Episode 246 - Squished (ft. Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter)
Release Date: 06/13/2023
Episode 265 - ABCs of History (ft. Dr. Seema Yasmin)
The DTALKS Podcast
Do you know your history? How much do you see yourself represented in the history books today? Dr. Seema Yasmin set out to provide education for both kids and adults with her latest book "The ABCs of Queer History". In this episode of the podcast Joe and Dr. Yasmin get into a great conversation around representation and the importance of knowing all the various historical figures who helped shape history but may not be in your textbooks. Enjoy! Dr. Seema Yasmin is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, medical doctor, and professor. She is director of the Stanford Health...
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Episode 264 - Force of Nature (ft. Kate T. Parker)
The DTALKS Podcast
Have you ever used your voice to stand up and speak out? Are you a 'force of nature?' In this episode of the podcast, fabulous author and photographer Kate T. Parker stops by the show to promote her latest book 'Force of Nature.' It's an incredible book about the power of Women and Girls. The conversation between Kate & Joe covers all manner of individual perspectives and how everyone can learn something from these powerful women and girls. Enjoy! KATE T. PARKER is a mother, wife, Ironman, professional photographer/director and New York Times Bestselling author who shoots both...
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Episode 263 - The Icon (ft. Dashaun Wesley)
The DTALKS Podcast
"Said you wanna be a legend Or a statement, or a star Said you wanna be a legend said you wanna Be a statement, said you wanna be a star No, we're legendary!" On the episode today is THE ICON Dashaun Wesley! I've been a fan of Dashaun ever since I first saw him on Max's 'Legendary' ballroom competition show! I then went back and watched him on Pose! This was an incredible episode where we covered Ballroom, Dashaun's performance background, and how ballroom can be used to further the conversation around the LGBTQ+ community. Enjoy! A lifelong dancer &...
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Episode 262 - Unicorn Boy (ft. Dave Roman)
The DTALKS Podcast
Have YOU ever had a unicorn horn sprout suddenly form your forehead!? What about having to go into the underworld to retrieve your BFF!? Did I mention the horn sings!? All this and more is covered in Dave Roman's FABULOUS graphic novel 'Unicorn Boy'! Dave is on the show today to discuss all things unicorn, how they got started writing and illustrating, and how kids can take lessons from 'the boy' and apply it to their own lives. Enjoy! Dave Roman is the author/illustrator of the Astronaut Academy series (winner of Maryland’s Black-Eyed Susan Book Award) and writer of the graphic...
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Episode 261 - Louder Than Hunger (ft. John Schu)
The DTALKS Podcast
Do you ever find yourself consumed with the 'voice inside your head'? How do you separate out what is helpful vs what is harmful? When do you speak up to obtain the necessary tools and resources to come out of a difficult situation? These are some of the topics discussed in the latest episode of the podcast! Author John Schu stops by the podcast to discuss his latest book 'Louder Than Hunger' and he and Joe get into a deep conversation about how to navigate some of life's most difficult times growing up. Also, because John is a librarian there are plenty of discussions around...
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Episode 260 - Shiny Misfits (ft. Maysoon Zayid)
The DTALKS Podcast
What would you do if your historic talent show performance was upstaged by GASP your crush!? And further what would you do if your "crush" then started telling people he saved you because of your disability!? This is the premise for the fantastic book 'Shiny Misfits' writen by Maysoon Zayid. Maysoon joins the podcast today to share the background on writing this particular book and emphasizes the continued importantance of representation in children's books. Enjoy! Maysoon Zayid is a comedian, actress, writer, and disability advocate. She is a graduate of Arizona State University and a...
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Episode 259 - DnDoggos (ft. Scout Underhill)
The DTALKS Podcast
Ooooh Natural 20! oh nooooo crit miss! Roll your initiative! Which dice? Your d20! ..... What am I reading? Oh, no big deal, it's just dogs playing a roleplaying game. Oh, ok. Wait, whut? ..... Yes, this week's wonderful author/illustrator, Scout Underhill, created a wonderful book "DnDoggos" based on their wonderful webcomic which has been in existence since 2017! Enjoy this fun interview about this super exciting debut novel from Scout! ..... Scout Underhill (they/them) is a nonbinary, queer author-illustrator and a life-long professional dog cuddler, creating stories in the woods...
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Episode 258 - Unstuck (ft. Barbara Dee)
The DTALKS Podcast
Have you ever felt stuck? How about feeling like you've hit a wall? What did you do to overcome it? How did you push through? These questions and more are covered in the latest episode of The DTALKS Podcast! Barbara Dee is the award-winning author of fourteen middle grade novels, all published by Simon & Schuster. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named to many best-of lists, including The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books, ALA Notable Children’s Books, ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, School Library Journal’s Best Middle Grade...
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Episode 257 - The One with the Mayor (ft. Dan Cogan)
The DTALKS Podcast
How much do YOU know about local politics? What would you do if you didn't like the way your city was being run? Would you decide to step off the sidelines and throw your hat into the ring? that's the situation Dan Cogan found himself in 6 years ago when he decided to help create a better town and community by running for Bedford City Council. Situated firmly between Dallas and Fort Worth, Bedford Texas is a strong suburban community with deep roots and a warm environment. However, back 6+ years ago, this currently thriving city felt a bit tired and worn down. Deciding to do something about...
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Episode 256 - The Fifth Hero (ft. Bill Doyle)
The DTALKS Podcast
Are YOU ready to be the hero? Do YOU think you can choose the correct path? Will YOU be the Fifth hero? All valid questions to ask yourself as you're getting ready to read the latest book from today's guest, author Bill Doyle! Bill stops by the podcast to discuss his latest book, what brought him to writing in the first place, and how he hopes he can impart knowledge onto readers of any age! It's a fantastic conversation, enjoy! With over 2,000,000 books in print, author Bill Doyle has written critically acclaimed and bestselling children’s books, including Scholastic’s Behind Enemy...
info_outlineIn this episode of the podcast Joe talks to both author Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter about their fantastic book Squished!
Megan & Michelle dig into themes of the book, why representation matters, and how kids can use books to help them ground their emotions as they group up feeling all different types of 'squished'
It was a fantastic conversation and Squished is a fantastic book - be sure to pick it up from your favorite local bookstore today!
Megan Wagner Lloyd is the author of the bestselling kids’ graphic novels Allergic and Squished, co-created with illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter, and the Super Pancake kids’ graphic novel series, co-created with illustrator Abhi Alwar. Megan is also the author of the children’s novel Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure, the kids’ activity book The Creative Writing Playbook, illustrated by Madeline Garcia, the picture book Finding Wild, illustrated by Abigail Halpin, and several more picture books. She lives with her family in the Washington DC area.
Michelle Mee Nutter is the co-creator, with Megan Wagner Lloyd, of Allergic, an instant bestseller. Michelle graduated with a degree in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, 3x3 Illustration, Creative Quarterly, and more. Michelle lives in Boston.
Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she’s tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They’re noisy and chaotic and the younger kids all love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room — her own space to be alone and make art. So she’s furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging younger sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.
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Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
