Scholastic Reads

Research shows that when children and their families have the resources they need to read throughout the summer, fewer students experience a loss of skills while school is out. This week, we're talking with two experts about ways they work to keep books in the hands of their students all summer long, and the incredible results they've seen as a result of their focus on summer reading. 

First, we talk with Jennifer Boren, a library media specialist in Collierville, Tennessee. Jennifer talks about her experience with the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, the importance of representation in children's books, and some of the accomplishments of her summer readers. We also hear from a few of Jennifer's students about why they love to read!

Later, we talk with Ansel Sanders, president and CEO of Public Education Partners in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2016 and 2017, PEP collaborated with Scholastic to measure the impact of their award-winning Make Summer Count initiative to eliminate summer reading loss. The results were incredibly positive: 78% of participating students maintained or increased their reading level from spring to fall.

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This week, we're taking a look at the maker movement. What does a makerspace look like? Why are libraries considered the perfect place to host a makerspace? And what does being a maker mean, anyway?

First, we talk with Kristina Holzweiss, a media specialist at Bay Shore Middle School in New York who is spearheading the maker movement across Long Island. Later, we sit down with two Scholastic employees who have helped create the Klutz Maker Lab line of products, which include DIY gumball machines and remote control racecars!

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This week, we're talking with Varian Johnson, author of the new middle grade book The Parker Inheritance.

Varian talks about his inspiration for the book, the research it took to dig back into his own hometown’s past, and about social justice — how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.

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This week, we're introducing you to some of the incredible members of Scholastic News Kids Press Corps! Each year, 10- to 14-year-olds around the world are selected to be a part of the award-winning program. These young journalists report news for kids, by kids, covering breaking news, sports events, entertainment and more from their hometowns and on the global stage. Since the application for next year is now open, we asked some of our reporters to tell us about their favorite assignments. We'll find out what they've learned from their experiences, which range from covering the Westminster Dog Show in New York City to child labor in India.

Know a kid with a nose for news? The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is accepting applications through May 31, 2018. Find out more details and apply here!

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April 4, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor his life and legacy, we're sitting down with Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, the author and illustrator behind Martin Rising: Requiem for a King Andrea and Brian share how they were inspired to create the book, which is a combination of poetry and colorful artwork; how they work together as husband and wife creators; how their own lives were impacted by King's work; and the message of hope and empowerment they hope their young readers take from the book.

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Did a beloved teacher ever read aloud to your class when you were a kid? Did a friend or relative ever hand you a book that became a lifelong favorite? That's what we're talking about today—the magic of reading role models, individuals who play a crucial role in helping kids succeed. First, we talk with Malcolm Mitchell, the author of the picture book The Magician's Hat, the founder of Read With Malcolm, AND a Super Bowl winning football player with the New England Patriots. Malcolm talks about his personal struggle with reading as a kid, and how that's motivated him to show kids how important—and wonderful—books can be. We then move from football to basketball, as we sit down with with Marc Davis, an NBA Referee who participates in a program called TIMEOUT for Reading, a collaboration between Scholastic and the NBA Referee Association in which referees read aloud and disribute books to sixth grade classrooms. Finally, Greg Worrell, the president of Scholastic Education, joins us to talk about his experience with Houston Real Men Read and how he met his mentee.

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Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, the nation's attention has shifted to the issue of school safety. But how do we reassure children after traumatic events? Our guests this week offer advice for parents and educators on helping kids cope with fear and anxiety. First, we speak with Dr. Jamie Howard, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, who shares some of the unique ways that children experience and express trauma. We also talk with Julie Ballew, a fifth-grade teacher from Houston, Texas, who helped her students rebuild a sense of community after Hurricane Harvey devastated their city.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.

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This week, we're talking with Sayantani DasGupta, the author of the forthcoming middle grade fantasy novel The Serpent's Secret, in which sixth grader Kiranmala discovers she's a princess...and an interdemensional demon slayer! Sayantani talks with her 13-year-old daughter, Sunaya, who is a Scholastic News Kids Press Corps reporter, and tells us about her childhood ask a daughter of immigrants, as well as her love of storytelling, folktales, science, and Madeleine L'Engle. 

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.

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This week, we're talking with creators who saw a void in the marketplace: books with black girls as the heroines. Marley Dias, a 13-year-old from New Jersey who has been hailed as someone who "could be president in 30 years" by InStyle, is the founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks hashtag andthe ensuing movement. We talk with her about her own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You and Suzanne gets a little hosting help from Scholastic News Kids Press reporter Titus Smith, III. 

Later on, we sit down with Kelly Greenawalt and Amariah Rauscher, the creators of the indomitable, inventive, and adorable Princess Truly. Kelly tells us that she started writing the Princess Truly picture books for her own daughter who was once told by a classmate that her curls weren't "magical princess hair." 

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This week, we're talking with Christopher Paul Curtis, the author of many beloved, award-winning books for young readers including The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 and Bud, Not Buddy. He's joining us via Skype from his home in Canada to talk about his newest book, The Journey of Little Charlie, the latest installment in the Buxton Chronicles. Christopher talks about his love of history, his childhood in Flint, MI, and why humor is a crucial element of his heart-wrenching books.

Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device.

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