Reading With Your Kids Podcast

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, host Jed Doherty welcomes Naja Lund Aparicio, author of the picture book Seasons by the Lake: Adventures in Greenland, for a rich conversation about childhood, culture, and the nation of Greenland, followed by a listen back to a chat with pastry chef and author Christina Tosi.
Naja, a Greenlandic Inuit writer, shares how her book follows siblings Mimik and Nuka as they explore the changing seasons around a Greenlandic lake. She explains that many people think Greenland has only one season—winter—but her goal is to show the subtle but powerful shifts throughout the year and how kids play, gather, and live closely with nature in each one. Naja describes the Inuit worldview that everything—rivers, rocks, mountains—has a spirit and personhood, placing humans on the same level as nature rather than above it. This deep respect for land grew from the need to survive harsh climates, where reading the weather and seasonal signs was a matter of life and death.
She also talks about Inuit migration from northern Alaska to Greenland, the ongoing importance of hunting and gathering, and shares a favorite myth about how the raven became black. Naja reflects on Greenlanders as peaceful, welcoming people and on the long-standing allyship between Greenland, Denmark, and the United States. She discusses her other Greenlandic-language books, current MFA work at the Institute of American Indian Arts, and upcoming picture books with Candlewick and Dial Books.
In the final segment, Christina Tosi joins to celebrate her picture book Every Cake Has a Story and to talk about creativity, baking with kids, and embracing "failed" recipes as fuel for imagination and learning.

In this uplifting episode, Jed welcomes Jaylene Clark Owens, author of the new picture book A Black Girl and Her Braids, inspired by her viral 2021 poem of the same name. Jaylene shares how the poem—born while she was joyfully walking down Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles with fresh braids—grew into a children's book published by Penguin Random House. The book celebrates Black girlhood, natural hair, and cultural pride, encouraging young readers to love their hair in all its styles: braids, afros, locs, twists, long, or short.
Jaylene explains how the story also weaves in the CROWN Act, legislation designed to protect people from discrimination based on natural and protective hairstyles. She describes braids as more than a style: they're deeply rooted in Black culture, historically used to signify status, store seeds, and even map routes. Jaylene also opens up about her own journey—being teased for her dark skin, feeling pressure to straighten her hair with damaging relaxers, and ultimately reclaiming and celebrating her natural beauty.
She talks about the joy of seeing her poem go viral, celebrities like Tia Mowry using her sound, and the powerful experience of visiting schools, singing her "A Black Girl and Her Braids" song with children, and watching them light up as they celebrate their hair.
In the final segment, we take a listen back to a conversation we had a few years back with Liz Leonard about her debut picture book Frizzy Lizzy, an autobiographical story about curly hair, self-acceptance, and navigating life in a nontraditional family.

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes two wonderful guests who are using story to help kids feel seen, curious, and joyful—author Jamie Sumner and dance educator/author Teacher Terrel.
First, Jed chats with Jamie Sumner about her new middle grade novel in verse, Glory Be. Jamie shares why she loves writing in verse for middle graders—it feels fast, accessible, and empowering for reluctant readers. Set in New Orleans, the book follows 11-year-old Glory as she searches for her lost dog over five days, only to uncover deeper questions about her dad, family dynamics, and what it means to grow up and realize no one is all good or all bad. Jamie also talks about representation and how her earlier novel Roll With It was inspired by her son, who has cerebral palsy, and the importance of kids seeing themselves—and others—on the page. She gives a sneak peek at her upcoming picture book A Fish Like Me and her next verse novel The Space Race.
Then Teacher Terrel returns to the show to celebrate A Tale of Learning, part of her Once Upon a Dance series. She and Jed discuss how her books invite families to dance through stories, turning read-aloud time into movement, imagination, and play. Terrel talks about her advocacy for a kinder, more inclusive dance world, where all body types and abilities are welcome, and where competition is kept in perspective so kids can keep the joy of dance. She also shares how the pandemic nudged her from studio teaching into creating story-based dance books that will last for years to come.

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes Kobe Yamada to celebrate his new picture book, "Others." Kobe shares that the book is all about empathy and perspective, inviting kids (and the adults reading with them) to think about how we see people we don't yet know. The story is set up as a conversation between two characters on one side of a tall hedge—a hedge that acts as both a physical and psychological barrier. While the characters can't see what's on the other side, the reader can, thanks to illustrator Charles Santoso's imaginative art.
Kobe explains that "Others" starts off silly and absurd, mirroring how we often form opinions with very little real information. As the book goes on, the tone becomes more meaningful and sincere, opening the door to conversations about assumptions, fear, curiosity, and connection. He talks about how experiences like travel, new foods, and meeting neighbors from different cultures can help kids (and adults) expand their world.
Kobe also describes his approach to picture books as writing for a dual audience—creating stories that encourage deep conversations between children and caregivers, and that gain new layers of meaning as readers grow up.
In the final part of the episode, Jed chats briefly with Kate Korsch about her hilarious new chapter book "Una Bramblegoop, Sideways Magic: Newbie Fairy"—a fun, underwear-themed, magic-filled story perfect for kids who love silly humor and heartfelt friendships.

Recorded live at the COSSBA National Education Conference in Louisville, this special episode of Reading With Your Kids is a joyful tour through the people and ideas shaping public education today.
Host Jed Doherty kicks things off with Dr. Kathy McFarland, Executive Director of COSSBA, who explains how this nonpartisan national association supports state school board groups so they can better serve local districts. She champions student voice, urging boards to put actual students at the table when making policy.
Keynote speaker Ravi Hutheesing (author of Pivot) shares his wild journey from rock guitarist with Hanson to aviator to cultural diplomat, using his story to show why kids must learn to pivot, embrace lifelong learning, and see AI as an opportunity, not a threat.
We hear about powerful literacy and kindness movements:
    Dr. Clifford Jones of Horry County Schools describes Rise With Reading, stadium "reading under the lights" nights, and a 1,000-pages-a-month superintendent's challenge.
    Shaun Sweet introduces the United States of Kindness, inviting schools and communities to complete 250 acts of kindness to shift culture nationwide.
There are delightful detours, too: Kentucky Derby bugler Steve Buttleman shares behind-the-scenes Kentucky Derby stories, and retired educator Dr. Donna McBride delivers an inspiring tribute to public schools and the life-changing power of a single caring teacher.
Throughout, Jed and guests celebrate a simple, powerful idea: when families, educators, and communities read, listen, and act with kindness, kids win.