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Three years strong, y’all! We’re back with our favorite tradition: The Reading Culture Yearbook.  As we close out 2025, we’ve gathered superlatives and stories that celebrate some of the memorable authors who joined us on the show this year.  This year’s edition features awards such as “Most Revolutionary,” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Scariest Story,” and, of course, “Best Reading Advice.”  I’m also saying a brief farewell as we go on hiatus for the winter. But don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2026 with exciting things on the horizon! *** Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter.  Show ChaptersChapter 1: Most Revolutionary  Chapter 2: Most Gracious Chapter 3: Best Fan-Girl-Turned-Author Chapter 4: Best Reminder of History Repeated Chapter 5: Most Likely to Pay Homage Chapter 6: Grandma’s Hands Chapter 7: Best Reading Advice for Kids  Chapter 8: Scariest Story Award Chapters 9 & 10: Best Advice for Dealing with Loss  Chapter 11: Most Uplifting  Chapter 12: Most Defiant  Chapter 13: Meet Your (S)Heroes Award Chapter 14: “Poet and You Didn’t Know It” Award Chapter 15: Best Friend Advice Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“When we are making books, we are making little homes for our readers that they can return to hopefully again and again and again, just as we return to books and find a sense of home, we return to the person we once were, when we were reading that book.” — Sophie Blackall Home. It’s something we spend our whole lives building and rebuilding. Sometimes it’s made of walls and windows. Others, it’s made of words. Sophie Blackall builds hers through imagination and community. The two-time Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator, known for works such as Hello Lighthouse, If You Come to Earth, and Finding Winnie, has spent her life transforming that search into stories.  In this episode, No Wasted Sunshine: Sophie Blackall on the Meaning of Home, Sophie shares her nomadic childhood, her fixation on the idea of home, and why she never feels settled. She also discusses the books she reaches for to feel safe. We also talk about Milkwood—the magical farm retreat she created for the children’s book community to cook, commune, and collaborate. Settle in for a wide-ranging conversation that explores the meaning we construct within and around our lives. *** For her reading challenge, Home, Sophie has curated a collection of books that explore how we build and replace the places that hold us.  Peruse selected titles and Sophie’s complete reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/sophie-blackall This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kimberly Thompson, the library media specialist at East Side Middle School in Bullock County, Kentucky. She tells us all about the Kentucky Bluegrass Awards and how they’re getting everyone in her school reading, including the adults!  Show Chapters Chapter 1: Where Is Home? Chapter 2: Wasted Sunshine  Chapter 3: A Perfect Picture Book  Chapter 4: Not Just a Farmhouse Chapter 5: Under Milk Wood  Chapter 6: Paper Houses Chapter 7: So Now What? Chapter 8: Reading Challenge Chapter 9: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Sophie BlackallSophie Blackall websiteMilkwood Farm How to Not Waste Your Live (The Marginalian)RoxaboxenUnder Milk WoodA creative retreat for the children’s book communityBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“The library is where I felt, I'm safe here. I have friends in Encyclopedia Brown, Junie B. Jones, Amelia Bedelia, Stanley Yelnats, and all these various characters. I think that's the beauty. That's the sanctuary, the sacredness of that physical space.” – Mychal ThreetsMychal Threets grew up among the stacks and, from a young age, experienced the magic and shelter of the library. Today, he is a librarian, a social media sensation, a mental health advocate, and the new host of the beloved show Reading Rainbow.  In this episode, we take a trip to St. Louis, where my conversation with Mychal was recorded live on stage at the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Conference. You’ll hear all about how Mychal is stepping into his own rainbow-colored shoes while honoring LeVar Burton’s legacy, how he turned pain into purpose, and the power of “library joy.” And wow, the joy among the librarians in that convention hall, including two standing ovations for Mychal, was palpable.  This week, in place of a featured librarian, we hear a round of Q&A with Mychal and some of those librarians in the audience.  Settle in for a conversation full of Mychal’s signature warmth, heart, and honesty. *** Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Mychal Threets Lays Out His Life in BooksMychal Threets InstagramMychal Threets TikTokReading Rainbow on YouTubeBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“It's important that my perspective stays flexible because my perspective could need updating, it could need to be changed based on new information.” — Nic Stone Nic Stone isn’t interested in staying in her lane.  A #1 New York Times bestselling author, her young adult novels—Dear Martin, Chaos Theory, and Clean Getaway—explore nuances of racism, power, and mental illness with clarity and compassion.  Now, she’s stepping into uncharted territory with Boom Town, her first adult novel. Set in a legendary Atlanta strip club, it’s a story about women, survival, and social power, and is a reflection of Nic’s own creative evolution.  In this Second Chapter conversation, Expanding Woman: Nic Stone on Forgiveness and the Freedom to Change, Nic returns to the podcast and gets real about what it means to grow louder, freer, and to become more yourself. She talks about lighting rage letters on fire, a recent existential crisis (hello, middle age), and the surprising way her new book helped her dad heal old wounds.  Settle in for a conversation that’ll make you want to live a little louder and embrace every chaotic (and beautiful) version of who you are.  http://thereadingculturepod.com/nic-stone-second-chapter *** Show ChaptersChapter 1: Unpaved Territory Chapter 2: Right on Schedule  Chapter 3: The Picture of Dorian Gray Chapter 4: Learning the Steps Chapter 5: Let It Burn Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Nic Stone Nic Stone Instagram Boom TownThe Picture of Dorian Gray Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“It’s that old expression that I love, which is ‘wherever you go, there you are.’ So you never really get out of the limbo, because the limbo is you.” — Erin Entrada Kelly There are seasons when life slows down, even as our minds continue to race. When we find ourselves caught somewhere between motion and stillness, haunted by what came before and reaching for what’s next.  That tension has become deeply personal for Erin Entrada Kelly. After an aggressive cancer diagnosis, Erin found herself living in a space between who she was and who she was becoming.  A two-time Newbery Medal winner, best known for “Hello, Universe,” “We Dream of Space,” and “First State of Being,” Erin has always written stories that reveal the quiet courage of ordinary kids. But lately, her life–and her writing– have taken on a new kind of gravity.  In this episode, You Can’t Just Move On: Erin Entrada Kelly on Limbo, Erin returns to the show for a “Second Chapter” conversation.  This time, Erin reflects on recovery, rest, and redefining momentum. She shares how illness has reshaped her creative process, the surprising calm she’s found in cinematic ASMR, and a haunting true story from a hotel in New Orleans that might just make you believe in ghosts.  Settle in for an honest, tender conversation about living in the in-between.  *** http://thereadingculturepod.com/erin-entrada-kelly-second-chapter This week’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kimberly Thompson, the library media specialist at East Side Middle School in Bullock County, Kentucky. After all that talk about being stuck in limbo and building momentum, Kimberly shares a story of one reader who found his mo’. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Momentum Chapter 2: Walt Whitman Chapter 3: Please Hold Chapter 4: False Alarm Chapter 5: The Tell-Tale Heart  Chapter 6: Push & Pull Chapter 7: Toxic Positivity  Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Erin Entrada KellyErin Entrada Kelly InstagramThe Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen PoeMoonlight Cottage ASMRThe hotel!Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“This is what awe always does: it’s the zoom out. All of a sudden, you can see how tiny and insignificant you are, and you plug into that bigger thing” - Kate DiCamillo When was the last time you were so captivated by the beauty of the world around you that it stopped you in your tracks? Kate DiCamillo intentionally has those moments daily. In a world that can feel dark and hopeless, she maintains a sense of awe. It’s the force that helps her move through both joy and loss. It’s what allows her to keep noticing the miraculous in the ordinary. One of the most beloved voices in children’s literature, Kate is a two-time Newbery medal winner and author of more than 25 books—from Because of Winn-Dixie to The Tale of Despereaux to The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. In this episode, Tender Heart: Kate DiCamillo on Awe and Grief, Kate returns to the show for the first of “The Second Chapter” conversations with previous guests. This time, Kate reflects on awe, grief, and the beauty that connects them. She shares the moments that have gobsmacked her across decades—from childhood discoveries of “protective coloration” to the painting she has revisited at every stage of her life. Kate also opens up about coping with tragedy and how the best way through those moments in life is “the doing of it.”  Settle in for an honest, hard, and still uplifting conversation with one of the most cherished voices of a generation.   *** https://www.thereadingculturepod.com/kate-dicamillo-second-chapter This week's Beanstack Featured librarian is Chelsea Pisani, a rockstar children's librarian at Maple Valley Branch Library in Akron, Ohio. She returns to share her secret sauce for igniting a love of reading in all kids.  Show ChaptersChapter 1: The Art of Noticing  Chapter 2: The Hem of the Garment Chapter 3: Charlotte’s Web  Chapter 4: Ramona the Great  Chapter 5: Then and Now  Chapter 6: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Kate DiCamilloRepast in a Garden PaintingCharlotte’s WebThe Accidental Tourist Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

"I don’t want to be whatever version of masculinity y’all keep telling me I have to be. Why are all the benchmarks violent and aggressive? I don’t wanna do it. I’m not interested” — Jason ReynoldsWe all inherit scripts about who we’re supposed to be. For boys, they often center on toughness, aggression, and hiding their emotions. Jason Reynolds has spent his life questioning those scripts, carving out space for tenderness and love, honoring friendships that offered freedom, and exploring what masculinity might mean beyond the narrow definitions passed down to us.  Jason Reynolds is a national treasure. A Newbery Medal winner, a National Book Award finalist, a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient, and a two-time National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he is the beloved author of “Ghost,” “Long Way Down,” “Look Both Ways,” “Twenty-four Seconds From Now,” and so many more. Jason brings expansiveness to his books, illuminating the gentleness, humor, and vulnerability too often left out of stories of boyhood.  In this episode, Jason shares his thoughts on masculinity: the good, the bad, and the beautiful. He explains why everyone needs to have a 'tuning fork' friend, reveals how Saturn flipped his life around at age 30, and pays an incredible tribute to the tattooed biker badass who was his loving father. Settle in for a vulnerable, revelatory conversation with an icon of American literature.  *** For his reading challenge, Challenging Conventions, Jason has curated a collection of books that push back against the narrow definitions of boyhood and girlhood many of us have come to live by. Peruse selected titles and Jason’s full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/jason-reynolds. *** This week's Beanstack Featured Librarians are not actually librarians, but they are integral members of the literary community who are pioneers when it comes to student voice and writing. They happen to be friends of Jason Reynolds. Kathy Crutcher and Sasa Aakil – from Shout Mouse Press – share about their upcoming book, “Bright Before Us Like a Flame,” which Jason Reynolds called “a gift,” and for which a previous guest of the podcast, Elizabeth Acevedo, wrote the foreword. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Aaron Chapter 2: It’s OK to Say I Love You Chapter 3: It’s Complicated Chapter 4: Growing Pains Chapter 5: Girl Chapter 6: Cultivating What Matters Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Show Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Jason ReynoldsJason Reynolds on InstagramGirl by Jamaica KincaidThe Cosby ShowGood TimesBright Before Us, Like a FlameShout Mouse PressBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“When you're a kid, you have so little control over things. To be the big entity controlling the smaller entity, whether it's dolls or [toy] soldiers or whatever it is, they do what you tell them to do. They become the story you are making.” — Brian Selznick We all want to feel in control, mold our lives and experiences, and shape the world into something we can hold. But control is slippery; one moment, it can steady us, the next, it slips away.  Brian Selznick—#1 New York Times bestselling author, illustrator, and Caldecott Medal winner—has spent his career playing with this tension. From "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" to "Wonderstruck" and, most recently, "Run Away With Me," Brian believes that it's his job as the author to control the reader's experience, forcing page turns and placing illustrations in a particular order, all while acknowledging that control is ceded to the reader once a book is in their hands. In this episode, Under My Thumb: Brian Selznick on Control, Brian reflects on his lifelong pull toward control in life and art—what drives it, how it shapes his work, and when the need to let go becomes inevitable. He shares his fascination with all things miniature and opens up with unflinching honesty about his complicated relationship with his father, spanning life and loss. He also reveals a formative influence you might not expect, and a most extraordinary afternoon with Ray Bradbury. Settle in for a fascinating, moving episode with one of the great creators of our time. *** For his reading challenge, Brian has curated two lists: one exploring queerness in literature over time and the other celebrating the power of the page turn. The latter is about his commitment to books, experimenting with form, and the balance of control between writer and reader. Peruse selected titles and Brian's complete reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/brian-selznick This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Chelsea Pisani, a rockstar children's librarian at Maple Valley Branch Library in Akron, Ohio. She shares the story of how one student, also with a keen ability to take control, is spreading his passion for reading among his peers by setting up his own book club.  Show ChaptersChapter 1: Who Holds the Reins? Chapter 2: Size Matters Chapter 3: It's All Under Control Chapter 4: Merwin and Louise Chapter 5: The Martian Chronicles Chapter 6: A Most Extraordinary Afternoon Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (check here for a video that will show off Brian's incredible miniature collection)Brian SelznickBrian Selznick InstagramWhere the Wild Things AreGuernicaThe BorrowersRay BradburyThe Martian ChroniclesDandelion Wine The Houdini Box (read aloud - check out the page turns)Beanstack resources to build your community's reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyAkron Summit Public LibraryCase Study about Akron Summit Public Library and featured librarian Chelsea PisaniHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Ryan Sutton, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Ryan Sutton, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

”Why are some people treated differently? Why are some people chosen ones for no particular reason? And why do some people get to have that extra shine?” — Victoria Aveyard Unfairness is a pervasive theme in a lot of fantasy fiction. With battles between good and evil dominating title after title, these tales appear to have a tight grasp on fairness and justice. But for Victoria Aveyard, the world of fantasy frequently falls short on these promises. Even in some of her favorite works, the light may ultimately overcome the darkness, but not every character is given a fair chance to shine.  Victoria Aveyard is the number one New York Times bestselling author of The Red Queen series and the Realm Breaker series. In her work, she creates epic fantasy landscapes where women loom large and conventions around chosen characters are challenged. In this episode, Victoria opens up about why her sense of fairness took shape early, shares which undersized movie character is her icon, and reflects on why there’s no escaping politics in literature. Settle in for a fast-paced episode filled with humor and a variety of Victoria’s hot takes.  *** For her reading challenge, Chosen/Unchosen, Victoria encourages readers to question the trope of “the chosen one.” She asks us to challenge why some are handed the quest, the crown, or the magic…and what happens to everyone else. Peruse selected titles and Victoria’s complete reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/victoria-aveyard *** This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Camille Perez, a former media specialist at the elementary and high school levels in Osceola County, Florida, and now a Beanstack team member. Today, Camille shares her hot takes on the modern school library and why shush culture should be a thing of the past. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Rotten With the Need for Justice Chapter 2: Hell Yeah, There’s My Personality Chapter 3: The Invisible Women Chapter 4: Six of Crows Chapter 5: Everything is Political Chapter 6: Whipped Cream Shire Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Victoria AveyardVictoria Aveyard InstagramRed QueenRealm BreakerNumber the StarsA New Hope opening sceneSamuel DelaneySix of Crows by Leigh BardugoBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd Bookey Host and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Josia Lamberto-Egan, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“Whenever I think of people who have gone through something, I'm always like, but they were human before this. Before they were monsters, they were human. Before they were zombies, they were human.” — Tiffany D. JacksonSome of the most unsettling monsters don’t come from nightmares or ghost stories. They walk among us in daylight, smiling widely and blending in. They can be shaped by our environments, our circumstances, or people’s choices—and in stories, as in life, they challenge us to look closer and see the human before the horror. Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling author of Allegedly, The Weight of Blood, Blood in the Water, and many more. She received of the Margaret E. Edwards Award, honoring her significant and lasting contribution to teen literature. She blends real-world horrors with the sharp tension of a thriller, always keeping our emotions and nerves on edge! In this episode, Tiffany shares how her own encounters with “unintentional monsters” have shaped her writing. She opens up about how growing up between Brooklyn and Westchester sharpened her view of the world and the people in it. Tiffany also talks about finding her voice in film school, why stories like Monday’s Not Coming are drawn from real-life cases, and how fiction is her way of building empathy where the headlines fall short. Buckle up for a gripping episode from Tiffany’s very first anecdote about a childhood horror. *** Tiffany’s reading challenge celebrates African-American horrors and thrillers, genres she’s been questioned for writing. Peruse selected titles and Tiffany’s full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/tiffany-d-jackson This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again Kelly Shelton, an elementary librarian for Garland ISD in Garland, Texas. She shares how building a strong reading culture goes beyond the library—into the hallways, the bus line, and even your students' plays! Show Chapters Chapter 1: Unintentional Monsters Chapter 2: Take Me Back to Brooklyn  Chapter 3: What Happened to You? Chapter 4: A Safe Harbor Chapter 5: Their Eyes Were Watching God Chapter 6: Core Memories Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Tiffany D. JacksonTiffany D. Jackson InstagramTheir Eyes Were Watching GodSister SouljahLockdown TV SeriesBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“There were kind of always like two simultaneous stories happening with my coming out. One was the realization and breaking through some of that denial and repression, seeing kind of what was right there in front of me, and I gave that story to Imogen.” – Becky AlbertalliWhat if there were two stories running through your life: the one you’re telling the world, and the one you haven’t even admitted to yourself? That’s the kind of truth Becky Albertalli explores in her writing, and that she’s lived in her own life.  Becky is the bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Leah on the Offbeat, Imogen, Obviously, and many more. Her books capture the awkward, earnest, messy work of figuring out who you are–and remind us that coming out, growing up, and becoming yourself rarely happen all at once.  In this episode, Becky opens up about growing up and fitting (or not fitting) in a conservative suburb, finding refuge in theater, and The Babysitters Club. She also reflects on how writing helped her work through parts of herself she hadn’t yet named, discusses why queer-coming-of-age stories still matter, and reminds us of the power of Rent.  *** For her reading challenge, Queer Coming of Age Stories, Becky has curated a list packed with queer stories, identity shifts, big feelings, and characters trying to make sense of themselves, one awkward moment at a time. Peruse selected titles and Becky’s complete reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/becky-albertalli. This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kelly Shelton, an elementary librarian for Garland ISD in Garland, Texas. She’s been an educator for 26 years, and in the library for nearly a decade. She shares how unlocking a love of reading can start with dinosaurs, Dog Man, or a well-timed Taylor Swift Break.  Show Chapters Chapter 1: Georgia Peach Chapter 2: I Hate School, But I’m Very Good At It Chapter 3: Proud Member of the Babysitter’s Club Chapter 4: The Year of Secret Assignments Chapter 5: Hindsight 20/20 Chapter 6: Best Friends Forever Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Becky AlbertalliBecky Albertalli InstagramLove, Simon filmThe Babysitters Club ScholasticThe Babysitters Club Netflix seriesRent musicalThe Year of Secret AssignmentsWesleyan UniversityBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

This week, we revisit our episode with Kwame Alexander while we take a quick summer break! Kwame Alexander recently interviewed the esteemed and now former Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, for the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia. They talked about the power of poetry, the role of libraries in creating access and imagination, how Dr. Hayden remains hopeful and positive in this moment, and of course, how books can help kids be better humans and dreamers. It was such an inspiring conversation that we wanted to re-air this much earlier episode with the bestselling, beloved author (and apparently incredible interviewer!) Kwame Alexander.   Summer Reading GiveawayEnter our summer reading giveaway for your chance to win a book by any author we've featured on the show, plus the special reading culture mug that Jordan sends to every guest. To enter, just like and comment on our summer reading giveaway post on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter at the reading culture pod.com/newsletter. Better yet, if you tag a friend, you can win together.  *** "I'm just being real. I'm telling my story. I think Nikki Giovanni calls it dancing naked on the floor. I am unafraid and I'm doing my dance… I don't feel like I can go wrong if I'm just being me.” - Kwame Alexander Exciting reluctant middle school kids about reading (or really, anything) can be a battle. Getting them to think reading is cool is another. Kwame Alexander excels at both. His ability to authentically relate to his readers is a skill around which he has built his career. Kwame is beloved by parents, educators, and students, for his ability to ignite a love of reading (especially middle school boys) through poetry and characters who reflect their real experiences. But his impact extends beyond just an introduction to books; he also opens the door for readers to explore their own emotional depths. As he tells us, “I think part of my job is just to show a different side of masculinity.” Kwame is best known for "The Crossover," "The Undefeated," "The Door of No Return," and numerous other novels and poetry collections. He also recently authored his memoir "Why Fathers Cry at Night." He won the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award among many other awards, and this year, "The Crossover" was adapted into a Disney+ original TV series.  In this episode, he tells us about his own upbringing surrounded by Black storytelling and literature, reveals his secret to making middle-schoolers think he’s “cool”, and shares about a letter he received (which was “not fan mail”) that inspired a surprise visit to an unsuspecting kid. *** Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter.  *** This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kirsten, the programming specialist for the Indianapolis Public Library. She shares some moving stories about a book club she runs for teens at a residential treatment facility.  Chapters Chapter 1: Glasses first Chapter 2: Mom’s stories, dad’s garage Chapter 3: Love After Love Chapter 4: The “Reluctant” Readers Chapter 5: Kwame Shows Up Chapter 6: America’s Next Great Authors Chapter 7: Blackout Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian  Chapter 9: Hidden Track Links The Reading CultureKwame AlexanderFolly IslandNYT article by Teddy Wayne about the potential benefits of clutterBeef, No ChickenLove After Love by Derek WalcottKwame’s Newbery Banquet SpeechWhy Fathers Cry: The Podcast | Kwame Alexander#KwameShowsUpNikki GiovanniCollected Poems, 1948-1984 -  Derek WalcottThe Crossover | Official Trailer | Disney+America's Next Great AuthorThe Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

"We all need to have radical hope. I have my really hopeless days too, but… it’s such a privilege to get to live and to survive. Our job is to live, and I think that’s a really amazing thing.” - Jasmine WargaWe all want to make the most of our time here. Not just survive, but dream big and live fully. For Jasmine Warga, that means carrying forward the strength of those before her while creating space for joy, curiosity, and self-discovery. It means letting go of perfection, holding on to radical hope, and writing stories that reflect kids’ realities.  Jasmine Warga is a Newbery Honor winner and New York Times bestselling author of Other Words for Home, The Shape of Thunder, A Rover’s Story, and more. Her work explores identity, belonging, and how being different can be what unites us.  In this episode, Our Job is to Live: Jasmine Warga on Belonging and Radical Hope, Jasmine shares what it was like growing up as a mixed kid and daughter of an immigrant in Ohio, her lightbulb moment while teaching sixth grade, and how Animorphs, surrealist art and a dash of Virginia Woolf shaped not only her voice as a writer, but also her commitment to living joyfully, and spreading joy to others. *** For her reading challenge, Read Global, Jasmine invites adult readers to step outside the familiar and read more broadly, beyond their own borders. Peruse selected titles and Jasmine’s full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/jasmine-warga This week's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Cassie Owens Moore, a middle school librarian in South Carolina at Seneca Middle School. She shares how a group of fired-up sixth graders convinced her that Marvel and manga deserved their own sections of her library, and why building a great library means working for your students. Show ChaptersChapter 1: Where Are You From? Chapter 2: The Other Side of Home Chapter 3: So Many Questions Chapter 4: The Hours Chapter 5: I Am The Mars Rover Chapter 6: No One’s Gonna Read This Book Chapter 7: Radical Hope Chapter 8: Reading Challenge Chapter 9: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Jasmine Warga Jasmine Warga InstagramMr. Schu (Jasmine’s neighbor)Palestinians in JordanAnimorphsThe HoursCamille ClaudelBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“Those moments of connection when you can have them with people who seem so different from you on the outside, I really do think that it braids a level of connectiveness and empathy, and it is much harder to harden your heart.” — Gayle Forman What does it mean to rise to the occasion, not once, but over and over again? Sometimes it means reckoning with grief. Other times it means stumbling forward, messing up, and trying again. And sometimes it means simply showing up, imperfect, but still trying to be better. Gayle Forman is the bestselling author of If I Stay, Frankie & Bug, Not Nothing, Afterlife and more. Whether it’s Mia in If I Stay, Alex in Not Nothing, or Amber in Afterlife, her characters often walk a jagged path toward healing, falling short, trying again, and inching closer to the people they hope to become. In this episode, Gayle talks about growing up as a self-described “odd duck,” the Ramona books that shaped her childhood and parenting, and the formative years she spent traveling solo. She opens up about why she is so drawn to flawed characters and how fiction became a way to survive grief and stay connected to the people she has lost. *** For her reading challenge, Flawed, Gayle is going to bat for the prickly, messy, not-here-to-be-liked protagonists. She points out that kids are used to reading about heroes, but it can be just as powerful, maybe even more so, to read about characters who fall short and grow anyway.  Peruse selected titles and Gayle’s full reading challenge for free at thereadingculturepod.com/gayle-forman. This week’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Lori Shallio, media specialist at Heritage Intermediate School in Middlebury, Indiana. She shares how a Hot Ones-style challenge involving her principal and spicy nuggets helped students smash their community reading goal. Show Chapters Chapter 1: What We Carry Chapter 2: Odd Ducks Chapter 3: Top School, Bottom Marks Chapter 4: Beezus and Ramona Chapter 5: University of Life Chapter 6: What We Share Chapter 7: Mind the Gap Chapter 8: Embrace It Chapter 9: Rise to the Occasion Chapter 10: Reading Challenge Chapter 11: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Gayle FormanGayle Forman InstagramBeezus and RamonaCountesthorpe AcademyIf I Stay (film)Sassy MagazineYom KippurBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“As my own mother is aging, she's telling me … before I take this to my grave, here is something you should know. So the secrets are coming out. And as more and more secrets are revealed, I'm learning more about myself.” - Ibi Zoboi  Ibi Zoboi writes to remember—her own story, her family’s legacy, and the long history of migration, myth, and memory that shaped them both. For Ibi, storytelling is a form of resistance and reclamation. It’s how she makes sense of the secrets that shaped her life and gives voice to those left out of the narrative. A National Book Award finalist and the bestselling author of American Street, Pride, Star Child, and (S)Kin, Ibi’s work blurs the line between folklore and futurism.  In this episode, Stories Left Untold: Ibi Zoboi on Secrets Lost and Found, she opens up about growing up Haitian in 1980s Brooklyn, discovering a half-sister decades later, and finding her way to writing through soap operas, Stephen King, and the voices of women who came before her. She also shares how a Vodou ceremony in Brooklyn changed her relationship to her culture, why she always sought out elders and activists, and how she’s still learning to push back against the pressure to fit a mold—on the page and off. Ibi’s reading challenge, Haitian Creations, celebrates stories of migration and identity from first-generation and immigrant voices—stories that, like hers, speak to the truths we inherit and the ones we uncover for ourselves. Download Ibi’s reading challenge at thereadingculturepod.com/ibi-zoboi And this week’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again William Shaller, the librarian at Hoffman Middle School in Houston, Texas. This time, he shares how a surprise resurgence of Twilight led to an unforgettable moment of joy and connection in his school library. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Under The Table Chapter 2: Danny Boy Chapter 3: Two Thousand Suns  Chapter 4: Brooklyn Vodou Chapter 5: Ghosted Chapter 6: Reading Challenge Chapter 7: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Ibi ZoboiIbi Zoboi InstagramTwo Thousand SeasonsBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jordan Lloyd Bookey