Giles
Lauren Tarshis remembers the responsibilities that fell to her on March 11, 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was declared, and schools around the country began to shift to virtual learning. Lauren is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines.
The magazines, which reach more than 25 million students and their teachers, have been a staple in classrooms for more than a century. In this episode, Lauren tells host Suzanne McCabe how a talented team of writers, editors, designers, video producers, and IT experts have helped support educators and keep students engaged and learning this past year—even though many classrooms have been empty.
Lauren is also the author of the best-selling I Survived book series, which recounts terrifying and thrilling stories from history through the eyes of a child who lived to tell the tale.
Later in the episode, Scholastic Kid Reporter Siroos recounts his journalistic experiences during the pandemic. Siroos, who is 12 years old and lives in New York City, is a member of Scholastic Kids Press, a team of 45 young journalists from around the world who report “news for kids, by kids” on our websites and in our Classroom Magazines.
Resources:
From Fear to Hope: Author Lauren Tarshis tells young readers how the polio epidemic affected her grandmother’s generation and finds similarities to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Killer Flu of 1918: Young readers learn about the powerful flu that claimed millions of lives and disrupted everyday life.
Science World Magazine’s COVID-19 News Hub: Young readers can get updates on the virus and vaccines here.
NEW! Storyworks’ Immersive Read-Alouds: Filled with music and special sound effects, this audio feature brings students into the action of the story and boosts their reading and listening skills. Try it for free here.
Scholastic Classroom Magazines: Reserve your magazines for the fall now, and get free online access.
Meet Lauren Tarshis: Learn more about Lauren and I Survived, her best-selling book series for kids.
Scholastic Kids Press: Check out recent articles by our Scholastic Kid Reporters. If you know a 10- to 14-year-old with a nose for news, encourage them to apply to Kids Press. Applications must be received by June 1. Learn more here.
Scholastic Kid Reporter Siroos Pasdar: Read Siroos’s news articles for our young readers.
Special Thanks:
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Coming Soon:
Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with author Kelly Yang and educator Don Vu
Inside the music biz with authors Tami Charles and Lamar Giles
Do you know a little girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut, a fighter pilot, or an aeronautical engineer? In this episode, we celebrate the achievements of women who dared to follow their own dreams at a time when they were laughed at and dismissed.
First, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Rebecca Siegel, the author of To Fly Among the Stars: The Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts. Rebecca describes the early years of America’s space program, when 13 brave women trained in a secret, privately-funded program, hoping to earn their spot among the stars. These accomplished air racers, test pilots, and flight instructors later lobbied the White House and Congress to have women included in the astronaut program. Rebecca’s riveting tale about Jerrie Cobb, Janey Hart, and 11 other women serves as an inspiration for any girl who doubts that she can achieve whatever she sets her mind to.
Suzanne also talks with Dr. Ronke Olabisi, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine. She tells listeners about her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut and how that led to her career as a biomedical engineer and inventor.
Resources:
• To Fly Among the Stars: the Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts
• To learn more about Rising Voices Library: Books Empowering Girls in S.T.E.A.M., contact your local Scholastic Education Representative.
• Women’s History Month book recommendations for all ages
• Women in STEM: 7 Inspiring Stories and Classroom Lessons
Special Thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon:
From Fear to Hope: Covering the 1918 Pandemic, the Polio Epidemic, and the Coronavirus Pandemic in Scholastic Classroom Magazines
Honoring Asian American Heritage with Author Kelly Yang and Educator Don Vu
Bringing Music to YA: Tami Charles and Lamar Giles
In this episode, author Varian Johnson and illustrator Shannon Wright talk about Twins, their new graphic novel for middle-graders. The story centers around Maureen and Francine Carter, twin sisters who are growing up—and growing apart as they enter middle school. The Carter sisters also happen to be Black. “Writing the girls in this way, where there’s not a big trauma arc, was a very intentional choice,” Varian says. “It’s almost like a political act.”
Varian has written several critically-acclaimed novels, including The Great Greene Heist and The Parker Inheritance, which was named a Coretta Scott King Honor Book in 2019. He and Shannon describe the experience of creating their first graphic novel together and why they think Twins is such a hit with young readers.
Resources:
The Power of Story: Diverse Books for All Readers
13 Black-Owned Bookstores to Know About
Learn More About Author Varian Johnson
Learn More About Illustrator Shannon Wright
Special Thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate Producer: Constance Gibbs
Sound Engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon:
Charting the Future: Women and Space Exploration
For 12 years, World Read Aloud Day has challenged participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. The global effort is now celebrated in 173 countries and counting.
For the past decade, Scholastic has been the title sponsor of World Read Aloud Day, which was created by LitWorld, a global non-profit that fosters a love of reading in children everywhere.
In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with literacy expert and author Pam Allyn, who is the founder of LitWorld. She'll share ideas for educators and families who would like to participate in this year's celebration, which takes place on February 3.
Malcolm Mitchell will describe his own reading journey. “I was a 19-, 20-year-old college student whom the world praised for my ability to catch a pass,” he says. “But in the bookstore, I was buying The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Exclamation Mark, and The Giving Tree to help teach myself how to become more literate.”
Malcolm is now the best-selling author of The Magician's Hat and My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World. His Share The Magic Foundation helps transform young lives through literacy. In his past life, Malcolm was a star wide receiver for the New England Patriots. He has a Super Bowl ring to prove it!
Resources: • Participate in World Read Aloud Day
• The Benefits of Reading Aloud: A Conversation With Pam Allyn
• Malcolm Mitchell: Share the Magic Foundation
• A List of Read-Alouds for All Ages
Special Thanks: Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon: Coretta Scott King Honor Author Varian Johnson Talks About Twins, His Graphic Novel
In this episode, we focus on anti-racism education in the classroom and at home. Host Suzanne McCabe talks with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, an associate professor of language and literacy at Georgia State University and the author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Muhammad explains how researching Black literary societies from the 1800s inspires her work with students and teachers around the country. Monique Melton, an author, international speaker, and host of the Shine Brighter Together podcast, also offers her perspective on “what it looks like to actually explore, identify, and eliminate racism in every aspect of our society from the inside out.”
Resources: • Cultivate the genius of your students at home with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad
• Meet anti-racism educator Monique Melton
• Digital resources from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
• Explore Sankofa read-alouds
• Dr. Gholdy Muhammad discusses the Black Lives Matter Movement and education
Special Thanks: Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon: Coretta Scott King Honor Author Varian Johnson Talks About Twins, His Graphic Novel
“Only those who try can achieve the impossible.” In this episode, we spotlight Stillwater, a new animated children's series from Apple TV+. Inspired by the beloved Zen Shorts book series by Jon J Muth, the new series follows the adventures of three siblings whose neighbor happens to be a giant panda named Stillwater. Through his beautiful stories, the wise Stillwater helps the children cope with life's disappointments and sorrows, and hold onto their sense of joy and wonder.
Host Suzanne McCabe talks with Mallika Chopra, an author, speaker, and wellbeing expert who serves as the mindfulness consultant on the TV series, and award-winning children’s book illustrator and artist, Jon J Muth.
Resources: You can learn more about Jon J Muth here and about Stillwater, the new animated TV series from Apple TV+ here.
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon: • Antiracism Resources for Your Home and Classroom
• World Read Aloud Day
Today, we're celebrating Scholastic's 100th anniversary with President, Chairman, and CEO Dick Robinson. Dick's father, Maurice R. Robinson, known affectionately to generations of staffers as Robbie, founded the company in 1920. A venture that started with a weekly newspaper for students has since grown into the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Generations of readers have fond memories of attending a Scholastic Book Fair on an autumn afternoon, or checking off a list of books to purchase on one of the many Scholastic Book Club order forms that arrived in classrooms.
Kids have grown-up with, and obsessed over, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Goosebumps, The Baby-Sitters Club, Harry Potter, and Captain Underpants. Stories by Suzanne Collins, the late Walter Dean Myers, Raina Telgemeier, Pam Muñoz Ryan, and Kelly Yang, to name a few, still captivate young readers. Scholastic News and Junior Scholastic are still staples in classrooms across the country, and Scholastic Kid Reporters are still out there getting stories that matter to them and their young readers.
Last but not least, young people still receive coveted Scholastic Art & Writing Awards each year, as they have done for nearly a century. Past recipients include Andy Warhol, Bernard Malamud, Kay WalkingStick and Mozelle Thompson. The list goes on, but we wanted to hear from Dick about his memories of his father, the early years at the company, and how he has remained true to his father's vision that few things are more magical than children discovering themselves in the pages of a book.
In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage with two of our favorite Latinx authors. First, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Aida Salazar about how one word, “deportation,” led to her heart-wrenching new novel, Land of the Cranes. Aida is also the author of The Moon Within, which won an International Latino Book Award for middle-grade fiction in 2019.
Then Francisco X. Stork, the author of such acclaimed YA titles as The Memory of Light and Marcelo in the Real World, talks about his latest novel, Illegal. This page-turning thriller follows Sara Zapata and her brother, Emiliano, and their desperate escape from Mexico to the U.S. Illegal is a sequel to Francisco’s earlier novel, Disappeared.
You can learn more about Land of the Cranes, Illegal, and all of our latest fiction and nonfiction at scholastic.com/kids. For a catalog of diverse books for readers of all ages, click here.
To check out the Scholastic Student Vote, a virtual mock-election that has been running since 1940, visit scholastic.com/election.
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
Coming Soon:
Marley Dias on Teen Activism and the Power of Reading
When you hold a new book in your hands, the rest of the world seems to fade away. Lots of great titles from Scholastic are hitting the shelves this fall, bringing the promise of adventure to our young readers.
We wanted to give you a preview of the books you can look forward to, so we invited some of our authors to read aloud. First, Tami Charles reads All Because You Matter, her love letter to Black and brown children. (2:31)
Next, Christina Soontornvat takes us inside the pages of Icing on the Snowflake, the latest title in her popular chapter book series, Diary of an Ice Princess. Christina’s adventures for elementary school readers start with a simple premise: What if Frozen’s Elsa went to regular school? If you have any Elsa fans in your house, this is the series for them! (6:41)
We also hear from Brazilian author Vitor Martins. He shares an excerpt from his new queer romance, Here the Whole Time. This story about the magic of first love explores the insecurities that many teens feel around body image. (11:12)
Then, Kara McDowell reads from her new novel for young adults, One Way or Another. It’s a poignant story about a girl who learns to face her debilitating anxieties as she navigates a relationship with her best friend and longtime crush. (17:55)
For 8- to 12-year-olds who enjoy horror and spooky mysteries, Daka Hermon reads from her suspense-filled debut, Hide and Seeker. (25:39)
Last but not least, middle-grade favorite Kelly Yang reads the opening pages of Three Keys, the highly-anticipated sequel to her debut best-seller, Front Desk. (31:52)
You can learn more about these titles and all of our latest fiction and nonfiction at scholastic.com/kids.
To check out the Scholastic Student Vote, a virtual mock-election that has been running since 1940, visit scholastic.com/election.
Special thanks: Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
“It all started at the very beginning of seventh grade.” Sound familiar? To millions of Baby-Sitters Club fans, Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi, Mary Anne Spier, Stacey McGill, and Dawn Schafer are favorite childhood friends.
In this episode, the breakout stars of the new Netflix TV show—Sophie Grace (Kristy), Momona Tamada (Claudia), Malia Baker (Mary Anne), Shay Rudolph (Stacey), and Xochitl Gomez (Dawn)—answer questions from our Scholastic Kid Reporters.
We also spotlight author Ann M. Martin, who created the beloved book series. Host Suzanne McCabe spoke with Ann in 2016, amid celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the best-selling series, which began in 1986 with the publication of Kristy’s Great Idea.
You can learn more about The Baby-Sitters Club book series, including the graphic novels, here and the Netflix TV show here.
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges integrated the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in her New Orleans neighborhood. She was six years old.
Ruby’s courageous journey helped pave the way for Black and brown students across the United States to gain access to educational opportunities that had long been denied to them.
Sixty years later, “Black Lives Matter” has become a rallying cry for an end to the systemic racism that continues to harm African Americans nationwide. Ruby is still speaking out and still speaking up. In 1995, she created the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which is dedicated to fostering respect and equality for people of all races and backgrounds. She talks with children everywhere about the disease of racism, which she calls “a disease of the heart.”
In this episode, Ruby talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the events that led her parents to risk the hostility of segregationists for a better life and how her story can help today’s young people bring about lasting change and equality.
To learn more about the Ruby Bridges Foundation, go to rubybridges.com, and follow Ruby on Instagram at @RubyBridgesOfficial.
If you’d like to share Ruby’s story with your students, you can order her 1999 memoir, Through My Eyes, here. Click here to access The Power of Story, a catalog of diverse books for readers of all ages.
Special thanks: Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound engineer: Colin Poellot
Change is in the air, and we're delighted to bring a fresh new voice to the podcast. Debut author Leah Johnson is here to talk about You Should See Me in a Crown, her joyful, hilarious young adult novel about the irrepressible Liz Lighty.
As a queer, Black teen in a prom-obsessed Midwestern town, Liz thinks that it’s impossible to fit in. But when she meets the new girl at school—who also is her competition for prom queen—everything changes.
In this episode, Leah talks with host Suzanne McCabe about growing up in Indiana, becoming a fiction writer, and “giving queer folks the happy ending they deserve.”
Learn more about Leah and You Should See Me in a Crown.
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate producer: Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
During the pandemic, many of us have experienced feelings of fear, anxiety, and loss. These feelings extend to children, too, who are learning new lessons at home and wondering what the future holds. They may be worried about family members and their own safety while trying to keep up with schoolwork, which is looking very different these days.
What can parents and educators do to help kids cope with uncertainty and continue to learn and thrive? In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Dr. Eli Lebowitz, an associate professor at the Yale Child Study Center and director of their Program for Anxiety Disorders.
In 2018, Scholastic and the Child Study Center formed a collaborative to explore how literacy can be used to foster resilience among children and families. You can find additional information about the collaborative and explore their coronavirus resources here.
Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Produced by Bridget Benjamin
Associate produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe, who is the editor of Scholastic Kids Press, talks with five Kid Reporters about life during the coronavirus pandemic. She asks young journalists in Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and the Philippines how they are coping with the global health crisis and what “the new normal” means to them. Scholastic Kids Press, which was founded in 2000, is an award-winning program of journalists between the ages of 10 and 14 who write "news for kids, by kids." The program is open to students around the world.
Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Produced by Bridget Benjamin
Associate produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
In her latest novel, Furious Thing, Jenny Downham discusses the insidious nature of gaslighting, the power of one 15-year-old girl’s anger, and the risk of speaking up about those feelings. Downham is also the author of Unbecoming, You Against Me, and Before I Die, which was made into a 2012 movie, Now Is Good, starring Dakota Fanning.
Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin
Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
In this episode, Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the importance of representation for young readers. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and first African American to serve as head of the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library. She also discusses the Library’s Rosa Parks exhibition, which sheds new light on the civil rights icon’s story and offers an intimate portrait rarely seen in history books.
Additional Resources: Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words exhibit features rarely seen materials that offer an intimate view of iconic civil rights activist Rosa Parks.
Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin
Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
World Read Aloud Day is an annual celebration that encourages kids, parents, and educators everywhere to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. On today’s episode, we talk with two literacy specialists, Pam Allyn and Lester Laminack, about the many benefits of reading aloud.
Plus, you’ll hear great read-alouds from some of our favorite authors, including Dav Pilkey, Carmen Agra Deedy, and Peter Reynolds. Don’t forget to read aloud on February 5!
Learn more about World Read Aloud Day here.
Special thanks: * Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl * Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin * Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula * Sound mixing and recording by Daniel Jordan
*Host Suzanne McCabe is the Editor of Scholastic Kids Press.
Happy holidays from all of us in the Scholastic Family! On this episode, we asked our employees to share their fondest holiday memories. You'll hear about Christmas read-alouds, a Chanukah grab bag, and even a fashion show on Eid al-Fitr.
Guests:
- Kevin Kirschner: Nephew of host Suzanne McCabe
- Mark Seidenfeld: Vice President and Deputy General Counsel
- Talia Seidenfeld: Assistant Editor
- Patti Vaughan: Convention Manager, Corporate Conventions
- Raisa Masood: Internal Communications Coordinator
- Amanda Erbe: Scholastic Kid Reporter
Special thanks:
- Hosted by Suzanne McCabe
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin
- Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
Acclaimed author Maggie Stiefvater describes Call Down the Hawk, the first book in a brand-new trilogy, as a “big, strange, weird novel” full of all of the things she likes in both novels and life. This includes art, magic, music, and mythology.
Call Down the Hawk follows Ronan Lynch, a character who can take things out of his dreams and bring them into real life, and Jordan Hennessy, an artist, a thief, and maybe something else.
If you’re a fan of young-adult literature, you’re probably familiar with Maggie’s work. She is the New York Times best-selling author of The Raven Cycle, The Shiver Trilogy, and The Scorpio Races.
On this episode, we'll talk with her and award-winning author Scott Westerfeld about what it’s like to expand a fictional universe for eager fans. Scott is the author of The Uglies Series, The Leviathan Trilogy, and Impostors, among many other titles.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin
- Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
You may remember Alyssa from her hilarious role on Who’s the Boss? In addition to being an actress, Alyssa is also an activist, and now a children’s book author. She recently wrote Hope: Project Middle School. On this episode, she joins us to discuss her new novel and the power of hope. We’re also joined by Scholastic Kid Reporter Alula Alderson who recently interviewed Alyssa on her book tour in Los Angeles. Alula talks about what Hope: Project Middle School means to her as a middle-school student.
Guests: Alyssa Milano:
Actress and activist Alyssa Milano has spent almost her entire life in the public eye. A famous child actor, she has continued to work throughout her adulthood in both television and film, most notably starring in Charmed, the wildly popular television series.
Alyssa is also a lifelong activist and passionate about fighting for human rights around the world. In 2003, UNICEF invited Alyssa to become a National Ambassador in recognition of her charitable work on behalf of children. Ever since then, Alyssa has been a champion of children’s rights, working closely with UNICEF to raise money and awareness and provide aid to the children who need it most all over the world. Alyssa also speaks to kids in schools around the country about the importance of voting and shows them how to fill out a ballot because she believes it’s never too early to be civic-minded. Most recently, Alyssa helped popularize the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter, sparking the groundbreaking viral movement. She was named one of the 2017 Persons of the Year in Time magazine, along with other prominent activists. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.
Alula Alderson:
A Kid Reporter for Scholastic Kids Press since 2017, Alula has written about a variety of topics, including entertainment, culture and the environment.
Additional Resources: Learn more about Hope: Project Middle School by Alyssa Milano and Debbie Rigaud, illustrated by Eric S. Keyes here.
Learn more about Scholastic Kids Press here.
Special thanks: * Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl * Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin * Associate produced by Mackenzie Cutruzzula * Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
*Host Suzanne McCabe is the Editor of Scholastic Kids Press.
Access to books, whether in or outside of the home, is not a reality for many children.
According to the latest Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™, classroom libraries are only available for 43 percent of school-age children. And only one-third of kids say that they have access to a classroom library with enough of the types of books they’d like to read.
On this episode, we’re talking with two educators who are working to bridge this gap.
Guests: David C. Banks:
David is the president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation. He and Scholastic have joined forces to curate collections of culturally relevant fiction, nonfiction, and biographies for perhaps the most under-represented group in literature: boys of color. This new classroom library, “Rising Voices,” celebrates the stories of Black and Latino boys.
Ilyssa Thomas:
A kindergarten teacher at Empowerment Academy Charter School in Jersey City, New Jersey who is a Patterson Pledge grant winner.
Additional Resources: Rising Voices
Patterson Pledge
Special thanks: * Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl * Produced and edited by Bridget Benjamin * Produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula * Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
What’s that creaking sound down the hall? Did you feel a sudden chill in the air? And where is that haunting piano music coming from?
It’s Halloween-time! And we’re sure you’re getting into the spirit—scary noises and all.
To celebrate this spooky season, we’re talking with four authors who specialize in writing scary stories for kids!
On this episode, you’ll hear from Victoria Schwab, Max Brallier, India Hill Brown, and R. L. Stine. We asked them what it is about spine-chilling books that’s so compelling for young readers. Each author also shares a spooky read-aloud from their latest book!
Additional Resources
- Learn more about the Cassidy Blake series by Victoria Schwab
- Learn more about the Acorn line Mr. Shivers series by Max Brallier
- Learn more about The Forgotten Girl by India Hill Brown
- Learn more about the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
Guests:
- Victoria Schwab: Victoria is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels for readers of all ages, including City of Ghosts, the Shades of Magic series (which has been translated into over 15 languages), This Savage Song, and Our Dark Duet. Victoria can often be found haunting Paris streets and trudging up Scottish hillsides. Usually, she's tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, dreaming up stories. Visit her online at veschwab.com.
- Max Brallier: Max Brallier is the author of more than 20 books for children, including the Galactic Hot Dogs and The Last Kids on Earth middle-grade series. Under the pen name Jack Chabert, he is the creator and author of the Eerie Elementary series with Scholastic Branches. Max lives in New York City with his wife and daughter.
- India Hill Brown: India Hill Brown is a southern belle who recently moved back down south to North Carolina after living in NYC and working at HBO. Her day job is in social media, and her passion is writing. Her freelance work has been published in Teen Vogue, Essence, Sesi Mag, and The Everygirl. Visit her at booksandbighair.com or on Twitter at @booksandbighair.
- R.L. Stine: R.L. Stine's books have sold more than 300 million copies, making him one of the most popular children's authors in history. Besides Goosebumps, R.L. Stine has written series including: Fear Street, Rotten School, Mostly Ghostly, The Nightmare Room, and Dangerous Girls. R.L. Stine lives in New York with his wife, Jane, and his King Charles spaniel, Minnie. www.RLStine.com.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
This week, we’re talking about the power of telling your own story. You’ll hear from two incredible authors. First is Sharon Robinson, the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Sharon is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction, including many widely praised nonfiction books about her father’s life. This year, she’s telling her OWN story in Child of the Dream — a memoir about one of the most important years in the Civil Rights Movement, 1963, when Sharon was just 13.
Later, we talk with Da Chen. Da is a New York TImes bestselling author who joins us to talk about his memoir for young readers, Girl Under a Red Moon. The deeply moving story focuses on Da’s older sister Sisi and their childhood growing up together during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.
Additional Resources
- Learn more about Child of the Dream (A Memoir of 1963) by Sharon Robinson
- Learn more about Girl Under a Red Moon by Da Chen
Guests:
- Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction. She has also written several widely praised nonfiction books about her father.
- Da Chen’s life is a true immigrant success story. A native of China, Chen grew up in a tiny village without electricity or running water. He was a victim of communist political persecution during the Chinese Cultural Revolution but then went on to study at the Beijing Languages and Culture University. Da arrived in America at the age of twenty-three with only $30 and a bamboo flute, and attended the Columbia University School of Law on a full scholarship. He lives in Southern California, with his family.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
It takes guts to face your fears. Bestselling creator Raina Telgemeier is encouraging young readers to do just that with her latest graphic novel memoir, Guts, which shares the stories of Raina's own experiences with anxiety as a child.
This week, Raina joins us in the studio to talk about Guts. We also talk with Dr. Eli Lebowitz, who studies and treats childhood and adolescent anxiety and is Director of the Program for Anxiety Disorders at the Yale Child Study Center.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Guts by Raina Telgemeier
- Follow Raina Telgemeier on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
- Learn more about the Yale Child Study Center–Scholastic Collaborative for Child & Family Resilience
- See more data from the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report
Guests:
- Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of Smile and Sisters, which are both graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, and is the adapter and illustrator of four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goRaina.com.
- Eli Lebowitz studies and treats childhood and adolescent anxiety and is Director of the Program for Anxiety Disorders at the Yale Child Study Center. His research focuses on the development, neurobiology, and treatment of anxiety and related disorders, with special emphasis on cross-generational and familial influences in these disorders. Dr. Lebowitz is the lead investigator on multiple funded research projects, and is the author of numerous research papers and of books and chapters on childhood and adolescent anxiety. He is also the father of three great boys.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Dav Pilkey, creator of the worldwide bestselling Dog Man series! Dav discusses his latest book, Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls, and his Dog Man "Do Good" tour that's taking him around the world this fall. Dav shares stories from his own childhood growing up with ADHD and dyslexia and talks about the importance of creativity, why reading is a superpower, and the importance of not just being good, but doing good.
Plus, you'll also hear from young readers themselves who sent us messages describing why they love Dog Man!
Additional resources:
- Get your copy of Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls
- See all of the stops on Dav Pilkey's Dog Man "Do Good" Tour
Guests:
- When **Dav Pilkey**** was a kid, he suffered from ADHD, dyslexia, and behavioral problems. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books. In the second grade, Dav Pilkey created a comic book about a superhero named Captain Underpants. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Summer reading this year is all about kids' empowerment with the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza, our nationwide movement to unite kids, parents, educators, public librarians, community partners, and booksellers in efforts to get books into the hands of more kids during the summer and keep every child reading.
This week, you'll hear from some kids first-hand about what they love about summer reading. We also talk about how Scholastic is getting 200,000 books into the hands of kids who need them through a national collaboration with United Way. And we talk with two booksellers who have been working to engage their communities in summer reading through book drives and Summer Reading Celebration events!
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza
- Join the Summer Reading Challenge
- Find a Summer Reading Celebration near you
- Read more of our research around summer reading in the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report
- Learn more about United Way
- Learn more about Beanbag Books
- Learn more about The Bookstore Plus
Guests:
- Stephanie Smirnov is the executive vice president of global communications at Scholastic.
- Ayeola Fortune is the senior director of impact and global results at United Way Worldwide.
- Jody Everett is the owner of Beanbag Books in Delaware, OH.
- Sarah Galvin is the owner of The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid, NY.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Before executive editor Katie Carella came to Scholastic, she taught first, second, and third grades, and she noticed a hole in her classroom library: There weren't enough books for the readers who were ready to move beyond leveled readers, but who weren't quite ready for chapter books.
And so, she created Branches — and now Acorn — highly illustrated, easy-to-read books with engaging storylines and characters that will help kids fall in love with reading.
In this episode, you'll hear more from Katie about the Branches and Acorn books and the needs they fill. We also talk with three authors — Troy Cummings (The Notebook of Doom), Rebecca Elliott (Owl Diaries), and Jonathan Fenske (Crabby) — about exactly what goes into making these delightful, compelling books for kids.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Branches books at scholastic.com/branches
- Learn more about Acorn books at scholastic.com/acorn
Guests:
- Katie Carella is an executive editor at Scholastic.
- Troy Cummings is the author of The Notebook of Doom and The Binder of Doom series.
- Rebecca Elliott is the author of the Owl Diaries series.
- Jonathan Fenske is the author of the Crabby series.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
It's Pride Month! We love to celebrate our LGBTQIA authors all year long, but we wanted to take the opportunity now to shine a spotlight on what it means to create and share stories about those who are marginalized and underrepresented.
Today, you’ll hear from Mason Deaver, Kacen Callender, and Bill Konigsberg. Each will introduce their latest novels, talk about their creative process, and discuss what it means to write books that are giving some young readers the chance to see themselves truly represented in the pages of a book.
Additional Resources:
- I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver
- Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender
- The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg
- Learn more about our Read with Pride campaign
- LGBTQIA resource center
Guests:
- Mason Deaver is a non-binary author and librarian from a small town in North Carolina where the word "y'all" is used in abundance. When they aren't writing or working, they're typically found in their kitchen baking something that's bad for them or out in their garden complaining about the toad that likes to dig holes around their hydrangeas. I Wish You All the Best is their debut novel. You can find them online at masondeaverwrites.com.
- Kacen Callender was born and raised on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands. They hold a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, where they studied fine arts, Japanese, and creative writing, as well as an MFA from The New School's Writing for Children program. Their debut novel Hurricane Child was a Stonewall Book Award winner, a Lambda Literary Award winner, and was named a Kirkus Best Book of 2018.
- Bill Konigsberg is the author of six books for young adults, most recently The Music of What Happens. His books have won awards including the Stonewall Book Award, the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor, and the Lambda Literary Award. Bill lives in Chandler, Arizona, with his husband, Chuck, and their two Labradoodles, Mabel and Buford. Please visit him online at www.billkonigsberg.com and @billkonigsberg.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Sound mixed by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
In our biennial Kids & Family Reading Report, we came across some findings that were a bit, well, concerning: At nine years old — usually when a child is in third grade — kids across the board report a significantly reduced interest in reading.
Here are some of the stats:
- 57% of 8-year-olds said they read books for fun 5 to 7 days a week. But by age 9, that drops to a mere 35%.
- 40% of 8-year-olds say they love to read. By age 9, only 28% say that.
We find similar decreases in the numbers around access to books (more 6- to 8-year-olds have a classroom library than 9- to 11-year-olds) and the presence of reading role models (more 6- to 8-year-olds say they have people in their lives who enjoy reading than 9- to 11-year-olds). Additionally, nearly half of 9-year-olds say they have trouble finding books they like.
What's causing the "decline by nine"? And what can we do about it? We talked with education and reading experts to find out.
Additional resources:
- Read more about the findings from our Kids & Family Reading Report (and listen to past episodes around the importance of the read aloud and what kids are looking for in the books they read)
- Learn more about Scholastic Classroom Magazines
- Learn more about the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
- Learn more about Scholastic Literacy
Guests:
- Lauren Tarshis is the Senior Vice President and Editor-In-Chief/Publisher, Scholastic Classroom Magazines. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling series I Survived.
- Michael Haggen is the Chief Academic Officer, Scholastic Education.
- Jaime Vandergrift is a third grade teacher at Sara Harp Minter Elementary.
- Kristen Cruikshank is a third grade teacher at Lamar Consolidated ISD.
- Dr. Donyall Dickey is an author and consultant for Scholastic Literacy.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Aspiring writers and illustrators, this episode is for you! Maybe you keep a running list on your Notes app of book ideas, possible titles, and first lines. Maybe you have a sketchbook in the bottom of your drawer. But where do you go from there? Ally Carter and Raina Telgemeier are here with answers. They’ll talk about their new books, Dear Ally, How Do I Write A Book? and Share Your Smile, which aim to help creators transfer their ideas to the page.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Dear Ally, How Do I Write A Book?
- Learn more about Share Your Smile
- Follow Ally Carter on Twitter and Instagram
- Follow Raina Telgemeier on Twitter and Instagram
Guests:
- Ally Carter is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gallagher Girls, Heist Society, and Embassy Row series as well as the standalone novel Not If I Save You First. Her books have been published all over the world, in over 20 languages. You can visit her online at allycarter.com.
- Raina Telgemeier is he #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award-winning creator of Smile and Sisters, which are both graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, and is the adapter and illustrator of four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn more, visit her online at goRaina.com.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan and Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Scholastic surveys thousands of kids and their families across the U.S. biennially for our Kids & Family Reading Report, gaining special insight into the latest trends in children's reading habits. The second of three installments, Finding Their Story, focuses on what kids want in books and characters, the rising demand for diversity in children's books, and the importance of access to books.
This week, you'll hear from four of our in-house experts — as well as some kids themselves! — about what the data tells us that kids and their families are looking for in the books they read.
Additional resources:
- See all of the findings from the Kids & Family Reading Report: Finding Their Story
- Learn more about Game of Stars by Sayantani DasGupta
- Learn more about the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis
- Learn more about the Power of Story initiative and download the catalog
- See the full digital catalog on Edelweiss
- Read Lizette Serrano's blog post about Esperanza Rising
Guests:
- Lauren Tarshis is the Vice President and Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines. She's also the author of the bestselling I Survived series.
- Andrea Davis Pinkney is a Vice President, Executive Editor of Scholastic Trade books and an award-winning children's book author.
- Michael Haggen is the Chief Academic Officer at Scholastic.
- Lizette Serrano is the Executive Director of Educational Marketing and Event Strategy at Scholastic.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow, Mackenzie Cutruzzula, Suzanne McCabe
This week, we're talking with author Keith Calabrese about his middle grade debut. His new book, A Drop of Hope, is set in a small Midwestern town, where times are tough, jobs are scarce, and miracles are in short supply.
Keith joins us today to talk about his path to becoming an author and what he hopes his 8- to 12-year-old readers will take away from this heartwarming story about Ernest, Ryan, and Lizzie, and their efforts to help their divided town choose empathy and kindness over anger and fear.
Additional resources
- Learn more about A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese
- Learn more about Keith Calabrese
Guests
- Keith Calabrese is an author and screenwriter who holds a degree in creative writing from Northwestern University. A former script reader, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife, kids, and a dog who thinks he's a mountain goat.
Special thanks
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
We're kicking off Women's History Month with debut novelist Aida Salazar and her stunning book for 8- to 12-year-olds, The Moon Within.
The novel is a modern day Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret set in Oakland, California, and steeped in the culture and traditions of the Mexica, indigenous people of Mexico.
The story introduces us to Celi Rivera. Like every 11-year-old, she has questions. Questions about her changing body, her first crush, and her best friend’s exploration of gender fluidity. But most of all, she has questions about her mother’s insistence that she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives — an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and their community have reclaimed and that Celi does not want to participate in.
Today, Aida and her editor, Nick Thomas, join us to discuss why this lyrical coming-of-age own-voices story is a must-read for everyone.
Additional resources
- Read more about The Moon Within
- Learn more about Aida Salazar
Guests
- Aida Salazar is a writer, arts advocate, and homeschooling mother whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. In addition to her debut, The Moon Within, she is the author of the forthcoming books The Land of the Cranes and her debut picture book, Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Revolutionary Fighter, all published by Arthur A. Levine Books. Her story "By the Light of the Moon" was adapted into a ballet production by the Sonoma Conservatory of Dance and is the first Xicana-themed ballet in history. She lives with her family of artists in a teal house in Oakland, CA.
- Nick Thomas is a senior editor with Arthur A. Levine Books.
Special thanks
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're discussing narrative nonfiction and its power to help turn young readers into critical thinkers and global citizens.
Last year, we launched the Scholastic Focus imprint, dedicated to presenting young readers with true and moving stories to help them better understand themselves and the world around them.
Today, we're talking with editorial director Lisa Sandell as well as four Scholastic Focus authors: Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Deborah Hopkinson, Robert Edsel, and Lawrence Goldstone. Listen as they tell us about their compelling new books and what they hope readers will take away.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Scholastic Focus books
- Learn more about Dark Sky Rising by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., with Tonya Bolden
- Learn more about D-Day by Deborah Hopkinson
- Learn more about The Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert Edsel
- Learn more about Unpunished Murder by Lawrence Goldstone
Guests:
- Lisa Sandell is the editorial director of Scholastic Focus.
- Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is one of the premier U.S. scholars of African-American literature and history. Gates is the head of Harvard’s African-American Studies department. He is an acclaimed author and critic who has unearthed an array of literary gems; he has also hosted PBS programs such as Africa’s Great Civilizations; Finding Your Roots; Black in Latin America; and the Emmy Award-winning series, The African-Americans: Many Rivers to Cross. Gates is the recipient of more than 50 honorary degrees and numerous prizes. He was one of the first recipients of the MacArthur genius grant in 1981. He was the first African-American scholar to be awarded the National Humanities Medal, was named to Time’s 25 Most Influential Americans list in 1997, selected for Ebony’s Power 150 list in 2009, and to Ebony’s Power 100 list in 2010 and 2012.
- Deborah Hopkinson is an award-winning author of picture books, fiction, and nonfiction. Her nonfiction titles include Shutting out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York, 1880-1924, an NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book and Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book; Titanic: Voices from the Disaster, a Sibert Medal Honor Book and YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction finalist; Courage & Defiance, Stories of Spies, Saboteurs and Survivors in World War II Denmark, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book, NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book, and a winner of the Oregon Book Award and Oregon Spirit Award; and Dive! World War II Stories of Sailors & Submarines in the Pacific, which was named an NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book and Oregon Spirit Award honor book. Deborah lives with her family near Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at deborahhopkinson.com, and follow her on Twitter at @Deborahopkinson.
- Robert Edsel is the author of three books about the Monuments Men including the #1 New York Times bestseller The Monuments Men, which Academy Award winner George Clooney adapted into a feature film in 2014, and Saving Italy, also a New York Times bestseller. In 2007 he founded the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art, which was a recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the United States’ highest honor for work in the humanities. He lives with his family in Dallas, Texas. Please visit him online at www.robertedsel.com and on Twitter at @RobertEdsel.
- Lawrence Goldstone is the author of more than twenty books for adults, including three on Constitutional Law. His first book for young readers, Higher, Steeper, Faster—The Daredevils Who Conquered the Skies, received three starred reviews and was named one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2017. Goldstone’s writing has been featured in The Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Visit his website at www.lawrencegoldstone.com.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Scholastic surveys thousands of kids and their families across the U.S. biennially for our Kids & Family Reading Report, gaining special insight into the latest trends in children’s reading habits. The first of three installments, The Rise of Read-Aloud, focuses exclusively on the practice of, you guessed it, reading aloud. We wanted to know: When do parents start reading aloud to their children? How often are they reading? What are they reading? And how do kids feel about it all?
This week, you'll hear from a literacy expert, an author, an editor, and several kids and families all about what makes the read-aloud so special, and why it's a crucial experience for kids of all ages.
Additional resources:
- See all of our findings from our Kids & Family Reading Report: The Rise of Read-Aloud
- Read more from Pam Allyn about the findings in our report
- Learn more about Sandra Magsamen
- Learn more about World Read Aloud Day from Scholastic and from LitWorld
Guests:
- Pam Allyn is the Senior Vice President, Innovation & Development at Scholastic Education. She's also a leading literacy expert, author, and motivational speaker. In 2007, she founded LitWorld, a global literacy organization serving children across the United States and in more than 60 countries, pioneering initiatives including the summer reading program LitCamp and World Read Aloud Day.
- Sandra Magsamen is the author and illustrator of many books for young children, including a number of bestselling novelty stories such as Baby Love, I Love You Little Pumpkin, and Peek-a-Boo I Love You. As an artist, an art therapist, and a mom, she uses her creativity to remind people to express themeselves and connect with others.
- Liza Baker is the vice president associate publisher of Scholastic's Cartwheel Books and Orchard Press imprints.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Bestselling author Aaron Blabey stopped by our New York offices earlier this year while on his book tour The Bad Guys: Mission to America, and we're so excited to share our conversation with you. Aaron talks about his latest Bad Guys book, The Bad Guys in Superbad, the Bad Guys movie that's currently in development with DreamWorks, and shares some insight into his creative process. He also treats us to not one, but two amazing read-alouds!
Additional resources:
- Learn more about The Bad Guys series
- Learn more about Aaron's latest picture book, I Need a Hug
- Learn more about Thelma the Unicorn
- Learn more about the Pig the Pug series
Guests:
- Aaron Blabey has written many well-loved, bestselling books for children. He has around five million books in print and is the creator of three hugely successful series for children — the New York Times bestselling The Bad Guys, Pig the Pug, and Thelma the Unicorn.
In 2018 it was announced that a movie adaptation of The Bad Guys is in development at DreamWorks Animation with Aaron serving as an Executive Producer on the project.
Aaron's books have won many awards including nine REAL Awards, an INDIE Book Award for Children's Book of the Year, a Children's Book Council of Australia — Book of the Year Award, a NSW Premiers Literary Award for Children's Literature, two Australian Book Design Awards, and a Children's Peace Literature Award.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
"I've spent my whole adult life chasing the high of a Scholastic Book Fair." - @merman_melville
"U kno when u get a whiff of something and ur like ah yes this smells exactly like the scholastic book fair of 2008 in the afternoon on octob—" - @ilovedogs123
"[wedding]'and now the groom will read his vows'me: you make every day feel like a scholastic book fair" - @elleryonline
We've seen viral post after viral post about how much people love — and love reminiscing about — the Scholastic Book Fair. But what makes it so memorable?
This week, we set out to record some of the magic.
Additional resources:
- Read Brooke Huerter's tweet
- Read Kwazi Henderson's tweet
- Learn more about Scholastic Book Fairs
Guests:
- Brooke Huerter is a sophomore at Marquette University
- Kwazi Henderson is a software engineer from Austin, Texas
- Alan Boyko is the president of Scholastic Book Fairs
- Kevin Stange is a truck driver for Scholastic Book Fairs
- Theresa Thompson is a library media specialist at Eastside Elementary School in Rogers, AR
- Nancy Holodak is the Head of the Lower School at Rumson Country Day School
- Jayne Geiger is the Head of School at Rumson Country Day School
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
- Edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
- Produced by Emily Morrow
There are many ways to create a book desert — an area where a child has little or no access to books. Maybe a school's budget cuts lead to closure of the library. Maybe a neighborhood bookstore closes. Maybe the closest public library is too far away to reach by public transportation.
Whatever the cause, the problem is clear: Too many children in the U.S. lack access to books.
This week, we're talking with literacy advocates Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp about how crucial access is. It's a topic they address in their new book for K-8 educators, Game Changer!
Donalyn and Colby discuss how access to a wide variety of texts, choice in what to read, and time to read are “game changers” for the lives of all children, enhancing academic achievement while shaping kids’ understanding of themselves and their world. They also offer practical ways that educators and families can make small changes that can enrich their readers' lives in major ways.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Game Changer!
- Learn more about The Nerdy Book Club
- Learn more about Nerd Camp
- Learn more about Donalyn Miller
- Learn more about Colby Sharp
Guests:
- Donalyn Miller is a leading expert on independent reading, children’s literature, and the author of two bestsellers, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild. She is founder of the annual #bookaday event, co-founder with Colby Sharp of The Nerdy Book Club, and co-host of the monthly Twitter chat, #titletalk. Her articles have appeared in Education Week Teacher, The Reading Teacher, Educational Leadership, The Washington Post, and other prominent periodicals.
- Colby Sharp, a fifth-grade teacher at Parma Elementary School in Parma, Michigan, is co-founder of Nerd Camp and The Nerdy Book Club. He co-hosts the monthly twitter chats #sharpschu (with John Schumacher) and #titletalk (with Donalyn Miller), and, with Travis Jonker, The Yarn Podcast. He is the editor of The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Students across the U.S. have shown the power and importance of news articles in the classroom. Moved by the resilience of their peers and a desire to help, kids—supported by their teachers—have developed student-led activism initiatives to raise awareness and funding for the causes they’ve read about in Scholastic Classroom Magazines such as Storyworks® for grades 4–6 and Scholastic Scope® for grades 6–8.
This week, we're talking with Lauren Tarshis, editor-in-chief and publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines, and Kristin Lewis, editorial director of Scholastic Classroom Magazines, about how they craft the stories that inspire students to become changemakers.
We'll also hear from a third grade teacher in Cleveland, OH, about how her Scholastic News readers have made a real difference at their school with anti-bullying and recycling efforts.
Additional resources:
- Sign up for a free trial of Scholastic Classroom Magazines
- Read the Scope article "Thirst" that inspired students to raise money to build clean-water wells
- Read the Storyworks article “Two Miles for a Drink of Water,” which shared Natalia's story with younger readers
- Read the Storyworks article "Deadliest Animal" that inspired students to raise money for mosquito nets
- Read the Scope article "Can She be Saved" that inspired students to adopt an elephant
Guests
- Lauren Tarshis is the senior vice president and editor-in-chief/publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines. She's also the author of the bestselling I Survived series.
- Kristin Lewis is the editorial director of Scholastic Classroom Magazines and the editor of Scholastic Scope
- Robin Allen-Palmore is a third grade teacher at Bolton Elementary School in Cleveland, OH.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Alex Gino about what it means to be an ally.
Alex is the author of the award-winning book George, about a transgender girl who wants the world to see her the way she sees herself. We talk with them about the importance of that message, as well as the messages readers will find in their latest book, You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!, about a girl who learns to be an ally, a sister, and a friend, understanding that life works in different ways for different people.
Guest:
- Alex Gino loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. George was their first novel. George was a winner of the Children's Stonewall Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Children's Choice Book Awards, among a host of others. George was also featured on several Best of the Year lists. For more about Alex, please visit alexgino.com.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about George
- Learn more about You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P!
- Learn more about Alex Gino
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Jarrett J. Krosoczka about his graphic novel memoir for young adults, Hey,* Kiddo***.
The memoir, which has been longlisted for the National Book Award, follows Jarrett's childhood: His mother was a heroin addict who was in and out of rehab, so he was raised by his grandparents — loud, opinionated, but loving people who struggled with their own demons. In the midst of it all, he found art.
We also hear from Kim Tranell, executive editor, Scholastic Classroom Magazines, about ways she has covered topics of addiction—specifically, the opioid crisis—in Choices magazine for teen readers.
If you're planning to share this episode with young listeners, please note that it includes some mature themes, including drug use.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
- Read the profile of Jarrett J. Krosoczka in The New York Times
- Learn more about Jarrett J. Krosoczka's other work
- Learn more about Choices magazine
- Learn more about Scholastic Classroom Magazines
Guests:
- Jarrett J. Krosoczka is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator who has published dozens of books, including the Lunch Lady graphic novels, the Platypus Police Squad middle grade novels, and arcs in the Star Wars: Jedi Academy series. He was first published when he was only twenty-three years old. Jarrett's TED Talk about his childhood has been viewed over a million times and can be found on his website, www.studiojjk.com.
- Kim Tranell is an executive editor of Scholastic Classroom Magazines overseeing Scholastic Action and Choices.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
From editorial and art direction to publicity, marketing, sales, and legal — publishing the Harry Potter series involved a dedicated team across all divisions at Scholastic. In the third and final installment of our special Harry Potter series, we're talking with some of the people who have helped bring the books to life over the last twenty years.
Our guests include:
- Arthur A. Levine,publisher of Arthur A. Levine books and the American editor of the Harry Potter series
- David Saylor, creative director
- Rachel Coun, vice president of marketing and brand management
- Kris Moran, director of publicity at Scholastic in 1998
- Mark Seidenfeld, vice president and deputy general counsel
- Lizette Serrano, executive director of educational marketing and event strategy
- Roz Hilden, sales representative
Additional resources:
- Listen to part 1 of our series: The Harry Potter Fandom
- Listen to part 2 of our series: The Artists of Harry Potter
- Watch our special video commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Harry Potter series in the U.S.
- See an archive of photos and videos from the last 20 years of Harry Potter magic
- Want more behind-the-scenes trivia? Read these 20 fun facts about the Harry Potter series
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
In part two of our special Harry Potter series, we're talking with some of the illustrators who have brought Harry to life over the last 20 years, including: Mary GrandPré, the illustrator of the original U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series; Brian Selznick, the illustrator of the 20th anniversary edition covers; and Jim Kay, the artist behind the fully illustrated editions.
Each artist will talk about what it was like to join the Harry Potter universe and bring to life their vision of the Boy Who Lived.
Additional resources:
- Listen to part 1 of our series: The Harry Potter Fandom
- Listen to part 3 of our series: The Making of Harry Potter
- See Mary GrandPré's illustration for the original U.S. cover of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- See Brian Selznick's cover art for the 20th anniversary editions of the Harry Potter series
- See some of Jim Kay's artwork from the fully illustrated editions
Guests:
- Mary GrandPré has illustrated over 20 picture books, but she is perhaps best known for her illustrations on the Harry Potter books. She has also worked as the conceptual artist on Dreamwork’s animated film "Antz” and on Blue Sky Studios’ animated film “Ice Age.”
- Brian Selznick is the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning movie Hugo, and Wonderstruck, adapted by celebrated filmmaker Todd Haynes, with a screenplay by Selznick; as well as The Marvels. His books have garnered countless accolades worldwide, and have been translated into more than 35 languages.
- Jim Kay won the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2012 for his illustrations in A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Jim studied illustration at the University of Westminster and since graduating has worked in the Archives of Tate Britain and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Jim has produced concept work for television and contributed to a group exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He now lives and works in Northamptonshire, England, with his wife and a rescued greyhound.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
In September 1998, Scholastic published Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, introducing U.S. readers to the orphaned boy living in a cupbord under the stairs. Since then, the Harry Potter series has become a global phenomenon, selling more than 500 million copies, translated into more than 80 languages, and adapted into eight blockbuster films.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, we're hosting a series of special episodes. Over the next few weeks, we'll talk with some of the extraordinary illustrators behind the stories, as well as Scholastic employees who were with Harry from the very beginning.
But first, we're going to talk about the fandom. This week, you'll hear from fans themselves about what Harry Potter means to them. You'll also hear from two librarians who are bringing the books to new generations of readers every day.
Additional resources:
- Listen to part 2: The Artists of Harry Potter
- Listen to part 3: The Making of Harry Potter
- Watch our special video commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Harry Potter series in the U.S.
- Learn more about the 20th anniversary editions of the Harry Potter series with cover art by Brian Selznick
Guests:
- Eti Berland is a youth and teen services librarian at Lincolnwood Public Library in Illinois.
- Robin Brenner is the teen librarian at the Public Library of Brookline in Massachusetts.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
David Shannon is the creator of more than 30 picture books including A Bad Case of Stripes and the beloved David books: No, David!, David Gets in Trouble, David Goes to School, and It's Christmas, David. This week, he joins us in conversation about his latest book, Grow Up, David! (available in both English and Spanish)
Coming 20 years after the first publication of the Caldecott Honor book No, David!, Grow Up, David! introduces David's big brother and follows our trouble-making hero from one antic to the next in an effort to win his brother's approval.
David talks about just how autobiographical the David books are, why No, David! was such a departure for him, and some of his favorite moments from the last 20 years.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Grow Up, David!
- Learn more about David Shannon
Guest:
- David Shannon is the internationaly acclaimed creator of more than 30 picture books, including No, David!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and four more David picture books. Shannon's other bestsellers include A Bad Case of Stripes, Duck on a Bike, and Too Many Toys! He lives in Southern California with his family.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Jeff Smith broke ground with the graphic novelization of his long-running comic, BONE. Now, he's introducing the beloved cousins from Boneville to a younger audience with his first picture book, Smiley's Dream Book.
This week, we sit down with Jeff to talk about writing a picture book, the cartoonists who inspire him, and why he'll never say you shouldn't doodle on your math homework.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Smiley's Dream Book
- Learn more about Graphix, Scholastic's graphic novel imprint
- Learn more about Jeff Smith
- Follow Graphix on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr
Guests:
- Jeff Smith is the award-winning creator of the New York Times bestselling BONE series. This epic story about three Bone cousins lost in a valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures is loved by readers young and old, and was named by Time as one of the top ten graphic novels of all time. Today, there are millions of BONE books in print in the United States, and they have been translated into thirty languages worldwide. Smith started drawing stories about the BONE characters before the age of ten. In 1991, he launched the comic book BONE and began to create the serialized epic fantasy story that was eventually published in nine volumes. Smith was the subject of a documentary called "The Cartoonist: Jeff Smith, BONE, and the Changing Face of Comics." Smith lives (and dreams) in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Vijaya Iyer.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we’re talking with award-winning author Cornelia Funke, author of beloved books like the Inkheart series, The Thief Lord, and Dragon Rider. After many years, Cornelia is returning to the Dragon Rider world with the long-anticipated sequel, The Griffin’s Feather, out July 31.
We’re also joined in the studio by Cornelia’s editor, Barry Cunningham. Barry is the founder and publisher of Chicken House, and the acquiring editor of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK. He talks about what he looks for in a manuscript, and the advice he gives aspiring writers.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Dragon Rider #2: The Griffin's Feather
- Listen to our earlier episode with Barry Cunningham: "Barry Cunningham and M.G. Leonard talk books (and beetles!)"
- Learn more about Chicken House
Guests:
- Cornelia Funke is one of today’s most beloved writers of magical stories for children. She is the author of The Thief Lord, Dragon Rider, Inkheart, Inkspell, the Ghosthunters series, When Santa Fell to Earth, and Igraine the Brave. She lives with her family in Los Angeles, California, in a house full of books.
- Barry Cunningham is the founder of Chicken House, a lively and creative company publishing highly original and enjoyable children’s books, with a special emphasis on new fiction. Chicken House launched in the US in 2001 and marked its 15th anniversary here this past summer. Barry is also known for signing up J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while at Bloomsbury. Together with Chicken House and Scholastic, Barry is proud to have brought the voices of five-time New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord; Dragon Rider; the Inkheart trilogy), Printz Honor Award-winning Lucy Christopher (Stolen), Kevin Brooks (Martyn Pig; Lucas; Candy), Rachel Ward (Numbers trilogy), Cathryn Constable (The Wolf Princess), and M.G. Leonard (Beetle Boy) to the world.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
We are a nation of immigrants. And they have stories to tell. Today, we invite you to listen to stories from authors and illustrators who are creating work that shares the immigrant experience and what it means to leave your home in search of a better life.
Featured authors:
- Kelly Yang, author of Front Desk
- Edwidge Danticat, author of Untwine
- Alan Gratz, author of Refugee
- Sayantani DasGupta, author of The Serpent's Secret
- Rashin Kheiriyeh, author of Saffron Ice Cream
- Carmen Agra Deedy, author of The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!
Additional resources:
- See the note from Kelly Yang's teacher about promoting her to second grade
- See a photo of the dress Carmen Agra Deedy wore when her family left Cuba
- Listen to Edwidge Danticat on the Scholastic Reads, podcast episode #18: "Edwidge Danticat: Beating the Darkness"
- Listen to Alan Gratz on the Scholastic Reads podcast, episode #42: "Telling the Stories of Refugees"
- Listen to Sayantani DasGupta on the Scholastic Reads podcast, episode #58: "Sayantani DasGupta and The Serpent's Secret"
- Listen to Carmen Agra Deedy on the Scholastic Reads podcast, episode #32: "The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet: Giving Children a Voice"
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
As video games continue to captivate kids around the world, Scholastic AFK—or "Away From Keyboard"—books aim to harness that gaming passion, and convert it into a literacy tool.
To learn more about this initiative, we sat down with Michael Petranek, an executive editor at Scholastic, and Matthew J. Kirby, the author of the Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants series.
They tell us about what they love about gaming as well as some of the many benefits these books provide to growing readers: they encourage time away from screens, while also supporting reading and literacy by keeping fans engaged in the worlds they love.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about AFK
- See all of our AFK books
- Learn more about Matthew J. Kirby
- Read more about the study around Assassin's Creed Discover Mode
Guests:
- Michael Petranek is an executive editor at Scholastic
- Matthew J. Kirby is the author of Last Descendants: An Assassin's Creed Novel Series
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Several months ago, we asked authors of different cultures, races, abilities, genders and orientations to tell us about the first time they saw themselves in the pages of a book. (You can listen to that episode here.)
We expected the answer. We knew it was coming. But still, it tore at us: Over and over, these authors said, "I didn't. I didn't see myself."
At Scholastic, we are proud to publish books that give allchildren the chance to see themselves as heroes. But we know that we still have work to do. And part of that work is listening.
So, this week, in celebration of Pride Month, we are spotlighting some of our LGBTQ+ authors who are writing to fill the void they felt growing up.
Contributing authors:
- Bill Konigsberg, author of Honestly Ben
- Sarah Moon, author of Sparrow
- Alex Gino, author of George
- Kody Keplinger, author of Run
- Will Walton, author of I Felt a Funeral In My Brain
- Jessica Verdi, author of And She Was
- Billy Merrell, author of Vanilla
Additional resources:
- Listen to episode #50: I Exist: Why Representation in Children's Books Matters
- Learn more about Scholastic's #ReadWithPride campaign
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Research shows that when children and their families have the resources they need to read throughout the summer, fewer students experience a loss of skills while school is out. This week, we're talking with two experts about ways they work to keep books in the hands of their students all summer long, and the incredible results they've seen as a result of their focus on summer reading.
First, we talk with Jennifer Boren, a library media specialist in Collierville, Tennessee. Jennifer talks about her experience with the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, the importance of representation in children's books, and some of the accomplishments of her summer readers. We also hear from a few of Jennifer's students about why they love to read!
Later, we talk with Ansel Sanders, president and CEO of Public Education Partners in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2016 and 2017, PEP collaborated with Scholastic to measure the impact of their award-winning Make Summer Count initiative to eliminate summer reading loss. The results were incredibly positive: 78% of participating students maintained or increased their reading level from spring to fall.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge
- Read more about the summer reading research from Greenville, SC, and Stoughton, MA
- See some of the key data from Make Summer Count 2017
- Read the executive summary for Make Summer Count 2017
- Read the White Paper for Make Summer Count 2017
Guests:
- Jennifer Boren is the Library Media Specialist at Bailey Station Elementary and has worked in public education for sixteen years. She is Apple Teacher certified and serves her school district as the Lead Library Media Specialist and Vanguard Coach for Collierville Schools. In addition to reading avidly, traveling, and spending time with her family, she works as a freelance writer for Memphis Parent Magazine and blogs at https://bookjabber.wordpress.com
- Ansel Sanders is President and CEO of Public Education Partners (PEP), an education fund that incubates innovative pracitces and positions the community to advocate for excellent public education in Greenville, South Carolina.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're taking a look at the maker movement. What does a makerspace look like? Why are libraries considered the perfect place to host a makerspace? And what does being a maker mean, anyway?
First, we talk with Kristina Holzweiss, a media specialist at Bay Shore Middle School in New York who is spearheading the maker movement across Long Island. Later, we sit down with two Scholastic employees who have helped create the Klutz Maker Lab line of products, which include DIY gumball machines and remote control racecars!
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Klutz Maker Lab
- Learn more about SLIME (Students of Long Island Maker Expo)
- Learn more about Long Island LEADS
- Read about Kristina Holzweiss' nomination as a Library Journal Mover and Shaker
- Learn about makerspace books by Kristina Holzweiss
- Follow Kristina Holzweiss on Twitter
- Follow Klutz on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
Guests:
- Kristina Holzweiss is the school library media specialist at Bay Shore Middle School, as well as the founder of Students of Long Island Maker Expo and Long Island LEADS. She is also the author of two makerspace-themed series with Scholastic Library Publishing. In 2015, she was named the School Librarian of the Year by School Library Journal and Scholastic.
- Netta Rabin is the vice president of product development at Klutz.
- Owen Keating is a senior packaging designer at Klutz.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Varian Johnson, author of the new middle grade book The Parker Inheritance.
Varian talks about his inspiration for the book, the research it took to dig back into his own hometown’s past, and about social justice — how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.
About The Parker Inheritance:
The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It's waiting for Candice Miller. When Candice finds the letter, she isn't sure she should read it. It's addressed to her grandmother, who left Lambert in shame. But the letter describes a young woman. An injustice that happened decades ago. A mystery enfolding the letter-writer. And the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle. So with the help of Brandon Jones, the quiet boy across the street, she begins to decipher the clues. The challenge will lead them deep into Lambert's history, full of ugly deeds, forgotten heroes, and one great love; and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets. Can they find the fortune and fulfill the letter's promise before the answers slip into the past yet again?
Additional resources:
- More about The Parker Inheritance
- More about Varian Johnson
- Read the essay Varian Johnson wrote for Nerdy Book Club about his experience with police
Guests:
- Varian Johnson is the author of nine novels, including The Parker Inheritance, which received four starred reviews and was named a Junior Library Guild selection and a Spring 2018 Kids’ Indie Next List pick among other accolades. His middle grade caper novel, The Great Greene Heist, has been named to over twenty-five state reading and best-of lists. In addition, Varian has written for the Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts middle-grade fantasy series as well as novels and short stories for YA audiences.
Varian was born in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. He later received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is honored to now be a member of the faculty. Varian lives outside of Austin, TX with his family.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we introduce you to some of the incredible members of Scholastic News Kids Press Corps!
Each year, 10- to 14-year-olds from around the world are selected to participate in this award-winning program. These young journalists report news for kids, by kids, covering breaking stories, sports events, entertainment, and more from their hometowns and on the global stage. Since the application process is now open for next year, we asked some of our reporters to tell us about their favorite assignments.
We'll find out what our Kid Reporters have learned from their experiences, which range from covering the Westminster Dog Show in New York City to child labor in India.
Know a kid with a nose for news? The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is accepting applications through May 31, 2018. Find out more details and apply here!
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
- Read recent stories by Kid Reporters
- Read Amelia Poor's stories
- Read Rohan Saketh Devulapalli's stories
- Read Owen Osborne's stories
- Read Lilian Jochmann's stories
- Read Nolan Pastore's stories
- Read Helen Hong's stories
- Read Ryan Stoltz's stories
- Apply to join the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
Guests:
- Amelia Poor is a 12-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from New York. Amelia joined Kids Press in 2017.
- Rohan Saketh Devulapalli is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from South India. Rohan joined Kids Press in 2017.
- Owen Osborne is a 10-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Louisiana. Owen joined Kids Press in 2017.
- Lilian Jochmann is a 14-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Wisconsin. Lilian joined Kids Press in 2016.
- Nolan Pastore is an 11-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Ohio. Nolan joined Kids Press in 2017.
- Helen Hong is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Australia. Helen joined Kids Press in 2017.
- Ryan Stoltz is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Minnesota. Ryan joined Kids Press in 2014.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound engineering by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
April 4, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor his life and legacy, we're sitting down with Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, the author and illustrator behind Martin Rising: Requiem for a King Andrea and Brian share how they were inspired to create the book, which is a combination of poetry and colorful artwork; how they work together as husband and wife creators; how their own lives were impacted by King's work; and the message of hope and empowerment they hope their young readers take from the book.
Additional resources:
- More information about Martin Rising
Guests:
- Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney have made an outstanding contribution to the field of children's literature both as individuals and as a team. Between them, they have published more than seventy children's books that have received the highest awards and accolades, including Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Honors, NAACP Image Award nominations, and the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award, to name a few. To learn more, please visit andreadavispinkney.com and brianpinkney.net
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Did a beloved teacher ever read aloud to your class when you were a kid? Did a friend or relative ever hand you a book that became a lifelong favorite? That's what we're talking about today—the magic of reading role models, individuals who play a crucial role in helping kids succeed.
First, we talk with Malcolm Mitchell, the author of the picture book The Magician's Hat, the founder of Read With Malcolm, AND a Super Bowl winning football player with the New England Patriots. Malcolm talks about his personal struggle with reading as a kid, and how that's motivated him to show kids how important—and wonderful—books can be.
We then move from football to basketball, as we sit down with with Marc Davis, an NBA Referee who participates in a program called TIMEOUT for Reading, a collaboration between Scholastic and the NBA Referee Association in which referees read aloud and disribute books to sixth grade classrooms.
Finally, Greg Worrell, the president of Scholastic Education, joins us to talk about his experience with Houston Real Men Read and how he met his mentee.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about The Magician's Hat by Malcolm Mitchell
- Learn more about Read with Malcolm, Malcolm Mitchell's youth literacy foundation
- Learn about the NBRA
Guests:
- Malcolm Mitchell helped the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl in his rookie season and was named to the 2017 NFL All-Rookie Team. Mitchell was drafted by the Patriots after a standout career at the University of Georgia. Mitchell is also an author and crusader for children’s literacy. Mitchell self-published a children’s book, The Magician’s Hat, about a boy who knows the magical power of books, which earned him Georgia Children's Author of the Year in 2016. Malcolm founded a youth literacy initiative called Read with Malcolm. Mitchell currently serves as the New England Patriots “Summer Reading Ambassador”, to encourage students to read as much as possible during the critical summer months.
- Marc Davis has been an NBA official for the past 20 seasons, working 1,156 regular season games, 105 playoff games, and nine finals games in his NBA career. Davis also worked the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Davis is active in the Chicago community where he grew up and is an avid outdoorsman.
- Greg Worrell oversees Scholastic Education, which partners with schools and districts to empower educators and to raise achievement for all students by providing a complete literacy program, print and digital instructional materials, and professional services for educators and family engagement. Greg is the recipient of the 2011 Upton Sinclair Award, which recognizes educational leaders who have gone above and beyond the call of duty ensuring that children around the globe succeed.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, the nation's attention has shifted to the issue of school safety. But how do we reassure children after traumatic events? Our guests this week offer advice for parents and educators on helping kids cope with fear and anxiety. First, we speak with Dr. Jamie Howard, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, who shares some of the unique ways that children experience and express trauma. We also talk with Julie Ballew, a fifth-grade teacher from Houston, Texas, who helped her students rebuild a sense of community after Hurricane Harvey devastated their city.
Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.
Additional Resources:
- Read the full message from Richard Robinson, Scholastic Chairman and CEO, on the subject of school safety
- Get more resources from Scholastic on responding to violence and tragedy
- Read Julie Ballew's post about her "Rise Up" classroom project
- Read more about the Child Mind Institute
- See Julie Ballew's Top Teaching bog posts
- Listen to "Rise Up" by Andra Day
Guests:
- Dr. Jamie Howard is a clinical psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute and the director of the Center’s Trauma and Resilience Service. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders in children and adolescents, and has expertise in treating post-traumatic stress and adjustment disorders across the lifespan.
- Julie Ballew is a fifth grade language arts and social studies teacher in Houston, Texas. She is in her 12th year in education, including six years as a literacy coach.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Sayantani DasGupta, the author of the forthcoming middle grade fantasy novel The Serpent's Secret, in which sixth grader Kiranmala discovers she's a princess...and an interdemensional demon slayer! Sayantani talks with her 13-year-old daughter, Sunaya, who is a Scholastic News Kids Press Corps reporter, and tells us about her childhood ask a daughter of immigrants, as well as her love of storytelling, folktales, science, and Madeleine L'Engle.
Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about The Serpent's Secret
- Learn more about Sayantani DasGupta
- Get more information about the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
Guest:
- Sayantani DasGupta grew up hearing stories about brave princesses, bloodthirsty rakkhosh and flying pakkhiraj horses. She is a pediatrician by training, but now teaches at Columbia University. When she's not writing or reading, Sayantani spends time watching cooking shows with her trilingual children and protecting her black Labrador Retriever Khushi from the many things that scare him, including plastic bags. She is a team member of We Need Diverse Books, and can be found online at www.sayantanidasgupta.com and on Twitter at @sayantani16
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with creators who saw a void in the marketplace: books with black girls as the heroines. Marley Dias, a 13-year-old from New Jersey who has been hailed as someone who "could be president in 30 years" by InStyle, is the founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks hashtag andthe ensuing movement. We talk with her about her own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You and Suzanne gets a little hosting help from Scholastic News Kid Reporter Titus Smith, III.
Later on, we sit down with Kelly Greenawalt and Amariah Rauscher, the creators of the indomitable, inventive, and adorable Princess Truly. Kelly tells us that she started writing the Princess Truly picture books for her own daughter who was once told by a classmate that her curls weren't "magical princess hair."
Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Marley Dias Gets it Done: And So Can You
- Learn more about Marley Dias and her campaign #1000BlackGirlBooks
- Learn more about Princess Truly
Guests:
- Marley Dias made headlines as a sixth grader when she started the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign to collect children's books featuring black protagonists. Her initiative led to appearances on The Nightly Show, Today, CBS This Morning, and many more. Marley has been featured in the New York Times, has been recognized as a "21 under 21" ambassador for Teen Vogue, is an editor in residence for Elle.com, and launched a national literacy tour in partnership with the White House. Marley lives in New Jersey with her parents.
- Kelly Greenawalt is a children's book author, wife, and mother of five living just outside Houston, Texas. Princess Truly was inspired by her daughters, Calista and Kaia, who are smart and spunky, and who have magical curls of their own.
- Amariah Rauscher is an artist and illustrator specializing in watercolor illustration. She lives with her husband and children in Illinois.
Special thanks:
- Hosts: Suzanne McCabe and Titus Smith III
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Christopher Paul Curtis, the author of many beloved, award-winning books for young readers including The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 and Bud, Not Buddy. He's joining us via Skype from his home in Canada to talk about his newest book, The Journey of Little Charlie, the latest installment in the Buxton Chronicles. Christopher talks about his love of history, his childhood in Flint, MI, and why humor is a crucial element of his heart-wrenching books.
Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.
Additional resources:
- Read more about The Journey of Little Charlie
- Watch Christopher Paul Curtis talk about The Journey of Little Charlie
- Read a review of The Journey of Little Charlie
- Discover more works by Christopher Paul Curtis
Guests:
- Christopher Paul Curtis was awarded both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor for his debut book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, and won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award for his second book, Bud, Not Buddy. Mr. Curtis is also the author of the Golden Kite Award-winning Bucking the Sarge, as well as The Mighty Miss Malone, and two previous books in The Buxton Chronicles: The Madman of Piney Woods, and the Newbery Honor book Elijah of Buxton.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Happy holidays! We're kicking this episode off by looking ahead to 2018: Three Scholastic Book Clubs editors share their predictions for five trends we're going to see in children's books in 2018. We also take a trip to the annual Scholastic Employee Holiday Book Fair and talk with some of our colleagues about what books are on their must-buy list this holiday season. (Spoiler alert: Everyone wants the Harry Potter illustrated editions!)
Additional Resources:
- See the complete list of trends Scholastic Book Clubs editors predict we'll see in 2018 plus additional book recommendations
- Learn more about the Harry Potter illustrated editions with art by Jim Kay
- See the Book Boys' music video, "Jump Around"
- See the Scholastic Book Clubs Dollar Deal of the week
Guests:
- Darcy Evans, Jaewon Oh, and Lori Wieczorek are editorial managers with Scholastic Book Clubs.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
With Star Wars fever running high, we are talking with Jarrett Krosoczka this week, the author and illustrator of the two latest books in the Star Wars: Jedi Academy series, A New Class and The Force Oversleeps! Jarrett talks about how he got his start in children's publishing and what it's been like to take over the helm at Jedi Academy. He also shares a little bit about his forthcoming graphic novel memoir, Hey, Kiddo, which is due out in Fall 2018.
As Yoda would say, "Listen, you must!"
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the Star Wars: Jedi Academy series
- Read the announcement for Hey, Kiddo
- Watch Jarrett's 2012 TED Talk
- See more of Jarrett's work
Guests:
- Jarrett Krosoczka is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of the Children’s Choice Book Award for the Third to Fourth Grade Book of the Year, an Eisner award nominee, and is the author and/or illustrator of more than thirty books for young readers. His work includes several picture books, select volumes of Star Wars: Jedi Academy, the Lunch Lady graphic novels, and Platypus Police Squad novel series. Jarrett has given two TED Talks, both of which have been curated to the main page of TED.com and have collectively accrued more than two million views online. He is also the host of The Book Report with JJK on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, a weekly segment celebrating books, authors, and reading. Jarrett lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and children, and their pugs, Ralph and Fran.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking (and singing!) with Julia Donaldson, the 2011-2013 Children's Laureate in the UK and the author of more than 140 books for children including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and most recently, Zog and the Flying Doctors.
In this episode, Julia and her husband, Malcolm, share part of their song "Zog and the Flying Doctors," and Julia talks with us about her passion for storytelling, her love of libraries, and why she decided to write a feminist princess.
Resources:
- Learn more about Julia Donaldson
- Learn more about Zog and the Flying Doctors
- Watch Julia Donaldson perform her song "A Squash and a Squeeze"
Guest:
- Julia Donaldson has over 140 titles to her credit. Her work includes critically acclaimed titles such as Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Princess and the Wizard, The Dinosaur's Diary, and The Giants and the Joneses. Julia came from a musical background. Her father played the cello and her mother loved to sing. Julia and her sister were in a Children's Opera Group and from an early age, she wrote musical plays for her friends and family to perform. Her first book, A Squash and a Squeeze, was based on one of her television songs. "It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did," says Julia. She lives with her family in Glasgow, Scotland.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking about civics education. At a time when our republic feels particularly unsettled, we’re asking: What do students know about their government? What SHOULD they know? Teachers tell us that there is a critical need for materials that help students understand their role in a democracy and as citizens of the world—whether the lesson is understanding the three branches of government, spotting fake news, or simply learning how to disagree respectfully, teachers of all grade levels are having civics-related discussions almost daily.
In this episode, we sit down with four of our Scholastic Classroom Magazines editors to talk about how they help teachers bring civics into the classroom. We also talk with a fourth-grade teacher from New York about the types of lessons she's sharing with her students.
Additional Resources:
- Explore We the People, the Scholastic Magazines' site for civics and media literacy resources
- Read Civics for Middle and High School Students on edu@scholastic
- Read They Want to Know!: Civics for Upper-Elementary Students on edu@scholastic
- Read Teaching Civics in Early-Grade Magazines on edu@scholastic
- Learn more about Scholastic News
- Learn more about Junior Scholastic
- Learn more about The New York Times Upfront
Guests:
- Steph Smith is the editorial director of Scholastic News.
- Mary Kate Frank is the Deputy Editor of Junior Scholastic.
- Ian Zack is the Executive Editor of The New York Times Upfront.
- Laine Falk is an Editorial Director for Scholastic News.
- Gail Sider is a fourth-grade teacher at Hutchinson Elementary School in Pelham, New York.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're taking you with us to the Queens Museum as we attend a special event honoring the Panorama of the City of New York exhibit — a miniature model of New York City that was built for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. The exhibit plays a pivotal role in Brian Selznick's bestselling novel Wonderstruck, as well as its recent movie adaptation. We talk with Brian about Wonderstruck and what it was like to see his novel come to life on the big screen. Later in the episode, we also hear from Louise Weinberg, curator and archives manager from the Queens Museum, who will share some of the history of the Panorama.
Additional Resources:
- Read more about Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
- Watch the trailer for "Wonderstruck"
- Read more about the Panorama of the City of New York
Guests:
- Brian Selznick is the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the New York Times bestsellers The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning Hugo; Wonderstruck, adapted into Todd Haynes’s eponymous movie; and The Marvels. Among the celebrated picture books Selznick has illustrated are the Caldecott Honor Book The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, and the Sibert Honor Book When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan. His books appear in over 35 languages. He has also worked as a bookseller, a puppeteer, and a screenwriter. He divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and San Diego, California.
- Louise Weinberg is a curator and archives manager at the Queens Museum
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
"I stopped reading books that had humans in them after Harriet [the Spy] because I knew there wouldn't be any humans like me," — Sarah Moon, author of Sparrow.
At Scholastic, we're proud to publish authors of different backgrounds, cultures, races, abilities, and orientations. But we also know that many of our authors have felt the same way Sarah did as a child. Like her, many felt that they didn't exist in children's books when they were growing up. And like her, many are now writing to change that for future generations. We invited them to share their stories and to talk about why representation in children's books is so crucial. These stories will break your heart, but they will also give you hope: hope that today's children will never doubt that they can be the heroes of their own stories.
Contributing authors:
- Daniel José Older, author of the Shadowshaper series
- Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of books like This is Just a Test and The Way Home Looks Now
- Billy Merrell, author of Vanilla
- Kody Keplinger, author of Run
- Lamar Giles, author of Overturned
- Sarah Moon, author of Sparrow
- Goldy Moldovsky, author of No Good Deed
- Varian Johnson, author of To Catch a Cheat
- Angela Cervantes, author of Allie, First at Last
- Bill Konigsberg, author of Honestly Ben
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking myths, magic and metaphors with bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater, whose newest novel, All the Crooked Saints, will be in stores on October 10. Maggie is joined in the studio by her editor, David Levithan, as well as some extra special guests: her dad and her brother! Later in the episode, we'll also talk with Booklist editor Daniel Kraus about Booklist's 50 Best YA Books of All Time list, which just so happens to include Maggie's New York Times bestselling series The Raven Cycle.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about All the Crooked Saints
- Read an excerpt from All the Crooked Saints
- See Booklist's 50 Best YA Books of All Time
Guests:
- Entertainment Weekly has called Maggie Stiefvater, “one of the finest YA novelists writing today.” Maggie Stiefvater is a writer, artist, and musician and a New York Timesbestselling author. Her work includes the Shiver series, The Raven Cycle series, The Scorpio Races, and many more books for young readers. Stiefvater lives in Virginia with her family. You can visit her online at www.maggiestiefvater.com and follow her on Twitter @mstiefvater.
- Daniel Kraus is Booklist's Editor of Books for Youth. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielDKraus.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're joined in the studio by Daniel José Older, author of the New York Times bestselling Shadowshaper, an urban fantasy for young adults that follows the adventures of Sierra Santiago, a Brooklyn teen with supernatural powers. Daniel is also a musician, an artist, and a former paramedic. We're talking with him about his latest book,Shadowhouse Fall, and about his efforts to bring more diversity to children's literature.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Shadowshaper and Shadowhouse Fall
- Learn more about Daniel José Older
- Find Daniel José Older on Twitter
Guests:
- Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Research tells us that when families are engaged in their children's learning, great things happen. But what does it look like when families and educators are working together? To find out, we're talking with Dr. Karen L. Mapp from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (and co-author of Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success). We'll also hear from Dana McDonough, the 2016 New York State Teacher of the Year, who shares ways that she works to engage her students' families and the community at large in her classroom.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the importance of family and community engagement from our Teacher & Principal School Report
- Learn more about Dr. Mapp's new book, Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success
Guests:
- Dr. Karen L. Mapp is a senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Faculty Director of the Education Policy and Management Master’s Program. She is also co-author of the new book for educators Powerful Partnerships: A Teacher’s Guide to Engaging Families for Student Success.
- Dana McDonough is the 2016 State Teacher of the Year from New York. She is a district literacy specialist in Newburgh, NY.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we’re excited to share another short episode full of read-alouds with you! Here at Scholastic, we know that reading aloud with your child is one of the most important things you can do to, and it shouldn’t stop once they can read on their own. According to data from our recent Kids and Family Reading Report, the frequency of reading aloud drops off significantly after children turn 5, and again after they turn 8. But kids between the ages of 6 and 11 overwhelmingly reported that they still enjoy being read to! In the spirit of those findings, this week, we’re sharing five read-alouds for your 8- to 12-year-old.
Additional Resources:
- More information about the Dog Man series
- Listen to our episode with Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Dog Man
- More information about Beetle Boy by M. G. Leonard
- Listen to our episode with M. G. Leonard, the author of Beetle Boy
- More information about the Horizon series
- Listen to our episode with Scott Westerfeld, the author of Horizon
- More information about Refugee by Alan Gratz
- Listen to our episode with Alan Gratz, the author of Refugee
- More information about Pam Muñoz Ryan
- Listen to our episode with Pam Muñoz Ryan
- See more data around the importance of reading aloud
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we have something special — and a little different. We know from research that reading aloud is one of the best ways to turn kids into lifelong readers, and over the past 40 plus episodes, we’ve asked A LOT of talented authors to read aloud from their work. Today, we’ve stitched our picture book read-alouds together into one short episode that’s perfect for your 3- to 8-year-old!
We’ll also hear from Tara Welty, editor-in-chief of Scholastic Teacher, about their 50 Brilliant Books for Summer List.
Additional Resources:
- More information about The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!
- Listen to our episode with Carmen Agra Deedy, author of The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!
- More information about Happy Dreamer
- Listen to our episode with Peter H. Reynolds, author of Happy Dreamer
- More information about The Princess and the Pony
- Listen to our episode with Kate Beaton, author of The Princess and the Pony
- Learn more about A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- More information about Julia Donaldson and Zog and the Flying Doctors
- Scholastic Teacher's 50 Brilliant Books for Summer
- See more data around the importance of reading aloud
Guests:
- Tara Welty is the Editor-in-Chief of Scholastic Teacher. Tara is also Vice President, group Editorial Director and Editor of Scholastic ART magazine and Teacher Resources at Scholastic.
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with author Tui Sutherland about her New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, Wings of Fire. Set in the magical land of Pyrrhia, the books follow seven dragon tribes who have been at war for generations and a prophecy that foretells of five dragonets and a great sacrifice. Tui and her editor, Amanda Maciel, talk about the work that goes into building the fantastical world of this series, the upcoming graphic novelization of the series, and announce some exciting news about upcoming books!
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the Wings of Fire series
- Learn more about Wings of Fire #10: Darkness of Dragons
- See the Wings of Fire forums, take quizzes, and play games
- Learn more about Tui Sutherland
- Learn more about Amanda Maciel
- Read more about the graphic novelization of Wings of Fire
Guests:
- Tui T. Sutherland is the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Wings of Fire series, the Menagerie trilogy, and the Pet Trouble series, as well as a contributing author to the bestselling Spirit Animals and Seekers series (as part of the Erin Hunter team). In 2009, she was a two-day champion on Jeopardy! She lives in Massachusetts with her wonderful husband, two adorable sons, and one very patient dog. To learn more about Tui's books, visit her online at www.tuibooks.com.
- Amanda Maciel is an executive editor at Scholastic and a YA author. Find her on Twitter @amandamaciel12
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
In July 1992, Scholastic introduced a monthly book series by R.L. Stine called Goosebumps with Goosebumps: Welcome to Dead House. Twenty-five years (and several generations of frightened kids later), Goosebumps is now one of the best-selling children's series of all time with more than 350 million English language books in print. To celebrate this milestone, we invited R.L. Stine into the studio to reflect on the last 25 years and to give us a look at what's still to come for the master of horror.
Joining us in the studio today is a special co-host, Gina Asprocolas. Gina is a Scholastic employee who was a die-hard Goosebumps fan as a child. She shares her story of growing up with Goosebumps, gives Stine some inspiration for millennial-inspired stories, and we test her R.L. Stine-related knowledge with some trivia!
Additional Resources:
- Find more information about all of the Goosebumps books here
- Learn more about R.L. Stine
- Read more about SlappyWorld #1: Slappy Birthday to You, SlappyWorld #2: Attack of the Jack, and SlappyWorld #3: I Am Slappy's Evil Twin
- Get more information about the Goosebumps movie
- See a photo of R.L. Stine's finger that's written 300 books
- See a photo of Ryan Gosling in "Say Cheese and Die"
Guests:
- R.L. Stine is the author of the Goosbumps series and one of the best-selling children's authors in history. Follow him on Twitter @rl_stine
- Gina Asprocolas is an internal communications manager at Scholastics and quite possibly one of the biggest Goosebumps fans of all time (or, at least in New Jersey).
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Actors Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, and author Alan Gratz join us this week to talk about the refugee crisis, and how they are giving voice to the children affected.
First, we speak with Alan Gratz, a children's author whose most recent book, Refugee, hits shelves July 25, 2017. The book follows three children from three periods of history fleeing three different evils: Josef, a young Jewish boy fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930s; Isabel, a Cuban girl whose family sets out on a raft bound for America in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015, who hopes to escape the violence and destruction of his homeland and begin a new life with his family in Europe.
Later in the episode, we talk with Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody. Mandy is an actor and singer whom you may know from his roles in "The Princess Bride," the Showtime series "Homeland," or as the voice of Papa Smurf in the recent movie "Smurfs: The Lost Village." Over the past few years, Mandy and his wife, actress and writer Kathryn Grody, have worked with the International Rescue Committee, traveling to Greece and Serbia to meet with refugees living in limbo in the refugee camps. They join us in the studio this week to share some of those stories.
Additional resources:
- Pre-order a copy of Refugee by Alan Gratz: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local independent bookstore
- See more of Alan Gratz's work
- Watch Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody's emotional reunion with the Alassy family
- Watch Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody talk with refugees, including the 10-year-old artist Farhad Nouri
- Follow along with Mandy Patinkin's work with the International Rescue Committee
- Learn more about the International Rescue Committee
Guests:
- Alan Gratz is the author of several books for young readers, including Prisoner B-3087, Code of Honor, and Projekt 1065. He lives with his family in North Carolina. Find him online at www.alangratz.com or on Twitter @alangratz
- Mandy Patinkin is an actor and singer. Find him on Twitter @PatinkinMandy and on Facebook here
- Kathryn Grody is an actress and writer
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Chris Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Award-winning author Bill Konigsberg joins us in the studio for this week's episode, just in time to celebrate Pride Month. Bill is the author of Openly Straight, which won the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor, the Stonewall Award-winning The Porcupine of Truth, and most recently, Honestly Ben, a follow-up novel to Openly Straight. He talks about why he decided to write Honestly Ben several years after Openly Straight's release. Bill also shares what his life was like growing up as a gay teen in New York City during a time when there were little to no books in which he could see himself, his experiences, or even any role models.
Later in the episode, we also talk with Scholastic librarian Deimosa Webber-Bey and art director Jeremy Goodwin about their recent experiences when Bill came to a meeting of the Scholastic Employee Book Club while they were discussing Honestly Ben.
Additional Resources:
- Read an excerpt of Openly Straight, Honestly Ben, and The Porcupine of Truth
- Get a free copy of Bill Konigsberg's novella, Openly, Honestly here
- See more of our recommendations for great Pride Month reads
- Follow along with our #ReadWithPride campaign on Twitter and Instagram
Guests:
- Bill Konigsberg is the author of novels including Openly Straight, which was named to the YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults list, and The Porcupine of Truth, which won the Stonewall Book Award and the PEN Center Literary Award. Bill lives in Arizona with his husband. Visit him online at billkonigsberg.com and follow him at @billkonigsberg.
- Deimosa Webber-Bey is the Library Manager at Scholastic and is responsible for the corporate archive, readers advisory, cataloging, and the employee book club. She also taught for several years in public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Albuquerque, and the Pueblo of Jemez.
- Jeremy Goodwin is the Art Director for Scholastic's Corporate Communications department. With the mission of elevating the brand under a unified message, he contributes to high-level projects across the divisions of Scholastic. An alumnus of Parsons School of Design, he has been in the industry for over ten years and is also an avid reader and independent artist.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Memorial Day is a time of reflection and patriotism. But we recognize that it can sometimes be challenging to explain what we're celebrating — and the realities of war — to children. In this episode, we talk with authors C. Alexander London (Dog Tags and Tides of War series), Kate Messner (Rolling Thunder), and Lauren Tarshis (I Survived series) who share with us why and how they write about war for their young readers.
Additional Resources:
- Scholastic's Guide to Teaching and Talking About War Books With Children and Teens
- More about C. Alexander London and his Dog Tags and Tides of War series
- More about Kate Messner and Rolling Thunder
- More about Lauren Tarshis and the I Survived series
- Lauren is a return guest to our podcast! Listen to our first episode with her — all about Storyworks and the I Survived series — here
Guests:
- C. Alexander London has written books for children, teens, even a few grown ups. He’s the author of The Wild Ones series, Dog Tags and Tides of War series, as well as the Accidental Adventures and two titles in The 39 Clues series for young readers. He has also written books like One Day the Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War for older readers. When he is not writing books, he can usually be found wandering around Philadelphia talking to his dog. For more information, visit: www.calexanderlondon.com.
- Kate Messner is the author of The Seventh Wish; All the Answers; The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., winner of the E. B. White Read-Aloud Award for Older Readers; Capture the Flag, an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award winner; Hide and Seek; Manhunt; and the Ranger in Time and Marty McGuire chapter book series. A former middle-school English teacher, Kate lives on Lake Champlain with her family. Visit her online at katemessner.com.
- Lauren Tarshis’s acclaimed and bestselling I Survived series, which has more than 23 million copies in print to date, tells stories of young people and their resilience and strength in the midst of unimaginable disasters. Lauren has brought her signature warmth and comprehensive research to topics such as the sinking of the Titanic, the destruction of Pompeii, Hurricane Katrina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor. In addition to being an author, Lauren is the editor of Storyworks, an acclaimed national language arts classroom magazine for grades 4-6 and the newly-launched Storyworks Jr. for grade 3. She lives in Westport, Connecticut, and can be found online at laurentarshis.com.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're introducing you to four members of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps. Each year, 10- to 14-year-olds around the world are selected to be a part of the award-winning program. These young journalists report news for kids, by kids, covering breaking news, entertainment, and sports events from their hometowns and on the national stage. With us this week are Kid Reporters Esther Appelstein, Adedayo Perkovich, Titus Smith III, and Maxwell Surprenant, to talk about their experiences during the past year. We're also joined in the studio by Michael Cappetta, a Scholastic News Kids Press Corps alumnus who is now a producer at NBC Universal. He shares favorite memories of his time as a Kid Reporter.
Know a kid with a nose for news? The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is accepting applications through May 31, 2017. Find out more details and apply here!
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
- Read recent stories from the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
- Read Esther Appelstein's stories
- Read Adedayo Perkovich's stories
- Read Titus Smith III's stories
- Read Maxwell Surprenant's stories
- Apply to join the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps
Guests:
- Esther Appelstein is a 12-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from St Louis, Missouri. Esther joined the Kids Press in 2015.
- Adedayo Perkovich is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from New York, New York. Adedayo joined the Kids Press in 2014.
- Titus Smith III is an 11-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Southfield, Michigan. Titus joined the Kids Press in 2016.
- Maxwell Surprenant is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Needham, Massachusetts. Maxwell joined the Kids Press in 2015.
- Michael Cappetta is an alumnus of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps program and a producer at NBC Universal.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking with Emma Donoghue (author of the award-winning novel for adults Room), about her new book for children, The Lotterys Plus One. She's joined by her editor, Arthur A. Levine, to talk about the process of transitioning from writing for adults to writing for children; where the inspiration for Sumac Lottery and her big, unruly family came from; and the role Emma's own chlidren play in her creative process.
Additional Resources:
- More information about The Lotterys Plus One
- Watch the book trailer for The Lotterys Plus One
- Read an excerpt of The Lotterys Plus One
- Learn more about Emma Donoghue
- Learn more about Arthur A. Levine books
Guests:
- Emma Donoghue is the author of the international bestseller and Man Booker Prize finalist Room, as well as several other novels, including the YA collection Kissing the Witch (1997), which was shortlisted for the Tiptree Award. Her most recent book The Wonder was published in September 2016. Born in Ireland, she now lives in Canada with her partner and their two children.
- Arthur A. Levine is Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Throughout his career, Levine has edited and championed an exceptional and diverse group of writers and artists, including Emma Donoghue, J.K. Rowling, Lisa Yee, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Sundee Frazier, and Dan Santat.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
"A poem begins with a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, a homesickness, or a love sickness." — Robert Frost
This week, we're celebrating Poetry Month by talking about the power and joy of poetry. First, we hear from renowned novelist, essayist, and poet Calvin Trillin, who shares some of the inspiration behind his new poetry collection for children, No Fair! No Fair!.We also talk with two high school students, Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman, who were honored as National Student Poets in 2016, as well as an educator, Adam Couturier, who speaks about the wonderful poetry program in his Massachusetts school district.
Additional resources:
- More information about No Fair! No Fair! by Calvin Trillin and illustrated by Roz Chast
- Learn more about the National Student Poets Program
- Meet the other 2016 National Student Poets, and hear more from Maya Eashwaran and Gopal Raman
- Read a blog post from Adam Couturier about his district's We Read Big initiative
Guests:
- Calvin Trillin is a journalist, humorist, poet, novelist, memoirist, and food writer. A long-time staff writer at The New Yorker, he is also The Nation’s “deadline poet.” He has published thirty books, many of them bestsellers. His books include Remembering Denny, About Alice, Tepper Isn't Going Out, and Dogfight: The 2012 Presidential Campaign in Verse. In 2012, he won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He lives in New York.
- Maya Eashwaran is a senior at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, she is also an avid musician.
- Gopal Raman is a senior at St. Mark’s School in Dallas, Texas, and a 2016 National Student Poet. In addition to writing poetry, he edits for his high school newspaper and chairs the St. Mark’s Literary Festival.
- Adam Couturier is the 6-12 Humanities Curriculum Coordinator for Southbridge Public Schools in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Couturier was a 2016 Pioneer Valley Teacher of Excellence award winner as a result of his work in Springfield, MA. He served as a teacher, Social Studies Department Chair, and as a Middle Years Programme Coordinator at an International Baccalaureate school. In addition to this, he wrote curriculum for the National Parks Service at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site, Springfield Public Schools, and now at Southbridge Middle and High Schools.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst are trying to change how we read. In their new book, Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters, the award-winning authors and literacy educators explore a new approach where reading is viewed as a transformational experience rather than a practice of decoding, recalling, and responding to questions. As Bob says, "We're looking for the replacement of artificial and formulaic reading with REAL reading." This week, Kylene and Bob join us in the studio to talk about how teachers can start implementing changes in their classrooms today, ways parents can be reading role models for their children at home, and why it's more important that kids recognize how a text makes them feel than remember the main character's name.
Additional Resources:
- More information about Disrupting Thinking
- Connect with Kylene on Twitter
- Connect with Bob on Twitter
Guests:
- Kylene Beers,EdD, is an internationally known and respected authority in literacy education. She is a past president of the National Council of Teachers of English and has received an NCTE Leadership Award. She has served as a consultant to the National Governor’s Association Education Committee, was the editor of the national literacy journal Voices from the Middle, taught in the College of Education at the University of Houston, held a reading research position in the Comer School Development Program at Yale University School of Medicine, and has most recently served as the Senior Reading Advisor to the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College, Columbia University.
- Robert E. Probst,PhD, is Professor Emeritus of English Education at Georgia State University and was a research fellow for Florida International University. He has served as a member on the Conference on English Board of Directors, an NCTE journal columnist, and a member of the NCTE Commission on Reading. He was awarded the NCTE Exemplary Leadership Award presented by the Conference on English Leadership.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
What do you do with a story that's too big to be contained in a book series? This week, we're talking about Horizon, a new multiplatform adventure for 9- to 12-year olds. Joining us in the studio are New York Times bestselling author Scott Westerfeld (Uglies, Leviathan, Afterworlds), game designer Gavin Brown, and editor Nick Eliopulos to talk about the unique approach Scholastic's multiplatform team takes to storytelling. As Nick says, "The books that we love become these spaces that we want to play in."
Additional Resources:
- Read an excerpt from Horizon by Scott Westerfeld
- Download the Horizon app on your iOS or Android device
- Play the Horizon game on your desktop
- Join in the discussion on the Horizon forums
- "Underwater Dreams" — the documentary about high school students who compete in a college-level robotics competition
- "Taking Flight: NASA Prepares to Welcome New Class of Astronauts"
Guests: * Scott Westerfeld is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Uglies series, which has been translated into 35 languages; the Leviathan series; Afterworlds; and many other books for young readers. He was born in Texas, and alternates summers between Sydney, Australia and New York City. * Nick Eliopulos is an editor at Scholastic. * Gavin Brown is a digital product director at Scholastic.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Author Peter Reynolds is redefining what ADHD stands for. In his world, and in his new picture book, Happy Dreamer, it's simply an acronym for Amazing Delightful Happy Dreamer. This week, we talk with Peter and educator Lester Laminack about how we can encourage dreamers of all forms to feel included, engaged, and welcomed whether it's at home, in the classroom, or on the playground.
Additional Resources:
- More about Happy Dreamer by Peter H. Reynolds
- More about Lester Laminack
Guests:
- Peter H. Reynolds is an author and illustrator of children's books, including The Dot, Ish, The North Star, and Happy Dreamer. He is also the founder of the educational media company FableVision.
- Lester Laminack is an award-winning author and educator and Professor Emeritus from Western Carolina University where he taught writing workshop, children's literature, and reading.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
How many times have you heard the story of Cinderella? Or Beauty and the Beast? Probably dozens. And yet somehow, they never get old. No matter how they're told and re-told, we know good will triumph over evil, our heroine will find love, and everyone will live happily ever after. But why do those stories have so much appeal?
Today, we have two fairy tale experts joining us to share their thoughts on why these stories have endured generation after generation: authors Sarah Mlynowski and Garth Nix. Sarah and Garth are two writers who have often fractured, or re-told, fairy tales. Sarah, for her bestselling Whatever After series, and Garth, in his most recent YA novel, Frogkisser!.
Additional Resources:
- More about the Whatever After series by Sarah Mlynowski
- More about Frogkisser! by Garth Nix
- Researchers believe Beauty and the Beast is based on a story that's nearly 4,000 years old
Guests:
- Sarah Mlynowski is the New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series, the Magic in Manhattan series, Gimme a Call, and a bunch of other books for tweens and teens, including the Upside-Down Magic series, which she is cowriting with Lauren Myracle and Emily Jenkins. Originally from Montreal, Sarah now lives in the kingdom of Manhattan with her very own prince charming and their fairy-tale-loving daughter
- Garth Nix is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Old Kingdom series, The Seventh Tower sequence, The Keys to the Kingdom series, Troubletwisters series, and many other fantasy novels for young adults and children, including Frogkisser!. Garth lives in a Sydney beach suburb with his wife and two children.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
This week, we're talking about the importance of raising children's voices. First, we're joined by Carmen Agra Deedy, the acclaimed author of the new picture book The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!, an allegorical tale of a brave, little rooster in a town where singing has been outlawed. Carmen shares the story of her own childhood as a Cuban refugee living in Decatur, Georgia, and talks about the importance of the message that children should be encouraged to speak their truths. Next, we talk with Dana McDonough, a second grade teacher who was named the 2016 State Teacher of the Year from New York. Dana tells us how she works to make every child feel heard in her classroom.
Additional Resources:
- More information on The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
- Dana McDonough's blog post about invisible backpacks
- More about Carmen Agra Deedy
Guests:
- Carmen Agra Deedy is one of America's most foremost storytellers. Her many award-winning books include Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, which received a Pura Belpré Honor, and her New York Times bestseller 14 Cows for America. Born in Havana, Cuba, Carmen drew on her love of folklore to create The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! She lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Dana McDonough is the 2016 State Teacher of the Year from New York. She teaches second grade at Fostertown ETC Magnet School in Newburgh, NY.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
On February 16, we are celebrating the power of the read aloud with World Read Aloud Day. Every year, this global celebration calls attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read out loud. In fact, data from Scholastic's Kids & Family Reading Report shows us that reading aloud to children regularly from birth is crucial for their happiness and their development as readers. Today, we'll explore why that is and hear from four guests who have all been powerfully impacted by their memories of childhood read-alouds.
Guests:
- Pam Allyn is a literacy expert and the founder of LitWorld, the organization behind World Read Aloud Day. She is also a co-author of Every Child a Super Reader.
- Ernest Morrell is an award-winning author, teacher, and researcher, and a co-author of Every Child a Super Reader.
- Nick Cannon is an actor, comedian, rapper, and the author of Neon Aliens Ate My Homework.
- Andrea Davis Pinkney is a Coretta Scott King Award-winning author and an editor at Scholastic.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about World Read Aloud Day
- Learn more about Every Child a Super Reader by Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell
- Learn more about Neon Aliens Ate My Homework by Nick Cannon
- Learn more about A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- See more data around the importance of reading aloud
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
In the sixth edition of our Kids & Family Reading Report, we asked U.S. parents and children about their attitudes and behaviors around reading books for fun, and now the results are in! Key findings reveal what kids and parents look for in children's books, the increase in reading aloud to children from an early age, the inequities around access to books in the home, and more.
View all our findings and learn more about the methodology behind the survey at scholastic.com/readingreport.
Be sure to keep an eye out for forthcoming episodes diving more deeply into the topics of reading aloud and summer reading!
Guests:
- Kristen Harmeling is a senior vice president at YouGov, a third-party, international market research firm, and the manager of the Kids & Family Reading Report national project.
- Donalyn Miller has taught 4th, 5th, and 6th grade language arts and social studies in the Fort Worth, TX, area and was a finalist for 2010 Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year. She is a reading advocate, the author of two professional books, The Book Whisperer and Reading in the Wild, and a reading ambassador for Scholastic Book Fairs.
- Deimosa Webber-Bey is the Library Manager at Scholastic and responsible for the corporate archive, readers advisory, cataloging, and the employee book club. She also taught for several years in public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Albuquerque, and the Pueblo of Jemez.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Scholastic Reads recently celebrated its first anniversary, and we wanted to mark the occasion by sharing some of our favorite moments from the last year! In this short episode, we'll hear clips from Lauren Tarshis (I Survived series), Sonia Manzano (Becoming Maria), Edwidge Danticat (Untwine), Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants series), Ann M. Martin (The Baby-sitters Club series), Arthur A. Levine (publisher and editor), David Levithan (author and editor), Cheryl Klein (editor), and Pam Muñoz Ryan (Esperanza Rising). Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or visit scholasticreads.com to listen to all of our episodes! Links to the full episodes for each clip are below.
- Lauren Tarshis: Episode #19, "Stories of Survival with Lauren Tarshis"
- Sonia Manzano: Episode #8, "Sonia Manzano: Shaping a Life Story"
- Edwidge Danticat: Episode #18, "Edwidge Danticat: Beating the Darkness"
- Dav Pilkey: Episode #29, "Dav Pilkey: Using Humor to Get Kids Reading"
- Ann M. Martin: Episode #20, "The Baby-sitters Club Turns 30"
- Arthur A. Levine: Episode #16, "We Have Diverse Books"
- David Levithan: Episode #17, "Drag Teen with Jeffery Self"
- Cheryl Klein: Episode #1, "The Magic of Harry Potter"
- Pam Muñoz Ryan: Episode #27, "Pam Muñoz Ryan: Getting Readers to Turn the Page"
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Laughter is a universal language, and Dav Pilkey speaks it fluently. The award-winning author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants series joins us in the studio this week to introduce his newest series, Dog Man, and to talk about why funny books are often the right books to spark a love of reading. Dav also shares his own story about growing up with ADHD, dyslexia, and behavioral problems, and leaves us with some wise words of hope and encouragement for children who might be struggling with similar issues today.
Additional Resources:
- Visit Planet Pilkey for games, videos, resources and more about Dav Pilkey's books
- Download the free Planet Pilkey app for your iOS or Android device to create an avatar, play games, make comics, find your favorite characters, and more!
- See more about Dog Man
- See more about Captain Underpants
Guests:
- When Dav Pilkey was a kid, he suffered from ADHD, dyslexia, and behavioral problems. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books. In the second grade, Dav Pilkey created a comic book about a superhero named Captain Underpants. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
The holidays bring many wonderful thing to Scholastic, chief among them, the employee book fair! There's something for readers of every age, from picture books, coloring books, and cookbooks, to how-to books, graphic novels, and memoirs. In this episode, we talked with colleagues who are shopping and volunteering at the fair to find out what are the must-have books this holiday season.
Here's a list of all the books mentioned in this episode with links to their Goodreads pages:
- The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
- One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Movie Tie-in books
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer' Stone Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling, illustrated by Jim Kay
- Slide and Find Animals by Roger Priddy
- My First Book of Colors by Scholastic
- Duck and Goose Let’s Dance by Tad Hills and Lauren Savage
- Goosebumps: Slappy’s Revenge by R.L. Stine
- Goosebumps: Night of the Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
- Give Yourself Goosebumps series by R.L. Stine
- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
- Red by Michael Hall
- Smile by Raina Telgemeier
- Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi
- Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
- Pinball Science
- Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
- Heartless by Marissa Meyer
- Untwine by Edwidge Danticat
- Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly
- Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeremy McCarter
- Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondō
- The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz
- Holding up the Universe by Jennifer Niven
- Another Brooklyn by Jaqueline Woodson
- Pirates Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort
- Izzy the Ice Cream Fairy by Tim Bugbird
- The Airport Book by Lisa Brown
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Pam Muñoz Ryan, the celebrated and critically acclaimed author of Esperanza Rising, The Dreamer, and Riding Freedom, among many others, joins us in the studio today with her editor, Tracy Mack, to talk about her writing process, the genesis of her latest New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor novel, Echo, and why so many of her novels contain themes of social justice.
Additional Resources:
- More about Echo
- Pam Muñoz Ryan on Twitter
- Pam Muñoz Ryan's website
About Echo:
Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.
Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.
Guests:
- Pam Muñoz Ryan is the author of the Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Echo, as well as the recipient of the Kirkus Prize, the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for multicultural literature. She has written more than thirty books for young readers. Her celebrated novels, Esperanza Rising, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi Léon, Paint the Wind, and The Dreamer, have received numerous accolades, among them two Pura Belpré Awards, a NAPPA Gold Award, a Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and an Americas Award. Ryan's acclaimed picture books include Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Rideand When Marian Sang, both illustrated by Brian Selznick, and Tony Baloney, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, as well as a beginning reader series featuring Tony Baloney. Kirkus Reviews described Echo as "a grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance." Ryan lives near San Diego, California with her family. You can visit her at pammunozryan.com.
- Tracy Mack is a vice president and publisher at Scholastic, and Pam Muñoz Ryan's editor.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Emily Morrow
Libraries are the heart of a school, but many suffer from chronic under-funding. Author James Patterson is working to change that. In this episode, he joins us to discuss his pledge to donate $1.75 million to school libraries for the second year in a row. We also hear from librarian Teresa Israel, who works at one of the schools that received a grant from Patterson’s 2015 pledge.
Guests:
- James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. A tireless champion of the power of books and reading, he has created a new children's book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: "We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say, 'PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.'" He has donated more than one million books to students and soldiers and has over four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at 24 colleges and universities. He has also donated millions to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson will be investing proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
- Teresa Israel is a 25-year veteran of the New York City School System. During that time she has worn many hats, always in the elementary school setting. Six years ago her principal asked her to take over the abandoned school library and there has been no turning back. A graduate of Fordham University, she received a scholarship through the department of education to work on her master’s degree in school librarianship and information technology from Mansfield University in 2013. Israel lives in Rockaway Park, New York with her three children and feels blessed to be able to share her love of books with children each day.
Additional Resources:
- View the full list of schools receiving grants
- James Patterson's website, Facebook, and Twitter
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Morgan Baden
Graphic novels are having a moment. Inspired by the rise of this popular genre, we asked Greg Grunberg, actor and author of the recently released Dream Jumper, to share the story of his inspiration. Illustrator Lucas Turnbloom also discusses his role in the book and his artistic process. Finally, David Saylor, the founder and editorial director of Scholastic's Graphix imprint, joins us with an exciting announcement: a new Graphix contest, where aspiring graphic novelists can get published.
Guests:
- Greg Grunberg has appears in the award-winning series Heroes, Alias, and Felicity, among others. Grunberg's film credits include Mission: Impossible III, Austin Powers, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams. Greg is also co-host of AMC's "Geeking Out," a new late-night talk show hosted by Kevin Smith and Grunberg that takes a timely look at pop culture through a fanboy lens and features talk, clips, celebrity interviews, and out-of-the-studio segments. Dream Jumper is his first graphic novels.
- Lucas Turnbloom is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator who's best known for his comic strip, Imagine THIS, which is syndicated through Universal Press/Uclick. He was a contributing artist for Darkhorse's Axe Cop graphic novel series. Turnbloom's first picture book, Dragon and Captain, was recently published by Flashlight Press. His work has also appeared in USA Today and TIME.com. Turnbloom currently resides in San Diego with his wife and two sons.
- David Saylor is a VP and Creative Director in the Scholastic Trade Publishing Group. In 2005, he founded Scholastic's groundbreaking graphic novel imprint, Graphix. In addition to art directing the American editions of the Harry Potter series, he has art directed many award-winning books, including many which have received recognition from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the Society of Illustrators, the New York Times Book Review, the Bookbinder’s Guild of New York, and the American Library Association.
Additional Resources:
- Dream Jumper (purchase it here)
- Greg Grunberg on Facebook and Twitter
- Lucas Turnbloom on Facebook and Twitter
- Enter the Graphix contest
- The Graphix website
Special Thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Morgan Baden
Just in time for Halloween, Dan Poblocki, author of the new multiplatform series Shadow House, joins us to talk about the origins of his spooky tales. The series comes with an app, which is perfect for young readers. In the episode, Dan (pictured here with his bewitching editor, Erin Black) reveals all of the creepy things that have happened to people who have worked on the Shadow House series. Join us for some scary stories!
Guest:
- Dan Poblocki is the author of The Stone Child, The Nightmarys, The Ghost of Graylock, The Haunting of Gabriel Ashe, The Book of Bad Things, and the Mysterious Four series. He lives in Brooklyn with two adorable cats and more books than he has room for. Visit him at danpoblocki.com. Dan welcomes readers to Shadow House, a new multiplatform series filled with ghostly apparitions, spooky noises, and things that go bump in the night. The Gathering, Book 1 in the series, is in stores now. Book 2, You Can’t Hide, is coming in January 2017.
Additional resources:
- The Shadow House website
- Dan Poblocki's website
- Dan Poblocki on Twitter
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Morgan Baden
15 years ago, Scholastic partnered with Chicken House, a publishing company based in the UK begun by publisher Barry Cunningham. In this episode, Barry, perhaps best-known for being the original acquiring editor of a little book called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the U.K., shares his vision of book publishing and talks about the state of the industry. He's joined by Chicken House author M.G. Leonard, writer of Beetle Boy, who regales listeners with her story of writing children's books about creepy-crawlies...while being utterly terrified of them.
Guests:
- Barry Cunningham is the founder of Chicken House, a lively and creative company publishing highly original and enjoyable children’s books, with a special emphasis on new fiction. Chicken House launched in the US in 2001 and marked its 15th anniversary here this past summer. Barry is also known for signing up J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while at Bloomsbury. Together with Chicken House and Scholastic, Barry is proud to have brought the voices of five-time New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord; Dragon Rider; the Inkheart trilogy), Printz Honor Award-winning Lucy Christopher (Stolen), Kevin Brooks (Martyn Pig; Lucas; Candy), Rachel Ward (Numbers trilogy), Cathryn Constable (The Wolf Princess), and M.G. Leonard (Beetle Boy) to the world.
- M. G. Leonard is the senior digital media producer at Britain’s National Theatre where she creates podcasts and documentaries about theater. Beetle Boy is her debut novel and the first in a trilogy. Leonard lives in Brighton, England with her family. Please visit her online at www.MGLeonard.com.
Additional resources:
- Chicken House Books
- Beetle Boy book trailer
- 5 Fascinating Facts About Beetles
- Barry Cunningham on Twitter
- M.G. Leonard on Twitter
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Morgan Baden
Maria Dominguez, executive editor at Scholastic en Español, and Nancy Mercado, editorial director of Scholastic Press, share their experiences reading and editing Spanish-language or Latino-culture-driven children's books in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. They discuss the books they love and recommend, from Sonia Manzano's Becoming Maria to Christina Diaz Gonzalez's Moving Target. Maria also highlights her own experience growing up in Cuba, while Nancy talks about the importance of reading Spanish-language books to her daughters.
Guests:
- Maria Dominguez, executive editor, Scholastic en Español
- Nancy Mercado, editorial director, Scholastic Press
Additional resources:
Books discussed in this episode include:
- Esperanza Rising, The Dreamer, and Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
- Moving Target and Return Fire (Moving Target #2) by Cristina Diaz Gonzalez
- Princesa Rosada y el Reino de Mentirita by Noah Z. Jones
- Allie, First at Last and Gabby, Lost and Found by Angela Cervantes
- Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
- Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx (or Ser María: Amor y caos en el Bronx) by Sonia Manzano
- The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedy (coming next year)
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Morgan Baden
For generations, teachers have been using Scholastic Reading Club to help their students foster a lifelong love of reading. Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Reading Club, joins us to talk about the unique business, its book-selection process, and her team of book-loving editors. We’re also joined by teacher-customer turned employee Carol Levine; Editorial Director David Allender; and Reading Club Teacher Advisor Beth Prince.
Guests:
- Judy Newman. President, Reading Club and E-Commerce. Judy oversees Scholastic Reading Club, the company's school-based book distribution channel which has been a treasured tradition for teachers and students since 1948. Scholastic Reading Club reaches more than 1 million teachers and 26 million children in classrooms nationwide every year. The Club's e-commerce platforms on Scholastic.com made Internet Retailer’s Hot 100 list in 2009. In 1999, Judy created Scholastic Reading Club's ClassroomsCare initiative, which helps children understand the value of reading and giving. Scholastic donates up to 1 million books to children in need when students in each participating classroom read 100 books. Judy also oversaw the development of Clubs Ordering On-Line (COOL), a service that allows teachers to submit Reading Club orders via the Internet, and Parent COOL, which enables families to submit book orders to their teachers online. Judy also currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Reach Out and Read.
- Carol Levine,Director of Special Events
- David Allender, Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
- Beth Prince, Kindergarden teacher at Hearst Elementary School in Washington, D.C., and Scholastic Reading Club Teacher Advisor.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Scholastic Reading Club here.
- Read the Judy Newman at Scholastic blog.
Thirty years ago this month, readers were first introduced to the founding members of The Baby-sitters Club: Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey. With nearly 250 titles in print, and new graphic novel adaptations by Raina Telgemeier, The Baby-sitters Club remains one of the most beloved series of all time. In this episode, we talk with BSC creator Ann M. Martin and her longtime editor, David Levithan, about the groundbreaking series and its loyal following.
Guests:
- Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club series has more than 176 million copies in print worldwide. Martin, who lives in upstate New York, is also the author of the Main Street series; the Newbery Honor-winning A Corner of the Universe; Here Today; A Dog's Life; and On Christmas Eve; as well as the much-loved collaborations P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail, No More with Paula Danziger.
- David Levithan is an editorial director and publisher at Scholastic, as well as the author of several YA novels, including Boy Meets Boy,Every Day, and (with Nina LaCour) You Know Me Well. Follow David on Twitter at @loversdiction.
Additional resources:
- Read excerpts, play games (we recommend taking the What Type of Baby-sitters Club Member Are You? Quiz), and meet the characters over at The Baby-sitters Club website.
- Follow The Baby-sitters Club on Facebook for trivia, Throwback Thursday content, and more.
- Learn more about Raina Telgemeier and her graphic novel adaptations of The Baby-sitters Club here.
- Read Lenny Letter’s ode to BSC, A Mary Anne with Kristy Rising: On the Enduring Legacy of the Baby-Sitters Club Books
- Don’t miss the NBC News article on Claudia Kishi, Looking Back on Claudia Kishi 30 Years After the Debut of 'The Baby-Sitters Club’
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Lauren Tarshis, author of the bestselling I Survived series, explains why her stories of survival resonate so deeply with young readers. Her thrilling tales about such momentous events as the sinking of the Titanic and the bombing of Pearl Harbor allow her fictionalized characters to confront life-or-death challenges. Lauren also dons her editor’s hat to talk about Storyworks Jr., Scholastic's new English Language Arts magazine for third graders.
Guest:
- Lauren Tarshis’s I Survived series has sold more than 21 million copies. The fictionalized tales take characters on harrowing journeys, where they must draw on their smarts and resilience. In her work, Lauren has brought to life such events as the Joplin tornado, the destruction of Pompeii, Hurricane Katrina, and, most recently, one of the deadliest volcanic eruptions in U.S. history—I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980. Lauren is also the editor of Scholastic Storyworks and Storyworks Jr. magazines and the author of Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree and Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love. She can be found online at laurentarshis.com. Follow her on Twitter @laurenTarshis.
Additional resources:
- Browse the I Survived Series and read excerpts from each book here.
- Learn more about Storyworks Jr., Scholastic’s new magazine for third graders, here.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Photo credit: David Dreyfuss
In this episode, we’re joined by Edwidge Danticat, whose work recounts the stories of Haitians and Haitian-Americans. Her haunting YA novel, Untwine, tells the story of an unbreakable bond between twin sisters of Haitian descent.
Guest:
- Edwidge Danticatis the author of several award-winning works, including Breath, Eyes, Memory, an Oprah’s Book Club pick; Krik? Krak!, a National Book Award nominee; The Farming of Bones, an American Book Award Winner, and Untwine (Scholastic, 2015). Edwidge, who was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2009, lives in Miami, Florida, with her family. You can learn more about her work at www.EdwidgeDanticat.com.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Untwine and read an excerpt here.
- Read about Edwidge's story of Haiti's heroic queen Anacaona here.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Photo credit: Mark Dellas, 2015
June is Pride Month, so we’re dragging it up with Jeffery Self! Jeffery is the author of Drag Teen, his debut YA novel. The book follows a high school senior (and aspiring drag queen) on a quest to go to college. Jeffery is joined by his editor, acclaimed YA novelist David Levithan.
Note: This episode was recorded before the tragic shootings in Orlando. Our hearts are with the victims, families, and friends of this devastating event.
Guests:
- Jeffery Self is a writer and an actor who has appeared in Desperate Housewives, 90210, and 30 Rock. He has also starred in his own show, Jeffery & Cole Casserole. Jeffery currently appears as the host of the MTV talk show, Scream After Dark. The author of two books for adults, he hosts a weekly podcast called This Is Really Important on iTunes. In a starred review, Booklist praised Drag Teen, Jeffery’s first novel for young adults, saying, “Drag queens are virtually nonexistent in YA fiction, and Self does an excellent job introducing that world, as well as conveying the happiness that performing brings JT…. In the end, it may not be Prince Charming who is JT’s prize, but rather the discovery of his true self.” Follow Jeffery on Twitter at @JefferySelf.
- David Levithan is an editorial director and publisher at Scholastic, as well as the author of several YA novels, including Boy Meets Boy, Every Day, and (with Nina LaCour) You Know Me Well. Follow David on Twitter at @loversdiction.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Drag Teen here, and read an excerpt of Drag Teen here!
- Celebrate LGBT culture with our round-up of books featuring lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender characters.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
In this episode, Arthur A. Levine, Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, joins us to talk about the authors, topics, and books that he has championed throughout his career. Authors Francisco Stork (Marcelo in the Real World, The Memory of Light) and Mike Jung (Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities, Unidentified Suburban Object) will also join us to talk about their new work.
Guests:
- Arthur A. Levine is Vice President and Publisher of Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc. Throughout his career, Levine has edited and championed an exceptional and diverse group of writers and artists, including Emma Donoghue, J.K. Rowling, Lisa Yee, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Sundee Frazier, and Dan Santat. The imprint publishes Varian Johnson, Francisco Stork, Eric Gansworth, Sarwat Chadda, and many others. Arthur is also a leading publisher of books-in-translation, introducing American children to such writers as Daniella Carmi (Israel), Josef Holub and Wolfgang Herrndorf (Germany), Luis Sepulveda (Chile), Laura Gallego Garcia (Spain), Silvana Gandolfi (Italy), Nahoko Uehashi and Komako Sakai (Japan), Sylvie Weil (France), Guus Kuijer, Karlijn Stoffels, and Marcel Prins (The Netherlands), and Anne Provoost (Belgium). Arthur A. Levine Books is also recognized for having brought out the first contemporary YA novel translated from the Russian, Playing a Part, an LGBT coming-of age-story by Daria Wilke. Follow @AALBooks on Twitter.
- Francisco X. Stork is the author of the acclaimed Marcelo in the Real World which received five starred reviews and won the Schneider Family Book Award for Teens; The Last Summer of the Death Warriors, which was named a New York Times Editors’ Choice selection; and Irises. His most recent young adult novel, The Memory of Light, was recently published and has already received four starred reviews. Francisco was born in Monterrey, Mexico, spent his teenage years in El Paso, Texas, and now lives outside Boston, Massachusetts, with his family.
- Mike Jung is the author of Geeks, Girls, and Secret Identities and Unidentified Suburban Object. He has contributed to the anthologies Dear Teen Me, Break These Rules, and 59 Reasons to Write. Mike is a library professional by day, a writer by night, and a semi-competent ukulele player during all the times in between. He is proud to be a founding member of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks team. Mike lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and two young children. Find Mike at www.mikejung.com.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Arthur A. Levine Books here.
- Learn more about We Need Diverse Books here.
- Read an excerpt of The Memory of Light.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
In this episode, we're talking about the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s longest-running and most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7–12. Created in 1923 by Scholastic founder Maurice R. "Robbie" Robinson, the program has a noteworthy roster of past winners, including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, and Joyce Carol Oates, among many others. We sat down with the Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Virginia McEnerney, Scholastic CEO Dick Robinson, and two 2016 Gold Medal Portfolio Recipients, Razan Elbaba and Alex Zhang.
Guests:
- Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Virginia McEnerney
- Scholastic CEO Dick Robinson
- Razan Elbaba, 2016 Gold Medal Portfolio Recipient, Photography
- Alex Zhang, 2016 Gold Medal Portfolio Recipient, Poetry
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, and follow them on Twitter at @artandwriting.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
In this episode, literacy expert Pam Allyn joins us to talk about summer learning and how we can turn the dreaded “summer slide”—the learning loss children experience when they’re out of school—into the “summer leap,” a time filled with opportunity and joy around reading. Kelli Cedo, Principal of Forrest Elementary in Virginia, and Bruce Butler, Principal of Marieville Elementary School in Rhode Island, also join us to talk about how their schools embrace year-round learning.
Guests:
- Literacy expert Pam Allyn is the Founding Director of LitWorld and the co-author of Every Child a Super Reader: 7 Strengths to Open a World of Possible (Scholastic, 2015). Follow her on Twitter at @pamallyn and @litworldsays.
- Dr. Kelli Cedo is the principal of Forrest Elementary School in Hampton, Virginia. She has served as Title I Coordinator, Division Contact for School Improvement, Literacy Coach, Academic Coordinator, and Family Engagement Liaison in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Kelli is the co-creator of the Virginia PLC Consortium around Professional Learning.
- Bruce Butler is the principal of Marieville Elementary School in Marieville, Rhode Island. Marieville Elementary won a “best in state” award in the 2015 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about the Summer Reading Challenge, our free online reading program for kids.
- Learn more about LitCamp, a 4- to 8-week program developed by Pam Allyn. The program combines research-based curricula with an interactive summer camp structure.
- Learn more about Scholastic Summer Book Packs.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
We’re celebrating School Library Month with three of the most dedicated librarians we know. John Schumacher (the famous “Mr. Schu”) and Scholastic librarian Deimosa Webber-Bey talk with us about why they became librarians, the crucial task of finding the right book for a child, and why—as John describes it—the library is “the heart and soul of a school." Kristina Holzweiss, the 2015 School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year, also joins us to share her thoughts on why libraries matter.
Guests:
- John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) is a blogger, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs. Before joining Scholastic, he was a teacher-librarian at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook, Illinois. In 2011, Library Journal named John "The Xtreme Librarian” for the "gears and stunts" he uses to get kids reading. Teacher Magazine named him a “Cool Teacher” in 2014 for redefining what it means to be a teacher-librarian. John served on the 2014 Newbery Committee. You can find him blogging at www.MrSchuReads.com or tweeting @MrSchuReads.
- Deimosa Webber-Bey is the Library Manager at Scholastic and responsible for the corporate archive, readers advisory, cataloging, and the employee book club. A Dartmouth alum and native of New York City, she was in Cohort 5 of the NYC Teaching Fellows, and taught for several years in public schools in Queens, Brooklyn, Albuquerque, and the Pueblo of Jemez. Deimosa also worked as the Teen Librarian at the Rio Rancho Public Library. She has published in YALS ("Noise @ Your Library", 2008) and The Journal of Interactive Technology and Pedagogy ("Runaway Quilt Project", 2014). The oldest of six children and a life-long vegetarian, she enjoys reading, writing, hip hop, comics, and quilting. Follow Deimosa on the Scholastic On Our Minds blog and on Twitter (@dataquilter).
- Kristina Holzweiss is a librarian at Bay Shore Middle School (BSMS) in Long Island, New York. She was named School Library Journal’s 2015 School Librarian of the Year. The award “honors a K–12 library professional for outstanding achievement and the exemplary use of 21st-century tools and services to engage children and teens toward fostering multiple literacies.” While she did not particularly enjoy attending middle school, Kristina loves being a middle school librarian. Follow her on Twitter @lieberrian.
Additional resources:
- Download the 2016 School Libraries Work! Report, a body of research that supports the effectiveness of school libraries.
- Learn more about the School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year Award.
Craig Hatkoff and his daughter Isabella join us to talk about Cecil’s Pride: The True Story of a Lion King, their stunning new picture book. Craig and Isabella give us a behind-the-scenes look at the famed lion’s life and death, and explain how their family’s passion for animals has resulted in a series of children’s books about resilience and survival.
Guests:
- Craig Hatkoff. A prolific children’s book author, Craig is a cofounder of the Tribeca Film Festival and founder and Chairman of Turtle Pond Publications, a private entertainment and media company in New York City. He is also on the Board of Directors of WildlifeDirect, New York University’s Child Study Center, the Sesame Workshop, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Borough of Manhattan Community College Foundation. Craig Hatkoff, Juliana Hatkoff, and Isabella Hatkoff have authored Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship, Looking for Miza and Winter’s Tail, among many other titles.
- Isabella Hatkoff. An animal lover and a volunteer for several animal welfare organizations, Isabella is a high school student in New York City. She has contributed illustrations to Owen & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship and Cecil’s Pride: The True Story of a Lion King, among other titles.
Additional resources:
- Learn more about Cecil’s Pride: The True Story of a Lion King.
- Read about the work of Brent Stapelkamp, wildlife photographer and lion researcher for the Oxford University Wildlife Conservation Research Unit.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Actor, author, philanthropist, and rockstar mom Holly Robinson Peete joins us to talk about her new book, Same But Different: Teen Life on the Autism Express, which she co-wrote with her twins, RJ and Ryan Elizabeth. The book explores the funny, painful, and unexpected sides of teen autism.
Guest:
- Holly Robinson Peete (@hollyrpeete) has devoted her life and career to autism awareness. Since 2000, when Holly’s son RJ was diagnosed with autism, she has worked tirelessly to help families everywhere who are raising children with autism. Peete is the wife of former NFL quarterback Rodney Peete and the working mother of four children. She and her husband co-founded the HollyRod Foundation, which provides support and resources for families living with autism and Parkinson’s disease. Her picture book, My Brother Charlie, co-written with her daughter, Ryan Elizabeth, and illustrated by Shane Evans, received an NAACP Image Award.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about Same But Different: Teen Life on the Autism Express
- Watch For Peete’s Sake, which airs on Saturdays (9/8 central) on OWN.
- Browse resources and books about autism from Scholastic.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Photo credit: Stephanie Willis
Literacy expert Phyllis C. Hunter joins us to talk about what inspires her (Jennifer Hudson, passionate teachers, and the musical Hamilton), and to share advice on how to help children become avid readers.
Guests:
- Phyllis C. Hunter is an internationally renowned and beloved literacy expert who has served as an adviser to both the President of the United States and the Secretary of Education. She has worked as a district reading manager, principal, and speech and language therapist. In 2009, Hunter was named the Marcus Garvey Educator of the Year by the National Alliance of Black Educators and received the Scholastic Education Heroes Award for her contributions to the field of children’s literacy. In addition to having created the Phyllis C. Hunter Classroom Libraries, Hunter is the author of It’s Not Complicated! What I Know For Sure About Helping Our Students of Color Become Successful Readers.
Additional Resources:
- Do you have questions on how to reach disengaged students? Or, how to face the challenges of the achievement gap? Ask Phyllis anything!
- Learn more about the Phyllis C. Hunter Classroom Libraries here.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Just in time for Women’s History Month, Kate Beaton joins us to talk about her bestselling picture book, The Princess and the Pony, writing female characters, and her work on the wildly popular Hark! A Vagrant comic strip. Editors Cheryl Klein and Emily Clement also join us to talk about how they first discovered Kate’s work and to share some of their favorite female characters in literature.
Guests:
- Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant, Step Aside, Pops,The Princess and the Pony, King Baby)
- Cheryl Klein: Executive Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books
- Emily Clement: Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mixing and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Photo credit: Notker Mahr
Author and actress Sonia Manzano, along with editor Andrea Davis Pinkney, discuss the making of Sonia's coming-of-age memoir, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx. Sonia joined the cast of the acclaimed television series Sesame Street in 1971, where she defined the role of "Maria" and went on to write for the show, retiring in 2015 after 44 years. Sonia has won 15 Emmy Awards for her television writing and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Guests:
- Sonia Manzano, actress (Sesame Street) and writer (The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx)**
- Andrea Davis Pinkney, VP and Executive Editor, Scholastic Trade Publishing
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mixing and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is the country’s oldest and largest student reporting program. This year, our team of young journalists is out on the campaign trail, meeting candidates and covering caucuses, primaries, and debates. In this episode, we talk with two Kid Reporters about their experiences reporting on the election so far. We also hear from Classroom Magazines editorial director Steph Smith about how Scholastic covers the race for the White House for kids, and from middle school teacher Josh Torpey about how he gets students in his Humanities class thinking deeply about the election.
Guests:
- Steph Smith, Editorial Director, Classroom Magazines
- Scholastic Kid Reporters Bobby Sena and Lilian Jochmann
- 7th grade Humanities Teacher Josh Torpey (The Institute for Collaborative Education, New York)
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps and meet our 2016 Kid Reporters here.
- Check out the Scholastic News Election 2016 website.
- Browse articles from Scholastic News here.
- Book recommendations for kids who want to read about the election or presidents and patriotic holidays.
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball great Jackie Robinson, joins us to discuss her new book, The Hero Two Doors Down: A Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend. Plus, we hear from filmmaker Ken Burns about his new documentary, Jackie Robinson, coming this April.
Guests:
- Sharon Robinson
- Ken Burns
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Additional resources:
- The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for diverse students in grade 4–8 to share their personal stories and show how they use Jackie Robinson's values to face their own barriers. Deadline is March 14, 2016.
Scholastic editor Liza Baker joins us to talk about Scholastic's new awareness campaign, “The Story Starts Here,” which emphasizes the importance of reading to children from day one. Plus, Stephen Savage (Where’s Walrus and Penguin?) joins us to discuss his work as an award-winning picture book author and illustrator.
Guests:
- Liza Baker, VP/Executive Editorial Director for Cartwheel and Orchard Books at Scholastic
- Stephen Savage, author/illustrator
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
What are the big trends in children’s literature for 2016? Look out for superheroes, graphic novels, diverse characters and mythology! Experts David Allender and Preeti Chibberr share their projections for the coming year.
Guests:
- David Allender: Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
- Preeti Chhibber, Senior Editorial Manager, Scholastic Reading Club
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Literacy experts Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell join us to talk about their new book, Every Child A Super Reader. The book helps parents and educators develop seven key strengths in young learners, transforming them into “Super Readers”—avid, passionate and critical. Learn more about Every Child a Super Reader at scholastic.com/superreader.
Guests:
- Pam Allyn: Literacy expert, author, and Founding Director of LitWorld
- Ernest Morrell: Macy Professor of English Education and Director, Institute for Urban and Minority Education, Columbia Teachers College; Past President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
Giving the gift of reading isn’t always easy, especially when you have a reluctant reader on your holiday shopping list. Experts David Allender and Preeti Chhibber answer parents’ questions about their trickiest book-buying challenges. Plus, we interview Scholastic employees about what books they’re buying this holiday season and why.
Guests:
- David Allender: Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
- Preeti Chhibber, Senior Editorial Manager, Scholastic Reading Club
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer
What makes the Harry Potter series so special? How did it become the most popular in all of children’s literature? Cheryl Klein talks about her work as continuity editor on the series and shares harrowing stories about keeping the manuscript secret. Literacy expert Pam Allyn, Founding Director of LitWorld, weighs in on how Hogwarts and the lessons Harry Potter teaches us can be valuable for educators.
Guests:
- Cheryl Klein: Executive Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books
- Pam Allyn: Literacy expert, author, and Founding Director of LitWorld
Special thanks:
- Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
- Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan
- Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer