Scholastic Reads

Summer reading this year is all about kids' empowerment with the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza,  our nationwide movement to unite kids, parents, educators, public librarians, community partners, and booksellers in efforts to get books into the hands of more kids during the summer and keep every child reading.   This week, you'll hear from some kids first-hand about what they love abou...

Before executive editor Katie Carella came to Scholastic, she taught first, second, and third grades, and she noticed a hole in her classroom library: There weren't enough books for the readers who were ready to move beyond leveled readers, but who weren't quite ready for chapter books.  And so, she created Branches — and now Acorn — highly illustrated, easy-to-read books with engaging storyl...

It's Pride Month! We love to celebrate our LGBTQIA authors all year long, but we wanted to take the opportunity now to shine a spotlight on what it means to create and share stories about those who are marginalized and underrepresented. Today, you’ll hear from Mason Deaver, Kacen Callender, and Bill Konigsberg. Each will introduce their latest novels, talk about their creative process, and discuss...

In our biennial Kids & Family Reading Report, we came across some findings that were a bit, well, concerning: At nine years old — usually when a child is in third grade — kids across the board report a significantly reduced interest in reading. Here are some of the stats: 57% of 8-year-olds said they read books for fun 5 to 7 days a week. But by age 9, that drops to a mere 35%. 40% of 8-year-o...

Aspiring writers and illustrators, this episode is for you!  Maybe you keep a running list on your Notes app of book ideas, possible titles, and first lines. Maybe you have a sketchbook in the bottom of your drawer. But where do you go from there? Ally Carter and Raina Telgemeier are here with answers. They’ll talk about their new books, Dear Ally, How Do I Write A Book? and Share Your Smile...

Scholastic surveys thousands of kids and their families across the U.S. biennially for our Kids & Family Reading Report, gaining special insight into the latest trends in children's reading habits. The second of three installments, Finding Their Story, focuses on what kids want in books and characters, the rising demand for diversity in children's books, and the importance of access to books....

This week, we're talking with author Keith Calabrese about his middle grade debut. His new book, A Drop of Hope, is set in a small Midwestern town, where times are tough, jobs are scarce, and miracles are in short supply. Keith joins us today to talk about his path to becoming an author and what he hopes his 8- to 12-year-old readers will take away from this heartwarming story about Ernest, Ryan,...

We're kicking off Women's History Month with debut novelist Aida Salazar and her stunning book for 8- to 12-year-olds, The Moon Within . The novel is a modern day Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret  set in Oakland, California, and steeped in the culture and traditions of the Mexica , indigenous people of Mexico. The story introduces us to Celi Rivera. Like every 11-year-old, she has questi...

This week, we're discussing narrative nonfiction and its power to help turn young readers into critical thinkers and global citizens.  Last year, we launched the Scholastic Focus imprint, dedicated to presenting young readers with true and moving stories to help them better understand themselves and the world around them.  Today, we're talking with editorial director Lisa Sandell as well...

Scholastic surveys thousands of kids and their families across the U.S. biennially for our Kids & Family Reading Report, gaining special insight into the latest trends in children’s reading habits.  The first of three installments, The Rise of Read-Aloud, focuses exclusively on the practice of, you guessed it, reading aloud. We wanted to know: When do parents start reading aloud to their...

Bestselling author Aaron Blabey stopped by our New York offices earlier this year while on his book tour The Bad Guys: Mission to America, and we're so excited to share our conversation with you. Aaron talks about his latest Bad Guys book,  The Bad Guys in Superbad , the Bad Guys movie that's currently in development with DreamWorks, and shares some insight into his creative process. He also...

"I've spent my whole adult life chasing the high of a Scholastic Book Fair." - @merman_melville "[wedding] 'and now the groom will read his vows' me: you make every day feel like a scholastic book fair"  - @elleryonline "U kno when u get a whiff of something and ur like ah yes this smells exactly like the scholastic book fair of 2008 in the afternoon on octob—"  - @ilovedogs123 We've see...

There are many ways to create a book desert — an area where a child has little or no access to books. Maybe a school's budget cuts lead to closure of the library. Maybe a neighborhood bookstore closes. Maybe the closest public library is too far away to reach by public transportation. Whatever the cause, the problem is clear: Too many children in the U.S. lack access to books. This week, we're tal...

Students across the U.S. have shown the power and importance of news articles in the classroom. Moved by the resilience of their peers and a desire to help, kids—supported by their teachers—have developed student-led activism initiatives to raise awareness and funding for the causes they’ve read about in Scholastic Classroom Magazines such as  Storyworks®  for grades 4–6 and&nb...

This week, we're talking with Alex Gino about what it means to be an ally.  Alex is the author of the award-winning book George , about a transgender girl who wants the world to see her the way she sees herself. We talk with them about the importance of that message, as well as the messages readers will find in their latest book, You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! , about a girl who learns&n...

This week, we're talking with Jarrett J. Krosoczka about his graphic novel memoir for young adults,  Hey, Kiddo .  The memoir, which has been longlisted for the National Book Award, follows Jarrett's childhood: His mother was a heroin addict who was in and out of rehab, so he was raised by his grandparents — loud, opinionated, but loving people who struggled with their own demons. In the...

From editorial and art direction to publicity, marketing, sales, and legal — publishing the Harry Potter series involved a dedicated team across all divisions at Scholastic. In the third and final installment of our special Harry Potter series, we're talking with some of the people who have helped bring the books to life over the last twenty years. Our guests include: Arthur A. Levine ,   pub...

In part two of our special Harry Potter series, we're talking with some of the illustrators who have brought Harry to life over the last 20 years, including: Mary GrandPré, the illustrator of the original U.S. editions of the Harry Potter series; Brian Selznick, the illustrator of the 20th anniversary edition covers; and Jim Kay, the artist behind the fully illustrated editions. Each artist will t...

In September 1998, Scholastic published  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , introducing U.S. readers to the orphaned boy living in a cupbord under the stairs. Since then, the Harry Potter series has become a global phenomenon, selling more than 500 million copies, translated into more than 80 languages, and adapted into eight blockbuster films.  To celebrate the 20th anniversary, we...

David Shannon is the creator of more than 30 picture books including  A Bad Case of Stripes  and the beloved David books: No, David! ,  David Gets in Trouble ,  David Goes to School , and It's Christmas, David . This week, he joins us in conversation about his latest book,  Grow Up, David!  (available in both English and Spanish) Coming 20 years after the first p...

Jeff Smith broke ground with the graphic novelization of his long-running comic, BONE. Now, he's introducing the beloved cousins from Boneville to a younger audience with his first picture book, Smiley's Dream Book. This week, we sit down with Jeff to talk about writing a picture book, the cartoonists who inspire him, and why he'll never say you shouldn't doodle on your math homework.

This week, we’re talking with award-winning author Cornelia Funke, author of beloved books like the Inkheart series, The Thief Lord , and Dragon Rider . After many years, Cornelia is returning to the Dragon Rider world with the long-anticipated sequel, The Griffin’s Feather , out July 31. We’re also joined in the studio by Cornelia’s editor, Barry Cunningham. Barry is the founder and publisher of...

We are a nation of immigrants. And they have stories to tell. Today, we invite you to listen to stories from authors and illustrators who are creating work that shares the immigrant experience and what it means to leave your home in search of a better life.  Featured authors: Kelly Yang , author of  Front Desk Edwidge Danticat , author of  Untwine   Alan Gratz , author of ...

As video games continue to captivate kids around the world, Scholastic AFK—or "Away From Keyboard" — books aim to harness that gaming passion, and convert it into a literacy tool. To learn more about this initiative, we sat down with Michael Petranek, an executive editor at Scholastic, and Matthew J. Kirby, the author of the Assassin's Creed: Last Descendants series. They tell us about what they&n...

Several months ago, we asked authors of different cultures, races, abilities, genders and orientations to tell us about the first time they saw themselves in the pages of a book. ( You can listen to that episode here .) We expected the answer. We knew it was coming. But still, it tore at us: Over and over, these authors said, "I didn't. I didn't see myself." At Scholastic, we are proud to publish...