In this episode, Jennifer chats with Kate Messner to discuss her love for middle grade novels, her writing process, and her latest projects. Discover the inspiration behind Kate's popular series, "The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class," and her journey in writing her first verse novel, "The Trouble with Heroes."

Show notes, episode transcripts and other goodies can be found here.

Chapters

• Introduction and Welcome
• Kate's Reading Preferences
• The Joy of Paper Books
• A Writer's Journey
• The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class Series
• Crafting Multimodal Texts
• The Trouble With Heroes
• The Role of Humor and Grief
• Upcoming Projects
• Conclusion and Farewell

In this episode, Jennifer chats with Rex Ogle to talk about his journey from working behind the scenes in publishing to becoming one of the most beloved authors writing for young readers. Their conversation explores the importance of normalizing discussions around mental health, and why it's crucial to have more books that help boys navigate what it truly means to “be a man” in a world that too often rewards toxic masculinity.

Show notes, episode transcripts and other goodies can be found here.

Chapters

• Introduction and Friendship Goals
• Reading Preferences and Habits
• Writing Process and Organization
• Community and Support in Kidlit
• Exploring Difficult Topics in Writing
• Understanding Complexity in Human Behavior
• Lessons from Family and Personal Growth
• The Journey of Writing and Rejection
• Connecting with Readers and Their Experiences
• The Impact of Sharing Personal Stories
• Navigating Mental Health and Personal Healing
• The Importance of Representation in Literature
• Creating Stories for Boys and Challenging Norms

In this episode, Jennifer LaGarde and Natalie Lloyd explore their shared love for literature, the impact of childhood reading experiences, the importance of authentic representation in books and, of course, Dolly Parton. They discuss the joys of audiobooks, the challenges of writing about disability, and the significance of creating relatable characters. Natalie shares insights into her writing process and upcoming projects, emphasizing the power of storytelling to connect with young readers.

Show notes, including episode transcripts and information about connecting with this episode's guest, can be found here.

Chapters:

• Friendship and Literary Connections
• Reading Preferences and Habits
• The Joy of Audiobooks
• The Reader's Heart: Personal Stories
• The Impact of Childhood Reading
• Creating Authentic Characters
• Exploring Disability in Literature
• The Importance of Representation
• Upcoming Works and New Formats