The Children's Book Podcast

John Schu and Lauren Castillo share This Is a Story, inviting us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on March 14, 2023.

Torrey Maldonado shares HANDS, a story about Trevor, a twelve-year-old who is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and would do anything to protect his mom and sisters. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.

Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd share You Are Not Alone, a story reminding us that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong. This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.

Andrea Wang shares Luli and the Language of Tea, a story that reminds us that when you're looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond.  BOOK DESCRIPTION: Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Hyewon Yum   Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers.   When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can anyone else. That's when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party and bring them all together.   Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out "Chá!" in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. Tea is a tasty language they all know well, and it gives them a chance to share and enjoy each other's company. When all the tea is gone a

Tiffany Jewell shares The Antiracist Kid, a book that teaches young children the words, language, and methods to recognize racism and injustice--and what to do when they encounter it at home, at school, and in the media they watch, play, and read. BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Antiracist Kid: A Book about Identity, Justice, and Activism by Tiffany Jewell; illustrations by Nicole Miles   From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Book Is Anti-Racist, Tiffany Jewell, with art by Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Miles, The Antiracist Kid is the essential illustrated guide to antiracism for empowering the young readers in your life!   What is racism? What is antiracism? Why are both important to learn about? In this book, systemic racism and the antiracist tools to fight it are easily accessible to young readers.   In three sections, this must-have guide explains:   Identity: What it is and how it applies to you Justice: What it is, what racism has to do with it, and how to address injustice Activism: A h

Tameka Fryer Brown shares That Flag, an affecting picture book that challenges the meaning behind the still-waving Confederate flag through the friendship of two young girls who live across the street from each other. BOOK DESCRIPTION: That Flag by Tameka Fryer Brown; illustrated by Nikkolas Smith   An affecting picture book from Tameka Fryer Brown and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith (The 1619 Project: Born on the Water) that challenges the meaning behind the still-waving Confederate flag through the friendship of two young girls who live across the street from each other.   Bianca is Keira's best friend. At school, they are inseparable. But Keira questions their friendship when she learns more about the meaning of the Confederate flag hanging from Bianca's front porch. Will the two friends be able to overlook their distinct understandings of the flag? Or will they reckon with the flag's effect on yesterday and today?   In That Flag, Tameka Fryer Brown and Nikkolas Smith graciously

Jenny Kay Dupuis shares Heart Berry Bling, a story incorporating the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act into an intimate conversation between grandparent and child. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis; illustrated by Eva Campbell.   On a visit to her granny, Maggie is excited to begin her first-ever beading project: a pair of strawberry earrings. However, beading is much harder than she expected! As they work side by side, Granny shares how beading helped her persevere and stay connected to her Anishinaabe culture when she lost her Indian status, forcing her out of her home community--all because she married someone without status, something the men of her community could do freely.   As she learns about patience and perseverance from her granny's teachings, Maggie discovers that beading is a journey, and like every journey, it's easier with a loved one at her side.   In this beautifully illustrated book, children learn ab

Jackie Azúa Kramer, Jonah Kramer, and Zach Manbeck share Manolo & the Unicorn, a story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary--unicorns and oneself. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer, illustrated by Zach Manbeck   To Manolo the world is a magical place--a place where he searches for the most magical creature of all: a unicorn. Manolo loves unicorns. When the Wild Animal Parade is announced at school, and Manolo declares that he will come as his favorite animal, his classmates say there is no such thing as unicorns, making the world feel ordinary. That is, until Manolo meets a real unicorn--wild and graceful--and discovers that the world is truly extraordinary. NOTABLE QUOTES:   (9:20) “The two of us started to think, “What if instead of the crayon, a boy is teased because he believes in unicorns.” Now, we had a story with a foundation that touched on themes of gender stereotypes and gender identity.”   (10:21) “But we really don't

Eric Rosswood shares Strong, a picture book biography co-authored with Rob Kearney and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani. Strong is a fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.   BOOK DESCRIPTION: Strong by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood; illustrated by Nidhi Chanani   A Stonewall Honor Book!   Strong is a fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.   Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks -- and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can't fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?   With bold illustrations and an engaging, informative text, Strong introduces readers to Rob Kearney and his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world's first openly gay professional strongman. NOTABLE QUOTES:   (6:12) “There's a lot of ways we can be strong.

Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez share I Can Be... Me!, a joyful picture book celebration of individuality, uniqueness, and children's freedom to express themselves while engaging in whatever kinds of play they choose.   BOOK DESCRIPTION: I Can Be... Me! by Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez   From bestselling author Lesléa Newman -- a joyful picture book celebration of individuality, uniqueness, and children's freedom to express themselves while engaging in whatever kinds of play they choose.   I can be everything I want to be, I can be all of magnificent me!   In this lighthearted story, a group of six, colorfully clad children exuberantly explore -- through play -- the many ways they can be themselves. They are free to embrace all kinds of activities, reveling in the fun of trying new things and discovering new ways of being. They can shoot baskets, dance around a room, weave ribbons through their hair, swim like a mermaid, and more. There is no right way or wrong way. There are no binary e

Kim Taylor shares A Flag for Juneteenth, a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl. BOOK DESCRIPTION: A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor   Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.   On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, General Gordon Granger of the Union Army delivered the message that African Americans in Texas were free. Since then, Juneteenth, as the day has come to be known, has steadily gained recognition throughout the United States. ln 2020,a powerful wave of protests and demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality brought new awareness to the significance of the holiday.   A Flag for Juneteenth depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a plantation in Texas, the day before the announcement is to be made that all enslaved people are free. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can’

Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew.   And, in lieu of a new episode today, I am pulling off to a rest stop.   When I was a kid, my parents took us on lots and lots of road trips. My younger brother, baby sister, and I would pile into the family station wagon, hitch the pop-up camper, and away we went.    Disney World. Niagara Falls. Kittyhawk. Williamsburg. Dearborn. Sandusky. Rehoboth.    We would drive and drive and drive from our home in central Pennsylvania, and, without fail, one of us kids would drink too much Hawaiian Punch and need to pull over. And because we were often traveling on highways, the easiest place to stop was at a rest stop. My mom would task one of us with carrying the cooler to a nearby picnic bench and we’d fill our tummies with lunch meat sandwiches, sliced apples, and Teddy Grahams. After an impromptu game of tag or frisbee or Disney Yahtzee, we’d visit the restroom one more time, and then pile back into the car for another several hours down the highway.   It is an

Kaylin Melia George shares Aloha Everything a story celebrating a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart. BOOK DESCRIPTION: Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George and Mae Waite    In this exciting adventure, you'll encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, royal hawks soaring high above the clouds, and brilliant lizard creatures jumping nimbly through forest trees! Most importantly, you'll meet a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.   Since the day that Ano was born, her heart has been connected to her home. But, this adventurous child has a lot to learn! When Ano begins to dance hula — a storytelling dance from which carries the knowledge, history, and folklore of the Hawaiian people — Ano comes to understand the true meaning of aloha. NOTABLE QUOTES:   (4:46) “The word aloha has a lot of different meanings and it primarily, for me, the way that I kind of root my

Katherine Roy shares Making More: How Life Begins, distilling the science of reproduction into its simplest components and highlighting the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from ferns and butterflies to trout, hawks, rabbits, and more.   BOOK DESCRIPTION: Making More: How Life Begins by Katherine Roy Page Length: 72 pages Ages 9 to 12, Grades 4 to 7   From fish to mammals and plants to insects, every organism on Earth must reproduce, and the survival of each species--and of life itself--depends on this and on the diversity it creates. In this groundbreaking book, Katherine Roy distills the science of reproduction into its simplest components: organisms must meet, merge their DNA, and grow new individuals; and she thoughtfully highlights the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from ferns and butterflies to trout, hawks, rabbits, and more.   Lucid, informed, and illuminated by beautiful paintings, Making More weaves a s

Darshana Khiani shares I'm an American, a beautifully depicted, thought-provoking look at the many ways we define what it means to be an American. BOOK DESCRIPTION: I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated by Laura Freeman Page Length: 48 pages Ages 4to 8, Grades P to 3   I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated by Laura Freeman   What does it mean to be American?   A classroom of children across many races, cultures, and origins explores the concept of Americanness as they each share bits of their family history and how their past has shaped their own personal American experience. Whether as new immigrants, or those whose family came to this country generations ago, or other scenarios, these children's stories show some of the broad range of cultures and values that form the history and identity of our nation.   A beautifully depicted, thought-provoking look at the vast expanse of cultures that exists in America, the values that bring us together as one people despite our differences, and the

Padma Venkatraman, contributor to Things We Do, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Padma Venkatraman website - padmavenkatraman.com Purchase the book - Things We Do CREDITS:   This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.    Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com.    Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).    Our music is by Podington Bear.    Podcast hosting by Libsyn.    You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.   We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.   Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that

Sally J. Pla, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: Sally J. Pla website - sallyjpla.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS:   This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.    Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com.    Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).    Our music is by Podington Bear.    Podcast hosting by Libsyn.    You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.   We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.   Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder

Rajani LaRocca, author of Mirror to Mirror, shares a poem for Poetry Month.  ADDITIONAL LINKS: Rajani LaRocca website - www.rajanilarocca.com Purchase the book - Mirror to Mirror CREDITS:   This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.    Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com.    Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).    Our music is by Podington Bear.    Podcast hosting by Libsyn.    You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.   We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.   Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journe

JaNay Brown-Wood, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. ADDITIONAL LINKS: JaNay Brown-Wood website - www.janaybrownwood.com Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change CREDITS:   This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.    Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com.    Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).    Our music is by Podington Bear.    Podcast hosting by Libsyn.    You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.   We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.   Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Bea

Thushanthi Ponweera, author of I Am Kavi, shares a poem for Poetry Month.  ADDITIONAL LINKS: Thushanthi Ponweera website - www.thushanthiponweera.com Purchase the book - I Am Kavi CREDITS:   This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.    Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com.    Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).    Our music is by Podington Bear.    Podcast hosting by Libsyn.    You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.   We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.   Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journ