Podcasts about Dork Diaries

If you're a fan of the beloved Dork Diaries series, you're in for a real treat! In this episode, host Jed Doherty sits down with the dynamic duo behind the books - Rachel Renee Russell and her daughter Nikki Russell.  Rachel and Nikki share the incredible journey of Dork Diaries, which has now reached 16 books and been translated into 45 languages across 52 countries. Jed even shares a fun story about stumbling upon the series in a bookshop in Ireland - talk about global reach! The two dive into the inspiration behind the latest book, "Tales from a Not So Bratty Sister," which explores the antics of Nikki's younger sibling Brianna. Turns out, Nikki's own childhood mischief, like drawing on the walls with Sharpies, helped shape the storyline.  As the series has evolved, Nikki's illustrations have become more detailed and refined, with plans to transition to full-color in the future. The trio also discuss the importance of reflecting diversity in their characters and the exciting potential for a live-action Dork Diaries movie. But it's not just the Dork Diaries world that takes center stage. Jed also welcomes children's author Jordan Hayes, who shares the heartwarming story behind her new book, "The Magic Pen." Jordan's passion for reading and literacy shines through as she emphasizes the incredible benefits of parents reading with their kids. From building vocabulary to fostering lifelong bonds, Jordan's insights are a must-hear for any parent or educator. She even offers practical tips on creating reading-focused communities within schools to help close the achievement gap. Whether you're a Dork Diaries devotee or simply someone who loves the magic of reading, this episode is a delightful listen packed with inspiration, creativity, and the power of storytelling. Click here to visit our website – www.ReadingWithYourKids.com Follow Us On Social Media Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/readingwithyourkids Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/readingwithyourkids/ X - https://x.com/jedliemagic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reading-with-your-kids-podcast/ Please consider leaving a review of this episode and the podcast on whatever app you are listening on, it really helps!  

ANOTHER celebrity has decided to dabble in writing for children. Whooptie-doo. In more exciting news, co-host Chloë has checked out not just one Max Crumbly book from the library to read during the school break but also THREE volumes of the Dork Diaries by Rachel Renee Russell. Opinion: Another Celebrity Children's Book I spotted a … Continue reading "152 – Another Celebrity Children's Book"

In this episode of the Reading To Connect Show, host Quinn Cummings sits down with Dork Diaries creator Rachel Renee Russell and her daughter, Nikki Russell, to discuss the 16th book in the beloved series. Together, they explore the magic of chapter books, the transition from picture books to longer stories, and how parents can bond with their children through shared reading experiences. The conversation touches on personal family stories that inspired the series, the emotional depth of Dork Diaries, and the lessons in friendship, self-esteem, and kindness that transcend generations.Subscribe here for updates & new releases! Get full access to Reading To Connect at readingtoconnect.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome back to the studio.  This is My Day of Play, where you're taken into the real events and actions of how it happens long before the process of editing or cleaning up.  This is how it really went.  We begin things with Tik Tok food sensation Owen Han who has been labeled a true master at making sandwiches.  His new book is called Perfect Sandwich. Speaking of book Natl Geo has just released one that's great for Halloween, it's called Go To Hell from Erika Engelhaup. Then we're stepping into the belt system of love with Sean and Michele Kanan.  Belts as in martial arts.  They believe love should be experienced the same way… through multiple levels of building a stronger togetherness. And we'll wrap things up with two certified dorks.  The mother daughter team that bring us the Dork Diaries.  Rachel Renee Russel and her daughter Nikki. This is My Day of Play.  Completely unedited in the way of meeting the wizard behind the curtain.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Nikki Maxwell's diary enters her bratty little sister's clutches in this sixteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! It's almost time for school to start again, and Nikki is a little worried—but, as always, she has her BFFS to help. Only, it turns out her friends need Nikki's help. Nikki quickly gets overwhelmed and even starts feeling sick…which is when her little sister, Brianna, takes her chance to steal Nikki's diary! How much damage can Brianna do before Nikki is back on her feet? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

How do you work with your mother on a book? How do you work on 15 books with your mother? We talk to the mother/daughter team behind Dork Diaries, Rachel Renée and Nikki Russell. Kitty Felde is host.

Everybody wants to go to Paris…especially Nikki Maxwell! Readers from Hollingworth Elementary School discuss the latest entry in Rachel Renée Russell's series. It's Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure. Rachel and daughter Nikki Russell, who illustrates the books, answer questions from the kids. Our celebrity reader is actress/screenwriter Kate Orsini. Kitty Felde is host.

Zibby interviews Rachel Renée Russell, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of DORK DIARIES, and Nikki Russell, her daughter and illustrator. Rachel and Nikki reveal the inspiration behind their latest book, DORK DIARIES 15: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure (it involves a pandemic-impacted trip…), and then discuss their creative process, the enduring popularity of their characters, the unexpected success of the franchise, and the positive impact they've had on young readers. Ultimately, the interview provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into an incredible mother-daughter dynamic that has fueled the success of DORK DIARIES for over a decade.Purchase on Bookshop: https://bit.ly/3NGhUXfShare, rate, & review the podcast, and follow Zibby on Instagram @zibbyowens! Now there's more! Subscribe to Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books on Acast+ and get ad-free episodes. https://plus.acast.com/s/moms-dont-have-time-to-read-books. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Dork Diaries series  are hilariously true to the daily dramas of middle school life. They have special appeal to readers who are just about to go into middle school, offering a tantalizing peek into the agonies of tween life. Written by Rachel Renée Russell and illustrated by her daughter Nikki Russell, these stories are … Continue reading "101 – Dork Diaries"

Author Rachel Renee Russell and her daughter, illustrator Nikki Russell are on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate the latest title in their popular "Dork Diaries," series.  Rachel tells us that "Tales from the Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure." is the 15th bok in the series and shares how the series was inspired by her daughter Nikki's experiences growing up, facing bullying and teasing. The mother - daughter team emphasize the importance of encouraging kids to embrace their uniqueness and remind them that things will get better. The series, which is  available in 42 languages, appeals to reluctant readers with relatable characters and humor. The creators also express their desire for a theatrical release of a Dork Diaries movie. Click here to visit the Dork Diaries website - www.dorkdiares.com  Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com 

You know Rachel Renée Russell as the author of The Dork Diaries, the bestselling blockbuster series chronicling the life and misadventures of middle school students, Nikki Maxwell, and her best friends, Chloe and Zoey. With humor and wit, Rachel's books encourage tweens to embrace their individuality and always let their inner Dork shine through. The illustrator is Rachel's daughter Nikki Russell and together they've had 19 consecutive NYT bestsellers! Next up is DORK DIARIES #15: TALES FROM A NOT-SO POSH PARIS ADVENTURE. With more than 55 million books in print and translated into 42 languages worldwide, The Dork Diaries' characters are as diverse as the millions of tweens who read the books. The series has been awarded two Children's Choice Book Awards, an NAACP Image Award For Outstanding Literary Work For Children, the Milner Award for Children's Literature, and Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Book of the Year Award nomination.

On this episode, I talk with author Rachel Renée Russell and illustrator Nikki Russell about their #1 NYT Bestselling Dork Diaries series. Rachel and Nikki talk about how the series first came about, their collaborative process, the most exciting things they hear from fans, and the 15th book in the series, Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure.Books mentioned in this episode include:Dork Diaries series, by Rachel Renée Russell (Audiobook)Whatever After series, by Sarah Mlynowski (Audiobook)Frizzy, by Claribel A. OrtegaHarriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh (Audiobook)The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster (Audiobook)I love audiobooks! If you do, too, consider switching to Libro.fm. For the same price as other major audiobook providers, you can find all your favorites as well as curated lists of audiobooks written by or recommended by guests of the Middle Grade Matters podcast. Click here to learn more! Consider buying your books from the Middle Grade Matters Bookshop, where proceeds support this podcast as well as independent bookstores everywhere. For bonus content and info on upcoming episodes, subscribe to the Middle Grade Matters newsletter here: Newsletter, and follow Middle Grade Matters on Instagram and Twitter.If you're enjoying this podcast, please be sure to follow us and please leave us a review.

In the latest episode of By Kids For Kids Story Time my dearest daughter Ruby and I had the privilege of interviewing the incredibly talented mother-daughter duo behind the iconic Dork Diaries series, Rachel and Nikki Russell!

 Prepare for an enlightening conversation with the mother-daughter powerhouse behind the beloved children's book series, "Dork Diaries." Rachel and Nikki, take us on a captivating journey behind the pages, revealing the magic and messages that have resonated with millions of young readers worldwide.Ever wondered how humor can be a gentle bridge to address serious topics in children's books? Dive into the vibrant world of Nikki Maxwell, and see how laughter serves as a backdrop to teach empowerment, courage, and self-worth. We explore the meticulous craft of creating relatable characters from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that every reader sees a reflection of themselves in the story.As we get a sneak peek into Nikki Maxwell's dream adventure in Paris in the upcoming 15th installment, we're reminded of the series' core message: Always let your "inner dork" shine and remain true to oneself. Join us as we delve into the importance of fostering engaging dialogues through reading, nurturing deeper family connections, and the exciting prospects of "Dork Diaries" coming alive in color. Plug in, gather around, and let's celebrate the triumphs and trials of our favorite dork.>> Learn more about Rachel Renée & Nikki Russell:https://dorkdiaries.com/>> Find  the Dork Diaries series here:https://amzn.to/3QbdyryWatch the full video interview with us on Thursday, October 26 @ 6:30 PM CST on our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/AidynsBooks/Free gift

You know Rachel Renée Russell as the author of The Dork Diaries, the bestselling blockbuster series chronicling the life and misadventures of middle school students, Nikki Maxwell, and her best friends, Chloe and Zoey. With humor and wit, Rachel's books encourage tweens to embrace their individuality and always let their inner Dork shine through. The illustrator is Rachel's daughter Nikki Russell and together they've had 19 consecutive NYT bestsellers! We discussed their latest collaboration, DORK DIARIES #15: TALES FROM A NOT-SO POSH PARIS ADVENTURE.

From the international bestselling author of the beloved Dork Diaries series, comes the latest adventure for middle school kids Nikki Maxwell and her two best friends as they deal with the trials and triumphs of middle school in this fifteenth installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries series! Ooh Lala! Nikki Maxwell and her band are on their way to Paris, but they run into some roadblocks on the way…and Nikki's French skills may not be as reliable as she hoped! Can she get them moving again in time to reach their destination? The drama continues in Dork Diaries 15: Tales from a Not- So-Posh Paris Adventure!

On this episode Emilie talks with Emily, Qi En and Hannah about the doodle-based book series, Dork Diaries. Have a listen to find out why you should check this series out!This week's show was hosted by EmilieRecorded and edited by Penny,Our guests were Emily, Qi En, and HannahThanks, as always to Chris Johnston, Rāroa Intermediate and the Children's Bookstore for supporting the showOur theme music is by Logan HartYou can follow our show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via our websiteTune in next time for more recommendations!

Do you have a story idea that doesn't fit neatly into one genre? If you've ever considered writing cross-genre, then stick around and learn how one author managed to successfully combine travel writing, memoir, and young adult into a single book. You'll also know the key benefits of researching your idea compared to the others who've already published, and you'll learn how to find quality editors who support your goals.As a bonus, you'll also hear about Kellie's and Erin's travels abroad.Topics discussed in this episode: Trying to write during maternity leaveTraveling the world and blogging with her middle schoolersBinging YouTube writing craft videosReading one-star reviews for similar booksWriting the first draft in three monthsHiring three different editors when writing cross-genreFinding good editors and avoiding bad experiencesTelling her family she's writing a memoir about themDon't fret not having a formal writing degreeFavorite booksBONUS: Entering middle school curriculumsBONUS: Percentages of drafted and published booksAbout Kellie: Kellie McIntyre is a Southern girl with a passion for cultural and adventure travel. She has explored 50 countries across six continents and will finally make it to Antarctica in November 2023. In 2013, Kellie, her husband, and their two daughters traded middle school for a global adventure. That experience led to a first-class education from economy seats. And that education has turned into her new book. It is a “Dork Diaries meets The Amazing Race” family travel memoir with a unique twist—it's written from her 14- and 12-year-old daughters' perspectives. Kellie also shares tips for planning and surviving global family (mis)adventures on her travel blog, 4 Worn Passports. Kellie's daughters are now young adults, and Kellie and her husband are empty-nesters in Alabama. They work in real estate.Get her book:The Passport Project: Two Sisters Ditch Middle School for a Life-Changing Journey Around the World: https://www.amazon.com/Passport-Project-Sisters-Life-Changing-Journey/dp/1737743817 Connect w/ Kellie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/4WornPassports/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4WornPassports Travel blog: https://4wornpassports.com/ Books discussed during the show: The Girl with Seven Names, by Hyeonseo LeeEscaping from Camp 14, by Blaine HardenA Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael BeahFirst They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, by Loung UngFrom the Land of Green Ghosts, by Pascal Khoo ThweFree your creative self too. Download your free copy of my guide, 5 Steps to Help You Start Writing Today, at https://lifebeyondparenting.com/5-steps-start-writing. Let's connect via my Facebook group, Parents Who Write, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite.

In this episode we recap what happened previously in our last Dune: Adventures in the Imperium campaign, Agents of Dune and prepare to continue that story with the Masters of Dune campaign. Adam builds a character from scratch and the rest of us level up. Not sure if this will be your kind of game? Well that's what this podcast is here for! The purpose of our podcast is to try out various tabletop roleplaying games and see what we think about them! Instagram: ⁠@dorksdownthehall⁠ TikTok: ⁠@dorksdownthehall⁠ Email: dorksdownthehallpodcast@gmail.com

Hello everyone, tonight I am reading dork diaries. I hope you enjoy. This Sunday me and my mum will read you guys more books! Hope you enjoy! Bye!

Tonight, I am reading Dork Diaries (PART 2) I really hope u enjoyed this podcast. Me & my mum will both try each night to post at least 1-2 podcasts. But if we don't have time, then we won't post. Anyways, thank u for listening! Love u all! From the reader Olivia and Josephine. ✨✨

Today, me and my mum were reading Rosa Parks. She was a person who wanted to change rules for black people. Because she thought it was not fair for black people and how they have been treated. I am reading Dork Diaries next. From both the reader, Josephine and Olivia

Today, I am reading dork diaries. Me and my mum promised you guys that we were going to upload more reading videos the week after that. Unfortunately, we did not have time because every night it was getting late. And I had a lot of stuff to catch up on for school. But here I am here reading dork diaries. Sorry that my mum did not read tonight. But it's ok, because she might read next time. I REALLY hope you enjoyed this podcast. I will see you tomorrow or next week. Have a good evening! Love u all! From the reader, Olivia

We've been doing this podcast for exactly one year now, and we decided to reflect on the games we've played, our experience with varying TTRPG systems, favorites and least favorites, and more! Twitter: @DorksCastD20 Instagram: @dorksdownthehall TikTok: @dorksdownthehall Email: dorksdownthehallpodcast@gmail.com

Jaclyn couldn't make it to our session, so we decided to discuss our first experiences playing Tabletop Roleplaying Games! Twitter: @DorksCastD20 Instagram: @dorksdownthehall TikTok: @dorksdownthehall Email: dorksdownthehallpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode I will discuss my love of the Dork Diaries Series written by Rachel Renee Russell. I will give my opinion on the characters in the series and the reason why I love this book series. Here is some additional information on the Dork Diaries Series for those of you that are interested in reading these books. Here is a website that I like to check out after I have read each book. Hope you enjoy this site as well. www.dorkdiaries.com You can purchase your own copies of the Dork Diaries Series at the following links. amazon.com barnesandnobles.com

This is my first episode of Double Dork Diaries. The bestseller full of drama, romance and more! I hope you like it!

A new podcast called, Tweenteen Tales With Aussie Dad has been started due to some of the book recommendations being targeted at the Tween/Teen age range. So books such as Dork Diaries, The Odd 1's Out, Alex Rider and Diary of a Wimpy Kid series will be read over there, to keep this podcast more targeted at young children. According to reviews online and through a couple of people I know who have read some of the content, they also agree that some of the books are more suited for kids that are closer to their teens or pre teens, so that's the reason for the new podcast. Also, I didn't want to disappoint those who have made recommendations by not having them featured so this way, it's a win win scenario. Thanks everyone for your understanding and look forward to reading some more awesome stories. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/storytimewithaussiedad/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/storytimewithaussiedad/support

Get to know us! We are two plutonic soulmates who have shared childhoods, and we want to talk to you about it! In this episode we talk about how we grew up, our first time meeting each other, and the worst fight we ever had!!

On this episode of the daily with SYl Stein I'm talking about coffee and the author spotlight is on New York Times best-selling author Rachel Renee Russell the author of the dork diaries

Mina Mistry Investigates: The Case of the Disgusting School Dinners, by Angie Lake, published by Sweet CherryIntroducing schoolgirl detective Mina Mistry! Being at school is boring when you know you're going to be something cool like a Private Investigator. Until then, Mina's going to practise for her future... Aren't school dinners a bit strange? Chicken nuggets? Again? On pizza? Covered in chocolate? Nobody wants to live on lettuce and broccoli, but children are losing teeth over this! This needs investigating. This looks like a case for Mina Mistry. Mina Mistry Investigates is a fun detective series packed with mystery-solving. Great for reluctant readers aged 7+ and fans of Dork Diaries.

Here is a list of fictional men that Olivia and Lilly would leave their fiancé of 10 years at the altar for if they asked them to runway with them. Characters from Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, the Cruel Prince, The Naturals, Dork Diaries and many more.

I love dork diaries and so can u

Introducing Nikki Maxwell—eighth grader, chronic doodler, and self-proclaimed dork with big dreams. She can’t wait to share her secrets with you in the new Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So Fabulous Life podcast launching April 27!

Book Review by Ava -Dork Diaries and The Not So Perfect Pet Sitter by Rachel Russell

That it is a book about a girl snd here BFF

Your life is sometimes crazy. Full of chaos. Interruptions. And hard. We get it. And you're in it trying to be there for everyone who needs you and guess what? Your "thing," your dream, your goal, gets pushed back or buried for a while. To the point where you might even say, “Am I even supposed to be trying to do this?” Pull a seat up to the table, my friend, and listen to these creatives talk about this struggle. You're not alone. Get some inspiration to see YOU and YOUR DREAM a little clearer. It matters!

Failure Makes You Stronger (0:00:00) How many times have you heard the quote “what doesn't kill you makes you stronger”? What about “if at first you don't succeed, try, try again”? These quotes have been pounded into us in the form of inspirational quotes on our elementary school teachers' walls and the Instagram Bios of many a motivational speaker. So what is the value of failure? Well, some researchers at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management found that “failure early in one's career leads to greater success” in the long run. Here today to help us understand this study is the lead author of the research, Dr. Yang Wang.   First 6 Weeks of Dating (0:14:19) So you've managed to convince someone to date you and just you. It can either be exciting and thrilling, or completely foreign and scary. Either way, there is so much to relationships that the first few weeks can be so fragile. So how do we navigate through the emotions and unfamiliarity of the newborn stage of a budding relationship? Alisa Goodwin Snell, coach of Lasting Love Academy, joins us to bridge the gap between casual dating to exclusivity.   Fear Frequency (0:32:16) Now I believe that you can group everyone into two groups: Scullys and Mulders or--in other words--skeptics or believers. When it comes to ghosts where do you fall? Now—before you answer let's hear out our next guest, who's got some insight to the age old question “are ghosts real?” Carrie Mead is a professional life coach and counselor with personal and professional experience in the phenomena of ghosts.   Ignoring the Bad Stuff (0:50:36) Another negative story about abuse is making headlines. . . You avoid it. People stop keeping up with the news because it's so depressing, but Former Detective, Carol Jean Wilson, says, “The world is not perfect and people would rather ignore the deplorable side of society than talk about it...When we ignore it, the bad stuff doesn't go away and the ‘I don't want to know' mindset creates feelings of shame for victims that had to experience it...We must work together to make it safe for anyone to speak up about abuse and the effects of it.” Carol Jean Wilson, former Lieutenant and Detective with over 15 years of experience in law enforcement, is author of the new book, "Prove Them Wrong!" which details her story of triumph over tragedy. She has some great insight on what happens when we ignore “the bad stuff.”   Dork Diaries (1:05:52) Lately, you've probably heard the phrase “Dork Diaries” about a million times at home, walking in your child's school, from teachers, from other parents, and even from coworkers. Why is this such a buzz topic? Well, the latest book in the Dork Diaries series, "Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not-So-Best Friend Forever,"came out on October 22nd and people have been anxiously awaiting its release for a long time. Rachel Renée Russell is the author of this popular series and we wanted to have her on the show so we could get the inside scoop on this latest release.   Weekend Preview (1:25:17) Lisa and Richie update us on the newest movies to see this weekend, and talk about what's going on around the country in case you don't have weekend plans yet.

Dr. Yang Wang explains how failures can strengthen you, Alisa Goodwin Snell gives tips for starting a relationship, Carrie Mead talks about fear of ghosts, Carol Jean discusses the consequences of ignoring bad stuff, Rachel Renee talks about her Dork Diaries books, Lisa and Richie talk about what's going on around the country this weekend.

If you’re a grandma, no doubt you know there’s no greater fun than sharing a lively, delightfully illustrated book with your grandchildren—especially one that will help them navigate the difficulties of middle school. Each one of the Dork Diaries books is just that! Author Rachel Renee Russell and her co-author daughter have just come out with another highly entertaining story, Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Best Friend, that is sure to engage the imagination of any granddaughter.  So, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the special girls in your life, be sure to tune in for this one!

In this episode of Our Nonstandard Life listen to Eclipse and Mom talk about relationships types, red flags, maybe dead music artists and more. Mentioned: 'Drawn to Sex, The Basics' by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan. The Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russel and a bunch of other stuff Mom is forgetting right now because she's tired.

Today’s author interview guest is Rachel Renee Russell, author of The Dork Diaries and the Misadventures of Max Crumbly. From #1 New York Times bestselling Dork Diaries author Rachel Renée Russell comes the third book in a series about Max Crumbly and […]

Bestselling author Rachel Renee Russell returns to #ConversationsLIVE to discuss her literary success and new book THE MISADVENTURES OF MAX CRUMBLY: Masters of Mischief.  Get your copy of the new book on Amazon.com here. Stay connected with Rachel online at www.dorkdiaries.com. 

If you’re a grandma, no doubt you know there’s no greater fun than sharing a lively, delightfully illustrated book with your grandchildren—especially one that will help them navigate the difficulties of middle school.  Author Rachel Renee Russell and her co-author daughter have just come out with another highly entertaining story, The Misadventures of Max Crumbly 3: Masters of Mischief, that issure to engage the imagination of any grandson or, for that matter, granddaughter, too.  If you are looking for the perfect gift for the special boys and girls in your life, be sure to tune in for this one!

How Nicky needs to stop Mckenzie

Host Cyrus Webb welcomes back bestselling author Rachel Renee Russell to #ConversationsLIVE to discuss the success of the DORK DIARIES series and the newest installment TALES FROM A NOT-SO-HAPPY BIRTHDAY

If you’re a grandma, no doubt you know there’s no greater fun than sharing a lively, delightfully illustrated book with your grandchildren—especially one that will help them navigate the difficulties of middle school. Each one of theDork Diaries booksis just that! Author Rachel Renee Russell and her co-author daughters have just come out with another highly entertaining story, Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Happy Birthday, that issure to engage the imagination of any granddaughter.  So, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the special girls in your life, be sure to tune in for this one!

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to the Books Between Podcast! I believe in empowering children by helping them discover who they are as readers.  My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fabulous reading experiences and share inspiring conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two, a 5th grade teacher, and thinking about how much I LOVE our public libraries and how much they are needed. My daughters and I just launched our summer Library Crawl where we try to hit as many public libraries in the area as can and explore their unique services and collections and just get to know them. Libraries are the heart of our communities. Please support them. This is Episode #55 and oday I want to chat with you about being a book witch, and then I’ll share a conversation with Melissa Sarno, author of Just Under the Clouds!   I have three super quick announcements for you! First is a Middle Grade at Heart Book Club update. The August pick is Where the Watermelons Grow, the September pick is The House That Lou Built and in October we will be reading Three Rules of Everyday Magic. And all of those authors are scheduled to come on the show - so stay tuned for that! And announcement #2 - don’t forget that Monday nights are the #MGBookChat Twitter chats with upcoming topics like #ownvoices, the importance of refugee stories, and books that battle mental health stigmas. So set a reminder for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat on Twitter for conversations and collaboration between educators, librarians, and authors. And - finally, announcement #3. This is something that has been semi-secretly in the works for a few months now, but I am so happy to make it official. NerdCamp Central New York is ON for next summer - August 6, 2019! So - if you want to experience some of that NerdCamp magic and you’re able to make it to Syracuse, NY - save the date! And you can follow @NerdCampCNY on Twitter for more updates. Main Topic - Being a Book Witch And you can go ahead and replace that W with a B if you’d like.  So - I had a topic planned for today. I had an outline, things were coming together, and then I saw a post. And then some tweets. From several people, including Donalyn Miller, who were attending a recent Scholastic Reading Summit.  It was it from a presentation by Annie Ward - or at least referencing her work From Striving to Thriving: How to Grow Capable, Confident Readers.   And it was one slide showing ways that educators and parents can be what she called “Book Wardens”. And well, it struck me so forcefully. And made me think of all those times as a teacher and as a parent, I have been that Book Witch. I am recovering - but yeah…. that was me. So I scrapped my other topic and that’s what I want to talk to you about today. First - ways we might not even realize that we’re being book snobs and inadvertently turning kids off to reading - both from Annie’s presentation and from my own mistakes. And then some thoughts on ways we can do better. Although to be up front with you - my understanding of this is evolving. Starting with the first bullet on that slide. 1. Confining kids to “just right” books - gulp. That is a phrase I have used ever since... I don’t know when! A have a big lesson on choosing “just right” or “good fit” books complete with a whole array of shoes I bring in to demonstrate! But now I am wondering… who SETS the criteria for “right”? Is it.. Level?  Genre? Format? Perceived complexity? Something I’ve started doing is turning these questions back on myself. Okay Corrina, what’s a “just right” book for you? Well -it depends! What am I in the mood for? What do I want to learn? What are my friends all reading that looks amazing and I want IN on THAT conversation!  When I think about it that way, it’s not really about picking a book off the shelf and reading the first page and counting the errors on my fingers. Adults don’t do that! And - we are definitely NOT picking from the bin labeled Level Z or only reading within our lexile level.  So why are we asking kids to do that? What DO we do? We weigh all those factors, gather some options, and try them out. If it’s too hard, well…. then…. I’m just going to put The Iliad off to the side for now. I think we need to trust kids more. And be more open about how you actually go about choosing books. And maybe I don’t totally drop the phrase “just right” but shift it to be child-centered and NOT mean “just right” from MY point of view.   2. Express book snobbery. So, you might be a book snob, if you’ve said one these things (and I’ve said a few of them in the past…):   “Graphic novels are not real reading.” “Don’t just listen to that audio book - make sure you are following along in your book.” “I only really like literary books - you know award-winners.” “Well, I’ve never heard of that book!” “NEVER watch the movie before reading the book!” “I get all my book recommendations from NPR.” “They’re reading THAT? I guess it’s better than reading nothing!” “I don’t watch TV. Never.  I just read.”   “I only read books for adults.” (Credit to Sarah Threlkeld for suggesting that one.)   “Yeah, we’re only reading CLASSICS in this class.”   “Romance novels are all the same.” (And you can replace romance with mysteries, westerns, fantasy.)   “Are you reading a picture book? Maybe you should choose something more your age.” “You dog-ear your pages? You beast!” “Fan Fiction doesn’t count toward your reading minutes.”     So - that last one? About the fan fiction? Was me - a few years ago. But then, I discovered that Angie Thomas (you know - author of New York Times Bestselling, multiple award-winning The Hate U Give) got her start writing fanfiction for her favorite soap opera. And suddenly I thought, maybe I’m being kind of a witch about this. And then, I discovered Star Wars fan fiction and I was hooked. I think I spent about a week just immersed in alternative Star Wars universes. So go ahead - come at me about the fan fiction! 3. Look askance at funny, edgy, or “forbidden” topics. So, confession time.  Way back when I was just getting starting as a teacher and starting to build my classroom library, I would ONLY purchase what I, the book witch, deemed as high quality literature. Captain Underpants? Comics? Joke books? Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Uh...no. And oh do I owe those kids an apology. I was flat out wrong. And clearly not remembering all the Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes books that I devoured as a young kid. I’m happy to say our class is filled with Dav Pilkey books and all kids of funny, light-hearted books. Because, wow - don’t we need that now? And as far as edgy or “forbidden” topics - that has always rubbed me the wrong way. Edgy according to who? I’ve seen adults roll their eyes when a 10 year old picked a book about the WWE.  I’ve seen adults try to ban books with characters who are dealing with substance abuse. And I’ve seen adults pluck books with gay characters out of their kids hands. Who are we to tell kids that their family, their life, their experiences are “too edgy” and not allowed. 4. Frowning upon rereading. Yup - this is another one I have done regularly. And I think it comes from a well-intentioned place. When you know how many amazing books are out there, you want kids to experience that. And I think for me, I have the bias that I am not typically a HUGE rereader. Aside from a few books that I might reread for school or book club (like Home of the Brave, or Wonder), I find it so hard to resist the siren call of my TBR pile.  But last year, instead of giving side-eye to those kids rereading Dork Diaries or Smile for the 3rd or 4th (or 12th!) time - instead, I tried to act excited and say, “Wow - what do you love so much about that book? What are you noticing now that you never noticed the first time you read it?” And the reframing has helped me recognize more value in rereading. And those conversations help me understand my readers better and offer them similar titles they might enjoy to expand their reading palate. 5. Imposing Accountability Measures for Reading. I’ll admit - I had to think about this one for a minute. But I think what this is getting at is when ‘points programs” like AR (Accelerated Reader) are used to confine student reading in an attempt to make sure there is tangible proof of reading. Accountability measures might include parent sign-offs on a reading log or requiring a summary each night. That imposition on reading.  Instead - the best “accountability” is a culture of reading where kids want to talk about what they are reading. And your tangible proof are conferences and conversations and observations. 6. Treating some books like “dessert”. And only allowing kids to read them after they’ve read something more suitable. Usually when I see this - those “dessert” books are graphic novels, or Minecraft books. Now - there are times when I will say, “Let’s take some some time to read our Book Club novels. And if you finish your section for the day, read whatever you want.” But always treating SOME TYPES of books like just fluff - is being a book witch. So those were the main points from Annie Ward. But I’ll add one more. 7. Not letting kids take the books home. I used to treat MY books like they were GOLD. And I would let kids read them in class but then not let them out of my sight. I lost fewer books - but I also lost readers. Now - they go home with them. Usually they come back, but if not - I just hope that book meant so much to that child that they couldn’t bare to part with it.   So, I am a recovering Book Witch! And I mentioned some things we can do instead, but to quickly sum up, here they are: Let kids take the lead in what “just right” reading means for them - including their mood and what they are interested in, the format, the social connections they want to form around that reading - and not just a level. Don’t be a book snob! Openly embrace and book talk all genres and formats and expand your horizons. Watch your words and your body language to make sure you are not looking down on kids’ reading choices or making them feel ashamed for reading a text some might consider “edgy.” If a child is rereading a book - ask them about it! Or ask them to book talk it to the class! Instead of cumbersome attempts at reading accountability, instead - watch your kids, have conversations about the books, confer with them and have them read to you. Let kids take books home. And be gracious when they get lost or damaged. And finally - trust the kids and trust the books. If you want to know more about Annie Ward’s work with co-author Stephanie Harvey, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of From Striving to Thriving: How to Grow Capable, Confident Readers.  And as always, we are learning together and helping each other out, so please share your thoughts about overcoming being a book witch.  You can tag me on Twitter, Instagram, and now Facebook - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas.   Melissa Sarno - Interview Outline Joining me this month for our Middle Grade at Heart interview with Melissa Sarno is author Julie Artz. We got a chance to sit down together last month to chat about Just Under the Clouds. Take a listen… Just Under the Clouds CA: For our listeners who haven’t yet read Just Under the Clouds what is this story about? CA: One of my favorite parts of the book is when Cora goes to her remedial math class and her new teacher gives her some advice about solving algebra problems. She says: “I’ll give you a hint. It’s always easiest to start from the end. Start backward.”  I’m wondering - when if your own life have you found it easier to start at the end? JA: I loved the friendship between Cora and Sabina. They both have experienced intense loneliness due to an unconventional lifestyle, but the moment when they commit to their friendship--even though they may end up apart--was really touching. How did you come up with the idea for this complex and lovely friendship? JA: Adare is such a vivid character despite being mostly non-verbal. What research went into creating her character? **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: Melissa and Julie and I discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 37:50 mark. Your Writing Life JA: I loved the tree book and all that it represented for Cora. How much time did you spend researching trees for the story, or has that always been an interest of yours? CA: What are you working on now? Your Reading Life CA: One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special teacher or librarian in your life who helped you grow into a reader? JA: What types of books did you love when you were Cora’s age? CA: What are you reading now? Links: Melissa’s website - https://www.melissasarno.com Melissa on Twitter and Instagram Julie’s website - http://julieartz.com Julie on Twitter New York City Tree Census - https://www.nycgovparks.org/trees/treescount/about   Books & Authors We Chatted About: Swiss Family Robinson (Johann D. Wyss) The Tillerman Series (Cynthia Voight) Lizard Music (Daniel Pinkwater) Her Body and Other Parties (Carmen Maria Machado) The Cardboard Kingdom (Chad Sell) Bob (Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead) Hurricane Child (Kheryn Callender)   Closing Alright, that wraps up our show this week! If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or a suggestion about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Books Between is a proud member of the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well. Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!  

Aaron Lewis, former frontman of Staind, now a country music artist talks about a song that's very fitting for Memorial Day, "Folded Flag." You'll also hear from Rachel Renée Russell, author of the best-selling book series "The Dork Diaries." Then it's Dominic Monaghan, best known for his roles in the films The Lord of the Rings and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as well as the hit TV show Lost. He tells you about a thrilling new series - 100 Code airing on WGN America (it's scary!). Finally, get healthier with Dr. Ian Smith. You've seen him as a host on The Doctors, and the current co-host of the Rachael Ray Show. He talks his new best-selling book, "The Clean 20," which lays the basic concept behind clean eating.

Sit back and listen to Mia (a second grader from Ms. Bryant's class) share her thoughts on the book, Dork Diaries by Rachel Renée Russell!

Rachel Renee Russell plumbed the depths of her daughter’s middle school experience for a half-assed series of kids books called “Dork Diaries,” and Bill and Noah finds it doesn’t line up with their own dork experience. @noahandbillshow -- @williamscurry -- @noahtarnow 00:00 -- Introduction, and What is Dork Diaries? 14:06 -- Why is Dork Diaries so popular? 17:01 -- Would you have liked Dork Diaries if you were a kid? 21:59 -- Is Dork Diaries a sign of the apocalypse? 23:38 -- Is your irrational hatred of Dork Diaries based on jealousy, and conclusion This week's theme: "People Are Strange” by The Doors. New episodes every Monday morning on Soundcloud, iTunes, Stitcher, and GooglePlay!

On this episode of The Mulberry Lane Show.... our New Year's episode... we feature interviews with hit singer songwriter and Grammy winner, Marc Cohn ("Walking in Memphis"), then it's NY Times best-selling author many times over, Rachel Renée Russell. After Rachel, it's Kate Winslow with her new cookbook, making the onion the star. Learn some yummy & easy recipes! Finally, Johnny Bananas tells you about the current season of "The Challenge" on MTV Tuesday nights, 9pm CT.

Local News Chat (0:00)The Takeaway: Defining the Problem (18:20)Career in Skilled Trades with UA 400 (28:40)Rachel Renee Russell, author of "Dork Diaries" (1:06:00)United Way Innovative Grant: Family Services of NE WI (1:15:00)

Tashanna interviews Aileen about Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Lamed TV star.

Tashanna interviews Arianna about her love for the Dork Diaries.

Recording Date: October 11, 2017 Hosts:Julie Dina and David Payne  Episode Summary: Children's Library Associate Barbara Shansby talks about why some children, and adults, are reluctant to read and how to foster an appreciation for reading among reluctant readers.  Guest: Children's Library Associate Barbara Shansby Featured MCPL Service: What Do I Check Out Next? Tell us what you like to read through our What Do I Check Out Next? form. Our librarians will e-mail you 3 -5 personalized book suggestions.  What Our Guest is Currently Reading: Survivors Club: the True Story of a Very Young Prisoner of Auschwitz by Michael Bornstein. The incredible story of Michael Bornstein, who at 4 years old, was one of the youngest people to be liberated from Auschwitz.   Books and Authors Mentioned During this Episode: Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz: In this thrilling series, 14 year old Alex Rider is coerced into working for British intelligence after his uncle is killed on a mission.  Babymouse by Jennifer and Matthew Holm: An imaginative mouse learns life lessons in this graphic novel series.  Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce: Chronicles the life of Nate Wright as he resists the confinements of middle school.  Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey: The humorous books recount the adventures of an unlikely super hero.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney: This series, formatted as a journal, recounts the life of middle schooler Greg and his best friend Rowley.  Dork Diaries by Rachel Russell: Humorous book series written as a diary with lots of drawings and doodles. It chronicles the life of middle schooler Nikki Maxwell.  Flip a Word by Harriet Ziefert: A series of humorously illustrated books, including Quack Shack and Crab Cab, that introduce rhyming word families.  Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold: Funny book series about a fly and his best friend, a boy named Buzz.  Geronimo Stilton: This series features the adventures of Geronimo Stilton, the scaredy mouse editor of The Rodent's Gazette, who is constantly being dragged into adventures by his pushy, boisterous family.  Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: Harry Potter's fantastic adventure in this 7 book series starts with 4 simple words, "You're a wizard Harry."  Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: Brian Robeson is the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness.   Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins: In this popular dystopia, teens from twelve oppressed districts are forced to fight to the death in a futuristic arena.   Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo: In this series, a buttered toast loving pet pig named Mercy Watson has all sorts of adventures in her neighborhood.  Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: A traumatic event near the end of summer has a devastating effect on Melinda's freshman year in high school.  Twilight by Stephanie Meyers: This series chronicles the romance between a teen girl and a vampire amidst growing conflict within the secret world of vampires.  Other MCPL Resources and Services Mentioned During this Episode:  Audio books: MCPL offers audio books on CD, on Playaways, and online.    Book discussion groups are available for kids, teens, and adults. Early literacy storytimes prepare our county's babies, toddlers, and preschoolers for a lifetime of reading and learning.  Grandreaders: Children can practice reading aloud to our specially trained older members of the community. List of recommended books by Grade and Age Library Matters recorded an episode about MCPL's Summer Read and Learn program in May, 2017.  Read to a Dog: Children can build confidence in their reading skills by reading aloud to one of our trained therapy dogs.     Short story collections: MCPL has a wide varied of short story collections for children, teens, and adults.  Small type can be a barrier for some readers, including kids. Check out MCPL's large type books for children.  Read the full transcript

If you’re a grandma, no doubt you know there’s no greater joy than sharing a lively, delightfully illustrated book with your grandchildren—especially one that will help them navigate the difficulties of middle school. Each of the Dork Diaries books is just that! Author Rachel Renee Russell and her two co-author daughters have just come out with another highly entertaining story, Dork Diaries: Tales From a Not-So-Friendly Fenemy, that is sure to engage the imagination of any granddaughter. And Ms. Russell will be joining us to share all about it. So, if you’re looking for the perfect gift for the special girls in your life, be sure to tune in for this one! 

Intro Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast focused solely on middle grade readers and to help teachers, parents, and librarians connect them to books they will love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two daughters, and attending the Rochester Children’s Book Festival on November 12th! So if you are going to be there, let me know so we can connect.   This is Episode #10 and Today we’re continuing our conversation about common classroom library mistakes (and how to fix them), talking about three novels with surprising twists, and I’ll answer a question about how to help a young reader who buys a lot of books but never finishes them.   Main Topic - Common Classroom Library Mistakes (And How to Fix Them) - Part 2 Having a vibrant collection of books on hand for children to choose from is so crucial to fostering a love of reading. And more and more teachers, like I did, are discovering just how important it is to have a classroom library. And although today’s discussion is angled more toward teachers, there’s lots to take away for parents, librarians, or anyone who wants to get books into kids’ hands. In our last episode, we discussed six common mistakes that can happen when you are building a classroom library. And today we are discussing 6 more pitfalls - and again - every single one is a mistake that I have made. So - I’m only throwing myself under the bus!  If you missed that episode please scroll back through your feed to find episode #9, but I’ll give a brief recap: #1 - Not getting rid of old books. #2 - Not having an easy check-out system.   #3 - Not changing how books are displayed #4 - Not having enough non-fiction #5 - Not having a clear organizational system #6 - Not having student input into what books are included in the library   So now, we’ll jump back in!   #7 - Not having the second book in a series There are few things more frustrating as a reader than finishing a book on a cliffhanger and having to WAIT to get your hands on that second book.  There’s also no more exciting thing than that anticipation! But… if you want readers to delve deeply into a series or make a connection with an author, it helps to have some of the next books available. I think that’s especially important when a more picky reader finally finds a series that they like. You really want to keep that momentum going and get them into that next book quickly before their enthusiasm wanes or they forget parts of the plot. I’m not saying you have to have EVERY single book in a series, but at least the first few of popular ones like Warriors, Dork Diaries, or the Percy Jackson series are good to have on hand. #8 - Not having enough diversity This is so, so important. And always has been, but finally there’s more attention being paid to this issue now. I started to ask myself, Does my classroom library reflect not only the students in my school but also the wider world? Will they find characters like themselves in those pages? And will they be the main character and not just the sidekick.  Diversity can take so many forms: race, ethnicity, gender, family structure, religious views, gender identity, and disability (which is such a broad term but encompasses so many things from physical and cognitive disabilities to addiction). Campaigns like #WeNeedDiverseBooks and websites like disabilityinkidlit.com help keep the conversation going and provide resources and recommendations. One enlightening thing you can do with your students is to have THEM analyze the diversity in the classroom library. There’s a phenomenal blog post from Jess at Crawling Out of the Classroom with complete instructions and downloadable tally sheets you can use to make this really easy if you want to give it a try. I’ll put a link in the shownotes for you but I am definitely doing that this year. I think it will be eye-opening for me, and eye-opening for my students. #9 - Not having anything other than books I’ll say up front that I am still working on fixing this one. But some of the teachers I know with the most inspiring classroom libraries also make sure they include some up-to-date magazines, audio books, or travel brochures. I wish I could remember where I heard it or read about it, but one teacher or librarian collects sports car brochures that they nab from dealerships for their kids to read. How cool is that? #10 - Not having a variety of levels As I have mentioned on a previous episode - don’t dis the picture books!  Picture books, easier Chapter Books, more challenging higher level MG - all should have a home in well-stocked classroom library.  It embarasses me to admit, but when I used to buy books for my class, I would envision the typical on-grade-level reader and mainly get books targeted there. Now, I’m really trying to expand that out and also book talk more picture books and short chapter books so kids realize reading all kinds of books is okay. #11 - Not taking care of the books This is another lesson that took me WAY too long to learn. I would just get a book from the store or Scholastic, pop my name inside, and simply put it on the shelf and hope for the best. And you never want to get mad at a kid for accidentally wrecking a book or getting it dirty - I mean - heck - many of my books have chocolate smears or stains from spaghetti sauce.  But - it’s worth some time and a bit of money to protect the investment of the books. So, teach kids how to care for books - using a bookmark, not bending corners of pages, and being gentle with them.  One thing I do now is cover all the new books I get with clear contact paper. I always have a couple rolls on standby near my dining room table so whenever I have a spare minute I can toss aside the tablecloth and cover a few books. #12 - Not having anything new Up until last year,  I would never purchase a new release - hardcovers are expensive! And sometimes you don’t know if they’re going to like it or not! But I have come to change my mind. Having a fresh new book that first week or even first day it’s released - it’s exciting! You’re in on the buzz about that book! Some of my students last spring were actually counting down the days to Kwame Alexander’s release of Booked because they loved The Crossover so much. And when I brought that book in the DAY it was available and cracked open the pages and we smelled the fresh new book smell - every kid in class signed up to get that book. Having new books also gets students paying attention to the work of their favorite authors and they’re on lookout themselves for new releases. I see some teachers even post a book release calendar in their classroom to boost that excitement. I am totally stealing that idea! Plus, it signals to kids that books aren’t old, dusty, unchanging things. There are fresh, new exciting books being born into the world every Tuesday. My hope is that you won’t make the many mistakes I did when first starting to gather titles for a classroom library and that your collection will start off in a much better place. Now, already, I am sure there are things I have missed, so please let me know. You can tag me on Twitter or Instagram or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’ll share some of your thoughts and ideas in an upcoming episode! Book Talk - Three Novels with Surprising Twists In this segment, I share with you three books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week I’m sharing three novels with shocking plot twists: The Children of Exile, Be Light Like a Bird, and The Inquisitor’s Tale.  These three books are very different - one is science fiction, one is contemporary fiction, and one is historical fiction. But all three had my jaw dropping at some point in the book. The Children of Exile The first book I want to share with you today is Children of Exile by Margaret Peterson Haddix. You may be familiar with her previous book Among the Hidden, which is the first novel in her Shadow Children series. Children of Exile is the first of what I am told will be a trilogy. It’s about 12 year old Rosi, who is being raised with her little brother in a small, structured, safe Utopian community called Fredtown. Due to some mysterious event in the past, Rosi and all the other children in her community were taken away from their home and their biological parents as infants and are now being raised by adults called “Freds”. Rosi and her estranged friend Edwy are the two oldest kids and are expected to look out for all the younger children. But that task gets incredibly difficult when abruptly they are sent back home to a world that is anything but safe, structured, and nurturing. So here are three things to love about The Children of Exile: Fredtown  - I am not sure what it says about me, but I wanted to go live in Fredtown. There is order, reasonable rules, gentle parenting, and I particularly liked the guidelines around consent and power. Children are taught to ask permission before touching or tickling and they learn that it is immoral to overpower those that are younger or weaker than you. I would totally sign up to go live in Fredtown! And they memorize founding principles that are secular and based on the best human philosophies. For example, one of their principles is “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  And another is “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Which has you wondering… how did sayings from Martin Luther King, Jr, and Nelson Mandela find their way into this society? Big Themes - There is so much good stuff packed into these 43 chapters. This would make an excellent book club selection. There’s so much to talk about: racism, prejudice, human extinction, sacrifice, acceptance, religious tolerance, and how a common enemy can bring people together in ways you wouldn’t expect. The Cliffhangers - Haddix is a master at getting you to turn the page! Just a sampling, here’s the last line of Chapter 6: “Then someone grabbed my shoulder.” (Ahhh!) And later, at the end of Chapter 19: “...sneak out and meet me. There’s something I have to show you.”  And I defy you to get to page 266 and stop reading. At that point, you are IN IT until the end. The Children of Exile is unputdownable and will have you reeling in those final chapters.  It’s kind of like The City of Ember with a twist of The Twilight Zone and a great science fiction title to offer your middle grade readers.   Be Light Like a Bird The second novel I want to talk about is a quieter book but the narrative builds to this moment of surprise that suddenly has you rethinking every character interaction that came before. Be Light Like a Bird by Monika Schröder is the story of Wren, a 12 year-old girl whose life is unraveling after her father suddenly dies in a plane crash. Her mother, instead of comforting her only child, is angry and decides to rip the girl away from her home and take her in the car across the country looking for a new start.  They finally end up in Michigan where Wren makes unexpected friends, finds a cause to get behind, and slowly learns the truth about her mother’s erratic behavior.  Here are three reasons to love about Be Light Like a Bird: How well the author gets that school setting.You can tell that Schröder has experience as a librarian and teacher in the descriptions of classroom life and interactions between the kids. Just as one example, there is a scene where Wren’s new teacher announces “Our next assignment will be a partner project.” And let me read to you what happens next:     Everyone in the class quickly sought to make eye contact with their prefered partner. I looked over to Carrie, but her eyes were locked onto Victoria’s. “I will assign the partners,” Mrs. Peters said as she handed out the papers. Last week partners had been assigned randomly, with the help of the sticks of doom - Popsicle sticks that had our names written on them in black marker. Mrs. Peters would close her eyes and pull out two sticks, then read the names aloud, and that was that. It seemed fair to me. At least chance determined whom you had to work with. But this time, Mrs. Peters announced that we’d be working with someone at our table. As she went around the room assigning team partners, I held my breath and squeezed my thumbs inside my fists, hoping for a miracle. I think every kid, parent, teacher, and librarian can recognize and relate to that scene.   How nature brings the characters together. One of the reasons that I really connected to Wren was that she’s a bird watcher - something I don’t do as much now, but just like Wren - I had a bird book by my side and recorded the date, location, and time of my bird sightings. (Personally, I was never very good at it. One day I spent 10 minutes looking at a pinecone through my binoculars trying to figure out what rare sparrow I was seeing my backyard.) Wren’s new birdwatching spot is Pete’s Pond - a quiet, calming place for her. Until it’s threatened and that it the catalyst which finally gets her to start connecting with other people and attempt to save it. How well the author understands grief and represents it as this cloud that hovers over Wren.  There’s a scene where Wren is sitting in her father’s old car and inhaling the scent that is tied so intensely with her happy memories of him. When she starts a new school, she doesn’t tell anyone that her father recently died - not because she wants to forget it, but because she doesn’t want to be defined by that and also other people’s reactions are hard to deal with. And the importance of a friend who will simply let you cry by their side. Be Light Like a Bird is about family and friendship and grief. And ultimately - grief over what we had that was lost, but also grief over what we thought we had. It’s a beautiful book. The Inquisitor’s Tale Our final book featuring an abundance of surprising twists is The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz. I have been texting, tweeting, and talking about this book so much in the past month that when I type the letter I into my phone, it automatically suggests “Inquisitor” as the first option. This novel is a medieval adventure story about three magical children (and a dog) who are pursued by various agents of the Inquisition. The first is a young girl named Jeanne (sort of like a young Joan of Arc) who has fits and sees visions. Then we meet the talkative and tall monk-in-training, William - an eleven year old whose unusual dark skin is likely the result of a relationship between his crusading father and a North African woman. Since this is 1242 France, his appearance and supernatural strength immediately have people seeing him as dangerously different. And finally, there’s little Jacob - a wise Jewish boy reeling from the recent death of his parents and just starting to realize his powers to heal others.  Eventually all three are both hailed and condemned as saints and have to outwit and outrun their pursuers. The story is so gorgeously detailed and interconnected that any description I give you of this novel is NOT going to do it justice. You just have to get it and read it yourself.  The fact is there are so so many big and little things I loved about this book, but I have committed to limiting myself to three. I have to start with the illustrations. Just like many real medieval texts had illuminations in the margins, The Inquisitor’s Tale includes dozens and dozens of intricate sketches by Hatem Aly. There is so much to explore there but I think what is most fascinating is the note at the beginning of the novel explaining that the drawings might actually contradict or question the text. That profound mix of humor, philosophy, and yes - savagery. There are gross jokes galore in this book. And I love how that is mixed in with deep philosophical and religious discussions between the children. At one point, Jacob asks that eternal question: Why would a good God let bad things happen?  This is a book about saints and at some point it dawns on the children that most saints are martyred. In high school, I worked evenings in the rectory (the office) at St. Cecelia’s church and during down times, I would read this dusty old copy of Lives of the Saints. And the stories in there were appallingly gruesome - and this novel doesn’t really shy away from the awfulness of that. But, it does give some hope that people with intensely different beliefs might still find a way to work together and be friends. The character twists! I don’t want to say too much and ruin it, so I’m really holding a lot back here, but all throughout this book, you meet the most vile, nastiest characters and then suddenly… it flips and one of the narrators helps you see their point of view. And even if they’ve still DONE terrible things, you have more empathy for them. Then you realize that one of the key characters that have been telling you this story - You. Can’t. Trust.  Ahhhh!  I LOVED it - this book had me gleefully yelling at the pages. The Inquisitor’s Tale would make a fantastic read aloud, and I’ve heard the audio version is phenomenal. I think this novel is probably best suited for upper middle grade readers about ages 10-14 but I am sure any teen or adult who likes an historical adventure with some awesome fart jokes thrown in is going to really love it!    The Inquisitor’s Tale, Be Light Like a Bird, and The Children of Exile are three terrific middle grade books with twists you will love.   Q & A Our third and final segment this week is Question & Answer time. Question: Last week we had our first round of parent-teacher conferences, and the reading specialist and I were asked the following question: “I keep buying my son tons of books. He seems excited about reading them, but then he rarely finishes. What can I do?” Answer: So here were our suggestions.  My thought was to help them build some momentum in the book by reading it with them to start off. So, you might read aloud the first few chapters together - maybe alternating who is reading it out loud. Then, make a plan where you each read the next chapter on your own and meet up to chat about it in a couple days. Then you might increase that to two chapters or three or pull back if they are getting confused. My colleague, Kelly, recommended finding books with shorter chapters. It’s easier to stay focused when the reading chunks are smaller. And we both agreed that helping kids understand that every book has a slow part is important. But, if you can shepherd them through that part, it does pick up again. Closing Okay that’s it for the Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for sharing your time with me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show with links to every book and resource I talked about today by going to BooksBetween.com/10 which will take you to our home at All the Wonders where you can discover other wonderful kidlit resources. And, if you are liking the show, please help us out by sharing on social media or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Thanks and see you in two weeks!  Bye!

Sep. 5, 2015. Rachel Renee Russell and daughters Erin and Nikki discuss "Dork Diaries No. 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen" at the 2015 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: Rachel Renee Russell is an attorney who likes writing teen books more than legal briefs, especially because bunny slippers aren’t allowed in court. She is the author of the best-selling Dork Diaries series, which chronicles the life of Nikki Maxwell and is inspired by the middle school experiences of Russell’s two daughters. Her Dork Diaries series has sold over 15 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 32 languages. The latest volume in the series is “Dork Diaries 9: Tales from a Not-So-Dorky Drama Queen." In her free time, she enjoys growing purple flowers and attempting useless crafts, such as building microwave ovens from Popsicle sticks. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6983

Rachel Renee Russell appears at the 2011 National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Rachel Renee Russell is an attorney who prefers writing tween books to legal briefs. (Mainly because books are a lot more fun and pajamas and bunny slippers aren't allowed in court.) Her hobbies include growing purple flowers and doing totally useless crafts (like, for example, making a microwave oven out of Popsicle sticks, glue and glitter). She is the author of the popular "Dork Diaries" series, and her latest book is "Dork Diaries 3: Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star." For captions, transcript, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5402.

Russell, Rachel Renee. DORK DIARIES : TALES FROM A NOT-SO-FABULOUS LIFE