Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Eliot Schrefer
In this Let's Talk Books! episode, Eliot Schrefer ("Queer Ducks (and Other Animals)", "The Darkness Outside Us," "Endangered") shares his love of dynamic plot twists and moody graphic novels. He also lets us in on a little secret about real and lasting connection for young readers.
Contributor:
Schrefer, Eliot - Medina, Meg
Date:2024-06-18
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Jarrett Krosoczka
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Meg Medina is joined by award-winning author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka (creator of the Lunch Lady and Jedi Academy series) in this episode of "Let's Talk Books!" Jarrett shares some of his favorite books from childhood (shout out to Beverly Cleary!), talks about the importance of reading books' imagery and opens up about finding the courage to write about…
Contributor:
Krosoczka, Jarrett - Medina, Meg
Date:2024-05-14
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Torrey Maldonado
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Meg Medina is joined by author/teacher Torrey Maldonado ("Hands," "Tight") who talks about the importance of catching the heart and ear of young readers. Torrey is known for his quick, roller-coaster novels. How does he do it? Check out this installment of Let's Talk Books!
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Maldonado, Torrey
Date:2024-06-18
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Chelsea Clinton
Would you believe that, Chelsea Clinton, author, public health aficionado, professor and former White House inhabitant also loves the Berenstain Bears? In this episode of Let's Talk Books, Chelsea lets us in on her reading life as a child, her ongoing love of kid detectives like Nancy Drew and Encyclopedia Brown and discusses her favorite "persisters"--the female heroes in her picture book and middle…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Clinton, Chelsea
Date:2024-10-08
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Cece Bell
Meg's guest in this next installment is also an artist and musician--not to mention delightfully silly! You'll have a great time hearing from cartoonist and children's book author Cece Bell, who tells Meg how she learned to draw as a kid, how she came to write a book about growing up deaf, and how she put together the amazing book-album-music video combo, "Animal Albums…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Bell, Cece
Date:2024-12-10
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Sabaa Tahir
Bestselling fantasy author Sabaa Tahir joins Meg to talk about why fantasy appealed to her as a teen and why it keeps her wanting to read forever. She explains how her books, such as the "Ember in the Ashes" series, cover difficult topics like colonialism, war and family problems, but also feature epic battle scenes and swoony romances, all the while letting characters who…
Contributor:
Tahir, Sabaa - Medina, Meg
Date:2024-11-19
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Christina Soontornvat
Meg Medina is joined by the multi-talented Christina Soontornvat: a journalist, a fantasy author and... an engineer? The two talk about how Chrstina's background in STEM and upbringing as a Thai American raised in Texas inform her writing and imagination. Christina Soontornvat is the award-winning author of more than 20 books for children of all ages, including the graphic novel "The Tryout" and the…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Soontornvat, Christina
Date:2024-09-17
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Ellen Oh
Ellen Oh wears many hats: as a writer of middle grade books ("Spirit Hunters," "You Are Here"), an editor of anthologies ("Flying Lessons"), a CEO and president of the nonprofit We Need Diverse Books and an appreciator of graphic novels. She talks about "March: Book Three," a graphic novel memoir by the late Congressman John Lewis, written with Andrew Aydin and with art by…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Oh, Ellen
Date:2024-10-30
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Traci Sorell
Traci Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is an author of many books celebrating Native American culture. These include picture books like "Powwow Day" and "We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know," as well as middle grade novels such as "Mascot." She celebrates her native heritage and discusses "Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua" by…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Sorell, Traci
Date:2024-10-30
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Lamar Giles
From his fourth grade story "Giant Dinosaur Inside" to young-adult horror book "The Getaway," Lamar Giles has long been writing books for kids of all ages and continues to enjoy his craft. Join his conversation with Meg Medina as he describes the thrill of writing thrillers, his delight in superheroes (spoiler alert: Static is awesome!) and the joys of storytelling in comics.
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Giles, Lamar
Date:2024-11-19
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Gene Luen Yang
What happens when you put two National Ambassadors for Young People's Literature together? Pure joy and overflowing love for books, of course! Gene Luen Yang (the fifth Ambassador) joined Meg Medina (the eighth Ambassador) at the 2024 National Book Festival to talk books, comic books, art, drawing and the magic of words and stories, particularly those that help us keep going when life gets…
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Yang, Gene Luen
Date:2024-12-10
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Wendy Wan-Long Shang
In the inaugural video of National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Meg Medina's new series, author Wendy Wan-Long Shang ("The Way Home Looks Now," "The Secret Battle of Evan Pao") shows us how fun and easy it is to talk about books. When Wendy discusses "You Are Here: Connecting Flights," an anthology edited by Ellen Oh, she can't help sharing her love-hate relationship with…
Contributor:
Shang, Wendy Wan-Long - Medina, Meg
Date:2024-05-14
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Gary D. Schmidt
In this episode, Gary Schmidt ("The Labor of Hercules Beal," "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy"), book talks one of his all-time favorites, "Song of the Trees" by Mildred D. Taylor, and lets us in on his process for writing funny books. Spoiler alert: writing funny books is hard!
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Schmidt, Gary D.
Date:2024-08-13
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Hena Khan
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Meg Medina is joined by author Hena Khan ("Amina's Voice," "We Are Big Time"), who discusses the power of her childhood library and her newest picture book, "Behind My Doors," which celebrates the Al-Qarawiyyin Library -- the oldest Library in the world.
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Khan, Hena
Date:2024-08-13
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Elizabeth Acevedo
Elizabeth Acevedo, popular poet and prize-winning author of young adult novels, meets National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Meg Medina and talks about her creative journey. Elizabeth also shares the truth about why finding your place in the world during your teenage years is so challenging.
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Acevedo, Elizabeth
Date:2024-07-16
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Andrea Beatriz Arango
Meg Medina talks with Andrea Beatriz Arango, a dynamic author who writes about characters in tough predicaments with grace and affection. A Newbery and Pura Belpré Award winner, Arango is originally from Puerto Rico with roots in Cuba. A teacher by trade, she is also the author of "Iveliz Explains It All," "Something Like Home" and "It's All or Nothing, Vale."
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Arango, Andrea Beatriz
Date:2024-09-17
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Rita Williams-Garcia
National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Meg Medina is joined by beloved author Rita Williams-Garcia who discusses her journey creating the spitfire characters Delphine, Vonetta and Fern, and why it's so important to support reading lives of kids.
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Williams-Garcia, Rita
Date:2024-07-16
Film, Video
Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books with Raúl the Third
Raúl the Third ("Lowriders in Space," "¡Vamos! Let's Go Read") talks about the graphic novel "Mexikid" by Pedro Martín, a Mexican American author who grew up loving comic books -- just like Raúl! He also shares his longtime love of libraries and his respect for hard working librarians, then gives tips about pursuing a career in illustration.
Contributor:
Medina, Meg - Raúl the Third
Date:2024-10-08
Film, Video
Meg Media: Closing Celebration for the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature
Meg Medina closed her tenure as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by celebrating her video program, "Cuéntame! Let's Talk Books." Medina, the first Latina in the role, served a two-year term and inspired children across the nation to talk about their favorite books, connected families to established childrens' authors via her video series and invited families to special visits at the…
Contributor:
Greenfield, Max - Davis, Reginaed - Birkhead, Shaina - Muie, James - Medina, Meg - Casineros Dance Company - Creightney, Anya - Hayden, Carla