Shows
The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture: Yearbook 2025Three years strong, y’all! We’re back with our favorite tradition: The Reading Culture Yearbook. As we close out 2025, we’ve gathered superlatives and stories that celebrate some of the memorable authors who joined us on the show this year. This year’s edition features awards such as “Most Revolutionary,” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Scariest Story,” and, of course, “Best Reading Advice.” I’m also saying a brief farewell as we go on hiatus for the winter. But don’t worry, we’ll be back in 2026 with exciting things on the horizon!***Connect wi...
2025-12-2343 min
The Reading CultureNo Wasted Sunshine: Sophie Blackall on the Meaning of Home“When we are making books, we are making little homes for our readers that they can return to hopefully again and again and again, just as we return to books and find a sense of home, we return to the person we once were, when we were reading that book.” — Sophie BlackallHome. It’s something we spend our whole lives building and rebuilding. Sometimes it’s made of walls and windows. Others, it’s made of words.Sophie Blackall builds hers through imagination and community. The two-time Caldecott Medal-winning author and illustrator, known for wo...
2025-12-1033 min
The Reading CultureJoy to the People: Mychal Threets Live from AASL“The library is where I felt, I'm safe here. I have friends in Encyclopedia Brown, Junie B. Jones, Amelia Bedelia, Stanley Yelnats, and all these various characters. I think that's the beauty. That's the sanctuary, the sacredness of that physical space.” – Mychal ThreetsMychal Threets grew up among the stacks and, from a young age, experienced the magic and shelter of the library. Today, he is a librarian, a social media sensation, a mental health advocate, and the new host of the beloved show Reading Rainbow. In this episode, we take a trip to St. Louis...
2025-11-2543 min
The Reading CultureExpanding Woman: Nic Stone on Forgiveness and the Freedom to Change“It's important that my perspective stays flexible because my perspective could need updating, it could need to be changed based on new information.” — Nic StoneNic Stone isn’t interested in staying in her lane. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, her young adult novels—Dear Martin, Chaos Theory, and Clean Getaway—explore nuances of racism, power, and mental illness with clarity and compassion. Now, she’s stepping into uncharted territory with Boom Town, her first adult novel. Set in a legendary Atlanta strip club, it’s a story about women, survival, and social power...
2025-11-1233 min
The Reading CultureYou Can't Just Move On: Erin Entrada Kelly on Limbo“It’s that old expression that I love, which is ‘wherever you go, there you are.’ So you never really get out of the limbo, because the limbo is you.” — Erin Entrada KellyThere are seasons when life slows down, even as our minds continue to race. When we find ourselves caught somewhere between motion and stillness, haunted by what came before and reaching for what’s next. That tension has become deeply personal for Erin Entrada Kelly. After an aggressive cancer diagnosis, Erin found herself living in a space between who she was and who she was...
2025-10-2937 min
The Reading CultureTender Heart: Kate DiCamillo on Awe and Grief“This is what awe always does: it’s the zoom out. All of a sudden, you can see how tiny and insignificant you are, and you plug into that bigger thing” - Kate DiCamilloWhen was the last time you were so captivated by the beauty of the world around you that it stopped you in your tracks? Kate DiCamillo intentionally has those moments daily. In a world that can feel dark and hopeless, she maintains a sense of awe. It’s the force that helps her move through both joy and loss. It’s what allows her to kee...
2025-10-1531 min
The Reading CultureI Love You, Man: Jason Reynolds on Masculinity"I don’t want to be whatever version of masculinity y’all keep telling me I have to be. Why are all the benchmarks violent and aggressive? I don’t wanna do it. I’m not interested” — Jason ReynoldsWe all inherit scripts about who we’re supposed to be. For boys, they often center on toughness, aggression, and hiding their emotions. Jason Reynolds has spent his life questioning those scripts, carving out space for tenderness and love, honoring friendships that offered freedom, and exploring what masculinity might mean beyond the narrow definitions passed down to us. Jason Reynold...
2025-10-0138 min
The Reading CultureThe Unchosen Ones: Victoria Aveyard on Fairness in Fantasy”Why are some people treated differently? Why are some people chosen ones for no particular reason? And why do some people get to have that extra shine?” — Victoria AveyardUnfairness is a pervasive theme in a lot of fantasy fiction. With battles between good and evil dominating title after title, these tales appear to have a tight grasp on fairness and justice. But for Victoria Aveyard, the world of fantasy frequently falls short on these promises. Even in some of her favorite works, the light may ultimately overcome the darkness, but not every character is given a fair...
2025-09-0331 min
The Reading CultureUnintentional Monsters: Tiffany D. Jackson on Real Horrors and Core Memories“Whenever I think of people who have gone through something, I'm always like, but they were human before this. Before they were monsters, they were human. Before they were zombies, they were human.” — Tiffany D. JacksonSome of the most unsettling monsters don’t come from nightmares or ghost stories. They walk among us in daylight, smiling widely and blending in. They can be shaped by our environments, our circumstances, or people’s choices—and in stories, as in life, they challenge us to look closer and see the human before the horror.Tiffany D. Jackson is the New Y...
2025-08-2034 min
The Reading CultureBecky, Obviously: Becky Albertalli on Bullies, Bodies and Breaking Through“There were kind of always like two simultaneous stories happening with my coming out. One was the realization and breaking through some of that denial and repression, seeing kind of what was right there in front of me, and I gave that story to Imogen.” – Becky AlbertalliWhat if there were two stories running through your life: the one you’re telling the world, and the one you haven’t even admitted to yourself? That’s the kind of truth Becky Albertalli explores in her writing, and that she’s lived in her own life. Becky is the bestsell...
2025-08-0631 min
Chess Not CheckersShawn Lloyd – From Struggles to Success: The Power of Authentic ConnectionsIn this episode of Chess Not Checkers, hosts Keith Riddle and Jordan Tampien chat with Shawn Lloyd, the founder of rConnect, about building real, meaningful connections in business and life. Shawn shares his journey, from growing up in Spokane to creating a platform where people can come together to learn, grow, and support each other.He talks about how his early challenges, including being labeled a “special education” student, helped shape his mindset and drive. Shawn also explains how his organization focuses on fostering community, mentorship, and relationships—helping individuals and businesses grow together.
2025-07-221h 31
The Reading CultureOur Job is to Live: Jasmine Warga on Belonging and Radical Hope"We all need to have radical hope. I have my really hopeless days too, but… it’s such a privilege to get to live and to survive. Our job is to live, and I think that’s a really amazing thing.” - Jasmine WargaWe all want to make the most of our time here. Not just survive, but dream big and live fully. For Jasmine Warga, that means carrying forward the strength of those before her while creating space for joy, curiosity, and self-discovery. It means letting go of perfection, holding on to radical hope, and writing stories...
2025-07-0938 min
The Reading CultureSlow Reveal: Gayle Forman on Friends, Flaws, and Finding Immortality“Those moments of connection when you can have them with people who seem so different from you on the outside, I really do think that it braids a level of connectiveness and empathy, and it is much harder to harden your heart.” — Gayle FormanWhat does it mean to rise to the occasion, not once, but over and over again? Sometimes it means reckoning with grief. Other times it means stumbling forward, messing up, and trying again. And sometimes it means simply showing up, imperfect, but still trying to be better.Gayle Forman is the be...
2025-06-2536 min
Sounds GoudaWhy Marshawn Lloyd Could Be 2025's Hidden Gem!Don't Sleep On Marshawn Lloyd in 2025 | Green Bay Packers Hidden Weapon Analysis. The Green Bay Packers have been making headlines with their new wide receiver acquisitions, but everyone's forgetting about the real secret weapon: Marshawn Lloyd! In this episode of Sounds Gouda, we break down why the former USC running back could be the X-factor that takes the Packers offense to the next level in 2025.What We Cover:Marshawn Lloyd's elite elusivity rating (177.0 from PFF!)How injuries derailed his 2024 rookie seasonWhy he's the perfect complement to Josh JacobsHis versatility as a pass-catcher and blockerFloor vs. Ceiling player comparisons (Antonio...
2025-06-2119 min
The Reading CultureStories Left Untold: Ibi Zoboi on Secrets Lost and Found“As my own mother is aging, she's telling me … before I take this to my grave, here is something you should know. So the secrets are coming out. And as more and more secrets are revealed, I'm learning more about myself.” - Ibi Zoboi Ibi Zoboi writes to remember—her own story, her family’s legacy, and the long history of migration, myth, and memory that shaped them both. For Ibi, storytelling is a form of resistance and reclamation. It’s how she makes sense of the secrets that shaped her life and gives voice to those left ou...
2025-06-1141 min
The Reading CultureTouched for the Very First Time: Soman Chainani on Books That Turn Scrollers into Readers“I tell kids that books are not there to torment you. The author has to get you in the first ten pages. If they do not, they fail, because a book is like a lawnmower—you pull it, and either it starts or it doesn't start.” –Soman ChainaiSoman Chainani wants reading to feel irresistible. The bestselling author of "The School for Good and Evil," series and the recently released graphic novel, "Coven," shares how his own reading life began—powered by Anne Rice, Michael Crichton, and a complete lack of adult supervision—and how those early obsessions shaped his b...
2025-05-2839 min
The Reading CultureMixtape: Mychal Threets Lays Out His Life in Books"I think all of us had the experience after reading the book of looking in maybe our grandparents' wardrobe, our parents' wardrobe, and like knocking on the back of the wardrobe and being like, maybe this is my time. Maybe they're gonna call me in here."— Mychal ThreetsFor this week’s episode, we are testing out a slightly different format, something we have named a “Mixtape” episode. Rather than making the reading challenge the last bit of an author’s show, we have made the reading challenge the show itself. We could not b...
2025-05-1325 min
The Reading CultureGood Luck, They’re Yours: Sharon Draper on Giving Students Room to Read“And I think that’s what reading is… It’s a personal interpretation of the story, and it may not be the same as somebody else's. That’s the whole idea of a good teacher. There should be different interpretations, and sometimes a student will come up with something that I never thought of.” —Sharon M. Draper Give a story to twenty kids, and you might get twenty different takeaways. Some will catch the details you didn’t even notice. Others will pull out meaning that wasn’t intentionally placed, but rings true all the same. Sharon M. Draper writes for e...
2025-04-3028 min
The Reading CultureWe Contain Multitudes: Debbie Levy on the Dangers of Reductionist Thinking"It's very rare for a person to just be one thing. Most issues, most things that matter, are not so black and white." – Debbie LevyWe all want to believe in heroes and villains, right and wrong, and clear-cut answers. But history and life are rarely that simple. Debbie Levy has spent her career exploring the gray areas, challenging readers to see multiple perspectives and embrace complexity. A former lawyer, journalist, and now award-winning children’s author, Debbie has written books like “I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark,” “The Year of Goodbyes,” and “A Danger...
2025-03-1946 min
The Reading CultureIn the Heights: Jerry Craft Subverts Expectations“Their white classmates can read Harry Potter and relate to going to Hogwarts and flying on brooms. But a Black kid can't aspire to go to Paris, which can actually happen.” – Jerry CraftGrowing up, Jerry Craft did not enjoy reading. He says he simply never encountered a children's book that intrigued him enough or felt right. But Jerry loves defying expectations, and so naturally, the boy who rarely set foot in a library grew up to become a celebrated children’s book author and illustrator. He has made defying expectations—and breaking stereotypes—a guiding principle in his storytel...
2025-02-1938 min
The Reading CulturePorch Stories: Jewell Parker Rhodes on Ghosts, History, and Staying Open to Love“For every child that thinks something is wrong with them, my books are saying, ‘be you, even if others can’t see you. The people who don’t see your beauty, see your glory–they have a problem. Something is wrong with their eyes, their soul.’” – Jewell Parker RhodesRaised mainly by her grandmother on a steady diet of porch stories (and lots of bread), Jewell Parker Rhodes spent decades writing for adults, perfecting her craft in order to “be good enough” to write for kids. For Jewell, that has meant creating books that speak to a range of kids with...
2025-02-0548 min
The Reading CultureScratching the Surface: Vashti Harrison on Going Past Skin Deep“Every time I read “Big” at a school, obviously I’m there to speak to kids about the story, and I hope they’re all connecting with it, but at every single reading there is always an adult woman that comes to me and says, this is my story, I needed this when I was young. And I just wish we all knew that we were all going through the same thing.” -Vashti HarrisonVashti Harrison burst onto the children’s book scene with her book, “Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History.” But to hear her tell it, Vasht...
2025-01-2238 min
The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture: Yearbook 2024It’s official. Two years in a row makes it a tradition. The Reading Culture Yearbook is here. It’s the year-end celebratory episode where we look back and highlight some of our favorite moments in the form of awarding superlatives. Or, as we dubbed them last year and seemingly forgot, “The Readies.”This year’s edition features awards such as “Best [Not] Meet Cute,” the “Owning It Award,” the “Merriam-Webster Award” (alternatively titled “Most Likely to Know More Words than Merriam-Webster”), and “The Teen Whisperer Award."
2024-12-2335 min
The Reading CultureTiny Spaces: Mac Barnett on Why Kids Are Better Than Adults at Reading Picture Books“I think kids are actually generally a better audience for literary fiction, for art, for ambitious storytelling that asks the reader to do work. And a lot of that is just based on how their brains work and their place in the world.” - Mac BarnettGrowing up, Mac Barnett’s mom never took their picture books off their shelves. They remained a part of his reading world, even as he grew up and could read more mature books. Maybe that choice helped Mac’s youthful spirit alight for longer. As he often notes, kids’ minds are portals to the imagin...
2024-11-1244 min
The Reading CultureRebel With Claws: Zoraida Córdova on the Pleasures of Nonconformity“Why am I fighting this? Like, why am I fighting the thing that I want to write? For who? For like a teacher that I haven't seen in five years or ten years? For a critic who I don't know?” - Zoraida CórdovaZoraida Córdova doesn’t care about what a book should be. When she writes, she’s interested in.. well… what she’s interested in. That means Zoraida doesn't prioritize following rules or meeting pre-set expectations. If she wants to write about sappy zombies, she will. If she wants to create a deep, profound novel, she wil...
2024-10-0139 min
NZ Guide to Financial FreedomHow To Build A High Performing Sales Team With Jason LloydPodcast guest Jason Lloyd: https://vegalend.co.nz/jason-lloyd Chapters 00:00 The Journey into Automotive Training 03:31 Role Play: A Tool for Sales Training 06:30 Understanding Client Needs in Sales 09:33 Navigating Objections in Sales 12:15 The Importance of Empathy in Sales 15:13 Identifying Customer Personalities 18:29 Health vs. Income Protection: A Balancing Act 21:18 Real-Life Impacts of Insurance 24:36 Overcoming Trust Issues in Insurance 27:13 The Role of Advisors in Client Education 30:40 Debunking Myths in the Insurance Industry 33:13 The Value of Regular Reviews 35:34 Personal Stories that Shape Beliefs 36:04 The Importance of Product Knowledge 39:07 Understanding Policy Wording and Changes
2024-09-1946 min
The Reading CultureAlways in the Room: Elizabeth Acevedo on Ancestors, Neighbors, and Secret Mentors“I cannot do an interview without talking about who I come from as it pertains to the writers who have influenced my work because their fingerprints are all over [it].” - Elizabeth AcevedoIn an interview, we may hear Elizabeth Acevedo's singular voice, but she assures us she is not alone. Elizabeth reminds us that she is part of a lineage and an amalgamation of many voices. She, like all of us, represents those who came before her, those whose books she devours, those who have shaped her life, and those who inspire her. A Greek chor...
2024-09-1739 min
The Reading CultureWorthy of Protecting: Ari Tison Faces Down Monsters With Words“I talked about how I didn't process things in my journals. Well, in poetry, I did. All of a sudden, it was cracking that door open.” - Ari TisonWhen we’re kids, the world still feels so big. Everything is a discovery, from why flowers bloom to why we go to school and what it feels like to make friends… everything is new. But for some kids, life can hit faster than they’re ready to process. The logical side, the “why,” isn’t as important as the safe space to feel the emotions. In Ari’s native Bri...
2024-09-0342 min
The Reading CultureRevisit - Mixed Feelings: Matt de la Peña on Balancing Being Stoic and SensitiveWe revisit our episode with Matt de la Peña.****"Kids are growing up in an interesting time and they're led to believe that if we don't feel happy, we're doing something wrong. I think what I respond to is a deeper truth, which is, happiness is incredible and we should strive for it, but we should also acknowledge that half of our life is challenging or melancholy." - Matt de la PeñaHailing from a working class border town in Southern California, Matt de la Peña (Last Stop on Market Str...
2024-07-2340 min
The Fit2 Perform Podcast207. Jordan Lee DaviesJoin hosts Bobby and Steffan for an insightful and empowering episode featuring the remarkable Jordan Lee Davies, whose impressive credits include The Book of Mormon, La Cage Aux Folles, Chicago, Les Miserables, and many more! 🌟 In this episode, Jordan shares his journey of growing up in Wales, discovering his identity, and the importance of communication and education within our communities.
🏡 Growing Up in Wales:
Explore Jordan’s roots in Wales and how his upbringing shaped his path to a successful career in musical theatre. 🏞️🎭
🌈 Discovering His Identity:
Join the conv...
2024-07-2253 min
The Reading CultureRevisit - Ignorance Isn’t Bliss: Sabaa Tahir on the Need to Bear WitnessWe revisit our episode with Sabaa Tahir.******"This is happening in our world and at the very least you can bear witness to it. That's literally the absolute least you can do. - Sabaa TahirSabaa Tahir’s (“All My Rage,” “An Ember in the Ashes” quartet) upbringing in the Mojave desert, isolated nearly 100 miles from the nearest city, exposed her to an unforgiving landscape and also many unforgiving truths of humanity. Within this backdrop, one place held significant importance in shaping her worldview: The Motel, a small business operated by her immigrant parents. ...
2024-07-0943 min
The Reading CultureYou Are Flawed, You Are Messy, You Are Loved: Shannon Hale on Hope and Heroines"I feel like it was this little miracle that in some areas of my life, I'm shutting myself up and shutting myself down. But with my writing, I was always really connecting with that inner voice.” - Shannon HaleFlaws. We do everything to hide them away and pretend they don’t exist. But what if these flaws that we try so desperately to mask are exactly what we need to access our power, our story? How does one tap into it? How does one express the very things they have tried so hard to hide? For Sh...
2024-06-2544 min
The Reading CultureUnstoppable Force, Movable Object: Dhonielle Clayton on Levering Children's Books Into the 21st Century"I'm not a person that's like, let's throw out the classics. It's, let's move forward. Let's disrupt the canon. Some of these universal themes, some of these ingredients that we love, how do I remix them into a new stew?” - Dhonielle ClaytonWhat is life without a little magic? Fantasy gives us the space to break free from the confines that reality often brings and the freedom to dream the typically unimaginable. But with all its magic and wonder, the fantasy genre doesn’t always reflect the diversity of its real-life readers' stories. Dhonielle Clayton, a literary mover and...
2024-06-1138 min
The Reading CultureSimple Thing, Felt: Nina LaCour on Unwrapping a Moment"I spend a lot of time trying to hope that I'll remember little things and how a certain simple thing felt. … Writing is one way of trying to capture that feeling, even if I'm fictionalizing it still.” - Nina LaCourIf Nina LaCour were a drink, she would be a cozy cup of tea. You’re not rushing to finish a conversation with Nina. Rather, you are spending time exploring the details. And that is exactly what we did in this episode.The world moves fast. Usually faster than we’d like it to. But writi...
2024-04-0237 min