The Reader's Heart | Guest: Katherine Marsh

In this conversation, Jennifer LaGarde and Katherine Marsh discuss the power of children's literature and the influence it has on shaping readers' hearts. They explore Katherine's own reader's heart and how it informs her writing. They also delve into the themes and characters of Katherine's book, Medusa, and the importance of representation and empathy in literature. They discuss the challenges of getting kids to read and the need for books that cater to different reading levels and interests. Finally, they touch on Katherine's upcoming projects and the role of books in mother-daughter relationships.

Show notes, including a discount code for purchasing the books mentioned in this episode from Bookelicious, can be found here. 

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

 

01:12 Katherine's Reader's Heart

 

05:02 The Importance of Middle Grade Literature

 

06:25 Representation and Empathy in Books

 

09:10 Book Talk: Medusa

 

16:10 The Characters of Medusa

 

21:32 Ava's Character Development

 

23:51 Mother-Daughter Relationships in Medusa

 

24:12 Medusa as a Read-Aloud

 

28:26 Writing for Different Reading Levels

 

29:22 Motivating Kids to Read

 

33:01 Upcoming Projects

 

36:06 Conclusion