The Curious Compassionate Podcast

Today we welcome Suhasini Gupta of the Picture Book Peeps to the Curious Compassionate Podcast. Suhasini talks about the launch of her debut picture book, Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite, how kites are like dreams, and how she got kids to fly kites inside. Suhasini describes how she went from engineering to writing, including reaching for emotions that were previously unaccessible. She talks about her ambitious two-year plan that got her to her first book deal, and how living in the US turned her into more of a reader and writer. Suhasini’s debut picture book is Kai Po Che: Mini’s Perfect Kite, published by Gnome Road Publishing. Find instructions on how to make your own kite with kids here: https://www.thesusankam.com/books/crafts Find Suhasini on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesusankam/The book Suhasini mentioned that inspired her is Five Point Someone: What Not to Do at IIT by Chetan Bhagat. Thanks for listening!Find the Picture Book Peeps on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/picturebookpeeps/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

In this episode of the Curious Compassionate, Emily Dangremond and Joyce Uglow discuss Joyce’s new book, STUCK: the Story of La Brea Tar Pits. We discuss the process of finding a topic to write about related to tar pits and fossils; scientific research and working with scientists that vetted the book; and how Joyce became a picture book writer. Joyce quizzes Emily on which animal was found the most in the tar pits, and which plant—see if you can guess correctly! Find Joyce Uglow at the following links:Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jpuglowInstagram https://www.instagram.com/jpuglow/?hl=enBluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jpuglow.bsky.socialSubstack https://substack.com/@jpuglowWebsite: https://joyceuglowauthor.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

Hunger. It’s something all of us feel at some point in our lives but our experiences vary almost infinitely. In this episode of The Curious Compassionate, author Roxanne Chester talks with author Gina Soldano-Herrle about her picture book, Nia’s Rescue Box, and the inspiration behind it.“I wanted to make it as accessible as possible. Everyone’s been hungry before. But there’s a difference between being hungry and being hungry and not knowing the next time you’ll be able to eat again.” – Gina Soldano-HerrleGet ready because we’re going for it–shame, embarrassment, needing help. All kinds of things that we may try to avoid or not talk about are being brought to light today.In the United States, 40% of all food ends up as waste. That equals about 133 billion pounds (yes with a B) every YEAR. That’s just one country. “Anyone can shop. You don’t have to qualify, you don’t have to justify your experience being there. You don’t have to explain to anyone why you need help.” – Gina Soldano-HerrleNia’s Rescue Box is a doorway into a possible solution for hunger and waste. Sometimes it’s asking for help or offering it before one can ask, sometimes donating food when you know you won’t eat it before it goes bad, sometimes asking a store what happens to the food that’s past expiration date but still good and forming a partnership. These are all ways to get involved, to be a part of a movement to revalue food and revalue people.“I saw how it was really this dual purpose solution. It’s not just helping one area, it’s not just providing food for people in the community, it's also preventing food from being wasted.” – Gina Soldano-HerrleA Few Highlights:* The difference between a food bank and a food rescue.* Ways to ask for help and how to embrace the idea of community and building a network of support.* Sometimes it’s better to offer help because most of us do feel uncomfortable asking.* Gina’s time at the inspirational food rescue behind the book.* Beet chips.* Little free libraries and little free pantries.* Making a difference by being open to inviting people in.* Get your child involved, pick out 3 things at the store to donate to a local pantry.* Fermented bananas, mangoes, liquefied sweet potatoes, and watermelon popcorn.Links🔗:Gina’s websiteGina on Instagram, Twitter, and SubstackPicture Book Peeps on InstagramBook Recommendations📚:Nia’s Rescue Box by Gina Soldano-Herrle, illustrated by Abi Joy Eaton available everywhere books are sold including Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes and NobleLast Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Peña, pictures by Christian RobinsonLulu and The Hunger Monster by Erik Talkin, illustrated by Sheryl MurrayOur Little Kitchen by Jillian TamakiLunch Every Day by Katherine OtoshiMaddi’s Fridge by Luis Brandt, illustrated by Vin VogelEverybody Eats by Jasmine Crowe, illustrated by Nadia Fisher“Here at The Curious Compassionate we use picture books to build compassion and empathy, one picture book at a time. And we encourage readers to reach out and build understanding.” – Roxanne ChesterTools🧰:Vindeket Foods (Food Rescue in Fort Collins, CO)Food Rescue USHave a book for us that isn’t listed above? Or is there a topic that you want us to explore on a future episode? Leave a comment below. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

“A book is only 32 pages so I really need to be concise with words. Each word holds weight. I would say–I would argue that creative writing is even harder because it’s not just about clarity, it really is about beauty, and the art, and the flow. That is creative writing.” – Roxanne ChesterA Few Highlights:The inspiration behind the book.The bag that holds everything.How do writing and law intersect?Favorite resources for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.Best questions from readers: what is your favorite frosting on a cupcake?Creating a safe space to talk about difficult questions.“I would want readers to build empathy and to be able to put themselves in another person’s shoes and to really see a different perspective.” – Roxanne ChesterLinks🔗:The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)The New York Writers Coalition’s Black Writers ProgramThe 12x12 Picture Book ChallengeRoxanne’s websiteTools🧰:National Coalition for the HomelessNational Alliance to End HomelessnessProject Homeless ConnectOur Community LAStay tuned for the next episode with The Curious Compassionate and make sure you’re up to date by subscribing (100% free always) today! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

If you’ve ever been or considered what it is like to be unhoused, you won’t want to miss this episode. As a topic that is often avoided or literally hidden from view, we dive into the reality of homelessness in the United States.It looks different than you’d expect and is more prevalent than you can imagine. So, how do we have a conversation about it with our children? Well, you’ll have to listen in to find out.“For younger children, it’s about keeping my answer simple, speaking truthfully. So I’m explaining how homelessness is not a crime. It is a problem and people can become homeless for lots of different reasons.”–Roxanne ChesterBook Recommendations📚:This Is My Bag: A Story of the Unhoused by Roxanne Chester, illustrated by Abraham MatiasThe Bright Side by Chad OtisDear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigworth, illustrated by Romina GalottaThe One with the Scraggly Beard by Elizabeth Withey, illustrated by Lynn ScurfieldA Kid is A Kid is A Kid by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Qin LengLunch Every Day by Kathryn Otoshi“I feel community starts with the people next to you. So it’s about talking to your neighbor, having a neighborhood party, engaging and connecting with your community.”–Roxanne ChesterRecommended Resources 🧰:National Coalition for the HomelessNational Alliance to End HomelessnessProject Homeless ConnectOur Community LA“I feel it’s about starting small, with we. And we can start at a very individual person next to you level, and then it grows bigger and bigger. And that’s how we actually get to a community of we.”–Roxanne ChesterHave a book for us that isn’t listed above? Or is there a topic that you want us to explore on a future episode? Leave a comment below. Thanks for listening!Subscribe now (100% free) and never miss another episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

“When you tell a story enough times, it needs to be written down.” — Wendy GoldsteinA Few Highlights:* Oscar’s dance moves and the legacy they’ve inspired as a therapy dog.💃🦮🐕‍🦺* What happens when circumstances conspire to make achieving your therapy dog certification impossible?* What can a dog do? You will definitely be surprised.* The truth behind his fictional story.🐕‍🦺🐶🦮🐕* Stay tuned for upcoming adventures in The Oscar Tales!Links🔗:Oscar’s Blue Bandana by Wendy Goldstein Oscar Tales - Adventures of Oscar, Wendy’s Therapy DogTools🧰:Dog Cognition LabAmerican Kennel Club - Canine Good CitizenAmerican Kennel Club - Therapy Dog ProgramNew York Therapy AnimalsStay tuned for the next episode with The Curious Compassionate and make sure you’re up to date by subscribing (100% free always) today! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

In this episode, Picture Book Peeps members Christine J. Ko and Wendy Goldstein talk about animals, particularly domesticated ones such as dogs, and what they mean to us.Wendy is the author-illustrator of Oscar’s Blue Bandana which is inspired by her own Havanese dog Oscar and his adventures in training to become a service animal.Whether we have pets or other domesticated animals in our own homes or not, they play a big part in our lives from how we interact with them in public to how we produce much of our food.We hope you enjoy this episode and the recommended list of books and resources below!📚📚Picture books have always historically used animals for a reason because they’re not threatening to the kids. Yet, the messages they’re sending to the kids are important themes for children to understand. — Wendy GoldsteinFurther Reading📚:Kids:Oscar’s Blue Bandana by Wendy GoldsteinWinnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne illustrated by Ernest ShepardLyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard WaberCranky Chicken by Katherine Battersby100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli by David LaRochelle illustrated by Lian ChoThe Scariest Kitten in The World by Kate Messner illustrated by MacKenzie HaleyHow to Get Your Octopus to School  by Becky Scharnhorst illustrated by Jaclyn SinquettPig and Horse and The Something Scary by Zoey AbbottAdults:Our Dogs, Ourselves: The Story of a Singular Bond by Alexandra HorowitzBeing a Dog: Following the Dog into the World of Smell by Alexandra HorowitzLessons in Chemistry by Bonnie GarmusWhat is A Dog?: A Memoir by Chloe ShawResources:Dog Cognition LabAmerican Kennel Club - Canine Good CitizenAmerican Kennel Club - Therapy Dog ProgramNew York Therapy AnimalsOscar Tales - Adventures of Oscar, Wendy’s Therapy DogHave a book for us that isn’t listed above? Or is there a topic that you want us to explore on a future episode? Leave a comment below. Thanks for listening!Subscribe now (100% free) and never miss another episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

“Plants are people too! Trees are individual beings that are alive, they have their own lifetimes. They can’t run and hide, they can’t attack the way we think of animals doing that. But they are living beings.” - Emily DangremondA Few Highlights:* Caterpillar outbreaks, defoliated trees, and juneberry season all played a part in the inspiration for Meet the Trees.🌲🌳* Native planting/landscaping including Serviceberry trees otherwise known as Saskatoons (in Canada) – my new favorite word.* The hidden history of the pine tree from the original drafts and possibly some more trees to meet in the future?🌲🌳🌴* The differences between Aspen and Birch trees.* Survival tactics trees have evolved as they face different disasters, pests, and challenging environments.“Learn more and get to know the plants, animals, and fungi in your own neighborhood.” - Emily DangremondLinks🔗:Kids Questions Answered (Emily’s podcast)Meet the Trees by Emily Dangremond illustrated by Summer Morrison (preorder before July 9!) on Amazon, Bookshop, Barnes and NobleTools🧰: Seek App by iNaturalist Merlin Bird Identification AppOrganizations-Birds🦉: National Audubon SocietyThe New York City Bird AllianceNature Conservation🌱:The Nature ConservancyMission BlueOcean ConservancyWorld Wildlife Foundation (WWF)Sierra ClubThe Xerces Society for Invertebrate ConservationArbor Day FoundationInternational Database of Native Plant SocietiesCheck out your local science or natural history museums for other conservation programs in your area.Stay tuned for the next episode with The Curious Compassionate and make sure you’re up to date by subscribing (100% free always) today! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

In this episode, Roxanne Chester and Gina Soldano-Herrle talk about co-Picture Book Peep Member Emily Dangremond’s book, Meet the Trees. Emily’s book inspires a personal connection with readers to each of the trees depicted (Juneberry, Aspen, Oak) as their stories unfold.As nature is such a huge force in our world, this conversation serves as more of a spark to alight whichever trail you choose to follow. We cover a wide range of natural relationships from how we feel about the moon to trees and even natural disasters. Find the tornado (or grasshopper) and create that personal connection with nature as you follow your curiosity.🦗🌪️ -Gina Soldano-HerrleWithin the natural world, there are many avenues one can explore. In our conversation, we talk about movements such as The Bird Alliance within the United States and how some conservation organizations are moving to more inclusive practices.We would like to thank authors Lynn Becker and Karen Greenwald for sharing their thoughts with us about the moon and natural disasters respectively. Nature is versatile and ever changing. It can be calming, destructive, or regenerative. Whatever your avenue into explore the natural world is (I highly recommend tardigrades!), remember that all relationships, even those with unstoppable forces start with respect.“We can’t control nature but we can control our own behavior and just show the respect to the natural world it deserves.” - Karen GreenwaldFurther Reading📚:This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the beautiful books about nature out there. These titles aim to inspire you to explore further.Plants🌲🌳🌷Meet The Trees by Emily Dangremond illustrated by Summer MorrisonMy Grandpa, My Tree, and Me by Roxanne Troup illustrated by Kendra BinneyLeafy Landmarks: Travels with Trees by Michelle Schaub illustrated by Anne LambeletThe Wall and the Wild by Christina Dendy illustrated by Katie RewseStand as Tall as the Trees: How an Amazonian Community Protected the Rain Forest by Patricia Gualinga and Laura Resau illustrated by Vanessa JaramilloEco Girl by Ken Wilson-MaxWhat the Garden Tells Me by Monica MikaiHere Are the Seeds by JaNay Brown-Wood illustrated by Olivia AmoahBe a Tree by Maria Gianferrari illustrated by Felicita SalaAnimals🦌🐍Animals in Surprising Shades: Poems About Earth’s Colorful Creatures by Susan Johnston Taylor illustrated by Annie BakstAn Accidental Hero: A Mostly True Wombat Story by Laura Roettiger illustrated by Debbie PalenJumper: A Day in The Life of The Backyard Jumping Spider by Jessica LananWorm and Caterpillar are Friends by Kaz WindnessLittle Otter by Julie Abery illustrated by Suzie MasonJust a Worm by Marie BoydNudi Gill: Poison Powerhouse of the Sea by Bonnie KelsoThe Three Little Tardigrades by Sandra FayTrick or Treat Bugs to Eat by Tracy C. Gold illustrated by Nancy LeschnikoffUp, Up and Away: Monarch Butterflies by Marta Magellan illustrated by Mauro Magellan with photos by James GersingIf Tigers Disappeared by Lily WilliamsBionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks by Jolene GutiérrezBird House by Blanca GómezNatural Events🌪️🌋⛈️The Mud Angels: How Students Saved the City of Florence by Karen Greenwald illustrated by Olga LeeFire Flight: A Wildfire Escape by Cedar Pruitt illustrated by Chiara FedeleI Am a Tornado by Drew BeckmeyerA Party for Clouds: Thunderstorms (Bel the Weather Girl) by Belinda Jensen illustrated by Renee Kurilla The Sky Stirs Up Trouble: Tornadoes (Bel the Weather Girl) by Belinda Jensen illustrated by Renee (contains tornado cake recipe)Water🌊🌊Tell Me about Oceans by Lisa Varchol Perron illustrated by Jennifer FalknerThe Planet We Call Home by Aimee Isaac illustrated by Jaime KimAqua Boy by Ken Wilson-MaxGreat Carrier Reef by Jessica Stremer illustrated by Gordy WrightDeep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench by Lydia LukidisLandA Stone is A Story by Leslie Barnard Booth illustrated by Marc MartinHide-and-Seek by Molly CranchOver and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner illustrated by CHristopher Silas NealFinding Wild by Megan Wagner Lloyd illustrated by Abigail HalpinLook by Gabi Snyder illustrated by Samantha CotterillOutside In by Deborah Underwood illustrated by Cindy DerbyBeyond🌝🌌June Moon by Lynn Becker illustrated by Nate CarvalhoMax and the Tag Along Moon by Floyd CooperRiver of Dust: The Life-Giving Link Between North Africa and the Amazon by Jilanne Hoffman illustrated by Eugenia MelloLight Speaks by Christine Layton illustrated by Luciana Navarro PowellHumongous Fungus by Lynne Boddy illustrated by Wenjia TangKnow someone who might enjoy this, share this episode with the button below.Resources:If you want to get involved, learn more, or prepare to connect with the natural world, check out the tools and organizations below.Tools🧰: Seek App by iNaturalist Merlin Bird Identification AppOrganizations-Birds🦉: National Audubon SocietyThe New York City Bird AllianceNature Conservation🌱:The Nature ConservancyMission BlueOcean ConservancyWorld Wildlife Foundation (WWF)Sierra ClubThe Xerces Society for Invertebrate ConservationArbor Day FoundationInternational Database of Native Plant SocietiesCheck out your local science or natural history museums for conservation programs in your area.Other Useful Links🔗:Lynn BeckerKaren GreenwaldHave a book for us that isn’t listed above? Or is there a topic that you want us to explore on a future episode? Leave a comment below. Thanks for listening!Subscribe now (100% free) and never miss another episode. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

We are so happy to feature one of our own Picture Book Peeps, Christine J. Ko today. She is in conversation with Gina Soldano-Herrle about her book Sound Switch Wonder (coauthored with Owen Whang and illustrated by Katie Crumpton) as well as her writing journey. 🖋️I just wanted a book with a main character with cochlear implants without it being about them being deaf…Just a book with them out there in the world. - Christine J. KoHere are some highlights:* The 5 years it took her from first draft to book!* Examining writing and identity—can one write a fictional book outside of their experience? The fallacy within that idea as well as the need for yes and.* Her hopes for the diverse books movement to promote curiosity. Curiosity about other experiences outside of ourselves.* Increasing awareness can form bridges between us. This and the books that do this can also help us modify our beliefs because we all have bias. It’s a part of being a human.* Common questions from her readers and misconceptions about sign language.* The experience of coauthoring a book with her child. He’s a debut author at 13!This is what literature’s about, making a new world. - Christine J. KoDeaf and Hard of Hearing Resources:AG Bell Hands and Voices John Tracy Center Gallaudet UniversityAmerican School for The DeafRecommended Reading and Watching📚: Sound Switch Wonder by Christine J. Ko and Owen Whang, illustrated by Katie CrumptonDancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez, translated by Karen LlagasMystery of AaravosDeaf U.CODAIf there are books or shows you’d recommend with deaf or hard of hearing representation, let us know in the comments below!Links:Christine J. Ko on Twitter, Instagram and her website The Sound Switch Wonder websiteSound Switch Wonder at Turner Publishing, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, and AmazonThanks for listening to The Curious Compassionate! If you don’t want to miss an episode, subscribe below for free. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

In this episode, Roxanne Chester and Gina Soldano-Herrle talk about co-Picture Book Peep Member Christine J. Ko’s book, Sound Switch Wonder. Christine’s book creates a bridge toward an unhearing experience told through the POV of a boy with cochlear implants (like her son, Owen Whang, also her co-author).We were definitely ambitious in this first episode of The Curious Compassionate. 🏋️We wanted to tackle the idea of using picture books as bridges between different experiences with radical empathy and curious compassion. A bit much for 22 minutes, no?With that said, this is really a prelude of what’s to come here. Sound Switch Wonder gives the reader a brief peek into the daily life of someone with cochlear implants. We experience the day through the protagonist’s eyes and emotions.👀Roxanne and Gina also spoke about the endless loop curiosity can create within us.They also touched on words and the power within them. Words are how many of us make sense of the world we live in, create order, establish understanding. And yet, sometimes we don’t get to choose the words that others prescribe for us.We talk about the terminology Disabled vs. Persons with Disabilities. Whole worlds can be contained within the nuance of the words we choose to use when shaping our experiences and identities. Words can shape policies and create the infrastructure of the world we live in, but they are not infinite.All of us here at Picture Book Peeps cannot thank Dr. Krista Aronson enough for offering a clip for our inaugural episode. Her work in the children’s literature world to increase diversity and transparency in the books we read and have access to is invaluable. Stories connect us. They have since the dawn of time and whether our stories are written down, spoken aloud, or conveyed through pictures, the feelings they evoke within us are universal.Useful Links:Christine J. Ko’s podcast, “See, Hear, Feel”Dr. Krista Aronson and her tool Diverse BookFinder Gina Soldano-Herrle’s podcast episode about wonder wallsDisability Debrief by Peter Torres FremlinFurther Reading📚📚📚📚: Autism:A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond and illustrated by Kate CosgroveBitsy Bat School Star by Kaz WindnessA Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey and illustrated by Mika SongThe Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia Finley Mosca and illustrated by Daniel RieleySensory Processing Disorders: Too Much! An Overwhelming Day by Jolene Gutierrez and illustrated by Angel ChangViolet Shrink by Christine Baldacchino and illustrated by Carmen Mok Hard of Hearing and Deaf: Sound Switch Wonder by Christine J. Ko and Owen Whang, illustrated by Katie CrumptonDancing Hands: A Story of Friendship in Filipino Sign Language by Joanna Que and Charina Marquez, illustrated by Fran Alvarez, translated by Karen LlagasInclusive of Many different abilities:Come Over to My House by Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin, illustrated by Daniel Gray-BarnettEverything, Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor and illustrated by Rafael LópezAnxiety:Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom PercivalWill It Be Okay? by Crescent Dragonwagon and illustrated by Jessica LoveOlivia Wrapped in Vines by Maude Nepveu-Villeneuve, illustrated by Sandra Dumais, translated by Charles SimardSpeech Difference:I Talk Like a River by Jordan ScottMobility Difference:All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Nabi H. AliAli and the Sea Stars by Ali Stroker illustrated by Gillian ReidMighty Mara by Carina Ho and Jesse Byrd, illustrated by Mónica Paola RodriguezWhat Happened to You by James Catchpole and illustrated by Karen GeorgeLearning Difference:Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David RobertsA Walk in The Words by Hudson TalbottOCD:Malik's Number Thoughts: A Story about OCD by Natalie Rompella and illustrated by Alessia GirasoleDeaf and Hard of Hearing Organizations for Further Support:AG Bell Hands and Voices John Tracy Center Other organizations to check out:Anxiety and Depression Association of America National Alliance on Mental Illness Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com

As promised in the last post, here is a hint of what’s to come with our podcast, The Curious Compassionate.While we are and always will be Picture Book Peeps (raise your hand if you love picture books!📚📚), we want to use what we can—our words—to do more for this world. 🌏🌎🌍Let’s get started on this exploration of curiosity and compassion with our first episode about using picture books to build bridges between experiences. 🌉Don’t want to miss an episode? Subscribe for free below. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit picturebookpeeps.substack.com