Horses, Trains & Brave Kids, New Adventures In Kids’ Books

In this warm and wide–ranging episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes back three beloved guests with brand–new picture books that celebrate courage, representation, and creativity.

First, Kelly Starling Lyons returns to share Writing Magic, a tender story about Dom, a little girl from a family of Black riders who longs to ride a big horse named Magic but is scared. Kelly talks about the book’s unforgettable launch on the very farm where the real horse, Ardent (Magic in the book), lives—and how kids got to meet the horse, the family models, and even handle real horse gear. She explores the rich, often overlooked legacy of African Americans and horses, from Black cowboys like Bass Reeves to modern “Black cowgirls” such as Caitlin Gooch of Saddle Up and Read, who blends literacy with horses. Kelly also shares how families can use the book to talk with kids about their fears, dreams, and what kind of support they really want from the adults who love them.

Then Jed is joined by author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen and illustrator Leeza Hernandez to celebrate Cats in Conductor Hats, the follow-up to Cats in Construction Hats. They pull back the curtain on their unusually collaborative author–illustrator relationship, from early brainstorming with their editor to playful “Easter eggs” like a recurring Highland cow in a bathtub. Leeza talks about the challenge of drawing trains that feel whimsical but not too realistic, and Sudipta describes how tiny real-world moments—even a cow on train tracks in Newark—can inspire big story ideas.

Throughout, the conversation shines with humor, heart, and a shared belief in the power of stories to build confidence, curiosity, and connection in kids and families.