Meg's Reading Room

Welcome in, book friends! On today's very special episode, I'm sitting down for a cozy conversation with my favorite author of all time -- Kate DiCamillo! I'm so excited and honored to share her voice and stories with you today.

Kate DiCamillo is the author of many books for young readers. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal (Flora & Ulysses in 2014 and The Tale of Despereaux in 2004); the Newbery Honor (Because of Winn-Dixie, 2001), the Boston Globe Horn Book Award (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, 2006), and the Theodor Geisel Medal and honor (Bink and Gollie, co-author Alison McGhee, 2011; Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, 2007). She is a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Emerita, appointed by the Library of Congress.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Love and Mercy
• Mercy Watson
• VLCAD Deficiency
• Moby Dick
• Chris Van Dusen
• Ann Patchett
• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (20th Anniversary)
• Raymie Nightingale
• Charlotte's Web
• Black Beauty
• Kelly Yang
• StoryKind Podcast
• Life, & Death, & Giants
• Ep 90 Ron Rindo (Life, & Death, & Giants)
• Who is Government? (audiobook)
• Great Expectations
• On Writing
• The Wizard of Loneliness
• The Paris Review
• The True Story of Edith Leapyear, Child Outlaw: As Told by Herself

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with StoryKind Podcast on Instagram @storykindpod

Thank you Tracy Miracle & Egypt Street PR!

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by English professor and podcaster, Stephanie to discuss her reading life and her beautiful podcast ESCAPE INTO PERIOD PIECES.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Escape into Period Pieces
• The Other Bennet Sister
• American Girl series
• Little House on the Prairie
• Renee Graef
• The Magic Attic Club
• The Baby-Sitters Club / Little Sister
• Disney Girls
• The Secret Garden
• Madeline
• Anastasia
• The Secret Garden
• A Little Princess
• BritBox / The Other Bennet Sister
• PBS / All Creatures Great and Small
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
• Echo / audiobook
• Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen
• The Way Home
• Samantha: The Next Chapter
• The Spectacular
• Ep 125: Valerie Tripp / Celebrating 40 Years of American Girl
• The Making of American Girl

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram @escape.into.period.pieces

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by author and mom of three, Meg Anderson to discuss her gorgeous debut novel, THE MEMORY OF BORROWED BOOKS.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Memory of Borrowed Books
• Madeline Martin
• Five Mornings at the Bookshop

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Meg on Instagram @meganderson.writes

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by best-selling author, Sarah Damoff to discuss her gorgeous new novel, THE BURNING SIDE.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 59 Sarah Damoff (The Bright Years)
• The Burning Side
• The Bright Years
• Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt
• Land
• Ashley Poston

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Sarah on Instagram @sarahdamoff

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by best-selling children's book author, Megan Wagner Lloyd to discuss DAISY DAVENPORT SAVES THE DAY and her experience working with American Girl for the 2027 GIRL OF THE YEAR!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Daisy Davenport Saves the Day
• Daisy Davenport
• Allergic
• Super Pancake
• Haven
• Ep 125: Valerie Tripp
• Where Only Storms Grow
• Ep 77: Alyssa Colman
• The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night
• The Pumpkin Princess and the Buried Castle
• Blood in the Water
• The Blue Castle
• Anne of Green Gables

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom / @megscollectingcorner

Connect with Megan on Instagram @meganwagnerlloyd

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by Shifa Saltagi Safadi to discuss her powerful new middle grade novel-in-verse, SISTERS ALONE.

Shifa is the National Book Award winning author of Kareem Between, the Amina Banana series, and several picture books.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sisters Alone
• Kareem Between
• Little Women
• Nancy Drew
• A Series of Unfortunate Events
• Pride and Prejudice
• Twilight
• Wild Dark Shore
• All That Chandi Knew
• A Year Without Home
• Wild Reverence
• A Bittersweet Spell
• Empire
• Dungeon Crawler Carl
• Ready Player One
• Warcross

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Shifa on Instagram @shifasaltagisafadi

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by Mindy Nichols Wendell to discuss her newest middle grade novel, CALIFORNIA OR DUST.

Mentioned in this episode:

• California or Dust
• Light and Air
• Ep. 16 Mindy Nichols Wendell (Light and Air)
• Out of the Dust
• Children of the Dust Bowl
• A Circle of Quiet
• Birdy
• The Winter of the Dollhouse
• Whistler
• A Place to Hang the Moon
• Other Words for Home
• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
• RAR Premium

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Mindy on Instagram @mnwendell

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by award-winning copywriter, author, and mom, Elizabeth Wellington Rollins to discuss her beautiful debut novel, THE THREE GRACES OF PEARL STREET.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Three Graces of Pearl Street
• Little House on the Prairie
• American Girl series
• The Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter
• Rebecca
• I Capture the Castle
• Jane Austen
• Long Bright River
• Little Women
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (audiobook)
• The Second Chance Cinema
• My Friends
• Pineapple Street
• The Shampoo Effect
• Dolly All the Time
• Maisie Dobbs
• David Sedaris
• Town Mouse, Country Mouse
• Richard Scarry
• Amelia Bedelia
• Strega Nona

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethwellingtonrollins

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by NYT Bestselling author, Ben Reeves to discuss his gorgeous debut novel, EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTIFUL AND NOTHING HURT.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt
• The Overstory
• If Nobody Speaks of Ordinary Things
• Grief Is the Thing with Feathers
• Sylvia Plath
• Mary Oliver

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Ben on Instagram @authorbenreeves

Welcome in! On today's special 40th birthday episode, I'm joined by journalist and author, Stacey Lindsay to discuss her book, BEING 40: The Decade of Letting Go and Embracing Who We Are. BEING 40 is the perfect companion and guide for any woman entering or embracing her forties. I'm so grateful for the wisdom and warmth that Stacey shares -- on and off the page. I know you will be happy to spend time with her, too.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Being 40
• Steph Jagger
• The Calamity Club
• I've Been Thinking
• I Am Maria
• The 25th Hour
• Wild Courage
• Marriage at Sea
• Atmosphere
• The New Rules of Women's Health
• The Goldfinch

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Stacey on Instagram @staceylindsay

Welcome in! On today's episode, I'm joined by Jess Sporaa (@bibliophage.jess). Jess is a self-proclaimed midlife mom of four and bookseller at the cozy Dog-Eared Books in Ames, Iowa. In our conversation, Jess shares how spending her days in a bookstore has changed her reading life and how she's discovering her personal style off the page.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Dog-Eared Books
• Shatter Me
• Fur-Ocious Readers
• The Sweet Spot
• HeartLand
• The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society
• Catch the Devil
• Project Hail Mary
• Legends & Lattes
• Lonesome Dove
• Chunky Classics Book Club
• It's Hard to Be an Animal
• The Road to Tender Hearts
• Remarkably Bright Creatures
• Poets Square
• The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion
• Good Joy, Bad Joy
• Creepy Kid
• Sipsworth
• A Pair of Aces
• Christina Lauren
• We the Women
• Domino Style

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Jess on Instagram @bibliophage.jess

Connect with Dog-Eared Books on Instagram @dogearedbooksames

Welcome in, friends. On this week's episode, I'm joined by Amy (@livingwellread) and Jeannie (@reidallday) to discuss our reading lives and favorite books so far this year.

Jeannie:

• The Burning Side
• A House to Call Home
• The House of Hidden Letters

Amy:

• Writers & Lovers
• Lady Tremaine
• A Tale of Two Cities

Meg:

• Glaciers
• Dolly All the Time
• The Top of the World

Shared favorite:

• Whistler

Also mentioned in this episode:

• Beth is Dead
• The Reservation
• Birdy
• Heart the Lover
• From the Front Porch Podcast Ep 576: What Would the March Sisters Read?
• Read Aloud Revival Podcast
• Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons
• Farmhouse
• The Little House
• Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things About a House
• Kin
• This is Not About Us
• Yesteryear
• Nora Goes Off Script
• John Mayer / You Can Depend on Me
• All the Colors of the Dark
• What Grows in Weary Lands: On Christian Resilience
• Great Expectations
• East of Eden
• Bleak House
• Conquer a Classic / The Bookshelf
• These Precious Days
• Tom Lake
• This is a Story of a Happy Marriage
• Ann Patchett on Poured Over
• The Borrowers
• The Penderwicks
• The Fatal Unpleasantness at Netherfield: A Novel
• The Murder of Mr. Wickham
• Sanditon
• The Complete Stories: Flannery O'Connor
• The Other Bennet Sister
• The Other Bennet Sister / BritBox
• California or Dust
• Light and Air

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Amy on Instagram @livingwellread

Connect with Jeannie on Instagram @reidallday

Welcome in! One of my favorite authors and book friends, Ethan Joella returns to my reading room to discuss his newest novel, THE TOP OF THE WORLD.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Top of the World
• The Ferryman's Wife
• Heart the Lover
• The Things We Never Say
• The Reservation
• I'll Come to You
• Whistler
• Home of the American Circus
• It's a Wonderful Life

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Ethan on Instagram @joellawriting

It's a true "Meg's" Reading Room today!

In this episode, I'm joined by award-winning and New York Times best-selling author, Meg Medina to discuss her middle grade fantasy novel, GRACIELA IN THE ABYSS -- releasing in paperback on July 7th by Candlewick Press!

Meg is a Newbery Medalist, served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature, and has written beloved books for kids of all ages.

In our conversation, Meg shares about GRACIELA IN THE ABYSS and how this story stayed and grew with her over time. We also discuss Meg's writing life in this season, the books she's excited about, why she loves celebrating new authors, and how we can create more ease in our reading lives -- especially in the summer.

Meg is a champion of writers, a cheerleader of readers, and celebrates stories in a way that is so inspiring to me. I'm so honored to be able to share her warmth and wisdom with you today. Welcome in!

Mentioned in this episode:

• Graciela in the Abyss (Paperback)
• Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away
• Whalefall
• Balbusso Twins
• Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines
• A Boy Called Bat
• Queso, Just in Time
• The Lion's Run
• The New Girl
• Roxie in Color
• Land
• Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers
• It's All of Nothing, Vale

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Meg on Instagram @megmedinabooks

Sign up for Meg's newsletter: Sobremesa

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Music credit: Clavin Clavier

Welcome in, friends. On today's episode, I'm joined by children's book author and award-winning disability journalist, Wendy Lu to discuss her debut middle grade novel, Casting April.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Casting April
• A Wrinkle in Time
• Yellowface
• The Wrong Way Home
• American Girl Series
• Ep 125: Celebrating 40 Years of American Girl with Valerie Tripp

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Wendy on Instagram @wendyluwrites

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Music credit: Clavin Clavier

Welcome in, friends. On today's episode, I'm sharing how I'm renovating my reading life and making more room in this busy season.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Annie Shelf Subscription (The Bookshelf)
• https://libro.fm/
• Libby App
• Breathing Room (Take a Moment)
• Ep 130 : Reading Through a Rut with Alex

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

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Music credit: Clavin Clavier

Welcome in, friends. On today's episode, I'm joined by author and school librarian, Paige Classey to discuss her debut middle grade novel in verse, ANNA-JANE AND THE ENDLESS SUMMER.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer
• Hatchet
• Alone
• The Summer I Turned Pretty Series
• My Side of the Mountain
• I Survived Series
• Doe Boyle
• Station Eleven
• Dear America Series
• American Girl Series
• Ep 125: Celebrating 40 Years of American Girl with Valerie Tripp
• Out of the Dust
• A Long Way Down
• Shout
• The Book Thief
• SCBWI
• Surviving the Madisons
• All the Colors of the Dark
• Kill Creatures
• The Grace Year
• Ep 94: How Gilmore Girls Shapes a Life with Kristine Eckart (MEET ME AT LUKE'S)

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Paige on Instagram @paigeclassey

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Music credit: Clavin Clavier

On this bonus episode of Meg's Reading Room, Mommy Meg and a very special guest read Home for a Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown.

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Music credit

Welcome in, friends. On today's episode, I'm joined by my husband and favorite public librarian, Alex to discuss his favorite books of the year (so far!) and how he's reading through burnout.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Heart of Darkness
• Vigil
• Vigil / Audiobook
• Lincoln in the Bardo / Audiobook
• Football
• Angel Down
• Sacred and Terrible Air
• Thomas Pynchon
• All We Say
• Country People
• North Woods

More of Alex on Meg's Reading Room:

• Ep 2: Interviewed by a Librarian
• Ep 21: New Year, Same Reader
• Ep 40: For the Love of Libraries

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

~~

Music credit: Clavin Clavier

Welcome in, friends. On today's episode, I'm joined by children's book author and Newbery Honor winner, Margi Preus to discuss her newest middle grade novel (and mystery series!), THE SHREW DETECTIVE: THE CASE OF THE PILFERED PEARLS.

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls
• Harriet the Spy
• Pippi Longstocking
• Island of the Blue Dolphins
• The Correspondent
• The Bell in the Lake
• This is Happiness
• Mary Oliver

Support Meg's Reading Room

http://buymeacoffee.com/megsreadingroompodcast

I always hope our time together can be a soft place to land when you need it most. By supporting Meg's Reading Room, you're helping to keep our show running and our episodes AD free. Thank you for believing in the work we're doing and helping us to connect to more listeners like you.

Connect with me on Instagram @megsreadingroom

Connect with Margi on Instagram @margipreus

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Music credit: Clavin Clavier