Scholastic Reads

Latest Episodes:

Dav Pilkey: Using Humor to Get Kids Reading Jan 04, 2017

Show notes

Laughter is a universal language, and Dav Pilkey speaks it fluently. The award-winning author and illustrator of the Captain Underpants series joins us in the studio this week to introduce his newest series, Dog Man, and to talk about why funny books are often the right books to spark a love of reading. Dav also shares his own story about growing up with ADHD, dyslexia, and behavioral problems, and leaves us with some wise words of hope and encouragement for children who might be struggling with similar issues today.

Additional Resources:

Visit Planet Pilkey for games, videos, resources and more about Dav Pilkey's books
Download the free Planet Pilkey app for your iOS or Android device to create an avatar, play games, make comics, find your favorite characters, and more!
See more about Dog Man
See more about Captain Underpants

Guests:

When Dav Pilkey was a kid, he suffered from ADHD, dyslexia, and behavioral problems. Dav was so disruptive in class that his teachers made him sit out in the hall every day. Luckily, Dav loved to draw and make up stories. He spent his time in the hallway creating his own original comic books. In the second grade, Dav Pilkey created a comic book about a superhero named Captain Underpants. His teacher ripped it up and told him he couldn't spend the rest of his life making silly books. Fortunately, Dav was not a very good listener.

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Emily Morrow

Holiday Book Fair: Must-have Books for 2016 Dec 19, 2016

Show notes

The holidays bring many wonderful thing to Scholastic, chief among them, the employee book fair! There's something for readers of every age, from picture books, coloring books, and cookbooks, to how-to books, graphic novels, and memoirs. In this episode, we talked with colleagues who are shopping and volunteering at the fair to find out what are the must-have books this holiday season.

Here's a list of all the books mentioned in this episode with links to their Goodreads pages:

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Emily Morrow

Pam Muñoz Ryan: Getting Readers to Turn the Page Dec 05, 2016

Show notes

Pam Muñoz Ryan, the celebrated and critically acclaimed author of Esperanza Rising, The Dreamer, and Riding Freedom, among many others, joins us in the studio today with her editor, Tracy Mack, to talk about her writing process, the genesis of her latest New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor novel, Echo, and why so many of her novels contain themes of social justice.

Additional Resources:

About Echo:

Lost and alone in a forbidden forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica.

Decades later, Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each, in turn, become interwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together. And ultimately, pulled by the invisible thread of destiny, their suspenseful solo stories converge in an orchestral crescendo.

Guests:

Pam Muñoz Ryan is the author of the Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Echo, as well as the recipient of the Kirkus Prize, the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for multicultural literature. She has written more than thirty books for young readers. Her celebrated novels, Esperanza Rising, Riding Freedom, Becoming Naomi Léon, Paint the Wind, and The Dreamer, have received numerous accolades, among them two Pura Belpré Awards, a NAPPA Gold Award, a Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and an Americas Award. Ryan's acclaimed picture books include Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Rideand When Marian Sang, both illustrated by Brian Selznick, and Tony Baloney, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, as well as a beginning reader series featuring Tony Baloney. Kirkus Reviews described Echo as "a grand narrative that examines the power of music to inspire beauty in a world overrun with fear and intolerance." Ryan lives near San Diego, California with her family. You can visit her at pammunozryan.com.
Tracy Mack is a vice president and publisher at Scholastic, and Pam Muñoz Ryan's editor.

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Emily Morrow

James Patterson: Saving Lives with Libraries Nov 14, 2016

Show notes

Libraries are the heart of a school, but many suffer from chronic under-funding. Author James Patterson is working to change that. In this episode, he joins us to discuss his pledge to donate $1.75 million to school libraries for the second year in a row. We also hear from librarian Teresa Israel, who works at one of the schools that received a grant from Patterson’s 2015 pledge.

Guests:

James Patterson received the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community at the 2015 National Book Awards. A tireless champion of the power of books and reading, he has created a new children's book imprint, JIMMY Patterson, whose mission is simple: "We want every kid who finishes a JIMMY Book to say, 'PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER BOOK.'" He has donated more than one million books to students and soldiers and has over four hundred Teacher Education Scholarships at 24 colleges and universities. He has also donated millions to independent bookstores and school libraries. Patterson will be investing proceeds from the sales of JIMMY Patterson Books in pro-reading initiatives. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
Teresa Israel is a 25-year veteran of the New York City School System. During that time she has worn many hats, always in the elementary school setting. Six years ago her principal asked her to take over the abandoned school library and there has been no turning back. A graduate of Fordham University, she received a scholarship through the department of education to work on her master’s degree in school librarianship and information technology from Mansfield University in 2013. Israel lives in Rockaway Park, New York with her three children and feels blessed to be able to share her love of books with children each day.

Additional Resources:

View the full list of schools receiving grants
James Patterson's website, Facebook, and Twitter

Special Thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Morgan Baden

"Dream Jumper" and the Rise of Graphic Novels Nov 02, 2016

Show notes

Graphic novels are having a moment. Inspired by the rise of this popular genre, we asked Greg Grunberg, actor and author of the recently released Dream Jumper, to share the story of his inspiration. Illustrator Lucas Turnbloom also discusses his role in the book and his artistic process. Finally, David Saylor, the founder and editorial director of Scholastic's Graphix imprint, joins us with an exciting announcement: a new Graphix contest, where aspiring graphic novelists can get published.

Guests:

Greg Grunberg has appears in the award-winning series Heroes, Alias, and Felicity, among others. Grunberg's film credits include Mission: Impossible III, Austin Powers, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens directed by J.J. Abrams. Greg is also co-host of AMC's "Geeking Out," a new late-night talk show hosted by Kevin Smith and Grunberg that takes a timely look at pop culture through a fanboy lens and features talk, clips, celebrity interviews, and out-of-the-studio segments. Dream Jumper is his first graphic novels.
Lucas Turnbloom is an award-winning cartoonist and illustrator who's best known for his comic strip, Imagine THIS, which is syndicated through Universal Press/Uclick. He was a contributing artist for Darkhorse's Axe Cop graphic novel series. Turnbloom's first picture book, Dragon and Captain, was recently published by Flashlight Press. His work has also appeared in USA Today and TIME.com. Turnbloom currently resides in San Diego with his wife and two sons.
David Saylor is a VP and Creative Director in the Scholastic Trade Publishing Group. In 2005, he founded Scholastic's groundbreaking graphic novel imprint, Graphix. In addition to art directing the American editions of the Harry Potter series, he has art directed many award-winning books, including many which have received recognition from the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the Society of Illustrators, the New York Times Book Review, the Bookbinder’s Guild of New York, and the American Library Association.

Additional Resources:

Dream Jumper (purchase it here)
Greg Grunberg on Facebook and Twitter
Lucas Turnbloom on Facebook and Twitter
Enter the Graphix contest
The Graphix website

Special Thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Morgan Baden

Books with Scare Power: Dan Poblocki on "Shadow House" Oct 17, 2016

Show notes

Just in time for Halloween, Dan Poblocki, author of the new multiplatform series Shadow House, joins us to talk about the origins of his spooky tales. The series comes with an app, which is perfect for young readers. In the episode, Dan (pictured here with his bewitching editor, Erin Black) reveals all of the creepy things that have happened to people who have worked on the Shadow House series. Join us for some scary stories!

Guest:

Dan Poblocki is the author of The Stone Child, The Nightmarys, The Ghost of Graylock, The Haunting of Gabriel Ashe, The Book of Bad Things, and the Mysterious Four series. He lives in Brooklyn with two adorable cats and more books than he has room for. Visit him at danpoblocki.com. Dan welcomes readers to Shadow House, a new multiplatform series filled with ghostly apparitions, spooky noises, and things that go bump in the night. The Gathering, Book 1 in the series, is in stores now. Book 2, You Can’t Hide, is coming in January 2017.

Additional resources:

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Morgan Baden

Barry Cunningham and M.G. Leonard Talk Books (and Beetles!) Oct 05, 2016

Show notes

15 years ago, Scholastic partnered with Chicken House, a publishing company based in the UK begun by publisher Barry Cunningham. In this episode, Barry, perhaps best-known for being the original acquiring editor of a little book called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the U.K., shares his vision of book publishing and talks about the state of the industry. He's joined by Chicken House author M.G. Leonard, writer of Beetle Boy, who regales listeners with her story of writing children's books about creepy-crawlies...while being utterly terrified of them.
Guests:

Barry Cunningham is the founder of Chicken House, a lively and creative company publishing highly original and enjoyable children’s books, with a special emphasis on new fiction. Chicken House launched in the US in 2001 and marked its 15th anniversary here this past summer. Barry is also known for signing up J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone while at Bloomsbury. Together with Chicken House and Scholastic, Barry is proud to have brought the voices of five-time New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke (The Thief Lord; Dragon Rider; the Inkheart trilogy), Printz Honor Award-winning Lucy Christopher (Stolen), Kevin Brooks (Martyn Pig; Lucas; Candy), Rachel Ward (Numbers trilogy), Cathryn Constable (The Wolf Princess), and M.G. Leonard (Beetle Boy) to the world.
M. G. Leonard is the senior digital media producer at Britain’s National Theatre where she creates podcasts and documentaries about theater. Beetle Boy is her debut novel and the first in a trilogy. Leonard lives in Brighton, England with her family. Please visit her online at www.MGLeonard.com.

Additional resources:

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Morgan Baden

Children's Books to Help Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Sep 28, 2016

Show notes

Maria Dominguez, executive editor at Scholastic en Español, and Nancy Mercado, editorial director of Scholastic Press, share their experiences reading and editing Spanish-language or Latino-culture-driven children's books in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. They discuss the books they love and recommend, from Sonia Manzano's Becoming Maria to Christina Diaz Gonzalez's Moving Target. Maria also highlights her own experience growing up in Cuba, while Nancy talks about the importance of reading Spanish-language books to her daughters.

Guests:

Maria Dominguez, executive editor, Scholastic en Español
Nancy Mercado, editorial director, Scholastic Press

Additional resources:

Books discussed in this episode include:

Esperanza Rising, The Dreamer, and Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Moving Target and Return Fire (Moving Target #2) by Cristina Diaz Gonzalez
Princesa Rosada y el Reino de Mentirita by Noah Z. Jones
Allie, First at Last and Gabby, Lost and Found by Angela Cervantes
Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older
Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx (or Ser María: Amor y caos en el Bronx) by Sonia Manzano
The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet by Carmen Agra Deedy (coming next year)

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Morgan Baden

Back to School with Judy Newman Sep 09, 2016

Show notes

For generations, teachers have been using Scholastic Reading Club to help their students foster a lifelong love of reading. Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Reading Club, joins us to talk about the unique business, its book-selection process, and her team of book-loving editors. We’re also joined by teacher-customer turned employee Carol Levine; Editorial Director David Allender; and Reading Club Teacher Advisor Beth Prince.

Guests:

Judy Newman. President, Reading Club and E-Commerce. Judy oversees Scholastic Reading Club, the company's school-based book distribution channel which has been a treasured tradition for teachers and students since 1948. Scholastic Reading Club reaches more than 1 million teachers and 26 million children in classrooms nationwide every year. The Club's e-commerce platforms on Scholastic.com made Internet Retailer’s Hot 100 list in 2009. In 1999, Judy created Scholastic Reading Club's ClassroomsCare initiative, which helps children understand the value of reading and giving. Scholastic donates up to 1 million books to children in need when students in each participating classroom read 100 books. Judy also oversaw the development of Clubs Ordering On-Line (COOL), a service that allows teachers to submit Reading Club orders via the Internet, and Parent COOL, which enables families to submit book orders to their teachers online. Judy also currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Reach Out and Read.
Carol Levine,Director of Special Events
David Allender, Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
Beth Prince, Kindergarden teacher at Hearst Elementary School in Washington, D.C., and Scholastic Reading Club Teacher Advisor.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about Scholastic Reading Club here.
Read the Judy Newman at Scholastic blog.

The Baby-sitters Club Turns 30 Aug 12, 2016

Show notes

Thirty years ago this month, readers were first introduced to the founding members of The Baby-sitters Club: Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey. With nearly 250 titles in print, and new graphic novel adaptations by Raina Telgemeier, The Baby-sitters Club remains one of the most beloved series of all time. In this episode, we talk with BSC creator Ann M. Martin and her longtime editor, David Levithan, about the groundbreaking series and its loyal following.

Guests:

Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club series has more than 176 million copies in print worldwide. Martin, who lives in upstate New York, is also the author of the Main Street series; the Newbery Honor-winning A Corner of the Universe; Here Today; A Dog's Life; and On Christmas Eve; as well as the much-loved collaborations P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail, No More with Paula Danziger.
David Levithan is an editorial director and publisher at Scholastic, as well as the author of several YA novels, including Boy Meets Boy,Every Day, and (with Nina LaCour) You Know Me Well. Follow David on Twitter at @loversdiction.

Additional resources:

Read excerpts, play games (we recommend taking the What Type of Baby-sitters Club Member Are You? Quiz), and meet the characters over at The Baby-sitters Club website.
Follow The Baby-sitters Club on Facebook for trivia, Throwback Thursday content, and more.
Learn more about Raina Telgemeier and her graphic novel adaptations of The Baby-sitters Club here.
Read Lenny Letter’s ode to BSC, A Mary Anne with Kristy Rising: On the Enduring Legacy of the Baby-Sitters Club Books
Don’t miss the NBC News article on Claudia Kishi, Looking Back on Claudia Kishi 30 Years After the Debut of 'The Baby-Sitters Club’

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer

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