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#70 - Three New Graphic Novels & A Conversation with Jerry Craft
Books Between Podcast
03/18/19 • 44 min
Intro
Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect the tweens in your life to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - 5th grade teacher, a mom of an 11 and 9 year old, and desperate to be DONE with winter, please!! Yesterday we saw robins all over the yard and today... it’s covered with snow again.
I believe that the right book can change the trajectory of a child’s life and can help them recognize the world for what it is and what it can be. And I want to help you connect kids with those wonderful, life-shaping books and bring you inspiring conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen.
This is episode #70 and today I’m discussing three new graphic novels that would be great additions to your collection, and I’m also sharing with you a conversation I had with one of their creators.
Book Talk - Three New Graphic Novels
In this segment, I share with you a selection of books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. This week I am featuring three new graphic novels released in the last few months that should absolutely be on your radar - Click, New Kid, and Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy.
Click
Let’s start with Click by Kayla Miller. This full-color graphic novel is about 5th grader Olive who is feeling left out and left behind when all of her friends have matched up with each other for the school variety show. They’ve all formed acts together and Olive is feeling like she just doesn’t “click” with anyone or anything.
Here are three things I really enjoyed about Click:
- Olive’s Aunt Molly! She’s the kind of aunt we all wish we could have - the one whose house you can stay at when things are tricky at home. The cool aunt with ripped jeans, green streaks in her hair, and a “Kiss the Librarian” coffee mug. (I mean - well, *I* think that’s cool!) It’s Aunt Molly that gets Olive these DVDs of old-timey variety shows that leads to her “a-ha” moment.
- The friendship dynamics in the book! I know a lot of kids can feel like they don’t belong. Don’t feel popular, don’t have a best friend. And as someone who always seemed to be friends with girls who were best friends with each other - I could really relate to Olive.
- The third thing that I ended up liking about this book is that it’s slower paced, has essentially one main conflict, and it can be read in one sitting.
Click is a great option for kids in grades 3-6 who liked Sunny Side Up or Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel. And - Kayla Miller has a sequel coming out on April 23rd called Camp - so if they enjoy Click, they’ll have another one on the way.
Meg, Jo, Beth & Amy
Next up is Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth by Rey Terciero and Bre Indigo which is, as you might have guessed from the title - a modern retelling of Little Women. A full-color, 256 page graphic novel reboot of the March sisters’ story. In this retelling, the March family lives in a brownstone in New York City and their father is deployed overseas in the Middle East. So the setting is different, but the girls’ personalities are pretty much the same, but with a modern twist. Meg is the responsible one and works as a nanny. Jo is an ambitious writer, Beth is shy and loves writing music but plays a guitar and not the piano, and Amy is still her obnoxious self - just in a slightly different way. My eleven-year-old and I devoured this book - oh it’s so good! And here are three reasons why:
- That the March family is reimagined as a modern blended biracial family. Mr. March is black and was a widower with one daughter, Meg. And he marries Mrs. March, who is white and also had one daughter, Jo. And they go on to have Beth and Amy together. And that mix of closeness and conflict that can happen between sisters had my daughter nodding her head and laughing in recognition. We also loved that this modern retelling including gay characters and just an overall more diverse slice of society.
- Noticing what’s changed from the original. I’d read the Little Women many years ago but my daughter hadn’t and I doubt many middle grade readers will have. But we had both seen the movie recently and it’s cool to...
#69 - Novels About Loss and Hope & Special Guest Laura Shovan (Takedown)
Books Between Podcast
02/25/19 • 65 min
Intro
Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher of 21, a mom of two, and enjoying the last few hours of our Winter Break here in Central New York. We’ve had ice storms then sun and lots of time to read.
This is episode #69 and Today I’m discussing four excellent middle grade novels that deal with grief and loss. And I’m also sharing with you a conversation I had with Laura Shovan about her latest book Takedown.
Book Talk - Four Novels About Loss and Hope
In this segment, I share with you a selection of books centered around a theme and discuss three things to love about each book. I happened to read these four books back-to-back without realizing how profoundly connected they were. They have completely different plots and one is even sci/fi / speculative fiction - but each novel features a main character who is dealing with loss in one form or another. In two of the novels, that loss is the death of a parent. And in two of the novels, that loss includes a parent dealing with mental illness and trauma themselves. A loss of another - a loss of what was once considered normal life. The books this week are: The Science of Breakable Things, The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole, The Simple Art of Flying, and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise.
The Science of Breakable Things
The first book I want to share with you and one that I hope makes its way into your collection is Tae Keller’s debut novel The Science of Breakable Things. The lead in this story is 7th grader Natalie who’s life has been turned upside down as she and her father are learning how to navigate her mother’s depression - the “situation” as her dad calls it that has her mom holed up in her bedroom and not able to cook, work, or keep up any of the routines and traditions that had kept their family together. At the beginning of the school year, Natalie’s science teacher has challenged them all to use the power of the scientific method to explore a question that intrigues you and study it with all your heart. Well - the question that tugs at Natalie’s heart? How can I inspire my mother to break out of her depression? And along the way Natalie teams up with Twig (her exuberant best friend) and Dari (their new serious lab partner) to enter an egg-drop contest hoping to use the prize money for a scheme to jumpstart her mother out of her depression. Here are three things to love about Tae Keller’s The Science of Breakable Things:
- How the story is laid out with the steps of the Scientific Method! Step One: Observe, Step Two: Question, Step Three: Investigative Research and so on. It’s a clever way to structure the story and have you predicting what those Results will be!
- The illustrations and footnotes! Oh am I such a sucker for a good footnote - especially funny ones and this novel has over fifty of these little gems!
- Natalie’s visits with her therapist, Dr. Doris - and Natalie’s resistance to falling for her “Therapist Tricks” and Natalie’s eventual shift to being more open with her. I think a lot of kids will be able relate to those begrudging trips to a counselor, and I hope some other children might see a glimpse into the help a therapist can offer.
There is so much more to this book than just those things - like Natalie’s relationship with her Korean grandmother and her growning interest in their shared culture and the break-down of her relationship with her friend Mikayala. Here is one of my favorite quotes - one that captures the blend of science and hope in this book. This is from a section right after Natalie, Twig, and Dari have been experimenting with magnets. “It’s funny how the cold magnets actually worked best. It’s like how perennial plants seem to die in the winter but really, they’re just waiting till everything is all right again. Maybe it’s not such a surprise that there’s strength in the cold. Maybe sometimes the strongest thing of all is knowing that one day you’ll be alright again, and waiting and waiting until you can come out into the sun.”
For kids who are waiting for those in their lives to come out into the sun, The Science of Breakable Things is a fabulous book to offer.
The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole
Our next book today is
#68 - MG Trends & the Most Anticipated Books of 2019
Books Between Podcast
01/15/19 • 38 min
Intro
Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher, a mom, and battling a cold this afternoon! So if I sound a little...off - that is why!
This is episode #68 and Today I’m answering some questions about trends in middle grade and sharing with you some fabulous 2019 titles to look forward to this year!
Q&A - Trends in Middle Grade Fiction
Last month, my husband asked me some questions about trends in middle grade fiction. He teaches a class at Seton Hall all about trends in genre fiction and wanted some input on middle grade. So I thought I would share my responses with you. And I would be very curious about what YOU would answer.
- What genres or subgenres do you believe are the hottest right now?
Well, it’s a format and not a genre but graphic novel memoirs like Hey Kiddo, Real Friends, and Be Prepared are still really popular. And also graphic novel adaptations of classics (like Anne of Green Gables) and popular novels (like Wings of Fire or Percy Jackson). And again, not genre, but I see more books that are based on the core experiences of the writer. Those novels that draw on the real-life backgrounds of the authors like Kelly Yang’s Front Desk, Tami Charles’ Like Vanessa, and Supriya Kellar’s Ahimsa. They’re not memoirs but they are books rooted in a very personal experience. To authors, I’d say - take those things that make you unique, that make you a bit quirky, that set you apart from most other people - and write THAT story. Like Kelly Yang taking the experiences of her family coming from China and running motels to write Front Desk. Jarrett Krosoczka writing the critically acclaimed graphic novel memoir Hey Kiddo about his life living with his grandparents after his mom lost custody of him due to drug addiction. Crack that door open and invite us inside.
- What genres or subgenres do you believe are passé or overexposed?
I don’t know.... I do wonder how long the unicorn and narwhal craze will last but that seems to live more in picture books than middle grade. Magical realism - or rather realistic fiction with a magical twist - doesn’t seem to be slowing down. You know - anything can be new and fresh with the right spin. And also, authors from marginalized backgrounds are still underrepresented in just about every genre so those are stories that will likely have new points of view. I thought I was totally over zombie stories but Dread Nation popped up and whoa!! I’ve never read a zombie story like THAT before!
- If you had to predict, what genre or subgenre do you think is primed to be the next Big Thing in the next year or so?
I would say stories about immigrants, refugees, and the unique experiences of marginalized groups (especially by #ownvoices authors) will continue to be popular. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen an explosion of critically acclaimed middle grade stories like Alan Gratz’s Refugee, Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me, and Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai among many more. We also have more and more books coming out that tell stories of police violence in developmentally appropriate ways like Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Blended by Sharon Draper. I’m also really excited about a new crop of middle grade #MeToo stories on the horizon like So Done by Paula Chase and the upcoming Barbara Dee novel Maybe He Just Likes You.
- Any comments about where you see genre fiction heading?
In middle grade, like everywhere else, #ownvoices books are still underrepre...
#67 - (Some of the) Best MG Graphic Novels of 2018
Books Between Podcast
01/10/19 • 20 min
Intro
Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a teacher in Central New York, a mom of two tween girls, and currently - all about the new Miles Morales Spiderman movie. It’s the lockscreen on my phone, my girls and I have the soundtrack set to shuffle in the car....and I already have plans to go see it a second time. Into the Spiderverse is the most innovative and fresh and exciting movie I’ve seen in years. It’s some next-level stuff. Just - go see it!! And see it on the BIG screen!
This is episode #67 and today we are celebrating some of the best middle grade graphic novels published in 2018.
On our last episode, I listed my top 25 middle grade novels of the year and I’ll include a link to that if you missed that episode.
I think it’s important at the outset when making a list of this kind to explain what “best” means to you. What are your criteria? Is that popularity? The Goodreads best of lists tend to veer in that direction. Is it literary appeal? That is more along the lines of say, the Newbery Awards.
For me, an outstanding book has to fit three criteria:
- I couldn’t put it down. Meaning - it was immersive, it has flow, it kept me turning the pages.
- I can’t forget it. Meaning - it had some extra special sparkle. An unforgettable character, an intriguing setting, a ground-breaking format, or a powerfully poignant message.
- I think kids would like it. There are books out there marketed to middle grade readers (sometimes those big award winners) that adults love but kids don’t seem to latch onto as much. So I also try to be mindful that kids books are for kids. Not for me. I am just the conduit to getting books into their hands and helping them discover what they like.
Okay - let’s jump in!
Main Topic - The Top 9 MG Graphic Novels of 2018
9. Making Friends by Kristen Gudsnuk
This full-color graphic novel is about a 7th grade girl named Dany. She has just started middle school and is pretty lonely. Her friends are in different classes now and have new in-jokes and stories that she doesn’t get anymore. So she’s feeling socially vulnerable when her eccentric (and loaded) great-aunt passes away and she ends up with the woman’s sketchbook. A magical sketchbook that will turn your drawing into real-life. So when Dany draws the head of her favorite anime character (uh yeah... JUST the head) and a super popular girl to be her friend, there are (as you can imagine!) some unintended consequences. This book is FUNNY but you won’t catch half the stuff unless you read the background texts - like the store names: “Hot Topic” is “Cool Subject” and the indredients list on the food have some interesting things listed on them. This book is like a mix of Shannon Hale’s Real Friends with a touch of Suee and the Shadow with a little sprinkle of Amulet. If you have readers about ages 10 and up who like graphic novels about friendships and would be up for something with a supernatural twist, then this would be a great recommendation. And... I see Gudsnuk has a sequel in store as well!
- Mr. Wolf’s Class by Aron Nels Steinke
This graphic novel started as a webcomic and is a great option if you are looking for something for younger middle grade readers who’d enjoy a sweet, gentle story. And it looks like lots of sequels are on their way! Mr. Wolf’s Class is about the first day of 4th grade - for brand new teacher Mr. Wolf and his students. By the way, Mr. Wolf is a wolf and the students are... rabbits and frogs and pigs and... well, just suspend your disbelief over the whole predator/prey thing! The book includes a cool preview of each student the night before school starts and then the day unfolds with short slice-of-life stories as we get to know each of the students and their teacher. A strength of this book is that the author clearly KNOWS what an actual classroom community is all about - the interactions of personalit...
#66 - (Some of the) Best Middle Grade Books of 2018
Books Between Podcast
01/07/19 • 33 min
Intro
Hi everyone! This is Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love. I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a 5th grade teacher, a mom of two girls, and enjoying my extra reading time over the holiday break and the chance to relax.
This is episode #66 and today we are celebrating some of the best middle grade books published in 2018.
Main Topic - The Top 20 Middle Grade Books of 2018
I’m a bit of a data nerd, and I have always been into tracking my reading - from my color-coded index card system in high school to my alphabatized Excel Spreadsheet in the early 2000s to now where I do a mix of Goodreads and a bullet journal. So looking back over the last couple of years since I started doing this show, in 2016 I read 60 middle grade books with 31 of those published in 2016. And my top three books of that year were Booked, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, and The Wild Robot. (You can find that list here.)
Last year, I read 79 middle grade with 55 of those published in 2017. A jump I will totally attribute to the intensity of being on the CYBILS committee. And my top three books of 2017 were Posted, Refugee, and Orphan Island and my top three graphic novels last year were Real Friends, Pashmina, and All’s Faire in Middle School. (You can find the full list here.)
This year, I read 59 middle grade books with 41 of those released in 2018.
Before I start - a quick caveat. Selecting ONLY 25 titles was almost impossible. I enjoyed just about every book I read this year, and I know each one will find it’s reader. So how to choose the top twenty-five? I have two criteria - the writing is immersive (a book I couldn’t put down) and the story has that something special - unique character, an intriguing plot twist, or a thought-provoking theme (a book I can’t forget).
And again this year, I decided to separate out the graphic novels so be on the lookout for another best of podcast soon featuring just the middle grade graphic novels.
Okay, let’s get to it! Here are my Top 25 middle grade novels of 2018:
- Granted by John David Anderson
From the author of the soon-to-be movie, Ms. Bixby’s Last Day and last year’s amazing Posted is this story about Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets - one of the few remaining fairies entrusted with the job of Granter - a fairy who ventures into the dangerous human world to grant a wish. Ophelia’s increasingly difficult quest to grant a little girl her wish of a purple bike will keep you turning the pages. And her reluctant friendship with the slobbery dog Sam - along with some other hilarious touches like Ophelia’s special song - will make this novel one you won’t forget.
- Where the Watermelons Grow by debut author Cindy Baldwin
This book - better than any I’ve read - captures the heat and the swelter of a scorching-hot drought-ridden summer. Our protagonist, Della, is feeling the weight of that and also the burdon of her mother’s re-emerging schizophrenia. But this novel is also laced with the sweetness of friendship and watermelon and hope and a touch of maybe magical honey.
#65 - #HappyPottermas Part 3: HarryPotterPalooza
Books Between Podcast
12/30/18 • 125 min
Intro
Hi everyone! And welcome to Books Between - a podcast for educators, parents and everyone who loves middle grade books!
I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two tween girls, a 5th grade teacher in Central New York, and currently enjoying those magical days between Christmas and New Years when you have no idea what day it is and you spend half your time in your pajamas reading.....ahhhh.....
I believe in the power of books - especially fantasy books - to help you mull over the big moral issues in life and help you discover who you really want to be. And few books have accomplished that for so many better than the Harry Potter series.
This is our final #HappyPottermas episode of December and it is full discussion centered around those topics.
First, you’ll hear some clips from Harry Potter fans - editors, authors, teachers, and... my own family.
And then I’ll share with you three conversations that will definitely get your wheels turning - and probably disagreeing. First, #HappyPottermas organizer Erin Varley and I will chat with Dr. Pat Geyer about how she has transformed her school into Hogwarts. Then librarian Angie Manfredi and I get into some Harry Potter controversies. And then I share some firewhisky with author and KidLitDrinkNight podcast host Amy Skelding who shares her surprising 10 Most Devasting Harry Potter Deaths.
It probably goes without saying that this episode will discuss the ending of the books - but just in case that’s not clear - Spoiler Alert!!
#HappyPottermas - Audio Submissions (2:00)
- Cary (@CarytheEditor), Blogger Freelance Editor at The Friendly Editor
- Adrianna Cuevas (@acuevaswrites) - MG author
- Cassie Thomas (@mrs_cmt1489) - 5th grade teacher, blogger at Teachers Who Read
- Victoria J. Coe (@victoriajcoe) - author, Fenway & Hattie series
- Kathy Burnett (@thebrainlair) - Independent Bookstore Owner - The Brain Lair
- Lena Allen - 4th grade student
- Angie Allen - 6th grade student
- Paul Goat Allen (@paulgoatallen) - genre fiction book reviewer
Erin Varley & Dr. Pat Geyer - Interview Outline (17:20)
Our first special guests this week are Erin Varley (teacher and #HappyPottermas organizer) and principal Pat Geyer - who, as you will hear, is doing some amazing Harry Potter themed activities at her school that has inspired me to do some similar things this year as well.
Take a listen...
Topics we chatted about
- Introductions
- Harry Potter Themed Activities at Pat’s School
- Harry Potter Themed Activities at Erin’s School
- Harry Pottter as a Read Aloud
- Kid’s Reactions to Harry Potter now vs. 20 Years Ago
- Rereading Harry Potter
- New Harry Potter Covers / Illustrated Versions
- Our Hogwart’s Houses
- More Hufflepuff and Slytherin love
Links:
Erin Verley on Twitter - @erinvarley
Dr. Pat Geyer on Twitter - @patgeyer
Pat’s school on Facebook
Pottermore website
Angie Manfredi - Interview Outline (32:40)
Next up I am really excited to welcome special guest Angie Manfredi - librarian and editor of the upcoming anthology - The F Word. We chat about how our views of Harry Potter have changed over the years, our frustrations with Dumbledore and the new direction JK Rowling has taken with the spin-offs, and Angie’s incredible and very accurate one question quiz to sort you into the right Hogwarts House. Plus - she finally convinces me to read The Cursed Child. Which I will tell you - it is taking all of my willpower to do anything else around the house other than finish that book that right now.
Take a listen...
Topics we chatted about
- Introductions
- First memories of reading Harry Potter
- Rereading Harry Potter
- Problematic Details
- Dumbledore & Draco
- Fantastic Beasts
- Problematic Systems of Magic involving Native Americans
- The Cursed Child
- Scorpius Malfoy
- Angie’s one question ...
#64 - #HappyPottermas Part 2: Bridging the Gap
Books Between Podcast
12/26/18 • 60 min
Intro
Hi everyone! And welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they will love for a lifetime.
I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of a 9 and 11 year old, a teacher, and recently - staying up way too late wrapping presents and watching cheesy Netflix holiday specials like The Princess Switch and The Holiday Calendar. And apparently losing my voice a bit - it seems a tad scratchy tonight.
I believe in the power of the right story at the right time to transform you into a different kind of reader. And a different kind of person. And Harry Potter is that one series that seems to have accomplished that for so many.
In today’s special #HappyPottermas episode you’ll hear some clips from a variety of kids, parents, educators, and authors about what Harry Potter has meant to them.
And then I’ll share with you a conversation with one of the founders of #HappyPottermas and the MGBookVillage website, author Jarrett Lerner and - David Marsh - and educator and the creative force behind the LEGO Batman Book Talks on YouTube.
#HappyPottermas - Audio Submissions
- Katelynn Giordano (@Mrs_Giordano), 6th Grade English Teacher
- Stephanie Lucianovic (@grubreport) - author of The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral and Hello Star
- Rajani LaRocca (@rajanilarocca) - author of Midsummer’s Mayhem and 7 Golden Rings
- Jazz Anders (@snazzsinclair) - student, Kid YouTuber Snazzy Reads
- Amber Stivers Anders - library aid, Jazz’s mom
- Karen Chow (@KChowrites) - author, contributor at MG @ Heart
Jarrett Lerner & David Marsh - Interview Outline
Our special guests this week are author Jarrett Lerner and educator David Marsh. We talk about the influence of Harry Potter, our favorite books, the movie adaptations - among lots and lots of other things!
Take a listen...
Topics we chatted about
- Introductions
- How Harry Potter first came into our lives
- Growing up with Harry Potter
- Skipping the beginning chapters of The Sorcerer’s Stone
- Favorite characters
- Pottermore
- Favorite book
- Movies vs. Books
- Adult appeal of Harry Potter
- Harry Potter merch
- Harry Potter sorting
- Prizoner of Azkaban movie
Links:
Jarrett Lerner on Twitter - @Jarrett_Lerner
David Marsh on Twitter - @Davidmarsh80
Pottermore website
Tight (by Torrey Maldonado)
The Bicycle Spy (Yona Zeldis McDonough)
Skylark and Wallcreeper (Anne O’Brien Carelli)
Oathbringer: Book Three of the Stormlight Archive (Brandon Sanderson)
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say (Angela Dominguez)
We’re Not From Here (Geoff Rodkey)
Closing
Alright, that wraps up our show this week!
If you have a question about how to connect kids between 8-12 to books they’ll love or a suggestion about a topic we should cover, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or message me on Twitter/Instagram at the handle @Books_Between.
Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcas...
#63 - HappyPottermas Part 1: A Conversation Across the Pond
Books Between Podcast
12/10/18 • 50 min
Intro
Hi everyone! And welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to books they will love for a lifetime.
I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two tweens, a 5th grade teacher, a Ravenclaw, and celebrating all things Harry Potter this month!
I believe in the power of stories to give us the language and situations to help us identify and make sense of what is wonderful in our world. And give us the words and the way to fight against the injustices we see.
And few books do that better than Harry Potter. Across generations parents and educators who grew up inspired by Rowling’s stories are sharing the books with the children in their lives.
In today’s episode you’ll hear some short clips from a variety of librarians, and parents, and educators, and authors about how much the series has meant to them. And the special moments in their lives that were made a little more magical by Harry Potter.
And then I’ll share with you a lenghtier conversation from across the pond where I chat with two of the founders of #HappyPottermas - Annaliese Avery from Suffolk in the UK and Lorie Barber from Chicago in the U.S.
Defintely check out #HappyPottermas on Twitter and all the Monday night #MGBookChat topics throughout December will be all about Harry Potter! And I really would love to hear YOUR thoughts about Harry Potter as well So, if you are interested in being featured on this podcast later in December, just check out the link posted in the show notes, which includes very quick and easy instructions on to submit an audio clip to me. And I can’t wait to hear from you!
#HappyPottermas - Audio Submissions
- Jen Jowett (@JenJowett), educator of 7th and 8th Graders
- Daphne Benedis Grab (@JenJowett) - author of The Angel Tree and Clementine for Christmas
- Ann Braden (@DaphneBG) - author of The Benefits of Being an Octopus
- K.A. Reynolds (@KrisRey19) - author of The Land of Yesterday and The Spinner of Dreams
- Lindsay Currie (@lindsayncurrie) - author of The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street
- Allison Stout (@rtslitech) - librarian at K-8 school
- Josh Funk (@joshfunkbooks) - author of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast and Lost in the Library
- Jill Diamond (@jillinboots) - author of Lou Lou & Pea and the Mural Mystery
Annaliese Avery & Lorie Barber - Interview Outline
Our special guests this week are Annaliese Avery and Lorie Barber - two of the founders of #HappyPottermas! We talk about Harry Potter inspired advocacy, the challenges of friendship trios, and the our thoughts about the new Fantastic Beast movies.
Take a listen...
Topics we chatted about
- Introductions
- How Harry Potter first came into our lives
- The origins of #HappyPottermas
- Harry Potter ushering in a golden age of children’s books
- Harry Potter fueled activism
- Flawed characters & friendship trios
- Teaching Harry Potter
- Complicated characters in Harry Potter
- The C...
#62 - Launching a Community Book Club & a Conversation with Harper & Maggie
Books Between Podcast
11/26/18 • 50 min
Intro
Hi everyone! And welcome to Books Between - a podcast for teachers, parents, librarians, and anyone who wants to connect kids between 8-12 to incredible stories. I believe in the power of books to bring communities together. And my goal is to help you connect your children and your community with fantastic books and share inspiring conversations with the people who make that magic happen.
I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of a 9 and 11 year old, a 5th grade teacher in Central New York, and glad to be back with you after a short hiatus to focus on school and supporting some local candidates in the mid-term elections! Before this year, I had NEVER done any phone banking or canvassing, but after being inspired by so many of YOU - I knew I had to get off my bum and get to work.
This is episode #62 and Today’s show is all about promoting literacy in your community. First, I’ll share some advice about launching a community book club based on my experience starting a ProjectLIT Book Club at my school. And then I’ll share a conversation with Harper & Maggie, two young girls who’ve launched Books & a Blanket - an organization to promote literacy and well-being among young children in need.
Before we get started, I have a BIG announcement that I am delighted to tell you about! For the whole month of December, Annaliese Avery and Jarrett Lerner and myself from MGBookVillage are teaming up with Lorie Barber and Erin Varley to bring you #HappyPottermas - a month-long celebration of all things Harry Potter! There will be daily Twitter prompts and all the 9pm EST Monday night #MGBookChat topics throughout December will be all about Harry Potter! And.... I’ve got some special guests lined up for the December episodes of the podcast to talk about the Wizarding World. And I would love to feature YOU on the show as well. So if you have THOUGHTS about Hogwarts, Snape, the books vs. the movies. If you have OPINIONS you want to share - I really, really want to hear what you have to say! So, if you are interested in being featured on this podcast, just check out the link posted in the show notes, and I can’t wait to hear from you!
Main Topic - Launching a Community Book Club
This week I’m sharing some things I’ve learned about launching a community book club based on my experiences starting a ProjectLIT Book Club at my school. But whatever type of book club you might already have going or are considering starting - whether that’s a ProjectLIT club or not - I think you’ll get some good ideas from today’s discussion. And - just know that every document I mention (flyers, surveys, discussion guides, etc...) are all available for you to download right in the show notes and on this episode’s post at MGBookVillage.org. And all of them are editable so you can download and adjust them however you need.
Today I’ll be talking about the difference between ProjectLIT and other traditional community book clubs, including the pros and cons of each. Then I’ll share some ideas about how to prepare to launch your club, some ideas about how to decide what books to read and how to get copies of those books, how to get students and the wider community involved and excited, and then I’ll get into some specifics about planning meetings and hosting a community-wide book celebration.
That’s a lot to cover! So let’s dig right in!
What is the difference between a traditional book club with community involvement and a ProjectLIT Community Book Club - and what are the pros and cons of each?
ProjectLIT is a grassroots literacy movement with community book club chapters all over the country. As of this week, there are now 592 chapters. Their goal is to increase access to culturally relevant books and promote a love of reading in our schools and communities. Each spring the ProjectLIT team consults with chapter leaders and announces a list of 20 books from middle grade to YA that include topics that will generate lots of discussion and bring awareness to issues in our society. Since this is the second year, there are now 40 books to choose from. The books feature characters from a wide variety of backgrounds and are usually #ownvoices - written by authors who share the marginalized identity of the main character. For example, some ProjectLIT books are Amina’s Voice by Hena Kahn and
#74-Top 20 Student Favorites & A Conversation with Rajani LaRocca
Books Between Podcast
07/01/19 • 51 min
Intro
Hi everyone and welcome to Books Between - a podcast for educators, librarians, parents, and everyone who loves middle grade books! My goal is to help you connect kids between 8-12 with fantastic reads because I believe that a book can change the trajectory of a child’s life. And I want to help you introduce kids to those amazing, life-shaping books and bring you inspiring (and fun!) conversations with the authors and educators who make that magic happen.
I’m your host, Corrina Allen - a mom of two tween girls, a 5th grade teacher, and finally beginning my summer vacation!!
Before we begin, I have a few quick announcements!
First - a reminder that Monday nights are the #MGBookChat Twitter chats with some really amazing topics coming up this summer like STEM in Middle Grade, Inspiring Kids to Write, Grief in Middle Grade, and several Open Chats where you can bring your own topic to discuss. So if you are like me and have a tendency to forget those sort of things, set a reminder on your phone for Mondays at 9pm EST and check out #MGBookChat on Twitter.
Second - I will be at NerdCampMI this July 8th & 9th - so if you are headed that way this summer, please please do say hi.
And finally - I am really excited to tell you that I will be rejoining the All the Wonders team as their Podcast Network Developer to produce a new array of shows cultivating a wider variety of perspectives and stories in the world of children’s literature. First up is All the Wonders This Week - a brief, topical show released every Tuesday where a guest and I will chat about all things wondrous and new in the world of children’s literature. So stay tuned for that this summer!
But - no worries - Books Between isn’t going anywhere!
This is episode #74 and today’s show features the Top 20 books that my students loved this year, a reflection on what went right and what went wrong for me this last school year, and a conversation with Rajani LaRocca - author of Midsummer’s Mayhem.
Top 20 Student Favorites
Let’s start with the top 20 books that my 5th grade students loved and recommended this school year. Because it’s one thing for an adult to enjoy a book, but for it to really make an impact, it has to connect with its intended audience. There have been plenty of books that I loved, but for some reason didn’t seem to resonate with middle grade readers. Honestly, I think THIS list is way more valuable than ANY list that any adult puts out.
I couple notes before we begin. My students have pretty much free choice to read what they want in class and for homework at night, but we did have two book clubs this year - one in the fall featuring immigrant and refugee experiences and then we just wrapped up our fantasy book clubs. So that context likely influenced what books they had most exposure to. Also - our four main read alouds this year were Home of the Brave, a non-fiction title called When Lunch Fights Back, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and The Thief of Always. Only two of those made it into this Top 20.
And there are only six graphic novels on this list, which might surprise some adults who like to complain to me that “all kids read these days are those graphic novels”. (Can you hear my eyes rolling?)
I also want to be transparent about how I calculated this “Top 20”. So, at the end of the year, we did various wrap-up and reflection activities. In mid-June, I send out a quick survey one morning asking them for their top reads of the year. They also worked on an end-of-the-year reflection celebration slideshow and one slide was devoted to sharing their favorite books. Also, each student worked on a “Top 10 List” (or” Top 5 List” or whatever - an idea I got from Colby Sharp) listing their most highly recommended books of the year - recommended for their current class and to be shared with the incoming 5th graders. So... I tallied up each time a title was mentioned in any of those places. And here are the top 20 titles my 5th graders loved and recommended.
- Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi
This graphic novel is still a strong favorite with my fifth graders. Maybe slightly less so this year, but I think that’s because a LOT of them already read it in 4th grade.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Books Between Podcast have?
Books Between Podcast currently has 75 episodes available.
What topics does Books Between Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Podcasts, Books, Education and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on Books Between Podcast?
The episode title '#74-Top 20 Student Favorites & A Conversation with Rajani LaRocca' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Books Between Podcast?
The average episode length on Books Between Podcast is 41 minutes.
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Episodes of Books Between Podcast are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of Books Between Podcast?
The first episode of Books Between Podcast was released on Aug 1, 2016.
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