Book Club for Kids

How did Oprah inspire a writing career? Listen to this conversation with Nikki Shannon Smith, author of Stranded.

Readers from Las Vegas are live, onstage at the Las Vegas Book Festival, talking about Nikki Shannon Smith's tale of adventure Stranded. Award-winning journalist Rita Pardue from KUNV is celebrity reader. Taped before a live audience, readers have lots of questions for writer Nikki Shannon Smith. Kitty Felde is host.   FAVORITE BOOKS FROM THE LAS VEGAS BOOK FESTIVAL: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo Cleopatra in Space - Mike Maihack Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling Wings of Fire -  Tui T. Sutherland Battle Dragons City of Thieves - Alex London  Weird Kid - Greg von Eekhout Oh My Gods! - Stephanie Cooke NIKKI SHANNON SMITH'S FAVORITE BOOK: Roots - Alex Haley RITA PARDUE'S FAVORITE BOOK: Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

Did you ever think you were a little different than everybody else in school? Suppose you found out there’s a reason for that and that reason is that you’re actually a witch. That's the story of "The Okay Witch," by Emma Steinkellner. Students from Virginia Road Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the graphic novel and interview Emma. Actress Diane Adair is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. www.bookclubforkids.org Favorite Books from Virginia Road Elementary School in LA: Ghosts (Fantasmas) - Raina Telegemeier The Spiderwick Chronicles - Tony DiTerlizzi Dork Diaries -Rachel Renée Russel Sisters - Raina Telegemeier Emma Steinkellner’s Favorite Books: Little Women - Louisa May Alcott Holes - Louis Sachar Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine Dianne Adair’s Favorite Books: A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

This episode began with a chance meeting in a tiny art gallery in the city of Cienfuegos, Cuba. Writer Isora Morales Suarez was minding the store to pay the bills, but just had her first novel for kids published in English. The Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore discuss her unusual fairy tale The Meringue Witches with host Kitty Felde. Cuban ex-pat Adolfo Nodal is celebrity reader.

Writer MC Ryder talks about writing song lyrics and middle grade book series with host Kitty Felde.

It's that time of year: Halloween! This week, we tackle M.C. Ryder’s tale of romance, betrayal, and creatures of the night The Darkest Side of the Moon. Journalist and actress Hettie Lynne Hurtes is our celebrity reader. Our readers are from Rosecrans Elementary School in Compton, California. Kitty Felde is host.  NOTE: There are some plot spoilers.   Favorite Books from Rosecrans Elementary School: Attack on Titan - Hajime Isayama  Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS - BTS, Myeongseok Kang    MC Ryder's Favorite Book: The Search - Iris Johansen   Hettie Lynne Hurtes' Favorite Book: Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte   The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

Peter Brown is both a writer and illustrator. We talk to him about how he plots a story and the teacher he hated who set him on his path to becoming a professional artist. Kitty Felde is host.

Peter Brown's wonderful book is now a movie! This week,we return to the source material. Do you have a relationship with the robot in your life? You'll fall in love with "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown. 4th graders from Flora Hendley Elementary School in Washington, D.C. discuss artificial intelligence and their own favorite robotic devices. U.S. Congressman Scott Peters from San Diego is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Favorite Books from Flora Hendley Elemetary School: Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney Dork Diaries- Rachel Renée Russell The True Story of the Three Little Pigs - Jon Scieszka Peter Brown’s Favorite Book: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien Congressman Scott Peter’s Favorite Book: East of Eden - John Steinbeck

September is the perfect time of year to start a new habit. How about 15 minutes a day reading a book YOU want to read? Need some suggestions? Give a listen as we hear from kids as the City of Stem LA Maker Faire about the books they LOVE to read.  Projekt 1065 - Alan Gratz Little Women - Louisa May Alcott The Light in Hidden Places - Sharon Cameron Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney Princess in Black - Shannon Hale The Magic Factory - Morgan Rice This episode is made possible by a grant from the LA Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.  And if you're looking for a way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, check out the Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. It tells the story of the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves myseries inside the US Capitol...and introduces civics to kids. The podcast is based on the Fina Mendoza series of books in both English and Spanish.  Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza Losing is Democratic: How to Talk to Kids About January 6th State of the Union Estado de la Unión  

As school is starting up, there are tons of books your teacher wants you to read. But what about a book YOU really want to read? Today we hear from kids as the City of Stem LA Maker Faire about the books ThEY love to read. Give a listen. Favorite Books:   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney  Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger Captain Underpants - Dav Pilkey Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling Ada Twist, Scientist - Andrea Beaty Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan Dog Man - Dav Pilkey

We talk to writer Charles Waters about his life as an actor and how it led to his life as a poet and children's book writer. He also talks about how the Highlights Foundation changed his life. Kitty Felde is host.

What do you do when your long-time school mascot is offensive to others? That's the topic in Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell. Students from Eliot-Hine Middle School discuss the novel and interview the writer. California State Los Angeles theater professor Carolyn Dunn is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Favorite Books from Eliot-Hine: Stunt Boy - Jason Reynolds The Falling Sword - Ben Kane The Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut Charles Waters' Favorite Books: Ordinary People - Judith Guest Raymond Carver short stories Bronx Masquerade - Nikki Grimes Under the Mesquite - Guadalupe Garcia McCall Carolyn Dunn's Favorite Books: Love Medicine - Louise Erdich The Master Butchers Singing Club  - Louise Erdich Lilith's Brood - Octavia E. Butler

Angela Dominguez writes and illustrates the Stella Diaz series. She talks to us about her writing path from drawing to writing. More author interviews at our website.

We continue our look at books that have been challenged or banned. This week, we revisit STELLA DIAZ HAS SOMETHING TO SAY by Angela Dominguez. In 2000, the Central York School District pulled books from shelves that dealt with race. In fact, every book removed from school classrooms and libraries were written by people of color. After months of protests, the books were once again available to students in 2001. Give a listen to STELLA DIAZ HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.

We invited kids onstage at the City of Stem LA Maker Faire with host Kitty Felde to tell the audience about their favorite books:  Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland Dork Diaries - Rachel Renee Russell Zoey and Sassafras - Asia Citro Go Team Spidey - Steve Behling The Secret Series - Pseudonymous Bosch

Book Club for Kids live onstage! We visit the City of Stem LA Maker Faire to bring kids onstage to talk about their favorite books! The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo The Secret Cookie Club - Martha Freeman Shel Silverstein's books of poetry Dog Man - Dav Pilkey   This episode is supported in art by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

Its that time of year…summer reading programs at libraries are offering lots and lots of thank you gifts for reading books.   But how hard is it to find a book you’ll love? No worries. We went out the the City of Stem/LA Maker Faire to ask the experts for their book suggestions. Cleopatra in Space - Mike Maihack Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Az and the prisoner of azkaban- J.K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone - J.K. Rowling The Skull - John Klassen Dragon Girls - Maddy Mara The Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney The Ogress and the Orphans - Kelly Barnhill  Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan We’ll have a list of everybody’s favorite book at our website bookclubforkids.org. And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the show, too. Just give us a call at 424-209-2285 and tell us your first name, the city where you live, the name of your favorite book, and why you love it. That number again is 424-209-2285.   And if you’re looking for a good mystery set inside the uS Capitol, check out StATE OF THE UNION by Kitty Felde. It just got a five star review from Forward Clarion, which called Fina an “intelligent and precocious heroine who uses her critical thinking skills and keen observational senses to suss out information on the Chickcharney and the other mysteries in her daily life.”     And now you can get the Spanish version of State of the Union called Estado de la Union, translated by Jorge Flores Gonzales. And available now from Chesapeake Press, wherever great books are sold. This episode is supported in part by a grant from the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

It’s not too late to catch up on your summer reading. But the conundrum is always: what do I read next? We have some answers from members of the Junior Librarian Commmitee at Scripps Middle School in Michigan. In fact, we turn the microphone over to librarian Lauren Dulmage who asks our favorite question: what’s your favorite book? Twilight - Stephenie Meyer Refugee - Alan Gratz Six Crimson Cranes - Elizabeth Lim The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland   We’ll have a list of everybody’s favorite book at our website bookclubforkids.org. And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the show, too. Just give us a call at 424-209-2285 and tell us your first name, the city where you live, the name of your favorite book, and why you love it. That number again is 424-209-2285.   And on a purely selfish note: my Fina Mendoza Mystery novel STATE OF THE UNION just got a five star review from Forward Clarion, calling the book a “delightful mystery novel with a message of unity and cooperation.”    And now you can get the Spanish version of State of the Union called Estado de la Union, translated by Jorge Flores Gonzales. Both books are now available wherever great books are sold.

We talk to Newbery Award winning writer Christopher Paul Curtis about where "The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963" came from and why he finally quit his day job. Kitty Felde is host.