What Are the Kids Reading These Days?
A husband and wife team --- comprised of a junior high Language Arts teacher and a children's librarian --- spend each episode discussing a current popular middle grade/young adult novel: Would kids like it? Should parents recommend it to their kids? How might an ELA teacher use it in their classroom? Tune into each episode to hear Tim and Taylor answer all these questions and more! In addition to discussions about specific novels, alternating episodes will feature conversations about various aspects of young adult reading. Questions or Comments? Reach out to Tim and Taylor at: whatarethekidsreadingthesedays@gmail.com
Episodes
15 episodes
'Cinder' by Marissa Meyer
Tim & Taylor discuss Marissa Meyer's dystopian sci-fi reimagining of the classic fairy tale Cinderella, a story about a cyborg named Cinder living in New Beijing in the midst of a deadly plague. Tune in to hear them talk about ...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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41:54
'Throne of Glass' by Sarah J. Maas
Tim & Taylor return after a long hiatus to discuss the the bestselling young adult fantasy novel Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Tune in to hear them talk about their thoughts on the book, whether they think kids and teens would ...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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39:31
'Smile' by Raina Telgemeier
Tim & Taylor return with special guest Bennie, who is also the cause of their recent hiatus. But finally, they have returned to discuss the middle grade graphic novel (?) Smile by Raina Telgemeier and reminisce on braces,...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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32:06
"Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" by Judy Blume
Tim & Taylor are joined by special guest Mary, aka Tim's mom, to discuss Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, the beloved (and sometimes banned) coming-of-age middle grade novel by Judy Blume. With the movie comi...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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59:33
'Amari & the Night Brothers' by B.B. Alston
Tim & Taylor discuss their reactions to Amari & The Night Brothers, a best-selling and award-winning middle grade fantasy adventure novel. Tune in to hear them talk about their thoughts on the book, whether they think kids...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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49:08
First Five Pages Discussion - 'Warcross' by Marie Lu
Tim & Taylor discuss the first five pages of Warcross, Marie Lu's bestselling teen sci-fi novel. Find the book on your local library app (Hoopla, Libby, Overdrive, etc.)! You can sample it without renting it yet, read the firs...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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25:59
'Beasts & Beauty: Dangerous Tales' by Soman Chainani
Tim & Taylor discuss Soman Chainani's collection of modernized and retold fairy tales. They share their personal reactions to the book as well as their professional opinions on whether or not kids would like it, their ideas for using ...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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50:00
"The Cousins" by Karen M. McManus
Tim & Taylor discuss The Cousins by Karen M. McManus, a young adult mystery/thriller about a trio of cousins who spend a summer at their estranged grandmother's resort trying to find answers to some old family secrets. Tu...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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46:32
Discussion: "What Are Some Popular Horror/Thriller/Mystery Series for Kids?"
Tim and Taylor get into the Halloween spirit with a discussion about young adult and middle grade horror/mystery. Tune in to hear them discuss the following series: The Box Car ChildrenScary Stories to Tel...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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51:53
"Ground Zero" by Alan Gratz
Tim & Taylor discuss Alan Gratz's bestselling middle grade novel Ground Zero. Tune in to hear them discuss whether or not children would enjoy it, the pros and cons of a child reading it, possible ideas for use in the classroo...
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1:03:49
"Root Magic" by Eden Royce
Tim and Taylor discuss Root Magic, a middle grade historical fiction/fantasy/horror novel by Eden Royce. Listen in to hear their thoughts on the book, what they think kids would like about it, how teachers might want to use it in ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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38:08
Discussion: "Does Discussing Books' Themes with Students Kill the Joy of Reading?"
English teachers really love talking about a novel's themes. But is that always a good thing? Should we just chill on the analysis sometimes? In this episode, Taylor and Tim discuss the pros and cons of focusing on larger themes of a t...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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37:35
"Unplugged" by Gordon Korman
Tim and Taylor discuss Gordon Korman's 97th (!) book, Unplugged, a middle-grade novel about a spoiled rich kid sent against his will to a tech-free summer camp in the middle of rural Arkansas. What did we think? Would kids like it...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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45:00
Discussion: "Would Kids Today Like the Books We Liked as Kids?"
When we adults think about recommending a book to a kid, we tend to think of the books that we liked as kids. But do they hold up? Would kids like them? Would these books be good to use in an ELA classroom? Or are we just biased t...
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57:26