The Power of Community

Cutthroat Kite Competitions and Winning at Writing

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 [https://gnomeroadpublishing.com/products/kai-po-che-minis-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 [https://www.thesusankam.com/books/crafts] Find Suhasini on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesusankam/ [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/ [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 [https://picturebookpeeps.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Stuck in La Brea tar pits with author Joyce Uglow

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/jpuglow [https://linktr.ee/jpuglow?utm_source=linktree_admin_share] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jpuglow/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/jpuglow/?hl=en] Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jpuglow.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/jpuglow.bsky.social] Substack https://substack.com/@jpuglow [https://substack.com/@jpuglow] Website: 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 [https://picturebookpeeps.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Hunger Action Month and How to Empower Your Relationship with Food with Author Gina Soldano-Herrle

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-Herrle Get 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-Herrle Nia’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-Herrle A 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 website [https://ginasoldano.com/] Gina on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gina.soldano/], Twitter [https://x.com/gina_soldano], and Substack [https://ginasoldanoherrle.substack.com/] Picture Book Peeps on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/picturebookpeeps/] Book Recommendations📚: Nia’s Rescue Box [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199515794-nia-s-rescue-box] by Gina Soldano-Herrle, illustrated by Abi Joy Eaton available everywhere books are sold including Bookshop [https://bookshop.org/p/books/nia-s-rescue-box-gina-soldano-herrle/20736772?ean=9798989212606], Amazon [https://a.co/d/3oEhgKW], and Barnes and Noble [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nias-rescue-box-gina-soldano-herrle/1144280599?ean=9798989212606] Last Stop on Market Street [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22521973-last-stop-on-market-street]by Matt De La Peña, pictures by Christian Robinson Lulu and The Hunger Monster [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53252734-lulu-and-the-hunger-monster] by Erik Talkin, illustrated by Sheryl Murray Our Little Kitchen [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51075471-our-little-kitchen] by Jillian Tamaki Lunch Every Day [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57600783-lunch-every-day] by Katherine Otoshi Maddi’s Fridge [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20949046-maddi-s-fridge] by Luis Brandt, illustrated by Vin Vogel Everybody Eats [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/76065505-everybody-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 Chester Tools🧰: Vindeket Foods [https://www.vindeketfoods.org/] (Food Rescue in Fort Collins, CO) Food Rescue US [https://foodrescue.us/] Have 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 [https://picturebookpeeps.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Curious Compassionate Meets Author Roxanne Chester

“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 Chester A 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 Chester Links🔗: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) [https://www.scbwi.org/] The New York Writers Coalition’s Black Writers Program [https://nywriterscoalition.org/black-writers-program-about/] The 12x12 Picture Book Challenge [https://12x12challenge.com/] Roxanne’s website [https://www.roxannechester.com/] Tools🧰: National Coalition for the Homeless [https://nationalhomeless.org/] National Alliance to End Homelessness [https://endhomelessness.org/] Project Homeless Connect [https://www.projecthomelessconnect.org/] Our Community LA [https://oclawin.org/about-ocla/] 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 [https://picturebookpeeps.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Power of Community

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 Chester Book Recommendations📚: This Is My Bag: A Story of the Unhoused [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123368777-this-is-my-bag] by Roxanne Chester, illustrated by Abraham Matias The Bright Side [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61190808-the-bright-side] by Chad Otis Dear Librarian [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54017932-dear-librarian] by Lydia M. Sigworth, illustrated by Romina Galotta The One with the Scraggly Beard [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51349115-the-one-with-the-scraggly-beard]by Elizabeth Withey, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield A Kid is A Kid is A Kid [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57538743-a-kid-is-a-kid-is-a-kid] by Sara O’Leary, illustrated by Qin Leng Lunch Every Day [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57600783-lunch-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 Chester Recommended Resources 🧰: National Coalition for the Homeless [https://nationalhomeless.org/] National Alliance to End Homelessness [https://endhomelessness.org/] Project Homeless Connect [https://www.projecthomelessconnect.org/] Our Community LA [https://oclawin.org/about-ocla/] “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 Chester Have 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 [https://picturebookpeeps.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]