Bringing Laughter to the World—and Ghosts to the Bayou

Reading With Yur Kids host Jed Doherty welcomes two guests to explore joy, storytelling, and place. First, Watson Kawecki, interim executive director of Clowns Without Borders, describes the organization's work bringing performances, connection, and laughter to communities facing difficult circumstances. Its 13 active projects in 2026 span partnerships around the world, including refugee camps, schools, hospitals, and community spaces. Teams travel in small groups and work only when invited, with local needs and performer safety guiding each visit. Watson shares how a lifelong love of clowning led from Ringling Brothers and hospital clown care to humanitarian work. She explains that evidence for healthcare clowning is growing, though it remains uncommon in U.S. children's hospitals. Listeners can donate, find clown-training resources, and attend fundraisers in October. The conversation then turns to New Orleans author Rachel Marsh and her middle-grade novel, Grand Pear's Ghost Swamp. Rachel explains how Basil's ghostly adventures reveal Louisiana's disappearing wetlands and introduce young readers to environmental change in an approachable way. The book draws on Rachel's experiences in the French Quarter, Cajun culture, and the region's folklore. She discusses the cozy-spooky tone, her writing journey, and the shift in Basil's friend Tommy's career-day ambition from a mafia boss to a ghost hunter. Rachel reflects on the differences and wetland connections between New Orleans and Boston, and shares that her next project is a scarier young adult boarding-school story inspired by Cajun and Creole folklore. Together, both interviews celebrate creativity, resilience, and finding ways to bring joy and wonder into everyday life.