Kidlit Love: Conversations with Picture Book and Middle Grade Authors

Happy Monday!Monday always feels better after a weekend full of books, bookstores and bookish friends. Lucky for me, this feeling will continue as I release an episode that will wrap you in love, too. Pooja is a repeat guest on the podcast and we had an important conversation for all. Keep scrolling to get all the details on the new episode!Happy reading!StephanieCaring in Community: TOGETHER FOR MAMA by Pooja MakhijaniOn this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Pooja Makhijani about her newest picture book: TOGETHER FOR MAMA.This beautiful picture book is a story about care and how it moves through family and communities, how children witness it and how they offer it in return. This is a beautiful story of hope and healing for all of us.Come listen as we talk about the deeply personal inspiration behind the book, the stunning fusion of words and images that bring the book to life and Pooja’s heartfelt hopes for collective care and understanding, not just for postpartum depression, but for anything we might face.Here is the book featured in this episode. You’ll find links to my Amazon and Bookshop affiliate stores below. Thanks for your bookish support!TOGETHER FOR MAMA by Pooja Makhijani (Amazon / Bookshop)Here’s where you can find Pooja online:Website: https://www.poojamakhijani.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laborofloafI’d love to know what you think of this episode. Share your comments below!KidLit love is multiplied when it’s shared! 🩷Here are some free ways to support this newsletter and spread my love of chilren’’s literature far and wide:🩷 Like and comment on this post so we can connect!🔄 Restack and add your favorite nugget from the podcast.📷 Take a screenshot of your favorite part and text it to a kidlit friend.💌 Forward this email to a fellow kidlit colleague so they can join the book love too!⌨️ Refer a friend and earn prizes….including courses and coaching sessions with me!Thanks for reading the KidLit Love newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kidlitlove.substack.com

Happy Monday!In upstate New York, summer feels like it has arrived! The weather is warmer, the days are longer and there’s more time for reading books we love. I’ve had a couple of listeners/readers reach out to ask if I’m offering any summer book clubs, writing sessions or other KidLit fun and I have thought about a few ideas that I’d love your feedback on. Could you take a moment to respond to this poll?Thanks for your support and feedback. Let’s see what happens next!Keep scrolling to get all the details on the new podcast episode!Happy reading!StephanieBook Birthdays and Other Book Reviews🎈🎁📖🎂📚🎉Here are the newly released books that have made their way to me along with other books that I have read and reviewed:🎉SEARCHING FOR WOCKS by Lucy Knisley (Amazon / Bookshop)Oh, my goodness, this book. It chronicles the unhurried walk of a child on the hunt for ‘wocks’ to add to her collection. It’s a portrait of youthful enthusiasm and the beauty of the everyday, means means adults ESPECIALLY need to read and share it.🎉ACTUAL FACTUAL FILES: OUTER SPACE by Ali Adams (Amazon / Bookshop)This book is perfect for anyone looking to learn more about outer space and have fun while doing it. It’s got a clever, colorful design, engaging text, and easy-to-understand explanations making the content accessible and therefore, easy to share. 🎉ACTUAL FACTUAL FILES: ANCIENT EGYPT by Ali Adams (Amazon / Bookshop)This is the second book in the series and tackles everything you want to know about ancient Egypt from geography to mummies to hieroglyphics. The charts, checklists, diagrams and Fact Files will keep readers glued to the page!Celebrating Movement & Freedom: ON OUR BIKES by Dan SaksOn this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Dan Saks about his newest picture book: ON OUR BIKES.This book is a joyful all-ages celebration of bikes and bike culture and is the perfect book to kick off a season of Spring and Summer reading. You’ll feel the energy vibrating off the pages!Come listen as we talk about the origin story behind the book (it started as a song!), the incredible motion, movement and energy inside the book and the movement I think we all need to help Dan start around the country. Listen to find out what it is!Here is the book featured in this episode. You’ll find links to my Amazon and Bookshop affiliate stores below. Thanks for your bookish support!ON OUR BIKES by Dan Saks (Amazon / Bookshop)Here’s where you can find Dan online:Website: https://www.noodleloaf.com/aboutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dansaks/I’d love to know what you think of this episode. Share your comments below!KidLit love is multiplied when it’s shared! 🩷Here are some free ways to support this newsletter and spread my love of chilren’’s literature far and wide:🩷 Like and comment on this post so we can connect!🔄 Restack and add your favorite nugget from the podcast.📷 Take a screenshot of your favorite part and text it to a kidlit friend.💌 Forward this email to a fellow kidlit colleague so they can join the book love too!⌨️ Refer a friend and earn prizes….including courses and coaching sessions with me!Thanks for reading the KidLit Love newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kidlitlove.substack.com

On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Ellen Cochrane about her newest release: FOLLOW THE WATER.This book tells the true story of a girl who fell out of a plane over the Amazon and walked out of the jungle eleven days later. It’s a powerful, true story about survival against all odds and is sure to be an inspiration to all readers.Come listen as we talk about how a journal entry from her childhood sparked the idea for this book, how her love of words and science combine to tell this amazing survival story and how she hopes this book will help all readers move through the challenges in their lives, no matter what they are.Here is the book featured in this episode. You’ll find links to my Amazon and Bookshop affiliate stores below. Thanks for your bookish support!FOLLOW THE WATER by Ellen Cochrane (Amazon / Bookshop)Here’s where you can find Ellen online:Website: https://ellencochrane.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellenmcochrane/I’d love to know what you think of this episode. Share your comments below!KidLit love is multiplied when it’s shared! 🩷Here are some free ways to support this newsletter and spread my love of chilren’’s literature far and wide:🩷 Like and comment on this post so we can connect!🔄 Restack and add your favorite nugget from the podcast.📷 Take a screenshot of your favorite part and text it to a kidlit friend.💌 Forward this email to a fellow kidlit colleague so they can join the book love too!⌨️ Refer a friend and earn prizes….including courses and coaching sessions with me!Thanks for reading the KidLit Love newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kidlitlove.substack.com

On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Michelle Lee about her newest middle grade novel: THE MAGIC OF SOMEDAY SOON.This is a hopeful middle grade novel overflowing with light, love and adventure as two girls find the extraordinary joys of every day. Can the two of them team up to find the family and friendship they’ve always wanted? Zoe and Teddie will live in my reading heart forever. Come listen as we talk about Michelle’s love of words that started her writing career, the original format of this book that has since changed, the real life giant sculptures that acted as inspiration for the book and the honorary great grandmother that you’ll want to adopt for yourself. You’ll find the show notes for the episode with links to all of the books and resources mentioned right here: https://www.alitlife.com/2026/03/16/light-love-adventure-the-magic-of-someday-soon-by-michelle-lee/Join me inside my Facebook community for bookish people! There, we talk about all things books and reading and writing and notebooking, too! You'll get updates for this podcast, along with my other Get Lit(erate). podcast and build your literate community for adult and children's literature: https://www.facebook.com/groups/getliterateIf you’d like to support the podcast, consider purchasing some KidLit Love merchandise from my Zazzle store: https://www.zazzle.com/store/alitlife All earnings are funneled right back into the podcast expenses and maintenance fees. Thanks for your support!Follow Stephanie:Website: http://www.alitlife.com/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AffinitoLitInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/AffinitoLitTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/AffinitoLit This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kidlitlove.substack.com