
Hosted by Reach Out and Read · EN

She's the most influential person you may never have heard of. A new book, Books Good Enough for You: The Storied Life of Ursula Nordstrom, Editor of Extraordinary Children's Books, recounts how she nurtured and edited some of the greatest books of the past 100 years, including titles such as Where the Wild Things Are, Goodnight Moon, The Carrot Seed, Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and dozens more. Author Nancy Hudgins joins to talk about the impact Ursula Nordstrom had - and continues to have - on the world of children's literature.

When, why, and how did we decide as a society to dedicate all our parenting resources to the "human capitalization of children"—and at what cost? Nina Bandelj, Chancellor's Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine, joins us to help answer this question (and many others) from her new book Overinvested: The Emotional Economy of Modern Parenting.

Commemorating America 250, we asked author Laurie Halse Anderson to join us to discuss Rebellion 1776, a historical fiction middle grade adventure about a girl struggling to survive amid a smallpox epidemic, the public's fear (yes!) of inoculation, and the seething Revolutionary War.

Underneath every 'comeback story' is a deep well of resilience that emerges from fundamental human capabilities that are at the same time both ordinary and powerful. Ann Masten, Regents Professor of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and author of Ordinary Magic, joins us to talk about how we can build and promote the building blocks of resilience in early childhood.

Many families today have a child who is a "picky eater", but before the 1930's, the concept of a picky eater didn't even exist. What's responsible? Changes in parenting? Psychology? Food manufacturing? Advertising? Technology? As it turns out… all the above. Helen Zoe Veit, author of Picky: How American Children Became the Fussiest Eaters in History joins us to explore this puzzle by looking to the past: when children ate completely differently than they do today—and with vastly more pleasure.

Baby laughs do more than just make us feel good — they actually serve a critical role in a baby's development. Dr. Gina Mireault, a developmental psychologist and professor at Vermont State University, joins us to explain how "laughter and humor are fundamental to how babies learn about and participate in the world"; those giggles are less about comedy and more about connection, she tells us.

Ideally, books offer something for kids and adults alike. Chances are if you and your child are independently enjoying a book, you probably will enjoy reading that book together. Hugo Award–winning, Eisner Award–nominated author Zach Weinersmith joins us to talk about writing for kids and adults, adapting Beowulf (yes, Beowulf!) for children, and his new novel Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home.

Many pediatricians care for underserved populations, and have long recognized the inextricable links between the well-being of families and the outcomes for their children. Dr. Terri McFadden, professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine, medical director for Reach Out and Read Georgia, and president-elect for the American Academy of Pediatrics, joins us to talk about a new book which serves as a valuable 'how-to' on applying a two-generation approach to serving children and their families in an integrated manner — and offers primary care strategies for promoting optimal health and better developmental outcomes for children living in low-resourced environments.

It's been a few thousand years and yet Greek myths can still capture our imagination. What makes these stories so timeless? Katherine Marsh, an award-winning author of novels for middle-grade readers—including Medusa: The Myth of Monsters and The Gods' Revenge—joins us to talk about how modern adaptations can make these incredible stories more accessible to young readers.

We're always surprised — and a little chagrined — to find a piece of history we had not yet heard about. Author Maria Dolores Aguila joins us to talk about her new book A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez, a uniquely American story about one child's stand against poverty, deportation, racism, and colorism in southern California in the early 1900s.