Scholastic Reads

Lauren Tarshis remembers the responsibilities that fell to her on March 11, 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic was declared, and schools around the country began to shift to virtual learning. Lauren is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Scholastic Classroom Magazines. The magazines, which reach more than 25 million students and their teachers, have been a staple in classrooms for more than a ce...

Do you know a little girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut, a fighter pilot, or an aeronautical engineer? In this episode, we celebrate the achievements of women who dared to follow their own dreams at a time when they were laughed at and dismissed. First, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Rebecca Siegel, the author of To Fly Among the Stars: The Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts. Reb...

In this episode, author Varian Johnson and illustrator Shannon Wright talk about Twins, their new graphic novel for middle-graders. The story centers around Maureen and Francine Carter, twin sisters who are growing up—and growing apart as they enter middle school. The Carter sisters also happen to be Black. “Writing the girls in this way, where there’s not a big trauma arc, was a very intentional...

For 12 years, World Read Aloud Day has challenged participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. The global effort is now celebrated in 173 countries and counting. For the past decade, Scholastic has been the title sponsor of World Read Aloud Day, which was created by LitWorld, a global non-profit that fosters a love of reading in children everywhere. In this episode, host Suzanne...

In this episode, we focus on anti-racism education in the classroom and at home. Host Suzanne McCabe talks with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, an associate professor of language and literacy at Georgia State University and the author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Muhammad explains how researching Black literary societies from the 1800s inspir...

“Only those who try can achieve the impossible.” In this episode, we spotlight Stillwater, a new animated children's series from Apple TV Plus. Inspired by the beloved Zen shorts book series by Jon J Muth, the new series follows the adventures of three siblings whose neighbor happens to be a giant panda named Stillwater. Through his beautiful stories, the wise Stillwater helps the children cope wi...

Today, we're celebrating Scholastic's 100th anniversary with President, Chairman, and CEO Dick Robinson. Dick's father, Maurice R. Robinson, known affectionately to generations of staffers as Robbie, founded the company in 1920, a venture that started with a small weekly newspaper has since grown into the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Generations of readers have fo...

In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage with two of our favorite Latinx authors. First, host Suzanne McCabe talks with Aida Salazar about how one word, “deportation,” led to her heart-wrenching new novel, Land of the Cranes. Aida is also the author of The Moon Within, which won an International Latino Book Award for middle-grade fiction in 2019. Then Francisco Stork, the author of suc...

When you hold a new book in your hands, the rest of the world seems to fade away. Lots of great titles from Scholastic are hitting the shelves this fall, bringing the promise of adventure to our young readers. We wanted to give you a preview of the books you can look forward to, so we invited some of our authors to read aloud. First, Tami Charles reads All Because You Matter , her love letter to B...

“It all started at the very beginning of seventh grade.” Sound familiar? To millions of Baby-Sitters Club fans, Kristy Thomas, Claudia Kishi, Mary Anne Spier, Stacey McGill, and Dawn Schafer are favorite childhood friends. In this episode, the breakout stars of the new Netflix TV show—Sophie Grace (Kristy), Momona Tamada (Claudia), Malia Baker (Mary Anne), Shay Rudolph (Stacey), and Xochitl Gomez...

On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges integrated the all-white William Frantz Public School in her New Orleans neighborhood. She was six years old. Ruby’s courageous journey helped pave the way for Black and brown students across the United States to gain access to educational opportunities that had been denied to them for centuries. Sixty years later, “Black Lives Matter” has become a rallying cry f...

Change is in the air, and we're delighted to bring a fresh new voice to the podcast. Debut author Leah Johnson is here to talk about You Should See Me in a Crown, her joyful, hilarious young adult novel about the irrepressible Liz Lighty. As a queer, Black teen in a prom-obsessed Midwestern town, Liz thinks that it’s impossible to fit in. But when she meets the new girl at school—who is also her c...

During the pandemic, many of us have experienced feelings of fear, anxiety, and loss. These feelings extend to children, too, who are learning new lessons at home and wondering what the future holds. They may be worried about family members and their own safety while trying to keep up with schoolwork, which is looking very different these days. What can parents and educators do to help kids cope w...

In this episode, host Suzanne McCabe, who is the editor of Scholastic Kids Press, talks with five Kid Reporters about life during the coronavirus pandemic. She asks young journalists in Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and the Philippines how they are coping with the global health crisis and what “the new normal” means to them. Scholastic Kids Press, which was founded in 2000, is an awa...

In her latest novel, Furious Thing , Jenny Downham discusses the insidious nature of gaslighting, the power of one 15-year-old girl’s anger, and the risk of speaking up about those feelings. Downham is also the author of Unbecoming , You Against Me , and Before I Die , which was made into a 2012 movie, Now Is Good , starring Dakota Fanning.

In this episode, we chat with Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden about the importance of representation for our young readers. Dr. Hayden is the first woman and first African American to serve as the Librarian of Congress, the world’s largest library. She also discusses the Library’s Rosa Parks exhibit that immerses visitors in Parks’ reflections, handwritten notes, and photos. Additional Reso...

World Read Aloud Day is annual celebration that encourages kids, parents, and educators everywhere to grab a book, find an audience, and read aloud. On today’s episode, we’ll be talking with two literacy experts, Pam Allyn and Lester Laminack about the many benefits of reading aloud. Plus, you’ll hear exciting read alouds from authors like, Dav Pilkey, Carmen Agra Deedy, and Peter Reynolds. Don’t...

Happy holidays from all of us in the Scholastic Family! On this episode, we asked our employees to share their fondest holiday memories. You'll hear about Christmas read-alouds, a Chanukah grab bag, and even a fashion show on Eid al-Fitr.  Guests: Kevin Kirschner: Nephew of host Suzanne McCabe Mark Seidenfeld:  Vice President and Deputy General Counsel Talia  Seidenfeld: A...

Acclaimed author, Maggie Stiefvater describes Call Down the Hawk, the first book in a brand-new trilogy, as a “big, strange, weird novel” full of all of the things she likes in both novels and life. This includes art, magic, music, and mythology. Call Down the Hawk follows Ronan Lynch, a character who can take things out of his dreams and bring them into real life, and Jordan Hennessy, an artist,...

You may remember Alyssa from her hilarious role on Who’s the Boss ? In addition to being an actress, Alyssa is an activist, and now a children’s book author. She recently wrote Hope: Project Middle School . On this episode she joins us to discuss her new novel and the power of hope. We're also joined by Scholastic Kids Press reporter Alula Alderson who recently interviewed Alyssa on her book tour...

Access to books, whether in or outside of the home, is not a reality for many children. According to the latest Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™ , classroom libraries are only available for 43 percent of school-age children. And only one-third of kids say that they have access to a classroom library with enough of the types of books they’d like to read. On this episode, we’re talking w...

What’s that creaking sound down the hall? Did you feel a sudden chill in the air? And where is that haunting piano music coming from?  It’s Halloween-time! And we’re sure you’re getting into the spirit—scary noises and all.  To celebrate this spooky season, we’re talking with four authors who specialize in writing scary stories for kids! On this episode, you’ll hear from Victoria Schwab,...

 This week, we’re talking about the power of telling your own story. You’ll hear from two incredible authors. First is Sharon Robinson, the daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. Sharon is the author of several works of fiction and nonfiction, including many widely praised nonfiction books about her father’s life. This year, she’s telling her OWN story in Child of the Dream — a memoir a...

It takes guts to face your fears. Bestselling creator Raina Telgemeier is encouraging young readers to do just that with her latest graphic novel memoir,  Guts , which shares the stories of Raina's own experiences with anxiety as a child. This week, Raina joins us in the studio to talk about  Guts . We also talk with Dr. Eli Lebowitz, who studies and treats childhood and adolescent...

This week, we're talking with Dav Pilkey, creator of the worldwide bestselling Dog Man series! Dav discusses his latest book, Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls , and his Dog Man "Do Good" tour that's taking him around the world this fall. Dav shares stories from his own childhood growing up with ADHD and dyslexia and talks about the importance of creativity, why reading is a superpower, and th...