Book Flood Podcast

New York Times best-selling author Matt Tavares has created another in his series of "Dasher" books called "Dasher and the Polar Bear (2025)." Matt is the author and/or illustrator of more than 20 books. You can purchase "Dasher and the Polar Bear" on Amazon here (for which we will receive a small amount of funds): https://amzn.to/48wnSDB You can find more information on Matt Tavares here: http://...

Amanda Jones is the author of "That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America (2025)." Here Amanda discusses the changes in the revised version and reminds us of the importance of the fight against book banning. You can purchase the book here on Amazon (and we receive a tiny bit of funds for you doing so): https://amzn.to/4rGvAUK You can find Amanda Jones on the internet here: https://t...

Ryan Estrada is a Freeman Award-winning, Eisner-nominated artist, author, and adventurer. His books include Banned Book Club, No Rules Tonight, Good Old Fashioned Korean Spirit, Occulted, and the Student Ambassador series. He has made comics for Star Trek, Popeye, Flash Gordon, and Garfield. He was a gator wrangler in America, an ambassador to Australia, an undocumented animator in Canada, a ghost...

Joan Schoettler grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place she often returns to for inspiration and research in museums and gardens. Time with her grandchildren, hikes in the Sierra, shared dinners with friends, as well as reading, gardening, and travel fill her days, weaving ideas and creativity for her writing. After teaching in elementary schools, Schoettler earned a Masters in Arts in Read...

Edward Andrès Dennis is a Mexican-American visual storyteller. Edward hasbeen featured in the Hispanic Rising Stars (Volume 3) for his contributions to Latino excellence. Edward’s debut children’s book was “The Boy from Mexico". Edward’s second children’s book which was released in September 2024 was “The Boy from Mexico becomes a Farmworker”. Dennis' third book in the series is "The Boy from Mexi...

Loyal listeners will remember that Amanda Jones was our  very first guest on the podcast . It’s only right that she is the last guest for Season 1. Amanda is the author of “That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America.” ( https://amzn.to/3TvaSqJ ) She has won a number of awards including the 2023 Intellectual Freedom Award from the American Association of School Librarians. In her wor...

Patrick "PC" Sweeney is a 2007 San Jose School of Library and Information Sciences graduate and former Administrative Librarian and School Librarian and was Executive Director of EveryLibrary California, a statewide initiative to support library propositions. He was awarded Library Journal’s “Movers and Shakers” award in 2015 for his library advocacy work. Patrick is co-author of “Winning Election...

Becky Calzada is the 2024-2025 AASL President, a District Library Coordinator in Leander, Texas, and a co-founding member of Texas #FReadom Fighters. She was selected for the 4th ALA Policy Corp Cohort, works as a member of the ALA Policy Corp Proactive Advocacy on Book Banning cadre and is a past member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee. She is actively involved in the Texas Library Assoc...

Tom Bober ( http://TomBober.com ) is a school librarian at Captain Elementary in the suburbs of St. Louis, MO, a 2018 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, former Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress, and author of the books Literature and Primary Sources, Building News Literacy, as well as his first title, Elementary Educator's Guide to Primary Sources.  He is a member of teacher advisory...

Erin Dealey's original career goal was Olympic Gold Medal tetherball player. When that didn't pan out, she became a teacher, theater director, actor, mom, blogger, award-winning playwright and author of over a dozen children’s books (so far).  Her books include DEAR EARTH…From Your Friends in Room 5 (NYSRA Charlotte Award/CT Nutmeg Award nominee); SNOW GLOBE WISHES (Anna Dewdney Read Together Hono...

Diana Farid is an award-winning author and poet. Her picture book, WHEN YOU BREATHE, was a 2021 National Council of Teachers of English Notable Poetry Book and a 2022 EUREKA! Gold Award winner for nonfiction. Her novel in verse, WAVE, was a 2022 School Library Journal Best Middle Grade Book, the Cybils Award Winner for Novel in Verse, a Middle East Book Award Honoree, a Junior Library Guild Gold S...

Shannon McClintock Miller ( https://amzn.to/4cqo2y4 ) is an international speaker, consultant and author who has a passion for education, librarianship, advocacy, technology, social media and making a difference in the world and lives of others, especially children.  Shannon serves as the preschool-12th grade district teacher librarian at Van Meter Community School District in Iowa. She currently...

Novella Dean's passion for storytelling took root in Trinidad and Tobago, her birthplace, where rich folklore is a national treasure. Despite her academic journey leading her to graduate as a scientist, her heart always gravitated toward artistic expressions. The inspiration for her debut book, "Ta-Thump, Ta-Thump, originated from bedtime storytelling sessions with her son. "Ta-Thump, Ta-Thump" =...

Our guest for this week's Book Flood Podcast is award-winning author and poet Nikki Grimes (Our guest for this week's Book Flood Podcast is award-winning author and poet Nikki Grimes (https://amzn.to/43mDXuR). New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes was inducted into the Black Authors Hall of Fame in 2023. Her honors include the CSK Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the ALAN Awa...

Patricia Newman's latest book is "Sharks Unhooked: The Adventures of Cristina Zenato, Underwater Ranger" ( https://amzn.to/3FAtxxR ) Patricia Newman Books ( https://amzn.to/4bzKTGY ) Patricia Newman loves nonfiction and nature. She combines both passions in her true environmental stories. She’s written about giant manta rays, sea otters, elephants, rhinos, black-footed ferrets, orangutans, a river...

Greg Lucas was appointed California’s 25th State Librarian by Governor Jerry Brown on March 25, 2014. Prior to his appointment, Greg was the Capitol Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Chronicle where he covered politics and policy at the State Capitol for nearly 20 years. During Greg’s tenure as State Librarian, the State Library’s priorities have been to improve reading skills throughout the stat...

Have you ever thought you might want to be a librarian? Jonathan Hunt from San Jose State University discusses its program for teacher librarians (certificated librarians who work in schools). SJSU School Librarianship Book Flood Podcast

Charlotte Cheng ( https://amzn.to/4gQmMos ) has written and illustrated a variety of books including "Night Market Rescue," "Roar-Choo!," "I Miss You Most," and "BoBo Loves Dumplings." Represented by Red Fox Literary, Charlotte has spoken at a wide variety of events, given school assemblies, and taught interactive workshops for both children and adults. These events have included the National Amer...

Ernesto Cisneros ( https://amzn.to/3QhP2pg ) is the nationally acclaimed author of EFRÉN DIVIDED. He was born and raised in Santa Ana, California, where he still teaches.  As an author, he believes in providing today’s youth with an honest depiction of characters with whom they can identify. Additionally, he strives to build empathy and belonging in our community. Efrén Divided = https://amzn.to/4...

Sara Smith is a District Librarian in California’s Central Valley. Previously, she was a high school teacher librarian and English teacher. Sara has reviewed over 1000 manga and graphic novels for  Booklist  and  School Library Journal . She runs The Graphic Library website where she supports libraries with collection development. Sara has appeared as a podcast guest on  School Librarians United  ...

Darcie Little Badger ( https://amzn.to/4jHRG4Z ) is a Lipan Apache writer with a PhD in oceanography. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, Elatsoe, was featured in Time Magazine as one of the best 100 fantasy books of all time. Elatsoe also won the Locus award for Best First Novel and is a Nebula, Ignyte, and Lodestar finalist. Her second fantasy novel, A Snake Falls to Earth, received a Nebula A...

Nick Glass is a nationally known educational partner focused on improving literacy opportunities for all students. Equity work is how he defines his professional charge. He has a Master's in educational policy and the history of multicultural education from the University of Wisconsin Madison, and runs  TeachingBooks.net  -- a literacy service he created to empower every reader with meaningful con...

Award-winning author Padma Venkatraman returns with an uplifting middle grade novel in verse SAFE HARBOR  (Nancy Paulsen Books; on sale January 21, 2025). In this poignant novel-in-verse, Padma Venkatraman tells the story of two kids who help rescue a wounded seal, and in learning it’s okay to show their emotions, find their own safe harbors.   Venkatraman was inspired to write SAFE HARBOR after w...

René Hohls is currently the president of the California School Library Association (CSLA). She currently works in Mendocino County at Fort Bragg Unified School District and spent the last 10 years as the Learning Resource/Library Specialist for the Ventura County Office of Education. She has worked with many districts to provide direct library services and professional development training for all...

Varsha Bajaj ( https://amzn.to/42IBf2v ) is the New York Times bestselling author of the middle grade novel,  Thirst.  (Nancy Paulsen   books, 2022).  Thirst  was a Global Read Aloud (2022-23), on the Bluebonnet list (2023-24) many state lists, received starred reviews and was translated into several languages. Her other middle grade novels include  Count Me In , and  Abby Spencer goes to Bollywoo...