Dream Gardens Podcast: Talking Up The Kids' Books We Love

Podcast #102 For my one hundred first Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Tricia Springstubb  about the middle grade book Half Magic by Edward Eager. When four children find a magic coin, they soon discover that you should be careful what you wish for. At least half the time, anyway. Tricia Springstubb is … Continue reading Half Magic – an interview with Tricia Springstubb → The post Half Magic – an interview with Tricia Springstubb appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #101 For my one hundred first Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Christine L. Villa  about the picture book Saturday by Oge Mora. A mother and her daughter have a very special Saturday planned, when all their plans go topsy-turvy. But it may turn out to be a special and wonderful day … Continue reading Saturday – an interview with Christine L. Villa → The post Saturday – an interview with Christine L. Villa appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #100 For my one hundredth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast (100!), I interviewed author Crystal Maldonado  about the classic picture book Corduroy by Don Freeman. It is a story about a young girl, a stuffed bear, a department store escalator ride, and a missing button, but it is also a story about friendship, adventure, … Continue reading Corduroy – an interview with Crystal Maldonado → The post Corduroy – an interview with Crystal Maldonado appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #099 For my ninety-ninth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Ray Anthony Shepherd about the middle grade verse novel Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson. ZJ’s dad is a football star and local hero. But when his dad’s behavior changes because of injuries sustained on the field, ZJ must look for … Continue reading Before the Ever After – an interview with Ray Anthony Shepherd → The post Before the Ever After – an interview with Ray Anthony Shepherd appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #098 For my ninety-eighth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Michelle Schaub about the middle grade book Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini. Dictionary for a Better World is a dictionary of words to help … Continue reading Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z – an interview with Michelle Schaub → The post Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z – an interview with Michelle Schaub appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #097 For my ninety-seventh Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Judith L. Roth about the middle grade illustrated novel Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate DiCamillo. When a squirrel name Ulysses gets sucked up into a vacuum cleaner and transforms into a flying, poetry-typing super-squirrel, Flora is there to protect … Continue reading Flora &Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures – an interview with Judith L. Roth → The post Flora &Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures – an interview with Judith L. Roth appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #096 For my ninety-fifth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Julie Leung about the middle grade folktale collection Tongues of Jade by Lawrence Yep. Based on a selection of stories gathered by the WPA from Chinese immigrants in California in the early twentieth century, Lawrence retells these folktales full of magic and … Continue reading Tongues of Jade: an interview with Julie Leung → The post Tongues of Jade: an interview with Julie Leung appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #095 For my ninety-fifth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Robert Hoyman about the middle grade novel There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar. Bradley Chalkers is the most hated kid in fifth grade, and he’s fine with that — or so he says. But when a new boy … Continue reading There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom: An interview with Robert Hoyman → The post There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom: An interview with Robert Hoyman appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcasts are available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify. Please link, share, comment, write a review or subscribe. Let me know what you think! If you are interested in participating in the Dream Gardens podcast, send me a request through my contact page. My next podcast will be with author Robert Hoyman about the middle grade … Continue reading The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: An interview with Victoria Bond → The post The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: An interview with Victoria Bond appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #093 For my ninety-third Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Ann Burg about the novel The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes. The Hundred Dresses is a classic novel about a young girl, Wanda Petronski, who teaches a group of young children about kindness and acceptance in the most surprisng way. Ann Burg … Continue reading The Hundred Dresses: An interview with Ann Burg → The post The Hundred Dresses: An interview with Ann Burg appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #092 For my ninety-second Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Anita Nahta Amin about the novel Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin. Martin’s novel is a re-telling of the fairy tale “Snow and Rose” in which two sisters encounter enchanted places and strange characters in their search for their missing father. … Continue reading Snow & Rose: An interview with Anita Nahta Amin → The post Snow & Rose: An interview with Anita Nahta Amin appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #091 For my ninety-first Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Mathew Klickstein about the classic picture book The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. The Yooks eat bread with the butter-side up, and the Zooks eat bread with the butter-side down, which can only mean one thing-War! A both very silly and … Continue reading The Butter Battle Book: An interview with Mathew Klickstein → The post The Butter Battle Book: An interview with Mathew Klickstein appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #090 For my ninetieth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Amy Hest about the middle grade novel Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. When Leigh Botts writes a letter to his favorite writer, Boyd Henshaw, little does he suspect that response he gets will lead him on a journey to learn what … Continue reading Dear Mr. Henshaw: An interview with Amy Hest → The post Dear Mr. Henshaw: An interview with Amy Hest appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #089 For my eighty-ninth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed illustrator Holly Hatam about the middle grade novel Just As Long As We’re Together by Judy Blume. Thirteen year old Stephanie has been with friends with Rachel for as long as she can remember. But when a new girl, Alison, enters her life, … Continue reading Just As Long As We’re Together: An interview with Holly Hatam → The post Just As Long As We’re Together: An interview with Holly Hatam appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #088 For my eighty-eighth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Janae Marks about the first book in the Baby-Sitter’s Club series, Kristy’s Great Idea. Kristy and her three friends – Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey – start a babysitting service called The Baby-Sitter’s Club. What follows is a story of friendship, family, … Continue reading The Baby-Sitter’s Club #1-Kristy’s Great Idea: An interview with Janae Marks → The post The Baby-Sitter’s Club #1-Kristy’s Great Idea: An interview with Janae Marks appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #087 For my eighty-seventh Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Angela Dominguez about the middle grade novel Pie in the Sky , written and illustrated by Remy Lai. Eleven year old Jingwen has to deal with moving to a new country, his annoying little brother, as well as the grief of losing … Continue reading Pie in the Sky: An interview with Angela Dominguez → The post Pie in the Sky: An interview with Angela Dominguez appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #086 For my eighty-sixth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Paula Chase Hyman about the upper middle grade novel Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee. Seventh grader Mila doesn’t know what do at when a group of boys start harassing her in increasingly uncomfortable ways, but she soon finds some … Continue reading Maybe He Just Likes You: An interview with Paula Chase Hyman → The post Maybe He Just Likes You: An interview with Paula Chase Hyman appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #085 For my eighty-fifth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author Tricia Elam Walker about the children’s picture book Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale, written and illustrated by John Steptoe. Inspired by an Zimbabwe folktale, Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is a Cinderella-like story about two sisters search for a mysterious king. Their search … Continue reading Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale- an interview with Tricia Elam Walker → The post Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale- an interview with Tricia Elam Walker appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #084 For my eighty-fourth Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author and motivational speaker Michael Arterberry about the classic children’s picture book Curious George. This was the first of a many picture books featuring George, a very curious monkey, whose curiosity sometimes gets him into a bit of trouble, though not too much. … Continue reading Curious George: an interview with Michael Arterberry → The post Curious George: an interview with Michael Arterberry appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #083 For my eighty-third Dream Gardens children’s books podcast, I interviewed author and storyteller Antonio Sacre about the classic fantasy novel The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien. Bilbo Baggins is a Hobbit like any other, wanting nothing more than to sit in his comfortable home with his pipe. … Continue reading The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien: an interview with Antonio Sacre → The post The Hobbit, or There and Back Again by J. R. R. Tolkien: an interview with Antonio Sacre appeared first on Dream Gardens.