Remember Reading Podcast

Growing up is an experience of small wonders and worries. It is in the smallest slices of everyday life that we get to encounter the big feelings that hide in quiet moments. Our favorite books are filled with characters that compel us to reflect on our early experiences and recognize the profound influence of the teachers who shaped us. In this episode, we explore the extraordinary aspects of ordinary life through the rhythmic cadence of Kevin Henkes’ The Year of Billy Miller and the illustrated storytelling in Lynne Rae Perkins’ At Home in a Far Away Place. To learn more about Kevin Henkes’ and Lynne Rae Perkins’ books, visit harpercollins.com/search?q=Kevin+Henkes harpercollins.com/search?q=Lynne+Rae+Perkins Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [2:24] Readers interpret the characters of The Year of Billy Miller in ways that resonate with their personal experiences. [7:05] Lynne Rae appreciates Kevin’s poetic writing and his expressive, authentic characters. [10:09] Kevin cultivates a distinct rhythm in his writing that operates independently of the words’ literal meaning. [12:34] Lynne Rae’s illustrations connect words to images in a way that goes beyond storytelling. [19:34] In Kevin’s books, teachers are prominent figures — a choice that reflects their profound influence on children’s lives. [25:03] In At Home in a Far Away Place, Lynne Rae explores how teachers can be hidden in even the briefest of relationships. Continue Your Journey: Kevin Henkes Lynne Rae Perkins HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “If you look at those small domestic details and shed light on them in a particular way, and look at them maybe from a different angle, I think it really is illuminating and it can tell you a lot about life.” — Kevin Henkes, Author of The Year of Billy Miller “To me, the book was loaded with things that were emotional and big and meaningful and dramatic.” — Kevin Henkes, Author of The Year of Billy Miller “I’ll go over a paragraph sometimes for days just trying to get it, what I think, is exactly right.” — Kevin Henkes, Author of The Year of Billy Miller “A teacher is such a huge part of a kid's life.”— Kevin Henkes, Author of The Year of Billy Miller “It’s really a nice thing to know and understand and feel that what one does has an impact in the larger world.” — Kevin Henkes, Author of The Year of Billy Miller “People sometimes describe our books as quiet books. But to us, they seem so jam-packed, full of really big things. They don’t seem quiet to us at all.” — Lynne Rae Perkins, author of At Home in a Far Away Place “I think Kevin writes about feelings and experiences that we all share in one way or another, including hard feelings and experiences.” — Lynne Rae Perkins, author of At Home in a Far Away Place “Part of being an author of picture books is that you are writing for two audiences. You are writing for the children and you are writing for the parents.” — Lynne Rae Perkins, author of At Home in a Far Away Place “I think you can have a little interaction with somebody that takes 30 seconds, but it can be part of the thing that keeps you on board.” — Lynne Rae Perkins, author of At Home in a Far Away Place

The holidays are a chance to connect with loved ones, share stories, and laugh. The enduring appeal of holiday books lies in their ability to connect with us on a deeply personal level. They invite us to see Christmas through a child’s eyes with their unmatched curiosity, and unfiltered honesty. And, the best Christmas stories transcend cultural boundaries. In this episode, we explore the comedic, heartfelt genius of Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever the eyes of Barbara's daughter Margie and the Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie, Dallas Jenkins. We also hear about the challenge of reinterpreting holiday classics like The Night Before Christmas and creating holiday books that reflect the diversity of people and the world we live in from illustrator Loren Long and author Joanna Ho. To learn more about Barbara Robinson’s, Joanna Ho’s, or Loren Long’s books, visit harpercollins.com/search?q=barbara+robinson harpercollins.com/search?q=joanna+ho harpercollins.com/search?q=loren+long Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [:54] The Herdman’s rotten charm evokes empathy and understanding. [6:05] Inspired by those who may be unfamiliar with the nativity story, Barbara wrote The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. [9:07] Illustrator Loren Long offers a modern take on the 200-year-old classic Christmas poem, The Night Before Christmas. [13:24] Children internalize books and feel the gap when their ancestry is under-represented or not represented. [18:25] Joanna Ho’s A City Full of Santas was inspired by a city full of Santas. [26:38] Based on the nativity story, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, is definitely not a church book. Continue Your Journey: Joanna Ho Loren Long HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “It’s a book about something that has traditionally been very holy and austere and I think humor kind of mixes that up a little bit.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson “You can’t help but love the Herdmans. At the end of the story you just want more of them.” — Margie Pinto-Leite, daughter of Barbara Robinson “It’s one of those things where you don’t know how much you’ve internalized about the messaging you are receiving from the world.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas “Anyone who is trying so hard to create magic in this season is often actually just chaos and destruction. And part of that also, I hope, is that we can embrace that and see the beauty in just having that time together which I think is captured so beautifully in the story of the Herdmans.” — Joanna Ho, author of A City Full of Santas “It's kind of promoted as a kids’ book but I’m telling you, you can read this as an adult.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie “It still impacts people around the world, this notion of sacrificial giving. And, some of us, believers and non, have lost that.” — Dallas Jenkins, Director of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie “If I’m going to do this I wanna bring something new to it. Something contemporary.” — Loren Long, Illustrator of The Night Before Christmas

Harold and the Purple Crayon: Exploration and Play are Just a Stroke Away (ft. Chris Van Allsburg & Brian Pinkney) - Do you remember reading Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon? To his friends and family Crockett was Dave Leisk. You might know him best for the bold purple line that gives shape to the spare illustrations of Harold and Purple Crayon, published in 1955. In this episode, Chris Van Allsburg and Brian Pinkney reflect on the influence Harold and the Purple Crayon had on them, their work, and the value they believe it offers young readers. To learn more about Chris Van Allsburg’s, or Brian Pinkney’s books, visit https://www.harpercollins.com/search?q=chris+van+allsburg https://www.harpercollins.com/search?q=brian+pinkney Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:55] Does loving Harold and the Purple Crayon as a child guarantee future artistic talent? [5:47] Bad Day at Riverbend follows the style of a coloring book with a twist. [10:44] Similar to Brandon's blanket in Brian's book Brandon and the Baby, Harold's purple crayon conjures magic at every turn [14:17] Brian and Chris embrace play and experimentation in their creative process, albeit with distinct approaches. [18:36] Artists like Crockett Johnson have a long tradition of mentoring, motivating, and celebrating younger generations’ work. [23:57] Filmmakers have cracked the story and are bringing Harold and the Purple Crayon to the big screen. [26:53] Maurice Sendak, Brian, and Chris believe Harold and the Purple Crayon offers value to young readers. Continue Your Journey: Brian Pinkney HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “The concept behind Harold and the Purple Crayon was so simple. Something so easily grasped by a child and yet so fruitful in terms of the kind of narrative opportunities. The story you can tell having embraced this simple, magical idea of a crayon that could be used to create the world that Harold moved through.” — Chris Van Allsburg, author and illustrator of Bad Day at Riverbend “The conclusion I came to, and it might overlap slightly with Harold, but it was the idea that in our lives that fate can be as fickle as a 6-year-old with a yellow crayon.” — Chris Van Allsburg, author and illustrator of Bad Day at Riverbend “You can create magic in any moment even when things seem like it’s perilous. You can still, you know, use your imagination to come up with a solution.” — Brian Pinkney, author and illustrator of Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! “Sometimes I'll paint things before I know what they're going to be and I don’t see it until it’s already painted and then I can make, you know, changes and that’s when the play begins.” — Brian Pinkney, author and illustrator of Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! “It was fascinating to see that the young artists were not only interested in how I taught them art but in me as a person and that I valued what they were making.” — Brian Pinkney, author and illustrator of Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! “I love it when books become movies because I love seeing how a different format and a different eye and different creative process will envision something.” — Brian Pinkney, author and illustrator of Hey Otter! Hey Beaver!

There are many ways that we build our histories. Certain particulars might be largely out of our power, our parentage, or parts of our personalities, but how we choose to remember our histories tends to create something real and true, however fictional, like an old folktale. Our histories, whether real or imagined, memory or fiction, give us a greater understanding of who we are and our place in the world. In this episode, Melissa Iwai joins Allen Say to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his classic, Grandfather’s Journey. In the last couple of decades, children's literature in the U.S. has become increasingly populated with diverse characters, authors, and illustrators. But 30 years ago, Allen was making diverse characters and stories when few authors and illustrators were. The broadened representation in children’s literature we see today is owed to artists like Allen and Melissa. To learn more about Allen Say’s, or Melissa Iwai’s books, visit https://www.harpercollins.com/search?q=allen+say https://www.harpercollins.com/search?q=melissa+iwai Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:26] Allen reflects on Grandfather’s Journey as a timeless, real-life story reminiscent of a folktale. [6:54] Allen’s sense of outsiderness is the thread that creates a deep connection for Melissa. [11:18] Melissa’s book, Gigi and Ojiji, was inspired by a childhood memory of a visit with her Japanese grandfather. [13:42] Allen shares his journey, as both author and artist. [25:38] Authors use illustrations for different purposes, as Melissa learned working on Marc Tyler Nobleman’s Thirty Minutes Over Oregon. [30:11] What the ending of Kozo the Sparrow means to Allen. [35:07] Allen shares his thoughts about memories and distinguishing fact from fiction. Continue Your Journey: Melissa Iwai HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “I didn’t think that the book would sell at all when I was working on it. It was something I simply had to do. I had given up my long career, a 25-year career in photography and I just painted a picture. I realized that I'm really a painter, which I have been in denial of most of my adult, young-adult life because I got tired of poverty.” — Allen Say, author of Grandfather’s Journey “I thought I was following the old Japanese tradition of a young boy going out into the world looking for a master… but that's not what I was doing… I was actually trying to replace my father with a man that I could admire and love, and I was lucky.” — Allen Say, author of Grandfather’s Journey “Drawing it is a different thing. It’s coming straight out of your head, from your dream life. And, I find a story there.” — Allen Say, author of Grandfather’s Journey “I have a hard time distinguishing between fiction and real life, to begin with. As I always had difficulty distinguishing my dream life from waking life. I much rather prefer to be in the fantasy world, of course.“ — Allen Say, author of Grandfather’s Journey “Books were a refuge for me because I was shy and quiet and I loved to read. But even in my childhood books, I don’t remember having any books with Asian-American characters in them.” — Melissa Iwai, author of Gigi, and Ojiji “I was raised in just a small town where there weren't very many Asian Americans at the time and I just always felt like I stood out and I was different.” — Melissa Iwai, author of Gigi, and Ojiji “I think it's very important for kids to feel seen and I want to create the kind of books that I would have loved when I was a kid.”— Melissa Iwai, author of Gigi, and Ojiji

You may be familiar with Maurice Sendak’s books like Where the Wild Things Are or Outside Over There, but do you remember reading In the Night Kitchen? Just over 10 years after the prolific author's passing, we are returning to his 1970s dreamscape of a picture book. In the Night Kitchen offers a dazzling portrait of creativity and the expansive imaginations of children contending with an adult world. In this episode, besides stirring about in the needless controversy that often surrounds Maurice Sendak’s classic, In the Night Kitchen, we talk with two picture book authors influenced by the master author and illustrator’s work. Author and Illustrator, Sergio Ruzzier describes the influence Sendak had on his career and books, including Fish and Sun and Fish and Wave. And Author and Illustrator, Antionette Portis, reflects on the revelatory impact of Sendak’s books on children’s literature, the human experience, and her own books, Not A Box, Not a Stick, and A Penguin’s Story. To learn more about Maurice Sendak, Sergio Ruzzier, or Antionette Portis’ books, visit harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/maurice-sendak harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/sergio-ruzzier harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/antionette-portis Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:01] Sergio and Antionette identify the fragments of American culture floating through Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen. [4:38] Still a point of contention, when In the Kitchen was released controversy erupted in the U.S. due to the main character, Mickey’s nudity. [7:34] Sergio’s fourth-grade drawing of a monster had a similar censorship issue when it was included in a Jon Scieszka compilation. [8:21] Antionette reminds us that Sendak felt insulted when people referred to his work as kiddie books. [8:59] Like most adults and children, Sergio deeply felt the emotional complexities of Sendak’s words and pictures. As a visual storyteller, he was later invited to join the Sendak Fellowship. [12:18] Antionette was also invited to be a part of the Sendak Fellowship’s inaugural class in 2010. She describes the experience. [12:57] Antionette’s books, Not a Box and Not a Stick are a celebration of the imaginative lives of children. [17:23] Sergio’s Fish and Sun, Fish and Wave, and his third book in the series, Fish and Worm, were inspired by the narrative art of his heroes and reflect his desire to have children think for themselves. [22:43] Sergio was asked to lend his visually-mesmerizing illustrative abilities to Roar Like a Dandelion by the late Ruth Krauss. [25:05] Edna, the main character in Antionette’s A Penguin’s Story, is on a spiritual search to find meaning in the universe, metaphorically. [27:27] Antionette examines In the Night Kitchen looking to uncover hidden meanings baked into its dreamy joy. Continue Your Journey: Maurice Sendak Sergio Ruzzier Antionette Portis HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “I didn't set out to cause a scandal. I set out to do a very particular work where he had to be naked in order to confront a particular dream he was in. You don’t go into a dream wearing Fruit of the Loom underwear or PJs.” — Maurice Sendak, author of In the Night Kitchen “You are calling for attention if you underline the thing you want to hide. It’s not going to work. It’s actually funny.” — Sergio Ruzzier, author of Fish and Sun “He [Sendak] really felt insulted that people called his books kiddie books. ‘Cause he’s like, I make books for humans, and if children like them that's great.” — Antionette Portis, author of Not a Box

There is much to be learned from stories, whether they feature ghosts, witches, or monsters, even when they scare us. It is the lessons learned in the face of darkness that make supernatural stories important for young readers. And, it is telling, that stories of ghosts and graveyards stay with us. They might cause us a bit of grief, but when we face them, we face ourselves, our fears, and our histories, and in confronting them we learn collaboration, problem-solving, empathy, and companionship. In this episode, we dredge up some Halloween spirit and examine our favorite graveyards and the ghosts that haunt them. J.A. White and Chantel Acevedo join the Queen of Tween Screams, Mary Downing Hahn to appreciate her supernatural classic, Wait Till Helen Comes. A self-proclaimed scaredy cat, Mary shares how the dysfunction of the family at the center of her book served to create an opening for a ghost to entice itself into a renewed existence. Mary, J.A., and Chantel unearth the dark secrets and histories of villains and ghastly beings to help readers understand that whatever haunts their nightmares just may hold an important lesson. To learn more about Mary Downing Hahn’s, J.A. White’s, or Chantel Acevedo’s books, visit harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/mary-downing-hahn harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/j-a-white harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/chantel-acevedo Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:58] Mary shares the frightful churchyard revelation that became/inspired Wait Till Helen Comes. [4:01] Chantel reflects on how Mary succinctly portrays the complex yet simple way many children think about death. [6:51] J.A. White believes the supernatural elements of Wait Till Helen Comes only add to the existing tension of the underlying family drama. [7:38] Mary shares how writing about a blended family adds conflict and makes her story relatable to young readers. [11:34] In The Curse of Spectacle Key, Chantel’s young characters are encouraged to feel free from the pressures of growing up and that loving and being loved is enough. [16:30] J.A. White loves the idea of budding young authors identifying with the plight of Alex from Nightbooks, and Gravebooks. [19:46] In their books, Mary, Chantel, and J.A. all explore the lurking pasts of their villains and how that history shapes their fears and actions. [21:21] In The Curse at Spectacle Key, the main character Frank has a mission to break the curse of the island and expose the hidden history of orphaned ghosts. [25:27] Mary recalls the many different responses she has received about Wait Till Helen Comes from 1986 when supernatural books were a point of debate. Continue Your Journey: JA White Books Chantel Acevedo HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “It speaks about death in ways that are emotionally complex but also simple to grasp.” — Chantel Acevedo, author, The Curse on Spectacle Key “Sometimes I forget who I am writing for when I am caught up in writing. When I really get into the book it is almost like the story is telling itself.” — Mary Downing Hahn, author, Wait Till Helen Comes “She uses all these supernatural elements to augment the tension that is already there. I think that is my favorite type of supernatural story.” — J.A. White, author, Gravebooks on Mary Downing Hahn’s Wait Till Helen Comes “A ghost is the ultimate outsider.” — Mary Downing Hahn, author, Wait Till Helen Comes

Children’s literature offers a rehearsal for the real world. A safe place for young readers to practice seeing beyond the easy narratives that are handed to them by their communities or that they might see in the media or even that they are taught in schools. It is the foundation for critical thinking. Children come to books already having a deep and wide emotional landscape they will use to navigate the world. Books can pull back the curtain on how things work and give kids a head start on making their corner of the world a little brighter. In this episode, Karina Yan Glaser and Anne Ursu reflect on the influence of Lois Lowry’s powerful Newbery award-winning, The Giver, and explain how their books disclose the injustices of patriarchy, power, and pallidity on society. Lois shares her personal experience of having her books banned and ponders the future of children who have not been exposed or provoked through literature. To learn more about Lois Lowry’s, Karina Yan Glaser’s, or Anne Ursu’s books, visit harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/lois-lowry harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/karina-yan-glaser harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/anne-ursu Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [5:50] Lois, Karina, and Anne recount the purposeful words used to describe the nefarious conditions in The Giver. [12:46] The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy was, in part, a response to Anne Ursu’s rage after witnessing the patriarchal narrative during the Brett Kavanaugh hearings. [16:32] Karina shares the principal theme of her book, A Duet for Home. [22:34] Characters who challenge misinformation is a theme that runs through The Giver, A Duet for Home, and The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy. [25:33] Anne contends that by banning books and taking away history our ability to empathize will also be eliminated. [26:26] Lois’ book, Number the Stars, has also been added to a few banned book lists. [29:11] Lois’ advice for authors who find themselves on a banned book list. Continue Your Journey: Lois Lowry Karina Yan Glaser Anne Ursu HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter

Books help young people wrap their minds around who they are, how they fit into the world and give them the language to demand the world make space for them. Queer Young Adult books can guide young readers through the myriad of experiences of coming out in different contexts and cultures. And, love stories can help young gay kids imagine themselves into meaningful adult lives and into fulfilling relationships that validate, nourish, and sustain them. In this episode, three authors of queer YA books share their personal coming-out experiences, which they later translated into their character’s coming-out journey, and share the impact reading queer YA books can have on generations of gay kids in developing their personal agency. To learn more about Becky Albertalli, Adbi Nazemian, or Jason June’s books, visit harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/becky-albertalli harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/abdi-nazemian harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/jason-june Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:00] In 2015, Becky Albertalli published the award-winning novel about a gay teen, Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda. [5:02] Author of Like a Love Story, Abdi Nazemian describes how coming out today is different than in decades past. [9:00] Part of Abdi’s personal coming-out story is similar to his character's experience in Like a Love Story. [10:40] In Jay’s Gay Agenda, Jason June wanted to move the main character past his coming-out story. [12:03] Without a thriving gay community, love, romance, and sexual experiences can be out of reach for gay teens as Jason June explores in Jay’s Gay Agenda. [16:18] After Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda was published, a storm of criticism led Becky to come out publicly in an essay. [21:22] Becky, Abdi, and Jason discuss how being able to relate to queer characters in books matters. [22:28] Authors share their favorite reads in the Queer Young Adult book space. Continue Your Journey: Becky Albertalli Abdi Nazemian Hey Jason June HarperCollins @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “Oftentimes when we’re taught history, we’re taught we learn history, so as not to repeat it. And as I was writing the book, I was like, but what if we flip that? And we teach the reverse of it, which is, let’s study the history that we do want to repeat. Let's study ACT UP. How did they form, how did they actually create such a monumental change in the world? How did the queer community come together when everyone turned their backs on them?” — Abdi Nazemian, Author, Like a Love Story “We need to explore the magic and the complications and all the layers of getting to be queer and what that means.” — Jason June, Author, Jay’s Gay Agenda “When you are trying to write about an experience that looks different for every person it’s hard to definitely say something is right or wrong but I wanted it to feel authentic.” — Becky Albertalli, Author, Simon vs. The Homosapien Agenda

Meg Cabot’s bestselling series, The Princess Diaries spans almost two decades. The main character of the series, Mia, shares her unfiltered, innermost thoughts as private diary entries. Young adult readers of the books are privy to and captivated by Mia’s internal and external landscape as she morphs from an awkward teen and into a royal princess. Author Elise Bryant was one such reader. In her book, Happily Ever Afters, the main character, Tessa, tackles similar teenage issues and emotions to Mia, but as a black girl. In this episode, Meg and Elise share their thoughts about why love stories belong in young adult libraries, why epistolary novels capture a reader's attention, and why a true representation of diversity can enhance the connection kids have with literature. To learn more about Meg Cabot’s or Elise Bryant’s books, visit harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/meg-cabot or harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/elise-bryant Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. And, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. [1:34] When switching her then adult novel to a young adult novel, Meg leaned on a friend’s daughter to help her choose a format for the book. [3:07] As luck would have it, Meg had her childhood diaries for inspiration. [5:32] Meg summarizes Mia, the main character of The Princess Diaries. [10:39] Both Elise and Meg describe their discomfort when coming to terms with their love of coming-of-age romance novels. [13:03] The Princess Diaries addresses real issues teenage girls face, such as love and sex. [17:01] True representations of diversity in books offers kids the opportunity to profoundly identify with characters. [21:12] Elise’s forthcoming book, One True Loves is a companion novel to Happily Ever Afters. Continue Your Journey: Meg Cabot Elise Bryant HarperCollins @ReadingPod on Twitter Shareables: “I had notes in my diary from, like, Algebra. This is why I got such bad grades. I wasn't clearly paying attention. So, I thought — oh, I could just transfer this right into the book and it will be really funny. So everything in those books is taken right from my actual notebooks from high school.” — Meg Cabot, Author, The Princess Diaries “I loved rom-coms from a very early age but it was almost impossible at that point in the late ’90s or early 2000s to find those books with girls that looked like me. And so I started, just like Tessa does in Happily Ever Afters, I started writing those stories myself. I would write the kind of voicey, funny, happy, joyful love stories that I love to read but then I would write them with a girl that was black like I am.” — Elise Bryant, Author, Happily Ever Afters “I think it's so important for kids to see themselves in all types of narratives, like being the hero, being the prince or princess, fighting bad guys, fighting monsters, solving mysteries and you know — falling in love. It helps kids to dream even bigger dreams when they see that reflected in stories. ” — Elise Bryant, Author, Happily Ever Afters

Representation matters, especially in children’s literature and stories that represent Native American people. In this episode, we focus on Heartdrum, an imprint about stories by Native American creators who publish stories with an emphasis on the present and future of Indian Country, and on the strength of young Native American heroes. Author-curator Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), author and co-founder of We Need Diverse Books, Ellen Oh, and HarperCollins editor Rosemary Brosnan discuss how the Heartdrum project came to fruition and a sample of the beautifully diverse stories now available to young readers. To learn more about Heartdrum, visit Diversebooks.org/programs/heartdrum Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time! [:01] In her book, Jingle Dancer, Cynthia Leitich Smith depicted Native American girls and women, who are underrepresented in children’s literature. [5:01]The books by authors of color that impacted Cynthia and Ellen as children. [7:40] In her series, Indian Shoes, it was important to Cynthia the characters be in contemporary, urban settings. [10:57] When publishers shifted away from multiculturalism and inclusion, Cynthia successfully pivoted and created paranormal stories including the Feral series. [13:23] The progressive ideas that fuel We Need Diverse Books make the organization much more than a hashtag. [15:42] Ellen, Cynthia, and Rosemary Brosnan instigated the creation of Heartdrum, the first native imprint at a major publisher. [21:36] The Sea in Winter by Christine Day is one of the first books published by Heartdrum. [26:14] Current trends in contemporary children’s literature and future opportunities for Heartdrum. [29:44] Ellen describes her motivation for writing her very personal latest book, Finding Junie Kim. [32:02] Ancestor Approved is a collection of stories and poetry that showcases the diversity within Indian Country and pairs new and established authors. Continue Your Journey: Cynthia Leitich Smith Ellen Oh Books We Need Diverse Books HarperCollins Remember Reading Podcast @ReadingPod on Twitter

After an incredibly difficult year, we reflect on the number of ways classic children's books can help kids and adults get through tough times. Featured in this episode: -The Secret Garden (Katherine Paterson) -One Crazy Summer (Janae Marks, Lisa Moore Romae, Paula Chase) -The One and Only Ivan (Roseanne Parry) Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time!

Hailed by the New York Times as "witty and original," One Crazy Summer is a moving & funny story about three sisters looking for their mother in 1960s California. It's also a book that brings up issues that almost mirror current events today, tackling problems kids see around themselves. On this episode, we'll talk to acclaimed author Rita Williams-Garcia about what inspired her to write the Newbery Honor and National Book Award winning story - a contemporary classic that deals with everything from abandonment, to unfair policing, and the Black Panthers - why representation matters, and more. We'll also be joined by authors Janae Marks (From the Desk of Zoe Washington), Paula Chase (Turning Point), and Lisa Moore Ramée (Something to Say), three writers who read One Crazy Summer as adults, and had it stick with them. To learn more about One Crazy Summer, visit: bit.ly/2Yn09T0 Do you have a story about how a classic book changed your life? Tweet @readingpod or email us at readingpod@harpercollins.com. Learn more at rememberreading.com. Until next time!