Messages of Hope: June 2025

Here at the Children’s Book Podcast, where we are purveyors of hope and in community with those cultivating hope for children of all ages. In this new miniseries of indefinite length, I invite my friends from the kidlit community to share what is giving them hope today. 

No matter where you are. No matter what’s going on around you. No matter what is pulling your attention or competing for space in your mind. May these next few minutes offer you rest, peace, and hope.

Hope Ep. 12 - June 7, 2025

Kyle Casey Chu (The Queen Bees of Tybee County) shares what is giving her hope today: young readers. They understand the vast, oceanic multitudes they contain. That they are limitless.

Listen along:

About the Book: The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu. Published by Quill Tree Books.

Better Nate Than Ever meets Dumplin’ in this charming, poignant debut by Kyle Casey Chu, aka Panda Dulce, a founding queen of Drag Story Hour. 

After making the buzzer-beating shot at the Georgia basketball state championships, Derrick Chan becomes the star of Bayard Middle School, and Derrick’s single dad could not be prouder. But there are parts of Derrick that no one knows about, like the toenail polish he wears under his basketball sneakers, his secret lip-sync performances in the bathroom mirror, and the feelings he’s developing for his best friend and teammate, JJ.

As the school year comes to a close, Derrick’s dad takes an out-of-town job and ships Derrick off to spend the summer with his estranged, eccentric grandmother, Claudia. Soon, Claudia introduces Derrick to the world of small-town southern beauty pageants, and Derrick suddenly feels he’s found where he belongs. But when the opportunity arises to compete in the town pageant, Derrick is forced to decide just how much of himself he’s ready to show the world.

Can he learn to love and accept the most unique parts of himself? And what will happen if others—like his father and JJ—can’t do the same? 

Transcript:

Kyle: What gives me hope today is young readers.

They understand the vast oceanic multiple they contain, that they are limitless.

They know they can be basketball players, drag queens, astronauts, concert pianists, queer, trans, straight, ace, Aro, all of these things at once.

They're asking for the world and it is never too much.

For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit https://deepcast.fm/episode/what-gives-kyle-casey-chu-hope

Hope Ep. 13 - June 14, 2025

Menachem Weinreb (The Good Dybbuk) shares what is giving him hope today: That no matter where you come from, you can still become the person you’re meant to be.

Listen along:

About the Book: The Good Dybbuk by Menachem Weinreb.

The Good Dybbuk is a whimsical tale about a mischievous boy who gets possessed by a "good" dybbuk and lessons that are learned.

Transcript:

Menachem: What does hope really look like in a story about a mischievous boy and a dybbuk trying to find peace?

To me, hope is this: That even when a child doesn't follow the exact path their parents envisioned, they are still capable of choosing good. That within every child, especially the one who seems restless, rebellious or misunderstood, there's a spark waiting to shine.

The Good Dybbuk isn't just about a wandering soul. It's about a new generation, one that's strong, smart and sensitive enough to write their own story and still do what's right.

That's the hope I wanted to share: That no matter where you come from, you can still become the person you're meant to be.

For a full transcript, episode takeaways, quotes, and more, visit https://deepcast.fm/episode/what-gives-menachem-weinreb-hope

Be well. Read on. And don’t lose hope.