Dream Gardens: Talking Up the Children's Books We Love

For my fifty-second Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jasmine Warga about the  children’s middle grade novel Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson.

Originally published in  1972, and awarded the Newbery in 1978,  Bridge to Terabithia tells the story of two friends, Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. They don’t feel like they quite fit in anywhere, or that anyone really understands them, so they invent a imaginary place they can go to be whatever they want to be: Terabithia.  But will Terabithia be enough when a tragic moment threatens to tear everything apart? Bridge to Terabithia is a novel that runs a gamut of emotions, from the giddiness of new friendship and imagination to the inexpressible pain of loss. 

Jasmine Warga is author of the YA novels Here We Are Now and My Heart and Other Black Holes, and in May, 2019  she will be debuting her first middle grade novel, Other Words for Home. You can find Jasmine’s website at jasminewarga.com.

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 Alison Gardiner, talking about the illustrated children’s novel  Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, written by Chris Riddell. It will be published on May 16th.

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For my fifty-first Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and illustrator C. L. Fails about the classic children’s novel A Wrinkle in Time  by Madeleine L’Engle.

Originally published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of Meg and her brother Charles Wallace and their encounter with three strange woman named Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. But these are no ordinary women, and they will take Meg and her brother on a journey across time and space to find their missing father and, with any luck, save the world. A classic fantasy sci-fi adventure novel of a battle between good and evil, as well as a journey of self-discovery, A Wrinkle in Time, as well as the four other books in what is known as the Time Quintet, has remained a favorite for many generations.

Cynthia Fails is an educator, podcast host and publisher who writes and illustrates under the name C. L. Fails. She is author and illustrator of the Ella series, including Ella and the One Big Dream and Ella and One Tiny Thing, The Christmas Cookie Books, the Raine the Brain book series, of which the first one The Secret World of Raine the Brain: Quindaro Adventures was published August, 2018 In addition, Cynthia is founder and CEO of Launchcrate Publishing, a hybrid publishing company, and host of the LaunchCrate Podcast. You can find Cynthia’s website at www.clfails.com and her LaunchCrate website at www.launchcrate.com

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 Jasmine Warga, talking about the classic children’s novel Bridge to Terabithia, written by Katherine Paterson. It will be published on May 1st.

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For my fiftieth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Michele McAvoy about her favorite children’s book, the classic novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, written by Judy Blume.

Originally published in 1970, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret tells the story of eleven year old Margaret Simon, whose family has just moved from New York City to the suburbs of New Jersey. Margret must now navigate through the treacherous waters of finding new friends and dealing with puberty, all the while trying to figure out whether she should join the JCC or the YMCA. It’s all very confusing, and not even God seems to have all the answers. An honest, heart-warming, and very funny book, Margaret’s endearing story continues to find readers even after nearly fifty years who find her dreams and missteps and triumphs as relatable as ever.

Michele McAvoy is author of the picture books The Gorilla Picked Me and My Superhero Grandpa as well as Cookie and Milk, which will be coming out this fall. You can find Michelle’s website at www.michelemcavoy.com

All podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and 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 and illustrator C. L. Fails, talking about the classic children’s novel A Wrinkle in Time, written by Madeleine L’Engle. It will be published on April 16th.

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For my forty-ninth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez about her favorite children’s book, the classic novel Watership Down by Richard Adams.

Originally published in 1972 in the UK, the novel tells the story of group of rabbits trying to find a new home. When one of the rabbits, Fiver, has a vision of their warren being destroyed, his brother Hazel convinces several of the rabbits to join the two of them on a perilous journey to find a safer place to live. After several close calls, they finally find the ideal location in place called Watership Down. However, their troubles are not at an end. When they try to bring back some rabbit does from a nearly warren, they incur the wrath of the warren’s tyrannical leader, General Woundwort, who declares an all out war on the new rabbit colony. Watership Down is a amazing book that is at turns lyrical,
terrifying, tragic and exhilarating. It truly is a one of kind book.

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez is author  of several books for young readers including The Pet Washer series, the Guardian Herd  series,  and coming in May of this year, 2019, the novel Across the Dark Water, which is the first book of her new trilogy Riders of the Realm. You can find Jennifer’s website at www.jenniferlynnalvarez.com

My next podcast will be with author Michele McAvoy, talking about the classic novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, written by Judy Blume. It will be published on April 1st.

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For my forty-eighth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Rebecca Behrens about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen.

Originally published in 1987 and a Newbery Honor winner, Hatchet  tells the story of thirteen year old Brian Robeson who’s flying out to visit his recently divorced father in Northern Canada when his plane suddenly crashes. Stranded all alone in the middle of the Canadian wilderness with nothing but a hatchet for a tool, Brian must find a way to survive until someone finds him–if they ever do. With no training or background in survival, Brian must learn to hunt and build a shelter, deal with unexpected difficulties like mosquitoes and porcupines and even a tornado that threatens to destroy everything he’s built, as well cope with the recurring memory of a terrible secret about his mother he can’t let go.
Hatchet  is thrilling adventure story of a young boy who learns that what he needs to most to survive is to not give up on himself.

Rebecca Behrens is author of the middle grade novels Summer of Lost and Found,  When Audrey Met Alice, and The Last Grand Adventure, which was published in 2018. In addition, another middle grade novel The Disaster Days, will be available  October, 2019.  You can find Rebecca’s website at rebeccabehrens.com

My next podcast will be with author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, talking about the classic children’s novel Watership Down, written by Richard Adams. It will be published on March 1st.

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For my forty-seventh Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jill Weisfeld about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel Charlotte’s Web  by E. B. White.

Originally published in 1952, and still in print today, Charlotte’s Web tells the story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider names Charlotte. Wilbur loves life on the farm with all the other animals, all the good things to eat, and Fern, the young girl who raises him from a runt. But when Wilbur learns he’s going to be the main course for Christmas dinner at the farm, it’s up to Charlotte to come up with a plan to save his bacon, and what a plan she manages to spin up. Charlotte’s Web is a timeless story that is whimsical and funny, while at the same time offering up a touching picture of sacrifice, departures, and the unusual bond between a kind and gifted spider, and one terrific pig.

Jill Weisfeld is author of Take a Peek with Peek-a-Bear and her latest picture book Riley the Retriever Wants  a New Job.  In addition, Jill is CEO of her publishing company, Peek-A-Bear Press. You can find Jill’s website at peek-a-bear.com

My next podcast will be with author Rebecca Behrens, talking about the middle grade novel Hatchet, written by Gary Paulsen. It will be published on February 4th.

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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.

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.

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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.

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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.

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Podcast #043

For my forty-third Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Kat Shepherd about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade novel  Criss Cross, written  and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins.

Originally published in 2005, and awarded the Newbery in 2006, the novel tells the story  a single summer in the life of a group of young teens. There is Debbie, who wishes something would happen, though she isn’t quite sure what, and Hector, who’s hoping he can find a way to connect to someone special out there through the guitar he’s learning to play.  Their stories, and the stories of several others, intersect with each other in unexpected ways, and though things don’t quite work out for anyone in the ways they’d hoped for, by the end of the summer they’re a little bit wiser about what life has to offer them.  Criss Cross is a unique novel, thoughtful and lyrical and even somewhat experimental in its stream of consciousness narrative and structural playfulness, but at its heart a coming of age story about the joys, the discoveries, the disappointments, and the heartaches of growing up.

Kat Shepherd is author of The Shadow Hand, Book 1 of the series Babysitting Nightmares, and coming in 2019, the interactive mystery series The Gemini Mysteries. You can find Kat’s website at katshepherd.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 Margaret Petersen Haddix, talking about Lisa Yee’s middle grade novel Millicent Min, Girl Genius. It will be published on November 16th.

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