E Train Talks Books: A Literacy Initiative

Coretta Scott King Award-Winning Author, Sharon G. Flake's writing has made a huge impact on young adult and middle-grade literature and her newest middle-grade novel-in-verse story, ONCE IN A BLUE MOON is no different! Sharon's books have touched the hearts and opened the minds of readers from around the world, and not only that, her books address important social issues that both inspire...

Nick Brooks has a STORY to tell and he's sharing it on E Train Talks! From writing books with strong lovable characters, to speaking from the heart in his incredible short films, to channeling his feelings into his hip hop tunes, Nick has done it ALL!! He is an inspiration, he is PROOF that if you work hard, you can do anything! Nick's books are so special and deserve all the praise in the...

With a dash of adventure, a pinch of magic & a whole lot of faeries, my guest, author Holly Black creates the perfect fantastical stories! Having sold over 29 million copies of her books, Holly Black is a story writing icon across the globe! From YA fantasy, to middle-grade adventure & spooky chronicles, Holly's magical reads are fan favorites in the YA world & I've become a fa...

If you’re in the mood for a fun, lively & inspiring interview, you’ve come to the right place! Check out my talk with the amazing Jake Maia Arlow! In honor of Pride Month, I sat down virtually with the FABULOUS author Jake Maia Arlow! Jake is an award-winning middle-grade and young adult author, whose stories are relatable and seriously relevant works of writing art! I was so excited to have t...

In a world where books tend to just tackle one or two problems, author Jake Maia Arlow’s newest book, THE YEAR MY LIFE WENT DOWN THE TOILET, takes readers on a middle-school challenge filled journey, true to the lives of many tweens and teens today! With themes of queerness, religion, family, friendship, and the tummy ache of the century, Jake takes us on a coming-of-age reading adventure filled w...

IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY is a powerful & poignant middle-grade book by author Sydney Dunlap. From the first words on the very first page, to the last compelling sentence in this important story, I was hooked. The characters are well developed and relatable, and IT HAPPENED ON SATURDAY is so well crafted and captivating. Sydney did a wonderful job interweaving such an important topic, human traf...

I was so excited to sit down virtually with the famous "Shib Sibs," Maia and Alex Shibutani, Olympic Bronze Medalists, three-time World Medalists and authors! Their newest diverse picture book, AMAZING shares the stories of Asian American and Pacific Islander heroes that have demonstrated great courage, innovation, creativity, and more! Listen to my interview and learn more about the Shi...

Today we are celebrating Juneteenth with my very special guest, Alliah L. Agostini, author of the powerful picture book, THE JUNETEENTH STORY: CELEBRATING THE END OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITES STATES! I invite you to watch, learn and celebrate with us, as we honor the holiday Juneteenth! But wait, there's more! In my interview with Alliah, we'll also be discussing her inspirational writing jour...

"When You Have an Education, Nobody Can Take It Away from You" I had the HONOR of sitting down virtually with UNICEF Ambassador for Goodwill & newly published author, as well as one of my personal kindness heroes, Muzoon Almellehan! Muzoon has dedicated her life to ensuring all girls & kids have access to education! Her activism is beyond inspiring. "MUZOON, A SYRIAN REFUGEE...

When a copy of the highly anticipated THE SUN AND THE STAR, a spinoff of PERCY JACKSON arrived at my doorstep, I leaped for joy & devoured the book immediately! Rick Riordan & Mark Oshiro are the perfect duo! There's heart, adventure, and so much more inside of THE SUN AND THE STAR! I promise you that you won't want to put this book down! There were so many themes woven into this L...

Author Michael Leali is truly a one-of-a-kind award-winning middle-grade author. His books are full of heart, LGBTQ+ themes, and acceptance, and his stories are windows and mirrors into the lives of kids/tweens/teens struggling with their sometimes complicated & confusing feelings for others. Michael's profound and meaningful stories are among some of my favorite reads. I'm so happy to...

It was such an honor to receive an advanced readers copy of “MUZOON: A SYRIAN REFUGEE SPEAKS OUT,” by author & activist Muzoon Almellehan & co-authored by professor Wendy Pearlman. In this incredible true story, Muzoon documents her riveting journey from being a 14 year old Syrian refugee, to advocating for young women & education, to becoming the youngest Goodwill Ambassador for UNICE...

They say your second #book is the hardest to #write. I guess the amazing #MGLit mastermind @TPhillipsWriter didn’t get that memo. His second #story THE CURIOUS LEAGUE OF DETECTIVES AND THIEVES: SOS, is a thrilling ride! The same lovable protagonists John Boarhog & Toadius McGee are back at it in this EPIC #read

In this video I review New York Times best-selling Author Dan Gutman's entertaining novel, HOUDINI AND ME. And, like most of Dan Gutman’s engaging stories, HOUDINI AND ME captures the interest of even the most reluctant of readers! What's more?! Dan even includes a "Facts & Fictions" section at the end of the book, so for all of you trivia buffs like me, that's one more r...

In this video I review the middle-grade masterpiece "Matteo," by author Michael Leali Matteo is truly a one-of-a-kind LGBTQ+ themed story, and a read like none other I’ve come across before! Overflowing with meaning, heart, and the deep-rooted message of acceptance, MATTEO is incredibly profound. I can’t wait for the world to read this beautiful book! A perfect 10 out of 10! If you like...

I had the honor of sitting down virtually with the award-winning writer of entertaining, suspenseful, and important historical fiction and non-fiction middle-grade novels, author Steve Sheinkin. Steve has lived a fascinating life, and it shows in his stories, filled with knowledge, interesting facts, and historical information, yet written in a way that keeps you wanting to read more! Readers lear...

In this episode of E Train Talks, I'm thrilled to be speaking with award-winning author Jay Hosler! Jay is an entomologist, bee-enthusiast, TED Talker, and award-winning author and illustrator of really cool and informative science-oriented comics and graphic novels! He's also a doctor of biological sciences, as well as a professor at Juniata College, but on top of all that, Jay is truly a...

Jennifer is truly a literacy hero, changing kids' lives one read at a time, and it was an honor and privilege to speak with her on E Train Talks! Jennifer is a supercharged literacy hero and champion of the reading kind, in fact, Jennifer’s Bess the Book Bus shares around 50,000 books with kids in dozens of states across the US each year. And, in 2022, Bess the Book Bus celebrated its 20th birthda...

In this interview, I talk everything Jewish-themed books with Joanne Levy, the award-winning author of many middle-grade novels for kids. Joanne has been a supporter of my reading journey from the beginning, so this interview is one extremely close to my heart! Watch & learn about literacy advocacy, how to fight antisemitism & more!   Be sure to follow Joanne's writing journey at: www...

I had the honor of sitting down virtually with the AMAZING Torrey Maldonado, author of such heartfelt middle-grade books as, TIGHT, WHAT LANE? and his newest novel HANDS! During our talk, Torrey shares his writing & teaching journey, talks about how comic books impacted his life, and he teaches us what it means to be a wonderful human being! This is one of my favorite interviews! Watch & s...

What a fun and engaging interview! I have always adored middle-grade author Janae Marks' books, and when I was given the chance to interview the one and only writer of the ZOE WASHINGTON series and A SOFT PLACE TO LAND, I was thrilled! You'll learn so much from my discussion with Janae. From her time in musical theater, to the ongoing production of the ZOE WASHINGTON movie, to discussing Janae's n...

In this interview, I speak with New York Times Bestselling middle-grade author and award-winning Newbery honoree Sheila Turnage, the author of the thrilling THREE TIMES LUCKY SERIES, as well as her newest non-fiction mystery, page-turner, ISLAND OF SPIES! Watch and learn about Sheila's interesting writing journey! It was an absolute honor to talk with Sheila and I know you'll love hearing her stor...

In this interview, I speak with Catherine Arguelles, the debut author of one of my 2022 favorite middle-grade realistic fiction reads, FLIP TURNS! Watch as we learn about Catherine's interesting story, as well as find out why you'll want your next read to be FLIP TURNS! Find out what Catherine is up to next at: www.catherinearguelles.com  BE SURE TO LIKE & SUBSCRIBE SO YOU DON'T MISS A BO...

In this episode of E Train Talks, I discuss everything books with the storytelling legend & #1 New York Times bestselling middle-grade historical and realistic fiction Author, Alan Gratz! Alan Gratz is the recipient of the Sydney Taylor Book Award, the National Jewish Book Award, and The Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature, to name just a few!  Thanks for listening!

In this episode of E Train Talks, I'm joined by the incredibly talented, thought provoking and award-winning historical fiction storyteller, author Alda P. Dobbs. Watch as we discuss Alda's two heartwarming novels, BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA & THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, as well as learn about her writing journey.  You can follow Alda at: www.aldapdobbs.com Follow my journey at: www.e...