There are loads of poetry books for children but not too many by children. Sarah Manguso, author and curator of the new book "Questions Without Answers", joins us to talk about children's deep (and often unknowingly) philosophical questions—and that though kids may yet be developing their vocabulary, they have plenty of profound questions."
Dr. Lynette Fraga, Reach Out and Read's new CEO, joins us to talk about the lived experience she brings to this role, and her plans to accelerate our mission, scale impact, advance equity, and, of course, strengthen families.
We don't know what we don't know. And when it comes to relationships, approaching others from the perspective of not knowing can often make those relationships stronger. Dr. Claudia Gold, a pediatrician and writer with over 20 years experience in the field, joins us to talk about humility, listening, "rupture and repair", and a ‘willingness to be surprised’ can help support not just early relational health, but relationships throughout the lifespan.
Judy Blume is one of the most prolific and beloved writers of our time — but also is at the center of many debates over what is appropriate for children, to the point of being one of the most banned. Rachelle Bergstein, author of the new book The Genius of Judy: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us, joins us to talk about Blume's life, how the changing social and political ideologies of the 1950's, 60's, and 70's influenced her work, and how Judy came to write 'culture-altering' works for generations of readers.
Junie B. Jones was first introduced to young readers over thirty years ago, but her ability to make children laugh - and some adults angry - hasn't changed. Colleen AF Venable, a seasoned children's author whose graphic novel adaptation of Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus hit shelves earlier this year, joins us to talk about the beloved children’s series, its namesake, and the controversies that have followed it from the beginning.
Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek are two of the most remarkable, beloved writers and illustrators working in children's books today. Working both together and separately, they have created dozens of well-known and acclaimed books—and show no signs of slowing down! In a rare interview, Kevin and Laura share their creative process, and how finding an 'emotional truth' is at the heart of all their stories.
How we think and talk about kids and digital media use has evolved as we've learned more and refined better approaches that are more practical for parents. Dr. Jenny Radesky, Co-Medical Director of the AAP's Center of Excellence on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, joins us to talk about "The 5 C's" - a straightforward and highly effective way for parents to manage this challenging topic.
We can all benefit from healthy relationships and connections, but sometimes kids (and adults) just want some 'alone time' - and that's OK too. Author and illustrator Vera Brosgol joins us to dig into several of her fantastically imaginative book worlds that help explore relationships with our family, and ourselves.
Poetry is often perceived to be "hard" or inaccessible, but as our next guests illustrate, poetry can offer an "uplifting journey through everyday moments, moods and experiences" for kids at any age or stage of development. Author Matthew Burgess and illustrator Doug Salati join us to talk about "Words With Wings", their magical new book of poems for children and families.
How can one discuss topics such as social exclusion, anxiety, paranoia, human intimacy, affection, and our need to bond with others? A brilliant book, The Hedgehog's Dilemma, by Dutch author Toon Tellegen, is a "metaphor for the dilemma humans are faced with in their intimate relationships with others", exploring all this in an accessible manner for adults and children alike. Its English translator, David Colmer, joins us to explain how.
Approaching families with a ‘resilience lens’ is a relatively new practice but might turn out to be one of the most impactful tools in our pediatric toolbox yet. Dr. Gretchen Pianka, author of “Coaching Families for Resilience: How Pediatricians Can Support Caregivers and Prevent Burnout", joins us to talk about how this manner of thinking can help parents and pediatric care clinicians better approach childcare challenges."
Relationships have long been recognized as a catalyst of learning; changing our focus away from a solely child-centric model of education to relationship-centered thinking may prove to be the key to success. Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, joins us to talk about her new book Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education, and the concept of "Relational Intelligence".
Despite humans having read for thousands of years, we still don't understand everything about how it happens. It is still a mystery of how the eye, mind, and the brain are called upon to perform tasks that are fundamentally 'unnatural'. Dr. Adrian Johns, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Chicago, joins us to talk about how all this has been explored throughout history, laid out in his new book The Science of Reading: Information, Media, and Mind in Modern America.
Kids (and adults) sometimes have a hard time accepting unique characteristics in themselves and in others. But when a book lands just right, sometimes the simplest format – a picture book – can have the greatest impact on how we view ourselves, others, and the world. Author and illustrator Barney Saltzberg joins us to talk about how picture books invite us to embrace curiosity, vulnerability and new perspectives.
It's overwhelming to form a relationship with a new baby while your relationship with yourself as a new parent is in flux! Keeping it simple is one of the ways parents can get through a challenging but rewarding time. Dr. Joanna Parga-Belinkie, a clinical neonatologist and author of "The Baby Bonding Book", explains how one-on-one time and getting 'back to basics' can create the needed building blocks of bonding, safety, and attachment.
In Part 2 of our interview with Allison Pugh, professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University and author of "The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World", we talk about what "connective labor" means for early relational health, and can how physicians, practitioners, and caregivers can apply this theory to their everyday interactions with children.
How people connect to one another is something we sometimes don't think about, and how technology touches modern life is a key factor. Allison Pugh, Professor of Sociology at Johns Hopkins University and author of a notable book on this subject, joins us to talk about how, and why, the human connections now at risk in our tech-driven lives are worth fighting for.
Dr. Clare Crosh and Dr. Diogo Anyigbo join us to talk about what they have learned from families about how they view and practice shared reading and how that can inform messaging and resources that inspire and enable families to sing, tell stories and share books with their young children.
Addressing childcare and education in this country has been a challenge for decades, but according to our next guest, fixing it comes down to one thing - acknowledging that we’re thinking about the whole system upside-down, and flipping it right-side-up. Dan Wuori, known globally for his uplifting and educational social media, joins us to talk about his new book, “The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (and What We Should Do About It)".
What does early relational health have to do with getting your kids to put their shoes on? Julie King, co-author of "How to Talk So Little Ones Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Age 2-7", offers a series of parenting tools that lean into emotional intelligence and foster early relational health.