Podcasts about Young adult fiction

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: From Anxiety to Peace: Mateo's Journey of Self-Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2026-06-23-07-38-19-es Story Transcript:Es: El viento frío soplaba con fuerza en el patio del colegio público.En: The cold wind blew fiercely in the courtyard of the public school.Es: Eran las últimas semanas de clases y el ambiente estaba cargado de nerviosismo.En: It was the last weeks of classes, and the atmosphere was charged with nervousness.Es: Mateo caminaba por los pasillos del instituto, con su mochila llena de libros y apuntes.En: Mateo walked through the school hallways with his backpack full of books and notes.Es: Los exámenes finales estaban a la vuelta de la esquina y su ansiedad era cada vez mayor.En: The final exams were just around the corner, and his anxiety was increasing.Es: Mateo era un estudiante muy aplicado, siempre buscando la perfección.En: Mateo was a very diligent student, always striving for perfection.Es: Sin embargo, dentro de él, se escondía un gran temor: no cumplir con las expectativas y quedar por debajo de Carlos, su rival académico más fuerte.En: However, inside him, there was a great fear: not living up to expectations and falling behind Carlos, his strongest academic rival.Es: Carlos, con su cabello siempre perfectamente peinado y su actitud confiada, parecía nunca dudar de sus habilidades.En: Carlos, with his hair always perfectly styled and his confident attitude, seemed to never doubt his abilities.Es: Afortunadamente, Mateo no estaba solo.En: Fortunately, Mateo was not alone.Es: A su lado, siempre estaba Lucía, su mejor amiga.En: By his side was always Lucía, his best friend.Es: Lucía era su sol en los días nublados.En: Lucía was his sunshine on cloudy days.Es: Menos preocupada por las notas, Lucía solía decirle a Mateo que disfrutara de la juventud sin tanto estrés.En: Less concerned about grades, Lucía used to tell Mateo to enjoy youth without so much stress.Es: Pero Mateo era testarudo; escuchar consejos no formaba parte de su plan.En: But Mateo was stubborn; listening to advice was not part of his plan.Es: Todas las noches, Mateo se quedaba despierto hasta tarde, repasando cada capítulo, cada fórmula.En: Every night, Mateo stayed up late, reviewing every chapter, every formula.Es: Lucía lo llamaba desde su móvil diciéndole que descansara, que de nada servía estudiar sobre cansancio.En: Lucía would call him from her cell phone, telling him to rest, that it was useless to study when tired.Es: Pero Mateo ignoraba sus palabras, pensando que solo así lograría esos dieces tan deseados.En: But Mateo ignored her words, thinking that only this way he would achieve those much-desired perfect scores.Es: El día del primer examen, el instituto estaba repleto de estudiantes tensos.En: On the day of the first exam, the school was filled with tense students.Es: Mateo respiraba profundamente dentro del aula, tratando de calmar su mente.En: Mateo breathed deeply inside the classroom, trying to calm his mind.Es: El profesor entregó las pruebas y, al empezar a leer las preguntas, Mateo sintió que su mente se quedaba en blanco.En: The teacher handed out the tests, and as he began to read the questions, Mateo felt his mind go blank.Es: Todo lo estudiado parecía haber desaparecido.En: Everything he had studied seemed to have disappeared.Es: El pánico se apoderó de él.En: Panic took hold of him.Es: Fue entonces cuando Lucía alzó la mirada.En: That's when Lucía looked up.Es: Mateo estaba temblando en su asiento.En: Mateo was trembling in his seat.Es: Con una sonrisa suave, Lucía le susurró desde su lugar: "Respira, Mateo.En: With a gentle smile, Lucía whispered from her spot, "Breathe, Mateo.Es: No eres tus notas."En: You are not your grades."Es: Esas palabras hicieron eco en su mente.En: Those words echoed in his mind.Es: Mateó cerró los ojos, respiró profundamente y, poco a poco, logró calmarse.En: Mateo closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and gradually managed to calm himself.Es: Recordó que primero era él, sus esfuerzos, sus ganas, y después las notas.En: He remembered that first and foremost there was himself, his efforts, his desires, and then the grades.Es: Recuperando la compostura, Mateo empezó a escribir con determinación.En: Regaining his composure, Mateo began to write with determination.Es: Con la ayuda de Lucía y su propia voluntad, Mateo terminó los exámenes finales.En: With the help of Lucía and his own willpower, Mateo finished the final exams.Es: No superó a Carlos, quien se llevó el primer puesto, pero eso ya no le importaba tanto.En: He did not surpass Carlos, who took the first place, but that no longer mattered to him.Es: Mateo había aprendido algo mucho más valioso: cómo enfrentar su ansiedad y la importancia de no dejar que las notas definieran su valor.En: Mateo had learned something much more valuable: how to face his anxiety and the importance of not letting grades define his worth.Es: Las vacaciones llegaron con el invierno.En: The holidays came with the winter.Es: Mateo prometió a Lucía que en el próximo año encontraría un mejor equilibrio entre sus estudios y su vida personal.En: Mateo promised Lucía that next year he would find a better balance between his studies and his personal life.Es: Siguiendo adelante, sabía que había crecido más allá de los números y los rankings, fortalecido por la amistad y el autodescubrimiento.En: Moving forward, he knew he had grown beyond numbers and rankings, strengthened by friendship and self-discovery. Vocabulary Words:the courtyard: el patiothe backpack: la mochilathe hallways: los pasillosthe perfection: la perfecciónthe fear: el temorthe expectations: las expectativasthe rival: el rivalthe confidence: la confianzathe sunshine: el solthe advice: los consejosthe formula: la fórmulathe anxiety: la ansiedadthe panic: el pánicothe classroom: el aulathe exams: los exámenesthe ranking: el rankingthe friendship: la amistadthe self-discovery: el autodescubrimientothe holidays: las vacacionesthe balance: el equilibriothe efforts: los esfuerzosthe winter: el inviernothe desire: las ganasthe strength: la fortalezathe worth: el valorthe determination: la determinaciónthe willpower: la voluntadthe chapter: el capítulothe grade: la notathe youth: la juventud

Fluent Fiction - Serbian: Love and Resilience Amidst Exam Pressure: A Library Affair Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sr/episode/2026-06-23-07-38-20-sr Story Transcript:Sr: Увелико је било лето у Београду, а завршни испити су се брзо приближавали.En: Summer was already in full swing in Beograd, and final exams were fast approaching.Sr: У јавног гимназији у центру града, ученици су се вредно припремали.En: At the public high school in the city center, students were diligently preparing.Sr: Јована, тиха и марљива, увек је волела мир библиотеке.En: Jovana, quiet and hardworking, always loved the peace of the library.Sr: Али сада је имала разлог више да проводи време тамо.En: But now she had an additional reason to spend time there.Sr: Открила је да Милан, њен друг из разреда кога је тајно симпатизовала, није добро стајао са оценама.En: She discovered that Milan, her classmate whom she secretly admired, was not doing well with his grades.Sr: Бојала се да ће пасти на испитима и неће матуру положити.En: She feared he would fail the exams and not graduate.Sr: Милан је био вредан момак али га је притисак очекивања једноставно савладао.En: Milan was a hardworking guy, but the pressure of expectations simply overwhelmed him.Sr: Јована је дуго размишљала како да му помогне.En: Jovana thought long about how to help him.Sr: Знала је да је Милан поносан и да је лако могуће да одбије помоћ.En: She knew Milan was proud and might easily refuse help.Sr: Она је била стидљива и није желела да открије своја осећања.En: She was shy and didn't want to reveal her feelings.Sr: Ипак, одлучила је да направи план.En: Nevertheless, she decided to make a plan.Sr: Припремила је распоред учења и пошла је да га пронађе.En: She prepared a study schedule and set off to find him.Sr: Пронашавши га на поставама и са књигама на брдо, одлучно му је пришла.En: Finding him among the desks and with a pile of books, she approached him determinedly.Sr: "Милане", почела је тихо, "можда бисмо могли заједно учити за испите?"En: "Milane," she began quietly, "maybe we could study together for the exams?"Sr: Милан ју је погледао збуњено, а онда снисходљиво.En: Milan looked at her confused, then condescendingly.Sr: "Хвала, али у реду сам", одговорио је.En: "Thanks, but I'm alright," he replied.Sr: Али Јована је била упорна.En: But Jovana was persistent.Sr: "Знаш", наставила је, "у библиотеци имамо мир и хладан ваздух, можемо и тамо."En: "You know," she continued, "we have peace and cool air in the library, we can stay there too."Sr: Посматрао ју је неко време, њена скромност и искреност мешали су му се са његовом унутрашњом борбом с поносом.En: He observed her for a while, her modesty and sincerity mixing with his internal struggle with pride.Sr: На крају је прихватио, "Добро, покушаћемо."En: In the end, he agreed, "Alright, let's try."Sr: Током врелих поподнева, библиотека је постала њихово уточиште.En: During the hot afternoons, the library became their refuge.Sr: Сунце је негде наметало своју светлост, али њихова заједничка усредсређеност је осветљавала пут кроз књиге.En: The sun cast its light somewhere outside, but their shared focus illuminated the path through the books.Sr: Једног поподнева, док су пролазили кроз математику, разговор се појачао.En: One afternoon, while they were going through mathematics, the conversation intensified.Sr: Милан, фрустриран, бубнуо је, "Никад нећу ово све завршити!"En: Frustrated, Milan burst out, "I'll never finish all this!"Sr: Њене осећаји су изненада искочили из ње, као скривена бура.En: Her feelings suddenly burst out of her, like a hidden storm.Sr: "Не мораш сам!", узвикнула је Јована.En: "You don't have to do it alone!" Jovana exclaimed.Sr: "Желим да ти помогнем. Желим да успемос. Желим..." застала је, схвативши да је рекла превише.En: "I want to help you. I want us to succeed. I want..." she paused, realizing she had said too much.Sr: Милан је скоро застао дахом, његова фасада се распала.En: Milan almost caught his breath, his facade shattered.Sr: Гледали су се, обоје изненађени и разоружани.En: They looked at each other, both surprised and disarmed.Sr: Она му се насмешила, стидљиво али искрено.En: She smiled at him, shyly but sincerely.Sr: "Важно је", додала је, "да си свестан да ниси сам."En: "It's important," she added, "that you're aware you're not alone."Sr: Након тог тренутка, све се променило.En: After that moment, everything changed.Sr: Тајне су пале као завесе, откривајући нови пејзаж пријатељства и поверења.En: Secrets fell like curtains, revealing a new landscape of friendship and trust.Sr: Милан је схватио да је исправно прихватити помоћ када је потребна, а Јована је добила снагу да изрази своја осећања.En: Milan realized it was right to accept help when needed, and Jovana gained the strength to express her feelings.Sr: До Видовдана, на крају месеца, Милан је био спреман за испите.En: By Vidovdan, at the end of the month, Milan was ready for the exams.Sr: Обоје су стајали на школском дворишту, испред великог платана.En: They both stood in the schoolyard, in front of the large sycamore.Sr: Сунчеви зраци су их обасјавали, и тада је Милан тихо рекао: "Хвала ти, Јована. За све."En: The sun rays shone on them, and Milan quietly said, "Thank you, Jovana. For everything."Sr: Док су дани летели и лето наслагало своје златне слојеве, њихова прича је текла у нове путеве, исписујући нове странице на пријатељству и могућој љубави.En: As the days flew by and summer layered its golden hues, their story flowed into new paths, writing new pages on friendship and potential love. Vocabulary Words:swing: замахexams: испитиdiligently: вредноgraduated: матуру положитиoverwhelmed: савладаоproud: поносанrefuse: одбијеshy: стидљиваschedule: распоредdeterminedly: одлучноconfused: збуњеноcondescendingly: снисходљивоpersistent: упорнаmodesty: скромностsincerity: искреностilluminated: осветљавалаfrustrated: фрустриранburst out: бубнуоhidden: скривенаstorm: бураfacade: фасадаshattered: распалаdisarmed: разоружаниrevealing: откривајућиlandscape: пејзажawareness: свестaccept: прихватитиvidovdan: Видовданlayered: наслагалоhues: слојеве

With Summer Holidays in full flow, Danielle Mahoney from Missy.ie, has the top recommendations for Young Adult Fiction.

YA masters Krystal Sutherland (The Invocations), Joanna Nadin (author of 90+ books for children and adults) and Moira Buffini (Songlight) on hooking teen readers from the very first page, plotting methods that tame a whole novel, and why stories matter so much to young people. You'll learn What sparks the magic system of a supernatural thriller. What it means to find your writing home, and how to know when you've arrived. Why readers decide within the first ten pages, and how visceral detail keeps them hooked. A pantser's case for careful plotting when you're juggling multiple points of view. The most common mistake adults make when writing for young readers. What screenwriters know about tight writing, and what teen TV can teach you about voice. Why treating writing as a job, not a calling, makes rejection survivable. Whether writers should think about their audience. How writing toward a feeling, not a plan, creates cliffhangers you don't see coming. Episode Links #105: Krystal Sutherland #61: Joanna Nadin #179: Moira Buffini About the Guests Krystal Sutherland is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of House of Hollow, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares and Our Chemical Hearts, which was adapted into a film by Amazon Studios. Her books have been published in more than twenty countries and nominated for the Carnegie Medal and YA Book Prize, among others. Her latest YA novel, The Invocations — the centerpiece of this conversation — won the 2025 Prime Minister's Literary Award for young adult literature. Originally from Australia, she has lived on four continents and currently calls London home. Joanna Nadin has written more than 90 books for children and adults, including the Rachel Riley series, the Penny Dreadful series, and the Sunday Times bestselling Worst Class in the World series. She holds a doctorate in adolescent identity and YA literature and is an Associate Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Bristol. Her books have garnered a number of prizes including the Fantastic Book Award and the Surrey Book Award, and she has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, the Booktrust Best Book Award, the Telegraph Sports Book of the Year, the Hearst Big Book Awards, and Queen of Teen. She has been nominated six times for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, including for Everybody Hurts and for Joe All Alone, which was made into a BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated BBC drama series. Moira Buffini is an Olivier Award–winning UK playwright and BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, writing many plays for the National Theatre and the West End. Films include Tamara Drewe, Jane Eyre, Byzantium, and The Dig. She cocreated and was showrunner of Hulu's Harlots. Her YA debut Songlight — the first in The Torch Trilogy — won the 2025 YA Book Prize, and its sequel Torchfire is out now. She lives in London. For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com.For free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.com.*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONTwitter: twitter.com/​​WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalonIf you're enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!

This week Brooke, Stacy, Shannon, and Kristeen are discussing young adult fiction. Titles include:Kayla Cottingham, Practical Rules For Cursed WitchesAlys Arden, The Casquette Girls (The Casquette Girls #1)Erik J. Brown, Better The DevilAdam Silvera, They Both Die At The End (They Both Die At The End #1)Katie Gilbert, Love, Canter, ActionRebecca Ross, Divine Rivals (Letters Of Enchantment #1)Jumata Emill, I Don't Wish You WellAbdi Nazemian, Exquisite ThingsGabi Burton, To Steal A ThroneAdalyn Grace, Belladonna (Belladonna #1)Victoria Wlosok, Six Must DieAdib Khorram, One Word, Six LettersYou can always contact the Book Bistro team by searching @BookBistroPodcast on facebook, or visiting:https://www.facebook.com/BookBistroPodcast/You can also send an email to:TheBookBistroPodcast@gmail.comFor more information on the podcast and the team behind it, please visit:https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-bistro

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Balancing Act: Mateo's Journey from Pressure to Peace Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2026-04-20-07-38-19-es Story Transcript:Es: Mateo caminaba por el pasillo del dormitorio universitario.En: Mateo walked through the hallway of the university dormitory.Es: A su alrededor, el ruido de estudiantes preparando sus notas se mezclaba con el suave aroma de las flores de primavera que entraba por las ventanas abiertas.En: Around him, the noise of students preparing their notes mixed with the soft aroma of spring flowers that entered through the open windows.Es: Los pósters llenaban las paredes, anunciando eventos de fin de semestre que, ahora, parecían lejanos a sus preocupaciones.En: Posters filled the walls, announcing end-of-semester events that, now, seemed distant from his worries.Es: Mateo había llegado a la universidad con una beca que era su orgullo y esperanza.En: Mateo had arrived at the university with a scholarship that was his pride and hope.Es: Pero la presión no solo venía de exámenes, sino también de su familia en casa.En: But the pressure not only came from exams, but also from his family at home.Es: Su madre, preocupada por las cuentas, llamaba con frecuencia, y su padre lo necesitaba para resolver pequeños problemas.En: His mother, worried about the bills, called frequently, and his father needed him to resolve minor issues.Es: Mateo sentía el tirón de sus obligaciones de hijo y estudiante.En: Mateo felt the pull of his obligations as both a son and a student.Es: Isabela y Tomás, amigos de Mateo, a menudo lo encontraban en la sala común, libros por todos lados, intentando encontrar soluciones a ecuaciones y al dilema de su vida.En: Isabela and Tomás, Mateo's friends, often found him in the common room, books scattered everywhere, trying to find solutions to equations and the dilemma of his life.Es: "Mateo, necesitas descansar", le decía Isabela.En: "Mateo, you need to rest," Isabela would say to him.Es: "No te sirve de nada estudiar tan cansado", agregaba Tomás, abriendo la ventana para dejar entrar aire fresco.En: "It's no use studying when you're so tired," Tomás added, opening the window to let in fresh air.Es: Era primavera en el hemisferio norte, tiempo de nuevos comienzos, pero Mateo solo sentía el peso del mundo sobre sus hombros.En: It was spring in the northern hemisphere, a time for new beginnings, but Mateo only felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.Es: Su objetivo era claro: mantener su beca, asegurar un futuro mejor para su familia y él.En: His goal was clear: maintain his scholarship, secure a better future for his family and himself.Es: Pero, ¿cómo hacerlo sin fracasar en una u otra tarea?En: But how to do so without failing in one task or another?Es: El día del examen final llegó con la promesa de un cielo soleado y tranquilidad.En: The day of the final exam arrived with the promise of a sunny sky and tranquility.Es: Sin embargo, justo antes de entrar al aula, su teléfono vibró.En: However, just before entering the classroom, his phone vibrated.Es: Era una llamada urgente de casa.En: It was an urgent call from home.Es: La voz de su madre sonaba preocupada, y Mateo sintió el tirón en su corazón.En: His mother's voice sounded worried, and Mateo felt a tug at his heart.Es: Miró la puerta del aula, el lugar donde debía probar que todo su esfuerzo valía la pena.En: He looked at the classroom door, the place where he had to prove that all his effort was worth it.Es: Luego, miró su teléfono, una conexión directa a quienes amaba.En: Then, he looked at his phone, a direct connection to those he loved.Es: Tenía que decidir rápidamente.En: He had to decide quickly.Es: El reloj no se detenía.En: The clock was not stopping.Es: Respiró profundo y, con decisión, habló con su profesor antes de que el examen comenzara.En: He took a deep breath and, with determination, spoke to his professor before the exam began.Es: "Profesor, necesito atender una emergencia familiar.En: "Professor, I need to attend to a family emergency.Es: ¿Podría darme una oportunidad para rendir el examen otro día?"En: Could you give me a chance to take the exam on another day?"Es: Su voz era firme pero suplicante.En: His voice was firm but pleading.Es: Para su sorpresa, el profesor entendió.En: To his surprise, the professor understood.Es: "Mateo", le dijo, "tus compromisos son importantes.En: "Mateo," he said, "your commitments are important.Es: Habla con la secretaria para programar otro día."En: Talk to the secretary to schedule another day."Es: Mateo agradeció profundamente y salió del aula.En: Mateo thanked him deeply and left the classroom.Es: Mateo atendió la llamada y ayudó en lo que pudo.En: Mateo answered the call and helped as much as he could.Es: Después, conversó con Isabela y Tomás, quienes lo ayudaron a organizarse y a pedir ayuda a los recursos disponibles en la universidad.En: Afterwards, he talked with Isabela and Tomás, who helped him get organized and seek help from the resources available at the university.Es: Entendió que no estaba solo y que, pedir ayuda, también era una forma de ser responsable.En: He understood that he was not alone and that asking for help was also a way of being responsible.Es: Días después, Mateo realizó el examen con concentración y tranquilidad.En: Days later, Mateo took the exam with focus and calmness.Es: Aprobó, manteniendo su beca y asegurando su lugar en la universidad.En: He passed, maintaining his scholarship and securing his place at the university.Es: Había aprendido algo importante: podía cumplir con sus sueños sin olvidar a su familia, siempre equilibrando sus responsabilidades y cuidando de sí mismo.En: He had learned something important: he could fulfill his dreams without forgetting his family, always balancing his responsibilities and taking care of himself.Es: El sonido de los estudiantes riendo por los pasillos le hizo sonreír.En: The sound of students laughing in the hallways made him smile.Es: Había sido un camino lleno de desafíos, pero ahora caminaba con más seguridad.En: It had been a path full of challenges, but now he walked with more confidence.Es: Sabía que, en cada paso, llevaba consigo el amor por su familia y sus aspiraciones, hermanados en su corazón.En: He knew that, with every step, he carried with him the love for his family and his aspirations, united in his heart. Vocabulary Words:hallway: el pasillodormitory: el dormitorioscholarship: la becapressure: la presiónobligations: las obligacionesdilemma: el dilemaequations: las ecuacionesgoal: el objetivofuture: el futurotask: la tareaexam: el examenpromises: las promesasclassroom: el aulaemergency: la emergenciacommitments: los compromisosresources: los recursosconcentration: la concentraciónresponsibilities: las responsabilidadespath: el caminochallenges: los desafíosconfidence: la seguridadaspirations: las aspiracionesnotes: las notasbills: las cuentasflowers: las floresaroma: el aromasky: el cieloheart: el corazónnoise: el ruidowindows: las ventanas

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Blossoms of Balance: Haruto's Sakura Festival Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-04-06-22-34-01-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 春の風が優しく吹く中、学校の中庭には満開の桜が咲き誇っていました。En: A gentle spring breeze blew through, and in the school courtyard, the sakura were in full bloom, proudly displaying their beauty.Ja: 花びらがひらひらと舞い落ちる様子は美しく、周りには楽しく笑う生徒たちの姿が見られます。En: The sight of the petals fluttering down was breathtaking, and around them, the students were seen laughing happily.Ja: 屋台からは美味しそうな香りが漂い、桜祭りは大盛況です。En: An irresistible aroma wafted from the food stalls, and the sakura festival was in full swing.Ja: ハルトは図書館の中で深く息をつきました。En: Haruto took a deep breath inside the library.Ja: 目の前には積み上げられた教科書とノート。En: In front of him were stacks of textbooks and notebooks.Ja: 期末試験でAを取りたい一心で勉強に励んでいましたが、心の中ではどこか焦りとプレッシャーを感じていました。En: Driven by a strong desire to get an A on his final exams, he was diligently studying, but deep inside, he felt a sense of anxiety and pressure.Ja: 「やあ、ハルト！」と、明るい声が響きます。En: "Hey, Haruto!" a cheerful voice echoed.Ja: ユキが楽しげな表情を浮かべて立っていました。En: Yuki stood there with a joyful expression.Ja: 「ちょっと休憩して、桜祭りを楽しもうよ！」En: "Take a break and let's enjoy the sakura festival!"Ja: ハルトはため息をつきました。En: Haruto sighed.Ja: 「勉強しなきゃ。試験が近いから、遊ぶ時間なんてないよ。」En: "I have to study. The exams are coming up, so I don't have time to play."Ja: ユキは笑いながら言いました。「人生を楽しむ時間を作るのも大事だよ。桜はすぐに散っちゃうから、今しか見られないんだ。」En: Yuki laughed and said, "It's also important to make time to enjoy life. The sakura will scatter soon; you can only see them now."Ja: その言葉にハルトは少しだけ考え込みました。En: Those words made Haruto think for a moment.Ja: 結局、ユキに説得され、ハルトは中庭へと足を運ぶことにしました。En: In the end, persuaded by Yuki, Haruto decided to step into the courtyard.Ja: 桜の木の下でユキと一緒に座り、周りの楽しそうな雰囲気に包まれます。En: Sitting under the sakura tree with Yuki, he was enveloped by the cheerful atmosphere around him.Ja: 桜の花びらが風に乗って舞い落ち、ハルトの心にも少しずつ春の喜びが広がっていきました。En: The sakura petals danced on the wind, slowly spreading the joy of spring into Haruto's heart.Ja: 「やっぱり、たまにはリラックスするのも悪くないね。」ハルトは微笑みました。En: "After all, taking a break once in a while isn't so bad," Haruto smiled.Ja: 「なんだか新しいエネルギーをもらった気がするよ。」En: "I feel like I've gained some new energy."Ja: 祭りの後、ハルトは再び図書館に戻り、勉強を再開しましたが、その表情は以前と違っていました。En: After the festival, Haruto returned to the library and resumed his studies, but his expression was different from before.Ja: リラックスしたおかげで集中力も増し、心は穏やかでした。En: Thanks to the relaxation, his concentration increased, and his mind was at ease.Ja: ハルトはその日に学んだことを心に留めました。En: Haruto kept in mind what he learned that day.Ja: 「勉強も大事だけど、時には楽しみも必要なんだ。」En: "Studying is important, but having fun is also necessary from time to time."Ja: 彼はバランスの大切さを知り、これからの時間をより充実したものにすることを決めました。En: He realized the importance of balance and decided to make his future time more fulfilling.Ja: 桜の季節の中で、新たな決意が芽生えたのでした。En: In the season of sakura, a new resolution had sprouted. Vocabulary Words:gentle: 優しくbreeze: 風courtyard: 中庭fluttering: ひらひらbreathtaking: 美しくaroma: 香りwafted: 漂いirresistible: 美味しそうなdriven: 一心でdiligently: 励んでanxiety: 焦りpressure: プレッシャーcheerful: 明るいpersuaded: 説得されatmosphere: 雰囲気enveloped: 包まれdanced: 舞いjoy: 喜びrelaxation: リラックスconcentration: 集中力fulfilling: 充実したresolution: 決意sprouted: 芽生えたstacks: 積み上げられたtextbooks: 教科書notebooks: ノートexpression: 表情scattered: 散っちゃうeased: 穏やかnecessary: 必要

Send a textEpisode Title: Chapter 21 – A Spectre's RageWhen Wraith and Flash break into a silent department store in search of Katie, they expect a fight. What they find instead is a stage.On the top floor — transformed into a grotesque theatre of satin sheets and plastic soldiers — Lutz waits. Elevated like royalty, painted like a phantom, he has assembled his audience: bound captives, lifeless mannequins… and one broken man he intends to dismantle piece by piece.As insults cut deeper than fists and old wounds are ripped open, Wraith is forced to confront more than an army of hollow bodies. This isn't just a battle of strength — it's a psychological war, a reckoning with addiction, shame, rage, and the ghosts of Festavia.When the mannequins begin to move and the music starts to play, survival becomes a performance.And someone in the plastic crowd is about to break the script.A brutal, surreal, emotionally charged chapter that pushes every character to their edge — and asks the question:Can pain be controlled… or does it always control you?

Growing up, John Marsden found school incredibly difficult and, as a teenager, spent time in hospital after a breakdown. This difficult early life profoundly shaped his work as a writer and educator of young people.With the help of a therapist, he began to recover, but it took him many years to find his place in the world.Eventually he studied teaching, then in his mid-thirties John began to write.John wrote over 40 best-selling novels for young adults and used his profits to buy bushland on the edge of Melbourne and open a primary school.At Candlebark, students call teachers by their first names, and are encouraged to take risks, John also founded a high school called Alice Miller.In 2024, John Marsden died at the age of 74, this interview was recorded in 2018.This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison, the Executive Producer was Pam O'Brien.it explores education, strict parenting, teaching, all boys private school education, emotional breakdown, psychiatric care, therapy, counselling, studying teaching, writing, writing for young adults, running an independent school, risk taking, being an author, legacy.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

Sapphic Adolescent Girls in Irish Young Adult Fiction: Queering Girlhood (Routledge, 2025) is the first sustained critical analysis of the representation of sapphic adolescent protagonists in contemporary Irish Young Adult (YA) literature. Ten YA novels published between 2017 and 2023 by both well-established and emerging Irish female authors are examined, analysing sapphic characters to demonstrate how Irish YA literature can transform and re-imagine sapphic literary representations. This book offers a critical evaluation of how lesbianism and bisexuality have been introduced into Irish YA literature, while also addressing the significance of racism, religion, violence against women and girls, friendships, and parental abandonment in shaping queer identities. This study is ideal for postgraduates and academics in the fields of Irish Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Studies, as well as students interested in YA literature, comparative literature, and contemporary literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Sapphic Adolescent Girls in Irish Young Adult Fiction: Queering Girlhood (Routledge, 2025) is the first sustained critical analysis of the representation of sapphic adolescent protagonists in contemporary Irish Young Adult (YA) literature. Ten YA novels published between 2017 and 2023 by both well-established and emerging Irish female authors are examined, analysing sapphic characters to demonstrate how Irish YA literature can transform and re-imagine sapphic literary representations. This book offers a critical evaluation of how lesbianism and bisexuality have been introduced into Irish YA literature, while also addressing the significance of racism, religion, violence against women and girls, friendships, and parental abandonment in shaping queer identities. This study is ideal for postgraduates and academics in the fields of Irish Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Studies, as well as students interested in YA literature, comparative literature, and contemporary literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

Sapphic Adolescent Girls in Irish Young Adult Fiction: Queering Girlhood (Routledge, 2025) is the first sustained critical analysis of the representation of sapphic adolescent protagonists in contemporary Irish Young Adult (YA) literature. Ten YA novels published between 2017 and 2023 by both well-established and emerging Irish female authors are examined, analysing sapphic characters to demonstrate how Irish YA literature can transform and re-imagine sapphic literary representations. This book offers a critical evaluation of how lesbianism and bisexuality have been introduced into Irish YA literature, while also addressing the significance of racism, religion, violence against women and girls, friendships, and parental abandonment in shaping queer identities. This study is ideal for postgraduates and academics in the fields of Irish Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Studies, as well as students interested in YA literature, comparative literature, and contemporary literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sapphic Adolescent Girls in Irish Young Adult Fiction: Queering Girlhood (Routledge, 2025) is the first sustained critical analysis of the representation of sapphic adolescent protagonists in contemporary Irish Young Adult (YA) literature. Ten YA novels published between 2017 and 2023 by both well-established and emerging Irish female authors are examined, analysing sapphic characters to demonstrate how Irish YA literature can transform and re-imagine sapphic literary representations. This book offers a critical evaluation of how lesbianism and bisexuality have been introduced into Irish YA literature, while also addressing the significance of racism, religion, violence against women and girls, friendships, and parental abandonment in shaping queer identities. This study is ideal for postgraduates and academics in the fields of Irish Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, and Queer Studies, as well as students interested in YA literature, comparative literature, and contemporary literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/lgbtq-studies

Fluent Fiction - Hungarian: Beneath the Bunker: A Secret Competition Sparks Change Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/hu/episode/2026-02-13-08-38-20-hu Story Transcript:Hu: A hideg tél elcsendesült a felszínen, miközben odalent az alacsony fényű bunker falai között izgatott suttogások visszhangoztak.En: The cold winter quieted on the surface, while excited whispers echoed within the low-lit walls of the bunker below.Hu: A beton szürke, komor.En: The concrete was gray, grim.Hu: Az iskolai titkos verseny minden évben itt zajlik, elrejtve a kíváncsi tekintetek elől.En: The school's secret competition took place here every year, hidden from prying eyes.Hu: Eszter és András egymás mellé kerültek, egy csapatban, a kihívások tengerében.En: Eszter and András found themselves teamed up, navigating a sea of challenges.Hu: Eszter a csapatmunka higgadt építője, belül rejtve egy pillangókat rebbentő titkot: évek óta szerette Andrást.En: Eszter was the calm builder of teamwork, hiding within her a secret that made butterflies flutter: she had loved András for years.Hu: Most, a verseny napján, szívében ott lüktetett a vágy, hogy megszerezze András elismerését.En: Now, on the day of the competition, her heart pulsed with a desire to earn András's admiration.Hu: Ezzel szemben András, csupa magabiztosság, céltudatosan haladt előre.En: In contrast, András, full of confidence, moved forward with determination.Hu: Azt akarta, hogy ők nyerjenek.En: He wanted them to win.Hu: Hosszú folyosókon keresztül, nehéz kapuk mögött, Eszter és András a feszültség szikrázó szálán egymásba kapaszkodtak.En: Through long corridors and behind heavy doors, Eszter and András clung to the sparking thread of tension between them.Hu: Az első feladathoz érve András azonnal nekilátott a tervének.En: Reaching the first task, András immediately set to work on his plan.Hu: Gyors volt, talán túlságosan is.En: He was quick, perhaps too quick.Hu: Eszter aggodalma növekedett.En: Eszter's worry grew.Hu: "Mi lenne, ha hibázunk?" gondolta.En: "What if we make a mistake?" she thought.Hu: - Vigyázzunk, András - szólt csendesen, de András éppen rájuk mosolygott, biztosítva, hogy minden rendben lesz.En: "Let's be careful, András," she said quietly, but András simply smiled at them, assuring her that everything would be fine.Hu: Újabb kihívás érkezett.En: A new challenge arrived.Hu: Ez egy bonyolult kirakós.En: It was a complicated puzzle.Hu: András ötlete hallatán Eszter ráébredt, hogy talán most jött el az idő változtatni.En: Hearing András's idea, Eszter realized that perhaps the time had come to make a change.Hu: A percek fogytak, a feszültség növekedett.En: The minutes dwindled, and the tension grew.Hu: Őszintén kételkedett András logikájában, de fejben már kész volt saját megoldására.En: She sincerely doubted András's logic but was mentally prepared with her own solution.Hu: Egy gyors pillantást vetett András arcára.En: She cast a quick glance at András's face.Hu: Határozottság ült meg benne, de Eszter érezte, hogy az ő megérzései most a helyesek.En: Determination was etched on it, but Eszter felt that her instincts were now correct.Hu: Egy döntő pillanatban Eszter csendben módosított a megoldáson.En: In a decisive moment, Eszter quietly adjusted the solution.Hu: Az idő szoros volt, de a darab a helyére került.En: Time was tight, but the piece fell into place.Hu: A kattanás zaját követte az elszánt tekintetük összekapcsolódása.En: The click was followed by the connection of their determined gazes.Hu: Nyertünk!En: We've won!Hu: A bunker belsejében hirtelen hangos örömkiáltás tört fel.En: An outburst of loud joy erupted suddenly inside the bunker.Hu: Bár a verseny végeztével Eszter még nem tudta mondatokba önteni érzéseit András iránt, a győzelem felett érzett közös öröm új kaput nyitott köztük.En: Although after the competition Eszter still couldn't put her feelings for András into words, the shared joy over the victory opened a new door between them.Hu: A siker pillanatában Eszter rádöbbent, hogy többé nincs szüksége András elismerésére; saját erejének tudatában volt.En: In the moment of success, Eszter realized she no longer needed András's approval; she was aware of her own strength.Hu: A bunker falai között már csak a barátságos csend ül, miközben odakint a tél szelídül.En: Only a friendly silence remained within the bunker walls as outside, winter softened.Hu: Eszter megtalálta saját hangját, saját útját.En: Eszter had found her own voice, her own path.Hu: András és ő másképp néznek egymásra, egy hallgatólagosan megerősített szövetséggel, melyet a közös győzelem erősített meg.En: András and she now looked at each other differently, with a tacitly reinforced alliance, strengthened by their shared victory. Vocabulary Words:quieted: elcsendesültconcrete: betongrim: komorprying: kíváncsiteamed: egymás mellé kerülteknavigate: kapaszkodtakcalm: higgadtflutter: rebbenadmiration: elismerésdetermination: céltudatosságcorridor: folyosóhectic: feszültségsincere: őszintedoubt: kételkedikdecisive: döntőadjusted: módosítotttight: szorosetched: ült megoutburst: kitöréscollapse: összekapcsolódásrealize: rádöbbenapproval: elismeréswhisper: suttogáspuzzle: kirakóscomplicated: bonyolultinstinct: megérzésreinforce: megerősítettalliance: szövetségreveal: fedi felunderestimated: alábecsült

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Snowy Confrontation in Sakura Park: Friendship vs. Duty Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2026-02-12-08-38-20-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 冬の日、雪が舞い降りる桜公園は静かだった。En: On a winter's day, Sakura Park, where snow was falling, was quiet.Ja: 葉のない桜の木が白い雪に覆われ、静けさが広がっていた。En: The leafless cherry trees were covered in white snow, and tranquility spread throughout.Ja: ハルカは自分の心に重いメッセージを抱きながら、公園の道を歩いていた。En: Haruka was walking along the park's path, burdened with a heavy message in her heart.Ja: リクに伝えなければならない重要なメッセージ。En: It was an important message she had to convey to Riku.Ja: それがリクの将来を左右するかもしれない。En: It might affect Riku's future.Ja: ハルカは緊張していたが、決意っていた。En: Haruka was nervous, but she was determined.Ja: 「リクに絶対伝えなければ」と心の中で誓いながら歩みを進めた。En: With a vow in her heart, "I must tell him," she continued to walk.Ja: しかし、ハルカの進む先には、少し離れたところでミユが待ち受けていた。En: However, Haruka saw that Miyu was waiting a little distance away on the path she was taking.Ja: 彼女の微笑みはいつも通りだったが、その瞳には隠せない嫉妬の色があった。En: Miyu's smile was as usual, but there was an undeniable hint of jealousy in her eyes.Ja: ミユはハルカがリクと特別な絆を持つことを羨ましがっていた。En: Miyu envied the special bond Haruka had with Riku.Ja: 「やっぱり、ハルカからの手紙なんて渡せない」と思い、ミユはハルカを止めにかかった。En: Thinking, "I really can't hand over a letter from Haruka," Miyu set out to stop Haruka.Ja: 「ハルカ！」とミユの声が静けさを破った。En: “Haruka!” Miyu's voice broke the silence.Ja: 彼女はハルカの前に立ちはだかり、「リクへのメッセージって何？」と問いただした。En: She stood in Haruka's way and demanded, “What's the message for Riku?”Ja: ハルカは一瞬、冷たい風の中で立ち止まった。En: Haruka stopped in her tracks for a moment in the cold wind.Ja: 直接対決するべきか、それとも他の方法でリクに伝えるべきか、心の中で葛藤があった。En: She was torn about whether to face this confrontation directly or find another way to tell Riku.Ja: その時、空から予想外の雪が降り始めた。En: At that moment, unexpected snow began to fall from the sky.Ja: 会話が雪の中で凍るように静かになった。En: The conversation grew quiet as if frozen in the snow.Ja: 「このメッセージは、リクにとって本当に大切なんだ」とハルカはミユに言った。En: “This message is truly important for Riku,” Haruka said to Miyu.Ja: ミユの目に戸惑いが広がった。En: Confusion spread across Miyu's eyes.Ja: 「私たちの友情より大切なの？」とミユが聞くと、ハルカは静かにうなずいた。En: “More important than our friendship?” Miyu asked, and Haruka quietly nodded.Ja: 「友情も大事だけど、リクは今決断に迷っている。En: “Friendship is important too, but Riku is currently unsure of a decision.Ja: 彼の幸せのためにも、伝えなければならないことなんだ」とハルカは説明した。En: I have to tell him for his happiness,” Haruka explained.Ja: その言葉にミユは立ち止まった。En: At those words, Miyu paused.Ja: 「もしかしたら、私の嫉妬が彼に悪い影響を与えていたかも」と、内心自分に問いかける。En: "Maybe my jealousy was having a negative effect on him," she inwardly questioned herself.Ja: しばらくの沈黙の後、ミユは静かに道を開けた。En: After a brief silence, Miyu quietly stepped aside.Ja: 「ハルカ、早く行って。彼に伝えて」と優しい声で言った。En: "Haruka, go quickly. Tell him," she said in a gentle voice.Ja: ハルカは驚きで目を見開いたが、すぐに微笑み返し、「ありがとう、ミユ」と感謝を込めて言った。En: Haruka's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly smiled back and said, "Thank you, Miyu," with gratitude.Ja: ハルカは雪の積もり始めた公園を走り、リクの元へと急いだ。En: Haruka started running through the snow that had begun to accumulate in the park, hurrying to Riku's side.Ja: ミユは少し離れた場所でその光景を見つめ、心に変化が芽生えた。En: Miyu watched from a distance, and a change began to bud in her heart.Ja: 「友情は競争じゃないんだ」と悟ったのだった。En: She realized, "Friendship is not a competition."Ja: リクのもとにたどり着いたハルカは、ようやくその重要なメッセージを彼に伝えることができた。En: When Haruka reached Riku, she was finally able to convey that important message to him.Ja: 結果としてハルカは自信を得て、ミユは友情の本当の価値を学んだのだった。En: As a result, Haruka gained confidence, and Miyu learned the true value of friendship.Ja: 抱えていた問題は、雪と共に溶けていった。En: The problems they had been carrying melted away along with the snow.Ja: 静かな冬の桜公園の中、三人の絆は再び強く結ばれた。En: Within the quiet winter Sakura Park, the bonds between the three were once again strongly tied.Ja: 友情と理解が暖かい光を灯し、雪の下で春の訪れを待ち望んでいる桜のように、心の中も優しく暖かくなった。En: Friendship and understanding lit a warm light, and just like the cherry blossoms beneath the snow waiting eagerly for spring to arrive, their hearts were gently warmed. Vocabulary Words:tragedy: 悲劇burdened: 抱えconvey: 伝えtroublesome: 厄介なvow: 誓いjealousy: 嫉妬undeniable: 隠せないconfrontation: 対決accumulated: 積もりconfusion: 戸惑いdetermined: 決意っていたintention: 意図reluctant: 渋るfrustration: 苛立ちresolve: 解決scorn: 軽蔑faltered: ためらったmisunderstanding: 誤解persevere: 我慢するmisgivings: 不安issuing: 発行emulate: 模倣するintrospection: 自己反省hesitation: ためらいpredecessor: 先駆者exceptional: 例外的なephemeral: 儚いlament: 嘆くdedicated: 献身的なmelancholy: 憂鬱な

The Dante Rossetti Short List for Young Adult Fiction is here! Congratulations to all authors who made it, and good luck on the next round of judging!

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Breathing Strong: Discovering Strength in Vulnerability Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2026-01-20-08-38-20-da Story Transcript:Da: Snefnug dansede i vinden udenfor Odense Public High School.En: Snefnug danced in the wind outside Odense Public High School.Da: Eleverne hastede ind og ud af de store døre, godt pakket ind i tykke jakker og halstørklæder.En: The students hurried in and out of the large doors, well wrapped in thick jackets and scarves.Da: Indenfor var der lunt, og klasselokalerne summede af aktivitet.En: Inside, it was warm, and the classrooms buzzed with activity.Da: Maja sad ved sit bord med bøgerne spredt foran sig.En: Maja sat at her desk with books spread out in front of her.Da: Hun tog et dybt åndedrag og talte stille til sig selv.En: She took a deep breath and spoke quietly to herself.Da: Hun havde altid formået at holde sin astma skjult.En: She had always managed to keep her asthma a secret.Da: Men i dag følte hun sig svagere end normalt.En: But today, she felt weaker than usual.Da: Vinteren gjorde altid hendes vejrtrækning tungere.En: Winter always made her breathing heavier.Da: Lars satte sig ved siden af hende.En: Lars sat down next to her.Da: Han sendte hende et betryggende smil.En: He gave her a reassuring smile.Da: "Er du klar til prøven?"En: "Are you ready for the test?"Da: spurgte han muntert.En: he asked cheerfully.Da: Maja nikkede, selvom hun følte sig langt fra klar.En: Maja nodded, even though she felt far from ready.Da: Hun ønskede ikke, at nogen skulle bekymre sig om hende.En: She didn't want anyone to worry about her.Da: "Jeg er fin," svarede hun, mens hendes blik flakkede mod det snefyldte vindue.En: "I'm fine," she replied, while her gaze flickered towards the snow-filled window.Da: Kirsten, der underviste i biologi og altid havde en særlig interesse i sine elevers velbefindende, kunne fornemme, at noget var galt.En: Kirsten, who taught biology and always had a special interest in her students' well-being, could sense that something was wrong.Da: Hun bemærkede Majas anspændte udtryk.En: She noticed Maja's tense expression.Da: Hun vidste, at Maja havde astma, men havde lovet ikke at sige det til nogen.En: She knew that Maja had asthma, but had promised not to tell anyone.Da: Timerne gik, og endelig begyndte eksamenen.En: The hours passed, and finally, the exam started.Da: Klasselokalet var stille, kun afbrudt af lyden af blyanter mod papir.En: The classroom was quiet, only interrupted by the sound of pencils on paper.Da: Maja begyndte at mærke en stramning i brystet.En: Maja began to feel a tightening in her chest.Da: Hendes vejrtrækning blev hurtigere, og hun vidste, at det var et anfald på vej.En: Her breathing became faster, and she knew that an attack was coming.Da: Frygten for at skabe opmærksomhed holdt hende fast.En: The fear of drawing attention held her back.Da: Men så begyndte hun at få det dårligere.En: But then she started to feel worse.Da: Hun fangede Larss øjne og så ned mod sin lomme, hvor hendes inhalator lå.En: She caught Lars' eyes and looked down towards her pocket, where her inhaler was.Da: Hun var bange.En: She was scared.Da: Lars forstod straks.En: Lars understood immediately.Da: "Læreren, læreren!"En: "Teacher, teacher!"Da: råbte Lars pludselig.En: Lars suddenly shouted.Da: Kirsten vendte straks blikket mod Maja, der nu kæmpede for at få luft.En: Kirsten immediately turned her gaze towards Maja, who was now struggling to breathe.Da: Kirsten var hurtigt ved hendes side.En: Kirsten was quickly by her side.Da: "Rolig, Maja," sagde hun beroligende, mens hun hjalp hende med at tage medicinen.En: "Calm, Maja," she said soothingly while helping her take her medication.Da: Maja følte gradvist, at hendes vejrtrækning blev lettere.En: Maja gradually felt her breathing become easier.Da: Eleverne omkring dem havde stoppet deres skriblerier og kiggede bekymret på Maja.En: The students around them had stopped their scribbling and looked at Maja with concern.Da: Ingen grinede.En: No one laughed.Da: Ingen dømte.En: No one judged.Da: De kiggede kun med bekymrede blikke.En: They only looked with worried eyes.Da: Efter nogle minutter sagde Kirsten med en blid stemme, "Er du okay, Maja?"En: After a few minutes, Kirsten said gently, "Are you okay, Maja?"Da: Maja nikkede, stadig let chokeret, men nu med en rolig vejrtrækning.En: Maja nodded, still slightly shocked, but now with calm breathing.Da: "Tak."En: "Thank you."Da: Efter skoledagen gik Maja langsomt ud gennem de sneklædte gange med Lars ved sin side.En: After the school day, Maja slowly walked out through the snow-covered halls with Lars by her side.Da: "Jeg tror, det er okay at være menneskelig," sagde hun stille.En: "I think it's okay to be human," she said quietly.Da: Lars lagde en arm omkring hende.En: Lars put an arm around her.Da: "Vi er her for dig, altid."En: "We are here for you, always."Da: Maja smilede svagt.En: Maja smiled faintly.Da: Hun vidste nu, at sårbarhed ikke var svaghed, og at det var okay at bede om hjælp.En: She now knew that vulnerability was not weakness, and that it was okay to ask for help.Da: Sneen fortsatte sin stille dans udenfor, mens Maja stille forlod skolen med en ny forståelse og styrke i brystet.En: The snow continued its quiet dance outside, as Maja gently left the school with a new understanding and strength in her chest. Vocabulary Words:snowflake: snefnugwind: vindenstudents: elevernehurried: hastedewrapped: pakketscarves: halstørklæderbuzzed: summedespread: spredtbreath: åndedragasthma: astmareassuring: betryggendeflickered: flakkedeexpression: udtrykexam: eksamenentightening: stramningbreathing: vejrtrækninginhaler: inhalatorunderstood: forstodshouted: råbtesoothingly: beroligendemedication: medicinenscribbling: skriblerierconcern: bekymredejudged: dømtequietly: stillevulnerability: sårbarhedstrength: styrkegaze: blikhuman: menneskeligcomforting: rolig

Fluent Fiction - Serbian: Mystery in the Moonlit Alleys of Kotor Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sr/episode/2026-01-19-23-34-02-sr Story Transcript:Sr: Обележена само светлошћу малих фењера на зидовима, стара уличица у Котору била је осликана магијом зимског смиреног дана.En: Illuminated only by the light of small lanterns on the walls, the old alley in Kotor was painted with the magic of a calm winter's day.Sr: Милан, млади помоћник трговца, журио је калдрмом, брижно размишљајући о свему што се догодило.En: Milan, a young shop assistant, hurried over the cobblestones, thoughtfully considering everything that had happened.Sr: Било је хладно поподне када је нестала породична драгоценост.En: It was a cold afternoon when the family heirloom disappeared.Sr: Стара сребрна наруквица, вредност у породичној историји, нестала је из продавнице.En: An old silver bracelet, valuable to the family history, vanished from the store.Sr: Сумње су пале на Милана јер је управо ступио на ново радно место, али он је био одлучан да докаже своју невиност.En: Suspicions fell on Milan because he had just started his new job, but he was determined to prove his innocence.Sr: Милан је знао да му је потребна помоћ.En: Milan knew he needed help.Sr: Обратио се Јелени, чувеној кројачици, жени коју је његов отац увек поштовалао.En: He turned to Jelena, a renowned seamstress, a woman who his father had always respected.Sr: Јелена је имала оштро око и дар да примећује детаље који су другима промицали.En: Jelena had a keen eye and a gift for noticing details that others missed.Sr: Али она је била неспремна да лако верује.En: But she was not ready to trust easily.Sr: "Милане," рекла је Јелена тихо док су седели у њеној радњи, "мораш доказати своју невиност.En: "Milane," Jelena said quietly as they sat in her shop, "you must prove your innocence.Sr: Али пази, Вук је тајанствен човек.En: But beware, Vuk is a mysterious man."Sr: "Вук је стигао у град пре неколико недеља.En: Vuk had arrived in town a few weeks ago.Sr: Био је човек са многим причама, али ниједна није откривала ко је он заиста.En: He was a man with many stories, but none revealed who he truly was.Sr: Његова присутност је стварала мистерију и будила радозналост.En: His presence created mystery and stirred curiosity.Sr: Када је пао мрак, Милан је чуо кораке који су се приближавали уличици.En: When night fell, Milan heard footsteps approaching the alley.Sr: Пре него што се окренуо, препознао је лагану ходу Вука.En: Before he turned, he recognized the light steps of Vuk.Sr: На уском мосту који је гледао на залив, Милан је морао да се суочи с њим.En: On the narrow bridge overlooking the bay, Milan had to confront him.Sr: "Вуче," започео је Милан, глас му је био сигуран, али са дозом стрепње.En: "Vučе," Milan began, his voice was confident, but with a note of trepidation.Sr: "Знам да знаш нешто.En: "I know you know something."Sr: "Вук се осмехнуо својим тајанственим осмехом.En: Vuk smiled his mysterious smile.Sr: "Можда знам," одговори он, очи му се сјајиле у светлу месечине.En: "Perhaps I do," he replied, his eyes shining in the moonlight.Sr: "Али није све како изгледа.En: "But things are not as they seem."Sr: "Тада му је Вук испричао причу о другој наследници која је имала наруквицу.En: Then Vuk told him the story of another heir who had the bracelet.Sr: Ова безазлена информација довела је Милана до решења загонетке.En: This innocent information led Milan to solve the mystery.Sr: Уз Јеленину помоћ, пратили су трагове и вратили изгубљену наруквицу правом власнику.En: With Jelena's help, they followed the clues and returned the lost bracelet to its rightful owner.Sr: Када су се вратили у град, људи су сазнали о Милановом подвигу.En: When they returned to town, people learned about Milan's feat.Sr: Он више није био само помоћник.En: He was no longer just an assistant.Sr: Постао је човек од поверења и угледа, а Јелена му је пружила руку уз поштовање.En: He became a man of trust and respect, and Jelena extended her hand in acknowledgment.Sr: Сај је заблистала изнад стогодишњих кровова, док је град полако тоновао у сан.En: The clock shone over the century-old rooftops, as the town slowly drifted into sleep.Sr: Котор је био сигурно место још једну ноћ, а Милан је по први пут осетио понос због својих дела.En: Kotor was a safe place for another night, and Milan for the first time felt proud of his actions.Sr: Свежина зимске ноћи више није носила само хладноћу, већ и топлину новог пријатељства и поверења.En: The freshness of the winter night no longer carried just the cold, but also the warmth of new friendship and trust. Vocabulary Words:illuminated: обележенаlanterns: фењераalley: уличицаcobblestones: калдрмаheirloom: драгоценостvanished: несталаsuspicious: сумњеinnocence: невиностseamstress: кројачицаgift: дарbeware: пазиmysterious: тајанственcuriosity: радозналостapproaching: приближавајућиconfront: суочитиtrepidation: стрепњаfeigned: осмехнуоinnocent: безазленаsolve: решењеclues: траговеfeat: подвигуtrust: поверењеrespect: угледаacknowledgment: поштовањеshimmered: заблисталаrooftops: крововаspeechless: нијемиdrifted: тоноваоfreshness: свежинаwarmth: топлину

Richard Spegal|author of Eternal Nights and the Wolves & Ravens trilogyIntroIs a storyteller who weaves together magic, mystery, and the darker shades of imagination. His worlds—such as those in Eternal Nights and the Wolves & Ravens trilogy—challenge what we believe, force hard decisions, and explore how much of truth can survive in shadows.Richard serves as an officer in the Pennsylvania National Guard and has a long history with the 82nd Airborne Division. Choosing to build a family, he left active combat service and now balances life with a wife, four daughters, and his writing.His entry into writing started from a simple frustration: he saw adult readers being underserved in paranormal and fantasy genres—vampires, magic, supernatural beings—but more often in formats that relied on youth-driven tropes. So he set out to write the books he wanted to read—ones with dark corners, moral risk, real emotions, and stories that don't sugarcoat the consequences.When he's not penning a new chapter or plotting the next twist, Richard draws strength from the ordinary moments: family dinners, quiet nights, research into myth and folklore. Each fragment of life becomes an echo in his stories. He believes that every hidden truth, every choice, every transformation matters—and that fiction has the power to ask what we dare not say aloud.Link:https://richardspegal.com/Tags:Army,Author,Book Publishing,Books,Fantasy BooksOccult,Paranormal,Personal JourneyRomance Novels,Young Adult Fiction,Live Video Podcast Interview,Podcast,Phantom Electric Ghost PodcastSupport PEG by checking out our Sponsors:Download and use Newsly for free now from www.newsly.me or from the link in the description, and use promo code “GHOST” and receive a 1-month free premium subscription.The best tool for getting podcast guests:https://podmatch.com/signup/phantomelectricghostSubscribe to our Instagram for exclusive content:https://www.instagram.com/expansive_sound_experiments/Subscribe to our YouTube https://youtube.com/@phantomelectricghost?si=rEyT56WQvDsAoRprRSShttps://anchor.fm/s/3b31908/podcast/rssSubstackhttps://substack.com/@phantomelectricghost?utm_source=edit-profile-page

Fluent Fiction - Hebrew: Mystery in Yerushalayim: The Secret Behind the Vanished Art Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/he/episode/2026-01-08-08-38-20-he Story Transcript:He: ירושלים הייתה קרה בחורף, ורוחות חזקות נשבו בין עצי האורן בשטח בית הספר התיכון.En: Yerushalayim was cold in the winter, and strong winds blew between the pine trees on the high school grounds.He: התלמידים התרוצצו במסדרונות, מקשטים אותם בצבעים לכבוד ט"ו בשבט הקרב.En: The students bustled through the corridors, decorating them with colors in honor of the upcoming Tu Bishvat.He: ברחבי בית הספר היה ריח של תחמוצת ובשל תפוזים, שחלקם הביאו מהבית לכיבוד.En: Throughout the school, there was a scent of dried fruits and fresh oranges, some brought from home for refreshments.He: במרכז הכל עמדה תצוגת האמנות השנתית, שכל תלמידי המועדון השקיעו בה מאמצים רבים.En: At the center of it all stood the annual art exhibition, in which all the club members had invested significant efforts.He: האירוע המיוחד עמד להתקיים ביום ט"ו בשבט, והפעם הוא היה אמור להיות מיוחד מאי-פעם.En: The special event was set to take place on Tu Bishvat, and this time it was meant to be more special than ever.He: אבל בעיה חמורה עיבתה את האווירה החגיגית.En: But a serious problem cast a shadow over the festive atmosphere.He: הציור היקר ביותר בתערוכה נעלם באופן מסתורי.En: The most valuable painting in the exhibition had mysteriously disappeared.He: נועם, תלמיד בכיתה י"א שנהנה לפתור בעיות מסובכות, לא יכל להישאר אדיש.En: Noam, an 11th-grade student who enjoyed solving complex problems, couldn't remain indifferent.He: הוא ידע שהוא חייב למצוא את הציור כדי להציל את האירוע.En: He knew he had to find the painting to save the event.He: לאה, נשיאת מועדון האמנות, היתה לחוצה מאוד.En: Leah, the president of the art club, was very stressed.He: היא השקיעה שעות רבות בתכנון התערוכה ולא יכלה להאמין שמישהו רוצה לפגוע בה.En: She had invested many hours in planning the exhibition and couldn't believe someone would want to sabotage it.He: נועם התחיל את החקירה שלו.En: Noam began his investigation.He: הוא היה חכם מאוד וסבלני.En: He was very smart and patient.He: הוא בחן את סרטי מצלמות האבטחה, דיבר עם תלמידים ועובדים, וחיפש רמזים בכל מקום.En: He examined security camera footage, spoke with students and staff, and searched for clues everywhere.He: החיים בבית הספר נמשכו כרגיל, למרות כל המתח.En: Life at the school continued as usual, despite all the tension.He: תלמידים הכינו פירות יבשים וטקסים, וליא היתה עסוקה בלנסות לשמור על קו ישר של מחשבה בין האומנות והאספו.En: Students prepared dried fruits and ceremonies, and Lea was busy trying to keep a straight line of thought between the art and the event.He: במהלך חקירותיו, נועם לעיתים קרובות שם לב לתמר, עובדת הנקיון.En: During his investigation, Noam often noticed Tamar, the cleaning worker.He: היא ידעה כל פינה בבית הספר ולעתים נראתה כמתגנבת בפינות חשוכות.En: She knew every corner of the school and sometimes seemed to sneak into dark corners.He: הוא החליט לשאול אותה.En: He decided to ask her.He: "תמר," אמר לה, "האם ראית משהו חשוד לאחרונה?En: "Tamar," he said to her, "have you seen anything suspicious recently?"He: "תמר חייכה חיוך קטנטן ומסתורי, אבל לא אמרה הרבה.En: Tamar smiled a small, mysterious smile, but didn't say much.He: "קשה לומר," היא השיבה בשקט.En: "Hard to say," she replied quietly.He: שער הערב החורפי התנפח ברוח כאשר נועם גילה סוף-סוף רמזים בחדר הציור.En: As the winter evening wind swelled, Noam finally discovered clues in the art room.He: סימנים הובילו אותו לדלת נסתרת שפעם הייתה חלק מהכתה ונשכחה במשך השנים.En: The signs led him to a hidden door that was once part of the classroom and forgotten over the years.He: מאחוריה הייתה מחסן ישן.En: Behind it was an old storage room.He: שם, מוחבא בצורה מסודרת, היה הציור היקר.En: There, hidden neatly, was the valuable painting.He: למרבה הפתעתו, נועם גילה שבחורה צעירה עמדה באפלה.En: To his surprise, Noam found a young woman standing in the dark.He: זו הייתה לאה.En: It was Leah.He: היא הודתה שהיא הסתירה את הציור כדי להשיג חשיפה מינימלית לתערוכה ולשמר את הרגע המיוחד לשיא האירוע בט"ו בשבט.En: She admitted that she had hidden the painting to achieve minimal exposure for the exhibition and to preserve the special moment for the peak of the Tu Bishvat event.He: נועם התמודד עם ההפתעה, אבל בסופו של דבר הוא הבין.En: Noam was confronted with surprise, but in the end, he understood.He: במקום לכעוס, הוא הבין את כוונתה של לאה – איך היא רצתה להסב תשומת לב ליצירה המיוחדת ביום מופלא.En: Rather than getting angry, he comprehended Leah's intent – how she wanted to draw attention to the special creation on a wonderful day.He: נועם שכנע את לאה לחשוף את הציור מוקדם יותר, ובט"ו בשבט, הם הציגו אותו בפני כולם עם הודעה חשובה על שמירת הסביבה.En: Noam persuaded Leah to reveal the painting earlier, and on Tu Bishvat, they presented it to everyone with an important message about environmental conservation.He: האירוע התקיים בהצלחה גדולה, והצגת התמונה עם המסר הייתה חוויה ייחודית לכולם.En: The event was a great success, and the presentation of the painting with the message was a unique experience for everyone.He: לסופו של סיפור, נועם יצא מחוזק ומכובר יותר לאומנות ולחבריו.En: At the end of the story, Noam emerged strengthened and more connected to art and his friends.He: הוא למד שעלינו להתקרב לאחרים בהבנה ובאמפתיה, ולפעמים לגשת לבעיות בעדינות שונה.En: He learned that we should approach others with understanding and empathy, and sometimes approach problems with a different kind of gentleness.He: ובתוך כל החגיגות וההכנות, על רקע חורף קר אך מלא אור, למדנו שביום שבו האדמה מתחילה להתעורר, גם אנחנו יכולים לגלות ערכים חדשים.En: Amidst all the celebrations and preparations, against the backdrop of a cold but bright winter, we learn that on the day the earth begins to awaken, we too can discover new values. Vocabulary Words:bustled: התרוצצוcorridors: מסדרונותdried: יבשיםscent: ריחexhibition: תצוגהfestive: חגיגיתsabotage: לפגועindifferent: אדישinvestigation: חקירהpatient: סבלניexamined: בחןtension: מתחceremonies: טקסיםsneak: מתגנבתmysterious: מסתוריclues: רמזיםhidden: נסתרתstorage: מחסןadmitted: הודתהpeak: שיאcomprehended: הביןpersuaded: שכנעconservation: שמירהemerged: יצאempathy: אמפתיהgentleness: עדינותbackdrop: רקעdiscover: לגלותvalues: ערכיםrevealing: חשיפהBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/fluent-fiction-hebrew--5818690/support.

Fluent Fiction - Danish: Healing Hearts: Finding Strength After a Family Split Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/da/episode/2026-01-08-23-34-02-da Story Transcript:Da: Astrid stod ved vinduet i klasselokalet på Skolen ved Sundet.En: Astrid stood by the window in the classroom at Skolen ved Sundet.Da: Vinterens kolde vind slog mod ruden.En: The cold winter wind beat against the pane.Da: Hun trak sin sweater tættere om sig og sukkede tungt.En: She pulled her sweater closer around her and sighed heavily.Da: Siden hendes forældres skilsmisse var alting ændret.En: Since her parents' divorce, everything had changed.Da: Hjemme var der konstant stilhed.En: At home, there was constant silence.Da: Det var svært at vænne sig til.En: It was hard to get used to.Da: "Hey, Astrid!"En: "Hey, Astrid!"Da: kaldte Kasper, der kom hen til hende med et varmt smil.En: called Kasper, who came over to her with a warm smile.Da: Han havde altid et godt humør.En: He was always in a good mood.Da: Astrid tvang et smil frem.En: Astrid forced a smile.Da: "Hej Kasper," svarede hun.En: "Hi Kasper," she replied.Da: Han var hendes bedste ven og en lysende stjerne i den grå hverdag.En: He was her best friend and a shining star in the gray everyday life.Da: I klassen sad de side om side.En: In class, they sat side by side.Da: Astrid forsøgte at koncentrere sig om matematikken, men hendes tanker fløj væk.En: Astrid tried to concentrate on math, but her thoughts wandered away.Da: Hun tænkte på sine forældre, som boede hver for sig nu.En: She thought about her parents, who now lived separately.Da: Det var så underligt.En: It was so strange.Da: Hun følte sig splittet mellem dem.En: She felt torn between them.Da: Efter skolen gik Kasper ved hendes side gennem sneen.En: After school, Kasper walked by her side through the snow.Da: "Du virker fjern, Astrid.En: "You seem distant, Astrid.Da: Er alt okay?"En: Is everything okay?"Da: spurgte han forsigtigt.En: he asked gently.Da: Hun nikkede hurtigt, men hun kunne ikke skjule sin uro.En: She nodded quickly, but she couldn't hide her unease.Da: En dag brast dammen.En: One day the dam broke.Da: Kasper havde lavet en lille joke for at opmuntre hende, men Astrid kunne ikke lade være med at råbe: "Kan du ikke bare lade mig være?!"En: Kasper had made a little joke to cheer her up, but Astrid couldn't help but shout, "Can't you just leave me alone?!"Da: Stilheden efter hendes udbrud var iskold som vintervejret.En: The silence after her outburst was as icy as the winter weather.Da: Kasper så chokeret ud.En: Kasper looked shocked.Da: Han gik væk uden et ord.En: He walked away without a word.Da: Astrid følte straks skyld og skam.En: Astrid immediately felt guilt and shame.Da: Hjemme sad hun alene i sit værelse.En: At home, she sat alone in her room.Da: Tårerne løb ned ad hendes kinder.En: Tears ran down her cheeks.Da: Hvorfor havde hun skubbet Kasper væk?En: Why had she pushed Kasper away?Da: Hun tog sin telefon, men tøvede.En: She took her phone but hesitated.Da: Stormen udenfor matchede hendes følelser indeni.En: The storm outside matched her feelings inside.Da: Dagen efter i skolen kiggede Astrid efter Kasper.En: The next day at school, Astrid looked for Kasper.Da: Hun så ham stå med et par venner.En: She saw him standing with a few friends.Da: Modigt gik hun hen og trak ham til side.En: Bravely, she went over and pulled him aside.Da: "Kasper, jeg er virkelig ked af det," mumlede hun og så ned i sneen.En: "Kasper, I'm really sorry," she mumbled, looking down at the snow.Da: Kasper tøvede et øjeblik, men så lagde han armen om hende.En: Kasper hesitated for a moment, but then he put his arm around her.Da: "Det er okay, Astrid.En: "It's okay, Astrid.Da: Jeg er her.En: I'm here.Da: Altid."En: Always."Da: De gik en tur sammen, mens de talte om alting.En: They took a walk together, talking about everything.Da: Astrid fortalte, hvordan skilsmissen havde påvirket hende.En: Astrid shared how the divorce had affected her.Da: Kasper lyttede tålmodigt.En: Kasper listened patiently.Da: Han var en klippe, stabil og stærk.En: He was a rock, stable and strong.Da: Astrid følte en tung byrde lette fra sine skuldre.En: Astrid felt a heavy burden lift from her shoulders.Da: Da de nåede tilbage til skolen, var himlen lysere.En: When they got back to the school, the sky was brighter.Da: Astrid følte sig friere.En: Astrid felt freer.Da: Hun vidste, at hun ikke behøvede at klare alting alene.En: She knew she didn't have to handle everything alone.Da: Kasper ville altid være der for hende.En: Kasper would always be there for her.Da: Og med tidens hjælp ville hun også finde fred med den nye familiesituation.En: And with time's help, she would also find peace with the new family situation.Da: Vinteren var hård, men som altid ville foråret komme.En: Winter was harsh, but as always, spring would come.Da: Og som sneen langsomt smelter, ville også hendes smerte fortage sig.En: And as the snow slowly melts, so would her pain fade away.Da: I skolen ved Sundet fandt Astrid sin styrke igen - i venskabet og i sig selv.En: At the school by the Sundet, Astrid found her strength again—in friendship and in herself. Vocabulary Words:pane: rudensigh: suksweater: sweaterdivorce: skilsmisseconstant: konstantsilence: stilhedsmile: smilforce: tvangshining: lysendeconcentrate: koncentrerewander: fløjstrange: underligttorn: splittetshout: råbeoutburst: udbrudicy: iskoldguilt: skyldshame: skamhesitate: tøvedestorm: stormenbrightly: lysereburden: byrdeshoulders: skuldrefade: fortage sigmelt: smeltestrength: styrkefriendship: venskabhandle: klarecheeks: kinderbravely: modigt

Fluent Fiction - Serbian: Breaking the Ice: Miloš Finds His Place on the Slopes Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sr/episode/2026-01-08-23-34-02-sr Story Transcript:Sr: Снег је тихо падао на Београдску гимназију, где су ученици нестрпљиво чекали зимски распуст.En: Snow was quietly falling on the Beogradska gimnazija as the students eagerly awaited the winter break.Sr: Сви су били узбуђени због скијања на Копаонику.En: Everyone was excited about skiing on Kopaonik.Sr: Милош је, као и увек, стајао по страни у школском дворишту.En: Miloš stood as always on the sidelines in the schoolyard.Sr: Посматрао је веселе другове који су расправљали о надолазећем путовању.En: He watched his cheerful friends discussing the upcoming trip.Sr: Иако је вешт скијаш, Милош често осећао да не припада групи.En: Although he was a skilled skier, Miloš often felt that he didn't belong to the group.Sr: Љиљана, популарна и дружељубива девојка из његовог одељења, приметила је Милоша.En: Ljiljana, a popular and sociable girl from his class, noticed Miloš.Sr: Вољела је организовати активности и хтела је да сви буду укључени.En: She loved organizing activities and wanted everyone to be included.Sr: Пришла му је са осмехом.En: She approached him with a smile.Sr: "Милоше, треба нам још један скијаш у тиму.En: "Miloše, we need one more skier on the team.Sr: Хоћеш ли се придружити?En: Will you join us?"Sr: " питала је, широко се осмејавајући.En: she asked, smiling broadly.Sr: Милош је био преплављен осећањем удаљености и страха од одбацивања.En: Miloš was overwhelmed by feelings of distance and fear of rejection.Sr: "Хвала, али.En: "Thanks, but...Sr: нисам сигуран," одговорио је, гледајући у земљу.En: I'm not sure," he replied, looking at the ground.Sr: "Сви те познају као доброг скијаша.En: "Everyone knows you as a good skier.Sr: Биће забавно, обећавам!En: It will be fun, I promise!"Sr: " инсистирала је Љиљана.En: insisted Ljiljana.Sr: Неколико дана касније, Милош се ипак одлучио.En: A few days later, Miloš made up his mind.Sr: Пријавио се за путовање, и иако је био нервозан, знао је да ће ово бити шанса за промену.En: He signed up for the trip, and although he was nervous, he knew this would be a chance for change.Sr: Када су стигли на Копаоник, све се измени.En: When they arrived at Kopaonik, everything changed.Sr: Планине су биле величанствене, прекривене белим покривачем снега.En: The mountains were majestic, covered with a white blanket of snow.Sr: Ђаци су се сместили у кабинама и спремили за први дан на стази.En: The students settled into the cabins and got ready for the first day on the slopes.Sr: Милош је донео одлуку да буде храбар.En: Miloš decided to be brave.Sr: Током првог дана, док су сви уживали у скијању, догодила се незгода.En: During the first day, while everyone was enjoying skiing, an accident happened.Sr: Један из разреда се преврнуо и повредио.En: One of the classmates fell and got injured.Sr: Без размишљања, Милош је пристигао и помогао му, показујући своју вештину и храброст.En: Without hesitation, Miloš rushed to help, showing his skill and courage.Sr: Љиљана и остали су били задивљени.En: Ljiljana and the others were impressed.Sr: "Сјајно си реаговао, Милоше!En: "You reacted brilliantly, Miloše!"Sr: " рекла је Љиљана, одушевљена његовом храброшћу.En: said Ljiljana, thrilled by his bravery.Sr: Тај тренутак је променио све.En: That moment changed everything.Sr: Милош се обретао у центру пажње, али овога пута у позитивном светлу.En: Miloš found himself in the spotlight, but this time in a positive light.Sr: Његова самоћу заменили су нови пријатељи и разумевање.En: His loneliness was replaced by new friendships and understanding.Sr: Његове колеге сада су виделе оно што је Љиљана од почетка знала – Милош је увек требао бити део њиховог круга.En: His classmates now saw what Ljiljana had known from the beginning – Miloš always belonged in their circle.Sr: На крају путовања, Милош је стекао нова пријатељства и самопоуздање.En: By the end of the trip, Miloš gained new friendships and confidence.Sr: Вратио се у Београд не само као бољи скијаш, већ и као део одељенског тима који га је прихватио.En: He returned to Beograd not only as a better skier but as part of a class team that accepted him.Sr: Љиљана се издвојила као посебна пријатељица која је веровала у њега од почетка.En: Ljiljana stood out as a special friend who believed in him from the start.Sr: Снег је опет падао, али овога пута Милош је осећао топлину која никад раније није окружила његово срце.En: The snow was falling again, but this time Miloš felt a warmth that had never surrounded his heart before. Vocabulary Words:quietly: тихоeagerly: нестрпљивоawaited: чекалиbreak: распустsidelines: по страниschoolyard: школско двориштеcheerful: веселеdiscussing: расправљалиupcoming: надолазећемtrip: путовањуskilled: вештbelong: припадаsociable: дружељубиваorganizing: организоватиactivities: активностиincluded: укључениoverwhelmed: преплављенdistance: удаљеностиrejection: одбацивањаhesitation: размишљањаbrave: храбарaccident: незгодаinjured: повредиоhesitation: размишљањаcourage: храбростspotlight: центар пажњеpositive: позитивномloneliness: самоћуunderstanding: разумевањеconfidence: самопоуздање

Women everywhere are turning to spicy romance novels to escape stress, overwhelm, and the monotony of everyday life. Today, Juli talks about why these trending titles feel so intoxicating, how they subtly shape our expectations of intimacy, and why they often leave us feeling disconnected from real relationships. Instead of escaping into fictional worlds, hear how you can rediscover the adventure and connection God designed for real life. Co-host: Hannah Nitz Give to Authentic Intimacy today! Between now and January 1st, your gift to Authentic Intimacy will be matched dollar for dollar up to $70,000. Follow-up Resources: What Do I Do With My Sexual Desire? by Dr. Juli Slattery (blog) Masturbation: Is It Wrong? by Dr. Juli Slattery (blog) Confessions of a Former Erotica Author by Francine Rivers (blog) Java with Juli #579: Good Girls, Bad Books: Erotica in Young Adult Fiction? Follow Hannah Nitz at @hannahnitz Follow Authentic Intimacy at @authenticintimacy   Resources quoted in this episode: The Rise of Smut: How TikTok is reviving romance literature.  Thanks to BookTok, Barnes & Noble is opening more stores than ever.  More than Mommy Porn: Why I read smut

“The library is where I felt, I'm safe here. I have friends in Encyclopedia Brown, Junie B. Jones, Amelia Bedelia, Stanley Yelnats, and all these various characters. I think that's the beauty. That's the sanctuary, the sacredness of that physical space.” – Mychal ThreetsMychal Threets grew up among the stacks and, from a young age, experienced the magic and shelter of the library. Today, he is a librarian, a social media sensation, a mental health advocate, and the new host of the beloved show Reading Rainbow. In this episode, we take a trip to St. Louis, where my conversation with Mychal was recorded live on stage at the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Conference. You'll hear all about how Mychal is stepping into his own rainbow-colored shoes while honoring LeVar Burton's legacy, how he turned pain into purpose, and the power of “library joy.” And wow, the joy among the librarians in that convention hall, including two standing ovations for Mychal, was palpable. This week, in place of a featured librarian, we hear a round of Q&A with Mychal and some of those librarians in the audience. Settle in for a conversation full of Mychal's signature warmth, heart, and honesty.***LinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Mychal Threets Lays Out His Life in BooksMychal Threets InstagramMychal Threets TikTokReading Rainbow on YouTubeBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Fluent Fiction - Japanese: Balancing Books and Bliss: Haruto's Autumn Awakening Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/ja/episode/2025-11-17-08-38-20-ja Story Transcript:Ja: 秋の風が冷たく、赤やオレンジ、黄色に色づいた落ち葉がカーペットのように地面を覆っている。En: The autumn wind was chilly, and the fallen leaves, colored in red, orange, and yellow, covered the ground like a carpet.Ja: そんな大学の寮は、勤労感謝の日の連休を前に学生たちで賑わっていた。En: The university dormitory was bustling with students getting ready for the Kinrō Kansha no Hi holiday.Ja: 晴人は机に向かい、頑張って勉強していた。En: Haruto was sitting at his desk, working hard on his studies.Ja: 彼は大学の講義とアルバイトに一生懸命で、気を抜く暇がなかった。En: He was devoted to both his university lectures and part-time job, with no time to relax.Ja: でも、心のどこかで、彼は何かを逃していると感じていた。En: Yet, somewhere in his heart, he felt like he was missing out on something.Ja: その時、彼の部屋のドアが元気よく開かれた。En: Just then, the door to his room swung open energetically.Ja: 「晴人！紅葉を見に行こうよ！」と元気いっぱいの由紀が言った。En: "Haruto! Let's go see the momiji!" exclaimed Yuki cheerfully.Ja: 彼女の声には冒険心が溢れていた。En: Her voice was full of adventure.Ja: 「そうそう、連休だし、一緒に自然を楽しもう！」En: "You know, it's the holiday, so let's enjoy nature together!"Ja: 晴人は一瞬戸惑った。En: Haruto was momentarily confused.Ja: 試験もあるし、仕事のシフトも入っている。En: He had exams coming up, and his work shifts were lined up.Ja: 「でも…、僕は忙しいんだ」と彼は答える。En: "But... I'm busy," he replied.Ja: そこへ、静かに青井が加わった。En: At that moment, Aoi quietly joined in.Ja: 「休むことも大事だよ、晴人。自然を感じるのは心にいいんだ」と、彼女は穏やかに話す。En: "Resting is important too, Haruto. Experiencing nature is good for the soul," she spoke gently.Ja: 青井の言葉にはいつも説得力があった。En: Aoi's words always carried persuasion.Ja: 晴人は深く考える。En: Haruto thought deeply.Ja: どうしたらいいのか。En: What should he do?Ja: 仕事や勉強を優先すべきか。En: Should he prioritize work and study?Ja: 彼はそう迷っていると、青井が以前撮った紅葉の写真を見せてくれた。En: While he was wavering, Aoi showed him some photos of the momiji she had taken before.Ja: その写真はあまりにも美しく、晴人の心に強く響いた。En: The photographs were so stunning that they struck a chord in Haruto's heart.Ja: 「こんな景色をリアルで見たら、どんなに素敵なんだろう」と彼は思った。En: "How wonderful it would be to see such scenery in real life," he thought.Ja: そして、晴人は意を決した。En: Then, Haruto made up his mind.Ja: 「よし、行こう！けど、その代わりにスケジュールを少し調整しなきゃ」En: "Alright, let's go! But in exchange, I'll need to adjust my schedule a bit."Ja: 由紀は喜んで跳び上がり、青井はにっこりと微笑んだ。En: Yuki joyfully jumped up, and Aoi smiled softly.Ja: こうして晴人は、勉強も仕事も友達との時間も大切にする方法を見つけた。En: In this way, Haruto found a way to prioritize his studies, work, and time with friends.Ja: 秋の日差しの中、三人は紅葉を楽しむために出かけた。En: Under the autumn sun, the three of them set out to enjoy the momiji.Ja: 色とりどりの景色を見ながら、晴人は、バランスを保つことの大切さを改めて感じた。En: As Haruto admired the vibrant scenery, he once again realized the importance of maintaining balance.Ja: そして、心から笑った。En: And he laughed from the heart.Ja: その日以来、晴人は学びと楽しさの両立をもっと大事にすることにした。En: From that day onward, Haruto decided to value both learning and enjoyment more.Ja: 個人的な経験も、同じくらい重要だと心から理解したのだった。En: He fully understood that personal experiences were just as important. Vocabulary Words:chilly: 冷たいcarpet: カーペットdormitory: 寮bustling: 賑わっていたdevoted: 一生懸命lectures: 講義persuasion: 説得力stunning: 美しくscenery: 景色vibrant: 色とりどりbalance: バランスvalue: 大事にするexperiences: 経験holiday: 連休relax: 気を抜くexclaimed: 言ったadventure: 冒険心confused: 戸惑ったwaver: 迷っているphotos: 写真realize: 改めて感じたprioritize: 優先すべきschedule: スケジュールadjust: 調整mind: 意を決したunderstood: 理解したpersonal: 個人的ground: 地面missing out: 逃しているjoined: 加わった

Fluent Fiction - French: Intrigue and Friendship: Secrets of the French Countryside School Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/fr/episode/2025-11-14-08-38-20-fr Story Transcript:Fr: Au cœur des collines de la campagne française se dressait un grand pensionnat à l'allure mystérieuse.En: In the heart of the hills of the French countryside stood a large boarding school with a mysterious appearance.Fr: Les arbres environnants étaient habillés de leurs plus belles couleurs d'automne, éclaboussant le sol de teintes d'orange et de rouge.En: The surrounding trees were dressed in their most beautiful autumn colors, splashing the ground with shades of orange and red.Fr: Élise, une élève sérieuse et réservée, aimait l'ordre et la tranquillité du pensionnat.En: Élise, a serious and reserved student, loved the order and tranquility of the boarding school.Fr: Elle passait souvent ses après-midi à la bibliothèque, entourée de romans et de cahiers.En: She often spent her afternoons in the library, surrounded by novels and notebooks.Fr: Luc, son ami audacieux, prenait toujours plaisir à explorer les moindres recoins de l'école.En: Luc, her daring friend, always enjoyed exploring every corner of the school.Fr: Son esprit curieux le poussait à découvrir des lieux défendus et à provoquer des situations délicates.En: His curious spirit pushed him to discover forbidden places and provoke tricky situations.Fr: Un jour, après le dîner, un incident avait semé la panique.En: One day, after dinner, an incident had caused panic.Fr: Luc, intrépide, avait goûté un gâteau dans la cuisine de l'école, ne sachant pas qu'il contenait des noix.En: Luc, fearless, had tasted a cake in the school kitchen, not knowing it contained nuts.Fr: Il avait rapidement souffert d'une violente réaction allergique.En: He quickly suffered from a severe allergic reaction.Fr: Sophie, la gentille matronne, avait réagi avec rapidité, s'occupant de Luc jusqu'à l'arrivée du médecin.En: Sophie, the kind matron, reacted swiftly, taking care of Luc until the doctor arrived.Fr: Depuis, Élise s'inquiétait pour son ami.En: Since then, Élise worried about her friend.Fr: L'automne avançait, les feuilles craquaient sous les pas des élèves et le pensionnat bruissait des éclats de rires et des murmures d'histoires effrayantes.En: Autumn progressed, the leaves crackled under the steps of the students, and the boarding school buzzed with bursts of laughter and whispers of scary stories.Fr: Pourtant, une nuit, Élise remarqua que Luc avait recommencé ses escapades nocturnes.En: Yet one night, Élise noticed that Luc had resumed his nocturnal escapades.Fr: Déterminée à le protéger, elle décida de le suivre discrètement.En: Determined to protect him, she decided to follow him discreetly.Fr: Luc se dirigeait à pas feutrés vers la cuisine, lieu de son précédent incident.En: Luc was stealthily heading toward the kitchen, the place of his previous incident.Fr: Élise, à bonne distance, veillait.En: Élise, at a safe distance, kept watch.Fr: Lorsqu'elle le vit approcher de la porte interdite, elle sentit son cœur accélérer.En: When she saw him approach the forbidden door, she felt her heart accelerate.Fr: « Luc, attends !En: "Luc, wait!"Fr: » chuchota-t-elle en courant vers lui.En: she whispered, running towards him.Fr: Il se retourna, surpris, mais sans colère.En: He turned around, surprised but not angry.Fr: « Élise, pourquoi te caches-tu ?En: "Élise, why are you hiding?"Fr: » demanda-t-il.En: he asked.Fr: « Tu te rappelles ce qui s'est passé la dernière fois.En: "Do you remember what happened last time?Fr: Je ne veux pas que cela arrive de nouveau.En: I don't want that to happen again."Fr: » Luc hésita, regardant la porte tentante avant de se tourner vers Élise.En: Luc hesitated, looking at the tempting door before turning to Élise.Fr: « Je comprends, mais je suis curieux.En: "I understand, but I'm curious.Fr: Oui, c'était dangereux, mais... » « Mais ta santé est plus importante !En: Yes, it was dangerous, but..." "But your health is more important!"Fr: » insista Élise.En: insisted Élise.Fr: « Trouvons ensemble un moyen sans risque pour satisfaire ta curiosité.En: "Let's find a safe way to satisfy your curiosity together."Fr: » Luc réfléchit un instant.En: Luc thought for a moment.Fr: Le discours d'Élise était juste.En: Élise's suggestion was fair.Fr: Sa curiosité ne devait pas les mener à négliger les dangers.En: His curiosity should not lead them to neglect the dangers.Fr: Élise proposa alors de lire des livres sur l'histoire du pensionnat ou de demander à Sophie de leur raconter des histoires de l'école.En: Élise then proposed reading books about the history of the boarding school or asking Sophie to tell them stories about the school.Fr: « C'est une idée !En: "That's a great idea!"Fr: » répondit Luc, avec un sourire encouragé par l'enthousiasme de son amie.En: replied Luc, with a smile encouraged by his friend's enthusiasm.Fr: Le lendemain, ils se dirigèrent vers la bibliothèque, bras dessus bras dessous, prêts pour de nouvelles aventures en toute sécurité.En: The next day, they headed to the library, arm in arm, ready for new adventures in complete safety.Fr: Élisé, dans sa proposition, avait trouvé un moyen de protéger Luc et de l'aider à assouvir sa soif de connaissances sans se mettre en danger.En: In her proposal, Élise had found a way to protect Luc and help him quench his thirst for knowledge without putting himself in danger.Fr: Et ainsi, Élise devint plus confiante dans sa capacité à s'exprimer, et Luc apprit à prendre soin de lui-même tout en écoutant les conseils de ceux qui l'entouraient.En: And so, Élise became more confident in her ability to express herself, and Luc learned to take care of himself while listening to the advice of those around him.Fr: Leur amitié, plus forte, brillait désormais comme les feuilles dorées de l'automne.En: Their friendship, stronger now, shone like the golden leaves of autumn. Vocabulary Words:boarding school: le pensionnatmysterious: mystérieuseappearance: allurenovels: les romansnotebooks: les cahierscurious spirit: l'esprit curieuxforbidden places: les lieux défendustricky situations: les situations délicatesincident: l'incidentpanic: la paniquematron: la matronneswiftly: avec rapiditéallergic reaction: la réaction allergiquenocturnal escapades: les escapades nocturnesstealthily: à pas feutrésheart: le cœurtempting: tentantecuriosity: la curiositésafe: sans risquedangers: les dangersthirst for knowledge: la soif de connaissancesconfident: plus confianteadvice: les conseilsfriendship: l'amitiégolden leaves: les feuilles doréesautumn: l'automnegrounds: le sollibrary: la bibliothèquebuzzed: bruissaitsafety: la sécurité

Send us a textIn this enchanting episode of Living the Dream with Curveball, we welcome fantasy author Ryan Consell, who is set to release the fourth book in his captivating "Stealing from Wizards" series on November 4th. Ryan shares his unexpected journey into the world of writing, revealing how a casual campfire conversation ignited his passion for storytelling. He dives deep into the essence of his series, which celebrates misfits navigating the trials of adolescence within a whimsical Canadian wizard school. Ryan discusses the unique themes of friendship, belonging, and the joy of being true to oneself, all while balancing the challenges of writing for a middle-grade audience. Listeners will gain insights into the writing process, the importance of community support, and how to successfully market a book series. As Ryan prepares for a well-deserved break after this eight-year journey, he also teases future projects and invites you to connect with him on various platforms. Don't miss this inspiring conversation that encourages you to embrace your creativity and keep dreaming big!www.stealingfromwizards.com

It has been three years since our friend and long-time community member, S.P. O'Farrell, last sat down with us at The Writing Community Chat Show. As one of the original supporters of the podcast, which is now proudly ranked as a top UK writing podcast, we always love checking in with familiar faces.We are thrilled to announce that the full conversation with Steve is now available!This episode is essential viewing (or listening!) for anyone curious about taking their series to the next level, changing genres, and navigating the exciting business of getting noticed. In this incredible discussion, we celebrated what happens when dedication meets dazzling success. We Covered:* Award-Winning Validation: Steve shared the inspiring story behind Simone LaFray and the Bishop of Mumbai being named a Distinguished Favorite Winner (Middle Grade) for the Big NYC Book Awards and receiving a stellar Starred Review from the Independent Book Review.* The Hollywood Hype: We dove into what it truly means for a series to be “shopped” for a TV/Film Production Deal—the process, the hope, and the reality for authors.* A Pivot to YA: S.P. O'Farrell revealed why he made the exciting jump to Young Adult Fiction with a new Duology and how he manages to maintain consistency while plotting the highly-anticipated Simone 5!* The Business of Writing: How he balanced his biggest year ever—including a graduation speech and a novel conversion project—with promoting his success and maintaining momentum.Watch or Listen to the Full Interview!This is your chance to hear directly from an author navigating the very top tiers of traditional publishing success.The video is available now on our YouTube channel, and you can also listen to the audio wherever you get your podcasts.▶️ Watch The Full Episode Now:

"I don't want to be whatever version of masculinity y'all keep telling me I have to be. Why are all the benchmarks violent and aggressive? I don't wanna do it. I'm not interested” — Jason ReynoldsWe all inherit scripts about who we're supposed to be. For boys, they often center on toughness, aggression, and hiding their emotions. Jason Reynolds has spent his life questioning those scripts, carving out space for tenderness and love, honoring friendships that offered freedom, and exploring what masculinity might mean beyond the narrow definitions passed down to us. Jason Reynolds is a national treasure. A Newbery Medal winner, a National Book Award finalist, a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, and a two-time National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, he is the beloved author of “Ghost,” “Long Way Down,” “Look Both Ways,” “Twenty-four Seconds From Now,” and so many more. Jason brings expansiveness to his books, illuminating the gentleness, humor, and vulnerability too often left out of stories of boyhood. In this episode, Jason shares his thoughts on masculinity: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. He explains why everyone needs to have a 'tuning fork' friend, reveals how Saturn flipped his life around at age 30, and pays an incredible tribute to the tattooed biker badass who was his loving father.Settle in for a vulnerable, revelatory conversation with an icon of American literature. ***For his reading challenge, Challenging Conventions, Jason has curated a collection of books that push back against the narrow definitions of boyhood and girlhood many of us have come to live by. Peruse selected titles and Jason's full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/jason-reynolds.***This week's Beanstack Featured Librarians are not actually librarians, but they are integral members of the literary community who are pioneers when it comes to student voice and writing. They happen to be friends of Jason Reynolds. Kathy Crutcher and Sasa Aakil – from Shout Mouse Press – share about their upcoming book, “Bright Before Us Like a Flame,” which Jason Reynolds called “a gift,” and for which a previous guest of the podcast, Elizabeth Acevedo, wrote the foreword.Show ChaptersChapter 1: AaronChapter 2: It's OK to Say I Love YouChapter 3: It's ComplicatedChapter 4: Growing PainsChapter 5: GirlChapter 6: Cultivating What MattersChapter 7: Reading ChallengeChapter 8: Beanstack Featured LibrarianShow LinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Jason ReynoldsJason Reynolds on InstagramGirl by Jamaica KincaidThe Cosby ShowGood TimesBright Before Us, Like a FlameShout Mouse PressBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Join Jessica Caravaggio (English) for a discussion of her research Fantasy, Fandom, and Feminist Community-Building which explores the connections of young adult fiction, feminist theory, and fandom studies in different communities of readers. For more information check out the Grad Chat webpage on Queen's University School of Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs website – https://www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc/research/share/grad-chat

Elizabeth Knox is one of the country's most esteemed authors, known best for her novels ‘Vintner's Luck' and ‘The Absolute Book'. She's also a dab hand at essay collections and young adult stories, though it had been over a decade since she last wrote for a younger audience. That changed with the release of ‘Kings of this World', a young adult novel focused on the sole survivor of a cult massacre. The book is a long time coming, Knox having written it over the span of several years. “I had the bad habit of writing several books at the same time,” she told Newstalk ZB's Jack Tame. “I developed the strategy when I had a lot of distractions in my life, and I decided to distract myself, so I had some power over that.” “And then I came out of it and thought I'd solved the problem and could always keep doing that, but no,” she told Tame. “Bad habit.” Writing young adult fiction is not dissimilar to writing for adults, but there is one central principle Knox abides by when writing for younger audiences. “You can't deprive the readers of hope,” she explained. “With that in mind, I was able to write a, you know, pretty scary thriller, and I don't think that young readers need to be defended from suspense and fear and things like that.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: The Secret Stage: Marisol's Journey to Self-Confidence Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2025-09-09-22-34-02-es Story Transcript:Es: En una noche serena de primavera, el viento se colaba por las ventanas rotas del viejo almacén abandonado.En: On a serene spring night, the wind slipped through the broken windows of the old abandoned warehouse.Es: Un lugar solitario donde los rayos de la luna jugaban con el polvo en el aire.En: A solitary place where the moonlight played with the dust in the air.Es: En el medio del almacén, Marisol, una chica de cabello largo y oscuro, respiraba profundo.En: In the middle of the warehouse, Marisol, a girl with long, dark hair, breathed deeply.Es: Estaba sola, al menos por ahora.En: She was alone, at least for now.Es: Elena, la chica más popular de la escuela, también tenía planeado participar en el show de talentos.En: Elena, the most popular girl in school, also had plans to participate in the talent show.Es: Todos sabían que era buena.En: Everyone knew she was good.Es: Muy buena.En: Very good.Es: Pero en secreto, admiraba a Marisol, aunque nunca lo admitía.En: But secretly, she admired Marisol, although she would never admit it.Es: Mientras tanto, Esteban, el mejor amigo de Marisol, saltaba de un lado a otro lleno de energía, siempre viendo lo mejor en todo y todos.En: Meanwhile, Esteban, Marisol's best friend, jumped from side to side full of energy, always seeing the best in everything and everyone.Es: —Marisol, este lugar es perfecto.En: "Marisol, this place is perfect.Es: Sin distracciones —dijo Esteban, iluminado por la luz de una linterna.En: No distractions," said Esteban, illuminated by the light of a flashlight.Es: Marisol se sintió nerviosa, pero sabía que necesitaba este espacio para enfrentar sus miedos.En: Marisol felt nervous, but she knew she needed this space to face her fears.Es: Comenzó a cantar, su voz suave pero insegura se expandía en el enorme almacén.En: She began to sing, her voice soft but uncertain as it spread through the enormous warehouse.Es: De repente, un estruendo resonó y las luces parpadearon antes de apagarse por completo.En: Suddenly, a crash echoed, and the lights flickered before going out completely.Es: —¡Oh no!En: "Oh no!"Es: —exclamó Esteban—.En: exclaimed Esteban.Es: Qué mala suerte.En: "What bad luck."Es: Marisol se quedó quieta, sintiendo el peso de la oscuridad.En: Marisol stood still, feeling the weight of the darkness.Es: Pero antes de que el miedo pudiera atraparla, escuchó pasos.En: But before fear could trap her, she heard footsteps.Es: Era Elena, que había venido a ver cómo estaba.En: It was Elena, who had come to check on her.Es: —¿Puedo escuchar tu canción?En: "Can I hear your song?"Es: —preguntó Elena con una voz más amable de lo que Marisol había esperado.En: asked Elena with a kinder voice than Marisol had expected.Es: A pesar de las dudas, Marisol comenzó a cantar de nuevo.En: Despite her doubts, Marisol began to sing again.Es: Esta vez, su voz era más fuerte, más segura.En: This time, her voice was stronger, more confident.Es: El silencio del almacén parecía abrazarla.En: The silence of the warehouse seemed to embrace her.Es: Elena y Esteban escuchaban atentamente, sonriendo.En: Elena and Esteban listened attentively, smiling.Es: Al final, Marisol dejó que la última nota flotara en el aire.En: In the end, Marisol let the last note float in the air.Es: El almacén, con sus sombras y sonidos misteriosos, era testigo de su valentía.En: The warehouse, with its shadows and mysterious sounds, was a witness to her bravery.Es: Llegó el día del show de talentos.En: The day of the talent show arrived.Es: Marisol subió al escenario mientras su corazón latía como un tambor.En: Marisol stepped onto the stage while her heart beat like a drum.Es: Vio las caras de sus compañeros y maestros, y entre ellos, Esteban con sus pulgares hacia arriba, y Elena, que también sonreía, dándole confianza.En: She saw the faces of her classmates and teachers, and among them, Esteban with his thumbs up, and Elena, who was also smiling, giving her confidence.Es: Con un último suspiro, Marisol empezó a cantar.En: With one last breath, Marisol began to sing.Es: Su voz llenó el auditorio, clara y melodiosa.En: Her voice filled the auditorium, clear and melodious.Es: La música, nacida de noches solitarias en un almacén olvidado, resonó en cada corazón presente.En: The music, born of lonely nights in a forgotten warehouse, resonated in every heart present.Es: Cuando terminó, el aplauso fue instantáneo.En: When she finished, the applause was instant.Es: Una explosión de admiración y reconocimiento.En: An explosion of admiration and recognition.Es: Marisol sonrió, sintiendo algo nuevo: confianza.En: Marisol smiled, feeling something new: confidence.Es: Se dio cuenta de que no tenía que luchar para brillar; ya era suficiente siendo ella misma.En: She realized that she didn't have to struggle to shine; she was already enough just being herself.Es: De esa noche en adelante, Marisol no solo fue admirada por su talento, sino también por su valentía.En: From that night on, Marisol was admired not only for her talent but also for her courage.Es: Así, de la mano de sus amigos y rivales convertidos en nuevos aliados, descubrió que el verdadero escenario donde debía triunfar era en su propio corazón.En: Thus, hand in hand with her friends and rivals turned new allies, she discovered that the true stage where she had to triumph was in her own heart. Vocabulary Words:serene: serenaabandoned: abandonadowarehouse: el almacéndust: el polvomoonlight: los rayos de la lunadeeply: profundopopular: populartalent: el talentoshow: el showsecretly: en secretodoubts: las dudassing: cantarvoice: la vozsoft: suavecrash: el estruendoflickered: parpadearondarkness: la oscuridadsteps: los pasosconfident: segurasilence: el silencioembrace: abrazarbravery: la valentíastage: el escenarioaudience: el auditoriobeat: latirthumbs: los pulgaresclear: claramelodious: melodiosaapplause: el aplausorecognition: el reconocimiento

”Why are some people treated differently? Why are some people chosen ones for no particular reason? And why do some people get to have that extra shine?” — Victoria AveyardUnfairness is a pervasive theme in a lot of fantasy fiction. With battles between good and evil dominating title after title, these tales appear to have a tight grasp on fairness and justice. But for Victoria Aveyard, the world of fantasy frequently falls short on these promises. Even in some of her favorite works, the light may ultimately overcome the darkness, but not every character is given a fair chance to shine. Victoria Aveyard is the number one New York Times bestselling author of The Red Queen series and the Realm Breaker series. In her work, she creates epic fantasy landscapes where women loom large and conventions around chosen characters are challenged.In this episode, Victoria opens up about why her sense of fairness took shape early, shares which undersized movie character is her icon, and reflects on why there's no escaping politics in literature. Settle in for a fast-paced episode filled with humor and a variety of Victoria's hot takes. ***For her reading challenge, Chosen/Unchosen, Victoria encourages readers to question the trope of “the chosen one.” She asks us to challenge why some are handed the quest, the crown, or the magic…and what happens to everyone else.Peruse selected titles and Victoria's complete reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/victoria-aveyard***This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Camille Perez, a former media specialist at the elementary and high school levels in Osceola County, Florida, and now a Beanstack team member. Today, Camille shares her hot takes on the modern school library and why shush culture should be a thing of the past.Show ChaptersChapter 1: Rotten With the Need for JusticeChapter 2: Hell Yeah, There's My PersonalityChapter 3: The Invisible WomenChapter 4: Six of CrowsChapter 5: Everything is PoliticalChapter 6: Whipped Cream ShireChapter 7: Reading ChallengeChapter 8: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Victoria AveyardVictoria Aveyard InstagramRed QueenRealm BreakerNumber the StarsA New Hope opening sceneSamuel DelaneySix of Crows by Leigh BardugoBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Josia Lamberto-Egan, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Meg Medina is an award-winning author of books for kids and young adults, and she was the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. We talked to her about what it meant to be the first Latinx author in that role, about the need for more diverse kids books, and the importance of reading in families.You can read a transcript of this episode on our website.Check out our booklist with books by Meg Medina and more!Learn more about the We Need Diverse Books movement. Read about the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature at the Library of Congress.

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: A New Dawn at Sunny Beach: Elin's Journey to Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sv/episode/2025-08-22-22-34-02-sv Story Transcript:Sv: Solen sken starkt över Sunny Beach, en liten kuststad känd för sina långa sandstränder och avkopplande atmosfär.En: The sun shone brightly over Sunny Beach, a small coastal town known for its long sandy beaches and relaxing atmosphere.Sv: Elin stod utanför sin nya skola, nervös men ändå nyfiken.En: Elin stood outside her new school, nervous but curious.Sv: Skolan låg högst upp på en kulle, med utsikt över det glittrande havet.En: The school was located at the top of a hill, overlooking the sparkling sea.Sv: Klassrummen var ljusa och öppnade sig mot soliga gårdar där doften av sommarblommor svävade i luften.En: The classrooms were bright and opened up to sunny courtyards where the scent of summer flowers lingered in the air.Sv: Elin, en tystlåten och blyg tonåring, hade nyligen flyttat hit med sin familj.En: Elin, a quiet and shy teenager, had recently moved here with her family.Sv: Hennes pappa hade fått ett nytt jobb, och hon kände ingen i den nya staden.En: Her dad had gotten a new job, and she didn't know anyone in the new town.Sv: Det var hennes första dag i den nya skolan, och hon var orolig för hur hon skulle passa in och om hon skulle lyckas hitta någon att vara med.En: It was her first day at the new school, and she was worried about how she would fit in and if she would manage to find someone to be with.Sv: Skolklockan ringde och hon visste att det var dags att gå in.En: The school bell rang, and she knew it was time to go inside.Sv: I korridorerna var det fullt av elever som skrattade och pratade med varandra.En: In the hallways, it was full of students laughing and talking to each other.Sv: Elin kände sig osynlig, nästan som om hon gick genom en dröm.En: Elin felt invisible, almost as if she was walking through a dream.Sv: Hon slog sig ner längst bak i klassrummet, och läraren började lektionen utan att ge henne mycket uppmärksamhet.En: She sat down at the very back of the classroom, and the teacher started the lesson without giving her much attention.Sv: Dagen passerade långsamt, och när lunchtiden kom kände Elin en klump i magen.En: The day passed slowly, and when lunchtime came, Elin felt a lump in her stomach.Sv: Matsalen var stor och bullrig.En: The cafeteria was large and noisy.Sv: Alla hade redan hittat sina grupper.En: Everyone had already found their groups.Sv: Elin ville bara smälta in, men hennes tålamod började ta slut.En: Elin just wanted to blend in, but her patience was starting to wear thin.Sv: Hon gick försiktigt genom rummet och såg sig omkring.En: She walked carefully through the room and looked around.Sv: Då fick hon syn på Sofia.En: Then she caught sight of Sofia.Sv: Sofia satt ensam vid ett bord nära fönstret och log för sig själv medan hon ritade i sitt anteckningsblock.En: Sofia sat alone at a table near the window, smiling to herself while she drew in her notebook.Sv: Hon såg snäll ut och någonting med henne kändes tryggt.En: She looked kind, and something about her felt safe.Sv: Elins hjärta bultade i bröstet.En: Elin's heart pounded in her chest.Sv: Skulle hon våga gå fram?En: Would she dare to go over?Sv: Med djup andhämtning närmade hon sig Sofia och sade med tunn röst, "Hej, får jag sitta här?"En: With a deep breath, she approached Sofia and said in a thin voice, "Hi, may I sit here?"Sv: Sofias leende blev större och hon nickade snabbt.En: Sofia's smile grew bigger and she nodded quickly.Sv: "Självklart, kom och sätt dig," svarade hon.En: "Of course, come and sit," she replied.Sv: De båda började prata, lite tafatt till en början, men snart flöt samtalet naturligt.En: The two began talking, a bit awkwardly at first, but soon the conversation flowed naturally.Sv: Elin fick veta att Sofia också älskade att rita och de delade många gemensamma intressen.En: Elin found out that Sofia also loved to draw and they shared many common interests.Sv: "Vill du ses på stranden efter skolan?"En: "Do you want to meet at the beach after school?"Sv: frågade Sofia mot slutet av lunchen.En: Sofia asked towards the end of lunch.Sv: Elin nickade ivrigt, glad över att ha funnit en vän.En: Elin nodded eagerly, happy to have found a friend.Sv: Under resten av dagen kände Elin sig lättare, som om en stor tyngd hade lyfts från hennes axlar.En: For the rest of the day, Elin felt lighter, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.Sv: Hon hade tagit steget att våga prata med någon, och nu hade hon en vän att träffa igen.En: She had taken the step to dare to talk to someone, and now she had a friend to meet again.Sv: När skolan slutade, gick Elin upp för att möta Sofia.En: When school ended, Elin got up to meet Sofia.Sv: Havsbrisen svalkade dem när de promenerade ner till stranden.En: The sea breeze cooled them as they walked down to the beach.Sv: Elin hade lärt sig något viktig denna dag: att ta det första steget kunde förändra allt, och ibland var andra lika nervösa för att bli vänner som hon själv varit.En: Elin had learned something important that day: taking the first step could change everything, and sometimes others were just as nervous about making friends as she had been.Sv: Sunny Beach kändes plötsligt mycket mer som hemma.En: Sunny Beach suddenly felt much more like home. Vocabulary Words:coastal: kuststadcourtyards: gårdarlinger: svävacurious: nyfikenrelaxing: avkopplandesparkling: glittrandeteenager: tonåringinvisible: osynliglump: klumpnoisy: bullrigblend: smälta insight: synnotebook: anteckningsblockawkwardly: tafatteagerly: ivrigtweight: tyngddare: våganaturally: naturligtshoulders: axlarstep: stegstomach: magepatience: tålamodcarefully: försiktigtshy: blygsite: utsiktdare: vågachest: bröstetscent: doftenbreeze: havsbrisnervous: nervös

“Whenever I think of people who have gone through something, I'm always like, but they were human before this. Before they were monsters, they were human. Before they were zombies, they were human.” — Tiffany D. JacksonSome of the most unsettling monsters don't come from nightmares or ghost stories. They walk among us in daylight, smiling widely and blending in. They can be shaped by our environments, our circumstances, or people's choices—and in stories, as in life, they challenge us to look closer and see the human before the horror.Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Allegedly, The Weight of Blood, Blood in the Water, and many more. She received of the Margaret E. Edwards Award, honoring her significant and lasting contribution to teen literature. She blends real-world horrors with the sharp tension of a thriller, always keeping our emotions and nerves on edge!In this episode, Tiffany shares how her own encounters with “unintentional monsters” have shaped her writing. She opens up about how growing up between Brooklyn and Westchester sharpened her view of the world and the people in it. Tiffany also talks about finding her voice in film school, why stories like Monday's Not Coming are drawn from real-life cases, and how fiction is her way of building empathy where the headlines fall short. Buckle up for a gripping episode from Tiffany's very first anecdote about a childhood horror.***Tiffany's reading challenge celebrates African-American horrors and thrillers, genres she's been questioned for writing.Peruse selected titles and Tiffany's full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/tiffany-d-jacksonThis week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again Kelly Shelton, an elementary librarian for Garland ISD in Garland, Texas. She shares how building a strong reading culture goes beyond the library—into the hallways, the bus line, and even your students' plays!Show ChaptersChapter 1: Unintentional MonstersChapter 2: Take Me Back to Brooklyn Chapter 3: What Happened to You?Chapter 4: A Safe HarborChapter 5: Their Eyes Were Watching GodChapter 6: Core MemoriesChapter 7: Reading ChallengeChapter 8: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Tiffany D. JacksonTiffany D. Jackson InstagramTheir Eyes Were Watching GodSister SouljahLockdown TV SeriesBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Juli and her guests explore the infiltration of erotica and LGBTQ themes into young adult fiction. From board books to bestselling novels, today's literature isn't what it used to be—and parents are the last to know. You'll hear stories from the frontlines and get practical tools to help you navigate today's fiction. Whether you're raising toddlers or talking with teens, this is a conversation every parent, teacher, and youth leader needs to hear. Guests: Greta Eskridge and Korrie Johnson   Follow-Up Resources: It's Time to Talk to Your Kids About Porn: A Parent's Guide to Helping Children and Teens Develop Sexual Integrity by Greta Eskridge Pulling Back the Shades: Erotica, Intimacy and the Longings of a Woman's Heart by Dr. Juli Slattery and Dannah Gresh Good Book Mom Plugged In Redeemed Reader Read Aloud Revival  

This week, we revisit our episode with Kwame Alexander while we take a quick summer break!Kwame Alexander recently interviewed the esteemed and now former Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, for the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Philadelphia. They talked about the power of poetry, the role of libraries in creating access and imagination, how Dr. Hayden remains hopeful and positive in this moment, and of course, how books can help kids be better humans and dreamers. It was such an inspiring conversation that we wanted to re-air this much earlier episode with the bestselling, beloved author (and apparently incredible interviewer!) Kwame Alexander.  Summer Reading GiveawayEnter our summer reading giveaway for your chance to win a book by any author we've featured on the show, plus the special reading culture mug that Jordan sends to every guest.To enter, just like and comment on our summer reading giveaway post on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter at the reading culture pod.com/newsletter. Better yet, if you tag a friend, you can win together. ***"I'm just being real. I'm telling my story. I think Nikki Giovanni calls it dancing naked on the floor. I am unafraid and I'm doing my dance… I don't feel like I can go wrong if I'm just being me.” - Kwame AlexanderExciting reluctant middle school kids about reading (or really, anything) can be a battle. Getting them to think reading is cool is another. Kwame Alexander excels at both. His ability to authentically relate to his readers is a skill around which he has built his career.Kwame is beloved by parents, educators, and students, for his ability to ignite a love of reading (especially middle school boys) through poetry and characters who reflect their real experiences. But his impact extends beyond just an introduction to books; he also opens the door for readers to explore their own emotional depths. As he tells us, “I think part of my job is just to show a different side of masculinity.”Kwame is best known for "The Crossover," "The Undefeated," "The Door of No Return," and numerous other novels and poetry collections. He also recently authored his memoir "Why Fathers Cry at Night." He won the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award among many other awards, and this year, "The Crossover" was adapted into a Disney+ original TV series. In this episode, he tells us about his own upbringing surrounded by Black storytelling and literature, reveals his secret to making middle-schoolers think he's “cool”, and shares about a letter he received (which was “not fan mail”) that inspired a surprise visit to an unsuspecting kid.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kirsten, the programming specialist for the Indianapolis Public Library. She shares some moving stories about a book club she runs for teens at a residential treatment facility. ChaptersChapter 1: Glasses firstChapter 2: Mom's stories, dad's garageChapter 3: Love After LoveChapter 4: The “Reluctant” ReadersChapter 5: Kwame Shows UpChapter 6: America's Next Great AuthorsChapter 7: BlackoutChapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Chapter 9: Hidden TrackLinksThe Reading CultureKwame AlexanderFolly IslandNYT article by Teddy Wayne about the potential benefits of clutterBeef, No ChickenLove After Love by Derek WalcottKwame's Newbery Banquet SpeechWhy Fathers Cry: The Podcast | Kwame Alexander#KwameShowsUpNikki GiovanniCollected Poems, 1948-1984 -  Derek WalcottThe Crossover | Official Trailer | Disney+America's Next Great AuthorThe Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Catherine Con Morse's debut novel, The Notes, is a 2025 Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Honorable Mention for Young Adult Fiction, a 2026 Panda Book Award nominee, and was shortlisted for the CRAFT First Chapters contest. Her newest book is The Summer I Remembered Everything (April 2025). A Kundiman fellow, Catherine received her MFA from Boston University, where she taught undergraduate creative writing for several years. Her work appears in Joyland, Letters, HOOT, Bostonia, and elsewhere, and has been a finalist for the Beacon Street Prize and the Baltimore Review fiction prize. While writing The Notes, she was one of the inaugural Writers in Residence at Porter Square Books, where she enjoyed writing in the back office and eating croissants with her cafe discount. In high school, Catherine attended the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, a public arts boarding school, where she was as intrigued with her teacher as Claire is with Dr. Li. Catherine continues to play and teach piano today. Most recently, she taught English at Choate Rosemary Hall, and lives in the Connecticut River Valley with her husband and daughter.Katherine Shizuko Suyeyasu brings 25 years of experience teaching in Oakland, Berkeley, Union City, and the Philadelphia area at the upper-elementary, middle, and graduate school levels. The majority of her teaching career allowed her to work with and learn from multilingual middle schoolers in the Humanities classroom. She is currently a co-director of the Bay Area Writing Project.

Catherine Con Morse's debut novel, The Notes, is a 2025 Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Honorable Mention for Young Adult Fiction, a 2026 Panda Book Award nominee, and was shortlisted for the CRAFT First Chapters contest. Her newest book is The Summer I Remembered Everything (April 2025). A Kundiman fellow, Catherine received her MFA from Boston University, where she taught undergraduate creative writing for several years. Her work appears in Joyland, Letters, HOOT, Bostonia, and elsewhere, and has been a finalist for the Beacon Street Prize and the Baltimore Review fiction prize. While writing The Notes, she was one of the inaugural Writers in Residence at Porter Square Books, where she enjoyed writing in the back office and eating croissants with her cafe discount. In high school, Catherine attended the South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, a public arts boarding school, where she was as intrigued with her teacher as Claire is with Dr. Li. Catherine continues to play and teach piano today. Most recently, she taught English at Choate Rosemary Hall, and lives in the Connecticut River Valley with her husband and daughter. Katherine Shizuko Suyeyasu brings 25 years of experience teaching in Oakland, Berkeley, Union City, and the Philadelphia area at the upper-elementary, middle, and graduate school levels. The majority of her teaching career allowed her to work with and learn from multilingual middle schoolers in the Humanities classroom. She is currently a co-director of the Bay Area Writing Project. About The Write Time The Write Time is a special series of NWP Radio, a podcast of the National Writing Project (NWP), where writing teachers from across the NWP Network interview young-adult and children's authors about their books, their composing processes, and writers' craft. You can view the archive at https://teach.nwp.org/series/the-write-time/

"We all need to have radical hope. I have my really hopeless days too, but… it's such a privilege to get to live and to survive. Our job is to live, and I think that's a really amazing thing.” - Jasmine WargaWe all want to make the most of our time here. Not just survive, but dream big and live fully. For Jasmine Warga, that means carrying forward the strength of those before her while creating space for joy, curiosity, and self-discovery. It means letting go of perfection, holding on to radical hope, and writing stories that reflect kids' realities. Jasmine Warga is a Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author of Other Words for Home, The Shape of Thunder, A Rover's Story, and more. Her work explores identity, belonging, and how being different can be what unites us. In this episode, Our Job is to Live: Jasmine Warga on Belonging and Radical Hope, Jasmine shares what it was like growing up as a mixed kid and daughter of an immigrant in Ohio, her lightbulb moment while teaching sixth grade, and how Animorphs, surrealist art and a dash of Virginia Woolf shaped not only her voice as a writer, but also her commitment to living joyfully, and spreading joy to others.***For her reading challenge, Read Global, Jasmine invites adult readers to step outside the familiar and read more broadly, beyond their own borders.Peruse selected titles and Jasmine's full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/jasmine-wargaThis week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Cassie Owens Moore, a middle school librarian in South Carolina at Seneca Middle School. She shares how a group of fired-up sixth graders convinced her that Marvel and manga deserved their own sections of her library, and why building a great library means working for your students.Show ChaptersChapter 1: Where Are You From?Chapter 2: The Other Side of HomeChapter 3: So Many QuestionsChapter 4: The HoursChapter 5: I Am The Mars RoverChapter 6: No One's Gonna Read This BookChapter 7: Radical HopeChapter 8: Reading ChallengeChapter 9: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Jasmine Warga Jasmine Warga InstagramMr. Schu (Jasmine's neighbor)Palestinians in JordanAnimorphsThe HoursCamille ClaudelBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“Those moments of connection when you can have them with people who seem so different from you on the outside, I really do think that it braids a level of connectiveness and empathy, and it is much harder to harden your heart.” — Gayle FormanWhat does it mean to rise to the occasion, not once, but over and over again? Sometimes it means reckoning with grief. Other times it means stumbling forward, messing up, and trying again. And sometimes it means simply showing up, imperfect, but still trying to be better.Gayle Forman is the bestselling author of If I Stay, Frankie & Bug, Not Nothing, Afterlife and more. Whether it's Mia in If I Stay, Alex in Not Nothing, or Amber in Afterlife, her characters often walk a jagged path toward healing, falling short, trying again, and inching closer to the people they hope to become.In this episode, Gayle talks about growing up as a self-described “odd duck,” the Ramona books that shaped her childhood and parenting, and the formative years she spent traveling solo. She opens up about why she is so drawn to flawed characters and how fiction became a way to survive grief and stay connected to the people she has lost.***For her reading challenge, Flawed, Gayle is going to bat for the prickly, messy, not-here-to-be-liked protagonists. She points out that kids are used to reading about heroes, but it can be just as powerful, maybe even more so, to read about characters who fall short and grow anyway. Peruse selected titles and Gayle's full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/gayle-forman.This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Lori Shallio, media specialist at Heritage Intermediate School in Middlebury, Indiana. She shares how a Hot Ones-style challenge involving her principal and spicy nuggets helped students smash their community reading goal.Show ChaptersChapter 1: What We CarryChapter 2: Odd DucksChapter 3: Top School, Bottom MarksChapter 4: Beezus and RamonaChapter 5: University of LifeChapter 6: What We ShareChapter 7: Mind the GapChapter 8: Embrace ItChapter 9: Rise to the OccasionChapter 10: Reading ChallengeChapter 11: Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Gayle FormanGayle Forman InstagramBeezus and RamonaCountesthorpe AcademyIf I Stay (film)Sassy MagazineYom KippurBeanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Life Lessons: The Courage to Seek Help Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-06-13-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅站在窗前，看着绿意盎然的校园。En: Mei stood by the window, looking at the lush green campus.Zh: 湖水在阳光下波光粼粼，五颜六色的龙舟在水面上准备出发。En: The lake shimmered in the sunlight, and colorful dragon boats were preparing to set off on the water.Zh: 她的心情却如同湖水深处的暗流一般，不停翻滚。En: However, her mood was like the undercurrents deep in the lake, continuously tumultuous.Zh: 夏天来了，龙舟节即将开始，这是校内的一年一度盛事。En: Summer had arrived, and the Dragon Boat Festival was about to begin, a significant annual event on campus.Zh: 梅是一个勤奋的学生，总是努力保持好成绩，但最近的一次体检给予了她一个意想不到的打击。En: Mei was a diligent student who always worked hard to maintain good grades, but a recent medical check-up dealt her an unexpected blow.Zh: 医生告诉她，她患有一种慢性疾病，需要定期治疗和休息。En: The doctor informed her that she had a chronic illness that required regular treatment and rest.Zh: 梅不想被视作异类，她决定暂时隐瞒病情。En: Mei did not want to be seen as different, so she decided to temporarily keep her condition a secret.Zh: 她害怕朋友和老师会用同情的目光看她。En: She feared that her friends and teachers would look at her with sympathetic eyes.Zh: 因此，即便身体疲惫，她也咬牙坚持，不落下功课。En: Therefore, even though she was physically exhausted, she gritted her teeth and persisted, determined not to fall behind in her studies.Zh: 可是，她常常感到头晕和无力。En: However, she often felt dizzy and weak.Zh: 李，是梅的好朋友。En: Li was Mei's good friend.Zh: 她敏感地察觉到梅的变化，虽然梅嘴上不说，但李总是在关注她。En: She sensitively noticed the changes in Mei, and although Mei didn't speak of it, Li always kept an eye on her.Zh: 每当梅表情痛苦时，李总会关切地问她：“梅，你还好吗？”En: Whenever Mei showed signs of distress, Li would caringly ask, "Mei, are you okay?"Zh: 而小新来到学校不久，他羡慕大家的友谊，努力寻找自己的位置。En: Xiaoxin, who had recently joined the school, admired the friendships around him and was trying hard to find his own place.Zh: 有时候，他会和李一起关心梅，试图融入这个小团体。En: Sometimes, he would join Li in showing concern for Mei, attempting to integrate into this small group.Zh: 随着龙舟节的临近，训练越来越密集。En: As the Dragon Boat Festival drew near, the training became increasingly intense.Zh: 梅知道自己的体力挑战很大，但她不想错过这次比赛。En: Mei knew that her stamina would be severely tested, but she didn't want to miss out on the competition.Zh: 她试图证明自己不需要依靠别人。En: She attempted to prove that she didn't need to rely on others.Zh: 比赛那天，太阳高照，梅干咽着，心中有些不安。En: On the day of the competition, the sun was shining brightly, and Mei swallowed dryly, feeling a bit uneasy.Zh: 鼓声响起，热烈的呐喊声此起彼伏。En: The sound of drums filled the air, joined by the enthusiastic cheers.Zh: 梅坐上龙舟，手紧握划桨，拼命划动。En: Mei sat on the dragon boat, gripping the paddle tightly, rowing with all her might.Zh: 可是突然，她感到一阵眩晕。En: However, suddenly, she felt a wave of dizziness.Zh: 她跌坐在船尾，呼吸急促。En: She collapsed at the back of the boat, breathing heavily.Zh: 船上的同伴立刻围了过来，李冲到她身边：“梅，你怎么了？”小也关切地望着她，“需要我们帮忙吗？”En: Her teammates immediately gathered around her, Li rushed to her side: "Mei, what's wrong?" Xiaoxin also looked at her with concern, "Do you need us to help?"Zh: 此刻，梅知道自己再无法隐瞒。En: At this moment, Mei knew she could no longer hide the truth.Zh: 她低声说：“我……我有个病，最近身体不太好。”En: She whispered, "I... I have a condition, and I've not been feeling well lately."Zh: 李和小对视一眼，李握住梅的手：“你为什么不早说？我们会帮你的。”En: Li and Xiaoxin exchanged a glance, Li held Mei's hand: "Why didn't you tell us earlier? We'll help you."Zh: 梅终于卸下心防，心中感到一丝轻松。“对不起，我不想让你们担心。”En: Mei finally let her guard down, feeling a sense of relief. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to worry you."Zh: 比赛过后，李和小陪梅去了校医室。En: After the race, Li and Xiaoxin accompanied Mei to the school clinic.Zh: 校医和老师讨论后，决定给予梅帮助和适当的调整，确保她在学习和休息之间取得平衡。En: After discussions with the school doctor and teachers, it was decided to provide Mei with assistance and appropriate adjustments to ensure she could balance her studies and rest.Zh: 梅坐在校园的长椅上，湖风轻拂过她的面颊。En: Mei sat on a campus bench, the lake breeze gently brushing across her face.Zh: 她环顾四周，朋友们就在身边，她深深体会到，寻求帮助并不是软弱的表现，而是一种勇气。En: She looked around, her friends were by her side, and she deeply realized that seeking help was not a sign of weakness but a form of courage.Zh: 从此，梅不再孤军奋战。En: From then on, Mei no longer fought alone.Zh: 她和朋友们一起，迎接生活中的每一个挑战。En: She and her friends faced every challenge in life together.Zh: 湖水仍在闪动着亮光，映照出梅重新燃起的希望。En: The lake water still sparkled with light, reflecting the hope rekindled within Mei. Vocabulary Words:lush: 郁郁葱葱shimmered: 波光粼粼undercurrents: 暗流tumultuous: 翻滚diligent: 勤奋chronic: 慢性sympathetic: 同情gritted: 咬牙dizzy: 头晕sensitively: 敏感地admired: 羡慕integrate: 融入intense: 密集stamina: 体力uneasy: 不安enthusiastic: 热烈dizziness: 眩晕collapsed: 跌坐gathered: 围condition: 病accompanied: 陪appropriate: 适当adjustments: 调整balance: 平衡breeze: 湖风courage: 勇气sign: 表现rekindled: 重新燃起challenge: 挑战sparkled: 闪动

“I tell kids that books are not there to torment you. The author has to get you in the first ten pages. If they do not, they fail, because a book is like a lawnmower—you pull it, and either it starts or it doesn't start.” –Soman ChainaiSoman Chainani wants reading to feel irresistible. The bestselling author of "The School for Good and Evil," series and the recently released graphic novel, "Coven," shares how his own reading life began—powered by Anne Rice, Michael Crichton, and a complete lack of adult supervision—and how those early obsessions shaped his belief that stories should be bold, boundary-pushing, and personal.In this episode, Soman explains why middle grade books can (and should) feel dangerous, how his grandmother's glamorous storytelling shaped his imagination, and what a book needs to do in its first ten pages to hook a reader. He also unpacks the “moral grayness” that defines his favorite novels and his own writing, and makes a compelling case for why kids need more honesty, not less, in the stories we give them.Tune in for a fast-paced episode that includes Madonna, hot takes, and tips for breaking (all) the rules. ***Soman's reading challenge, Immersive, is all about getting lost in a story. The books he curated blur the line between fiction and reality, pulling the reader in so completely you forget the world around you. Learn more and download Soman's recommended reading list at threadingculturepod.com/soman-chainani***This week's featured librarian is Jasmine Haverly from Aldine Independent School District in Texas. Jasmine shares how competitions and “book tastings” are growing the reading culture in her library.Show ChaptersChapter 1 - Florida Man Chapter 2 - Well, That Escalated Quickly Chapter 3 - The Picture of Dorian GrayChapter 4 - The Rules Are Made UpChapter 5 - Main Character Energy Chapter 6 - Use Your ImaginationChapter 7 - Express YourselfChapter 8 - Reading ChallengeChapter 9 - Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinksThe Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupSoman ChainaiSoman Chainani SubstackSoman Chainani Instagram“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar WildeFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

  This week, we're chatting about the ins and outs of writing Young Adult Fiction with Jessica Goodman! We talk with her about getting started in the genre, the challenges of writing YA, how she gets inspiration for her books, and more!    Read more from Jessica in The Meadowbrook Murders, The Counselors, The Legacies, They'll Never Catch Us, and They Wish They Were Us.   Obsessions Olivia -  Ocean Vuong's Interviews Becca - Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Sneakers   What we read this week Becca - Silver Elite by Dani Francis Olivia - All The Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman   This Month's Book Club Pick - Audition by Katie Kitamura (have thoughts about this book you want to share? Call in at 843-405-3157 or email us a voice memo at badonpaperpodcast@gmail.com)   Sponsors Better Help - Visit BetterHelp.com/BADONPAPER to get 10% off your first month. Master Class - Save at least 15% off at MasterClass.com/BOP     Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our Geneva! Order Olivia's Book, Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

What does it mean to lose your anchor people? In a short period of time, Renée Watson experienced the death of her mother, her mentor Nikki Giovanni, and her childhood friend, Charnetta. Renée shares how these experiences influenced her latest novel for young readers, All the Blues in the Sky, which follows 13-year-old Sage as she navigates grief after the death of her best friend. Renée Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author whose recent book All the Blues in the Sky explores grief through the eyes of a young person. Her young adult novel, Piecing Me Together, received a Coretta Scott King Award and Newbery Honor. Her children's picture books and novels for teens have received several awards and international recognition. Many of her books are inspired by her experiences growing up as a Black girl in the Pacific Northwest. We Discuss Experiencing multiple significant losses in a short period of time  The impact of losing "anchor people" in one's life  How Renée's mentor and friend, Nikki Giovanni, supported her as she grieved for her mother  The spectrum of emotions that come with grief  Why it's important to acknowledge grief rather than avoid it  What Renée learned about grief from writing her main character, Sage.   The comparison of sudden loss versus anticipated loss  Finding tangible reminders of love after someone dies  Connect with Renée Watson  Website: RenéeWatson.net  About Dougy Center  Grief Out Loud is a production of Dougy Center, the National Grief Center for Children and Families in Portland, Oregon. For more resources, visit dougy.org or email griefoutloud@dougy.org. 

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: How a Campus Crisis Turned Qingming Festival into a Lifesaver Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-03-31-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 清明节的早晨，校园里的樱花开得正盛，粉色的花瓣在风中飘舞。En: On the morning of the Qingming Festival, the cherry blossoms on campus were in full bloom, their pink petals dancing in the breeze.Zh: 宿舍里，丽华正在忙着准备祭品。En: In the dormitory, Li Hua was busy preparing offerings.Zh: 她是一个细心又认真负责的学生，总是照顾着她的朋友们。En: She was a meticulous and responsible student, always taking care of her friends.Zh: 梅琳是丽华最好的朋友，性格开朗。En: Mei Lin was Li Hua's best friend, with a cheerful personality.Zh: 然而，一大早她就捂着肚子，面露痛苦之色。En: However, early in the morning, she was clutching her stomach, looking pained.Zh: 丽华看着她，心里不安。En: Li Hua watched her with unease.Zh: 她一直关注梅琳的健康，虽然梅琳老说没事，但丽华还是很担心。En: She had always been concerned about Mei Lin's health, and even though Mei Lin often said she was fine, Li Hua was still worried.Zh: 她记得几天前的生物课上，小博，那个医学院的学生，提到过急性阑尾炎的症状。En: She remembered that a few days ago in biology class, Xiao Bo, the medical student, had mentioned the symptoms of acute appendicitis.Zh: 丽华决定去找小博，想了解更多。En: Li Hua decided to find Xiao Bo to learn more.Zh: 小博是个爱用讽刺话语掩饰自己感情的男生，他一直暗恋梅琳。En: Xiao Bo was a guy who liked to disguise his feelings with sarcastic remarks, and he had always secretly had a crush on Mei Lin.Zh: 这时，丽华在楼梯口找到了他。En: At this moment, Li Hua found him at the staircase.Zh: “小博，我需要你的帮助！”丽华简明扼要地说。En: "Xiao Bo, I need your help!" Li Hua said bluntly.Zh: 小博听完丽华的描述，立刻严肃起来。En: After listening to Li Hua's description, Xiao Bo immediately became serious.Zh: “这听上去像是急性阑尾炎。你们得尽快去医院。”En: "This sounds like acute appendicitis. You need to get to the hospital quickly."Zh: 宿舍里，其他同学们忙着准备清明节的活动，摆着花束、瓜果祭祖，En: In the dormitory, other students were busy preparing for Qingming Festival activities, arranging bouquets and fruits for ancestor worship.Zh: 有人随意地说：“她只是吃错东西了，等等就好了。”En: Someone casually said, "She just ate something bad, she'll be fine soon."Zh: 丽华内心感到纠结，但她清楚，这不是赌运气的时候。En: Li Hua felt conflicted inside, but she knew this was not a time to gamble on luck.Zh: 她坚定地说：“梅琳需要马上去医院，这是最重要的！”En: She firmly said, "Mei Lin needs to go to the hospital right away—this is the most important thing!"Zh: 在大家争论时，小博站出来支持丽华。En: While everyone was debating, Xiao Bo stood up to support Li Hua.Zh: “听我说，这不是小事。快去找辆车！”En: "Listen to me, this is no small matter. Hurry and find a car!"Zh: 最后，他们决定让小博开车送梅琳去医院。En: Finally, they decided to let Xiao Bo drive Mei Lin to the hospital.Zh: 路上，丽华心中一直担心着，但她努力让自己冷静下来。En: On the way, Li Hua was worried, but she tried hard to calm herself down.Zh: 在医院，经过医生的详细检查，梅琳被确诊为急性阑尾炎，需要立即手术。En: At the hospital, after a detailed examination by the doctor, Mei Lin was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and required immediate surgery.Zh: 手术后，医生对他们说：“幸好来得及时，不然后果不堪设想。”En: After the operation, the doctor told them, "Luckily you came in time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable."Zh: 听到这话，丽华感到如释重负。En: Hearing these words, Li Hua felt a sense of relief.Zh: 梅琳躺在病床上，对朋友们露出了疲惫却安心的笑容。En: Mei Lin lay on the hospital bed, showing a tired yet reassured smile to her friends.Zh: 走出医院，丽华深呼吸，阳光洒在她的脸上。En: Walking out of the hospital, Li Hua took a deep breath, the sunlight shining on her face.Zh: 她知道，无论传统多么重要，关心朋友的生命安全永远是第一位的。En: She knew that no matter how important traditions are, caring for a friend's life and safety is always the top priority.Zh: 她对自己能够在关键时刻做出决定感到自豪。En: She felt proud of being able to make the right decision at a crucial moment.Zh: 清明节祭祖的日子，终于在一阵紧张的故事中画上了完美的句号。En: The day of ancestor worship during the Qingming Festival finally concluded with a perfect ending to a tense story.Zh: 丽华学会了在传统和现代之间寻找平衡，也更加自信地迈出了自己的步伐。En: Li Hua learned to find a balance between tradition and modernity and stepped forward with greater confidence. Vocabulary Words:breeze: 风meticulous: 细心offerings: 祭品clutching: 捂着unease: 不安acute appendicitis: 急性阑尾炎symptoms: 症状disguise: 掩饰sarcastic: 讽刺remarks: 话语staircase: 楼梯bluntly: 简明扼要地conflicted: 纠结ancestors: 祖先gamble: 赌consequences: 后果unimaginable: 不堪设想relief: 如释重负sunlight: 阳光crucial: 关键tradition: 传统confidence: 自信modernity: 现代diagnosed: 确诊examined: 检查immediate: 立即debating: 争论bouquets: 花束responsible: 负责support: 支持

In amazing fantasy and science fiction worlds -- Who's doing the work? Where does the food come from? The clothes? Who does the caregiving? Guest august clarke joins us to discuss the hands and bodies that create a society. Labor is something that's often sort of invisible in stories if it's not explicitly the driving focus of a book – So, why is that? How can authors better incorporate labor into their worlds? Labor intersects with so many other components of a world, after all: ideas about currency and property, concepts of time, religion, social class, technology. With labor touching so much of our characters' lives, where do we use SFF to examine & explore our world's labor issues, and where can we get creative and try to imagine escaping dominant paradigms? [Transcript TK] About Our Guest: august clarke is here and queer, etc. They have been published in PRISM international, Portland Review, and Eidolon. He was a 2019 Lambda Literary Fellow in Young Adult Fiction and a Locus Award, Dragon Award, and Pushcart nominee. They researched queerness, labor, and monstrosity at the University of Chicago. He is the author of the indie-bestselling series The Scapegracers, which he writes as H. A. Clarke.

Grace's mentor turns out to be less of a girl-boss and more of a girl-who-tries-to-get-you-to-kill-yourself, which isn't fun. Jez and Sidorio confront the vampirates, and Connor and the vampirate captain help take them turn. Connor's new bestie stabs him in the back, literally. Christina and Vittorio lose their last nerveBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/bad-book-bash--5889791/support.

What would it be like to be the only human in a family of vampires? This is the dilemma that Helen Glynn Jones' character faces in the first part of her Ravens series: The Last Raven. Helen joins Julia Golding in today’s episode of Mythmakers to discuss the tradition of vampire myths around the world in the places she's lived, and in her own version as she imagines that being human is what makes you the monster. They go on to discuss betrayal as a plotline, coming of age, as well as the experience of being edited. Stay tuned to find out their picks for the best place to be turned into a vampire. To purchase your own copy of The Last Raven visit: https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-last-raven-the-ravens-book-1-helen-glynn-jones?variant=40805269798990 For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok   0:10 Introduction to Mythmakers 3:32 Journey Through Fantasy Literature 4:20 Exploring Vampire Myths Worldwide 6:37 The Last Raven: Story Insights 12:26 Love, Betrayal, and Vampire Romance 15:06 Age Ranges and Young Adult Fiction 17:47 Coming of Age in Fantasy Stories 21:33 The Impact of Betrayal in Plot 25:51 The Editing Process Uncovered 30:53 Thoughts on Blogging and Writing 34:00 Choosing the Best Fantasy World