On this episode, Jed welcomes author and neuroscientist Gail Martino, whose new picture book "Feathered and Famous: Meet America's All Star Birds" celebrates the national and state birds of the United States and the stories behind them.

Gail explains how her book helps kids (and parents) discover the unique traits that made each bird worthy of representing a state—from the clever chickadee of Massachusetts, which actually grows part of its brain in the fall to help remember where it hid seeds, to the hopeful, homey robin of Connecticut, often seen as a harbinger of spring. She also describes the engineering genius of birds' nests, like robins using mud as "mortar" and the Baltimore oriole's swinging, sock‑like nest that can withstand strong winds.

Gail shares how her father's backyard bird feeder sparked her curiosity as a child, eventually leading her into a career in neuroscience, product development, and innovation consulting—and now to writing books that connect kids to nature, geography, history, and STEM skills. She talks about the importance of teaching kids to observe the world, balancing screen time with real‑world curiosity, and using tools like eBird and Merlin to make birding fun and interactive for families. She also highlights how many state birds, like the brown pelican of Louisiana, have become powerful symbols of conservation success.

Later in the episode, Jed chats briefly with author Jill Esbaum about her playful new picture book "Stink Bird Has a Superpower", a story inspired by the wonderfully weird hoatzin of the Amazon and Jill's passion for helping kids discover that everyone has a superpower.

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids, we're celebrating two joyful, community-minded picture books that are perfect for creating memories with kids.

First, Jed chats with Jodi Tatiana Charles, author of Going to the Festival. Inspired by her decade of volunteering—two years as president—at the Marblehead Festival of the Arts in Massachusetts, Jodi turned her experiences into a vibrant picture book that honors festivals, volunteers, and community life. She talks about how annual events bring neighbors together, support local businesses, and create multigenerational memories that last a lifetime. We meet her four main characters—Tanner, Sebastian, Beatrice, and Danielle—each reflecting different talents and personalities, and each carrying a bit of Jodi and her illustrator, Julia Potvin. Jodi also shares how Easter eggs hidden in the illustrations, intergenerational scenes, and a strong sense of place make the book relatable whether or not you've ever been to Marblehead.

Then we welcome back Kris Tarantino, author of Bed Slime Blues, the follow-up to Be My Valent-Slime. Kris introduces us to her four monster characters—Snoodle, Iggy, ZZ, and Fleck—who stand in for kids facing classic bedtime battles: baths, toothbrushing, more snacks, more stories, and missing stuffies. She explains how she learned to let the illustrator tell half the story, how revision truly transforms a manuscript, and how her school visits use humor and interactivity to get kids excited about reading and writing. Kris also teases the third "slime" book, centered on the monsters' first day of school.

This episode is all about community, connection, and the magic of picture books.

In this joyful episode, Jed chats with creative couple Jeanine Pastores and Joshua Jackson, the team behind the beloved character Tubby Nugget and their middle grade graphic novel "The Adventures of Tubby Nugget: Nuggetville Escape."

Jeanine and Joshua share how Tubby Nugget began in 2016 as a private joke and love language between them. Jeanine called Joshua her "nugget," and he started drawing a little, squishy nugget character to cheer her up—whether she was sad, needed a laugh, or they were apologizing after a fight. Those doodles became webcomics on Instagram, which unexpectedly went viral, turning Tubby Nugget into their full-time career.

They talk about navigating health challenges, leaving traditional employment paths, and finding purpose in creating something joyful for others. Both emphasize how crucial supportive family, friends, and a great manager have been, especially as Asian artists whose parents bucked the stereotype and encouraged them to pursue the arts.

Jeanine describes the story of Nuggetville Escape: Tubby lives in a town where everyone is expected to be dipped in gold and conform, but he loves his squishy brown coat, colors, and good food. With the help of his loving parents and friends, he chooses to be true to himself. The book celebrates self-acceptance, supportive relationships, and respecting different paths in life.

They also discuss their creative collaboration as author and illustrator, the challenges of scope and workload, their thriving merch (especially plushies), and their hopes to expand Tubby Nugget into even more media to reach kids and families everywhere.

We also share a listen back to a past conversation with author Emily Ettlinger