Tag Archives: kid lit

A Story About Afiya – an interview with JaNay Brown-Wood   

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Podcast #117

For my one hundred seventeenth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author JaNay Brown-Wood about the picture book A Story About Afiya, written by James Berry and illustrated by Anna Cunha.

JaNay Brown-Wood is author of such books as Shhh! The Baby’s Asleep, Imani’s Moon, and Amara’s Farm, which is the first of her Where in the Garden series. Her latest book is the second in the Where in the Garden series, Miguel’s Community Garden.  You can find more information about JaNay at www.janaybrownwood.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 and illustrator Jessica Meserve  about the picture book Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban. It will be published on March 21, 2022.

Kit’s Wilderness – an interview with Jessica Vitalis

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Podcast #114

For my one hundred fourteenth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Jessica Vitalis about the young reader’s novel Kit’s Wilderness by David Almond. When Kit moves the coal mining village Stoneygate to take care of his grandfather, Kit is introduced to a few unusual friends, an unexpected enemy, a strange game of death, and more that a few ghosts.

Jessica Vitalis’s debut middle grade, THE WOLF’S CURSE, came out September, 2021. You can find more information about Jessica and THE WOLF’S CURSE at jessicavitalis.com.

I also spoke to Dwaine Millard, Senior Vice President of Family & Community Engagement at Scholastic, about the 13th annual World Read Aloud Day, taking place in 2022 on Wednesday, February. You can find more information about World Read Aloud Day at scholastic.com/worldreadaloudday .

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 Nicole Magistro about the YA historical novel The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It will be published Monday, February 7, 2022.

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai: an interview with author Rebecca Caprara

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Podcast #046

For my forty-sixth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Rebecca Caprara about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade verse novel Inside Out and Back Again  by Thanhha Lai.

Originally published in 2011, and both a Newbery Honor recipient and winner of the National Book Award, Inside Out and Back Again  by Thanhha Lai is the semi-autobiographical story of a young girl named Ha who with her family is forced to flee Saigon in 1975 when the war finally reaches the city. As a refugee in Alabama, she must learn to deal with a new and strange language as well as the bigoted taunts of bullies who do everything they can to make her feel unwelcome in this new land. It isn’t easy, especially with her father missing, but Ha,with the help of her family and a few new friends, will try to make a home here as best as she can. Told in a series of free verse vignettes,
Inside Out and Back Again  by Thanhha Lai is a book that is that is funny and wise and heartbreaking, and as timely as ever.

Rebecca Caprara is author of The Magic of Melwick Orchard, which was published September, 2018.  You can find Rebecca’s website at www.rebeccacaprara.com.

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and now Spotify. Please link, share, comment, or subscribe. And 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 Jill Weisfeld, talking about the classic middle grade novel Charlotte’s Web, written by E. B. White. It will be published on January 16th.

Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso: an interview with author Artie Knapp

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Podcast #045

For my forty-fifth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Artie Knapp about his favorite children’s book, the picture book Ida, Always, written  by Caron Levis and illustrated by Charles Santoso.

Originally published in 2016, and winner of the Christopher Award, this picture book tells the true story of two polar bears, Ida and Gus, who live a happy and carefree life in the Central Park Zoo in New York City . But one day, Ida gets sick, and the two of them must adjust their lives to a new reality full of little sorrows and unexpected joys.  Ida, Always is a  smartly written and beautifully illustrated book about friendship and loss and and the persistence of memory, and like all good books  for children, has a great deal to say to adults of all ages.

Artie Knapp is the author of many stories and poems for children as well as the books View from the Zoo, Living Green: A Turtles Quest for a Cleaner Planet, and his latest book, Little Otter Learns to Swim.   You can find Artie’s website at wwww.artieknapp.com.

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and now Spotify. Please link, share, comment, or subscribe. And 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 Rebecca Caprara, talking about the Middle Grade verse novel Inside Out and Back Again, written by Thanhha Lai. It will be published on January 2nd.

Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee: an interview with author Margaret Peterson Haddix

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Podcast #044

For my forty-forth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Margaret Peterson Haddix about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade novel  Millicent Min, Girl Genius, written  by Lisa Yee.

Originally published in 2003, Millicent Min, Girl Genius tells the story of an amazingly gifted but painfully awkward eleven year old girl who’s having a terrible summer.  Her mother is not only forcing her to join a summer volley ball league and tutor her least favorite person in the world, Stanford Wong, but the one person who understands her best, her grandmother, is moving away. Still, thing start looking up when she meets Emily, who seems to like her for who she is, especially since Emily knows nothing about Millicent’s reputation as a genuine genius. And Millicent would prefer to keep it like that as long as she can. But brilliant as she is, Millicent will soon find out she has  a lot to learn about what it takes to keep a friend. A funny, heartwarming, and engaging book for anyone who’s felt like they don’t quite fit in.

Margaret Peterson Haddix is the best selling author of such books as The Missing and The Shadow Children Series, Uprising, The Summer of Broken Things and many, many more including her Children of Exile series, the third book of which, Children of Jubilee, comes out this November.  You can find Margaret’s website at haddixbooks.com.

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and now Spotify. Please link, share, comment, or subscribe. And 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 Artie Knapp, talking about the picture book Ida Always, written by Caron Levis and illustrated by Charles Santoso. It will be published on December 1st.