The Children's Book Podcast

Lily Williams (@lwbean) and Karen Schneeman (@themeanmagenta) share GO WITH THE FLOW, a comic about menstruation. Period. It's a story about getting your first period and how not all periods are the same from one woman to the next, but it’s also about destigmatizing menstruation in our society. It’s about public embarrassment, but it’s also about barriers to access of feminine hygiene products to the general public. It’s about friendship, and it’s also about demonstration, protest, and advocacy. From a webcomic called THE MEAN MAGENTA to  a full length comic, GO WITH THE FLOW is a welcomed and needed addition to libraries and bookshelves everywhere. I hope it finds its way into your hands very soon. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- S

Marcie Colleen (@MarcieColleen1) shares THE BEAR’S GARDEN, illustrated by Alison Oliver. The story, inspired by a community garden in Brooklyn, centers on a girl caring for a seedling until she can’t any longer. It’s a story about those hidden spaces that become worlds for the person or people who find them. And it’s also a story about the worlds that can be created when we give trust over to others. THE BEAR’S GARDEN is a bit of a fantastical prequel to a garden you can imagine passing in Brooklyn today. Look in past the gates. See what’s growing. The bright pinks and blues and yellows among the leaves of green. Know that everything here started from just a seed and some care and cheering on of a community.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patr

Minh Lê (@bottomshelfbks) shares GREEN LANTERN: LEGACY, a brand new graphic novel from DC Kids. Stepping into the DC universe was an experience for Minh and how he made his mark was something truly unique and authentic. What results is a fast-moving, page-turning comic with depth and heart. One of the qualities I especially loved in the story was Minh’s exploration of coming-of-age through Tai Pham, his main character, and what Tai assumes about where strength is derived as well as what he ultimately learns. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katrina Moore (@kmoorebooks) shares ONE HUG and GRANDPA GRUMPS. ONE HUG is Katrina’s picture book debut. It’s about what a hug can mean to someone else and speaks to the nature of hugs as a means of comfort, communication, and companionship. GRANDPA GRUMPS is about communication between generations despite a language barrier. The earnestness of the main character in this story as she tries to interact with her grandpa is something I found to be so sweet and so genuinely childlike. Each of these books is quite special in their own way, but this guest is also really special to me personally. Katrina was my first critique partner. Seeing her books published and finding them to be stories of my own heart makes me feel a special closeness to her. Perhaps you’ve shared similar feelings toward the authors of the books you love: a kinship that transcends words. I hope this conversation does that for you in some small way, too. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthew

Ryan Andrews (@HeyRyanA) shares THIS WAS OUR PACT, a graphic novel about a band of friends determined to see where the lanterns end up after being sent down the river by the folks in their town as part of the Equinox Festival. There’s a legend that they turn into stars, but no one has actually ever followed them to see. Where the river and these lanterns lead Ben and Nathaniel is beyond anything you could ever dream. I found Ryan’s story to be moving and wondrous and beautiful. It’s by far one of the best graphic novels I’ve read, both in it’s fantastical story arc and also in Ryan’s command of color in telling the story. In short, I cannot wait for you and for all readers to experience this story. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/mes

I cohost a podcast on Book Riot called Kidlit These Days, where we examine the intersection between current events and children’s literature. It’s a lot of fun and feels like the most NPR thing I’ve ever done, which is pretty awesome in my mind. We’re about to record an episode celebrating our first anniversary of the show, but I thought I’d invite you to listen to an episode we just recorded in response to what’s on all of our minds right now. On this episode Nicole Young, that’s my cohost, and I discuss the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of racism and social media, how the virus is impacting school kids and families, and how the kidlit community is responding. Already information is changing, but I think this conversation will give you a great light into what the show is all about, plus you’ll walk away with a bunch of resources, books, and authors related to the topic doing cool things. If you like the episode, I encourage you to subscribe to Kidlit These Days using your favorite podcast app or go to B

Deborah Marcero (@deborahmarcero) shares IN A JAR, a picture book about storing memories, shared or gathered on your own. It’s about making what’s distant near. There’s something very special about experiencing something with someone else and Deborah’s book speaks to being present, to stopping and noticing. I know we’re distant now, but I hope you can call on those memories and feelings you’ve stored in jars and I hope they can make you feel comforted. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Recorded live at ALA Midwinter 2020, Scott Simon shares SUNNYSIDE PLAZA, his middle grade debut about a group home for developmentally disabled adults. The story is loosely based on Scott’s own childhood experiences and I think it says a lot about who we see and who we make invisible in our society. We recorded this conversation in front of a packed audience in a very, very noisy exhibit hall, but I think our voices come through clearly above the din of the giant room. And it’s a good conversation about a seldom-discussed representation in children’s literature. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Little Feminist Book Club (@Little_Feminist) team founder Britt Murlas and educational director Archaa Shrivastav join me to share the WE ARE LITTLE FEMINISTS board book series, including HAIR, FAMILIES, and ON-THE-GO. Each board book is full of beautiful photos depicting all kinds of kids and families from all different backgrounds, traditions, ages, shapes, and skin tones. The accompanying text in each book is pragmatic and joyful, creating a board book that transcends age. Seriously. I read this set of book to my 4th graders and they were transfixed! Britt and Archaa also talk a bit about the founding of LITTLE FEMINIST and how they hope the monthly book boxes from this intersectional feminist company are reaching readers of all ages. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: http

This is a dedication to the life and light of Charlene Willing McManis, and the story she told the world. Traci Sorell (@tracisorell) joins me to share INDIAN NO MORE, a debut middle grade novel by the late Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell. Charlene poured a lot of life and a lot of history we don’t get taught in schools into the writing of her debut novel. The result is an unforgettable protagonist named Regina Petit who has always been Umpqua and has always lived with her family on the Grand Ronde Tribe’s reservation. Following true events, the federal government enacts a law determining that it will no longer acknowledge the existence of the Umpqua or several other tribes on this land. Regina’s family moves to Los Angeles as part of the federal Indian Relocation Program and the family attempts to start life anew amid the backdrop of the Civil Rights era. I reference in our conversation an outstanding review of INDIAN NO MORE on the blog Indigo’s Bookshelf by a 13 year old member of the Children o

Margarita Engle (@margaritapoet) shares DREAMS FROM MANY RIVERS: A HISPANIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TOLD IN POEMS. Margarita blends voices of real people with fictionalized accounts in order to create a book of many voices and many experiences in order to represent hispanic history in the U.S. Choosing poetry as her vessel helped to make the history personal, bringing us closer to the characters and speaking to our present through moments of the past. It’s quite an exceptional work and I hope you’ll be equally moved when you read it, let alone from this conversation. Something that really stuck with me is Margarita’s reminder that we often fail to acknowledge the diversity within the diversity. DREAMS FROM MANY RIVERS does an outstanding job of doing exactly that through intimacy and a shared historical context.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Pa

Helena Ku Rhee (@HelenaRhee) shares THE PAPER KINGDOM, a new picture book illustrated by Pascal Campion. In our conversation Helena talks about the invisible people of our society or, rather, those that we have a tendency to make invisible. Helena’s parents were night janitors, much like the parents in THE PAPER KINGDOM, and Helena recounts stories of going into work late at night with her parents and the fantastical stories they would make up about the people who worked in the offices during the day. I had a lot of fun recording this conversation and I hope you enjoy listening! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Weshoyot Alvitre (@weshoyot) shares AT THE MOUNTAIN’S BASE, a poetic story written by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Weshoyot about a family nervously awaiting the return of a family member serving in WWII. This is a story where you notice the silence. The large illustrations and colorful thread framing and connecting the art draw eyes to the hands and faces we meet in a cabin at the base of a mountain, but the waiting and the working in silence builds such terrific tension that I personally found myself at a loss of breath by the story’s end. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nikki Grimes (@nikkigrimes9) shares ORDINARY HAZARDS, a memoir in verse that has not only garnered six starred reviews on top of being named a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and a Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book, but it is also without question one of the most beautiful, heart-breaking and heart-mending audiobooks I have ever heard. For those familiar with Grimes’ body of work, you will find through lines throughout pointing back to childhood trauma, family separation, and yearning to be cared for, but also a fierce resilience earned by assurance of the strength found within. For those new to Grimes’ work, it is a powerful reminder of the influence of adults in a child’s life and our ability to protect and nurture or to inflict harm. It had me thinking about my family as well as my students throughout. Nikki also shares her latest picture book, BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES and the great fun she’s having writing stories. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting ww

Kat Leyh (@kaymlay) shares SNAPDRAGON, solo debut graphic novel about a girl named Snap, an old lady named Jacks (who might actually be a witch), and a favor that turns into something of an apprenticeship. Snapdragon is a kid who’s not afraid to question or explore an ominous setting or situation, being a bit of an outcast herself. Her curiosity leads to a kind of compassion and affinity toward those lucky few in her life and, I think, after reading SNAPDRAGON you’ll know just how lucky it would be to be friends with someone like Snap. A mystery of magic and of familial connection pervades throughout this graphic novel, but you’ll have to read the book to find out more about that. Enjoy! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Today I’m welcoming Arthur A. Levine (@ArthurALevine1), head of Levine Querido and a publisher and advocate responsible for bringing many widely loved books in our world and in front of our readers. Arthur previews his Fall 2020 titles as well as what else is to come from Levine Querido. Our conversation looks broadly at publishing and at the world, but it also focuses on that one reader that needs the book you’re publishing. The one that needs to know they’re not alone in their experiences or in the world. To quote Arthur, “sometimes healing the world is healing one person.” Joining us also is Susan Kusel (@susankusel), synagogue librarian, book seller, and author. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

There are countless individuals working throughout publishing to center historically marginalized voices. Perhaps none do it more publicly or with greater lasting impact than those serving on award committees through the Association for Library Service to Children, or ALSC. That’s the branch of the American Library Association responsible for awarding medals such as the Newbery, the Caldecott, the Coretta Scott King, the Pura Belpré, the Stonewall, and many others. These medals often have direct correlation to what librarians purchase for their libraries. These medals drive book sales. These medals help to assure the book’s availability in print for years to come. Today’s episode features the 2020 Sydney Taylor Book Award Chair along with a handful of the award winners named by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of the ALA. I’ve linked to the full list of winners and honors in the show notes and I encourage you to check out this exceptional list of books recognized by the committee. You can acc

Elizabeth Lilly (@elizabethmlilly) shares GERALDINE, a picture book about a giraffe whose family moves to a new town where they are the only giraffe family. Geraldine tries to fit in as much as she can, but an encounter with a schoolmate and a conversation centered on labels gives new light to what it looks like to see and make space for another. Elizabeth Lilly is local to our school and so my 3rd graders had the chance to interview her in person. We also went totally off script, asking Elizabeth questions on the fly. The end result was what I think is a sincere and genuine conversation between a bookmaker and her readers. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Last November I had the esteemed privilege of moderating a panel at NCTE, the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English. The panel was titled “Redefining the Boy Hero: Empowering Sensitive Boys and Bucking Gender Stereotypes Through Middle Grade Fiction”. Sitting on the panel among a standing room only crowd were four exceptional children’s book authors: Elana K. Arnold, Erin Entrada Kelly, Kekla Magoon, and Katherine Marsh. We only had one mic and it was affixed to the podium, so I wasn’t sure how this recording would turn out. Thankfully my Zoom H4n Pro went above and beyond, allowing this panel and the noteworthy thoughts of my panelists to be recorded for others to hear. It gives me great pleasure to share this conversation with you. I sincerely hope you enjoy listening. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a

Today I am joined by a team of 3rd graders at my school. Specifically, these are 3rd graders who signed up to take a podcasting class with me. You may have heard them on previous episodes interviewing Ricardo Cortes about his illustrations in PARTY: A MYSTERY or asking Adam Rex about ARE YOU SCARED, DARTH VADER? or writing PLUTO GETS THE CALL, which is illustrated by Laurie Keller. I’ve got one more episode with them after this where they interview debut picture book author Elizabeth Lilly. GERALDINE, her debut, is one we all loved quite a lot and we had the special opportunity to interview her in person. But today is a little different. I reached out to all of you over Facebook and asked what questions about books, podcasting, and, most importantly, being a reader you might have for a class full of 3rd graders. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and I hope you enjoy listening. And if you submitted a question, listen for your name! Please welcome my 3rd graders, here to take your questions! You can ac