Reach Out and Read

Crosby Kemper, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, joins us to explain the role of the federal government in the support and empowerment of America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. His careful stewardship and deep thoughts around how we protect and promote these incredible American civic institutions are evident in this far-reaching conversation.

Writing for children—especially books that can be emotionally challenging—requires a great deal of insight, honestly, talent, and self reflection; and that's before you even pick up the pencil! Peter Brown, author of The Wild Robot, a beautifully crafted and deeply moving middle grade novel about technology, nature, and family, joins us to talk about his approach to this work.

A new report from Harvard University and the Burke Foundation reinforces what we have long known at Reach Out and Read: simple, well-delivered initiatives to support early relational health have proven and profoundly beneficial results for children and their families. Dr. Junlei Li, lead author of the report and co-chair of the Human Development and Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, joins us to discuss how we can understand and support the work of those on the educational and social service front lines who serve children and families — and at home.

In 1920, as Black art and writing flourished during the Harlem Renaissance, W.E.B. Du Bois created the first magazine aimed specifically at Black youth. Titled "The Brownies' Book: A Monthly Magazine for Children of the Sun", the magazine featured celebrated Black creatives of the time. Nearly 100 years later, Dr. Karida Brown and Charly Parker have revived and expanded upon Du Bois' work to "showcase new art and writing for children" and created and published "The New Brownies' Book: A Love Letter to Black Families."

A core role of parents and caregivers is to help children make sense of an often-challenging world around them. Miriam Udel, professor of German and Jewish Studies at Emory University, joins us to talk about how children's books can help parents and children alike when their world is "on fire".

The American Academy of Pediatrics has long recognized that the world outside the walls of hospitals and clinics has a major impact on the health of children. A new book from the Academy, "Untangling the Thread of Racism", aims to be a thoughtful, practical, and hands-on resource that addresses many aspects of this important but challenging topic. Dr. Jacqueline Dougé, a general pediatrician, public health practitioner, and one of the editors of the book, joins us to talk about how health professionals can address racism and race-related issues in their practices.

We're thankful to every person who reads aloud to a child. To mark this holiday devoted to giving thanks, we're bringing back an episode we recorded during the pandemic. We asked three children's authors — Traci Sorell, Ann Clare LeZotte, and Dr Sayantani DasGupta — to read aloud their own stories of gratitude, and we're grateful to share those stories with you again.

Reach Out and Read has commissioned and published its first children's book, Talk Baby Talk! In an effort to increase access to books that are representative of families from all races, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds, this book is reflective of Reach Out and Read's mission, which focuses on the parent/caregiver-child relationship through daily reading. We discuss with Alex Chu, Executive Director for Reach Out and Read Northeast, author Tricia Elam Walker, and illustrator Cbabi Bayoc, about where the idea for the book came from, how the book was crafted, and how it can help families in ways that other books may not.

Tyson Barker, Chief Science & Innovation Officer at the Institute for Child Success, discusses innovative research on early relational health. He contrasts traditional randomized trials with practical approaches that embed research in real settings. Tyson highlights the importance of balancing internal and external validity when scaling programs. He also explores caregiver-led care models, emphasizing the significance of creating trusting relationships between families and clinicians. The conversation dives into the challenges of maintaining program fidelity while adapting to cultural contexts.

Children's books should not only offer "windows and mirrors" into other cultures, races, and religions, but into a range of feelings and emotions. Craig Fehrman, author of a recent essay in The New York Times titled "Reading Sad Books Is Good for Your Kids", joins us to talk about the importance of creating, sharing, and discussing children's books that mix the "tragedy and joy that define great art and also real life.