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    Comfortably Uncomfortable: Nic Stone on the Story Less Told

    enFebruary 07, 2023
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    About this Episode

    On Today's Show

    • " When I sat down and I decided I wanted to start writing, what I started writing was something that bothered me." - Nic Stone

    After Nic Stone graduated college, she went on a trip to Bethlehem in Israel to connect with the story behind her faith. But instead of a religious experience, she found herself moved by the stories of the people who live in the city in the present day. Stories that she decided also needed telling.


    In this episode, Nic joins us to share more about how she found her voice and why she tells the stories she does. She'll speak about the importance of connecting with kids to understand their perspective on life, and why, despite being fearful of backlash over the release of her most recent book, she is still optimistic about the future of reading freedom in the classroom. She also shares her unique reading challenge for our listeners!


    Contents

    Chapter 1 - Little Nic, the liar (2:18)

    Chapter 2 - The lead coat (5:40)

    Chapter 3 - The story we really need (7:55)

    Chapter 4 - The Picture of Dorian Gray (11:13)

    Chapter 5 - What kids want (18:16)

    Chapter 6 - Visiting Jabari (24:05)

    Chapter 7 - What about breakfast? (27:04)

    Chapter 8 - How to Be a (Young) Antiracist (28:33)

    Chapter 9 - Dear whom? (32:10)

    Chapter 10 - Mirror, Mirror (34:13)

    Chapter 11- Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:41)


    This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Rita Smith, the Children and Teens Librarian at Hershey Public Library in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Stick around until the end to hear the heartwarming story that reminded her of the value libraries play in the community.


    Links

    Recent Episodes from The Reading Culture

    If Your Heart Breaks, It’s Working: Nicola Yoon on Love and Other Risky Behaviors

    If Your Heart Breaks, It’s Working: Nicola Yoon on Love and Other Risky Behaviors
    "Love is risky. Love always ends. Should you do it anyway?” - Nicola Yoon

    Love is a feeling that never exists solely on its own, and those likely companions to love (anxiety, grief) often bring questions such as, is this worth it? It’s this question and others like it that Nicola Yoon explores in each of her novels. 


    Nicola is a hopeless romantic. The affliction began in childhood after the discovery of her aunt’s harlequin romance collection. From then on, Nicola’s love of love would only grow stronger. But while her passion for romance was a love at first sight, her passion for writing was more of a slow burn.

    Today, Nicola Yoon boasts an impressive resume as a two-time New York Times bestselling author, a finalist for the National Book Award, a recipient of the Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and a winner of the Coretta Scott King New Talent Award. Notably, her first two novels have been successfully adapted for the big screen.

    In this episode, she’ll tell us why she fell in love with the romance genre, and how she found her way to writing as a career after 15 years in finance. She also shares her own ridiculously cute, out-of-a-movie love story about how she ended up with her husband and fellow writer, David Yoon. 

    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter


    ***

    Inspired by her own novel, "Instructions for Dancing,” in her reading challenge, Good Grief, Nicola invites us to explore the intersection of love and grief with a list of some of her favorite books.


    You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Nikki Hayter, a library manager with the Des Moines Public Library system. As summer inches closer, she tells us about a unique program her library started a couple of years ago with graphic novels.


    Contents


    Chapter 1 - Harlequin Romance (1:37)

    Chapter 2 - An Unrequited Love (6:36)

    Chapter 3 - The Great Gatsby (11:24)

    Chapter 4 - A Requited Love (16:26)

    Chapter 5 - The Airport Scene (19:02)

    Chapter 6 - Questions About Love (22:53)

    Chapter 7 - Not a Case of Love at First Sight (25:43)

    Chapter 8 - Expectations of Love (27:34)
    Chapter 9 - Don’t read this book! (applies to children) (31:21)

    Chapter 10 - Joy Revolution (33:40)

    Chapter 11 - Good Grief (36:45)

    Chapter 12 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (38:22)

    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    The Blackest Book Ever: Derrick Barnes on Writing Unapologetically

    The Blackest Book Ever: Derrick Barnes on Writing Unapologetically
    • "I'm putting every single ounce of who I am into every single book that I write, so y'all know to expect the blackest books you have ever read from yours truly.”  - Derrick Barnes

    Derrick Barnes’ introduction to vulnerable storytelling was through the jazz and R&B records he found in his family’s collection. For young Derrick, reading the liner notes in albums was just as important as any other kind of reading. Eventually, artists like Prince, Rakim, and John Coltrane taught him about the power in simply and truly being yourself. Inspired, young Derrick began writing his own poetry and short stories, which served as the beginning of a long and fruitful writing career. A career that includes being the first black creative copywriter for Hallmark cards.


    In his work as an author, Derrick embodies the authenticity of his idols, being uncompromising in his goal to tell an array of black stories, for black kids. Although already an established writer, Derrick’s breakthrough picture book, "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" brought him national attention and accolades such as the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Award. More recently he earned a National Book Award honor for the graphic novel “Victory Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice.” 


    In this episode, Derrick tells the story of how music inspired him to write, how his idols taught him to never compromise his voice as a black man, and why he considers himself a freedom fighter. 

    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter


    ***

    In Derrick’s reading challenge, "Resistance and Resilience" he invited us to read powerful stories of resilience from America’s black history.


    You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Connie Sharp, a Librarian Training and Development Specialist at Metro Nashville Public Schools. She told us about how her district utilizes Beanstack with community partnerships to encourage students to read.


    Contents


    Chapter 1 - Jazz, Hip Hop, R&B (1:59)

    Chapter 2 - Literacy and Lyrics (6:31)

    Chapter 3 - A Hallmark Story (9:11)

    Chapter 4 - The Fresh Cut (12:52)

    Chapter 5 - Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (19:22)

    Chapter 6 - Freedom Fighter (25:00)

    Chapter 7 - The Blackest Books (28:56)

    Chapter 8 - The Legacy of Derrick Barnes (31:29)  

    Chapter 9 - Resistance and Resilience (35:31)

    Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (37:29)



    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Rabbit Holes: Brandy Colbert on Deep Research and Deep Characters

    Rabbit Holes: Brandy Colbert on Deep Research and Deep Characters
    "I'm a bad liar. So I'm just like, I'm really good at telling the truth.”  - Brandy Colbert


    Going down internet rabbit holes and discovering everything there is to know about random subjects is a relaxing way to spend an evening, according to Brandy Colbert. This passion for research is part of the secret sauce that helps her build such deep and believable characters in her fiction work. In her nonfiction writing, Brandy’s ability to bring humanity to the real “characters” in the story is what brings history to life. 


    Brandy is a true acolyte of the writing craft. She spent her youth creating stories of her own and occasionally borrowing and reinterpreting tales from TV. After studying journalism in college she spent the early stages of her career contributing to niche magazines, where she honed her research prowess.


    Today, Brandy brings all those skills together to write gripping, detail-oriented, character-driven fiction and nonfiction stories. 

    Brandy Colbert is known for works such as "Little & Lion," which won the Stonewall Book Award, "The Only Black Girls in Town," and "Pointe". Meanwhile, her nonfiction book about the Tulsa Race Massacre, "Black Birds in the Sky" won the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award.


    In this episode, she tells us where she developed and honed her research skills, how she brings characters to life, and why a character by any other name is just…. not the same character.

    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter

    ***

    In Brandy’s reading challenge, "Powerful Nonfiction" she challenges us to read a list of nonfiction books that she says will, “open minds, challenge assumptions, and highlight the power of historical truth.”  


    You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Cindy Philbeck, Teacher-Librarian at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She told us a heartwarming story about a student's discovery of Sabaa Tahir's All My Rage.



    Contents

    Chapter 1 - Reading in the Ozarks (1:47)

    Chapter 2 - Early heartbreaks (5:54)

    Chapter 3 - A Midwestern college experience (11:57)

    Chapter 4 - A Humanist View (14:00)

    Chapter 5 - Women’s muscles (17:43)

    Chapter 6 - Rejections (19:58)

    Chapter 7 - Write what you know research (23:55)

    Chapter 8 - A bad liar (27:37)

    Chapter 9 - Black Jewish Lesbians (exist) (30:19)

    Chapter 10 - Powerful Nonfiction (36:55)

    Chapter 11 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (37:44)


    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    The One and Only John: Mr. Schu Turns His Heart Inside Out

    The One and Only John: Mr. Schu Turns His Heart Inside Out
    "Books can be the perfect prescriptions to let us know that we're going to be okay.”  - John Schu


    John Schu’s entire life has been shaped by books. As a kid, he fell in love with Shel Silverstein; Emily Dickinson comforted him as he was battling an eating disorder, and “The One and Only Ivan,” well, that book changed his life. In fact, it nearly put him into debt (he tells that story in the episode!)

    The powerful impact books have had on his life inspired him to dedicate his life to sharing this power with everyone he can. His career as an educator led him to the library, the library led him across America, and now he has started a new career as a writer of stories himself.

    John made his debut with "This is a School," followed by "This is a Story" and "The Gift of Story." However, in his latest work, "Louder Than Hunger," he bravely delves into a new realm of vulnerability. This semi-autobiographical tale draws from the most challenging period in his life, navigating the depths of his battle with anorexia.


    In this episode, Mr. Schu, as in Mr.SchuReads,  tells us about the transformative reads that shaped his life and explains how some of those stories helped him and some actually harmed him. We’ll hear how he became an author, and about the emotional toll it took to write “Louder Than Hunger.”

    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter

    ***

    In John’s reading challenge, Story Within a Story, he wants us to read the actual books found in the pages of his book, “This is a Story.”


    You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Amanda Maslanka, a 26-year veteran in education and an elementary school librarian in South Houston. She offered valuable advice for parents and caregivers to get kids excited about reading.


    Contents

    Chapter 1 - Mr.SchuReads’ Grandma (2:13)

    Chapter 2 - An Internal Struggle (5:37)

    Chapter 3 - Recovery and Emily Dickinson (9:29)

    Chapter 4 - Best Teacher Ever (11:00)

    Chapter 5 - Becoming a Writer (15:24)

    Chapter 6 - The One and Only Ivan (16:04)

    Chapter 7 - Power to Heal, Power to Harm (23:30)

    Chapter 8 - Ready to Share (28:27)

    Chapter 9 - Story Within a Story (34:17)

    Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (35:57)


    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    A Gut Punch and a Hug: Mark Oshiro on Practicing Vulnerability

    A Gut Punch and a Hug: Mark Oshiro on Practicing Vulnerability

    On Today's Show

    • "It's practice. Vulnerability is practice. It is learning that you can do things and say things that seem scary, but ultimately know that you're safe.”  - Mark Oshiro

    Mark Oshiro was taught to fear the world. To be someone they were not and to repress someone they were. But books were an escape. Books taught them that freedom was possible.


    Mark spent over a decade blogging about the stories they consumed, empathizing with characters, criticizing choices, and embracing every person's journey. But then they realized it was their turn to share, and in that sharing, they learned the transformative power of storytelling from the other side of the pages. They knew the healing power of vulnerability.


    Mark debuted on the YA scene with their 2018 novel “Anger is a Gift” and has since written titles such as “Each of Us a Desert" and the latest installment in the Percy Jackson universe, “The Sun and the Star.” But their recent semi-autobiographical novel, 'Into The Light,' represents their most ultimate and vulnerable storytelling to date.


    In this episode, Mark shares their life story and reflects on the refuge that books and libraries offered them as a youth from an abusive household. They also discuss how lowering their emotional defenses led them to discover the healing power of vulnerability.

    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter


    ***

    In Mark’s reading challenge, "Stories of Vulnerability," they want us to explore other stories with the same rawness they bring to their work.


    You can find their list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Cindy Philbeck, a teacher librarian at Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. She told us about her library's lunchtime strategy that encourages students to visit and see the space as a refuge.

    Contents


    Chapter 1 - A Controlled Environment (2:34)

    Chapter 2 - Safety in Books (7:14)

    Chapter 3 - Losing Grip (11:13)

    Chapter 4 - We Are Okay (20:41)

    Chapter 5 - Mark Does Stuff (lots of stuff) (22:53)

    Chapter 6 - The Practice of Vulnerability (28:32)

    Chapter 7 - Closure? (33:40)

    Chapter 8 - Stories of Vulnerability (37:45)

    Chapter 9 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (38:58)


    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    The Reading Culture: Yearbook 2023

    The Reading Culture: Yearbook 2023

    With the 2023 year coming to a close (our first full year in production!), we wanted to celebrate. And what better way to do that than high school yearbook superlative style?


    Welcome to a special edition of The Reading Culture podcast – "The Reading Culture: Yearbook."


    In this episode, we're rolling out the red carpet to unveil "The Readies," an award show of sorts, to remember the standout moments and stories from the show this year.


    Yes, it's a clip show.


     We'll relive the "Most Hilarious Admission," "Most Moving Parenting Story," and "Most Emo Moment," and we'll hand out the "I’m Not Crying, You’re Crying" and name the author "Most Likely to Build a Functional Spaceship." Think you know who gets that one? 


    And there's even more than those!


    Join us as we reflect back on some of the best moments of The Reading Culture.



    Host:
    Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    The Things We Know: Oge Mora on Finding the Magic in the Everyday

    The Things We Know: Oge Mora on Finding the Magic in the Everyday
    "It's not like I haven't experienced pain or tragedy or grief in my life, and it's not like I want to deny that. I don't think that that's the entirety of my song. When I want to look back on my life, I want to look at all the amazing things and experiences I had because that's what makes the time we have in this world so incredibly special, is that we have these connections, we have these experiences with people.” - Oge Mora


    Life is full of small pleasures, bits of magic in ordinary moments that so often go underappreciated. Oge Mora wants to draw attention to those small things and show us the true depth and meaning those moments have in our lives.


    In her work as a collage artist, she takes bits and pieces of scrap material and shows us their beauty when all put together. Much like her stories, we are shown that small things are what make the big things, like a Saturday spent with a loved one, or the enticing aroma of an old family recipe. 

    Oge Mora burst onto the kid lit scene with her picture book “Thank You, Omu!”, a book that earned her a Caldecott Honor, a Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award, and a host of other accolades. She was also a 2021 Forbes 303 Under 30 lister. 

    In this episode, Oge tells us about the community support that built the foundation for her career, the art school epiphany that shifted her perspective from shame to pride, and why she wants her books to feel like a cup of hot cocoa. If you're looking for a moment of joy, you have found it here. 

    ***


    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter

    ***

    In Oge’s reading challenge, "Story Collage" she shares some of her favorite picture books with collage illustrations.


    You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Alli Buffington, Library Media Specialist at Holley Navarre Intermediate School in Santa Rosa County, Florida. She’ll tell us about the most successful reading challenge she’s run at her school.


    Contents


    Chapter 1 - Repeat Renewals (2:31)

    Chapter 2 - Sister Catherine and The Doodler (7:13)

    Chapter 3 - A Street Called Home (14:27)

    Chapter 4 - That Little Bit of Shift (18:40)

    Chapter 5 - An Homage to Connection With Others (25:28)

    Chapter 6 - More of Less, and More (32:12)

    Chapter 7 - Collage of Stories (32:57)

    Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:15)



    Links

    Host: Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey



    Visibility Cloak: Hena Khan on Commonality Over Conformity

    Visibility Cloak: Hena Khan on Commonality Over Conformity
    "There's these universal truths [...] specific details, but universal feelings and universal experiences that people hopefully can relate to. And that's what I go for in all of my books. Common humanity.” - Hena Khan


    Hena Khan didn’t believe her perspective mattered. As a Pakistani-American Muslim, she grew up not seeing her or her family reflected in the media she was consuming. As any kid might do, she concluded that it was simply because her experience was not important, a realization that became clearer in hindsight. Recalling her childhood writing, she discovered she had unintentionally white-washed her own homemade family newspaper.

    Building confidence in her perspective was a gradual process, extending into adulthood. Initially lacking self-assurance, she began writing while toning down her cultural identity to conform to perceived publisher expectations. Over time, her confidence grew, and today, she is recognized for authentically portraying stories rooted in her culture and religion.

    Reflecting on her own reading experiences, Hena values shared human experiences that transcend cultural backgrounds. She aims to demonstrate that these relatable moments exist in stories featuring non-white characters and diverse cultures.


    Renowned for works such as "Amina's Voice," its sequel "Amina's Song," the "Zara's Rules" series, and "More to the Story," Hena Khan shares her journey of grappling with invisibility as a young reader and the evolution of her faith in herself and her unique perspective. She also recounts the unexpected connection to a book about Christian white sisters in the 1800s in her unconscious quest for stories reflecting her Muslim immigrant family.


    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter


    ***

    In Hena’s reading challenge, "Read Desi" she encourages us to celebrate South Asian American writers.


    You can find her list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Allie Buffington, Library Media Specialist at  Holley Navarre Intermediate School in Santa Rosa County, Florida. She tells us about the importance of making the library a space that kids want to come back to.


    Contents


    Chapter 1 - “Religious Holiday” (2:38)

    Chapter 2 - Gogol Search (6:16)

    Chapter 3 - Little Women (and the Khanicles) (9:43)

    Chapter 4 - Three Cheers From Andrea (18:17)

    Chapter 5 - Just Living (22:18)

    Chapter 6 - Common Humanity (30:20)

    Chapter 7 - Curious About Curious George (33:50)

    Chapter 8 - The Door is Open (35:31)

    Chapter 9 - Read Desi (37:28)

    Chapter 10 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (38:54)



    Links


    Host:
    Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    A Good Guest: Daniel Nayeri on the Obligations of a Storyteller

    A Good Guest: Daniel Nayeri on the Obligations of a Storyteller

    "Don't follow your dreams if that's the only thing you're doing. Ask yourself, what will make you most useful? What will make you most, in terms of a purpose, help you do meaningful work?” - Daniel Nayeri

    You want Daniel Nayeri at your dinner party. Always with a story or an insightful question, it turns out he is also the person you want on your podcast! The Iranian-American author of the Printz Award-winning “Everything Sad is Untrue,” and the more recent “The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams,” offered up fresh conversation and a good deal of humor. 

    As a writer, Daniel Nayeri is deeply aware of the impact his writing has on readers. As he noted in our conversation, there is perhaps no more intimate power than becoming the dialogue in one’s head. And Daniel feels strongly about using that power to have a positive impact on those who read his words. Part of his purpose, or obligation, he believes, is to “remystify the world.” Just wait until we talk about why cherries grow in pairs! 


    In this episode, Daniel explains what he means by remystifying the world, talks about the roadside storyteller that initiated his storytelling journey, and shares his views on purpose (why he takes his so seriously). From his life-changing experience with the Junior Great Books program in elementary school to his current film and book projects, Daniel delves deep into his role as storyteller. 


    ***

    Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter

    ***

    In Daniel’s reading challenge, "Wise Shorts" he keeps our work and life load in mind offering a curated selection of short stories, reminding us that even the smallest things can have a major impact.


    You can find his list and all past reading challenges at thereadingculturepod.com.


    Today’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Nikki Hayter, Library Manager at Franklin Avenue Library in Des Moines, Iowa. Nikki tells us about a program that highlights the deep impact libraries have on communities.

    Contents


    Chapter 1 - The Ferris Wheel and The Storyteller (2:15)

    Chapter 2 - A Retired Conan the Barbarian (6:43)

    Chapter 3 - Alberic The Wise (11:30)

    Chapter 4 - Remystifying the world (7:18)

    Chapter 5 - You get a memoir! And you get a memoir! And… (25:25)

    Chapter 6 - How to be interesting (28:20)

    Chapter 7 - Wise Shorts (33:31)

    Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (34:32)



    Links


    Host:
    Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey


    Revisit - The Gift of Fear: Lamar Giles on How Horror Helps Kids Cope

    Revisit - The Gift of Fear: Lamar Giles on How Horror Helps Kids Cope

    We revisit our Halloween special episode with Lamar Giles.

    ******
    On Today's Show

    • "The fear is like the ramp on the roller coaster. It's that build-up of adrenaline intention that you're having in that moment when that roller coaster is cranking. It's not the same fear of you walking through a dark alley at night and you sense someone's behind you in real life. That's a different type of fear that I don't know that anybody really wants. This is controlled fear. This is me going into it saying, Okay, I know this part's gonna be scary, but this part's gonna be fun and I want all of it." - Lamar Giles

    Lamar Giles says horror is a pressure valve. It has the ability to release pent-up anxiety and fear in a controlled, safe, and fun environment. That's why he'll watch Hellraiser at 4 a.m. to comfort himself when he can't sleep. While the genre isn't for everyone, he knows there are other young readers that will resonate with it the same way he did when he first read Stephen King at 11 years old.

    Giles' career has been full of mystery and thriller stories, but with the 2022 release of The Getaway, he has finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of writing a true horror novel. He tells us more about how the genre has helped him in his life and why he thinks kids resonate with his writing.


    Contents

    Chapter 1 - Growing Up as Lamar Giles (3:16)

    Chapter 2 - The Dinosaur in the Cereal Box (5:48)

    Chapter 3 - The Draw to Horror (8:26)

    Chapter 4 - It (9:30)

    Chapter 5 - The Pressure Valve (13:54)

    Chapter 6 - Connecting with Young Readers (17:23)

    Chapter 7 - Writing Black Characters (16:19)

    Chapter 8 - Publishing Horror (20:19)

    Chapter 9 - The Getaway (22:07)

    Chapter 10 - A Vehicle for Social Commentary (23:59)

    Chapter 11 - Fear On Screen (25:10)

    Chapter 12 - Scary Good Stories (27:18)

    Chapter 13 - Beanstack Featured Librarian (27:53)


    This episode's Beanstack featured librarian is Christopher Parker, a media specialist at Blue Ridge Elementary in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Today he shares with us more about his most successful library program, 'Book Buddies'. 


    Links


    Host:
    Jordan Lloyd Bookey

    Producer: Jackie Lamport and Lower Street Media

    Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey