Podcasts about ghost boys

. We continue our look at books that have been challenged or banned. This week, it's Jewell Parker Rhodes' tale of a young black boy shot by a white police officer “Ghost Boys.” The book was temporarily banned in Florida's second largest school district over a complaint that the book was “propaganda” against the police. A rural school district in California removed the book from curriculum after a parent complained about political views in the book.  Give a listen to our discussion of “Ghost Boys.”

“I lean on my community. I lean on the power of the pen. I lean on remembering who my ancestors are and what they endured, the colonization that they survived in the Americas, I think, ‘we've been here before, and the lineage from which I come is one that is powerful and resistant.' I would be dishonoring that legacy and that lineage if I didn't step up in this moment.” — Aida SalazarAida Salazar believes deeply in the power of words to change the world. For Aida, writing isn't just a creative act; it's a responsibility—an act of honoring her ancestors, healing personal wounds, and empowering her young readers. Her stories like The Moon Within, Land of the Cranes, Jovita Wore Pants, and Ultraviolet center on identity, social justice, and healing, with a particular focus on the immigrant experience. As a poet, novelist, activist, and mother, Aida discusses how writing helped her process grief, how Latin American literature gave her the permission to dream, how growing up in a mixed-status household shaped her, and how motherhood steered her toward children's literature.In this episode, she shares how the act of writing itself has been a huge part of helping her heal and survive difficult chapters in her own story. Plus, she reflects on how a fart poem, a Parker pen, and a punk rock-inspired zine all had unique roles in shaping her journey as a writer.Tune in for an episode that moves from gut-wrenching stories to gut-splitting laughs, the best kind of listening roller coaster!***For her reading challenge, Banned in Middle Grade, Aida curated a list of banned middle-grade books that reflect themes of identity, social justice, and the experiences of young readers navigating complex worlds. Aida is devoted to middle grade literature and wants to amplify the important stories that are so important for those readers. From Melissa by Alex Gino to Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, these titles spark essential conversations. Learn more and download Aida's reading challenge below.Download Aida's reading challenge at https://www.thereadingculturepod.com/aida-salazar.***This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Amy McMichael. She is the media specialist at Dutchman Creek Middle School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the lead librarian for all secondary schools in her district. She does it all! In this episode, she discusses her strategy for luring reluctant readers with an unconventional library setup.Show ChaptersChapter 1: Fart PoemsChapter 2: A Spark from Clark and a Parker PenChapter 3: Writing Through GriefChapter 4: Beneath the Shadow of the Freeway Chapter 5: Writing Through Grief. Again. Chapter 6: The Three Pillars of Poetry Chapter 7: Reading ChallengeChapter 8: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Aida SalazarAida Salazar InstagramZacatecas, MXPoema al Pedo ;)The Parker Pen!Sarah Cynthia Sylvia StoutBeneath the Shadow of the FreewayBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Pippa Johnstone, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Send us a textGhost Boys By Jewell Parker RhodesJerome has a tough time at school, mostly because of three boys who like to bully him on a daily basis. Still, he tries to put on a brave face for his parents and grandmother. But he has a plan for how to avoid them, most of the time. However, on this particular day, a new boy comes to school, named Carlos. Right away Jerome can tell, Carlos is going to be the bullies' next victim. So, Jerome lets Carlos in on one of Jerome's favorite hiding spots. It is in that hiding spot that something new happens. Jerome makes a friend. But later on that same day, Jerome is shot, and killed by the police. Jerome never leaves though, he haunts his old apartment, seeing his family grieve and change, hoping he will be able to leave, but still he stays. Until one day he sees a boy like him, only from a different time.Recommended for grades 6 and up. 

“For every child that thinks something is wrong with them, my books are saying, ‘be you, even if others can't see you. The people who don't see your beauty, see your glory–they have a problem. Something is wrong with their eyes, their soul.'” – Jewell Parker RhodesRaised mainly by her grandmother on a steady diet of porch stories (and lots of bread), Jewell Parker Rhodes spent decades writing for adults, perfecting her craft in order to “be good enough” to write for kids. For Jewell, that has meant creating books that speak to a range of kids with different experiences and backgrounds (like her grandma used to refer to as a “mixed blood stew”) and to the educators and librarians supporting them.Jewell channels her inner Hamilton, as she notes, always writing like she is running out of time. And since she started writing for kids, she has indeed been prolific. Jewell is an award-winning author whose work spans adult and children's fiction. Her children's books include her children's debut, “Ninth Ward,” which won a Coretta Scott King Honor Award, “Bayou Magic,” “Towers Falling,” and “Ghost Boys,” a New York Times bestseller that continues to spark critical conversations about racial justice. And many, many more. In this episode, Jewell opens up about her tumultuous childhood, reflects on her grandmother's wisdom, and recounts many of the surprising twists of her life. That includes Jewell's amazement at living this long and what she'd tell her students if she ever returned as a ghost.Settle in for an episode you don't want to miss with the exceptionally colorful stories of Jewell Parker Rhodes!***Jewell's reading challenge, Comic Trips, celebrates timeless classics she adored as a child alongside today's graphic novels. It's an opportunity to explore how the comic art form has grown and to challenge the misconception that graphic novels aren't “real” books. Learn more and download Jewell's recommended reading list at thereadingculturepod.com/jewell-parker-rhodes***This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again Kat Gatcomb, previously a youth services supervisor at Nashua Public Library in New Hampshire and now in customer success at Beanstack! This week, she shared two key lessons she wished she had known earlier as a librarian. ***Show ChaptersChapter 1 - Bread Freak (03:27)Chapter 2 - Spellbound (09:53)Chapter 3 - Prince(ss) Valiant (15:13)Chapter 4 - The People Could Fly (17:50)Chapter 5 - Simply Complex (25:10)Chapter 6 - Schoolbound (32:32)Chapter 7 - You Can't Pierce My Soul (35:25)Chapter 8 - Gunnin' for 120 (41:49)Chapter 9 - Comic Trips, Jewell's Reading Challenge (45:10)LinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupJewell Parker RhodesJewell Parker Rhodes Instagram“The People Could Fly” by Virginia HamiltonFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are taking a look back at their favorite reads of 2020. This year we read the most we had ever read up. to that point, and we had a hard time narrowing down our favorites! Most of these books should be available for you to grab if any interest you after hearing us rave about them four years ago! Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  10:10 - El Deafo by CeCe Bell (Meredith) 11:20 - Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West (Kaytee) 11:27 - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 12:23 - The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (Meredith) 15:07 - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (Kaytee) 16:11 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Meredith) 17:27 - Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (Kaytee) 17:54 - Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi 19:12 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Meredith) 21:04 - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (Kaytee) 22:50 - Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (Meredith) 23:05 - Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 24:21 - Know My Name by Chanel Miller (Kaytee) 26:15 - The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi (Meredith) 27:55 - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare (Kaytee) 28:29 - Kaytee's minisode interview with Abi Dare 28:57 - All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (Meredith) 30:55 - Lobizona by Romina Russell Garber (Kaytee) 32:42 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Meredith) 34:39 - Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (Kaytee) 36:27 - Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (Meredith) 39:45 - Here for It by R. Eric Thomas (Kaytee) 40:52 - Greenwood by Michael Christie (Meredith) 43:33 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi (Kaytee) 43:36 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. December's IPL is a recap of the 2024 year!  Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: bookish crafting and annotation gift sets Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: diving into research about why reading makes us better humans The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  1:24 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 2:11 - Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt 5:47 - The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown 5:51 - I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet by Shauna Niequist 5:55 - Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist 6:28 - Annotation gift set by Mr. Pen and Selah 8:43 - Annotation Set option 2 9:38 - Our Current Reads 9:48 - Between Flowers and Bones by Carolyn Leiloglou (Kaytee) 9:53 - CR Season 6: Episode 4 10:41 - Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou 14:09 - Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman (Meredith) 15:06 - Bird Box by Josh Malerman 15:10 - Daphne by Josh Malerman 15:34 - Coraline by Neil Gaiman 20:59 - Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak 21:01 - Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage 21:05 - We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer 21:54 - Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne (Kaytee) 26:45 - The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive by Patrick Lencioni (Meredith) 28:05 - The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni 29:54 - The Five Temptations of a CEO by Patrick Lencioni 29:56 - The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni 32:47 - Search by Michelle Huneven 34:13 - Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein (Kaytee) 37:38 - A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (Meredith) 40:16 - Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 41:15 - Blackwell's UK 43:09 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 46:02 - CR Season 1: Episode 37 47:33 - How Reading Changes Us For The Better Some Stats: 49:26 - The average reading American reads 12 books per year.  49:50 - The average American spends just $35 on books per year. 50:17 - Reading can reduce our stress levels by 68% in just six minutes. 51:04 - Reading can reduce memory decline by 30% because it activates neural pathways and can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. 52:18 - Transportative fiction helps produce the most empathy in readers, but that empathy boost only lasts around 48 hours, so keep reading! 53:10 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes 54:31 - Audiobooks are reading! Studies have shown that audiobooks activate the same neural pathways and cognitive benefits as print reading. 54:50 - Research shows we are less impatient with audiobooks than print. 56:02 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 57:13 - Meet Us At The Fountain 57:19 - I wish people would celebrate their reading in new ways. (Kaytee) 57:36 - Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer 57:44 - Storygraph 58:01 - Favorite Books of the Year print - Etsy Shop 58:31 - I wish you would give annotating books a try. (Meredith) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. September's IPL comes to us from Bright Side Bookshop in Flagstaff, Arizona! Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

In one of the spookiest Nightmare Fuels, a listener comes across a guy who seriously believes there's a ghost in his mansion. WTF? 6th Sense vibes? LINKS Listen to Matt D'lia's podcast episode about a ghost https://tr.ee/z0ltOgvG0H Check out last week's NMF with G Flip https://tr.ee/kqNt3IFwCP Email your own voice memos for Nightmare Fuel to hello@itsalotpodcast.com  Review the podcast on Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ial-review  Access this episode's transcript here  CREDITS  Host: Abbie Chatfield @abbiechatfield Executive Producer: Lem Zakharia @lemzakhariaCo-Creative Producer: Oscar Gordon @oscargordon Social and Video Producer: Amy Code @amycode Social Pages Manager: Kirah Pillay @kirah.pillayManaging Producer: Sam Cavanagh  Find more great podcasts like this at www.listnr.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 46 with Ali Boulala, musican, model, former pro skater from Stockholm, Sweden.   Together we discussed him growing up and picking up his first board in Stockholm, his obsessive nature since childhood, developing an interest for music thanks to Bastien Salabanzi back in the Flip days, his early sobriety days and having been sober for nearly 10 years, working with Max Eriksson on the documentary « the scars of Ali Boulala », joining the alternative rock band Ghost Boys, working on their first album, modeling for some of his friends' brands such as CHPO or Human Recreational Services, working on a book…   Intro (00:13)  Getting started (01:25)  Obsession (06:28)  Music (09:34)  Sobriety (13:39)  The Scars of Ali Boulala (24:56)  Ghost Boys (40:12)  Fashion projects: CHPO, HRS… (43:07)  Book project (47:23)  Most valuable lesson learned from skateboarding (50:40)  Friends questions (53:21)  Conclusion (01:18:13)   For more information and resources:  https://linktr.ee/beyondboards  

From the creators of the #1 Amazon Best Children's Book of 2020 and a #1 New York Times bestseller, ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER, author Tami Charles and renowned illustrator Bryan Collier, bring us WE ARE HERE. Sharing the beauty and excellence in the history of the Black community, while assuring Black and brown children of the extraordinary legacy from which they come. A groundbreaking picture book, WE ARE HERE is a stirring, poetic and empowering follow up with soaring language and stunning illustrations. Part love letter, part anthem, WE ARE HERE offers an equally inspirational and arresting ode to all of the Black women and men throughout history who have made momentous contributions from the beginning of time. The second of three books in a trilogy that together add up to All Because You Matter (2020); We Are Here (2023); United Together and represent, respectively, an affirmation; a celebration; a proclamation, WE ARE HERE is for picture books as what THE HATE U GIVE was for YA readers and GHOST BOYS for middle grade students.

Boys and Ivy gästade podden o spelade upp superfeta osläppta låtar och snickesnackade om musik, skit & behind the scenes. Vi avslutade som vanligt podden med ett liveframträdande i studion, som vi också filmat och lagt upp på vår YouTube-kanal: www.youtube.com/osläpptpodcast (numera finns också live-videon på vår instagram som du såklart följer här: @oslappt.podcast Alla osläppta låtar i avsnittet har du listade nedan:Osläppt låt 1: (00:22:00) Boys don't cry - Boys and IvyOsläppt låt 2: (00:33:00) All the good motion - Boys and IvyOsläppt låt 3: (00:59:00) Ghost - Boys and Ivy LIVE i studion:(01:18:30) Bumblebee - Boys and Ivy (även på vår YouTube samt instagram reel).  Alla låtar från segmentet ”Står du för din Spotify” hittar du alltid i den här playlisten.  Bli Patreon o få tillgång till bonusavsnitt mm och stötta oss i detta passionsprojekt om du vill va en snällis. Klicka här: https://www.patreon.com/oslappt Följ oss på @oslappt.podcast & @_djurparken_ & @lexholm_ & @_ultraljud_ & @_skoj_ på Instagram och dm på samma platser om du vill komma i kontakt med oss Länkar till några av våra musik-projekt nedan:Djurparken på SpotifySkoj på SpotifyGin Lady på SpotifyLexholm på Spotify Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sveriges genom största skateboard legend Ali Boulala pratar om livet, dokumentären och hur det känns att vara med på listan som Sveriges bäst klädda man igen, är det tack vare kirppis-kavajerna? Ali Boulala velade fram och tillbaka om att göra en film om hans liv, vad var poängen? Det blev tillslut en dokumentärfilm "The Scars of Ali Boulala" och den vann Tempo Documentary Award 2022. I princip allt som hänt i Alis liv berättas i filmen och den visar upp vem han var då, men vem är han idag? Enda sedan barnsben har kläder varit viktigt för Ali. Genom att trotsa baggy kläderna med smala jeans, skjorta, väst, scarf och hatt så trodde människor att det var ett skämt men tack vare Ali ändrades synen på modet i skatevärlden.I Popula får vi en inblick i hur det var för Ali att spendera tid i fängelse i Australien. Ali berättar att han skapade små konstverk av tändstickor som kan komma att bli en framtida konstutställning då han än idag har dessa sparade.Vi hör också musik från Ghost Boys där Ali spelar keyboard och sjunger tillsammans med en rappare från Jokkmokk och en stå-upp komiker.Sanna öppnar upp och berättar om sin skateboard olycka, Kalle tycker det är så tragikomiskt att han inte vet vad han ska säga... Sanna Laakso & Kalle Kinnunen popula@sverigesradio.se

Linus Nordström är regissör, skådespelare och ståuppkomiker. Magnus "Kitok" Ekelund är rappare, indierockare och producent åt Jakob Hellman. Ali Boulala är en av tidernas mest kända skateboardåkare (vars öde nyligen skildrades i dokumentären "The scars of Ali Boulala"). Tillsammans kallar de sig Ghost Boys och försöker återuppliva den dödförklarade rocken. Hemma hos Strage pratar de om sin kärlek till Beastie Boys, om hur Magnus som tonårig skejtare blev imponerad när Ali bytte baggy brallor mot tajta punkjeans och om hur Linus i vuxen ålder gjorde ett DNA-test och upptäckte att hans biologiska pappa är Kent Norberg i Sator. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Linus Nordström från bandet Ghost Boys gör debut i podden bredvid den obesegrade magikern Isidor Olsbjörk. Dessutom är Jonas Strandberg tillbaka bara veckor efter att han bannlystes i ett tidigare avsnitt. Vi reder ut vad det var för saxattack som skapade ramaskri bland hela Sveriges föräldrar? Dessutom checkar vi av inte mindre än två genuina vredesutbrott.

Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes - New York Times bestselling and award-winning educator and writer for both youth and adults. She is the Virginia G. Piper Endowed Chair at Arizona State University and the Founding Director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. She joins Tavis to discuss the negative reception towards her award-winning novel "Ghost Boys" – which a Florida police union director denounced as anti-police propaganda, and demanded it to be removed from curricula

All kids are readers. Some just haven't discovered it yet. Courtesy of Orange Coast Magazine Kitty Felde is the host and executive producer of Book Club for Kids. That's the belief of Kitty Felde, former NPR correspondent and current host and executive producer of the podcast “Book Club for Kids.” In May, she joined Kerri Miller for a Friday episode of Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk about how to get kids reading over their summer break. Here are a few of her top tips. If you have a reluctant reader, any book is a good book. Felde recommends parents or caregivers take kids to a library or a bookstore and let them choose any book they show interest in. “Don't censor them,” she cautions. “They are going to go and [choose] the dumbest thing you've ever seen in your entire life. But I don't care! They will be reading words, and that's what you want them to do.” Stop looking down on graphic novels. Felde believes the new crop of graphic novels is some of the most wonderful literature around. They aren't lesser reading experiences. She recommends kids and adults alike check out Jerry Craft's “New Kid” for a story that is both beautiful and compelling. She also points to the many books now being re-released as graphic novels. Rick Riordan's “Percy Jackson” series, the popular books about a modern boy who finds out he is a Greek demigod, is coming out in graphic form. So are the original “Baby-Sitters Club” books. (Attention Millennial parents.) Find a series to keep their interest. “Kids like to spend more time with the characters they've invested in so much emotionally,” advises Felde. “If you can help them find a good series they enjoy, that will keep them reading.” Consider a daily 20-minute quiet time where everyone reads. That includes parents, says Felde. “This is really the secret sauce. Whether kids admit it or not, they do want to emulate the good side of you. And if the good side of you is reading, then it makes reading less onerous.” Read out loud. “We all like to be read to,” Felde says, “that's why we get audio books.” Use their beloved devices in your favor. Artwork by Emma Steinkellner Book Club for Kids is a podcast dedicated to middle graders talking about the books they love. “Kids are going to use screens,” Felde admits. “They just are. But we can use those screens to get them to start enjoying books.” Audio books are one way, she says. But podcasts for kids about books — like Book Club for Kids — are also powerful tools. They let kids hear other kids talk about what they like to read and why. “That's one way to use a device for good,” Felde says. Tap librarians to help kids find a book they connect with. If you have a child that hasn't found a book that's connected with them, “librarians are like gold,” says Felde. “Or the person who works in the children's department at your favorite indie bookstore.” “I've watched them work. They will interview a kid. They will say, ‘Well, what do you like?' ‘Oh, I hate books.' 'That's fine, but what do you like?' ‘Oh, well, I like fishing.' ‘OK, then let's go look at the fishing section.' Or: ‘I only like video games.' ‘Great! Let me show you this fabulous Minecraft series.'” Let the experts find a sneaky way in that might tempt kids to read. Start a book club for kids. Take a tip from social media, and use books as a social tool. Felde says there are great examples of this all over the country, especially in the summer. “If a kid won't read by themselves, get a few of their friends over. Serve some cookies. Set it up like a grown-up book club — without the alcohol — but you start with a book and let the conversation go.“ And again, try not to be judgmental about what they want to read. Don't forget about nonfiction. There are two kids of people in the world,” says Felde, “fiction readers and nonfiction readers.” Don't neglect the Dewey decimal side of the library. To listen to the full conversation between Kerri Miller and Kitty Felde, you can use the audio player above.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations. Kitty's Book Suggestions Graphic novel favorites: Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey Check out the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel series If your child likes gaming, look for the Minecraft series by Sfé R. Monster Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books are also being released as graphic novels Anything by Raina Telgemeier, but especially “Sisters,” “Guts,” and “Smile” New graphic novels: “New Kid” by Jerry Craft “Amulet” by Kazu Kibuishi For younger kids who just graduated from “Captain Underpants”: “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown “Stella Diaz Has Something to Say” by Angela Dominguez Fairy tales: Anything by Gail Carson Levine Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by Kelly Barnhill “Rooftoppers” by Katherine Rundell “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard For kids who will miss school over the summer: “Because of Mr. Terupt” by Rob Buyea “Ungifted” by Gordon Korman “Lupe Wong Won't Dance” by Donna Barba Higuera For kids who are asking about the war in Ukraine: “Good Night, Mr. Tom” by Michelle Magorian “The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley “Code Talker” by Joseph Bruchac “Chains” by Laurie Halse Anderson “The Night Diary” by Veera Hiranandani “Other Words for Home” by Jasmine Warga “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak Spooky/Sci Fi books: “Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes “Hoodoo” by Ronald L. Smith “When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead “Orleans” by Sherri L. Smith “A Wish in the Dark” by Christina Soontornvat Mythology: “The Storm Runner” by J.C. Cervantes “Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword” by Henry Lien “The Hound of Rowan” by Henry Neff “The Jumbies” by Tracey Baptiste Just plain good writing: “The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander “Dead End in Norvelt” by Jack Gantos “Skelig” by David Almond “Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case” by Patricia Hruby Powell “Orbiting Jupiter” by Gary D. Schmidt “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street” by Karina Yan Glaser Spies: “Spy School” by Stuart Gibbs “Stormbreaker” by Anthony Horowitz “Milo Speck, Accidental Agent” by Linda Urban “Spy Mice” by Heather Vogel Frederick

All kids are readers. Some just haven't discovered it yet. Courtesy of Orange Coast Magazine Kitty Felde is the host and executive producer of Book Club for Kids. That's the belief of Kitty Felde, former NPR correspondent and current host and executive producer of the podcast “Book Club for Kids.” In May, she joined Kerri Miller for a Friday episode of Big Books and Bold Ideas to talk about how to get kids reading over their summer break. Here are a few of her top tips. If you have a reluctant reader, any book is a good book. Felde recommends parents or caregivers take kids to a library or a bookstore and let them choose any book they show interest in. “Don't censor them,” she cautions. “They are going to go and [choose] the dumbest thing you've ever seen in your entire life. But I don't care! They will be reading words, and that's what you want them to do.” Stop looking down on graphic novels. Felde believes the new crop of graphic novels is some of the most wonderful literature around. They aren't lesser reading experiences. She recommends kids and adults alike check out Jerry Craft's “New Kid” for a story that is both beautiful and compelling. She also points to the many books now being re-released as graphic novels. Rick Riordan's “Percy Jackson” series, the popular books about a modern boy who finds out he is a Greek demigod, is coming out in graphic form. So are the original “Baby-Sitters Club” books. (Attention Millennial parents.) Find a series to keep their interest. “Kids like to spend more time with the characters they've invested in so much emotionally,” advises Felde. “If you can help them find a good series they enjoy, that will keep them reading.” Consider a daily 20-minute quiet time where everyone reads. That includes parents, says Felde. “This is really the secret sauce. Whether kids admit it or not, they do want to emulate the good side of you. And if the good side of you is reading, then it makes reading less onerous.” Read out loud. “We all like to be read to,” Felde says, “that's why we get audio books.” Use their beloved devices in your favor. Artwork by Emma Steinkellner Book Club for Kids is a podcast dedicated to middle graders talking about the books they love. “Kids are going to use screens,” Felde admits. “They just are. But we can use those screens to get them to start enjoying books.” Audio books are one way, she says. But podcasts for kids about books — like Book Club for Kids — are also powerful tools. They let kids hear other kids talk about what they like to read and why. “That's one way to use a device for good,” Felde says. Tap librarians to help kids find a book they connect with. If you have a child that hasn't found a book that's connected with them, “librarians are like gold,” says Felde. “Or the person who works in the children's department at your favorite indie bookstore.” “I've watched them work. They will interview a kid. They will say, ‘Well, what do you like?' ‘Oh, I hate books.' 'That's fine, but what do you like?' ‘Oh, well, I like fishing.' ‘OK, then let's go look at the fishing section.' Or: ‘I only like video games.' ‘Great! Let me show you this fabulous Minecraft series.'” Let the experts find a sneaky way in that might tempt kids to read. Start a book club for kids. Take a tip from social media, and use books as a social tool. Felde says there are great examples of this all over the country, especially in the summer. “If a kid won't read by themselves, get a few of their friends over. Serve some cookies. Set it up like a grown-up book club — without the alcohol — but you start with a book and let the conversation go.“ And again, try not to be judgmental about what they want to read. Don't forget about nonfiction. There are two kids of people in the world,” says Felde, “fiction readers and nonfiction readers.” Don't neglect the Dewey decimal side of the library. To listen to the full conversation between Kerri Miller and Kitty Felde, you can use the audio player above.  Subscribe to the MPR News with Kerri Miller podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or RSS. Subscribe to the Thread newsletter for the latest book and author news and must-read recommendations. Kitty's Book Suggestions Graphic novel favorites: Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey Check out the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel series If your child likes gaming, look for the Minecraft series by Sfé R. Monster Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books are also being released as graphic novels Anything by Raina Telgemeier, but especially “Sisters,” “Guts,” and “Smile” New graphic novels: “New Kid” by Jerry Craft “Amulet” by Kazu Kibuishi For younger kids who just graduated from “Captain Underpants”: “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown “Stella Diaz Has Something to Say” by Angela Dominguez Fairy tales: Anything by Gail Carson Levine Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt “The Girl Who Drank the Moon” by Kelly Barnhill “Rooftoppers” by Katherine Rundell “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard For kids who will miss school over the summer: “Because of Mr. Terupt” by Rob Buyea “Ungifted” by Gordon Korman “Lupe Wong Won't Dance” by Donna Barba Higuera For kids who are asking about the war in Ukraine: “Good Night, Mr. Tom” by Michelle Magorian “The War That Saved My Life” by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley “Code Talker” by Joseph Bruchac “Chains” by Laurie Halse Anderson “The Night Diary” by Veera Hiranandani “Other Words for Home” by Jasmine Warga “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak Spooky/Sci Fi books: “Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes “Hoodoo” by Ronald L. Smith “When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead “Orleans” by Sherri L. Smith “A Wish in the Dark” by Christina Soontornvat Mythology: “The Storm Runner” by J.C. Cervantes “Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword” by Henry Lien “The Hound of Rowan” by Henry Neff “The Jumbies” by Tracey Baptiste Just plain good writing: “The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander “Dead End in Norvelt” by Jack Gantos “Skelig” by David Almond “Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case” by Patricia Hruby Powell “Orbiting Jupiter” by Gary D. Schmidt “The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street” by Karina Yan Glaser Spies: “Spy School” by Stuart Gibbs “Stormbreaker” by Anthony Horowitz “Milo Speck, Accidental Agent” by Linda Urban “Spy Mice” by Heather Vogel Frederick

Discover this poignant, timely, and emotionally stirring picture book, an ode to Black and brown children everywhere that is full of hope, assurance, and love. Tami Charles pens a poetic, lyrical text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they always have, and always will, matter. This powerful, rhythmic lullaby reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughs, through the hardship of adolescent struggles, and the pain and heartbreak of current events, they always have, and always will, matter. Accompanied by illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter empowers readers with pride, joy, and comfort, reminding them of their roots and strengthening them for the days to come. Lyrical, personal, and full of love, All Because You Matter is for the picture book audience what The Hate U Give was for YA and Ghost Boys was for middle grade: a conversation starter, a community touchstone, and a deep affirmation of worth for the young readers who need it most. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/avant-garde-books/support

Listening commitment: Just 9 minutes In this episode, learn about the award winning Paradise on Fire by Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes. While a fictional story, wildfires due to climate change are a devastating reality for some states. Pour yourself a cup of tea and cozy up with this coming of age survival story with a strong female role model. #authorsownvoices Author's website Books mentioned: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother both by Dr. Jewell Rhodes Parker Get in touch with Susan: wonderworldbookcafe@gmail.com Episode transcript.

Good morning, wonderful people!On today's show: The fall out from all those Gigi, Zayn and Yolanda allegations. Plus, the influencers who are making the AFR's Young Rich List, Kim Kardashian is snapped holding hands with Pete Davidson, Hailey Bieber speaks about her marriage to Justin with pretty remarkable candour AND THEN, another juicy shameless mailbag.This week, Mich recommended watching Maid on Netflix. Zara recommended the debut novel from Diana Reid, Love & Virtue.Got some thoughts on today's episode you wanna share? We're allllll ears (also, eyes, heads, bodies, etc etc) - join in the convo over on our Insta @shamelesspodcast.Big thanks to Häagen-Dazs for making this episode possible. If you want to try Häagen-Dazs DUO ice cream collection for yourself, head to your local Coles, Woolies and select IGA stores.Want to support our show? We are sending air kisses, air tea, and air hugs (too far?) to anyone who clicks ‘subscribe' on Apple (bonus hugs for anyone who leaves a five-star review, too) or ‘follow' on Spotify.Still not enough? Well! Our hearts! See below for everything else.Subscribe to the weekly ‘ASK SHAMELESS' newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gFbYLTJoin our book club: https://www.instagram.com/theshamelessbookclub/Check out our website: https://shamelessmediaco.com/Write to the Shameless Mailbag: Email hello@shamelessmediaco.comThanks for listening! We are very big fans of yours.

In today's episode of Paranormal Mysteries, I'll be covering Time Slips, Shadow People, A Disappearing Man, A Demon, The Ghosts of Two Little Boys, and more.PODCAST SOURCE: https://www.spreaker.com/show/paranormal-mysteries-podcastTELL YOUR STORY: Email: paranormalmysteriespodcast@gmail.comVoice Message: https://www.speakpipe.com/paranormalmysteriesWebsite: http://paranormalmysteriespodcast.comForum: https://tinyurl.com/4z4v6rm3SUPPORT THE SHOW: Patreon Donation or Membership: https://www.patreon.com/join/paranormalmysteries?BuyMeACoffee Donation or Membership: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/paranormalSOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paranormalmysteriespodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paranormalmysteriespodcastTwitter: https://twitter.com/ParaMysteryPod STOCK MUSIC & MEDIA PROVIDED BY: dauzkobza / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/dauzkobzahitwizard / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/hitwizard#1/2064FicusProsound / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/ficusprosound#1/2064FinalVersionStudio / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/finalversionstudioLeChuckz / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/lechuckzmiksmusic / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/miksmusic#1/2064Miracle Forest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__iDig5NKcA&list=PLjbSDRHeNjFs5WCK-UypYie-XD2YZ8i2e&index=1&t=1856sRickyValadez / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/rickyvaladez#1/2064Sound of Muses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUer-Tto1ZASungep / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/sungep#1/2064TRWorkshop / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/trworkshop#1/2064zacnelson / Pond5: https://www.pond5.com/artist/zacnelson#1/2064© Copyright Paranormal Mysteries Podcast, 2021. All rights reserved. Any reproduction or republication of all or part of this audio is prohibited.

Head to Betty's pink bathroom door with your plate of cheese and get wild with Ryan, Brant, Everett and the Ghost Boys. . . . . YOU DON'T KNOW MOJACK is a podcast dedicated to exploring the entire SST catalogue, in order, from start to finish. During the podcast we will discuss all the releases that are part of our core DNA, as well as many lesser-known releases that deserve a second chance, or releases that we are discovering for the very first time (we actually don't know Mojack!). First and foremost we are fans, and acknowledge that we are not perfect and don't know everything – sometimes the discussion is more about a time, place, feeling, personal experience or random tangents, and less about the facts (but we will try to get to the facts too). Facebook: www.facebook.com/mojackpod/ Twitter: @mojackpod Instagram: www.instagram.com/mojackpod/ Blog: www.mojackpod.com/ Tumblr: www.tumblr.com/blog/mojackpod Theme Song: Shockflesh

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: a book that confused us both, and a great podcast episode Current Reads: a second in a series, a great premise, a great title, and a book filled with a-holes Deep Dive: the authors whose books we pre-order as soon as we know about them Book Presses: two presses from some of our favorite auto-buy authors As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below 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!*   . . . . Bookish Moments of the Week: 2:10 - Diving In Podcast 2:39 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 4:05 - Currently Reading Patreon 4:27 - The Novel Neighbor bookstore 4:45 - Novel Neighbor's Instagram @novelneighbor 6:39 - Super Host by Kate Russo 8:04 - The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin 8:06 - The Perfect Nanny by Leila Slimani Current Reads: 9:01 - The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave (Meredith) 9:11 - Fabled Bookshop 9:29 - Book of the Month 13:57 - No Bad Deed by Heather Chavez 14:36 - The Escape Room by Megan Goldin (Kaytee) 14:53 - The Night Swim by Megan Goldin 15:33 - The Whisper Network by Chandler Baker 15:38 - The Boys Club by Erica Katz 16:08 - And Then There were None by Agatha Christie 16:11 - In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware 17:38 - All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenburg (Meredith) 19:50 - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir 21:44 - Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty  23:16 - The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney 23:46 - Love Lives Here by Amanda Jette Knox (Kaytee) 24:06 - Love Lives Here by Maria Goff 26:31 - Hollowpox by Jessica Townsend (Meredith) 27:48 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 27:51 - The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis 31:27 - Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby (Kaytee) 33:51 - Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson 33:56 - The Book Review Podcast 34:14 - Bluebird Bluebird by Attica Locke 34:23 - Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby Deep Dive - Auto-Buy Authors and Books 37:40 - Still Life by Louise Penny 38:02 - The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny (Pre-order link) 38:12 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 38:19 - A Curse so Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 38:27 - The Secret Book and Scone Society by Ellery Adams 38:33 - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 38:49 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 39:12 - Cazadora by Romina Garber (Preorder link) 39:14 - Lobizona by Romina Garber 39:34 - The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 39:36 - On The Come Up by Angie Thomas 39:39 - Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas 40:19 - Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty 40:30 - Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty 40:48 - The One by John Marrs 40:49 - The Passengers by John Marrs 40:51 - The Minders by John Marrs 41:10 - Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 41:15 - Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead (Preorder link) 41:47 - The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 42:19 - The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James 42:21 - The Broken Girls by Simone St. James 42:23 - The Haunting of Maddie Clare by Simone St. James 42:35 - Descent by Tim Johnston 42:36 - The Current by Tim Johnston 43:26 - A Carnival of Snackery by David Sedaris (preorder link) 43:57 - Four Hundred Souls edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain 45:48 - The Guest List by Lucy Foley 46:17 - The Lost Man by Jane Harper 46:33 - The Dry by Jane Harper 46:50 - Force of Nature by Jane Harper 47:14 - Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley 47:15 - The Editor by Steven Rowley 47:16 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley 47:57 - The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins 48:05 - I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes 48:17 - Wanderers by Chuck Wendig 48:19 - The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig 48:41 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard Books We Want to Press Into Your Hands: 49:35 - The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth (Meredith) 51:36 - Gone Girl by Gillian Finn 52:24 - The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield  53:25 - Dear Martin by Nic Stone (Kaytee) 53:26 - Dear Justyce by Nic Stone 54:38 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast

Join us as we discuss the confused and somewhat mysterious origins of Will-o-the-Wisps

On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: regular reader kids and bookish friends lavishing love Current Reads: mysteries abound, as does middle grade, plus some overlap between the two Deep Dive: how many books do you read at once? Book Presses: a book that shifted our perspective and a retelling of a Greek myth As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down!  New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below 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!*   . . . . 1:34 - Currently Reading Patreon Bookish Moment of the Week: 4:51 - Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance 4:58 - Super Burp! (George Brown Class Clown #1) by Nancy Krulik 5:02 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Current Reads: 10:30 - Kerry's Instagram @linesiunderline 10:37 - Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (Meredith) 13:53 - Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland (Kaytee) 14:17 - Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 14:18 - Deathless Divide by Justina Ireland 16:41 - The Ruin by Dervla McTiernan (Meredith) 18:18 - In The Woods by Tana French (Dublin Murders #1) 21:11 - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson (Kaytee) 21:54 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 21:55 - Britt-Marie was Here by Fredrik Backman 21:56 - Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout 22:11 - Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala (Meredith) 22:17 - Book of the Month 24:47 - One Two Three by Laurie Frankel (Kaytee) 25:07 - This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel  Deep Dive - How We Read: Monogamous or Polygomous  32:29 - Kaytee's SoundPeats headphones 36:18 - Meredith's Kindle Oasis 36:30 - Kindle Paperwhite 37:10 - Kindle Oasis CaseBot case Books We Want to Press Into Your Hands: 40:13 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Meredith) 43:59 - Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Kaytee) 44:46 - Circe by Madeline Miller 44:47 - Lovely War by Julie Berry  44:48 - Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann 45:02 - Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast

Tortured prisoners of war, children with no families, and a long list of suicides are just a few of the unfortunate stories that plague the history of the Pythian Castle. Were we able to make contact with these lost souls? Well, Pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a trip to Springfield Missouri to investigate the historic Pythian Castle!

The inspiration for the beloved classic story of Treasure Island isn't the only thing this time stained inn has to offer. If you listen closely, can you hear pirates singing their chanties and butt-chugging rum? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around the Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to the Pirate's Inn in Savannah Georgia.

In this Unabridged episode, we have several amazing middle-grade book recommendations for you all. We share about Jewell Parker Rhodes’s Ghost Boys, Alex Gino’s George, and Dusti Bowling’s Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus as our featured recommendations, and then we each mention a couple of other personal favorites from our recent middle-grade reads.   Visit the Unabridged website for our full show notes and links to the books mentioned in the episode.   Interested in what else we're reading? Check out our Featured Books page.   Want to support Unabridged? Follow us @unabridgedpod on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. | Join our Unabridged Podcast Reading Challenge. | Visit our curated list of books at Bookshop.org. | Become a patron on Patreon. | Check out our Merch Store. | Visit the resources available in our Teachers Pay Teachers store.

If you pass away because you're hitting that sauce a little too hard, is it possible to haunt a building your daddy owned, even if you never lived there? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to Meridian Mississippi.

An establishment designed to bring you sweet tasty treats, might also house some not so sweet entities. Did the spirits come here for unfinished business, and did they stay for the cupcakes? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a trip to Davenport, Iowa to investigate the Oh So Sweet Bakery!

The spirit of an old mason worker is the last thing you think of when you hear pounding on the wall in a hotel. But, could that be the case here at the Crescent Hotel and Spa? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to Eureka Springs Arkansas.

If Regis Philbin and Tom Green both say they've seen spirits apear in front of them, does that make it more believable? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to San Diego California to visit the Whaley House.

A beautiful old theater where the vaudeville entertainers still perform their beloved shows long after death. Will we be able to get a peek at one of these classic performances? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a trip to Cresco Iowa to visit the historical Cresco Theater.

We have a special guest this week: Meredith Monday-Schwartz from Currently Reading podcast! She discusses the benefits she saw and the tricks that helped while remote schooling. Mindy & Rachel learned some things and loved discussing distance learning with Meredith! 2:00 Homeschooling Moments of the Week 5:30 Topic Talk 32:40 Make It Personal 34:20 Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes 36:00 Encouragement Go to our site to get your very own certificate!!   Mindy at gratefulforgrace on Instagram Rachel at colemountainhomeschool on Instagram Meredith at Currently Reading podcast and meredith.reads on Instagram 

A handsome artist spends too much time with the lady of the castle and finds himself shot dead during a poker game. Could this be the reason the Jewel of Crystal Valley may be haunted? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around the Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to the beautiful mountains of Colorado.

The shining example of Canadian hospitality might also be the shining example of spirits with unfinished business. What happened in room 873? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip across the boarder to our northern friends in Banff, Alberta Canada.

A child lost to the edge of a cliff drives a mother mad. Could a devastating accident cause a soul to be left on earth long after death? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as the take a virtual trip to the Heceta Head Lighthouse in Florence Oregon.

Inside the walls of the Mineral Springs Hotel, lie many tragedies, drownings and suicides. Do the souls here try to communicate with us tonight? Well, pull up a chair and join the Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they travel to Alton Illinois.

Realistic fiction

In the early 1600s, a man named James was born to a man named John who then also had two or three more Johns. One of those Johns gets shot at a bar. Does his spirit still haunt the Leith Hall? Well, pull up a chair and join your Ghost Boys around The Haunting Table as they take a virtual trip to Scotland.

On this week’s episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing our top 10 books of the year that wouldn’t end. We don’t include our regular segments in these Best of Episodes in the interest of time. We hope that you love this list! It might help you identify if one of us is your book twin. Or if you want to add something to your 2021 TBR. We do create a few “rules” about our top 10 lists: Finished in 2020, but not required to be published in 2020. We don’t record until after the last day of the year, in case something squeaks in right at the end! These are books that really stuck with us after reading. As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  New: we are now including transcripts of the episode. These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below 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!*   . . . . Patreon: 1:20 - There’s a LOT of content coming up for our Bookish Friends (Patrons). We are SO excited about all of it! You can join Patreon for $5 a month and get access to this month’s bonus extravaganza: All Things Murderful with Meredith on January 7th with her top 10 Mystery and Thrillers for 2020 Our Bookish Superlatives with Spicy Opinions on January 14th Kaytee Reads Too Much on January 21st (a giant episode covering November’s reads and a reflection on 2020 reading in general and the books that didn’t QUITE make the top 10) The audio of COVIDeo Episode 21 on January 28th The Buddy Read discussion of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe on January 31st Plus: the reading journal, the reading tracker, access to the Bookish Friends groups, and Behind the Scenes content and ways to influence the show. Wow! Our Top 10 of 2020: 10:10 - El Deafo by CeCe Bell (Meredith) 11:20 - Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West (Kaytee) 11:27 - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi 12:23 - The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins (Meredith) 15:07 - With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (Kaytee) 16:11 - A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Meredith) 17:27 - Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi (Kaytee) 17:54 - Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi 19:12 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Meredith) 21:04 - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (Kaytee) 22:50 - Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (Meredith) 23:05 - Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz 24:21 - Know My Name by Chanel Miller (Kaytee) 26:15 - The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi (Meredith) 27:55 - The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare (Kaytee) 28:29 - Kaytee’s minisode interview with Abi Dare 28:57 - All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny (Meredith) 30:55 - Lobizona by Romina Russell Garber (Kaytee) 32:42 - The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Meredith) 34:39 - Caste by Isabel Wilkerson (Kaytee) 36:27 - Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam (Meredith) 39:45 - Here for It by R. Eric Thomas (Kaytee) 40:52 - Greenwood by Michael Christie (Meredith) 43:33 - Pride by Ibi Zoboi (Kaytee) 43:36 - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast

Unit 9-3 Ghost Boys 白人警察射殺了一名手拿玩具槍的12歲非裔男孩 Jerome。Jerome 死後變成鬼魂，除了徘徊在傷痛的家人身邊，還遇上另一位有類似遭遇的鬼魂。

Unit 9-2 Ghost Boys 白人警察射殺了一名手拿玩具槍的12歲非裔男孩 Jerome。Jerome 死後變成鬼魂，除了徘徊在傷痛的家人身邊，還遇上另一位有類似遭遇的鬼魂。

A love lost pushes a woman to take her own life by Cyanide, condemning her soul to roam the realm of the living. Does her spirit still walk through the Allen House? Well, pull up a chair and join The Haunting Table as the Ghost Boys take a trip to Monticello Arkansas.

Unit 9-1 Ghost Boys 白人警察射殺了一名手拿玩具槍的12歲非裔男孩 Jerome。Jerome 死後變成鬼魂，除了徘徊在傷痛的家人身邊，還遇上另一位有類似遭遇的鬼魂。

Enjoy our presentation of Ghost Boys written by Jewell Parker Rhodes and published by Little, Brown and Company.  Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that's been unleashed on his family and community in the wake of what they see as an unjust and brutal killing. Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Ghost Boys is a New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the Black-Eyed Susan award in 2019/2020.Ghost Boys is recommended for ages 10 and up for violence. Please see Common Sense Media for more information and reviews. https://bit.ly/GhostBoys_ReviewsThis title is available as an eBook and audiobook on Libby by Overdrive. Libby eBook - https://bit.ly/GhostBoys_LibbyeBookLibby Audio - https://bit.ly/GhostBoys_LibbyAudioPlease visit www.calvertlibrary.info for more information.Music: Dub the Uke (excerpt) by Kara Square (c) copyright 2016. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/mindmapthat/53340

This podcast episode is for Positive Energy's listeners to get to know the host and her friend a little more! While you do that, we're also discussing our favorite book recommendations! Listener messenger link for shoutouts and ideas: https://anchor.fm/leah-elizabeth7/message Website: https://positiveenergypodc.wixsite.com/weeklynewsrecap Business Email: positive.energy.podcast0808@gmail.com Books Mentioned: Wonder by R.J. Palacio; Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli; Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy; The Children of Willesden Lane by Nola Golabek and Lee Cohen; The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel; Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson; Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes; Carry On by Rainbow Rowell; The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, and Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu Anchor link: anchor.fm/leah-elizabeth7 --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

In this episode our guest host is Kevin Booker of Booker Empowerment LLC. He offers leadership and diversity training, empowering people to be a better version of themselves. Together, we answer... ...what to do if you're stuck in an unfulfilling job. ...how to be a great teacher. ...what it takes to become comfortable with public speaking ...how to bring about real change in terms of equity and access for all people in the United States Books recommended in the episode: https://amzn.to/3m0Gima (Beyond Ally: The Pursuit of Racial Justice by Dr. Maysa Akbar) https://amzn.to/3krvZr7 (How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi) and his Whttps://amzn.to/2Ta0OVe (orkBook: How to Be an Antiracist). https://amzn.to/3k9a3ka (Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes) Kevin Booker, Jr – Booker Empowerment LLC Leadership and diversity training, empowering people to be a better version of themselves. FB: https://www.facebook.com/BookerEmpowerment (booker empowerment LLC) @bempowerment Twitter and Instagram Bits And Bytes by Claus Appel Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes (https://filmmusic.io/song/4688-bits-and-bytes) License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Mentioned in this episode: Get my MP3 I have recorded my book in audio form. Get your copy for free at https://www.guywhoknowsaguy.com Network without talking to strangers Did you know that you can network without ever talking to a stranger? It's true. Networking is not about awkward conversations and elevator pitches. It is about making connections and creating value. I'll teach you how in a two minute video at https://www.guywhoknowsaguy.com/innercircle

Today, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: a YouTube rabbit hole and setting down the books for Netflix Current Reads: A selection of hits and misses, all of which we’re ready to discuss with nuance Deep Dive: The Books We Are Jealous That You Get to Read for the First Time. Ah, nostalgia. Book Presses: righting another wrong in the press list, and cozy comfort for when the world is too much As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  *Please note that all book titles linked below 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!*   . . . . . Book of the Month - ad: 2:03 - Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman 2:15 - Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic by Alice Hoffman 2:56 - Leave the World Behind by Ruman Alam 3:02 - All Things Murderful with Meredith on Patreon 3:33 - Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo 3:55 - The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab 4:52 - Use our link and the code CURRENTLYREADING to get your first book for just $9.99! Bookish Moments: 8:02 - Winter in Narnia ASMR room 8:30 - Mr. Tumnus’ House ASMR room 8:34 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 9:32 - Interior Design Masters on Netflix 9:58 - Hoarders on Netflix 10:07 - The Home Edit on Netflix Current Reads: 10:38 - Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore (Meredith) 11:06 - Listener Press Episode at the end of Season 2 14:18 - The Night Swim by Megan Goldin (Kaytee) 14:44 - Kaytee thinks January LaVoy is her BFF because of her interview with her 17:26 - The Boys Club by Erica Katz (Meredith) 17:33 - Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler 17:34 - The Firm by John Grisham 20:55 - Long Walk to FREEDOM by Nelson Mandela (you guys, I said WATER? What the heck??) (Kaytee) 24:19 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Meredith) 28:52 - The Last Year of the War by Susan Meissner (Kaytee) 31:00 - As Bright as Heaven by Susan Meissner 31:45 - The study about Millennials and Gen Z and the Holocaust Deep Dive - Books We Are Jealous You Get to Read for the First Time: 33:10 - Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend 33:15 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 33:23 - Winterhouse by Ben Guterson 33:27 - The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall 33:29 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 34:38 - The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley 35:08 - Harry Potter by JK Rowling 35:59 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman 36:01 - This Is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel 36:03 - The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall 38:13 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn 38:17 - I Let You Go by Claire Mackintosh Books We Want to Press Into Your Hands: 39:38 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer (Meredith) 43:50 - A Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindburgh (Kaytee) 43:58 - Episode 34 of Season 1 Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com

Sometimes spooky, sometimes helpful, always good. This week we're looking at the particularly British legend of the Black dogs. From the spectral boogey men (dogs), to portents of things yet to come, these guys pop up throughout these fair isles and we're here to chat them up! So dig on in and throw us a bone, this is one fetching topic guaranteed to have you howling with laughter.Twitter: https://twitter.com/godsandgoblinsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/godsandgoblins/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/godsandgoblinsYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTgEBT-yIqvaoEZozk9y35wSoundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/godsandgoblinsWebsite: https://godsandgoblins.buzzsprout.com/Email: godgobpod@gmail.comSources:'Wild Life in a Southern County' by Richard Jeffries‘English Fairy and Other Folk Tales’ by Edwin Sidney Hartland'The Black Dog' published in Folklore, Sep., 1958, Vol. 69 by Theo Brown‘The Black Dog’ published in Folklore, Jun., 1938, Vol. 49, No. 2 by Ethel RudkinPopular Romances of the West of England’ by Robert Hunt'Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland' by Lady Francesca Speranza WildeMusic:Teller of the Tales by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4467-teller-of-the-talesLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0Theme: Nat Keefe with The Bow Ties - Dude, Where's My Horse

Today, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: Homeschool reading presentations and Meredith’s new side episode Current Reads: the current reads that we are actually currently reading, not a selective agenda of books Deep Dive: Bookish FOMO. What are you afraid of missing out on when it comes to books? Book Presses: the book I’d press on Meredith’s new mini show, and an author that she changed her mind about As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you’d like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don’t scroll down!  *Please note that all book titles linked below 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!*   . . . . . Bookish Moments: 2:45 - The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate 2:51 - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 4:23 - Project Z: A Zombie Ate My Homework by Tommy Greenwald 5:14 - All Things Murderful on Patreon Current Reads: 6:52 - Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes (Kaytee) 6:58 - Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes 7:14 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 9:02 - The Black Count by Tom Reiss 10:10 - A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (Meredith) 11:40 - Serial Podcast 12:25 - Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene 12:34 - The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson 14:31 - Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson 15:45 - Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige (Kaytee) 15:56 - The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 17:23 - Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts 17:50 - Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer 19:52 - Conviction by Denise Mina (Meredith) 24:08 - You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria (Kaytee) 24:13 - @booknerdnative @readwithkat and @allegedlymari on Instagram 30:46 - Descent by Tim Johnston (Meredith) 30:56 - The Current by Tim Johnston 32:07 - Still Life by Louise Penny Deep Dive - Book FOMO: 35:07 - Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell 35:40 - You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria 36:07 - The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins 37:08 - Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer 37:15 - Twilight by Stephanie Meyer 38:22 - Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel 39:15 - Novel Pairings Podcast 40:13 - Louise Penny Book 5: The Brutal Telling 41:22 - The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Books We Want to Press Into Your Hands: 42:35 - The One by John Marrs (Kaytee) 44:35 - City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (Meredith) 44:47 - Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert 48:03 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com

Dicky and Jeff are ghost hunters now.

Jewell Parker Rhodes, winner of the American Book Award, talks about the difficulty of writing "Ghost Boys" and about her own reading journey with host Kitty Felde. bookclubforkids.org

How do we talk about police violence targeting African-Americans? This group of eighth graders from Columbia Heights Educational Campus/Lincoln Middle School in Washington, DC discuss “Ghost Boys” by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Actor Jonathan Del Palmer Rhodes is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. NOTE: this discussion contains a discussion about violence, Emmett Till, and police violence. www.bookclubforkids.org

Listen to why Lisa K.'s thinks you should read the book Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes Written For: 4th- 6th graders Genre: Realistic Fiction Themes: Racism, American History, police brutality Download with your Westerville Public Library card Overdrive, or reserve through our website:https://search.westervillelibrary.org/iii/encore/search/C__St%3A%28ghost%20boys%29%20a%3A%28rhodes%29__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold

As the country grapples with racism in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Mike, Julie, Jeannine, and Matt sit down with CEO and Founder of the Brothers Brunch, Kevan Turman. We talk about Kevan's struggle with being diagnosed with COVID-19, the impact of Floyd's death on him and his work, and the network that the Brothers Brunch brings together to dig into challenging topics that we all struggle with. Kevan gives insight into his most recent Youtube episode called "Deep Breaths: What are we to do when the air we breath becomes too heavy". This episode is timely and a critical conversation for all of us rethinking education in the midst of our current reality. Plugs include Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, DoSomething.org, Global Oneness Project, and Texting Story. Music by Ketsa.

Today Chelsey and Sara are chatting about Beloved by Toni Morrison. This American masterpiece and 1988 Pulitzer winner tells the story of Sethe, a woman who escaped from slavery to find freedom for herself and her children, only to be haunted by the traumas of her past. It’s a story of motherhood, womanhood, freedom, and redemption, and Morrison’s genius and language are incomparable. Today’s discussion includes:   Sara sharing her experience with teaching this book and why it’s the perfect book to bring into the classroom [4:10] Reading Beloved symbolically and being okay with not understanding everything [10:30] Each of us sharing why we love Toni Morrison and why this book might just be THE Great American Novel [36:03]   Plus, as always, we’re recommending six contemporary books to pair with our classic including a heartbreaking work of middle grade fiction and a debut novel from an award-winning nonfiction writer.   Shop the pairings: https://bookshop.org/shop/novelpairings   Resources mentioned:   The Stacks Episode 60 [27:27] BBC World Books Toni Morrison Interview [30:28] Subscribe to our Substack newsletter . . . Pairing spoilers ahead! . . . . . . . . .   . . . Chelsey’s Pairings: Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward [46:18] Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes [52:39] Conjure Women by Afia Atakora [57:53]   Sara’s Pairings: The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates [42:48] Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson [48:59] The Mothers by Brit Bennett [55:29]   Chelsey’s Pick of the Week: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am  Sara’s Pick of the Week: The 1619 Project

Jewell Parker Rhodes is an award winning author of six adult novels, and numerous young adult novels.  Her fearless and authentic literature includes: Ghost Boys, Towers Falling, and Black Brother, Black Brother.  She’s won the Coretta Scott King honor, the Jane Adams Children’s book award, and many others.  She grew up in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania where she earned her BA in drama criticism, she also earned a Doctorate of Arts in English.  Rhodes is the Founding Artistic Director and Piper Endowed Chair at the Virginia G Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State university.  Her main goal is to inspire to live and make the world a better place. We have read and enjoyed her books. In this episode, Rhodes discusses her childhood and how that impacts her writing.  She also discusses the importance of teaching young people about the world. Later, Hayes joins Qurin and Kian to discuss her influence on them and the lasting effect she will have on a new generation of readers. CONNECT WITH ​JEWELL: ​FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM **Award Winning Culture is Sponsored by: PBIS Rewards​ Follow Award Winning Culture : Twitter Instagram Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on iTunes Apple Podcasts...

Author of the best selling Middle Grade novel GHOST BOYS, Jewell Parker Rhodes is on the podcast to tell us all about her latest book BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. Episode Mentions: Illustrated Classics Prince ValiantBlack BeautyNinth WardBlack Brother Black BrotherVoodoo DreamsTowers FallingGhost BoysBayou MagicAlexandre DumasPeter Westbrook FoundationThe Princess BrideBen BrattonWe Need Diverse BooksTo Kill A MockingbirdJust MercyHarriet

Author of the best selling Middle Grade novel GHOST BOYS, Jewell Parker Rhodes is on the podcast to tell us all about her latest book BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. Episode Mentions: * Illustrated Classics Prince Valiant* Black Beauty* Ninth Ward* Black Brother Black Brother* Voodoo Dreams* Towers Falling* Ghost Boys* Bayou Magic* Alexandre Dumas* Peter Westbrook Foundation* The Princess Bride* Ben Bratton* We Need Diverse Books* To Kill A Mockingbird* Just Mercy* Harriet

Talking about how good and interesting the book was and how it taught us things

In this podcast we answer any questions about the book Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Jacob and Ryan do a special YA episode over Jewell Parker Rhodes' "Ghost Boys" and have a discussion on all the troubling, timely topics woven into the book.

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for educators, librarians, parents, and everyone who loves middle grade books!  My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fantastic reads because I believe that a book can change the trajectory of a child’s life.  And I want to help you introduce kids to those amazing, life-shaping books and bring you inspiring (and fun!) conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two tween girls, a 5th grade teacher, and finally beginning my summer vacation!! Before we begin, I have a few quick announcements! First - a reminder that Monday nights are the #MGBookChat Twitter chats with some really amazing topics coming up this summer like STEM in Middle Grade, Inspiring Kids to Write, Grief in Middle Grade, and several Open Chats where you can bring your own topic to discuss. So if you are like me and have a tendency to forget those sort of things, set a reminder on your phone for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat on Twitter. Second - I will be at NerdCampMI this July 8th & 9th - so if you are headed that way this summer, please please do say hi. And finally - I am really excited to tell you that I will be rejoining the All the Wonders team as their Podcast Network Developer to produce a new array of shows cultivating a wider variety of perspectives and stories in the world of children’s literature. First up is All the Wonders This Week -  a brief, topical show released every Tuesday where a guest and I will chat about all things wondrous and new in the world of children’s literature. So stay tuned for that this summer! But - no worries - Books Between isn’t going anywhere! This is episode #74 and today’s show features the Top 20 books that my students loved this year, a reflection on what went right and what went wrong for me this last school year, and a conversation with Rajani LaRocca - author of Midsummer’s Mayhem.   Top 20 Student Favorites Let’s start with the top 20 books that my 5th grade students loved and recommended this school year. Because it’s one thing for an adult to enjoy a book, but for it to really make an impact, it has to connect with its intended audience. There have been plenty of books that I loved, but for some reason didn’t seem to resonate with middle grade readers.  Honestly, I think THIS list is way more valuable than ANY list that any adult puts out.   I couple notes before we begin. My students have pretty much free choice to read what they want in class and for homework at night, but we did have two book clubs this year - one in the fall featuring immigrant and refugee experiences and then we just wrapped up our fantasy book clubs. So that context likely influenced what books they had most exposure to. Also - our four main read alouds this year were Home of the Brave, a non-fiction title called When Lunch Fights Back, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Thief of Always.  Only two of those made it into this Top 20.   And there are only six graphic novels on this list, which might surprise some adults who like to complain to me that “all kids read these days are those graphic novels”. (Can you hear my eyes rolling?)   I also want to be transparent about how I calculated this “Top 20”. So, at the end of the year, we did various wrap-up and reflection activities. In mid-June, I send out a quick survey one morning asking them for their top reads of the year. They also worked on an end-of-the-year reflection celebration slideshow and one slide was devoted to sharing their favorite books. Also, each student worked on a “Top 10 List” (or” Top 5 List” or whatever - an idea I got from Colby Sharp) listing their most highly recommended books of the year - recommended for their current class and to be shared with the incoming 5th graders. So… I tallied up each time a title was mentioned in any of those places. And here are the top 20 titles my 5th graders loved and recommended.   Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi This graphic novel is still a strong favorite with my fifth graders. Maybe slightly less so this year, but I think that’s because a LOT of them already read it in 4th grade.    Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Still going strong! Admittedly, not every mention was book one, but the series is a perennial favorite among my students and one that they love to reread in between other books.    Ghost by Jason Reynolds The Track Series has gained a lot of momentum this year - and mainly through word of mouth. It was one of our school’s ProjectLIT selections so there was some buzz around that, but only one of my students was able to make it to those meetings so the popularity of this title is due strictly to kids recommending it to other kids.    Escape from Aleppo by N. H. Senzai This title was one of the immigrant /refugee themed book club selections from the fall and even though just four kids read it in that club, it was quickly passed around after that. If you know children who enjoyed books like Refugee or Amal Unbound, Escape from Aleppo is a great next book to introduce them to next.   Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes Every child that picked this book up and read it, ended up calling it a favorite.    The Books of Elsewhere by Jacqueline West This title was one of our Fantasy Book Club options and it really lends itself to fabulous discussions if you’re looking to round out that genre.   Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder I will admit - I was totally surprised this made the top 20. Not because I don’t like it - I LOVE this book, but I didn’t really witness it being read or talked about a lot past September or October. But clearly it made a lasting impact on those that did read it.   Dog Man by Dav Pilkey In the same vein as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this series of books are the go-to rereads when a student isn’t sure what they want to read next. It’s one of those comfort reads that always winds up back in their book boxes.   Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol This graphic novel was passed from kid to kid this year with so many of them reading it multiple times.   Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin Which was a second shocker to me because this novel is a class read-aloud in 3rd grade. So all the love for this one came from students who remembered it fondly and reread it. Maybe because I happened to have a few copies in our room? Which reminds me to make sure to have those previous year’s titles available in our classroom library.   Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins Another one of our hot fantasy book club picks - this series is a winner. Year and after kids fall in love with the characters! And it will make you fall in love with a cockroach. That’s some powerful writing!   Smile by Raina Telgemeier Still…. after all these years. This book has that special spark.   Crush by Svetlana Chmakova  When this graphic novel came out in this past October, I bought one copy and immediately the kids grabbed a pen and paper and started their own waiting list.    The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix  The credit for this book’s popularity falls squarely to a book trailer that our school librarian showed our class. It got us all sooo hooked that I splurged a bit and bought three copies for our classroom. And it just took off from there. In fact, I haven’t even read the darn thing yet because I could never get my hands on a copy. And actually, I think it’s the only title on this list that I haven’t read.    Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson Because…. of course!  And actually, our classroom copy of this book didn’t even make it past March. The spine cracked and then the pages started falling apart, so I’ve got to get another copy for the fall. It was clearly well-loved.    Blended by Sharon Draper Whoa did this novel take my class by storm!  And it wasn’t part of a book club, it wasn’t a read aloud, it didn’t have a snazzy book trailer - it just really resonated with kids. And they just kept recommending it to each other.   Front Desk by Kelly Yang This was THE hot title this fall!  It was one of the choices for our immigrant/refugee book clubs but unlike some of the other titles, this one had a huge resurgence after the clubs ended with kids rereading and passing it along to their friends all through the year. It was constantly in someone’s book box.    The Unicorn Rescue Society by Adam Gidwitz & Hatem Aly This was another fantasy book club option. And I think, the popularity of this book is really due to the fact that it had a phenomenal book trailer that hooked kids with it’s humor. It was also a shorter book with lots of great illustrations so kids quickly finished it, passed it along and were on to the next in the series.    Okay - we are down to the top two. And not surprisingly, they are both class read alouds. It makes sense that the books every child read or listened to would be high on a list of class favorites. But as I said before, two of our read alouds didn’t make the cut so these two truly did connect with the class.   The Thief of Always by Clive Barker Oh my word is this book amazing!  And for many students - it’s their first foray into horror. The chapter illustrations are gruesome and disturbing and wonderful…. If you know kids that like scary books with that paranormal twist… who like something a little weird - this book is perfect!  And it makes a really great read aloud.   Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling I added this one as a read aloud this year since it was the 20th anniversary, and I honestly wasn’t sure if the kids were going to like it.  That first book does have a slow start, but it was by far their top rated read aloud and the title most frequently found on their favorites lists and their recommended lists.  Harry’s still got the magic.   Reflection   One of the most important aspects of our last few weeks together at school is time for student reflection and feedback for me and my own reflection on what went well this past year and… what did not.    First, let me share with you 5 things that stood out in my students’ final feedback survey. And yes, this is information from a particular class, but I think you’ll find something useful to take away from their responses as well. When asked what they liked most about class, the top responses were Flash-light Fridays (where we turned off all the lights and they got to read with flashlights anywhere in the room), the read alouds, all the Harry Potter activities (house sorting, trying Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, I sent them acceptance letters to Hogawarts, etc.), and doing the one-pagers. When asked what changes I should make for next year, they suggested more book clubs, students getting to vote on our read alouds, and… many of them said they don’t like sitting in groups. That they wanted to be spread out more and have their own space. (Which is interesting - because a couple years ago I came REALLY close to doing away with individual desks and switching to tables and mainly flexible seating options that have been very popular and whenever I have brought that up, my students have consistently told me - they like their own desk and their own space.) When asked “Did you read more or less than last year?”, 33% said a little more and 50% said a lot more. And only one child said that they read less this year.  When asked how I could be a better teacher, the most common responses were to give more reading time, read more books aloud, and a suggestion to ask kids to read even more each night. When asked what books we should have more of in our classroom library, they wanted more scary books, more books with magic, more books in a series, more poetry, and of course, more graphic novels.   So those were some big takeaways from the feedback from my students. And of course, as I reflect and revise and look for professional development opportunities over the summer, I pair their feedback with the things I saw going well and also things that did not. Here are some “wins” and some “fails” from this past year. A win - the book clubs centered around immigrant and refugee stories. Students learned a lot, had a new perspective on events they may see in the news, and bottom line - just really enjoyed those books.  Since many students requested more book clubs, I am considering adding another round or two - perhaps centered around neurodiversity and understanding ourselves and others.  A fail - not reading nearly enough poetry and nonfiction. So if I think about expanding book clubs, perhaps shifting a little to a poetry reading club or clubs that want to explore a particular nonfiction topic might be a way to go.  A win - read alouds kicked butt this year.  After three times reading aloud Thief of Always, I had the voices down, and I finally felt like I knew that story inside and out and could take them places this year that I never would have even realized the first time we read it together. That just reinforces to me how much can be gained be rereading a text multiple times.    A fail - not reading enough shorter texts - picture books and short stories. And also, every single one of our read alouds this year featured a male protagonist. And I am NOT letting that happen again next year. Or ANY year! Nooo way! A win - when a student told me she wanted to read books with gay, trans, and queer characters, within 3 minutes I was able to gather a huge stack from our classroom library to plop on her desk so she could find something that might appeal to her.  A fail - she didn’t know we had that many titles! I had book-talked many of them, but next year - maybe I’ll have a “Read with Pride” bin to rotate some of those titles in and out.  I want to be careful to not “other” those stories and separate all of them, but I do want students to be able to find them easily.  A win - students read far more diversely this year than any prior year. And I had many, many boys who without much reservation read Baby Sitter’s Club books, and books about girls getting their periods, and other novels with female protagonists that in year’s past might be met with push-back and laughter.  I am maybe seeing a possible cultural shift there. Maybe. I’m hoping.  A fail - not taking enough time to explicitly explore bias and structural racism, the impact of social norms and honestly - all the things that are tricky to talk about but that NEED to be talked about.  And that was better this year, but still not enough.   And I know this is not the work of a summer but the work of a whole career, a whole lifetime.    And as always, we are learning together so I’d really love to hear from you about any feedback you received from the children you work with, what your successes and misses were this past year, and what books your kids loved. You can connect with me on Twitter or Instagram - our handle is @books_between or email me at booksbetween@gmail.com and I’d love to share your ideas. Rajani LaRocca - Interview Outline   Joining me this week is debut author Rajani LaRocca! We chat about baking, Shakespeare, the novels that influenced her as a child, writing ideas for kids, her unparalleled skill at finding the perfect GIF, and  of course - her debut novel Midsummer’s Mayhem!   Take a listen.   Midsummer’s Mayhem   For our listeners who have not yet read Midsummer’s Mayhem - what is this story about?   You novel has so many elements that I love - a bit of mystery, a dash of earthy magic,  - it’s like The Great British Baking Show meets Shakespeare! And the recipes are so mouth-watering, so unique! Did you actually make all of the recipes in the book? Can we talk about Vik?!  I had no idea until the very end which way he was going to go. I love how you created this mystery surrounding him that was multi-sensory - not just visual, but musical, and the earthy scents of the forest….   Mimi is very inspired by Puffy Fay - her celebrity chef idol. Who is your celebrity writing idol?   A very important question - do you say “JIF” or “GIF”?   However you say it, you are the QUEEN of the Gif!!   Your Writing Life   You said recently, “Often when I sit down to write a chapter, something surprising happens, and things go in a completely different direction than I’d planned.”  What was one of those moments in Midsummer’s Mayhem?   My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors.  What’s a tip or trick that you’ve picked up along the way that has helped your writing?    What are you working on now?   Your Reading Life   You’ve mentioned before that the books you read as a child helped shape who you are today. What were some of those books?   What are some books that you’ve read lately that you’d recommend to our listeners?   Thank you!   Links:   Rajani’s website - https://www.rajanilarocca.com Rajani on Twitter - @rajanilarocca Rajani on Instagram - @rajanilarocca   Books and topics we chatted about: A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L’Engle) Meet the Austins (Madeleine L’Engle) The Arm of the Starfish (Madeleine L’Engle) The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin) The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) Amar Chitra Katha graphic novels The Simple Art of Flying (Cory Leonardo) Seventh Grade vs the Galaxy (Joshua Levy) Caterpillar Summer (Gillian McDunn) Planet Earth Is Blue (Nicole Panteleakos Super Jake and the King of Chaos (Naomi Milliner) All of Me (Chris Baron)   Closing   Alright - that’s it for our show this week. If you have a question about how to connect middle grade readers to books they will love or an idea about a guest we should have or 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.   Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find 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 help others find us too by telling a friend, sharing on social media, or leaving a rating on iTunes or Stitcher.   Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

Alvina talks more about BookExpo, and they take a trip down memory lane and talk about the Caldecott-Newbery banquet for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (including what Grace wore and how she found her special dress!), and they also discuss imposter syndrome, when they have felt it, and how they manage it. And they end as always with what they’re grateful for. Some things mentioned: Write or die podcast, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert, Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Tomi Adeyemi, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin, Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) by Justina Chen, Always Be My Maybe, Crazy Rich Asians, Connie Chung.

Grace and Alvina talk about what their ideas of paradise would be, and what their ideal lives are. Alvina talks about the Walter Awards Symposium and the two books she edited that were honored, GHOST BOYS by Jewell Parker Rhodes and THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER by Emily X.R. Pan. Grace shared a gross but fascinating fact about angler fish! They discuss Alvina’s upcoming sabbatical, and take a trip down memory lane and remember their vacation to Beijing and Shanghai together. And they end, as always, with what they’re grateful for.

In this interview, Jewell Parker Rhodes talks to Nikki Gamble about the impetus behind her novel Ghost Boys and why this novel is as relevant today as it would have been 50 years ago.

Welcome to Reading Week. Claire and Sophie discuss how their first ever Reading Week is going and mention some of the activities they have planned to bolster its appeal. They then talk books! Claire has read so much this week including Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker-Rhodes, The boy at the back of the class by Onjali Q. Rauf and Countless by Karen Gregory. Sophie discus's her only book The Life and Death Parade by Eliza Wass. They then end on a discussion point - are Reading Weeks important? As always don't forget to follow us on twitter @lounge_learning

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom, and battling a cold this afternoon! So if I sound a little...off - that is why! This is episode #68 and Today I’m answering some questions about trends in middle grade and sharing with you some fabulous 2019 titles to look forward to this year! Q&A - Trends in Middle Grade Fiction Last month, my husband asked me some questions about trends in middle grade fiction. He teaches a class at Seton Hall all about trends in genre fiction and wanted some input on middle grade. So I thought I would share my responses with you. And I would be very curious about what YOU would answer. What genres or subgenres do you believe are the hottest right now? Well, it’s a format and not a genre but graphic novel memoirs like Hey Kiddo, Real Friends, and Be Prepared are still really popular. And also graphic novel adaptations of classics (like Anne of Green Gables) and popular novels (like Wings of Fire or Percy Jackson).  And again, not genre, but I see more books that are based on the core experiences of the writer. Those novels that draw on the real-life backgrounds of the authors like Kelly Yang’s Front Desk, Tami Charles’ Like Vanessa, and Supriya Kellar’s Ahimsa.  They’re not memoirs but they are books rooted in a very personal experience. To authors, I’d say - take those things that make you unique, that make you a bit quirky, that set you apart from most other people - and write THAT story. Like Kelly Yang taking the experiences of her family coming from China and running motels to write Front Desk. Jarrett Krosoczka writing the critically acclaimed graphic novel memoir Hey Kiddo about his life living with his grandparents after his mom lost custody of him due to drug addiction. Crack that door open and invite us inside. What genres or subgenres do you believe are passé or overexposed? I don’t know…. I do wonder how long the unicorn and narwhal craze will last but that seems to live more in picture books than middle grade. Magical realism - or rather realistic fiction with a magical twist - doesn’t seem to be slowing down. You know - anything can be new and fresh with the right spin.  And also, authors from marginalized backgrounds are still underrepresented in just about every genre so those are stories that will likely have new points of view. I thought I was totally over zombie stories but Dread Nation popped up and whoa!!  I’ve never read a zombie story like THAT before!   If you had to predict, what genre or subgenre do you think is primed to be the next Big Thing in the next year or so? I would say stories about immigrants, refugees, and the unique experiences of marginalized groups (especially by #ownvoices authors) will continue to be popular. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an explosion of critically acclaimed middle grade stories like Alan Gratz’s Refugee, Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me, and Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai among many more. We also have more and more books coming out that tell stories of police violence in developmentally appropriate ways like Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Blended by Sharon Draper.  I’m also really excited about a new crop of middle grade #MeToo stories on the horizon like So Done by Paula Chase and the upcoming Barbara Dee novel Maybe He Just Likes You.   Any comments about where you see genre fiction heading? In middle grade, like everywhere else,  #ownvoices books are still underrepresented  - everyone has a unique story to tell or a unique POV to offer.  EVERYONE. So my advice to authors, take the spark of your unique life experiences and let that burn throughout your story.  My advice to educators - scour those shelves to find a wider variety of books. Also - if you write for a YA/MG audience, librarians and educators are more and more eager to the ditch the old canon and form partnerships with authors. Look for opportunities like #KidsNeedMentors or reach out to your local schools and libraries.   Book Talk - Most Anticipated Middle Grade Books of 2019   The last couple of episodes were all about looking back on some of the best that middle grade had to offer in 2018. (If you missed those, go check out episodes #66 and #67.)  But today is all about looking forward into the new year. Last year, when I did our Most Anticipated MG of 2018, I went chronologically by month. But this year I’m going about it a little differently and discussing the new releases by category.     First, we’ll chat about the new graphic novels coming up in 2019. And then we’ll talk about new releases from authors who debuted in 2018 and 2017 and see what they’re up to now. After that, I’ll give you a peek at some of the 2019 debut middle grade authors.  Then we’ll see what new books are coming out in favorite series and what sequels we have to look forward to. And finally, we’ll finish up with the 2019 releases from more established authors.   So, buckle up and get ready to add to your wish list. And remember - no need to go hunting for a pen and paper. You can find every book mentioned AND a picture of the available covers AND a link to pre-order them right on the Books Between post for this episode, #69, at MGBookVillage.com.  I’ve got your back, I know you’re busy, so it’s all right there for you. And as I’ve said before, I’ve come to really love pre-ordering - it helps out favorite authors and it’s like a little surprise to your future self.   Before we jump in, just remember that this is just a sampling of all the incredible books coming out this year. I’ll add some links to some other great resources in the show notes and on the website where you can find more complete listings of titles to browse through and the MGBookVillage website has a great release calendar so that’s one to bookmark for sure.   https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/111975.Middle_Grade_Novels_of_2019 http://novelnineteens.com/books/middle-grade-books https://mgbookvillage.org/2018releasedates/ http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2018/12/19-2019-middle-grade-books-to-have-on-your-radar/ https://www.readbrightly.com/middle-grade-books-2019/ https://www.bookish.com/articles/must-read-childrens-books-winter-2019/ http://www.popgoesthereader.com/target-audience-middle-grade/70-middle-grade-novels-i-cant-wait-to-read-in-2019/   Also - publication dates do occasionally change, so just be aware of that.   Alright, get your Goodreads tab open, or your library website pulled up, or your Amazon/Indiebound shopping cart ready, or ….. print out the show notes and bring it to your favorite local bookstore!   Alright - let’s get to it! The 2019 Graphic Novels This January, Lincoln Peirce, the author of Big Nate, has a new graphic/illustrated novel series set in the middle ages called Max and the Midknights that looks really, really cute. Also out on January 8th is Click by Kayla Miller - the story of 5th grader Olive who is having some trouble finding where she “clicks” in middle school. The sequel, called Camp, is being released this April so fans won’t have to wait long for the next one. A fantasy graphic novel that Mel Schuit recommended that I check out is The Chancellor and the Citadel by Maria Capelle Frantz so that’s on my radar now - and yours! Thank you, Mel! On January 29th another Hilo is coming our way! Hilo 5: Then Everything Went Wrong. And on that same day the 5th Bird & Squirrel is coming out called All Tangled Up. One graphic novel adaptation that has really piqued my interest is Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy: A Modern Retelling of Little Women by Rey Tercerio and illustrator Bre Indigo. The classic is reimagined as a blended family living in modern-day New York City. I don’t think I’ve ever hit “pre-order” faster and will be eagerly stalking my delivery person on February 5th for that one! My mailbox is going to be brimming on February 5th because I also HAD to preorder New Kid by Jerry Craft!  It’s about seventh grader Jordan Banks who loves drawing cartoons and dreams of going to art school. But his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school instead, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. Looks amazing!!  90-Second Newbery was singing its praises on Twitter last night and said this about it: “The amazing graphic novel New Kid by @JerryCraft should definitely be on everyone's tbr list and it has a full-cast (and all-star cast) audiobook released at the same time….perfect for rich, nuanced convos abt race, class, identity, school systems, how we share books, code switching, starting new school, just so much!”   So, yeah… I’ll just wait here for a bit while you hit pause and go order that! We also get  the second Wings of Fire graphic novel, The Lost Heir, on February 26th AND the second Mr. Wolf’s Class book called Mystery Club. And a heads up that the graphic novel of The Hidden Kingdom (Wings of Fire Book 3) is out in October 2019. For those Minecraft fans in your life, this March we get another Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior graphic novel - Forging Destiny. And for older middle grade kids - maybe 11 or 12 and up -  look for the new graphic novel adaptations of The Iliad and The Odyssey this March as well. And fans of Terri Libenson’s Invisible Emmie and Positively Izzie will want to get their hands on Just Jaime - coming out May7th. There were lots of smiles among my students today when I told them that news! Bad Guys #9 - The Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf is out June 25th.  Perfect launch for a fun summer read. This August brings us Best Friends, the sequel to Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s Real Friends -  out on August 27th. And have you seen the cover? It’s Shannon at the top of a rollercoaster with this vibrant purple background. Love it, love it, love it! And Dog Man fans (like my daughter) will be psyched this August because we are getting Dog Man #7: For Whom the Ball Rolls! The seventh graphic novel adaptation of the Baby-sitters Club, Boy Crazy Stacey, illustrated by Gale Carrigan, will be out September 3rd. That’s one of those no-brainer preorders for my classroom library. Also - I was interested to hear that R.J. Palacio is publishing her first graphic novel Wonder story this fall called White Bird. This one is Julian’s grandmother’s story about her life as a young Jewish girl hidden away by a family in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. So be on the lookout for that one September 3rd as well. You want another don’t-even-have-to-think-about-it-just-preorder-it graphic novel? Guts - the long-awaited new Raina Telgemeier graphic memoir is out September 17th!! September also brings the latest from Tillie Walden - Are You Listening.  The peeks I’ve seen of that online look incredible, so that one is definitely on my radar this fall. And then….….. Drumroll please…… Mighty Jack and Zita the Spacegirl!! Ahhhh!!  I knew it! That last page in Mighty Jack and the Goblin King was just too good not to be followed up with a joint adventure. Yay! Jen Wang -  author of last year’s hit, The Prince & the Dressmaker, has a new graphic novel coming out in September called  Stargazing. This one draws on her personal experiences and is the story of two friends - Moon and Christine. And this November we’ll get The Midwinter Witch - the third and final book in the trilogy that includes The Witch Boy and The Hidden Witch. And - wow, I’m just going to start saving up now for September because the graphic novel adaptation of Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover is also coming out on September 24th!  It’s going to be a pancakes and ramen noodles for dinner kind of a month if I want to keep up with all these awesome books coming out!  (And I haven’t even gotten past the graphic novels!) And…. I think, maybe, possibly.. that Amulet #9 (the final one of the series) will be released late this year. But I can’t find much info on it. No title, no date, no synopsis - nada! So, I’m cautiously optimistic that it will arrive in 2019. Finally - another graphic novel to be on the lookout for later in 2019 is Twins by author Varian Johnson who you may know from The Parker Inheritance and illustrator Shannon Wright. The publication date isn’t yet announced, but apparently it’s about twin sisters struggling to figure out individual identities in middle school and it’s based on Johnson’s own childhood experiences as a twin. New Releases from 2017 / 2018 Debut Authors   Early February brings us the second in Anna Meriano’s Love, Sugar, Magic series called A Sprinkle of Spirits and oh is that cover gorgeous! And definitely snag a copy of the sequel to Jarrett Lerner’s EngiNerds - Revenge of the EngiNerds out on February 19th. It is EVEN FUNNIER than the first one. And that’s saying something! Another book I’m looking forward to is Jen Petro-Roy’s Good Enough - about a young girl with an eating disorder. Game of Stars by Sayantani DasGupta - the follow up to The Serpent’s Secret is out on February 26th. And the end of February also brings us Bone Hollow  by Skeleton Tree author Kim Ventrella. Also be on the lookout for The Hunt for the Mad Wolf’s Daughter by Diane Magras on March 5th. That sequel is getting rave reviews so it’s definitely one to add to your library. Alyson Gerber, author of Braced, will have a new novel out called Focused. It’s about a middle school girl who loves chess and has been recently diagnosed with ADHD. Definitely a book a lot of my students will be able to connect with! In the last week of April we get the sequel to Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time called Aru Shah and Song of Death This April brings us the second novel from Rebecca Donnelly called The Friendship Lie. One book I’m excited to dip into this spring is Up for Air by Laurie Morrison. You might know her from last year’s Every Shiny Thing. From the author of 2017’s The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora and 2018’s Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish comes Each Tiny Spark. This is Pablo Cartaya’s third MG novel and this one features a young girl, a father recently returned from deployment, and… welding. So look for that one in August. And The Cryptid Keeper, the sequel to Lija Fisher’s 2018 The Cryptid Catcher is out this August as is Melissa Sarno’s A Swirl of Ocean. In September comes the sequel to Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. It’s called Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus and follows Aven’s adventures as she heads into high school. At first I thought that might put it in the YA category, but from what I can tell, it’s still middle grade. This fall we’ll also be treated to Abby Cooper’s third novel - Friend or Fiction. Just like Sticks and Stones and Bubbles, this one is also magical realism. It’s about a girl named Jade. In the pages of her notebook, she writes all about Zoe--the most amazing best friend anyone could dream of. But when pretend Zoe appears in real life thanks to a magical experiment gone right, Jade isn't so sure if she likes sharing her imaginary friend with the real world.   Another treat in store for you this fall is the third novel by Elly Swartz - Give and Take. This book is about 12 year-old Maggie whose grandmother’s recent death has triggered her to start hoarding things under her bed. 2019 Debut Authors   So - I’ll just say right now that I could have had an ENTIRE show just dedicated to the amazing middle grade debuts coming our way this year but at some point, I had to cut myself off.  So - I’ll include a link to the Novel19s website where you find many more middle grade debuts and discover some of your new favorite authors.   The Whisperers is Greg Howard’s middle grade debut and one that has really caught my eye. Just listen to this description: “Eleven-year-old Riley believes in the whispers, magical fairies that will grant you wishes if you leave them tributes. Riley has a lot of wishes. He wishes bullies at school would stop picking on him. He wishes Dylan, his 8th grade crush, liked him, and Riley wishes he would stop wetting the bed. But most of all, Riley wishes for his mom to come back home.” Oooo…. This one is out January 15th. If you are looking for a new book for younger middle grade readers - something along the lines of Ramona Quimby or Stella Diaz - check out Meena Meets Her Match by Karla Manternatch. One book that keeps popping up into my radar is the middle grade debut of Padma Venkatraman called The Bridge Home about four children who discover strength and grit and family while dealing with homelessness. That one comes out Feb 5th so be on the lookout for that one. Another debut that I have been dying to read is The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo!  Let me just read you the teaser: “Born in a dismal room in a pet store, Alastair the African grey parrot dreams of escape to bluer skies. He’d like nothing more than to fly away to a palm tree with his beloved sister, Aggie. But when Aggie is purchased by twelve-year-old Fritz, and Alastair is adopted by elderly dance-enthusiast and pie-baker Albertina Plopky, the future looks ready to crash-land.”  My step-mother had parrots when I was growing up, so this one in particular I really am interested in reading! So I’ll be checking my mailbox for that one on February 12th. Another debut I am excited to read this year is Joshua Levy’s Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy! Since one of my goals this year is to introduce my students to more science fiction, a story about a school on a spaceship orbiting Jupiter would be perfect! On March 12 we get Lisa Moore Ramée’s debut A Good Kind of Trouble about a girl who just wants to follow the rules. And sometime this spring we get rather the opposite in Bernice Buttman, Model Citizen by Niki Lenz. This one is about a “bully” who ends up living with her aunt who is a nun and tries to turn over a new leaf. This March is the debut of Julia Nobel with The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane about a girl who gets shipped off to a British boarding school and finds a box of medallions that might just be connected to the disappearance of her father. A graphic novel debut coming in March that looks fabulous is Red Panda & Moon Bear by Jarod Roselló. It’s about two Latinx kids who defend their neighborhood from threats both natural and supernatural. And in late April is the first book in a new MG detective series called Kazu Jones and the Denver Dognappers by Shauna Holyoak and a time-traveling action adventure that will transport readers to ancient Egypt called Jagger Jones & the Mummy’s Ankh by Malayna Evans. Hurricane Season by debut author Nicole Melleby comes out May 7th and oh how do I want to read this novel!  On a recent #MGLitChat focused on the 2019 debut authors, the moderator asked, “What do you hope young readers take away from your book?”  And Nicole Melleby said the following, “ I want them to take away that they’re not alone, that they’re seen, that mental illness is hard but manageable, and that love may have its limits, but help comes in all shapes and sizes. Also that Van Gogh was a brilliant man.”  After reading Vincent & Theo last summer - uhhh…. gimme that book!! Another great middle grade debut to look for on May 7th is Just South of Home by Karen Stong which is described as Blackish meets Goosebumps. The story follows a rule-abiding girl who must team up with her trouble making cousin, goofy younger brother, and his best friend to unravel a mysterious haunting in their tiny Southern town. Also coming this spring is a book that I immediately knew I wanted to read. It’s called Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos. (So, I was pretty much ALREADY sold by the Bowie reference.) The book follows Nova, an autistic, nonverbal, space-obsessed 12-year-old who is awaiting the Challenger shuttle launch and the return of her big sister, Bridget, as she struggles to be understood by her new foster family.  I was a 4th grader when The Challenger Disaster happened and vividly remember watching it happen live on tv, so I am really interested to see how that plays out in this book. Another debut to look for early this summer is All of Me by Chris Baron - a novel in verse about a 13 year old boy who is dealing with a big move, struggles in his parents’ marriage, and his own body image issues. So… if you are a close listener, you have probably figured out that I’m a sucker for books involving baking or cooking.  Maybe that’s why Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca just leapt out at me when I stumbled across it last month. This is a contemporary-fantasy retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream about an 11 year old Indian American girl whose father is a food writer and whose mother is a successful businesswoman. But when she adds some rather…. unusual (and maybe magical?) ingredients to her baking, things get out of hand. So look for that one on June 4th. And if your kids are looking for a fun spooky read this summer, Ollie Oxley and the Ghost comes out on June 18th and looks really cute. It’s about a boy who moves to California and ends up becoming friends with a ghost from the Gold Rush era. Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega is another paranormal middle grade coming this September and it’s described as Coco meets Stranger Things. So, uh… yeah...gimme that for sure! Also coming out this September is The Light in the Lake by Sarah Baughman - a book about a young girl who finds herself caught between her love of science and her late twin brother's belief in magic. Sequels and Favorite Series This January 29th we’re getting two awesome books: a 4th in the Crime Biters series - Fangs for Everything AND I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944 by Lauren Tarshis.  And watching out for another I Survived book in September called I Survived the Great Molasses Flood, 1919. Also in 2019 we are getting not one but TWO new Babysitting Nightmares books! The Phantom Hour this January 29th and The Twilight Curse on August 20th. February 5th brings another Stick Dog book - Stick Dog Gets the Tacos AND the third Frazzled book by Booki Vivat! This one is called Minor Incidents and Absolute Uncertainties. I just love her titles! In late February kids will be getting book 4 in the DC Comics Secret Hero Society - Science Fair Crisis! Lion Down by Stuart Gibb is out on February 26th. The second in his FunJungle series and the follow up to Panda-monium.) In March comes book five in The School for Good & Evil series: A Crystal of Time , a new Emily Windsnap novel called Emily Windsnap and The Pirate Prince, and another in the Fairy Tale Reform School series called Wished. In March we also get a seventh Jedi Academy Book called Revenge of the Sis. This one starts a new storyline and is written by Amy Ignatow with Jarret Krosoczka illustrating. And an as yet untitled 8th Jedi Academy novel is scheduled for September 2019. AND I’m really excited for the third BAT book: Bat and the End of Everything by Elana K. Arnold.  My daughter’s 4th grade class read the first book and they - of course! - fell hard for this series! Jeff Kinney fans will be excited about Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid - a book told from Rowley’s point of view that is out this April. And that month also brings us another Unicorn Rescue Society novel - The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande. And my 9 year old is going to be thrilled when I tell her that Katherine Applegate’s sequel to The Endling is coming out May 7th. It’s called Endling: The First and is already in my cart. The second book in Laura Ruby’s York series - The Clockwork Ghost is also headed our way this May and so is Another Fenway & Hattie book - In the Wild! Natalie Lloyd’s sequel to The Problim Children - Carnival Catastrophe is due to be out June 25th. And not quite a sequel but more of a spin-off, is Dough Boys by Paula Chase - author of 2018’s So Done. Characters Simp and Rollie are the leads in this novel told in two voices. Also - Karina Yan Glaser’s third Vanderbeekers novel is coming this September - The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue! And finally - just announced this morning - is Kate DiCamillo’s new novel coming September 24th - Beverly, Right Here. And if you guessed that this is the Beverly from Raymie Nightingale - then you are correct!  So now each of the three girls will have their own novel. By the way - if you haven’t seen it yet, the cover by Amy June Bates is stunning!!     2019 New Releases from Established Authors   First up here is the book I am devouring right now - The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart which just came out on January 8th. And oh…. does this book live up to its hype! Brace yourself to hear lots more about this one later! Also out this January is a book my friend Sandy has been raving about - The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, U.S.A by Coretta Scott King honor nominee Brenda Woods. So I definitely need to add that one to my TBR list. This January readers will get a new Gordon Korman novel - Unteachables AND a new Andrew Clements novel - The Friendship War. January also brings us the first book in the really incredible Rick Riordan Presents Imprint - Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee. This is a space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. (By the way - if you have kids who love Rick Riordan’s novels or who love adventure books with a dash of humor and myth - then check out his Imprint site. I’ll include a link in the show notes so you can check them all out. From those lucky enough to read advanced copies, I haven’t heard anything but praise.) Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas by Andrea Pyros is one to watch out for this February. And another upper middle grade February release that caught my attention is a joint novel told in letters by Counting by 7s author Holly Goldberg Sloan and The Interestings author Meg Wolitzer. It’s called To Night Owl from Dogfish and it’s about two very different 12 year-old girls named Averie and Bett who are sent off to the same sleepaway camp in order to bond after their single dads fall in love with each other. February also bring us another novel by Anne Urso (author of the critically acclaimed The Real Boy) This novel, The Lost Girl, is about identical twins Lark and Iris.   On March 5th we get another Lisa Graff novel called Far Away about a girl, CJ, whose aunt is a psychic medium who claims that she carries messages from the dead. And I’m really psyched for We’re Not From Here by Tapper Twins author Geoff Rodkey. This novel is also out March 5th and is about refugees from planet Earth who need to find a new home on a faraway planet. I had the opportunity to read an ARC of this one and it’s quirky and hilarious… and timely. Definitely add this one to your pre orders. March also brings us another Rick Riordan Present’s book called Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez. I’ve been hearing lots of great buzz about this one, so I’ll definitely need to pre-order a copy. On March 19th we get a new Kevin Henkes novel called Sweeping Up the Heart and this one is the story of the spring break that changes seventh-grader Amelia Albright’s life forever. In late March Natalie Lloyd fans will be treated to Over the Moon - a story about twelve-year-old Mallie who lives in a mining town where boys leave school at 12 to work in the mines, and girls leave to work as servants for the wealthy. But of course with that quintessentially Lloyd magic interwoven. And another Cynthia Lord book is coming out this March! She is the author of Rules and A Handful of Stars. This one is titled Because of the Rabbit and is about a young girl who starts public school for the first time after being homeschooled. Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles is coming out April 2nd and a really interesting looking book called Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway will be released April 16th. It’s about a girl who has to save her aunt’s pie shop. I think this one would be  a winner for kids who enjoy shows like The Great British Baking Show. In early May, we get to read Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s next novel, Shouting at the Rain about a girl named Delsie who lives with her grandmother, loves tracking weather, and who starts to wish for a more “regular” family and life. You can’t go wrong with the author of Fish in a Tree and One for the Murphys so… just pop this one in your cart now! And another novel that is getting all kinds of early buzz is the latest from K.A. Reynolds called Spinner of Dreams. It’s being called “inventive, empathetic, and strange in all the best ways.”  Plus - it has a really otherworldly cover that I just want to stare at... And finally - I know you all have heard me rave about this one before - but Barbara Dee’s Maybe He Just Likes You is going to be AMAZING!  My students and I got the chance to read the first chapter and we were all already hooked. But let me give you a little taste from the teaser: “For seventh grader Mila, it starts with an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. The next day, it’s another hug. A smirk. Comments. It all feels…weird. According to her friend Zara, Mila is being immature, overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like? They don’t understand why Mila is making such a big deal about the boys’ attention. When Mila is finally pushed too far, she realizes she can’t battle this on her own–and finds help in some unexpected places.” I can’t WAIT!!   Phew!!  Alright - I am both energized and - I gotta be honest - a little daunted! But - I am reminding myself and I hope you’ll remember too that it’s not about a mad dash to read all of these books. But to give you a taste of what’s to come so you can match readers with books they might like and get them excited about new releases.   I hope you have a wonderful year reading and I would love to know - what are the books that you and your students are most looking forward to in 2019?   You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or jump into the conversation on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.      Closing   Thank you so much for joining me this week.  You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org.   And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated.   Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com   Talk with you soon!  Bye!  

Intro Hi everyone! This is Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two girls, and enjoying my extra reading time over the holiday break and the chance to relax. This is episode #66 and today we are celebrating some of the best middle grade books published in 2018. Main Topic - The Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2018 I’m a bit of a data nerd, and I have always been into tracking my reading - from my color-coded index card system in high school to my alphabatized Excel Spreadsheet in the early 2000s to now where I do a mix of Goodreads and a bullet journal. So looking back over the last couple of years since I started doing this show, in 2016 I read 60 middle grade books with 31 of those published in 2016. And my top three books of that year were Booked, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, and The Wild Robot. (You can find that list here.) Last year, I read 79 middle grade with 55 of those published in 2017. A jump I will totally attribute to the intensity of being on the CYBILS committee. And my top three books of 2017 were Posted, Refugee, and Orphan Island and my top three graphic novels last year were Real Friends, Pashmina, and All’s Faire in Middle School.  (You can find the full list here.) This year, I read 59 middle grade books with 41 of those released in 2018. Before I start - a quick caveat. Selecting ONLY 25 titles was almost impossible.  I enjoyed just about every book I read this year, and I know each one will find it’s reader.  So how to choose the top twenty-five? I have two criteria - the writing is immersive (a book I couldn’t put down) and the story has that something special - unique character, an intriguing plot twist, or a thought-provoking theme (a book I can’t forget).   And again this year, I decided to separate out the graphic novels so be on the lookout for another best of podcast soon featuring just the middle grade graphic novels.    Okay, let’s get to it!  Here are my Top 25 middle grade novels of 2018: Granted by John David Anderson From the author of the soon-to-be movie, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day and last year’s amazing Posted is this story about Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets - one of the few remaining fairies entrusted with the job of Granter - a fairy who ventures into the dangerous human world to grant a wish. Ophelia’s increasingly difficult quest to grant a little girl her wish of a purple bike will keep you turning the pages. And her reluctant friendship with the slobbery dog Sam - along with some other hilarious touches like Ophelia’s special song - will make this novel one you won’t forget.   Where the Watermelons Grow by debut author Cindy Baldwin This book - better than any I’ve read - captures the heat and the swelter of a scorching-hot drought-ridden summer. Our protagonist, Della, is feeling the weight of that and also the burdon of her mother’s re-emerging schizophrenia. But this novel is also laced with the sweetness of friendship and watermelon and hope and a touch of maybe magical honey.     Every Shiny Thing by Cordelia Jensen & Laurie Morrison This dual narrative novel is about Lauren and Sierra.  The two girls end up living next to each other and becoming friends when Lauren’s neighbors become Sierra’s foster parents.  As Lauren starts to become more aware of her priviledge, she comes up with a - shall we say “ill-advised” Robin Hood scheme that quickly starts to spiral out of control.  Watching Lauren and Sierra get deeper and deeper and deeper into that pit and wondering how on earth they were going to dig themselves out is what kept me turning those pages. And what makes this book unique and fresh was the strength of the two perspectives - Lauren’s chapters in prose and Sierra’s in verse.   The Three Rules of Everyday Magic by Amanda Rawson Hill Believe. Give. Trust. With those three magical rules passed on to her from her grandmother, Kate tries to grapple with the changes in her life. Divorce, faltering friendship, and her grandmother’s worsening dementia. Along with the typical difficulties of a 12 year old! I loved this book for its blend of beautiful prose and realism.   Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya This middle grade coming of age novel tells the story of 8th grader Marcus Vega who ends up traveling to Puerto Rico with his mom and younger brother in search of the father who seemed to abandon them years ago. And yes, his journey is about discovering family, but it’s also about discovering his culture. This book is a beautiful homage to Puerto Rico and a story that captures the experiences of many kids with family connections that represent multiple languages and backgrounds.  It reminds me a bit of the graphic novel Crush with a twist of Torrey Maldonado’s Tight.   The Frame Up by Wendy McLeod MacKnight This novel was not only unforgettable but it utterly changed the way I experience walking into a musuem forever. And to me - that is the mark of an excellent book. It makes you see the extraordinary in the ordinary. Frame-up is set in a real-life place - the Beaverbrook Gallery in New Brunswick, Canada. And the art director’s son soon discovers that the paintings are…. alive. And they can travel into other paintings - which is completely fascinating when you consider that this museum includes art from different eras. And multiple paintings of the same person.  What the author does in this world is spell-binding. But things start to get dicey when suddenly the art director’s son and Mona, a young girl in one of the museum’s prized paintings, find themselves desperately trying to stop both an art heist and a plot to destroy their community forever.   Everything I Know About You by Barbara Dee This book was a fun mix of humor and history intermixed with realistic depictions of issues that young people are coping with - like body shaming and eating disorders and figuring out that whole friendship thing while staying true to yourself and your values.  What made this book stay with me long after that last page was read was the main character, Tally, whose self-confidence and style and body positivity are inspiring.   So Done by Paula Chase This upper middle grade coming of age story centers around friends Mila and Tai.  The girls have spent the summer apart and as fall starts, it has become more and more clear that their friendship is sputtering out. And yes, part of that is typical things like finding new interests and more focus on boys, but there is this one massive secret hanging over both girls’ heads that threatens to not only destroy that friendship, but could destroy families, too.The slow, shocking reveal of what that secret really IS kept me turning the pages and what made this book stick with me so long afterward are the voices of the characters that are so fresh and unique and real!  During the first chapter, I had a huge smile on my face because I was so happy to be reading a book that sounds like some of my students when they are talking to each other - and don’t think any adult is within earshot. Chase has this incredible knack for voice, and I cannot wait to see what other middle grade books she has coming our way!   The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson Johnson has expertly woven together multiple storylines across two different eras that are beautifully fused together in the final chapters.  The main character, modern-day Candice, discovers a decades old mystery that takes her and the quiet bookworm boy across the street on a quest for a long-lost treasure. But to figure out the clues, they have to delve into some long buried town history that some folks would rather keep hidden. This book is rich with details and touches on topics that are not common in middle grade - like the end of segregation and its impact on black schools and the concept of passing. It’s beautifully written and if you have older middle grade kids who loved The Westing Game and who love mysteries, this is a great book to put in their hands.   You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino Alex Gino’s second novel for middle grade readers is a sweet story about Jilly, White and hearing, who befriends a Deaf Black ASL user on a fandom website where they connect over their mutual love of a fantasy series. When Jilly’s new baby sister is born Deaf,  she and her parents struggle with which expert advice to follow and everyone makes some missteps along the way. Based on reviews from those in the Deaf community, Gino does seem to get that representation right. To me this book is one to have in your classroom or library because it shows one character’s pathway through learning about incredibly important but tricky topics like white priviledge, racism, micro-agressions, and abelism. And done in a way with warmth and heart.   Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez I’ll admit - this one almost got past me!  I was at school and had forgotten my book at home. And so on a whim, I picked up this book from my classroom library and promptly forgot that any other book existed and promptly fell for Stella’s sweetness and charm. Stella is a third grader, born in Mexico, but now living in Chicago with her mom and older brother. She’s struggling with being in a different class than her best friend, Jenny,  and dealing with the accompanying worries that Jenny might be forming a closer relationship with another girl. Stella is also figuring out where she fits in with her outgoing family since she is more quiet and is working through some speech difficulties. Three things stand out to me about this book - its utter realness, the excellent illustrations sprinkled throughout, and also the fact that this novel intersperses Spanish in the most organic and well-executed way that I’ve ever encountered before. They pop up frequently and naturally, and yet I feel confident that most non-Spanish speaking readers can fairly easily figure out what those words mean from the context.   Takedown by Laura Shovan I LOVE books that immerse me in a subculture - like Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl, and the Irish dancing in Kate Messner’s The Seventh Wish. I was fascinated to learn about wrestling moves and the tournament process in this novel. And of course it doesn’t hurt that the two main characters - Mikayla (known as Mickey) and Lev are written so vividly and honestly. Told in alternating point of view chapters, Mickey and Lev are each dealing with their own middle school difficulties of faltering friendships and dicey family dynamics. When they both wind up wrestling for the same elite traveling team, Lev needs to cope with having a new wreslting partner (a girl), and Mickey has to deal with a wrestling culture that isn’t exactly keen to accept her. How these two characters grow and how their stories intertwine have stayed on my mind - months later.   Good Dog by Dan Gemeinhart Another incredible story from a favorite author of so many of my students. Good Dog is told from the point of view of Brodie - a dog who we meet just after he’s entered the great beyond after his death. And as our sweet, noble Brodie figures out the rules of this new place, and makes some friends, he remembers more of his past life on Earth. And remembers the danger that his boy, Aidan, is still in. And Brodie has to decide whether to move on to that ultimate Forever or if saving his boy from that threat is worth the awful price he’ll have to pay to even attempt helping him.  I love this book for so many reasons - but mostly for how it quietly but powerfully connects with Gemeinhardt’s previous novel, The Honest Truth.  I don’t want to say more, but…. if you have a kid who has read and loved that book - give them Good Dog right after.   Escape from Aleppo by N. H. Senzai This is another novel that snuck up on me and then wouldn’t let go of my heart. For the last couple of years, my 5th graders and I have read Home of the Brave together as the first read aloud. This year I decided to have their book clubs centered around refugee and immigrant stories - with a focus on #ownvoices novels. And Escape from Aleppo was the only book club choice I hadn’t yet read - and so I read along with the kids in that club and followed their reading schedule and joined their discussions. And I completely agree with their assessment - this book is fabulous. It’s about 14-year-old Nadia, who we meet as her family is evacuating their home in Syria in an attempt to flee to Turkey. But in the carnage, Nadia ends up separated from her family and has to make her way through the city of Aleppo in a dangerous effort to reunite with them and to figure out who in the war-torn city she should trust to help her. What stands out to me most is the searing depiction of modern-day war and how much my students saw themselves in Nadia’s flashbacks to pre-Arab Spring Aleppo. Scenes were everything seems stable and Nadia is all about the latest episode of her favorite reality TV singing show and what color she should paint her nails. If you are looking for a companion book to Alan Gratz’s Refugee, this is an excellent choice. And one that will stay with you for a long, long time.   Rebound by Kwame Alexander This is the much-awaited prequel to the much-loved and much-awarded, novel-in-verse The Crossover. This book is all about Josh & Jordan’s father - Chuck “Da Man” Bell. But - this is an origin story. So when we first meet him, he is just Charlie - an 80’s kid reeling from a family tragedy and trying to find his way forward and trying to find his smile again. When home becomes tense, he is involuntarily shipped off to his grandparent’s house for the summer where he starts to find that path forward. I loved this book for it’s awesome illustratations and all those great 80s references.   Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson Esteban, Tiago, Holly, Amari, Ashton, Haley - these six kids are brought to an abandoned art room each Friday, left on their own, and allowed to simply talk. And eventually - their stories unfold. Stories of deportation, of harassment, of parent death and incarceration. Of hope and of despair.  And by the end of that year, they have formed a bond and a vow to harbor each other. It’s Jacqueline Woodson so you know it’s gorgeously written, but it also speaks to a great need for empathy in our country right now. And I can attest that it’s not just one of those “important” books that kids don’t really like. It was one of the top requested book club selections and currently has a huge waiting list in my room, so I can vouch for it’s kid appeal.   Small Spaces by Katherine Arden Okay - this book creeped me the heck out! And it was glorious! This paranormal horror story is about a young girl named Ollie whose mom tragically died last year, and understandably - Ollie is withdrawn and rather raw.  One fall day, Ollie disovers this strange book that tells the legend of two local brothers who come under the influence of The Smiling Man - with horrific results. When Ollie takes a field trip to a nearby farm, she and her friends Coco and Brian end up in an other-wordly battle to survive the lure of those mysterious forces. This book is so immersive and atmospheric and has one brilliant twist at the end that has me shuddering just thinking about it! Oh - and if you’re the type of person that isn’t at all freaked out by scarecrows - read this book and that will change.   Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed There has been sooo much love for this book this year - and if you haven’t yet read it, I will add my voice to all the others telling you…. it’s incredible.  This novel is about a young Pakistani girl whose dream is to finish her education and to become a teacher. But when her mother is struggling with depression after having her fifth baby - another girl - Amal ends up staying home to take of the household. And then, to make matters far worse, she ends up insulting a poweful man in her village and be forced into indentured servitude to work off her family’s debt to him. It was this section of the book and Amal’s complicated relationship with man’s family and other servants that was the most compelling to me.  Amal Unbound was the  middle grade pick for the 2018 Global Read Aloud and is worthy of a spot in any middle grade collection.   Blended by Sharon Draper As 2018 came to a close, I started scouring the social media feeds of readers whose taste I rely on to see what books from the previous year I may have missed. And by far the one that I kept bumping into… was Blended. And oh were they right to push me to read it! And...confession time - this is the first Sharon Draper book I have read! You may already know her work from Out of My Mind or Copper Sun.  This novel is about an 11-year-old girl - Izzy to her mom but Isabella to her Dad.  Her parents are divorced and every week Isabella has to switch - switch households, switch bedrooms, switch backpacks, switch expectations…. and sometimes feels like she has to switch identities. Her father is black and and lives a far more swanky lifestyle now and Isabella’s mother is white and their home definitely has a more casual vibe. I loved this book because I know how many students can relate to Izzy’s frustrations with parental tug-of-war and that awkwardness with people coming into their lives. But this book had so many more themes that will definitely strike a chord with kids today - racial profiling, school threats, micro-agressions, police shootings, and the myriad other things that make up children’s day-to-day experiences. The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden Ahhh - this book!  I just…. Okay - plot first. This is the story of Zoey - a seventh-grader whose primary goals in life are to keep her two young siblings quiet and out of the way of her mom’s boyfriend and his father, to scrounge up enough for them to eat, and to stay completely invisible at school. But all of those things become tricky when her teacher pushes her to join the Debate Club after school. This book is about rural poverty, the nuances of the gun debate, domestic vioience… but the way those threads play out are not at all what I had expected - and so much better. This is the novel I wish I had read as a young middle school teacher when I thought that giving an hour’s worth of homework that required colored pencils, a ruler, and internet access was a perfectly acceptable thing to do.     Front Desk by Kelly Yang Another stand-out debut! And every time I see another starred review or another reader gush about this book, it just makes me heart a little more happy. Front Desk is about Mia Tang whose family - recent immigrants from China - wind up running a motel under less than ideal circumstances. Mia’s expectations of life in America - juicy burgers, a pet dog, a yard, and big pool - differ A LOT from her true life, which she keeps hidden from her classmates. Her life is tough. But once she starts to harness the power of her writing, Mia starts to realize that even the big injustices in life can start to change. Front Desk was another fall favorite of my students and a perfect book club book.  And the last time I checked, it was offered through Scholastic for a great price. The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown When a sequel comes out to a book that you adored - characters who have found a home in your heart - it’s with trepidation that you crack open that cover and start a new journey with them. Oh but thank you Peter Brown because you did not disappoint and in fact…. I may love this story even more than the first. It’s hard to say anything without giving away the first book if you haven’t read it yet. (And if that’s the case - get on that!) But I will say that this sequel has more action, more human interactions, and therefore - more personal connections that kids can latch onto. And it deals with some big moral and ethical questions!  It’a a brilliant story with a touch of the Iron Giant, a sprinkle of The Odyssey, and a little dash of The Good Place.     Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes This is the story of Jermone - a young black boy playing outside his home with a small toy gun. A black boy who gets shot and killed by a police officer in the first pages and whose presence haunts the rest of the pages - and whose story - along with the other boys - haunts me still.  And I can see in my classroom the impact it makes on the young kids who read it. There are instantly caught by that first title page - “Dead” - and those first words - “How small I look. Laid out flat, my stomach touching the ground. My right knee bent and my brand-new Nikes stained with blood.”  Jerome is the first ghost boy we meet, but later there will be Emmett Till and others who get to tell parts of their stories. This book was both completely immersive and has that quality of staying with you long after you’ve read it. And it’s a rare book that deals honestly with racism and police violence in a way that is age appropriate and clear.  And so many people have said, “This is an important book.” It IS - but don’t get it just because of that - get it and read it with kids because it’s an excellent book. Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo This is, I believe, the first sequel that Kate DiCamillo has ever written. And if this is the quality of a DiCamillo sequel then I hope she writes a TON more - because this book ripped me apart and put me back together again. And I mean that in the best possible way! This book is the follow-up to Raymie Nightingale and focuses on Raymie’s quirky friend - Louisiana Elefante. Lousiana’s grandmother wakes her up in the middle of the night, piles her into the car, and is off to face her reckoning with the curse that has hung over their family’s head. Well, they end up in a Georgia Motel run by a cranky lady - where Louisiana has to take on more than anyone her age should have to.  But also learns a lot about grace and the goodness of humankind as well. Raymie Nightingale was a book I liked pretty well, but nothing compared to this. It’s like this story sat in a rock tumbler until all the extra grit fell away and this sparkling gem emerged at the end.   Tight by Torrey Maldonado This book was fast-paced, fresh, and had such a…. bite to it!  It’s the story of 6th grader, Bryan, who loves comics, who loves drawing superheroes, and who loves his mother and a life of no drama. His dad brings enough of that into their life. Money in their family is… tight. So he worries about that and worries about being perceived as “soft” - not tough enough. But then his parents, sort of... set him up with a friend - this neighborhood kid named Mike. And at first, Bryan resists. He gets  weird vibe from this kid. But then the boys bond over comics and Netflix shows and spend more and more time together. They’re tight. But that friendship turns toxic when Mike starts luring Bryan into skipping school, hopping the turnstiles in the subway...and worse. Tight is an exceptional books - raw and real. If you have kids who like Jason Reynold’s Ghost and who liked the Miles Morales Spiderman - this is the book for them!   Alright - those are my top 25 middle grades books of 2018. Now - I want to hear from YOU! What were your favorite reads of the last year and which ones should I make sure to read in the year ahead? 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 Lady Pod Squad and 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!

Intro Hi everyone! And welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to incredible stories. I believe in the power of books to bring communities together. And my goal is to help you connect your children and your community with fantastic books and share inspiring conversations with the people who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of a 9 and 11 year old, a 5th grade teacher in Central New York, and glad to be back with you after a short hiatus to focus on school and supporting some local candidates in the mid-term elections! Before this year, I had NEVER done any phone banking or canvassing, but after being inspired by so many of YOU - I knew I had to get off my bum and get to work. This is episode #62 and Today’s show is all about promoting literacy in your community.  First, I’ll share some advice about launching a community book club based on my experience starting a ProjectLIT Book Club at my school. And then I’ll share a conversation with Harper & Maggie, two young girls who’ve launched Books & a Blanket - an organization to promote literacy and well-being among young children in need. Before we get started, I have a BIG announcement that I am delighted to tell you about!  For the whole month of December, Annaliese Avery and Jarrett Lerner and myself from MGBookVillage are teaming up with Lorie Barber and Erin Varley to bring you #HappyPottermas - a month-long celebration of all things Harry Potter!  There will be daily Twitter prompts and all the 9pm EST Monday night #MGBookChat topics throughout December will be all about Harry Potter! And…. I’ve got some special guests lined up for the December episodes of the podcast to talk about the Wizarding World.  And I would love to feature YOU on the show as well. So if you have THOUGHTS about Hogwarts, Snape, the books vs. the movies. If you have OPINIONS you want to share - I really, really want to hear what you have to say!  So, if you are interested in being featured on this podcast, just check out the link posted in the show notes, and I can’t wait to hear from you! Main Topic - Launching a Community Book Club This week I’m sharing some things I’ve learned about launching a community book club based on my experiences starting a ProjectLIT Book Club at my school. But whatever type of book club you might already have going or are considering starting - whether that’s a ProjectLIT club or not - I think you’ll get some good ideas from today’s discussion.  And - just know that every document I mention (flyers, surveys, discussion guides, etc…) are all available for you to download right in the show notes and on this episode’s post at MGBookVillage.org. And all of them are editable so you can download and adjust them however you need. Today I’ll be talking about the difference between ProjectLIT and other traditional community book clubs, including the pros and cons of each. Then I’ll share some ideas about how to prepare to launch your club, some ideas about how to decide what books to read and how to get copies of those books, how to get students and the wider community involved and excited, and then I’ll get into some specifics about planning meetings and hosting a community-wide book celebration. That’s a lot to cover! So let’s dig right in! What is the difference between a traditional book club with community involvement and a ProjectLIT Community Book Club - and what are the pros and cons of each? ProjectLIT is a grassroots literacy movement with community book club chapters all over the country. As of this week, there are now 592 chapters. Their goal is to increase access to culturally relevant books and promote a love of reading in our schools and communities. Each spring the ProjectLIT team consults with chapter leaders and announces a list of 20 books from middle grade to YA that include topics that will generate lots of discussion and bring awareness to issues in our society. Since this is the second year, there are now 40 books to choose from. The books feature characters from a wide variety of backgrounds and are usually #ownvoices - written by authors who share the marginalized identity of the main character. For example, some ProjectLIT books are Amina’s Voice by Hena Kahn and Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Some of the YA choices are Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime and Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. ProjectLIT is all about bringing together a community to discuss the big ideas put forth in these books and to encourage students to take a leadership role in planning community meetings and doing community service projects to promote literacy. It’s beyond just a book club that might meet to read and discuss books.  If you want to know more about ProjectLIT, their founder, Jarred Amato was a guest on this podcast on episode 54. So, if you are considering whether or not to launch a more traditional book club in your school or to be a ProjectLIT chapter, here are some pros and cons to keep in mind. Cons: The book choices are more limited. There are about 20 middle grade titles to choose from and about 20 YA, but I found that the middle grade titles weren’t all the best fit for my club which is geared toward 4th and 5th graders. For example, the March graphic novels are listed as middle grade but I decided to not offer that as one of our choices since it seemed more like a middle school fit.  I’m really hoping that the book options next year will include some lower middle grade titles to expand the choices for elementary kids and to include a variety of reading levels for older students, too. Many of the titles are newer so they are only available as hardcover which makes it financially challenging. And students are less familiar with them so you might need to do some book talks and sampling to get them really pumped about reading them. If you advertise an event as ProjectLIT, it does need to be one of the approved titles. You can mix things up but it does make it more complicated. And if you are trying to make your book club ALSO connect with other things like Battle of the Books or March Book Madness, it is a little bit limiting in that way.   PROS: The book choices ARE amazing! Long Way Down, Amal Unbound, The First Rule of Punk, Ghost, The Parker Inheritance - truly - these are fabulous reads!! Yes, they are new. But that also means that most kids haven’t already read them. I know when I’ve attempted book clubs with really popular books that have been out for awhile, some kids didn’t come because well - if they were interested in the book, they’d already read it. Newer books pull in those readers who will be literacy leaders. Those kids who want to be on the cutting edge and draw in the rest of their peers and community with their excitement. You have an amazing supportive community who are all working toward the same goals and really eager to help make your life easier by sharing ideas and resources. If you need discussion questions for Towers Falling - they are already done! There’s a wonderful Facebook group, a Sunday Twitter chat, and a weekly newsletter emailed to you. So, you are not in it alone. And because of that, there are great opportunities for clubs to collaborate and maybe Skype with other groups reading the same book to discuss beyond their community and to get ideas from each other. How can I prepare my launch to make the book club successful?   Doing some work ahead of time can really help get your book club started off on the right foot and get some community behind you from the very beginning. One of the first things I did was to decide who I might strong-arm into, I mean…. invite to partner with me. In most schools there are at least a couple book lovers who would be down with helping out. At my school - that would be the amazing Kelly. So I emailed Kelly - who was totally excited about launching a club at our school!  Sometimes you just have to ask people. Then I emailed our local public librarian, the PTO, our principal, and let them know about the awesome new club for kids that was coming soon.   Then, I needed to decide how often we would meet, when, and where.  And that really depends on two main factors - time available at your school or library. And YOU!  Because honestly - you are the one who needs to be the main force in making this work. So just...decide and promote the heck out of it!  Since our school day starts early, a before school time was not going to work. So I decided to offer the club to 4th and 5th graders after school from 2:10 to 3:15. The reason I went with 3:15?  Because that’s the time that Drama Club and the Book Cooks let out so I decided to be consistent with them so parents wouldn’t be confused about pick-up times. I also decided to go with Thursdays to avoid those other club days as well.  Now, I will say - I’ve had to do some push back against getting sucked into meetings on Thursdays. But I am holding firm. I don’t want the job to get in the way of my actual work - expanding literacy and love of reading in my school. So if there is a meeting on a Thursday? I’m not going. I’m with the kids doing THAT important work.   The next thing to decide is how many books you want to read throughout the year and when you want to hold a community-wide celebration of those books. Again - this all depends on YOUR availability and how many books you think you can get.  Maybe you start small with just 4 books and 4 events. Maybe every other month works for you. Since I have no chill whatsoever, I decided to go for once a month but to use our first month of school to let everyone get settled and start promoting it, and then officially launch in October.  Kudos to ANYONE who can jump start something the first month of school - I just can’t quite manage the logistics of that. So - cut yourself some slack and give yourself a month head start. After looking at the calendar and our school schedule, I decided that our community-wide celebrations would be the first Saturday of every month from 10am to 11:30am. I went with this for a few reasons - Everyone seems to already have things in the evenings and I really wanted parents and adults to be able to come. Our school gets out at 2:10 - very few adults can make it at that time if we had after school events. Sundays are often tough for some people in our community because of religious observances in the morning so I wanted to avoid any conflict there. I wanted it to be early enough in the day so that it didn’t wreck people’s entire day. They can come, enjoy, and then have all the rest of Saturday do whatever they want. The first weekend of the month tends to avoid most major holidays.   That being said - there is absolutely no possible way you can accommodate everyone’s schedule and avoid hockey tournaments and dance recitals and the plethora of other obligations people have. So - no worries!  If kids can’t come to the Thursday after school meetings, they are always welcome to just attend the celebration event! And if they can’t attend the community celebration, they are still welcomed wholeheartedly to the after school meetings. And if November doesn’t work out - come join us when your schedule frees up in the spring!  I really try to make it as socially and emotionally easy to join us as possible - whenever they can.   Okay - so once you’ve decided the meeting days and when your community book club celebrations will be - figure out a place to meet.  We meet in my classroom after school because I know that location will be available and I am not inconveniencing anyone else. And we meet in the school library for those Saturday celebrations. I had considered meeting at the local public library, but opted for the school library for a couple reasons - one, I am familiar with that space and have access to it so I can set up the night before. Perhaps you are noticing a theme here - make it as easy as possible for YOU. Also, I want the school and our library to be a literacy hub for the community.  And I wanted access to the technology in that space - Promethean Board and Chromebooks. And the public library didn’t have those options and the students and I were comfortable with our school’s space and technology.   Alright, so your prep phase should include the Who, When, and Where. Who - figuring out who will help you and who you will reach out to to let them know the amazingness that is coming. When you will meet with students and when you and those students will host the community book club celebration. And where -the location of these meetings.   How do you decide which books to read?   Picking awesome and interesting books are what’s really going to get people excited.  And I recommend letting kids have some ownership of that process. Kelly and I decided to pick the first book ourselves so we could do some work ahead of time to get copies and then have the kids vote on the other middle grade ProjectLIT choices.  You might decide to have the students pick from a list you provide or have them pick every other month so there is some variety but also honors student choice. We launched our book club with Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. For us, this seemed like a good start for a few reasons. It was one of the books with an easier reading level and being in New York, our families have many personal stories about 9/11 that this book club would give them an opportunity to share. So I’d recommend picking a really high interest book to start that will get a lot of support in your community.   During our first after school meeting, I had the students do a book tasting of 15 ProjectLIT books that I thought would be a good fit for our 4th and 5th graders - Ghost Boys, The Wild Robot, Amal Unbound, Wonder, The Crossover, Rebound, Booked, Ghost, Patina, Sunny, The Parker Inheritance, The First Rule of Punk, Wishtree, and Refugee.  Perhaps you could give some choices that align with your goals and that ensure a variety of perspectives.  So - I had scrounged up multiple copies of each book and printed out evaluation forms. (Those are available to download right in the show notes!) Kids sat in groups of about 4 and examined and previewed about 3 books at a time.  Just like any other book tasting, I encouraged them to look at the cover, read the teaser material on the back cover or inside flaps, and read the first page. And I framed this for them as - don’t JUST think about what YOU like. Think about what books you like and what titles you think would be important and interesting for our community to discuss.  So - then they voted on their top choices. I had intended this to be done on a Google Form (which I will share with you) but our internet went down so we went old school and they wrote down their lists and we tallied them up. The seven books that got the most votes were The Wild Robot, Wonder, Amal Unbound, Ghost, Sunny, Wishtree, and The First Rule of Punk. And… I’m not gonna lie. I was a tad heartbroken that a certain book I really, really wanted to read with them didn’t quite make the cut. BUT - I had committed to honoring their choices. Also - Sunny was chosen but NOT book 2 of that series (Patina), so I just decided to go with it since each book can really stand on their own.   After that, I matched each book to a month - putting the two Jason Reynolds books (Ghost then Sunny after each other later in the year since their reading levels were more challenging) and timing Wishtree so our celebration would fall close to May 1st since that date plays a big part in the novel. So, as you schedule the books, think about what seasonal connections you might make and consider putting those more challenging books later on in the year. Also - some books will be available in softcover later in the year, so you might want to schedule those then to reduce costs.  Speaking of costs….   How do you get copies of the books?   This is the big challenge. Ideally, you want to gather enough copies for each student who wants to participate AND some extras for those in the community to borrow as well. (But that’s not always possible.) So, here are a few suggestions: Ask students to purchase the books themselves if they are able (I have this listed on our permission slip for each month’s club and having families that are willing and able to purchase books for their child helps free up funds to get books for other kids) Ask the PTO/PTA for funding - our PTO actually approached ME to attend a meeting and share the goals of the club.  Not only did I get more families interested in joining by talking to their folks, they gave us $250 for books! So definitely seek out your PTO! Take advantage of Scholastic points and perhaps ask teachers in your building to donate some copies. Not all of our books were available through Scholastic, but we had several members of the staff donate copies of Towers Falling because it was only $4! Try doing a Donors Choose project! Apply for grants! Right now, Kelly and I have a grant submitted that would totally cover the cost of the remaining books - so cross your fingers for us! Ask local businesses and organizations for support! Our local Lions Club is really receptive to opportunities to support the schools. And those local businesses and organizations might be EVEN MORE into it when you invite them to read the books with you and come to the book celebrations. I also make sure to thank all our donors by name during the meeting and you can also have a few “Sponsored by” flyers around as well. Collaborate with your school library and the local public library. They can often gather copies for you that kids and the community can check out.  The library right down the street from our school has a special display for our book club with our monthly flyer and the books stacked right underneath it available to check out. Start an Amazon Wishlist and share that link EVERYWHERE - in your email signature - in a newsletter - on social media… Ask friends to share it with their friends and family who might be looking for an opportunity to support a great cause.   How do you get students and the community to join your book club?   Alright - now that you’ve built something amazing and have everything organized and have a plan to get those books - you need to build that excitement so kids will come and continue coming!  And the community will read the books with you and come to the celebrations. Let’s start with the kids: I think the single most effective thing we did was at the beginning of the year, Kelly and I went into all the 4th and 5th grade classrooms with a stack of the book options and gave a quick book talk of each one and passed them around for the kids to look at. And then we passed out the permission forms.  After that, I make a quick visit at the beginning of each month to do a quick chat about the upcoming book and pass out those permission slips so you know who is coming and if they need a copy of the book. (And an editable copy of that slip is right in the show notes for you to download.) Wherever your school promotes events - on the morning announcements, in a newsletter, on a school calendar… get the club mentioned!  About once a week, I make an announcement reminding the kids to come to our weekly meeting AND reminding folks to come to the upcoming Saturday celebration. Our school also has a weekly news show - The Minoa Morning Messages - and some of our members made an appearance to promote the club and announce the next book. Be visible! Last year I spent a lot more time in my classroom whenever I could but this year I am making more of an effort to hang out by the buses at dismissal and say hello to kids not in my class during lunch. I have been surprised by how many kids approach me during those casual times and ask about the book club or see me and suddenly remember their permission slip! If out of sight means out of mind, then you‘ve got to literally be in their sights. And each of those encounters builds interest and awareness among the other kids (and staff) who observe those conversations!   So - how about getting the staff and community to come to your celebrations?  That can be a bit trickier, but I do have some ideas for you: Have the students invite them!  Each month, students help design an invitation and I print off a bunch of copies. Then we get some envelopes and personally invite every single member of the staff - not just classroom teachers, but secretaries, TAs, custodial staff, lunch monitors, the superintendent - everyone!  One student even snagged the mail carrier on his way in and handed him an invitation! I also give students multiple copies of the invitation - and the digital version for them to invite family members. We also branch out and invite folks at the town hall, the mayor, the fire chief. And based on their suggestions, I drive around and post flyers in areas they think would be a good idea - like the post office or the fire department or the local pizza shop. Another way to get the staff involved is to email them and ask them to read the book and come to the celebration. And last month, we had some extra copies of Towers Falling, so some of the kids just walked around after school and asked the staff if they wanted to borrow the book and talked up how good it was. And of course, included an invitation tucked into the front cover. Harness the power of social media! Our club has both a Twitter account (@ProjectLITMinoa) and an Instagram account (@ProjectLITMinoa) and are both nice places to showcase what the students are doing and share those awesome pictures of your events. And if you are on the social media platforms that parents and kids already use, it makes it easier for them to tag you and start to build awareness among the community. Have a social media presence also makes your club Google-able. You could also make a website, but that’s definitely an in-the-future step for us. Make a display and put it in a high traffic area in your school! Last month, I finally realized I needed to make a display of some kind because people kept asking when the next book club was and what books we were reading next. So having one place they can look is really helpful both to be informative and to also serve as an advertisement!   How do you run the student book club meetings?   One thing that I did on a whim was to start our very first meeting with a quick get-to-know-you activity. I definitely didn’t know all the students and I’m certain they didn’t know each others’ names, so we did a quick round of “When the Cold Wind Blows”. Basically each kid takes a turn standing in the center of the circle and says their name and something about themselves. Like, “My name is Corrina and I like Harry Potter!” And if that applies to you, you stand up and move like the wind to another seat.  That went over so well, that each month, when we have a new mix of students, we start with a new ice breaker. During that first meeting, I pass out the reading schedule (and yup - that’s right online for you!), and we start reading together! Sometimes we listen to the audio book and sometimes Kelly and I take turns reading it out loud. For the meetings after that first one, we take the first 10-15 minutes to discuss the reading we did last week - talking about any confusing parts, big ideas, connections, questions, favorite parts, or favorite quotes… and then I read aloud or we listen to the audio book for the next 20 or so minutes. And the last 20-30 minutes is planning time. This is when the kids take care of invitations, come up with discussion questions, trivia questions, brainstorm new ideas together - and basically take care of all the things that come up when planning an event. After that, we pack up and I escort the crew down to the main hall to be picked up and take that opportunity to connect with parents and answer any questions. So basically, our after school book club meetings are discussion, read together, plan together.   How do you host a great community book club celebration?   Honestly, I wasn’t sure this was going to work out at ALL. The Saturday morning of our first event, two things happened that did not bode well.  First, despite the fact that I had requested the room through the proper channels and filled out all the school-required paperwork, the library was locked and NO ONE with the key was available. Okay - so we just relocated to my room, and I scrambled to get the space organized. Second - several of the kids and staff had volunteered to come in early at 9:30 to help me set up and it was 9:50 and NO ONE was there but ME. And I thought - well…. I’ll just hang out here and grade papers and eat the cider and muffins I brought myself. But - then…. EVERYONE showed up!! And our final count was over 40 people and it was an amazing event!  So - here is the schedule we followed. First - ask for some volunteers to bring in drinks and snacks. We had cocoa (a BIG hit!), cider, donuts, and muffins. Kelly and I brought in some and parents had volunteered to supply snacks and drinks, too. When people arrived from 10:00 - 10:20, there was a sign-in sheet, and we had an activity set up at each table for them to complete when they came in. For Towers Falling, we supplied big pieces of paper and markers, and had people create their own Social Units diagram. For our next read, The Wild Robot, we’re planning on a build-your-own-robot craft. I think having something fun to do for the first 15 minutes as people arrive is a good idea since families want to get a snack and everyone wants to chat anyway. From 10:20-10:30 I welcome everyone, give a brief introduction - go through the agenda, explain what ProjectLIT book clubs are all about, show pictures of the book club in action that I’ve been taking throughout the past month, and give thanks to the organizations and donors and volunteers that have helped us out. It’s a quick power point, and I’ll drop a link to that in the show notes if you want to use it for your events.  Also, as each person arrives, we hand them a half-sheet copy of the agenda with an exit survey stapled to the back to we can get some feedback. From 10:30-10:50 is Group Discussion time!  Students pass out a discussion guide with six questions they’ve developed.  And each group takes about twenty minutes to chat about the book! These could be general questions like, what character could you relate to the most or what scene stood out to you? Or they might be specific to the novel, like “Why do you think Dejá’s father didn’t want her to learn about 9/11?”  For this particular book, we also asked the adults in each group to share where they were on 9/11 and what were their experiences and feelings on that day. From 10:50-11:15 is trivia! I created an online quiz based on the trivia questions that the kids made using the website Kahoot - which was lots of fun!  You do need access to a device though, so traditional trivia is fine, too!  We had everyone break up into teams of no more than 6 and then the top team each won a prize of a full-sized Hershey’s Bar, the second place team each got a Hershey’s mini, and the 3rd place team each got a Hershey’s kiss. That trivia game and those little prizes were such a HUGE hit - and the competition was quite fierce!  I’ll drop a link to that Kahoot if you want to check it out. From 11:15 - 11:20 - We drew prizes!  We were lucky enough to have some community members and parents donate books and a few small gift cards to Barnes & Noble and a local yogurt shop. So at the beginning of the meeting, we had a student in charge of passing out tickets and then we just drew names at the end of the meeting. From 11:20 - 11:30 is cleanup!   A few things I would change - we forgot to explicitly ask people to fill out the surveys and return them to us. Oops! And I forgot to take a big group picture! Next time, I’d also make sure that at least one of the book club kids were seated at each group. We also didn’t get as many community members who weren’t directly connected to the school as I had hoped. So, we are going to keep reaching out! And our next steps are to do more community service events like book drives and to find ways for the students to be literacy advocates in other ways in our community.   So, overall - it was REALLY successful and a TON of fun! Our new principal came - even though he hadn’t technically started until the following week! We had almost all the book club kids come with at least one family member - including bringing older siblings who were former students which was wonderful!  About six staff members came, including one with her new baby.   I was truly overcome with the passion and excitement and generosity that our community showed. And really - all I did was provide an outlet and an opportunity for kids and the community to express their passion for reading and literacy.   I know, if you decide to start a community book club in your school, you won’t regret it!   And if you have any questions at all, I’d be happy to chat more with you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or reach out on Twitter or Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. And if you have some suggestions or tips about how to run a successful community book club - I’d love to share your ideas so we can all learn from each other!   Maggie & Harper from Books and a Blanket - Interview Outline   Our special guests this week are sisters Maggie & Harper - founders of Books and a Blanket!  We talk about the origins of their project, their favorite books, and how you can help them promote literacy and well-being among young children in need.   Take a listen…   Books & a Blanket   What is Books and a Blanket and how did it get started?   How has Books and a Blanket changed from when you first came up with the idea?   How do you get all the books and blankets? And do you accept both used and new?   What are your plans for the future of Books and a Blanket?   How do you decide who gets them?   If our listeners wanted to get involved and help you out, what could they do? Your Reading Life   One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians and parents inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special teacher or librarian who helped foster your reading life?   We have a lot of teachers and librarians listening. What is something you want them to know?   What is something you wish teachers did MORE of?   What is something you wish teachers did LESS of?   What are some of your all-time favorite books?   What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked?   Links:   Books & a Blanket website - https://booksandablanket.com Books & a Blanket on Twitter   Books & Authors We Chatted About:   Mr. Lemoncello’s Library (Chris Grabenstein) The Penderwicks (Jeanne Birdsall) Penderwicks at Last (Jeanne Birdsall) The Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling) The Hunt for Red October (Tom Clancy) The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart) The Candymakers (Wendy Mass) Nevermoor (Jessica Townsend) The Land of Stories (Chris Colfer) Rick Riordan Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card) Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer)   Closing   Okay, that wraps up our show this week!  I hope you’ll head over to BooksandaBlanket.com to help support a great cause.   And remember to check out #HappyPottermas throughout December for some magical fun.   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 Lady Pod Squad and 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!

Light em if you got em bruh, it's the Rec Room. Today I'm shouting out a local podcast that is no long releasing episodes, because nothing matters and it's funny.So check out Ghost Boys with Lou Moon and Tristan Bowling! Lou has since relocated but Tristan is still active in town doing fun stuff. On a heavier note, Comedy Off Main St. Needs our help! Here is a link to the https://www.gofundme.com/comedy-off-main-st, and you can hear more details in the episode You can also go check out the Bro Show this Friday at Sic Sense! Details https://www.facebook.com/events/480098535801515/?ti=icl And I swear to God if you don't rate, review, and subscribe on iTunes and everywhere else.

Comedian and reformed pasta hater Lou Moon (Bird City Comedy Festival, Ghost Boys) joined me for a great episode recorded at the Altercation Comedy Festival down in Austin. Lou and I talked about everything from acceptable uses of pineapple to In N Out to, naturally, Bill Hicks. Sorry in advance for my 800th mention that I do not like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  Keep up with Taste Buddies by liking Taste Buddies with Genevieve Rice on Facebook and @tastebuddiespodcast on Instagram. Theme song is by cupcake war hero Jeff Libman. 

The film version of Meg Wolitzer's novel THE WIFE, starring Glenn Close, is being released this Friday, so Megan and Clay are asking Wolitzer in this week's podcast about the adaptation. And beloved children's writer Jewell Parker Rhodes stops by the studio to talk about her tough but touching new novel, GHOST BOYS. And our editors reveal which new books are really worth your time!  Visit GetQuip.com/Kirkus to get your first Quip Toothbrushes refill pack FREE! Check out MeUndies.com/Kirkus for 15% off your first pair of underwear

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast to help teachers, parents, and librarians connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom of two girls, and finally done with school and on to summer break! I said goodbye to my 22 fifth graders last Friday at their Moving Up Ceremony since they are off to the middle school! And I gave each one of them an end-of-the-year gift which includes a Krazy Straw and a pack of Kool-Aid that I attach to a book. And each of my students gets a different book - one that I have hand-picked for them based on everything I’ve learned from a year of getting to know them as readers and as people. Each June I spend about 2 hours browsing the Syracuse Scholastic Warehouse to select something I think each child would like.   This is Episode #52 and oday I’m sharing with you a conversation with 5th grader teacher Nikki Mancini. We chat about how to use Flipgrid to inspire readers, and of course, what middle grade books we’ve been reading lately. Today’s episode is sponsored by MoxieReader - a literacy app that’s like a fitness tracker for your reading life. It gives educators insights into their students’ reading lives, customized recommendations, and a way for kids to set and work toward their own reading goals in a way that is engaging and fun. If you are looking for a way to ditch those reading logs and instead have students track their reading in a more natural way, you will definitely want to check out MoxieReader.  As you recharge and reassess your teaching methods this summer, it’s the perfect time to explore a new tool. So head over to MoxieReader.com and the use the code welovereading and try it out! A couple quick announcements for you! Our next episode features Diane Magras - author of the Middle Grade at Heart book club pick The Mad Wolf’s Daughter. The July pick is Just Under the Clouds and I’ll be chatting with author Melissa Sarno in a couple days so watch out for that episode.  Where the Watermelons Grow is the August pick and for those of you that like plan out even further - we are reading The House That Lou Built for September. And… the Middle Grade at Heart Book Club now has a Flipgrid!  I’ll drop a link to that in the show notes - along with the password so you can join the conversation and hear directly from the authors. MG@Heart Flipgrid:  https://flipgrid.com/a8acb2 Password: mg@heart Also, our Monday night #MGBookChat Twitter chats have been awesome!  Some of our upcoming topics include graphic novels, building classroom libraries, and the importance of refugee stories. So set a reminder for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat for great conversations between educators, librarians, and authors about how to get great books into the hands of middle grade readers!     For me, Twitter has been an incredible positive influence on my teaching life - connecting me with amazing and inspiring educators across the globe. And one of those educators is Nikki Mancini - who you may know as @missnikkiin5th. I kept seeing her talk about this thing called Flipgrid and finally I was like - you know what? I’ve got to invite her on the show.  I knew that Flipgrid could be a powerful tool, but I had some questions and figured you all might find value in that conversation as well. After we chatted, I decided to try it out this summer. Because, I had the opportunity this year to meet my incoming 5th graders!  So, I could do what I’ve never done before - I opened up my classroom library and let them take home 2 or 3 (or more!) books to enjoy for the summer. And along with their books, I send them home with a sheet explaining how to access our Flipgrid and posted two topics - one to introduce ourselves and one to share our summer reading!  Before the day was done I had two kids already submitting videos and whoa - I am just brimming with ideas about how to harness this for next year and expand it even further! And I hope this conversation leaves you excited as well. Plus - right after we recorded this conversation, Flipgrid announced that it is now FREE for educators! Oh yeah! Alright - take a listen... Nikki Mancini - Interview Outline Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? What is Flipgrid and how did you first find out about it? Beyond the author element, what are some other projects or uses for  Flipgrid that you have done with your students? What would you suggest for some quick, easy ways to get started with Flipgrid? Where would you suggest people go to get more information about Flipgrid? What are some things you’ve been doing this year in your classroom that you’ve been excited about? What are your plans for next year?   Links: Nikki’s website - https://missnikkiin5th.wordpress.com/ Nikki on Twitter NerdCampNJ - http://nerdcampnj.weebly.com Nikki’s Author Connection Flipgrid: https://flipgrid.com/d935fd Information about Flipgrid: https://info.flipgrid.com Educator & Student Info about Flipgrid: https://resources.flipgrid.com Flipgrid Inspiration: https://inspire.flipgrid.com Flipgrid on Twitter and #FlipgridFever Jewell Parker Rhode’s conversation about Ghost Boys on The Children’s Book Podcast   Books & Authors We Chatted About: Smart Cookie and Finding Perfect (Elly Swartz) Kat Green Comes Clean (Melissa Roske) Babysitting Nightmares: The Shadow Hand (Kat Shepherd) Amal Unbound (Aisha Saeed) Daring Dreamers Club Series (Erin Soderberg) The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street (Lindsay Currie) Ghost Boys (Jewell Parker Rhodes) Stanley Will Probably Be Fine (Sally J. Pla) Someday Birds (Sally J. Pla) Rules (Cynthia Lord)   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!

In the novel Ghost Boys, a twelve-year-old unarmed black boy is shot by a white police officer. Jewell Parker Rhodes talks about why she wrote this story for middle schoolers, and why she's counting on them to advance racial justice. To win a signed copy of Jewell's book, visit LST's Instagram and look for the post with the Ghost Boys book cover! Join the conversation at longestshortesttime.com. You can also sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Our sponsors for this episode are Juice Beauty (code: LONGSHORT20), Thomas’ English Muffins, Care.com, Mabel’s Labels (code:TIME20), and 1-800-Flowers (code: LONGSHORT). Use these links and promo codes at checkout for a special discount.

On today's episode Adam is back in the office from a whole bunch of travels just in time for our April book picks! Join in as Jill and Adam get a little weird talking Zelda, Duck Tales and, of course, the books they're most excited about coming out this month!   Books mentioned in this episode Circe by Madeline Miller   The Geraldo Show by Geraldo Rivera   Noir by Christopher Moore   My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and Larissa Zageris   Rebound by Kwame Brown   Sunny by Jason Reynolds   Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes   God Save Texas by Lawrence Wright   The Only Story by Julian Barnes   Inseparable by Yunte Huang   Happiness by Aminatta Forna   The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson   The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan   The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman   Natural Causes by Barbara Ehrenreich   Make Trouble by Cecile Richards   My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie   How to Write an Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee   Blackfish City by Sam J. Miller   The Library by Stuart Kells   North by Scott Jurek   Say Hello! Find us on Instagram and Twitter at @ProBookNerds. Email us directly at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter.

Its an old fashion mash up this weak in the Meat Sweats stupartment. Matt and Bill cleverly coxed the Ghost Boys @tristan_bowling and @timeslouroman with a trail of cheese leading from the entrance of the screamzone 43 miles to the sweat lodge known as Bills apartment, mostly genitals are discussed, #loumoonfucks

Its an old fashion mash up this weak in the Meat Sweats stupartment. Matt and Bill cleverly coxed the Ghost Boys @tristan_bowling and @timeslouroman with a trail of cheese leading from the entrance of the screamzone 43 miles to the sweat lodge known as Bills apartment, mostly genitals are discussed, #loumoonfucks

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom, and spending a lovely weekend with my family inside away from the bitter cold playing epic games of Sorry and watching all the Star Wars movies. Again. This is Episode #41 and today I’m sharing with you some fabulous 2018 titles to look forward to this year and an awesome interview with EngiNerds author Jarrett Lerner! Book Talk - Most Anticipated Middle Grade Books of 2018 Typically in this segment, I share with you a few books centered around a theme. And during the last few episodes I was all about looking back at some of the best middle grade fiction and graphic novels of 2017. (If you missed those, go check out episodes #39 and #40.) But this week I want to talk about some of the most anticipated books of the upcoming year.  Some are long-awaited sequels or new installments in well-loved series. Some are new ventures for favorite authors. And some are by debut authors. So, buckle up and and get ready to add to your wish list. And just a reminder - before you scramble for a pen and paper. You can find every book mentioned here AND a picture of the available covers AND a link to pre-order them right through the Books Between Podcast link at AlltheWonders.com.  I’ve got your back, I know you’re busy, so it’s all right there for you.  And I’ve come to really love pre-ordering - it helps out favorite authors and it’s like a little gift to your future self. Two quick things to mention before I start. One - this is just a sampling of all the incredible books coming out this year. I’ll add some links to some great resources in the shownotes where you can find more complete listings of titles to browse through and discover some gems: http://www.readbrightly.com/middle-grade-books-2018/ https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/98185.Middle_Grade_Novels_of_2018 https://mgbookvillage.org/2018releasedates/ https://electriceighteens.com/ And second - publication dates do change, so while I’ve mentioned the book release month - things sometimes change. All right - let’s get to it! Coming in January… Let’s start with the some sequels because there are some AWESOME sequels coming our way to give us something to look forward to during this dreary month…. Linda William’s Jackson’s follow-up to Midnight Without a Moon - A Sky Full of Stars is out this January as Rose struggles with the way to face the rising racial tensions in her community. Ooooo - and the new Fenway & Hattie is out this January!!!  I just can’t get enough of that little dog!  This third one is called Up to New Tricks so definitely snag that one for your Fenway fans - and for you, too! And Gordon Korman’s Supergifted is also set for a January release - this is the sequel to Ungifted - a great book about a boy named Donovan who is mistakenly transfering into a gifted program and has to figure out how to pass as brilliant.  This follow up is about his new friend, Noah. We are also getting another Terrible Two book in January - Terrible Two Go Wild! And a new Spy on History book - Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army! Ah!  And we a get a new HiLo book this January! It’s called Waking the Monsters! (As my husband said - yeah, that sounds like what I do every weekday.) Our 8 year old is SUPER psyched about this new book! - so keep ‘em coming Judd Winick! Okay - and it’s not really a sequel BUT - there is just released a GRAPHIC NOVEL version of the first The Wings of Fire book - ahhhh!!!  It’s illustrated by Mike Holmes and my students are going to FREAK when I tell them  tomorrow. Some other January releases that are looking fabulous are…. Betty Before X  - an historical fiction novel set in the 40s about 11-year-old Betty Shabazz - future civil rights leader.  This one is written by her daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz with Renee Watson Winterhouse by debut author Ben Guterson - this is an urban fantasy mystery set in a magical hotel containing a huge library with secrets to discover. We are also getting the first middle grade book by picture book author Angela Dominguez called Stella Diaz Has Something to Say! Another novel that looks REALLY interesting is called TBH, This is SO Awkward by Lisa Greenwald and it’s told entirely in texts.  So I definitely need to check that one out. And my friend Emily Montjoy has been raving about Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard so I’m looking forward to my turn with that one. Also - Leslie Connor, the author of the critically-acclaimed All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, has a new novel out in January called The Truth as Told By Mason Butte - so definitely check that one out. Natalie Lloyd also has a new novel coming out this January! So if you liked A Snicker of Magic or The Key to Extraordinary, look for The Problim Children - which is described as a mix between Lemony Snicket and the Addams Family... Annnd - the new Elly Swartz novel - Smart Cookie!!  I had a chance to read an ARC of this one with my daughters and oh I can’t wait for it to be out in the world! On to February … One that I’ve had a chance to read ahead of time is Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein by Jennifer Roy and Ali Fadhil.  I’ll talk more about this book later when I have time to really go into depth, but for now I’ll just say - preorder it. A great historical fiction about an Iraqi boy during the first Gulf War. Then we have The Serpent’s Secret by Sayantani DasGupta - a fantasy about a New Jersey girl discovering that she may, in fact, be an Indian princess. The 11:11 Wish by Kim Tomsic looks really fun. It’s about a dorky math nerd who vows to reinvent herself at her new school. And when she makes a wish as the clock strikes 11:11, she gets granted a magical object that might help her. Shannon Hitchcock, author of Ruby Lee & Me has a new novel coming out in February - this one is call One True Way. Another one to look out for in February is Becoming Madeleine: A Biography of the Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Her Granddaughters. With all the buzz about Wrinkle in Time with the new movie coming out, this book looks really great. Aaand - we get a new John David Anderson novel in February!! This one (Granted) is so different from Ms. Bixby or Posted, but I just loved it! It’s a fantasy novel about a fierce fairy named Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets who runs into some trouble as she attempts to grant her first wish. In March, there are so books I am really looking forward to! My principal won’t mind if a take a month-long reading sabbatical, right? Like Vanessa is the debut novel by author Tami Charles - it’s set in 1983 and is about a young girl inspired by seeing Vanessa Williams get crowned Miss America and is encouraged by her teacher to enter a beauty pageant. Lauren Magaziner has a new book out in March called Wizardmatch that looks like a fun fantasy. And The Science of Breakable Things by debut author Tae Keller looks really good - a book about a scientifically minded girl competing in an egg-drop contest AND using those skills to try to help her mom deal with her struggles. In March we also get Colby Sharp’s Creativity Project! An “awesometastic” collection of short stories developed from the author’s prompts to each other. It is a fantastic read and such a clever idea!  Definitely one that teachers will want on hand to spark your writers’ imaginations. The Train of Lost Things  by Ammi Joan-Paquette is another favorite of my #BookVoyage friend Emily Montjoy - who has amazing taste by the way. (Definitely go follow her on Twitter @mrsmontjoyreads ! ) So I’m looking forward to a chance to read this one as well. Oh! And the next Dan Gemeinhart novel comes out in March!! It is called Good Dog and I can’t read the synopsis to you or I’ll start crying but it sounds simply wonderful. Of course it is - it’s Dan Gemeinhart! March lets us reconnect with some favorite characters with a great bunch of sequels coming out. We get a new Emily Windsnap book, Emily Windsnap and the Falls of Forgotten Island. And a new Star Scouts graphic novel - League of Lasers   The third Narwhal and Jelly book (Peanut Butter and Jelly) come out.   The 78-Story Treehouse as well as a new Dory Fantasmagory book called Head in the Clouds along with a new Stick Dog Stick Dog Crashes a Party.   We also get Elana Arnold’s follow up to A Boy Called Bat - Bat and the Waiting Game   And - probably the book that I have been waiting and waiting for. DYING to read with my daughters - is The Wild Robot Escapes - the sequel to Peter Brown’s incredible The Wild Robot!  So - mark your calendars for March 13th, pre-order this one, AND - if you haven’t yet read the first one…. well, what’s the matter with you? Get on that! In April we have lots to look forward to including sequels, like: The next Moon Base Alpha book called Waste of Space, Janet Tashjian’s My Life As a YouTuber , and Jasmine Toguchi, Drummer Girl will be out. And Adrienne’s Kress’ second Explorers book - The Reckless Rescue!   And the third book in Jason Reynold’s incredible Track series will be out! It’s called Sunny and follows “the chillest dude on the Defenders team”, but one with a troubled life at home that hides behind that sunny smile. And, the debut by Laurie Morrison and Cordelia Jenson, called Every Shiny Thing looks really really good…. I’m also looking forward to the new Jewell Parker Rhodes novel called Ghost Boys. It’s about a young boy who is killed by the police when they mistake his toy gun for the real thing. And as a ghost, he witnesses how that event unfolds in his neighborhood and meets other ghosts like Emmett Till. Oh that gives me chills just thinking about it! And - we get a new Kwame Alexander novel this year!  It is called Rebound - the much-awaiting prequel to his Newbery-winning The Crossover. This one about Josh and Jordan’s father, Chuck Bell. On to the awesome May releases to watch for: Terri Libenson’s new graphic novel - Positively Izzy looks great- it’s the companion to Invisible Emmie. And the The Cobalt Prince, the second 5 Worlds graphic novel will be out. Another May release that I am so so excited about is Most Valuable Players - the next Phil Bildner Rip & Red book. There are three books coming in May that have been getting a lot buzz lately - one is called Bob - written by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. I can’t wait to see the awesomeness THAT collaboration brings! The second one is Aisha Saeed’s middle-grade debut, Amal Unbound, which is about a Pakistani girl forced into working as an indentured servant to pay off her family’s debts. Friends who have read this one are saying it is  incredible. And then I keep hearing about Front Desk by Kelly Yang. Let me just read you a bit from the description and tell me this doesn’t sound AMAZING! Okay, “Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1-She lives in a motel, not a big house. Number 2- Her parents hide immigrants. Number 3-She wants to be a writer.” In June we have some really cool books coming our way: Kate Messner’s new novel Breakout - based on some details from the real-life (and close to home for me) breakout of two prisoners in New York and how the community reacts to that situation. I can’t WAIT for this one!!   Also - Kate Beasley (of Gertie’s Leap to Greatness) and Dan Santat (of a million books you love, most recently the picture book After the Fall) are teaming up for a book called Lions & Liars - about a boy named Frederick who is sent to a disciplinary camp for troublesome boys. That one looks phenomenal!   And Laura Shovan’s new book Takedown is coming this June!  Can’t wait to read this novel about a girl who wants to join the wrestling team. I keep hearing people raving about it on Twitter. And Barbara Dee has a new novel coming out in June called Everything I Know About You.   We also get to read Wendy McLeod MacKnight’s new middle grade novel The Frame-up! I had a chance to read this one this past fall and it is phenomenal. It’s about a young artist who goes to live with his father for the summer and attends an art-camp at the museum where his father is the director. And he soon discovers that the paintings are alive! Truly - after reading this book, I’ll never look at another painting the same way again.  It’s so so good!   And thankfully I have July and August off from school, so I can catch up AND snag some summer release books such as…. Cindy Baldwin’s debut  - Where the Watermelons Grow And my daughter will be thrilled to know there will be a new Dog Man this summer called Lord of the Fleas!   Oh! And Denis Markell, author of Click Here to Start has a new novel coming this summer called The Game Masters of Garden Place. Also this summer is a cool book called Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya. Let me read you a blurb: “Marcus Vega is six feet tall, 180 pounds, and the owner of a premature mustache. When you look like this and you're only in the eighth grade, you're both a threat and a target.” And the rest of the description is so good - definitely check this one out. This August we also get a new Jess Keating book! This one is called Cute as an Axolotl: Discovering the World's Most Adorable Animals So after August, specific publication dates get a little harder to come by. BUT - a few things have popped up. Like.. A new Last Kids on Earth book called The Last Kids on Earth and the Cosmic Beyond   The new Nameless City graphic novel called The Divided Earth   The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden!! A new Beatrice Zinker book! And I can’t wait for Jarrett Krosoczka's graphic novel memoir coming out called Hey, Kiddo.   Also - I saw, I think... a Sarah Weeks has a sequel to So B. It coming out called Soof? That is definitely on my radar!   And the big news in my class this week - the 8th Amulet book!!!!!! Woohoo!!!  Oh my gosh - my students cheered when I told them that Kazu Kibuishi announced this on Twitter last week!  It is called Supernova and has a beautiful cover so go check that out and make all your middle grade readers happy by pre-ordering it now. So so much to look forward to this year! And of course - I’ll keep you posted about all the amazing books headed our way so we can stay up to date. And definitely make sure you check out the show notes and check out those links so you can dive deeper and discover awesome new books that you are looking forward to reading this year. Main Topic - A Conversation with Jarrett Lerner This week I am so excited to welcome to the show Jarrett Lerner - author of the fantastic middle grade novel EngiNerds. We chat about his plans for the sequel, the power of the perfect metaphor, and Project Runway! Take a listen….. Interview Outline: Enginerds Enginerds has been getting all kinds of love lately - congratulations!! I saw Colby Sharp used Enginerds as his example in his 5 ways to support authors you love video. For those who aren’t (yet!) familiar with Enginerds, can you tell what this story is about? What was your thought process like when deciding what your robots would look like and act like? Enginerds is in a long and glorious line of children’s books and movies and TV shows featuring robots. What are some of your favorites? We are getting a book two, right?! Other Middle Grade Projects So I saw on Twitter last month that you have teamed up with Analiese Avery (@_AJAvery) to launch @MG_BookBot. How did that get started and what are your plans?   And I am so excited about your new middle grade focused website -  MG Book Village!  Aside from the twitter hashtags, what are you hoping to include on the site? Tell me about your KidLit Mentorship Project…. Project Runway Your Writing Life What is your writing process like? What are you working on now? Your Reading Life One of the things I talk about a lot with other educators is the power of that one person to really influence a child’s reading life - either in a really positive way or sometimes in a negative way. Was there someone in your life who impacted you as a reader? What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked? Thank You!   Links: Jarrett’s Website - https://jarrettlerner.com Jarrett on Twitter and Instagram Books & Authors We Chatted About: Jasmine Toguchi Series Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus The First Rule of Punk Kurt Vonnegut Baby-Sitters Club Sweet Valley High Judy Blume Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker Clementine Ramona Jerry Spinelli The Game Masters of Garden Place Oddity Other Topics We Chatted About: MG Book Village Website #MGBookathon Electric 18 Debut Group Project Runway The Kentaro Dead Cat Scene Tim Gunn’s Golden Rules Melissa Roske’s Interview with Jarrett Lerner Closing Alright, that’s it for today! 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. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher. Or even better - tell a friend about us! Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!

Episode Notes This week's episode features three tales of supernatural delight. The first is Kunekune, a creepy urban legend that haunts the empty rice fields of Japan. What would you do if you saw a creature you weren't supposed to see? The next features a young man recruited by a gang of exorcists, but what do they want from him? Lastly, a young lonely boy makes an imaginary friend, but is he really imaginary? BGM thanks to Myuuji Intro & Outro BGM thanks to Kevin MacLeod Sound effects thanks to Free Sound and freeSFX Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License