Rooted in the belief that our world needs the magic of children’s literature now more than ever, the Reader’s Heart podcast captures conversations with authors and illustrators about children’s literature as a vehicle for empathy and joy in a dark world.
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Rooted in the belief that our world needs the magic of children’s literature now more than ever, the Reader’s Heart podcast captures conversations with authors and illustrators about children’s literature as a vehicle for empathy and joy in a dark world.
In this conversation, Jennifer LaGarde and Katherine Marsh discuss the power of children's literature and the influence it has on shaping readers' hearts. They explore Katherine's own reader's heart and how it informs her writing. They also delve into the themes and characters of Katherine's book, Medusa, and the importance of representation and empathy in literature. They discuss the challenges of getting kids to read and the need for books that cater to different reading levels and interests. Finally, they touch on Katherine's upcoming projects and the role of books in mother-daughter relationships.
Show notes, including a discount code for purchasing the books mentioned in this episode from Bookelicious, can be found here.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:12 Katherine's Reader's Heart
05:02 The Importance of Middle Grade Literature
06:25 Representation and Empathy in Books
09:10 Book Talk: Medusa
16:10 The Characters of Medusa
21:32 Ava's Character Development
23:51 Mother-Daughter Relationships in Medusa
24:12 Medusa as a Read-Aloud
28:26 Writing for Different Reading Levels
29:22 Motivating Kids to Read
33:01 Upcoming Projects
36:06 Conclusion
The Reader’s Heart Podcast
Rooted in the belief that our world needs the magic of children’s literature now more than ever, the Reader’s Heart podcast captures conversations with authors and illustrators about children’s literature as a vehicle for empathy and joy in a dark world.
