childrens literature

Sam is just back from Dallas, where he visited Interabang Books and learned of Dallas writer Ben Fountain, and so has his brand-new "Devil Makes Three," instead of a Larry McMurtry book. In the meantime, Hannah has read the new Kelly Link, "The Book of Love," which she is big-time into ("It was so. good."), which leads into a discussion of why we like books about magic, including magic and dragons, like the new "Murtagh," after a quick sidebar on Hannah's twisted ankle. 

That leads to talk about books on airplanes, books that 17-year-old boys like, the NYT 10 best books of the year, and then the very-well-narrated new Kiley Reid audiobook, "Come and Get It." Sophomore efforts can be difficult, but the book did get Hannah to say "denouement." Finally, a quick note about a great book for family purchases, which leads to a chat about the Newbury Medal-winning "The Eyes & the Impossible," which Sam really liked. Oh, also, George Harrison was kinda weird. 

On today’s show we chat with a legend of Australian and indeed World literature, both for adults and children, about her author journey and what it takes to be a professional writer.

Today’s guest is a world-renowned author and speaker, with an Order of Australia for services to literature. She is the Head of SCBWI Australia East and NZ. She is an ambassador of the Premiers Reading Challenge. A Writer Ambassador of Room to Read which has reached more than 20 million children in Asia and Africa, a Committee Member of Books in Homes, a former Chair of Writers NSW, an Australia Day Ambassador, and her work has been included in anthologies together with Sir Salmon Rushdie, David Malouf, and Thomas Keneally. I could go on and on, because there is still so much more. And, she is still writing and publishing books today. 

To tell us all about it, along with tips on the craft of writing and creating amazing literature, please welcome the wonderful, the awe-inspiring, Susanne Gervay.

Once upon a time in a colorful dream world, W.E.Kiwi encountered a magical blue creature named Blue Horned Jubi Jubi. Little did W.E. know that this newfound friendship would lead to an extraordinary adventure against the mischievous and messy little Scruffadee. 
Together, they embarked on a journey, where friendship, cooperation, and a sprinkle of magic is also a lesson in how sometimes asking someone to pick up after themselves might make the planet (any planet) a better place to live in 🌍🌎

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A Jolt of Inspiration, Indeed!

Program Director Alison Green Myers opened this #HFGather with an inspiring mini-keynote celebrating this creative life, with echoes back to the Highlights Foundation’s first summer writers’ workshop at the Chautauqua Institution and reflections on moving the summer camp experience to the Barn at Boyds Mills.

First, the History: “Rich and Righteous Lectures”

Alison said that creative magic (in the form of rich and righteous lectures, generous mentorship, and community) continues in our Summer Camps today.

A Celebration of How We Do This Together with 3 Camp Alums

After this powerful beginning, Highlights Foundation Marketing Director Christina Ousouljoglou took over.  She explained how while inspiration can remind of us why we do this hard job of creating for kids, being together is practically how we get through the ups and downs of this industry (and this life).

She then introduced three panelists: Daria Peoples, Harlan DeChamps and Judie Offerdahl. All three are alums of Summer Camp, and shared their experiences of togetherness with the group: mentorship, community, and support–all gleaned from Summer Camp and beyond.

Jo Panckridge, Vic Branch CBCA President, shares a very exciting program that gives kids a real voice in Australia’s premier book of the year awards. 

The CBCA Book of the Year Awards connect young people to great literature. During CBCA Book Week, we celebrate reading for pleasure and applaud our awarded books. 

Plus, we announce the winner of our book pack giveaway, and announce a new book giveaway. 

Dannika Patterson began as a copywriter for small business before finding the courage to follow her dream and become a children’s author. She now has over a dozen books published and in stores.

She’s popped in today to share her author journey and help us to find the sparks in our stories. Everybody please welcome the wonderful, Dannika Patterson.

Plus, Rory H Mather drops in to share what's going on in the world of children's literature, in a segment we call, What's the Story, Rory?

Shannon and Mary chat with Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp about their recently published Common Sense Guide to Your Classroom Library.    The reading teachers discuss how to set up and use the library to maximize its impact with kids.   This conversation provides the WHY behind decision making and instructional use of the classroom library.

Episode Resources:

1. The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library: Building a Collection that Inspires, Engages, and Challenges Readers by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp * Amazon affiliate link*
2. Colby Sharp's Blog
3. Nerdy Book Club (joint blog)
4. Donalyn Miller's website The Book Whisperer.com
5. Game Changer!  Book Access for All Kids by Donalyn Miller & Colby Sharp *Amazon affiliate link*
6. Reading Rockets: Creating a Classroom Library
7. Scholastic:  6 Tips to Help Set Up a Classroom Library
8. Education to the Core:   Setting Up Your Classroom Library
9. our episode about Books as Windows, Doors, and Mirrors
10. Building an Effective Classroom Library by Susan Catapano, Jane Fleming, and Martille Elias (Journal of Language and Literacy Education 2009)
11. Choice Literacy:    Creating a  Student-Organized Classroom Library
12. ASCD:  Creating a Classroom Library Together  
13. BookSource to Organize your Collection
14. Regie Routman:  Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library 
15. Booksourcebanter:    Resources for Building a Classroom Library  
16. Follett Classroom Library Manager  
17. The Yarn (Children's Literature Podcast by Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker)
18. Colby's Youtube  description of a Book Pass 
19. Twitter:  https://twitter.com/colbysharp
    https://twitter.com/donalynbooks
20. IG:    https://www.instagram.com/donalynm/
    https://www.instagram.com/colbysharp/

*We earn a small commission from the sales when you purchase the texts through our Amazon affiliate links. Thank you for taking the action to support the work of our show.*


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Dr. Jane Hanenberg begins our series on Kids and Books. We are a little behind on publishing her topic of Summer Reading, but Jane talks more generally about children’s literature and its place in their lives, and summer reading is also fall and winter reading after all.

The Highlights Foundation’s Alison Green Myers and Alex Villasante had a wonderful conversation with educator, advocate, and activist Julia Torres: Empowering Readers and Reader Choice. Among the things they discussed: 

• The importance of encouraging young people to recommend books to each other–it’s more powerful than having adults recommend books to them.
• Giving young people the honor of being quiet and listening to them, and see what they tell you about what they’ve read or what they’d like to read. We want them to feel joy in their own choices.
• We need to rework our whole idea of what learning looks like. As we are facing the worst teacher shortage that’s ever happened, maybe there is opportunity now to do things differently. Why don’t we adopt the tools that will give young people more agency with their reading?
• Educators should not be afraid of other reading modalities, like manga, graphic novels and fan fiction.
• Publishers and organizations need to think about real-world ways to connect young people with authors.
• Picture books are not just for very young kids – they are quite nuanced and can be used with older children too, if we can de-stigmatize reading them.
• Letting go of the idea that allowing young people to choose the books they want to read would mean they aren’t reading rigorously enough, that they might be missing key educational points.
• Regarding the current book-banning discussions, Julia says she would like to hear directly from young people, instead of listening to adults talking about it. She things that these book banning conversations are taking place in primarily white suburbs, whereas “people from the margins have had their choices censored for a very, very long time.”

Jas Hammonds, Anna-Marie McLemore, NoNieqa Ramos and Em Dickson joined us for a PRIDE Celebration of Stories. They had a wonderful conversation with Highlights Foundation team members Alison Green Myers and Alex Villasante about:  

• Supporting stories you love and getting those books into kids’ hands
• Their careers in the kidlit LGBTQIA+ space
• Bringing things out into the open and going “anywhere we want” in terms of genre
• Helping each other find safe spaces in publishing
• Having the wonder and freedom to write what you NEED to write
• The unique challenges of gender diverse authors in kidlit

For the full list of book recommendations, visit our website: https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/21683/watch-our-pride-celebration-of-stories/