“Life is a wheel and humanity has been through countless cycles of ups and downs. The things that seem so dire now won't be this dire forever. Eventually, there is an upswing. I always needed that reminder, and it made me think that my young readers need that reminder as well.” - Yamile Saied Mendez

With a storytelling style that radiates warmth and resilience, Yamile Saed Méndez’s work reflects the cycles of life’s challenges and triumphs. Born in Rosario, Argentina, in the midst and then long shadow of the Dictatorship years, she learned early on the power of hope and the enduring strength of the human spirit. From mastering a second language to embracing life in a new country, Yamile’s journey is one of transformation and connection to her roots. 

Yamile is a bestselling author whose work spans children’s, young adult, and adult fiction. Her novel “Furia”–a 2021 Pura Belpré winner and a Reese’s YA Book Club selection–earned her widespread recognition for its powerful storytelling and cultural resonance. Her other books include “Shaking Up the House,” “On These Magic Shores,” “The Beautiful Game,” “Where Are You From?” and “What the Moon Saw.” With accolades such as the Cybils Award and the Américas Award, Yamile has established herself as a beloved voice in contemporary literature.

In this episode, Yamile reflects on the pivotal transitions that have shaped her life and work. She reflects on her experience as the eldest sister in a family facing constant scarcity of resources and on how her school life impacted her perspective on a young woman’s potential. Yamile shares how storytelling has grounded her through moments of turbulence and highlights how resilience has inspired the protagonists in her books. 

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Yamile’s reading challenge, Indomitable Characters, celebrates protagonists who embody resilience and remind us all of the inevitable upswing in life’s wheel.

Learn more and download Yamile’s recommended reading list at thereadingculturepod.com/yamile-saied-mendez

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This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is, once again, Billy Allen, the Branch Manager of Whitney Library in Las Vegas's Clarke County Library District, aka 3KingVisions, on YouTube. And most recently, he is featured on season 9 of Queer Eye. Billy tells us about a unique incentive that motivated the kids at his library to crush their summer reading goals.

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Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. 

Show Chapters

Chapter 1 - Women of Argentina

Chapter 2 - Gibberish

Chapter 3 - The Angel’s Game

Chapter 4 - Full Stops

Chapter 5 - Indomitable Characters

Chapter 6 - Beanstack Featured Librarian

Links

• The Reading Culture
• The Reading Culture Newsletter Signup
• Yamile Mendez
• Yamile Mendez Instagram
• “The Angel’s Game” by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 
• Monteiro Lobato
• Heidi
• María Elena Walsh
• Follow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)
• Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture
• Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Producers: Mel Webb Wilkinson, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street Media

Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb Wilkinson, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey