The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers Podcast

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi about his nonfiction book for caregivers, How to Raise an Antiracist. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University and the founding director of the BU Center for  Antiracist Research. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a  CBS News racial justice contributor. Dr. Kendi is the author of many highly acclaimed books including, Stamped from the Beginning: The  Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National  Book Award for Nonfiction, making him the youngest-ever winner of that award. He has also produced five straight #1 New York Times bestsellers,  including How to Be an Antiracist, Antiracist Baby, and Stamped:  Racism, Antiracism, and You, co-authored by Jason Reynolds. In 2020,  Time magazine named Dr. Kendi one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was awarded a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, popularly known as the Genius Grant. Order copies: How to Raise an Antiracist on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Goodnight Racism on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Magnolia Flower on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Antiracist Baby on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Stamped:  Racism, Antiracism, and You on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: You can visit Dr. Ibram X. Kendi at www.ibramxkendi.com. Discussion Topics: About How to Raise an Antiracist Establishing an understanding of the term antiracist Why we shouldn't shield children from the difficult conversation of racism Thoughts on colorblindness The importance of reading books about people of color created by people of color Banned books and why banning books is a significant problem How children motivate and inspire Dr. Kendi to write books

In this episode, I talk with the super fun and fan-favorite children's book author, Josh Funk, about his picture book My Pet Feet. It's quite possible that Josh is a superhero with the delightful power of making readers laugh with his writing. During the day, he's a software engineer. And on weekends, he's the author of books like the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series, It’s Not a Fairy  Tale series, How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, A Story of  Patience and Fortitude series, Dear Dragon, Pirasaurs!, My Pet Feet, and more. Order copies: My Pet Feet on Bookshop.org or Amazon. The Great Caper Caper on Bookshop.org or Amazon. It's Not the Three Little Pigs on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: You can visit Josh Funk at https://www.joshfunkbooks.com/. Order the word nerd game Boggle. Order a copy of To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat and Rahele Jomepour Bell. Order a copy of Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, Alexis Bunten, and Gary Meeches Sr. Order a copy of The Boy Who Loved Maps by Kari Allen and G. Brian Karas. Order a copy of Kick Push by Frank Morrison. Discussion Topics: About My Pet Feet. Writing for the laughs and enjoyment of parents and kids. Tips on raising readers. On reading as a child. The inspiration for My Pet Feet. Writing a story with only 25 letters. The illustration artwork of Billy Yong. A peek into Dear Unicorn, The Great Caper Caper, and It's Not the Three Little Pigs. The books Josh is reading now.

In this episode, I talk with Dan Gemeinhart, author of the acclaimed novel The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. We discuss his newest middle grade novel, The Midnight Children. Dan Gemeinhart is a former elementary school teacher-librarian and lifelong book nerd.  He lives with his wife and three daughters in a small town in Washington  State. He's the author of some other books, too: The Honest Truth, Some Kind of Courage, Scar Island, and Good Dog. If he ever meets you, he'd love to talk about books with you. Order copies of The Midnight Children on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: You can visit Dan Gemeinhart at https://dangemeinhart.com. How to Write Stunning Sentences by Nina Schuyler. Discussion Topics: About The Midnight Children. The seed of the idea for the town of Slaughterville. The characters of The Midnight Children. Planting child-friendly nuggets of wisdom within a story. Writing, rewriting, and getting sentences and paragraphs just right. From teacher-librarian to an author and possibly back again someday. Being a reader and the big books of Dan's childhood. Dan Gemeinhart's hopes for readers of The Midnight Children.

In this episode, I talk with Matt de la Peña and Corinna Luyken about their picture book, Patchwork, a deeply moving ode to the complexity and uniqueness of every child. Matt de la Peña is the author of the Newbery Medal-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Milo Imagines the World, Carmela Full of Wishes, Love, and A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, as well as a number of critically acclaimed young adult novels. Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of the New York Times bestseller My Heart, The Tree In Me, and The Book of Mistakes. She is also the illustrator of Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse, Nothing in Common, and Something Good. Order copies of Patchwork on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: You can visit Matt at mattdelapena.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram  @mattdelapena. You can visit Corinna at corinnaluyken.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @corinnaluyken. Discussion Topics: About Patchwork Matt de la Peña and Corinna Luyken discuss what motivates them to create books for kids. The inspiration for Patchwork. Celebrating the uniqueness of ourselves and others. Matt de la Peña reads an excerpt from Patchwork. The expressive illustration artwork of Corinna Luyken. Learning to manage self-doubt and appreciate failures.

In this episode, I talk with Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong, the creators of City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm. So many of you wrote in with questions and I got them answered for you! Jaimal Yogis is the author of Saltwater Buddha, The Fear Project, All Our Waves Are Water, and the children's book series Mop Rides the Waves of Life and Mop Rides the Waves of Change. His writing has also appeared in The Atlantic, ESPN Magazine, and The Washington Post. He lives in San Francisco. Vivian Truong is a comic artist who has created artwork for Riot Games,  miHoYo, Rebellion, and more. Her work includes the Punches and Plants webcomic series for the popular MOBA game League of Legends. She also works as a storyboard artist for game studios, a digital production studio, and a children’s book publisher. She currently lives in London. Order copies of City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: Follow Jaimal Yogis on https://www.instagram.com/jaimalyogis/. Visit Vivan Truong on https://www.viviantruong.com/. Discussion Topics: About City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm. The seeds of inspiration for the story. What do dragons mean to Vivian Truong? The diverse characters and how they came to be. The female hero, Grace. The book's setting, Hong Kong, and future locations in upcoming books. An exploration of grief in children's books. The graphic novel medium and the artwork. Jaimal Yogis' biggest life influence. Vivian Truong's art background and the artists who inspire her. A discussion on courage and empathy. Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong's hopes for City of Dragons.

This episode is brought to you by our guest, author J.T Michaels. He's here to talk about his first book in an epic fantasy series, Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone. Author J.T. Michaels has always loved storytelling, no matter the medium. Being immersed in a different world, whether it’s through books or video games, has also been an obsession for him. Years after writing for his school magazine, he discovered he wanted to create his own worlds for readers, and his journey to fantasy writing began with Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone. When he isn’t writing enchanting fantasy novels for teens, J.T. enjoys running and spending time outside in the sunshine and hunkering down in a bookstore or library on rainy days. He lives in  British Columbia, Canada, where he likes to indulge in a great cup of coffee. Order copies of Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone on Amazon and Bookshop.org. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: For more information on the series, visit https://www.jtmichaels.ca/. Discussion Topics: About Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone Get to know the two main characters, Jimmy and Tess Developing the relationship of the characters Advice from books for young and old Understanding bad guys and villains The editing process for Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone Tips for self-published authors What teens can learn about friendship from story J.T. Michaels hopes for readers of Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone

In this episode, I talk with the highly sought-after speaker and children's book author Trudy Ludwig! We discuss her new book, Brave Every Day, and how reading books can promote empathy and kindness. Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids cope with and thrive in their social world, including The Invisible Boy, My Secret Bully, and The Power of One.  She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents at schools and conferences around the US for her passion and compassion in addressing peer aggression and friendship issues. An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with organizations like the Committee for Children and ConnectSafely.org, and has served as a content adviser for Sesame Street Workshop. Trudy's books have won the Mom's Choice Gold  Award, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, and the NAPPA Gold Award, and have also been recognized as NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. Order copies of Brave Every Day on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: Visit Trudy Ludwig at trudyludwig.com Follow her on Twitter at @TrudyLudwig International Bullying Prevention Association Committee for Children https://www.connectsafely.org/ Dawn Huebner’s Ted Talk: Rethinking anxiety: Learning to face fear What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors by Rudine Sims Bishop Why American Teens Are So Sad by Derek Thompson, for The Atlantic Discussion Topics: About Brave Every Day Find out what motivates Trudy Ludwig to write books for children The social-emotional impact that children’s books can have on kids and adults Addressing anxiety, fears, and worries in children The experience of bravery Accommodative parenting The picture book illustrations created by Patrice Barton The affirmation that can help children cope with anxious feelings Calling the Wind: A Story of Healing and Hope, Trudy’s upcoming book with illustrator Kathryn Otoshi How reading transformed Trudy Ludwig’s life and the story that opened her world Raising changemakers and kindness warriors

This episode is brought to you by our guest, award-winning writer and filmmaker Chris Wieland. He's here to talk about his first book in the Kat Dylan Mysteries, The Crabtree Monsters. Chris is the father of two fierce children, including a tough, smart tween who helped him find the voice of his protagonist, Kat Dylan. He lives in Southern California with his family. Order copies of The Crabtree Monsters on Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: For more information on the series, visit https://www.thesmartaleckpress.com. Discussion Topics: About The Crabtree Monsters A look at the character development of siblings Kat and Alec Dylan A talk through the funny moments in the book from pre-baby to parent The importance of having strong female characters for kids to identify with Rewriting a screenplay to become a middle-grade novel Inspiration from the family-adventure movies of the 80s Kat's resemblance to Ruth Langmore from Ozark How reading inspires and influences Chris Wieland's writing Great mystery writers Why kids love reading mystery books What's next for the Kat Dylan Mysteries

In this episode, I talk with your favorite author and illustrator, Bob Shea. We talk about many things, including the importance of reading for fun and his latest funny picture book, I Am a Baby. Bob Shea is the author, illustrator, or author-illustrator of many well-loved picture books and chapter books, including the Ballet Cat and Dinosaur vs. series as well as Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great; Unicorn Is Maybe Not So Great After All; Crash, Splash, Moo!; and Who Wet My Pants?, which was illustrated by Zacharia OHora. Bob Shea’s characters and animations have appeared on Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, and PBS KIDS. He lives in Connecticut. Order copies of I Am a Baby on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: Visit Bob Shea at https://www.bobshea.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/bobsheabooks/. Chez Bob Who Wet My Pants Adurable: Little Pups in Big Trucks Ballet Cat Procreate Adobe Fresco Article from the Pew Research Center: Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows. Discussion Topics: About I Want a Baby Bob Shea's reflections on being the parent of a baby A talk through the funny moments in the book from pre-baby to parent Can dads really sleep through anything? Behind the scenes on making art with Bob Shea Using Procreate to create children's book illustrations Tapping into the true essence of childhood What is Bob Shea working on now? Statistics on how many kids read for pleasure How to encourage kids to read A big secret is accidentally revealed Bob Shea's hopes for I Am a Baby.

In this episode, Bianca talks to the awesome duo Julio Torres and Julian Glander, creators of the picture book I Want to Be a Vase. With its themes of confidence and embracing one's true identity, this book makes for a dynamic and important conversation starter. Julio Torres is a comedian, the creator of the HBO special My Favorite Shapes, and has written for Saturday Night Live. He’s also one of the masterminds behind Los Espookys, HBO’s Spanish-language comedy about a group of horror enthusiasts. Julian Glander is  a 3D animator, designer, and illustrator. Mostly self-taught, he has created work for Disney, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Adult Swim, and The New York Times. He is also the creator of the video game Art Sqool and the squishy comics collection 3D Sweeties.  Order copies of I Want to Be a Vase on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: Visit Julio Torres on Instagram @SpacePrinceJulio. Visit Julian Glander at Glander.co. HBO special My Favorite Shapes. Discussion Topics: About I Want to Be a Vase and how it came to be a book. Julio Torres talks about being who you want to be and bringing kids into this conversation. A discussion on Julian Glander's uncanny 3D artwork. Celebrating the uniqueness of others. Breaking the typical book character mold. Julio's path to becoming a comedian. Julian's path to becoming an animator. Guidance counselor humor. The difference between writing a Saturday Night Live sketch versus a children's book. Julio Torres and Julian Glander's hopes for I Want to Be a Vase.