Art, Ancestors, and the Stories We Share With Kids

In this warm and thoughtful episode of Reading With Your Kids, we're treated to two beautiful celebrations of art, family, and our relationship with the world around us. First, Jed talks with Steph Littlebird, author-illustrator of You Are the Land. Steph shares how her debut picture book explores a child's deep connection to the land, rooted in Indigenous, place-based identity in the Pacific Northwest. She explains that in her culture, the land is a relative, not a resource—mountains, hills, and rivers are family. By helping kids see themselves as part of nature rather than separate from it, Steph hopes to give young readers the emotional and cultural tools they'll need to face the climate crisis with a sense of connection and responsibility. She also describes the challenge and joy of distilling big, abstract ideas into fewer than 500 words, relying on rich, colorful artwork to carry much of the meaning. Next, Jed welcomes Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, author-illustrator of Two Artists, Granddad and Me. This deeply personal picture book is a loving tribute to her grandfather, the legendary illustrator Jerry Pinkney. Charnelle invites listeners into his studio, where music always played and art supplies surrounded them, and where she first learned watercolor from him. She talks about growing up in a family of artists and authors, the magic of intergenerational friendships, and helping kids realize that they, too, are artists with their own stories to tell. Her process—mixing collage, watercolor, and even photos of her real art tools—honors her grandfather while expressing her own voice.

On this lively episode of Reading With Your Kids, host Jed Doherty welcomes two fantastic guests who are using story to spark big conversations with kids and families. First up is Shana Tartogsz, author of the middle grade fantasy The Under Wild: Relic of Thieves. Shana takes us deep into her richly imagined world, where the realm of the living and the realm of the dead are separated by wild, shifting landscapes and mythical creatures. We meet Anya, a living girl dealing with the heartbreak of her best friend moving away, and learn how her story connects with Senka, the underworld-dwelling apprentice from Book One. Shana shares how her childhood fascination with Greek mythology, from Cerberus to Pegasus to Persephone, inspired the series—and how she loves flipping classic myths on their heads to ask new "what if?" questions that families can explore together. Then Jed is joined by Tiffany Obeng, attorney, mom, and powerhouse behind Sugar Cookie Books. Tiffany introduces her clever chapter book series Fairy Tales Versus, where famous stories head to court. In The Three Pigs vs. The Wolf and Goldilocks vs. The Three Bears, kids see both sides presented before Judge Olivia Odemere, an owl who's smart, thoughtful, and a little unsure of herself—just like real people. Through playful legal battles, Tiffany helps kids think about fairness, perspective, and the idea that there's always more to the story. Together, these conversations celebrate the power of books to open doors: to ancient myths, to big ideas like justice, and to meaningful family discussions that go far beyond the final page.

Latin Grammy–nominated musician and debut picture book author Sonia de los Santos joins Jed to talk about birds, borders, and the magic of bilingual stories. Sonia shares the inspiration behind her new picture book La Golondrina, based on her song of the same name. The story follows a young girl who becomes fascinated with swallow birds while visiting her grandmother, and slowly begins to see her own migration story reflected in their long journeys. Sonia connects this to her real life, growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, then moving to the New York City area to pursue musical theater, eventually finding her calling making music for children and families. She and Jed swap bird stories (including a backyard turkey named Stella), talk about performing in less‑than‑glamorous multipurpose rooms, and celebrate the joy of seeing every child's face during school concerts. Sonia explains how her music evolved into books, how it feels to let an illustrator "finish" her story visually, and why she's committed to creating bilingual, welcoming spaces where all kids and families feel seen. They dive into big themes—migration, identity, empathy, and the courage to speak a second language (and make mistakes out loud!). Sonia also teases that La Golondrina is the first in a three‑book series, "Books That Sing / Libros que cantan", complete with lyrics, chords, and a QR code so families can read and sing together. Plus, we take a listen back to a conversation we had with children's music legend Raffi during his tour to promote his Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times project and his lifelong commitment to honoring and respecting children.

Join Jedlie for a heartfelt, high‑energy double feature celebrating the power of stories, family, and big feelings. First up, speech therapist and children's author Kimberly Delude chats about her picture book series "Freddie the Fly." Freddie is a lovable little fly who struggles with listening, reading nonverbal cues, and social skills. Kimberly shares how a single bored student in grad school inspired her to create fun, kid‑friendly stories instead of dry, adult‑focused "do this, don't do that" materials. She and Jed dive into why reading with kids builds vocabulary, confidence, and connection, why we shouldn't "dumb down" words in children's books, and how parents being honest about their own struggles can make kids feel less alone. They also touch on selective mutism, the magic of a child finally speaking, and Kimberly's tech‑savvy modern fairy tale "Digital Red." Then we head to Southern California with Wanda Arlene Barajas, author of "Benny the Brave: A Story of Love, Loss and Learning." Inspired by her real rescue dog who loses a front leg, Wanda's book gently helps kids explore fear, sadness, frustration, and hope. She and Jed talk about preparing kids for life's hard changes before they happen, coping in healthy ways, and how one accident pushed her to finally pursue her dream of writing. Wanda also celebrates the rich, family‑centered culture of Puerto Rico and teases her upcoming book "Karina and Sabi: A Journey to the Heart of Cidra," which spotlights an endangered local dove and the importance of caring for our world. A warm, inspiring episode for anyone who loves kids, books, dogs, or Puerto Rico.

In this heartfelt and adventurous episode, Jed welcomes Jessica Collins and Lisa Malamed to celebrate their upcoming picture book Where's Big Dog: A Story of Loss and Love. Inspired by Jessica's beloved golden doodle Lucy, the book gently helps children and adults navigate the loss of a pet. Jessica and Lisa share sweet, funny memories of Lucy—like how she'd jingle her collar instead of barking to wake Lisa up—and talk about how deeply pets become part of the family. They explain that the dogs in the book aren't named or gendered so any reader can see their own pet in the story. Though it began as a way to help Jessica's young daughter process her first big loss, the book has resonated just as strongly with adults and is designed to work almost like a sympathy card for pet grief. Above all, it lands not on sadness, but on love. Later, Jed is joined by Ellen Cochran, author of the riveting middle grade narrative nonfiction Follow the Water: The Unbelievable True Story of a Teenager's Survival in the Amazon. Ellen tells the astonishing real-life story of Juliane Koepcke, who survived a plane crash, fell two miles strapped to her seat, and then trekked alone for 11 days through the Amazon using the survival knowledge taught by her scientist parents. Ellen weaves Juliane's story with rich details about Amazon wildlife and science, aiming to fire up kids' curiosity about STEM, nature, and what real scientific thinking looks like in action.

Reading With Your Kids" welcomes two wonderful guests who celebrate the magic of stories, family, and imagination. First, New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff joins Jed to talk about her new middle grade fantasy, The After Myth. Tracy shares how the excitement of a new book release never fades, especially when a story is as personal as this one. She reveals that her heroine Penelope and sidekick Fifi are secretly based on her real-life college best friend and herself. Tracy describes The After Myth as a Greek‑mythology‑inspired adventure set at Naximanders Academy, where Penelope expects to be sorted into the Athena hall like generations of her family—but ends up somewhere completely different. Along the way, the book reexamines the myth of Pandora's Box and asks whether we've been blaming the wrong person all these years. Tracy also gives a fun peek into her creative process, from story "bibles" and giant bulletin boards to rewriting her opening chapters over and over until the story finally clicks. Next, Jed chats with author and publisher Eric G. Reid about his heartwarming picture book Dad, Someone Took the Moon. Inspired by a sarcastic comment from his teenage son at the bus stop, the book became a tender keepsake filled with "easter eggs" from his son's childhood. Eric and Jed talk about the joy of reading aloud, how picture books can still move teens and adults, and what it's really like to publish children's books today—including illustrations, AI, and supporting indie bookstores.

On this episode, I welcome Andrea Goldner, affectionately known as Nanni Andi, to talk about her picture book Nanni Andi and Our Adventure to All Friends Park and her lifelong work as a nanny. Andrea shares how, after raising her own kids, she went "back" into childcare because it's what she truly loves and does best. Calling herself a "new wave Mary Poppins," she explains why reading to children from newborn age is so powerful: it builds vocabulary, confidence, and, most importantly, a deep emotional bond. Andrea describes how her stories prepare kids for real-world experiences—like going to the park, zoo, or museum—so that when they finally get there, it's not scary or overwhelming. Through Nanni Andi, kids already "know" the swings, the slide, or the elephant at the zoo. She's passionate about getting caregivers off the bench (and off their phones) to actually play, push the swings, catch kids at the bottom of the slide, and read together. That's also why she's created matching coloring books—so children can "re-create" their own day at the park and reinforce what they've read. Andrea talks about the joy of walking up to a house and seeing kids waiting excitedly in the window, the respect that comes from treating children as real partners, and how she's now training other nannies and coaching families on how to hire and support great caregivers. In the second half of the show, I'm joined by Ben Gundersheimer (Mister G) to chat about his picture book How Many Squirrels Are in the World?, his bilingual music, love of nature, and his mission to get families off screens and back into the real world—together.

In this episode, Jed welcomes third grade teacher and debut picture book author Alex Friedrichs to talk about his heartwarming new book, Sweet Rescue. Alex shares how the story was born in the most surprising way—a 4 AM dream that sent him and his wife straight to the coffee pot so he could get the idea down before it disappeared. That dream later became the basis for a story his team created on the Amazon kids' show Play-Doh Squished, where judges said it "sounds like a movie," and eventually evolved into his published picture book. Alex introduces us to Hungry Joe, a ravenous little caterpillar who follows an irresistible smell, gets himself stuck in a gooey pie, and needs help from his big sister Becky Butterfly and their friends to escape a hungry raven. Through this simple, fun adventure, Alex weaves in big themes: teamwork, family love, kindness, and standing by each other—perfect for conversations around Valentine's Day and beyond. Drawing on his 31 years in the classroom, he also talks passionately about the importance of early literacy, why third grade is a crucial turning point for reading, and how nightly read-alouds create both skills and lifelong memories. In the second half of the episode, Jed chats with Christina Christian, former American Idol Season 1 top 10 finalist and author of I Believe in Me, Do You Believe in You? Christina explains how a simple confidence-boosting poem she wrote for her son grew into a picture book that helps kids build self-belief, resilience, and a positive inner narrative, even when life doesn't go as planned.

On this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we're celebrating two very different – but wonderfully complementary – books for young readers. First, Jed talks with Maria Dolores Aguila, author of the middle grade novel in verse "The Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez." Maria shares the powerful true story behind her book: the 1931 Lemon Grove incident in California, when Mexican and Mexican American children were illegally segregated into a makeshift "school" in a converted barn. Their families organized, chose Roberto Alvarez as the lead plaintiff, and won a court case that reintegrated the school – more than 20 years before Brown v. Board of Education. Maria explains how family research led her to discover her own connection to Mexican repatriation, and why so much of this history has been forgotten. She also talks about writing the story in free verse to make it accessible, especially for reluctant readers, and describes the deeply engaged reactions she sees when she visits Title I schools in San Diego and shares this local, living history with kids. Then Jed welcomes David McMullin, a former musical theater performer turned children's author, to talk about his joyful new board book "Rock and Roll, Baby." Inspired by the classic lullaby "Rock-a-Bye Baby," David reimagines it as a boisterous, musical romp, with each spread capturing a different music style—rock, country, punk, Latin, R&B—and a different moment in a baby's day. David reflects on moving from Broadway to books, dealing with hundreds of rejections, and the magic that happens when parents sing, play, and read with their little ones.

On this episode of the Reading With Your Kids Podcast, host Jed Doherty welcomes two amazing middle grade authors who explore how stories can help kids find light, courage, and connection in a complicated world. First, Jed talks with Emily Bain Murphy, author of the new middle grade fantasy "Light Seekers, A Kingdom of Shadows." Emily shares the inspiration behind her richly imagined world of Wildfell Hall, where darkness is growing stronger after an event called The Great Betrayal. We meet Finn, his sister Lydia, and best friend Adrian, three kids with few adults in their lives who are invited on a quest to find a legendary lake made of light. Emily discusses writing this series during the pandemic, her desire to help kids "seek the light" through themes of faith, beauty, hope, and kindness, and practical ways she encourages her own kids to unplug from negativity and intentionally look for beauty in everyday life. She and Jed also celebrate co‑reading, talking about how families can use books like Light Seekers to spark meaningful conversations at home. Then Jed is joined by Aaron Starmer, author of the spooky, heartful middle grade novel "You Are Now Old Enough to Hear This." Aaron introduces Roman, a 12‑year‑old tasked with cleaning out his late grandfather's house, where he uncovers a jar of formaldehyde, a mysterious handwritten book, and the eerie family legend of the tow beast. Aaron talks about why creepy middle grade books appeal to kids, how family stories and secrets shape identity, and why he loves writing fiction that blends chills with emotional depth.