The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers Podcast

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.

In this episode, Bianca talks to WGA-winning and Emmy-nominated comedy writer Glenn Boozan about her picture book for adults that sheds some humor on parenting, There Are Moms Way Worse Than You: Irrefutable Proof That You Are Indeed a Fantastic Parent. Glenn Boozan's credits include Conan, Comedy Central’s Lights Out with David Spade, Sarah Silverman’s I Love You, America on Hulu, and TruTV’s Adam Ruins Everything. She lives in Los Angeles, a 30-minute drive from her mother, which apparently is still too far. Order copies of There Are Moms Way Worse Than You: Irrefutable Proof That You Are Indeed a Fantastic Parent on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: Visit Glenn Boozan here: https://www.instagram.com/glennboozan Sh*tty Mom by Laurie Kilmartin Discussion Topics: About There Are Moms Way Worse Than You: Irrefutable Proof That You Are Indeed a Fantastic Parent. How to become a comedy writer (Does a letter arrive at your door announcing you're a comedian?). How Glenn Boozan's sister inspired the original poem. The nasty little things that animal moms do to their offspring. Some things that some really famous comedians had to say about this book. Overcoming negative selftalk. Glenn Boozan's hopes for There Are Moms Way Worse Than You: Irrefutable Proof That You Are Indeed a Fantastic Parent.

In this episode, Bianca talks to two amazing guests about The Welcoming Library, an initiative that sparks conversations on immigration through the reading of picture books. It's a program led by the non-profit organization I'm Your Neighbor Books, so Bianca talks with Kirsten Cappy, who co-founded I'm Your Neighbor Books in 2012. She brings 20 years of experience using children's books and the companion tools she creates to increase curiosity, empathy, and cultural competency. Kirsten was named one of the Boston Globe's Everyday Heroes for her work on The Welcoming Library. Bianca first learned about I'm Your Neighbor Books and their signature project, The Welcoming Library, from our friends at AudioFile Magazine. Each month on The Children's Book Review, we feature a curated list of the best new audiobooks for kids, as selected by the editors at AudioFile. These lists are constantly blowing us away with the inclusion of incredible stories, diverse characters, and fantastic casts of voices and music. So, when the AudioFile team mentioned they are now a proud supporter of The Welcoming Library, Bianca wanted to learn more and share it with you. So also joining the conversation is AudioFile Magazine's editor and founder Robin Whitten. Robin is passionate about audiobooks and the magic of the listening experience.  Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review (coming soon). Resources: Visit The Welcoming Library website: https://imyourneighborbooks.org/welcoming-library/ The Welcoming Library audiobooks list: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/lists/welcoming-audiobooks/ AudioFile Magazine on the audiobooks in the project: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/articles/listen-to-welcome-listen-to-belong/ Visit the In Her Presence website: https://inherpresence.org/ Discussion Topics: About The Welcoming Library and the importance of sharing stories of immigration AudioFile Magazine's partnership with The Welcoming Library The Wonder audiobook format Survey statistics on reading stories of immigration The items you'll find in The Welcoming Library kit A discussion on the picture books featuring the experience of immigrants How to obtain a Welcoming Library kit How to donate to I'm Your Neighbor Books

In this episode, Bianca talks to Aaron Blabey, the #1 New York Times Bestselling Australian author with around 30 million books in print. He is also the co-executive producer of The Bad Guys movie by DreamWorks Animation and that’s what we’re here to talk about—the adaptation of the illustrated children's graphic novel series. The book series and the movie center around a gang of anthropomorphic animals known as the Bad Guys who attempt to perform good deeds to change society's perception of them as criminals, despite their efforts usually going wrong. Order copies of The Bad Guys on Bookshop.org or Amazon. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: The Bad Guys official movie website. Watch The Bad Guys movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpDuBXB_glk&t=2s. Aaron Blabey's website. Order copies of Pig the Pug and Thelma the Unicorn Discussion Topics: About The Bad Guys movie and books. From the idea to the rise of The Bad Guys series. Adapting The Bad Guys books into a movie. Converting reluctant readers. The Bad Guys characters. Aaron Blabey's hopes for The Bad Guys movie and books.

In this episode, Bianca talks with New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale about her new picture book, This Is Not For You, and the implications of applying genders to book—that's a girl book or that's a boy book. Shannon Hale is the author of over thirty children's and young adult novels, including graphic novel memoirs Real Friends and Best Friends, and multiple award winners The Goose Girl, Book of a Thousand Days, and Newbery Honor recipient Princess Academy. She also penned three books for adults, beginning with Austenland,  which is now a major motion picture starring Keri Russell. With her husband, Dean Hale, she co-wrote over a dozen books, such as the Eisner-nominated graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and illustrated chapter book series The Princess in Black. They live with their four children near Salt Lake City, Utah. Order a copy of This Book Is Not For You on Bookshop.org, Amazon, or Audible. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: https://shannonhale.com/ Real Friends Best Friends The Goose Girl Book of a Thousand Days Austenland Rapunzel's Revenge Marvel Unlimited Discussion Topics: About Shannon Hale About This Book Is Not For You The implications of applying genders to books How Shannon and Dean Hale foster a love of reading with their kids Writing the picture book This Book Is Not For You

In this episode, Bianca talks talk with bestselling author Gregory Maguire about his latest novel for kids, Cress Watercress. Gregory is the author of the incredibly popular books in the Wicked Years series, including Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which inspired the musical. He is also the author of several books for children, including What-the-Dickens, a New York Times bestseller, and Egg & Spoon, a New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year. He lives outside Boston. Order a copy of Cress Watercress on Bookshop.org, Amazon, or Audible. Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review. Resources: https://gregorymaguire.com/ Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy Egg & Spoon https://www.davidlitchfieldillustration.com/ The Once and Future King The Sword in the Stone The Diamond in the Window The Wizard of Oz Wind in the Willows Harriet the Spy Discussion Topics: About Gregory Maguire About Cress Watercress The feelings and success of the Wicked Years series Writing for children versus adults The seed of the idea for Cress Watercress Exploring emotions in children's books with forest and woodland animals The character development of Cress Watercress: Lady Agatha Cabbage, Mama, and Cress Watercress Working with illustrator David Litchfield The books Gregory Maguire read as a child and the moment he identified as a reader Writing rituals and exercising the writing brain The literary parents Gregory Maguire would pick for himself—hint, it's not Virginia Woolf Gregory Maguire's hopes for Cress Watercress Chapter One: Cress Watercress (Audiobook sample used with permission from Recorded Books)