Podcast appearances and mentions of Jewell Parker Rhodes

. 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.”

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, 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!

Luke Matheny (Executive Producer) & Andrew Orenstein (Producer) recently joined host Elias in the cave on press day for Apple TV+ 'Ghostwriter' Season 3. Ghostwriter - Emmy Award-winning "Ghostwriter," a reimagining of the 1992 hit series from Sesame Workshop, returns for a third season with an entirely new cast and a new adventure! When a ghost haunts a bookstore and releases fictional characters into the real world, a group of friends works to solve an exciting mystery surrounding the ghost's unfinished business. While tackling the big mystery, the young heroes embark on six curious adventures with characters inspired by L. Frank Baum's story "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; author Pablo Cartaya's "¡Leo! El Magnífico"; Beverly Cleary's novel "The Mouse and the Motorcycle"; Mick Jagger and Keith Richard's song "She's A Rainbow"; E.B. White's book "Charlotte's Web"; and Jewell Parker Rhodes' tale "Bayou Magic." You can watch this interview on YouTube  https://youtu.be/cGww4CvSSiU Have a question? Email us  themccpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Social Media for the latest show updates  www.twitter.com/themccpodcast www.instagram.com/themccpodcast www.facebook.com/themancavechroniclespodcast www.themccpodcast.com  www.youtube.com/c/TheManCaveChronicleswElias      

Nour Assaf, Princess Map, & Daire McLeod recently joined host Elias in the cave on press day for Apple TV+ 'Ghostwriter' Season 3. Ghostwriter - Emmy Award-winning "Ghostwriter," a reimagining of the 1992 hit series from Sesame Workshop, returns for a third season with an entirely new cast and a new adventure! When a ghost haunts a bookstore and releases fictional characters into the real world, a group of friends works to solve an exciting mystery surrounding the ghost's unfinished business. While tackling the big mystery, the young heroes embark on six curious adventures with characters inspired by L. Frank Baum's story "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"; author Pablo Cartaya's "¡Leo! El Magnífico"; Beverly Cleary's novel "The Mouse and the Motorcycle"; Mick Jagger and Keith Richard's song "She's A Rainbow"; E.B. White's book "Charlotte's Web"; and Jewell Parker Rhodes' tale "Bayou Magic." You can watch this interview on YouTube  https://youtu.be/kq-yvIJnwdE Have a question? Email us  themccpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Social Media for the latest show updates  www.twitter.com/themccpodcast www.instagram.com/themccpodcast www.facebook.com/themancavechroniclespodcast www.themccpodcast.com  www.youtube.com/c/TheManCaveChronicleswElias      

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

My guest this week is a jack of all trades and a master of one in particular. Since he was five years old, Michael Jung has been captured by the power of storytelling. He's cultivated this passion in many ways throughout his life, telling stories through acting, volunteering at schools and children's museums, online book dealing, and more.Michael currently works as a freelance writer, but he has been writing his own stories for years. Through his education, mentorships, and personal experiences, he has learned what makes a good story and the best ways to share those stories with others. He dropped by the podcast this week to give us tips for telling our own stories, reflect on the power of choice, and celebrate the value of communication. No matter how you feel about writing and communicating, Michael has something for everyone in this captivating episode.In this episode, you'll learn:Why Michael labels himself as a professional side hustler and what he loves about having a different job all the time.The dangers of confusing who you are and what you do, especially when your work constantly changes.How Michael came to see himself as a storyteller from a young age and continued growing in that understanding throughout his life.About the influences, both positive and negative, that helped him discover what he wanted from life.A practical way for everyone, both writers and those who hate writing, to have fun telling stories through the written word.How this technique helped (and continues to help) Michael get out of his own way and give himself permission to enjoy the process.The ways our world today is showing the value and power of communication, even in superheroes and comic books.Why making choices about your life is the only way to get where you want to go.What makes a good story and how you can create your own stories better.Where you can find Michael's work and what he's cooking up next.Find Michael on his website, LinkedIn, and Twitter.See Michael's ebooks on his Amazon page.The mentor Michael plugs is Jewell Parker Rhodes.The TEDTalk from Carol Dweck that Darryl talks about is The Power of Believing that You Can Improve.The concept from Isaac Asimov that Michael talks about is The Eureka Phenomenon.Douglas Ramsey, the Marvel comic mutant that has a superpower of communication, is Cypher.

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.

Bestselling novelist Jewell Parker Rhodes returns to talk about her latest book, Paradise on Fire, and the racial disparities that exist when it comes to children's access to nature. Zibby and Jewell discuss how although the novel is intended for middle-grade readers, there is a heaviness to it that reflects the struggle we are facing in the global fight against climate change. Jewell shares how she was inspired by the late Gary Paulsen to write a wilderness survival story, why her children are outdoors people even though she's not, and a hint about the project she's working on next.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Ik2K4VBookshop: https://bit.ly/3FDjzWRSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode, Johnzelle reviews the novel, Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes. If you enjoyed this content, feel free to buy me a coffee to support the blog and podcast. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Counselor4RVA Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes: https://amzn.to/3BGaZo8 (paid link). I enjoyed the Audible version, which you can find at https://amzn.to/3zX8NHX (paid link).

In this episode, Claire & Sophie discuss why there has been a podcast hiatus. Then they get stuck into the new Book Trust pack and explore the new classics on offer! 'Black Brother, Black Brother' by Jewell Parker Rhodes (2.04) 'Skywake Invasion' by Jamie Russell (3.24) 'I am the Minotaur' by Anthony McGowen (5.40) 'Noor-Un-Nissa Inayat Khan' by Sufiya Ahmed (7.56) 'Wink' by Rob Harrell (10.15) They then review what books they have been reading! 'Letting Go' by Cat Clarke (13.08) 'The Disconnect' by Keren David (13.42) 'Giant Days' by John Allison, Max Sarin and Lissa Trieman (14.44) 'Gender Queer' by Maia Kobabe (16.43) 'Mortal Engines' by Phillip Reeve (17.55) As always follow us on twitter @lounge_learning.

Your hosts, Lesley Nickelson and Debbie Sewell talk to Jared Amato, the founder of Project Lit, a national grassroots literacy movement. Follow the movement on Twitter @ProjectLITComm. Apply to become a Chapter Leader. The books we talk about are Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Visit her website to see what other amazing books she has written. Legendborn by Tracy Deonn and her website. In the lightning round, we QUICKLY book talk, The Mysterious Disappearance of Aiden S. by David Levithan, Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer, and Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo.

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.

On this edition of StudioTulsa, we listen back our discussion from 1997 with the bestselling author and educator Jewell Parker Rhodes. At that time, we spoke with Rhodes about her then-new novel, "Magic City." This book was among the first works of published fiction to depict the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. A memorable and well-crafted novel of racism, vigilantism, and injustice, "Magic City" is now appearing in a new edition that includes a recently-composed afterword from by author. In that afterword, Rhodes reflects on the 100th anniversary of one of the worst and most shameful race-related tragedies in American history.

Briar Lawry from Unity Books reviews Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes, published by Orion.

Briar Lawry from Unity Books reviews Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes, published by Orion.

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 

When we first started the podcast, we always intended to highlight the books that we love and that make us think. You have heard us sprinkling references to them throughout different episodes, but the big moment is finally here: We’re happy to share our first BOOK EPISODE!  Insert Ms. Fitz’s happy dance here. Hopefully, this is the first of many. As we acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month, we are highlighting two books: Subtle Acts of Exclusion: How to Understand, Identify, and Stop Microaggressions by Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran and Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Have you read either of these titles? What books are inspiring you this month? Find resources here.

Dr. Dan welcomes author, popular podcast host, and parent Zibby Owens to discuss her new book Moms Don’t Have Time To : A Quarantine Anthology.     Zibby Owens is mom of four and the creator and host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books, as well as her newly launched podcast “Moms Don’t Have Time to Lose Weight.” She is a regular contributor to ABC’s Good Morning America and her writing has appeared in The Washington Post,  Real Simple, Parents, Marie Claire, Redbook, the New York Times online, and many other publications.   In this episode Dr. Dan and Zibby discuss the pandemic, podcasts, Zibby’s parenting journey during the COVID-19, and how, ultimately, we all have much more in common than we think we do.   Zibby’s book (and podcast) features bestselling and award-winning authors (Chris Bohjalian, Sonali Dev, Gretchen Rubin, Jill Santopolo, Evangeline Lilly, Christina Geist, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Bill Dameron, John Kenney, Mary Laura Philpott, and Reema Zaman) and is divided into relatable sections: Read, Workout, Eat, Breathe, Have Sex.     The show ends with Zibby’s “Stay where your feet are” advice and her real and honest Parent Footprint Moment.   Zibby Owens serves on the boards of the Mount Sinai Health System, the Mount Sinai Parenting Center, the Child Mind Institute, and co-chairs the Library Council of the New York Public Library. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School, Zibby currently lives in New York with her husband and her four children ages 5-13.   For more information visit Zibby at: www.zibbyowens.com; @zibbyowens; @momsdonthavetimetoreadbooks; @momsdonthavetimetoloseweight  

Realistic fiction

Acclaimed filmmaker Mitch McCabe on her latest feature, “Civil War Surveillance Poems,” which began in 2018 as speculative nonfiction about an impending civil war in the United States. Bestselling author Jewell Parker Rhodes on writing for children and why she’s betting on kids to carry us forward. Performance artist Chin Chih Yang on the one thing he thinks everyone should do every day. Contributing artists: Joseph Keckler, Carol Lipnik, Sade.

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

In this episode, we hear a guided workshop from earlier this year called Breathing for Health.  We also talk about what we’re reading. Abby and Abby talked about reading  Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone and Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes (and mentioned the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge and Mirrors, Windows, and … Continue reading S.4 Ep.6 – Breathing for Health →

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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

Rebekah has a bad apple experience.  Ing and Rebekah talk music, recycling and what they have been reading.  Rebekah recommends Death of Vivek Oji, and both Rebekah and Ing recommend Pet, both by Akwaeke Emezi.  They both recommend Black Brother, Black Brother and EVERYTHING by Jewell Parker Rhodes.  

Marie Laveau was THE Voodoo Queen in a city overrun with purported doctors and queens. Today we're separating fact from fiction about both Marie and voodoo. Was she a witch or a saint? When you actually get into the nitty gritty of her life and dig deeper than the many exaggerated stories about both the woman and voodoo itself, what you find is actually not spooky at all – it's a story of mercy, generosity, and serious hustle.Storical will be a little less frequent for the next few months as I'm undergoing some health treatments. Subscribe in whatever app you use to get all the latest episodes or follow @StoricalPodcast on Instagram.Join Potions and Paperbacks for virtual book club and articles on history, literature and perfume: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247203939797050/Non-fictionThe Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans by Denise Alvarado - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44442902Hoodoo in America by Zora Neale Hurston - https://books.google.com/books/about/Hoodoo_in_America.html?id=EacSHAAACAAJHaitian Revolution Part 1 by Footnoting History - https://www.footnotinghistory.com/home/haitian-revolution-part-i-1791-1793Marie Laveau by Queens Podcast - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/katy-2/queens-podcst/e/65213837Marie Laveau by Deviant Women Podcast - https://deviantwomenpodcast.com/2020/02/27/marie-laveau/FictionVoodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/336622.Voodoo_DreamsMarie Laveau by Francine Prose - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51792.Marie_LaveauFilmLaveau (Still in Development) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5570862/Dinner with the Alchemist (2016) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3923750American Horror Story: Coven (2013) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743358Check out my perfume inspired by Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen: https://www.immortalperfumes.com/imported-products/voodoo-queen-a-perfume-inspired-by-marie-laveau

Marie Laveau was THE Voodoo Queen in a city overrun with purported doctors and queens. Today we’re separating fact from fiction about both Marie and voodoo. Was she a witch or a saint? When you actually get into the nitty gritty of her life and dig deeper than the many exaggerated stories about both the woman and voodoo itself, what you find is actually not spooky at all – it’s a story of mercy, generosity, and serious hustle.Storical will be a little less frequent for the next few months as I’m undergoing some health treatments. Subscribe in whatever app you use to get all the latest episodes or follow @StoricalPodcast on Instagram.Join Potions and Paperbacks for virtual book club and articles on history, literature and perfume: https://www.facebook.com/groups/247203939797050/Non-fictionThe Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans by Denise Alvarado - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/44442902Hoodoo in America by Zora Neale Hurston - https://books.google.com/books/about/Hoodoo_in_America.html?id=EacSHAAACAAJHaitian Revolution Part 1 by Footnoting History - https://www.footnotinghistory.com/home/haitian-revolution-part-i-1791-1793Marie Laveau by Queens Podcast - https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/katy-2/queens-podcst/e/65213837Marie Laveau by Deviant Women Podcast - https://deviantwomenpodcast.com/2020/02/27/marie-laveau/FictionVoodoo Dreams by Jewell Parker Rhodes - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/336622.Voodoo_DreamsMarie Laveau by Francine Prose - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51792.Marie_LaveauFilmLaveau (Still in Development) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5570862/Dinner with the Alchemist (2016) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3923750American Horror Story: Coven (2013) - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3743358Check out my perfume inspired by Marie Laveau, Voodoo Queen: https://www.immortalperfumes.com/imported-products/voodoo-queen-a-perfume-inspired-by-marie-laveau

This week I feature author Jewell Parker Rhodes. The author of three supernatural mysteries set in New Orleans.  Voodoo Season Hurricane Moon View the books here: www.ifoundthisgreatbook.com/black-mystery-authors/jewell-parker-rhodes/

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

Host Cyrus Webb welcomes back author Jewell Parker Rhodes to #ConversationsLIVE to discuss her amazing literary journey and what it's been like to do what she loves. The two also discuss her newest book BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. 

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

From award-winning and bestselling author, Jewell Parker Rhodes comes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition. ★ "A powerful work and must-have for children's collections." —Booklist, starred review ★ "An excellent selection for both elementary and middle library collections, this is a title that celebrates finding one's place in the world." —School Library Connection, starred review "Placing biracial boyhood and the struggles of colorism at its center, the novel challenges readers to pursue their own self-definition." —Kirkus "Donte's story is a good primer for younger readers on microaggressions." —School Library Journal "A classic sports story." —BCCB "This novel offers a solid story, with relatable, three-dimensional characters considering identity, that will teach readers about colorism's effects." —Publishers Weekly Learn More here: https://bit.ly/3fjd3rB Check out the audiobook: https://bit.ly/37dTRbT

Jewell Parker Rhodes (@jewell_p_rhodes) shares BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. In her new middle grade novel, Jewell explores colorism, the school-to-prison pipeline, the history of Alexandre Dumas, and the sport of fencing. Donte and Trey are brothers, but Donte’s skin is dark, like his mom’s, and most new people have a hard time believing that they’re brothers, especially because Trey’s skin is light. Donte’s school, it’s fair to say, labels him as a problem because of the color of his skin. The people in Donte’s life all play critical roles in his survival, for help or for harm, and when Jewell weaves fencing and an Olympic medaled coach into the whole mix, what results is a moving and thoughtful story about race, dignity, and family. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons.

I'm re-releasing my episode with Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, which I was honored to record with her a number of months ago. She is an award-winning and best-selling author of many books including her most recent, Black Brother, Black Brother. She is such a rock star, and you'll hear more about her impressive background in our episode. We talked a lot about her books, which combine historical fiction and uplifting narrative while exploring challenging themes like colorism and prejudice. One of the most powerful things she said was about what her grandmother taught her: "Everybody is related. Everybody is kin. This whole idea that color would be a determining factor for someone to discriminate against you has got to stop." I couldn't think of a better message to share right now.

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 (@jewell_p_rhodes) shares BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER, A powerful coming-of-age middle-grade novel about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, this story explores the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world all while training for a fencing competition. The book addresses issues of colorism,the school-to-prison pipeline, and racial bias. During our conversation, we discussed that BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER is also is a sports book, her inspiration for the book and her love of writing for young readers.BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER is an amazing book and I'm excited to share it with you as well as my conversation with its author.You can learn more about this book and its author by visiting https://www.whatisblack.co/podcast

Jewell Parker Rhodes (@jewell_p_rhodes) shares BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER, A powerful coming-of-age middle-grade novel about two brothers, one who presents as white, the other as black, this story explores the complex ways in which they are forced to navigate the world – all while training for a fencing competition. The book addresses issues of colorism,the school-to-prison pipeline, and racial bias.  During our conversation, we discussed that BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER is also is a sports book, her inspiration for the book and her love of writing for young readers.BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER is an amazing book and I'm excited to share it with you as well as my conversation with its author. You can learn more about this book and its author by visiting https://www.whatisblack.co/podcast

Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is the award-winning and best-selling author of many books including Ninth Ward, which was the winner of the Coretta Scott King honor; Sugar, winner of the Jane Adams’ Children’s Book Award; and New York Times bestsellers Ghost Boys, an IndieBound best seller, a number-one Kids’ Indie Next pick, and ALA 2019 Children's Notable List pick, and winner of the Walter Award, EB White Read Aloud Award, and Children's Choice Book Award.  Dr. Rhodes’ most recent book Black Brother, Black Brother centers on a family of two biracial boys, and their different experiences of race, prejudice and bias and how you one coach and the sport of fencing changed everything. This woman is amazing and I so enjoyed chatting with @jewellparkerrhodes about her passion and purpose. We spoke about how she writes about diversity for a middle school audience, the childhood trauma that led to writing, and her brilliant idea to start a family book club! Dr. Rhodes is also the author of The American Book Award-winning Douglass' Women, two writing guides and the memoir Porch Stories: A Grandmother's Guide to Happiness. Her adult literary awards include the American Book Award, the National Endowment of the Arts Award in Fiction, the Black Caucus of the American Library Award for Literary Excellence, and the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award for Outstanding Writing. When she's not writing, Dr. Rhodes teaches writing at Arizona State University where she is the founding artistic director and chair of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing. Dr. Rhodes received a BA in drama criticism, an MA in English, and a doctorate in arts in English, creative writing, from Carnegie Mellon University. I mean, seriously!

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.

In Episode 9 you will hear my discussion with Anna Baker. We talk about lots of great literacy topics and book lists you will want to revisit here: Screencastify- how to record and share your screen https://www.screencastify.com/ The Ghost Boys Series by Jewell Parker Rhodes http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/books/ghost-boys/ Texas State Library Association: https://txla.org/ Texas Bluebonnet Master List https://txla.org/news/texas-bluebonnet-master-list-announced/ Texas 2 by 2 booklist: https://txla.org/tools-resources/reading-lists/2x2/current-list/ Mavericks Reading List: https://txla.org/tools-resources/reading-lists/little-maverick/current-list/ Coretta Scott King Award Books: from AALA https://aalbc.com/books/csk-list.php or the CSK Blog: https://olos.ala.org/csk/ Learn more about Anna Baker using her twitter or instagram handle: @pmelibrolady Thanks for joining us and be sure to subscribe & share! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/coachleadteach/support

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! 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!

Curtis and Chelsey share how they balance reading for fun and reading to learn. They also talk about how to prioritize reading within busy schedules, why readers should be well-rounded, and of course, which books to read next. They also wade into vulnerable territory and discuss how their privilege affects what they read. Show Notes Supply vs. Demand Readers How to Read More The Stacks Podcast Books Mentioned Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty The Outsider by Stephen King Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole Wicked and the Wallflower by Sarah Maclean The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare My Share of the Task by General Stanley McChrsytal Red Platoon by Clinton Ramesha Washington by Ron Chernov Grant by Ron Chernov Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Uluo Dear Martin by Nic Stone Sparrow by Sarah Moon We Are Okay by Nina Lacour Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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

Each Sunday at 12:30pm on KHOL, we will air a segment of Towers Falling as read by Libby Crews-Wood. This is a sneak peak of the first installment that will air Sunday, July 8th at 12:30pm. Listen at 891khol.org or on 89.1 FM in Jackson Hole. New installments will be uploaded on the Monday after they air live on Sunday. "One Book, One Community" is a grassroots effort to bring together students, teachers, librarians, parents and community members around a single text, Towers Falling, by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Collaborating with the Teton County School District are the Teton County Library Foundation and Jackson Hole Writers, as well as local nonprofits such as KHOL and pARTners. Fifth and sixth graders across the district are being given a copy of the text on June 11th as a summer reading assignment. Author Jewell Parker Rhodes will visit Jackson Hole for a lecture and student workshop hosted by Jackson Hole Writers on June 28th and 29th. The community project will kick-off in the schools on September 11th with a community-wide book discussion on October 11th.

Show Notes for Episode #21 We have created a 5 part series just for you! 5 Areas of Your Life to Get Under Control so, You Can Be Ready for Anything! Today is part 1 of 5 and we will be focusing on Creating a Space you love so you can focus on the future! Over the next 5 weeks, we will be discussing some areas that may not be obviously tied to your future as a successful woman, but if you allow any of these 5 areas to get out of hand, or fall into disarray, they can completely take over your life and derail your dreams and plans. If you take steps to get these 5 areas of your life under control, you’ll be amazed at how easy it will be to say YES when an unexpected opportunity comes your way! Time Machine:   In this segment each week we will give a few points about women that have accomplished a lot! We also will discuss a bit about what was happening to women during the time periods. Someone we think you would like to know more about is: Princess Diana   Book Review:  Click this link to get your FREE Audio book at audibletrial.com/drivenwomen  The following books were recommended on the Podcast: 1.  Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg  2.  The Confusion of Languages by Sioban Fallon Inspirational Quote of the Week: “Prejudice is sinful. All blood flows red. And the most harmful and foolish kind of prejudice is prejudice against yourself. Every woman is your sister, and every woman needs her sisters. So try to give other women the courtesy of your compassion, respect, and forgiveness. Love yourself despite - and because of - your flaws.” - Jewell Parker Rhodes   We genuinely Want to know! (Listener questions and feedback) Are you driven to succeed? Email us at tami.north@genuinedrivenwomen.com or call us at (724) DRIVEN-2 or  (724) 374-8362 and leave a voice message. We’ll use your voicemails on a future podcast!   We’d love for you to take a couple minutes to write a review on iTunes, which will help us to reach our goal to connect with girls, young ladies, and women who need just this kind of inspiration each week. Click here to leave a review! You can also follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/genuinedrivenwomen/ to join the conversation, get to know us better, and to find about all the new things we will be announcing in the months to come.

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.

Jewell Parker Rhodes is the best-selling author of NINTH WARD and TOWERS FALLING. In GHOST BOYS, her newest middle grade novel, Jewell shares a beautiful and devastating story about a young black boy killed by a police officer. About writing the story, Jewell says "I wasn't sure I was going to make it through." Jewell writes with great strength, conviction, and love, leaving an undeniable story through which readers of all ages, colors, and backgrounds can connect. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast.

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.

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!

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

On today's episode, Adam is joined by frequent friends of the pod (and 2/3rds of the 3-headed Sass Monster) Andrea and Christina. The three of them hand out bunches of book recommendations that would best be categorized as falling under Young Adult, New Adult, Mystery AND/OR Romance. They talk diverse books, fan fiction, Andrea's birthday and the fact that since the birth of her child she's been reading some DARK novels. Books mentioned on this episode: The Arrangement by Sarah Dunn   Hush by John Hart   The Last Child By John Hart   One of us is Lying by Karen M. McManus   The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah   Ghost by Jason Reynolds   Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds   All American Boys by Jason Reynolds   The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas   When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon   Magic City by Jewell Parker Rhodes   The Pigeon Man by Joel Edward Stein   The Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley   The Man in the High Castle by Phillip K. Dick   The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon   I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid   The Summer that Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel   Big Little Lies by Lane Moriarty   The 6 Tudor Queens series by Allison Weir   The Clipped Wings Series by Helena Hunting   My Sister Rosa by Justine Larbelestier   Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll   Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton   Fragile by Jandra Sutton   Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie   We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson   Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich   And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @ProBookNerds. Email us directly at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com  Music "Buddy" and "Epic" 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.

Every family has its own way of doing things and, now that our kids are old enough to compare our homes to their friends', suddenly there's a whole list of ways in which we, our kids' parents, ARE MONSTERS. Plus, Biz paves the way for weekend fun and Theresa visits a real forest. And we talk with writer Nefertiti Austin about her experience adopting children as a single woman of color.   In reference to our conversation with Nefertiti, here are some book recommendations from Gwen Glazer of the New York Public Library. These books are for children ages 10+, featuring protagonists who are people of color. Note these are categorized by gender -- the first listed are books featuring boy/male leads and below that are books featuring girl/female leads. As with any book, parents should read first to make sure it is suitable for your child. Thank you, Gwen!   Featuring boy/male leads:   As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds (Nefertiti after the show found this as well through her local librarian)  ​​The Crossover and Booked by Kwame Alexander (these might skew older​ -- for a mature 10yo only​)  The Cruisers series by Walter Dean Myers​​ Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth​​ Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis​   Featuring girl/female leads:   One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia  Flygirl by Sherri L. Smit  Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes  The Jumbies series by Tracy Baptiste  The Mighty Miss Malone by Christopher Paul Curtis   Zora and Me by Victoria Bond   Nefertiti Austin: http://muthamagazine.com/author/nefertiti-austin/ http://www.essence.com/authors/nefertiti-austin Tickets for One Bad Mother Live at the Independent in San Francisco April 29th: https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1453303 You're Doing A Great Job!: 100 Ways You're Winning At Parenting! is available now! You can get it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble or Books-A-Million or your local indie book store! Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of MaximumFun.org. Our sponsors this week are Blue Apron and Care.com. You can try Blue Apron and get your first three meals free with free shipping by visiting BlueApron.com/badmother. And to save 30% off a Care.com Premium membership, and receive a $15 credit that you can use toward paying your caregiver when you use Care.com’s convenient payment platform, visit http://www.care.com/badmother when you subscribe. Share your genius and fail moments! Call 206-350-9485* *Be sure to tell us at the top of your message whether you're leaving a genius moment, a fail, or a rant! Thanks!! Share a personal or commercial message on the show! Subscribe to One Bad Mother in iTunes Join our mailing list!

Episode 45 of #KidsDeserveIt with award winning author Jewel Parker Rhodes.

Welcome to the launch special of the Nerdy Bookcast. Today, on the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we have a generation of students who have no living memory of the events that happened that day. And we have a generation of teachers who do. So we are launching our podcast with a 3-part series about how reading and writing and books can help us make sense of tragedy. We are calling it “Books Help Teach Us How to Live.” Thank you for very much for listening to Part 3: ‘Hope.” Show notes The Posts It s a Wide World, by Donalyn Miller Before and After 9/11, by Nora Raleigh Baskin The Memory of Things:  On a Stark Anniversary, Connecting Students to their History through Story, by Gae Polisner The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks Fiction Eleven  by Tom Rogers. (MG) I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis. (MG) The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner. (YA) Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin. (MG) Shooting Kabul  by N.H. Senzai. (YA) Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. (MG) Nonfiction 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah; illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. (PB/ALL AGES) The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. (GN/YA/AD) America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown (GN/MG/YA) Fireboat: The Heroic Adventure of John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman. (PB/ER) The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. (PB/ALL AGES) With Their Eyes edited by Annie Thoms. (YA) (GN: graphic novel, PB: picture book, ER: early reader, MG: middle grade, YA: young adult, AD: adult) The post Books Help Teach Us How to Live, Part 3: Hope. The Nerdy Bookcast Launch Special appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to the launch special of the Nerdy Bookcast. Today, on the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we have a generation of students who have no living memory of the events that happened that day. And we have a generation of teachers who do. So we are launching our podcast with a 3-part series about how reading and writing and books can help us make sense of tragedy. We are calling it “Books Help Teach Us How to Live.” Thank you for very much for listening to Part 2: “Community and Empathy.” Show notes The Posts It s a Wide World, by Donalyn Miller Before and After 9/11, by Nora Raleigh Baskin The Memory of Things:  On a Stark Anniversary, Connecting Students to their History through Story, by Gae Polisner The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks Fiction Eleven  by Tom Rogers. (MG) I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis. (MG) The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner. (YA) Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin. (MG) Shooting Kabul  by N.H. Senzai. (YA) Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. (MG) Nonfiction 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah; illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. (PB/ALL AGES) The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. (GN/YA/AD) America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown (GN/MG/YA) Fireboat: The Heroic Adventure of John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman. (PB/ER) The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. (PB/ALL AGES) With Their Eyes edited by Annie Thoms. (YA) (GN: graphic novel, PB: picture book, ER: early reader, MG: middle grade, YA: young adult, AD: adult) The post Books Help Teach Us How to Live, Part 2: Community and Empathy. The Nerdy Bookcast Launch Special appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

Welcome to the launch special of the Nerdy Bookcast. Today, on the 15th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we have a generation of students who have no living memory of the events that happened that day. And we have a generation of teachers who do. So we are launching our podcast with a 3-part series about how reading and writing and books can help us make sense of tragedy. We are calling it “Books Help Teach Us How to Live.” Thank you for very much for listening to Part 1: “Memory.” Show notes The Posts It s a Wide World, by Donalyn Miller Before and After 9/11, by Nora Raleigh Baskin The Memory of Things:  On a Stark Anniversary, Connecting Students to their History through Story, by Gae Polisner The posts you hear on The Nerdy Bookcast originally appeared on The Nerdy Bookclub. The book talks Fiction Eleven  by Tom Rogers. (MG) I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshis. (MG) The Memory of Things by Gae Polisner. (YA) Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin. (MG) Shooting Kabul  by N.H. Senzai. (YA) Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes. (MG) Nonfiction 14 Cows for America by Carmen Agra Deedy in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah; illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez. (PB/ALL AGES) The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colon. (GN/YA/AD) America is Under Attack: September 11, 2001: The Day the Towers Fell by Don Brown (GN/MG/YA) Fireboat: The Heroic Adventure of John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman. (PB/ER) The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. (PB/ALL AGES) With Their Eyes edited by Annie Thoms. (YA) (GN: graphic novel, PB: picture book, ER: early reader, MG: middle grade, YA: young adult, AD: adult) The post Books Help Teach Us How to Live, Part 1: Memory. The Nerdy Bookcast Launch Special appeared first on Teacher Learning Sessions.

In our 34th episode Adam interviewed Zoraida Cordova in Orlando where she was promoting her upcoming Young Adult Fantasy title, Labyrinth Lost. Zoraida shared her inspirations for this book as well as her love of mermaids and a fun story about how she learned to speak English. She also spoke about the importance of the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement and offered some great diverse book recommendations. Zoraida's reading recommendations: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra and Dhonielle Clayton   The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi   The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore   Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@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.

Episode Overview In today's episode, Adam sits down with writer Jewell Parker Rhodes, an author who is familiar writing for both adults and juveniles/YA. Her forthcoming book, Towers Falling, is all about teaching the story of the 9/11 attacks to children who weren't born when it happened. Like all of Jewell's books, Towers Falling features a diverse cast of characters and touches on important themes and events in America's history. In this interview, she talks about what prompted her to write a book about the September 11th attacks and the real life classroom that inspired her.   Books Written By Jewell Sugar Ninth Ward Bayou Magic Magic City Douglass' Women Towers Falling Voodoo Season Yellow Moon Hurricane     Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @OverDriveLibs. Email us directly at feedback@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.