Sat Apr 19 2025

"The world is at least fifty percent terrible, and that’s a conservative estimate, though I keep this from my children," writes Maggie Smith in her viral poem Good Bones. Today, Maggie joins Ryan to talk about what it means to shield children from the world's harsh realities while still acknowledging its beauty and potential. They discuss how parents can balance hope with realism, the importance of instilling strong values, and the courage it takes to remain earnest and sincere in a cynical world. In 2016, Maggie Smith’s poem Good Bones became a viral sensation. It was named the “Official Poem of 2016” by the Public Radio International. Maggie Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of You Could Make This Place Beautiful; My Thoughts Have Wings, a picture book illustrated by SCBWI Portfolio grand prize winner Leanne Hatch; the national bestsellers Goldenrod and Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change; as well as Good Bones, named one of the Best Five Poetry Books...