No Extra Words: One Person's Search For Story

A special episode in which I tell you the story of a guy named Dewey (or sometimes Dui,) some numbers, and the democratization of American libraries. Here's an overview of all the categories and call numbers. See you soon for the first of our Anne of Green Gables summer series. In the meantime, are you following the #12DaysofAnnestagram? You should be, because it is delicious...

Today's books are: "B" is for Betsy by Carolyn Haywood. Harcourt, Brace, & Co., 1939. Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace. HarperCollins, 1940. Blog posts about Carolyn Haywood from the Free Library of Philadelphia: Part 1 Part 2 Complete list of Betsy-Tacy books with synopses Thank you for being here for this our 3rd anniversary episode. Find our first anniversary episode here. And our second anniversary episode here.

Watch the full 2 hour PBS launch special here. Check out the full list of nominees. Find me on Goodreads and join the conversation.

Today's books are: The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. Viking, 1962. A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Viking, 2016. Other things discussed in this episode: Ezra Jack Keats's former collaborator talks about him. Andrea Davis Pinkney's website.

Today's books are: Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude is Gertrude by Jonah Winter. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2009. (not pictured) A River of Words: the story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2008. Pablo Neruda: poet of the people by Monica Brown. Henry Holt and Company, 2011. Other links and notes from the show: Some notes on the current Golden Age of Picture Books    Horn Book's history of the picture book biography.  The Sibert Medal, given by ALSC, awarding informational writing for children. Booklist interview with Jonah Winter, in which he talks about the similarities between picture books and poetry Jonah Winter's website How to read Gertrude Stein from Boston University Full text of "Sacred Emily" by Gertrude Stein.  

Today's books are: Hip Hop Speaks to Children: a celebration of poetry with a beat, edited by Nikki Giovanni. Sourcebooks, Inc., 2008 Out of Wonder: poems celebrating poets by Kwame Alexander. Candlewick Press, 2017. Links to some of the things we talked about today: poets.org on National Poetry Month Last year's Poetry Month conversation with poet Kelly Russell Agodon on No Extra Words Poet James Berry, who was featured in Hip Hop Speaks to Children Tupac as most profane hip hop artist The Atlantic on what is a poem NPR conversation on Out of Wonder  

Today's books are: Squeeze Play: a novel by Jane Leavy. Doubleday, 1990. (Not pictured. In his younger days, my little baseball fan tore the cover off my copy.) Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Simon & Schuster, 1997. She Loved Baseball: the Effa Manley story by Audrey Vernick. Balzer & Bray, 2010. Other books mentioned: Queen of the Diamond: the Lizzie Murphy story by Emily Arnold McCully. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2015. Girl Wonder: a baseball story in nine innings by Deborah Hopkinson. Atheneum, 2003. The Streak: how Joe DiMaggio became America's hero by Barb Rosenstock. Calkins Creek, 2014 Links to things discussed today: The Attagirl podcast episode on Effa Manley The Negro Leagues Museum Twitter account Doris Kearns Goodwin's bibliography

Today's books are: A Wreath for Emmett Till by Marilyn Nelson. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005 Little Leaders: bold women in black history by Vashti Harrison. Little, Brown, and Company 2017. Other books I spoke of quite a bit are: Carver: a life in poems by Marilyn Nelson. Front Street, 2001. How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson. Dial Books, 2014. Links to some things we talked about today. The interview where Marilyn Nelson discussed the initial discussion about Emmett Till. Vashti Harrison's Instagram account. Vashti Harrison's interview in School Library Journal.

Today we're talking about a book we once knew well. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1962. Thank you to today's special guest who stopped by to talk Wrinkle with me. Check out his other appearance on the show.  

Today's books: Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1932. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1935. Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1933. On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1937. By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1939. The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1940. Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1941. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder, HarperCollins, 1943. The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder. HarperCollins, 1971. Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson. Delacorte Press, 2006. Links to some of the things we talked about today: The History Chicks podcast episode on Laura Ingalls Wilder. Some basic info on the Homestead Act . Links to the two charts about number of Homestead Final Patents: 5 year increments, 10 year increments. Montana specific Homestead Act Info. Roger Lea MacBride's obituary. Litt

Today's books are: The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco. Doubleday, 1922. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. Candlewick Press, 2006.

Today's books are: Charles and Emma: the Darwins' leap of faith by Deborah Heiligman. Henry Holt & Company, 2008. Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter. Scholastic, Inc., 1997. Some things we talked about today: Deborah Heiligman's interview with Brown's alumni magazine. Deborah Heiligman's husband Jonathan Weiner Roni Schotter's website Other sources used for this episode include: Washington Post Article about Charles and Emma  Interview with Deborah Heiligman 

Today's books are: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. HarperCollins, 1963. A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2010. Read this fabulous article on the career of children's book editor Ursula Nordstrom. Her collection of letters, Dear Genius, is very high on my to-read list. You must see Maurice Sendak on The Colbert Report. Here's the link to Part 1. And Part 2. Find out about Adam Gidwitz and his life goals on his website. Last and most sadly, here's that Pew research on Americans who don't read books. Please come see me on Goodreads!

Today we're talking book pairings and why this is the new format. Today's books are: Never in a Hurry: essays on people and places by Naomi Shihab Nye. University of South Carolina Press, 1996 When Wanderers Cease to Roam: a traveler's journal of staying put by Vivian Swift. Bloomsbury, 2008. Naomi reads her poem "Please Describe How you Became a Writer." Full transcript of Naomi's "On Being" interview with Kristen Tippett. Vivian's 2013 interview Vivian's delightful blog For information on all the other books we discussed today, check out Kris on Goodreads.  

"An Ode to Rejection" is by Marlene Woods, copyright 2018, used with permission. Marlene originally published this poem on her website iloveyougram.com. Read Marlene's bio. Special guest in studio today: James! The books James talked about are: Pocketful of Nonsense by James Marshall. Little Golden Books, 1992 Not a Box by Antoinette Portis. HarperCollins, 1996 President Squid by Aaron Reynolds. Chronicle Books, 2016 My First Book of Baseball by Sports Illustrated Kids. Sports Illustrated, 2016 The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley. Scholastic Press, 2001. Thank you so much to Adam Kluger and Francis DiClemente for sending us feedback about favorite authors. Check out Francis's bio. Read Adam's bio or check out his collection Desperate Times. Special guest in studio today: Josh! The books Josh talked about are: The House With a Clock in its Walls by John Bellairs. Dial Books, 1973 A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick. Vintage Books, 1991 It by Stephen King. New English Library, 1987 Bigfoot and

It was my privilege to put together this episode on an important topic and I can't begin to express my gratitude to our contributors and to my wonderful support community who made it possible. "Family Planning" is by Tina Tocco, copyright 2005, used with permission. It was originally published in Harper Palate Winter/Spring 2013 issue. Read Tina's bio and her her previous contributions to the show. "Choose" is by Mary O'Keefe Brady, copyright 2017, used with permission. Read Mary's bio. "Single Sexless Mother" is by Linda Bonney, copyright 2017, used with permission. Read Linda's bio. "A Whale of a Choice" is by Rebekah Nemethy, copyright 2017, used with permission. Visit Rebekah's website. Rebekah created this piece on her website originally for a Photo and 100 Words project, visit our website to see the photo that inspired the story. Other things discussed today: "A Private Matter" is a made for TV movie based on the true life story of "Miss Shari" Finkbine, a Romper Room TV show host who sought an abortion

There are things we say, things we don't say, and things we say no one hears. The writer's buddy, "The Quizzical Lizard," is able to tell her what he really wants. By Anna Kander, copyright 2017, used with permission. Visit Anna's website. When the world falls apart it is the "Death of a Small Civilization." By Brittany Bronson, copyright 2016, used with permission. Read Brittany's bio.

Today we close out our Best of No Extra Words series with the best of 2017, which means we are once again headed out on the road for a poetry field trip and we're bringing some short fiction along for the ride. This episode features all of Episode 79 with a new editor's commentary. For those who love books, they become almost human beings standing there in their "Dust Jackets." By Samantha Dutton, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read Samantha's bio. Some things just cannot be escaped, especially "The Curse of the Virgin." By Richard Sensenbrenner, copyright 1992, used with permission. Read Richard's bio. In the first ever installment of our Poet's Corner segment, Kelli Russell Agodon invited me into her office where she shares poetry and we discuss poetry, small presses, and the importance of finding your voice. Visit Kelli's website or the website for Two Sylvias Press. For photos of the field trip I took to see Kelli, check out the original post for Episode 79. All editors are the same, such sticklers

The second in a three part series of reruns celebrating No Extra Words history...because if you don't know your No Extra Words history you are doomed to repeat it. Today we revisit Episode 51: Curmudgeons and Incorrigibles. Witness the creative destruction of “A New Heart.” By Mitchell Krockmalnik Grabois, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio. Grocery clerks are always the ones who hear your rants in “Blu-Ray/DVD.” By Daniel Maluka, copyright 2016, used with permission. Read his bio. At what point do you get to call out the ridiculous? “Dean’s Dilemma” is by Paul Beckman, copyright 2015, used with permission. Read his bio. Did you ever wonder who is reading your submissions? After “The Party,” will you wonder if it had remained a mystery. Written and produced by Adam Kluger, copyright 2016, used with permission. Featuring the voice work of Aesha Waks. Read Adam’s bio. One more rerun is coming in 2 weeks...see you then

After sharing with you my prep work for this year's madcap novel writing adventure, I had to pop back in and tell you how it went and what happened. My goal tracker did change over the month. Here's the original version, here's my midmonth edit, and here's what it looked like on the day that I finished. For highlights of The Great Train Write-in, check out the show notes for this episode.