I’m a huge basketball fan, and I was so excited to receive STRONG INSIDE by award-winning author Andrew Maraniss! Andrew weaves together a thought provoking, interesting, and brilliant tale about the man who broke the SEC Basketball Color Barrier, PERRY WALLACE! I loved learning about Perry’s contributions to basketball and I hope his name and story will be shared more in the future, PERRY WALLACE is a hero! STRONG INSIDE: PERRY WALLACE AND THE COLLISION OF RACE AND SPORTS IN THE SOUTH is a sports, history, and social justice story that needs to be read! 10/10 important read! Be sure to check out my interview with Andrew Maraniss coming out in the Fall!

Today’s author interview is one very close to my heart. I’m speaking with a prolific writer of beautiful picture books. Books that teach valuable lessons, educate and inform, and most importantly, warms the hearts of her readers. From books like, RAINBOW ALLIES, to MARTIN & ANN, to A QUEEN TO THE RESCUE, to BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN: THE ART OF LAURA WHEELER WARING, my guest has written it all. And all her picture books feature characters from diverse backgrounds. From LGBTQ+, to Jewish, to South Asian, to so much more! Who am I talking with today, well in case you haven’t already figured it out yet, I’m interviewing the one and only NANCY CHURNIN!

Lisa Schmid's new story, HART & SOULS is a spooky, yet heartwarming read! Lisa packs a hint of ghosts, a dash of love, and a pinch of humor too. Middle school is always going to be scary, but when you have to fulfill the final wishes of ghosts, well, that certainly adds to it! HART & SOULS is everything you want to see and read in a middle-grade book! I loved it! A 10/10!

THE FIRST STATE OF BEING is a story that shocked me in the best ways possible. I haven’t read many time travel themed books, but Erin Entrada Kelly’s novel is so much more than one single narrative, it’s page turning, impactful & takes readers on a journey to the past, present & future!

Tom Phillips never disappoints with his fast-paced, adventure filled & intense THE CURIOUS LEAGUE OF DETECTIVES AND THIEVES book series! With themes of action, to friendship to discussing important themes like toxic masculinity, author Tom Phillips once again takes readers on a thrilling and entertaining middle-grade reading journey in his newest book, THE CURIOUS LEAGUE OF DETECTIVES & THIEVES, PERUVIAN EXPRESS, book three!

If you missed the E Train Talks 2024 Summer Book Club, you can feel like you were there by watching our engaging and thoughtful book talk about AND THEN, BOOM! by the wonderful author Lisa Fipps! Better yet, the writer herself joined in on the discussion! Hit play and find out more! And, hope to see you in the next book club!

THE COLOR OF A LIE by award-winning author Kim Johnson is a distinctive story different from any others I’ve read, a historical fiction social justice thriller that shares truths not taught in the classroom or broadcasted in the media. This is the story of Calvin and his family who must pretend to be white in order to survive, this is the story of a seemingly perfect town, that’s anything but perfect. This is THE COLOR OF A LIE.

THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE is a fascinating, mysterious, and all-around awesome story that middle-graders and even young adult readers will enjoy. A swift, engaging and thrilling historical fiction read brought to life by award-winning co-writers Steve Sheinkin and Ruta Sepetys. I learned so much about the Bletchley Estate and some of the incredible minds of the time & the everyday life, both trials and errors of attempts to solve the Enigma Code & other mysteries! From curious protagonists, to new knowledge gained, this is a new favorite story of mine! Check it out when it arrives in the book world in October 2024!

I'm interviewing author Rebecca E.F. Barone, a writer of highly suspenseful, page-turning and entertaining reads, and in this video weare talking about Rebecca's newest middle-grade book, MOUNTAIN OF FIRE: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens! Watch as we talk about Rebecca's newest epic story filled with excitement, facts and shocking personal recounts from those who survived and captured the tragic and historic eruption!

423 views • Aug 11, 2024Before I started my podcast or interviewing authors, I read and reviewed the heartfelt story, THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF COYOTE SUNRISE. And since then, I’ve been a huge fan of ALL of author Dan Gemeinhart’s middle-grade stories. Dan is what I like to call a “master storyteller.” He crafts deeply moving tales that fill the heart with tremendous emotion and transports readers directly into the souls of his characters.