Reading With Your Kids Podcast

In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, host Jed Doherty explores a diverse range of children's books that aim to inspire, empower, and connect young readers.  First up Jed welcomes back author Monica Mancillas to discuss her new middle grade romcom, "Taco Tuesday." Monica shares how the book's dual-perspective narrative explores the challenges and emotions of 12-year-olds, as the main characte...

Get ready for an inspiring and heartwarming episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast! Today, we're chatting with two incredible authors who are using their talents to make a real difference in the lives of young readers. First up, we'll be talking to Hannah Jessen Conway about her beautiful new picture book, "Love Sounds Like." Hannah's story is a personal one - it was inspired by the journey...

If your kids struggle with time management and staying on task, you'll want to tune in to this insightful conversation with Mindy Hudon, the author of the new middle-grade graphic novel "Kodi's Adventure: How I Learned to Defeat the Time Snatcher." As a speech-language pathologist specializing in executive function skills, Mindy has a unique perspective on the challenges kids face when it comes to...

Get ready for an inspiring conversation with two talented authors who are bringing extraordinary stories to life! In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, host Jed Doherty sits down with Maria Van Lieshout, the author and illustrator of the YA graphic novel "Song of a Blackbird," and Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw, the creator of the captivating picture book "The Super Volcano." First, Maria shares the...

Get ready for an inspiring journey through the world of children's literature! In this episode, we sit down with a talented trio of authors and illustrators who are using their creative talents to empower young readers. First, we chat with Holly Peppe about her delightful new picture book, "Sophie and the Swans." Holly shares the heartwarming true story that inspired her tale of a young girl's spe...

If you're looking for a heartwarming and thought-provoking middle-grade novel that explores themes of diversity, mental health, and environmental stewardship, you'll want to check out "Safe Harbor" by Padma Venkatraman. In this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast, host Jed Doherty sits down with Padma to dive into the inspiration and themes behind her latest book. Padma shares how her ow...

If you're looking for a heartwarming and inspiring conversation, you've come to the right place! In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, we had the pleasure of chatting with Frankie Thompkins, the new executive director of Clowns Without Borders USA, as well as authors Azizi Tuere and Kao Kalia Yang. Frankie shared the incredible mission of Clowns Without Borders - providing relief through the...

Join us for a delightful conversation with two talented children's book authors, Cynthia MacKay and Helen Wu! We dive into the magic of nature, the importance of mindfulness, and the rich traditions of Lunar New Year. First up, we chat with Cynthia about her upcoming picture book "If a Bumblebee Lands on Your Toe." Cynthia shares how her own childhood experiences with nature inspired this story, w...

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids we meet two talented children's book creators, Katie Mazeika and Michael Cooper. You're really going to love learning about their inspiring stories and the important messages behind their books. First, we chatted with Katie Mazeika, the author and illustrator of the picture book "Maybe Just Ask Me." Katie shared her personal journey of losing her eye to ca...

Get ready for an inspiring and insightful conversation on raising healthy, mindful kids! In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, host Jed Doherty sits down with two remarkable guests - author and illustrator Liana Finck, and the dynamic duo behind the "Live Well, Lead Well" lifestyle, Melissa Collier Coulier and Melanie Samuels. First up, Liana Finck shares the story behind her delightful new c...

In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, host Jed Doherty welcomes author Elly Swartz to discuss her new middle grade novel "Same Page." Elly shares the inspiring story behind the book, which follows a determined young girl named Bess who forms a group of "book warriors" - a team of rock star librarians - to fight a book ban at her school.  Elly explains how the visual of books being removed fro...

Grab your pencils and get ready for an artistic adventure as Jed Doherty welcomes back the dynamic duo behind the beloved Paws series - Nathan Fairbairn and Michelle Assarasakorn. These two creative powerhouses take us on an inspiring journey, revealing the challenges and triumphs of bringing their latest installment in their PAWS graphic novel series, "Hazel Has Her Hands Full," to life. Jed and...

If you're a fan of young adult fantasy or heartwarming children's stories, this episode is a must-listen! We had the pleasure of chatting with two talented authors who are using their craft to inspire and connect with readers of all ages. First up, we welcomed back Sarah Arthur, the author of the "Once a Queen" and "Once a Castle" YA fantasy novels. Sarah shared the fascinating backstory behind he...

What a treat we had on the latest episode of Reading with Your Kids! Jed Doherty welcomed back beloved author Kate Korsh to chat about her new chapter book "Oona BrambleGoops: Sideways Magic, Fairies vs. Leprechauns." Kate shared the sophisticated themes she wove into this delightful story, like the imperfections of mentors and the unexpected kindness of leprechauns. As an former elementary school...

If you're a parent looking to give your kids a major boost in reading and overall academic success, this episode is a must-listen. We sit down with the one and only Dr. Joe Lockavitch, a reading expert with over 35 years of experience and a doctorate from Boston University. Dr. Joe shares some truly eye-opening insights about the critical role of vocabulary in a child's development. Did you know t...

Get ready to dive into the wonderful world of children's books. Our guest, R.G. de Rouen, shares the inspiring story behind his new picture book "Mother to Elephants" - a lyrical tale about the legendary Daphne Sheldrick and her groundbreaking work rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants in Kenya. You'll be amazed to learn about the incredible intelligence and family bonds of these gentle g...

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a part of a military family, this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast is a must-listen. We had the pleasure of chatting with Shermaine Perry-Knights, the author of the "I Move a Lot, and That's Okay" children's book series, and she shared some truly eye-opening insights. Shermaine, who comes from a military family herself, wrote these books to...

As we kick off the new year, this episode of the Reading with Your Kids podcast is packed with valuable insights and heartwarming stories that will have you seeing the school bus in a whole new light.  First, we chat with Valerie Higley, a seasoned school bus driver who's bringing her real-world expertise to life in her new children's book, "Shaman Rides the School Bus." Valerie shares the inspiri...

Get ready for an all star end oof the year episode of Reading with Your Kids! We had a really impressive lineup of guests, starting with 13-year-old author Orion Jean. Orion wrote a book called "Race to Kindness" about a young boy who uses kindness to inspire his community. Orion is wise beyond his years - he talked about how kindness can make a big impact, even in small conversations. It was awes...

Get ready to explore the amazing world of LEGO and STEM with our guest, the one and only Jennifer Swanson - the Dean of all things STEM and STEAM! In this fun-filled episode, Jennifer shares the scoop on her new book, "LEGO Amazing Earth," which lets kids design their own ecosystems using everyone's favorite building blocks. We also hear from Sasha Gooray, the driving force behind the Joyful Learn...

What a fun time I had at the Writer's Loft holiday book festival in Hudson, MA! It was great to meet so many talented children's book authors and learn about their latest projects.  Janet Costa Bates was there celebrating her picture book "Time for Bed, Old House" - a sweet story about a grandpa who helps his grandson settle down for a sleepover. Janet shared how meaningful it was when a mom told...

Get ready for an inspiring episode filled with heartwarming stories from children's book authors! We're chatting with Tammy Gerhard, Ria Agawall, and Russell J. Fellows, each bringing their unique perspectives and passion for creating engaging, meaningful books for young readers. First up, we meet Tammy, the author of "Cocoa Hugs and Coffee Mugs" and the upcoming "I Love My Community Activity Book...

Alright folks, buckle up because we've got one wild Christmas tale for you! It all starts with the youth group from a local parish getting together to plan their annual holiday service project. But when they decide to visit the nursing home, things take an unexpected turn.  Cal's grandma goes missing from the home, and the whole gang springs into action to try and find her. Meanwhile, a crazy acci...

Get ready to be inspired! In this episode of Reading with Your Kids, we dive into the powerful world of adoption, hearing from two incredible guests who are using their personal experiences to make a difference.  First up, we welcome Lorri Antosz Benson, an author who has an incredible adoption story of her own. Lorri shares the heartbreaking yet ultimately joyful journey of placing her child for...

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 in...