Podcasts about kwame mbalia

Suyi Davies Okungbowa is this week's guest, to talk about his latest book, Black Panther: The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda, African authors, science fiction and more! In more detail; Mike & Suyi first talk about Suyi incorporates “twoness” in his writing and his implementation of it in the Black Panther novel and how it's similar, and different, to the comic run by Ta-Nehisi Coates. The duo also talk about Suyi's relationship with Black Panther, how the Black Panther movie changed the landscape of science fiction, especially for African authors, favourite characters to write, how BP influenced Suyi's other writing (& vice versa), the biggest challenges in writing the novel, and so much more, including music's impact on Suyi's writing process, Suyi's quote of “Imagining Futures By Reimagining Histories”! This is the perfect conversation for fans of writing, diverse perspectives, music, and of course; Black Panther! Find Suyi's Black Panther novel here: www.penguin.co.uk/books/458095/marvel-black-panther-the-intergalactic-empire-of-wakanda-by-okungbowa-suyi-davies/9781529914276 Keep up to date with Suyi @SuyiDavies on Instagram or at his website: https://suyidavies.com Suyi's foundation: The Literary Laddership For Emerging African Authors: https://suyidavies.com/fellowship Suyi's recent novella is Lost Ark Dreaming and his trilogy; The Nameless Republic will conclude with Season of The Serpent in 2026. His debut novel is David Mogo Godhunter and he's also written for Stranger Things, Minecraft and more! Suyi mentioned the Broken Earth series by N. K. Jemisin and towards the end Mike mentioned Kwame Mbalia and the Black Boy Joy short story collection that Suyi also contributed towards. Thanks to Tony Holt Jr for his essay comparing Invisible Man to The Intergalactic Empire Of Wakanda and for AR Farina & Tonya Todd for publishing it in Comics Lit Volume 1: https://accomplishinginnovationpress.com/product/comics-lit-vol-1 Check out Mike's in-depth reviews, breakdowns & things you missed episodes of Season 2 of Andor, on any podcast app or on YouTube: https://podfollow.com/starwarschitchat & https://youtube.com/@starwarschitchat All Patreons have been receiving bonus episodes, including a Thunderbolts, Superman III and Superman IV review, as well as early access and more! Support at www.patreon.com/GenuineChitChat or https://ko-fi.com/GenuineChitChat The last episode of GCC was a preview of the Forbidden Worlds Film Festival and the week before that was Mike's review of the 1985 movie Young Sherlock Holmes, directed by Barry Levinson and written by Chris Columbus! It's the 40th Anniversary of the movie and as Mike is attending the Forbidden Worlds Film Festival, where a special showing (& cast Q&A) is happening, he wanted to give the movie a go beforehand! From 28th May to 1st June, Mike & Spider-Dan will be at the Forbidden Worlds Film Festival to cover all 5 days of the event and hopefully interview some attendees! They talk about some of the films they'll be reviewing, their podcasts covering it released over the 5 days and more, all in the last week of May, for more information, visit www.forbiddenworldsfilmfestival.co.uk Guest Spots: Another episode of Disney Discussions is out where Mike spoke about Lilo & Stitch 1 & 2 with Megan, Spider-Dan, Ria & guest Natalie! https://tinyurl.com/2bs7kker Mike recently reviewed Superman '78, Superman II and the Super/Man documentary on the 20th Century Geek podcast: https://pod.fo/e/2bea07 Mike was on Reckless Rebellion to talk about Andor's Prison Arc from S1, listen here: https://pod.fo/e/2c28cc Find all of Mike's social media & other links at https://linktr.ee/GenuineChitChat Please review/rate, subscribe and share – it helps the show out an incredible amount!  

Erica goes over a nice mix of new YA books by AAPI authors, while Kelly has a great convo with Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia, authors of the new rom-com On Again, Awkward Again. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. To get even more YA news and recommendations, sign up for our What's Up in YA newsletter! Ready to level up your reading life? Become a Book Riot All Access member and explore our full library of members-only content, including must-reads, deep dives, and reading challenge recommendations. For a limited time, the first 50 new All Access annual members get a FREE copy of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz courtesy of Tor Publishing! Join Book Riot All Access to level up your reading life and claim your free copy of Automatic Noodle. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Books Discussed: Eliza, from Scratch by Sophia Lee Fitting Indian by Jyoti Chand, illustrated by Tara Anand Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur The Summer I Remembered Everything by Catherine Con Morse On Again, Awkward Again by Erin Entrada Kelly, Kwame Mbalia A Universe of Wishes edited by Dhonielle Clayton Black Boy Joy edited by Kwame Mbalia The White Guy Dies First edited by Terry J. Benton-Walker The Black Girl Survives in This One edited by Desiree S. Evans and Saraciea J. Fennell Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume The Fell of Dark by Caleb Roehrig Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead Shine by Candy Gourlay Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender Hello Universe and Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly Kaya Morgan's Crowning Achievement by Jill Tew Moko Magic: Carnival Chaos by Tracey Baptiste Kwame Mbalia's Freedom Fire imprint (more info) You can follow both Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia on Bluesky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Multiverse News, Your source for Information about all your favorite fictional universesMarvel Studios has been in the news a lot during the last week with varying topics. We'll break them down, but first some bullet points.- Thunderbolts* took the top spot at the box office with a $76 million domestic opening and a global total of $162.1 million. For those CinemaScore fans, the movie is sitting at an A-. SPOILER ALERT: The studio also flipped the title of the movie based on the events that occur within it and the film is now being marketed as The New Avengers - the big reveal of what the asterisk stood for. Marvel Comics even joined in with this gag, revealing today that a previously announced new series called New Thunderbolts* is actually going to be called The New Avengers.- Jeremy Renner was interviewed by podcast High Performance about his new memoir “My Next Breath,” and revealed Marvel offered him a role in a second season of Hawkeye, but only offered half the salary he received in season one.- The Hollywood Reporter has received information from sources saying that Ryan Reynolds is in the early stages of developing a new Deadpool movie that would feature X-Men characters with Deadpool potentially in a supporting role.- Lastly, Fantastic Four: First Steps Director Matt Shakman revealed that voice actor Matthew Wood is doing the voice work for the role of HERBIE in the film. Wood is known for voicing General Grievous and has worked in sound for Lucasfilm and Disney for many years.Perhaps the biggest story to hit Hollywood since the writers/actors strikes a few years ago, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform on Monday that he aims to start including Hollywood in his tariff plan. In his comments, Trump announced he wants to institute a 100% tariff on movies coming into the United States and that are produced in foreign countries. It is unclear how this would be implemented at this time as films are not goods. However, many films take advantage of tax incentives offered by states and countries to film in their locations and these could be affected. In an already turbulent time for Hollywood, what could this mean for the future?FX has officially confirmed an upcoming season two of its Emmy-award winning series Shogun. The series co-creators and showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks recently wrapped a writers room for the coming season which will begin production in January of 2026.Guy Ritchie has signed on to direct Road House 2, the sequel to Amazon MGM Studios' hit action movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Will Beall, whose credits range from comic book movies such as Aquaman to action movies including Bad Boys: Ride or Die, is writing the script.Sgt. Rock, DC Studios' action war movie that was to shoot this summer, will no longer move forward at the current schedule due to location shooting issues. The film, set to be directed by Luca Guadagnino and star Colin Farrell, apparently needs to be shot during the summer and not the winter, which held up production. Insiders tell the Hollywood Reporter that the project is not necessarily going away however, and would be reassessed at the end of the year for a possible summer shoot in 2026.Chris Hemsworth has been cast to star in Subversion, a submarine thriller that Patrick Vollrath will direct for Amazon MGM.Star Wars: The Last Order, is a newly-announced novel, written by Kwame Mbalia and will look at Finn and Jannah's mission to save more children from the First Order. The novel will be released this year on October 21.AppleTV+ has renewed Seth Rogan-led series The Studio for a second season ahead of its May 21 season one finale.Practical Magic 2, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, will release in theaters on September 18, 2026.In box office news, Sinners crossed $240 million worldwide while A Minecraft Movie continues to creep to a billion dollars with an $875 million worldwide total.

I chat with Grace Sica, Executive Director of Operation Warm, about their incredible work providing brand-new coats and shoes to under-resourced children and teens. Grace shares how families in poverty spend over 80% of their income on essentials like food and housing, leaving little room for clothing, and explains how you can help through their impactful partnership with Subaru.

Join us for a preview of the 33rd Annual African American Children's Book Fair, happening Saturday, February 1st, at the Philadelphia Convention Center. I speak with visionary founder Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati and some of the remarkable featured authors and illustrators reshaping children's literature.✨ Bea Jackson shares her inspiring journey as a writer and illustrator, with highlights from her heartwarming book Lily's Dream: A Fairy Friendship. Follow her: Website | Instagram: @beajacksonillustration.✨ Kwame Mbalia, author of the Tristan Strong series and owner of Disney imprint Freedom Fire, talks about his latest works, including Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek and Captain America: Brave New World: A Hero Looks Like You. Follow him: Website | Twitter: @KSekouM. ✨ Sean Qualls, the renowned illustrator of Please Baby Please and The Idea in You (with Questlove), delves into his creative process. Follow him: Website | Instagram: @seanqualls.✨ Carole Boston Weatherford, the legendary “Dean of Black Children's Books,” shares insights into her prolific career, including the award-winning Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer. Follow her: Website | Instagram: @caroleweatherford.

The African American Children's Book Project's 33rd Annual Book Fair is happening on Saturday, February 1st, from 1 to 4 PM at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This free event brings together bestselling authors Carole Boston Weatherford, Kwame Mbalia, Bryan Collier, and other award-winning Black authors and illustrators. Enjoy giveaways, prizes, and a bookstore with affordable books for purchase.   In this episode, I speak with Paralee Knight, Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Impact at Wells Fargo, the presenting sponsor of the event. We discuss the importance of representation in children's and young adult literature and explore how this signature event fosters a love of reading. For more information, call (215) 878-BOOK or visit www.theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org.  We highlight the 30th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, the largest King Day of Service in the nation. This event celebrates Dr. King's vision of The Beloved Community—a society rooted in justice, diversity, peace, and freedom—by engaging over 100,000 volunteers in meaningful service. This year, the event not only honors Dr. King's enduring legacy but also commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for equity and justice. I speak with Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen and the visionary Founder and Director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, about the significance of this milestone and the power of service in creating lasting change. Learn more at www.mlkdayofservice.org.  

The African American Children's Book Project's 33rd Annual Book Fair is happening on Saturday, February 1st, from 1 to 4 PM at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This free event brings together bestselling authors Carole Boston Weatherford, Kwame Mbalia, Bryan Collier, and other award-winning Black authors and illustrators. Enjoy giveaways, prizes, and a bookstore with affordable books for purchase.   In this episode, I speak with Paralee Knight, Vice President of Philanthropy & Community Impact at Wells Fargo, the presenting sponsor of the event. We discuss the importance of representation in children's and young adult literature and explore how this signature event fosters a love of reading. For more information, call (215) 878-BOOK or visit theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org.  We highlight the 30th Annual Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, the largest King Day of Service in the nation. This event celebrates Dr. King's vision of The Beloved Community—a society rooted in justice, diversity, peace, and freedom—by engaging over 100,000 volunteers in meaningful service. This year, the event not only honors Dr. King's enduring legacy but also commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a pivotal moment in the ongoing fight for equity and justice. I speak with Todd Bernstein, President of Global Citizen and the visionary Founder and Director of the Greater Philadelphia Martin Luther King Day of Service, about the significance of this milestone and the power of service in creating lasting change. Learn more at mlkdayofservice.org.

Join us for an engaging conversation with author Kwame Mbalia as he discusses his latest book, "Jax Freeman," and the themes of identity, self-perception, and the challenges faced by young readers today. Mbalia highlights the importance of portraying a larger hero who defies stereotypes, emphasizing that Jax's story is not just about size but about character and resilience. The episode features a lively discussion between Mbalia and fellow author Roseanne Brown, who explore the creative process, the magic system in Jax's world, and the significance of community and family in shaping one's journey. Listeners will also hear about the inspiration behind Freedom Fire, Mbalia's publishing imprint with Disney, and the exciting projects on the horizon. Tune in for an insightful look at how literature can empower young readers and spark meaningful conversations about their own experiences.Kwame Mbalia and Roseanne A. Brown take center stage in a captivating session that celebrates the magic of storytelling within the African American literary tradition. The hosts, Derek Young and Brown, create an inviting atmosphere as they introduce the authors, who share their personal journeys and the inspirations behind their works. Mbalia's 'Jax Freeman' stands out as a focal point, combining elements of urban fantasy with poignant social commentary. As Jax navigates the challenges of adolescence in a new environment, he encounters supernatural elements that serve as metaphors for the struggles faced by young people today. This exploration of fear, courage, and self-acceptance resonates deeply, making it relatable to listeners of all ages.The podcast goes beyond mere discussion of the book; it delves into the broader themes of community, heritage, and the significance of having spaces where marginalized voices can be heard. Mbalia discusses the significance of his characters, particularly Jax's size and how it affects the way he is perceived by others. This reflection on stereotypes and expectations opens the door for meaningful conversations among listeners about body image and identity. The episode culminates in a lively Q&A session, where audience members engage directly with the authors, further enriching the discourse around their works. By the end, listeners are left feeling inspired to explore these narratives themselves and to recognize the vital importance of diverse stories in literature.

This week, host Jason Jefferies is joined by New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia, who discusses his new book Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek, a Freedom Fire title.  Topics of discussion include Freedom Fire, young adult literature vs. middle grade literature, Freeman as a name, North Carolina in literature, the significance of Chicago, trains, Moses, the Chicago Bulls vs. the Milwaukee Bucks, and much more.  Signed copies of Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek can be purchased here from Page 158 Books in Wake Forest, NC.  

 Join Jasmine, Shilyn, and Tavian (kids of a Aaron and Adrian) as they share their favorite reads and insightful discussions on the power of storytelling. Discover a world of diverse narratives as the trio explores the magic of "Tristan Strong" by Kwame Mbalia and the adventure-packed "Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun." Shylan brings depth with historical and biographical gems like "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and "The Hero Two Doors Down," while Tavian highlights the relatable "New Kid" series. These recommendations offer something for everyone, blending mythology, real-life themes, and the experiences of black children in various settings. Join us for an episode that not only celebrates the joy of reading but also encourages young listeners to explore new worlds through books. Thanks for Listening! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Kwame Mbalia!Kwame is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, a former pharmaceutical metrologist, and a publisher with Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion. His debut middle-grade novel, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD and TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING—is published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion. He is the co-author of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR with Prince Joel Makonnen, from Scholastic Books, and the editor of the #1 New York Times bestselling anthology BLACK BOY JOY, published by Delacorte Press. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheezits.Buy Rick Riordan Presents Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (a Tristan Strong Novel, Book 1):https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781368042413and check out the rest of his books here:https://www.kwamembalia.com/Follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/mbalia1/Register for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

Catch up with us in our pre chat, then listen as we talk to Kwame Mbalia about writing, publishing, and Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion that will feature stories of black joy and resilience written by black creators. Kwame is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, a former pharmaceutical metrologist, and a publisher with Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion. His debut middle-grade novel, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD and TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING—is published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion. He is the co-author of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR with Prince Joel Makonnen, from Scholastic Books, and the editor of the #1 New York Times bestselling anthology BLACK BOY JOY, published by Delacorte Press. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheez-Its.  Learn more about Kwame at https://www.kwamembalia.com/. Follow him on social media @KSekouM on X (formally Twitter) and @mbalia1 on Instagram. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/afronauts-podcast/message

We start discussing From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi with a look at Moff Jerjerrod, Max Rebo, EV-9D9, Bib Fortuna, and the tale of a performer in Jabba's palace.   In this fully armed and operational episode, we discuss: “Any Work Worth Doing” by Amal El-Mohtar about Moff Jerjerrod, “Fancy Many” by Phil Szostak about Max Rebo, “The Key to Remembering” by Olivia Chadha about EV-9D9, “Fortuna Favors the Bold” by Kwame Mbalia about Bib Fortuna, and “Dune Sea Songs of Salt and Moonlight” by Thea Guanzan about Jess, an entertainer in Jabba's palace. Thanks for joining us for another episode! Subscribe to Podcast Stardust for all your Star Wars news, reviews, and discussion wherever you get your podcasts. And please leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts.   Find Jay and her cosplay adventures on J.Snips Cosplay on Instagram.   Follow us on social media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube. T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, masks, and posters are available on TeePublic. Find all episodes on RetroZap.com.

Prophecy Radio episode #94 discusses Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda before catching you up on all the latest Rick Riordan news, including some fun news from several different Rick Riordan Presents authors. Oh, and we give you a quick update on the WGA/SAG strikes and how they'll affect the podcast moving forward. This week, we pause our discussion of The Kane Chronicles: The Red Pyramid in order to chat with Sarwat Chadda about his latest release. New episodes of Prophecy Radio air weekly, and we keep our discussions PG-13. News and Updates (00:01:28) Read Riordan did a spotlight on up-and-coming Camp Half-Blood Campers and this seems to be mostly focused on characters from The Trials of Apollo. Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda is now officially out in the world! Read a Fury of the Deagon Goddess excerpt on Read Riordan. Kristen tells us about her experience attending the Fury of the Dragon Goddess virtual tour that Sarwat did with Books of Wonder. Did you know Kwame Mbalia is writing a short story for the Star Wars anthology From a Certain Point of View? Mark Oshiro will be at the National Book Festival on August 12. Make sure you check out Daniel José Older's new podcast Inkbottle. We also talk about some SAG-AFTRA updates that will affect the podcast. Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (00:11:16) At long last, it's time to talk about Fury of the Dragon Goddess, the second book in the Adventures of Sik Aziz series. What is this book about? How did we feel about this book compared to the last one? What was it like reading about Sik and the others being in London instead of NYC? There are a lot of themes shared between these two books, but there are also some specific to Dragon Goddess. It's so interesting that we're reading this book at the same time we're talking about The Red Pyramid! Sik is still not a warrior, and we LOVE that about him. We're so happy he got to travel this time around…even if it all went horribly wrong. Daoud is, like, super famous now. We loved that this didn't solve all his problems, and we still got to see him (and his relationship with Sik) grow over the course of the book. Is Belet no longer looking for her mother? What's the deal with this tablet? Did we like that this book dealt a lot with (female) rage? Have you read “The Loneliest Demon” from Cursed Carnivals and Other Calamities? Who is Rabisu and why is she so great? Why does she want to kill Belet so badly, and why can't she? Everyone likes a pigeon sandwich…right? Wait, Rabisu has been WHERE? Who's Dumuzi, and how did he get with Ishtar? He might not be the greatest dad, but he seemed like a pretty good person. Lugal, on the other hand, seems to be a lot more complicated. And if you're looking for another character to compare him to, maybe try…Ultron. The spoiler section starts at 00:49:37. Let's talk about that black market party and how utterly racist those old ladies were. What did we think of Daoud's reaction to it all? Did we believe Mo was really back when we first saw him again? The repercussions of this mistake are huge, and Lugal just makes it worse. And you thought Belet was full of rage before… Sik's changes happen slowly, but some of them are pretty cool. Okay, we have to talk about the asylum scene. What's Lugal's ultimate purpose? During that final confrontation, Sik wins in his own way. We thought we lost Mo all over again, but Sik wasn't gonna let that happen. How does this story end, and what could possibly be next? Interview with Sarwat Chadda (01:19:05) We're so excited to talk about Fury of the Dragon Goddess with Sarwat Chadda!! How does he get into (and stay in) the mood to write? Any go-to snacks? Sarwat gives us a great breakdown of what inspired this story. How did he balance the horror in this book for his audience? Which came first, this book or the short story with Rabisu? Sarwat talks a little bit about having Fury of the Dragon Goddess take place in London. And yes, he definitely remembers the Kane Chronicles! He also gives us a fantastic answer regarding the topic of repatriation. What did he want to accomplish with a character like Lugal? Can rage ever be used as a force for good? What makes Daoud so compelling? It's time to talk about those Percy Jackson references! Who would Sarwat choose from Greek mythology to have as a godly parent? Which Rick Riordan Presents book would he love to live inside? Any book recommendations for us? Has Sarwat thought about what comes next after Fury of the Dragon Goddess? You'll never guess how many more projects he has coming up! Thank you for talking with us, Sarwat! It was a pleasure. Feedback (02:25:58) We hear from a couple listeners about their experience reading Fury of the Dragon Goddess. Thanks for listening, and tune in next time for episode 95, in which we'll discuss which Rick Riordan Presents characters would make for the best team-ups, before jumping into The Red Pyramid chapter 18! This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

AudioFile's revisiting favorite episodes of Behind the Mic this week, with great last-minute audiobook gifts in mind. Today's recommendation is for a captivating fantasy audiobook for kids, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY by Kwame Mbalia, read by Amir Abudllah. Hear host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly as they talk about this thrilling listen for kids and families. The best part — this is book one in a three-part series, so there's more excellent storytelling adventures to look forward to! Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Will Seeking Justice Lead to Her Own Demise? Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of BENEATH HIS SILENCE, a gothic-style regency romance from promising young author, Hannah Linder. Narrated by Anne Flosnik. Available everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prophecy Radio episode #62 does a Deep Dive on Chiron, trainer of heroes and the wisest of all centaurs! We also talk about the most recent news in the Riordanverse, including the Mark of Athena graphic novel cover reveal and all the latest on the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series coming to Disney+, as well as reread and discuss Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian chapter 16. New episodes of Prophecy Radio air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:01:25) December 19 is your last day to enter our art giveaway! See instructions. And don't forget about the livestream fundraiser. Details here. Read Riordan gave us a last-minute holiday gift guide from the gods and demigods. We got the cover reveal for Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem by Roseanne A. Brown. We even got the cover reveal for the upcoming Mark of Athena graphic novel. Hazel's birthday was on December 17! Cool. Awkward. Black., edited by Karen Strong, features short stories from Roseanne A. Brown and Kwame Mbalia. Someone on Twitter also asked Becky about merchandise, and she talked a bit about how it all depends on the success of the show. As Percy Jackson and the Olympians goes into their winter break, we probably won't be getting the Zeus and Posiedon casting. In a now-deleted Tweet, Becky also talks about seeing a network cut of an episode, and how it's interesting to see what ends up being cut. Charlie Bushnell has officially wrapped on the first season. Jessica Parker Kennedy talks about playing Medusa. Becky and Stephanie Lurie also helped us figure out approximately how many books Rick might've signed in his lifetime. Ashlee will no longer be in charge of Rick's socials, but here's an update on what they'll be doing (and their dream jobs for the future). We also go through some new Goodreads answers from Rick Riordan. There are no current plans for a Daughter of the Deep sequel. That also goes for any additional Percy Jackson illustrated editions. Will we ever see Leo Valdez again? It turns out we'll learn how Will identifies in The Sun and the Star. Is there a Magnus Chase adaptation in our future? Could Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities ever get an adaptation? Deep Dive: Chiron (00:30:30) There weren't many references to Chiron in Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes and Greek Gods. The Party Ponies are much closer to what actual centaurs are like. Chiron is pretty different because he doesn't share the same ancestry as the other centaurs. There are several different origin stories for centaurs, and all of them are…weird. Did you know some centaurs are horned!? Why does it always come back to Zeus and Hera? Poor Chiron didn't have a very nice childhood. How do you teach a horse gymnastics!? We find out what Chiron is REALLY supposed to look like. We get into the age-old debate of how centaurs would wear pants. Who are some of the heroes Chiron trained? Karen discovers a fun fact about Disney's Hercules! How did Chiron die? What was Chiron like in the Percy Jackson books? More importantly, what did he look like? Why wasn't he a white stallion in any of the visual adaptations of the books? Chiron has a couple of pretty interesting abilities. What are some Chiron-related fun facts from the series? Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian (00:47:39) This week, we're reading The Last Olympian chapter 16. Did this chapter make us emotional? Did we find it exciting? Is it believable that Annabeth was able to fly the helicopter? This part is going to be SO exciting in the show. If this is Rachel without any training and focus, imagine what's coming next! Do we sympathize with Percy about being mad that Rachel told him he's not the hero? Is it weird that Chiron really wasn't worried when Rachel showed up with some possible prophetic thoughts and dreams? We're up to Prophecy Count #31! And Demeter and Persephone definitely stole the show. How do we feel about Nico's arguments to get Hades to help the Olympians? Seriously, Hades needs some family therapy. Is Ethan purposefully trying to stall Kronos? Is he having regrets? Does Prometheus think he's smarter than Kronos? That drakon is very large. And very close. Percy's anger throughout The Last Olympian is totally valid. We're constantly impressed with how good of a leader and strategist Percy is. Why was Silena the one to lead the charge with the Ares Cabin? We really have to wait until next week to talk about what sort of impact this will have on the book and all these characters. Feedback (01:21:09) Jessica writes in to tell us she totally agrees with us on the concept of Western Civilization. Phoebe thinks Dionysus is afraid of the Party Ponies, and we find that visual totally hilarious. Thanks for listening, and tune in next time for episode 63, which will look back on everything that happened in 2022 and all that we accomplished! This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

Prophecy Radio episode #56 talks about the Lotus Hotel & Casino, and all of the references and Easter eggs we might see in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV show. The hosts tackle all the latest news in the Riordanverse, including the Crown of Wishes adaptation, the Freedom Fire imprint, and yet another blog post from Rick Riordan, as well as a reread and discussion of Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian chapter 10. This book is really heating up, and we're only halfway through! New episodes of Prophecy Radio air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:03:53) Read Riordan lets us know how we can win a wilderness survival competition with the Hunters of Artemis. Make sure you go follow Tehlor Kay Mejia on Instagram, as she is no longer on Twitter. Roshani Chokshi's A Crown of of Wishes is getting an adaptation on Disney+! It's pretty cool that the show's lead, Avantika, has ties to both Aryan Simhadri (Grover) and Charles Bushnell (Luke). This might even help pave the way for an Aru Shah adaptation! Kwame Mbalia gives everyone a pep talk for NaNoWriMo. Did you also hear the Kwame is heading up a new imprint for Disney Books, called Freedom Fire? Yeah, we're super excited about this. Lotus Hotel & Casino references and Easter eggs (00:12:04) Obviously a Nico and Bianca Easter egg is at the top of everyone's lists, but there's A LOT more Percy Jackson and the Olympians can do with this scene/episode. Obviously Karen's first choice is to put a Disney Hercules reference in the show somehow. Maybe the kids could be playing the Hercules Playstation game that came out way back in 1997? You can currently buy this game on Steam. Is anyone a fan? Kristen also had some ideas for what kind of Disney Easter eggs could end up in the show. We gotta get Finding Nemo or The Little Mermaid in there somehow. But what about Doctor Who!? That could actually make for a GREAT crossover/reference. And, of course, there's always Wreck-It-Ralph. Karen is definitely on board for the water theme—but she had an idea for what their rooms at the hotel could look like. Where would Grover and Annabeth stay? And how could we fit Oliver and Company into this world? We really couldn't pass up this opportunity to drop some movie references. Wouldn't it be cool if Logan Lerman or Alexandra Daddario showed up in the background as one of the adult characters in the hotel? It totally makes sense if the Lotus Hotel was hosting a convention that week! Really, though, Disney needs to hire us. We're so good at this. Poor Grover needs a Lotus Hotel & Casino redemption arc after what he went through in the movie. Some famous missing person HAS to show up at the hotel. It just makes so much sense! Book canon and show canon don't have to match exactly. Do we want the show to break the fourth wall at all? How cool would it be if this scene foreshadowed what would happen in Sea of Monsters aka Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2. How many classic videogames can they fit into this one scene!? What's more likely, a Kingdom Hearts or Dreamlight Valley reference? Just please, for the love of the gods, don't turn this into Ready Player One. Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian (00:38:37) This week, we're talking The Last Olympian chapter 10. Thank goodness Mrs. O'Leary didn't get put to sleep! Do we ever see the video shield again in the series? Where's the line between science and magic within this universe? What is Grover up to right now? Is he back at CBH? Should Annabeth have been the one to direct all the troops, considering she's a daughter of Athena? This is, like, a REAL war, you guys. Karen NEEDS that Death to Barbie t-shirt. Please give us a Thalia spinoff series!! Percy and Annabeth are such good people. How could you not love them!? These automatons are awesome and SCARY. The scene with the two rivers was pretty cool, but… Can someone please explain how the heck Percy knew what to do with the sand dollar? Percy's got a lot of baggage when it comes to the Minotaur, and we can't wait to see what happens next! Does it make sense that the demigods would be fighting for Olympus, specifically? Feedback (01:17:03) Shout-out to Phoebe for also thinking a Hercules reference would be perfect to see in the Lotus Hotel & Casino scenes. Thanks for listening, and tune in next time for episode 57, where we'll do a Deep Dive on Hermes (seriously, it's perfect timing). This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia joins Zibby to discuss Black Boy Joy, the #1 bestselling anthology he edited. Kwame shares where he was when he realized he wanted to gather a number of his friends and peers to compile a middle-grade compilation celebrating Black youth and happiness, and tells Zibby about how he takes his coffee. The two also talk about the first piece of short fiction each of them ever wrote, why short stories are harder to craft than novels, and how Kwame plans to find joy each day.Purchase on Amazon or Bookshop.Amazon: https://amzn.to/3CDRsZBBookshop: https://bit.ly/3AmZgMJSubscribe to Zibby's weekly newsletter here.Purchase Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books merch here. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's remembrances of some of the best episodes of the past year, we're highlighting fantasy's importance as a genre with guests Kwame Mbalia and Namina Forna. There's so much goodness packed in here—about process, about why we write, about inspirations, and some fabulous tips for staying the course even when you feel like you don't have the time. This isn't so much an episode about fantasy as it is about writing intentionally and infusing meaning into genre writing just as you would any writing you do.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we're spotlighting the Scholastic Summer Reading program. Authors Christina Soontornvat, Kwame Mbalia, Tracey West, and Lauren Tarshis join host Suzanne McCabe to introduce the books they will be sharing with young readers this summer. Lauren offers a sneak peek of her upcoming I Survived The Wellington Avalanche, 1910, which is due out in September. Later in the episode, Shane Garver, associate vice president of rural education at Save the Children, explains why now—especially now—is the perfect time for kids to grab a book and get lost in a reading adventure. Shane also discusses Save the Children's pivotal role in getting books into the hands of children in rural America through its partnership with Scholastic. Participants in the Scholastic Summer Reading program can be a part of that mission, helping to unlock a donation of 100,000 books with their reading minutes. The Summer Reading program will be available through August 19. Students can sign up for stories, games, author events, and other free resources on Home Base.

Welcome to Prophecy Radio, a Percy Jackson podcast dedicated to all of Rick Riordan's past, present, and future projects! Co-hosts Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz discuss the latest news in the Percy Jackson/Rick Riordan Presents fandom, then talk about the short story “Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot,” as well as start Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth with chapters 1 and 2. New episodes of Prophecy Radio air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:01:23) #LastOlympianWeek is officially over, and we are sad about it! Rick put up a blog on May 8, 2022 talking about his first week in the office. It must be so strange having a 9-5 job for the first time in 20 years! There are so many people making decisions about this show, creating something truly spectacular for us. Did you go back and reread “A God Buys us a Cheeseburgers”? The trio is getting along so well! And Walker is so funny. It's so awesome to hear Rick say the casting was 100% his choice. Rick also gives us a little history lesson when it comes to Athena's eye color. Poor Leah has been getting harassed, and it needs to stop. Becky talked about how we can't give space to hate speech and not to fan the flames of this hate we're seeing. She also talks about the intersectionality of racism and misogyny. And then Rick wrote his second blog post on May 10, 2022. If you're mad about the casting, take it up with Rick, not Leah. Even though Leah is confident, she shouldn't be seeing this. Rick doesn't pull any punches, saying this is blatant racism. It's been really wonderful seeing Rick grow as a writer and a person over the years, and being there to learn alongside him. We're so excited Rick gets an adaptation he'll be proud of. Alexandria Daddario is excited for the show and says Leah will be an incredible Annabeth. Remember to show your love with #LeahIsOurAnnabeth. Happy birthday, Kwame Mbalia! And happy 13th anniversary to The Last Olympian! “Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot” (00:25:45) You can read “Percy Jackson and the Stolen Chariot” here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 When does this story take place within the PJO timeline? What's the difference between Phobos and Deimos? We know Clarisse is a bully, but she's also kind of a badass. Have you ever visited Ares' temple in New York? Ares is the absolute worst. Percy, on the other hand, is the absolute best. And Phobos was shaking in his boots when he meets our little demigod hero. Sea serpents are just big babies. The Mist is really working overtime in this story. Can mortal children see through the Mist easier? We learn Percy's worst fear thanks to Phobos. Do we meet Phobos again in the future? We also find out Clarisse's worst fear, and there's a nice moment between her and Percy here. We get a little emotional about Clarisse and Percy being friends. Percy's powers are growing, and it's awesome to see. Chapter Reviews (00:47:28) We're so excited to be starting on a new book! Let's begin with Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth chapter 1. Kristen is full of jokes today. Percy is totally NOT going on a date with Annabeth. And he has another run-in with the Notorious R.E.D. How is Rachel Elizabeth Dare not totally crazy after everything she's seen? Did Percy make the right call by telling Rachel that the Greek myths are real? Did the empousai really inspire the myth of the vampire? Poor Percy is not starting off this year on the right foot. Rachel seems to be a pretty good friend, even if they did JUST meet. Onto Battle of the Labyrinth chapter 2! What are Annabeth and Clarisse up to?? Who the heck is Quintus??? We really just want to talk about Mrs. O'Leary. What's with this Master Chiron business? We also forgot Juniper was introduced this early!! It's going to be so satisfying when Grover proves the Council of Cloven Elders wrong! Why won't Annabeth explain ANYTHING? It's so STRESSFUL. Tyson is such a delight and contains multitudes. Nico is burning his mythomagic cards to stay warm. :(((( He's already changed so much since Titan's Curse! How long has Nico been able to talk to ghosts? Is the ghost keeping Bianca away, or is there another reason why Nico can't talk to her? Who sent this Iris message!? Not to mention…who is this ghost whispering in Nico's ears!? Why is the fact that the she-demons are stirring such a big deal?? We've got some merch ideas for Disney+. Feedback (01:25:24) Caoimhe wrote in to give us her thoughts on Annabeth. Don't worry, we'll definitely get to the other gods, like Athena and Aprhodite, soon! Which app is better for news and which is better for artwork? We also announce which series we'll be tackling once we're done with Percy Jackson and the Olympians! Also thanks to Rachel for reminding Karen about the What If…? episode for Titan's Curse. And we welcome Ian to the Prophecy Radio family! Thanks for listening, and tune in next time for episode 33, in which we'll talk about Ballad & Dagger and have a chat with Daniel José Older! This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

Welcome to Prophecy Radio, a Percy Jackson podcast dedicated to all of Rick Riordan's past, present, and future projects! Co-hosts Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz discuss the latest news in the Percy Jackson/Rick Riordan Presents fandom, then talk about the dreaded Sea of Monsters movie, as well as kick off their Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse reread with chapters 1 and 2. New episodes of Prophecy Radio will air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:01:39) We've got a huge episode in front of us, so let's get into it! Sarwat Chadda is still working on City of the Plague Gods 2, but we're a little confused about the title. Kwame Mbalia and Roseanne A. Brown talk about what Black History Month means to them. If only our days in the office looked like Rick's. Tehlor Kay Mejia is writing her bi disaster adult debut, and we are very excited. Don't forget to check out Karen's Reclaim the Stars book review. Ashlee Latimer is giving away a copy of her new picture book! We're surprised that Rick already has a new blog post up, but we're excited to get into it! There is no typical work day for Rick, which sounds awesome and stressful. We talk a bit about all the script edits they're currently working on. The Solangelo book is going to be LONG, and we're here for it. We get an interesting insight into how they start to break an episode. Apparently, Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ will be eight episodes long. Rick also broke his toe, and we hope he feels better soon! Writing is never really done, it's just due. We can't imagine how many submission tapes they're going through—but it's a lot. Soon, we're going to talk about our dream cast for the adult roles in the show. How long do we think the filming for this show will take? Rick wrote Goodreads reviews for Ballad & Dagger and Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting. Becky does a lot, too! We see you, Becky. Thank you. Sea of Monsters movie (00:32:06) Did we like the Sea of Monsters movie better than the Lightning Thief movie? It was nice to see Thalia turning into the tree, but that opening was so dark. Let's meet all the new Sea of Monsters characters. Clarisse was pretty great, but we hope TV!Clarisse is a little stockier. We really missed the chariot races. Is there anyone who doesn't love Stanley Tucci? We kind of didn't mind that someone else is playing Chiron in this movie. The tone was definitely better in this movie. But how did we feel about Tyson? Have you ever thought about how a cyclops would wear sunglasses? And the whole barrier situation doesn't really work in the movie. The Colchis Bull fight had its highs and lows. We're still disappointed about Grover's storylines in these movies. Was it weird that Mr. D took over part of Tantalus' plot in the movie? How did we feel about the oracle? Kronos' aesthetic was…a choice. Nathan Fillion was truly an inspired choice for Hermes. Did Annabeth maim Thalia? Can the show create as good a Rainbow as the movie??? Did the filmmakers not know how to pronounce Riordan? Who doesn't love Ron Perlman as Hellboy?? Tyson's death in the movie was so pointless. Ugh, this was not our Annabeth. Not at all. The battle at the end with Kronos was so unnecessary. Does anyone here watch Station 19? Did we like Thalia at the end of the movie? How do we feel about the Percy voiceover? We are officially done with the movies! Chapter Reviews (01:24:06) Let's get into Titan's Curse chapter 1! Does this chapter start rather abruptly? We were shocked to learn Nico and Bianca were introduced so early! Controlling the Mist is a pretty big deal. We love book!Annabeth so much. The Ground Zero reference was effective. Dancing is hard. Time for Titan's Curse chapter 2! Shout-out to Onward for teaching us what a manticore is. We need a Rules for the Empathy Link pamphlet. The Hunters of Artemis definitely have great posture. We really wanted to reach the next chapter after that ending! Do your homework! And read lots of MG and YA books. Thanks for listening, and be sure to tune in next time for episode 23, where we'll do another What If…? episode centered around Sea of Monsters. This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

Carol Roberts, Young People's Service Librarian at Troy Public Library, is talking about books for Black History Month and more with Brea Barthel. Books discussed include "Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood" by Kwame Mbalia, ed. (2021); "Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You (For Young Adults)" by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi (2020); "Stamped (for Kids)" by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi, adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul (2021); "The 1619 Project: Born on the Water" by Nikole Hannah-Jones & Renee Watson (2021); "Empowered Black Girl:Joyful Affirmations and Words of Resilience" by M. J. Fievre, ed. (2021); and "Hunt, Gather, Parent" by Michaeleen Doucleff, PhD. (2021). Also hear about library activities this month. For more info, see thetroylibrary.org. And for other libraries in Albany & Rensselaer Counties, see www.uhls.org.

In this episode, Anika talks about flat and round characters, how to write them, and the difference between them. She also does a a book talk on a Rick Riordan Presents Book called 'The Cursed Carnival and other Calamities' written by many authors from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, which include, Carlos Hernandez, Roshani Chokshi, J.C. Cervantes, Yoon Ha Lee, Kwame Mbalia, Rebecca Roanhorse, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Sarwat Chadda, Graci Kim, as well as Rick Riordan himself. Stay tuned for new episodes every Sunday --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/anika674/message

The Rick Riordan Presents imprint of books presents the final book in the New York Times best-selling Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbalia. After reuniting with Ayanna, who is now in his world, Tristan travels up the Mississippi in pursuit of his archenemy, King Cotton. Along the way they encounter new haints who are dead set on preventing their progress north to Tristan's hometown of Chicago. It's going to take many Alkean friends, including the gods themselves, the black flames of the afokena gloves, and all of Tristan's inner strength to deliver justice once and for all. Shocking twists, glorious triumphs, and a cast of unforgettable characters make this series conclusion as satisfying as it is entertaining.

The Rick Riordan Presents imprint of books presents the final book in the New York Times best-selling Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbalia. After reuniting with Ayanna, who is now in his world, Tristan travels up the Mississippi in pursuit of his archenemy, King Cotton. Along the way they encounter new haints who are dead set on preventing their progress north to Tristan's hometown of Chicago. It's going to take many Alkean friends, including the gods themselves, the black flames of the afokena gloves, and all of Tristan's inner strength to deliver justice once and for all. Shocking twists, glorious triumphs, and a cast of unforgettable characters make this series conclusion as satisfying as it is entertaining.

The Rick Riordan Presents imprint of books presents the final book in the New York Times best-selling Tristan Strong trilogy by Kwame Mbalia. After reuniting with Ayanna, who is now in his world, Tristan travels up the Mississippi in pursuit of his archenemy, King Cotton. Along the way they encounter new haints who are dead set on preventing their progress north to Tristan's hometown of Chicago. It's going to take many Alkean friends, including the gods themselves, the black flames of the afokena gloves, and all of Tristan's inner strength to deliver justice once and for all. Shocking twists, glorious triumphs, and a cast of unforgettable characters make this series conclusion as satisfying as it is entertaining.

Narrator Amir Abdullah joins AudioFile's Michele Cobb to talk about BLACK BOY JOY, edited by Kwame Mbalia and written by 17 Black male and non-binary authors. BLACK BOY JOY is one of AudioFile's 2021 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks, and it's a lively celebration of the power of joy in Black boys' lives. Amir, who co-narrated the audiobook with Taj Leahy, tells Michele the fun of narrating audiobooks for kids and families and the special preparation that went into voicing so many characters and a variety of stories from incredible authors. The narrator's engaging delivery of genres ranging from realistic fiction to poetry to sci-fi and fantasy will appeal to many middle-grade and YA listeners. Read AudioFile's full review of BLACK BOY JOY on our website. Published by Listening Library. 2021 Best Children & Family Listening Audiobooks: ALWAYS by Morris Gleitzman, read by Morris Gleitzman BLACK BOY JOY by Kwame Mbalia [Ed.], read by Amir Abdullah, Taj Leahy KALEIDOSCOPE by Brian Selznick, read by Gwendoline Christie, Brian Selznick [Note] STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME by Jason Reynolds, read by Guy Lockard, Nile Bullock, Angel Pean, James Fouhey, Soneela Nankani, Leon Nixon, Chanté McCormick, Lamarr Gulley, DePre Owens THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle, read by Kevin R. Free, Eric Carle WE ARE STILL HERE! by Traci Sorell, read by Garrett Abel, Jacob Cummings, Mary Kay Henderson, Lauren Hummingbird, Don McClellan, Ella Mounce, Kaitlyn Pinkerton, Isobel Shults, Oliver Shults, Carlos Sorell, Tonia Hogner-Weavel, Traci Sorell For the full list of 2021 Best Audiobooks, visit: audiofilemagazine.com Today's episode of Behind the Mic is brought to you by Oasis Audio, publisher of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Best Audiobook, Chasing Vines, find your way to an immensely fruitful life. Amir Abdullah photo by Patrick Maus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guests are NY Times Best-Selling author Kwame Mbalia chats about his new book TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING, which is the finale book in a trilogy series. Second guests is filmmaker Luke Benward, who will discuss his latest film short BOYS. The indie movie has been racking up plenty of awards on the film festival circuit and is in contention for consideration to receive an Oscar nomination next year.     

Book talk about Tristan Strong Punches A Hole In The Sky by Kwame Mbalia, Cole L

Welcome to Prophecy Radio, a Percy Jackson podcast dedicated to all of Rick Riordan's past, present, and future projects! Co-hosts Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz talk about what's new in the Percy Jackson fandom, discuss all the books the Rick Riordan Presents authors have written outside of the Disney imprint, and analyze chapters 13 and 14 of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. New episodes of Prophecy Radio will air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:01:07) This might be the longest doc we've had so far. First and foremost, we have news from Rick's blog! There's no current plan for a Daughter of the Deep sequel, but never say never! The Lords of Night: A Shadow Bruja Novel and Serwa Boateng's Guide of Vampire Hunting have official release dates and synopses. We have an official update on where in the process the Nico di Angelo book currently is. The book is at 117,000 words. How many pages is that? We're probably not getting anymore Percy Jackson television show news until 2022. That includes no news for Disney+ Day. BUT we know Becky and Rick have reviewed some casting callback tapes. Read Riordan has spotlights on Nelinha, Ester, and Gemini. The Last Fallen Star is officially in New Zealand! You can sing to the karaoke version of The Lightning Thief Musical! (Edit: Apparently this is from 2019, and we had no idea!) “Forget Horse Girls, Embrace the Mythology Freak” by Jenny G. Zhang (here's the tweet) Sorry, Frank. Why did we like mythology so much, and what do all the mythology freaks have in common? (Say hi to Callie!) Rick Riordan Presents authors' other series (00:18:47) We're really excited about all the books, novellas, anthologies, and short stories these authors have written. But fair warning: There are A LOT. Anthologies have really made a resurgence lately, and we're into it. Up first is Roshani Chokshi, who wrote the Pandava Quintet/Aru Shah books! She's got some other stories here about Hindu mythology that might be for older audiences. And one of her books definitely gives Six of Crows vibes, if you're into that! Next up is J.C. Cervantes! Look, sometimes words are hard. Karen just wants to keep Kristen on her toes. Yoon Ha Lee, who wrote Dragon Pearl, is a very prolific writer. There's a lot of sci-fi here, and some really cool concepts. Kristen gets her mind blown, repeatedly. Festus, is that you? Thank the gods for Wikipedia. Next on our happy hit parade is Carlos Hernandez, who wrote Sal & Gabi. Karen learned a fun fact about him, and she is very excited. Short stories can get W E I R D. Kwame Mbalia wrote the Tristan Strong series, as well as some other cool books. Black Boy Joy seems like a really important book to have right now. You might as well just assume almost everyone has written short stories. Tehlor Kay Mejia wrote the Paola Santiago series, and she's up next. She's got some great titles. If you liked Dumplin', then you might like Miss Meteor. Forests are so cool and creepy. Karen gets a book idea in the middle of recording. Graci Kim wrote the Gifted Clan series, and Karen has a quick aside about the last book in the series. She hasn't written any other books, but we have some fun facts to share about her! Who knew running away to the circus was so common? Rebecca Roanhorse wrote Race to the Sun, and a lot more!. You should watch Love and Monsters. And then go read Roar by Cora Carmack. We love a good title. And a good name. How do we feel about historical fiction? Here's LeVar Burton reading “Wherein Abigail…,” “Takeback Tango,” and “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience ™.” Sarwat Chadda wrote City of the Plague God, as well as some other interesting books! Have you seen A Little Princess? Shoutout to Animorphs! More short stories! More anthologies! Next up is Lori M. Lee, who wrote Pahua and the Soul Stealer. She's a busy lady, but she does plan to finish her Gates of Thread and Stone series. See? Forests are creepy! Yeah, you should definitely read A Thousand Beginnings and Endings. Roseanne A. Brown wrote Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting, which we are very excited about. She also just finished up her duology in her A Song of Wraiths and Ruin series. They have some incredibly stunning covers. It's so cool that so many of these authors have written for Marvel and Star Wars, too. Daniel José Older wrote Ballad & Dagger, which definitely has some shared threads with one of his other series. If you're looking for an adult series, look no further than Bone Street Rumba! Daniel has written *all* kinds of books. Well-behaved spirits are super lame. Who else loves Waterworld?? Stacey Lee will be writing Winston Chu Versus the Whimsies, and Karen's definitely heard of her books before. Bridgerton might be a little spicy for our younger listeners. Historical fiction about non-white stories are always interesting reads. Everyone is running away to the circus! Karen brings the whole podcast down. Lastly, we've got Tracey Baptiste, who will be writing Moko Magic. Lots of jumbies here! Let's throw in some Minecraft, shall we? More jumbies! Plus, some non-fiction! We did it! We made it! We hope you found your next read. If you've read any of these, let us know which ones we should start with! Chapter Reviews (01:19:21) Let's talk about The Lightning Thief chapters 13 and 14. Grover sleeps a lot. Thank the gods for Annabeth. That chimera? No, thank you. Ohio reference! Karen breaks Kristen. It's always interesting when the female goddesses give birth to the demigods. Annabeth's childhood sounds rough, and it's so sad. But we can't wait to see her relationship with her father improve. Percy doesn't want to be enemies! What, exactly, is Poseidon's domain? Prophecy Count: 4 Percy can see through the Mist a lot better now. The dark is very scary. Percy really needed to take this moment to reflect on everything that's happening to him. Who was the woman in the water? How did that lady see through the Mist? But, seriously, how exactly does the Mist work? How has Percy never noticed he can breathe underwater? Thanks for listening, and be sure to tune in next week for episode 8, which will discuss some Daughter of the Deep spoilers. This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

Retelling stories—family tales, myths, fairytales, and stories of all sorts—is always an act of creation because of what you, the author, bring to the telling. In this week's fun interview, guest Kwame Mbalia speaks to inspiration, living with your characters, who he's inspired by, and why he's doing NaNoWriMo for the fifth year in a row. Don't miss it—and we're cheering you along if you're writing every day this November. You got this!

On this episode, I am joined by globally known New York Times bestselling youth author and Coretta Scott King Author Honor award winner Kwame Mbalia. I had the pleasure of talking to Tristan Strong in 2020 about book 2 in his Rick Riordan series. He returns to our show again to discuss the final book in the trilogy, ' Tristan Strong Keeps Punching,' which addresses emotional health issues that youth may experience such as conquering certain fears, anxiety, anger management, and more. Please #subscribe and rate our show!

Welcome to Prophecy Radio, a Percy Jackson podcast dedicated to all of Rick Riordan's past, present, and future projects! Co-hosts Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz share the latest news and updates from the Percy Jackson universe, discuss everything they know and want from the Nico di Angelo standalone novel co-written by Mark Oshiro, and analyze chapters 9 and 10 of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. New episodes of Prophecy Radio will air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates (00:01:33) Kwame Mbalia loves writing kidlit. Fathoms Deep, a Black Sails podcast, did an episode on mythology. Nico di Angelo standalone novel (00:05:31) Karen wrote an article about the Nico di Angelo book and how it could expand the Percy Jackson universe in a unique way. Who's Mark Oshiro? They've written a lot of books, short stories, and non-fiction. We've definitely heard of Anger Is a Gift. Mark is a massive PJO/Nico fan, so this book is in excellent hands. We read through Mark's reaction to the news. If you sign up for Mark's Patreon, you may get some cool bonus material. And don't forget about his Instagram! And don't worry, they're gonna give the gays everything they want. Let's talk about the process and how writing this book is gonna work. We know an approximate date for the book's release, but there's no title yet. Let's talk about Tower of Nero and what it could tell us about what's to come. Hearing voices is never a good sign. Do you remember Iapetus, aka Bob? Karen has a lot of emotions about House of Hades and Bob (and Small Bob!). “I don't like it when people are overlooked.” NICO, YOU SWEET, SWEET BOY. But Percy and Annabeth got to go to Tartarus, why can't I?? *foot stomp* How convenient we weren't able to hear the prophecy. Are they EVER good news? If you're worried about Rick co-writing a book…don't be!! We love #OwnVoices stories. Look, Rick has A LOT on his plate. Maybe we can get more book with other co-writers? Do you think we'll ever get a PJO story a la Lower Decks from Star Trek? What if there are crossover stories between the Percy Jackson universe and the Rick Riordan Presents books? Just IMAGINE the possibilities. Chapter Reviews (00:52:29) Kristen leads us through chapters 9 and 10 of The Lightning Thief. Karen recalls Trevor Noah's Born a Crime and feels sad for Percy. Does Percy have a different sensitivity to spirits than other people? Who knows, but that mummy is CREEPY. We make sure we have the full prophecy text here. (Prophecy Count: 3) Why did the Oracle choose Smelly Gabe and his friends? What are the odds Percy would get a quest that sends him exactly where he wants to go? We get an answer to one of our previous questions. Rick has always had a thing against Hollywood and Los Angeles, hasn't he? Ah, Wise Girl. How awesome is Riptide? MVP, to be honest. If Gabe is repulsively human, what does that say about mankind?? Why did Mrs. Dodds reanimate so quickly? We want some magical gifts! Shoutout to Hillary Duff. Thanks for listening, and be sure to tune in next week for episode 6, which will explore ideas for other standalone novels based on our favorite characters. This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

Welcome to Prophecy Radio, a Percy Jackson podcast dedicated to all of Rick Riordan's past, present, and future projects! Co-hosts Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz do a take two on this episode, updating you on the latest news (including that big Nico di Angelo reveal), discuss Rick Riordan Presents and all the amazing series and authors that go along with it, and analyze chapters five and six of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. New episodes of Prophecy Radio will air weekly, and all ages are welcome to tune in. News and Updates Karen sort of maybe kind of possibly lost the first version of this episode. The Tristan Strong Keeps Punching paperback is available now! BE WARNED: Due to COVID-related printing delays, you'll want to order your books for the holidays ASAP. Daughter of the Deep‘s U.S. release date is Oct. 26. Please don't share any spoilers! Subjectify will have a spoiler-free review up on that date. Have you met King Cotton yet? All the Cursed Carnival authors are now all NYT bestsellers! We attended the Daughter of the Deep virtual event. Have YOU read Mysterious Island? Robert Ballard is SO. COOL. And definitely a son of Poseidon Octopuses are a little creepy. Cool. But creepy. Daughter of the Deep has been optioned for a Disney+ feature film! *Insert firework sounds* We'll probably get more background information from the Percy Jackson show than we got from the books. We're gonna keep talking about Teen Wolf. Sorry not sorry. We're still trying to be patient about casting. The Percy Jackson world lends itself to animation, and we stand by that. But The Kane Chronicles is definitely a live-action film. Yes, we heard about the Nico di Angelo news. We know a little bit about the process behind this co-writing venture. Mark Oshiro seems super cool. The year 2023 is going to be JAM-PACKED. Rick is working on something related to Irish mythology, but we don't have much information yet. Rick Riordan Presents Did you notice Karen got a new mic!? Rick Riordan Presents is a beast of an imprint, and we love it so much. #NotAPhase Let's jump into the books from this imprint that Karen HAS read. The Pandava Quintet by Roshani Chokshi is definitely a favorite. Have you listened to Prophecy Radio episode 2, where we talk about Cursed Carnival? Paola Santiago gets to explore such a spooky and cool world. Beware cliffhangers! Graci Kim is cool and she loves food and Karen loves food and you should read The Last Fallen Star. Witches! Magic! Baked goods! Dragon Pearl is getting a sequel! Karen got an ARC of Tiger Honor and did a little dance. Kristen explains what the heck an ARC is. We have a soft spot for fox spirits. Karen has read The Storm Runner and totally meant to keep reading the series, but life got in the way. This series is also getting a spinoff duology! Zane's destiny is kind of a buzzkill. It pains Karen every. single. day. that she hasn't finished the Sal and Gabi series. Sometimes staying up to date on all these books is hard. P.S. Let us know how you want us to handle talking about the individual series in the future! Tristan Strong by Kwame Mbalia has super powerful titles and awesome covers! Long live Gum Baby! Rebecca Roanhorse's standalone Race to the Sun might be a good one to start with. It discusses some really topical issues and would be important for kids to read. We're obsessed with the title of Rise of the Chaos Goddess. Sarwat Chadda seems like a hilarious guy. Which one will Kristen read first!? The premise for Pahua and the Soul Stealer sounds so cool. Kristen has heard of the Hmong people before thanks to the Olympics! Foreshadowing: We mention our cat. Please make Karen's dreams come true. Let's talk about the RRP books that aren't out yet! In Serwa Boatang's Guide to Vampire Hunting, pronunciation of Serwa's name is literally a plot point. Not the fireflies! It's giving us very much Teen Wolf vibes. Very much Buffy. Daniel Jose Older sounds like he's lived such an interesting life. Finally a young adult novel!! *whispers diabolically* Enemies to lovers! We just want magic to be real. The Whimsies sounds so fun and mischievous. So many of these books are set in NYC. Don't forget the Moko Magic! Chapter Reviews This week we're discussing chapters 5 and 6 of The Lightning Thief. Karen was not expecting to have so many feelings about Mr. D. The nectar sounds amazing and terrible at the same time. Chapter 5 blows this whole world wide open. More Annabeth, please! Percy is so dramatic sometimes. Kristen is getting Big Brother vibes from chapter 6. Finally, Camp Half-Blood in the flesh. Who DOESN'T like to show off in the bathroom once in a while? Chiron is giving us Dumbledore vibes, and we don't love it. Did Chiron know Percy was Poseidon's son? We now know Grover's official age! Percy has so much left to learn. A surprise visitor drops by! Technically, Chiron didn't lie about the attic. Karen loves the explanation of monster archetypes. We got our first listener feedback! Thanks for listening, and be sure to tune in next week for episode 4, which will include a spoiler-free review of Daughter of the Deep in more detail. This episode's hosts are: Karen Rought and Kristen Kranz. Each episode, our Prophecy Radio hosts and their guests will keep you up to date on the latest information coming out of Camp Half-Blood, including upcoming books and adaptation news, discuss a topic of choice, and do a chapter by chapter reread of the Percy Jackson series. Follow Us: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Tumblr Listen and Subscribe: Audioboom // Apple // Spotify Feel free to leave us your questions or comments through any of these mediums! You can also email us at prophecyradiopodcast@gmail.com or visit our homepage for archives and more information about our show. Prophecy Radio is a Subjectify Media podcast production. Visit Subjectify Media for more shows, including Not Another Teen Wolf Podcast, ReWatchable, and Not About The Weather, and for all our latest articles about the stories we're passionate about.

In addition to writing books for middle grades and young adult audiences, Jay is a composer with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and a professional musician living in Muncie, Indiana.I'd like to issue a Content Warning for my listeners: This episode was recorded on April 16, 2021, on the heels of gun violence in Indianapolis and includes a discussion of gun violence and police violence against Black and Brown bodies.In this episode, we cover several key topics including:- Making time and space for healing- How to navigate what to share and post on social media- How the publishing industry monetizes Black pain- Writing fiction that reflects the real world and celebrates Black joyAnd lots more! So sit back and enjoy! You can order Things We Couldn't Say wherever books are sold and you can connect with Jay through his website and social media:Connect with Jay Coleshttps://www.jaycoleswrites.com/ https://twitter.com/mrjaycoleshttps://www.instagram.com/mrjaycolesResources Mentioned in this EpisodeBall State UniversityBlack Boy Joy edited by Kwame Mbalia, includes a story by Jay ColesThe House on Mango Street by Sandra CisnerosThe Hate U Give by Angie ThomasBlackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola YoonJoy Revolution Books

Jay and Captain Keith discuss the state of black cinema. We also talk the upcoming new projects by the acclaimed author Octavia Butler. The artwork is from: The Tristan Strong Series by Kwame Mbalia. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/moviebenchquarterbacking/message

If you're looking for a great read to share with your middle-grade grandchildren look no further! Kwame Mbalia, creator of the much-loved Triston Strong series, has just published his latest book. It's called Tristan Strong Keeps Punching and is the final book in the bestselling trilogy. The first book in the series received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor award. And Kirkus Reviews calls this latest volume “a satisfying finale.” So the author has much to be proud of and many credits to his name. Kwame joins us to share all about this latest addition to his series and how his books celebrate African American folktales, adventure and plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning pages with anticipation!

If you're looking for a great read to share with your middle-grade grandchildren look no further! Kwame Mbalia, creator of the much-loved Triston Strong series, has just published his latest book. It's called Triston Strong Keeps Punching and is the final book in the bestselling trilogy. The first book in the series received the Coretta Scott King Author Honor award. And Kirkus Reviews calls this latest volume “a satisfying finale.” So the author has much to be proud of and many credits to his name. Kwame joins us to share all about this latest addition to his series and how his books celebrate African American folktales, adventure and plenty of twists and turns to keep you turning pages with anticipation!

I met librarian Lauren Regenhardt when I participated in my local “Book Connect” program, and I was thrilled to get a chance to ask so many questions without getting shushed! The Children/YA Librarian told me about how she abandoned her first career for the library and the different types of libraries for different industries. Or, as she puts it, “Libraries in unsuspecting places.” We also talked about why she specializes in Children's/YA books, how a book can ease anxiety and depression, and the delicious perfection of Casey McQuiston's hilarious, sexy, and sweet romance, “Red, White & Royal Blue.” Support the Best Book Ever Podcast on Patreon Follow the Best Book Ever Podcast on Instagram or on the Best Book Ever Website   Host: Julie Strauss Website/Instagram   Guest: Lauren Regenhardt Podcast/Twitter/Instagram   Do you know a young person who'd like to appear on the 2nd Annual Kids/YA Gift Guide Episode? GO HERE!   Discussed in this episode:   The Mission Viejo Library Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston The Baby Sitters Club Series by Ann M. Martin The Baby Sitters Little Sisters Series by Ann. M. Martin The Dog Man Series by Dav Pilkey Lauren uses NoveList to find readalikes – check to see if your local library offers this service, and if not, you can go directly to the NoveList site to request it. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner Fresh off the Boat by Eddie Huang A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Long Call by Ann Cleves A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston The Selection Series by Kiera Cass Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (great news! This is part of a 3-book series!) Damaged Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie (this is the first in the 10-book “Like Us” series; the books can be read in any order.) The Failed Audition: Book 1 in A Circus is Family Series by Becca and Christy Ritchie Libra by Don Delillo   Discussed in our Patreon Exclusive Clip:   Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Book 1 of the the Lightning Thief Series) by Rick Riordan Rick Riordan Presents This is a series of middle grade books centering on mythology from around the world. Lauren particularly called out these two: Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia   (Note: Some of the above links are affiliate links, meaning I get a few bucks off your purchase at no extra expense to you. Anytime you shop for books, you can use my affiliate link on Bookshop, which also supports Indie Bookstores around the country. If you're shopping for everything else – clothes, office supplies, gluten-free pasta, couches – you can use my affiliate link for Amazon. Thank you for helping to keep the Best Book Ever Podcast in business!)

ABOUT THE BOOK (BLACK BOY JOY): Celebrate the joys of Black boyhood with stories from seventeen bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors--including Jason Reynolds (the Track series), Jerry Craft (New Kid), and Kwame Mbalia (the Tristan Strong series). !

Before we get into this week's interview, Jeff reviews the audiobook of "How to Be Remy Cameron," as well as the new anthology "Black Boy Joy," edited by Kwame Mbalia. We are super excited this week to welcome Silas Whitaker, a new audiobook narrator who already has a few titles out for young adult and gay romance fans. Author Julian Winters joins us as well to tell the story of how Silas came to narrate "How to be Remy Cameron." We get the scoop on how Silas recorded his first book, managed the large cast of characters, and what his favorite scene was. We also talk about the books Silas has recorded in the gay romance genre. In addition, Julian discusses his short story in the "Black Boy Joy" anthology. Complete shownotes for episode 333 along with a transcript of the show are at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. Big Gay Fiction Podcast is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find many more outstanding podcasts at frolic.media/podcasts!

We love B.B. Alston and his Supernatural Investigation series—his debut novel for Middle Readers, Amari and the Night Brothers, is the Overall Winner of the Barnes & Noble Children's and YA Book Awards—and the second book in the series is due in 2022. B.B. joins us on the show to talk about writing for children (and how to bring reluctant readers around to the sheer joy of books and reading); the writers who made him want to be a reader (and a writer); and more. Featured books: Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern, and Black Boy Joy, edited by Kwame Mbalia. Produced/hosted by Miwa Messer and sound mix by Emily Hiott.  Follow us here for new episodes Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Author and editor Kwame Mbalia brings an outstanding ensemble of Black male and non-binary writiters together in a captivating audio anthology. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly discuss the fun of listening to narrators Amir Abdullah and Taj Leahy bringing these stories to life. Every author's contribution--whether funny, sad, scary, or hopeful--confirms that “joy is at the center of everything.” There are stories of choosing the perfect first day of school outfit, perfecting dance moves, first crushes, loving families--and more than one jet-pack-fueled adventure. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Listening Library. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUDIO, dedicated to producing top-quality fiction and nonfiction audiobooks written and read by the best in the business. Visit penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/audiofile now to start listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://forthenovellovers.wordpress.com/2021/08/08/black-boy-joy-by-kwame-mbalia/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Join the National Writing Project's The Write Time with Kwame Mbalia, editor of Black Boy Joy, two additional contributors Varian Johnson and Julian Randall, and Washington, DC area teacher, Cosby Hunt. Black Boy Joy, released on August 3, is a book that celebrates the excellence of young Black males, their happiness, their voices, and their stories. We are excited to discuss the project with them on this episode.

Join the National Writing Project's The Write Time with Kwame Mbalia, editor of Black Boy Joy, two additional contributors Varian Johnson and Julian Randall, and Washington, DC area teacher, Cosby Hunt. Black Boy Joy, released on August 3, is a book that celebrates the excellence of young Black males, their happiness, their voices, and their stories. We are excited to discuss the project with them on this episode.

For the 25th anniversary of I Shot Andy Warhol, Canadian filmmaker Mary Harron talks about the film's legacy, Andy Warhol's life and work, and her personal fascination with Valerie Solanas — the woman who shot Warhol in 1968. Author and editor Kwame Mbalia discusses his inspiring new book Black Boy Joy, an anthology of 17 stories that celebrate Black boyhood, written by acclaimed Black male and non-binary contributors. Actor and comedian Louie Anderson reflects on his role in the Zach Galifianakis comedy-drama series Baskets, and reveals the role his own family plays in helping him develop his comedic material. Toronto singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman of The Weather Station talks about her new album, Ignorance, which sees her grapple with climate grief over the destruction of our environment.

Becca and Gary are back and it's a new month, which means we once again have a huge number of new titles and new events to get into! .Events this week: Tuesday, August 3rd: Dan Hornsby, in conversation with Jared Bartman  Wednesday, August 4th: Dianne Freeman, in conversation with Erica Ruth Neubauer  Thursday, August 5th: Suzanne Park, in conversation with Christina Lauren  Friday, August 6th: Greg van Eekhout, in conversation with Jenn Reese  Sunday, August 8th: Romance Book Club (You Had Me At Hola)  Monday, August 9th: Peter V. Brett, in conversation with Robin Hobb    New this week: So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park  The Desert Prince by Peter V. Brett  Blind Tiger by Sandra Brown  Class Act by Stuart Woods  Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson  Where the Truth Lies by Anna Bailey  Afterparties: Stories by Anthony Veasna So  Starlight Enclave by R.A. Salvatore  The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams  Shallow Waters by Anita Kopacz  The Quiet Zone by Stephen Kurczy  The Viking Heart by Arthur Herman  Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka  Holdout by Jeffrey Kluger  Billy Summers by Stephen King  Dark Roads by Chevy Stevens  Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots by Pearl Low, based on the novel by Marcia Thornton Jones and Debbie Dadey  Being Clem by Lesa Cline-Ransome  Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia  Dark Waters by Katherine Arden  The Dead and the Dark by Courtney Gould  Dead Wednesday by Jerry Spinelli  J.R.R. Tolkien for Kids by Simonetta Carr  Larry Gets Lost in the Library by Eric Ode, illustrated by John Skewes  A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee  Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin  Stowaway by John David Anderson  Sugar Town Queens by Malla Nunn  The Woods Are Always Watching by Stephanie Perkins    You can now find us on Patreon! Unlock exclusive content by subscribing today! Special thanks to Austin Farmer for letting us use the track "Kill the Farm Boy", from his album Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra!  Send us your questions to mystgalaxypod@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,  YouTube, and TikTok!  And support the store by ordering books at mystgalaxy.com!

The impacts of action figures, 80s cartoons, and unstructured play. BFAP theme music is by Gedun Download Brothers From Another Planet episodes on Apple Podcasts Download Brothers From Another Planet episodes on Stitcher Download Brothers From Another Planet episodes on Spotify Relevant Links Pre-order Black Boy Joy, edited by Kwame Mbalia, featuring a story by […]

Welcome to Nutmeg Book Drops: Middle School Edition, a podcast produced by Librarians ConneCT. Librarians ConneCT is a group of public and school librarians from throughout the state of Connecticut. Each week, we'll discuss two of the 2022 Intermediate Nutmeg Nominees, perfect for readers in grades 7-8. If you want to learn more about the books being discussed, listen to the first few minutes of the podcast for a preview. When we get to our spoiler discussion, just pause the episode and head to your local library to pick up a copy of the books. Rejoin us when you're finished to hear our thoughts. We'd love to hear from you! Email us at librariansconnect@gmail.com or find us online at bit.ly/librariansconnect. This episode features a discussion of Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs and published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers and Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia and published by Rick Riordan Presents. Please note that all ideas and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual presenting them and in no way reflect upon our libraries or Librarians ConneCT. This podcast is not sponsored by or affiliated with any specific library, author, publisher, or other entity.

Excited to have best-selling author Kwame Mbalia as we talk about fiction addict, the 3rd Tristan Strong book, and his newest release, LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR. Episode Mentions: * Bookshop.org Episode Page* Rick Riordan* Prince Yoel Makonnen* Justin A. Reynolds' episodes (117) (199)* Lamar Giles' episodes (13) (163)* Tracy Deonn's episode 197* Angeline Boulley's episode 221

Excited to have best-selling author Kwame Mbalia as we talk about fiction addict, the 3rd Tristan Strong book, and his newest release, LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR. Episode Mentions: Bookshop.org Episode PageRick RiordanPrince Yoel MakonnenJustin A. Reynolds' episodes (117) (199)Lamar Giles' episodes (13) (163)Tracy Deonn's episode 197Angeline Boulley's episode 221

Tristan Strong didn’t think his life could get any worse. He was wrong. When Tristan rips a hole into a land of myths and legends, on the trail of a thieving baby doll no less, he has to find the trickster god Anansi and fix the damage he caused. But it’s never simple to catch a trickster…   Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia reviewed by this giant turtle-faced thistle head, age 13.   Leela’s podcast is the amazing Newsy Jacuzzi! Learn all about it and listen every week here: https://www.newsyjacuzzi.com/   For questions or to suggest a book for us to review email us at bookpowerforkids@gmail.com .   Our website is http://bookpowerforkids.com/, or visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookpowerforkids/ and Twitter @bookpower4kids   We are proud members of Kids Listen. For more quality children's podcasts visit http://www.kidslisten.org/members   All of our music was created using Music Maker Jam for non-commercial purposes, http://www.justaddmusic.net/en/ . Credit to http://www.freesfx.co.uk/ for the nighttime ambience sound effect.   Thanks for listening!

Writing advice from Kwame Mbalia, bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and the sequel Tristan Strong Destroys the World. * To listen to Kwame's full interview with host Zibby Owens on the podcast Moms Don't Have Time to Read Books, click here: https://apple.co/2P2H7Ag * To read (or re-read!) this writing advice, click here: https://bit.ly/31jBYWO * Want to buy TRISTAN DESTROYS THE WORLD? Click here: https://bit.ly/3f7J0pA * Feel inspired to write? Submit your work to Moms Don't Have Time to Write, a Medium publication. Guidelines here: https://bit.ly/3w1aQdi * Love what you hear? Subscribe! Give us a 5-star rating! Leave a comment!  * And please follow us on Instagram @momsdonthavetimetoreadbooks!

We discuss the announcements of two new books, one from Rick Riordan himself, and then make predictions on the upcoming Paola Santiago sequel. Make sure to order Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368049344  Reference Links: Rick's New Book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/announcing-the-newest-release-from-rick-riordan-daughter-of-the-deep/ / https://rickriordan.com/2021/02/daughter-of-the-deep/  Daniel Jose Older's RRP will be YA: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/85608-rick-riordan-imprint-moves-into-ya-fiction-with-daniel-jos-older.html  Read Riordan Posted an Interview w/ Kwame Mbalia: https://www.readriordan.com/2021/02/24/5-questions-for-kwame-mbalia/  Rick's Update about TV & RRP: https://rickriordan.com/2021/02/a-quick-february-update/  Interview w/ Tehlor Kay Mejia: https://www.readriordan.com/2020/07/21/rick-tehlor-and-paola-santiago-exclusive-interview/ Our website is https://www.thehalfbloodreport.com/ and our patreon is https://www.patreon.com/join/thehalfbloodreport

In this episode, I take a look at R.E.A.D Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. The book also inspired me to talk with Darius Simpson from the documentary "Finding the Gold Within" to learn more about how myths can help you men learn more about self reflection when guided by the right mentors.

THE SNOWY DAY by Ezra Jack Keates - LONG ROAD TO FREEDOM by Kate Messner/Kelly McMorris - MUDDY: THE STORY OF BLUES LEGEND MUDDY WATERS by Michael Mahin - NEW KID by Jerry Craft - TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY by Kwame Mbalia

We are joined by the Locus and Nebula award winning author, P. Djeli Clark to discuss his new book Ring Shout. The New York Times describes the novella as “a fantastical, brutal and thrilling triumph of the imagination.” Educator, historian and author, we drink and discuss this amazing novella. Purchase the book here: https://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/book/9781250767028 Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Volume 1) Book by Kwame Mbalia https://www.womenandchildrenfirst.com/book/9781368042413 Heritage by Countee Cullen https://liberal-arts.wright.edu/sites/liberal-arts.wright.edu/files/page/attachments/Heritage_CounteeCullen.pdf https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/12/second-klan/509468/

Tori and Nicole are back with new current reads and more recommendations. The ladies take on topics such as whether DNFing is as scandalous as society tells us it is, how children's literature started out wild, the contentions that arise in relationships discovered through DNA testing, and Alex Trebek's recent passing. Listed below are the books, series, and other things mentioned in this episode: The Library of the Unwritten by AJ Hackwith; Love in Catalina Cove by Brenda Jackson; Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky; Book Riot Article about DNFing; Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman; Thanksgiving by Janet Evanovich; The Graphic Canon of Children's Literature edited by Russ Kick; Little Red Riding Hood; Alice in Wonderland; Cinderella; Grimm's Fairy Tales; Uncle Remus Stories by Joel Chandler Harris; Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia; Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library; The Lost Family: How DNA Is Uncovering Secrets, Reuniting Relatives, and Upending Who We Are by Libby Copeland; The Other F-Word by Natasha Friend; Delivery Man (2013) starring Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt; The Gift of Forgiveness: Inspiring Stories from Those Who Have Overcome the Unforgivable by Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt; The Answer Is...:Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek; Roll With It by Jamie Sumner; Home Before Dark by Riley Sager; A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett; My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun; Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds; Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds; The Ghost Series by Jason Reynolds; Kale Salad Animals Instagram Account; Webtoons; The Wrath and the Dawn by Reneé Ahdieh

We talk with Kwame Mbalia, author of the Tristan Strong series from Rick Riordan Presents. Make sure to order Tristan Strong Destroys the World: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368042383  Kwame Mbalia's website is https://kwamembalia.com/, his twitter is @KSekouM and his Instagram is @mbalia1 Our website is https://www.thehalfbloodreport.com/ and our patreon is https://www.patreon.com/join/thehalfbloodreport 

The Dr. Christopher Hall Presents New York Times Best Selling Author Author Kwame Mbalia Kwame Mbalia is the New York Times best-selling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, for which he received a Coretta Scott King Author Honor award. The book was also named to best-of-the-year lists compiled by Publishers Weekly, the Chicago Public Library, and the New York Times. The second book in the trilogy is Tristan Strong Destroys the World. Kwame lives with his wife and children in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he is currently working on the third book about Tristan. Follow him on Twitter @KSekouM.

We're officially a week into October, and it's another one chock full of events! Becca and Gary go through all the upcoming events, before shouting out a handful of new books out this week!   Events This Week: Wednesday, October 7th: Jenny Milchman  Thursday, October 8th: Kensington Mystery Panel  Friday, October 9th: Julie C. Dao, in conversation with Dhonielle Clayton  Saturday, October 10th: Escondido Library's Mystery and Thriller Spotlight Panel  Sunday, October 11th: Romance Book Club  Monday, October 12th: Ashley Poston & Rebecca Coffindaffer    New This Week: The Mirror Broken Wish by Julie C. Dao  The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E. Schwab  The Searcher by Tana French  Tristran Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia  In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren  Elsewhere by Dean Koontz  Julián at the Wedding by Jessica Jove  Spoiler Alert by Oliva Dade  Attack of the Underwear Dragon by Scott Rothman and Pete  The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson  The Invasion (Animorphs Graphix #1) by K.A. Applegate, Michael Grant, illustrated by Chris Grine  Star Wars: A Jedi You Will Be by Preeti Chhibber and Mike Deas  The Valkyrie Protocol by David Weber and Jacob Holo    You can now find us on Patreon! Unlock exclusive content by subscribing today! Special thanks to Austin Farmer for letting us use the track "Kill the Farm Boy", from his album Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra!  Send us your questions to podcast@mystgalaxy.com Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube!  And support the store by ordering books at mystgalaxy.com!

Enjoy our presentation of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky written by Kwame Mbalia and published by Hyperion. Seventh-grader Tristan Strong feels anything but strong ever since he failed to save his best friend when they were in a bus accident together. All he has left of Eddie is the journal his friend wrote stories in. Tristan is also dreading the month he's going to spend on his grandparents' farm, but on his first night there, a sticky creature shows up and steals Eddie's notebook. Tristan chases after it, and a tug-of-war ensues between them underneath a bottle tree. In a last attempt to get it away from the creature, Tristan punches the tree, accidentally ripping open a chasm into the MidPass, a volatile place with a burning sea, haunted bone ships, and iron monsters. Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky was a 2020 Coretta Scott King (Author) Honor Book.Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is recommended for ages 8 and up for fantasy violence. Please see Common Sense Media for more information and reviews.  http://bit.ly/TristanStrong_Reviews This title is available as an ebook on Hoopla and an ebook and audiobook on Libby by Overdrive. Hoopla eBook -  http://bit.ly/TristanStrong_HooplaEbookLibby eBook - http://bit.ly/TristanStrong_LibbyEbookLibby Audio -  http://bit.ly/TristanStrong_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

In this episode we talk about how we expect Paola Santiago to be adapted for TV. Order Paola Santiago and the River of Tears from our online bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368049177  Demigod News Links: Paola Santiago has just come out, and already got picked up for a TV Show: https://twitter.com/tehlorkay/status/1291497997306458113  Kwame Mbalia announced that there would be a third book of Tristan Strong, a conclusion to the trilogy: https://twitter.com/KSekouM/status/1291806969305726981  Rick Riordan gave an update on the Percy Jackson TV Show: https://rickriordan.com/2020/08/update-from-rick-aug-8/ 

This week on the podcast we make predictions on The Shadow Crosser, the upcoming conclusion to the Storm Runner Trilogy. Order The Shadow Crosser from our online bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368052771  Please consider joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=26609238 Demigod News Links: Sarwatt Chadda told us not all his tweets are true: https://twitter.com/sarwatchadda/status/1275127069521973248 The Tower of Nero tour will be virtual: https://twitter.com/rickriordan/status/1276262775967363073 Kwame Mbalia and Carlos Hernandez gave speeches on Sunday for receiving their respective awards: http://www.ala.org/news/book-award-celebration The Lightning Thief turns 15: https://www.readriordan.com/2020/06/26/the-lightning-thief-turns-15/ Our Twitter: @halfreport Instagram: @thehalfbloodreport Website: thehalfbloodreport.com Sign up for our Newsletter: https://thehalfbloodreport.wixsite.com/thbr/newsletter  Email: thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com  Our Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/thehalfbloodreport 

Welcome to Library Life. This is a behind the scenes podcast of the happenings of the Westerville Public Library. This episode stars Youth Librarian, Annamarie. She shares how and why she became a librarian. Her book recommendation is Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. Check it out here: https://search.westervillelibrary.org/iii/encore/search/C__St%3A%28Tristan%20Strong%20punches%20a%20hole%20in%20the%20sky%29__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold

Kwame chats about family roots and traditions that have shaped his upbringing. He talks specifically about how his parents have been sharing the importances of roots/traditions since day one and that is what drives his family today. Oh, and he talks about his favorite snacks! You do not want to miss it! Twitter: https://twitter.com/KSekouM?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mbalia1/?hl=en

Chapter one of Kwame Mbalia's book.

10 days ago Diego went to Boskone 2020, a science fiction convention. He joined the Rick Riordan Presents Panel (including Carlos Hernandez, Kwame Mbalia, & Eric Wilkerson) there and conducted some interviews. This episode is full of clips from the convention and explanations from Diego. Boskone's website: https://www.boskone.org/  Kwame Mbalia's twitter: @KSekouM Kwame Mbalia's website: website: https://kwamembalia.com/  Carlos Hernandez's twitter: @WriteTeachPlay Carlos Hernandez's website: https://hernandooney.com/  Eric Wilkerson's website: http://ericwilkersonart.com/  Our Twitter: @halfreport Instagram: @thehalfbloodreport Website: thehalfbloodreport.com Sign up for our Newsletter: https://thehalfbloodreport.wixsite.com/thbr/newsletter  Email: thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com  Please consider joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=26609238

Pain – we're still not great at knowing how to treat it and medications designed to help have resulted in a national opioid abuse epidemic. I speak Yudhijit Bhattacharjee author of “A World of Pain” - the featured story in National Geographic's January Special Issue: “The Future of Medicine.” We discuss the current and future direction of research into pain relief.https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/I speak with Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, an education and human rights advocate who currently represents Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District. We discuss being part of the largest cohort of women elected to Congress. We discuss her commitment to issues surrounding education, criminal justice reform among others and the historic Trump Impeachment hearings. We also get up close and personal. Did you know Congresswoman Scanlon was a Girl Scout? We talk about that and more.https://scanlon.house.gov/But first – an interview with Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati, the founder of the African American Children's Book Fair, a free event which takes place Saturday February 1st at Community College of Philadelphia (1-4 pm) and features appearances by many of the nation's top children's authors and illustrators. I also speak to Kwame Mbalia author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, an epic fantasy, a middle grade American Gods set in a richly-imagined world populated with African American folk heroes and West African gods. http://theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org/

I interview Vanesse Lloyd Sgambati, the founder of the African American Children's Book Fair, a free event which takes place Saturday February 1st at Community College of Philadelphia (1-4 pm) and features appearances by many of the nation's top children's authors and illustrators. I also speak to Kwame Mbalia author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, an epic fantasy, a middle grade American Gods set in a richly-imagined world populated with African American folk heroes and West African gods. http://theafricanamericanchildrensbookproject.org/

Surprise! We're back! And surprise! We're joined by another author from the stellar Rick Riordan Presents line: Kwame Mbalia, author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. What's most incredible about Tristan Strong is not its powerful characters or original storyline (though those are awesome), it's that the book is Mbalia's debut novel! It's truly a staggering achievement. On this episode, we talk about Tristan Strong the book, Tristan Strong the character as an Anansesem, cultural memory, and presenting timeless mythologies to an audience that might not be familiar with them.

We talk demigod news and extended segment on a review of Tristan Strong Punches A Hole In The Sky by Kwame Mbalia. Order Tristan Strong from our online bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/444/9781368039932  Some stuff discussed in this episode: 5 Reasons Why Meg Mccaffrey Is Definitely NOT a Sidekick: https://www.readriordan.com/2019/11/14/5-reasons-meg-mccaffrey-is-definitely-not-a-sidekick/  Exploring The Navajo Influences In Race To The Sun: https://www.readriordan.com/2019/11/08/exploring-the-navajo-influences-in-race-to-the-sun/ Camp Jupiter Classified: https://www.readriordan.com/2019/11/06/camp-jupiter-classified/ If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, we recommend you contact us. We love you feedback and thoughts, so make sure to contact us in one of the ways below: Twitter: @halfreport Instagram: @thehalfbloodreport Website: thehalfbloodreport.com Email: thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=26609238

An amazing interview with Kwame Mbalia, author or Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, a new book from the Rick Riordan's Presents imprint, based on West African Mythology and African American folklore. We'd like to thank him so much, as well as Books of Wonder for this fun interview. Make sure to get a copy of Tristan Strong! Make sure to search us up on Twitter (@halfreport), Instagram (TheHalfBloodReport), or send us an email (thehalfbloodreport@gmail.com)!