In this episode, Torrey Maldonado chats with Jennifer about children's literature, his work and the magic of teaching middle school! They discuss the power of children's literature and how it can shape readers' hearts and help them navigate the world. Torrey shares his own experience as a reader and how he found storytelling through cinema and comics. He also talks about his teaching background and how he writes books for the students he teaches. Torrey's books are known for being short yet rich and robust, challenging the myth that shorter books lack depth. They discuss the impact of Torrey's books on students and how they inspire and engage reluctant readers. The conversation also touches on the importance of representation in books and the need for young readers to see themselves as both characters and creators in the stories they read. In this conversation, Torrey shares the impact his mother had on his love for reading and writing, and how she continues to inspire him. He reflects on his first reading and the emotional moment when his mother realized he was living her dream. Torrey shares his upcoming projects and the themes of his future books. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the power of empathy and the importance of connecting and understanding one another through literature.   Show notes and other information related to this episode (including a discount code from Bookelicious) can be found here. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:01 The Power of Children's Literature 07:31 Middle School Students at a Crossroads 09:51 The Impact of Torrey's Books on Students 13:07 The Attainable Richness of Torrey's Books 16:06 Recognition and Validation 21:42 Representation and Seeing Yourself in Books 22:39 Representation in Books 27:29 Torrey's First Reading 30:17 The Legacy of Torrey's Mother 32:53 What's Next for Torrey Maldonado 34:17 Review of 'Relit' 45:00 The Power of Empathy