Navigating College Choices
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this insightful episode, Jed Doherty sits down with Dr. Pamela Ellis, the founder of Compass College Advisory, to discuss the ins and outs of helping kids make the best college choices. As a passionate educator, Dr. Ellis shares her expertise on fostering financial literacy from an early age and the importance of having open conversations about college costs and goals. Jed and Dr. Ellis dive into the challenges many families face, like the lack of information provided to parents about the college application process. They emphasize the value of campus visits that focus on academics, not...
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The King And The Monster
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
Join us for a captivating conversation with authors Kathi Lockwood and Dominika Dvorzhak as they share their inspiring journeys in creating children's books that address complex issues like addiction and the experience of being an only child. First, we meet Kathi, the author of "The King and the Monster," a picture book that uses metaphors and adventure to help kids understand the impact of addiction on families. Kathi shares how the book was born out of her own family's struggles, and how she worked to craft a story that separates the person from the disease, encouraging compassion and...
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Unleashing Imagination & Strengthening Family Bonds
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast, host Jed Doherty chats with a trio of talented children's authors who are inspiring families to embrace the wonder of the world around them. First up is Madeline Claire Weiss, author of "What's Your Story?". Madeline shares her personal journey, including the loss of her father at a young age, and how that experience led her to help busy parents find more balance and mindfulness in their lives. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging emotions, both for parents and children, and provides practical tips for using breathing exercises...
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Jeff McBride Celebrates The Magic Of Stories
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
Get ready to be enchanted! In this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast, we had the pleasure of chatting with the acclaimed magician, Jeff McBride. Jeff shared his incredible journey into the world of magic and how it all started with a simple "pick a card" trick that changed the course of his life. Jeff's passion for magic is truly infectious. He explained how a deck of cards is a treasure trove of stories, with each suit and number representing different elements of the natural world. From the 52 cards symbolizing the weeks of the year to the four suits mirroring the seasons, Jeff...
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Celebrating Creativity, Compassion, and the Power of Picture Books
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
On this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast, host Jed Doherty had a delightful conversation with two talented authors - Lisa Jacovsky and Laura Gale. First up, Lisa Jacovsky joined the show to celebrate her new book "Mischievous Cat Brothers." Lisa shared how this book is a fun, silly story narrated by her younger cat, with incredible illustrations created by a team that employs individuals with autism. She spoke passionately about her mission to promote understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity, especially when it comes to autism. Jed and Lisa dove deep into the...
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Hooves, Hearts & Heroism
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
Gather round, friends, because we've got a real treat for you today! We had the pleasure of chatting with two incredible authors who are using their books to spread messages of love, acceptance, and the power of the arts. First up, we met Laura Meredith, the author of the delightful children's book "Christopher's New Home." Laura shared the heartwarming story of how she adopted a tiny, sickly lamb named Christopher and gave him a loving forever home on her little farm in Scotland. With her passion for animals and her own experiences of feeling like an outsider, Laura wove an uplifting...
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From Hollywood Villain to Teddy Bear Pal: Jed Bernard Shares the Heartwarming Story Behind “Jeddy’s Teddy”
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
If you're looking for a delightful new children's book to add to your little one's collection, you'll want to check out "Jeddy's Teddy" by actor-turned-author Jed Bernard. In this fun and insightful conversation, Jed chats with host Jed Doherty about his journey from the screen to the page, and the special bond between a boy and his beloved teddy bear. Jed shares the true story behind "Jeddy's Teddy," which he wrote this past July and released in October. As a child, Jed was quite attached to his teddy bear, Tommy, who became his best friend during a time when Jed struggled with a speech...
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Warrior Of Legend
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
On this episode of Reading with Your Kids, we had the pleasure of chatting with two talented authors - Kendare Blake and Lynn Marie. Kendare Blake is the New York Times bestselling author of the "Three Dark Crowns" series, and she's here to discuss the conclusion of her "Hero Maker Duology", titled "Warrior of Legend". Kendare shared how she loves to put her characters through challenging situations and see how they respond. She has a knack for creating complex, flawed female protagonists that readers can't help but root for. Kendare also opened up about her own reading journey,...
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How Books Can Help KIds Navigate Challenging Times
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, host Jed Doherty chats with two talented children's book authors, Lydia Lukidis and Ronda Wojcicki, about their latest works that explore the natural world and the experiences of young readers during the pandemic. Lydia Lukidis shares the inspiration behind her new book "Up Up High," which takes readers on a journey through the layers of the Earth's atmosphere. As Jed and Lydia discuss, the atmosphere is a fascinating and often overlooked part of our world, filled with incredible scientific phenomena like sprites and the Aurora Borealis. Lydia...
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Spreading Holiday Cheer & Combatting Loneliness
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
If you're looking for heartwarming stories and inspiring advice on nurturing creativity in kids, you'll love this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast. Host Jed Doherty welcomes back children's author April Cox, who shares her incredible journey from corporate IT professional to self-published author and coach. April's "Little Labradoodle" book series started as a legacy project for her grandkids, but has blossomed into a beloved collection that tackles important themes like overcoming insecurity, dealing with bullying, and embracing change. What makes these books so special is the...
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On the latest episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast, host Jed Doherty had the pleasure of chatting with three inspiring guests - author Shannon Stocker, her daughter Cassidy, and children's book writer Amulya Veldanda Vadali. The conversation covered some heavy but important topics, all delivered with warmth and authenticity.
Shannon joined Jed to discuss her new young adult novel "Stronger at the Seams," which tackles themes of chronic illness, disability, and self-advocacy. As Shannon explained, the book was initially written as middle grade but was revised to reach an older teen audience - a group that's often underserved when it comes to these types of meaningful, relatable stories. Shannon and Jed dove into the prevalence of childhood cancer and other serious conditions, emphasizing the need for kids to see themselves reflected in literature.
Cassidy, Shannon's daughter, then popped in to share about the special club she started at school called "Gifts for Gold." Through bake sales and other fundraisers, Cassidy and her friend Abby have raised thousands of dollars to support families of children with cancer. Jed praised Cassidy's empathy and courage, qualities that shine through as she advocates for her peers.
Later, Amulya Veldanda Vadali joined the conversation to discuss her picture book "I'll Be Your Friend Forever." Inspired by the loss of her beloved golden retriever Cosmo, Amulya's story sensitively explores the grief of losing a pet. She explained how the writing process was therapeutic, helping her cope with her own heartbreak. Amulya also touched on her background as a biomedical engineer, sharing how her STEM career and children's author pursuits complement each other.
Throughout the episode, the guests demonstrated the power of storytelling to tackle tough topics with heart. Whether addressing chronic illness, cancer, or pet loss, their messages of resilience, empathy, and hope are sure to resonate with young readers.
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