On Today's Show "There's these universal truths [...] specific details, but universal feelings and universal experiences that people hopefully can relate to. And that's what I go for in all of my books. Common humanity.” - Hena Khan Hena Khan didn’t believe her perspective mattered. As a Pakistani-American Muslim, she grew up not seeing her or her family reflected in the media she was consuming. As any kid might do, she concluded that it was simply because her experience was not important, a realization that became clearer in hindsight. Recalling her childhood writing, she discovered she had unintentionally white-washed her own homemade family newspaper.Building confidence in her perspective was a gradual process, extending into adulthood. Initially lacking self-assurance, she began writing while toning down her cultural identity to conform to perceived publisher expectations. Over time, her confidence grew, and today, she is recognized for authentically portraying stories rooted in her culture and religion.Reflecting on her own reading experiences, Hena values shared human experiences that transcend cultural backgrounds. She aims to demonstrate that these relatable moments exist in stories featuring non-white characters and diverse cultures.Renowned for works such as "Amina's Voice," its sequel "Amina's Song," the "Zara's Rules" series, and "More to the Story," Hena Khan shares her journey of grappling with invisibility as a young reader and the evolution of her faith in herself and her unique perspective. She also recounts the unexpected connection to a book about Christian white sisters in the 1800s in her unconscious quest for stories reflecting her Muslim immigrant family.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In Hena’s reading challenge, "Read Desi" she encourages us to celebrate South Asian American writers.You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Allie Buffington, Library Media Specialist at  Holley Navarre Intermediate School in Santa Rosa County, Florida. She tells us about the importance of making the library a space that kids want to come back to.ContentsChapter 1 - “Religious Holiday” (2:38)Chapter 2 - Gogol Search (6:16)Chapter 3 - Little Women (and the Khanicles) (9:43)Chapter 4 - Three Cheers From Andrea (18:17)Chapter 5 - Just Living (22:18)Chapter 6 - Common Humanity (30:20)Chapter 7 - Curious About Curious George (33:50)Chapter 8 - The Door is Open (35:31)Chapter 9 - Read Desi (37:28)Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (38:54)Links The Reading Culture The Reading Culture Newsletter Signup (for bonus content) Hena Khan Little Women by Louisa May Alcott | Goodreads Hena Khan's More to the Story is a Love Letter to Little Women | School Library Journal Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin  The Salam School for Girls  Alli Buffington's Library (this week’s featured librarian) The Reading Culture on Instagram (to see reels of author conversations) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

A Good Guest: Daniel Nayeri on the Obligations of a StorytellerOn Today's Show "Don't follow your dreams if that's the only thing you're doing. Ask yourself, what will make you most useful? What will make you most, in terms of a purpose, help you do meaningful work?” - Daniel Nayeri You want Daniel Nayeri at your dinner party. Always with a story or an insightful question, it turns out he is also the person you want on your podcast! The Iranian-American author of the Printz Award-winning “Everything Sad is Untrue,” and the more recent “The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams,” offered up fresh conversation and a good deal of humor. As a writer, Daniel Nayeri is deeply aware of the impact his writing has on readers. As he noted in our conversation, there is perhaps no more intimate power than becoming the dialogue in one’s head. And Daniel feels strongly about using that power to have a positive impact on those who read his words. Part of his purpose, or obligation, he believes, is to “remystify the world.” Just wait until we talk about why cherries grow in pairs! In this episode, Daniel explains what he means by remystifying the world, talks about the roadside storyteller that initiated his storytelling journey, and shares his views on purpose (why he takes his so seriously). From his life-changing experience with the Junior Great Books program in elementary school to his current film and book projects, Daniel delves deep into his role as storyteller. ***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In Daniel’s reading challenge, "Wise Shorts" he keeps our work and life load in mind offering a curated selection of short stories, reminding us that even the smallest things can have a major impact.You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Nikki Hayter, Library Manager at Franklin Avenue Library in Des Moines, Iowa. Nikki tells us about a program that highlights the deep impact libraries have on communities.ContentsChapter 1 - The Ferris Wheel and The Storyteller (2:15)Chapter 2 - A Retired Conan the Barbarian (6:43)Chapter 3 - Alberic The Wise (11:30)Chapter 4 - Remystifying the world (7:18)Chapter 5 - You get a memoir! And you get a memoir! And… (25:25)Chapter 6 - How to be interesting (28:20)Chapter 7 - Wise Shorts (33:31)Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:32)Links The Reading Culture Daniel Nayeri Alberic the Wise by Norton Juster | Goodreads The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

We revisit our Halloween special episode with Lamar Giles.******On Today's Show"The fear is like the ramp on the roller coaster. It's that build-up of adrenaline intention that you're having in that moment when that roller coaster is cranking. It's not the same fear of you walking through a dark alley at night and you sense someone's behind you in real life. That's a different type of fear that I don't know that anybody really wants. This is controlled fear. This is me going into it saying, Okay, I know this part's gonna be scary, but this part's gonna be fun and I want all of it." - Lamar Giles Lamar Giles says horror is a pressure valve. It has the ability to release pent-up anxiety and fear in a controlled, safe, and fun environment. That's why he'll watch Hellraiser at 4 a.m. to comfort himself when he can't sleep. While the genre isn't for everyone, he knows there are other young readers that will resonate with it the same way he did when he first read Stephen King at 11 years old.Giles' career has been full of mystery and thriller stories, but with the 2022 release of The Getaway, he has finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of writing a true horror novel. He tells us more about how the genre has helped him in his life and why he thinks kids resonate with his writing.ContentsChapter 1 - Growing Up as Lamar Giles (3:16)Chapter 2 - The Dinosaur in the Cereal Box (5:48)Chapter 3 - The Draw to Horror (8:26)Chapter 4 - It (9:30)Chapter 5 - The Pressure Valve (13:54)Chapter 6 - Connecting with Young Readers (17:23)Chapter 7 - Writing Black Characters (16:19)Chapter 8 - Publishing Horror (20:19)Chapter 9 - The Getaway (22:07)Chapter 10 - A Vehicle for Social Commentary (23:59)Chapter 11 - Fear On Screen (25:10)Chapter 12 - Scary Good Stories (27:18)Chapter 13 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (27:53)This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Christopher Parker, a media specialist at Blue Ridge Elementary in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Today he shares with us more about his most successful library program, 'Book Buddies'. Links Lamar Giles Don Cheadle & Sony Pictures TV Developing YA Book ‘The Getaway’ For TV – Deadline The Reading Culture Podcast Beanstack Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "It (TV) was my junk food, but also it was my in with the kids to be able to talk about pop culture, to know all the little nuances and jokes about the cultural zeitgeist things.” - Dan SantatMedia and stories around us around us are more than just entertainment. They provide a common space, a piece of the world around us that connects us to others. We learn from these stories, shape our own views and ideas, and listen to and share these ideas with others. Dan Santat, a son of Thai immigrants in rural SoCal, found solace and belonging in the storytelling of 80's TV shows and movies, connecting with others' experiences and perspectives. His fascination with storytelling coupled with his talent for drawing led him on a journey of self-discovery that would ultimately diverge from the career path his parents had urged him to pursue.In this episode, Dan shares openly about his fraught relationship with his dad. Dan’s honesty is humorous and nostalgic and real all at once. He talks about the freedoms and limitations of growing up in the 1980s and how they helped him discover a passion for storytelling as a means of communicating. Dan also tells us about his experience of embracing art, despite his parents' differing expectations, and how his journey has impacted the messages he imparts to students he meets today.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In his reading challenge, "Profound Panels" Dan wants listeners to embrace the hidden wisdom in the medium that first sparked his love of storytelling: comics.You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Connie Sharpe from Metro Nashville Public Schools. She told us about the importance of the connection between administrators and librarians. ContentsChapter 1 - Thai in SoCal (2:25)Chapter 2 - Crime Fighting (vehicle here) (6:55)Chapter 3 - The Trial and Death of Socrates (12:59)Chapter 4 - A Book About Dan (21:04)Chapter 5 - Passing on Heritage (and advice) (24:09)Chapter 6 - A Storyteller’s Legacy (31:03)Chapter 7 - Profound Panels (34:17)Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (35:40)Links The Reading Culture Dan Santat Dan Santat | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Longlist for National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Shane (movie) - Dan’s dad’s favorite movie before moving to America X-Men (comics that changed Dan’s life) Flowers in the Attic (how were we allowed to read this at such a young age?!) The Trial and Death of Socrates (a critical book for Dan) The Replacements (Dan’s show on Disney) Kung Fu: The Movie (starring David Carradine…hmmm) Dan’s acceptance speech at Caldecott-Newbery banquet A conversation about “Drawn Together” by Dan and Minh Lê American Born Chinese (a book that is very important for Dan) Dan Santat Dan Santat | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook | Linktree Connie Sharp at MNPS (this week’s featured librarian) The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content) Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "I think that has a lot to do with why I was so interested in writing for children. It's like, I was trying to heal. I was trying to heal my childhood experiences through writing, through these characters.” - Kacen Callender Just as books provide readers with a space to learn, see themselves, reflect, and cope with their inner thoughts, writing has served as a means for Kacen Callender to process and heal from their own trauma. Throughout their writing journey, Kacen has traversed the various stages and ages of their life, opening wounds and finding ways to heal them through fiction. This transformative process began with their debut novel “Hurricane Child” in 2018 which not only earned Kacen critical acclaim but also accolades such as the Stonewall Book Award and Lambda Literary Award. Since then, Kacen has authored other titles such as “Felix Ever After” and “King and the Dragonflies”, the latter of which won a National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Now, Kacen is entering the next phase in their writing journey, delving into the enduring adult repercussions of childhood trauma.Kacen’s vulnerable and emotional storytelling has had profound impacts on readers around the world, particularly Queer readers who often find their own journeys reflected in Kacen’s work. In this episode, Kacen shares more about their personal journey of processing trauma through writing. They also discuss how fanfiction played a pivotal role in inspiring their creative path and how the fictional storyline within a Canadian teen drama that helped them come to terms with their own identity.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In their reading challenge, "Trans YA Spec"  Kacen wants readers to imagine freedom for the trans community through works of speculative fiction.You can find their list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Meredith Derrick, library coordinator for Klein Independent School District outside of Houston, Texas. She shares a funny story about a student’s attempt at a thoughtful teacher appreciation surprise.ContentsChapter 1 - Reckoning with TraumaChapter 2 - Annie JohnChapter 3 - Fiction in Our Own HandsChapter 4 - Honest RepresentationChapter 5 - The Journey ContinuesChapter 6 - Dream StateChapter 7 - Diversity on the ShelvesChapter 8 - Trans YA SpecChapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading Culture Kacen Callender Fan Fiction Adam Torres (Degrassi) Annie John Stonewall Book Award | Kacen Callender Klein ISD The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "I'm just being real. I'm telling my story. I think Nikki Giovanni calls it dancing naked on the floor. I am unafraid and I'm doing my dance… I don't feel like I can go wrong if I'm just being me.” - Kwame AlexanderExciting reluctant middle school kids about reading (or really, anything) can be a battle. Getting them to think reading is cool is another. Kwame Alexander excels at both. His ability to authentically relate to his readers is a skill around which he has built his career.Kwame is beloved by parents, educators, and students, for his ability to ignite a love of reading (especially middle school boys) through poetry and characters who reflect their real experiences. But his impact extends beyond just an introduction to books, he also opens the door for readers to explore their own emotional depths. As he tells us, “I think part of my job is just to show a different side of masculinity.”Kwame is best known "The Crossover," "The Undefeated," "The Door of No Return," and numerous other novels and poetry collections. He also recently authored his memoir "Why Fathers Cry at Night." He won the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award among many other awards, and this year "The Crossover" was adapted into a Disney Plus original TV series. In this episode, he tells us about his own upbringing surrounded by Black storytelling and literature, reveals his secret to making middle-schoolers think he’s “cool”, and shares about a letter he received (which was “not fan mail”) that inspired a surprise visit to an unsuspecting kid.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In his reading challenge, "Blackout,"  Kwame wants listeners to utilize their favourite books to look inward and make some art of their own.You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kirsten, the programming specialist for the Indianapolis Public Library. She shares some moving stories about a book club she runs for teens at a residential treatment facility. ***ContentsChapter 1 - Glasses first (2:10)Chapter 2 - Mom’s stories, dad’s garage (3:53)Chapter 3 - Love After Love (9:11)Chapter 4 - The “Reluctant” Readers (14:01)Chapter 5 - Kwame Shows Up (17:50)Chapter 6 - America’s Next Great Authors (24:18)Chapter 7 - Blackout (27:34)Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (28:09)Links The Reading Culture Kwame Alexander Folly Island NYT article by Teddy Wayne about the potential benefits of clutter Beef, No Chicken Love After Love by Derek Walcott Kwame’s Newbery Banquet Speech Why Fathers Cry: The Podcast | Kwame Alexander #KwameShowsUp Nikki Giovanni Collected Poems, 1948-1984 -  Derek Walcott The Crossover | Official Trailer | Disney+ America's Next Great Author The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "I think it comes down to caring about the characters. When you care about the characters, you care about the world that they live in.” - Neal Shusterman When Neal Shusterman was in college, he was told to stop building worlds and start building characters. He listened. And from then on, his worlds became more magical and deep than ever before, because, as he says, when you care about characters, you care about the world they live in.Neal’s career has revolved around incredible and fantastical lands of his own creation. In these worlds, he builds rules and structures that he sticks to rigidly, even if that means following a story arc he had no intention of writing to begin with (he tells us that story in the episode). Getting immersed in settings unlike – but not far from – our own provides crucial lessons about perspective. This outside perspective allows us to shed our preconceptions and witness characters and events in a way we would be unable to otherwise. It’s an incredibly impactful storytelling style for young readers just learning these skills, and Neal is a master at it.Neal Shusterman is best known for his "Unwind Dystology" series, his Printz-winning "Scythe" trilogy, and "Challenger Deep," which won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature in 2015. In this episode, Neal shares how getting immersed in his favorite fictional worlds inspired him to create some of his own, he’ll talk about how and why he prioritizes characters to enhance immersion, and how seriously he takes sticking to the rules of his world.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In his reading challenge, "The Nature of Consciousness," Neal wants to send us into various fictional worlds to challenge our perception of a prevailing debate in our own world: A.I.You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Danielle Masterson, assistant director at the Wilmington Public Library in Massachusetts. Danielle shares some wisdom to settle the debate of what “qualifies” as reading.ContentsChapter 1 - The Trouble with Star Trek Blueprints (2:11)Chapter 2 - The Jaws of (Neal’s) Life (9:02)Chapter 3 - Desktop Quotes (10:32)Chapter 4 - Stories From the Cabin (15:14)Chapter 5 - No Characters, No World (18:02)Chapter 6 - A Sense of Hope (24:10)Chapter 7 - The Power of a Teacher (27:12)Chapter 8 - The Nature of Consciousness (30:30)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (31:23)Links The Reading Culture Neal Shusterman Neal’s National Book Award Speech for “Challenger Deep” Jaws movie trailer The Talmud Neal’s Upcoming Graphic Novel, “Courage to Dream” The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Challenger Deep - National Book Foundation Wilmington Memorial Library The world of Scythe - An interview with Neal Shusterman Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "That's still my trick too, never tell them how they're feeling. Never begin to even show how they're feeling. They'll get it anyway. You're describing negative space and the negative space you can't even get at.” - Jon Klassen Where there is empty space, our brains will fill in the blanks, and often, the way in which we personally fill those blank spaces is far more potent than anything that can be written in words or shown in an image. That’s why despite being gifted in both illustrating and writing, Jon Klassen always intentionally restrains himself from specificity. Jon is a Caldecott Medal winner author and illustrator known for his distinctive minimalistic art style and quirky but profound writing. His work includes his Hat Trilogy, starting with "I Want My Hat Back", along with newer works such as "The Rock from the Sky," “The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale” and many collaborations with his longtime friend and author Mac Barnett. In this episode, Jon tells us the story of how he learned to embrace the unspoken through a “gunshot moment” in his youth. He’ll talk about how he intentionally incorporates negative space into his work and why that is so impactful for young readers in particular, and we’ll hear about the SNL classics that inspired his coy sense of comedy. ***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***In his reading challenge, "A Tale to Remember," Jon invites readers to follow a process that for him emerged unintentionally in the creation of his latest book, "The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale." You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Ellen Clark, the Children's Outreach Librarian for Kokomo Howard County Public Library in Indiana. Ellen shares an experience she recently had that highlights the emotional impact librarians have not just on a community writ large, but on each individual reader.ContentsChapter 1 - Seventies University Guy Reads (2:25)Chapter 2 - Sketch Book Art Kids (not Jon) (7:51)Chapter 3 - Waiting For Godot (13:10)Chapter 4 - The Existential Gun Shot (19:40)Chapter 5 - No Sad Bears (21:47)Chapter 6 - Part 2 (28:34)Chapter 7 - A Girl and Her Skull (30:37)Chapter 8 - A Tale to Remember (34:51)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (36:12)Show Links The Reading Culture Jon Klassen The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Elm Trees of Manitoba P.D. Eastman Mac Barnett Jon’s Ghost Story The Hat Trilogy Waiting for Godot For Whom the Bell Tolls Jack Handy - Fuzzy Memories George and Martha by James Marshall Book Review: ‘The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale,’ by Jon Klassen - The New York Times The Far Side Comics Bill Watterson Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy The Children’s Book Podcast KHCPL.org Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

Grace Lin (The Year of the Dog, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon) shares her thoughts on the value art provides to those who experience it and those who create it, and how it contributes to getting us in touch with our own humanity.****On Today's Show"Maybe if they haven't been in that situation, they know someone who has, or they have friends who have really struggled with losing loved ones. That all helps build empathy." - Karina Yan Glaser Karina Yan Glaser is always emotionally honest in her stories. Pulling largely from her own experiences, she lets her feelings seep onto the pages in a way that makes it impossible not to feel as a reader. But despite writing for children, she doesn't hide any of those hard emotions such as anger, sadness, and grief. She believes in the power of stories to help kids practice empathy and be prepared for the tough situations we all face in life.Her takes on community, diversity, and hardship are what make her series The Vanderbeekers such a success. In this episode of The Reading Culture, she joins to share how her own reading journey has shaped who she is as a writer and how she approaches building empathy into her stories.Karina has also developed a reading challenge in partnership with Beanstack for listeners and Beanstack partners. Her theme is books where New York City is a character. You can learn more about the challenge here.ContentsChapter 1 - Getting to know Karina (3:53)Chapter 2 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (8:22)Chapter 3 - Becoming a Writer (16:36)Chapter 4 - Empathy in Stories (20:16)Chapter 5 - The Culture of Reading in Schools (28:59)Chapter 6 - A Question From a Reader (33:35)Chapter 7 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (36:41)This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Megan Wilson, a librarian at Aggieland High School in College Station, Texas, which is part of the International Leadership of Texas charter schools network. Today, Megan shares with us a book she loves to recommend to her students.Show Links Karina Yan Glaser Only in New York reading challenge Only in New York reading challenge on Bookshop.org (all proceeds go to fighting book bans) Karina’s Episode The Vanderbeekers final installement A Tree Grows in Brooklyn All of a Kind Family The Moffats The Saturdays Claudia Kishi (The Babysitters Club) Linda Sue Park Grace Lin Jacqueline Woodson Homes for the Homeless Columbus School for Girls Aggieland High School Lovely War by Julie Berry Beanstack

We revisit our episode with Renée Watson.****On Today's Show"There's just something about literally raising your voice and letting these words come out of you. That's powerful." - Renée Watson Maya Angelou was mute for six years. After a traumatizing childhood experience, the famous poet and activist retreated inward and lost her voice. In Renée Watson's kid-friendly but unflinching retelling of her story in "Maya's Song", Watson shows how poetry was the means to Maya finding her voice and going on to use it in unforgettable ways. That's the power of poetry. And that power is something that Renée is passionate about giving to kids.From incorporating poetic elements in her stories to writing entire stories in verse, Renée utilizes poetry in her writing frequently. In this episode, she joins to tell us more about how she came to believe in the power of poetry, how she makes it accessible to children, why she thinks it's so important for youth, and more.ContentsChapter 1 - Intro to Reneé (2:43)Chapter 2 - 1619 project (5:24)Chapter 3 - Knoxville, Tennessee (10:36)Chapter 4 - Telling Maya's Story (14:11)Chapter 5 - Teaching Youth Poetry (19:37)Chapter 6 - Music as a Gateway to Poetry (22:42)Chapter 7 - Writing About Portland (27:26)Chapter 8 - Sharing Joy With Ryan Hart (29:39)Chapter 9 - Library visits (32:02)Chapter 10 - Voice Through Voice (33:02)Chapter 11 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (33:54)Links https://www.reneewatson.net/ https://www.beanstack.com https://thereadingculturepod.com/renee-watson

Exciting news! We are hosting a big summer reading giveaway in which you can choose any three titles by any three authors who have been on our podcast. Three books each for three winners. The magic number really is three, y’all!We will select our three winners on August 11, so make sure that you have done a few things to get maximum entries! Follow The Reading Culture pod on Instagram   Comment on our post about this giveaway Subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter  

On Today's Show "For me, in the fiction, it is so much about keeping that continuum going, that someone's going to come along after me and tell a story that's connected to the story that I've told. I'm telling the story that's connected to the writers and the relatives who came before me.” - Jacqueline Woodson Jacqueline Woodson was born a watcher. An observer. Even as a young girl, she recognized that our stories are part of an enduring legacy that stretches far before and beyond our own lifetimes. Woodson is an icon in American literature, and author of works like “Brown Girl Dreaming,” “Red at the Bone,” and “Each Kindness.” Her voice has left an indelible mark on the literary landscape.In this episode, she shares about her relationship with her siblings growing up, her sense of melancholy as a child, and how some of the earliest books she read gave her a deep sense of fairness and social justice. She reveals the book that most impacted her own writing and the one thing that gives her hope, even in dark times. Jacqueline has witnessed the evolution of literary spaces over decades, along the way establishing herself as a legendary voice in the industry. She has become a guiding force, pushing publishers, readers, and writers toward a more inclusive future, a future that features creators of the global majority. She reflects on the industry’s evolution throughout her career through the lens of a Black queer writer, and she talks about setting the next generation up to carry on our stories and the stories that came before us. Now, in addition to her own work, Woodson dedicates her time to providing resources and support to the next generation of voices through the Baldwin For the Arts. ***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. Connect with Jacqueline on social @jacqueline_woodson.***For her reading challenge, Reading Black, Jacqueline challenges us to use her reading list as a way to look forward and back. The books she has chosen are all by black authors, telling their brilliant and varied stories of the American diaspora - stories this country is attempting to erase through book bans and challenges. She asks us to read these books and consider what other books they remind us of? For those we reread, what is new in the re-reading? What was it we missed the first time around? What thoughts and ideas have changed for us in the re-reading? You can find her list, designed for high school to adult readers, and all of our author challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.Returning as this episode’s Beanstack featured librarian is Cicely Lewis, School Library Journal’s 2020 school librarian of the year, from Gwinnett County Public Schools. Cicely, aka the Read Woke librarian, talks about why read-alouds are so important even for high school students, and why she refuses to stop using the word “woke” to inspire young people to read important narratives.ContentsChapter 1 - Starting in the Middle (2:30)Chapter 2 - The Continuum (5:44)Chapter 3 - Ballad of the Sad Café (10:44)Chapter 4 - Jacqueline’s Beginning (15:44)Chapter 5 - Empowering the Future (20:31)Chapter 6 - A Different Story (28:00)Chapter 7 - 500 Questions (35:37)Chapter 8 - Reading Black (36:33)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (37:41)Links The Reading Culture Jacqueline Woodson Carson McCullers reads from The Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1958) Baldwin for the Arts The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture The Children’s Book Podcast Cicely Lewis (Read Woke Librarian) Brown Girl Dreaming Red at the Bone Ballad of the Sad Café Greenville, SC Juno Diaz Jamaica Kincaid MacDowell Bastard Out of Carolina Toshi Reagon Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "Kids are growing up in an interesting time and they're led to believe that if we don't feel happy, we're doing something wrong. I think what I respond to is a deeper truth, which is, happiness is incredible and we should strive for it, but we should also acknowledge that half of our life is challenging or melancholy." - Matt de la Peña Hailing from a working class border town in Southern California, Matt de la Peña (Last Stop on Market Street, Mexican WhiteBoy, Milo Imagines the World) grew up in an environment that deeply valued strength and stoicism and oftentimes discouraged big displays of emotion from men. Instilled with a strong work ethic and the pursuit of opportunities, he followed in the footsteps of the men in his family and community. But still, there was a deeper truth to life within a buried emotional side that he felt compelled to explore.As early as high school, Matt would embrace this side of himself by secretly writing poetry, continuing on this journey to emotional self discovery throughout adulthood. Now, influenced by writers such as Kate DiCamillo and the late Cormac McCarthy, Matt’s books seek out the deeper and sometimes darker parts of life, teaching kids the invaluable skill of acknowledging melancholy and granting them the permission to appreciate their own emotional complexity.In this episode, Matt will share his lifelong journey to accessing his own emotions and how his writing teaches kids to do the same. ***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. Join Matt on social @Mattdelapena.***For his reading challenge, Conversation Starters, Matt invites us to ponder alongside our youngest readers with his curated selection of picture books. You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculture.com/matt-de-la-pena.This episode’s Beanstack featured librarian is Cicely Lewis, School Library Journal’s 2020 school librarian of the year, from Gwinnett County Public Schools. Cicely, aka the Read Woke librarian, shares about an awesome way to keep high schoolers excited about reading for pleasure and also a very fun birthday tradition at her school. ContentsChapter 1 - One Side of the Border (2:24)Chapter 2 - The Good, Bad, and Masculine (7:20)Chapter 3 - The Closet Poet (11:14)Chapter 4 - Sutree (14:38)Chapter 5 - The Future of Latinx Voices (24:38)Chapter 6 - Leaning Forward (27:58)Chapter 7 - Writing Up (31:58)Chapter 8 - Conversation Starters (33:59)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:55)Links The Reading Culture Matt de la Peña Matt’s Books The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Why We Shouldn’t Shield Children From Darkness | Matt's Letter to Kate DiCamillo The Children’s Book Podcast

On Today's Show "This is happening in our world and at the very least you can bear witness to it. That's literally the absolute least you can do. - Sabaa Tahir Sabaa Tahir’s (“All My Rage,” “An Ember in the Ashes” quartet) upbringing in the Mojave desert, isolated nearly 100 miles from the nearest city, exposed her to an unforgiving landscape and also many unforgiving truths of humanity. Within this backdrop, one place held significant importance in shaping her worldview: The Motel, a small business operated by her immigrant parents.  As she notes, “The good is what helps you survive, but the bad is what makes you wary and careful and makes you lonely at times.” Sabaa ventured into the realm of academia and later pursued a career in journalism, where her understanding of the world's imperfections deepened. The essence of Sabaa’s stories lies in the raw exploration of sorrow and frustration…and taking action.  In this episode, Sabaa delves into the experiences of her childhood that left an indelible mark on her perspective of the world. From the motel her parents ran, to sonic booms, to wearing (dreaded) dresses on Mondays, Sabaa’s youth sounds eerily like a superhero origin story. She also opened up about the “outsized impact” of her time copy editing at The Washington Post and its influence on her writing. Sabaa reveals how she channels her outrage to resonate with her coming-of-age readers, validating their shared frustrations and coming to terms with her own.***Keep up with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. Join Sabaa on social @SabaaTahir***For her reading challenge, Authors of the Muslim Diaspora, Sabaa wants readers to open up to other perspectives from Muslim diaspora authors, including their cultures, traditions, mythologies, and humor. She curated a fabulous reading list, and I invite you to check it out. Reading challenges are always available at thereadingculturepod.com.In this episode, we’re once again changing things up for our Beanstack featured librarian. Today we give the mic one more time to Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, the current American Library Association president, to share more about the upcoming ALA conference and exhibition. Beanstack has proudly participated in ALA exhibitions for the last eight years! ContentsChapter 1 - The Middle of Nowhere (for real)Chapter 2 - The MotelChapter 3 - One ArtChapter 4 - The Eyes of an EditorChapter 5 - Books Like Sad SongsChapter 6 - Back to Fantasy LandChapter 7 - Lego Proof SocksChapter 8 - Muslim DiasporaChapter 9 - Beanstack Featured LibrarianLinks The Reading Culture Sabaa Tahir Sabaa's Books  The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content) Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture Sabaa Tahir on growing up in a motel - Vox ALA Annual Conference The Children’s Book Podcast Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show "I think there's recognition that publishing is better the more voices are heard, and the more diverse those rooms can be as well –that it's not just a matter of changing the skin tone of a character, it's that culture is all these things that are seen and unseen, and it's in your world building." - Angeline Boulley Angeline Boulley was born into story-telling people. As a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, she was first introduced to the art through generational oral tradition. Yet during her childhood, Angeline struggled with her biracial indigenous identity. In searching for representation through the stories in books she was reading, she realized that the examples she found lacked depth and true experience. It wasn’t until her mid-forties that she realized she could write her own experience into existence. For nearly three decades, Angeline had mulled over a story idea, until she decided it was time to write this story. After another decade of working full-time (like really full-time as a mom of three with a big-time DC job) and seeking out time to write, she debuted with her award-winning novel, “Firekeeper’s Daughter.”***Keep up with Jordan and The Reading Culture on Instagram @thereadingculturepod and Angeline @AngelineBoulley***In this episode, Angeline explores her long journey to becoming an author and the themes in her latest work, “Warrior Girl Unearthed.” As Angeline says, it is time for a reckoning with the inhumane treatment of indigenous people’s remains still not repatriated throughout the United States. She shares how writing about her relationship to her culture helped her uncover her true identity and her goal to provide younger generations with authentic ideas of indigenous culture. For her reading challenge, Still Here, Angeline encourages readers to explore contemporary indigenous writers. While reading these modern stories, she challenges us to compare and contrast what has been taught previously about native cultures. I invite you to check it out, and for Beanstack clients, use the challenge on your site! Reading challenges are always available at thereadingculturepod.com.In this episode, we’re changing things up for our Beanstack featured librarian. Today we give the mic to Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada, the current American Library Association president, to share more about the upcoming ALA conference and exhibition. Zoobean has proudly participated in ALA exhibitions for the last eight years! ContentsChapter 1 - Over the horizon (2:16)Chapter 2 - Summers in Sault Ste. Marie (6:35)Chapter 3 - Stranger With My Face (12:10)Chapter 4 - The Fire behind “Firekeeper's Daughter” (16:41)Chapter 5 - We want our ancestors back (20:49)Chapter 6 - A Collection of Scalps (24:41)Chapter 7 - The weight of educating others (27:40)Chapter 8 - Casting Call (29:46)Chapter 9 - Reading Challenge (33:37)Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:45)Links The Reading Culture: thereadingculturepod.com Angeline’s Boulley: https://angelineboulley.com/ Angeline’s Books: https://angelineboulley.com/books.html The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content): https://instagram.com/thereadingculturepod   Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture: Beanstack Letter from Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaw) to Harvard University: http://www.indian-affairs.org/uploads/8/7/3/8/87380358/2021-02-18_harvard_letter_repatriation.pdf  Karl May, whose museum Angeline visited in Dresden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_May  Lessa Kananiʻopua Pelayo-Lozada: https://www.lessaforlibraries.com/ The Children’s Book Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/ Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

In This Episode"It is through these books and through this work that I'm doing that I hope that I can be a worthy companion of [children's] journeys, because they have a lot of journeys to go through, and there is nothing more difficult than going through those journeys alone." - Yuyi MoralesGrowing up in Mexico in the 60s and 70s, Yuyi Morales wasn’t familiar with children’s books. Instead, she was surrounded by a family of vibrant storytellers, and a mother whose creative side was brought out through her passion to make anything and everything needed around the house. As an adult, Yuyi found herself living in America and learning English, through which she discovered and fell in love with children’s books. A Caldecott Honor recipient and Pura Belpré Award winner, today, Yuyi merges her youth and experience in America to create magical, colorful, and entirely original picture books. ***Keep up with Jordan and The Reading Culture podcast on Instagram @thereadingculturepod and Yuyi @yuyimorales ***In this episode, Yuyi explores her experience as an immigrant to the United States and her constant immigrant journey now that she is living and creating in Mexico. She shares about everything from how her stories helped quell her homesickness to the inspiration for her more recent picture books (including this picture that she references in the show). Notably, Yuyi tells us about how she embraces the magical influences in her storytelling, and her secret to finding joy in every crevice of life, no matter the starting point.This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Pam Hamlin, a Family Literacy Specialist at Prince George's County Memorial Library System in Maryland. She has a message for parents and teachers of young children.As with all episodes, our author guest creates a unique reading challenge that is available on Beanstack and also at thereadingculturepod.com. Listen to the episode to learn more about Yuyi Morales’ reading challenge, Migration Stories. ContentsChapter 1 - The Blue Elephant (2:46)Chapter 2 - Baby on the Roof (8:09)Chapter 3 - El Ahogado Más Hermoso del Mundo (11:01)Chapter 4 - From Mexico to the United States, and back again (20:38)Chapter 5 - Dreamers (24:34)Chapter 6 - The Secret to Joy (32:23)Chapter 7 - Migration Stories (35:46)Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (37:29) Show Links The Reading Culture podcast homepage: thereadingculturepod.com Yuyi Morales: https://yuyimorales.com  Yuyi’s Books: http://yuyimorales.com/catalogue/?page_id=1867  The Reading Culture pod on Instagram (for giveaways and extra content): https://instagram.com/thereadingculturepod   Yuyi Morales on Instagram: https://instagram.com/yuyimorales  Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading culture: Beanstack Pam Hamlin’s home library (PGCMLS):  https://www.pgcmls.info/ The Children’s Book Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/ Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

On Today's Show “If you write about the world as it is, there's too much of a danger of it just feeding into our assumption that everything that we live with is right and normal. Whereas if you start to say, well wait, let's project this into the future, or let's see where this comes from in the past, suddenly it opens up a whole new vista about what the present is doing." - M.T. Anderson M.T. Anderson's home in small-town Vermont is rumored to be haunted and he relishes the ghost stories told about it. Despite his analog lifestyle and lack of belief in the paranormal, he spends a lot of his time dreaming up sci-fi and fantasy adventures. Aside from just being fun, he considers the genre to hold a unique power in removing our own preconceived ideas and giving us fresh eyes to rethink our values and society.  M.T. has demonstrated that ability in books like Feed, Landscape with Invisible Hand, and even his historical fiction duology Octavian Nothing. But to realize the power of the genres, he had to overcome the stigma that sci-fi and fantasy were inferior to traditional realism, or as he calls it, “New York realism.”In this episode, M.T. takes us on his own journey to embracing these genres as a writer, he talks about the growing relevance of their ability to offer societal critiques and representation in the increasingly hostile censorship movements, and he tells us about his new story where he uses a new perspective to learn about the world (his dog’s).For his reading challenge, Hometown Lore, M.T. challenges readers to find the magic and weird stories hidden in their hometowns. Reading challenges from other author guests are always available at thereadingculturepod.com.This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Iuyana Miller, the media specialist at Young Middle School in Atlanta. Along with being the 2022 Media Specialist of the Year for Atlanta Public Schools, she is also referred to as the “book fairy” by her elementary students. Iyuana shares a story of how she ventured beyond her comfort zone to meet her middle school kids where they are and engage them more than she ever imagined.ContentsChapter 1 - The Ghost and the Corgi (2:07)Chapter 2 - The Forest of Massachusetts (4:44)Chapter 3 - Moominland Midwinter (in winter) (9:46)Chapter 4 - Building on ruins (16:08)Chapter 5 - Aliens Make Everything Better (20:18)Chapter 6 - The truth behind the fantasy (26:37)Chapter 7 - The magical dog (31:22)Chapter 8 - Hometown Lore (34:17)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (36:05)Links thereadingculturepod.com thereadingculturepod.com/mt-anderson M.T. Anderson https://www.beanstack.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/https://www.atlantapublicschools.us/young

Creators & Guests Jordan Lloyd Bookey - Host Shadra Strickland - Guest On Today's Show“I remember everything was so shiny. Like the way that Pat illustrated that book, everything glistened, and main characters were Black and that was really cool for me. It was so colorful. I just wanted to live in that world.” - Shadra Strickland on “Clouds” by Pat Cummings One of Shadra Strickland’s earliest memories is drawing underneath her grandma’s table. From a young age, she had a visual, creative mind. As the daughter of an English teacher, she was an avid reader, and words were important, but it was picture book illustrations that opened her up to a whole new side of storytelling. With a love for drawing from a young age, Shadra soaked up every color and every shape in those books. As an adult, she has pursued a career in illustrating children’s literature and has earned many accolades.But throughout her experiences illustrating other authors’ stories, a storyteller within her began to emerge, and in 2023 she made the leap to author-illustrator with “Jump In!”. In this episode, Shadra takes us through the important artistic influences and moments in her life that led her to this debut solo picture book. She shares the elements of art that stand out to her and how she applies them to her work, and we also discuss the rise and ethics of AI art.This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Jen Siderius, the media specialist at New Market Elementary School in Maryland. She shares a heartwarming story about the value of making different book formats available to students and families.As with all episodes, our author guest creates a unique reading challenge available on Beanstack and at thereadingculturepod.com/shadra-strickland. Listen to the episode to learn more about Shadra’s challenge, Move It!ContentsChapter 1 - Newspaper Clippings (2:33)Chapter 2 - The Allure of Clouds (6:46)Chapter 3 - Come on, Rain! (12:32)Chapter 4 - Jumping in to Jump In! (17:28)Chapter 5 - Out-hustling the Robots (25:36)Chapter 6 - Doin’ the double-dutch (27:56)Chapter 7 - What’s next? (30:58)Chapter 8 - Move It! (34:04)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (35:05)Links The Reading Culture pod The Reading Culture pod on Instagram Shadra on The Reading Culture pod Shadra Strickland Shadra Strickland on Instagram Beanstack Home | New Market Elementary School The Children's Book Podcast

On Today's Show "I think there's so much you can do. It's so rich because you have words, you have pictures. Sometimes they say the same things, sometimes they say opposite things. There's such an interplay between the two that I feel like there's so many possibilities." - Victoria Jamieson Victoria Jamieson was always an introverted child, but a move across states in middle school pushed her further inward and made her grasp for familiarity. She quickly found comfort in the local library after her mother became the regular host of their summer reading program. While Victoria was an avid reader, burning through Ramona Quimby stories, she also found herself deeply interested in the Sunday comics in newspapers, and eventually comics such as Calvin and Hobbes. This lifelong interest in artwork and storytelling would inspire her own career as an author-illustrator. But as Victoria discovered an additional gap in the comic industry for middle-grade literature, she was influenced to take a shot at writing her own graphic novel.Today, Victoria talks to us about why she loves illustrations in literature, authors that inspired her, and how a dream job rejection inspired her first book.This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is John Henry Evans, a school librarian at Walter T. Helms Middle School at West Contra Costa Unified School District in California. Today, John Henry shares a moving story about a student, a book, and an unexpected post-it note.As with all episodes, our author guest creates a unique reading challenge that is available on Beanstack and also at thereadingculturepod.com. Listen to the episode to learn more about Victoria’s challenge of looking through some new “little windows”.ContentsChapter 1 - Owner of the library (2:04)Chapter 2 - Ramona and Beezus (6:57)Chapter 3 - From Ramona to Rollergirl (11:01)Chapter 4 - Astrid, The Likeable (15:07)Chapter 5 - The allure of Lego manuals (18:06)Chapter 6 - Omar’s Story (24:40)Chapter 7 - Warm Welcomes (32:27)Chapter 8 - Little Windows (36:33)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (37:45)Links thereadingculturepod.com https://www.victoriajamieson.com/ https://www.beanstack.com https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/ https://www.wccusd.net/

On Today's Show "A lot of my books have characters who are lonely, who are trying to figure out their way, who don't feel seen in the world, who don't know how to use their voice. I want to write books for those kids because I want a safe way for them to navigate all that stuff." - Erin Entrada Kelly As an introvert battling depression and bullying, it was easy for Erin Entrada Kelly to feel overlooked by those around her, but she found her place in reading and finding uniquely relatable characters. Not those she shared outward similarities with, but those she was able to empathize with on an emotional level.Inspired, Erin also began to write her own stories, –something that allowed her to build her own world, her own identity, and provide her with that outlet and sense of control she never felt she had. Erin’s admiration for these complex characters and an unrelenting dream of being a writer pushed her into the world of youth literature. Her ability to understand and convey the perspective of vulnerable, unseen children in her writing has found her a closely-bonded, communal audience. Erin talks to us today about her favorite books growing up, her path to youth literature, and why she believes kids are not ‘incomplete vessels.’ This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Erin Bechdal, a middle and high school librarian at Beaver Area School District in Pennsylvania. She’ll tell us about her go-to author recommendation for students. As with all episodes, our author guest creates a unique reading challenge available on Beanstack and at thereadingculturepod.com/erin-entrada-kelly. Listen to the episode to learn more about Erin’s challenge, Here to There.ContentsChapter 1 - The Unseen Child (2:12)Chapter 2 - Born Writing (8:34)Chapter 3 - Hurricane Child (11:01)Chapter 4 - Short Stories, Long Journey (15:02)Chapter 5 - Incomplete Vessels (20:42)Chapter 6 - A 200-person hug (24:24)Chapter 7 - Out-of-place (and time) (30:57)Chapter 8 - Here to There (33:16)Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:15)Links thereadingculturepod.com https://erinentradakelly.com/ https://www.beanstack.com https://www.basd.k12.pa.us/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-childrens-book-podcast/