Tami Charles on Picture Books, Fear in Creativity, and Teaching Unity Through Stories
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Release Date: 11/20/2025
Can Scientists Succeed Where Politicians Fail? A Conversation with Nobel Laureate Peter Agre
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
What role can scientists play when politics reaches a standstill? In this episode, Tricia Friedman speaks with Nobel Prize–winning scientist Peter Agre about his extraordinary second career in science diplomacy—a path that took him from the laboratory into conversations with presidents, prime ministers, health ministers, and scientists in countries often at odds with the United States. Agre, a physician, molecular biologist, and former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), shares how scientific collaboration can reduce tensions, build trust, and...
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Co-Creating Wonder: The Making of Interactive Stories with Sandra Magsamen
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this conversation, Sandra Magsamen discusses the importance of interactive storytelling in children's books, emphasizing how they foster emotional connections and self-esteem in young readers. She shares insights into her creative process, the significance of collaboration with publishers, and offers tips for enhancing storytime experiences. Magsamen highlights the role of humor and agency in children's literature, advocating for a more engaging and communal reading experience. takeaways Books are not just entertainment; they foster connections. Interactive components in books enhance the...
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Using Trivia to Inspire Writers: Lessons from Brian “Uncle John” Boone
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this warm and curiosity-packed conversation, Tricia Friedman sits down with Brian “Uncle John” Boone, longtime contributor to the iconic Uncle John’s Know It All Bathroom Reader series—now celebrating its 38th edition. Brian shares why trivia continues to captivate millions, how collaborative writing fuels the series’ longevity, and why tiny bits of knowledge can strengthen community, curiosity, and even kindness. Together, Tricia and Brian explore: Why trivia matters in a world overloaded with information How curiosity helps us build human connection The...
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Redefining Family with Scott & Mark Hoying: Creativity, Parenthood, and Representation
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Tricia Friedman sits down with Scott and Mark Hoying to explore what it means to build a family rooted in love, creativity, and community. Together they talk about their new children’s book, why representation in early storytelling matters, and how reimagining family through inclusive narratives can nurture belonging. They also share how their creative partnership strengthens their relationship, what they’re learning as they prepare for parenthood, and why embracing multi-hyphenate creativity can open unexpected pathways in art, life, and love. This warm holiday-season conversation blends...
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Tami Charles on Picture Books, Fear in Creativity, and Teaching Unity Through Stories
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
What happens when a children’s book becomes a tool for unity, empathy, and allyship? In this conversation, Tami Charles—author, former teacher, and champion of diverse stories—opens up about the creative process behind her latest picture book, Together United. She shares how her writing is shaped not only by ideas, but by her collaboration with illustrators, the ever-present feeling of fear, and her commitment to creating stories that help children see themselves and each other. We talk about: How collaboration between author and illustrator can lead to unexpected, beautiful outcomes...
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Teaching Creativity: Alan Gratz on Storytelling, Curiosity, and Collaboration
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Join host Tricia Friedman in conversation with Alan Gratz, the New York Times–bestselling author whose novels have captivated readers for over five years. Gratz shares how baseball shaped his storytelling, why creativity and curiosity belong at the heart of every classroom, and how interdisciplinary learning strengthens student engagement. This episode explores the connections between empathy, character development, and allyship—inviting educators to think differently about how stories shape our understanding of one another. Discover how reading diverse perspectives, teaching creativity,...
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Narrative Justice: The Future of Climate Justice with Shilpi Chhotray
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
What if the fight for climate justice began with the stories we tell? In this reflective episode, Tricia Friedman sits down with Shilpi Chhotray, host of A People’s Climate, to unpack the concept of narrative justice — the belief that climate storytelling must center the communities most impacted by environmental change. Together, they explore how Indigenous knowledge, fiction, education, and intersectional media can reshape public understanding of the climate crisis. Shilpi shares her journey amplifying global majority voices — Indigenous, Black, and Brown storytellers — who are...
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Can we befriend the dark?
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
A conversation that reminds us how curiosity, art, and iteration can reshape are necessary and may even be assets for our school leadership and the ways we nurture creative courage in young learners.... In this episode, Tricia Friedman sits down with author-illustrator Christy Mandin to explore what school leaders can learn from the creative process behind children’s literature. Together they unpack how curiosity fuels empathy, how messy iteration sparks innovation, and how embracing the dark and uncertain moments of creativity can make us more...
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The Creative Process of Ryan La Sala: Writing Fear, Joy, and Queer Resilience
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Tricia Friedman sits down with bestselling author Ryan La Sala for a deep dive into the creative process behind his latest book. Together, they explore how queer horror, artistic design, and emotional literacy intersect to shape stories that resonate with today’s readers. La Sala reveals how multiple drafts, layered perspectives, and intentional design choices come together to build a reading experience that’s as visual as it is emotional. The conversation highlights how horror can be a vehicle for exploring complex emotions and how queer narratives give young readers language for...
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Claribel A. Ortega on Why Monsters Matter: Writing Hope and Friendship in Dark Times
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
What can monsters, middle-grade fantasy, and community-centered storytelling teach us about the world we live in today? In this episode, Tricia Friedman sits down with New York Times bestselling author Claribel A. Ortega (Witchlings) to explore how fantasy fiction helps young readers navigate identity, belonging, and hope in turbulent times. Ortega shares her creative process—from plotting complex magical worlds to writing on planes during book tours—and reflects on the power of friendship, grief, and imagination as tools for resilience. This episode is perfect for educators, librarians,...
info_outlineWhat happens when a children’s book becomes a tool for unity, empathy, and allyship?
In this conversation, Tami Charles—author, former teacher, and champion of diverse stories—opens up about the creative process behind her latest picture book, Together United. She shares how her writing is shaped not only by ideas, but by her collaboration with illustrators, the ever-present feeling of fear, and her commitment to creating stories that help children see themselves and each other.
We talk about:
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How collaboration between author and illustrator can lead to unexpected, beautiful outcomes that neither could have created alone.
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Why fear is a constant companion in the creative process, and how Tami chooses to write anyway.
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What it means to center unity, understanding, and connection in children’s literature at a time when division is loud and constant.
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How rich, poetic language in picture books can still be accessible—and deeply engaging—for young readers.
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The importance of reading aloud as a ritual that nurtures a love of language, builds empathy, and creates shared moments between children and caring adults.
Throughout the episode, Tami reflects on how every child has the potential to inspire others, and how stories can open doors to conversations about identity, justice, kindness, and community. We explore the idea that books can act as bridges, connecting diverse experiences and helping children see that they belong to something bigger than themselves.
If you’re an educator, caregiver, librarian, school leader, or children’s literature lover, this episode offers practical and heart-centered insight into:
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Choosing and using picture books that promote inclusion, empathy, and allyship.
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Talking with young readers about unity, difference, and shared humanity in age-appropriate ways.
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Encouraging children to see themselves as storytellers and changemakers, not just passive readers.
At its heart, this episode is a celebration of the way art and words together can create a kind of magic—the magic that happens when children feel seen, heard, and invited into stories that ask them to imagine a more united world.