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A Lit Life

Latest Podcast Episodes & Posts

How to Winterize Your Reading Life

January 14, 2025 in Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness
Have you winterized your reading life yet? In today’s episode, I’m sharing concrete ways to winterize your reading life: to protect and prepare it for the winter season of reading. We’ll chat about how to winterize your reading habits, your TBR stack and...
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Themes & Entry Points: No Purchase Necessary with Maria Marianayagam

January 13, 2025 in Kidlit Love Podcast
On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with author Maria Marianayagam about her newest middle grade novel: No Purchase Necessary. This book is about a Sri Lanka boy’s life that spirals out of control when he wins a prize in a stolen candy bar, pushing him to navigate...
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‘Freadom’, Forgiveness & Finding Your Voice: Same Page with Elly Swartz

January 9, 2025 in Kidlit Love Podcast
On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Elly Swartz about her newest middle grade novel: Same Page.  This book is a book for every book-lover. It follows Bess Stein, her friends and a group of rockstar librarians called The Book Warriors as they fight against book-banning. Plus,...
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An Unlikely Way to Set Intentions

January 7, 2025 in Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness
We are at the time of the year where we are setting intentions, making goals and looking forward to a new year ahead. This year, I abandoned my usual way of creating goals and it wasn’t on purpose. A dumpster fire of a day turned into a therapeutic journaling session that...
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Writing Pieces of Life: The McNifficents with Amy Makechnie

January 6, 2025 in Kidlit Love Podcast
On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Amy Makechnie about her newest middle grade novel: The McNifficents. This middle grade novel tells the story of six rambunctious children and their nanny, who happens to be a very dignified Miniature Schnauzer. Come listen as we talk about Amy’s...
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Lullaby Blessings: Love is Here with You by Jyoti Rajan Gopal

January 2, 2025 in Kidlit Love Podcast
On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Jyoti Rajan Gopal about her newest picture book: Love is Here With You.  This beautiful book is wrapped in comfort and love as readers listen to a beautiful lullaby perfect for bedtime reading or anytime we want to feel warmly...
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My 2025 Notebook Stack Revealed!

December 31, 2024 in Restorative Reading & Writing for Wellness
It’s time for my annual notebook stack reveal! Today, I’m sharing my 2025 notebook stack: all the notebooks I’m using and loving and why. Right now, I’ve got a stack of 7 notebooks I’ll use across the coming weeks and months…and maybe one or two more up my sleeve, too.  I’ll...
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Confidence and Second Chances: The Beautiful Game by Yamile Saied Mendez

December 30, 2024 in Kidlit Love Podcast
On this episode of the KidLit Love podcast, I’m talking with Yamile Saied Mendez about her newest middle grade novel: The Beautiful Game. The Beautiful Game is an uplifting, heartfelt novel about family, self-confidence, the power of second chances and soccer, too.  Come listen as we talk about the power of...
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ABOUT

Stephanie

A book-loving, notebook-hoarding bookologist on a mission to change lives one book and one notebook at a time.

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Stephanie's books

Paperweight
Paperweight
by Meg Haston
I read this hauntingly beautiful book on the recommendation of my teenage daughter. She told me it was powerful, told me I wouldn't want to stop reading it...and she was right. Meg Haston invites readers into the mind of Stevie, causing ...
The Gifts of Imperfection
it was amazing
The Gifts of Imperfection
by Brené Brown
I haven't stumbled across anything written by Brene Brown that I did not love and this book is no exception. Written so conversationally as if Brene was literally speaking directly, and only, to me, I could'n help bu be personally moved ...
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
it was amazing
I'd Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life
by Anne Bogel
True to its title, this book was simply delightful. I felt like I was talking with a long-lost friend, a fellow book-lover whose life was just as entangled with the plots, settings and characters of fictional books as they were those in ...
Some Places More Than Others
it was amazing
Some Places More Than Others
by Renée Watson
It was almost like I was reading a book that was written just for me, even though the daily lives and locations of the characters were vastly different. The theme of love, self-worth and family connection was prevalent on each and every ...
Touching Spirit Bear
it was amazing
Touching Spirit Bear
by Ben Mikaelsen
This book shook me to my motherly core. I read this with my 13-year old twins as part of a school assignment and was swept into Cole's story of literally fighting for survival and for love. My children were drawn to Cole's story of survi...

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I’m trying a new reflective writing technique: 100 I’m trying a new reflective writing technique: 100 I statements. Let’s see what appears on the page…

Thanks for the inspiration @xmaslen01 ✏️📓
This book was a gorgeous exploration into love, lo This book was a gorgeous exploration into love, loss, family and the complications among them. Tasked with clearing out her family’s home after both her parents passed, Plum wades through the objects of the home and the emotions of her heart. It’s filled with lyrical writing and an invitation to consider our own roots, our own stuff and our next moves.

#ALitLife
#Memoirs
Surprise! I’m here with a bonus episode to close Surprise!

I’m here with a bonus episode to close out the end of National Library week with a delightful middle grade biography of an important bookish figure: Ursula Nordstrom.

Plus, for the first time ever, I invited an additional guest on to share the book love with me. Come listen!

@mother_goose_librarian
#KidLitLove PODCAST LINK IN BIO!
#ALitLife
#MiddleGrade
A Note From My Nudge Notebook… This week, I was i A Note From My Nudge Notebook…

This week, I was inspired to write a really terrible first draft of a picture book inspired by a conversation with my father and grandfather AND the writing advice from inside this incredible middle grade biography by Nancy Hudgins: BOOKS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU. Ursula Nordstrom will now stand on my writing shoulders forever.

What acts of inspired action are you taking from the books you’ve read this week?

#NudgeNotebook
Middle grade novels hold a unique kind of magic an Middle grade novels hold a unique kind of magic and Ann Braden unlocks that magic with every novel she writes.

Her newest book is no exception.

HIJACKED BY GOATS is a heartfelt middle grade novel that delicately captures Josie’s inner world and the sheer number of compulsive and overwhelming thoughts that battle for her attention. Officially diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Josie progresses through residential treatment and outpatient therapy as she navigates recovery and a kinder way of treating herself.

Ann delicately captures the challenges Josie faces, the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that won’t let her rest and the brave choices she makes to move through them with the support of new friends, family and knowledgeable professionals.

While every middle grade reader might not be able to relate to Josie directly, they WILL be able to relate to going through something hard, wishing away particular thoughts or feelings or knowing someone who is struggling with their mental health. So will every adult reading this book, too.

This book so beautifully captures the entirety of the human condition and invites every emotion to the table, holding out a hand to those that need it and providing a window of empathy to those that need that, too.

It’s an incredible book and I’m forever grateful for having read it.

@annbradenbooks
#KidLitLove
#ALitLife
#MiddleGrade
#OCD
#Bibliotherapy
This. I know this face. I’ve made this face. I now This. I know this face. I’ve made this face. I now have better words to explain the significance of it and the love it holds. Thank you, Ann. ❤️

HIJACKED BY GOATS by Ann Braden

Coming September 2026
Full review coming soon.
@annbradenbooks
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