Introducing: Kids Listen University 🎓

Podcast

Book Club for Kids

The place where young readers meet to talk about books. The show includes a celebrity reader and an interview with the author. The host is award winning public radio journalist Kitty Felde. Book Club won the California Library Association Technology Award and the DC Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Humanitites. Named one of the top 10 podcasts for kids by THE TIMES of London.

Episodes

  • Starfish by Lisa Fipps

    Mar 22 2023

    How do you handle a bully? What do you do when someone body shames you? Our heroine turns to poetry in this week’s book Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Readers from Columbia Heights Educational Campus in Washington, DC offer their own insights on why people pick on each other and ask writer Lisa Fipps what she does to tackle writers block. Our celebrity reader is NPR favorite, comedienne Ophira Eisenberg. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite books from Orange County and Hilo Hawaii

    Mar 15 2023

    You never know who will show up at a Maker Faire. This week, host Kitty Felde asks kids from Hawaii about their favorite books.

  • Even more favorite books from the Orange County Maker Faire

    Mar 08 2023

    Looking for your next great read? These kids at the Orange County  Maker Faire have another shelf of suggestions! PS: it IS a Maker Faire, so host Kitty Felde talks to one young train enthusiast about his special invention. Book list at the Books We Love page of our website www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

    Mar 01 2023

    What mysterious creatures haunt the Caribbean Islands? Writer Tracey Baptiste tells tales of things that go bump in the night in THE JUMBIES. Students from Cienega Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Actress Tamika Katon-Donegal is celebrity reader.

  • A Conversation with Marie Arnold

    Feb 22 2023

    Marie Arnold writes middle grade and YA fiction, as well as adult romances. She talks about juggling genres and her secret weapon Hold On Nancy with host Kitty Felde.

  • The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold

    Feb 15 2023

    Moving is difficult, especially when you don't speak the language, you're being haunted by a witch, and your best friend is a rat. That's the starting point for Marie Arnold's middle grade novel The Year I Flew Away. Students from Jefferson Academy in Washington, D.C. discuss rodents and video games. Actor Barry Cutler is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with Lisa Graff

    Feb 08 2023

    Before she wrote children's books, Lisa Graff worked as a nanny. What lessons from that experience did she bring to her work on the page? Lisa talks to host Kitty Felde.

  • Episode 32 - Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

    Feb 01 2023

    How do we measure up to our parents' expectations? Does everybody deserve a day off? What's the toughest part of being a homeschooled kid? Our group of readers from the Broomfield Public Library in Colorado weigh in on these questions and more as they discuss Lisa Graff's novel Absolutely Almost. Lisa talks about where the characters came from and how she wrote her first book for her newborn baby brother. NYC actor Thaddeus Fitzpatrick is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with Canadian writer Arthur Slade

    Jan 25 2023

    Arthur Slade writes slightly dark middle grade and YA fiction. How dark? We ask him.

  • Flickers by Arthur Slade

    Jan 18 2023

    A pair of twins from rural Canada take Hollywood by storm. But there's a darker side to their life in silent movies. Readers from Gilbert Paterson Middle School in Lethbridge, Ontario discuss Arthur Slade's novel Flickers. Our celebrity reader is actor, comedian, and game show host Gavin Crawford. Kitty Felde is host. Spoiler alert: this episode includes plot details.

  • A Conversation with Laurie Halse Anderson

    Jan 11 2023

    Writer Laurie Halse Anderson talks about writing that first draft, where she finds inspiration, and track and field with host Kitty Felde.

  • Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

    Jan 04 2023

    What role did African-Americans play in the Revolutionary War? Chains - the first in a trilogy by Laurie Halse Anderson - takes us to Manhattan in the 1770's. A trio of readers from Maryland discuss the book. Actress S.W. James is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite Books from Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia

    Dec 21 2022

    Looking for ideas of how to spend that holiday gift card? Readers from Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia have lots of suggestions for favorite books! Bomb - Steve Sheinkin Olympians Ares - George O'Connor Finding Junie Kim - Ellen Oh Big Nate- Lincoln Peirce The Tail of Emily Windsnap - Liz Kessler  Ms. Rapscott's Girls - Elise Primavera The Baby-Sitters' Club - Anne M. Martin Where the Red Fern Grows - Wilson Rawls Henry Huggins - Beverly Cleary Pinkalicious - Victoria Kann  Twins...more

  • A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

    Dec 07 2022

    Do you see colors when you do math problems? The heroine of A MANGO SHAPED SPACE. Kids from the Mother/Daughter Book Club at One More Page bookstore in Virginia discuss the book. Writer Wendy Mass says the idea literally jumped out at her from the shelf.

  • A Conversation with Stuart Gibbs

    Nov 30 2022

    Writer Stuart Gibbs didn't start out as a writer of middle grade novels. He also didn't expect to be interrupted in his interview by a member of the wildlife community in the middle of Washington, DC. He talks to host Kitty Felde.

  • Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

    Nov 23 2022

    Is there really a secret school in Washington, DC to train kids to become spies? We ask the experts in this episode: kids from Key Elementary in our nation's capital, writer Stuart Gibbs, and the man whose job description includes overseeing the activities and budget of the CIA, Congressman Eric Swalwell. Our celebrity reader is jounalist Claudia Peschuitta. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with Writer Aida Salazar

    Nov 16 2022

    Is there a difference between writing poetry and prose? Writer Aida Salazar talks to host Kitty Felde about her relationship to poetry and about the telling details in writing. You can hear other conversations with writers at the website bookclubforkids.org.

  • The Moon WIthin by Aida Salazar

    Nov 09 2022

    How do tween girls talk about menstruation, puberty, gender identity, and crushes? Our readers from the Oakland youth group CinnamonGirl discuss Aida Salazar’s coming of age novel The Moon Within with host Kitty Felde. Filmmaker and journalist Patricia Nazario is celebrity reader. NOTE: this episode is appropriate for older tweens.

  • Favorite Books from Malcolm X Elementary School

    Nov 02 2022

    Looking for your next great read? Students at Malxolm X Elementary School in Washington, DC have some suggestions for books that will inspire you or scare you or make you laugh. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with Kelly Barnhill

    Oct 26 2022

    Writer Kelly Barnhill writes in longhand and explains that the habit began when her laptop burst into flames. She also confesses she's written a number of books that are only for her.

  • The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

    Oct 19 2022

    It's our celebration of Halloween! For the next two week's we'll be hearing about all kinds of witches. Who says witches and monsters and dragons have to be the bad guys? That's certainly not the case in Kelly Barnhill's 2017 Newbery Award-winning novel THE GIRL WHO DRANK THE MOON. A trio of readers from Woodbridge, Virginia discuss the the power of the moon and how much sorrow children can handle with host Kitty Felde. Writer Kelly Barnhill discusses fake news and how a swamp monster popped int...more

  • A Conversation with Christina Farley

    Oct 12 2022

    Have you been thinking about writing serialized fiction for Substack or Kindle Vella?  Middle grade novelist Christina Farley loves the format made popular by Charles Dickens. She offers an introduction to Vella in this conversation with Kitty Felde.  

  • Gilded by Christina Farley

    Oct 05 2022

    Love mythology? What do you know about Korean mythology? Writer Christina Farley brings it to life in her romantic fantasy Gilded. Readers from the Richard Byrd Library in Springfield, Virginia discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Actress Julia Cho is our celebrity reader.

  • More Favorite Books from the Orange County Maker Faire

    Sep 28 2022

    Looks like Rick Riordan is the clear favorite with this lot. Listen to some other great book suggestions from readers at the Orange County Maker Faire. Kitty Felde is host. You can find dozens and dozens of favorite books at our website www.bookclubforkids.org. If you're a teacher or librarian in Southern California or the DC area, your readers can be on the show, too! We're booking tapings NOW for this school year. It's free. Email us for information: bookclubforkidspodcast@gmail.com.

  • The Bad Guys

    Sep 21 2022

    Can bad guys turn over a new leaf? 5th graders at Kimball Elementary School in Washington, DC discuss Aaron Blabey's graphic novel The Bad Boys. Actor Steve DeVorkin is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Book Club for Kids is the show where kids talk about books. Free reading tips at the website. You can be on the show, too. Info at the website.

  • Favorite Books from the Orange County Maker Faire

    Sep 14 2022

    We take the show on the road to the Orange County, California Maker Faire to ask kids and robots the name of their favorite book and why they love it. Our special guest, Star Wars superstar R2D2 shares his favorite books with host Kitty Felde. Special thanks to Steve of Astromech.net, the club that builds R2D2 robots. 

  • The Lions of Little Rock - Kristin Levine

    Sep 07 2022

    Students from Washington DC's Jefferson Academy reflect on desegregation sixty years after the Little Rock Nine. They discuss Kristin Levine's novel The Lions of Little Rock. The author describes how she came to tell the story. Former U.S. Education Secretary of Education John King is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite Books from Hooray for Books!

    Aug 31 2022

    We visit our favorite Virginia bookstore HOORAY FOR BOOKS to talk to members of the store’s youth advisory council. These young readers are quite the experts. Every month, they take home what’s called an ArC – an advanced readers copy – of a new book. And then they meet after school to let bookstore owner Ellen Klein know what they thought – and whether they think she should buy the book for their bookshelves. Host Kitty Felde brought her microphone to ask them our favorite question: what’s your...more

  • Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

    Aug 24 2022

    What do kids worry about? Readers at Washington DC's Jefferson Academy discuss their own fears as they tackle John Green's novel "Turtles All the Way Down." MPR News Host Kerri Miller is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Find out how you can be on the show. Click HERE.

  • A Conversation with Pseudonymous Bosch

    Aug 17 2022

    We meet the writer behind Pseudonymous Bosch: Raphael Simon. Host Kitty Felde chats with him about all things writing.

  • The Name of This Book is Secret

    Aug 10 2022

    Would you like to live forever? When is it okay to lie? How do we prepare for a disaster? These and other big questions are tackled by students at Farmdale Elementary School in Los Angeles as they discuss The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. Actress Satomi Hofmann is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Our producer Chad Francis picked this episode as his favorite! www.bookclubforkids.org

  • A Conversation with Jennifer L. Holm

    Aug 03 2022

    Last week, we heard a bit from writer Jennifer L. Holm when we discussed her book "Turtle in Paradise." In this Bonus Episode, we hear more about Jenni's trilogy of books inspired by family stories.

  • Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

    Jul 27 2022

    Got a nickname? Everybody in Key West seems to have one. Including a little girl named Turtle. Readers at the Broomfield Public Library in Colorado discuss Jennifer Holm's "Turtle in Paradise" with host Kitty Felde. KQED public radio's Rachel Myrow is celebrity reader.

  • Summer Favorites from City of Stem

    Jul 20 2022

    Are your kids lagging behind in their summer reading? Maybe they just haven't found their next favorite read. We ask the experts - kids at this year's City of Stem event - to tell us about their favorite books. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Spy Mice by Heather Vogel Frederick

    Jul 13 2022

    Who knew there was a legion of mice who help the CIA keep the world safe? Their headquarters? In the walls and basement of the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Our readers are from the Ambassador School of Global Education in Los Angeles and they have a few questions for writer Heather Vogel Frederick. Our celebrity reader knows something about espionage: former CIA operative Valerie Plame. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang

    Jul 06 2022

    How do you find a writing partner? And once found one, what's the best way to write a book together? Co-authors Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang share secrets about their working relationship with host Kitty Felde.

  • Not Your All American Girl by Wendy Wan-Long Chang and Madelyn Rosenberg

    Jun 29 2022

    As we celebrate our nation's birthday, we ask the question: What does an American look like?  Readers from Fulton County, Georgia discuss Not Your All American Girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Our celebrity reader is comedian Becca Nix Tham. Check out the long list of favorite books at the website bookclubforkids.org.

  • Losing is Democratic

    Jun 22 2022

    As you probably know, we also produce another podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES, an audiodrama designed to introduce elementary school kids to civics. Fina is the 10-year old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries inside the US Capitol. After the attack on the Capitol on January 6th of last year, we saw the need to help parents and teachers talk to kids about what happened – without scaring them half to death, and to put the insurrection in some sort of historic context that kids could ...more

  • More Book Suggestions from City of Stem

    Jun 15 2022

    Looking for your next great read? Our experts - kids from the City of Stem festival in Downey, California - have a few suggestions for host Kitty Felde.

  • Bees on the Roof by Robbie Shell

    Jun 08 2022

    We take the show on the road to the Enoch Pratt Free Library Children's stage at the Baltimore Book Festival for a conversation about Robbie Shell's novel BEES ON THE ROOF. Our group of readers have been meeting to talk about books almost since they first

  • Favorite Books from Loyola Village Elementary School

    Jun 01 2022

    What makes a great book? Readers from Loyola Village Elementary School in Los Angeles have some answers.

  • Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner

    May 25 2022

    Imagine a world where deadly tornadoes are so common, kids can't ride their bikes outside anymore. That's the future Kate Messner writes about in Eye of the Storm. Students from Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Laura Furgione, Deputy Director of the National Weather Service is celebrity reader and talks about the science of tornadoes.

  • A Conversation with Dana Middleton

    May 18 2022

    Writer Dana Middleton has some advice about finishing a novel or story. She also looks back at the beginning of her writing career.

  • Not A Unicorn by Dana Middleton

    May 11 2022

    You think you've got problems? Try being born with the horn of a unicorn in the middle of your head. Dana Middleton's tale of fitting in and standing out is discussed by students from Louis Armstrong Middle School, Walter Reed Middle School, and Toluca Lake Elementary School. They've got a list of questions for the writer as well.  Pam Rogers, creator of the poetry and nonsense podcast Buttons & Figs is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Culver City Favorites

    May 04 2022

    We return to the Culver City Book Festival to find out what younger kids are reading. Kitty Felde is host. You can see a list of all their favorite books at the website.

  • The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

    Apr 27 2022

    We celebrate National Poetry Month with the National Book Award winning novel The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington DC talk about poetry, MeToo, and favorite books with host Kitty Felde. Celebrity reader is Monica Vigil, who costars in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast, which launches season 2 on May 3rd.

  • A Conversation with Jacqueline Davies

    Apr 20 2022

    How do you get unstuck as a writer? Author Jacqueline Davies talks about how she took a vacation from the YA novel she was working on and wrote The Lemonade War in 19 days just to prove to herself that she could finish a book. Jacqueline also has advice for writers working on a series. Kitty Felde is host. Free tips for reluctant readers at the website: www.bookclubforkids.org

  • The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies

    Apr 13 2022

    Did you ever have a lemonade stand when you were a kid? This particular lemonade stand led to The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies. Fifth graders from Loyola Village Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Actress Linda Graves is celebrity reader.

  • Favorite Books from City of STEM

    Apr 06 2022

    Think scientists and math majors are all about  numbers? Nope. They're great readers as well. We ask kids at the City of STEM festival at the Columbia Space Center in Downey, California to tell us their favorite books.

  • Dan Gutman

    Mar 30 2022

    Writer Dan Gutman talks about his other popular My Wierd School series.

  • Jackie and Me by Dan Gutman

    Mar 23 2022

    Interested in baseball? Time travel? Civil rights? Anger management? Readers from Murch Elementary School in Washingotn, D.C. tackle them all in this episode about Dodger legend Jackie Robinson. The book is Dan Gutman’s Jackie & Me, a time travel story that takes us back to 1947 on the night before Jackie’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Another Dodger legend, two time National League batting champ Tommy Davis is our celebrity reader. He talks about how Jackie Robinson was the one who persua...more

  • AJ Steiger

    Mar 16 2022

    How many rejections did writer A.J. Steiger get before her first book was published? A lot, says A.J. The author talks about rejection, world building, and the very first book she wrote at age 9. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Cathedral of Bones by A.J. Steiger

    Mar 09 2022

    What makes us human? Do you believe in reincarnation? How does the loss of family affect us? Our book this week Cathedral of Bones raises so many questions for our readers at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. Writer A.J. Steiger discusses world building in a fantasy novel. Our celebrity reader is actor Gary Lamb. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite Books from the Culver City Book Festival

    Mar 02 2022

    What are kids in Southern California reading these days? Host Kitty Felde takes Book Club for Kids on the road to talk to young readers at the Culver City Book Festival to find out.

  • Milo Spec Accidental Agent by Linda Urban

    Feb 23 2022

  • Donna Barba Higuera

    Feb 16 2022

    Kitty Felde talks to the author of Lupe Wong Won't Dance Donna Barba Higuera about creating an unlikeable character. She also gives us a sneak preview of a new science fiction novel she's writing.

  • Episode 128 Lupe Wong Won't Dance

    Feb 09 2022

    Does square dancing count as an athletic activity? Lupe Wong doesn't think so and is willing to fight the system to make her point. Readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington, DC discuss the book with host Kitty Felde and interview the writer Donna Barba Higuera. Our celebrity reader is the former president of United Square Dancers of America.

  • A Conversation with Shannon Messenger

    Feb 02 2022

    Thinking of writing a series? We ask New York Times bestselling writer Shannon Messenger about the 101 things a series writer has to think about. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

    Jan 26 2022

    Whatever happened to Atlantis? To elves? To magic? This week, readers from St. Elizabeth School in Maryland discuss Shannon Messenger's fantasy adventure Keeper of the Lost Cities. The girls ask our writer to pick her favorite characters, something she hates to do. Our celebrity reader is KPCC's All Things Considered host Nick Roman. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation with writer Jasmine Warga

    Jan 19 2022

    Writing a novel is hard enough, why would a writer choose to write one in verse? We continue our conversation with Jasmine Warga, author of Other Words for Home. She also tackles the topic of Own Voices in her choice to write about a family of Syrian refugees.

  • Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga

    Jan 12 2022

    Kids from Washington, DC consider life as a refugee as they discuss the Newbery-Honor winner Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga. Readers from Tyler Elementary School talk about learning a new language, moving away from home, and even non-verbal communication in an era of wearing masks. Our celebrity reader is Sarra Gahzi, Country Director for Jordan with the International Rescue Committee. Kitty Felde is host. FYI, here's a link to curriculum for last week's episode, "Losing is Democratic."

  • Losing is Democratic Part Two THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES

    Jan 05 2022

    Something a little different this week. As we approach January 6th, parents and teachers may be looking for a way to discuss the attack on the U.S. Capitol with children. Our other podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES created this special 2-part episode to help open a discussion about the events, without scaring kids. In this episode, 10-year-old detective Fina Mendoza, the daughter of a congressman, has a new mystery to solve: who stole the 5th grade's pizza? Her class discusses the attack with t...more

  • Losing is Democratic Part One Bonus Episode of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast

    Dec 29 2021

    Something a little different this week and next. As we approach  January 6th, parents and teachers may be looking for a way to discuss the attack on the U.S. Capitol with children. Our other podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES created this special 2-part episode to help open a discussion about the events, without scaring kids.  In this episode, 10-year-old detective Fina Mendoza, the daughter of a congressman, has a new mystery to solve: who stole the 5th grade's pizza? Her class discusses the at...more

  • Jerry Craft on Writing

    Dec 22 2021

    Newbery Award-winning writer Jerry Craft confesses that he was not much of a reader as a kid. But he wanted to create a book for kids like him. He talks about which comes first in his graphic novels, the pictures or the words. He tells host Kitty Felde how to write a joke in four panels.

  • New Kid by Jerry Craft

    Dec 15 2021

    We're so excited to talk about the Newbery Award-winning graphic novel New Kid by Jerry Craft. Students at Randle Highland Elementary School in Washington, DC debate whether they'd rather go to a fancy pants school on the other side of town, or the school in their own neighborhood. Actor Gary Anthony Williams is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite Books from Hope Christian School in Albuquerque

    Dec 08 2021

    What makes a book personal to you? We talk to a group of readers from Albuquerque, New Mexico about the books that mean something special to them. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

    Dec 01 2021

    Get out the Kleenex and a warm jacket and gloves. This week is a heartbreaking tale of troubled foster kid who finds comfort among a herd of cows in Maine. Readers from Carter G. Woodson Charter School in Chicago discuss Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. U.S. Senator Angus King is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

  • A Conversation About Writing Collaboratively with Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

    Nov 24 2021

    How do you write a novel together without destroying a friendship? We ask the writers of "A Place at the Table," Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan. 

  • A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

    Nov 17 2021

    What does it mean to be an ally? How do you confront racism face to face? What's it like to be the child of an immigrant? And can food bring people together? We talk about it all with a trio of students from Columbia Heights Educational Campus in Washington, DC. Writers Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan answer questions about writers block from our readers. Our celebrity reader is USA Today journalist Tami Abdollah. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Bonus: Lots of Wimpy Kid and Minecraft

    Nov 10 2021

    Got a favorite book? Need a great book to read next? These fourth graders from Cienega Elementary School in Los Angeles have LOTS of suggestions.

  • Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

    Nov 03 2021

    Want to keep that Halloween feeling going? We offer a Southern tale of witches and spooky houses. And the Civil War. It's Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. We're lucky to have DC's Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton as our celebrity reader. Students from Washington DC's Jefferson Academy discuss the novel with host Kitty Felde.

  • Bonus: Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead

    Nov 01 2021

    Today and Tuesday are special days in the Catholic and Mexican calendar: Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. As an added bonus episode of Book Club for Kids, we wanted to share this snippet from our other podcast The Fina Mendoza Mysteries. It's the story of a 10-year-old detective on Capitol Hill, but it's also a family story about coming to terms with the death of Fina's mother. In this mini-episode, Fina and her sister Gabby and grandmother Abuelita remember her on Dia de los Muertos. The...more

  • A Conversation with Pseudonymous Bosch

    Oct 27 2021

    He's known as Pseudonymous Bosch, but writer Rafael Simon talks to us about structuring a series and how he considers himself both a plotter AND a pantser. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Episode 124 - The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

    Oct 20 2021

    Would you like to live forever? When is it okay to lie? How do we prepare for a disaster? These and other big questions are tackled by students at Farmdale Elementary School in Los Angeles as they discuss The Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. Actress Satomi Hofmann is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. www.bookclubforkids.org

  • Favorite Books from California

    Oct 13 2021

    The 4th and 5th graders in the Bookopolis Book Club meet weekly to discuss, share, and celebrate their love of books. They share some of their favorites with us.

  • Hypatia Academy by Esther Goldenberg

    Oct 06 2021

    Did Harry Potter make you wish you were going to boarding school? This week, we visit another extraordinary boarding school with invisible students and k'lepreechons. It's Hypatia Academy by Esther Goldenberg. It's the favorite book of this trio of Maryland readers. NPR's Morning Edition host Rachel Martin is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.   www.bookclubforkids.org  

  • An Interview with Canadian Writer Gina McMurchy-Barber

    Sep 29 2021

    Is there a connection between archeology and writing? Writer Gina McMurchy-Barber digs deep with host Kitty Felde. www.bookclubforkids.org

  • The Jigsaw Puzzle King

    Sep 22 2021

    Suppose you had a sibling with Down Syndrome? How would this change your life? That's the question in The Jigsaw Puzzle King by Gina McMurchy-Barber. Readers from Hamilton Wentworth District School Board Remote School in Ontario, Canada discuss the book and discuss the merits of peanut butter and pickle sandwiches.  We're joined by celebrity reader Tammy McLeod, who just broke the Guinness World Record for speed, solving a jigsaw puzzle. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Bonus Sherri L. Smith

    Sep 15 2021

    Where do ideas come from? Writer Sherri L. Smith shares some of the things that inspired her writing. She also has some advice for young writers. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Orleans by Sherri L. Smith

    Sep 08 2021

    Hurricanes and pandemics - sounds like the latest headlines. But it's a dystopian novel by Sherri L. Smith called Orleans. Readers from the Benjamin D. Foulois Creative and Performing Arts Academy in Maryland discuss the book with host Kitty Felde and talk about why dystopian novels are so popular with young readers. Public radio journalist Cheryl Devall is celebrity reader. More episodes at bookclubforkids.org

  • Back to School Special

    Sep 01 2021

    Book Club for Kids wants to send you back to school with some inspiration from kidcasters from around the country. In this special bonus episode, you'll get a taste of what's available for young ears, produced by our colleagues at Kids Listen, a collaborative of creators of content for kids. 

  • A Conversation with Christina Soontornvat

    Aug 25 2021

    Attention fantasy writers: Christina Soontornvat, whose novel A Wish in the Dark offers some tips about world building in a mythical Thailand. More author interviews at www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

    Aug 18 2021

    This week, readers at The Meridian School in Seattle discuss Christina Soontornvat's unusual novel A Wish in the Dark and interview the author. Actress Pimmie Juntranggur is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. You can find a list of everyone's favorite book and find out how your young reader can be on the show at the website www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • Favorite Books from Around the World

    Aug 11 2021

    Looking for some great end-of-summer book suggestions? Kids from around the world have some great suggestions. Kitty Felde is host. Complete list of books at www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • The Shadows by Jacqueline West

    Aug 04 2021

    Looking for a late summer thriller? We discuss the first book in Jacqueline West's Books of Elsewhere series The Shadows with the Girlfriends BookClub Baltimore. Public radio journalist Doualy Xaykaothao is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Free reading tips at the website: bookclubforkids.org.

  • A Conversation with Writer Veera Hiranandani

    Jul 28 2021

    Veera Hiranandani explains why she chose to use diary entries to tell her story in The Night Diary and offers tips to young people about how to get their older relatives to open up about their life stories. Kitty Felde is host.

  • The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

    Jul 21 2021

    What would you bring with you if you had to leave your home forever? It's just one of the topics we discuss with readers from Tyler Elementary School in Washington, D.C. as we tackle The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani. It's a novel written as a diary about the creation of independent India and Pakistan. Our celebrity reader is actress Nivi Varanasi. Kitty Felde is host.

  • Favorite Books from the National Archives

    Jul 14 2021

    We ask kids and their parents to answer our favorite question: what's your favorite book? Listen for some great summer reading suggestions!

  • A Little Wicked

    Jul 07 2021

    We reprise our episode taped before a live audience at the National Archives. Readers from the Girlfriends BookClub Baltimore discuss A Little Wicked by Janet Macreery with host Kitty Felde. Celebrity reader is NPR Special Correspondent Susan Stamberg.

  • Bonus Geoff Rodkey

    Jun 30 2021

    Geoff Rodkey is both a successful screenwriter and writer of books for kids. Including "We're Not From Here." He talks about the difference between writing screenplays and novels, about science fiction, and about creating non-binary characters. Kitty Felde is host. Lots more interviews with authors at the website www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • Were Not from Here by Geoff Rodkey

    Jun 23 2021

    Earth is doomed, so a band of survivors is looking for a friendly planet to save them. But our earthling reputation isn't so great. Will they be allowed to stay? Readers from Maury Elementary School discuss Geoff Rodkey's We're Not From Here. Our celebrity readers is Mat Kaplan, host of Planetary Radio. Kitty Felde is host. Free reading tips: www.bookclubforkids.org

  • Favorite Books from Nantucket

    Jun 16 2021

    We get book suggestions from readers at the Nantucket Book Festival.  www.bookclubforkids.org

  • Old Yeller

    Jun 09 2021

    Pets play such an important part in our lives and the loss of an animal creates a hole in our hearts. The Newbery Honor award winning classic Old Yeller by Fred Gipson does the same thing. We hear from a trio of fifth graders from Lafayette Elementary School in Washington, DC who talk about their own pets. Actor and dancer Michael McKinley is celebrity reader. Dog expert Mia Cobb from Australia joins us. Kitty Felde is host.   www.bookclubforkids.org

  • A Conversation with Meg Medina

    Jun 02 2021

    How long does it take to publish a book? Newbery award winning writer Meg Medina says most of her time is spent rewriting and rewriting. More conversations with writers at our website www.bookclubforkids.org.

  • Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

    May 26 2021

    Book Club for Kids goes to Hooray For Books! bookstore in Alexandria, Virginia to talk about Meg Medina's novel about bullying and mother-daughter relationships Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. Our celebrity reader is National Public Radio Arts Correspondent Mandalit Del Barco. Writer Meg Medina discusses the writing process with a pair of aspiring writers, Lila and Julia. Kitty Felde is the host. www.bookclubforkids.org

  • A Conversation with Writer Rob Buyea

    May 19 2021

    We continue the conversation with writer Rob Buyea about how his experiences as a classroom teacher influenced his writing of "Because of Mr. Terupt." Kitty Felde is host. www.bookclubforkids.org

  • Episode 119 - Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

    May 12 2021

    Were you lucky enough to have one special teacher who changed your life? This week, our book is all about that gifted educator and the classroom that was lucky enough to have him: "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea. Readers from Harmony Township Elementary School in New Jersey talk about their own teachers - and about learning in this socially distanced/hybrid/covid school year. They also interview author Rob Buyea. Actor Garrett M. Brown is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. Reading tips,...more

  • May the Fourth Be With You The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

    May 04 2021

    We celebrate the Star Wars national holiday May the Fourth with our favorite Star Wars episode The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger. Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host. www.bookclubforkids.org

  • Favorite Books from the Baltimore Book Festival

    Apr 28 2021

    We miss book festivals! It's the best place to meet authors, fellow book lovers, and come home with a stack of books and pages of great book suggestions. This week, we turn back the clock to 2015 for our visit to the Baltimore Book Festival for some terrific book suggestions. And if you're looking for a book festival this weekend, join host Kitty Felde at the virtual Literary Hill BookFest. She's on a panel with LBJ's granddaughter to talk about the power of children's literature to dismantle di...more