In this latest episode of the podcast Joe takes some time here towards the end of the year to hone in on the core topic which always drives the podcast, how to raise inclusive kids who will make the world a better place.
Wade Hudson stops by the podcast to talk about his latest book The Reckoning. Joe and Wade get into a discussion about why Wade decided to write the book, what else he is up to, and how we can use the lessons from his book to spur on action in our own day-to-day lives.
Enjoy!
Wade Hudson is an author, a publisher, and the president and CEO of Just Us Books, Inc., an independent publisher of books for children and young adults. He has published over thirty books, including the anthologies We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, which received four starred reviews; The Talk, which earned four starred reviews and was a New York Times Best Book of the Year; and Recognize: Black Lives Matter. These powerful collections were co-edited with his wife, Cheryl Willis Hudson. He also authored the middle grade memoir Defiant: Growing Up in the Jim Crow South, winner of the Malka Penn award.
Lamar can’t wait to start his filmmaking career like his idol Spike Lee. And leave behind his small town of Morton, Louisiana. But for now, Lamar has to learn how to be a filmmaker while getting to know his grandfather.
When Gramps talks about his activism and Black history, Lamar doesn’t think much about it. Times have changed since the old Civil Rights days! Right? He has a white friend named Jeff who wants to be a filmmaker, too, even though Jeff’s parents never let him go to Lamar’s Black neighborhood. But there’s been progress in town. Right?
Then Gramps is killed in a traffic altercation with a white man claiming self-defense. But the Black community knows better: Gramps is another victim of racial violence. Protesters demand justice. So does Lamar. But he is also determined to keep his grandfather’s legacy alive in the only way he knows how: recording a documentary about the fight against injustice.
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:
After interviewing Deborah Hopkinson a few months ago she mentioned the incredible illustrator Kate Gardiner who worked on the book 'Small Places, Close to Home'. She told me how amazingly talented she is, and after checking out the art myself I wholeheartedly agreed and KNEW I had to get her on the podcast.
I'm honored that Kate stopped by the show to tell us all about her experience working with Deborah, what drew her (pun intended!) to illustration, and what's next for her.
Enjoy!
Kate Gardiner is a New England based illustrator. Kate often finds herself inspired by quiet scenes of nature, finding beauty in moments of rest. She aims to capture the calm of these moments through her illustrations, often gaining inspiration through her mixed heritage, as a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians as well as the traditions of her Polish roots. She received her BFA in illustration at Maine College of Art & Design in 2020. Kate has several upcoming books, her debut picture book “Small Places, Close to Home”, by Deborah Hopkinson (HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray) is scheduled for publication in Fall 2023. “Sometimes we Fall” by Randall de Seve (Penguin/Random House Studio), “A Family Tree” by Staci Droulliard (HarperCollins/Heartdrum) and is just beginning work on “Firefly Season” by Cynthia Leitich Smith (HarperCollins/Heartdrum). She is represented by Steven Malk of Writers House Literary Agency
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!
Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!
AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast: