Happy Reading

Sarah Threlkeld

A podcast that spotlights middle grade books by theme.

  1. 01/16/2025

    Happy Reading ep 27: Five Faves from 2024

    2024 was a great year for middle grade books, so it was challenging to choose just a handful to spotlight during this episode. I finally landed on FERRIS by Kate DiCamillo, THE FIRST STATE OF BEING by Erin Entrada Kelly, CARTER AVERY'S TRICKY FOURTH-GRADE YEAR by Rob Buyea, UNSINKABLE CAYENNE by Jessica Vitalis, and WESTFALLEN by Ann & Ben Brashares. Enjoy! Instagram: kidlit_lover Transcript available at Happy Reading website

    46 min

  2. 05/30/2024

    Happy Reading ep 26: Novels in Verse

    This episode spotlights four middle grade novels in verse: Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green, Odder by Katherine Applegate, The Road to After by Rebekah Lowell, and Alone by Megan E. Freeman. Instagram: Kidlit_Lover Transcript available at happyrdng.blogspot.com

    30 min

  3. 03/14/2024

    Happy Reading ep 25: ADHD Representation

    This episode spotlights four middle grade novels featuring main characters with ADHD:  Focused by Alyson Gerber, A Perfect Mistake by Melanie Conklin, Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya, and Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn. Twitter: @WordNerd153 IG: @Kidlit_Lover.  transcript available at happyrdng.blogspot.com

    33 min

  4. 12/26/2023

    Happy Reading ep 24: Faves from 2023

    As of this recording I have read 655 books this year, 80 of which were middle grade, so I thought it'd be fun for me to review those titles and pluck some favorites from the bunch to share with you. This is also a sneaky way to be loosey goosey with this episode's theme and spotlight books that might not have anything in common other than wonderful storytelling, endearing characters, and a riveting plot. By no means are these the only spectacular middle grade books I read this year—in fact, several of my favorites will show up in future episodes—but we'd easily be here for over an hour if I highlighted every book I read in 2023 that made me a better human.  Books included in this episode: The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt, The International House of Dereliction by Jacqueline Davies, The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson, The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon, and Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker. Shout outs also given to The Mona Lisa Vanishes by Nicholas Day, The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, and the Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser.  Blog post for this episode https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-few-faves-from-2023.html

    43 min

  5. 11/15/2023

    Happy Reading ep 23: Offbeat Sports

    In this episode I share excerpts from five middle grade books that center around sports that generally aren't consdiered to be mainstream: Call Me Adnan by Reem Faruqi (table tennis), Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera (synchronized swimming), Kenzie Kickstarts a Team by Kit Rosewater and Sophie Escabasse (roller derby), Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes (fencing), and Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (baton twirling).  A modified version of the transcript can be found here: https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/11/i-wanna-see-you-sweat.html

    31 min

  6. 10/05/2023

    Happy Reading ep 22: Under 200 Pages

    This episode spotlights 4 middle grade novels and one middle grade nonfiction book, all of which clock in under 200 pages. The featured books are When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, Thirst by Varsha Bajaj, Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech, The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat, and Two Truth and a Lie: It's Alive! by Ammi-Joan Paquette and Laurie Ann Thompson. You can read a modified transcript of the episode on the Happy Reading website at www.happyrdng.blogspot.com

    35 min

  7. 09/08/2023

    Happy Reading ep. 21: Spies

    Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to listen to excerpts from four middle grade novels about young spies. This podcast will not self-destruct at any point, so do not panic. Spotlighted books include A Recipe for Trouble by Sarah Todd Taylor, City Spies by James Ponti, N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley, and Undercover Latina by Aya De León. Find a partial transcript of this episode at https://happyrdng.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-eagle-has-landed-check-out-these.html

    33 min

  8. 08/02/2023

    Happy Reading ep. 20: Baking

    This episode is all about one of my favorite things: baking! I share excerpts from Janae Marks's debut From the Desk of Zoe Washington, the first book in Erin Soderberg Downing's The Great Peach Experiment series, Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway, Aimee Lucido's Recipe for Disaster, and All You Knead is Love by Tanya Guerrero. A transcript without book excerpts can be found HERE

    44 min
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5
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About

A podcast that spotlights middle grade books by theme.

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Threlkeld
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Happy Reading