Podcasts about wishtree

Send us a textWhat's better than a novel in verse about a wild sea otter rescued by the Monterray Aquarium? A beautiful picture book that tells that otter's story! Award winning author Katherine Applegate returns to chat all things otter, as we explore environmental themes in her magical Odder: An Otter's Story, illustrated by Charles Santoso. We also offer some fun ideas for bringing the book to life in early childhood and elementary classrooms.Katherine is the 2025 Summer Reading Champion for the Collaborative Summer Library Program. This summer (from June 1-July 31), budding storytellers ages 8-12 are invited to enter the Color Our World Writing Contest. The grand prize winner receives a virtual writing workshop with Katherine, signed copies of Willodeen, Crenshaw, Odder, and Wishtree, and $500 of books for readers ages 8-12 from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.Katherine also gives us a sneak peek into her upcoming middle grade novel, Pocket Bear, a magical tale of mascot bears, love and second chances, and Ukranian refugees. And we discover that my youngest daughter is an arctophile.Chapters:01:03: Odder: An Otter's Story  12:02: Collaborative Summer Library Program14:28: Pocket Bear, the power of second chances, and what it is to be an arctophile21:38: Book Tours and celebrating the magic of connecting with booksLinks:Educational resources on Katherine's websiteConnect on Instagram, Facebook, and BlueskyKatherine's previous podcasts: Episode 51 &  Episode 83Support the showSubscribe & Follow: Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

Send us a textHappy New Year! Raise a glass as we celebrate the vibrant world of children's literature, featuring insights from 12 amazing authors and illustrators who have been guests on the pod. Savor these excerpts about the power of storytelling, the importance of connection, and the elephant in the room -- standing up for and celebrating the freedom to read. Grace Lin (1:20) and Vanessa Brantley Newton (4:05) explore storytelling's impact and the transformative power of literature. Don't miss The Gate, The Girl, and The Dragon and Shake It Off .Trudy Ludwig (10:40) and Hena Khan (13:54) on Anxiety It's no secret that we live in an anxious post-pandemic world. Trudy and Hena share how they approach anxiety in Brave Every Day and Drawing Deena.Jason Chin (16:29), Candace Fleming (18:38), and Carole Boston Weatherford (22:25) on Curiosity, Context, and Nonfiction Storytelling Alicia D Williams (25:06) on Novels in Verse, Overcoming the Poetry Stigma, and Mid-AirConnection with Gayle Forman (32:25) and James Ponti (39:31) How can storytelling foster intergenerational dialogue and shared experiences? Don't miss Not Nothing and Sherlock Society.The Elephant in the Room: Beth Ferry (45:20) and Katherine Applegate (51:35) on the Freedom to Read We celebrate public libraries and the fight against censorship with Beth's Roar for Reading and Katherine's Wishtree.Links to Episodes:Grace Lin Vanessa Brantley Newton Trudy LudwigHena KhanJason ChinCandace FlemingCarole Boston WeatherfordAlicia D WilliamsGayle FormanJames PontiBeth FerryKatherine ApplegateSupport the showSubscribe & Follow: Stay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

“I think it has to do with powerlessness, and with the kind of hierarchy that kids endure every day, where these grown ups are not making sense, and the world doesn't make sense, and animals are basically suffering the same fate.” - Katherine ApplegateWhy do kids see themselves in animals? Children's media is full of stories from and about the perspective of animals. But why? Katherine Applegate has been exploring this question since she was a child, fascinated by the inner worlds of the animals around her. The answer she's come to is hope. Like animals, kids exist in a state of a lack of control over their own lives, which the adults around them essentially dictate. And the greatest antidote to that sense of powerlessness is hope. Teaching that is what she believes to be the true purpose of a children's author.However, holding onto hope can be challenging for kids as they face the harsh realities of our world, feeling powerless in the face of injustice, suffering, and even death. Stories play a crucial role in helping our children build resilience to face these hardships.Katherine Applegate is a prolific and celebrated author best known for the beloved “Animorphs” series, “Wishtree,” “Odder,” and, of course, her Newbery Medal-winning “The One and Only Ivan.” In this episode, she discusses the unique bond between kids and animals, including her early stint as a gerbil peddler!

This week, one person's roadside weed is another's “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist. We also talk with a children's book author about a school system that suspended its community reading program over concerns about the sex of her book's main character — an oak tree.And, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program is now available in every Kentucky community. We revisit our 2022 interview with the American icon. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Have you ever wondered how a tale of gorillas can touch upon the deepest themes of our human experience? Newbery Award-winning author Katherine Applegate joins us to unwrap the layers of  The One and Only Family, her latest book that sees the beloved Ivan navigating the unpredictable waters of fatherhood. As Ivan's story unfolds with the birth of twins, we delve into the heart of freedom, the wild, and the impact of climate change, all while savoring the humor of gorilla toddlers and witnessing a father's growth. Katherine's enchanting blend of inspiration from the real Ivan's life and creative "what-ifs" showcases the profound freedom found in storytelling. The conversation then takes a turn towards the serious issue of book challenges, recoiling from the sting of censorship to the embrace of community and dialogue. Listen as Katherine shares the recent bittersweet journey of  Wishtree, a book about welcoming  that faced adversity through a book challenge in Virginia, yet found a silver lining through the solidarity of readers and advocates. Together with Katherine, we examine the role of literature in braving the choppy seas of censorship, and celebrate the unsung heroes like PEN America, VAASL, ALA, and librarian, writer, and book ambassador  John Schu, who champion the power of storytelling and the discovery of that life-altering narrative. Join us for a discussion rife with emotion, wisdom, and the indomitable spirit of literacy.00:00:00: Excerpt from The One and Only Family00:03:26: Life lessons from Ivan 00:05:00: Journey into the what-ifs...the magic of make believe00:06:48: Climate change and children's literature -- messages of hope and resilience00:11:29: Read Aloud from The One and Only Family Book Tour00:13:46: Researching baby gorillas -- oh the cuteness00:14:44: You are not alone -- Wishtree,, welcomers, and a book banning challenge in Floyd County, VA00:21:39: Resources to help if you're facing a book challenge00:23:35: Excerpts from the Rally for Reading at Shenandoah University in April 2024 (with the indomitable Mr. Schu)00:26:59: Encouraging young readers00:28:35: Challenges of writing from an animal's point of view00:31:05: Sneak peek into what's nextWhether you're a longtime fan or new to Katherine's work, this episode is a celebration of storytelling's enduring power and an uplifting reminder of our shared humanity.  Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the reviews! Support the Show.Read the full show notes, visit the website, and check out my on-demand virtual course. Continue the adventure at LinkedIn or Instagram. *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

In the tradition of timeless classics like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, the one and only Katherine Applegate has crafted a poignant, delightful, heartbreaking, unforgettable final foray into the world of Ivan, the world's favorite silverback gorilla. For more than a decade, readers have been enchanted by the modern classic The One and Only Ivan, a Newbery Award winner and a #1 New York Times bestseller, and by its bestselling sequels, The One and Only Bob and The One and Only Ruby.In the highly anticipated finale to the series, The One and Only Family, Ivan has been happily living in a wildlife sanctuary, with his friend Ruby next door in the elephant enclosure, frequent visits from his canine friend Bob, and his mate Kinyani by his side. And in the happiest turn of all, Ivan and Kinyani have welcomed a set of twins to their family!Ivan loves being a papa, even though it can be hard sometimes. But as he navigates the joys and challenges of parenthood, he can't help but recall his life before the glass walls of the mall circus, his own childhood in the jungle—and his own twin.Katherine Applegate is the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Timesbestselling author of numerous books for young readers, including the The One and Only series, the Endling series, Crenshaw, Wishtree, the Roscoe Riley Rules chapter books series, and the Animorphs series.Applegate's #1 New York Times-bestselling The One and Only series has sold over 9 million copies, received a Newbery Award, and was a TODAY Show Read with Jenna Jr. pick. The One and Only Ivan was adapted into a Disney+ movie starring Bryan Cranston, Sam Rockwell, and Angelina Jolie.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Welcome back to the AppleGrant Book Club, where we discuss "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate! In this episode, Kaycie has no words, Alex feels that explaining jokes makes them funnier, Tim questions his pronunciation of the word monoecious, and we all can't believe they tried to ban this book. Join us each month on the first and the fifteenth for new episodes of Animorphs Anonymous / AppleGrant Book Club!

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. Earth Day is upon us in a few weeks, April 22, and what better time to explore literature that comments on the health of Mother Earth. This week we are talking eco-literature. Eco-literature engages readers on environmental concerns through the interactions between humans and the environment. And it encourages thought about our impact on the planet. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 2- That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming 3- That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming 4- Ramayana: Divine Loophole by Sanjay Patel 5- Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel 6- Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul - A 5 Star Read Recommended by a Fellow Book Lover Kristin @paws.read.repeat 7- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver 8- Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman 9- Dune by Frank Herbert 10- Don't Call Me a Hurricane by Ellen Hagan 11- Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America by Leila Philips 12- The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel 13- Three Ways to Disappear by Katy Yocom 14- State of Wonder by Ann Patchet 15- What Blooms From Dust by James Markert 16- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 17- Days of Sand by Aimee de Jongh 18- The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin 19- Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson 20- Hoot by Carl Hiassen Links to articles we reference: Library Book Returned After 102 Years https://people.com/family-returns-pair-of-books-100-years-overdue-to-kentucky-library-8621113#:~:text=A%20family%20returned%20a%20pair,Matthews%20branch%20on%20Monday. Wishtree censorship— https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/94637-in-virginia-censors-attempt-to-axe-wishtree.html Sting Ray article— https://www.npr.org/2024/03/07/1236678538/stingray-pregnant-charlotte-aquarium-mystery-north-carolina Bringing Back the Wooly Mammoth https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/03/06/1235944741/resurrecting-woolly-mammoth-extinction

Our website - www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. Instagram - @perksofbeingabookloverpod Facebook - Perks of Being a Book Lover. To send us a message go to our website and click the Contact button. Earth Day is upon us in a few weeks, April 22, and what better time to explore literature that comments on the health of Mother Earth. This week we are talking eco-literature. Eco-literature engages readers on environmental concerns through the interactions between humans and the environment. And it encourages thought about our impact on the planet. Books Mentioned in this Episode: 1- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 2- That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming 3- That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf by Kimberly Lemming 4- Ramayana: Divine Loophole by Sanjay Patel 5- Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel 6- Did You Hear About Kitty Karr by Crystal Smith Paul - A 5 Star Read Recommended by a Fellow Book Lover Kristin M. @paws.read.repeat 7- Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver 8- Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman 9- Dune by Frank Herbert 10- Don't Call Me a Hurricane by Ellen Hagan 11- Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America by Leila Philips 12- The Last Animal by Ramona Ausubel 13- Three Ways to Disappear by Katy Yocom 14- State of Wonder by Ann Patchet 15- What Blooms From Dust by James Markert 16- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 17- Days of Sand by Aimee de Jongh 18- The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin 19- Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City by Kate Winkler Dawson 20- Hoot by Carl Hiassen Links to articles we reference: Library Book Returned After 102 Years people.com/family-returns-pair…ranch%20on%20Monday. Wishtree censorship— www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/…ishtree.html Sting Ray article— www.npr.org/2024/03/07/12366785…tery-north-carolina Bringing Back the Wooly Mammoth www.npr.org/sections/health-sho…-mammoth-extinction        

Book Riot's managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca to discuss an upcoming adaptation of Colson Whitehead's The Nickel Boys, the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 honorees, DC's plan to celebrate the first trans superhero, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We'll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we'll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today! Discussed in this Episode: There's a big screen adaptation of Nickel Boys coming soon DC Pride to honor creator of the first trans superhero Illinois school district pulls out of statewide book award Meanwhile, in Virginia, school district cancels district-wide read of Wishtree because it contains a tree that has both male and female reproductive parts. Yep. Congrats to the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 honorees This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Hunter by Tana French Oye by Melissa Mogollon The Tower by Flora Carr The Exvangelicals by Sarah McCammon Sociopath by Patric Gagne Great Expectations by Vinson Cunningham James by Percival Everett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko's co-authored book Dogtown showcases how fiction can help instill empathy and compassion, especially in fun stories that involve animals. They discuss the immeasurable and inspiring power of literature. Their work is a testament to the fact that stories can have a meaningful impact on the human experience. Dogtown encourages us to take the time to stop and consider the world around us and to become more aware and empathetic members of our community. Katherine Applegate is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of beloved and award-winning books for young readers, including Odder, Home of the Brave, Crenshaw, Wishtree, Willodeen, and The One and Only Ivan, for which she won the Newbery Medal. She is also the author of the Animorphs series, and a beginning reader series, Doggo and Pupper, illustrated by Charlie Alder. Katherine Applegate lives in Southern California with her family. Gennifer Choldenko's best known Tales from Alcatraz series has been called “A cornerstone series in contemporary children's literature.” Al Capone Does My Shirts―the first book in the series―was a Newbery Honor Book and the recipient of twenty other awards. All four books in the series were Junior Library Guild selections and garnered many starred reviews. Gennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her loyal husband and naughty dog. Transcription: You can read the transcription on ⁠The Children's Book Review (coming soon)⁠. Order a Copy: Dogtown on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠⁠⁠. Resources: You can find out more about Katherine Applegate at https://katherineapplegate.com/. You can find out more about Gennifer Choldenko at https://www.choldenko.com/. Discussion Topics: Katherine and Gennifer talk about: Their love of dogs, writing, and, of course, Dogtown Katherine's struggles with sitting down to write and how she uses the Pomodoro method to help her get started How they connected over their love for middle grade readers and collaborated on writing Dogtown Research for Dogtown, including volunteering at a pet shelter and training dogs for therapy work How the idea of robot dogs versus real dogs came about for the story The main characters Metalhead and Chance and what they represent Wallace West's illustrations in the book and how he brought it to life with his quirky and original style The importance of fiction in developing empathy and compassion, and how stories about animals (like Dogtown) can inspire kids to cherish and appreciate their furry companions --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thechildrensbookreview/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thechildrensbookreview/support

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and join me for a chat with rock star Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate as we celebrate the book birthday of Dogtown, The One and Only Ruby, and Odder. You know her from The One and Only Ivan, but you also know her from so many other books like Crenshaw, Wishtree, and the Animorphs series, now in a new graphic format designed by Chris Grine.[01:14] How We Met: Shenandoah University's Rally for ReadingJohn Schu's ability to get kids excited about books Ways teachers and librarians build connections with books and kids.[04:16] Katherine's Journey as an Author:Her circuitous path to becoming a writer and early struggles with reading.The importance of failing and experimenting in the writing process.[09:11] Writing for Reluctant Readers:The  Animorphs seriesThe influence of powerful cover art[13:43] The One and Only Ruby and Dogtown [17:47] Writing with Non-Human Characters:The appeal of writing stories with non-human main charactersHow writing from a non-human perspective allows her to explore human behavior from an outsider's view.[20:01] Impact of Winning the Newbery:The confidence boost winning  provided and why it's important to fail.[22:08] Authors Who Inspire Katherine ApplegateJason Reynolds and Dav Pilkey[25:15] Ivan's Last Installment:In the works -- a fourth and final book in the Ivan series -- with a tease from Katherine about the main character[26:21] Research and Animal Behavior:The research involved in writing about animals and how it deepens our understanding of animal behavior. The importance of addressing climate change and species loss in kidlit.[29:30] Books Building Empathy and Compassion:How books help us understand different cultures and perspectives.[31:34] Book Banning and Censorship:Strategies for supporting and preserving diverse literature.[34:36] Sources of Joy:Hope in the next generation's idealism, energy, and optimism, especially when guided by educators and authors.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast laun Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showRead the full show notes, visit the website, and check out my on-demand virtual course. Continue the adventure at LinkedIn or Instagram. *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.

This week we chat with Kelsey Madges, an Ohio middle school librarian and book lover. We talk about the highs and the lows of working in school libraries. If you're like us, it's been almost 40 years since you were a middle schooler and lots has changed for kids and the librarians who help them, such as the use of Chromebooks in classes and the current prevalence of book bans. But Kelsey is a book lover and supporter through and through. In fact she admits that she enjoys almost everything she reads. In this episode, we also cover how we feel about book quotes, why letter writing is still important, and what Carrie should have tattooed on her body. For show notes for any episode, go to our website at www.perksofbeingabooklover.com. We are also on Instagram @perksofbeingabookloverpod and on FB Perks of Being a Book Lover. Books Mentioned In This Episode: 1- Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen 2- Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison   3- Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney   4- Graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier   5- Refugee by Alan Gratz   6- Two Degrees by Alan Gratz   7- Books by Paula Chase   8- Books by Matt Christopher    9- Books by Mike Lupica and Kwame Alexander   10- Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins   11- Harry Potter series by JK Rowling   12- Babysitter Club graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier and Gale Galligan    13- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo   14- Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo   15- The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate   16- The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate   17- The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate   18- The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas   19- Books by Coleen Hoover   20- Forever by Judy Blume   21- Books by Stephen King   22- Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir   23- The Martian by Andy Weir   24- The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd   25- The Red Tent by Anita Diamant   27- This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel   28- A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle   29- Wishtree by Katherine Applegate   30- Women Talking by Miriam Toews   31- The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill   Broadway Theater shows mentioned—   1- Come From Away 

Become a Friend of the Show! – join our Patreon community It's the perfect season to cozy up with a great book so join us for our fall reading round up. We check in on our current reading habits then dive into books. We share the books we've recently finished and loved plus what our kids have been reading lately. Happy fall reading, friends! Mentioned on the show:The Near WitchThe Invisible Life of Addie LaRueMagic LessonsThe Hour of the WitchThe MaidFairy TaleProject Hail MaryTomorrow and Tomorrow and TomorrowCatastrophic Happiness: Finding Joy in Childhood's Messy YearsWish You Were HereBehind the Scenes at the MuseumPercy Jackson novels and graphic novelsThe Endling seriesWishtreeNathan Hale's Hazardous TalesWillodeenLittle Blue Truck's HalloweenKit and CaboodleElvisBubble Up scrubberRubbermaid Brilliance food storage Become a Friend of the Show! – join our Patreon communityConnect with us on Instagram: @higirlsnextdoorSee show notes on our website: girlnextdoorpodcast.comWe love to get your emails: higirlsnextdoor@gmail.comYour reviews on Apple Podcasts really help the show - thank you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An old red oak tree tells how he and his crow friend, Bongo, help their human neighbors get along after a threat against an immigrant family is carved into the tree's trunk. This title is intended for tweens and is suitable for most audiences. Read with permission of Macmillan. Click here to see this title in the Houston Public Library catalog.

In today’s episode of Hook of a Book, I review Katherine Applegate’s book, Wishtree, a listener request sent in from two sisters, Sophie and Olivia. Red is a tree that is very old. Red has witnessed many things in life, but when a new family moves into the neighborhood, Red finds that people aren’t kind to them. If you have a book you want me to review on the show, you can email me at hookofabookpodcast@gmail.com. You can also send in a voice message with your request on it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/ellie-mano/message

Listen to why youth librarian, Lisa K, thinks you should read Wishtree by Katherine Applegate. Written For: 4th & 5th Graders Genre: Realistic Fiction- anthropomorphic Themes: friendship, racism, nature, trees, family Check it out here: https://search.westervillelibrary.org/iii/encore/search/C__St%3A%28wishtree%29%20a%3A%28applegate%29__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold

“เรด” ต้นไม้ที่เชื่อมโยงผู้คนในชุมชนเข้าไว้ด้วยกัน ในทุก ๆ ปีผู้คนจะเขียนคำอธิษฐานและนำมาผูกไว้ที่กิ่งก้านของเรดและขอพรให้สิ่งที่หวังเป็นจริง แต่ใครจะรู้ว่าเรดทำได้เพียงแต่รับฟัง แต่เมื่อครอบครัวของ “ซามาร์” ผู้ย้ายเข้าใหม่และไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับในชุมชนเท่าใดนัก เธอได้เขียนคำขอพรกับเรดเช่นเดียวกัน ครั้งนี้เรดได้คิดวางแผนกับสัตว์น้อยใหญ่เพื่อช่วยให้ความฝันของสาวน้อยเป็นจริง คำอธิฐานครั้งนี้จะสำเร็จหรือไม่ไปฟังพร้อมกันค่ะ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“เรด” ต้นไม้ที่เชื่อมโยงผู้คนในชุมชนเข้าไว้ด้วยกัน ในทุก ๆ ปีผู้คนจะเขียนคำอธิษฐานและนำมาผูกไว้ที่กิ่งก้านของเรดและขอพรให้สิ่งที่หวังเป็นจริง แต่ใครจะรู้ว่าเรดทำได้เพียงแต่รับฟัง แต่เมื่อครอบครัวของ “ซามาร์” ผู้ย้ายเข้าใหม่และไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับในชุมชนเท่าใดนัก เธอได้เขียนคำขอพรกับเรดเช่นเดียวกัน ครั้งนี้เรดได้คิดวางแผนกับสัตว์น้อยใหญ่เพื่อช่วยให้ความฝันของสาวน้อยเป็นจริง คำอธิฐานครั้งนี้จะสำเร็จหรือไม่ไปฟังพร้อมกันค่ะ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rest of our conversation with Seth and Summer. Book Recommendations: Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller, Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr.

The rest of our conversation with Seth and Summer. Book Recommendations: Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller, Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr.

Listen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Tracey Baptiste (New York Times bestselling author of MINECRAFT: THE CRASH, as well as the  Caribbean adventure series THE JUMBIES.) They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like virtually working and collaborating with 12 year old Amalia on Episode 7 “Barking Up the Right Tree” to grow her story seed about an athletic girl named Joy and her magical relationship with the oak tree in her backyard. In this bonus episode, Tracey shares her writing tips and shares a cool creativiity hack: how to take two very different things and bringing them together to create something entirely new in your writing! Books mentioned in this episode: Minecraft The Crash and The Jumbies series by Tracey Baptiste. The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier. The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge. Grimm’s Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm.Tracey’s Youtube channel which features her talks on Creativity Under Pressure (created during the COVID-19 pandemic)Calls to ActionKids: Call The Story Seeds Hotline at 646-389-5153, email us at storyseeds@literarysafari.com, or visit our website to submit your story ideas. You can also join The Story Seeds Society, our kids listeners club.Grownups: Visit www.storyseedspodcast.com for subscription links, to sign up for our newsletter, and to download our printable activity e-zines for your kids (or the  kid in you!). You can also follow us on Instagram @storyseedspod, on Twitter @litsafarimedia, and on Facebook @literarysafari. Get our Imagination Lab: Experiments in Creativity activity book! It pairs perfectly with the podcast and features tons of episode-inspired prompts and projects! Order your copy here!Hey Listeners! Looking for ways to support our show? Well, now you can! Visit our recently launched glow.fm page where you can support The Story Seeds Podcast on a recurring or one-time basis. Your donation - large or small - will help us create more episodes of the show and give us the ability to provide opportunities for more kids from around the world to participate in Story Seeds. This episode is also available on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here. Show creditsMatt Boynton and Ania Grzesik of Ultraviolet Audio for the sound mixing, design, and score of our bonus episode. Theme music is composed and performed by Andrew VanWyngarden. And, our host is Betsy Bird. The Story Seeds Podcast is a creation and production of Literary Safari www.literarysafari.com

This week’s quarantine edition of Story Seeds brings together two super imaginative Jersey girls: Tracey Baptiste (New York Times bestselling author of MINECRAFT: THE CRASH, as well as the creepy Caribbean series THE JUMBIES) and Amalia Tsampalis (age 12). Tracey helps Amalia grow this story idea:An athletic 12 year old girl loves to climb trees. Maybe this tree she loves to climb is in her backyard. It's really tall and there's not a lot of branches left. The personality of the tree is old and wise, and it's purposely losing its branches because it wants to create a challenge for the girl. Follow this adventure as Story Seeds creator Sandhya Nankani sits in for Betsy Bird to host Tracey and Amalia’s virtual collaboration via video chat where:They explore the power of nonverbal communication and brainstorm ideas for a wise tree characterThey create an athletic, strong, girl characterThey discover they both have Trinidadian roots and share stories about celebrating carnivalAmalia requests Tracey to weave her experiences of breaking an arm into the storyTracey documents her writing process in a series of voice memo diariesThe episode concludes with this week’s story time (20:25) where Tracey reads the story she grew from Amalia’s story seed: Joy’s Challenge.Books and media mentioned in this episode: THE JUMBIES by Tracey Baptiste and THE MAGIC TREEHOUSE series by Mary Pope Osborne.Calls to ActionBonus Episode: Betsy Bird is back next week to interview Tracey so do tune in to hear them chat about writing and staying creative in quarantine.Kids: Call The Story Seeds Hotline at 646-389-5153, email us at storyseeds@literarysafari.com, or visit our website to submit your story ideas. You can also join The Story Seeds Society, our kids listeners club.Grownups: Visit www.storyseedspodcast.com for subscription links, to sign up for our newsletter, and to download our printable activity e-zines for your kids (or the  kid in you!) that offer opportunities to read, write, and get creative alongside listening to each episode . You can also follow us on Instagram @storyseedspod, on Twitter @litsafarimedia, and on Facebook @literarysafari. Get our Imagination Lab: Experiments in Creativity activity book! It pairs perfectly with the podcast and features tons of episode-inspired prompts and projects! Order your copy here!Hey Listeners! Looking for ways to support our show? Well, now you can! Visit our recently launched glow.fm page where you can support The Story Seeds Podcast on a recurring or one-time basis. Your donation - large or small - will help us create more episodes of the show and give us the ability to provide opportunities for more kids from around the world to participate in Story Seeds. This episode is also available on YouTube. Subscribe here. Show creditsThis episode was produced and hosted by Sandhya Nankani. Co-producers are Anjali Sakhrani and Kayla Fedeson. Sound  mixing, design, and score is by Ania Grezsik and Matt Boynton of Ultraviolet Audio. Music by Andrew VanWyngarden, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter/musician and co-founder of MGMT. The Story Seeds Podcast is a creation and production of Literary Safari www.literarysafari.com

Enjoy our presentation of Wishtree written by Katherine Applegate and published by Feiwel and Friends.  Wishtree won the 2018-2019 Black-Eyed Susan Award for Grades 4-6 and was named one of The New York Times Notable Children's Books of 2017. Wishtree is recommended for ages 8 and up for themes of discrimination and racial insensitivity.  Please see Common Sense Media  for more information and reviews: https://bit.ly/WishtreeReviews Visit https://www.wishtreebook.com/ for more resources, and to make your own wish. This title is available in the following formats through Libby by Overdrive:Ebook - https://bit.ly/WishtreeLibbyEbookAudiobook - https://bit.ly/WishtreeLibbyAudiobook Please visit www.calvertlibrary.info for more information.Music: Dub the Uke (excerpt) by Kara Square (c) copyright 2016. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/mindmapthat/53340

Good morning, RVA! It’s 42 °F, and highs today should hangout in the upper 60s. All things considered, looks like a pretty nice day, weatherwise, ahead of us.Water coolerAs of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health reports 51 positive cases of the coronavirus in the Commonwealth. Two people in Virginia have died as a result of the virus.Justin Mattingly and Bridget Balch at the Richmond Times-Dispatch have an update and more details on all the local coronavirus cases of which they’re aware. Mattingly and Balch point out that their numbers differ from the official Virginia Department of Health numbers—or at least it’s unclear if the VDH totals include some of the newer regional cases. As I said a couple days ago—400 years back in virus time—high-quality information is critical during a crisis. At least in my view, the VDH coronavirus page should be the most authoritative and up-to-date source of all coronavirus info in the Commonwealth. That probably means bringing a person from the web team to all of the meetings and empowering them to make near-real-time updates to the website. I know VDH is ultra busy dealing with an actual, literal crisis, but clear communication is so super important at this moment in time.The City of Richmond have shut their offices down for the rest of the week. The Mayor also issued new guidance for restaurants: Eliminate bar seating, move tables at least six feet apart, and limit on-site service to 50% of their normal capacity. We’ve seen other places, entire neighboring states even, shut down bars and restaurants to everything but takeout service. I think that’s the direction the Mayor should have gone, but, I get it, it’s such a tough call to make. Not only will many restaurants go out of business over the next couple of months, regardless of this new guidance from the Mayor, but folks who depend on restaurant jobs face an extremely uncertain future. Also, remember that City is funding new school construction with meals tax revenue—a revenue source that’s about to take a nosedive. I appreciate the Mayor making these tough calls, though. On a lot of fronts, he’s taking the lead in Virginia and other localities are following along.Speaking of restaurant closures, Richard Hayes at RVAHub has the ultimate list of things that are now closed in Richmond due to the coronavirus. At this point in time over 70 restaurants have decided to close, move to takeout only, or actually factually close forever. It takes a lot of work to maintain a list like that, so good on him.Richmond Public Schools announced yesterday that they’re closing schools through Spring Break, which means “we will be closed, at a minimum, until Monday, April 13.” Emphasis, the Superintendent’s. OK! Dang, that’s a lot of days! But, as my son says, let’s gooooo! The previous link has some updated information about food distribution centers, too, and a video of the Superintendent reading the first few chapters of Wishtree if you’re looking for a Language Arts exercise.GRTC’s new CEO, Julie Timm, shared this good and common sense advice on Twitter: “Transit is an essential service to most of our riders. Please don’t ride if you can stay home. GRTC will stay open as long as we can keep our operators healthy. Service reductions and other measures are likely coming very soon to minimize contact points. Stay safe, stay home.” I appreciate Timm’s honesty here about service reductions, which, like restaurant closures, will destabilize a lot of folks' lives.However, in transit good news, the new #111 bus in Chesterfield opened for service yesterday. Sabrina Moreno at the RTD rode along with some of the advocates who’ve been working to bring bus service to the Route 1 corridor for years. It’s still hard for me to believe/comprehend that there’s now decent, new bus service in Chesterfield County. What a time to be alive—in so many ways!City parks remain open! Although, maybe don’t touch any of the playground equipment. For me personally, and probably you, access to open green space does a lot positive good for my state of mind. That said, I’m nervous about where to draw the line between a safe, socially-distant park visit and something that puts other folks in danger. Use your commonsense, double down on empathy, and do your part to flatten the curve.Quartz says that Universal Pictures will begin to release current theatrical movies online as soon as Friday. Toll the bells, because I can’t help but think this marks a dramatic and permanent shift in how movies work. I can easily see a post-coronavirus world where we just don’t go to movie theatres anymore. Box Office Mojo looked at the impact of the virus on the global box office, and found that this past week, the 11th week of the year, saw the top ten movies combine for the lowest Week 11 revenue total since 1995. Yikes. Bow Tie Cinemas temporarily closed all of their locations yesterday with no set date to reopen.This morning’s longreadWhy the US Sucks at Building Public TransitIt’s definitely not the best time to takepublic transportation, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped reading about public transportation. Nothing shocking in this article, but it is a great overview of the things our country needs to change if we want to make the future of cities livable and sustainable.Like most crises, there is no single cause. Our cities, and our federal government, have made a lot of mistakes. Some were obvious at the time, others only in hindsight, but most have been a combination of the two. We keep doing things that stopped being good ideas a long time ago. Many of those mistakes have to do with housing policy, which is inextricably linked to transportation policy. But the most obvious cause of our transportation crisis is a simple one: America sucks at building public transportation. Why is this? Why does the U.S. suck at building good, useful public transit?If you’d like your longread to show up here, go chip in a couple bucks on the ol’ Patreon.

Trees can tell stories and People can turn into animals on this week's podcast! In this episode we start off with a light discussion of some TV shows based off books (The Witcher and YOU). Then we dive into two books, Wishtree by Katherine Applegate and My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows! We finish up this weeks episode with a little taste test of some cold coffee beverages from Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, and McCafe! Until next week, Happy Reading! --- 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/litchicks/message

Red is an oak tree who is many rings old. Red is the neighborhood "Wishtree", people write their wishes on pieces of cloth and tie them to Red's branches. Along with her crow friend Bongo and other animals who seek refuge in Red's hollows, this "Wishtree" watches over the neighborhood.Published: September 26, 2017 Author: Katherine Applegate Illustrator: Charles SantosoMusic - "Twinkerbell" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/Find out more at http://bookbugspodcast.com

This is a sample discussion of a Book Club talking about the book Wishtree done as a part of our Reading Workshop work.

Is your New Year's resolution to read more great books? In today’s episode Erin gives Sally three must-read juv fiction recommendations for 2019. The books are: Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, Samurai Rising: The Epic Life of Minamoto Yoshitsune by Pamela S. Turner and graphic novel, The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill. Ring in the New Year by putting them on hold today!

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

Newbery Medal-winning author Katherine Applegate takes us behind the scenes of her middle grade novel WISHTREE.

Wishtree

Saadia Faruqi discusses the book Wishtree by Katherine Applegate and gives recommendations for other books about welcoming those who have been made to feel like “an other.” Ann Braden shares her conversation with elementary librarian Christina Carter, and then talks about what we can do when people are unwelcoming to others.

  Intro Hi and welcome to the Books Between Podcast! I believe that books can change your life for the better. I know because books did that for me. And I want to help you connect kids with those amazing, life-shaping books and bring you inspiring (and fun!) conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen.  Every other Monday, I bring you book talks, interviews, and ideas for getting great books into the hands of kids between 8-12. I am Corrina Allen - a mom of an eight and ten year old, a 5th grade teacher, and excited about two things this week!  First, the Winter Olympics.  And second - today’s announcement of the American Library Association Youth Media Awards including the Caldecott, the Newbery, The Coretta Scott King, and lots more!  I am so excited for those authors and illustrators who will be getting those early morning phone calls. I’ll be streaming it with my class and can’t wait to chat more with you about it! This is Episode #43 and today I’m talking about some fails, some wins, and bringing you a conversation with author Anna Meriano about her debut novel (and the MG at Heart January Book Club pick) Love, Sugar, Magic! But first I have some exciting news to share with you — I’m joining the fabulous team at MGBookvillage.org!  MGBookVillage has become THE place for all things middle grade, and I’m so thrilled to be working with Annaliese Avery, Jarrett Lerner, and Kathie MacIsaac who’ve done such an incredible job developing a home for lovers of middle grade that I can’t imagine we ever made do without it! MGBookVillage has it all; a book-release calendar, a Kids’ Corner, a monthly book club (MG at Heart), an all-day twitter chat on Mondays (#MGBookathon)—and so, so much more. And from now on it will be the new home of the Books Between podcast and where you can find all our transcripts. Three Fails & One Win And now a new segment I am calling three fails and a win. So - I am going to share with you three failures.  And then one thing that went well recently.  I think we all have the tendency to share our achievements and hide our failures, only revealing things that put us in a positive light. Inadvertently, it can lead to people feeling like they aren’t living up to all the amazingness they see on Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest, and next door. It’s an unrealistic view of teaching and parenting and it makes it seem like there are just these amazing rockstar kidlit advocates who have success after success. Nah! In the interest of acknowledging that the most learning happens through our mistakes, I’ll share three of mine with you today. And then I share something good that happened. Fail #1 Last summer I had an great conversation with Jillian Heise about #ClassroomBookADay and was so inspired to give it a try this year. (If you want to hear that conversation about the power of reading one picture book a day with your students, check out episode 30). So, at the beginning of the year I made this GIANT public display of 280 blank polaroid-style frames - all waiting for me to post colorful pictures of the books we are reading. And I have! Up until about like 40. Now - we have STILL been reading those picture books. Mostly.  We’ve missed a few days here and there, but - ugh that display has embarrassingly just... stalled. And I want to catch up but now I can’t quite remember the order of the titles we’ve read or even the names of them all.  And in fact, one of my eagle-eyed gals noticed that we have Not Quite Narwhal on there twice.  Not my best moment of this year. Fail #2 - So last summer, I secretly pre-ordered a certain book for my daughter.  I will withhold the name because it doesn’t really matter but I’ll just say that it was the next title in a fun graphic novel series that my 8 year-old daughter LOVES. She’s picky with her reading, so when she finds something she likes, I RUN to the ball. Well, I thought I was getting the Best Mom Ever award when a few weeks ago the book arrived on our stoop Tuesday afternoon and I gleefully called her into the kitchen as I whipped the book from around my back and held it out to her with a GIANT grin on my face! TA-DA!! And she….backed out of the room cringing. And then told me she’s just not into those books as much anymore.  Okay then - mom win turned into major mom fail. Fail #3 This is the one I refer to as The Armadillo Book Debacle. So, a couple weeks ago my daughter comes home upset because she’s going to have to pay $15 to replace a missing library book. Well - High Alert in the Allen household! We tear apart the house looking for it. All the bedrooms, under the couch cushions. I look at school. I call the grandparents! Nowhere is this darn Armadillo book. And my husband and daughter start to think they saw it go in the backpack and back to school. And mistakes happen, so we email the librarian and explain that we think it was returned and could she look? And I just want to say - she was extraordinarily nice about it!  And so - she’s looking all over the school for it. Yeah, you know where this is going don’t you? A couple months ago we had a party at our house. And, like happens, there comes a point when you have cleaned and scrubbed and dusted and vacuumed and people are just about to arrive! So you switch from cleaning mode to hiding mode. You know,  there’s that one dirty casserole dish in the sink so you shove it in the oven. And there’s a stack of random papers and mail and books that you haul down into the basement. Including an Armadillo book that ended up tucked away in a corner of our basement for two months. My fault.  Awkward email back to the librarian.   And…. a WIN! I have to end on a positive note. So I have this student who I love but he was tough nut to crack when trying to find a book that would hold his interest. In September, I discovered he had liked The One and Only Ivan, so I handed him my ARC of Wishtree weeks before it came out. Nope. I piled book after book after book on his desk - asking him questions about what he liked - to no avail.  It seemed like he was going to be one of those kids that you just hope the next person can help them find books they’ll love because it just didn’t click with you. But, then - I found out that he LOVES wrestling - like WWE wrestling. And a friend on #mglitchat recommended these Choose Your Own Adventure style WWE wrestling books. I order them on Amazon Prime and two days later, I slid one across his desk and his eyes just lit up!  I even caught him reading it as he walked to the bus! He read those books back and forth cover to cover for weeks. And now - he’s on to the second Tapper Twins book and on a roll and YES!!!  (I’ll link to those wrestling books in the show notes if you want to check them out. As far as I can tell there are only two of them - Race to the Rumble and then Night of Champions. Both are by Tracey West)   So, maybe my hallway display has stalled out, and I got overzealous with my child, and I embarrassed myself with the school librarian, but I helped that one kid get himself on his way. Anna Meriano - Interview Outline This week I had the opportunity to have a fantastic conversation with two authors debuting middle grade novels in 2018. Joining me today is Amanda Rawson Hill. She is the author of the upcoming book Three Rules of Everyday Magic and one of the organizers of the MG at Heart Book Club. Her and I hopped on Skype to chat with Anna Meriano about her debut novel (and the January MG at Heart Book Club pic), Love Sugar Magic. Take a listen….. Interview Outline Love, Sugar, Magic CA: Your first middle grade novel, Love Sugar Magic, debuted last month. For those listeners who haven’t yet read the book - can you tell what the story is about? CA: One of things I loved about this book was that passing down of family recipes from mother to daughter generation to generation. So - did I hear that you aren’t actually much of a baker? CA: Where did the recipes come from? CA: In your novel, each sister has a special power, depending on her birth order. First born daughters have the gift of influence, second born daughters have the talent of manifestation, and the third borns have the gift of communicating with the dead.  Which gift would YOU want to have?   ARH: I wanted to get some insight into how you wrote a big family so well... Your Writing Life CA: How long ago did you start writing Love, Sugar, Magic? ARH: You’ve talked a lot about how you worked with Cake Literary, a book packager. I was wondering what the experience of doing that from the beginning with someone else was like compared to when you’re writing a book all on your own.  And how did it affect your creative process? CA: What is Cake Literary and what is a book packager? CA: How did you end up connecting to Leo? JL: I’d be interested to hear about Anna’s experience with her debut group. The Electric Eighteens seem like such a positive and supportive bunch, and they’re so active in promoting one another. I’d love to hear what Anna got out of being a part of such a group — both in practical terms of promotion and things, and emotionally and psychologically, too, since the debut experience can be so confusing and exciting and overwhelming and joyful and terrifying and a million other things, too! CA: The more I chat with authors about their process, the more I want to share with my students the idea that what they see as a finished story is the very tip of a gigantic iceburg of planning and writing and revising that never sees the light of day. What below-the-surface part of your writing process do you really enjoy? And what parts are challenging?   Your Reading Life CA: Something that I think about a lot is how sometimes it only takes ONE person to really influence a child’s reading life - either in a positive way or sometimes in a negative way. Was there someone in your life who impacted you as a reader? C: What have you been reading lately that you’ve liked?   Links: Anna on Twitter Cake Literary website - http://www.cakeliterary.com Electric Eighteen Debut Group website - https://electriceighteens.com Anna’s Nerdy Book Club Post is here The Coco Movie   Books & Authors We Chatted About: The First Rule of Punk (Celia C. Perez) Goosebumps (R.L. Stine) Calvin & Hobbes (Bill Watterson) The Inquisitor's Tale (Adam Gidwitz) The Gauntlet (Karuna Riazi) Betty Before X (by Ilyasah Shavbazz & Renee Watson)   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. 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. Or even better - tell a friend about us! Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!

Intro Hey 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 teacher, a mom of two daughters, and ridiculously excited about the new twinkle lights on my Christmas tree this year.  Sometimes - you have to take joy in the small things. This is Episode #39 and today we are celebrating some of the best middle grade books published in 2017. And today’s episode is brought to you by WriteAbout.com - a writing community and publishing platform perfect for classrooms. If you are like me and are looking for an engaging and authentic way for your students to share their ideas with a wider audience, you are absolutely going to want to visit WriteAbout.com to check it out.    Main Topic - The Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2017 This year has been another strong reading year for me so far. I read a lot more picture books thanks to participating in #ClassroomBookaDay but I still kept up with my middle grade reads. And as I look at my book list and genre tracker, I notice I read fewer fantasy books compared to last year and way more graphic novels thanks to the CYBILS. And also my plans to boost my nonfiction reading... failed. So this is an all fiction list.  And I decided to separate out the graphic novels this year since I read so many more of them so be on the lookout for another best of podcast very soon featuring just the middle grade graphic novels.    So, last year at this time,  I read 75 total books including 60 middle grade books with  31 of those published in in 2016. And my top three books last year were Booked, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, and The Wild Robot as my favorite read last year. (You can find that list here.) This year (2017), as of December 20th - I have read 91 books, not including picture books. 79 of those were middle grade with 55 of those published in 2017. A quick word before I begin. Picking JUST 20 was excruciating. And they are not necessarily the most “literary”. I read some beautifully written books this year, ones that are bound to get some top awards, but these are the ones I felt were both well-written and had that special spark that would appeal to young readers.  Even with that - I could easily share with you another 20 (or more!) fabulous books, but then we’d be here all night. Alright here we go - these are my Top 20 middle grade novels of 2017: This Is Just A Test by Madelyn Rosenberg & Wendy Shang This novel is about a boy named David who is preparing for his bar mitzvah while trying to please both his Chinese and Jewish grandmothers. (Not a small feat!)  Oh - and building a nuclear fallout shelter just in case things get out of hand with the Soviets. I loved this book because of its warmth and humor AND because it’s set in 1984. And I am all about that 80s nostalgia lately. (If you want to hear more about this book, check out episode 28 to hear an interview with Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Shang.)   Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes This book is about zany (and flexible!) 3rd grader Beatrice whose first day of school plans get derailed when her best friend, Lenny, shows up to school NOT wearing the matching ninja outfit they both agreed on. AND Lenny shows up with a new friend. I loved this book for it’s playful language, fun orange-tinted illustrations, and Beatrice’s great attitude. And since I have my own ninja-clad wall-climbing 8 year old gal at home, I have a special place in my heart for Beatrice.   Enginerds by Jarrett Lerner Speaking of playful books - what is not to love about a robot that blasts cubes out of its butt? But don’t be fooled by the humor - this is one smart book that celebrates the engineering spirit. It’s about a kid named Kennedy who discovers a mysterious box on his front step that assembles itself into a rather demanding robot. And Kennedy and the rest of his enginerd friends have to figure out how to contain this band of rogue robots who have escaped into their town.  Last week I had the honor of chatting with Jarrett Lerner  about Enginerds - and lots of other things - so watch for that episode in January!   A Rambler Steals Home by Carter Higgins This debut middle grade book by Carter Higgins is about Derby Clark who, along with her dad and younger brother, travel around in their Rambler car, selling Christmas trees in the winter. And hot chocolate and gingersnaps and cinnamon sugar donuts out of an old concession stand trailer. In the summers, they make their home in Ridge Creek, Virginia where they set up their concession stand in the parking lot of a minor league baseball team. But this year when they arrive - Derby discovers that her minor league family is different - with mysteries to solve, people to help, and wrongs to make right. This is ones of those books with characters that stay in your heart - and for me, reading so so many books - it’s a rare find when they’re this memorable.   A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold One of my great reading pleasures this year was getting to know the sweet and quirky Bixby Alexander Tam - or BAT for short. And I was excited to hear that there is at least one more book coming!  In this first one, Bat’s mother, who is a Vet, brings home an orphaned baby skunk to take care of and all Bat can think about is how to find a way to prove his responsibility and get to keep him. This book is adorable and poignant and a great fit for younger middle grade readers.   Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart This incredible adventure is like Lord of the Flies meets Holes with a hint of The Ethan I Was Before.  It’s about a kid named Jonathan who has been sent to an island prison for kids for a crime he admits to committing but does not reveal until the end. On the island he encounters this tough group of 14 misfit boys - all imprisoned on this Alcatraz-type reformatory school for their crimes. Then suddenly, an incident occurs and the adults are all gone and the boys have to figure out what to do. If this one passed you by this year - definitely check it out! It’s got adventure and cool literary references and secret tunnels and oh it keeps you turning those pages!!   Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk This is Lauren Wolk’s second novel after her 2017 Newbery Honor book Wolf Hollow. And oh is this a masterful follow up! And one of those books that had me constantly pausing to research the historical details referenced.  Beyond the Bright Sea is about a young girl called Crow who as an infant washed ashore in an old boat on one of the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts. Other than the reclusive fisherman who is raising her, the other people on the island shun her because they think she came from Penikese Island - the nearby leper colony. When one night Crow spots a campfire on that supposedly abandoned island, she decides to find out for herself what answers that place may hold. This book enveloped me in that world and was full of surprises.   Midnight Without a Moon by Linda Williams Jackson This incredible, important, and beautifully written historical fiction novel takes place in rural Mississippi in the summer of 1955 right after the brutal murder of Emmett Till. That event and its aftermath has shifted the world of the main character -  Rose Lee Carter, her family, and her community.  But this isn’t just a Civil Rights story but the story of young girl dealing with self-doubt and family complications, and trying to decide how to balance making a better life for herself and making a better world for everyone to live in. And in a society that is asking us all to make those same calculations and bringing to light prejudices that some thought were on their way out, this is must read to understand our country and ourselves. I’d probably recommend this one for maybe ages 12 and up or perhaps a little younger with the understanding that the n-word is used. So some readers might need some context for that  - which would be a fantastic opportunity for much-needed conversation. And the sequel, A Sky Full of Stars, is coming out on January 2nd - a perfect time to read or reread the first book and have the second one ready to go!   Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry This is a novel told in alternating chapters of prose and poetry. The poetry sections are told from the point of view of Calli who is smart, sensitive, and into astronomy. She also has Tourette syndrome (TS) and was advised by her doctor and mom to hide that fact from people. But since she’s just moved to Utah with her mom, Calli is in this stressful position of starting a new school and trying to mask her tics and noises. The other chapters are from the point of view of her classmate and neighbor Jinsong. He is the student body president and the two of them form a fragile friendship that seems like it might be doomed when his friends start to target her. I adored this book and I know you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover (but we all do) - and Forget Me Not has such a gorgeous and meaningful cover. Kudos to Anna Booth for the cover design.   Funny Girl edited by Betsy Bird This collection of short stories is truly laugh-out-loud hilarious. Every one is written by women and about experiences young girls in particular can relate to. But - the boys in my class are loving this book, too!  It’s a great mix of personal narratives, poetry, comics, quizzes, and all kinds of cool formats. Some of my favorites are “One Hot Mess by Carmon Agra Deedy, “Bad Hair Day” by Kelly DiPucchio and “Brown Girl Pop Quiz” by Mitali Perkins. You really can’t go wrong with this book. And if you want to hear more about it, check out my interview with Betsy Bird on episode 32.   Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan This is a lovely and heartfelt story about a Pakistani-American Muslim girl, Amina, who is trying to navigate the complicated tides of middle school friendship where old friends are changing and old adversaries might be changing, too. Amina also has to deal with her rather traditional and more religiously strict uncle visiting their family and figuring out for herself how to express her beliefs and culture and voice in a way that feels right to her. This was Hena Khan’s debut middle grade, and I’m excited to see what else she has in store for us.   The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie This book has taken my class by storm!  I read it in one weekend and loved how much it creeped me the heck out. Every sentence - every detail in that first chapter ratchets up the tension as Tessa arrives at her new (possible haunted?) home in Chicago where things start to disappear, and mysterious figures are drawn in her sketchpad, and her brother’s ventriloquist dummy is… acting strangely.  And I haven’t even told you about the cemetery part yet!! If you have young kids who love a scary mystery - get this book in their hands!   Patina by Jason Reynolds This is Book 2 in the Track series and the follow up to Ghost. Here we the story of Patina “Patty” Jones - one of the new and fastest kids on the Defenders Track team. A girl who is running away from a lot - the taunts of the girls at her fancy new school. But also a girl who is running for a lot - for her mom who lost her legs to diabetes and won’t ever run again. And those stresses can sometimes manifest themselves in what looks like a bad attitude toward others and her teammates. So of course, her coach challenges her to run the event that requires the most cooperation - the relay.  It’s a rare sequel captures my heart as much as the first book but this one absolutely did it. And that first chapter about false starts and false finishes is one that has stayed on my mind a lot this year.   Wishtree by Katherine Applegate Did we have any doubt that this book would be wonderful? I have loved seeing how much my students are enjoyed this story about a brave and wise tree named Red and its loyal band of oddly-named tenants. The more subtle themes of immigration and racism take some coaxing and explaining and rereading to bring forth for them, but the the ideas about friendship are at the forefront of their minds. In a time when we all could use a dose of empathy and hope, Wishtree is the book we need.   The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez I really fell hard for this story about a Mexican-American girl reluctantly moving to Chicago with her mom and trying to both fit in and stand out and figure out who she is and what’s worth standing up for. Her fashion choices put her at odds with both her new school and her mother who wishes she could be more “senorita” and less punk rock. But the oh how I loved Malú and her parents and her friends, and I just wanted to go hang out with them in Chicago coffee shops and record stores. And the many zine sections in this book add a uniqueness that makes this book really stand out. (If you want to hear more about The First Rule of Punk, check out episode 33 to hear an interview with Celia.)   Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling This is a book that I came a little late to but when just about every single one of my middle grade Twitter friends are raving about a book, you know it’s something special. And they were right! And I’ll be honest with you - the moment I was sold on this book was the moment I took off the cover and saw the glorious undies - the cover underneath. But - I should tell you about the plot, too - right? This is a mystery centered around Aven - a girl with a fabulous (and sorta sick) sense of humor who likes to tell people that she lost her arms in a wildfire or an alligator attack. In reality, she was born without them and due to her adoptive parents’ vigilance - she can do just about anything that any other kid can do. But - when they all move so her parents can take over running the Stagecoach Pass theme park, Aven has to start a new school and deal with all that entails. Along the way, she meets a couple other “outcasts” who help her start to solve a major mystery at Stagecoach Pass. I loved this book because of how funny it was and how much research the author did to tell Aven’s story. Ban This Book by Alan Gratz I wish I had the guts that this main character has. But - she doesn’t start off so confident. Amy Anne is a shy, sweet fourth grader who loves the library, who loves to read, and who loves From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. It’s her favorite book - and one of my childhood favorites, too. But - when her favorite is banned from the school library - along with more and more books, she forms a secret banned book library that she runs out of her locker. Until…. well, I won’t tell you but it’s fantastic! With twists along the way, references to so many other books, and a special (cameo?) by Dav Pilkey who visits her school. Please get this book and has a great message that might be different than what you think.   Posted by John David Anderson As I’ve mentioned before, when you get a new book by an author whose previous work blew you away (Ms. Bixby’s Last Day), you’re almost expecting to be let down.But Posted is incredible. It’s the story of four middle school friends whose equilibrium is shifted when two things happen. One - a new girl comes to school (Rose) and some of them want her in their group and some don’t. Two - cell phones have been banned due to a recent ‘incident” and one of the four main friends, DeeDee, inadvertently starts a trend of posting sticky notes on lockers to communicate instead. Those two catalysts jump start this series of events that lead to a bike. And a hill. And a post-it. And so much more that threatens to fracture their friendship forever. I loved this book and how the author structured it - how it brought forward past information in a flashback but then withheld the next step and then brought everything together at the end. It just was so well crafted.     Refugee by Alan Gratz This book was the most powerful, most emotional I read all year. And I’ll admit that it left me a bit of a mess, and there were times I needed to pause. But how Alan Gratz braided the three stories of Josef and Isobel and Mahmoud together was brilliant and beautiful and raw.  Bringing forward one strand and then another and another, binding them together.  The three stories are - Josef a young Jewish boy, who is traveling with his family from 1930s Germany to Cuba on the infamous ship called the St. Louis. Then there is Isobel and her family who are traveling on a tiny makeshift raft from 1980s Cuba to Florida. And finally Mahmoud and his family who are making their way from war-torn Syria in 2015 to Austria. Since I read this book last summer, there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought of the courage and resilience of these characters and their brave parents in the face of the harshest realities. And… you know, it’s easy to be judgemental when reading about tragedies from the past, thinking to yourself, “Well, I would have done things differently - I would have stood up for those refugees.”  We often talk about books that encourage empathy - well, to me, this book helped me move beyond just empathy to some action. And if you’re looking to do more as well, please read Gratz’s suggestions at the end of the book about how you can help refugees around the world today. And I’ll link to those resources in the show notes if you want to check those out as well. (Alan recommends donating to UNICEF and Save the Children.)       Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder If you have spent any time with me over the past year, you have heard about this book. And if you’ve read it, I’ve probably cornered you for a long conversation to compare theories. And because I can’t stop thinking about it and talking about, and dwelling in the glorious uncertainty of it - my favorite book of 2017 is Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder!  On this mysterious eden-like island there live nine children - no more and no less. And every year when the green boat arrives bearing a new young arrival, the eldest child goes. This year, Jinny is now the Eldest and charged with teaching her young Care, Ess, all the rules she needs to follow to survive on the island and maintain that balance. But…  but.  This is a beautiful and compelling novel about goodbyes and childhood and innocence, and so so much more. I was really honored have the chance to chat with Laurel Snyder on the podcast last May when this book was released and if you want in on that conversation, take a listen to episode 25. Alright there it is. And this list, just like any other, is flawed. It reflects my own preferences and biases and I know there is just no possible way that I could read all the fabulousness in middle grade that was published in 2017. So there will be some of your favorites that I missed. In fact, one of my loves of last year - The Girl Who Drank the Moon - you know, the winner of the Newbery - wasn’t even on my 2016 list.  Because I didn’t finish it until after the episode aired. Right now, I am almost finished with The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish and the audio version of Jack Cheng’s See You in the Cosmos and both are turning out to be incredible! So a quick shout out to some 2017 middle grade releases that are on my To Be Read list: Top Want to Read Books from 2017 The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Bradley (but first I need to read The War Saved My Life) Me and Marvin Gardens by A.S. King Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams Garcia Vincent and Theo by Deborah Heiligman The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla   Annnd…. lots more that I know I’m missing! So - I want to hear from YOU - what were your favorite 2017 reads and which ones should I prioritize in the new year? You can drop me an email at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect with me on Twitter or Instagram with the handle @Books_Between. Closing Alright, that’s a wrap! Look for our next episode featuring the top middle grade graphic novels of 2017. And, If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher. And thanks again to WriteAbout.com for supporting the podcast this month - if you head over to their website you’ll find awesome ideas to get your students writing this year. Thanks and see you soon!  Bye!

Episode 18 features Newbery winner Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw and most recently, Wishtree. Our Porchlight conversation with Katherine Applegate explores developing a unique point of view character, along with the optimism of middle grade readers.    Katherine also reflects on the writing process and her journey - including the time she considered giving up on the Ivan manuscript and the dynamics of the author/agent relationship.  Includes announcement of Katherine's Write, Submit, Support scholarship in honor of poet Mary Carolyn Davies, who wrote the epigraph that opens Wishtree.   Wishtree book trailer Wishtree website  

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate

Finishing our classroom read aloud of wishtree, and reflecting on a classroom library survey made today awesome.

Intro   Hi and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect middle grade kids to books they’ll love.  I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two daughters, and happy to be DONE with 2016 and onward to 2017! Typically we have a New Year’s Eve party at our house - last year was a disco theme - but this time my kids were not feeling so great and instead we had a quiet night. I set up my new bullet journal with my reading goals, played canasta with my kids, crocheted, and just cuddling on the couch under the heating blanket. I know - NOT a very cool New Year’s Eve celebration. But - it was wonderful and I hope yours was as well. So - hello to 2017!   This is Episode #14 and today we are discussing some fun reading challenge ideas to kick off your new year, the most anticipated middle grade books coming out in 2017, and I’ll answer a question about what books to recommend for a 5th grader who has a high school reading level.   Main Topic - Reading Challenges for the New Year   One of the best things about the New Year is the reset that happens when December flips over into January and you have a full twelve months laid out in front of you with all the possibilities in the world! You’re past the indulgences of the holidays and ready to refocus, make some resolutions, build better habits, and set some goals.  So today I’m going to talk about a few fun ideas for reading challenges this year that can help you connect with your community, keep you motivated, and maybe spur you to stretch yourself as a reader in 2017.   Now our conversation today is geared toward personal reading goals for you, but these same ideas can be shared with the students and the children in your life. And as the lead reader in your library or classroom or home, sharing your own reading goals shows that you take your reading life seriously and that we’re all in this reading community together. I know that my first day back with my class, I’ll be sharing my Reading Challenge list with my students and helping them set up their own. So - if you are thinking about doing a reading challenge this year, here are a few ideas for you:   Challenge Idea #1 - Set a number goal.  Maybe that’s forty books or sixty books or a hundred books! Something that’s a bit of a stretch but still doable for you.  Last year, I participated in the #SixtyBooks Challenge  - I happened to see the hashtag last January and I thought, “I can do that!” And it’s been fantastic. One thing that kept me motivated was connecting to others doing the same challenge on Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads. So - if you decide to do any kind of challenge, connecting with other readers through social media helps keep you stay excited about it through the year. And if you want to join me this year, just check out #SixtyBooks and we can support each other!   Challenge Idea #2 - Set a goal based on type of book.  These can be found all over the internet this time of year. They are usually focused on adult books but you can easily read middle grade books within those categories and maybe make just a couple adjustments.  A really great one is Book Riot’s yearly Read Harder Challenge which this year features tasks like read a debut novel, read a travel memoir, read a superhero comic with a female lead, or  read a book by an immigrant or with a central immigration narrative.  Those last two are definitely going on my list.  I’ll leave a link to that in the show notes and what’s nice about the Book Riot challenge is that they have suggestions for each category, a Goodreads group, and in-person meetups throughout the year.     Another Reading Challenge that my friend Emily told me about is the one from PopSugar. They feature 40 book categories with this year’s theme of diversifying and expanding your reading - love it! Some of their reading prompts are a book involving a mythical creature, a book recommended by a librarian (I love that one), a book by or about a person who has a disability, a book with a main character who is a different ethnicity than you, and some fun ones like a book with a red spine or a book set in a hotel. PopSugar also has an extra twenty prompts for those hardcore readers who finish early. They also have a Goodreads group and printable lists, and I’ll link to their site too so you can check that out.   Another 2017 Reading Challenge that I discovered last week is one hosted by a site called Modern Mrs. Darcy. (Now - already with that name - I’m in!) What I really like about this challenge is that there are two paths you can follow: Reading for Fun or Reading for Growth.  Each have just 12 tasks so they are doable and you might even have time to do both! On the Reading for Fun list are topics like a juicy memoir, a book you chose for the cover, and a book by a new favorite author. Those all sound comfy and great. On the other hand, if you want to stretch yourself and go for the Reading for Growth path there are options like a book that addresses current events, a book by an #ownvoices or #diversebooks author, or a Newbery Award winner or Honor book.  That all sounds exactly what I need this year.   Challenge Idea #3 - Create a Reading Time Capsule for the year.  I wish I could remember where I saw this so I could give them proper credit, but this idea is similar to the practice of families jotting down happy memories throughout the year and tucking them into a jar to read on New Year’s Eve. This idea is to jot down favorite quotes and inspiring ideas from the books you’ve read throughout the year. I’m thinking that a nice adaptation would be instead of putting it in a jar, write it down in a journal or if you want to go more 21st century - challenge yourself to post on social media one inspiring quote or idea about every book you’ve read this year.  And that could also make a very cool classroom project.   Challenge Idea #4 - Do a Library Crawl!  Unlike a pub crawl, which is typically done in one night and you can’t bring your kids. Or well, you really shouldn’t bring your kids. A Library Crawl can span the whole year, the summer, or maybe just Spring Break. And it’s way better when you bring your kids!  Basically you challenge yourself to visit a set number of libraries in a set amount of time. Last summer, I was looking for some inexpensive things to do with my girls that would be fun, educational, and get us all out of the house and away from the electronics. So we challenged ourselves to visit 16 libraries during the summer of 2016. And we almost made it! I have a lot more to share with you about Library Crawls, how to do them, some fun ideas, and the unexpected benefits that I think I need to do a whole episode on it.     Challenge Idea #5 - Little Free Library Challenge.  Oh how I love Little Free Libraries!  They are popping up all over my community, my friends are all getting them, my school is putting one up this spring, and that is our family summer project. There are a couple ways you could go about doing a Little Free Library Challenge. One idea is to simply visit as many as you can this year and maybe document your travels on social media. If you go to the Little Free Library website, you can find listings of all your local registered libraries shown right on a map.  If you wanted to extend that into a Pay it Forward challenge, you could donate one book to each Little Free Library you visit.   Challenge Idea #6 - Design Your Own Reading Challenge!  Think of it as a 2017 Choose-Your-Own-Reading-Adventure.  Take the best ideas of the options out there and create something for yourself. And these ideas are easy to layer.  So you can set a number goal, participate in say, the Book Riot challenge or pick your own categories to read from the options you like, and maybe pick up those books while you do your library crawl.     Whatever you decide, get your kids and students involved, too and I’d love to see what you’ve got planned for the year!  You can send me an email at booksbetween@gmail.com or connect on Twitter or Instagram with the handle @Books_Between.   Book Talk - Most Anticipated Middle Grade Books of 2017   In this segment, I share with you a few books centered around a theme. This week I’m highlighting some of the most anticipated books of the upcoming year.  Some are new books in favorites series. Some are by favorite authors. Some are by debut authors. And some just sound fantastic! So, get ready to add to your wish list. And just a reminder - that you can find every book mentioned here AND a picture of the covers AND a link to pre-order them right through the Books Between Podcast link at AlltheWonders.com.  So, no need to scurry and write things down. I’ve got your back, I know you’re busy, so it’s all right there for you.   One quick note before I start - publication dates do change, so while I’ve mentioned the month each book is expected to release - things sometimes change.   All right - let’s get to it!   http://www.readbrightly.com/middle-grade-books-2017/ https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/74235.Middle_Grade_Novels_of_2017   Coming in January…   Scar Island - a new action adventure by Dan Gemeinhart. So if you liked his other novels The Honest Truth or Some Kind of Courage (which I know you did!) , definitely get this one. A new Jerry Spinelli novel - The Warden’s Daughter. It’s set in 1959 Pennsylvania and oh it looks fantastic! Also in January, we’ll get the third Terrible Twos book - The Terrible Two Go Wild by Mac Barnett & Jory John. And the second Audacity Jones Book - Audacity Jones Steals the Show.  AND another Victoria Coe Fenway & Hattie book - the Evil Bunny Gang! If you were a fan of Counting by 7s, like I am - then look for Holly Sloan’s new novel called Short - it’s about a small-for-her-age girl who gets cast as a Munchkin in a production of The Wizard of Oz. So fans of Oz will have something to love in this book, too! One book I’ve been really looking forward to this year is the short story collection put together in partnership with We Need Diverse Books. It’s called Flying Lessons & Other Stories and features authors like Grace Lin, Matt de la Pena, Jacqueline Woodson and so many others. If you’re like me, and part of your Reading Challenge this year is to read more nonfiction and to read more diversely, then there’s two books to look for this January Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls by Tonya Bolden Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Powell.  It’s the story of the civil rights case set up as a novel in verse. That should be amazing. Coming in February …   This time I’ll start with nonfiction: We have Bats: Learning to Fly - the newest volume in the nonfiction graphic novel series called Science Comics. Then we have Kwame Alexander’s latest called The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life. A great nonfiction pairing for fans of Booked and The Crossover. Also in February, the highly anticipated Judd Winnick graphic novel Hilo 3 - huzzah!   And the debut middle grade novel by picture book author and All the Wonders friend Carter Higgins. It’s called A Rambler Steals Home and it’s about baseball, and family, and friendship, and sweet potato fries - it’s incredible - you absolutely need to get this one!  In fact, if you preorder A Rambler Steals Home from the Once Upon a Time Bookstore, Carter has offered to sign it for you before they ship it out to you. It’s a win-win-win! You get a signed copy of an awesome book, you support an independent bookstore, and you support an author you know and love. So, I’ll include that link in the show notes for you. In March, there are four books I am really looking forward to: Gone Camping: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Wissinger, which is the companion book to the 2015 book Gone Fishing. Forget Me Not by debut middle grade author  Ellie Terry featuring a science-loving main character, Calliope, who has Tourette syndrome. A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold This one is about a kid who ends up caring for a baby skunk and tried to convince his mom to let him keep it.  What could go wrong? And - we get a new Nathan Hale book this year!  It’s not a Hazardous Tale’s book. In fact, it’s almost the opposite of that. It’s set in the future and Earth is being attacked by aliens who suck up the energy from electrical devices leaving our civilization under threat. And there’s a robot pony. It’s so different from Hale’s work that I’m familiar with, but it looks original and fresh and amazing and I can’t wait to read it.   In April we have: The first book in a new mystery series by Adrienne Kress called The Explorers: The Door in the Alley. My students are really loving mysteries this year so this will make a great addition to my classroom library. Tito the Bonecrusher by Melissa Thomson. This is the story of a boy who seeks out the help of his favorite lucha-libre wrestler / action star to save his father from being deported to Mexico. That sounds fantastic and funny and... timely!   May is going to be a stellar month for reading: Georgia Rules by Swing Sideways author Nanci Steveson And a new Lisa Graff novel called The Great Treehouse War.  So if you liked Absolutely Almost or Lost in the Sun, look for this one this spring. A new Gordon Korman stand-alone novel called Restart about boy who was a bully who loses his memory and gets a fresh start. What an interesting premise! Another May release that I am so so excited about is Posted by Ms. Bixby’s Last Day author, John David Anderson. I loved Ms. Bixby so much - I can’t wait to see what Anderson has in store for us next! Then there’s a nonfiction book about Hamilton! It’s called Alexander Hamilton: How the Vision of One Man Shaped Modern America by Teri Kanefield And finally - mark your calendars and pre-order Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder because this book has been getting all the buzz. This novel keeps popping up everywhere I look!   In June we have: A 6th Ranger in Time book called Escape from the Great Earthquake   The third book in Phil Bildner’s Rip & Red series!  This one is called Tournament of Champions. My students are going to psyched about this one!   And a second book from A Distance to Home author Jenn Bishop called 14 Hollow Road. It’s about a 6th grade girl whose town is torn apart by a tornado and her family ends up living with the family of her crush, Avery, after both their houses are destroyed.   A fun book in a new non-fiction series called Two Truths and a Lie: It's Alive! So, basically the reader is presented with three stories about the natural world and you have to guess which one is the lie. Sounds fun - and good practice for life.     It’s a good thing I have July off from school, because there are some seriously awesome books being released that month: Including a new Comics Squad!  Comics Squad #3: Detention I love these! They’re fun, they’re quick, and they introduce kids to new writers. Another book to look forward to in July is Our Story Begins : Children’s Authors and Illustrators Share Fun, Inspiring, and Occasionally Ridiculous Things They Wrote and Drew as Kids Oh - now that should be good! And also in July, we’ll get Spirit Hunters - the first middle grade novel by Ellen Oh - this one is the first of a new ghost story series. Can’t wait for that! And - I am also excited for July because that’s when Abby Cooper’s second novel, Bubbles, comes out!   In this one, the main character can see other people’s thoughts. Oh god - can you imagine?   August August is going to be fabulous because we get a new Cassie Beasley book. If you liked Circus Mirandus, her new novel is called Tumble & Blue and it’s about a curse, a swamp, and a golden alligator.   So after August, publication dates get a little hazy. BUT - I hear there’s a new Katherine Applegate book coming called Wishtree.  Also - there’s a fourth Al Capone at Alcatraz book coming out in the fall called Al Capone Does My Dishes.   And the Rick Riordon’s third Magnus Chase book: The Ship of the Dead . And the third Mr. Lemoncello's Library - the Great Library Race   And of course - I’ll keep you posted about all the amazing books headed our way so we can stay up to date. Those were some upcoming titles to look forward to in 2017. But. If I had to guess - the one book that you fall in love with this year, that one new book that your kids can’t put down. Is one that isn’t on this list and isn’t even on your radar right now. Most of my favorites of last year, I wasn’t even aware of them this early. And that’s exciting! There is so much to look forward to!   Q & A Our final segment this week is Question & Answer time.   Question: After sharing our Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2016 list last week, I got this question from Jane: “Do you have an idea what book to get a 10-yr-old boy who reads on a 12th grade level?” And she added, “He is currently into the Warriors series.”   Answer: That can be a tough situation. He CAN read Young Adult or Adult books, but you’ve got to be careful of the content, which might not be okay for a 5th grader.     A quick example / horror story about that: when I used to teach 6th grade in a middle school, one of the reading assessments we gave was a computer program that would determine a reading level and would then print out a recommended list of titles for each kid. Sounds great, right? Well. I noticed that the kids who scored the highest were being recommended A CLOCKWORK ORANGE! I never ripped a piece of paper out of kid’s hand so fast! (Can you imagine if that went home?)   So - anyway - just because the reading level is a good match, does not mean the book is a good fit.   But - there are lots of middle grade books that have a higher reading level. And if he likes Fantasy, then there are some great books that I think he’ll like.  I might try the Wings of Fire series. It has some similarities to Warriors - there are clans and battles and shifting alliances - but it’s dragons instead of cats.  He might really like The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz or maybe The Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin or even The Lord of The Rings which is more “high” fantasy.  Another option that a friend recommended is The Riverman Trilogy by Aaron Starmer.   So, Jane - let us know how things go and if you’ve found something that hits the mark.   Closing   Alright, that’s it for the Q&A section this week. If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or an idea about a topic we should cover, I really would love to hear from you. You can email me at booksbetween@gmail.com or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between. Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get a full transcript of this show and all of our previous episodes at AlltheWonders.com. And when you are there, check out Matthew’s interview with Cozy Classics creators Jack and Holman Wang. I cannot stop reading and rereading these adorable little board books. And, if you are liking our show, I’d love it if you took a second to leave a rating or review on iTunes or Stitcher.   Thanks, Happy New Year, and see you in two weeks!  Bye!