Check out The Great Martini, A fun and touching story about Sam, a lovable but far from a perfect magician who learns that the greatest transformation is transforming feelings of caring into action to help another human being. The Great Maritini, as an exclusive Amazon e-book. Please click here to get your copy today.
A Heart to Heart with Laura Shovan, An Award-winning Poet & A Children’s Book Author
Hello ReadingWithYourKids family!!!
Today on the podcast, we’re Ecstatic to feature Takedown, a new middle-grade novel from an award-winning poet and an author Laura Shovan!
Tune in and discover what happens when one girl wants to break barriers in a sport dominated by boys in this exciting and thoughtful novel by the author of The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary.
Overall, this is among the stronger episodes in the Reading With Your Kids library, if you ask us. It is refreshing, thoughtful, funny, and certainly entertaining.
About the Author
Laura Shovan’s debut middle grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, won several awards, including NCTE 2017 Notable Verse Novel and Arnold Adoff Poetry Award for New Voices honor book. Laura’s second children’s novel, Takedown, is a Junior Library Guild and PJ Library selection. Look for her next book, A Place at the Table, co-written with author/activist Saadia Faruqi, in 2020. Laura is a longtime poet-in-the-schools in her home state of Maryland.
More about Takedown
Mikayla is a wrestler; when you grow up in a house full of brothers who wrestle, it’s inevitable. It’s also a way to stay connected to her oldest brother, Evan, who moved in with their dad. Some people object to having a girl on the team. But that’s not stopping Mikayla. She’s determined to work harder than ever, and win.
Lev is determined to make it to the state championships this year. He’s used to training with his two buddies as the Fearsome Threesome; they know how to work together. At the beginning of sixth grade, he’s paired with a new partner–a girl. This better not get in the way of his goal.
Mikayla and Lev work hard together and become friends. But when they face each other, only one of them can win.
Praise for Takedown:
“Kids struggle every day with the dynamics of high expectations, performance standards, and social relationships. Takedown is a great example of how the sport of wrestling can help everyone involved conquer these challenges and appreciate some of life’s most valuable lessons.” –Kyle Snyder, Olympic wrestling gold medalist
Click the Amazon link to read reviews and purchase your copy of a Takedown!
In this episode of the Reading with Your Kids Podcast, you’ll hear:
- Our host Jed Doherty welcomes Laura Shovan on the show
- Introduction to Laura’s new middle-grade novel, Takedown
- What kind of morals/life lessons Laura wanted to teach kids through her books
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How women’s wrestling is changing wrestling for everyone?
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What does Laura hope children will take away with them the most after they read Takedown?
- What is she currently working on, where can people find her online and much more…
Thank you, Laura, for joining us and for sharing your wonderful novel with us!
If you love this episode then please share and please subscribe to us on iTunes. And please spread the word: tell your friends, and leave a rating on iTunes so that others can find it.
We’d love to hear from you! Contact us and together we can discuss what ideas you think should be included in a future episode, and we can explore potentially setting up an interview. Our goal is to have all voices at the table!
Thanks for tuning in. We’ll be coming soon to entertain and educate you with more author interviews, book reviews & Family game reviews!!!
stay tuned!
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