Inside The Endless Game
Reading With Your Kids Podcast
In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we spend most of our time in the joyful, high‑energy world of JD Amato and Sophie Morse, the creative team behind the middle grade graphic novel The Endless Game. JD shares how the story grew out of his own childhood in the Chicago suburbs—moving around a lot, finally landing in one neighborhood where kids knocked on his door and pulled him into a world of street games, friendships, and long summer evenings. That sense of kid freedom and community became the heart of the book’s epic, town‑wide game of capture the flag. Sophie explains how the...
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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...
info_outlineIn this episode of Reading With Your Kids Jed Doherty had enlightening discussions with two experts dedicated to supporting children in the foster care system. In speaking with children's book author Natasha Tripplett, Jed learned about her new picture book "Planted with Love," which draws from Tripplett's own experiences as a foster care social worker and her family's decision to foster her sister long-term. Tripplett emphasized the importance of making foster children feel seen, valued and worthy of love, even when they display challenging behaviors.
Jed also connected with foster care veteran Dr John DeGarmo, who has fostered over 60 children, adopting 3. DeGarmo shared that while fostering is a major commitment, there are many ways the community can support these families beyond just becoming foster parents themselves. He urged faith-based organizations in particular to get involved, as the foster care crisis represents a key "mission field" right in people's own backyards. DeGarmo suggested providing meals, supplies, mentorship and more as meaningful ways to make a difference.
Both Tripplett and DeGarmo highlighted the heartbreaking realities of the foster care system, with over 370,000 children currently displaced. However, their passion for uplifting these vulnerable youth and inspiring others to get involved was palpable. Readers will be moved to open their hearts and homes after learning from these two dedicated advocates.
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