Episodes
Episode 95 - The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
Sep 11 2019
Do you love a mystery? Do you love playing detective, looking for clues on every page? This week’s novel is about a lot of things – segregation, bullying, and most of all, a family mystery. This week's episode is "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson. Our readers are from Washington DC’s AIM Academy. Actress Sheila Collins is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Favorite Books from Studio City
Sep 04 2019
We head out to the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles to ask readers at the Studio City branch of the LA Public Library to tell us their favorite books. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 62 The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez
Aug 28 2019
Malu is moving to Chicago and she's not very happy about it. She's also not very happy with the way her mother would like her to be. Two things do make her happy: punk music and creating zines. The book is the 2018 Pura Belpré Award Author Honor winner "
Bonus Favorite Books Eagan Minnesota
Aug 21 2019
5th graders from Deerwood Elementary School in Eagan, Minnesota share their favorite books with us. Kitty Felde is host.
Summer Intern Hannah Matzecki's Favorite Episode - Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar
Aug 14 2019
The worst summer vacation ever? Being stuck in the middle of a New Mexico desert with the crabbiest grandfather on planet earth. But there are also magical bees that promise the end of of a drought. Students from Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Our celebrity reader is New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. Kitty Felde is host. This episode is the favorite of summer intern Hannah Matzecki.
Favorite Books Arlington Heights, Illinois
Aug 07 2019
Readers from the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in Illinois share their favorite books with host Kitty Felde.
Episode 94 - The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman
Jul 31 2019
What’s it like to be adopted? Does your adopted family’s history become your history or do you feel the need to find your biological story? Our book this week is "The Length of a String" by Elissa Brent Weissman. It’s a Holocaust story about a Jewish family separated by the war. Readers from the Girlfriends Book Club of Baltimore at Hazelwood Elementary Middle School discuss the book and pose lots of questions to our writer. Actor and producer Bari Hochwald is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is ho...more
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Jul 24 2019
Writer Margaret Peterson Haddix has published nearly four dozen novel. We talk to her about how she manages to write so many books, the difference between writing fiction and non-fiction, and get a sneak preview of her newest series. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 93 - Double Identity by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Jul 17 2019
C’mon. Admit it. Don’t you just wish sometimes that your parents would just disappear? But what happens next? That’s just part of the plot for our book this week “Double Identity” By Margaret Peterson Haddix. Our readers are from Sousa Middle School in Washington, D.C. Our celebrity reader is actress Molly Parker, from "Deadwood" and "Lost In Space." Kitty Felde is host. Oh, and just a warning: the discussion contains spoiler alerts, so you might want to read the book before you listen to the ...more
Bonus Episode: The Search for the Real Great Brain
Jul 10 2019
Has a book inspired you to take a summer vacation to a particular place? "The Great Brain" series seems to have inspired a lot of readers - including Sharon Madsen's family. Sharon's become the unofficial John D. Fitzgerald historian, archivist, and tour guide, taking fans of "The Great Brain" series around Fitzgerald's hometown of Price Utah. Kitty Felde talks to Sharon Madsen about her family's obsession.
Episode 92 - The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
Jul 03 2019
This week, we catch up with readers in Houston, Texas who love "The Great Brain" books by John D. Fitzgerald SO much, they named their book club after it. Not familiar with the book? A lot of the plot involves the oldest brother Tom who always has a new scheme to separate kids from their money. Our celebrity reader is J. Keith van Straaten, host of the game show podcast Go Fact Yourself. Our writer John D. Fitzgerald is no longer with us, but Sharon Madsen, the resident expert on Fitzgerald, say...more
Summer Reading from the LA Public Library's Mini Maker Faire
Jun 26 2019
Looking for great summer reading ideas? This group from Southern California have lots of suggestions.
Episode 91 - Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Jun 19 2019
Do you ever feel different? Peculiar? Perhaps not as peculiar as the kids in "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." Readers from the DC International School discuss Ransom Riggs' novel and pose questions to the author. NPR Special Correspondent Melissa Block is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Favorite Books from the LA Public Library's Maker Faire
Jun 12 2019
We usually talk to middle school kids on Book Club for Kids. This week, we hear book suggestions from some of our youngest listeners. The episode was recorded at the LA Public Library's Mini Maker Faire at the downtown Central Library. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 90 - Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan
Jun 05 2019
"Esperanza Rising" is a riches to rags tale about a wealthy Mexican family who end up as farmworkers in California's Central Valley. Students from Murch Elementary School in Washington, DC compare the book to Frances Hodgson Burnett's "A Little Princess." Actress Christine Avila is celebrity reader. Writer Pam Munoz Ryan talks about her real-life grandmother whose life inspired the book. Kitty Felde is host.
A conversation with graphic novelist Nidhi Chanani
May 29 2019
Writer Nidhi Chanani always wanted to be a writer. Kitty Felde talks to Nidhi and finds out how did she end up writing her graphic novel "Pashmina."
Episode 89 - Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani
May 22 2019
Is a podcast about a graphic novel like dancing about architecture? Give a listen to our latest episode "Pashmina" by Nidhi Chanani. It's a tale about a magical pashina and secrets and mothers and daughters. Our readers are students at Kelly Miller Middle School in Washington, DC. Rasika Mathur is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Veronica Roth on Writing
May 15 2019
"Divergent" writer Veronica Roth talks about her latest writing adventures.
Episode 88 - Divergent by Veronica Roth
May 08 2019
We venture into a dystopian universe created by writer Veronica Roth. "Divergent" is a tale about finding out where you fit in – and whether you’re brave enough to take a literal leap of faith. Our celebrity reader is the 2018 Ms. Senior California and a familiar voice on Southern California Public Radio KPCC Rita Pardue. Our readers are from Benjamin Trasker Middle School and we taped the episode at the Bowie, Maryland branch of the Prince Georges County Memorial Library. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Chris Tebbetts
May 01 2019
Chris Tebbetts talks about book packaging, collaboration with James Patterson, and using storyboarding and other techniques as a writer. For more with Chris Tebbetts, listen to the entire episode of “Public School Superhero.”
Episode 87 - Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts
Apr 24 2019
Do you dream about becoming a superhero? What kind? 5th graders from DC's School Within a School discuss "Public School Superhero" by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. In the book, our hero Kenny dons his alter ego Stainless Steel just to survive at a very lousy middle school. Actor Chuma Hunter-Gault is our celebrity reader and Chris Tebbetts joins us to talk about collaborating. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus episode with writerDan Gutman
Apr 17 2019
What's next for Dan Gutman's My Wierd School series?
Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Dodger Legend Tommy Davis
Apr 15 2019
Baseball legend Tommy Davis only signed with the Dodgers because of phone call from Jackie Robinson. And even though he played in a different era, Tommy experienced racism from baseball fans firsthand.
Episode 86 - Jackie & Me by Dan Gutman
Apr 10 2019
Every April 15th, Major League Baseball celebrates the day that Jack Roosevelt Robinson started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the day that integrated baseball. This year marks Jackie Robinson’s 100th birthday and to celebrate, we’re discussing the novel “Jackie & Me” by Dan Gutman. Readers from Murch Elementary School in Washington, DC discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is another legendary Dodger, the two-time National League batting champion, Tommy Davis.
Favorite Books from You
Apr 03 2019
Readers from across the country call in and tell host Kitty Felde their favorite books.
Episode 85 - Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Mar 27 2019
Would you like to be a legend? To have people tell stories about you long after you’re gone? Would you like to be “Maniac Magee” by Jerry Spinelli? This Newbery Award-winning classic is our Book Club for Kids pick this week. Our readers are from Anne Beers Elementary School in Washington, D.C. and John Michael Higgins (“Pitch Perfect” and “A Mighty Wind”) is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Favorite Books from Palos Heights Illinois
Mar 20 2019
Readers at the Palos Heights Public Library share their favorite books...and many of them are our favorites, too!
Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder with Congressman Adam Schiff
Mar 13 2019
Would you like to grow up on a desert island with no adults to boss you around? That's the locale for our book "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder. Our readers from Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park, Illinois talk about the challenges of growing up and try to get our writer to disclose some of the answers to the mysteries in the book. Congressman Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, is our celebrity reader.
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from Houston
Mar 06 2019
We hear from readers at Marcella Intermediate school in Houston Texas who share their favorite books. Many of them are by Book Club for Kids authors. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 84 - Hello Universe
Feb 27 2019
Virgil's grandmother keeps telling him scary stories as life lessons. One of his friends is convinced she can predict the future. Virgil is trying to find a way out of his shell. This week we discuss Erin Entrada Kelly's 2018 Newbery Award-winning novel "Hello Universe." Actress Kat Purgal is our celebrity reader. Members of the Rocket Readers book club of Newport Beach, California discuss the book and talk about how school testing stresses them out. Kitty Felde is host.
Favorite Books from Daniel Boone Regional Library in Missouri
Feb 20 2019
Readers from the "show me" state show us their favorite books to host Kitty Felde.
Episode 83 - Monster by Walter Dean Myers
Feb 13 2019
He's on trial for murder. Does that make him a bad person? Our readers from Kramer Middle School in Washington, DC tackle tough questions about a tough book: Walter Dean Myer's award-winning novel "Monster." Actor Larry Powell is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode: A conversation with writer Shannon Messenger
Feb 06 2019
Ever wonder how writers keep all the details organized when they're writing a long series? Find out in this conversation with writer Shannon Messenger. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 82 - Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Jan 30 2019
Do you wish you had a super power? Want to hang out with some elves? This week, a book club from Maryland picks our book: Shannon Messenger's "Keeper of the Lost Cities." Nick Roman is our celebrity reader and our readers interview the writer. Kitty Felde is host.
Nikki Grimes
Jan 23 2019
Last week, our readers from Washington DC discussed Nikki Grimes’ novel in verse GARVEY’S CHOICE. This week, we hear some more from poet Nikki Grimes about the power of poetry, spirituality in a secular world, and a sneak preview of her next project.
Episode 81 - Garveys Choice by Nikki Grimes
Jan 16 2019
"Garvey's Choice" is the poetic tale of a star-struck young man trying to please his father. Award-winning writer Nikki Grimes answers questions from readers at Alice Deal Middle School in Washington, DC. Actor Haskell V. Anderson III is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Donna Jo Napoli
Jan 09 2019
Last week, we talked to writer Donna Jo Napoli about her novel ALLIGATOR BAYOU. It’s a novel set in Louisiana, a tale about the relationship between Italian immigrants and the African American population. We talked to Donna at Podcast Movement in Philadelphia and she had much more to say about her writing process.
Episode 80 - Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli
Jan 02 2019
New Orleans is a city rich in history and rich in wonderful food. Both are topics in this week's discussion of Donna Jo Napoli's novel "Alligator Bayou." Readers at the New Orleans Public Library discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is NPR National Correspondent Debbie Elliott.
Bonus Episode - Katherine Marsh
Dec 26 2018
Katherine Marsh says her son helped a lot with the creation of "The Door by the Staircase." She also offers some writing tips.
Episode 79 -The Door By The Staircase by Katherine Marsh
Dec 19 2018
This week, we get a new look at an old fairy tale – the story of the Russian witch known as Baba Yaga. A boys book club in Portland, Oregon met us at Powell's Books to discuss Katherine Marsh's novel "The Door by the Staircase" with host Kitty Felde. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, who represents Portland on Capitol, is celebrity reader.
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from Virginia's Gunston Hall
Dec 12 2018
This week, we talk to group of young writers who met for a workshop at Virginia’s historic Gunston Hall, home of founding father George Mason. Host Kitty Felde asked these writers our favorite question: what’s your favorite book?
Episode 78 - The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963
Dec 05 2018
‘The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963” touches on a tragic moment in American history: the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. But it’s really a family story about a road trip. Readers from Two Rivers Public Charter School in Washington, DC discuss the novel with host Kitty Felde. Writer Christopher Paul Curtis won the Newbery, the Golden Kite, and the Coretta Scott King awards for this book. He talks about how all those statues allowed him to become a full time writer. Our celebrity reader...more
Bonus Episode St Tammany
Nov 28 2018
What are kids in Louisiana reading these days? We hear from readers who all participanted in the 2018 Battle of the Books competition in at a public library about 45 miles north of New Orleans in a community called St. Tamany Parish. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 77 - Code Talker by Joseph Bruchac
Nov 21 2018
We discuss a fictionalized story about one of the Navajo Code Talkers - the Marines who were recruited to use their native language to help the Allies win World War II. Students from Chesterbrook Elementary School in Virginia discuss Joseph Bruchac’s novel “Code Talker” with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is Elayne Silversmith. the librarian at the Vine Deloria, Jr. library at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.
Bonus Episode Australia
Nov 14 2018
This week, we’re talking to kids in Australia, asking them their favorite books. We caught up with two of them on a tram – the same tram where the royal couple Prince Harry and his new bride Meghan took to a beach in south Melbourne. We have pictures on our website.
Episode 76 The Meringue Witches by Isora Morales Suarez
Nov 07 2018
This episode began with a chance meeting in a tiny art gallery in the city of Cienfuegos, Cuba. Writer Isora Morales Suarez was minding the store to pay the bills, but just had her first novel for kids published in English. The Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore discuss her unusual fairy tale “The Meringue Witches” with host Kitty Felde. Cuban ex-pat Adolfo Nodal is celebrity reader.
New Zealand's Favorite Books
Oct 31 2018
This week, we take you thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean to the south island of New Zealand. In and around the city of Christchurch, we asked kids to tell us their favorite books. You may be surprised by some of their choices.
Hoodoo by Ronald L. Smith
Oct 24 2018
Writer Ronald L. Smith takes us on a trip down south, to the backwoods of Alabama, where a young boy was born with a heart-shaped birthmark, the mark of magic, or Hoodoo, according to his grandmama. Hoodoo must learn to tap his inner powers of magic to battle evil. Veteran public radio journalist Brian Watt is celebrity reader. Ron Smith just won the Corretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award from the American Library Association for "Hoodoo."
Ribblestrop by Andy Mulligan
Oct 17 2018
Americans have a romanticized image of English boarding schools. RIBBLESTROP is the opposite of that. Writer Andy Mulligan has created what must be the most dangerous school on planet earth. And this trio of readers at Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, New Jersey, debate whether they'd like to attend. Peter Sagal, playwright and host of NPR's quiz show "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Orleans - Sherri L. Smith
Oct 10 2018
What if hurricanes just get worse and worse? That's the premise for Sherri L. Smith's dystopian tale "Orleans." Students from Benjamin D. Foulois Creative and Performing Arts Academy in Maryland explain why dystopian novels are actually hopeful. At least for girls. Journalist Cheryl Devall is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode: More about Madeleine LEngle
Oct 03 2018
Charlotte Jones Voiklis and Lena Roy have written a new biography about their grandmother, Newbery Award winning writer Madeleine L’Engle called "Becoming Madeleine." They share stories about the woman who wrote 'A Wrinkle in Time."
Episode 75 - A Wrinkle in Time
Sep 26 2018
This week, we tackle a classic – the 1963 winner of the Newbery Award A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeleine L’Engle. Our readers are 5th graders from the British International School in Washington, DC. Our celebrity reader is public radio journalist Stephanie O’Neill. Madeline L’Engle passed away in 2007, but we're joined by her granddaughters Charlotte Jones Volklis and Lena Roy. They've written a new biography of their grandmother based on her journals called BECOMING MADELEINE. Kitty Felde is host....more
Bonus Bilingual Episode
Sep 18 2018
This week, we’re asking students at MarFarland Middle School in Washington DC our favorite question: what’s your favorite book? What’s so special about that? These students are telling us all about it in English – and español. It’s our first bilingual episode of the Book Club for Kids. The readers will answer first in English, and then in Spanish. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 73 - Tales From the Odyssey
Sep 12 2018
Do you believe in one-eyed monsters? Greek gods? This week, readers from two Washington, D.C. schools discuss Mary Pope Osborne’s take on Homer’s classic adventure “Tales from the Odyssey.” Mary talks about writing a modern take on Odysseus - as well as her best-selling “Magic Treehouse” series. Our celebrity reader is John Dryden, a veteran of BBC radio dramas and head of scripted content for the podcast network Panoply Media. Kitty Felde is host.
Jason Reynolds
Sep 05 2018
Writer Jason Reynolds visits more than 100 schools a year, inspiring readers and writers around the country. He's a National Book Award Finalist, winner of the 2016 Kirkus Prize, the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen, and a Newbery Honor winner.
Episode 73 Tuck Everlasting
Aug 29 2018
Would you like to live forever? That's the question our readers from Basis DC Charter School ponder as they discuss Natalie Babbitt's classic tale "Tuck Everlasting" with host Kitty Felde. Actress Denise Krueger is celebrity reader. The late writer talks about her own view of life and death.
Bonus Episode: Summer Reading Favorites
Aug 22 2018
Listeners from across the country are calling to to share their favorite books this summer.
Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz
Aug 15 2018
What happens when you discover your uncle was actually a spy? Do you join the family business? Readers from DC's Jefferson Academy discuss best-selling author Anthony Horowitz' first novel in the Alex Rider series "Stormbreaker." Anthony Horowitz discusses the novel and FBI Agent Ed You is our celebrity reader and tells us what it's really like to be a spy. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode HOLA
Aug 06 2018
Southern California readers at Heart of Los Angeles Youth share their favorite books with host Kitty Felde.
Foxheart by Claire Legrand
Aug 01 2018
Every summer, we ask our interns to pick their favorite episode. UC Irvine graduate John Gomez chose Claire Legrand's novel "Foxheart." Witches, monsters, and a brave little thief. Those are the ingredients in the book. Book Club for Kids fan Kailas and her two fellow readers Iona and Gabi discuss the novel at Boulder Bookstore with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is actor Wesley Mann. Writer Claire Legrand explains how "Foxheart" began as a short story challenge.
Bonus Episode: Kids Listen Summer Mixtape
Jul 25 2018
Book Club for Kids is a proud member of Kids Listen, a grassroots organization that advocates for high quality audio for kids. In preparation for your summer road trip, we introduce you to some of the terrific Kids Listen shows.
Episode 72 - As Brave as You
Jul 16 2018
Going on a summer road trip? Join us as we take a summer road trip to the south with a pair of brothers from Brooklyn. Our readers are all members of the boys book club at Truesdell Education Campus in Washington, DC. The boys discuss Jason Reynolds’s tale of a blind grandfather, a gun, and a bird named Michael Jackson. It’s called AS BRAVE AS YOU. Emmy Award-winning actor Kim Estes is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode: Gail Carson Levine
Jul 11 2018
Last week, we talked about Gail Carson Levine’s novel THE LOST KINGDOM OF BAMARRE. But there was more to the conversation. This week, we talk to Gail about writing, about the long slog to get her Newbery Honor book ELLA ENCHANTED published, about poetry, and about fairy tales.
Episode 71 - The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre
Jul 02 2018
What makes a modern princess? Readers from Maury Elementary in Washington, D.C. say it takes a bad ass like our heroine in Gail Carson Levine's fairy tale "The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre." Our Newbery honor winner talks about her love of fairy tales and how the novel grew out of her passion to fight prejudice of all kinds. Actress Tessa Auberjonois is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode: Alan Silberberg
Jun 27 2018
Which came first - the story or the illustrations? We ask writer Alan Silberberg. He writes and illustrates "Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze." Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 70 - Milo Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze
Jun 20 2018
Can a book be funny and deal with one of the toughest topics around? "Milo: Sticky Notes & Brain Freeze" is writer and illustrator Alan Silberberg's tale of 7th grade angst and dealing with the loss of a parent. Seventh graders from Eliot-Hine Middle School in Washington, D.C. discuss the book and ask questions of author Silberberg. Actor Joshua Malina ("West Wing," "Scandal," the "West Wing Weekly" podcast) is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode Linda Sue Park
Jun 11 2018
We spoke to Linda Sue Park about her novel about one of the Lost Boys of Sudan "A Long Walk to Water." But Linda's the author of nearly a dozen books and winner of the 2002 Newbery Award for "A Single Shard." Not surprisingly, she had a lot to say about what she's learned about writing.
Episode 69 - A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
Jun 05 2018
What do you know about South Sudan? Our book is "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park. Fifth grade readers from Pinchbeck Elementary School in Henrico, Virginia consider things they take for granted: clean water from the tap and a guaranteed education. Our celebrity reader is one of the top African experts on Capitol Hill, Congresswoman Karen Bass from California. Writer Linda Sue Park talks about writing fiction from fact. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 68 - The Secret Zoo
May 21 2018
An episode for animal lovers and fantasy fans. Readers from the Mamie Doud Eisenhower Public Library in Broomfield, Colorado discuss Bryan Chick's novel "The Secret Zoo" with host Kitty Felde. Haley Creamer from the Denver Zoo is celebrity reader. It's part of the Kids Listen School's (almost) Out Summer Sweep!
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from Ashburn, Virginia
May 14 2018
This week, we head out to Ashburn, Virginia to talk to readers at Brambleton Middle School to find out their favorite books. Most of their choices seem to break down into two main categories: adventure and books that relate to the real-life experiences of a middle schooler. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 67 - The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
May 07 2018
Meet the Vanderbeeker family - large, loud, unpredictable. They'll try almost anything to stay in their beloved Harlem neighborhood. The 2017 New York Times' Notable Children's Book by Karina Yan Glaser is discussed by readers at DC's Excel Academy Public Charter School. Actor Valente Rodriguez is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.
Episode 66 - The War That Saved My Life
Apr 23 2018
In this episode, we travel back to a world at war – to England at the beginning of the London Blitz. The book is "The War That Saved My Life." Writer Kimberley Brubaker Bradley tells the tale of the mass evacuation of children to the British countryside. Our readers are from Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia. Our celebrity reader is Congresswoman Julia Brownley from Thousand Oaks, California.
Bonus Episode Capitol Hill Day School
Apr 16 2018
Fifth graders from Capitol Hill Day School in Washington share their favorite books.
Episode 65 - The Apprentice Witch - James Nicol
Apr 09 2018
Think becoming a witch is easy? Think again. Readers from Changing Hands bookstore in Phoenix discuss James Nicol's tale of becoming a professional witch called "The Apprentice Witch." Our celebrity reader is public radio journalist (and amateur ice hockey player) Susan Valot. Our writer talks about how he created the rules for his magical world and confesses that he wasn't much of a reader when he was young.
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from the British International School
Apr 02 2018
Did you ever wonder what kids from other countries like to read? This week, we talk to kids from the United Arab Emerits, Switzerland, Great Britain, and Venezuela – as well as kids from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. They all attend the British International School of Washington. And we ask them to tell us their favorite books. And guess what? I’ll bet some of their favorites are some of yours, too.
Episode 64 - The Ethan I Was Before by Ali Standish
Mar 26 2018
This past weekend, thousands and thousands of kids marched in Washington and cities around the nation to call attention to a serious topic kids shouldn’t have to face: gun violence. This week on Book Club for Kids, we talk about the novel "The Ethan I Was Before." It's the story about a boy facing a life and death situation. Our readers from Capitol Hill Day School talk about trauma and the resilience of children. Writer Ali Standish talks about how you write a book about a serious topic for you...more
Bonus Episode The Bolles School in Florida Favorite Books
Mar 19 2018
It's our favorite question: what's your favorite book? Readers from The Bolles Middle School in Jacksonville, Florida, with help from school librarian Jaime Ann Sanborn, shared with us their list of favorites.
Episode 63 - Click Here: to find out how I survived 7th grade by Denise Vega
Mar 12 2018
In an era when kids share so much of their lives online, how do you survive middle school? On this special on the road edition of Book Club for Kids from the Colorado Book Festival, a quintet of readers from the Denver area discuss Denise Vega's novel "Click Here: To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade." Our celebrity reader is Colorado education legend Anna Jo Haynes.
Bonus Episode Laurie Halse Anderson
Mar 02 2018
We spoke to writer Laurie Halse Anderson a few weeks ago about her Revolutionary War novels. But there was more to the conversation – about poetry, track and field, and writing.
Episode 62 The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez
Feb 26 2018
Malu is moving to Chicago and she's not very happy about it. She's also not very happy with the way her mother would like her to be. Two things do make her happy: punk music and creating zines. The book is the 2018 Pura Belpré Award Author Honor winner "The First Rule of Punk" by Celia Perez. Students from Virginia talk about those times when they acted "punk" with host Kitty Felde. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is celebrity reader.
Bonus Episode Chains with Laurie Halse Anderson interview
Feb 16 2018
This week, we celebrate George Washington's birthday, Black History Month, and the opening of the film "Black Panther." It seemed like the perfect time to reprise our episode "Chains" about the role African-Americans played in the Revolutionary War. A trio of readers from Maryland discuss the book. Actress S.W. James is celebrity reader. This reprise episode features a new interview with writer Laurie Halse Anderson. She talks about why she's written so many books set at the time of the America...more
Episode 61 - Loving vs Virginia
Feb 13 2018
For Valentines Day, we have a special love story – part fiction, part fact, based on a landmark US Supreme Court case. It’s called "Loving Vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case" by Patricia Hruby Powell. It’s the story of an interracial couple who only wanted to marry the person they loved. Our celebrity reader, actress Crystal West. Readers from Virginia discuss the book and the legal case that took place in their own state. Kitty Felde is host.
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from readers at St Eugene School and across the country
Feb 05 2018
We're taking favorite book suggestions! Today, we’ll hear from readers at St. Eugene School in Fox Point, Wisconsin, and then hear book suggestions from other readers in California, Indiana, and Iowa. You can be on the Book Club for Kids podcast, too. Just give us a call! Our new call-in number is 323- 639-3560. Just tell us your first name, the name of your favorite book, and why you like it.
Episode 60 - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Jan 29 2018
Williamsburg has changed enormously since Betty Smith published "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" in 1943. But a trio of DC readers tell host Kitty Felde that they find contemporary themes - the chasm between rich and poor, the rise of the #MeToo movement - in the novel. Nancy Smith Pfeiffer, the 95 year old daughter of Betty Smith, tells us about rushing home from school to read the latest pages of the novel, hot off her mother's typewriter. Actress Sonia Manzano (Maria from "Sesame Street") is celebr...more
Bonus Episode Sonia Manzano
Jan 22 2018
Last week, we talked about the book “The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano” – a tale of a young girl finding her inner activist in the streets of New York’s El Barrio neighborhood in the late 1960’s. Writer Sonia Manzano told us a bit about her own activism, but we wanted to hear more. And frankly, we wanted to hear about the acting side of her life, particularly her many years playing Maria on "Sesame Street" – it was a gig that led to her writing scenes for the show. Sonia says hands down, Oscar th...more
Episode 59 - The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano
Jan 17 2018
In this episode, we look back at the 1960’s and a lesser known protest movement. Writer Sonia Manzano (probably better known as "Maria" from Sesame Street) says her encounter with Puerto Rican American activists known as the Young Lords opened her eyes. Her book is "The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano. It's the story of a young girl discovering her inner activist amid the New York protests over garbage collection that grew into a takeover of a neighborhood church. Our celebrity reader is actress Ye...more
Episode 58 - Gilded by Christina Farley
Jan 02 2018
Athletes are heading to Pyeongchang, South Korea for the Winter Olympics. We get there first courtesy of writer Christina Farley. We may not race down a mountainside, avoiding moguls or leaping into the air on the ice rink to execute a perfect triple lutz, but there are thrills and spills aplenty in "Gilded." Plus, we learn some Korean mythology and folk tales. Readers from the Richard Byrd Library in Springfield, Virginia discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Actress Julia Cho is our celebri...more
Bonus Episode - Favorite Books from California, Ohio, Florida, and Virginia
Dec 26 2017
Were you lucky enough to get a gift certificate to your favorite bookstore for Hannukah or Christmas or Kwanzaa? Can't decide which books you want to get? We have some suggestions. Actually, we have several suggestions. We talked to some experts - readers from Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Arizona, and California to ask them for their book suggestions.
Episode 57 - Moo by Sharon Creech
Dec 18 2017
Do you love cows? This is the episode for you. Sharon Draper's tale of a stubborn cow in "Moo." Students from Tyler Elementary School in Washington, DC discuss the novel with host Kitty Felde. Congressman David Valadao, an actual dairy farmer from California, is celebrity reader and talks about the personalities of cows.
Bonus Episode - A Conversation about Writing with Laurel Snyder
Dec 12 2017
We spoke to writer Laurel Snyder in Episode 56 about her novel "Orphan Island," but she had more to say about writing and the unsolved mysteries in her book.
Bonus Schiff
Dec 08 2017
Our celebrity reader this week, Congressman Adam Schiff from California, shared two of his favorite books on Episode 56. But those choices - and a third favorite book - seem to have made a difference in what careers he decided to pursue as an adult. Also, we tell you how YOU can be on the show with just a phone call!
Episode 56 - Orphan Island
Dec 06 2017
Would you like to grow up on a desert island with no adults to boss you around? That's the locale for our book "Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder. Our readers from Percy Julian Middle School in Oak Park, Illinois talk about the challenges of growing up and try to get our writer to disclose some of the answers to the mysteries in the book. Congressman Adam Schiff from California is our celebrity reader.
Wonder - the podcast
Nov 16 2017
How do we treat those who are different? What does it take to be kind? Kids from DC's Jefferson Academy discuss R.J. Palacio's novel "Wonder" with host Kitty Felde. The writer tells the story about a sidewalk incident that inspired the book. Our celebrity reader is Bob Garfield, cohost of WNYC's "On the Media."
Episode 55 - One Amazing Elephant by Linda Oatman High
Nov 06 2017
We talk about grandparents and circus folks...and elephants. Our book is called "One Amazing Elephant" by Linda Oatman High. Our readers Akshaj, Ishnoor, and Medha from Virginia have some firsthand experience with elephants (did you know that elephants smell like hay?) Our celebrity reader is actress Holly Vagley. Writer Oatman High says the idea for the story came from her late grandmother...after she was dead. Taped live at Virginia's 2017 Fall for the Book Festival.
Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Kelly Barnhill
Oct 30 2017
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.
Episode 54 - The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
Oct 25 2017
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 book with host Kitty Felde. KCRW Morning Edition host Chery Glaser is celebrity reader. Writer Kelly Barnhill says the book was inspired by the debate over "fake news."
Episode 53 - Pax by Sara Pennypacker
Oct 03 2017
A story about a boy and his fox, about war and peace, about strangers and family. Students from Hanover Middle School in Pennsylvania - located not far from the Gettysburg battlefield - discuss Sara Pennypacker's novel "Pax" with host Kitty Felde. They consider what it would be like to live next door to a war. The writer tells how she chose to write about a fox and public radio legend Jay Allison is celebrity reader.
Episode 52 - The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
Sep 26 2017
Dave Barry's tale of a group of 8th graders on a class field trip to Washington, DC where danger is as close as the mysterious guys in the airplane seat behind them. A trio of middle schoolers from Stuart-Hobson Middle School, Eliot-Hine Middle School, and BASIS DC Middle School on Capitol Hill talk about what the real Washington DC is like and discuss their nagging worries about safety. Congressman Jeff Denham from California is celebrity reader. Writer Dave Barry discusses Florida, comedy, and...more
Bonus Episode: The Book Meese
Sep 20 2017
Book Club for Kids isn't the only podcast out there that celebrates books for young readers. One of our guests on last week's episode (Episode 51: When the Sea Turned to Silver) is a podcaster himself. Mateo tells us all about The Book Meese.
Episode 51: When the Sea Turned to Silver by Grace Lin
Sep 13 2017
Book Club for Kids was invited to tape a live show at the Podcast Movement convention in Anaheim - the only kidcast featured on three days of tapings. Readers from the Walden School in San Gabriel discuss Grace Lin's tale of Chinese folk tales WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER. Mignon Fogarty of the podcast Grammar Girl is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.