Books Between Podcast

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 - 5th grade teacher currently enjoying Spring Break, a mom of two tween daughters, and part of the MGBookVillage team. And MGBookVillage.org where you can find transcripts and interview outlines of all of our episodes and links to every book and topic we mention today. This is episode #72 and oday's show features three novels that will get your students talking, and a conversation with Mae Respicio - author of The House That Lou Built. Book Talk In this segment, I share with you three books and discuss three things to love about each. All three books today have a couple things in common - questions of identity and an element of mystery. Two involve recovered memories, two of them have a bit of magic, and two of them include rather helpful birds. The three books featured this week are Restart by Gordan Korman, The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu, and The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast by Samantha Clark. Restart Let's start with Restart. This novel, by Gordon Korman, was one that people kept pushing me to read. Teachers, students, librarians - everyone kept saying, "But have you read Restart yet??" So how can you say no to that kind of pressure? And - they were right! First of all the premise is incredible - the school bully (Chase Ambrose) falls off his roof, gets amnesia, and forgets everything about his previous life. And doesn't get why certain kids are terrified of him, why others treat him like some big hero, and others, well… do things like dump a cup of frozen yogurt over his head. Plus, it's not just told from Chase's point of view - we get to hear from lots of the other kids as Chase's past (and present) are slowly revealed. Restart is incredibly crafted. Aside from how well this novel is paced and pieced together, here are three other things I really loved about Restart: Brendan Espinoza's videos! Like lots of kids we know, he loves YouTube! Brendan is one of the first kids in the school to - if not accept the "new Chase" - at least offer him a little empathy. And that's a powerful thing to do considering that Brendan was one of Chase's biggest targets. He's one of the video club kids and desperately wants one of his YouTube videos to go viral. So of course, he stages these increasingly over-the-top stunts to film. It's hard to describe a funny video in a way that also makes you, the reader, laugh and cringe - but Gordon Korman pulls it off! And I'll never go through a car-wash again without thinking of Brendan…. Mr. Solway! He's this crotchety, hilarious, Medal-of-Honor-winning veteran living at the nursing home where Chase and his crew are serving out their community service. And somehow he is the spark, the center, the fulcrum of the story. That it works really powerfully as a read-aloud with tons of big ideas to discuss. Restart was our most recent bedtime book for my family, and whoa did we have a ton of deep conversations. Like…. When should you forgive someone? Is it possible to make amends for your past bad actions? And the whole situation with Joel and the video club and Shoshanna and Chase's dad and football! If you are looking for a great book club novel, one that will offer a lot of fodder for discussion, then Restart is a fantastic option. It's both hilarious and deep. Which to me, is that hard-to-achieve but perfect when it happens combination. The Lost Girl Next up is The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu. A story about inseparable twins Iris and Lark. Well, inseparable until 5th grade when they are each placed into different classes with teachers who might not be the best fit for their distinctive personalities. Iris is analytical, outspoken, conscientious - a girl who always knows when her library books are due. Lark is sensitive, brilliantly creative, dreamy - a girl who always knows what library books she wants to check out next. If Iris is Hermione then Lark is more Luna. But the winds of change are in the air - new school arrangements, new after-school clubs, and a new shop opening up that might not be what it seems. Here are three reasons to love The Lost Girl: The Treasure Hunters antique shop that suddenly opens up in their Minneapolis neighborhood with the slogan We Can Find Anything. Run by mysterious mashed-potato faced man, the shop is soon frequented by one of the twins. For what purpose and why I will leave you to discover. But the shop reminded me a bit of the Stephen King novel Needful Needs. I just couldn't get enough of the fairy tale motif of this story - from the first pages when Lark is described as knowing all the consequences for stealing in various fairy tales, to the recurring comparisons of threats as monsters and ogres, to one of my favorite scenes. It's when Iris is attending Camp Awesome - one those Girl Power-type camps and the counselor, Abigail, has asked them all which fairy-tale character they identify with. And it goes on, and other positive points are made about women in fairy tales, but I loved that conversation so so much. I love how for most of the book I thought I knew which girl the title was referring to. But now I am not so sure…. and I think that would make a really fabulous conversation. Anne Ursu's The Lost Girl is an incredible novel that is utterly deserving of all the hype that it's received. If you have a kid who enjoys realistic fiction with a bit of magical adventure than slide this book their way. The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast And the third book on my mind this week is The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast by debut author Samantha Clark. This novel starts with a mysterious boy washed up on a beach. Where he is, why he's on this beach, and even who he is are all questions the boy can't answer. And so he sets off to find to find answers and discover who he is. My husband, who is a book critic, like to say that every book is really a "journey of self-discovery" but this novel is exactly that. And brilliantly done. As the boy ventures beyond the beach, snippets of his memories return and slowly weave together a picture of what happened. It's fantastic - and here are three reasons why: Breath-taking to read. Samantha Clark is the Picasso of personification. I got chills reading this novel! Let me read you a few lines: The leaves in the trees purred in the slight breeze. Greedy waves tugged at his ankles. The sun squatted in the sky. The second thing that this book does so well is to capture that inner, critical, self-bullying voice that well have to overcome. Throughout the the story, the boy is confronted by this voice that is less-than-encouraging. He can run away from some threats, but he can't run away from this, so how he confronts it is a powerful moment in the book. The third aspect of this reading experience that made it so good was that your understanding of the three words in the title (boy, beast, boat) change over the course of the novel. And I won't say more but…..ahhh!! This novel reminded me of Orphan Island, and one other book that I love. But - if I tell you what book that is - it's going to give away a big plot twist. But if you'd read this book, message me! Mae Respicio - Interview Outline This week's interview is featuring debut author Mae Respicio! Julie Artz and I hopped on Skype to chat with her about tiny houses, her writing life and of course - her debut novel The House That Lou Built. Take a listen. The House That Lou Built For our listeners who haven't yet read The House That Lou Built, what is this story about? What inspired you to write about a tool-toting middle schooler? What sort of research did you do to write this book? Did you visit Tiny Houses? Your Writing Life What was Hedgebrook like? What are you working on now? Your Reading Life One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and librarians inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books. Did you have a special teacher or librarian in your life who helped you grow into a reader? What are you reading now? **BONUS SPOILER SECTION: We discuss the ending of the novel, and if you'd like to hear that conversation, I moved that part of the recording to after the end credits of today's episode at the 35:04 mark. Thank You! Links: Mae's website - https://www.maerespicio.com Mae on Twitter - @maerespicio Mae on Instagram - @maerespiciobooks Hedgebrook Books & Authors We Chatted About: Harry Potter series Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Robert C. O'Brien) Self-Help (Lorrie Moore) Closing Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated. Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Talk with you soon! Bye!

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 - an elementary school teacher in Central New York and mom of two daughters - a 9 year old and a just turned 12 year old. Yesteday we celebrated her birthday with the most amazing cake - white with whipped cream frosting and layers of cannoli filling and raspberry filling inside. And just in case you are wondering - no, I did not make it. But if you live near a Wegmans, you can order one! This is episode #71 and oday and I'm sharing with you a conversation with Alyson Gerber - author of Braced and the recently released Focused. Her latest novel is about a gutsy, chess-loving, 7th grader named Clea who is learning to cope with her ADHD. So....do you know that slightly disorienting feeling you have when you are looking out a window & suddenly the lights shifts, your perspective shifts, and you realize you are seeing your OWN reflection? That is the experience I had when reading Focused. Like so many other people, Dr. Rudine Bishop's analogy of books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors has always resonated with me. And I picked up Focused anticipating that I would get a window into the experiences of a young girl with ADHD - that it would help me become a better, more empathetic teacher. And while Focused absolutely did that - it also helped dispel a lot of the misconceptions I had about ADHD, particularly how it tends to manifest in girls and women. And launched me on a path to discovering that I have ADHD. I opened Focused thinking I was reading a window book - and it turned into a mirror book for me. I know that books can change minds and can change lives. But rarely has a novel changed my life for the better so completely and so soon. And by extension - the lives of my family and students. And when that happens - you just have to let the author know! And so, I emailed Alyson and thanked her and asked her to come on the show to talk about Focused, chess, her experiences with ADHD, her writing process, and so so much more. Take a listen. Alyson Gerber - Interview Outline Focused For our listeners who have not yet read the Focused, can you tell us a bit about it? In what ways is Clea's situation and experiences similar to your own and in what ways did you angle her story so that it was different from your own? Another thing that I think you do masterfully in Focused is how you show Clea's relationship with her therapist evolving over time from her denial and distrust to an eventual positive relationship. I think so many kids can benefit from that peek inside a therapist's office... Is the testing you describe Clea doing things you've experienced or did you do some research to get those aspects of the story right? One of the other parts of the story that really rang true were the conversations around medication... One of the things that made me fall so hard for this book was the CHESS! My husband and daughters are all big chess players though not competitively. Do you play? So.... there is some romance in this story!! Your Writing Life What are you working on now? My students and kids are always eager to hear writing advice from authors. What's a tip or trick that you've picked along the way that has helped your writing? Is there a piece of feedback that you got that changed Focused? Your Reading Life One of the goals of this podcast is to help educators and parents inspire kids to read more and connect them with amazing books. Did you have a special person who helped launch your reading life as a child? And if so, what did they do that made such a difference? What have you been reading lately that you've liked? What do you hope that readers take away from reading Focused? Thank You! Links: Alyson's website - http://alysongerber.com Alyson on Twitter - @AlysonGerber Alyson on Instagram - @alysongerber Alyson on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlysonGerberBooks Resources about ADHD: https://chadd.org https://www.understood.org/en Books & Authors We Chatted About: The Science of Breakable of Things (Tae Keller) Barbara Cooney Merci Suarez Changes Gears (Meg Medina) New Kid (Jerry Craft) The Serpent's Secret (Sayantani DasGupta) Eventown (Corey Ann Haydu) Closing Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated. Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Talk with you soon! Bye!

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 see how those classic characters are updated. Amy is into gaming - and boy is she competetive about it! And she wants to sell Aunt Catherine's ring to either go to art school or launch a career as a video game reviewer on YouTube. The book includes most of the iconic Little Women scenes - Jo cutting her hair, Amy wrecking some of Jo's writing, Jo not saving Amy from an accident that could have been tragic, Meg hanging out with a crowd of a different class, the whole Laurie situation. But each are shifted and told in a totally new way that makes sense for the now. The ending is the same yet totally different. I want to be careful with what I say so I don't ruin anything if you haven't read Little Women. First, the story ends when the girls are younger. Jo is still in high school and Meg is in college so there might be an opportunity for a sequel? Also - just like the original, you will need tissues but maybe not an entire box. Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth is a must-purchase graphic novel for I would say about grades 5 and up. And just like other graphic novels versions of classics like Anne of Green Gables and the Iliad, it's a way for young readers to access those stories in a format they love. And adult fans of Little Women will love it, too. New Kid The third graphic novel that I want to recommend to you this week is New Kid by Jerry Craft. I'm fairly confident that you have already heard about this book since it seems like everyone is raving about it. But let me add my voice to those to say - yes, it's THAT good. And I am really excited to have Jerry Craft on the show today to talk about how the book connects to his own experiences attending a private school, micro-aggressions, his favorite Chinese food, his inspirations, what's he's been reading - and so so much more. Take a listen: Jerry Craft - Interview Outline New Kid has been getting so much love and support from readers online - you have knocked it out of the park! For our listeners who have not yet read the novel, can you tell us a bit about it? I've heard you say that Jordan's story is somewhat based on your experiences. What are those those similiarites and also - where does the novel diverge from your experiences? In a previous interview you were asked what message you hoped people would take away from reading New Kid. And one of the things you mentioned was addressed to teachers and librarians "when you see kids of color, make sure you see them as kids first. Because they are! They like to laugh, and play, and use their imaginations, but to me they are constantly bombarded with so many things that force them to grow up at a much faster rate than other kids. Their books. Their movies. Their music. Everything is such a heavy reminder of how terrible their lives are going to be." And that scene at the book fair is such an illustration of that…. So I have to talk to you about the audiobook of New Kid! What was the process like and what did you think of the final audiobook? So - what's YOUR favorite Chinese food? A question from Jarrett Lerner.. "I'd love to hear about your favorite comics, comic book artists, graphic novelists. You do such inventive, clever things with your paneling and your visual language. Who are your influences and favorites? So, everyone wants to know - will there be a sequel?! What have you been reading lately that you've liked? Thank You! Links: Jerry's website - http://www.jerrycraft.net Jerry on Twitter - @JerryCraft Jerry on Instagram - @jerrycraft Jerry on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jerry.craft.162 New Kid audiobook Jerry's influences: John Buscema Jim Steranko Gil Kane Jack Kirby Will Eisner Barbara Slate Books & Authors We Chatted About: Nimona audiobook Angel Love (Barbara Slate) Sweet Sixteen (Barbara Slate) You Can Do a Graphic Novel (Barbara Slate) Class Act (Jerry Craft) Piecing Me Together (Renée Watson) Queen Raina Telgemeier Nic Stone Ibi Zoboi Jason Reynolds Kwame Alexander American Born Chinese (Gene Luen Yang) Anika Denise Pura Belpré Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library (Carole Boston Weatherford) Closing Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can find an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you have an extra minute this week, reviews on iTunes or Stitcher are much appreciated. Books Between is a proud member of the Lady Pod Squad and the Education Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Talk with you soon! Bye!

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 The Harry Potter books 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 Hogwart's House sorting quiz Should we sort? The Harry Potter Movies The acting in the Harry Potter movies Fascist Ideology in Harry Potter & the Mitford Sisters Snape, James Potter, the Black Family Controversial Opinions! Fan Fiction Native American Fantasy Links: Angie Manfredi on Twitter - @misskubelik Mr. Turner movie Author Adam Silvera Carry On by Rainbow Rowell Rick Riordan Presents line Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha-Lee Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg Native American Representation in Harry Potter http://nativesinamerica.com/2016/07/dear-jk-rowling-were-still-here/ http://nativeappropriations.com/2016/03/magic-in-north-america-the-harry-potter-franchise-veers-too-close-to-home.html And some books by Native authors Angie recommends if you liked Harry Potter For MG readers: Trickster: Native American Tales, A Graphic Collection How I Became a Ghost For YA readers Feral Nights Strangers And if you want to read more about the Mitford sisters, who were the very real inspirations for the Black sisters: https://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Saga-Mitford-Family/dp/0393324141?fbclid=IwAR1jhRuVY28a-t1uGDyZa0eOZr8C4byU3YRxEFt1yi09wncPXre4F8Fbs84 Rowling has said Jessica Mitford is a huge inspiration and her oldest daughter is named after her. And Angie quite recommend's falling down a Wikipedia hole about them https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitford_family#Mitford_sisters Amy Skelding - Interview Outline (1:20:00) For our final #HappyPottermas segment, I am joined by middle grade author and Harry Potter mega fan Amy Skelding! She is also the host of the KidLitDrinkNight podcast. We share a bit of firewhisky and chat about Harry Potter inspiration in the work place, how Harry Potter inspired her family through a challenging time, and… her rather surprising list of the ten most devastating deaths in the Harry Potter series. Take a listen… Topics we chatted about Introductions Firewhisky The adult appeal of Harry Potter The movie adaptations The Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter as a Moral Compass House Sorting Favorite Character Amy's Top Ten List of the Harry Potter Deaths in Order of Devastation to Me Personally Links: Amy Skelding on Twitter - @akskelding Kid Lit Drink Night Podcast Ogden's Old Firewhisky Recipe: http://www.inliterature.net/by-author/jk-rowling/2017/06/13021.html Half Magic by Edward Eager 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 Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well. Thanks and see you soon! Bye!

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 The Harry Potter books 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 Podcast Network. This network features podcasts for educators, created by educators. For more great content visit edupodcastnetwork.com Thank you so much for joining me this week. You can get an outline of interviews and a full transcript of all the other parts of our show at MGBookVillage.org. And, if you are liking the show, please leave us some love on iTunes or Stitcher so others can discover us as well. Thanks and see you soon! Bye!