The DTALKS Podcast

Do you have trouble sharing your voice? Do you want to be heard loud & clear? These are some of the issues facing Xavier in the wonderful children's book 'Xavier's Voice'. This book is beautifully written by Ashley Franklin and wonderfully illustrated by Tatiana Gardel. The two of them are on the show today to discuss this latest project, what excited them about the work, lessons they hope people...

What do you do when your parents bring home a loud, smelly, bald, brother!? How RUDE! At least, that's what Sophie thinks! Sophie is the protagonist dog in author/illustrator Brian Anderson's latest Sophie graphic novel releases! Brian stops by the show today to discuss his background in writing/illustrating, the origins of the Sophie book, and what's next. Enjoy! About Brian Anderson In addition...

We're back AND we're bringing a magical creature with us! Is that a cat? No, it's a unicorn? WRONG, it's UNICO!!! Yes, we know we took a bit of a summer break but we're back with some new episodes starting with this fabulous interview with author Samuel Sattin discussing his latest book "Unico: Awakening". Joe and Samuel get into a great discussion about writing graphic novels, adapting a beloved...

What do you do if you're tryiong to reverse-engineer a popular children's book?  How about, if your goal is to create a series to help reluctant readers? You  might follow the path of today's guest, Dan Gutman, when he created the "My Weird School" series over 20 years ago! Dan created the phenomenal book series to help solve for reluctant readers and create something he wish existed back when he...

What do you do when you feel stuck between two worlds? How do you navigate the spaces you're in, when you're both part of and separate from, two worlds? This is the situation Kathy finds herself in at the beginning of the book 'Continental Drifter'.  In this episode of the podcast, Joe sits down with author/illustrator Kathy MacLeod to discuss her autobiographical graphic novel about her time grow...

How does one go about navigating a world at odds with each other? Heading into  another contentious political cycle, is there hope? What can we do to navigate this feeling of doom in our relationships with each other AND the planet? These are just a few questions asked in the latest episode of The DTALKS Podcast! Joe welcomes back good friend of the podcast, author & theologian Brian McLaren to th...

What would you do if you  suddenly had a new best friends who moved in... on your head!? That is the situation Moose is in when Duck moves in right on top of his head in 'Duck and Moose (Duck moves in)' by Kirk Reedstrom. Kirk comes on the show to share all about how he was able to go from dreaming of having painting hanging in galleries to getting books published by Disney in 2024! ALSO! Huge sho...

Do you know your history?  How much do you see yourself represented in the history books today? Dr. Seema Yasmin set out to provide education for both kids and adults with her latest book "The ABCs of Queer History". In this episode of the podcast Joe and Dr. Yasmin get into a great conversation around representation and the importance of knowing all the various historical figures who helped shape...

Have you ever used your voice to stand up and speak out? Are you a 'force of nature?' In this episode of the podcast, fabulous author and photographer Kate T. Parker stops by the show to promote her latest book 'Force of Nature.' It's an incredible book about the power of Women and Girls. The conversation between Kate & Joe covers all manner of individual perspectives and how everyone can learn so...

"Said you wanna be a legend Or a statement, or a star Said you wanna be a legend said you wanna Be a statement, said you wanna be a star No, we're legendary!" On the episode today is THE ICON Dashaun Wesley! I've been a fan of Dashaun ever since I first saw him on Max's 'Legendary' ballroom competition show! I then went back and watched him on Pose!  This was an incredible episode where we covered...

Have YOU ever had a unicorn horn sprout suddenly form your forehead!? What about having to go into the underworld to retrieve your BFF!? Did I mention the horn sings !? All this and more is covered in Dave Roman's FABULOUS graphic novel 'Unicorn Boy'! Dave is on the show today to discuss all things unicorn, how they got started writing and illustrating, and how kids can take lessons from 'the boy'...

Do you ever find yourself consumed with the 'voice inside your head'? How do you separate out what is helpful vs what is harmful?  When do you speak up to obtain the necessary tools and resources to come out of a difficult situation? These are some of the topics discussed in the latest episode of the podcast! Author John Schu stops by the podcast to discuss his latest book 'Louder Than Hunger' and...

What would you do if your historic talent show performance was upstaged by GASP your crush!?  And further what would you do if your "crush" then started telling people he saved you because of your disability!? This is the premise for the fantastic book 'Shiny Misfits' writen by Maysoon Zayid. Maysoon joins the podcast today to share the background on writing this particular book and emphasizes the...

Ooooh Natural 20! oh nooooo crit miss! Roll your initiative! Which dice? Your d20! ..... What am I reading? Oh, no big deal, it's just dogs playing a roleplaying game.  Oh, ok. Wait, whut? ..... Yes, this week's wonderful author/illustrator, Scout Underhill, created a wonderful book "DnDoggos" based on their wonderful webcomic which has been in existence since 2017! Enjoy this fun interview about...

Have you ever felt stuck? How about feeling like you've hit a wall? What did you do to overcome it? How did you push through? These questions and more are covered in the latest episode of The DTALKS Podcast! About Barbara Dee Barbara Dee is the award-winning author of fourteen middle grade novels, all published by Simon & Schuster. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named...

How much do YOU know about local politics? What would you do if you didn't like the way your city was being run? Would you decide to step off the sidelines and throw your hat into the ring? that's the situation Dan Cogan found himself in 6 years ago when he decided to help create a better town and community by running for Bedford City Council. Situated firmly between Dallas and Fort Worth, Bedford...

Are YOU ready to be the hero? Do YOU think you can choose the correct path? Will YOU be the Fifth hero? All valid questions to ask yourself as you're getting ready to read the latest book from today's guest, author Bill Doyle! Bill stops by the podcast to discuss his latest book, what brought him to writing in the first place, and how he hopes he can impart knowledge onto readers of any age! It's...

Happy new year! I hope you finished off 2023 in style and what better way to kickoff 2024 than with a FABULOUS guest, the one, the only, the hilarious Bo Johnson! Joe caught some of Bo's stand-up online a few years ago, had the pleasure of seeing him live last year, and HAD to get him on the show to discuss his story. Bo and Joe get into a conversation on how Bo first got into comedy, how he prepa...

In this latest episode of the podcast Joe takes some time here towards the end of the year to hone in on the core topic which always drives the podcast, how to raise inclusive kids who will make the world a better place. Wade Hudson stops by the podcast to talk about his latest book  The Reckoning . Joe and Wade get into a discussion about why Wade decided to write the book, what else he is up to,...

After interviewing Deborah Hopkinson a few months ago she mentioned the incredible illustrator Kate Gardiner who worked on the book 'Small Places, Close to Home'. She told me how amazingly talented she is, and after checking out the art myself I wholeheartedly agreed and KNEW I had to get her on the podcast. I'm honored that Kate stopped by the show to tell us all about her experience working with...

https://deborahhopkinson.com/books/plot-to-kill-a-queen/ Do you like books about " An well-crafted mystery about an intrepid young girl's quest to foil a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I. "? Or how about " One small kitten learns about the great big world as he sets sail with his fellow shipmates, animal and human "? Or perhaps, this might sound the most interesting to you " A best loved fair...

Ok, but what IS in a caterpillar's cocoon? And HOW is a butterfly different from a moth? If you're asking yourself these questions, fear not for the guest on the latest #DTALKSPodcast episode, Rachel Ignotofsky has you covered! Rachel covers, in great visual detail, everything you've ever wanted to know about cocoons, moths, and even a butterfly in her latest book 'What's Inside a Caterpillar Coco...

How interested were you in animals growing up? Ok, but do you EVEN KNOW a sloth!? Where is your San Diego Zoo CD-ROM? Animals always leave an impression on us. Whether through our pets, or through engaging with animals at a zoo, we all form opinions on animals early on.  In this episode, Joe gets to talk all about animals, the zoo, and the journey certain animals take and how we can learn from the...

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to noted author Patrice Karst about her latest book "Ruby and Lonely". However, the conversations spans to include Patrice's original book "The Invisible String"  and even touches on her book "The Invisible Leash" and the unique connection Joe has to the book. Enjoy! About Patrice Karst Patrice Karst is the author of the bestselling, contemporary classic ch...

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to Ruchira Gupta about her latest book "I Kick and I Fly". However, the conversation spans far beyond the realm of the book as both Joe & Ruchira discuss how folks can truly raise inclusive kids and make the world a better place. Enjoy! About Ruchira Gupta Ruchira Gupta is an Emmy winning journalist and founder of the anti sex trafficking NGO  Apne Aap , th...