Scholastic Reads

Latest Episodes:

Kate Beaton: A Princess, a Pony, and Punchlines Mar 18, 2016

Show notes

Just in time for Women’s History Month, Kate Beaton joins us to talk about her bestselling picture book, The Princess and the Pony, writing female characters, and her work on the wildly popular Hark! A Vagrant comic strip. Editors Cheryl Klein and Emily Clement also join us to talk about how they first discovered Kate’s work and to share some of their favorite female characters in literature.

Guests:

Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant, Step Aside, Pops, The Princess and the Pony, King Baby)
Cheryl Klein: Executive Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books
Emily Clement: Editor, Arthur A. Levine Books

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mixing and editing by Daniel Jordan
Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer

Photo credit: Notker Mahr

Sonia Manzano: Shaping a Life Story Mar 07, 2016

Show notes

Author and actress Sonia Manzano, along with editor Andrea Davis Pinkney, discuss the making of Sonia's coming-of-age memoir, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx. Sonia joined the cast of the acclaimed television series Sesame Street in 1971, where she defined the role of "Maria" and went on to write for the show, retiring in 2015 after 44 years. Sonia has won 15 Emmy Awards for her television writing and is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Guests:

Sonia Manzano, actress (Sesame Street) and writer (The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx)
Andrea Davis Pinkney, VP and Executive Editor, Scholastic Trade Publishing

Special thanks:

Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mixing and editing by Daniel Jordan
Produced by Megan Kaesshaefer

Kids on the Campaign Trail Feb 26, 2016

Show notes

The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps is the country’s oldest and largest student reporting program. This year, our team of young journalists is out on the campaign trail, meeting candidates and covering caucuses, primaries, and debates. In this episode, we talk with two Kid Reporters about their experiences reporting on the election so far. We also hear from Classroom Magazines editorial director Steph Smith about how Scholastic covers the race for the White House for kids, and from middle school teacher Josh Torpey about how he gets students in his Humanities class thinking deeply about the election.

Guests:

Steph Smith, Editorial Director, Classroom Magazines
Scholastic Kid Reporters Bobby Sena and Lilian Jochmann
7th grade Humanities Teacher Josh Torpey (The Institute for Collaborative Education, New York)

Additional Resources:

Learn more about The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps and meet our 2016 Kid Reporters here.
Check out the Scholastic News Election 2016 website.
Browse articles from Scholastic News here.
Book recommendations for kids who want to read about the election or presidents and patriotic holidays.

Special thanks:

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

Sharon Robinson: Breaking Barriers Feb 17, 2016

Show notes

Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball great Jackie Robinson, joins us to discuss her new book, The Hero Two Doors Down: A Story of Friendship Between a Boy and a Baseball Legend. Plus, we hear from filmmaker Ken Burns about his new documentary, Jackie Robinson, coming this April.

Guests:

Sharon Robinson
Ken Burns

Special thanks:

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

Additional resources:

The Breaking Barriers Essay Contest is a chance for diverse students in grade 4–8 to share their personal stories and show how they use Jackie Robinson's values to face their own barriers. Deadline is March 14, 2016.

The Power of Picture Books Feb 08, 2016

Show notes

Scholastic editor Liza Baker joins us to talk about Scholastic's new awareness campaign, “The Story Starts Here,” which emphasizes the importance of reading to children from day one. Plus, Stephen Savage (Where’s Walrus and Penguin?) joins us to discuss his work as an award-winning picture book author and illustrator.

Guests:

Liza Baker, VP/Executive Editorial Director for Cartwheel and Orchard Books at Scholastic
Stephen Savage, author/illustrator

Special thanks:

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

Book Trends for 2016 Jan 25, 2016

Show notes

What are the big trends in children’s literature for 2016? Look out for superheroes, graphic novels, diverse characters and mythology! Experts David Allender and Preeti Chibberr share their projections for the coming year.

Guests:

David Allender: Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
Preeti Chhibber, Senior Editorial Manager, Scholastic Reading Club

Special thanks:

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

Every Child a Super Reader Jan 06, 2016

Show notes

Literacy experts Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell join us to talk about their new book, Every Child A Super Reader. The book helps parents and educators develop seven key strengths in young learners, transforming them into “Super Readers”—avid, passionate and critical. Learn more about Every Child a Super Reader at scholastic.com/superreader.

Guests:

Pam Allyn: Literacy expert, author, and Founding Director of LitWorld
Ernest Morrell: Macy Professor of English Education and Director, Institute for Urban and Minority Education, Columbia Teachers College; Past President of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Special thanks:

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

Kids’ Books Holiday Hotline Dec 17, 2015

Show notes

Giving the gift of reading isn’t always easy, especially when you have a reluctant reader on your holiday shopping list. Experts David Allender and Preeti Chhibber answer parents’ questions about their trickiest book-buying challenges. Plus, we interview Scholastic employees about what books they’re buying this holiday season and why.

Guests:

David Allender: Editorial Director, Scholastic Reading Club
Preeti Chhibber, Senior Editorial Manager, Scholastic Reading Club

Special thanks:

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

The Magic of Harry Potter Dec 14, 2015

Show notes

What makes the Harry Potter series so special? How did it become the most popular in all of children’s literature? Cheryl Klein talks about her work as continuity editor on the series and shares harrowing stories about keeping the manuscript secret. Literacy expert Pam Allyn, Founding Director of LitWorld, weighs in on how Hogwarts and the lessons Harry Potter teaches us can be valuable for educators.

Guests: