
The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers Podcast
"Not every book is for every child, but for every child there is a book." The Children’s Book Review, is a resource devoted to children’s literature and literacy. In the Growing Readers Podcast, we produce author and illustrator interviews focused on the best books for kids of all ages. We help parents, grandparents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians to grow readers.
Latest episodes

Apr 26, 2021 • 40min
Bianca with Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant on Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides
Inspired by a story their daughter wrote, Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides was written in 2016-2017 when the US suddenly felt very divided and polarized—even among neighbors, friends, and within families. The pair have created a book for children that addresses this animosity. Not only is it a delightful story, but it will help initiate conversations with our kiddos on how to maintain a friendship with someone you often disagree with or who has a very different worldview. I hope you enjoy this discussion about the importance of perspective and finding common ground.
Order a copy of Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides via Bookshop.org
Order a copy of Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides via Amazon
Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.
You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Apr 19, 2021 • 28min
Bianca with Rajani LaRocca on Bracelet's for Bina's Brothers
In this episode of the Growing Readers Podcast, I talk with author Rajani LaRocca about Bracelets for Bina's Brothers, a picture book that celebrates diversity, math, and the power of storytelling!
Rajani LaRocca has burst into the world of children's books with a bunch of incredible titles and there are many more on the way. Born in India, raised in Kentucky, she now lives in Boston, where she practices internal medicine and writes her heart out, sharing stories that connect us to other people across distance, time, and culture. We talk mostly about her latest picture book, Bracelets for Bina's Brothers, part of the Charlesbridge Storytelling Math series. We also chat briefly about her stunning middle-grade novel, Red, White, and Whole, written in verse about an Indian American girl whose life is turned upside down when her mother is diagnosed with leukemia.
Order a copy of Bracelet's for Bina's Brothers via Bookshop.org
Order a copy of Bracelet's for Bina's Brothers via Amazon
Visit Rajani LaRocca at https://www.rajanilarocca.com/
You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Mar 29, 2021 • 36min
Bianca with Jasmine A. Stirling on A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice
In this episode of the Growing Readers Podcast, I talk with debut author Jasmine A. Stirling about A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice, a picture book biography about the beloved and enduring writer and how she found her unique voice.
This conversation with Jasmine is equally as inspiring as it is empowering. You'll very quickly realize that her knowledge of Jane Austen is extensive. We learn why this historical figure is such an important role model for our children—both girls and boys. Jane Austen is known for her swoony romances, but there is so much more to her than we are sometimes led to believe. Jasmine wants young people to see that creative mastery is the product of experimentation, persistence, and life's hard-won battles.
Order a copy of A Most Clever Girl via Bookshop.org
Order a copy of Nicky & Vera via Amazon
Visit Jasmine A. Stirling at https://jasmineastirling.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/jasmine.a.stirling/
You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Mar 23, 2021 • 47min
Bianca with Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham on Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn
In this episode of the Growing Readers Podcast, I talk with bestselling superstar duo Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham about Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn, a delightful kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship—and being exactly who you want to be!
Is there anything that this pair of incredible women cannot do? Besides the multitude of books they have created individually, they have collaborated on a middle-grade graphic novel series (Real Friends), an early chapter book series (The Princess in Black), and now a picture book series. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into the adorable Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn and how their friendship led to its creation and allowed them to make a truly meaningful picture book.
Order a copy of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn via Bookshop.org
Order a copy of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn via Amazon
Visit Shannon Hale at https://shannonhale.com
Visit LeUyen Pham at https://leuyenpham.com

Jan 21, 2021 • 50min
Bianca with Peter Sís on Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued
In this episode, Peter Sís and I talk about 'Nicky & Vera,' an incredibly poignant story of a quiet hero and the resilience of a young child of the Holocaust. We never intended to turn this over-the-phone chat about Nicky & Vera into a podcast, but it begged to be shared. We talk about what it means to be a hero, the research and history behind his new book, creating art during a pandemic, and so much more.
Order a copy of Nicky & Vera via Bookshop.org
Order a copy of Nicky & Vera via Amazon