Podcasts about So Done

Original song by Green Time Machine, "So Done." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/oneill-blues/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/oneill-blues/support

This week I go over songs that I have heard over and over again on the radio while driving to and from work. These are good catchy songs that will probably get stuck in your head. The last song CAROUSEL by Aries is one of my most played from my playlist recently, but is not on the radio constantly. A fun episode with great podcast questions. Please DM me on Instagram @jd4unc to answer the podcast questions or provide any feedback about the podcast. All feedback will be appreciated. If you have not yet, go check out the last episode with guest Vanessa Merritt. Thanks for listening, leave a like, a review, and share with a friend. Music Credits For This Episode: Intro The Alan Parsons Project Sirius, Kings & Queens by Ava Max, BANG! By AJR, SO DONE by The Kid LAROI, and CAROUSEL by Aries. The outro Midsummer Madness Instrumental Prko. Sources: Genius, Muisxmatch.com, lyricfind.com, Spotify.com playlist Today's Top Hits, and YouTube.

Hailing from Waterloo, Australia. The Kid LAROI joins Smallzy from L.A to chat about his breakthrough success with "So Done" and "Without You" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have Fun! (Parody of SO DONE by The Kid LAROI)Original written by Charlton Howard, Khaled Rohaim, and Omer FediHappy 3rd birthday today, Oliver!!!! Love,SheeshaLyrics:Hey boys, I love you so:Miles and Oliver, you’re special!Thanks boys, For influencing my worldYou give new meaning to the word ‘recess’Thanks boys:You’ve taught me how,To let loose & fight this world’s monsters.Hey boys,You’ll be stars, wow!Fight for what you believe infor the time, Hun, Hun!And have fun, have fun!Have fun with all the rules they makeStay strong, stay strong.During a worlwide pandemic, stay healthy:Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom, birthday’s and unbirthday’s as wellWear a mask to class, don’t eat off the groundBut have fun! Have fun!Have fun, have fun, have fun, have fun, have fun!Yea,Yea yea yeaYea yea yeaI know that you both recognize,Me as your Lisa or Sheesha, every timeYou call out my name, to be swung, tickled, and chased From Thomas The Tank Engine to Paw Patrol nightsAt the Gathering Place, Slide Mountain’s divine Ice cream at Costco, on a Shirley Temple highWatch Disney cartoons and Lumosity’s trainsBe a Pet detective, rescuing antsPokémon, PokémonCaféBrews your enjoyment just fineMarbles, animals, n’ numbers right, Fixin’ your boo boo’s, your boo boo’sCause Ooey gooey rocks, &Superballs your favorite prize, I’m sureSo have fun! Have Fun!Have fun with all the rules they makeStay strong, stay strong.During a worlwide pandemic, stay healthy:Wash your hands after you go to the bathroom, birthday’s and unbirthday’s as wellWear a mask to class, don’t eat off the ground,But have fun! Have fun! Have fun, have fun, have fun, have fun, have fun!Written by: Melissa Smith (AKA Melzy of Wonderland on Youtube, & Mel’s Music on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Castbox, Deezer, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Podchaser, & Facebook)

For HSPs, the energy from the field is overwhelming right now as global and community fears are high. We not only need a new level of self-care, but a paradigm shift in our relationship to that energy to keep ourselves from being totally overwhelmed. Jodi Aman shares the secrets to doing this. Jodi wants to teach us how to protect and empower ourselves right now. Embracing our sensitivity so it serves us instead of hurting us. As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety…I'm So Done with You! are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis. jodiaman.com Leave comments, and share episodes at www.HSPpodcast.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/julie-bjelland/message

Your Intuition & Emotional ResilienceAired Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 11:00 AM PST / 2:00 PM ESTYour emotional wellbeing is the most precious asset you have. Jodi Aman, Intuitive Counselor and Author, of “Anxiety… I’m So Done with You! joins me to help us understand how to become empowered problem solvers when life feels out of control, how our intuition plays an important role and some vibe-lifting strategies to help us navigate these trying times.About the Guest:As an Intuitive counselor for over 20 years, Jodi helps teens, parents & couples heal from their past & develop robust emotional resilience.Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, “Anxiety… I’m So Done with You!” are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis.She currently trains therapists, coaches and helpers how to use their intuition to help move people to peace in their lives.WEBSITE: https://www.jodiaman.comFACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/jodiamanloveTWITTER: https://twitter.com/jodiamanPINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/jodiaman/FACEBOOK GROUP for Intuitive Therapists, Counselors & Coaches https://www.facebook.com/groups/349464052890977Visit the Inspired Conversations show page https://omtimes.com/iom/shows/inspired-conversations/ Connect with Linda Joy at https://www.linda-joy.com/ #JodiAman #Intuition #EmotionalResilience #InspiredConversations #LindaJoy

Our podcast guest this week is the amazing Jodi Aman! As a psychotherapist for 24 years, Jodi has helped individuals, couples, and families around the world break down the hold of negative experiences, break free of suffering, and step into a harmonious and loving life. Jodi has taught at conferences in schools and universities; plus, she trains counselors, therapists, and psychologists in spiritual psychology, narrative therapy, and activating their intuition. Not only that but as a mom, she understands what it is like to raise little humans. She even recently released a new book on how to handle anxiety with teens. You can find her new book on Amazon! Anxiety . . . I'm So Done with You: A Teen's Guide to Ditching Toxic Stress and Hardwiring Your Brain for HappinessJodi's primary goal is to heal your past, develop emotional resilience, and create magic in every aspect of your life, including your relationships and career. I am so excited for you to hear her message and words of wisdom! You can find Jodi on Facebook here: Jodi Aman - Live Happier You can find Jodi on Instagram here:Jodi Aman Love You can find Jodi on YouTube here:Jodi Aman - Practical Miracles

'We compare someone's highlight reel to our backstage mess.' -Jodi AmanToday we conclude our discussion with Jodi Aman as she speaks to our hearts about social media, isolation, and complimenting our unique teens. Rebecca and Alaina share some successes from the last week, plus, Alaina chimes in during our teen talk segment about Jodi's advice.Jodi Aman: As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their 
own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety…I'm So 
Done with You! are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis.
 You can find you more about Jodi Aman at JodiAman.com. She also has a very popular YouTube Channel, TedTalk and more! 

As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety…I'm So Done with You! are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis. In this episode, Jodi shares her perspective and insight into anxiety and coping/curing that anxiety. She busts myths society has regarding anxiety, shares tips for parenting kids with anxiety, discusses teen mental health, and how social media and phone usage is affecting our collective mental health. She shares her own battle with anxiety and how she overcame that and healed. "You know when anxiety says, 'Stay home! You can't handle that and you might be uncomfortable,' anxiety is making you miss opportunities, fun, adventure, and good times with people. In that moment, anxiety is not really protecting you but rather causing you to suffer a lot more." -Jodi AmanTune in to hear more from Jodi Aman herself!!//6 Steps to Coping With Your Anxiety:Understanding anxiety biologicallyLearning the lies that anxiety tells youCultivating your control - connecting to your personal agencyForgiving yourselfAffirmations and changing your beliefsPracticing self care//3 Ways Social Media is Affecting Our Mental Health:Comparison: Increases negative judgement of selfWorldwide Trauma Exposure: Through spread of news & media, exposed to worldwide trauma & acts of violence but left feeling helplessCommercial Advertising: Thinking we should get the next best thing just because everyone else is doing it & never feeling like what we have is good enough//Jodi's Work:Website: jodiaman.comLet Go - Free Audio TrainingBooks: Anxiety... I'm So Done With YouYou: 1 Anxiety: 0Anxiety & Panic WorkbookTedx Talk: Suck It Up! Calm Anxious Kids YouTube: Jodi AmanAnxiety Symptoms Why You Think Anxiety Is Not CurableInstagram: @jodiamanloveFacebook: Jodi Aman Love//Song:Let the Sunshine In by Milk and Sugar//Follow along with the rest of my journey.Instagram: @whytliFacebook: Whytli RogersTwitter: @whytliPinterest: WhytliLinkedIn: Whytli RogersWebsite: whytli.comContact me here.

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Jodi Aman (Ay-min):Why are more and more young people having mental health problems? Is it social media, genetics, or helicopter parenting? There is so much in our culture making us feel powerless, helpless and out of control. This leads to anxiety and depression, but there is something that we can do about it. As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety...I’m So Done with You!  are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis.                 If you want to read more - check out her new book Anxiety...I’m So Done with You. A Teen’s Guide to Ditching Toxic Stress and Hardwiring their Brain for Happiness. jodiaman.com/ditchanxiety  Don't miss another episode. Subscribe to this podcast.If you want learn more about living a fantastic life after alcohol, check out my book!https://www.amazon.com/My-Steps-Sobriety-fantastic-without-ebook/dp/B089ZPD21S/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=stephan+neff&qid=1595922770&s=digital-text&sr=1-1https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Store/b?ie=UTF8&node=133140011&nocache=1526718783253 And follow me on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook!https://www.instagram.com/mystepstosobriety/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ5Rgw59jOX4y3iDeMAXpwQhttps://www.facebook.com/mystepstosobriety

If you are watching a loved one experience anxiety or experiencing it yourself, you are not going to want to miss this! Today in part 2 of our anxiety series we talk with Jodi Aman about Generation Z, and what in means to 'understand' what someone is going through with anxiety. As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their 
own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety…I'm So 
Done with You! are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis.
 You can find you more about Jodi Aman at JodiAman.com. She also has a very popular YouTube Channel, TedTalk and more! 

Join us for part 1 of our anxiety series where we talk with Jodi Aman about her story with anxiety from 5 years old, and how she has moved to being totally healed.  As a Family Therapist for over 20 years, Jodi empowers people to become their 
own healer. As an anxiety survivor and a mom of teens, Jodi totally gets it. Her TEDxWilmington talk, “Calm Anxious Kids,” and her new book, Anxiety…I'm So 
Done with You! are changing the way we understand the current mental health crisis.
 You can find you more about Jodi Aman at JodiAman.com. She also has a very popular YouTube Channel, TedTalk and more! 

Paula Chase and I chat about her novels SO DONE and DOUGH BOYS and what makes them upper middle grade instead of young adult. She discusses founding The Brown Bookshelf with Varian Johnson, the importance of representation in literature, and how we should focus less on Black pain and more on Black joy. We also talk about her writing practices as a committed pantser, how she fell backward into being an author, writing in the voice of teenagers, refusing to “just shut up” on social media, meeting Flavor Flav at a Waffle House, an actual ghost story, and so much more. They say if you want something done, ask the busiest person in the room. They'll grab your task, throw it on the fire of their To-Do list and keep on burning. Paula Chase did that with teen lit and her debut novel, So Not The Drama. Concerned that YA was no more diverse than it had been in her teen years, Chase began writing contemporary fiction revolved around characters of color. Proclaiming her work, hip lit, a nod to the impact hip hop has had on mainstream culture, Chase's five-book series helped Kensington Books launch its YA line. Her critically acclaimed Middle Grade debut, So Done is among the growing number of books for readers "lost in the middle" of MG and YA. The married mother of two is also a co-founder of the award-winning blog, The Brown Bookshelf, a site designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers.

In today's episode with Jodi Aman, Family Therapist, YouTuber and author of Anxiety...I'm So Done with You. A Teen's Guide to Ditching Toxic Stress and Hardwiring Your Brain for Happiness. We discuss how stress affects us as well as how to get rid of stress.  Jodi Aman has been working with clients for 20 years and has learned how to successfully help them ditch their anxiety, while doing what she feels is the best job ever (because she tells people how awesome they are everyday). Her newest book is also being released today and is geared towards helping adolescents get rid of stress and anxiety but is beneficial for all ages. To get ahold of her newest book - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1510751343/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=jodiaman-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1510751343&linkId=1cef1992f102b9fadf52d0dbb2a38f0c To work with Jodi or get her free resources - https://jodiaman.com/ To provide me with feedback or work with me so you can skyrocket your energy and overcome chronic illness email me at margaret@margaretsteffie.com or visit my website at https://www.margaretsteffie.com --- 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/margaret-steffie/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/margaret-steffie/support

This week Jalen brings in Pride month with his friend and newly admitted PhD student, Erin Green. In Teaching/Grad School School Corner (2:12), they cover Erin’s plan for his first semester of grad school, teaching anxieties and their feelings about showing up in the classroom as black queer men. In Classic Sh*t (21:18), they discuss “Bussin’” by Taye Money, Tik Tok addiction, and problematic white rappers. In What’s the Tea? (30:10), they think about how they want to celebrate pride during a pandemic in a way that centers black queer folx. And finally in they tell you what they are SO Done (1:11:52) with for the week: people on facebook. * Follow Go Black Boy Go on Twitter / Instagram @goblackboygo, the host on Twitter @jalenthompso and Erin on Instagram / Snapchat @artistguy1. Listen on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and Podbean!  

Jalen chats with his former college roommate and fraternity brother, Bryant Thurman, about what it means for black life to matter and what lives usually get to matter in national media coverage. In Grad School/Teaching Corner (4:04), they have an open and honest discussion about decisions to leave academia and experiences with teaching. In Classic Sh*t (16:35), they talk about Diamonds Are Forever (Remix) by Jay Z and Kayne West, which leads into a discussion about the differences between male and female rappers. In a new segment called Straight Uncomfortable Sex Questions for Straight Men (30:10), Jalen asks Bryant, well...some uncomfortable sex questions. In What’s the Tea? (39:11), they talk about the recent protests and riots happening around the country and in Oregon, the police “bro” code, selective white empathy, and question why the deaths of black men are the only ones to get media coverage. Finally, they tell you what they are SO Done with (1:22:16) for the week: white empathy and the president’s twitter usage. * Media referenced in this episode: Flint (Netflix), Tales of the Grimm Sleeper (Amazon), and Dem Trumps (SNL sketches on YouTube). * Follow Go Black Boy Go on Twitter / Instagram @goblackboygo, the host on Twitter @jalenthompso, and Chocolate Bar on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/chocolatebar31620/. Listen on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and Podbean! 

Paula Chase shares DOUGH BOYS, her latest novel and a companion to SO DONE. There are not an abundance of stories reflecting the diversity of black identity. Many stories being published today center on black pain. They take place in similar settings. They portray characters in similar ways. But there are many, many talked authors who are black and who are portraying black lives in ways communicate the complexity and diversity of blackness. Wait. Let me back that up. These diverse stories are being published. The question I want us to consider is, are we centering, purchasing, and celebrating these books? DOUGH BOYS, in my humble opinion, is a book that deserves to be read and celebrated widely. It centers on two boys, Rollie and Simp, whose friendship grows more complex as each boy’s interests pull them through life. Simp wants to be captain of the basketball team and stands a shot. He also wants to provide for his mom and four brothers, something that he’s able to do from the cash he gets from playing lookout for Coach Tez’s drug ring. Rollie loves basketball, too, but his talents as a drummer have earned him a chance to audition for an up-and-coming go-go band. We meet the boys at a crossroads, and that’s exactly where I’m going to leave you as you prepare to listen to this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons.

After the Falcons lose to the Cardinals we are SO DONE with them.  Seriously listen to our next podcast to find out what happens from here. Digital Daron Podcast Facebook Twitter Instagram Soundcloud Stitcher iTunes Youtube   Image property of www.thefalcoholic.com

On this week's #xoxopod, Amanda avoids talking about the Thorpe/Bass business takeover plotline, we both stan Raina, and we share why we're SO DONE with Ben and Serena. Send us an email and tell us what you think: xoxogossipgirlpodcast@gmail.com Theme music courtesy of John & Paul of Dark MatteR:
 @darkmatt3r

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

If you've got a spirited kiddo, a kiddo on the Autism spectrum, a kiddo with intellectual, developmental or behavioural needs and toilet training is on your radar, you've stumbled upon the right episode! If you've got a kiddo that isn't potty-trained, and you're SO DONE with diapers (like really, byeeee), you'll want to tune in! If you've tried other methods, and struggled; if you've been overwhelmed by the idea of taking the plunge (see what I did there?), then you'll want to grab a pen, maybe a mop, and pull up a chair. I'll walk you through transitioning from "toilet trained at school" to "toilet trained at home" without missing a beat. I've got 10+ years of experience supporting kiddos (and their parents) in their potty-training process in therapeutic, home and school based settings. I've seen my fair share of shit storms (literally and figuratively--no really I LOVE my job) and I've got some go to strategies to help optimize the outcome, maintain your sanity, and set your kiddo up for success.

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

Paula Chase Hyman (@PaulaChase) and Kelly Starling Lyons (@kelstarly) join on behalf of THE BROWN BOOKSHELF to share a collection of "don't miss" books from 2018. THE BROWN BOOKSHELF is a website and collective designed to push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers. Their flagship initiative is 28 Days Later, a month-long showcase of the best in Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult novels written and illustrated by Black creators. Paula Chase Hyman is an inclusion jedi and author of the novel SO DONE. Kelly Starling Lyons is a teaching artist and author of the JADA JONES series.  They each have an innate interest in uplifting Black kidlit creators and so I was so excited to ask Paula and Kelly if they’d like to join me to share those “don’t miss” titles they’ve been recommending to friends, colleagues, and readers of all ages. And, lucky for us, they even brought a couple books just for you! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast.

Amanda and Jenn discuss Australian historical fiction, psychopaths, comedic murder mysteries, and more in this week's episode of Get Booked. This episode is sponsored by Book Riot Insiders, Penguin Random House Audio, and So Done by Paula Chase.   Feedback Just some feedback for Ben’s daughter from episode 155! As someone not *too* far removed from the voracious-child-reader stage can I suggest: Dragonskin Slippers (Jessica Day George), Inkheart (Cornelia Funke), The Ranger’s Apprentice (John Flanagan), the Stravaganza series (Mary Hoffman) and Eragon (Christopher Paolini). Hope some of those are useful, and thank you so much for the podcast - every episode just brightens my week x --Hannah   Questions   1. First of all, when I found your show it was like a dream come true. I love to read! Second only to my love of reading, is my love of discovering new books and putting them on my to read shelf. I keep telling my husband that I wish I had y’all’s job. Speaking of my husband, I am recently married and we are getting ready to go on our honeymoon in December. We are heading to Australia! My husband and I have no intention of just laying on the beach and relaxing all honeymoon. That’s not our style. Instead we plan to do plenty of historical tours. My favorite tours are when I already have a little background on the history of a place. I was hoping you guys could recommend some historical fiction novels set in Australia, especially dating back to its early colonial days and possibly some about its Aboriginal population. I do not like nonfiction or pages and pages of descriptions. I can’t wait to hear your recommendations!! Thank you! --Amelia   2. Hello Ladies! Thanks for answering my previous questions (all those Besses are this Bess) and laughing at my jokes! Very validating! I'm writing to ask for reading recommendations to read over my honeymoon! We're going to an all inclusive resort and I can't wait to just lie around and read :) I'm specifically asking for books that are that tender, heartrending romance where you just want them to be together! Examples include Song of Achilles, Room with a View, Golden Compass Series (Will x Lyra forever). I already own Possession, haven't read it yet -- Way down with pining and angst, I am not really looking for a romance novel, but a literary story where two characters' love is just oh so burny and tender! Thanks in advance, --Bess - bride to be   3. Hi, so like you I loved Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho and I am waiting on tenterhooks for the next book in the series. I’m looking for something to filled the Sorcerer to the Crown shaped hole in my heart. I really like both the Regency, the politics, the slow romance and the magic elements of the book. The Regency period is such an interesting time in British history - right on the edge of the modern, but not quite there yet. I don't need the book to have magic, but it is always a plus. I have already read: Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer and loved all of them. --Sidsel   4. I am looking for recommendations for my 11 year old daughter. She would love to read YA, but I think I would like to hold off from the love relationships and more adult themes for a little bit longer. Last year she read "Some Kind of Happiness" by Claire Legrand and said it was written for her. I'm looking for books that are perhaps more mature, but somewhere in between middle grade and YA. Thanks! --Lauren   5. Hi Amanda and Jenn, I am listening to Deadly Manners, a dark comedy murder-mystery podcast series I am in love with! It's an old-school style story with modern sensibilities. The plot: there's a dinner party and guests are getting picked off one by one, and Levar Burton narrates. Need I say more? I just finished the next to last episode and am already dreading the void in my life when it's over. Can you recommend some books to fill it? Thanks! --Alexis   6. I know Halloween just passed but I heard Shelly Laurenston's booklist from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books podcast, one of the things she mentions is psychopaths and I was wondering if you had any recommendations for this. I don't want mystery or thrillers, more like a mind dive into spotting them, try to understand why they do it or facts. Since the holiday are coming up I would like some recommendations as soon as possible please. --Ash   7. Hi Jenn and Amanda, I would love to get some recommendations for romance novels that deal with sexual trauma or sexual dysfunction (or that just acknowledge the fact that sex isn't always easy and fun). I'm not fussy about the type of romance (just no paranormal). I realize this may be difficult because romance is supposed to be escapist but I am desperate to see my experience represented. Thanks so much for your help! --Joss   Books Discussed The Monster Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson (tw: homophobia, assault) Becoming by Michelle Obama obviously The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott The Mothers by Brit Bennett My Education by Susan Choi Heartstone by Elle Katharine White Gail Carriger Witchmark by CL Polk Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten, transl. By Marlaine Delargy Confessions of a Sociopath by M.E. Thomas The Anatomy of Evil by Michael Stone (rec’d by Liberty) Asking For It by Lilah Pace (tw: discussions of/roleplay of rape/sexual assault, violence against women) Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders, Blank Canvas series, (tw: domestic violence, assault)

Tripping over words while being salty about gacha pulls! Also, Miggy was sick during the recording. :( We love Azur Lane, and we're SO DONE with Love Live. Sorry, Eli! Also, hot take: Don't whale. Until next time~ Music featured in this episode: "Digital Lemonade" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "Getting it Done" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "Glee Club Polka" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Sodium Exposure updates every other Thursday, Philippine time!

Would you want to live to be 100? Does your neighbor do yard work naked? What are you "So Done" with? And how likable do you think you are?

Intro Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, librarians, parents, and anyone who loves middle grade books!  My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fantastic reads and share inspiring conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom for the past 11 years, a teacher for the past 17 years, and a fan of flavored seltzer for the past two months. Either I have been oblivious to it or suddenly there is a plethora of sparkling waters and seltzer available everywhere! Including some tasty hard seltzers for those inclined. And during a hot, sticky summer - a frigid, fizzy can of black cherry seltzer poured over a full glass of ice is just about the best thing ever.  Cheers! This is episode #57 and today I am giving you a quick first impression of three new books, and sharing a conversation with Paula Chase - author of So Done. One super quick announcement - set yourself a reminder for Monday nights at 9pm EST so you never miss the #MGBookChat Twitter chat!  We have some really great topics coming up like creating a classroom community through books, ending gendered labels, and how teachers and public librarians can support each other. Book Bites First up is a brand new segment I am calling Book Bites - where I will give you a quick sampling of a few books. And share first lines and first impressions from reading the first chapter. This week I am previewing The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff, The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina Yan Glaser, and Scream Site by Justina Ireland. The first novel I want to talk about is The Phantom Tower by Keir Graff. You may know him from his other middle grade novel The Matchstick Castle. This book is described as magic, mischief, and mystery colliding in a thrilling adventure. It’s about 12 year old identical twin brothers who move into a mysterious apartment building and discover a portal to a parallel dimension. First lines: The first time I saw Brunhild Towers was the day we moved in. Even though it wasn’t that long ago, I saw a lot of things differently back then, I thought old people were boring. I thought learning history was a good way to fall asleep. I thought dying was simple. You probably noticed I said Towers, not Tower. Pay attention and I’ll explain everything. First impressions: The first thing I noticed when I opened the pages - a map! The first chapter was fast-paced and fun but didn’t make you feel lost. You definitely get enough background info to help orient you to the characters and the tone with lots of touches of humor. The story is written in 1st person and told by one of the twins - Colm. The first chapter reminded me a bit of Peculiar Incident on Shady Street, so if you have kids who like that novel or The Explorers or The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Phantom Tower would be a good book to introduce them to next. Next up is the sequel to a beloved middle grade novel - Karina Yan Glaser’s The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden. In this story - the Vanderbeeker kids band together to do something nice for their upstairs neighbors (Miss Josie & Mr. Jeet) who are going through a tough time. And in classic Vanderbeeker fashion, the five kids make an elaborate plan to convert the abandoned (and possibly haunted) lot next to the church into the gorgeous community garden that Miss Josie has always wanted.   First lines: “This is the most boring summer in the whole history of the world,” nine year-old Oliver Vanderbeeker announced. He was wearing basketball shorts and a faded blue T-shirt, and his hair was sticking out in every direction.” First impressions: Well - Oliver doesn’t stay bored for long!  And oh how I loved jumping back into the sweet Vanderbeeker banter! The premise of this novel reminds me a bit of the book Seedfolks, and I’m curious how they solve the water problem here…. Along with all the other obstacles I am sure they will encounter!   I love the Vanderbeekers, and I know so many of you do as well - and apparently we are not alone. Because Amy Poehler’s production company has optioned the rights to The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street!  Ahhhh! And I know, I know - that doesn’t mean it’s going to hit the screen next year, but I’m still so excited and so happy for Karina. If you want to hear her talk about the first Vanderbeekers novel, check out episode 46. And finally, I wanted to check out Scream Site by Justina Ireland. She’s the author of the YA novel Dread Nation among other books. This novel features 14 year-old Sabrina Sebastian who wants to be an investigative reporter so she’s digging into this popular website where people post scary videos hoping to go viral. And she starts to think that maybe some of the videos are real - and then someone very close to her goes missing. First lines: “So, what do you think? Should I go with ‘Taco Tuesday is a Day Made of Lies’ or ‘Football Team Organizes Book Drive for Local Library’? Those are my two best stories, and I’ve narrowed it down to them. I think. I’m actually not sure.” Sabrina Sebastian leaned back in her chair and waited for her best friend, Evenlyn Chao, to respond.” First impressions: Number one - the cover is awesome. It’s a gorgeous blue with the shadows of trees looming over a young girl’s silhouette as she faces what looks like an abandoned ferris wheel lit from behind by a full moon. Already - I’m drawn in. And the first chapter leads me to think that there is going to be some interesting and timely discussion about social media and journalism. Scream Site is marketed as YA,  but I’ve read in several places that it’s really geared toward more of an upper middle grade audience. Probably wouldn’t include it in my 5th grade classroom, but if you have strong readers in 6th grade and up - this would be a great book for kids who like mysteries and kids who are drawn to internet rumors and hoaxes and those paranormal YouTube videos. This August be on the lookout for The Phantom Tower and Scream Site. Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden will be headed our way September 25th. Paula Chase - Interview Outline Our special guest today is author Paula Chase. Her debut middle grade novel, So Done, comes out tomorrow. It’s about best friends Tai and Mila who are somewhat awkwardly back together after a summer spent apart from each other. And each is wondering if they can salvage their friendship from the secrets and pressures of middle school and crushes and tryouts and memories that have started to loom in their lives.  I loved getting a chance to chat with Paula about her novel, being a dance mom, and the importance of books with authentic stories and authentic voices. Take a listen… So Done Your middle grade debut, So Done, is coming out tomorrow! For our listeners who have not yet read the novel, can you tell us a bit about it? Would you mind reading a favorite passage? From the very first pages, I had a huge smile on my face because I was so happy to be reading a book that sounds like some of my students when they are talking to each other. You have this special knack for voice - whatever that “it” is - you’ve got it!   What is your secret for for capturing those voices? I think I heard you mention that there was some back and forth with your editor about the vocabulary you used in the novel. Can you talk a little about that? One of things that I loved about So Done were scenes about dance. I’ve heard you mention that your daughter is a dancer.   How much did you draw on her experiences to write this story? Nicknames (as opposed to “government names”) are an important part of the story.   Did you have a nickname? Are you more like Tai or more like Mila? **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: Paula and I discuss the ending of the novel, and if you’d like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today’s episode at the 40:14 mark. Your Writing Life Your previous series was young adult. Did you decide from the outset that So Done would be middle grade or did it evolve in that direction? If you can talk about it….. what are you working on now? Your Reading Life One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians and parents inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books.  Did you have a special teacher or librarian who helped foster your reading life as a child? What were some of your most influential reads as a child? So - what ARE your thoughts about “dessert” books? What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked? Links: Paula’s website - http://paulachasehyman.com Paula on Twitter Books & Authors We Chatted About: Mildred Taylor Judy Blume Dread Nation (Justina Ireland) The Belles (Dhonielle Clayton) Ghost Boys (Jewell Parker Rhodes) Breakout (Kate Messner) Parker Inheritance (Varian Johnson) Closing Alright, that wraps up our show this week! If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or a suggestion about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Books Between is a proud member of the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well. Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!  

A season comes to an end. Jem wonders if BoJack Horseman is more more quotable than Batman Begins. Paige is So Done with fairy floss. We bond as we try to penetrate the mystery of giraffes. Next week’s episode will be about Zootopia. The Tegan and Sarah music video we discuss can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNPrs17gZ2o