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

Podcast #042 For my forty-second Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and freelance writing consultant Mary Kole about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel  Holes by Louis Sachar. Originally published in 1998, and awarded the Newbery in 1999, the novel tells the story of Stanley Yelnats, a boy who’s had nothing but bad luck in his life, … Continue reading Holes by Louis Sachar: an interview with author Mary Kole → The post Holes by Louis Sachar: an interview with author Mary Kole appeared first on Dream Gardens.

Podcast #041 For my forty-first Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed librarian and children’s book reviewer Michelle Callaghan about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade novel  Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. Originally published in 1964, the novel tells the story of eleven year old Harriet M. Welch, a precocious watcher of people in her school and around her … Continue reading Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh: an interview with Michelle Callaghan → The post Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh: an interview with Michelle Callaghan appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Matthew Winner For my fortieth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed librarian and podcast host Matthew Winner about his favorite children’s book, the graphic novel  The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan. Published in 2009, The Storm in the Barn is set in Kansas during the Dustbowl of the 1930’s, and focuses on eleven year old … Continue reading Podcast #40: The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan → The post Podcast #40: The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Laura Martin For my thirty-ninth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Laura Martin about her favorite children’s book, the  middle grade fantasy novel  Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce, the first book of the Song of the Lioness series. Originally published in 1983, Alanna: The First Adventure  is the first of four novels, the other … Continue reading Podcast #39: Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness) by Tamora Pierce → The post Podcast #39: Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness) by Tamora Pierce appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Caroline Starr Rose For my thirty-eighth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Caroline Starr Rose about her favorite children’s book, the classic middle grade fantasy novel  The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Originally published in 1961,  The Phantom Tollbooth tells the story of a young boy named Milo who doesn’t quite know what do with himself until a … Continue reading Podcast #38: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster → The post Podcast #38: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Cindy Mitchell For my thirty-seventh Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed librarian Cindy Mitchell about her favorite kid’s book,  The Accelerati Trilogy by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman, which includes the books Tesla’s Attic, Edison’s Alley, and Hawking’s Hallway. Published in 2015 through 2017 by Disney-Hyperion, the three sci-fi adventure books tell the story of … Continue reading Podcast #37: The Accelerati Trilogy by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman → The post Podcast #37: The Accelerati Trilogy by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Laurisa White Reyes For my thirty-sixth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Laurisa White Reyes about her favorite children’s book,  The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear, written by Dan and Audrey Wood and illustrated by Dan Wood. First published in 1989 by Child’s Play, this big picture book with a very long title … Continue reading Podcast #36: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Dan and Audrey Wood → The post Podcast #36: The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear by Dan and Audrey Wood appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Robert Kent For my thirty-fifth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and blogger Robert Kent about his favorite middle grade children’s novel,  The Witches by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. First published in 1983, The Witches tells the story of a young boy and his grandmother who stumble upon a devious plot … Continue reading Podcast #35: The Witches by Roald Dahl → The post Podcast #35: The Witches by Roald Dahl appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Melissa Stoller For my thirty-fourth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Melissa Stoller about her favorite middle grade novel,  The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone. First published in February, 2018 by Aladdin Press , The Art of the Swap tells the story of two young girls who live a century apart–Maggie, who … Continue reading Podcast #34: The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone → The post Podcast #34: The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White For my thirty-third Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed authors Annabeth Bondor-Stone and Connor White about their favorite middle grade novel,  Wayside Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sacher. First published in 1978 by Avon Camelot Books, Wayside Stories from Wayside School is a collection of thirty stories about a strange school … Continue reading Podcast #33: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sacher → The post Podcast #33: Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sacher appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Bonny Becker For my thirty-second Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Bonny Becker about her favorite middle grade novel,  Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. First published in 1986 by Greenwillow Books, the novel tells the story of Sophie, who as the eldest sister of three doesn’t expect much out … Continue reading Podcast #32: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones → The post Podcast #32: Howl’s Moving Castle by Diane Wynne Jones appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Daphne Benedis-Grab For my thirty-first Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Daphne Benedis-Grab about her favorite young adult novel,  Fifteen by Beverly Cleary. Originally published in 1956 by William Morrow and Company, the novel tells the story of Jane Purdy, a fifteen year old girl trying to muddle her way through the up and downs … Continue reading Podcast #31: Fifteen by Beverly Cleary → The post Podcast #31: Fifteen by Beverly Cleary appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Mike Grosso For my thirtieth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author, educator and musician Mike Grosso about his favorite middle grade novel,  Anastsia Krupnik by Lois Lowry. Published in 1979 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, the novel is the first of a series of nine books is about unusual young girl named Anastasia Krupnik. Anastasia has a … Continue reading Podcast #30: Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry → The post Podcast #30: Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Meera Sriram For my twenty-ninth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Meera Sriram about two of her favorite middle grade novels,  The No. 1 Car Spotter and The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird , written by Antinuke and illustrated by Warwick Johnson Cadwell. Published in 2010 and 2011 respectively,  The No. 1 Car … Continue reading Podcast #29: The No. 1 Car Spotter and The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird by Antinuke → The post Podcast #29: The No. 1 Car Spotter and The No. 1 Car Spotter and the Firebird by Antinuke appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Kimberly McDermid For my twenty-eighth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed educator and kid lit blogger Kimberly McDermid  about one of her favorite middle grade novels,  Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker, written and illustrated by Shelley Johannes. Published in 2017 by Hyperion, Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker is a book about an unusual young girl  who … Continue reading Podcast #28: Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes → The post Podcast #28: Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker by Shelley Johannes appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with E. Lockhart For my twenty-seventh Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author E. Lockhart about one of her favorite YA graphic novels,  Nimona by Noelle Steveson. Published in 2015, Nimona originally started as a Web comic in 2012, telling the story of shapeshifter and sidekick wannabe Nimona, who attaches herself to the … Continue reading Podcast #27: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson → The post Podcast #27: Nimona by Noelle Stevenson appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Roxanne Hsu Feldman For my twenty-sixth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed librarian Roxanne Hsu Feldman about one of her favorite children’s books,  Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants by Sam Swope. Published in 2004, Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants borrows story elements from Jack the Giant Slayer and Jack and the … Continue reading Podcast #26: Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants by Sam Swope → The post Podcast #26: Jack and the Seven Deadly Giants by Sam Swope appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Jane Smith For my twenty-fifth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author and illustrator Jane Smith about one of her favorite children’s books,  Ivy and Bean – No News is Good News,  written by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Published in 2011 by Chronicle Books, Ivy and Bean – No News is Good News is the … Continue reading Podcast #25: Ivy and Bean – No News is Good News by Annie Barrows → The post Podcast #25: Ivy and Bean – No News is Good News by Annie Barrows appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Denise Vega For my twenty-fourth Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Denise Vega about one of her favorite children’s books,  The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Published in 2015, The Thing About Jellyfish is a story of a young girl trying to make sense of her own guilt and grief.  Suzy Swanson … Continue reading Podcast #24: The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin → The post Podcast #24: The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin appeared first on Dream Gardens.

An Interview with Charlotte Bennardo For my twenty-third Dream Gardens kid lit podcast, I interviewed author Charlotte Bennardo about one of her favorite children’s books,  Beautiful Joe: A Dog’s Own Story by Margaret Marshall Saunders. Beautiful Joe is the fictional autobiography of a dog named Joe, based on an real-life incident told to the author. The book was originally published in 1893 under the … Continue reading Podcast #23: Beautiful Joe: A Dog’s Own Story by Marshall Saunders → The post Podcast #23: Beautiful Joe: A Dog’s Own Story by Marshall Saunders appeared first on Dream Gardens.