The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers Podcast

In this episode, I talk with sisters Cara Mentzel and Tony-award-winner Idina Menzel about their debut picture book Loud Mouse: How a Little Mouse Found Her Big Voice.

Cara Mentzel's debut memoir, Voice Lessons: A Sisters Story,  about her relationship with her superstar sister, Idina Menzel (yes,  they spell their last names differently), was a Good Reads Choice Award nominee in 2017. Cara lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she and her husband raised their Brady Bunch of boys against the beauty of the Rocky  Mountains. She has a master's degree in elementary education with an emphasis on children's literacy, and though she currently spends most of her time writing, she enjoyed teaching elementary school for well over a  decade and can occasionally be found back in the classroom talking about books she loves. Loud Mouse is her first picture book.

Order copies:

Loud Mouse on https://bookshop.org/a/2078/9781368078061 or Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xQrnDh.

You can check out the lyric video created using Jaclyn Sinquett’s gorgeous illustrations at Books.Disney.com/LoudMouse and download the song from your favorite platform today.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

Voice Lessons by Cara Mentzel and a foreword by Idina Menzel

A Broader Way Foundation

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi about his nonfiction book for caregivers, How to Raise an Antiracist.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities at Boston University and the founding director of the BU Center for  Antiracist Research. He is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a  CBS News racial justice contributor. Dr. Kendi is the author of many highly acclaimed books including, Stamped from the Beginning: The  Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National  Book Award for Nonfiction, making him the youngest-ever winner of that award. He has also produced five straight #1 New York Times bestsellers,  including How to Be an Antiracist, Antiracist Baby, and Stamped:  Racism, Antiracism, and You, co-authored by Jason Reynolds. In 2020,  Time magazine named Dr. Kendi one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He was awarded a 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, popularly known as the Genius Grant.

Order copies:

How to Raise an Antiracist on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Goodnight Racism on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Magnolia Flower on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Antiracist Baby on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Stamped:  Racism, Antiracism, and You on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

You can visit Dr. Ibram X. Kendi at www.ibramxkendi.com.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with the super fun and fan-favorite children's book author, Josh Funk, about his picture book My Pet Feet.

It's quite possible that Josh is a superhero with the delightful power of making readers laugh with his writing. During the day, he's a software engineer. And on weekends, he's the author of books like the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series, It’s Not a Fairy  Tale series, How to Code with Pearl and Pascal series, A Story of  Patience and Fortitude series, Dear Dragon, Pirasaurs!, My Pet Feet, and more.

Order copies:

My Pet Feet on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

The Great Caper Caper on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

It's Not the Three Little Pigs on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

You can visit Josh Funk at https://www.joshfunkbooks.com/.

Order the word nerd game Boggle.

Order a copy of To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat and Rahele Jomepour Bell.

Order a copy of Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, Alexis Bunten, and Gary Meeches Sr.

Order a copy of The Boy Who Loved Maps by Kari Allen and G. Brian Karas.

Order a copy of Kick Push by Frank Morrison.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with Dan Gemeinhart, author of the acclaimed novel The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. We discuss his newest middle grade novel, The Midnight Children.

Dan Gemeinhart is a former elementary school teacher-librarian and lifelong book nerd.  He lives with his wife and three daughters in a small town in Washington  State. He's the author of some other books, too: The Honest Truth, Some Kind of Courage, Scar Island, and Good Dog. If he ever meets you, he'd love to talk about books with you.

Order copies of The Midnight Children on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

You can visit Dan Gemeinhart at https://dangemeinhart.com.

How to Write Stunning Sentences by Nina Schuyler.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with Matt de la Peña and Corinna Luyken about their picture book, Patchwork, a deeply moving ode to the complexity and uniqueness of every child.

Matt de la Peña is the author of the Newbery Medal-winning Last Stop on Market Street, Milo Imagines the World, Carmela Full of Wishes, Love, and A Nation's Hope: The Story of Boxing Legend Joe Louis, as well as a number of critically acclaimed young adult novels.

Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of the New York Times bestseller My Heart, The Tree In Me, and The Book of Mistakes. She is also the illustrator of Adrian Simcox Does Not Have a Horse, Nothing in Common, and Something Good.

Order copies of Patchwork on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

You can visit Matt at mattdelapena.com or follow him on Twitter and Instagram  @mattdelapena.

You can visit Corinna at corinnaluyken.com or follow her on Twitter and Instagram @corinnaluyken.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong, the creators of City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm. So many of you wrote in with questions and I got them answered for you!

Jaimal Yogis is the author of Saltwater Buddha, The Fear Project, All Our Waves Are Water, and the children's book series Mop Rides the Waves of Life and Mop Rides the Waves of Change. His writing has also appeared in The Atlantic, ESPN Magazine, and The Washington Post. He lives in San Francisco.

Vivian Truong is a comic artist who has created artwork for Riot Games,  miHoYo, Rebellion, and more. Her work includes the Punches and Plants webcomic series for the popular MOBA game League of Legends. She also works as a storyboard artist for game studios, a digital production studio, and a children’s book publisher. She currently lives in London.

Order copies of City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

Follow Jaimal Yogis on https://www.instagram.com/jaimalyogis/.

Visit Vivan Truong on https://www.viviantruong.com/.

Discussion Topics:

This episode is brought to you by our guest, author J.T Michaels. He's here to talk about his first book in an epic fantasy series, Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone.

Author J.T. Michaels has always loved storytelling, no matter the medium. Being immersed in a different world, whether it’s through books or video games, has also been an obsession for him. Years after writing for his school magazine, he discovered he wanted to create his own worlds for readers, and his journey to fantasy writing began with Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone.

When he isn’t writing enchanting fantasy novels for teens, J.T. enjoys running and spending time outside in the sunshine and hunkering down in a bookstore or library on rainy days. He lives in  British Columbia, Canada, where he likes to indulge in a great cup of coffee.

Order copies of Jimmy Chartron and the Lost Keystone on Amazon and Bookshop.org.

Transcription: You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources: For more information on the series, visit https://www.jtmichaels.ca/.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with the highly sought-after speaker and children's book author Trudy Ludwig! We discuss her new book, Brave Every Day, and how reading books can promote empathy and kindness.

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids cope with and thrive in their social world, including The Invisible Boy, My Secret Bully, and The Power of One.  She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents at schools and conferences around the US for her passion and compassion in addressing peer aggression and friendship issues. An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with organizations like the Committee for Children and ConnectSafely.org, and has served as a content adviser for Sesame Street Workshop. Trudy's books have won the Mom's Choice Gold  Award, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, and the NAPPA Gold Award, and have also been recognized as NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People.

Order copies of Brave Every Day on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

Visit Trudy Ludwig at trudyludwig.com

Follow her on Twitter at @TrudyLudwig

International Bullying Prevention Association

Committee for Children

https://www.connectsafely.org/

Dawn Huebner’s Ted Talk: Rethinking anxiety: Learning to face fear

What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors by Rudine Sims Bishop

Why American Teens Are So Sad by Derek Thompson, for The Atlantic

Discussion Topics:

This episode is brought to you by our guest, award-winning writer and filmmaker Chris Wieland. He's here to talk about his first book in the Kat Dylan Mysteries, The Crabtree Monsters. Chris is the father of two fierce children, including a tough, smart tween who helped him find the voice of his protagonist, Kat Dylan. He lives in Southern California with his family.

Order copies of The Crabtree Monsters on Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

For more information on the series, visit https://www.thesmartaleckpress.com.

Discussion Topics:

In this episode, I talk with your favorite author and illustrator, Bob Shea. We talk about many things, including the importance of reading for fun and his latest funny picture book, I Am a Baby.

Bob Shea is the author, illustrator, or author-illustrator of many well-loved picture books and chapter books, including the Ballet Cat and Dinosaur vs. series as well as Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great; Unicorn Is Maybe Not So Great After All; Crash, Splash, Moo!; and Who Wet My Pants?, which was illustrated by Zacharia OHora. Bob Shea’s characters and animations have appeared on Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, and PBS KIDS. He lives in Connecticut.

Order copies of I Am a Baby on Bookshop.org or Amazon.

Transcription:

You can read the transcription on The Children's Book Review.

Resources:

Visit Bob Shea at https://www.bobshea.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/bobsheabooks/.

Chez Bob

Who Wet My Pants

Adurable: Little Pups in Big Trucks

Ballet Cat

Procreate

Adobe Fresco

Article from the Pew Research Center: Among many U.S. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows.

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