BookHuddle with Readgab

Karen Reeder
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Books
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Book Huddle with Readgab where you get to hear from authors of children's books and others having to do with children's literacy. We chat not only about what inspired these amazing authors, but also time relevant themes in their books and how kids can benefit from these themes. Each guest also recommends one of their favorite children's books at the end of the episode so you will constantly be building a wonderful list of books for the kids in your life. 

  1. 1d ago

    101: Children and Their Aging Loved Ones - Sue Lloyd-Davies Middle Grade Author Interview

    This interview was very personal for me, so I, of course, got emotional. Sue Lloyd-Davies and I discuss her beautiful, heart-rending, fun, entertaining, and uplifting book Pinkie's Turnabout. This episode is for all of those kids whose lives are affected by the unique changing lifestyles with aging loved ones. If you have ever had a loved one with Alzheimer's or dementia, then you can relate. If you have not, this episode is still for you because you may not realize that you have a child in your life who does or will experience life with a loved one struggling with such a disease. Also, it's just such a fun book! I mean a talking cat and wise granny? Go read it! Find middle grade author Sue Lloyd-Davies  https://www.suelloyddavies.com/ https://www.instagram.com/suelloyddaviesauthor/ https://www.facebook.com/slloyddavies/ Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade author Sue Lloyd Davies 05:14 What is Pinkie’s Turnabout about? 06:38 What inspired Sue to write Pinkie’s Turnabout? 11:00 Use the book for conversations 15:12 The snarky talking cat 17:02 The benefits of pets (and for aging individuals) 20:43 How to start conversations with kids about aging family members (with Alzheimer’s and dementia) 26:35 Empathy for all people 28:19 How to go forward when we made a mistake? The importance of the apology. 33:58 Acceptance when you can’t change someone’s life for them 36:34 The benefits of developing relationships with older family members 39:35 What’s next for author Sue Lloyd Davies 42:32 Sue’s book recommendations

    101: Children and Their Aging Loved Ones - Sue Lloyd-Davies Middle Grade Author Interview

  2. Sep 27

    100: Celesta Rimington Middle Grade Author Interview - Magic in Our World

    Sometimes you find magic in unexpected places. Celesta's books all have some light fantasy to them, but are all based on some things in our real world that just seem magical. In Celesta's newest release, Reach, a boy is struggling with blended family relationships when he meets a tree that can talk and a friend with synesthesia. Celesta Rimington's middle grade books are inspired by her childhood living in nearly every region of the United States, where she discovered that all places have whispers of magic, people to love, and weather worth describing. She holds a degree in social psychology and resides in Utah, where she can often be found in the boxing gym, singing show tunes around the house, or exploring mountain forests with her family and her Yorkie, Winston. Find author Celesta Rimington https://www.celestarimington.com/ https://www.instagram.com/celesta_rimington/?hl=en http://facebook.com/celestarimingtonofficial https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@celestarimingtonauthor⁩   Chapters 00:00 Meet author Celesta Rimington 05:32 What is Reach by Celesta Rimington about? 06:58 Why did Celesta write about a blended family? 11:59 How Celesta went about researching for writing Reach 14:00 Why Celesta wanted light magic in her books 18:44 Synesthesia in Celesta’s book and how Synesthesia works 23:40 Developing friendships in Reach 27:08 Celesta’s book recommendations 30:25 What to read next if you loved Reach by Celesta Rimington 32:07 What’s next for author Celesta Rimington

    100: Celesta Rimington Middle Grade Author Interview - Magic in Our World

  3. Sep 23

    99: What If Your Dog Became Human - Interview with A.J. Symon YA Author

    Do you have a pet that you love so much that you think they would make the best friend if only they were human? I mean, no one understands you the way your pet does, right? What if your dog became human? YA author AJ Symon explores this fantastic possibility in his book, Golden Boy.  Find author A.J. Symon  https://ajsymon.com/ https://www.instagram.com/ajsymonwriter Golden Boy by AJ Symon https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Boy-J-Symon/dp/1665985526/ Chapters 00:00 Meet YA author A.J. Symon 03:41 What is Golden Boy by AJ Symon about? 08:00 A golden retriever attitude in life. We should all live like a dog. 12:50 Hudson wasn’t normal and he inspired people - don’t worry about what people think of you 15:32 A book about transformation in more ways than one 17:30 Science that takes place in the book. Dog aging project 21:00 Communication skills we can learn from a dog 22:44 AJ’s strong characters 25:32 A screenwriter becomes a fiction novel writer 27:18 What is next for author A.J. Symon 27:47 AJ’s book recommendation and what to read next if you loved The Golden Boy

    99: What If Your Dog Became Human - Interview with A.J. Symon YA Author

  4. Sep 7

    98: The Secret to Belonging - New Young Adult Book - Megan E Freeman Author Interview

    Author Megan E. Freeman is widely known for her popular middle grade books Alone and Away. The Secret to Belonging is Megan's debut young adult novel in verse about a girl from a hard home life who finds an escape as a foreign exchange student in Norway. Listen in to hear Megan share how her own life experiences inspired this story and what you can do with many of the themes within the pages. Find author Megan E. Freeman https://www.meganefreeman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/megan_e_freeman_writer/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/meganefreemanwrites?ref=aymt_homepage_panel# The Secret to Belonging by Megan E. Freeman  https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Belonging-Megan-Freeman/dp/1665988401/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag= As an award-winning poet and educator, Megan E. Freeman brings her signature lyricism and deep empathy to a new and urgent YA story. The Secret to Belonging lays bare what it’s like to grow up in the shadow of a sibling’s addiction and in the cracks of a fractured family with unflinching candor and lyrical precision. Told in second person, the reader never learns the name of the narrator, instead seeing and feeling every moment as if they are in her shoes. The result is a deeply poetic reading experience, one that lingers long after the final page. Readers will also be swept off their feet by the romance between the protagonist and the Norwegian boy she falls head over heels for as she experiences the thrill of being truly noticed, possibly for the first time in her life. Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade and young adult author Megan E Freeman 04:56 What is The Secret to Belonging about? 06:56 Megan’s experience with poetry 07:56 How some of The Secret to Belonging is inspired by some of Megan’s own experience. 09:20 Telling a story in 2nd person without saying the main character’s name 10:53 Megan speaking on the ‘secret’ to feeling a part of group 14:05 How to help kids find joy when they are dealt a bad situation in life 16:46 The importance of making our own legacy and traditions 18:54 Food has a culture all its own 20:48 Weaving theme and analogy in The Secret to Belonging 23:40 How to help youth find the beauty in the world? The planet is more marvelous than you imagined. 26:22 Possessions - our relationship with stuff 29:18 What is next for author Megan E Freeman 31:19 Megan’s book recommendations 35:06 What to read next if you loved The Secret to Belonging by Megan E Freeman

    98: The Secret to Belonging - New Young Adult Book - Megan E Freeman Author Interview

  5. Aug 30

    97: Motivate Kids to Achieve Their Dreams - Micah Johnson Middle Grade Author Interview

    For Micah Johnson his creation of Aku is a symbol for limitless dreams. In this episode we get to discuss how Micah went from retired baseball player to artist and children's book author. Micah uses his art and writing to inspire kids to achieve their dreams.  Find author Micah Johnson  https://aku.world/ https://www.instagram.com/akudreams/ https://www.instagram.com/micah_johnson3/ https://www.micahdreams.com/ Aku: Journey to Ibra by Micah Johnson https://www.amazon.com/Aku-Journey-Ibra-Micah-Johnson/dp/059381178X/ Aku: Battle for Pyra by Micah Johnson https://www.amazon.com/Aku-Battle-Pyra-Micah-Johnson/dp/0593811828/ Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade author and retired major league baseball player Micah Johnson 03:16 The journey that led a baseball player to create Aku Journey to Ibra 05:50 What is Aku about? 10:32 What was hardest for Micah to work at to achieve as a dream? 11:45 Working on the dialogue 12:46 What Micah says to kids at school visits? 15:03 How can adults use the book Aku to help kids? 17:10 Family relationships 19:18 Micah’s book recommendation 21:50 What is next for Micah Johnson as an author?

    97: Motivate Kids to Achieve Their Dreams - Micah Johnson Middle Grade Author Interview

  6. Aug 27

    96: Unexpected Friendships in Middle Grade Books - Michelle Lee Author Interview

    Do you ever go looking for a book that will feel like reading it is like getting a hug? Then The Magic of Someday Soon is the book for you. In this episode Michelle Lee discusses her light magical book set in a small town, finding unexpected friends, how she has experienced magical moments in her own life, how art can effect us, loss/grief and more.  Find author Michelle Lee https://www.michelleleewritesmagic.com/home https://www.instagram.com/michelleleewritesmagic/ https://www.facebook.com/Michelleleewritesmagic/ The Magic of Someday Soon by Michelle Lee https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Someday-Soon-Michelle-Lee/dp/0374390932/ Between the Lighthouse and You by Michelle Lee https://www.amazon.com/Between-Lighthouse-You-Michelle-Lee/dp/1250854040/ Before freefalling into writing children's literature full-time, Michelle Lee was a college English professor for 13 years; earned her doctorate in English Lit and MA in Creative Writing at the University of Texas; was an editor for various literary publications; and has been published across genres, from academic study guides to flash fiction to poetry. She's published two middle-grade novels with FSG / Macmillan: Between the Lighthouse and You (hard cover 2022; paperback March 2026) and The Magic of Someday Soon (March 2026). She is represented by Full Circle Literary and lives with her husband and daughter in Florida.  Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade author Michelle Lee 03:35 What is The Magic of Someday Soon about? 05:30 What is the light of someday soon? 08:38 When has Michelle felt that kind of magic in her own life? 10:00 Art shines a light on what’s deep in our hearts. 12:14 Art can bring something once lost back to found? 17:24 Does Michelle have a relationship with tea? Like in her book 20:42 The world tells us its secrets when you decide to see and hear them. 27:46 What caused Michelle to write about loss and grief 32:24 What is next for author Michelle Lee? 33:56 Michelle’s book recommendation and what to read next if you have loved The Magic of Someday Soon and Between the Lighthouse and You by Michelle Lee

    96: Unexpected Friendships in Middle Grade Books - Michelle Lee Author Interview

  7. Aug 16

    95: Middle School Theater with Disability Representation - Wendy Lu Middle Grade Author Interview

    Casting April by Wendy Lu is partly based on Wendy's own youth experiences with theatre and living with a tracheostomy tube. While April is partly based on Wendy as a youth, April has a lot of her own experiences as well. We get to hear all about parts of the story that were very much a part of Wendy's own life as well as other important moments like the unexpected friends April encounters and surprising layers to a teacher who could have been the villian for April.  Find middle grade author Wendy Lu https://www.wendyluwrites.com/ https://www.instagram.com/wendyluwrites/ https://www.amazon.com/Casting-April-Wendy-Lu/dp/B0FRDMD3MZ/ Wendy Lu is a journalist, a children’s book author, and a global speaker on disability representation in the media. She is a deputy editor at The New York Times and has covered disability, politics and culture for the last 10 years. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Refinery29 and more. Wendy is the author of “Casting April,” a middle-grade novel from Penguin Random House about a girl who is determined to land the starring role in her school's play — except nobody believes she can do it because of her disability. "Casting April" was selected for the Indie Next List and the Indies Introduce List in 2026. She lives in New York with her husband, Andrew, and their turtle, Little Cloud. Casting April by Wendy Lu Twelve-year-old April is a talented performer who is determined to land the starring role in the school play, but no one believes she can do it because of her tracheostomy tube. A heartwarming story of friendship, identity, and the importance of chasing your dreams. Sixth grader April Xue lives and breathes all things Broadway. When she builds up the courage to audition for the lead role in the school play, she thinks she’s knocked it out of the park—until she finds out that she’s been assigned to the stage crew. April is devastated—it seems like the curtain is closing on her dream of being an actor.  A day later, April overhears that the theater director, Ms. Rooney,  decided not to cast her because she’s disabled. With the help of her best friend, a sneaky student reporter, and her spirited castmates, April learns to confront her own insecurities as a performer and proves to everyone (including Ms. Rooney) that she deserves a fair shot—all in time for opening night. Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade author Wendy Lu 03:01 What is Casting April by Wendy Lu about? 05:18 How is Casting April personal for Wendy? Was theatre something Wendy did as a youth? 08:50 Developing a middle school theatre story with disability representation 12:34 Finding friends in unexpected places 13:50 Parent relationships and the importance of kids letting their parents know what they need 16:43 Are any of Wendy’s other characters in Casting April based on real people from her life? 20:18 How to appropriately talk to someone about their trach tube? 24:14 What surprised Wendy when writing Casting April 26:59 If Wendy could get a message to her teenage self what would she tell her? 28:50 What else would Wendy like for readers to take away from Casting April 30:13 What is next for author Wendy Lu? 31:09 Wendy’s book recommendation 33:01 What to read next if you loved Casting April?

    95: Middle School Theater with Disability Representation - Wendy Lu Middle Grade Author Interview

  8. Jul 27

    94: Everything a Horse Story Can do for Kids - Interview with Middle Grade Author Melanie Sue Bowles

    LIberty Biscuit and Little Pearl by Melanie Sue Bowles  Find author Melanie Sue Bowles Chapters 00:00 Meet middle grade author Melanie Sue Bowles 03:50 What is Liberty Biscuit about? 07:53 How did Melanie create the story? 10:27 A happy/strong family that has weaknesses 13:05 A mixed race family in a story 15:40 How did Melanie end up with rescue horses on her farm? 16:55 Real horses and donkeys Liberty Biscuit is based on Around 19:30 ish How Liberty Biscuit teaches us empathy 21:35 What is next for author Melanie Sue Bowles 25:46 Melanie’s book recommendation

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About

Welcome to Book Huddle with Readgab where you get to hear from authors of children's books and others having to do with children's literacy. We chat not only about what inspired these amazing authors, but also time relevant themes in their books and how kids can benefit from these themes. Each guest also recommends one of their favorite children's books at the end of the episode so you will constantly be building a wonderful list of books for the kids in your life. 

Information

  • Creator
    Karen Reeder
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 BookHuddle with Readgab
  • Show Website
    BookHuddle with Readgab

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