Reach Out and Read

In this engaging discussion, Hope Williams-Burt, a community organizer improving public health and housing initiatives, shares insights on leveraging community ownership during the COVID response. Allison Logan, co-founder of CT359, details her innovative Bridgeport Baby Bundle that fosters collective impact and sustainability in early childhood support. Dr. Corey Williams emphasizes the importance of peer workforce development in mental health services for the young, while Deborah Brown introduces the 321-IMPACT model for integrating maternal and pediatric care, showcasing community-based solutions.

Thirty-five years ago, Reach Out and Read was founded in one clinic in Boston as a route to supporting shared reading with young children at home. Today, we're in all 50 states with 6200 program sites, comprising 8.8 million interactions through 7 million books. Marking that anniversary, and in partnership with Scholastic, we've created 35 for 35, a visionary, wide ranging collection of books that reflect our mission and the families and communities we serve. Marty Martinez, CEO of Reach Out and Read, Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, and Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, the award-winning author and illustrator team behind one of the books in the collection, join us to talk about this incredible project.

We know that kids' brains change as they grow, but did you know that their parents' brains change too? Dr. Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist, professor and director of clinical training at the Department of Psychology, and the Principal Investigator of the NEST Lab (NeuroEndocrinology of Social Ties Lab) at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, joins us to talk about emerging research that shows how parenthood changes the brain and how encouraging focused time between parents and children benefits everyone in the relationship.

Beloved author Meg Medina, current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature and the first of Latina heritage in the program's history, joins us to talk about 'mirrors and windows' in children's books and why what kids hear coming off the page is just as important as what they see.

"If you love a book, no doubt many other people love it, too. That shared love connects us and sparks that miraculous feeling of not being alone in the world." Jane Mount's illustrations of book spines, covers, beloved bookstores, fanciful libraries, and so much more, bring that world vividly to life and illustrate how, indeed, Books Make Good Friends.

Kate DiCamillo knows books. By far one of America's most successful children's writers (44 million books in print, translated into 41 languages), Kate joins us to talk about how reading – and reading aloud – has made her into the reader —and writer— she is today. We also learn — improbably — about how even sardine tins can be speakers of truth.

Reach Out and Read has been working on a remarkable new strategy around a key element of what we do: books! A strong approach is key to supporting our mission and as a sustainable part of how we work. Angela Cunningham, Reach Out and Read's National Director of Books Strategy and Partnerships, joins us to talk about how we approach books, and what the future might hold.

Lullabies can not only help soothe a sleepy baby, they may also help them learn language. Dr. Giovanni Di Liberto of the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience at The University of Dublin, joins us to talk about his new study that challenges conventional understanding of early language acquisition in the infant brain.

Leo Lionni changed the picture book landscape with beloved titles such as Frederick, Swimmy, and A Color of His Own. But those books are just a small window into his extensive career as a graphic designer, painter, and a master of fine art. Annie Lionni, Leo's granddaughter, and Leonard Marcus, a children's book historian, join us to talk about the life and art of Leo Lionni as shared in their new book "Leo Lionni: Storyteller, Artist, Designer."

You've likely heard of the Caldecott Medal. But how much do you know about Caldecott himself and his revolutionary work? Barbara McClintock and Michelle Markel, illustrator and writer, respectively, of Tomfoolery! Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming of Age of Children's Books, join us to talk about Caldecott's art as a turning point in the history of children's books, and the enduring influence he's had on picture books ever since.