Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
🎧 Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane 🎧
Inspire curiosity. Spark creativity. Fuel a lifelong love of learning.
Are you an educator, librarian, parent, or STEM/STEAM enthusiast looking to make learning come alive for kids? Adventures in Learning with Dr. Diane is your go-to podcast for hands-on, joyful learning that connects STEM/STEAM education, multicultural children's literature, and real-world exploration.
Join Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor, educator and explorer, as she travels the world (literally and virtually!) to bring you conversations with award-winning authors, illustrators, educators, scientists, and STEM leaders. Each episode delivers fresh ideas, engaging stories, and practical tips to inspire early childhood and elementary learners—in the classroom, the library, or at home. Wonder, curiosity, connection, and play -- we bring the world to you!
🌎 Featuring:
- Innovative STEM/STEAM experiences
- Diverse children's book recommendations
- Strategies for inquiry-based, joyful learning through play
- Voices from around the globe that inspire the WOW
🧠 Perfect for:
Early childhood & elementary educators | School librarians | Homeschoolers | Caregivers | STEM/STEAM champions
🔗 Explore featured books: bookshop.org/shop/drdianeadventures
📝 Read full show notes: drdianeadventures.com/blog
💌 Have an idea or guest suggestion? Email: diane@drdianeadventures.com
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Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
Why Kids “Live in Books” -- James Ponti on City Spies: Europa and the Power of Middle Grade Readers
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What happens when a bestselling middle grade author joins you on World Read Aloud Day -- and opens the episode with a live read-aloud from his brand-new release?
In this return conversation, James Ponti celebrates the book birthday of City Spies: Europa (Book 7!) and takes us behind the scenes of what it really takes to write page-turning mystery-adventure that kids don’t just read, they inhabit.
We talk about the research rabbit holes that make a story feel real (including the world's most expensive cup of tea!), the craft of writing dialogue that flows, and why the read aloud shouldn’t stop in early elementary, especially for books that beg to be heard.
You’ll also hear why James believes hope lives in the reader community itself: kids who show up dressed as characters, remember details from five books ago, and prove, again and again, that middle grade readers are powerful.
Favorite Takeaways
- Kids don’t just read books, they live in them.
- The best middle grade is never “dumbed down.” Kids notice everything.
- The read aloud is still one of the strongest tools we have for motivation, stamina, and connection.
- Hope lives in communities of readers who show up, reread, and care deeply.
Timestamps
- 01:46 Special Read Aloud from the first chapter
- 07:43 Behind-the-scenes research and inside jokes that add “richness” to the writing
- 10:46 Middle grade growth: Sydney + Paris, insecurity, and learning to share what we carry
- 12:57 Writing by ear: dialogue, flow, and reading drafts aloud 30+ times
- 15:27 “Kids live in books”: fandom, rereads, deep questions, and catching mistakes
- 28:35 Touring with author friends + building a wider reading life
- 36:39 Hope: readers, community, and stories that model how people solve problems together
- 40:36 What’s next: Sherlock Society: Art Attack (graffiti in Miami!)
Connect + More
- Learn more about James Ponti and check out his appearances on episodes 69, 98, and 119 of the Adventures in Learning podcast
- Check out all of James Ponti's books
- Sign up for Dr. Diane's 365 Day Picture Book Read Aloud calendar
Share this episode
If this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.
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*Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.
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