Scholastic Reads

Our podcast about children’s books and the joy and power of reading

About the show

Scholastic's podcast about the joy and power of reading, the books we publish for children and young adults, and the authors, editors, and stories behind them. We’ll explore topics important to parents, educators, and the reader in all of us.

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Episodes

  • Dreamer: Akim Aliu Talks About His New Graphic Novel and Racism in the Hockey World

    February 10th, 2023  |  22 mins 3 secs

    In this Black History Month episode, Akim talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Dreamer, his new graphic memoir for 8- to 12-year-olds. Co-authored by Greg Anderson Elysée, the book is illustrated by Karen De La Vega and Marcus Williams, and published by Scholastic Graphix and Kaepernick Publishing.

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    Owl Diaries: Rebecca Elliott on Reading Aloud and Eva the Owlet

    January 30th, 2023  |  21 mins 42 secs

    In this episode, Rebecca talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the runaway success of Owl Diaries and Eva the Owlet, the upcoming adaptation from Apple TV+.

  • The Tower of Life: Remembering the Holocaust

    January 25th, 2023  |  27 mins 32 secs

    Chana Stiefel is the award-winning author of more than 30 books for children. In this episode, she talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Yaffa Eliach’s remarkable story told in the picture book The Tower of Life, and why it’s so important for young people to learn about the Holocaust.

  • The Power of Mentoring

    January 11th, 2023  |  28 mins 53 secs

    One way is through mentoring. Scholastic’s nationwide mentorship program helps students boost their literacy skills while creating meaningful bonds with caring individuals. Our read-aloud mentoring program, which comes with books and teaching guides, is called R.E.A.L. — READ, EXCEL, ACHIEVE, and LEAD.

  • If You Lived During the Plimouth Thanksgiving Revisited

    November 10th, 2022  |  35 mins 32 secs
    chris newell, colonization, if you lived series, linda coombs, literacy podcasts, literature podcasts, native americans, native stories, passamaquoddy tribe, plimoth thanksgiving, plimouth rock, plymouth rock, podcasts, scholastic podcasts, thanksgiving, wampanoag scholars

    In 2021, host Suzanne McCabe posed those questions to Chris Newell, an award-winning educator and author, and a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy tribe in Maine. In this episode, Chris returns to talk about Native American Heritage Month and what it means to him.

  • The Science of Reading: Turning Research into Practice with Dr. Julia B. Lindsey

    October 27th, 2022  |  22 mins 41 secs
    dr. julia b. lindsey, education, educators, scholastic, science of reading, teachers

    In this episode, Dr. Julia B. Lindsey talks with host Suzanne McCabe about the science of reading and how she recommends putting it into practice. Dr. Lindsey is a leading expert on foundational skills and early reading. Her new book for educators is called Reading Above the Fray: Reliable, Research Based Routines for Developing Decoding Skills.

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    Celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month With Carmen Agra Deedy, Sonia Manzano, and Claribel A. Ortega

    September 30th, 2022  |  51 mins 25 secs
    books, carmen agra deedy, children's books, claribel a. ortega, education, hispanic and latine heritage month, literature, reading, scholastic, sonia manzano

    In this episode, we’re celebrating Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month with three favorite Scholastic authors.

  • Honoring Banned Books Week with Amy Sarig King

    September 19th, 2022  |  22 mins 47 secs
    amy sarig king, attack of the black rectangles, banned books week, education, scholastic, schools, teachers

    In this episode, award-winning author Amy Sarig King talks with host Suzanne McCabe about Attack of the Black Rectangles, her new novel for middle graders. The book, which takes on censorship and intolerance, is based on an experience Amy had in her Pennsylvania town.

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    “Make Good Trouble” — Remembering U.S. Representative John Lewis

    July 18th, 2022  |  24 mins 56 secs
    andrea davis pinkney, because of you john lewis, children's books, civil rights, john lewis, keith henry brown, nikema williams, scholastic, tybre fall

    In this episode, we’re honoring John Lewis, the civil rights hero and Congressman who died in 2020. The bond that Lewis forged with young Tybre Faw is the subject of a new picture book by best-selling author Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Keith Henry Brown, the book is called Because of You, John Lewis: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship. Later in the episode, U.S. Representative Nikema Williams shares her memories of Lewis and explains how Tybre and other young people are following in the courageous leader’s footsteps.

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    Aaron Blabey and The Bad Guys

    July 1st, 2022  |  28 mins 37 secs
    aaron blabey, bad guys, bad guys movie

    In the latest #ScholasticReads Podcast, author and illustrator Aaron Blabey talks about the creation of The Bad Guys, his hit book series with Scholastic.

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    It’s Summer! Grab a Book!

    June 21st, 2022  |  45 mins 12 secs
    children's books, parents, scholastic, summer reading, teachers

    It's summer time and that only means one thing at Scholastic--it's time to grab a book and read! Listen to some of our feature authors and hear about our reading partnership with Save the Children that's helping us get books into the hands of children in rural America!

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    “Be Who You Are” — A Conversation with Alex Gino

    June 9th, 2022  |  22 mins 19 secs
    alex gino, books, lgbtqia, pride month, scholastic

    In this episode, we’re celebrating Pride Month with Alex Gino. Alex is the acclaimed author of several queer and progressive middle grade novels, including Rick, You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P!, and the newly-released Alice Austen Lived Here.

  • “Invisible No More” — Celebrating AAPI Month

    May 24th, 2022  |  31 mins 6 secs
    aapi month, book recommendations, books, education, family, parents, scholastic, teachers

    In this episode, we honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with authors Debbi Michiko Florence and Gita Varadarajan.

  • Social and Emotional Learning: What Is it and How Can it Help Kids?

    May 9th, 2022  |  28 mins 57 secs
    children, education, mental health, scholastic, sel, social emotional learning

    During the pandemic, an increasing number of children and adolescents have reported struggling with anxiety and depression. How can we help them process their emotions and get the support they need?

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    Holly Robinson Peete on Autism Acceptance

    April 26th, 2022  |  21 mins 49 secs
    autism acceptance, children's books, education, holly robinson peete, parents, scholastic

    In this episode, author and actress Holly Robinson Peete talks about her family’s journey with autism.

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    Cultivating Genius, One Stitch at a Time: Bisa Butler and Gholdy Muhammad

    March 10th, 2022  |  31 mins 51 secs
    books, children, education, reading, scholastic, women's history month

    In this episode, we celebrate Women’s History Month and the power of women to transform our world, one stitch at a time. Host Suzanne McCabe talks with Scholastic Kid Reporter Camille Fallen, 13, about a recent interview she conducted with acclaimed textile artist Bisa Butler and Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, an educator and the author of the bestselling Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy.