"It's very rare for a person to just be one thing. Most issues, most things that matter, are not so black and white." – Debbie Levy We all want to believe in heroes and villains, right and wrong, and clear-cut answers. But history and life are rarely that simple. Debbie Levy has spent her career exploring the gray areas, challenging readers to see multiple perspectives and embrace complexity.  A former lawyer, journalist, and now award-winning children’s author, Debbie has written books like “I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark,” “The Year of Goodbyes,” and “A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools.” Her work invites readers to think critically, recognize misinformation, and understand that even those we disagree with are still human.    In this episode, We Contain Multitudes: Debbie Levy on the Dangers of Reductionist Thinking, Debbie reflects on what rabbis and Supreme Court justices have in common, why she’s optimistic about students’ ability to deal with disinformation, and how books can help kids hold space for complexity. Plus, a book so sad it was sold with tissues in it, a surprising childhood obsession with Superman, and why her mom taught her that being too good wasn't always a good thing.  We also have a special hidden track at the end of the show. Debbie reflected on our conversation and shared a special story about her dad’s unbelievable but real wartime experience that we saved for the very end. Tune in for an episode that will make you re-think your perspectives and let you settle into some delightful storytime moments! *** Jewish identities vary across families, experiences, places, and so much more. In short, they are not one-size-fits-all. Debbie’s reading challenge, Illuminating the Jewish Experience, highlights books that capture its richness and diversity.  Learn more and download Debbie’s reading challenge at thereadingculturepod.com/debbie-levy. ***  This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is once again Amy McMichael, the media specialist at Dutchman Creek Middle School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the lead librarian for all secondary schools in her district. In this episode, Amy shares about the biggest impact Beanstack has had on the reading culture in her library and school. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Marbles on the Sewer Top Chapter 2: Schoolyard Fist Fights Chapter 3: The Funny Guy Chapter 4: Tearjerker of the Month Chapter 5: Dissenting Opinions Welcome Chapter 6: It’s Complicated Chapter 7: The Art of Being Wrong Chapter 8: Reading Challenge Chapter 9: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Debbie LevyDebbie Levy InstagramThe Funny GuyBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“I lean on my community. I lean on the power of the pen. I lean on remembering who my ancestors are and what they endured, the colonization that they survived in the Americas, I think, ‘we've been here before, and the lineage from which I come is one that is powerful and resistant.’ I would be dishonoring that legacy and that lineage if I didn't step up in this moment.” — Aida Salazar Aida Salazar believes deeply in the power of words to change the world. For Aida, writing isn’t just a creative act; it’s a responsibility—an act of honoring her ancestors, healing personal wounds, and empowering her young readers.   Her stories like The Moon Within, Land of the Cranes, Jovita Wore Pants, and Ultraviolet center on identity, social justice, and healing, with a particular focus on the immigrant experience. As a poet, novelist, activist, and mother, Aida discusses how writing helped her process grief, how Latin American literature gave her the permission to dream, how growing up in a mixed-status household shaped her, and how motherhood steered her toward children’s literature. In this episode, she shares how the act of writing itself has been a huge part of helping her heal and survive difficult chapters in her own story. Plus, she reflects on how a fart poem, a Parker pen, and a punk rock-inspired zine all had unique roles in shaping her journey as a writer. Tune in for an episode that moves from gut-wrenching stories to gut-splitting laughs, the best kind of listening roller coaster! *** For her reading challenge, Banned in Middle Grade, Aida curated a list of banned middle-grade books that reflect themes of identity, social justice, and the experiences of young readers navigating complex worlds. Aida is devoted to middle grade literature and wants to amplify the important stories that are so important for those readers. From Melissa by Alex Gino to Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, these titles spark essential conversations. Learn more and download Aida’s reading challenge below. Download Aida’s reading challenge at https://www.thereadingculturepod.com/aida-salazar. *** This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Amy McMichael. She is the media specialist at Dutchman Creek Middle School in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the lead librarian for all secondary schools in her district. She does it all! In this episode, she discusses her strategy for luring reluctant readers with an unconventional library setup. Show Chapters Chapter 1: Fart Poems Chapter 2: A Spark from Clark and a Parker Pen Chapter 3: Writing Through Grief Chapter 4: Beneath the Shadow of the Freeway  Chapter 5: Writing Through Grief. Again.  Chapter 6: The Three Pillars of Poetry  Chapter 7: Reading Challenge Chapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupFollow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Aida SalazarAida Salazar InstagramZacatecas, MXPoema al Pedo ;)The Parker Pen!Sarah Cynthia Sylvia StoutBeneath the Shadow of the FreewayBeanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost and Production Credits Host: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Pippa Johnstone, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey

“Their white classmates can read Harry Potter and relate to going to Hogwarts and flying on brooms. But a Black kid can't aspire to go to Paris, which can actually happen.” – Jerry CraftGrowing up, Jerry Craft did not enjoy reading. He says he simply never encountered a children's book that intrigued him enough or felt right. But Jerry loves defying expectations, and so naturally, the boy who rarely set foot in a library grew up to become a celebrated children’s book author and illustrator. He has made defying expectations—and breaking stereotypes—a guiding principle in his storytelling.  Jerry Craft is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, best known for “New Kid,” the first graphic novel to win the Newbery Medal. “New Kid,” along with the subsequent books in the three-part series—“Class Act” and “School Trip”—were groundbreaking for middle-grade literature, especially the power of graphic novels. While many of us may know and love Jerry’s more recent graphic novels, his road to those books was winding and unexpected.   In this episode, Jerry tells us about the one teacher who finally found the secret to inspiring him, explains how being a Black comic strip creator was a lot like the movie Highlander, and ponders whether his dad’s night shifts might be the reason he still works best at 3 AM. Settle in for an episode filled with wry humor and the colorful stories of Jerry Craft’s journey to becoming a beloved author for students and teachers alike! *** Jerry curated a group of graphic novels for his reading challenge, How It Started, How It’s Going. These graphic novels chronicle his own journey as a creator—from the books that inspired him to those that helped forge his path and finally to those for which he laid the groundwork.  Learn more and download Jerry’s reading challenge at thereadingculturepod.com/jerry-craft *** This episode's Beanstack Featured Librarian is Laurie Schalliol, media specialist at Heritage Intermediate School in Middlebury, Indiana. Laurie dishes about a spicy incentive that pushed her students’ reading to the next level. *** Show Chapters Chapter 1 - Oh Snap Chapter 2 - Stay Humble Chapter 3 - Xylem Strips Chapter 4 - To One Person Chapter 5 - The HighlanderChapter 6 - That’s Not For You Chapter 7 - Reading Challenge  Chapter 8 - Beanstack Featured Librarian Links The Reading CultureThe Reading Culture Newsletter SignupJerry CraftMomma’s BoyzTo the World… (Jerry’s Quote)Follow The Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureJordan Lloyd BookeyHost: Jordan Lloyd Bookey Producers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street Media Script Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey