Foreword: A podcast of Island Readers & Writers

In this special Foreword mini-episode we sit down with IRW Director of School Programs Alison Johnson and Steve Costanza, author & illustrator of The King of Ragtime, at the Henry D. Moore Library in Steuben, ME. Steve & Alison reflect on their 5-school tour of Washington County and share with us what it's like to be back in-person at school assemblies, their most memorable moments with students, and their experience traveling hundreds of miles along the Maine coast with a piano.    SHOWNOTES: The podcast episode Alison quotes is the On Being podcast, "For the Eight Year Old in You," an interview with Kate DiCamillo, and a must-listen.  You can read more about the Maple Leaf Rag and listen to it here.  The music at the end of this episode is Steve Costanza playing Scott Joplin's Fig Leaf Rag at the Henry D. Moore Library, May 7, 2022. 

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Foreword podcast: Reading Outside the Box, where we ask our listeners to think about who, what, where and how they read—and implore them to explore the wide and wonderful world of children's literature! On Episode 2 we talk to Hazel Stark of Maine Outdoor School, who describes the beauty and benefit of learning outdoors. Show Notes About Our Guest Hazel Stark is Co-Founder and Naturalist Educator at Maine Outdoor School, where she connects her community and classrooms to the outdoors through custom educational experiences. Hazel is a Registered Maine Guide and holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic and a Professional Science Master's degree in Resource Management and Conservation from Antioch University New England. You can find her at maineoutdoorschool.org and on WERU on Saturday mornings at 9:30 am where she hosts the Nature of Phenology program, and shares what's happening in nature each week, all year long. About Foreword Foreword is a podcast of Island Readers & Writers (IRW), a nonprofit in Southwest Harbor, ME with a mission to inspire a love of reading and learning in children. Foreword podcast was created in 2020 by Taylor Mace, and is written, hosted, and produced by Kelsey Buckley.   

Welcome back to Season 2 of the Foreword podcast: Reading Outside the Box, where we ask our listeners to think about who, what, where and how they read—and implore them to explore the wide and wonderful world of children's literature! Episode 1 is an interview with David Wiesner, who talks about becoming an illustrator, his love of story, how to read a wordless picture book, and reminds us that picture books are for everyone.  Show Notes About Our Guest David is an illustrator and writer of children's books, and he is particularly known for picture books that tell stories without words. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, and is the author of three Caldecott-awarded titles, Tuesday, The Three Pigs, and Flotsam.  About Foreword Foreword is a podcast of Island Readers & Writers (IRW), a nonprofit in Southwest Harbor, ME with a mission to inspire a love of reading and learning in children. Foreword podcast was created in 2020 by Taylor Mace, and is written, hosted, and produced by Kelsey Buckley.   

Science writer and children's book author Kimberly Ridley talks to Foreword about how and where to explore vernal pools, a springtime phenomenon in New England that is teeming with all sorts of exciting creatures! 

Author/illustrator Stephen Costanza talks his newest picture book, "King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin," out September 14

Eliza Wheeler, author/illustrator of Home in the Woods and Miss Maple's Seeds among many others, talks about her career, work and inspiration.

An interview with Gigi Georges, author of the new release Downeast: Five Maine Girls and the Unseen Story of Rural America

Children's book author and illustrator Sophie Blackall talks about the inspiration behind If You Come to Earth and her two forthcoming picture books: Negative Cat and The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo.

Maine author, historian and librarian Alexandra Hinrichs talks her latest project, the picture book biography The Traveling Camera: Lewis Hine and the Fight to End Child Labor.

Author Samara Cole Doyon talks her Coretta Scott King honor-winning book, Magnificent Homespun Brown, the inspiration for the poem, her heritage and her forthcoming children's book.

Dan Mills, director of the Bates Museum of Art, talks about the exhibition "Let's Celebrate Ashley Bryan!", featuring his fine art and original illustrations. Dan talks about Ashley's life and career, and how to view the exhibition virtually. Listen to the interview then view the exhibition here: https://www.bates.edu/museum/ashley-bryan/

Gibson Fay-LeBlanc, writer, poet and executive director of the Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance, talks challenges facing writers today, tips for beginning writers, great kids' books coming out of the Maine publishing scene and more! 

Kara Reiman, children's literacy specialist at the Maine State Library (MSL), talks about the challenges librarians are facing during the pandemic, how the MSL supports schools and families, and more! 

Author Elizabeth Atkinson talks about her latest middle-grade novel, "Fly Back, Agnes," which was awarded the 2020 International Book Award for Children's Fiction; overcoming the struggles of middle school and how she comes up with her quirky characters.   For "Fly Back, Agnes" readers who want to read the special epilogue to the story, and educators who would like to Zoom with Elizabeth, visit her website at elizabethatkinson.com or email her at authorelizabethatkinson@gmail.com

Author Abdi Nor Iftin discusses his harrowing adolescence as a refugee in Somalia and Kenya, the unexpected injustices he discovered living in the United States and his memoir, Call Me American, recently adapted for middle-graders and young adults.

Author Anica Mrose Rissi talks about her newly-published young adult novel Nobody Knows But You, shares her tips for writing and reads part of her most recent picture book Love, Sophia on the Moon.

Island Readers & Writers (IRW) volunteer and children's book lover Jenna Beaulieu shares her picks featured on our summer reading list: A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Joy McCullough; The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu; and Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang. 

Dr. Debra Lay, IRW Board of Directors president and library director of the Vose Public Library, talks the power of books, her career as an educator and library director, and the book that shaped her adolescence.

Val Peacock, education design specialist with the nonprofit organization Rural Aspirations Project, talks about Community Learning for ME, a collaborative effort that aims to support students, families and educators during the uncertainty surrounding education in the time of the pandemic. Online resources and professional development opportunities available at www.communitylearningforme.org. 

Maine author/ illustrator Russ Cox talks about how his career as an illustrator began, his illustration process, and the benefits of destroying a new sketchbook. 

Author John David Anderson talks his latest middle-grade novel, "One Last Shot," empathizing with middle schoolers, connecting emotionally with characters and more. Anderson is the author of the acclaimed middle-grade novels "Mrs. Bixby's Last Day, "Posted" and more.

Author Padma Venkatraman discusses her most recent middle-grade novel, "The Bridge Home," her path to becoming an author and representation in literature.

Island Readers & Writers Director of School Programs Alison Johnson shares the picture books she recommended for this summer's booklist: "The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family" by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly; "Truman" by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins; graphic novel "Cub" by Cynthia Copeland and "Rise: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People, Maya Angelou" by Bethany Hegedus, illustrated by Tonya Engel. Alison also talks about how IRW programs are incorporating Visual Thinking Strategies and how to engage kids with picture books using three simple questions.

Maine young adult author Maria Padian talks about her latest book for teens, How to Build a Heart, diversity in storytelling, depicting racism and more. 

Southwest Harbor Public Library's Melissa Haas chats about three books she recommended for Island Readers & Writers' summer booklist: "Pluto Gets the Call" by Adam Rex, with illustrations by Laurie Keller; "My Friend Earth" by Patricia MacLachlan, with illustrations by Francesca Sanna and "Snapdragon" by Kat Leyh. 

Newbery Honor-winning author Lauren Wolk talks about her newest middle-grade novel, Echo Mountain, what inspires her, how she comes up with stories, how she makes time to write and more. Plus, she reads an excerpt from Echo Mountain.

Science writer and children's book author Kimberly Ridley talks to Foreword about how and where to explore vernal pools, a springtime phenomenon in New England that is teeming with all sorts of exciting creatures!