Kristin Cashore is one of those rare authors whose books are deep and beautiful, and whose work helps readers gain perspective on their own lives. Tune in to hear about Kristin's process of writing Bitterblue, how music helps her with writing, and how she copes when writing gets hard.

A growing number of young adult authors are using fairy tales as seeds for their stories. Tune in to hear about an assortment of the newest fairy tale retellings: books that include middle grade humor, satire, coming of age stories, and graphic novels.

In this episode, you'll hear about books in a range of genres that give teens insight into the social and political conditions young people face around the globe. Together they offer a sustained look at war, poverty, and the struggle for human rights, but they also speak volumes about ordinary people and their capacity for hope and resilience.

Tune in to hear about an array of nonfiction books on teen sexuality – some about the mechanics of sex, some about the media and body image, some written by teens themselves. You'll hear about books for older as well as younger readers, boys as well as girls, gay teens as well as those who are straight or questioning.

When it comes to motivating and inspiring teens to read, teen librarians have a lot to teach us. You'll hear about the approaches two teen librarians take to their work with teen readers, ways they go about sharing and promoting new titles, plus a short list of their favorite books for teens.

All readers want to see themselves reflected in the pages of books. Works of Latino literature for teens focus on the experiences of young people from Spanish-speaking countries and cultures. In honor of El Día de los Niños, tune in to hear about a variety of books that celebrate the Latino cultural experience in literature.

Tune in to hear the about the ideas behind Crutcher's newest book, Period 8; his thoughts on writing in honest language for teenagers; and what readers have told him about the impact of his stories.

Each year the America Library Association's list of teen book awards provides readers with a huge variety of quality reading recommendations. You'll hear about stories of espionage, climate change, and dragons; middle school theater, political revolutions, coping with cancer, and more.

Life stories are books that trace defining moments and turning points in people's lives. By exploring how individuals overcome obstacles and discover their passions – or fall prey to mistakes and inner demons – life stories illustrate how human beings navigate the complexities of living. Tune in to hear about a variety of life stories – some that celebrate lives of success, others that mourn lives tragically lost or wasted.

While all YA authors focus in some way on the process of young people coming of age, very few do so with the depth and versatility you will find in the novels of Patricia McCormick. Tune in to hear the story behind her latest novel, Never Fall Down, the harrowing and heartbreaking account of Khmer Rouge survivor Arn Chorn-Pond.

Books about science allow readers to encounter new concepts, ask new questions, and discover what we can learn simply by paying close attention to our surroundings. You'll hear about ecology and climate change, food production, infectious disease, ancient human history, the universe, and our power as humans for both ingenuity and destruction.

Books featuring teens as change agents call attention to young people who are lobbying for change in their schools, communities, and the larger world. Tune in to hear about teens who work for change by participating in political campaigns, defying social hierarchies, and even going to war.

The interactive Cube Creator helps students identify and summarize key elements. It can be used as a prewriting or postreading activity.

This tool allows students to create an online K-W-L chart. Saving capability makes it easy for them to start the chart before reading and then return to it to reflect on what they learned.

Puzzle Me Words is a fun, educational game for primary students that reinforces letter sounds and how sounds combine to form words.

This tool guides students through the creation of a resume that can be saved and edited. Written and audio tips provide extra support.

ABC Match is a game that has students practice letter-recognition fluency while honing their memories. Students match initial letters with pictures, playing either with a timer or without.

The Essay Map is an interactive graphic organizer that enables students to organize and outline their ideas for an informational, definitional, or descriptive essay.