Every Child Deserves To Be Seen
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, host Jed Doherty welcomes author Kristen Mei Chase and illustrator Basia Tran to celebrate their Gracie Wei chapter book series. Kristen explains that Gracie is a mixed-race Asian American fourth grader with “a lot of opinions and a heart of gold,” designed to reflect many real kids and offer representation she didn’t see for herself or her own children growing up. She clarifies the difference between chapter books (often ages 6–10, transitional early readers) and middle grade (roughly grades 4–8), noting that Gracie Wei bridges those spaces...
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Celebrating The Cozy And Creepy Sides Of Kidlit
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we’re celebrating both the cozy and the creepy sides of kids’ lit! First, we welcome Alyssa Satin Capucilli, creator of the beloved Biscuit series, as she celebrates 30 years of her small yellow puppy who has helped millions of children become independent readers. Alyssa shares the heartwarming real-life moment that inspired Biscuit, explains the difference between picture books and first readers, and talks about why pattern, repetition, and those famous “woof woofs” are so powerful for young readers. She also reflects on generations of...
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Celebrating Night Owls And Night Markets
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode, Jed welcomes Emily Sun Li, debut picture book author of Mister Chow’s Night Market, for a warm and lively conversation about creativity, culture, and doing life a little differently. Emily shares how living in Taiwan for two years—zipping around on a moped, drinking fresh juice, and visiting night markets almost every evening—inspired her story of a sleepy grocery store and its equally sleepy, grumpy owner, Mister Chow. When they can’t manage mornings, they reinvent the store as a night market, celebrating night owls, Taiwanese snacks, and the courage to pivot instead...
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The Mystery Of The Stolen World Cup Trophy
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, host Jed Doherty welcomes author Angela Cervantes to celebrate her new middle-grade mystery, The Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy. Angela shares her lifelong love of soccer and mysteries, rooted in her childhood in a Mexican American community in Topeka, Kansas, where soccer wasn’t yet a big organized sport. She talks about how the game connected her family and community, bringing both joy and heartbreak, and why she still follows teams like USA, Spain, Argentina, Brazil, England, and Croatia so passionately. Her novel centers on 12-year-old...
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Magic, Mystery & The Incredible Phyllis Wong
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode, Jed welcomes back Australian author Geoffrey McSkimming, creator of the much‑loved Phyllis Wong and Cairo Jim series. Geoffrey joins from Sydney to celebrate Phyllis Wong and the Lure of the Lighthouse, the eighth book in the series, and talks about why Phyllis remains one of his favorite characters—resourceful, brilliant, magical, and deeply inspired by his wife, Sue-Anne Webster, a renowned stage magician. Geoffrey explains how magic and mystery writing overlap: both rely on misdirection, red herrings, and staying several steps ahead of the audience. He shares how he...
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Catitude At The Pool
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed Doherty welcomes author Matthew Burgess and illustrator Robin Rosenthal to celebrate their charming new picture book, Serafina Makes Waves. Serafina is no ordinary cat—she’s full of catitude, completely confident on land, but absolutely terrified of water. When her parents sign her up for swim lessons before a family vacation, she’ll do just about anything to avoid getting in the pool. Robin shares how Serafina began as a single sketch of a cool, sassy beach cat with big goggles and a stuffed bunny named Noodles. The character existed before...
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Raffi Riffs On Love, Chores & Children's Music
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes back legendary children’s singer, songwriter, and author Raffi to celebrate his new picture book “Mama Loves It.” The book is based on a song Raffi recorded with Canadian trio The Good Lovelies, all about kids pitching in with household chores. Through joyful lyrics and warm illustrations, it encourages children to see chores not as burdens, but as chances to help their families and feel like part of a team. Raffi talks about his long creative journey—over 50 years of making music for children—and what keeps him energized: the...
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This Episode Is For The Birds! Celebrating America's State Birds & Curious Kids
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
On this episode, Jed welcomes author and neuroscientist Gail Martino, whose new picture book “Feathered and Famous: Meet America’s All Star Birds” celebrates the national and state birds of the United States and the stories behind them. Gail explains how her book helps kids (and parents) discover the unique traits that made each bird worthy of representing a state—from the clever chickadee of Massachusetts, which actually grows part of its brain in the fall to help remember where it hid seeds, to the hopeful, homey robin of Connecticut, often seen as a harbinger of spring. She also...
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Going to the Festival: Celebrating Community, Memories, and Art
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we’re celebrating two joyful, community-minded picture books that are perfect for creating memories with kids. First, Jed chats with Jodi Tatiana Charles, author of Going to the Festival. Inspired by her decade of volunteering—two years as president—at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts in Massachusetts, Jodi turned her experiences into a vibrant picture book that honors festivals, volunteers, and community life. She talks about how annual events bring neighbors together, support local businesses, and create multigenerational memories that last...
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The Adventures Of Tubby Nugget
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this joyful episode, Jed chats with creative couple Jeanine Pastores and Joshua Jackson, the team behind the beloved character Tubby Nugget and their middle grade graphic novel “The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Nuggetville Escape.” Jeanine and Joshua share how Tubby Nugget began in 2016 as a private joke and love language between them. Jeanine called Joshua her “nugget,” and he started drawing a little, squishy nugget character to cheer her up—whether she was sad, needed a laugh, or they were apologizing after a fight. Those doodles became webcomics on Instagram, which unexpectedly...
info_outlineHop on board as we chat with the delightful duo behind the charming children's book "Theodore, the Sloth Who Wants to Race"! JL McCreedy and her husband Sam join us from the beautiful country of Italy to share the heartwarming story behind their sloth-tastic tale.
It turns out Theodore the sloth wasn't just a silly idea - he was actually born out of a low point in JL and Sam's own lives. As they were feeling frustrated with their own dreams and ambitions, comparing themselves to a determined-yet-slow-moving sloth sparked their creativity. With Sam's veterinary expertise on these unique creatures, the couple quickly penned the first draft, but the real challenge was bringing Theodore to life through illustration.
JL openly shares her self-doubts and insecurities about her artistic abilities, but with Sam's encouragement, she taught herself to draw and the rest is history! Their conversation highlights the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and not letting perceived limitations hold you back from pursuing your passions.
Beyond the book, we learn about JL and Sam's fascinating global adventures, living and working everywhere from Germany to China. Their travels have undoubtedly influenced their storytelling, which often celebrates community, tradition, and the special spaces we call home.
We also chat with Seina Wedlick, author of Space For Everyone. "Space for Everyone" celebrates the importance of community and family traditions centered around the kitchen table. As Seina explains, the book follows a young girl who is anxious about moving to a new home, worried she'll lose the sense of belonging her family's large, welcoming table has always provided. Through the story, Seina highlights the everyday moments and memories made around the table - sharing meals, drinking tea, doing homework - that create a lasting sense of home, no matter where you live. Seina drew inspiration from her own family's experiences, including the special role their own expansive table played in their lives as they moved between different countries. By focusing on this relatable, universal experience, Seina hopes the book will encourage kids to reflect on what spaces and keepsakes feel most like "home" to them.
Click here to visit JL's website - https://jlmccreedy.com
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