Raising Confident Girls: Diana Sussman on The Neighbor’s Secret

In this engaging episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes Diana Sussman, author of the middle grade mystery The Neighbor’s Secret. Diana introduces us to Maddie, a curious and imaginative 12-year-old who becomes convinced her new neighbors are Russian spies after witnessing something very strange. Maddie’s big imagination sometimes gets her into trouble—like the time she thought a neighbor was being eaten by a Yeti—but she’s also sharp, determined, and usually onto something real. Diana shares how her own love of puzzles, mysteries, and strong female characters helped shape Maddie. She and Jed dive into the challenges kids face today, especially around social media, over-scheduling, and constant adult supervision, and they talk about why it’s so important for kids to solve their own problems and build independence. Listeners also get a sneak peek at the second book in the series, The Texter Secret, where Maddie begins receiving mysterious—and possibly creepy—texts. Diana explains how real-life pranks, historical spy stories like Agent 355 and the Culper Spy Ring, and the cryptograms of Mary Queen of Scots all inspire her writing and bring history into her mysteries in a fun, accessible way. Along the way, Diana talks about her other creative projects, her past work as a lawyer dealing with FBI interrogations, and her joy in connecting with young readers. Parents and educators will come away with fresh ideas about nurturing kids’ confidence, curiosity, and resilience through story.