Podcast appearances and mentions of Gary Schmidt

Haley interviews celebrated author Gary D. Schmidt, the winner of multiple Newbery Honor awards and a National Book Award finalist, about his middle grade novel, The Labors of Hercules Beal. They discuss how great stories can equip the young reader with courage and hope and explore the value of the classical myths and medieval literature. They also talk about Gary's approach to writing for children and crafting books that respect the child reader. Learn more about the children's literature available from Word on Fire Votive. Stay up-to-date with the latest episodes of the The Votive Podcast biweekly on WordonFire.org or wherever you listen to podcasts. Do you enjoy this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member to support the production of the Votive Podcast and other initiatives from Word on Fire. Our ministry depends on the support of listeners like you! Become a part of this mission and join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.

This week the guys welcome back good friend, former colleague, and two-time Newberry Medal honoree, young-adult writer Gary Schmidt. How did Jeff and Dave manage that? Well we invited him in, and just like that he accepted our invitation. He found the studio comfortable, or at least okay for now, but the conversation was more than a little bit super. We focused on his 2023 novel The Labors of Hercules Beal, a rip-roaring adaptation of the strongman's 12 tasks, with cats, coyotes, a katabasis, a sculpted hippo, and more. Like so much of Gary's work, it is a beautiful tragicomedy, blending moments of hilarity with unvarnished reflection on suffering. So, pay attention, Carter Jones (and everyone else), and stay out of trouble. And for our younger listeners, from the first boy to the last girl, regardless of what planet you orbit, this one is a can't-miss!    

It was there, boarding our motorcycles onto the ferry, that the fellow next to me pulled off his jacket to reveal a t-shirt that not only caught me by surprise, but made me laugh.  We struck up a conversation right away.  His black t-shirt had a simple slogan on it that said “Go Fast, Don't Die”.  Oh, now that's genius!  I get it!  I'm sure that statement could be interpreted in many ways, but for me it means, do what you can, while you can.  I guess, live life to the fullest.  Mindfulness helps!  Do what makes you happy.I love the feedback and want to hear from you!  Here's my request.  Send me an email:  ron@peacelovemoto.com.    Thank you!https://www.gofastdontdie.com/https://youtube.com/shorts/-4fwQ10BCdY?si=p7q_E6xbYXmSmh-6Music by:Gary Schmidt: https://www.garyschmidtmusic.com/Brett Wilson:  https://www.mountainzenden.com/Oleg Kirilkov from PixabaySergii Pavkin from PixabayVitalii Korol from Pixabay

Ya know, when someone asks me to describe what the Peace Love Moto podcast is all about, I simply say that it's about the peace of mind that all of us seek, and some of us find, from the saddle of a motorcycle.  Well today, you'll hear a slightly different approach for reaching that same goal, peace of mind.  Brett and Melissa Wilson are extraordinary people.  Yes, they too, seek that peace of mind that we all seek from the saddle.  But their saddles are attached to horses and its simply amazing to learn what motorcyclists and horseback riders have in common.  I know that you're going to enjoy this part 1 of a two part conversation with the hosts of the Mountain Zen Den Podcast, Brett and Melissa Wilson.  Stay tuned!Find amazing stories from Brett and Melissa at:  https://www.mountainzenden.com/Music by: Brett Wilson (https://www.mountainzenden.com/)Gary Schmidt (https://www.garyschmidtmusic.com/)Oleksii Kaplunskyi from PixabayLesfm from PixabaySergii Pavkin from PixabaySergii Pavkin from Pixabay

Episode 5: Riding a motorcycle transports us physically, but when the stars align just right, the bike may also transport our spirit as well.  In that state of mind, distractions disappear and a new feeling of bliss takes over as the hours and miles on our bike roll by.In this week's Episode, we share two stories about the transformative power of bliss.  We will be transported to our Happy Place and that's a might fine place to be.Music credits:Brett Wilson https://www.mountainzenden.com/Gary Schmidt https://www.garyschmidtmusic.com/Jason Shaw https://freemusicarchive.org/music

After seeing the movie "On Any Sunday" as an 11 year old, I was transformed.  I fell in love with motorcycling.  Little did I know what impact that riding would have on my outlook on life.  In this week's Episode, we discuss the movie that many say inspired them to ride.  We also read the lyrics to the movie's theme song that so graciously captures our passion for riding.Music credits:Brett Wilson https://www.mountainzenden.com/Gary Schmidt https://www.garyschmidtmusic.com/Resources:https://www.damfinoroads.com/sally-stevens

Withywindle is back with a whole new season, featuring wonderful guests, lots of stories, and plenty of nonsense! This week, the great Gary Schmidt coms on to talk about writing stories about difficult things, plus lazy words is back, and we introduce a new segment! Happy listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This book was so good that I felt it was necessary to veer from our usual adult titles and share it with you. Gary Schmidt's book The Wednesday Wars, published in 2007 is a Newbery honor book.

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a leading type of progressive dementia behind Alzheimer's disease. But this condition still isn't well understood and can be difficult to diagnose. We chat with Dr. Gary Schmidt, a retired primary care physician who is living with LBD, and he shares his unique perspective and insight on thriving with this disease. He provides strategies that have helped him face the changes that come with the disease, as well as his passion for continued education and sharing his experience with everyone. He is currently working to reduce stigma by encouraging open communication and involving his community in his journey. He also uses his unique experience as a doctor to encourage medical professionals to listen to their patients, their symptoms, their history, and not simply “checking the boxes”.

*Please note that many products linked are Amazon affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. Thanks for your support!* We are super excited to share this episode with Jeff Zentner with you! Jeff is a YA author with four books in his catalog and two of them best sellers! Those same two made it on to Mindy's Top 21 of 2021 (she read 189 books, so that's a big deal to her). Jeff shares what YA brings to the table that other books often don't. You may be surprised at what you hear and some of it may challenge you. We'd love for you to hear why including YA novels in our homeschooling plans can have long term benefits. 1:00 Jeff Zentner: best selling author of YA novels In the Wild Light and The Serpent King 1:15 Currently Reading Podcast 1:50 Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Matinee 2:00 Homeschooling Moment of the Week: Rachel (puppy birthing needs hay) 3:00 James Herriot Treasury Collection for Children 3:05 PBS Masterpiece on James Herriot 3:34 HSMotW: Mindy (Jubilee pre-writing skills and “writing” stories) 4:20 HMotQ: Jeff (snuggles and reading at home after being away) 5:20 Topic Talk: Including YA in our homeschooling plans 7:25 Writing about living in the South 10:20 How Jeff describes YA to us 11:39 Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Jones 14:00 What does YA have to offer in our homeschooling? 14:13 YA is great for drawing in reluctant readers 15:00 Teens can see themselves reflected in YA books 15:14 YA books are hopeful 17:00 Can YA be for families who are more conservative in their kids' reading selections? 18:28 Julie Berry 18:38 The Lovely War by Julie Berry 18:44 Caroline George 18:50 Caroline George books 19:00 Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Matinee Clean YA books (post by Book Series Recaps) 21:31 The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder is book #1) 21:33 The Selection Series (The Selection is book #1) 21:45 YA can be a gateway to conversations 22:23 YA helps us remember how things actually felt during our teen years 23:55 How Jeff incorporates reading in his family life 25:33 Gary Schmidt books 25:36 Gary Paulsen books 25:40 Jason Reynolds books 25:55 Does Jeff think about topics he wants to address in his books? 27:00 How Jeff feels about and treats teens 29:30 Which of Jeff's characters is most like him? 29:44 Why Jeff doesn't write himself on the page 30:44 Benefits of Easter Eggs in novels 32:06 How Jeff is involved with the narrators for his audiobooks 33:06 Angela's question for Jeff 33:27 Kelly Loy Gilbert 33:29 Jessie Ann Foley 33:45 Picture Us in the Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert 33:51 Sorry for your Loss by Jessie Ann Foley 34:07 Make It Personal: Near Bookends (start reading YA) 35:02 MIP: Far Bookends (read a YA with your kid) 33:57 Bookend Homeschoolers Reading Guides: Summer, Japan, Fat Bear 33: 45 Jeff's novels: In the Wild Light, The Serpent King, Rayne and Delilah's Midnite Adventure, and Goodbye Days Clean YA books and tween books (List created by Book Series Recaps) 36: 47 View from the (Far) Bookend: show value to each season of our kids' lives, including late teenhood (If you have read The Serpent King, we have a fun bonus at the end of the show) Bookend Homeschoolers on IG Mindy at gratefulforgrace on IG Rachel at colemountainhomeschool on IG Jeff Zentner on IG, on Twitter, and his FB author page

WSSP's high school insider, Mike McGivern, catches up with and celebrates WBCA Hall of Famer and former head basketball coach at New Berlin Eisenhower, Gary Schmidt...and his sons Scott and Matt.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The conclusion to our interview with award-winning novelist and teacher Gary Schmidt.

Listen to author Gary Schmidt provide some fascinating insights to his writing, inspiration and motivation.

Award-winning author - (National Book Award finalist and Newberry prize winner) - former Yankees (now Mets fan) - teacher - medievalist - UofI grad - what more can I say? A great storyteller. Listen to the first of our three-part interview with this fascinating man.

Annie is joined by Robbie Hopkins, a former teacher/librarian, now homeschool dad. Robbie is a music and literary aficionado, and shares his summer playlist based on some of Annie’s anticipated summer reads.  You can listen to the playlist on Spotify here. The books mentioned in today’s episode can be purchased or preordered from The Bookshelf: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld The Lightness by Emily Temple Beach Read by Emily Henry Nothing Can Hurt You by Nicola Mae Goldberg Mother Land by Leah Franqui The Bright Lands by John Fram Let's Never Talk about This Again by Sarah Faith Alterman A Star Is Bored by Byron Lane The Switch by Beth O’Leary Of Bears and Ballots by Heather Lende From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram at @bookshelftville, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown and Robbie is reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt. If you liked what you heard on today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on iTunes. Or, if you’re so inclined, support us on Patreon, where you can hear our staff’s weekly New Release Tuesday conversations, read full book reviews in our monthly Shelf Life newsletter, follow along as Hunter and I conquer a classic, and receive free shipping on all your online orders. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.

PLAYLIST MÚSICAS IMAGINADAS 4 DE MAYO DE 2020 - PAUL WINTER. The Well-Tempered Wood Thrush (single) - GARY SCHMIDT. Adagio from Concerto in Dm (J.S. Bach) (A Classical Meditation, 2020) - GARY SCHMIDT. Pieces Froides n 1 (Satie) (A Classical Meditation, 2020) - GARY SCHMIDT. Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven) (A Classical Meditation, 2020) - ALEXIS FFRENCH. Coming Home (Dreamland, 2020) - ALEXIS FFRENCH. These Days (Dreamland, 2020) - ALEXIS FFRENCH. One (Dreamland, 2020) - ALEXIS FFRENCH. Story of You (Dreamland, 2020) - CHAD LAWSON. Stay (Stay, 2020) - CHAD LAWSON. One Day You Finally Knew (Stay, 2020) - LOUIS COLAIANNIA. Lonely Bird (single) - CORNELL KINDERKNECHT. Solace Blooming (single) - GEORGE WINSTON. Variations on the Kanon by Pachelbel (December, 1982)

A talk with Gary Schmidt in Colorado. His first recording in 2016 “Landscapes of the Heart was produced by Windham Hill founder, Will Ackerman. It went on to win the award forBest Piano with Instruments from both One World Radio, based out of the UK, and Enlightened piano radio. His second recording in 2018 “Even for a Moment” was released by Heart Dance Records and again was nominated for Best Piano with Instruments from One World Radio (it won third). Along the way he appeared as performer in award ceremonies at both Carnegie Hall and the Grand Old Opry. https://www.apianist.com

Our guest will be John Ostenga. The curator for the Gary Schmidt Model Car Collection is John Ostenga. Gary was the publisher of Scale Auto Enthusiast Magazine, Car Modeller Magazine and Galaxie Limited Model Car Company.

In Rewrite Radio Episode #32, Gary Schmidt discusses the ethical implications of using memories in fiction at the 2006 Festival of Faith & Writing. Gary Schmidt’s novels, though set as far back as 1730, often include moments and scenes from his own past and experience. So how does the writer for middle-grade and young-adult readers adapt his or her past to a narrative set in a different time period and to readers who are unfamiliar with both the author and the historical past? And what ethical implications do such uses carry, particularly when they involve issues of faith and meaning? Gary D. Schmidt is the prolific author of books for children and young adults as well as grown-up readers. With a PhD from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he is also a professor of English at Calvin College, where he currently co-chairs the department. He received both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor for Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy and a Newbery Honor for The Wednesday Wars, which was also nominated for a National Book Award. Of his many titles, some others include Anson's Way, The Sin Eater, Straw into Gold, Trouble, Orbiting Jupiter, and Okay for Now. In 2017, he contributed to the Star Wars anthology From A Certain Point of View: Star Wars. His latest book is So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom. Gary lives on a 150-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan, where he splits wood, plants gardens, writes, and feeds the wild cats that drop by. Rewrite Radio is a production of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing, located on the campus of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. Theme music is June 11th by Andrew Starr. Additional sound design by Alejandra Crevier. You can find more information about the Center and its signature event, the Festival of Faith and Writing, online at ccfw.calvin.edu and festival.calvin.edu and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The problem often with solo piano works is…. Well the word ‘solo’. The piano is a wonderful instrument, I wish I had learned to play it, alas the only keyboard I can play is one attached to a computer. I often feel that great though a solo piano work might be, the addition of another instrument  might elevate the work to new heights It is like eating a fine roast beef and gravy dinner and introducing a Yorkshire Pudding. The experience is transformative. . Gary Schmidt with Even For A Moment is the chef that understands the need for the Yorkshire Puddings. Track one is the starter, If This Is The Time, it is a wonderful track. It draws you in, there are two opposing forces at work. I wish I could talk about it more eloquently, there are two people playing. One is ready and steady, the chord structure is wonderful. Meanwhile someone else is adding a another lighter layer. Please join us, for what I am sure will be an interesting discussion, and we will be playing some tracks from the yet to be released albu

Gary Schmidt is the Director of Public and Government Affairs for Clackamas County, Oregon.  He previously worked for Oregon United States Senators Mark Hatfield and Gordon Smith, as a Field Representative, speechwriter and constituent services coordinator.  Gary has been a Toastmaster for 23 years and served as the International President of Toastmasters International in 2009-2010. Show Notes: Toastmasters International Gary Schmidt - LinkedIn Profile

Gary Schmidt moved his entertainment concert company to Washoe County in the early 70's where he produced “Labor Day Music and Arts Festival” in 1973 at T-Car Speedway featuring the Doobie Brothers that drew over 30,000 in attendance. At that time, it was one of the biggest concert ever produced in Reno. Since he has gone on to produce many more events. Timeline Website Interview Link: https://wp.me/p4IySa-1jx

Today’s episode of Rewrite Radio features Katherine Paterson at the 2004 Festival of Faith & Writing. In this talk she discusses how and why she finds meaning in the midst of life’s chaos, the comforts and challenges of art, and also the vital importance of teachers. Katherine Paterson is the author of more than 30 books, including 16 novels for children and young people. She’s won countless awards including the Newbery Medal for both Bridge to Terabithia and Jacob Have I Loved and National Book Awards for The Great Gilly Hopkins and The Master Puppeteer. For her body of work she received the Hans Christian Andersen Award and in 2000 was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress. To help introduce this recording we snagged Gary Schmidt, an English professor here at Calvin College and our own resident award-winning author. He’s twice received a Newbery Honor, for both The Wednesday Wars and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. All told, he’s written more than 15 books for children and young adults including Okay for Now a finalist for the National Book Award and In God's Hands, a picture book he co-authored with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner, that was a runner-up for a National Jewish Book Award. His most recent project is a short story told from the perspective of Yoda in the anthology Star Wars from a certain point of view.

Intro Hi and Welcome to Books Between - a podcast to help teachers, parents, or librarians connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - an elementary school teacher, a mom of two daughters, and excited to be back at school! Last Tuesday, I welcomed a brand new batch of 18 5th graders and we have had a great week reading picture books like School’s First Day of School and Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, setting up our fresh new reading journals, and taking time to get to know each other. It’s going to be a fantastic year! This is Episode #6 and today we’re discussing the Global Read Aloud project, the two read aloud novels featured at the middle grade level, and I’ll answer a question about the origins of the podcast. Main Topic - The Global Read Aloud Project As September has rolled around, and teachers, librarians, and homeschool families are making plans for the year, I thought now would be a good time to discuss The Global Read Aloud Project - also referred to as GRA. If you’ve been hearing about the Global Read Aloud Project and want to know more, then this is the perfect podcast for you. I first heard about the GRA last summer on Twitter and was immediately intrigued, but at the time,  I was already piloting a new reading program so didn’t want to take on another new thing. But this year, I am ready to go and really excited to be participating for my first time. The questions we’ll answer for you today are: What is the Global Read Aloud project?, What are the books?, Why should I participate?, and finally How can I jump in and get involved? What IS Global Read Aloud? First of all - what IS the Global Read Aloud Project? The GRA was started by educator Pernille Ripp in 2010 as a way to connect the world around one fantastic book. In 2010 that book was The Little Prince and after that, it expanded to include more than one book to target different reading levels, so more children can participate.  It really was a bottom up, grassroots project that has expanded every year. This year there are more than 600,000 students signed up already. The Global Read Aloud runs each fall from early October to the beginning of November and teachers, librarians, and parents participate by reading that year’s featured book out loud to their kids over a six week period. This year the GRA kicks off on October 3rd, but you can definitely jump in after that date. The suggested reading schedule is posted on the Global Read Aloud website, which I will link to in the show notes.  During that time frame from about early October to early November, your class connects with at least one other group of children, and hopefully more depending on how in-depth you want to go. That connection might involve a Skype session, doing a joint project in a Google Classroom, asking and answering some thought-provoking questions in a shared Edmodo group, or maybe connecting on Twitter. What are the 2016 books for GRA? As I mentioned before, the GRA has expanded beyond just one book to feature several across various age ranges so you can find a good fit for your child or your class.  I will be participating as both a parent with my 7 and 9 year old and as a teacher with my 5th graders. The youngest grades do an author study and read six picture books over the course of the project. This year’s featured author/illustrator is Lauren Castillo -you might know her books like Nana in the City, The Troublemaker, and a recent favorite in my house - Twenty Yawns. I defy you to read it aloud without yawning joyfully all through that book! My girls and I will probably end up reading those as well. The next GRA book option recommended for ages 7 and up is Roald Dahl’s BFG. I think that’s a great fit with the Spielberg movie released last summer and a huge perennial favorite among adults and kids. The next read aloud choice recommended for ages 9 and up is Pax by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Jon Klassen. Either the BFG or Pax would be perfect for middle grade readers, and I’ll be talking much more about them in our Book Talk segment in a few minutes. If you are looking for something for readers ages 12 and up, then this year’s book is Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt. And the Young Adult book this year for about ages 15 and above is All American Boys by Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely. I have not yet read either of those books but so many of my friends keep talking about them - they are bound to be excellent. Why should you participate? Really the answer is two-fold. It’s great for children AND it’s great for you, too! Participating in the Global Read Aloud is an excellent way to have students connecting and collaborating with other kids and classrooms across the nation (and maybe world!) through social media and other online tools. And old-fashioned pen and paper, too if you want!  We are a global society and the GRA is a perfect way to build those 21st Century skills we all know are crucial for kids’ success. Aside from benefits for students, there are also lots of benefits for teachers. All the teachers that I’ve spoken with who have done the GRA in the past have loved the connections they make with other educators. It really builds your professional network and also pushes you a bit to try to expand your digital literacy in a new directions. So maybe that’s Twitter, Skype, or Padlet. But whatever direction you decide to go in to make your connections, I know you won’t regret participating. How can you participate? So now that I have got you excited and hopefully sold on trying out the Global Read Aloud project this year, how do you join? The first thing to do is grab a copy of whichever book you decide to read and then go to the GRA main website - www.theglobalreadaloud.com - and sign up right on that main page. It’s really easy to find, and - by the way, totally free. From there, you can find the Google Group and Facebook Group. Also - one of the best places to make connections with other teachers and classrooms are the Edmodo groups designated for each book. There is also an online shop where you can buy this year’s Global Read Aloud merchandise - and all kinds of other reading themed t-shirts and accessories. If you listened to Episode #3, you already know that I went a little crazy there and bought 3 shirts from the shop already. GRA is also on Pinterest (of course!) and you can connect on Twitter using this year’s hashtag #GRA16.  Each of the individual books also have their own hashtag for easier sorting - the middle grade novels are #GRABFG and #GRAPAX for Pax.  There is lots and lots of other great information on the website - and I’ll link to everything I’ve mentioned right in the show notes. I am really psyched to be joining the Global Read Aloud movement this year and I’m looking forward to seeing all the exciting connections and cool projects that you all are doing as well. Book Talk - Two Middle Grade GRA Choices In this part of the show, I share with you a few books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week, I’ll be talking about the two middle grade Global Read Aloud options: The BFG by Roald Dahl and Pax by Sara Pennypacker. BFG Roald Dahl’s 1982 novel The BFG is about a Big Friendly Giant (that’s what the BFG stands for) who roams the streets of London with his magical trumpet which he uses to blow dreams into children’s ears. One night a young orphan, Sophie, sees him outside her window. So the BFG snatches her up and carries her off to Giantland. There Sophie realizes that there are nine other giants who are WAY bigger than the BFG and not so friendly. They set off each night to the far corners of the earth to gobble up children. Eventually, Sophie and the BFG come up with a plan to try to stop these man-eating giants. A plan which, by the way, involves the Queen of England. In true Roald Dahl fashion, it’s funny but also pretty dark gruesome actually. So here are three things that I find very intriguing about the BFG. The Language. The BFG speaks in this funny mishmash of semi-English, using words like “filthsome” to describe something yucky, “kiddles” for children, or “human beans” to mean human beings. Really good dreams are called “phizzwizards” and nightmares are “trogglehumpers” - it’s just fun and playful.   And of course, my daughters now enjoy using the term “whizzpopping” which means - farting. The potential for some deep conversations. For example, it turns out that Sophie is not the first child that the BFG has essentially abducted. There was a little boy who lived with the BFG for awhile and was eventually discovered by the other giants and eaten. I found that to be deeply disturbing and it raises big moral questions. Should he have taken her? As does the idea that the giants are totally and completely evil for eating people. I mean - are lions evil for eating a gazelle? Are humans evil for eating bacon? There are those ethical questions that this book can raise about our choices in what we eat. The Movie - This past July, Disney and Steven Spielberg teamed up to create The BFG film. It was a beautiful and well crafted movie that does downplay the darkest elements of the book while generally staying pretty true to the main plot points. Also - if you are Downton Abbey fan, Penelope Wilton (who plays Mrs. Crawley) does a phenomenal job as Queen Elizabeth II.  It’s worth watching just for that!  And I think the DVD will be released by this November, so the timing should work out to watch the film after you read the novel. Pax The second middle grade option for the Global Read Aloud is Sara Pennypacker’s Pax. The novel starts off with a heart-wrenching scene of a boy, Peter, intentionally abandoning his pet fox by the side of the road. Eventually, you come to realize that Peter can’t keep the fox, named Pax, because his father has enlisted in the army and so Peter has to go live with his grandfather. The chapters alternate between Peter’s point of view and the perspective of the fox as he tries to survive in the wild and desperately hopes his boy returns for him. And after a guilt-ridden couple of days, Peter does run away to try to find him. Here are three things I really found so fascinating about Pax: The novel is set in an undefined place and time, and I found that aspect of the book to be really interesting. It could be the United States or maybe Canada and there are clues along the way that help you narrow it down a bit. For example, there are modern-ish vehicles and they mention the kids playing baseball. But you’re never really sure, and I think that dimension of this book could lead to some deep conversation and debate with kids. How this novel explores the concept of being inseparable. When Peter first arrives at his grandfather’s house, he discovers an old picture of his dad as a kid with a pet dog. The grandfather describes them as “inseparable” and that idea of being inseparable gnaws at Peter and he almost becomes obsessed with the idea. I just love how the book explores that idea from all different angles - the father who left to fight in a war, his own mother who died just recently, and now leaving his tame and vulnerable fox on the side of the road. It really asks us to think about whether or not being inseparable is the highest form of bonding and love. The perfect symmetry of the ending. And - I don’t want to spoil it at all by revealing what happens, but oh my gosh - it is powerful and not at all what I expected to happen. Pax is so much more than I’ve just described - I haven’t even mentioned the characters Vola or Gray or all the issues that come as Peter and Pax try to make their way through this worn-torn country to find each other. Pax is so good. It’s about war, and loyalty, and loss. I’m excited and intrigued to see what this novel brings out in my students this fall. I hope you decide to sign up for the Global Read Aloud this year with your students or read aloud with your kids. I’ll be doing both - reading Pax to my 5th graders at school and my 9 and 7 year old at home.  But even if you don’t do the GRA, these are both excellent books to put in the hands of a middle grade reader. Q & A Our last segment of the show is Question & Answer time. Question: Now that the Books Between Podcast has been out for awhile and more people are listening (thank you!), I’ve had some people ask “What made you decide to start a podcast?” Answer: Two things really came together to push me to into launching a podcast about middle grade readers and middle grade books. First, I simply LOVE listening to podcasts. I have a 30 minute commute to work each day and podcasts like Stuff You Should Know, RadioLab, and Serial make my drive bearable. If I’m doing the dishes or cleaning, I pretty much always have an earbud stuck in my ear. And last year I started to listen to more kidlit focused podcasts like Let’s Get Busy (which is now All the Wonders), The Yarn, Scholastic Reads, and KidLit Drink Night. So I knew how much a podcast could have an impact and really give value to someone.  But there wasn’t a podcast that solely focused on middle grade books and readers. Second, I started to become more open and interactive about my reading life both online and in person. And take my role as a reading advocate more seriously. So, on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram, I’d share what I was reading with my students and my daughters. And I’d ask for others suggestions, too. Essentially, wherever I went, I was talking to people about books kids would like and how to get them reading.  And I noticed that I was having similar conversations over and over again. For example, last June I had a parent stop me in the hallway at school to ask for summer book recommendations and then a few days later, my friend Ilona messaged on Facebook with the same question. Last spring I was swapping ideas with a librarian in our district about March Book Madness and some creative ways she had to get students recommending books to each other, and then I’d have the same conversation on Instagram when I posted photos of our book brackets. And I kept thinking, “Oh, I wish you had been there when we were just talking about this!”  I really wanted a way to share the essence of those conversations with more people. So that - combined with the thought that there seemed to be a space in that middle grade podcast niche - pushed me to start this Books Between Podcast last summer - a podcast focused on readers between 8 and 12.  I decided to teach myself the basics of GarageBand and get over the fact that I hate the sound of my own voice, and push myself to do something new and little uncomfortable. I am truly humbled by how many people have reached out to say they’ve enjoyed the episodes so far and are finding value in the podcast. So stay tuned because I have lots more interesting topics planned for upcoming weeks, fantastic new books to talk about, and an exciting announcement which I can’t wait to share with you. Closing Alright - that wraps up our Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect children between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover on a future episode, please email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find a full transcript of this show, and all the other episodes, at our website - BooksBetween.com  with links to every book and resource I mentioned today. And, if you have gotten some value out of this show, I’d really appreciate a quick review or rating on iTunes or Stitcher so others can find us as well. Thank you again and see you in two weeks!  Bye!

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of those Instagram accounts we all follow? Annie and Chris chat with Lindsay Hopkins of Pen and Paint, an enormously popular Instagram account and Etsy shop based in Albany, Georgia.  Find Lindsay on Instagram and Etsy.   Podcasts we mention:  + StoryCorps + This American Life + Smart Creative Women + Elise Gets Crafty + Audible Discernment   Books Lindsay mentions:  + Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen + Tattoos on the Heart by Father Gregory Boyle (The podcast episode Annie mentions is from On Being with Krista Tippett, found here.)  + Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt  

God invites us to take a higher way - a way of pardon, of renewal, of invitation, of celebration. It is a way of humility, of making amends. Gary D. Schmidt, Okay for Now. The film, The Way, by Emilio Estevez and starring Martin Sheen, serves as a backdrop for this series.

Author Gary Schmidt appears at the 2011 National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Gary Schmidt still uses a 1953 Royal typewriter for all of his writing. He is a two-time winner of the Newbery Honor Award, for "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" and "The Wednesday Wars." Schmidt is also a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. In his new book, "Okay for Now" (Clarion), Schmidt continues the story of Doug Swieteck from "Wednesday Wars," which he has called "a comedy about serious things." He says of the new book, "It's not as ha-ha funny." For transcript, captions, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5269.

Gary Schmidt from runningwitht1.com runs marathons and triathlons. He also wears an insulin pump 24 hours a day, just like Scott. These two Type 1 diabetics chat about what's involved in being both diabetic and active.