SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Fusenews
  • Reviews
  • Librarian Previews
  • Best Books
    • Top 100
    • Best Books of 2022
    • Best Books of 2021
    • Best Books of 2020
    • Best Books of 2019
    • Best Books of 2018
    • Best Books of 2017
    • Best Books of 2016
    • Best Books of 2015
    • Best Books of 2014
    • Best Books of 2013
  • Fuse 8 n’ Kate
  • Videos
  • Press Release Fun

April 24, 2020 by Betsy Bird

Story Seeds: A Podcast for Our Time

April 24, 2020 by Betsy Bird   Leave a Comment

Folks, there’s a thin line between letting you know about something and inundating you with information about it. But now that Story Seeds is up and running for real, I feel like I just have to sing its praises. So right off the bat here, let’s cover the basics:

  • I host more than one podcast. The one with my sister (Fuse 8 n’ Kate) is cute but it’s not professional. The professional one is Story Seeds, where authors are paired with kids and they write stories together.
  • Story Seeds has a pretty intuitive concept at its heart. “Story Seeds is a new podcast that reveals the creative and writing process, models the value of deep listening and collaboration between children and adults, and shares great, diverse stories that inspire kids to write, imagine, and be curious about their world.” Simple, right?
  • Story Seeds also debuted in the midst of COVID-19, and at a time when we increasingly seek entertainment and enlightenment for our kids, what could be better than a show that not only validates their story ideas but makes it clear that any kid with a great idea can be creative. And boy howdy has it taken off. Since the show launched last month it’s been featured in The New York Times, Book Riot, Stuff.nz, Wired, NPR, and School Library Journal. It was also featured by Apple iTunes/Podcasts in their New and Noteworthy and Adventures and Stories categories. Here is its official press release, in case you’re curious.
  • Why the popularity? Well, it does kind of have one heck of a killer line-up. Observe:
Click on this list to get a closer look.

So here’s the thing about podcasts and audio books. I kind of consider them on par with comics in terms of the amount of respect they have vs. what they deserve. When you think about it, research has shown that audio books not only benefit struggling readers and bring families together, but also fit quite neatly within newly accepted standards for early literacy education. Podcasts, likewise, also have the potential to be a powerful tool for learning. In fact, this very week, School Library Journal wrote in its feature “Podcasts to Pair with CSLP’s Summer Reading Theme”, that “podcasts can help educators engage learners from afar.” And Story Seeds was on its middle school playlist

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

All well and good, but if a podcast is just a podcast, what good does it do you? Hence the Imagination Lab activity zines. Essentially the Imagination Lab is a series of fun & free activity e-zines, one for each episode of the podcast. They include writing prompts, nonfiction articles to dive deeper into episode themes, art pages, hands-on STEAM experiments, flash fiction, and calls for kids’ submissions. They’re just these really great companion kits to delve into after you listen to each episode. If you’re curious, the first one is up and it’s inspired by Episode One: The Magic Seed and the collaboration between 11-year-old Hannah from Minnesota and Dan Gutman, author of the My Weird School series. Check it out: https://www.storyseedspodcast.com/imaginationlab

And speaking of Dan Gutman, he’s has been doing daily readalouds on his Facebook Live page. This weekend, he will do a BONUS live read aloud of “The Magic Seed” in celebration of Earth Day 2020 and for the launch of The Story Seeds Imagination Lab. If you want to hear him read it, log on to his Facebook page on Saturday, April 25 at 2 pm East Coast Time right here.

Look, you know me. When I do a job I like to do it right. And this podcast is doing a lot of things right. So check it out, stick around, and enjoy it. I know I do.

Filed under: Uncategorized

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
podcastsThe Story Seeds Podcast

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2022

Newbery/Caldecott 2023: Summer Prediction Edition

by Betsy Bird

June 2022

School's Out for Summer So We're Talking About Lunch Lady Day!

by Betsy Bird

May 2022

The Sun Does Shine: How Does an Adult Title Get Adapted for Young People? A Talk with Olugbemisola Ruday-Perkovich and Anthony Ray Hinton

by Betsy Bird

April 2022

A Super Serious Discussion with Sue Conolly. Filled With Butts.

by Betsy Bird

April 2022

Next Level Middle Grade Fandom, or, What Erin Hunter's Warriors Series Hath Wrought

by Betsy Bird

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

The Yarn LIVE at ALA 2022!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Shining A Light Cover Reveal: A Talk with Author Veeda Bybee About the Trick With Collected Biographies

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #331 | Preview

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Mock Newbery Update – Our List of First Half Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Sunday Reflections: On being a Librarian and a Christian parent to an LGBTQ kid with a uterus in 2022

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Shark Week, Vanilla Ice Cream, and the Honda CRV: Bob Shea and Brian Won Team Up for ADURABLE

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

In Their Own Words: What Christine Day and Andrea L. Rogers Want You to Know

Verse Novelists Forge a Unique Connection with Young Readers

The Truth is in There: Creative Approaches to Informational Books for Young Readers

'Banned Book Club' Authors Offer Advice as Teens Confront Censorship

Fantasy, Adventure, Legends, and Family Legacy in These "Shang-Chi" Read-Alikes

About Betsy Bird

Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • External Links

    • A Fuse #8 Production Reviews
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2022


    COPYRIGHT © 2022