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

Podcast #062 For my sixty-second Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Chritina Uss about the middle grade novels Lizard Music by Daniel Pinkwater and The Trolls by Polly Horvath. Lizard Music is a story of a boy, a Chicken Man, some jazz-playing lizards, and an invisible island, which all makes perfectly good sense … Continue reading Lizard Music and The Trolls – an interview with Christina Uss → The post Lizard Music and The Trolls – an interview with Christina Uss appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #061 For my sixty-first Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and playwright Dania Ramos about the young readers novel Call Me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Maria is torn between two worlds, her old home in Puerto Rico where her mother lives, and her new home in the barrio in New York … Continue reading Call Me Maria – an interview with Dania Ramos → The post Call Me Maria – an interview with Dania Ramos appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #060 For my sixtieth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Lori Orlinsky about the picture book Giraffes Can’t Dance, written by Giles Andreae and illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. With his long neck and skinny legs, Gerald the Giraffe just wasn’t made for dancing. Or so he thinks, until a friendly cricket tells … Continue reading Giraffes Can’t Dance – an interview with Lori Orlinsky → The post Giraffes Can’t Dance – an interview with Lori Orlinsky appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #059 For my fifty-ninth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Kathi Appelt about the middle grade novel The Grand Plan To Fix Everything by Uma Krishnaswami. It tells the story of eleven year old Dini who’s forced by her parents to move to a tiny village in India called Swapnagiri. The name … Continue reading The Grand Plan To Fix Everything – an interview with Kathi Appelt → The post The Grand Plan To Fix Everything – an interview with Kathi Appelt appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #058 For my fifty-eighth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Padma Venkatraman about the verse memoirs Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings and Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle. Enchanted Air was published in 2015, followed by Soaring Earth in 2019.  Each details  Margarita’s experience immigrating to the US after the Cuban revolution of … Continue reading Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings; Soaring Earth – an interview with Padma Venkatraman → The post Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings; Soaring Earth – an interview with Padma Venkatraman appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #057 For my fifty-seventh Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Kelly Jones about the middle grade comic novel The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater. First published in 1977, The Hoboken Chicken Emergency tells the story of a young boy, Arthur, who’s sent off to pick up the family’s Thanksgiving turkey, but … Continue reading The Hoboken Chicken Emergency – an interview with Kelly Jones → The post The Hoboken Chicken Emergency – an interview with Kelly Jones appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #056 For my fifty-sixth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Susan Adrian about the middle grade fantasy novel The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper. First published in 1973, The Dark is Rising is the second book in a series of five books known as the Dark is Rising series. It tells … Continue reading The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper – an interview with Susan Adrian → The post The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper – an interview with Susan Adrian appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #055 For my fifty-fifth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Darby Karchut about the young reader’s fantasy adventure novel Ranger’s Apprentice (Book 1): The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan. First published in Australia in 2004 and the in the United States in 2005 , Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan tells the … Continue reading Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan – an interview with Darby Karchut → The post Ranger’s Apprentice: The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan – an interview with Darby Karchut appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #054 For my fifty-fourth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Roshani Chokshi about the children’s novel The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander and the YA novel Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black. Published in  1997, The Iron Ring is a middle grade fantasy novel that draws from Indian mythology to tell the story … Continue reading The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander and Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black – an interview with Roshani Chokshi → The post The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander and Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale by Holly Black – an interview with Roshani Chokshi appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #053 For my fifty-third Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Alison Gardiner about the  illustrated children’s novel Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell Published in  2013, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse tells the story of Ada Goth, who’s feeling a bit lonely clumping around … Continue reading Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell: an interview with author Alison Gardiner → The post Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell: an interview with author Alison Gardiner appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #052 For my fifty-second Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jasmine Warga about the  children’s middle grade novel Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Originally published in  1972, and awarded the Newbery in 1978,  Bridge to Terabithia tells the story of two friends, Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. They don’t feel like … Continue reading Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: an interview with author Jasmine Warga → The post Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: an interview with author Jasmine Warga appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #051 For my fifty-first Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and illustrator C. L. Fails about the classic children’s novel A Wrinkle in Time  by Madeleine L’Engle. Originally published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of Meg and her brother Charles Wallace and their encounter with three strange woman … Continue reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: an interview with author and illustrator C. L. Fails → The post A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: an interview with author and illustrator C. L. Fails appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #050 For my fiftieth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Michele McAvoy about her favorite children’s book, the classic novel Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, written by Judy Blume. Originally published in 1970, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret tells the story of eleven year old Margaret Simon, whose … Continue reading Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume: an interview with author Michele McAvoy → The post Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume: an interview with author Michele McAvoy appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #049 For my forty-ninth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez about her favorite children’s book, the classic novel Watership Down by Richard Adams. Originally published in 1972 in the UK, the novel tells the story of group of rabbits trying to find a new home. When one of the … Continue reading Watership Down by Richard Adams: an interview with author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez → The post Watership Down by Richard Adams: an interview with author Jennifer Lynn Alvarez appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #048 For my forty-eighth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Rebecca Behrens about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen. Originally published in 1987 and a Newbery Honor winner, Hatchet  tells the story of thirteen year old Brian Robeson who’s flying out to visit his recently … Continue reading Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: an interview with author Rebecca Behrens → The post Hatchet by Gary Paulsen: an interview with author Rebecca Behrens appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #047 For my forty-seventh Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Jill Weisfeld about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel Charlotte’s Web  by E. B. White. Originally published in 1952, and still in print today, Charlotte’s Web tells the story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a spider names … Continue reading Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White: an interview with author Jill Weisfeld → The post Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White: an interview with author Jill Weisfeld appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #046 For my forty-sixth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Rebecca Caprara about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade verse novel Inside Out and Back Again  by Thanhha Lai. Originally published in 2011, and both a Newbery Honor recipient and winner of the National Book Award, Inside Out and Back Again  … Continue reading Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai: an interview with author Rebecca Caprara → The post Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai: an interview with author Rebecca Caprara appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #045 For my forty-fifth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Artie Knapp about his favorite children’s book, the picture book Ida, Always, written  by Caron Levis and illustrated by Charles Santoso. Originally published in 2016, and winner of the Christopher Award, this picture book tells the true story of two polar bears, Ida and Gus, who live a … Continue reading Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso: an interview with author Artie Knapp → The post Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Charles Santoso: an interview with author Artie Knapp appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #044 For my forty-forth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Margaret Peterson Haddix about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade novel  Millicent Min, Girl Genius, written  by Lisa Yee. Originally published in 2003, Millicent Min, Girl Genius tells the story of an amazingly gifted but painfully awkward eleven year old girl who’s having a terrible summer.  Her mother … Continue reading Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee: an interview with author Margaret Peterson Haddix → The post Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee: an interview with author Margaret Peterson Haddix appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #043 For my forty-third Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Kat Shepherd about her favorite children’s book, the middle grade novel  Criss Cross, written  and illustrated by Lynne Rae Perkins. Originally published in 2005, and awarded the Newbery in 2006, the novel tells the story  a single summer in the life of a group of young teens. There is Debbie, … Continue reading Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins: an interview with author Kat Shepherd → The post Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins: an interview with author Kat Shepherd appeared first on Dream Gardens.