Kidlit Happy Hour

Highlights from our conversation with Founder and Publisher of Kokila, Namrata Tripathi:   The power of celebrating not just our communal work, but also ourselves Voice as an essential point of view with no illusion of neutrality How cheap workarounds subvert the hard work of uncovering our own voice  The power of words like “intuition” (despite how it may come off as fluffy or weak) Supporting writers in identifying who they are actually in conversation with on the page The lifelong work of knowing how to be more honest with ourselves and the world The priceless bit of publishing wisdom a former boss shared How Kokila's intentional approach to each facet of publishing is intrinsically tied to the books they put out into the world.   Namrata Tripathi is Founder and Publisher of Kokila. Previously, Namrata held editorial positions at HarperCollins, Disney-Hyperion, and Simon and Schuster. She is the editor of New York Times bestsellers Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry and Vashti Harrison and Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi and Ashley Lukashevsky; the Newbery Honor-winning middle grade novel The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani; and the National Book Award Finalists Noggin by John Corey Whaley, Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay, and The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor. Namrata grew up in Afghanistan, India, Canada, Pakistan, Germany, and Poland, and has happily called New York City home for the last twenty-five years.

They're back!!! Here are some highlights from Joanna and Caroline's first episode after their five-month KLHH hiatus: Joanna's major recent life events! Caroline's crisis of faith around her Enneagram number Book launches and Big Book Energy Where Caroline and Joanna have been finding hope recently What's next for Kidlit Happy Hour Some links from today's episode: Preorder BECOMING BOBA along with the Jilly Bing doll bundle This American Life episodes: #857 Museum of Now #850 If You Want to Destroy My Sweater, Pull this Thread as I Walk Away #859 Chaos Graph #849 The Narrator

Here are some highlights from our conversation with the NYTimes bestselling, award-winning cartoonist and graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier:  Why hearing her teacher's name was the first time Raina ever considered "voice" One gripe with Judy Blume How her voice has (or hasn't) changed since middle school Power and difficulty of putting yourself back in headspace of child self Forming three dimensional pictures from memories Why emotional arcs matters more than details Sneak peek behind the scenes of her next graphic novel: The Cartoonist Club Raina Telgemeier is the #1 New York Times bestselling, multiple Eisner Award–winning creator of Smile, Sisters, and Guts, which are all graphic memoirs based on her childhood. She is also the creator of Drama and Ghosts, the adapter and illustrator of the first four Baby-sitters Club graphic novels, and, with Scott McCloud, the co-creator of The Cartoonists Club. Facing Feelings: Inside the World of Raina Telgemeier is based on an exhibition that was held at The Ohio State University's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, and will be published in October 2025. Raina lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Our conversation with Aida Salazar is here! Aida shares about how one workshop radically changed her approach to voice, why writing is a spiritual practice, how she stays open to receiving stories from our ancestors, and so much more.   Aida Salazar is an award-winning author, arts activist, and translator whose writings explore issues of identity and social justice. Her critically acclaimed verse novels and picture books have received numerous awards including: a Caldecott Honor, the Malka Penn Award, the Américas Award, Tomás Rivera Book Award, International Latino Book Awards, California Library Association Beatty Award, Northern CA Book Award, Jane Addams Peace Honor, an NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor among other distinctions. She lives with her family of artists in Oakland, CA.     

Here are some highlights from our conversation with NYTimes-bestselling, award-winning author Jasmine Warga!: Excavating not simply WHAT your characters want, but WHY they want it The necessity of internal contractions  Becoming a collector of ideas and moments throughout the drafting and revision process How images drive her plotting process The role of alchemy in storytelling The consistent theme at the root of her stories, and writing for our inner 10-year-olds The art of crafting the twist Jasmine Warga is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of middle grade novels Other Words For Home, The Shape of Thunder, A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall and A Rover's Story. Other Words For Home earned multiple awards, including a John Newbery Honor, a Walter Honor for Young Readers, and a Charlotte Huck Honor. The Shape of Thunder was a School Library Journal and Bank Street best book of the year, a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Children's and YA Book Award, and has been named to several state award reading lists. A Rover's Story, her latest novel, was an instant New York Times bestseller, a Indie Next List and a Junior Library Guild selection, and was named a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly and The Washington Post. She is also the author of young adult novel, My Heart and Other Black Holes, which has been translated into over twenty different languages. Originally from Cincinnati, she now lives in the Chicago-area with her family in a house filled with books.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation with the award-winning Adib Khorram: How his notes app has come to be bursting with character ideas and peoples' idiosyncrasies Impact of theater school on character-building Operating as a subconsciously-driven artist How his starting place for creating character differs from other authors Prioritization of character vs plot vs world building Revision as the time to sharpen or dull edges of character Why you may want to think twice before eating a D.C. taco from a gas station  ADIB KHORRAM is the author of DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY, which earned the William C. Morris Debut Award, the Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature, and a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor, as well as a multitude of other honors and accolades. His followup, DARIUS THE GREAT DESERVES BETTER, received three starred reviews, was an Indie Bestseller, and received a Stonewall Honor. His latest novel, KISS & TELL, received four starred reviews. His debut picture book, SEVEN SPECIAL SOMETHINGS: A NOWRUZ STORY was released in 2021. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where people don't usually talk about themselves in the third person.   LINKS: Website: www.adibkhorram.com IG: Adib Khorram First listen to Adib's overshare, then watch him white-knuckle (and crush) his speech at the FYE Conference in 2020

Here are highlights from our conversation with award-winning, NYTimes-bestselling author Randy Ribay:   How characters explore the same internal questions he's grappling with in his own life Writing towards ideas rather than adhering to a firm outline Doing the work of finding your own process What compels a reader to take off their own mask The genius of Succession's character building Why Caroline gets all Randy's royalties on the next book   Randy Ribay is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. His most recent novel, Patron Saints of Nothing, earned five starred reviews, was selected as a Freeman Book Award winner, and was a finalist for the National Book Award, LA Times Book Prize, Walden Book Award, Edgar Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the CILIP Carnegie Medal. His other works include Project Kawayan, After the Shot Drops, and An Infinite Number of Parallel Universes. His next novels, The Chronicles of the Avatar: The Reckoning of Roku (Abrams) and Everything We Never Had (Kokila/Penguin) will be out in 2024.    Born in the Philippines and raised in the Midwest, Randy earned his BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder and his Ed.M. in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, son, and cat-like dog.    Randy's website   Randy's Instagram

Highlights from our episode with the bestselling, awards-winning, queen herself, Grace Lin: Picking a setting where you *want* to spend time Identifying as a storyteller vs. a writer Why she is the 1% of writers who do NOT start their story with character Her pals persistence and doggedness The role of faith in writing How publishing has shape-shifted over the past 30 years Grace Lin, a NY Times bestselling author/ illustrator, won the Newbery Honor for “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” and the Theodor Geisel Honor for “Ling and Ting.” Her novel “When the Sea Turned to Silver” was a National Book Award Finalist and her picture book, “A Big Mooncake for Little Star” was awarded the Caldecott Honor. Grace is also an occasional commentator for New England Public Radio, a reviewer for the NY Times, a video essayist for PBS NewsHour, and the speaker of the popular TEDx talk, “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child's Bookshelf,” as well as the co-host of the Book Friends Forever podcast.  In 2016, Grace's art was displayed at the White House where Grace, herself, was recognized by President Obama's office as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling. In 2022, Grace was awarded the Children's Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association. 

Here are some highlights from our conversation with award-winning, bestselling author Liz Garton Scanlon:  

Highlights from this episode include: Starting with a story and discovering theme along the way Propping up a story with telephone poles and burying the wires in between Leaving space for readers to lean in and discover things for themselves Minh Lê is the award-winning author of household favorites Drawn Together (winner of the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature), Real to Me, The Blur, Lift (an Eisner Award nominee). He also writes popular middle grade graphic novels, including Green Lantern books and Enlighten Me. He is also a has been a contributor to a number of national publications including the New York Times, The Horn Book, HuffPost, NPR, Book Riot, and Reading Rainbow, and was until very recently, on the Board of We Need Diverse Books. He's also on the faculty of the Hamline MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. IG: @bottomshelfbks

We're thrilled to introduce our first guest of Season 2, the brilliant author Laurel Snyder. Highlights in this episode include: Theme bumping against character, setting, plot and more in order to find its path Writing from the heart in a capitalist system Writing like a cook, not a baker Why the outline changes the minute she starts writing The realities of loving, and envying!, authors like Kate Messner Episode links: Laurel's episode on the Commonplace Podcast with Rachel Zucker The Ezra Klein Show podcast episode with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy   Laurel Snyder is the beloved author of many picture books and novels for children, including National Book Award nominee Orphan Island, the Geisel Award winner Charlie & Mouse, and the Sydney Taylor Award winner The Longest Night. A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, she teaches in Hamline University's MFA in writing for children and young adults program. She lives in Atlanta with her family and can be found online at laurelsnyder.com. IG: @ohmylorelai  

In which we share ways we've taken our KLHH guests' advice to live life as inspiration for craft, and attempt to buckle down for this upcoming year - because the year actually follows the academic calendar, right? We've got things cooking for you this season, and we hope we can find ways to connect with our listeners more. One way you can do that is by dropping your questions for upcoming guests on our KidlitHappy Hour IG! We're excited to be back for Season 2 - we've already got some gems ready for you!     

It's our final episode of the inaugural season of Kidlit Happy Hour!!! Join us as we surprise one another with favorite moments from each episode, reflect on the season, and talk through where we're going from here.   We will officially be back in August with our second season that is PACKED TO THE BRIM with brilliant minds across kidlit. In the meantime, be sure to follow the podcast on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen and catch up on any episodes you missed!

Highlights from our conversation with NYTimes bestselling and award-winning author Claribel A. Ortega: The #1 way to connect to your audience Claribel's tried and true mantra in publishing Risks and benefits of sharing your writing journey online Why writing your interests into your stories is a smart bet The joys of trolling (not the kind you may be thinking) and why she loves receiving "hate mail" from readers  The brilliant approach to making self-promo work for you Why supporting the writing community is everything, and focusing on online conversation vs. discourse Ways to cultivate in-person community  What it's like drafting in Windings 3...   New York Times Bestselling and award-winning author, Claribel A. Ortega is a former reporter who writes middle-grade and young adult fantasy inspired by her Dominican heritage. When she's not busy turning her obsession with eighties pop culture, magic, and video games into books, she's co-hosting her podcast Bad Author Book Club. Claribel is a Marvel contributor and has been featured on Buzzfeed, Bustle, Good Morning America and Deadline. Claribel's NYT Bestselling debut middle grade novel Ghost Squad is being made into a feature film. Her latest book Witchlings (Scholastic) was an Instant NYT and #1 Indie Bestseller. Her graphic novel Frizzy with Rose Bousamra was winner of the 2023 Pura Belpré Award for Children's Text and an Indie Bestseller.    Instagram, X and Tiktok @Claribel_Ortega Twitch @radbunnie Website at claribelortega.com

Some highlights from our conversation with marketing guru Emily Lyman:   Reframing self-promotion as a celebration with your community Individuals understand their “brand” Good marketing IS storytelling Why sharing your values, even if controversial, generates more loyal connections and community Empathetic marketing   Emily spent nearly a decade working in-house with global publishers such as Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster managing both corporate and title marketing initiatives. Emily is now the CEO and Founder of Branch and Bramble, a digital marketing company. As an award-winning data artist, Emily specializes in blending data with heart and values to create meaningful audience connections for brand partners which include Patagonia, Paramount, and Penguin Random House. She's worked with companies with household names to individual authors just trying to get their books out in the world. She also runs the Mountain Brook Inn in the Catskills in upstate New York.   Branch and Bramble Book influencer guide IG @emilylyman LinkedIn @Emily Lyman

Here are select highlights from our conversation with NYtimes bestselling, award-winning author Cynthia Leitich Smith:   Story as a circle, gathering, and communal effort Figuring out where your voice can best serve and where your heart beats with hope Building on “and” instead of “vs” Inviting people into the conversation AND being a part of the conversation Social media dynamics as both tricky and powerful Approaches to book promotion that start locally How we can never surrender progress made by generations before Only asking kids to take on battles we're willing to engage in ourselves    Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee) is a NYTimes bestseller, 2024 Southern Mississippi Medallion Winner, and 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate. Her titles include HEARTS UNBROKEN, which won an American Indian Youth Literature Award, the anthology ANCESTOR APPROVED, an Indigenous PETER PAN retelling titled SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, HARVEST HOUSE, which is one of five Bram Stoker Award® Nominees for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel, and—the BLUE STARS series, also by Kekla Magoon and Molly Murakami. Cynthia looks forward to ON A WING AND A TEAR for middle graders. She is the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint of HarperChildren's.   Website: https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/ IG: @cynthialeitichsmith

Highlights from our conversation with football coach Tavita Pritchard:   Centering relationships over x's and o's How who you are shows up on the tape How embracing his family history guides his coaching style Believing in your process instead of over-indexing on an individual result Connections between coaching and the writing process   Pritchard played quarterback at Stanford University from 2006-09 and joined the coaching staff in 2010. He worked his way from a graduate assistant, to defensive assistant, to running backs coach, to wide receivers coach, to quarterbacks coach, and ultimately assumed the role of offensive coordinator from 2018-22. During Pritchard's time at Stanford, the team won three Pac-12 titles and two Rose Bowl championships. Pritchard coached a range of remarkable future NFL players, including QB Kevin Hogan, a fifth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, who led the team to the 2015 Pac-12 title and a Rose Bowl win. Pritchard is now in his second year as the Quarterbacks Coach for the NFL's Washington Commanders. He lives with his wife Caroline Kusin Pritchard (oh, hey!!!) and four kids in Oakton, Virginia.

Highlights from our conversation with Andrea Davis Pinkney:   - Why riding the Coney Island cyclone is one of the earliest steps to polishing a manuscript - Relying on an inner circle that we trust with our unpolished work - Physically dIsmatling a piece and then stitching it back together - Making homemade audio book read alouds as part of the revision process - The "page one pact" and “hook, pull, hold" - How to push part deluding ourselves that we've done our best work - Deconstructing the greats to find inspiration   Andrea Davis Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of more than 50 books for children and adults.  Her numerous awards including multiple Coretta Scott King Book Awards, the Boston Globe—Horn Book Honor, and the Parenting Publications gold medal, among other citations. She is a four-time NAACP Image Award nominee, recipient of both the Regina Medal and the Arbuthnot Honor Awar for her singular body of work and distinguished contribution to the field of literature. She's been named one of the “The 25 Most Influential People in Our Children's Lives” by Children's Health magazine, is among The Network Journal's “25 Most Influential Black Women in Business,” and is one the “50 Over 50 Extraordinary Women” and “Women Who Light up the Arts Scene” noted by Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day magazines. Andrea lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband.

Highlights from this episode with Lil Miss Hot Mess include: Why nail polish is like writing a book Writing for kids through the lens of performance arts Why theater kids run the world Lil Miss Hot Mess is a drag queen, activist, and children's book author, known for her work with the #MyNameIs campaign and Drag Queen Story Hour. She has appeared on Saturday Night Live as a backup dancer for Katy Perry with a group of drag and ballroom performers. She is also a university professor with a PhD from NYU. IG: @lilmisshotmess

Here are a few highlights from our conversation with Erin Entrada Kelly:   Building stories grounded in a single character The gift of writing in your head  Why all roads lead back to one word: “organic” The power of writing in longhand Why novels should be like a blanket, not a quilt Feeding your creative soul, and why it counts as writing time Emotional tension vs. external tension Remembering that characters are living, breathing people… not pieces on a chess board Secrets hidden in her books… hint: Wuthering Heights fans and Trekkies will delight!   Erin Entrada Kelly is the award winning journalist turned NYTimes bestselling and award-winning author of a vast range of gorgeous children's books. Among other honors, she won 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, and the 2016 Golden Kite Honor Award for Blackbird Fly. Erin is also the author and illustrator of the beloved Marisol Rainey chapter books series. Erin lives in Delaware and teaches in the MFA programs at Hamline University and Rosemont College, and also teaches fiction with Gotham Writers Workshop.

Here are a few highlights from our conversation with Angel Barreto, one of the most creative and celebrated chefs in the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond:   Staying true to the traditional values of a dish while adding your own voice How working within constraints can bring out innovation and creativity How his family history as sharecroppers influenced his passion for food Why being the first person of color to have a #1 restaurant in DC is both remarkable and disheartening Navigating the tension of appreciation and appropriation Why the best chefs know the history of the food they cook, even when it makes us uncomfortable The one scene from TV show The Bear that may have hit too close to home…   Angel Barreto is the executive chef and partner of Anju, a contemporary Korean restaurant in D.C. that received three stars from the Washington Post. Barreto has had a culinary career that spans over a decade, with experience in both French and Korean cuisine from institutions like Vermilion, Wolfgang Puck's The Source and more. Angel studied Korean food and history in Korea after winning a competition sponsored by the Korean embassy and was eventually recruited to Anju. Baretto was a finalist for the RAMMY Award for "Rising Culinary Star of the Year" in 2019 and was named one of Food and Wine's “Best New Chefs” in 2021. He was a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for "Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic" in both 2018 and 2019. He is also an advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry and works to eliminate the disparities and toxic work environments that often exist within the kitchen.

Highlights from this episode with Jerry Craft include:   Why building a story is like building a house How eavesdropping enriches characterization… and body odor Evolution of attending book conferences as a fan to becoming a headline author Tricks to building a series that continues to feel fresh and relevant Resistance to writing stories with horrific events, especially while centering Black characters Exploring small, mesmerizing details that will crack open a kid's world   Jerry Craft is the NYT bestselling author and illustrator of many books for kids including graphic novels New Kid and Class Act. New Kid was the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal, and the only book in history to win the Newbery, the Kirkus Prize, AND the Coretta Scott King Author Award. He has been a copywriter, a cartoonist and creator of the beloved comic strip, Mama's Boyz, and even an editorial director at Sports Illustrated. Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.

Highlights from this episode with Nic Stone include:   Nic's famous mnemonic for the writing process, including a behind the scenes sneak peek to her third book in the Dear Martin series The two questions to ask when working on a new story The experience of having FUN while writing and how each book is a form of self-exploration Reading (rather than avoiding) comp titles during the drafting process Living an emotionally honest life in order to achieve emotional resonance on the page Neurodivergence as a gift and the power of centering mental health The power (and hilarity) of personifying emotions Putting people from your real life in books… so you can murder them.   Nic Stone is the brilliant, prolific #1 NY Times-bestselling author of young adult fiction, including Dear Martin, Dear Justyce, Odd One Out, Jackpot, her latest Chaos Theory, and her co-authored book with Ibram X. Kendi: How to Be A (Young) Antiracist. Dear Martin was one of Time magazine's 100 best YA books of all times and won the William C. Morris Award in 2018. The books sequel, Dear Justyce, was an NPR Best Book of the Year. Her middle grade books include, Clean Getaway, Easy Pitch, and Marvel's Shuri series based on the breakout character from Black Panther.

Highlights from this episode with Frankie Quiñones include: Deriving inspiration from witnessing others people's art and vulnerability How laughter leads to the emotional center Developing confidence to share painful traumas on stage and bring the audience along with him Process of developing hilarious, detailed and heartfelt characters inspired by his family Two overshares that span opposite end of the spectrum, from mortification to celebration Frankie Quiñones is a stand up comedian, actor, and creator best known for his characters like Creeper, Juanita Carmelita, and countless others. His online videos have millions of views and will have you rolling on the ground laughing. Frankie stars in the new ABC Studios Hulu show "This Fool" and has made appearances on Comedy Central, HBO, TBS, Nickelodeon and more.   IG: @frankiequinones https://www.instagram.com/frankiequinones/

Highlights from this episode with Yuyi Morales include: The impact of environment on storytelling Reframing what it means to write and work Toggling between anguish and joy in the writing process Community as a necessary guide to story How the rampant dehumanization during a certain presidential candidacy impacted her decision to write her own immigration story... and invite others to tell their own Power plants and finding the story within Yuyi Morales is the NYT bestselling, award-winning author and illustrator of beloved children's books, including Dreamers, Bright Star, Nino Wrestles the World, and so many more. She weaves artistic mediums with tenderness and heart, using everything from yarn to photography to ink drawings to animate her stories. Yuyi's groundbreaking work has received awards that include: the Jane Addams Book Award, the Christopher Award, and six prestigious Pura Belpre Medals. Yuyi was also the first Latina artist to ever receive the illustrious Caldecott honor in 2015 for Viva Frida.  IG: @yuyimorales

Highlights from this episode with Christina Soontornvat include: Crying on planes and the power of music to unlock stories Giving ideas the time and space to gestate (like babies!) Feeling a way through story with intuition The tension between confidence, pressure, and a constant pull to make other people happy Christina Soontornvat is the beloved author of over a dozen books for children of all ages. Among countless other awards, Christina has received three Newbery Honors. The first two were both in 2021 for her middle grade fantasy A Wish in the Dark as well as her non-fiction account of the cave rescue of the Thai boys' soccer team, All Thirteen. She earned her third Newbery honor just this past year for her dazzling fantasy adventure The Last Mapmaker. She is also a former mechanical engineer and educator, and an all-around brilliant human and activist. IG: @csoontornvat

Highlights from this episode with award-winning actress Karla Souza, who you may recognize from her starring roles in hit shows How to Get Away with Murder, Home Economics, or film La Caida (Dive) include: Feeling visceral alarm bells of truth in the body Coping with the backlash of truth-telling; her #metoo realities Finding courage to continue telling the truth in the face of asymmetrical power systems An overshare that will have you spitting out your drink in laughter Karla Souza is an award-winning writer and actress with starring roles in How to Get Away with Murder, Home Economics, and Instructions Not Included, the highest grossing Spanish film to open in North America, and Nostros Los Nobles, one of the highest grossing Mexican films of all time! Her latest film, La Caida (Dive) is one of tthe msot watched movies on Amazon Prime and has been nominated for numerous Ariel Awards - the Mexican equivalent of the Oscars - including Best Picture and Best Actress.  IG: @karlasouza

Highlights from this episode with award-winning poet, speaker, actor, and equity and inclusion strategist, Carlos Andrés Gómez include: Being briefly broken and breaking through creative walls Uncovering truth through writing Wrestling constantly with self-deception and truth Learning to get vulnerable Carlos Andrés Gómez is a Colombian American poet, speaker, actor, and equity and inclusion strategist from New York City. He is the author of Fractures, winner of the Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry, Hijito, winner of the Broken River Prize and a #1 SPD bestseller, and the memoir Man Up: Reimagining Modern Manhood, released by Penguin Random House. A star of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, TV One's Verses and Flow, and Spike Lee's #1 box office movie Inside Man with Denzel Washington, Carlos' honors include the Sandy Crimmins National Prize for Poetry, Atlanta Review International Poetry Prize, Foreword INDIES Gold Medal, and the International Book Award. A genre-transcending multi-hyphenate, he partnered with John Legend on Senior Orientation, a program to counteract bullying and champion inclusive masculinity among high school students.  IG: @carlosaglive Website: https://carloslive.com/

Highlights from this episode with acclaimed educator, consultant, author, and antibias antiracist facilitator Liz Kleinrock include: Distinguishing truth and fact, holding multiple truths, intersectionality, and nuance Representation is the low-hanging fruit; moving toward affirmation The consequences of speaking truth and holding on to our North Stars Liz Kleinrock is an author, educator, consultant and antibias antiracist facilitator. She received the Learning for Justice's Award for Excellence in 2018, delivered a TED Talk called “Education Everywhere” that's been watched by millions, and released her bestselling Start Here Start Now: A Guide to Antibias and Antiracist Work In Your School Community that informs practice in schools all across the country. Liz is a force for good and has her fingerprints absolutely everywhere, from her platform @teachandtransform, to working with companies and organizations like North Face, the Smithsonian Museum of African America History and Culture and Central Synagogue in NYC.  IG: @teachandtransform Website: https://www.teachandtransform.org/ Come and Join Us!: Liz's debut picture book! Eyes that Weave the Worlds Wonders: Liz and Joanna's book (out 1/23/24) What Jewish Looks Like: Liz and Caroline's book (out in 2024, stay tuned for link!)

Highlights from this episode with acclaimed author Maggie Tokuda-Hall include: Writing protagonists that are not role models The magic of the 25k word count and refusing to string along dead writing and trashing drafts Her thoughts on determining what are *her* stories to tell Why telling truth to kids matters and untangling what "age appropriate" means Mermaids, serial killers, and another perspective on The Giving Tree An overshare that should empower us all to say NOPE! Maggie Tokuda-Hall is the author of many books, including Love in the Library, and her debut young adult novel The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea, which was named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR, Kirkus, School Library Journal and Book Page. Maggie is relentlessly bold in her writing and her truth-telling, and is an absolute force in the world of kid lit and beyond. IG and TikTok: @maggietokudahall Website: https://www.prettyokmaggie.com/ Discussion around the Scholastic censorship controversy   

It's just the two us of us on today's new episode!!! We are reflecting on the question that guided the first three interviews of the season: What is Story? Here are some highlights:  

Highlights from this episode with award-winning news anchor and founder of The Very Asian Foundation include: Going viral for being "very Asian" Relevance making a story AND stories making things relevant Navigating the tension of truth-telling in the news Michelle is a news anchor and reporter at KSDK, the NBC affiliate. Michelle's reporting has been honored with a national Peabody Award, four national Murrows, and multiple regional Emmys– often for covering topics related to race or gender inequities. Her work has been on CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and The Washington Post. Michelle's went viral in her response to a racist voicemail, which became a global movement that became The Very Asian Foundation, which focuses on shining a light on all walks of Asian life through advocacy and celebration. IG: @michellelitv Website: https://www.michellelitv.com/ The Very Asian Foundation That viral video  

A few (of the many!) highlights from this episode with New York Times bestselling, Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award-winner Donna Barba Higuera include:

Highlights from this episode with Caldecott medalist, Dan Santat include: Name dropping gone wrong Creating emotional resonance  The reality behind shiny medals Dan Santat has published some of the most celebrated and influential and bestselling children's books including DRAWN TOGETHER, AFTER THE FALL, THE AQUANAUTS, and FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, and Caldecott medal winner, THE ADVENTURES OF BEEKLE. He created the show, The Replacements for Disney Channel, has illustrated for clients like The Wall Street Journal.  IG: @dsantat Website: https://sites.google.com/g.risd.org/dansantat/home

Welcome to the very first episode of Kidlit Happy Hour. HUZZAH!!! In this episode, you'll learn more about our big, juicy vision for this podcast. Some highlights include…  How we became friends (Hint: donuts and sprinklers) Our path to podcasting and where we hope it leads The first overshares of the season (no happy hour is complete without one!) We are so thrilled you are here and hope you will stay to build this space with us.