Best Caldecott Podcasts (2025)

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148 - The Sumach by Ulric Daubeny 33:38

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6h ago33:38

33:38

At the height of summer, as something deep in the soil stirs, one old tree's leaves are already turning red - find out why in this seminal tale of folk horror from Ulric Daubeny!

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147 - Dreams of Yith by Duane W. Rimel 17:53

12d ago17:53

17:53

A cycle of sonnets detailing weird dreams of a strange alien world of the Cthulhu Mythos, written by Duane W. Rimel, with guidance from both H. P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith.

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146 - The Gate of the Dead by Jim Moon 51:53

1M ago51:53

51:53

The second part of a strange tale unearthed from the mysterious vaults of the Great Library of Dreams - a memoir of boyhood summer in a very different 1970s... one where the dead walk!

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145 - Beating the Bounds by Jim Moon 35:05

1M ago35:05

35:05

In this episode, we begin a two part tale unearthed from the mysterious vaults of the Great Library of Dreams - a memoir of boyhood summer in a very different 1970s...

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144 - The Other Gods by HP Lovecraft 22:41

2M ago22:41

22:41

Another tale from the fantastical Dreamlands of HP Lovecraft!

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FROM THE GREAT LIBRARY OF DREAMS 143 - Negotium Perambulans by EF Benson 46:36

2M ago46:36

46:36

A tale of summers spent in a sleepy Cornish village where an ancient church holds a sinister and deadly secret...

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142 - X Marks the Pedwalk by Fritz Leiber 20:13

3M ago20:13

20:13

A darkly humorous science fiction tale of a dystopian future where road rage is a way of life!

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Ep. 144 Nina Mata on her debut picture NEW, family and writing for celebrities 40:34

3M ago40:34

40:34

In this episode, I chat with the insightful Nina Mata—author of A Place for Fire and The Legend of the Hummingbird. We dive into her journey as a writer, debut children's book NEW, the cultural roots that inspire her stories, and how nature, family, and heritage intertwine in her work. Nina shares her thoughts on crafting stories that celebrate res…

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141 - Some Very Important News 17:47

3M ago17:47

17:47

Some very important news concerning your host and the future of the show...

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140 - Sonata in D Minor by Sir Andrew Caldecott 38:47

3M ago38:47

38:47

A very early tale of cursed media - a story from 1944 concerning a vinyl record which has decidedly sinister effects on the listener ...

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139 - Sredni Vashtar by Saki 20:00

4M ago20:00

20:00

A sinister but darkly humorous tale of a small boy and his unusual pet, which may, or may not, be a god...

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138 - I Mars by Ray Bradbury 35:16

4M ago35:16

35:16

A tale of a lone man stranded on Mars with only himself for company, and one that now reads like a prediction of the perils of chatbots and AI

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Ep. 143 Betty C. Tang on Parachute Kids, Identity, and Growing Up Immigrant 39:17

4M ago39:17

39:17

In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant Betty C. Tang—author and illustrator of the powerful graphic novel Parachute Kids. We talk about her childhood, the real-life inspirations behind her work, and how identity, immigration, and family shaped the heart of her storytelling. Betty opens up about the emotional roots of Parachute Kids and what…

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137 - Mr Lupescu by Anthony Boucher 19:50

5M ago19:50

19:50

An eerie tale of a child's imaginary friend, who may not be as harmless as he first appears...

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136 - The Haunted Palace by Edgar Allan Poe 13:10

5M ago13:10

13:10

An eerie poem from Edgar Allan Poe, recited by mad Roderick Usher in the classic tale The Fall of the House of Usher.

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135 - Nice Weather For Ducks by Jim Moon 49:01

5M ago49:01

49:01

This week a folk horror tale from Mr Moon himself - some Youtubers explore a ruined tower on a remote island in Northumbria, and discover that it is not as deserted as it first appears...

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134 - The Tomb of Sarah by FG Loring 44:08

6M ago44:08

44:08

Restoration work in an old church accidentally releases an ancient horror in this classic Victorian vampire tale!

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EP.142 Quartez Harris chats NEW BOOK and what happen on his writing journey 47:36

6M ago47:36

47:36

Quartez Harris, a poet and teaching artist whose work has earned him numerous accolades, including the Ohio Poetry Association’s Poet of the Year for his collection We Made it to School Alive. Quartez is set to release his debut picture book, Go Tell It: How James Baldwin Became a Writer, with Little Brown in January 2025. Born in Springfield, Ohio…

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133 - The Empty House by Algernon Blackwood 49:31

6M ago49:31

49:31

A classic eerie tale from Mr Algernon Blackwood concerning a vigil held in an allegedly haunted house

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Ep. 141 Lit Agent TELLS ALL about the industry, and what's it like to edit manuscripts 32:19

6M ago32:19

32:19

I’m excited to introduce you to Jenissa Graham, a Literary Agent at BookEnds Literary Agency. Jenissa began her publishing career at Writers House, starting as an intern and working her way up to the Subrights department as the Global Licensing and Media Rights Assistant. In 2022, she joined BookEnds Literary as an Associate Agent and Subrights Man…

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EP.140 Jess is a public health professor, but in all her free time, she's a passionate artist. 43:56

7M ago43:56

43:56

I had the pleasure of speaking with Jess Owens-Young. By day, Jess is a public health professor, but in all her free time, she’s a passionate artist. Her work beautifully captures the essence of living as a Black person in the U.S., exploring various dimensions of Black life through acrylics, oil pastels, and inks. Jess also creates digital illustr…

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132 - The Death of Halpin Frayser by Ambrose Bierce 51:28

7M ago51:28

51:28

A strange gothic nightmare of a tale from Mr Ambrose Bierce!

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EP.139 Black Muslim author, Rahma Mohamed shares story growing up in Canada 26:07

7M ago26:07

26:07

I talk to Rahma Mohamed, who was born and raised in Hargeisa, Somaliland. At just eight years old, her family immigrated to Canada, where they settled in Quebec. Rahma faced many challenges as she entered her first formal school, grappling with the French language while being the only Black Muslim girl in her class. Despite experiencing bullying, s…

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131 - The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe 35:42

7M ago35:42

35:42

An experiment in mesmerism yields eerie and horrifying results!

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Celephaïs by HP Lovecraft 29:37

8M ago29:37

29:37

For our first tale for the new year, we have a trip to a fantastic Dreamlands of HP Lovecraft, in the classic weird tale Celephaïs.

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129 - The Experiment by MR James 24:43

8M ago24:43

24:43

For our final tale for the festive season, a ghost story for New Year's Eve by the great MR James, an eerie tale of dark deeds and dangerous magic.

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128 - The Everlasting Lights 36:31

8M ago36:31

36:31

For our last ghost story for Christmas, a tale from Jim Moon himself, the tale of a little village with a curious Christmas tradition involving an old churchyard yew tree...

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127 - Between the Lights by EF Benson 38:56

9M ago38:56

38:56

For our third ghost story for Christmas, we have a tale from EF Benson which begins with a Yuletide gathering where the gathered guests are telling ghost stories...

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126 - A Strange Christmas Game by Charlotte Riddell 32:45

9M ago32:45

32:45

For our second ghost story for the Yuletide season we have the tale of haunted country house in A Strange Christmas Game by Charlotte Riddell

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125 - Mrs Lunt by Hugh Walpole 47:04

9M ago47:04

47:04

December is upon us and hence it is the season for Yuletide ghost stories. And we begin with a tale from Mr Hugh Walpole, the story of an eerie Christmas spent in an old house in snowy Cornwall...

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124 - The Frontier Guards by HR Wakefield 25:13

9M ago25:13

25:13

An eerie tale for the frosty and foggy days of November! In this classic chiller, HR Wakefield takes us on a visit to a notoriously haunted house whose permanent residents are particularly hostile...

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123 - Pickman's Model by HP Lovecraft 50:46

10M ago50:46

50:46

The classic tale from HP Lovecraft concerning the brilliant but deeply unsettling paintings of Mr Richard Upton Pickman...

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122 - They Go to the Fire by Jim Moon 23:38

10M ago23:38

23:38

An eerie tale for Hallowe'en night, very much in the spirit of Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson, by Mr Jim Moon himself

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EP.138 Hanna Cha Caldecott Honor Award-Winning Illustrator and Writer & Illustrator 31:05

10M ago31:05

31:05

Hanna Cha, a Caldecott Honor award-winning illustrator and writer known for her enchanting storytelling through art. Hanna shares her journey from a vagabond life between Seoul and the U.S. to becoming the creator of beloved books like *Tiny Feet Between the Mountains* and *The Truth about Dragons*. Learn about her creative process and what inspire…

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121 - Man-size in Marble by E Nesbit 43:36

10M ago43:36

43:36

In this dark tale from E Nesbit, a young couple move out to a quiet country village, which is home to a very sinister Hallowe'en night legend...

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EP.137 Nikki Grimes Rhymes and Reasons: Exploring Children's Poetry 36:52

10M ago36:52

36:52

Nikki Grimes was born in Harlem and spent her childhood moving through various neighborhoods in New York. As a foster child from a broken home, she faced constant farewells to new friends. In this challenging environment, reading and writing became her lifelines. When she had no one to confide in, Grimes poured her thoughts and feelings into poems …

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120 - Halloween in a Suburb by HP Lovecraft 9:56

10M ago9:56

9:56

A classic poem for Hallowe'en by the great HP Lovecraft

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119 - Lisheen by Frederick Cowles 35:42

11M ago35:42

35:42

A vintage tale of folk horror by Mr Frederick Cowles, in which a clergyman in rural Cornwall discovers secret rites held in ancient ruins on Hallowe'en night.

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EP. 136 Jason Reynolds on Finding Strength in Vulnerability: Discussion on 24 Seconds From Now 43:34

11M ago43:34

43:34

Jason Reynolds shares his thoughts on life, the transformative power of storytelling, and the deep influence of his mother throughout his journey. We dive into his latest work, 24 Seconds from Now, which he describes as a love story for the ages, highlighting the intricate connections between love, identity, and personal growth. Our conversation ex…

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EP. 135 Banned Books, Life and Samira Ahmed 46:38

11M ago46:38

46:38

Samira Ahmed discusses her new book, This Book Won't Burn, which explores family life and the alarming issue of book bans in America. In this episode, Ahmed dives into the importance of storytelling and the challenges faced by diverse voices in today's literary world. She reflects on her experiences growing up in a multicultural family and how thos…

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118 - Mrs Amworth by EF Benson 47:37

11M ago47:37

47:37

To begin the spooky season a chilling tale from EF Benson, which reaches its terrifying climax in the month of October...

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FROM THE GREAT LIBRARY OF DREAMS 117 - Dickon the Devil by Sheridan le Fanu 33:42

11M ago33:42

33:42

A tale by the man considered by none other than MR James to be the master of the ghost story - Sheridan le Fanu. In this autumnal story, we discover a rural Lancashire yarn that is more than a legend...

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116 - The Cadaver of Bishop Louis by Frederick Cowles 37:50

12M ago37:50

37:50

A haunting tale in the tradition of MR James, concerning a curious and macabre church monument and the dark secrets it hides...

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115 - An Evening's Entertainment by MR James 38:33

1y ago38:33

38:33

While we often associate the ghost stories of MR James with winter and old colleges, he did write a wide variety of tales, and tonight we have one that may be considered early folk horror, taking place in the heart of the countryside in the summertime...

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114 - The Flowering of the Strange Orchid by HG Wells 28:32

1y ago28:32

28:32

A tale of botanical terror from HG Wells, concerning a highly unusual and indeed hostile rare plant!

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EP. 134 Me & Mama author/illustrator Cozbi A. Cabrera talks poetry, life and Read Alouds 27:46

1y ago27:46

27:46

Cozbi A. Cabrera: Illustrating and Writer for Young Readers with Representation in Mind Acclaimed children's book author and illustrator Cozbi Cabrera takes us on a journey through her creative process, sharing intimate moments from her childhood that have deeply influenced her goal of providing authentic representation for young readers through he…

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EP. 133 Michael Arceneaux on Family, Loss & His Book I Finally Bought Some Jordans | Full Episode 33:40

1y ago33:40

33:40

Michael Arceneaux shares COPING WITH LOSS of his mother and the essays in his new book "I Finally Bought Some Jordans" that reflect on his close relationship with his mom and the complexities of family. Arceneaux discusses the mix of humor and heavy issues in his writing, including topics like personal finance, celebrity encounters, and navigating …

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113 - The Horror of the Heights by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 51:16

1y ago51:16

51:16

Another tale of giant monsters from the great Sir Arthur Conan Doyle! In this chiller we learn of the monstrous creatures lurking in the upper stratosphere!

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EP. 132 Tony Keith Jr. and HOW THE BOOGEYMAN BECAME A POET 49:02

1y ago49:02

49:02

Poet, writer, and educator Dr. Tony Keith Jr. makes his debut with a powerful YA memoir in verse, tracing his journey from being a closeted gay Black teen battling poverty, racism, and homophobia to becoming an openly gay first-generation college student who finds freedom in poetry. The audio experience is a true delight, with Tony's writing and na…

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EP. 131 CHILDREN'S BOOK CAN REALLY change the world with Gracey Zhang | It's Personal 28:08

1y ago28:08

28:08

Artist and author Gracey Zhang shares insights into her diverse creative portfolio and the personal experiences that have shaped her art and writing. From her early days exploring the world through her travels, to her immersion in the vibrant art scene at one of the top art schools in the world, Gracey's path to artistic success has been a winding …