The Children's Book Podcast

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...

Shawn Harris, author of Let's Be Bees (Neal Porter Books), joins Matthew to talk about making books with everything you need to put on a good show. Visit Shawn Harris online at www.shawnharris.info   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 Foundatio...

Kaz Windness ( Bitsy Bat, Team Star ) shares what is giving her hope today: a commitment to being joyful and doing things that bring happiness as an act of rebellion. 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...

Kyle Lukoff, author of A World Worth Saving (Dial Books), joins Matthew to talk about his classic quest story involving a golem that protects trans kids. Visit Kyle Lukoff online at www.kylelukoff.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 Founda...

Lesléa Newman ( Joyful Song: A Naming Story ) shares what is giving her hope today: being in community with like-minded people who want to make the world a better place. 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 sear...

Veera Hiranandani, author of Many Things at Once (Random House Studio), illustrated by Nadia Alam, joins Matthew to talk about feeling complex things and learning how not to get stuck in those feelings. Visit Veera Hiranandani online at www.veerahiranandani.com For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Children's Book Podcast" or click on the lin...

George Brown and Alison Green Myers, of the Highlights Foundation, join Matthew to introduce a partnership between the Highlights Foundation and the Children's Book Podcast. Visit the Highlights Foundation online at www.highlightsfoundation.org    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...

Greg Foley, cartoonist of Dex Dingo: World's Best Greatest Ever Inventor (Disney Hyperion), talks about comics as a proper art form and how, at the heart, we're all kids who don't really understand anything. Visit Greg online at  www.gregfoley.co You can pick up your own copy of Dex Dingo: World's Best Greatest Ever Inventor (Disney Hyperion) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independe...

Heidi Rabinowitz, host of The Book of Life , looks back on two decades of creating a podcast about Jewish kidlit (mostly). Subscribe to the Book of Life podcast wherever podcasts are found, or go to  jewishbooks.blogspot.com , Sign up for Heidi's substack by visiting bookoflifepodcast.substack.com .  For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit DeepCast.fm and search "The Chil...

Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2025), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Sydney Taylor Book Award Website -  https://jewishlibraries.org/sydney_taylor_book_award/   2025 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - https://jewishlibraries.org/2025-blog-t...

Carole Boston Weatherford, author of How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee (Candlewick), talks about writing poetry, speaking history, and telling stories. Visit Carole online at cbweatherford.com You can pick up your own copy of How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee (Candlewick) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent...

Bob Shea, author illustrator Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend (Abrams Books for Young Readers) and author of Who Wet My Pants? (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), talks about everyone bringing something to the party. Visit Bob online at  www.bobshea.com You can pick up your own copy of Bearsuit Turtle Makes a Friend (Abrams Books for Young Readers) and Who Wet My Pants? (Little, Brown Books for...

Cori Doerrfeld, author illustrator The Rabbit Listened (Dial Books) and Beneath (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), talks about being more than the parts that you can see. Visit Cori online at www.coridoerrfeld.com You can pick up your own copy of The Rabbit Listened (Dial Books) and Beneath (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent book...

Jessica Slice, Caroline Cupp, and Kayla Harren, the authors and illustrator of This Is How We Play: A Celebration of Disability and Adaptation (Dial Books), talk about protecting a sense of validation and joy. Visit Jessica online at https://www.jessicaslice.com Visit Caroline online at https://carolinecupp.com Visit Kayla online at https://www.kaylaharren.com You can pick up your own copy of This...

Lisa Yee, 2024 Kerlan Award winner and author of A Copycat Conundrum (Random House Books for Young Readers), the latest entry in The Misfits series, and Maizy Chen's Last Chance (Random House Books for Young Readers), talks about taking away some sense of the mystery, but protecting and preserving the magic. Visit Lisa online at  http://www.lisayee.com Visit The Kerlan Collection of Children's Lit...

Joshua S. Levy, author of Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop (Katherine Tegen Books) and co-editor of On All Other Nights: A Passover Celebration in 14 Stories (Harry N. Abrams), talks about where the characters start and where they have to go. Visit Josh online at www.joshuasimonlevy.com You can pick up your own copy of I Like Your Chutzpah: And Other Yiddish Words You'll Like (Rise X Penguin...

Suzy Ultman, author and artist of I Like Your Chutzpah: And Other Yiddish Words You'll Like (Rise X Penguin Workshop), talks about helping small people feel good about themselves and connect to their trueness. Visit Suzy online at https://www.suzyultman.com/ You can pick up your own copy of I Like Your Chutzpah: And Other Yiddish Words You'll Like (Rise X Penguin Workshop) wherever books are found...

Natalia Sylvester, author of A Maleta Full of Treasures (Dial Books), illustrated by Juana Medina, talks about how we are, deep down, all of the ages we've ever been. Visit Natalia online at www.nataliasylvester.com You can pick up your own copy of  A Maleta Full of Treasures (Dial Books) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can...

Nelly Buchet, author of Big Sister, Long Coat (Northsouth Books), illustrated by Rachel Katstaller, talks about small moments as the practice for bigger events in life. Visit Nelly online at www.nellybuchet.com You can pick up your own copy of Big Sister, Long Coat (Northsouth Books)wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also...