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As we celebrate our nation's birthday, we ask the question: What does an American look like?  Readers from Fulton County, Georgia discuss Not Your All American Girl by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wan-Long Shang. Our celebrity reader is comedian Becca Nix Tham. Check out the long list of favorite books at the website bookclubforkids.org.

As you probably know, we also produce another podcast THE FINA MENDOZA MYSTERIES, an audiodrama designed to introduce elementary school kids to civics. Fina is the 10-year old daughter of a congressman who solves mysteries inside the US Capitol. After the attack on the Capitol on January 6th of last year, we saw the need to help parents and teachers talk to kids about what happened – without scaring them half to death, and to put the insurrection in some sort of historic context that kids could understand. We created a special episode with curriculum that can be used in the classroom. Now with the televised congressional hearings looking at the January 6th attack, we’ve again heard from parents looking for ways to have a conversation about January 6th with their kids. So this week, instead of talking about our favorite books, we’re talking about democracy. There is FREE curriculum to accompany this episode.

Looking for your next great read? Our experts - kids from the City of Stem festival in Downey, California - have a few suggestions for host Kitty Felde.

We take the show on the road to the Enoch Pratt Free Library Children's stage at the Baltimore Book Festival for a conversation about Robbie Shell's novel BEES ON THE ROOF. Our group of readers have been meeting to talk about books almost since they first

What makes a great book? Readers from Loyola Village Elementary School in Los Angeles have some answers.

Imagine a world where deadly tornadoes are so common, kids can't ride their bikes outside anymore. That's the future Kate Messner writes about in Eye of the Storm. Students from Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Laura Furgione, Deputy Director of the National Weather Service is celebrity reader and talks about the science of tornadoes.

Writer Dana Middleton has some advice about finishing a novel or story. She also looks back at the beginning of her writing career.

You think you've got problems? Try being born with the horn of a unicorn in the middle of your head. Dana Middleton's tale of fitting in and standing out is discussed by students from Louis Armstrong Middle School, Walter Reed Middle School, and Toluca Lake Elementary School. They've got a list of questions for the writer as well.  Pam Rogers, creator of the poetry and nonsense podcast Buttons & Figs is celebrity reader. Kitty Felde is host.

We return to the Culver City Book Festival to find out what younger kids are reading. Kitty Felde is host. You can see a list of all their favorite books at the website.

We celebrate National Poetry Month with the National Book Award winning novel The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Readers from Charles Hart Middle School in Washington DC talk about poetry, MeToo, and favorite books with host Kitty Felde. Celebrity reader is Monica Vigil, who costars in The Fina Mendoza Mysteries podcast, which launches season 2 on May 3rd.

How do you get unstuck as a writer? Author Jacqueline Davies talks about how she took a vacation from the YA novel she was working on and wrote The Lemonade War in 19 days just to prove to herself that she could finish a book. Jacqueline also has advice for writers working on a series. Kitty Felde is host. Free tips for reluctant readers at the website: www.bookclubforkids.org

Did you ever have a lemonade stand when you were a kid? This particular lemonade stand led to The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies. Fifth graders from Loyola Village Elementary School in Los Angeles discuss the book with host Kitty Felde. Actress Linda Graves is celebrity reader.

Think scientists and math majors are all about  numbers? Nope. They're great readers as well. We ask kids at the City of STEM festival at the Columbia Space Center in Downey, California to tell us their favorite books.

Writer Dan Gutman talks about his other popular My Wierd School series.

Interested in baseball? Time travel? Civil rights? Anger management? Readers from Murch Elementary School in Washingotn, D.C. tackle them all in this episode about Dodger legend Jackie Robinson. The book is Dan Gutman’s Jackie & Me, a time travel story that takes us back to 1947 on the night before Jackie’s debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Another Dodger legend, two time National League batting champ Tommy Davis is our celebrity reader. He talks about how Jackie Robinson was the one who persuaded him to sign with the Dodgers. Kitty Felde is host.

How many rejections did writer A.J. Steiger get before her first book was published? A lot, says A.J. The author talks about rejection, world building, and the very first book she wrote at age 9. Kitty Felde is host.

What makes us human? Do you believe in reincarnation? How does the loss of family affect us? Our book this week Cathedral of Bones raises so many questions for our readers at Changing Hands bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. Writer A.J. Steiger discusses world building in a fantasy novel. Our celebrity reader is actor Gary Lamb. Kitty Felde is host.

What are kids in Southern California reading these days? Host Kitty Felde takes Book Club for Kids on the road to talk to young readers at the Culver City Book Festival to find out.

Kitty Felde talks to the author of Lupe Wong Won't Dance Donna Barba Higuera about creating an unlikeable character. She also gives us a sneak preview of a new science fiction novel she's writing.