The Children's Book Podcast

Kate DiCamillo, author of Because of Winn-Dixie (Candlewick), joins Matthew to talk about Kate's story of family, friendship, and forgiveness.   Visit Kate DiCamillo online at www.katedicamillo.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on the link in the show notes.   Learn more about the Highlights Foundat...

Rob Costello, author of An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys (Lethe Press), joins Matthew to talk about the burden of secrets and a character who believes he deserves to suffer.   Visit Rob Costello online at www.cloudbusterpress.com   Other helpful links: Rob Costello at the Highlights Foundation   The Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October at the Highlights Foundation) wit...

Menachem Weinreb ( The Good Dybbuk ) shares what is giving him hope today: That no matter where you come from, you can still become the person you're meant to be.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and searc...

Pablo Cartaya, author of A Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation (Kokila), joins Matthew to talk about how we celebrate grief and life.   Visit Pablo Cartaya online at www.pablocartaya.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on the link in the show notes.   Learn more about the Highlights Foundation and their u...

Kyle Casey Chu ( The Queen Bees of Tybee County ) shares what is giving her hope today: young readers. They understand the vast, oceanic multitudes they contain. That they are limitless.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, vis...

Jason Reynolds, author of Soundtrack (Listening Library), an original audiobook performed by a stellar full cast—featuring Nile Bullock, Mekhi Hewling, Jade Williams, and more—and scored by Grammy‑winning composer Justin Ellington, joins Matthew to talk about being fascinated by what makes people do things.   Visit Jason Reynolds online at www.jasonwritesbooks.com   Watch the The Making of SOUNDTR...

Kate Jenks Landry ( A Summer Without Anna ) shares what is giving her hope today: writing with kids. We don't need permission to make art. Creation is always available to us and it's so much harder to feel hopeless when you're creating.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full tr...

Rebecca Lee Kunz, illustrator of Chooch Helped (Levine Querido), written by Andrea L. Rogers, joins Matthew to talk about the importance of taking time to learn, to explore, and to discover.   Visit Rebecca Lee Kunz online at treeoflifestudio.net   Other helpful links: Native Creatives Retreat (the Highlights Foundation)  The excellent NPR interview     For a full transcript, episode takeaways, qu...

Rob Sanders, author of Book Comes Home: A Banned Book's Journey (Random House Books for Young Readers), illustrated by Micah  Player, joins Matthew to talk about the final stage of publication: readers.   Visit Rob Sanders online at www.robsanderswrites.com   Other helpful links: All About Picture Books: A Retreat for Storytellers (June 1–4 at the Highlights Foundation) alongside friends of the sh...

Suzy Ultman ( I Like Your Chutzpah And Other Yiddish Words You'll Like ) shares what is giving her hope today: looking for the helpers.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podc...

Kelly Leigh Miller, author illustrator of Cloud Puppy: Game On! (Atheneum Books for Young Readers), joins Matthew to talk about raising Tamagotchi, adoring Sanrio characters, and balancing the cute and the weird in her own storytelling.   Visit Kelly Leigh Miller online at www.kellyleighmiller.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Child...

Parul L. Bhandari ( Shine a Light on Diwali ) shares what is giving her hope today: that people are good and that people are going to keep sharing stories despite what they're being told by the world around them.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaw...

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Lizzo visited the Library of Congress as their guest and was treated to the largest flute collection in the world. The instrument she played and, indeed, the very act of playing it, are Worth Noting.  This is a rebroadcast of an episode of Worth Noting that originally aired Oct 08, 2022 on A Kids Co. On May 8, 2025 President Donald Trump fired the Librarian of Con...

Matt de la Peña and Loren Long, author and illustrator of Home (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers), join Matthew to talk about encountering diversity and exploring alongside the reader.   Visit Matt de la Peña online at mattdelapena.com Visit Loren Long online at lorenlong.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book P...

Rachel Michelle Wilson ( To Catch a Ghost ) shares what is giving her hope today: the small moments in our every day.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on t...

Dara Horn, author of One Little Goat: A Passover Catastrophe (Norton Young Readers), illustrated by Theo Ellsworth, joins Matthew to talk about a path to a bigger world with bigger meaning.   Visit Dara Horn online at darahorn.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on the link in the show notes.   Learn...

Lil Miss Hot Mess ( Make Your Own Rainbow: A Drag Queen's Guide to Color ) shares what is giving her hope today: drag. Drag is all about changing how we look and how we show up in the world as a way of making the world more fabulous and more just and joyful for everyone in it.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is gi...

Weshoyot Alvitre, author and illustrator of Brave (Kokila), joins Matthew to talk about a space to play and the cyclical nature of life.   Visit Weshoyot Alvitre online at weshoyot.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on the link in the show notes.   Learn more about the Highlights Foundation and their...

Natasha Khan Kazi ( Lulu in the Spotlight: A South Asian Wedding Story ) shares what is giving her hope today: the bravery of everyday people.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Bo...

Matthew Burgess and Doug Salati, author and illustrator of Words with Wings and Magic Things (Tundra Books), join Matthew to talk about writing poems with kids.   Visit Matthew Burgess online at www.matthewjohnburgess.com Visit Doug Salati online at dougsalati.com   For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on th...

Charles Waters ( If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possibility ) shares what is giving him hope today: spending a lot of time in thought and, as much as possible, reading.   This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.       For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCas...

Sara Andrea Fajardo, author of Crack Goes the Cascarón: An Eggcellent Not-Just-for-Easter Shellebration! (Knopf Books for Young Readers) and Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa: Join the Quest with Peru's Famed Scientist and Potato Expert (Roaring Brook Press), joins Matthew to talk about bringing out a little bit of mischief.   Visit Sara Andrea Fajardo online at https://sarafajardowrites.c...

Padma Venkatraman ( Safe Harbor ) shares what is giving her hope today: the nature of hope itself. Even when we're in dire circumstances, it's something that keeps us going. This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.  For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and s...

Matt Forrest Esenwine, author of A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers), joins Matthew to talk about working with friends on a A kaleidoscopic collection.   Visit Matt Forrest Esenwine online at https://mattforrest.com     For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Pod...

Zetta Elliott ( The Oracle's Door ) shares what is giving her hope today: art. Art has always been not just an expression of hope, but an act of resistance. This is a new miniseries of indefinite length in which I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today.  For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Childr...