The Children's Book Podcast

Victoria Bond shares ZORA & ME: THE SUMMONER, the 3rd and final book in the ZORA & ME trilogy, co-authored by T.R. Simon and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Victoria shares about starting with children at their beginnings because, as she puts it, there's "no better time to meet a reader than at the very beginning." The books in the ZORA & ME series center on the imagined childhood of Harlem Renaissance luminary Zora Neal Hurston, author of THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD. Each of the novels takes place in Eatonville, FL, one of the first all-black incorporated towns in the nation. And in this story, Victoria asks herself how the town could get someone elected to a position that seems so unbelievable and, ultimately, leads to Zora leaving town. I was so grateful for this connection with Victoria. She feels like a kindred soul and I very much hope our paths cross again. For now, we have this truly exceptional book series to keep us good company. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Meg Medina shares EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. Meg has written many, many beautiful books, but this latest picture book is one that really moved me in a way I wasn't prepared for. In EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY we meet two friends making the very most of their last playdate together. It's every bit as wonderful as you could imagine, beautifully rendered in illustrations by Sonia Sanchez. The pang of falling in best friend love only to have to say goodbye is a feeling I hope not many of you have had to suffer, but it is one told with poetic honesty in the pages of this story. Meg also takes a moment to share a preview of MERCI SUAREZ CAN'T DANCE, the sequel to the Newbery award-winning MERCI SUAREZ CHANGES GEARS. All of these stories of moments and experiences that become part of who we become. Oh, I'm so excited for you to hear this conversation! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

KA Holt shares BENBEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER. KA's first book in the KIDS UNDER THE STAIRS series introduces readers to Ben B., Ben Y., Javier, and Jordan, four children forced to take a summer school class in order to improve their scores on the state assessment. It's a story about learning how to exist together and also one about learning how not to censor yourself. KA pours a lot of heart into this story in order to bring us close to a group of kids who, in my opinion, don't get seen often enough in schools. As you might guess, I saw a lot of my students in this book, their interests, their friendships, and the way they fight to be seen day after day, even when they might not feel like they're seen. As for Ben B., Ben Y., Javier, and Jordan, they have a lot more story to tell and I'm so glad that KA is working to help them tell it. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marilyn Singer shares WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU, illustrated by Alette Straathof. WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU is a beautiful, inclusive story about animals courting and finding their mate. And it's about humans doing the same. Do you know that experience of picking up a book unsure of what to expect, only to end up talking and talking and talking to your friend about it? And all the while your friend says "I know, right? I KNOW, right?!" Well, WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU happens to be one of those books to me, and my good pal Mel Schuit happens to be one of those friends. Marilyn and I talk as if two long-separated friends with a lifetime of stories with which to catch up. I have known and loved her reverso poems including MIRROR, MIRROR since my very first year in the library. It's quite possible that this invented poetic form gave rise to me writing poetry myself. All told, this conversation around this particular book feels like one that was a long time in the making and I'm so glad that it all happened just when it did and just as it happened. I very much hope you enjoy this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Wendell Minor shares SOUTHWEST SUNRISE, a new picture book written by Nikki Grimes. Wendell has worked on many widely recognized books and is a longtime collaborator with several prolific authors, including Jean Craighead George, author of JULIE AND THE WOLVES, Robert Burleigh, author of TINY BIRD: A HUMMINGBIRD'S AMAZING JOURNEY, and Brenda Peterson, author of WILD ORCA. What Wendell brings to SOUTHWEST SUNRISE is a lifetime of experience as an artist and as a resident of the world and of nature. We talked about the land of enchantment and of the feeling of vibration or energy whenever Wendell is there. I felt my heart sway at his mention of feeling small under such a big sky. I hope this conversation, listener, transports you as well. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christopher Paul Curtis shares THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Christopher Paul Curtis is the author of many widely-loved and critically-acclaimed books including BUD, NOT BUDDY (Newbery winner and the Coretta Scott King winner), THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 (Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King honor), and ELIJAH OF BUXTON (Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King winner). THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 was Christopher's debut middle grade novel. Christopher and I hopped on the phone to talk about his time working at the automobile factory in Flint, MI, his choice to write an adult story narrated by a 10-year-old, and the real life experiences that made their way into the book. Plus, if you have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Paul Curtis, I think you're going to feel immediately at home and in good company with Christopher. I personally didn't want this conversation to end. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Arthur A. Levine shares THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. When Arthur and I last spoke at ALA midwinter 2020 in Philadelphia, it was to launch Levine Querido, the independent publisher bearing his surname. THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL is a new picture book that introduces readers to Nate Gadol, a Hanukkah spirit who can make anything last as long as it is needed. It's an exquisite story told best by Arthur himself, so I won't waste another moment. A quick note just to say that Arthur was driving while we spoke. You'll notice it in his audio track and I didn't want it to catch you off guard. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jelani Memory and company share titles from A KIDS BOOK ABOUT. Jelani is the founder of A KIDS BOOK ABOUT, an innovative company bringing difficult conversations to readers through lived experiences and #ownvoices. Taking on such topics as racism, divorce, failure, and belonging, A KIDS BOOK ABOUT is doing something different in the children's book market and the impact these books are making on readers and reading communities, as I've experienced firsthand, is powerful. Today you'll hear ten different voices representing ten different topics addressed in the A KIDS BOOK ABOUT series, why each author wrote their book, and what advice they would share to their childhood selves if given the chance. We'll hear about RACISM from Jelani Memory, DIVORCE from Ashley Simpo, BELONGING from Kevin Carroll, EMOTIONS from Nakita Simpson, ADVENTURE from Ben Tertin, FAILURE from Dr. Laymon Hicks, FEMINISM from Emma Mcilroy, DISABILITIES from Kristine Napper, SHAME from Jamie Letourneau, and EMPATHY from Daron K. Roberts. You can browse these and even more titles by visiting A KIDS BOOK ABOUT. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Oliver Jeffers shares WHAT WE'LL BUILD. In many ways it is a love letter to his daughter about our future together, in relationship with one another, and all that our collective knowledge and collective experience will do to help move us forward. Oliver notes in our conversation that "all art is reactionary", and we spend time in this conversation noticing details that appeared and reappeared in his art, what some of those details or characters mean, and what it means to take note of who or what's around you, whether or not you fully understand why. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison share I GOT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT. This book and others in the series star a spirited girl named Miraculous and her luminous ability to bring joy, space, and light into wherever she is. It won't surprise you to know that Connie and Frank are much the same as their lead character. Truly, I feel blessed just to have spent time in conversation with them. And now that I get to share this conversation with you I am absolutely all smiles. Enjoy in a very big way. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message