Category Archives: Middle Grade

Before the Ever After – an interview with Ray Anthony Shepherd

Podcast #099

For my ninety-ninth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Ray Anthony Shepherd about the middle grade verse novel Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson. ZJ’s dad is a football star and local hero. But when his dad’s behavior changes because of injuries sustained on the field, ZJ must look for a new way forward with the help of his family and friends.

Ray Anthony Shepherd is author of Now or Never: 54th Massachusetts Infantry’s War to End Slavery. His most recent book is the picture book biography Runaway: The Daring Escape of Ona Judge.  You can find his website at www.rayanthonyshepard.com.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, then send me a request through my contact page.

My next podcast (my 100th podcast!) will be with author Crystal Maldonado about the classic picture book Corduroy by Don Freeman. It will be published on Monday, May 17, 2021.

Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z – an interview with Michelle Schaub

Podcast #098

For my ninety-eighth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Michelle Schaub about the middle grade book Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Dictionary for a Better World is a dictionary of words to help children build empathy and community using poetry, anecdotes, quotes and suggestion for actions to try.

Michelle Schaub is the author of such books for kids as Dream Big, Little Scientists: A Bedtime Book,   Finding Treasure: A Collection of Collections, and Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmer’s Market. Her latest picture book is called Kindness is a Kite String: The Uplifting Power of Empathy. You can find her website at www.michelleschaub.com.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, send me a request through my contact page.

My next podcast will be with author Ray Anthony Shepherd about the middle grade verse novel Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson. It will be published on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Flora &Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures – an interview with Judith L. Roth

Podcast #097

For my ninety-seventh Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Judith L. Roth about the middle grade illustrated novel Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. When a squirrel name Ulysses gets sucked up into a vacuum cleaner and transforms into a flying, poetry-typing super-squirrel, Flora is there to protect him from the evil forces that set out to destroy him–like her mom!

Judith L. Roth is the author of such books as  Goodnight Dragons, Serendipity and Me, and the recently released picture book Venetian Lullaby. Her latest book is another picture book called Hiding Baby Moses. You can find her website at judithlroth.wordpress.com.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, send me a request through my contact page.

My next podcast will be with author Michelle Schaub about the middle grade book Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini . It will be published on Monday, April 19, 2021.

Tongues of Jade: an interview with Julie Leung

Podcast #096

For my ninety-fifth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Julie Leung about the middle grade folktale collection Tongues of Jade by Lawrence Yep. Based on a selection of stories gathered by the WPA from Chinese immigrants in California in the early twentieth century, Lawrence retells these folktales full of magic and monsters and a little bit of mischief.

Julie Leung is author of the Mice of the Round Table middle grade series, Who Did It First?: 50 Scientists, Artists, and Mathematicians Who Revolutionized the World and the picture book biography Paper Son: The Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant & Artist. Her latest book is another picture book biography called The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee. You can find her website at jleungbooks.com.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, send me a request through my contact page.

My next podcast will be with author Judith L. Roth about the middle grade novel Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. It will be published on Monday, April 5, 2021.

There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom: An interview with Robert Hoyman

Podcast #095

For my ninety-fifth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Robert Hoyman about the middle grade novel There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar. Bradley Chalkers is the most hated kid in fifth grade, and he’s fine with that — or so he says. But when a new boy a new school counselor enter his life, Bradley begins to wonder if it really has to be that way after all.

Robert Hoyman is author of Limerick Comics. You can find his website at limerickcomics.com.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, send me a request through my contact page.

My next podcast will be with author Julie Leung about the middle grade story collection Tongues of Jade by Lawrence Yep. It will be published on Monday, March 15, 2021.