Reading With Your Kids Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Giving Voice To Lonely Vegetables, & Kids Feb 28, 2024

Show notes

Jessa McLean is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her new children's book series called "The Lonely Series." She discusses her first book, "The Lonely Side of the Christmas Tree," which tells the story of the side of the Christmas tree that faces the wall and doesn't get decorated from its perspective. She aims to use these books to help children who feel lonely by relating them to the characters. Jessa McLean and the host discuss the issue of loneliness among children and the importance of inclusion. They also talk about the benefits of virtual schools like flexibility and work-life balance while still building connections. Jessa provides details about her upcoming book in the series called "The Lonely Vegetables," which will give vegetables a voice to discuss why they are important from their perspective.

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The Spider Who Wanted To Be A Kitten Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

Michelle Knudson and Kevin Hawkes are on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate their new children's book, Luigi, the spider who wanted to be a kitten. Michelle shares how the story was inspired by a real spider she met while staying in a friend's country home. Kevin discusses the challenge of illustrating a spider in a way that would make it appear cute and cuddly. He had to think creatively about how to use Luigi's extra legs to create kitten-like features. Both the author and illustrator enjoyed collaborating on bringing Luigi to life. They hope the story will teach children that it's okay to be yourself and not pretend to be something you're not. Michelle and Kevin appreciate the feedback they received throughout the creative process from editors, art directors, and each other. Listeners are encouraged to check out Luigi, the spider who wanted to be a kitten and other books by these talented creatives.

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How You Become You Feb 25, 2024

Show notes

O'Brien McMahon is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate his new picture book "How You Become You." He discusses how the book aims to provide guidance for both children and parents on figuring out who you are and what you love. It presents a framework of trying new things, reflecting on your experiences, and finding ways to pursue your interests and live according to your beliefs. While entertaining kids with imaginative illustrations, O'Brien hopes the book also resonates with adults. He encourages making reading a collaborative family experience and having meaningful conversations about life lessons from books. The podcast host appreciates O'Brien's message and believes both children and parents can benefit from being fully present and open to wisdom in kids' literature.

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Helping Kids Find Their Hidden Talents Feb 24, 2024

Show notes

Jessica Gold and Brian Werts are on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate Jessica's children's book "The Winner at Being Me." Jessica discusses how the book explores children finding their hidden talents. Brian shares how he brought the characters to life through illustration. Jed reflects on challenges raising two different children and their interests. The guests discuss the importance of finding hobbies to build confidence and self-esteem in kids. Brian emphasizes practicing art daily. Jessica shares her next project with Brian about connecting generations through stickball and technology. They emphasize the value of direct collaboration between authors and illustrators. The conversation concludes with Jessica and Brian promoting literacy and exploring future events together.

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From Feed Sacks to Fine Art Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

Claire Noland is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate the release of her new children's book "Nancy Best Had a Dress." She discusses the story, which takes place during the Great Depression and features illustrations by Angela Hawkins. Claire talks about how the book can spark conversations about sustainability and reusing materials. Host Jed Doherty provides marketing tips for authors, suggesting Claire target niche venues like quilt museums. Claire shares her volunteer work promoting literacy in Nicaragua and building a library. Both encourage supporting libraries and emphasize their importance for communities. They discuss Claire's other works, including "The Raven's Gift" and "Ev's Field Day," now available in Spanish. Claire invites listeners to learn more about her books and literacy efforts on her website and Instagram.

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Turning Anxiety Into Pixie Tales Feb 21, 2024

Show notes

Erica Richmond is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate the release of her debut children's book, Pixie and the Bees. She discusses how the story came from her own experience with anxiety, which she describes as feeling like buzzing bees inside her body. Erica shares strategies she uses to manage anxiety, such as exercise, breathwork, and mindfulness. Jed Doherty and Erica discuss the importance of teaching children these self-care strategies proactively.

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The Truth About Middle School Friendships No One Will Talk About Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Barbara Dee is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her new middle grade novel Unstuck. She discusses how the novel explores the challenges a 7th grader named Lila faces with family turmoil as her older sister resists college and the loss of her best friend. Barbara emphasizes using humor to make serious topics more palatable for middle grade readers. She reflects on how her own children's experiences with changing friendships influenced the story. Both Barbara and host Jed Doherty agree that reading books together allows parents and children opportunities for important conversations about resilience when dealing with difficult situations. They encourage sharing the reading experience as a way to build stronger relationships and foster communication between parents and kids.

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The Presidents Decoded! Feb 18, 2024

Show notes

Katie Kennedy is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her books "US Presidents Decoded" and "US Constitution Decoded". She discusses how the books use primary sources like letters and documents to help readers understand American history. Kennedy explains key concepts like primary, secondary, and tertiary sources to the host. They discuss the founding fathers and Constitution, with Kennedy arguing against replacing the document. Kennedy encourages learning local history and one's family roots. She shares interesting facts about presidents like Ulysses S. Grant's love of horses. The host praises how the books can educate both children and parents. Kennedy hopes the books will spark curiosity in history and encourages exploring primary sources to think critically about issues.

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Bee Coming Strong Feb 17, 2024

Show notes

Anandamayi Baker is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her award winning #ChildrensBook Bee Coming Strong. The book tells the story of a tiny little bee and her journey of overcoming bullying and low self-esteem with the help of her queen bee. Baker was inspired to write the book after observing how disconnected children have become from nature, and the anxiety many experienced during the pandemic. Jedlie and Baker discussed the importance of connecting children to nature to help reduce anxiety. They emphasized slowing down and paying attention to small things in nature. Baker shared how observing bees' curiosity inspired her book to teach kindness to those seen as different. Both felt empowering children's sense of self-worth and creativity is important. Baker plans to write more books and start a nature-focused newsletter to continue sharing these messages.

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Lola And The Trolls Feb 15, 2024

Show notes

Connie Schultz is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her debut children's picture book, Lola and the Troll. The book addresses the themes of bullying and self-esteem through the story of a little girl named Lola who is bullied by a neighborhood troll. With the help of her friend Mrs. B, Lola learns to embrace her uniqueness. Schultz drew inspiration for the book from her experiences battling trolls on social media. Both speakers emphasized the importance of having conversations with children about topics like bullying, self-esteem, love, and media literacy. They agreed that girls especially are negatively impacted by online abuse. Schultz discussed the challenges of writing her first children's book but enjoyed the process of learning something new.

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