Politics in Practice
Posts by Betsy Bird
Publisher Preview: Transit Editions (Fall/Winter 2026)
Such doozies. Transit Edition is a small publisher with only three titles to show us today, but whatta three!!
Beyond the Page: Exhibit Design Challenge: Taking Picture Books in an Entirely New Direction
I judged a competition in which teams of kids had to select picture books and create models of interactive exhibits from them. The results are extraordinary.
Dog Lovers Alert! It’s a Things I Learned From My Dog Q&A with Victor Santos and Dena Seiferling
It's, "more descriptive rather than prescriptive." That's how author Victor D.O. Santos describes today's book. Together we interview him alongside his illustrator and consider didacticism as well as what it takes to make a really good dog-centric picture book.
More Recent Posts
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Uncle Andy’s by James Warhola
On today's episode we discuss everything from David Bowie's depiction of Andy in the film Basquiat, to creepy ventriloquist dummies, to what you should do if roughly a dozen members of your extended family show up at your door (answer: put them to work).
Review of the Day: While We’re Here by Anne Wynter, ill. Micha Archer
Thoughts on gatekeeping, children's books, diverse voices, and how you can create a picture book that somehow, remarkably, gets everything right, all at once.
Green Roofs Galore: It’s an OUR CITIES DEPEND ON US Q&A with Victoria Tentler-Kryov
"what I think is most impressive is the fact that countries worldwide collaborate, exchange climate action ideas, and help one another find solutions." We talk green roofs and alleviating climate anxiety with Victoria Tentler-Kryov today.
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The “hopeful dystopian” conclusion. A Firesnake talk with Donna Barba Higuera
"But if I keep writing that weird stuff, maybe a young reader, who feels different like I did, won’t feel so alone in their love of the weird." We talk with Donna Higuera Barba today about the triumphant conclusion to her Newbery Award winning science fiction trilogy.
“.. a memorable hero, a compelling setting and a story that captivates multiple generations.” Jane Bayard Curley Discusses the Carle’s Ferdinand Exhibit
Jane Curley joins us today to discuss one of her UPPBs (Utterly Perfect Picture Books). There will be saucy talk of bananas and hot dogs, by the way. You have been warned.
Fuse 8 n’ Kate: Doña Flor by Pat Mora, ill. Raul Colón
It's been a while since we've done a legitimate honest-to-goodness folktale on this podcast. They were once the lifeblood of children's libraries, and these days they are rare gems. Discover an older one.
Kilroy Was Here: Meghan McCarthy Discusses her Incredible Appalachian Title, The Long Hike
Take a deep dive into the origins of the incredible true story that will get your kids hyped to explore some trails of their own.
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