Bianca Schulze is the founder and editor of The Children's Book Review—a resource devoted to children's literature and literacy—and the host of The Growing Readers Podcast. Bianca is also the author of DON'T WAKE THE DRAGON which has been translated into 20 languages and is now a six-book series, as well as 101 BOOKS TO READ BEFORE YOU GROW UP which is an Amazon Editors' pick for Best Nonfiction for Kids. She also a wife and the mother of three kids! In our conversation today we discussed:

* How to raise readers in your household

* How to foster a love of reading within your family

* Her Top 5 book recommendations for 2024

* The Children’s Book Review journey from blog to important literary resource

* How she came to write her earliest books

* Classic holiday stories for families

* How parents can work with kids who are struggling to find reading enjoyable

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Where to find Bianca Schulze

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/biancaschulze/

* Website: https://www.biancaschulze.com/

* The Children’s Book Review: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Where to find Adam Fishman

* FishmanAF Newsletter: www.FishmanAFNewsletter.com

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamjfishman/

* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupdadpod/

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In this episode, we cover:

[1:38] Welcome

[2:19] Professional background

[4:05] Family

[5:13] Children’s book review evolution

[8:11] How does being an author inform your work?

[10:25] Don’t Wake the Dragon Series

[14:27] Inspiration for 101 Books to Read

[17:25] Top book recommendations by age

[27:55] New releases you’re excited about?

[29:08] Where to buy all your books

[31:41] Classic holiday book recommendations

[33:24] How do you choose age level books?

[35:29] Using Children’s Book Review as a resource

[37:05] Trends in children’s literature right now

[39:17] How to encourage children to love reading

[44:24] Diversity/representation in literature

[46:45] Growing Readers Podcast

[48:44] What’s next?

[49:46] Advice on how to juggle work & family

[53:25] Lightning round

[58:43] Thank you

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Show references:

Children’s Book Review: https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/

Growing Readers Podcast:https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/thegrowingreaderspodcast/

Bianca’s Published Works: https://www.biancaschulze.com/#published-works

CU Boulder: https://www.colorado.edu/

Dragons Love Tacos : https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragons-love-tacos-adam-rubin/1107389326

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell, Ashley Mackenzie (Illustrator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/impossible-creatures-katherine-rundell/1143746993

The Poisoned King (B&N Exclusive Edition) (Impossible Creatures #2) by Katherine Rundell: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-poisoned-king-katherine-rundell/1146144609

Kate DiCamillo: https://www.katedicamillo.com/

Priya's Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids by Priya Krishna: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/priyas-kitchen-adventures-priya-krishna/1142903399

The Yellow Bus by Loren Long: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-yellow-bus-loren-long/1143921425

Where Is Koketso?: A Search, Seek & Find by Nyasha Williams, Anna Abl (Illustrator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-is-koketso-nyasha-williams/1144786418

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-remarkable-journey-of-coyote-sunrise-dan-gemeinhart/1128564272

Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/coyote-lost-and-found-dan-gemeinhart/1143297511

BookShop: www.bookshop.org

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/

The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-outsiders-s-e-hinton/1100458329

Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twas-the-night-before-christmas-clement-clarke-moore/1102050730

Stick Man by Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler (Illustrator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/stick-man-julia-donaldson/1015184424

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-jeff-kinney/1100714716

Dog Man (Dog Man Series #1) by Dav Pilkey: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dog-man-dav-pilkey/1123324195

Harry Potter: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:(Harry Potter Series #1) by J. K. Rowling, Mary GrandPré (Illustrator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/harry-potter-and-the-sorcerers-stone-j-k-rowling/1143017727

The Chronicles of Narnia Box Set by C. S. Lewis, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-chronicles-of-narnia-box-set-c-s-lewis/1100542419

Noise canceling headphones: https://www.bose.com/c/holiday-sale

Inside Out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/

Inside Out 2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22022452/

Edward Scissorhands: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099487/

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Dupes!