Shows
The Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Jason ReynoldsListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jason Reynolds (author of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, a Remix of the National Book Award-winning book by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi.) They talk about what it was like working with 12 year old Irthan in Episode 10 “A Worm’s Worth” and growing his story seed about a worm that turns into a human on a full moon’s night. Jason also talks to Betsy about how he got his start as a writer and shares advice for keeping your...
2020-07-1624 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Bil LeppListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Bil Lepp (five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Competition and author of the 2014 PEN award-winning picture book, THE KING OF LITTLE THINGS.) They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like working with 11 year old Keshav in Episode 9 “Look Before You Eat” to grow his fractured fairytale of a story seed about a cow with an ice cream house, a bunny with a chocolate abode, a fox with a chili pepper den, and a big bad wolf hungry to eat them all!Bil...
2020-07-0238 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Tracey BaptisteListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Tracey Baptiste (New York Times bestselling author of MINECRAFT: THE CRASH, as well as the Caribbean adventure series THE JUMBIES.) They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like virtually working and collaborating with 12 year old Amalia on Episode 7 “Barking Up the Right Tree” to grow her story seed about an athletic girl named Joy and her magical relationship with the oak tree in her backyard. In this bonus episode, Tracey shares her writing tips and shares a cool creativiity hack: how to tak...
2020-06-0428 minThe Story Seeds PodcastIt's Our Theme Song. Come Sing Along!The Story Seeds Podcast theme song was written, composed, and performed by Andrew VanWyngarden. Nowadays, he is a real-life, Grammy-nominated musician who tours the world with the band MGMT that he co-founded while in college. But, fun fact: like many of the creative rockstars featured on The Story Seeds Podcast, Andrew actually got his start making music as a child, using a Tascam four track tape machine to record! Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, he loved nature and playing outdoors with his friends, catching snakes and frogs and sometimes making little terrariums with the creatures they’d find. F...
2020-05-2301 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Carlos HernandezListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Carlos Hernandez, author of Rick Riordan Presents' Sal and Gabi series and winner of 2020 Pura Belpré Author Award. They go behind the scenes of Episode 6: The Paintbrush of Doom and talk about what it was like working with twins Siri and Zarana and growing their story seed (a girl who receives a magic paintbrush from her kooky aunt that turns whatever you paint, real! Things are going great as she creates dozens of hybrid creatures until ... upset by her friends' disbelief of the power of her paintbrush, she...
2020-05-2123 minThe Story Seeds PodcastThe Paintbrush of Doom with Carlos HernandezThis week’s Story Seeds collaboration matches Carlos Hernandez (winner of the 2020 Pura Belpré Author Award and author of the Sal and Gabi series from Rick Riordan Presents) with 10 year old twins Siri and Zarana.Carlos collaborates with Siri and Zarana to grow their story idea:A girl who really loves to paint get a magic paintbrush from her kooky aunt on her 10th birthday. She uses it to paint the animals she loves, but it turns out that her imagination is opening up doorways to a locked, magical world that’s letting the animals from h...
2020-05-1441 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Rajani LaRoccaListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Rajani LaRocca (author of "Midsummer’s Mayhem," a Kirkus Best Book of 2019 and long-listed for the 2020 Massachusetts Book Award as a must-read title in MG/YA Literature.) They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like meeting Liyana and growing her story seed about a girl trying to fit in with her famous family with the help of a magic mirror on Episode 5 “The Hungry Mirror.” In this author interview, Rajani also shares tips on writing and talks about how, by working hard, s...
2020-05-0721 minThe Story Seeds PodcastThe Hungry Mirror with Rajani LaRoccaThis week’s Story Seeds collaboration brings together 12 year old creative rockstar Liyana and Rajani LaRocca, author of the 2019 middle-grade hit Midsummer’s Mayhem (a Kirkus Best Book of 2019 and a Must Reads in the 2020 Massachusetts Book Awards) .Rajani helps Liyana grow this story seed:A girl who doesn’t fit in with her family of celebrities (her mom is a Bangladeshi supermodel and her dad is a Japanese soccer player) gets a magic mirror from a fairyFollow this magical Story Seeds adventure with host Betsy Bird as Rajani and Liyana: Go on a...
2020-04-3030 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews to Aram KimListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Aram Kim (author and illustrator of Bank Street’s Best Children’s Book of 2018 NO KIMCHI FOR ME.) They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like meeting Cici and growing her electric story seed about Queens’ new neighborhood superhero, Electric Kitty, on Episode 4 “Heroes and Queens.” They also talk about the significance of Queens in Aram and Cici's story–the most diverse borough in NYC and neighborhood in the country. On this bonus episode, Aram also shares her research process, writing tips for kids...
2020-04-2324 minThe Story Seeds PodcastHeroes and Queens with Aram KimThis week’s Story Seeds collaboration brings together 7 year old creative rockstar Cici and Aram Kim, Elmhurst Queens-based Korean-American author and illustrator of Bank Street’s Best Children’s Book of 2018 "No Kimchi for Me." Aram Kim helps Cici grow this story seed about:Electric Kitty, a superhero who floats on blasts of light and fights evil electric things that try to take her superpowers.Follow along on an electrifying Story Seeds adventure with our host Betsy Bird as she introduces listeners to the genre of superhero stories, and as Aram Kim: Visits Ci...
2020-04-1629 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Chris GrabensteinListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Chris Grabenstein (author of The New York Times best-selling Mr. Lemoncello's Library series). They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like growing Jasper’s giant story seed about Zeta Zingone, the 74 foot tall boy detective on Episode 3, “The View From the Top.” On this bonus episode, Chris shares tips and exercises on getting your imagination unstuck. He also talks to Betsy about his writing career: starting from the school newspaper, to his jobs in advertising creating commercials for Burger King with his bud...
2020-04-0930 minThe Story Seeds PodcastThe View From The Top with Chris GrabensteinThis week’s Story Seeds collaboration follows the one and only Chris Grabenstein, author of the NYTimes best-selling Mr. Lemoncello's Library series, and creative rockstar Jasper! Chris Grabenstein helps Jasper grow this idea:A story about a 74 foot tall mystery solver.Follow this special Story Seeds adventure with host Betsy Bird as: Chris invites Jasper over to his NYC apartment to chat about his giant story seed which is about a 12 year old boy detective named Zeta Zingone who is 74 feet tallThey talk about how to root even the wackiest and wildest stor...
2020-04-0227 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Veera HiranandaniListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Veera Hiranandani (author of the Newbery Honor-winning book THE NIGHT DIARY). They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like to grow 10 year old Willa’s story seed into the short story "Under the Maple Tree" for Episode 2 “From Homeschool to Public School."In this bonus episode, Veera also shares writing tips, including the importance of drawing inspiration from your own experiences and naming your characters. Plus, she talks about her writing life and tells us the cool story of her journey to b...
2020-03-2622 minThe Story Seeds PodcastFrom Home School to Public School with Veera HiranandaniThis week’s Story Seeds collaboration follows Veera Hiranandani, author of the Newbery Honor winning novel The Night Diary, and 10 year old creative rockstar Willa! Veera Hiranandani helps Willa grow this story seed about:A girl and her mom live in the middle of the woods in a small cottage. She's never gone to school but she's learned all her school subjects through her surroundings. Suddenly, they were beginning to lose money, so her mom decides that she needs to get a job, and her daughter needs to go to a real school. This is a h...
2020-03-1925 minThe Story Seeds PodcastBonus Q&A: Betsy Bird Interviews Dan GutmanListen along as The Story Seeds Podcast host Betsy Bird chats with Dan Gutman (best-selling author of the My Weird School series). They go behind the scenes and talk about what it was like growing 11 year old Hannah’s story seed in Episode 1 “The Magic Seed.” In this special bonus episode, Dan also tells us the story of how he became a published author, gives us a peek into his writing process, and shares a few writing tips for young writers! Books mentioned in this episode: My Weird School series and My Weird Writing Tips by Dan Gut...
2020-03-1218 minThe Story Seeds PodcastIntroducing The Story Seeds Podcast!Kids are creative rockstars! Introducing The Story Seeds™ Podcast, where we match kids and their story ideas with beloved authors who grow their story seeds into original, short stories! Follow along on each episode as children ages 6-12 and authors go on inspiring field trips in NYC to grow their story ideas (ahem, seeds!) through conversation and collaboration. Hosted by kidlit maven and librarian Betsy Bird, this season, you’ll hear 10 never-before heard stories written by your favorite authors, including Jason Reynolds, Dan Gutman, Carlos Hernandez, Aram Kim, Chris Grabenstein, and more. Music by Andrew VanWyngarden, Grammy-nominated singe...
2020-02-1804 min