{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/693f42a89278bf5c1cfffc32/69d52dfae257f11e0305c0d9?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Philip Stead Interview: A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic | Reading in the Middle","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/693f42a89278bf5c1cfffc32/1775578464027-e7d80c96-7555-4a9d-a084-6f13368a7e8b.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>In this episode of <em>Reading in the Middle</em>, host Annisha Jeffries sits down with award-winning author Philip Stead to discuss his first middle-grade novel, <em>A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic</em>.</p><p>Best known for <em>A Sick Day for Amos McGee</em>—illustrated by Erin E. Stead, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal—Philip Stead explores storytelling in a completely new way with a novel that begins in the middle, plays with structure, and invites readers to embrace uncertainty.</p><p>In this thoughtful, Fresh Air–style conversation, Annisha and Philip discuss:</p><ul><li>Writing a story “out of order.”</li><li>The meaning behind the book’s 24 morals</li><li>Bernadette, perseverance, and quiet bravery</li><li>Humor, wordplay, and trusting young readers</li><li>How picture book storytelling shaped this novel</li></ul><p><em>A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic</em> is available now—perfect for middle-grade readers, educators, and anyone who loves inventive, heartfelt storytelling.</p><p>🎧 Subscribe to <em>Reading in the Middle</em> for more author interviews, book discussions, and insights into children’s and middle-grade literature.</p>","author_name":"Annisha Jeffries"}