Book Club for Kids (kitty felde)

It's that time of year: Halloween! This week, we tackle M.C. Ryder’s tale of romance, betrayal, and creatures of the night The Darkest Side of the Moon. Journalist and actress Hettie Lynne Hurtes is our celebrity reader. Our readers are from Rosecrans Elementary School in Compton, California. Kitty Felde is host. 

NOTE: There are some plot spoilers.

Favorite Books from Rosecrans Elementary School:

Attack on Titan - Hajime Isayama 

Because of Winn Dixie - Kate DiCamillo

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Beyond the Story: 10-year Record of BTS - BTS, Myeongseok Kang 

MC Ryder's Favorite Book:

The Search - Iris Johansen

Hettie Lynne Hurtes' Favorite Book:

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

Do witches have cliques? What happens when you're an outcast? Would you be brave enough to hunt down monsters? Students at Brookland Middle School in Washington, DC discuss Claribel Ortega's novel Witchlings. Veteran journalist Stephanie Roberts is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde his host.

Want to learn more about Dia de los Muertos? Listen to this special episode from our sister podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES. There is free curriculum for this episode.

Favorite Books from Brookland Middle School:

Judy B Jones series - Barbara Park

Best Babysitters Ever - Caroline Cala

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

Claribel Ortega's Favorite Book:

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien

Stephanie Roberts' Favorite Book:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day -Judith Viorst 

Would you like to live your entire life underground? What happens if the lights go out and never come on again? Students from Overland Elementary School for Advanced Studies in Los Angeles discuss Jeanne DuPrau’s post-apocalyptic novel City of Ember with host Kitty Felde. They have a few questions for the author. Actress Melanie MacQueen (Robotech, Lady Luck) is celebrity reader. 

FAVORITE BOOKS FROM OVERLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL:

Valkyrie - Kate O’Hearn

When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

Spy School - Stuart Gibbs

JEANNE DUPRAU’S FAVORITE BOOK:

The Borrowers - Mary Norton

MELANIE MACQUEEN’S FAVORITE BOOK:

Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne

More than 100 million people have fled violence and persecution around the world. But that's just a number. Who are these refugees? Meet Omar. Readers from Dorothy Hamm Middle School in Arlington, Virginia discuss When Stars Are Scattered by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson. Our celebrity reader is Matthew Saltmarsh from the UNHCR. Kitty Felde is host.

The Force is with us on Book Club as we tackle a tale of middle grade angst and paper cuts. Who can rescue these hapless heroes? How about a Yoda fingerpuppet who seems to have all the right answers. Our readers from Washington, DC beg writer Tom Angleberger to write more books in the series. Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz is celebrity reader.  Kitty Felde is host.

NOTE: Kitty Felde's novel Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza will be released in both English and Spanish (Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza) on July 3rd.  Fina Mendoza is the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who moves to Washington with her older sister Gabby and solves mysteries inside the U.S. Capitol. She also introduces civics to elementary school readers. Published by Chesapeake Press, distributed by IPG. Kitty makes free class visits. 

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

Last year, nearly two thousand books were challenged in libraries across America. According to the American Library Association, that’s a 20 percent jump over a year ago. 

We looked back at the nearly 150 episodes of the Book Club for Kids and realized how many titles have been challenged over the years. We’re going to revisit those episodes and bring them to you over the coming months, along with the reasons they have been challenged.

Our first book is James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. According to the University of Tulsa, in 1986, a Wisconsin town banned the book after religious groups said a scene in the book where a spider licks her lips could be interpreted as sexual. A year later, the book was temporarily banned in schools after a woman complained about the depiction of tobacco and whiskey in the book. And in the early 1990’s a Texas public school system banned the book from elementary schools after the district said the use of curse words like “ass” were inappropriate. None the less, we present our podcast episode of James and the Giant Peach.

Link to Curriculum for James and the Giant Peach

How do you know which books make the best gifts? Kids in LA County share a few suggestions with host Kitty Felde.

The Last Kids on Earth - Max Brallier 

The Art of Seduction - Robert Greene

Dogman - Dav Pilkey

You Matter - Christian Robinson

What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night - Refe and Susan Tuma

King and Kayla and the Case of the Lost Tooth - Dori Hillestad Butler and Nancy Meyers

The Hunger Games -  Suzanne Collins

Amulet - Kazu Kibuishi

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Mickey Mouse - Phoenix International

Writer Ali Benjamin (The Thing About Jellyfish) talks about how she manages to focus and block out distractions. Kitty Felde is host.

Who says kids who love STEM subjects aren't readers? We take to the stage for a live taping of the Book Club for Kids podcast at the 2023 LA Maker Faire/STEM Festival where host Kitty Felde asks kids our hardest question: What's your favorite book and why? Here's their answers:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling

The Magic Treehouse - Mary Pope Osborn

Frog and Toad are Friends - Arnold Lobel

The Golden Books - Disney

Little Blue Truck - Alice Schertle

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

The One and Only Ivan - Katherine Applegate

Junie B. Jones - Barbara Park

Pete the Cat - James Dean and Kimberly Dean

Couch Potato - Jory John

They Both Die at the End - Adam Silvera

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

The School for Good and Evil - Soman Chainani

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

The Inheritance Games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Bad Kitty - Nick Bruel

We’re sharing our airwaves with one of our friends from Kids Listen, a grassroots organization of people who make podcasts for kids. Give a listen to the Ten News podcast. It’s their on the road episode...all about space.

Ten News Road Trip Remix:   We're hitting the road and tuning into our favorite space segments with the Ten News. ⁠  Did you ever hear the segment about the 9th planet from Jacob and Olivia Rozencwaig from the Curious Kid Podcast?   Or, when Bethany spoke to Terry Virts, a former NASA astronaut, and commander of the International Space Station!?⁠   And of course, we can’t stop talking about the James Webb telescope!   Tune in to today's road trip remix to learn about all things outer space.   Sign up for the Ten News Newsletter!   Email us your curious facts, funny stories, and eye rolling jokes at: hello@thetennews.com   Follow the show on Instagram   Check out our website for sources and a transcript of today's episode!

We talk to writer Charles Waters about his life as an actor and how it led to his life as a poet and children's book writer. He also talks about how the Highlights Foundation changed his life. Kitty Felde is host.

September is the perfect time of year to start a new habit. How about 15 minutes a day reading a book YOU want to read? Need some suggestions? Give a listen as we hear from kids as the City of Stem LA Maker Faire about the books they LOVE to read. 

Projekt 1065 - Alan Gratz

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

The Light in Hidden Places - Sharon Cameron

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Princess in Black - Shannon Hale

The Magic Factory - Morgan Rice

This episode is made possible by a grant from the LA Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan. 

And if you're looking for a way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, check out the Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. It tells the story of the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves myseries inside the US Capitol...and introduces civics to kids.

The podcast is based on the Fina Mendoza series of books in both English and Spanish. 

Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza

Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza

Losing is Democratic: How to Talk to Kids About January 6th

State of the Union

Estado de la Unión

We talk to writer Yona Zeldis McDonough about ballet and how to write a good rejection letter. Kitty Felde is host.

Writer Kate DiCamillo admits that she's a pantser, not a plotter. Host Kitty Felde talks with the Newbery Award-winning writer.

We asked kids around the country to answer the hardest question in the world: what's your favorite book? And why? Here's just some of the suggestions we got from YOU:

Wish - Barbara O'Connor

Out of My Mind - Sharon Draper

A Stroke of Magic: The Dinosaur Woman - Brunella Costagliola  

The Cat I Never Named -  Amra Sabic-El-Rayess and Laura L. Sullivan

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the BookClub for Kids podcast, too. Just record yourself on your smartphone telling us your first name, the city where you live, the name of your favorite book and why you love it and email the voice memo to us at bookclubforkidspodcast@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you! 

We end the year with a special episode from our other podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES. Fina is the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries in the U.S. Capitol with the help of a big orange dog named Senator Something. This episode takes place January 6th, 2021 and is designed to help adults talk to kids about the events of that day. It's based on the book LOSING IS DEMOCRATIC: HOW TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT JANUARY 6TH and contains curriculum for use in the classroom or homeschool. 

Here's a link to purchase an autographed copy of the book.

2025 is a very special year for Book Club for Kids as we celebrate our 10th anniversary!

But a different version of the show aired on a local cable channel, LA36, taping episodes at the downtown LA public library. This year, we’ll be sharing those conversations once a month and we start with readers from St. Mark’s Lutheran School in Hacienda Heights, California discussing Gail Carson Levine’s classic take on Cinderella “Ella Enchanted” with host Kitty Felde.

You can WATCH this episode on YouTube. Click here.

This week, we travel back to occupied France during World War II for a tale of bravery and bread. Students from Jefferson Middle School Academy in Washington, D.C. discuss Yona Zeldis McDonough’s novel The Bicycle Spy. Our celebrity reader Gwen Deglise Moore has been knighted by the French government for her work in cinema. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Jefferson Academy

How do you work with your mother on a book? How do you work on 15 books with your mother? We talk to the mother/daughter team behind Dork Diaries, Rachel Renée and Nikki Russell. Kitty Felde is host.

On April 29^th, 1992, a jury in Simi Valley, a town just north of Los Angeles, did not convict four LAPD officers for the beating of an African American motorist named Rodney King. Within hours, rioting broke out across the city. A particular target was liquor and convenience stores owned by Korean immigrants. The event is at the heart of actor and writer John Cho’s novel Troublemaker.

 Cho joins us to talk about his inspiration for the book and LAPD Officer Tony Hyong Im is our celebrity reader. Readers from Tyler Elementary School in Washington D.C. discuss their own solutions to finding solutions to a community’s anger. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Tyler Elementary School:

My Year in the Middle - Lila Quintero Weaver

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling

City Spies - James Ponti

Godzilla - Shigeru Kayama

JOHN CHO’S FAVORITE BOOK

The Joke - Milan Kundera

OFFICER TONY IM’S FAVORITE BOOK

The Mickey Mantle Murder - Walt Brown

Readers from Los Angeles County tell us their favorite books.

Thanks to the LA County Department of Arts & Culture.

Click here for a list of everybody's favorite book.

Recorded live at Virginia's Fall for the Book Festival, our trio of readers Jay, Neha and Naomi discuss Mary Amato's novel Our Teacher is a Vampire and Other (Not) True Stories. Topics range from writing to the world's worst substitute teachers. Actor Jonathan Cagle-Mulberg is our celebrity reader. The kids ask writer Mary Amato about the book. Mindy Shaw is guest host.

Peter Brown is both a writer and illustrator. We talk to him about how he plots a story and the teacher he hated who set him on his path to becoming a professional artist. Kitty Felde is host.

Writer Jerry Craft confesses that he wasn't much of a reader when he was a kid. Kitty Felde is host.

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

Newbery Award-winning author Lois Lowry talks about book bans, balancing serious and silly topics, and gives a sneak preview of her newest book. Kitty Felde is host.

You may know John Cho from his acting work in "Star Trek" and "Harold and Kumar" movies. But listen to this thoughtful conversation Cho and host Kitty Felde about his work as a writer - including convincing his Korean immigrant parents that his work was his work as an artist was making the world a better place.

YOU can be on the Book Club for Kids podcast! Just give us a call at 424-209-2285 and tell us your:

• First name
• City where you live
• The name of your favorite book
• Why you love it

And we will put you on a future episode.

Your Favorite Books:

Steve the Noob - Steve the Noob

Missing Since Monday - Ann M. Martin

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Roald Dahl

The Running Dream - Wendelin Van Draanen

Drama - Raina Telgemeier

House Arrest - K.A. Holt

"Divergent" writer Veronica Roth talks about finding the courage to call yourself a writer...and bouncing back from failure.

Book Club for Kids live onstage!

We visit the City of Stem LA Maker Faire to bring kids onstage to talk about their favorite books!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

The Secret Cookie Club - Martha Freeman

Shel Silverstein's books of poetry

Dog Man - Dav Pilkey

This episode is supported in art by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

We invited kids onstage at the City of Stem LA Maker Faire with host Kitty Felde to tell the audience about their favorite books: 

Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland

Dork Diaries - Rachel Renee Russell

Zoey and Sassafras - Asia Citro

Go Team Spidey - Steve Behling

The Secret Series - Pseudonymous Bosch

Writer MC Ryder talks about writing song lyrics and middle grade book series with host Kitty Felde.

Are you that aunt or uncle – the one who only gives books for birthdays and holidays? I hope so. But if it’s been a few years since you’ve picked up a middle grade novel, we have help from some experts – kids who visited us at the City of Stem LA Maker Faire to tell us about their favorite books. Start making your list and checking it twice…

Favorite Books for Black Friday Shopping:

Eragon - Christopher Paolini

The Good Egg - Jory John and Pete Oswald

The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer

Amulet - Kazu Kibuishi

Hop on Pop - Dr. Seuss

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

The Babysitter's Club - Ann M. Martin

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Anne of Green Gables - L.M. Montgomery

This episode is made possible by a grant from the LA Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan. 

Does teaching teach you how to be a better writer? Book Club for Kids host Kitty Felde asks Diane K. Salernia who moved from the classroom to the writer's room.

It was 1973 when the president of Chile was thrown out of office by a military coup. That’s the backdrop for the novel I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin. Students from Sequoyah School in Pasadena, California discuss the book. Val Zavala, longtime public television journalist, is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

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 AIM ACADEMY:

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas

Children of Blood and Bone - Tomi Adeyemi

Long Way Down - Jason Reynolds

VARIAN JOHNSON’S FAVORITE BOOKS:

Holes - Louis Sachar

When You Reach Me - Rebecca Stead

The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin

Raina Telgemeier

One Crazy Summer - Rita Williams-Garcia

SHEILA COLLINS’ FAVORITE BOOK:

The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros

We polled readers at the City of Stem/LA Maker Faire about their favorite books. (By the way, Book Club for Kids will be taping more book suggestion interviews at this year's event on Saturday, April 12th at Exposition Park in Los Angeles.) Kitty Felde is host.

FAVORITE BOOKS FROM THE CITY OF STEM/LA MAKER FAIRE:

Orphan, Monster, Spy - Matt Killeen

Wonder - R.J. Palacio

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

Heidi Heckelbeck and the Never-Ending Day - Wanda Coven

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling

The Fourth Closet - Christopher Hastings, Scott Cawthon, Kira Breed-Wrisley

Felix and Phoebe's Robot - Team 4 Element

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

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.

Everybody wants to go to Paris…especially Nikki Maxwell! Readers from Hollingworth Elementary School discuss the latest entry in Rachel Renée Russell’s series. It’s Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure. Rachel and daughter Nikki Russell, who illustrates the books, answer questions from the kids. Our celebrity reader is actress/screenwriter Kate Orsini. Kitty Felde is host.

How does a cover end up on a book? Writer Lisa Fipps is the author of Starfish, a middle grade novel in verse with a gorgeous, memorable cover. Lisa takes us behind the scenes of her experience with working with an editor and a cover designer. Lisa also talks about how her training as a journalist helped her write books for kids.

Also, come join Book Club for Kids at the Los Angeles Maker Faire on Saturday, April 1, 2023. We'll be there taping interviews with kids for upcoming Book Club for Kids podcast episodes. Here's the info:

Los Angeles Maker Faire

Los Angeles State Historic Park (near Chinatown in downtown LA)

1245 N. Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

FREE

9 AM - 5 PM

Angela Dominguez writes and illustrates the Stella Diaz series. She talks to us about her writing path from drawing to writing.

More author interviews at our website.

Book Club for Kids isn't the only podcast about great books for kids. Give a listen to Matthew Winner's Children's Book Podcast.

School's starting. Have you finished your reading assignment? Need some more book suggestions? We've got a bunch from kids in Ireland and Los Angeles!

Here's a link to our episode of Esperanza Rising.

 Kitty Felde is host.

A young girl struggles to find out how her best friend died. It must be a deadly jellyfish. So she seeks out the experts. The book is The Thing by Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Readers from Newport Mill Middle School discuss death, "borrowing" their parents' credit card, and jellyfish. Writer Ali Benjamin talks about finding a character's voice. Legendary marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

For a writer who both illustrates and creates the story for a book, which comes first? We ask writer/illustrator Alina Chau who created "Marshmallow & Jordan."

It's the hardest question in the world: what's your favorite book? Kids from LA County schools have some answers for host Kitty Felde.

The Fashion Fairies #2: Claudia the Accessories Fairy - Daisy Meadows

Rascal - Sterling North

Goosebumps - R.L. Stine

Dog Man - Dav Pilkey

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland

Jedi Academy - Jeffrey Brown

The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Favorite Books from the City of Stem LA Maker Faire 2024:

Wings of Fire: Winter Turning - Tui T. Sutherland

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L'Engle

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Laura Numeroff

The Bad Guys - Aaron Blabey

Lunch Lady and the Schoolwide Shuffle - Jarrett J. Krosoczka

We have HUNDREDS of book suggestions from young readers at the website. Kitty Felde is host.

It’s not too late to catch up on your summer reading. But the conundrum is always: what do I read next? We have some answers from members of the Junior Librarian Commmitee at Scripps Middle School in Michigan. In fact, we turn the microphone over to librarian Lauren Dulmage who asks our favorite question: what’s your favorite book?

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Refugee - Alan Gratz

Six Crimson Cranes - Elizabeth Lim

The Land of Stories - Chris Colfer

Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland

We’ll have a list of everybody’s favorite book at our website bookclubforkids.org. And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the show, too. Just give us a call at 424-209-2285 and tell us your first name, the city where you live, the name of your favorite book, and why you love it. That number again is 424-209-2285.

And on a purely selfish note: my Fina Mendoza Mystery novel STATE OF THE UNION just got a five star review from Forward Clarion, calling the book a “delightful mystery novel with a message of unity and cooperation.” 

And now you can get the Spanish version of State of the Union called Estado de la Union, translated by Jorge Flores Gonzales. Both books are now available wherever great books are sold.

Everybody wants to go to Paris…especially Nikki Maxwell! Readers from Hollingworth Elementary School discuss the latest entry in Rachel Renée Russell’s series. It’s Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Posh Paris Adventure. Rachel and daughter Nikki Russell, who illustrates the books, answer questions from the kids. Our celebrity reader is actress/screenwriter Kate Orsini. Kitty Felde is host.

As school is starting up, there are tons of books your teacher wants you to read. But what about a book YOU really want to read? Today we hear from kids as the City of Stem LA Maker Faire about the books ThEY love to read. Give a listen.

Favorite Books:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney 

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Captain Underpants - Dav Pilkey

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Ada Twist, Scientist - Andrea Beaty

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Dog Man - Dav Pilkey

Everybody in the pool!

We discuss swimming lessons and look back at the days when people of color were barred from public pools. The book is Swim Team. Writer Johnnie Christmas says a personal experience inspired the graphic novel. Readers from the Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore talk about their own swimming journey. Our special celebrity reader is Olympic medal winning swimmer Natalie Hinds. Kitty Felde is host.

You can get an autographed copy of Kitty Felde's first book in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries series of books called Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza by clicking here. It's available in English or Spanish.

Looking for your next favorite book? Here are some suggestions from readers at  Watkins Elementary School on Capitol Hill:

Geronimo Stilton - Geronimo Stilton

Athletes vs Mathletes - W.C. Mack

Scare Stories to Tell in the Dark - Alvin Schwartz

Guts - Raina Telgemeier

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Basil and Oregano - Melissa Capriglione 

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Matilda - Roald Dahl

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling

Flora and Ulysses - Kate DiCamillo

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul - Jeff Kinney

Another Kind - Trevor Bream

Last Kids on Earth - Max Brallier

The Babysitters Club - Ann M. Martin

Stone Fox - John Reynolds Gardiner

The Day the Crayons Quit - Drew Daywalt

Magic Treehouse - Mary Pope Osborne

The Getaway - Jeff Kinney

Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan

Grandude's Green Submarine - Paul McCartney

Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland

Did you know the people behind the Book Club for Kids podcast produce another podcast: The Fina Mendoza Mysteries. The series is based on the book series by Kitty Felde, about the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries in the U.S. Capitol...and introduces civics along the way.

Book One in the series Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza is being released in English and Spanish (Bienvenida a Washington Fina Mendoza) by Chesapeake Press on July 3rd. 

Listeners to the Book Club for Kids podcast can get a 20% discount on the paperback. Just go to IPGBook.com and enter the promo code Fina2023 at checkout. Here's the link.

Its that time of year…summer reading programs at libraries are offering lots and lots of thank you gifts for reading books.

But how hard is it to find a book you’ll love? No worries. We went out the the City of Stem/LA Maker Faire to ask the experts for their book suggestions.

Cleopatra in Space - Mike Maihack

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Az and the prisoner of azkaban- J.K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone - J.K. Rowling

The Skull - John Klassen

Dragon Girls - Maddy Mara

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

The Ogress and the Orphans - Kelly Barnhill 

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

We’ll have a list of everybody’s favorite book at our website bookclubforkids.org. And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the show, too. Just give us a call at 424-209-2285 and tell us your first name, the city where you live, the name of your favorite book, and why you love it. That number again is 424-209-2285.

And if you’re looking for a good mystery set inside the uS Capitol, check out StATE OF THE UNION by Kitty Felde. It just got a five star review from Forward Clarion, which called Fina an “intelligent and precocious heroine who uses her critical thinking skills and keen observational senses to suss out information on the Chickcharney and the other mysteries in her daily life.”

And now you can get the Spanish version of State of the Union called Estado de la Union, translated by Jorge Flores Gonzales. And available now from Chesapeake Press, wherever great books are sold.

This episode is supported in part by a grant from the LA County Department of Arts and Culture, as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

Want to be on a future Book Club for Kids podcast episode? Listen to this special episode to find out how.

Here's the favorite books on this episode:

Wings of Fire - Tui Sutherland

Never Let me Go - Kazuo Isiguro

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

The Cricket in Times Square - George Selden

Dino-Mike - Franco Aureliani

The Little Book of the Avengers - Roy Thomas

Join us Saturday, April 6, 2024 at the City of STEM/LA Maker Faire all day at the Los Angeles State Historic Park north of downtown Los Angeles for YOUR chance to be on a future show!

Writer Beth Lincoln talks about how her debut novel The Swifts came to life and the difference between audiences for middle grade novels in the U.S. compared to Great Britain. Kitty Felde is host.

This week, it’s a graphic novel with evil twins, lost homework, and a giant snail. Oh, and a talking frog. The book is "101 Reasons Why I Lost My Homework Again: The Snotty Snail" by Ofir Lobel. Our readers are from Valley Beth Shalom Day School in Encino, California. Sportswriter Keith Thursby is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Valley Beth Shalom Day School:

A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket

Harry Potter - JK Rowling

Dragon Masters - Tracey West

A Girl's Guide to Murder - Holly Jackson

Ofir Lobel's Favorite Book

Little Nicolas -Rene Goscinny and Jean-Jacques Sempe

Keith Thursby's Favorite Book:

 The Jim Murray Reader - Jim Murray & Vin Scully

We’ll have a list of everybody’s favorite books at our website, www.bookclubforkids.org.

And if you have a favorite book, you can be on the BookClub for Kids podcast, too. Just have your parent, teacher, or librarian send us an email at kitty@bookclubforkids.org and we’ll send you all the information.  

We have a free newsletter for teachers, parents, and librarians, full of free tips about how to turn kids into lifelong readers. You can sign up at our website: www.bookclubforkids.org. 

 This episode is made possible by a grant from the LA County Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan. I’m KF, thanks for listening.

 And by the way, the makers of Book Club for Kids have created a very different podcast, a mystery about the 10-year-old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries on Capitol Hill…and teaches civics along the way. It’s called The Fina Mendoza Mysteries and it’s available now for free wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you like the series, check out the books the podcast is based on. Welcome to Washington Fina Mendoza and State of the Union are available in both English and Spanish and book 3 Snake in the Grass – about how the bitter partisanship on Capitol Hill has led someone to put snakes in the gym bags and trash cans of members of Congress – comes out April 1, 2025. Get it here.

Did you ever wish that you had a pet elephant? Well, Jordan was lucky enough to find one. That unusual relationship is at the heart of our book Jordan and Marshmallow by Alina Chau. Readers from Atwater Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss disabilities, sports, and Indonesia with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is NPR’s host of “All Things Considered” Ailsa Chang.

Favorite Books from Atwater Elementary School:

One Piece - Eiichiro Oda

The Wild Robot - Peter Brown

Dogman - Dav Pilkey

Captain Underpants - Dav Pilkey

The Funjungle Series - Stuart Gibbs

Trickster: Native American Tales - Matt Dembicki

Dirty Rotten Bugs: Arthropods Unite to Tell Their Side of the Story -

Jujutsu Kaizen - Gege Akutami

Amulet - Kazu Kibuishi

Wings of Fire - Tui T. Sutherland

Percy Jackson - Rick Riordan

Alina Chau's Favorite Book:

Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne

Ailsa Chang's Favorite Book:

When Love is More than Words - Jocelyn Chung

Do our names define us?

We celebrate our 150th episode with readers at the Artesia branch of the LA County Public Library discuss Beth Lincoln's tale of a family whose names come from the dictionary. Our celebrity reader is LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from the Artesia branch of the LA County Library:

The Lemonade War - Jacqueline Davies

Restart - Gordon Korman

Spy x Family - Tatsuya Endo

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

Counting by 7's- Holly Goldberg Sloan

Beth Lincoln's Favorite Book:

The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin

This episode was supported in part by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture as part of Creative Recovery LA, an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan.

Is a road trip in your summer plans? Looking for great podcasts for kids and grownups?

Listen to our Summer Sampler of kidcasts from our fellow podcasters at Kids Listen. You may find your next favorite show...after Book Clubs for Kids and The Fina Mendoza Mysteries, of course.

Do you like spooky stories? Give a listen to The Carrefour Curse,  tale about the power of gemstones and family secrets. Readers from Atwater STEAM Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the mystery with host Kitty Felde. Writer Dianne K. Salerni admits that she was inspired by a forbidden TV show. Our celebrity reader is Lost in Space actress Marta Kirsten.

The writer of The City of Ember shares the writing advice she gave her students...and how she ignored some of it to finish her latest work. Kitty Felde is host.

We continue our series of episodes about books that have been banned or challenged around the country. This time, it’s the Newbery Award winning novel by Madeleine L’Engle: A Wrinkle in Time.

According to the Carnegie Mellon Banned Books Project, the book was challenged in 1985 by parents in Florida who said the book “opposes Christian beliefs and teaches occult practices. The school principal did not remove the book from 4^th grade curriculum.

In 1990, a parent in Alabama asked to have the book removed because it “sends a mixed signal to children about good and evil.” The school board and superintendent voted unanimously to deny the request.

Six years later, the book was challenged in North Carolina for undermining religious beliefs.The school board denied the request.

Madeline L’Engle herself told the New York Times in 2001 that “it seems people are willing to damn the book without reading it.”

We read it with a group of young readers and this is what they have to say about A Wrinkle in Time.

We continue our Banned Books series, airing episodes that have been banned or challenged around the country. This week, it’s Vernica Roth’s dystopian adventure Divergent. Back in 2015, Ashland High School in Oregon banned Divergent because – according to the school’s online newspaper - the book “shows a girl fighting against society which we do not want to strengthen.” What do you think? Give a listen to our discussion of Veronica Roth’s Divergent.

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 KUNV 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.

Madeleine L'Engle's granddaughters share their memories about their legendary grandmother and talk about some of her writing practices.

Come see us at Comic Orange Saturday, April 13th from 11-3 at the Tustin Library.

We're happy to report that our most popular episode in 2023 is no mystery...actually, it IS a mystery: Varian Johnson's The Parker Inheritance.

And by the way, if your school is in LA County, we'll come out and tape a Book Club for Kids episode in your classroom! Just have your teacher, parent, or librarian contact us at the website and click on the "Want to be on the show?" button.

What do you do when your long-time school mascot is offensive to others? That's the topic in Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell. Students from Eliot-Hine Middle School discuss the novel and interview the writer. California State Los Angeles theater professor Carolyn Dunn is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Eliot-Hine:

Stunt Boy - Jason Reynolds

The Falling Sword - Ben Kane

The Firekeeper's Daughter - Angeline Boulley

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut

Charles Waters' Favorite Books:

Ordinary People - Judith Guest

Raymond Carver short stories

Bronx Masquerade - Nikki Grimes

Under the Mesquite - Guadalupe Garcia McCall

Carolyn Dunn's Favorite Books:

Love Medicine - Louise Erdich

The Master Butchers Singing Club  - Louise Erdich

Lilith's Brood - Octavia E. Butler

We talk to Newbery Award winning writer Christopher Paul Curtis about where "The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963" came from and why he finally quit his day job. Kitty Felde is host.

What are the challenges of writing in two languages? Christina Diaz Gonzalez talks about some of the pitfalls of getting the nuances right when Spanish speaking characters are from different countries.

We continue our series of episodes highlighting banned books. This week, it’s Elizabeth Acevedo’s novel The Poet X. The novel in verse was challenged in 2020 by parents in North Carolina who argued that the book was unconstitutionally hostile to religion. The challenge was turned down by the courts. It was again challenged in 2023 in Wisconsin because of objections about frank language about  sex.  In both cases, the books were part of the high school’s curriculum.

The book is all about poetry and body image and standing up for yourself. It’s the National Book Award winning novel The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington, DC discuss the novel with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is actress Monica Vigil from our other podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES.

Where do gangsters come from? How can we keep kids out of gangs? Our readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington, D.C. have some ideas. They discuss G Neri’s graphic novel Yummy and have a few questions for him. Celebrity reader is Ariel Richardson.

FAVORITE BOOKS FROM CHARLES HART MIDDLE SCHOOL:

Demon Slayer - Natsuki Hokami

One Piece - Eiichiro Oda

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

G NERI’S FAVORITE BOOK:

The Phantom Tollbooth - Norton Juster

ARIEL RICHARDSON’S FAVORITE BOOK:

All About Love - Bell Hooks

Looking for an "old fashioned" book...with a twist? We discuss Lois Lowry's tale The Willoughbys with readers from Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia. Our celebrity reader is the host of the daily news podcast The Gist Mike Pesca. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Taylor Elementary School:

Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Front Desk - Kelly Yang

Number the Stars - Lois Lowry

Lois Lowry's Favorite Books:

Sarah, Plain and Tall - Sarah MacLachlan

Indian Captive - Lois Lensky

Mike Pesca's Favorite Book: 

The Progress Paradox - Greg Easterbrook

Do you know a busy body? Somebody who's a bit too nosy for their own good? Meet Cody and the Mysteries of the Universe by Tricia Springstubb. Students from Randall Highlands Elementary School in Washington, DC discuss the book and hear a reading from the book by actress Peggy Miley. Kitty Felde is host.

There is free curriculum for this episode.

What if you want to be on the Book Club for Kids podcast and you don't live in a city near DC or LA? No problem. You can just call us and tell us about your favorite book, just like these kids from around the country. Information about where to call and what to say at the end of the episode. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books:

Sarafina and the Black Cloak - Robert Beatty

The Cat I Never Named - Amra Sabic-el-Rayess & Laura L. Sullivan

Diary of Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules - Jeff Kinney

One Piece - Sho Hinata

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 - Lauren Tarshis

Hilo - Judd Winick

The Bad Guys - Aaron Blabey 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows - J.K. Rowling

Writer Claribel Ortega talks about why she loves writing fantasy. She also confesses that she's been writing about witches for a long time. Kitty Felde is host.

And give a listen to our Dia de los Muertos episode of The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast. Here's a link to the free curriculum guide.

Looking for your next favorite read? We've got it, courtesy of kids at the City of Stem/LA Maker Faire.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

Magic Treehouse - Mary Pope Osborne

Bunny vs Monkey -Jamie Smart

A Little Princess - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Fart Quest - Aaron Reynolds

Hilo - Judd Winick

Masterminds - Gordon Korman

The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

We have LOTS of other book suggestions at our website

Readers from Las Vegas are live, onstage at the Las Vegas Book Festival, talking about Nikki Shannon Smith's tale of adventure Stranded. Award-winning journalist Rita Pardue from KUNV is celebrity reader. Taped before a live audience, readers have lots of questions for writer Nikki Shannon Smith. Kitty Felde is host.

FAVORITE BOOKS FROM THE LAS VEGAS BOOK FESTIVAL:

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

Cleopatra in Space - Mike Maihack

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

Wings of Fire -  Tui T. Sutherland

Battle Dragons City of Thieves - Alex London 

Weird Kid - Greg von Eekhout

Oh My Gods! - Stephanie Cooke

NIKKI SHANNON SMITH'S FAVORITE BOOK:

Roots - Alex Haley

RITA PARDUE'S FAVORITE BOOK:

Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

After months of rain, Southern California FINALLY had a weekend of sunshine. So we all paid a visit to the LA Maker Faire and City of Stem festival near downtown Los Angeles. We asked kids to tell us all about their favorite books. Some of these might become YOUR favorite book, too!

The Cat in the Hat - Dr. Seuss

The Couch Potato - Jory John

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

The Berenstain Bears - Jan Berenstain

Spy School - Stuart Gibbs

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

Feeling Sorry for Celia - Jaclyn Moriarty

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

Calvin & Hobbs - Bill Watterson

Writer Greg Neri talks to Kitty Felde about the role of luck and his rule of saying "yes" to new projects. 

We've got a group of fantasy lovers this week from Maryland. Readers at Newport Mill Middle School share their favorites and explain why fantasy is such a favorite among their peers. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

I Lived on Butterfly Hill - Marjorie Agosin

A Magic Steeped in Poison - Judy I. Lin

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

For Black History Month and 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.

Suppose you discovered a tiger in a cage. Would you set him free? That's the dilemna for the heros of The Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo. Readers from Maury Elementary in Washington, DC tackle the book and its moral questions. Writer Kate DiCamillo joins us as well. Veteran political reporter Dave Bryan is our celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

We continue our look at books that have been challenged or banned. This week, we revisit STELLA DIAZ HAS SOMETHING TO SAY by Angela Dominguez.

In 2000, the Central York School District pulled books from shelves that dealt with race. In fact, every book removed from school classrooms and libraries were written by people of color. After months of protests, the books were once again available to students in 2001.

It’s that time of year when all you can think about is “how long until summer vacation?” So how do you keep kids engaged? Find a book they love. How? We hear from a group of 4^th graders in Los Angeles who have a few suggestions. Some are Book Club for Kids podcast episodes. Just click on the links:

Dog Man - Dav Pilkey

The Bad Guys - Aaron Blabey

Harry Potter series - J.K Rowling

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane - Kate DiCamillo

Ordinary People Change the World series

The Witches - Roald Dahl

Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Land of Stories - Chris Colfer

Thirst - Varsha Bajaj

The Giver - Lois Lowry

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

Baseball books

Pig the Stinker - Aaron Blabey

Wings of Fire (the graphic novel) - Tui T. Sutherland

Wayside School series - Louis Sachar

Big Ideas for Curious Minds: an Introduction to Philosophy

Lots more book suggestions on our "Books We Love" page of the website.

And check out Kids Radio LA, the podcast from the students at Atwater STEAM Elementary (and Mr. R!) 

We continue to look through our many episodes of the Book Club for Kids podcast to examine the titles that have been banned or challenged. Today, we look at the 1977 Newbery Medal awarded novel by Mildred D. Taylor Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

The book has been challenged in school districts from Burbank, California to Oviedo, Florida to Huntsville, Alabama mostly for the use of the "N" word.

In Burbank, the book was removed from required reading lists, though kids can choose to read the book and it can be used in small groups after the teacher has undergone training on facilitating conversations on racism, implicit bias, and racial identity. 

Mildred D. Taylor said "As a parent I understand not wanting a child to hear painful words, but as a parent I do not understand not wanting a child to learn about a history that is part of America, a history about a family representing millions of families that are strong and loving who remain united and strong, despite the obstacles they face."

Here's some links to our resources:

• https://www.marshall.edu/library/bannedbooks/roll-of-thunder-hear-my-cry/
• https://ncac.org/update/letter-from-ncac-to-protest-the-challenging-of-roll-of-thunder-hear-my-cry
• https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2020-11-12/burbank-unified-challenges-books-including-to-kill-a-mockingbird

We turn back the clock to a difficult period of history in Jim Crow America. The book is the Newbery award winner Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. Readers from Immaculate Heart Catholic School discuss the difference between present-day Bronx and the south of the 1930's. Actress Tracy Leigh is celebrity reader. Literary historian Dr. Dianne Johnson-Feelings of the University of South Carolina offers her perspective on the author.

Peter Brown's wonderful book is now a movie! This week,we return to the source material.

Do you have a relationship with the robot in your life? You'll fall in love with "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown. 4th graders from Flora Hendley Elementary School in Washington, D.C. discuss artificial intelligence and their own favorite robotic devices. U.S. Congressman Scott Peters from San Diego is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

Favorite Books from Flora Hendley Elemetary School:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

Dork Diaries- Rachel Renée Russell

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs - Jon Scieszka

Peter Brown’s Favorite Book:

The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien

Congressman Scott Peter’s Favorite Book:

East of Eden - John Steinbeck

How did Oprah inspire a writing career? Listen to this conversation with Nikki Shannon Smith, author of Stranded.

What makes a good mystery? We talk to writer Varian Johnson, author of The Parker Inheritance. Kitty Felde, who writes her own mystery series THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES is host.

We continue our series of episodes featuring books that have been banned or challenged around the country. This time, it’s the Newbery Award-winning graphic novel NEW KID by Jerry Craft.

Books in Katy, Texas were pulled from library shelves in 2021 after a parent petition complained that it contained harmful content about critical race theory. CRT examines how racism has shaped laws and public policy in America. Writer Jerry Craft says he’d never heard the term before and had to google it. An African American parent in another part of the country objected to Craft’s use of the word “oreo” – a derogatory term used to describe a person as black on the outside, but white on the inside. She said she didn’t want her child to be exposed to the term.

The challenge in Katy, Texas was dismissed and the book was returned to library shelves.

What do you think? Listen to our Book Club for Kids podcast discussion of Jerry Craft's New Kid.

Did you ever think you were a little different than everybody else in school? Suppose you found out there’s a reason for that and that reason is that you’re actually a witch. That's the story of "The Okay Witch," by Emma Steinkellner. Students from Virginia Road Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the graphic novel and interview Emma. Actress Diane Adair is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

www.bookclubforkids.org

Favorite Books from Virginia Road Elementary School in LA:

Ghosts (Fantasmas) - Raina Telegemeier

The Spiderwick Chronicles - Tony DiTerlizzi

Dork Diaries -Rachel Renée Russel

Sisters - Raina Telegemeier

Emma Steinkellner’s Favorite Books:

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Holes - Louis Sachar

Ella Enchanted - Gail Carson Levine

Dianne Adair’s Favorite Books:

A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving

Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

We speak to Israeli writer Ofir Lobel, author of "101 Ways to Lose Your Homework: the Snotty Snail" about the difference between writing in graphic novels and writing a screenplay for a movie. He also talks about writing in a country at war. Kitty Felde is host.

Writer Tricia Springstubb tells Book Club for Kids host Kitty Felde about finding the perfect "voice" for a protagonist.

What comes first, the story or the characters? How do you become a graphic novelist? We get the answers from writer/illustrator Johnnie Christmas of Swim Team. Kitty Felde is host.

There are some people we just don't notice. A quiet student, immigrants speaking in their own language, a homeless person living in a van - you could call them invisible. That's the name of our book Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Students from Swanson Middle School in Arlington, Virginia discuss the bilingual graphic novel with host Kitty Felde. Our celebrity reader is Monica Sanchez.

Favorite Books from Swanson Middle School:

Fifth Quarter - Mike Dawson

The Tryout - Christina Soontornvat 

Cirque du Freak - Darren Shan

Every Last Word - Tamara Ireland Stone

Miss Quinces - Kat Fajardo

Michael Jackson in Comics - Ceka

Christina Diaz Gonzalez' Favorite Book:

A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

Favorite Books of Monica Sanchez

Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling

I'll Love You Forever - Owen Hart

Books by Monica Brown

Looking to start the New Year with some new books? Kids in LA County share their favorites with host Kitty Felde.

Refugee - Alan Gratz

The Secret Lives of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd

Harry Potter and the Sourcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling

The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton

Parrot in the Oven - Victor Martinez

Enola Holmes - Nancy Springer

The Mysterious Benedict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan

Dork Diaries - Rachel Renée Russell

The Couch Potato - Jory John