Scholastic Reads

This week, we're taking a look at the maker movement. What does a makerspace look like? Why are libraries considered the perfect place to host a makerspace? And what does being a maker mean, anyway? First, we talk with Kristina Holzweiss, a media specialist at Bay Shore Middle School in New York who is spearheading the maker movement across Long Island. Later, we sit down with two Scholastic employees who have helped create the Klutz Maker Lab line of products, which include DIY gumball machines and remote control racecars! Additional resources: Learn more about Klutz Maker Lab Learn more about SLIME (Students of Long Island Maker Expo) Learn more about Long Island LEADS Read about Kristina Holzweiss' nomination as a Library Journal Mover and Shaker Learn about makerspace books by Kristina Holzweiss Follow Kristina Holzweiss on Twitter Follow Klutz on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Guests: Kristina Holzweiss is the school library media specialist at Bay Shore Middle School, as well as the founder of Students of Long Island Maker Expo and Long Island LEADS. She is also the author of two makerspace-themed series with Scholastic Library Publishing.  In 2015, she was named the School Librarian of the Year by School Library Journal and Scholastic. Netta Rabin is the vice president of product development at Klutz. Owen Keating is a senior packaging designer at Klutz. Special thanks:  Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we're talking with Varian Johnson, author of the new middle grade book The Parker Inheritance. Varian talks about his inspiration for the book, the research it took to dig back into his own hometown’s past, and about social justice — how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. About The Parker Inheritance: The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in Lambert, South Carolina. It's waiting for Candice Miller. When Candice finds the letter, she isn't sure she should read it. It's addressed to her grandmother, who left Lambert in shame. But the letter describes a young woman. An injustice that happened decades ago. A mystery enfolding the letter-writer. And the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle. So with the help of Brandon Jones, the quiet boy across the street, she begins to decipher the clues. The challenge will lead them deep into Lambert's history, full of ugly deeds, forgotten heroes, and one great love; and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets. Can they find the fortune and fulfill the letter's promise before the answers slip into the past yet again? Additional resources: More about The Parker Inheritance More about Varian Johnson Read the essay Varian Johnson wrote for Nerdy Book Club about his experience with police Guests: Varian Johnson is the author of nine novels, including The Parker Inheritance, which received four starred reviews and was named a Junior Library Guild selection and a Spring 2018 Kids’ Indie Next List pick among other accolades. His middle grade caper novel, The Great Greene Heist, has been named to over twenty-five state reading and best-of lists. In addition, Varian has written for the Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts middle-grade fantasy series as well as novels and short stories for YA audiences.Varian was born in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. He later received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is honored to now be a member of the faculty. Varian lives outside of Austin, TX with his family. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we introduce you to some of the incredible members of Scholastic News Kids Press Corps!  Each year, 10- to 14-year-olds from around the world are selected to participate in this award-winning program. These young journalists report news for kids, by kids, covering breaking stories, sports events, entertainment, and more from their hometowns and on the global stage. Since the application process is now open for next year, we asked some of our reporters to tell us about their favorite assignments. We'll find out what our Kid Reporters have learned from their experiences, which range from covering the Westminster Dog Show in New York City to child labor in India. Know a kid with a nose for news? The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is accepting applications through May 31, 2018. Find out more details and apply here! Additional resources: Learn more about the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Read recent stories by Kid Reporters Read Amelia Poor's stories Read Rohan Saketh Devulapalli's stories Read Owen Osborne's stories Read Lilian Jochmann's stories Read Nolan Pastore's stories Read Helen Hong's stories Read Ryan Stoltz's stories Apply to join the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Guests:  Amelia Poor is a 12-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from New York. Amelia joined Kids Press in 2017. Rohan Saketh Devulapalli is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from South India. Rohan joined Kids Press in 2017. Owen Osborne is a 10-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Louisiana. Owen joined Kids Press in 2017. Lilian Jochmann is a 14-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Wisconsin. Lilian joined Kids Press in 2016. Nolan Pastore is an 11-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Ohio. Nolan joined Kids Press in 2017. Helen Hong is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Australia. Helen joined Kids Press in 2017. Ryan Stoltz is a 13-year-old member of the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps from Minnesota. Ryan joined Kids Press in 2014. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound engineering by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow  

April 4, 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., and to honor his life and legacy, we're sitting down with Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, the author and illustrator behind Martin Rising: Requiem for a King Andrea and Brian share how they were inspired to create the book, which is a combination of poetry and colorful artwork; how they work together as husband and wife creators; how their own lives were impacted by King's work; and the message of hope and empowerment they hope their young readers take from the book. Additional resources:  More information about Martin Rising  Guests: Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney have made an outstanding contribution to the field of children's literature both as individuals and as a team. Between them, they have published more than seventy children's books that have received the highest awards and accolades, including Caldecott Honors, Coretta Scott King Honors, NAACP Image Award nominations, and the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award, to name a few. To learn more, please visit andreadavispinkney.com and brianpinkney.net Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

Did a beloved teacher ever read aloud to your class when you were a kid? Did a friend or relative ever hand you a book that became a lifelong favorite? That's what we're talking about today—the magic of reading role models, individuals who play a crucial role in helping kids succeed. First, we talk with Malcolm Mitchell, the author of the picture book The Magician's Hat, the founder of Read With Malcolm, AND a Super Bowl winning football player with the New England Patriots. Malcolm talks about his personal struggle with reading as a kid, and how that's motivated him to show kids how important—and wonderful—books can be. We then move from football to basketball, as we sit down with with Marc Davis, an NBA Referee who participates in a program called TIMEOUT for Reading, a collaboration between Scholastic and the NBA Referee Association in which referees read aloud and disribute books to sixth grade classrooms. Finally, Greg Worrell, the president of Scholastic Education, joins us to talk about his experience with Houston Real Men Read and how he met his mentee. Additional resources: Learn more about The Magician's Hat by Malcolm Mitchell Learn more about Read with Malcolm, Malcolm Mitchell's youth literacy foundation Learn about the NBRA Guests: Malcolm Mitchell helped the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl in his rookie season and was named to the 2017 NFL All-Rookie Team. Mitchell was drafted by the Patriots after a standout career at the University of Georgia. Mitchell is also an author and crusader for children’s literacy. Mitchell self-published a children’s book, The Magician’s Hat, about a boy who knows the magical power of books, which earned him Georgia Children's Author of the Year in 2016. Malcolm founded a youth literacy initiative called Read with Malcolm. Mitchell currently serves as the New England Patriots “Summer Reading Ambassador”, to encourage students to read as much as possible during the critical summer months. Marc Davis has been an NBA official for the past 20 seasons, working 1,156 regular season games, 105 playoff games, and nine finals games in his NBA career. Davis also worked the 2007 NBA All-Star Game. Davis is active in the Chicago community where he grew up and is an avid outdoorsman. Greg Worrell oversees Scholastic Education, which partners with schools and districts to empower educators and to raise achievement for all students by providing a complete literacy program, print and digital instructional materials, and professional services for educators and family engagement. Greg is the recipient of the 2011 Upton Sinclair Award, which recognizes educational leaders who have gone above and beyond the call of duty ensuring that children around the globe succeed. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

Following the Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, the nation's attention has shifted to the issue of school safety. But how do we reassure children after traumatic events? Our guests this week offer advice for parents and educators on helping kids cope with fear and anxiety. First, we speak with Dr. Jamie Howard, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, who shares some of the unique ways that children experience and express trauma. We also talk with Julie Ballew, a fifth-grade teacher from Houston, Texas, who helped her students rebuild a sense of community after Hurricane Harvey devastated their city. Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device. Additional Resources: Read the full message from Richard Robinson, Scholastic Chairman and CEO, on the subject of school safety Get more resources from Scholastic on responding to violence and tragedy Read Julie Ballew's post about her "Rise Up" classroom project Read more about the Child Mind Institute See Julie Ballew's Top Teaching bog posts Listen to "Rise Up" by Andra Day Guests: Dr. Jamie Howard is a clinical psychologist in the Anxiety Disorders Center at the Child Mind Institute and the director of the Center’s Trauma and Resilience Service. She specializes in the evaluation and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders in children and adolescents, and has expertise in treating post-traumatic stress and adjustment disorders across the lifespan. Julie Ballew is a fifth grade language arts and social studies teacher in Houston, Texas. She is in her 12th year in education, including six years as a literacy coach.  Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we're talking with Sayantani DasGupta, the author of the forthcoming middle grade fantasy novel The Serpent's Secret, in which sixth grader Kiranmala discovers she's a princess...and an interdemensional demon slayer! Sayantani talks with her 13-year-old daughter, Sunaya, who is a Scholastic News Kids Press Corps reporter, and tells us about her childhood ask a daughter of immigrants, as well as her love of storytelling, folktales, science, and Madeleine L'Engle.  Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device. Additional Resources: Learn more about The Serpent's Secret Learn more about Sayantani DasGupta Get more information about the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps Guest: Sayantani DasGupta grew up hearing stories about brave princesses, bloodthirsty rakkhosh and flying pakkhiraj horses. She is a pediatrician by training, but now teaches at Columbia University. When she's not writing or reading, Sayantani spends time watching cooking shows with her trilingual children and protecting her black Labrador Retriever Khushi from the many things that scare him, including plastic bags. She is a team member of We Need Diverse Books, and can be found online at www.sayantanidasgupta.com and on Twitter at @sayantani16 Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we're talking with creators who saw a void in the marketplace: books with black girls as the heroines. Marley Dias, a 13-year-old from New Jersey who has been hailed as someone who "could be president in 30 years" by InStyle, is the founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks hashtag andthe ensuing movement. We talk with her about her own book, Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You and Suzanne gets a little hosting help from Scholastic News Kid Reporter Titus Smith, III.  Later on, we sit down with Kelly Greenawalt and Amariah Rauscher, the creators of the indomitable, inventive, and adorable Princess Truly. Kelly tells us that she started writing the Princess Truly picture books for her own daughter who was once told by a classmate that her curls weren't "magical princess hair."  Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device. Additional Resources: Learn more about Marley Dias Gets it Done: And So Can You  Learn more about Marley Dias and her campaign #1000BlackGirlBooks Learn more about Princess Truly Guests: Marley Dias made headlines as a sixth grader when she started the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign to collect children's books featuring black protagonists. Her initiative led to appearances on The Nightly Show, Today, CBS This Morning, and many more. Marley has been featured in the New York Times, has been recognized as a "21 under 21" ambassador for Teen Vogue, is an editor in residence for Elle.com, and launched a national literacy tour in partnership with the White House. Marley lives in New Jersey with her parents. Kelly Greenawalt is a children's book author, wife, and mother of five living just outside Houston, Texas. Princess Truly was inspired by her daughters, Calista and Kaia, who are smart and spunky, and who have magical curls of their own. Amariah Rauscher is an artist and illustrator specializing in watercolor illustration. She lives with her husband and children in Illinois. Special thanks: Hosts: Suzanne McCabe and Titus Smith III Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow  

This week, we're talking with Christopher Paul Curtis, the author of many beloved, award-winning books for young readers including The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 and Bud, Not Buddy. He's joining us via Skype from his home in Canada to talk about his newest book, The Journey of Little Charlie, the latest installment in the Buxton Chronicles. Christopher talks about his love of history, his childhood in Flint, MI, and why humor is a crucial element of his heart-wrenching books. Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to our podcast on an iOS device here or an Android device here, and the latest episodes of Scholastic Reads will be automatically delivered to your device. Additional resources:  Read more about The Journey of Little Charlie  Watch Christopher Paul Curtis talk about The Journey of Little Charlie Read a review of The Journey of Little Charlie Discover more works by Christopher Paul Curtis Guests:  Christopher Paul Curtis was awarded both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor for his debut book, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, and won the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award for his second book, Bud, Not Buddy. Mr. Curtis is also the author of the Golden Kite Award-winning Bucking the Sarge, as well as The Mighty Miss Malone, and two previous books in The Buxton Chronicles: The Madman of Piney Woods, and the Newbery Honor book Elijah of Buxton. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow    

Happy holidays! We're kicking this episode off by looking ahead to 2018: Three Scholastic Book Clubs editors share their predictions for five trends we're going to see in children's books in 2018. We also take a trip to the annual Scholastic Employee Holiday Book Fair and talk with some of our colleagues about what books are on their must-buy list this holiday season. (Spoiler alert: Everyone wants the Harry Potter illustrated editions!)  Additional Resources: See the complete list of trends Scholastic Book Clubs editors predict we'll see in 2018 plus additional book recommendations Learn more about the Harry Potter illustrated editions with art by Jim Kay See the Book Boys' music video, "Jump Around" See the Scholastic Book Clubs Dollar Deal of the week Guests:  Darcy Evans, Jaewon Oh, and Lori Wieczorek are editorial managers with Scholastic Book Clubs. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

With Star Wars fever running high, we are talking with Jarrett Krosoczka this week, the author and illustrator of the two latest books in the Star Wars: Jedi Academy series, A New Class and The Force Oversleeps! Jarrett talks about how he got his start in children's publishing and what it's been like to take over the helm at Jedi Academy. He also shares a little bit about his forthcoming graphic novel memoir, Hey, Kiddo, which is due out in Fall 2018. As Yoda would say, "Listen, you must!" Additional Resources: Learn more about the Star Wars: Jedi Academy series Read the announcement for Hey, Kiddo Watch Jarrett's 2012 TED Talk See more of Jarrett's work Guests: Jarrett Krosoczka is a New York Times bestselling author, two-time winner of the Children’s Choice Book Award for the Third to Fourth Grade Book of the Year, an Eisner award nominee, and is the author and/or illustrator of more than thirty books for young readers. His work includes several picture books, select volumes of Star Wars: Jedi Academy, the Lunch Lady graphic novels, and Platypus Police Squad novel series. Jarrett has given two TED Talks, both of which have been curated to the main page of TED.com and have collectively accrued more than two million views online. He is also the host of The Book Report with JJK on SiriusXM’s Kids Place Live, a weekly segment celebrating books, authors, and reading. Jarrett lives in Western Massachusetts with his wife and children, and their pugs, Ralph and Fran. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we're talking (and singing!) with Julia Donaldson, the 2011-2013 Children's Laureate in the UK and the author of more than 140 books for children including The Gruffalo, Stick Man, and most recently, Zog and the Flying Doctors. In this episode, Julia and her husband, Malcolm, share part of their song "Zog and the Flying Doctors," and Julia talks with us about her passion for storytelling, her love of libraries, and why she decided to write a feminist princess. Resources: Learn more about Julia Donaldson Learn more about Zog and the Flying Doctors Watch Julia Donaldson perform her song "A Squash and a Squeeze" Guest: Julia Donaldson has over 140 titles to her credit. Her work includes critically acclaimed titles such as Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Princess and the Wizard, The Dinosaur's Diary, and The Giants and the Joneses. Julia came from a musical background. Her father played the cello and her mother loved to sing. Julia and her sister were in a Children's Opera Group and from an early age, she wrote musical plays for her friends and family to perform. Her first book, A Squash and a Squeeze, was based on one of her television songs. "It was great to hold the book in my hand without it vanishing in the air the way the songs did," says Julia. She lives with her family in Glasgow, Scotland. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

This week, we're talking about civics education. At a time when our republic feels particularly unsettled, we’re asking: What do students know about their government? What SHOULD they know? Teachers tell us that there is a critical need for materials that help students understand their role in a democracy and as citizens of the world—whether the lesson is understanding the three branches of government, spotting fake news, or simply learning how to disagree respectfully, teachers of all grade levels are having civics-related discussions almost daily.  In this episode, we sit down with four of our Scholastic Classroom Magazines editors to talk about how they help teachers bring civics into the classroom. We also talk with a fourth-grade teacher from New York about the types of lessons she's sharing with her students. Additional Resources: Explore We the People, the Scholastic Magazines' site for civics and media literacy resources Read Civics for Middle and High School Students on edu@scholastic Read They Want to Know!: Civics for Upper-Elementary Students on edu@scholastic Read Teaching Civics in Early-Grade Magazines on edu@scholastic Learn more about Scholastic News  Learn more about Junior Scholastic Learn more about The New York Times Upfront Guests: Steph Smith is the editorial director of Scholastic News. Mary Kate Frank is the Deputy Editor of Junior Scholastic. Ian Zack is the Executive Editor of The New York Times Upfront.  Laine Falk is an Editorial Director for Scholastic News. Gail Sider is a fourth-grade teacher at Hutchinson Elementary School in Pelham, New York. Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow  

This week, we're taking you with us to the Queens Museum as we attend a special event honoring the Panorama of the City of New York exhibit — a miniature model of New York City that was built for the 1964-1965 World's Fair. The exhibit plays a pivotal role in Brian Selznick's bestselling novel Wonderstruck, as well as its recent movie adaptation. We talk with Brian about Wonderstruck and what it was like to see his novel come to life on the big screen. Later in the episode, we also hear from Louise Weinberg, curator and archives manager from the Queens Museum, who will share some of the history of the Panorama. Additional Resources: Read more about Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick Watch the trailer for "Wonderstruck" Read more about the Panorama of the City of New York Guests:  Brian Selznick is the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of the New York Times bestsellers The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese’s Oscar-winning Hugo; Wonderstruck, adapted into Todd Haynes’s eponymous movie; and The Marvels. Among the celebrated picture books Selznick has illustrated are the Caldecott Honor Book The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, and the Sibert Honor Book When Marian Sang by Pam Muñoz Ryan. His books appear in over 35 languages. He has also worked as a bookseller, a puppeteer, and a screenwriter. He divides his time between Brooklyn, New York, and San Diego, California. Louise Weinberg is a curator and archives manager at the Queens Museum Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow

"I stopped reading books that had humans in them after Harriet [the Spy] because I knew there wouldn't be any humans like me," — Sarah Moon, author of Sparrow.  At Scholastic, we're proud to publish authors of different backgrounds, cultures, races, abilities, and orientations. But we also know that many of our authors have felt the same way Sarah did as a child. Like her, many felt that they didn't exist in children's books when they were growing up. And like her, many are now writing to change that for future generations. We invited them to share their stories and to talk about why representation in children's books is so crucial. These stories will break your heart, but they will also give you hope: hope that today's children will never doubt that they can be the heroes of their own stories.  Contributing authors: Daniel José Older, author of the Shadowshaper series Wendy Wan-Long Shang, author of books like This is Just a Test and The Way Home Looks Now Billy Merrell, author of Vanilla Kody Keplinger, author of Run Lamar Giles, author of Overturned Sarah Moon, author of Sparrow Goldy Moldovsky, author of No Good Deed Varian Johnson, author of To Catch a Cheat Angela Cervantes, author of Allie, First at Last Bill Konigsberg, author of Honestly Ben Special thanks: Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson Produced by Emily Morrow