As part of our ongoing efforts to provide current, relevant and quality educational resources in various formats, ADL offers a free podcast series that you can listen to at your convenience. Each podcast offers a rich and inspiring conversation with a specialist in the field or children's book author. The podcasts assist educators in building inclusive and respectful classrooms and provide timely and important information on curricula resources and children's books related to bias, bullying, diversity and social justice.
Rosalind Wiseman
Courtesy of Rosalind Wiseman
Rosalind Wiseman
Rosalind Wiseman is a teacher, thought leader, author and media spokesperson on bullying prevention, ethical leadership, the use of social media and media literacy. She is the author of Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World and Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends and the New Rules of Boy World. In this podcast, she talks about raising teenagers in a complex world, the role of social media and gaming, what teachers can do to engage students and how her own parenting informs her work.
Listen to the podcast.
Cece Bell
Cece Bell is a children's book author and illustrator. El Deafo, her first graphic novel, is a slightly fictionalized memoir about her childhood, her hearing loss, her first crush and her quest for a true friend. Her other books for children include the Geisel Honor book Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover; Itty Bitty; Bee-Wigged; and the Sock Monkey series. Cece Bell lives in an old church with her husband and she works right next door in a new-ish barn. Cece Bell's book, El Deafo, was featured as ADL's Book of the Month in April 2015.
In this podcast, she talks about what inspired her to write El Deafo, the response she has received about the book from children and adults and why friendship is so central to her books.
Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.
Duncan Tonatiuh
Courtesy of James F. Quinn
Duncan Tonatiuh is an award winning children's book author and illustrator. He was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende. He graduated from Parsons New School for Design and Eugene Lang College in NYC. Duncan has written and illustrated several children's books including Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale; Diego Rivera: His World and Ours; Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin and Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation. Separate Is Never Equal was featured as ADL's Book of the Month in May 2014.
In this podcast, he talks about meeting Sylvia Mendez and how that inspired him to write Separate Is Never Equal, his love of art and writing and how his dual citizenship identity shapes what he writes.
Listen to the podcast.
Ami Polonsky
Ami Polonsky is a children’s book author and teacher. Gracefully Grayson, a middle grade book, is her debut and her second novel is Threads. Formerly a Chicago Public Schools teacher, Ami spent nine years out of the classroom to raise her two young children and launch her writing career then returned to teaching sixth grade Language Arts. Ami’s book, Gracefully Grayson, is featured as ADL’s Book of the Month in July 2015.
In this podcast, she talks about why she wrote the book, how parents and teachers can discuss gender and transgender identity with young people and the importance of being an ally.
Listen to the podcast.
Trudy Ludwig
Trudy Ludwig is an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that explore the colorful and sometimes confusing world of children's social interactions. She has a special focus on addressing relational aggression--the use of relationships to manipulate and hurt others. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Some of her other books include Gifts from the Enemy; The Invisible Boy; Better Than You; Confessions of A Former Bully and Just Kidding. Trudy's book, Confessions of a Former Bully, was featured as ADL's Book of the Month in October 2014. In this podcast, she talks about Confessions of a Former Bully and why she writes books focused on social aggression and bullying.
Kathryn Otoshi
Kathryn Otoshi is an award winning author/illustrator and speaker best known for her character-building children’s book series, Zero, One and Two. She travels to schools across the country to encourage kids to develop strong character assets and helps teachers find customized, creative methods to engage and connect with students through art, reading and the power of literature. Her newest book, Beautiful Hands, co-authored with Brett Baumgarten, is a call-to-action book that reminds young people to use their hands to do something for each other and their communities. In this podcast, she talks about her books, her process for converting big ideas into children's stories and the complex nature of friendship, bullying and standing up.