Scholastic Reads
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Scholastic's podcast about the joy and power of reading, the books we publish for children and young adults, and the authors, editors, and stories behind them. We’ll explore topics important to parents, educators, and the reader in all of us.
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Mar 9, 2023
I Kick and I Fly: A Conversation With Author and Activist Ruchira Gupta
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 other countries 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 in 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
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Feb 10, 2023
Dreamer: Akim Aliu Talks About His New Graphic Novel and Racism in the Hockey World
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 book is 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 (https://www.amazon.com/Akim-Aliu-Dreamer-Original-Graphic/dp/1338787608/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LEWB9Q8MJEDX&keywords=Dreamer+Akim+Aliu&qid=1675802317&sprefix=dreamer+akim+aliu%2Caps%2C148&sr=8-1): 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 (https://hockeydiversityalliance.org/#our-purpose): Find out how the organization that Akim co-founded is changing the face of hockey.
Racism in the NHL (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/23/sports/hockey/akim-aliu-nhl-racism.html): As this New York Times article explains, Akim publicly addressed racism in the hockey world in 2020.
35 Books for Black History Month (https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/teaching-tools/book-lists/29-books-for-black-history-month-.html): 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
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Jan 30, 2023
Owl Diaries: Rebecca Elliott on Reading Aloud and Eva the Owlet
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: (https://www.rebeccaelliott.com/) Learn more about the best-selling author.
Eva the Owlet (https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2022/05/apple-tv-announces-new-kids-and-family-animated-series-eva-the-owlet-based-on-bestselling-owl-diaries-childrens-books/): The spirited narrator of Owl Diaries gets her own animated show.
World Read Aloud Day: (https://www.scholastic.com/worldreadaloudday?eml=CORP/ps/20230110/Google/txtl/WRAD%7CNonBrand%7CJanuary23/PAG/WRAD%7CNonBrand%7CJanuary23/RSA2&gclid=Cj0KCQiAic6eBhCoARIsANlox845cSH3aEvKTtXtCIwylbSdQHkzQN9YflYhUnBgE02SCWPmsDXMtZQaAoquEALw_wcB) Download the “WRAD-a-thon” schedule and instructions.
100 Best Read-Aloud Books (https://www.scholastic.com/100bestreadaloudbooks/index.html): 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 (https://www.amazon.com/Gruffalo-Julia-Donaldson/dp/0142403873/ref=asc_df_0142403873/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312695551910&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12390668749136214304&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004077&hvtargid=pla-526333533028&psc=1®ion_id=373786) 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 (https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530944) 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
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Jan 25, 2023
The Tower of Life: Remembering the Holocaust
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, where she earned a PhD, writing and telling stories about the Holocaust.
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 Yaffa’s remarkable story, The Tower of Life, and why it’s so important for young people to learn about the Holocaust.
→ Resources
Chana Stiefel: Includes a teaching guide for The Tower of Life and summaries of other books by the award-winning author.
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 United 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 she 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
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Jan 11, 2023
The Power of Mentoring
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
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Nov 10, 2022
If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving Revisited
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
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Oct 27, 2022
The Science of Reading: Turning Research into Practice with Dr. Julia B. Lindsey
We often talk about the joy and power of reading. But how does a child get there? How do they actually learn how to read, to recognize words on a page and make sense of them?
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. Her new book for educators is called 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. She now works with teachers, district personnel, and curriculum developers to translate reading research into practice. You can follow her on Twitter at @JuliaBLindsey.
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Sep 30, 2022
Celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month With Carmen Agra Deedy, Sonia Manzano, and Claribel A. Ortega
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.
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Sep 19, 2022
Honoring Banned Books Week with Amy Sarig King
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.
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Jul 18, 2022
“Make Good Trouble” — Remembering U.S. Representative John Lewis
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.
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Jul 1, 2022
Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys
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 in 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 mos…
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Jun 21, 2022
It’s Summer! Grab a Book!
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 sto…
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Jun 9, 2022
“Be Who You Are” — A Conversation with Alex Gino
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.”
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 positiv…
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May 24, 2022
“Invisible No More” — Celebrating AAPI Month
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 i…
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May 9, 2022
Social and Emotional Learning: What Is it and How Can it Help Kids?
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 adoles…
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Apr 26, 2022
Holly Robinson Peete on Autism Acceptance
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.
Special Thanks:
* Producer: Bridget Benjamin
* Associate produc…
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Mar 10, 2022
Cultivating Genius, One Stitch at a Time: Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad
Cultivating Genius, One Stitch at a Time: Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad
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 talks with Scholastic Kid Reporter Camille Fallen, 13, about a recent interview she conducted with acclaimed 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 textile portraits, which are inspired by black and white photographs that 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’ 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…
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Feb 18, 2022
Sharing Black Stories with Andrea and Brian Pinkney
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 (https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/teaching-tools/articles/auth…
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Jan 28, 2022
“An Echo of Love”—Celebrating World Read Aloud Day
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 hel…
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Nov 23, 2021
If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving
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 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 Storie…
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Nov 15, 2021
Clifford the Big Red Dog Hits the Big Screen
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 direct…
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Oct 19, 2021
Muted: A Conversation With Author Tami Charles
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.
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Sep 28, 2021
Celebrating Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month
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 i…
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Sep 8, 2021
The Day Our World Changed: Remembering 9/11
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…
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Aug 24, 2021
Back to School, Back Together: Classroom Resources for Teachers and Students
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 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™ (https://www.scholastic.com/content/educators/en/clas…
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Aug 5, 2021
Summer Reading and “the Healing Power of Story”
According to the Scholastic Teacher & Principal School Report, more than 60% of educators notice a learning loss among students—also known as the “summer slide”—at the start of the academic year. Educators overwhelmingly agree that reading books when school is out supports students’ academic success.
The Scholastic Summer Reading program was designed to help meet this need. 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 Scholastic Summer Reading program and how kids can enjoy all of the free resources on Scholastic Home Base. Lizette is the vice president of educational marketing and event planning at Scholastic. She has…
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Jun 28, 2021
Celebrating Pride Month With Leah Johnson and Molly Knox Ostertag
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 (https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a36412015/your-summer-2021-reading-list/).
Resources:
* Leah…
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May 13, 2021
Room to Dream: Exploring the Asian American Experience With Kelly Yang and Dr. 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. Kelly talks with 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 h…
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Apr 29, 2021
From Fear to Hope: Covering the Pandemic in our Classroom Magazines
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 a…
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Mar 18, 2021
To Fly Among the Stars: Celebrating Women in Science
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 a…
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Feb 23, 2021
The Making of Twins: A Conversation With Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright
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
(https://www.scholastic.com/site/power-of-story.html)
13 Black-Owned Bookstores to Know About
(https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/13-black-owned-b…
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Feb 2, 2021
Celebrating World Read Aloud Day
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 Magi…
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Jan 28, 2021
Anti-racism Resources for Your Home and Classroom
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.”
*Special Thanks:
*Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Sound engineer: Daniel Jordan
*Coming Soon:
*A Celebration of Black History
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Dec 17, 2020
Stillwater: Marvel in the Moment
“Only those who try can achieve the impossible.” In this episode, we spotlight Stillwater, a new animated children's series from Apple TV Plus. 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 (https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/jon-j-muth/) and about Stillwater, the new animated TV series from Apple TV+ here (https://tv.apple.com/us/show/stillwater/umc.cmc.3czcagetjq31vvbgkkyp1xiao).
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas…
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Nov 11, 2020
100 Years of Reading: Celebrating Scholastic’s Legacy
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 small weekly newspaper 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…
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Oct 2, 2020
Immigrant Stories: A Conversation With Latinx Authors Aida Salazar and Francisco Stork
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 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…
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Sep 9, 2020
Reading Aloud With Scholastic Authors: A Fall Preview
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 (https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/all-because-you-matter-9781338574852/), her love letter to Black and brown children. (2:31)
Next, Christina Soontornvat takes us inside the pages of Icing on the Snowflake (https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/icing-on-the-snowflake-by-christina-soontornvat/), 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 autho…
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Jul 13, 2020
The Baby-Sitters Club Debuts on Netflix
“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 (https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/books/baby-sitters-club/).
Special thanks:
Music composer: Lucas Elliot Eberl
Producer: Bridget Benjamin
Associate pr…
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Jun 24, 2020
Through My Eyes: Ruby Bridges on the Struggle for Racial Justice
On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges integrated the all-white William Frantz Public 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 been denied to them for centuries.
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 says is “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 br…
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Jun 18, 2020
Celebrating Pride Month With Debut Novelist Leah Johnson
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 is also 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 composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Produced by Bridget Benjamin
Associate produced and edited by Mackenzie Cutruzzula
Sound mix and recording by Daniel Jordan
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May 7, 2020
Helping Kids and Parents Cope With Covid-19 Anxiety
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…
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Apr 16, 2020
Listening to Kid Reporters: Life During the Pandemic
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
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Mar 5, 2020
Furious Thing: YA Author Jenny Downham on the Power of Gaslighting
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.
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Feb 12, 2020
The Librarian of Congress: Why Representation Matters
In this episode, we chat with Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden about the importance of representation for our young readers. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and first African American to serve as the Librarian of Congress, the world’s largest library. She also discusses the Library’s Rosa Parks exhibit that immerses visitors in Parks’ reflections, handwritten notes, and photos.
Additional Resources:
Rosa Parks: In Her Own Words (https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/rosa-parks-in-her-own-words/about-this-exhibition/) exhibit features rarely seen materials that offer an intimate view of Rosa Parks and documents in her life and activism.
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
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Jan 23, 2020
The Power of World Read Aloud Day
World Read Aloud Day is annual celebration that encourages kids, parents, and educators everywhere to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. On today’s episode, we’ll be talking with two literacy experts, Pam Allyn and Lester Laminack about the many benefits of reading aloud.
Plus, you’ll hear exciting read alouds from authors like, Dav Pilkey, Carmen Agra Deedy, and Peter Reynolds. Don’t forget to read aloud on February 5!
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
* *Suzanne McCabe is the Editor of Scholastic Kids Press
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Dec 23, 2019
Scholastic Employees Share Their Holiday Traditions
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
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Dec 12, 2019
Expanding an Existing World
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
* Asso…
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Dec 3, 2019
Alyssa Milano on Hope and Middle School
You may remember Alyssa from her hilarious role on Who’s the Boss? In addition to being an actress, Alyssa is 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 Kids Press reporter Alula Alderson who recently interviewed Alyssa on her book tour in Los Angeles. Alula also talks about what Hope: Project Middle School means to her as a current 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 the wildly popular television series Who's the Boss? and Charmed. Alyssa is also a lifelong activist and is passionate about fighting for human rights around the world. In 2003, UNICEF invited Alyssa to become a National Ambassador in…
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Nov 22, 2019
Classroom Libraries: Finding a Book for Every Student
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.
Illysa Thomas:
A kindergarten teacher at Empowerment Academy Charter School in Jersey City, New Jersey who is a Patterson Pledge grant winner.
Addit…
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Oct 24, 2019
Spooky stories for Halloween
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 th…
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Oct 11, 2019
In Their Own Words: Sharon Robinson and Da Chen
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 legen…
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Sep 23, 2019
It Takes Guts: Raina Telgemeier and Eli Lebowitz
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 c…
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Aug 26, 2019
Dav Pilkey talks Dog Man and "Do Good"
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 origina…
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Aug 1, 2019
The Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza
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 ab…
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Jul 18, 2019
Growing Readers with Branches and Acorn
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 Scholast…
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Jun 21, 2019
Read with Pride
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…
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May 28, 2019
The Decline by Nine
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 mo…
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May 2, 2019
How to Share Your Story: Ally Carter and Raina Telgemeier
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 Telgem…
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Apr 17, 2019
Finding Their Story
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…
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Mar 21, 2019
Spreading Hope with Keith Calabrese
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 Cutru…
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Mar 7, 2019
Aida Salazar on Agency in Adolescence
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…
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Feb 21, 2019
Scholastic Focus: Change the Way You Read Your World
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 dire…
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Feb 1, 2019
The Rise of Read-Aloud
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:
*…
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Dec 20, 2018
Aaron Blabey on Bad Guys and Good Friends
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…
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Dec 6, 2018
Chasing the High of a Scholastic Book Fair
"I've spent my whole adult life chasing the high of a Scholastic Book Fair." - @merman_melville
"[wedding]
'and now the groom will read his vows'
me: you make every day feel like a scholastic book fair" - @elleryonline
"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
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…
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Nov 15, 2018
Game Changer: Book Access for All Kids
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 m…
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Nov 9, 2018
Words into Action
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…
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Oct 18, 2018
Becoming an Ally: A Conversation with Alex Gino
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 m…
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Oct 4, 2018
Hey, Kiddo: A Conversation about Family, Addiction, and Art
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.
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 Sta…
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Sep 20, 2018
20 Years of Magic Part 3: The Making of Harry Potter
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 spe…
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Sep 13, 2018
20 Years of Magic Part 2: The Artists of Harry Potter
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 b…
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Sep 6, 2018
20 Years of Magic Part 1: The Harry Potter Fandom
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 vid…
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Aug 23, 2018
Yes, David!: A Conversation with David Shannon
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…
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Jul 26, 2018
Jeff Smith: The Bone Cousins' First Picture Book
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.
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Jul 12, 2018
Cornelia Funke returns to Dragon Rider
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,…
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Jun 28, 2018
Journeys to America: Sharing Stories of Survival and Hope
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…
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Jun 21, 2018
Away From Keyboard: Taking Gaming Offline
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:
* Mu…
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Jun 7, 2018
Reading with Pride: The Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation in Children's Books
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 all children 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…
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May 31, 2018
The Summer Reading Difference
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 elimina…
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May 10, 2018
The Maker Movement
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
* 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…
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Apr 26, 2018
Varian Johnson and The Parker Inheritance
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.
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 stor…
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Apr 12, 2018
Meet the 2017-2018 Kids Press
This week, we're introducing you to some of the incredible members of 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, sports events, entertainment and more from their hometowns and on the global stage. Since the application for next year is now open, we asked some of our reporters to tell us about their favorite assignments. We'll find out what they've 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…
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Mar 29, 2018
Martin Rising
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 n…
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Mar 22, 2018
Reading Role Models
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 u…
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Mar 8, 2018
Talking With Kids About School Violence and Trauma
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: http://bit.ly/2…
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Feb 22, 2018
Sayantani DasGupta and The Serpent's Secret
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 pediatri…
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Feb 8, 2018
Marley Dias Gets It Done...and Princess Truly, Too!
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 Kids Press 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."
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 Tr…
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Jan 25, 2018
Christopher Paul Curtis: Learning from History
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…
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Dec 21, 2017
Children's Book Trends to Watch for in 2018
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…
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Dec 14, 2017
The New Jedi Master Behind Star Wars: Jedi Academy
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 pic…
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Nov 29, 2017
A Song, a Feminist Princess, and a Conversation with Julia Donaldson
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…
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Nov 17, 2017
We the People
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
* Learn more about Scholastic News
* L…
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Nov 9, 2017
Talking Wonderstruck with Brian Selznick
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 fo 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; Wonders…
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Oct 26, 2017
I Exist: Why Representation in Children's Books Matters
"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 differend 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, co-author of This is Just a Test
* Billy Merrell, author of Vanilla
* Kod…
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Oct 2, 2017
Everything is a Metaphor: A Conversation with Maggie Stiefvater
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 Times bestselling author. Her work includes the Shiver series, The Raven Cycle series, The Scorpio Races, and many more book…
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Sep 21, 2017
Art, Tragedy, and Ghost Stories: A Conversation with Daniel José Older
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…
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Sep 7, 2017
Getting Families Engaged in the Classroom
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).
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Aug 24, 2017
Summer Short: Middle Grade Read-Alouds
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.
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Aug 10, 2017
Summer Short: Picture Book Read-Alouds
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!
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Jul 27, 2017
Making Magic with Wings of Fire
This week, we're talking with author Tui Sutherland about her New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, Wings of Fire.
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Jul 13, 2017
25 Years of Goosebumps
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!
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Jun 23, 2017
Telling the Stories of Refugees
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 Kat…
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Jun 8, 2017
Openly, Honestly Bill: Bill Konigsberg on Reading and Writing with Pride
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…
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May 25, 2017
Writing About War for Young Readers
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.
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May 11, 2017
Meet the Kids Press
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-…
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May 4, 2017
Emma Donoghue Plus One
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Apr 20, 2017
A Celebration of Poetry
"A poem begins with a lump in the throat; 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, poe…
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Apr 6, 2017
Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters
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 educat…
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Mar 29, 2017
Multiplatform Storytelling: The Team Behind Horizon
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 au…
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Mar 23, 2017
Amazing, Delightful, Happy Dreamer
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.
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Mar 10, 2017
Once Upon a Fractured Fairy Tale
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 Afte…
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Feb 23, 2017
The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet: Giving Children a Voice
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…
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Feb 15, 2017
Read Out Loud: Celebrate World Read Aloud Day
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…
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Feb 6, 2017
Episode 30: Survey says: Kids like reading for fun
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 rea…
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Jan 19, 2017
Best of Scholastic Reads: A Year in Review
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: Ep…
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Jan 4, 2017
Dav Pilkey: Using Humor to Get Kids Reading
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 teac…
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Dec 19, 2016
Holiday Book Fair: Must-have Books for 2016
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…
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Dec 5, 2016
Pam Muñoz Ryan: Getting Readers to Turn the Page
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…
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Nov 14, 2016
James Patterson: Saving Lives with Libraries
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.…
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Nov 2, 2016
"Dream Jumper" and the Rise of Graphic Novels
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…
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Oct 17, 2016
Books with Scare Power: Dan Poblocki on "Shadow House"
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 res…
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Oct 5, 2016
Barry Cunningham and M.G. Leonard Talk Books (and Beetles!)
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 Hous…
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Sep 28, 2016
Children's Books to Help Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
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 Ang…
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Sep 9, 2016
Back to School with Judy Newman
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 un…
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Aug 12, 2016
The Baby-sitters Club Turns 30
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…
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Aug 3, 2016
Stories of Survival With Lauren Tarshis
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 auth…
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Jul 12, 2016
Edwidge Danticat: Beating the Darkness
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 Danticat is 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
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Jun 24, 2016
Drag Teen with Jeffery Self
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…
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Jun 14, 2016
We Have Diverse Books
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 He…
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Jun 2, 2016
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
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…
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May 16, 2016
Making the Summer Leap
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. K…
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Apr 29, 2016
Librarians: Making Hearts Large Through Story
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…
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Apr 22, 2016
Cecil’s Pride: The Life of a Lion King
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.
* Isab…
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Apr 12, 2016
Same But Different: Holly Robinson Peete
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 Di…
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Apr 1, 2016
Phyllis Hunter: Reading Is a Civil Right
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 stud…
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Mar 18, 2016
Kate Beaton: A Princess, a Pony, and Punchlines
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
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Mar 7, 2016
Sonia Manzano: Shaping a Life Story
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
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Feb 26, 2016
Kids on the Campaign Trail
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…
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Feb 17, 2016
Sharon Robinson: Breaking Barriers
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.
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Feb 8, 2016
The Power of Picture Books
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
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Jan 25, 2016
Book Trends for 2016
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
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Jan 6, 2016
Every Child a Super Reader
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
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Dec 17, 2015
Kids’ Books Holiday Hotline
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
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Dec 14, 2015
The Magic of Harry Potter
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
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