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Why Gordon Korman never runs out of ideas

October 16, 2026 · 27 min

Show notes

Since writing his first book at the age of twelve, it's hard to imagine a more prolific writer than Gordon Korman. In nearly five decades of writing for kids and young adults, he's published 107 books, and sold around 35 million copies. He's beloved by readers spanning multiple generations and has become one of the most recognizable names in the middle grade genre. He stops by the studio to discuss how writing for young people has changed over his 50 years in the industry, what makes a character and story memorable and which books have helped shape his life and career. 


Books discussed on this week's show include:

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole


Liked this conversation? Keep listening:

Who is the wimpy kid behind Jeff Kinney’s iconic series?

Inside the Toronto Sceptres’ team book club


Check us out on Instagram @cbcbooks and TikTok @cbcbooks


All episodes of The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing

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