Reading With Your Kids Podcast

Latest Episodes:

How Does Our Food Grow? Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

Brooke Jorden is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her new #ChildrensBook How Does Our Food Grow? Brooke tells Jedlie and our guest co-host Anne O'Leary that she partnered with the UN organization Kitchen Connection to create a tool for parents to talk to their kids about food. The book grew out of the philosophy that talking to your kids about food (where it comes from, what it does in your body, etc.) will allow them to build a healthy relationship with food that will last a lifetime. The book shows children growing and eating many different fruits, vegetables, and grains, and encourages curiosity in eating new things.

Click here to visit the HDOFG page at Familius - https://www.familius.com/book/how-does-our-food-grow/

Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com

Life Lessons From My Dad Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

Kevin Martin is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate his new book, "All is Well." The book is both autobiographical and biographical, revolving around Kevin's father, who passed away from ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in 2019. Kevin shares how he coped with grief by keeping a journal, which eventually evolved into this heartwarming book about their close relationship, growing up in South Boston, and finding their best selves as a family. It's a story of faith, savoring life's moments, and fulfilling bucket list items, all with a focus on building legacy and living life to the fullest. Kevin's father was born in Boston and was a humble, gentle man who lived his faith through subtle actions and kindness towards others. He taught Kevin valuable lessons about unconditional love, faith, and the importance of education. The book delves into topics like forgiveness, not living with regrets, and building strong family bonds. Throughout the conversation, Kevin and Jedlie discuss the power of modeling behavior for children, especially when it comes to reading, community engagement, and embracing the concept of family, which can encompass a wide range of relationships. Kevin admits that writing the book surprised him, as he discovered deeper insights into the lessons his father taught him, including the value of forgiveness and self-acceptance. He shares that we should cherish our imperfections and remember that none of us is perfect, just like his father, who had a calming presence and worked to maintain good relationships with his family. "All is Well" takes its name from the last words Kevin's father wrote on a yellow legal pad during his final days at the hospital. The book beautifully captures the essence of contentment and a life well-lived.

Click here to find Kevin's Book On Amazon - https://amzn.to/472mLdk

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

Celebrating The New York City Marathon Jul 29, 2023

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Leslie Kimmelman is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her new #Childrens #PictureBook Ready, Set, Run. Leslie tells us this book is a celebration of the New York City Marathon, the World's largest Marathon. Leslie talks about the fun and welcoming atmosphere that surrounds the NYC Marathon, how is winds its way through all five borroughs of the city, the incredible detirmination it takes to compete in the event and how the event is open to all people. Leslie also talks about the many happy years she spent working on Sesame Street.

Click here to visit Leslie's website - https://www.lesliekimmelman.com/

Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com

Grampa's Window Jul 27, 2023

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Laura Gayle returns to the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her latest book, "Grandpa's Window." Laura shares her inspiration behind the book, her experiences with grief, and the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Laura tells us that the book was written after her mother's passing, as the first grandparent death her four kids experienced. She highlights the challenges of finding the right balance of emotions, including love, sadness, grief, and hope, which resonates with kids and families navigating the grieving process. Laura talks about the beautiful intergenerational friendship that exists between grandparents and grandchildren. She highlights how these relationships involve a different kind of friendship than those with peers, marked by love, trust, and shared interests.

Click here to visit Laura's website – www.LauraGayle.com

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

How To Speak Spanglish Jul 26, 2023

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Monica Mancillas is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her children's book "How to Speak in Spanglish." The book celebrates the beauty of bilingualism and explores the joys and challenges of growing up in a multicultural environment. Monica shares her personal experiences and insights, highlighting the benefits of raising bilingual children and breaking down misconceptions about code-switching. Monica affirms the value of raising bilingual children, dispelling the common myth that mixing languages will hinder language fluency. She emphasizes that children who speak multiple languages often perform better academically and gain valuable cultural connections. Monica tells us about her own upbringing in California, where she spoke Spanish as a child but gradually transitioned to English due to environmental factors. She candidly discusses her feelings of shame and embarrassment about not being fluent in Spanish. The discussion dives into the benefits of bilingualism, including enhanced cognitive abilities and improved communication skills.

Click here to visit Monica's website – https://www.monicamancillas.com/

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

Make A Move Sunny Park Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Jessica Kim is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her middle-grade novel, "Make a Move, Sunny Park." Jessica tells us the main character of her novel is Sunny Park, a 12-year-old Korean American who loves dancing. "Make a Move" is a friendship story that explores Sunny's struggles with social anxiety and her passion for Kpop and dance. Jessica says she wanted to write for shy and socially anxious girls, offering a relatable main character. As a people pleaser herself, she wanted to address the struggle of finding one's courage and saying no when needed. Jessica also speaks about the power books have to serve as a window that enables kids to have a look inside a culture they may not be familiar with.

Click here to visit Jessica's website – www.JessKimWrites.com

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

Out Of The Blue Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

Nic Yulo returns to the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her brand new #PictureBook, "Out of the Blue." Nic tells us about her creative process, inspirations, and the message behind her latest book. "Out Of The Blue" revolves around Coral, a small and quiet girl on a school field trip to an aquarium, where she discovers a tiny, overlooked creature named Kraken. As the plot unfolds, Coral learns to embrace her uniqueness and find her voice. Nic reveals that her love for the ocean and fascination with marine life inspired the main characters of the book, Coral and Kraken. As a self-proclaimed nerd, she shares her admiration for octopuses and the various species she researched while creating the story. The desire to portray the beauty and mystery of the ocean influenced the inclusion of marine creatures in the narrative. We also talk about being seen, which is a prevalent topic in "Out of the Blue." Nic discusses how she wanted to explore the feelings of invisibility and how they can resonate with readers, especially children. The character Coral's journey of self-discovery and gaining confidence is a relatable experience for introverted kids and those who feel overlooked. Nick also speaks about her artistic journey, sharing how she initially considered herself primarily an illustrator before a painting professor encouraged her to explore writing. Nic reveals her love for creating various forms of art, including filmmaking, game writing, and more. She shares her excitement for branching narrative games, where choices made by players impact the story. Drawing parallels between interactive storytelling in games and interactive reading experiences for kids, Nick emphasizes the importance of engaging children's imagination.

Click here to visit Nic's website – www.NicYulo.com

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

Since The Baby Came Jul 22, 2023

Show notes

Kathleen Long Bostrom is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate her new #ChildrensBook "Since the Baby Came: A Siblings' Learning to Love Story." Kathleen tells us the inspiration for the book is the emotional roller coaster older siblings experience when a new baby arrives. Older siblings may feel excitement, jealousy, and uncertainty during this new phase of family life and that all these emotions are normal and should be acknowledged. Kathleen also tells us how she wanted to make poetry fun and accessible for young children. The book consists of 16 different poems that tell a complete story, using various poetic formats. Kathleen hopes this book will have a long shelf life as children grow older and can relate to different parts of the story.

Click here to visit Kathleen's website - www.kathleenlongbostrom.com

Click here to visit our website – www.readingwithyourkids.com

Fried Rica And Marinara Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

NFL Network Correspondent and Sirius Radio Host Michael Yam is on the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast to celebrate his #childrens #picturebook "Fried Rice and Marinara." Michael tells us that this project started as a response to his cousins seeking diverse children's books for their mixed-race children. The book celebrates his Chinese and Italian heritage, with a young character named Mikey facing the dilemma of choosing between his two favorite cuisines for his birthday party. We discuss the significance of positive representation in children's literature, providing "mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors" that allow kids to see themselves and others in a positive light. Michael highlights the lack of diversity in children's stories and hopes that his book will help cultivate a path for storytelling as a viable career for young Asian children. Michael shares personal stories, emphasizing the unifying power of food in diverse families and the beautiful fusion of cultures that can happen around the dinner table. The book encourages kids to embrace their unique cultural backgrounds while appreciating the similarities that bind us all together.

Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com

Don't Say No To H2O! Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

In this episode of the #ReadingWithYourKids #Podcast we welcome Katie Krause, author of the children's book "Don't Say No to H2O: Water Is So Good." Katie shares the inspiration behind her book, which stems from her own struggles with drinking water throughout her life. She talks about her journey in writing the book and the importance of encouraging children and adults to drink more water for their health and overall well-being. "Don't Say No to H2O" follows the story of a young girl who refuses to drink water, no matter how much her parents encourage her. She prefers flavored drinks like milk and juice but shuns water altogether. However, as she grows older, she starts to understand the benefits of drinking water and eventually embraces it as an essential part of her life. The book aims to spread the message of the importance of drinking water in an enjoyable and relatable way.

Katie shares that becoming a children's author was not on her original bucket list, but the inspiration struck her one day, leading her to write the book. She talks about her background in writing and her work in the biotechnology field, where she aims to help patients with medications. Encouraged by positive feedback, Katie reveals that she is working on her second book, "I Love You, My Child," which emphasizes unconditional love between parents and children and promotes diversity and representation.

As someone with a physical disability herself, Katie discusses the importance of normalizing conversations about disabilities and differences. She appreciates both perspectives shared by two moms in previous episodes, one who encourages questions and another who focuses on building friendships first. Katie highlights the significance of acknowledging the person first and finding common ground before addressing disabilities.

Click here to visit our website - www.readingwithyourkids.com

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