The Children's Book Review: Growing Readers Podcast

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze welcomes author and teacher librarian Jolene Gutiérrez and John Tonai, son of Minoru "Min" Tonai, to discuss the powerful picture book Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp.
Jolene shares how a childhood lesson from her grandparents about Amache — a Japanese American incarceration camp in southeastern Colorado — planted a seed that grew into a decades-long mission to bring Min's story to young readers. From their first phone call in 2017 to a signed contract in 2023, Jolene and Min built a collaboration rooted in trust and a shared belief that this history must never be forgotten. John reflects on his father's quiet, behind-the-scenes advocacy, the emotional weight of signing books in his absence, and what it meant to finally stand at the door of his father's barrack at Amache and realize that every repeated story had been living inside him all along.
Whether you're a teacher looking for a picture book that opens honest conversations about civil rights and injustice, a parent wanting to share difficult history with care, or a reader who believes the best books are both feeling books and discussion books, this episode is a moving celebration of one unbreakable family — and the storytellers who made sure their truth reached the children who need it most.
Read the transcript on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠ (coming soon).
Highlights:
A Seed Planted at Twelve: How Jolene first learned about Amache from her grandparents — not her history class — and why that gap became the driving force behind this book
Six Years in the Making: Why Jolene shifted from a broad nonfiction project to one person's intimate story — and what that journey to publication looked like
Walking Through His Front Door: John's experience photographing Amache and realizing his father's endlessly repeated stories had been living inside him all along
The Fire in Min: What Jolene saw in Min that told her this wasn't just a story about the past — it was a warning and a promise about the future
The Words Are Fixed, the Interpretations Are Infinite: On what it means for a story to leave its author's hands and become the reader's own
Notable Quote:"He was telling this story so that it never happens again." —Jolene Gutiérrez
Books Mentioned:
Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp by Minoru Tonai and Jolene Gutiérrez, illustrated by Chris Sasaki: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
About Jolene Gutiérrez:Jolene Gutiérrez is an author and teacher librarian whose work is rooted in bringing underrepresented histories to young readers. Unbreakable is her debut picture book. Visit: https://www.jolenegutierrez.com/
About John Tonai:John Tonai is the son of Minoru "Min" Tonai, whose lived experience as a Japanese American child incarcerated at Amache is the heart of Unbreakable. Following his father's passing in 2023, John and his sisters have carried the book forward with care. Visit: https://www.unbreakablemintonai.com/
Densho — Min Tonai's oral history interviews
Interview I: https://ddr.densho.org/interviews/ddr-densho-1000-354-1/
Interview II: https://ddr.densho.org/interviews/ddr-densho-1000-302-1/
Densho main oral history collection: https://densho.org/collections/oral-history/
Amache National Historic Site
NPS official page: https://www.nps.gov/amch
Chris Sasaki
Personal website: http://www.csasaki.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopher_sasaki/
Credits:
Host: Bianca Schulze
Guests: Jolene Gutiérrez and John Tonai
Audio Editor: Kelly Rink
Producer: Bianca Schulze

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze welcomes author and audiobook narrator Sandra Nickel to discuss her luminous, lyrical picture book biography, The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan.
Sandra shares how a lifetime of loving fairy tales collided with a deep personal connection to neurodivergence—and how a strange, tender, relentlessly creative boy from Denmark became the perfect vessel for a story about what happens when your differentness is exactly what makes you extraordinary.
From writing in complete silence to choosing a fairy tale structure over a traditional biography, Sandra reveals why emotional distance is one of fairy tales' greatest gifts, how she crafted a book for every child who has ever felt like they were too much for the world around them, and why Hans Christian Andersen might be the most quietly radical figure a child reader could encounter today. Whether you're a parent of a kid who masks, an educator looking for a biography that reads like a bedtime story, or a reader who has ever had a door shut in your face and wondered if you should stop knocking, this conversation is a warm and tender celebration of the children the world almost missed.
Read the transcript on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠.
Highlights:
Strange Child, Extraordinary Legacy: How the very qualities that made Hans Christian Andersen an outsider became the source of his enduring genius—and why Sandra wanted children to see themselves in that
The Fairy Tale Structure Decision: Why Sandra chose to write a biography that feels like a fairy tale—and what emotional distance a fairy tale can offer that a straight narrative cannot
Writing Toward the Child Who Needs It Most: How Sandra thinks about the child reader she can't quite define—the one who may never have a label but is walking around feeling like they're too much for everybody
It Was Always the Children Who Loved Him: The remarkable fact that it was adults who kept shutting doors on Andersen—and children who kept his heart going
He Just Kept Reinterpreting the Direction: On perseverance, inner voice, and what it looks like to keep following your true self even when the path keeps shifting
Seven, A Remarkable Pigeon: Sandra's picture book, written at the same time, and why these two stories about using your differentness as your superpower will always be linked
A Love Letter to Seekers: What Sandra most wants the child reading this book to feel—and why she hopes they'll go straight to Andersen's own stories next
Notable Quote:
"What made him strange is exactly what made him extraordinary." —Sandra Nickel
Books Mentioned:
The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan by Sandra Nickel: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon by Sandra Nickel: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
About Sandra Nickel:Sandra Nickel is the author of several picture books for young readers, including The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan and Seven: A Remarkable Pigeon. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults and brings both a writer's craft and a deeply personal lens to stories about children who feel different. Her work champions neurodivergent kids, outsiders, and anyone who has ever had to find their own way to the door. Visit ⁠https://sandranickel.com/
Credits:Host: Bianca SchulzeGuest: Sandra NickelAudio Editor: Kelly RinkProducer: Bianca Schulze

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze welcomes acclaimed children's book author and retired philosophy professor Claudia Mills to discuss her hilarious, heartfelt new middle grade novel, Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom.
Claudia shares how her decades of teaching philosophy finally collided with her lifelong passion for children's literature—and how a girl with a very big name, a very big personality, and a very beloved dog became the perfect vessel for bringing Socrates, Plato, and Epictetus to young readers.
From writing one hour a day with an hourglass to championing the humanities at a time when they're under siege, Claudia reveals why wisdom truly belongs to everybody, how she crafted a character who genuinely needs philosophy rather than just stumbling upon it, and why Epictetus—a formerly enslaved Stoic philosopher—might be the most relevant thinker for an eleven-year-old living today. Whether you're a parent of a kid who's been called "too much," an educator looking to bring critical thinking into the classroom through story, or a reader who has ever felt like they're living their own Greek tragedy, this conversation is a warm and wise celebration of seekers everywhere.
Read the transcript on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠.
Highlights:
Dinner with a Philosopher: Why Claudia would invite Epictetus over Socrates or Plato—and what that reveals about the heart of the book
The Hourglass Method: How writing exactly one hour a day—timed with an actual hourglass—has powered 60+ books over decades, and why stopping is just as important as starting
A Character Who Really Needs the Wisdom: Why Callie's high emotional stakes—lose the philosophy, lose the dog—made her the ideal guide through big philosophical questions
Ancient Ideas, Modern Kids: How the Ring of Gyges, Socratic ignorance, and Epictetus's two-bucket theory of control translate naturally into an eleven-year-old's very real problems
The Philosophy Club: Why Claudia designed an adult mediator into the story—and how even the most reluctant seekers end up finding their way in
STEAMH, Not STEAM: Claudia's passionate case for putting the humanities back at the center of education—and why philosophy is the original critical thinking course
A Love Letter to Seekers: What a Kirkus review got exactly right, and why the community of people asking hard questions might be the most powerful community of all
Notable Quotes:"True wisdom is learning how to live well." —Claudia Mills
"Philosophers are the grownups who keep on asking the questions the other grownups have stopped asking." —Claudia Mills
Books Mentioned:
Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom by Claudia Mills: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
The Lost Language by Claudia Mills: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
The Last Apple Tree by Claudia Mills: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
About Claudia Mills:Claudia Mills is the author of more than 60 books for young readers, including the After-School Superstars chapter book series and the middle grade novels The Lost Language and The Last Apple Tree. A professor emerita of philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder, she brings a philosopher's love of big questions and a lifelong reader's ear for language to every book she writes. Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Visit https://www.claudiamillsauthor.com/
Download the Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom Discussion Guide here.
Credits:Host: Bianca Schulze
Guest: Claudia Mills
Audio Editor: Kelly Rink
Producer: Bianca Schulze

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze welcomes New York Times bestselling author Sara Pennypacker to discuss her powerful new historical novel, The Lions' Run. Sara shares how her father's experience as a teenage POW in a German prison camp during World War II influenced the story—and how a little-known Nazi program called the Lebensborn became the emotional trigger that set her empathetic orphan hero, Lucas, into action.
From redefining what courage looks like for young readers to trusting kids with big, complicated questions about justice and resistance, Sara reveals why empathy is the true root of all bravery, how Joseph Campbell's storytelling wisdom shaped a pivotal cherry strudel scene, and why Jon Klassen's breathtaking cover art inspired her to go back and make the book even better.
Whether you're a parent looking for meaningful middle grade historical fiction, an educator exploring WWII through a fresh lens, or a fan of Pax eager to see what Sara does next, this conversation is a moving celebration of quiet heroism and the enduring power of story.
Read the transcript on ⁠The Children's Book Review⁠.
Highlights:
The Epigraph That Says It All: Why an African proverb about elephants and grass perfectly captures the heart of the book
The Lebensborn Program: The little-known Nazi eugenics program that inspired the story—and why Sara felt compelled to bring it to light for kids
Empathy as Courage: Why Lucas was never really a coward, and why Sara believes true bravery always begins with caring about someone other than yourself
The Termite Theory: How many small, quiet acts of resistance—not one loud heroic moment—can take down something enormous
Cherry Strudel and Joseph Campbell: How the antagonist's own power gets turned against her in one of the most satisfying scenes in the book
Jon Klassen's Cover: How seeing the finished art sent Sara back to her manuscript for one final, vibe-elevating revision
Big Cheese Preview: A sneak peek at Sara's next book—and why she's finally giving a child character all the power
Notable Quotes:
"The true root of all courage is empathy. You have to care enough about someone other than yourself to go into some kind of action." —Sara Pennypacker
"No matter what you are resisting, you are not alone. There are people working behind the scenes." —Sara Pennypacker

Books Mentioned:
The Lions' Run by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
Pax by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
The Borrowers by Mary Norton: ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠Bookshop.org⁠
About Sara Pennypacker:
Sara Pennypacker is the New York Times bestselling author of the beloved Clementine series, the Pax duology, and her newest novel, The Lions' Run. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and have earned numerous awards and honors. A former painter, Sara brings a visual artist's sense of structure and scene to every story she writes. She lives in Florida.

Credits:
Host: Bianca Schulze
Guest: Sara Pennypacker
Producer: Bianca Schulze

In this episode of The Growing Readers Podcast, host Bianca Schulze welcomes beloved author Megan McDonald to discuss two of her newest series: Bunny and Clyde On the Lam and Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Hobgoblins. Megan shares how growing up in a book-filled Pittsburgh home with four older sisters shaped her love of reading—and how those childhood adventures inspire the mischief and heart in everything she writes.
From creating Judy Moody to finding fresh voices in animal outlaws and fairy folklore, Megan reveals why she trusts kids with big words, the real Bonnie and Clyde research behind an unforgettable amusement park scene, and how a tiny fairy door in Minneapolis sparked an entire series rooted in British Isles lore. Whether you're a parent seeking chapter books that hook young readers, an educator looking for stories full of humor and heart, or a Judy Moody fan curious about what's next, this conversation is a joyful celebration of imagination and the power of story.

Read the transcript on ⁠The Children's Book Review ⁠.
Highlights:
From Bookmobile to Bestseller: How growing up in Pittsburgh shaped Megan's path to writing
Breaking the Chapter Book Mold: Why Judy Moody changed the format—and why short novels are "real books"
Bunny and Clyde's Origin: How the idea of "good kids trying to be bad" became a hilarious series
The Abandoned Amusement Park: Real outlaw research and Scott Nash's genius Hall of Mirrors illustration
The Fairy Door That Started It All: How a tiny fairy door and a bookstore eavesdrop inspired the Fairy Door Diaries
Trusting Young Readers: Why Megan never underestimates kids' ability with language and humor
"Eliza, Is That a True Story?": The magic of believing that ends every Fairy Door Diaries book

Notable Quotes:"Children as readers come to books so eager and open-minded. And I think we tend to underestimate kids' ability a lot." —Megan McDonald
"Going back to the page and going back to reading a book is my refuge and escape." —Megan McDonald

Books Mentioned:
Bunny and Clyde On the Lam by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Scott Nash: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Hobgoblins by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Lenny Wen: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies by Megan McDonald: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Bunny and Clyde by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Scott Nash: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠
Lone Wolf by Kiah Thomas: ⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠Bookshop.org⁠⁠

About Megan McDonald:Megan McDonald is the author of the hugely popular Judy Moody and Stink series, the Judy Moody and Friends series, and the chapter book series Bunny and Clyde. Her newest series, the Fairy Door Diaries, explores fairy folklore for young readers. She earned a BA from Oberlin College and an MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, she now lives in Sebastopol, California.
Credits:Host: Bianca SchulzeGuest: Megan McDonaldProducer: Bianca Schulze

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