E Train Talks Books: A Literacy Initiative

I’m a huge basketball fan, and I was so excited to receive STRONG INSIDE by award-winning author Andrew Maraniss! Andrew weaves together a thought provoking, interesting, and brilliant tale about the man who broke the SEC Basketball Color Barrier, PERRY WALLACE! I loved learning about Perry’s contributions to basketball and I hope his name and story will be shared more in the future, PERRY WALLACE...

Today’s author interview is one very close to my heart. I’m speaking with a prolific writer of beautiful picture books. Books that teach valuable lessons, educate and inform, and most importantly, warms the hearts of her readers. From books like, RAINBOW ALLIES, to MARTIN & ANN, to A QUEEN TO THE RESCUE, to BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN: THE ART OF LAURA WHEELER WARING, my guest has written it all...

Lisa Schmid's new story, HART & SOULS is a spooky, yet heartwarming read! Lisa packs a hint of ghosts, a dash of love, and a pinch of humor too. Middle school is always going to be scary, but when you have to fulfill the final wishes of ghosts, well, that certainly adds to it! HART & SOULS is everything you want to see and read in a middle-grade book! I loved it! A 10/10! Author: Lisa...

THE FIRST STATE OF BEING is a story that shocked me in the best ways possible. I haven’t read many time travel themed books, but Erin Entrada Kelly’s novel is so much more than one single narrative, it’s page turning, impactful & takes readers on a journey to the past, present & future! Watch my book review to learn more & don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you never miss a new book recommen...

Tom Phillips never disappoints with his fast-paced, adventure filled & intense THE CURIOUS LEAGUE OF DETECTIVES AND THIEVES book series! With themes of action, to friendship to discussing important themes like toxic masculinity, author Tom Phillips once again takes readers on a thrilling and entertaining middle-grade reading journey in his newest book, THE CURIOUS LEAGUE OF DETECTIVES & TH...

If you missed the E Train Talks 2024 Summer Book Club, you can feel like you were there by watching our engaging and thoughtful book talk about AND THEN, BOOM! by the wonderful author Lisa Fipps! Better yet, the writer herself joined in on the discussion! Hit play and find out more! And, hope to see you in the next book club! E Train Talks 2024 Summer Book Club Featuring AND THEN, BOOM! A profound...

THE COLOR OF A LIE by award-winning author Kim Johnson is a distinctive story different from any others I’ve read, a historical fiction social justice thriller that shares truths not taught in the classroom or broadcasted in the media. This is the story of Calvin and his family who must pretend to be white in order to survive, this is the story of a seemingly perfect town, that’s anything but perf...

THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE is a fascinating, mysterious, and all-around awesome story that middle-graders and even young adult readers will enjoy. A swift, engaging and thrilling historical fiction read brought to life by award-winning co-writers Steve Sheinkin and Ruta Sepetys. I learned so much about the Bletchley Estate and some of the incredible minds of the time & the everyday life, both trials...

I'm interviewing author Rebecca E.F. Barone, a writer of highly suspenseful, page-turning and entertaining reads, and in this video weare talking about Rebecca's newest middle-grade book, MOUNTAIN OF FIRE: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens! Watch as we talk about Rebecca's newest epic story filled with excitement, facts and shocking personal recounts from those who survive...

423 views • Aug 11, 2024Before I started my podcast or interviewing authors, I read and reviewed the heartfelt story, THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF COYOTE SUNRISE. And since then, I’ve been a huge fan of ALL of author Dan Gemeinhart’s middle-grade stories. Dan is what I like to call a “master storyteller.” He crafts deeply moving tales that fill the heart with tremendous emotion and transports readers...

James Ponti, the masterful author of middle-grade mystery has crafted yet another fun & thrilling series to behold, and this time it's a detective story that fans of adventure and suspense stories are sure to enjoy! Introducing, THE SHERLOCK SOCIETY! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of his newest read, and let me tell you, it is a fast-paced, interesting, and fun-filled read. THE SHERL...

I take great pride in sharing my interview with New York Times Best-Selling-Author David Levithan! David’s writing kicked off a renaissance of LGBTQ+ stories in the Young Adult book world. From WIDE AWAKE, to BOY MEETS BOY, David’s advocacy and writing brings hope and book joy to all the world, and his novels have paved the way for other emerging LGBTQIA+ writers to publish stories. Be sure to wat...

You may not know this about me, but I’m a pretty big mythology fan, and my guest, author Katherine Marsh, is too, which is probably why I loved her newest book, MEDUSA, THE MYTH OF MONSTERS. An epic story that takes readers past the world of the Greek Gods, and into the uncharted territory of the intriguing stories behind the Monsters! Award-winning Katherine Marsh is an incredibly talented writer...

The very popular social justice & political cartoonist Pan Cooke has amassed over 300,000 followers on Instagram with his powerful & thought-provoking comics! In my interview with Pan, we talk about his incredible middle-grade graphic memoir PUZZLED, which details his journey with OCD! Pan zoomed in all the way from Ireland to share his interesting story and his writing journey! Enjoy our...

An interview full of heart and soul. Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month is upon us, and I have the perfect storyteller for us to celebrate this special month. Welcome to my interview with one-and-only Newbery, Geisel and Caldecott Honoree, the wonderfully talented, author Grace Lin. Grace has written & illustrated countless beautiful stories from her middle-grade masterpiece,...

I had a fantastic time talking about the art of storytelling with multi-award-winning author & talented podcaster Adam Gitwitz! Historical fiction will always hold a special place in my reading heart and Adam adds magic, heart, and humor to all his historically fun and fanciful stories. From THE INQUISITOR’S TALE to MAX IN THE HOUSE OF SPIES, all of Adam’s reads keep readers entertained, infor...

ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS is a special and needed tale. Celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover, a time of somberness, but also hope, each of the 14 tales, crafted by 14 uniquely talented authors, discuss a certain step of the Passover Seder. From kadesh to nirchatz! It's not often you find a Jewish-themed anthology in the book world, so it makes my heart sing that ON ALL OTHER NIGHTS is out in t...

We all know I'm a huge historical fiction fan, and HEROES is the perfect combination of excitement, history & truth. New York Times Bestselling author Alan Gratz is a legend of historical fiction, and his newest middle-grade novel discussing Pearl Harbor, takes the cake as one of my top reads of 2024! You'll also find themes of friendship, coming of age, and bravery, all wrapped up PER...

Ever wonder about the agenting side of the publishing world? A day in the life of a literary agent is unlike that of an author, and you might be surprised as to how a literary agent spends a work day! I discovered so much abut the work of a book agent during our lively talk and I know you will too! Learn more about the incredible Agent & Author Ann Rose in our chat!

In honor of NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK, it's time to share my chat with the librarian everybody knows and loves, Mychal Threets! Mychal's is an amazing literacy hero who's library joy and kindness have warms the hearts and inspires millions of people all over the Globe! He's kindness has become contagious and he's currently reached over 1.5 million followers on his combined social m...

In MAX IN THE HOUSE OF SPIES, historical fiction just reached a new level with author Adam Gidwitz’s latest, and I dare say, best book ever! Max’s life changes forever after the Nazis take over his home country of Germany, and he's forced to leave his family in a rescue Kindertransport to the UK. You'd think that was enough for one kid to endure, but Max finds himself in an entirely new ac...

COYOTE LOST AND FOUND is a one of a kind, genuine, heartfelt and compelling read. Author Dan Gemeinhart perfectly encapsulates many of the feelings that can come and go when we experiences loss. Grief is ever changing, no one person feels the same way, and we learn this lesson along with so many more in Coyote's *hopefully not last* journey! A beautifully written companion to the REMARKABLE JO...

Today’s guest has been on my bucket list for a long time, he's an absolute legend in the book world and a storytelling hero to kids all over the globe, I’m talking about the incredible MAX BRALLIER. Max is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than fifty books, including the renowned middle-grade series The Last Kids on Earth which, cool fact, has...

Award-winning author Katherine Marsh’s “MEDUSA, THE MYTH OF MONSTERS,” is a truly phenomenal adventure read! I was on the edge of my seat, actively trying to figure o author’s plot twists, exciting moments, and endless adventures in MEDUSA! Whether you’re a mythology fan like me, or just love to dig into a really good fantasy read, MEDUSA, THE MYTH OF MONSTERS, is one fantastical, mythological pag...

One of my all-time favorite interviews! Chris Baron has always supported my literacy journey and I knew I would love chatting with him! A skillful and accomplished poet and author, who has the remarkable gift of writing about sensitive, meaningful and oftentimes painful middle-school topics, in a way that brings comfort and understanding to everyone who reads his stories. I’m so proud to share my...