“Little Voices, Big Ideas” explores the rich and often surprising content of children’s books—and ways to have meaningful conversations about big ideas in little books with the children in our lives. Hosted by mother of two young boys and literacy educator, Sarah DeBacher, and with contributions from scholars Thomas Wartenberg, Freddi Evans, Susan Larson, and Kyley Pulphis, each episode offers historical, philosophical, and cultural connections for families to consider as they read, as well as practical advice for parents that will help listeners go beyond the bedtime story.
In season 2 of Little Voices, Big Ideas, the host, panelists, and families, will discuss a range of children’s books that can launch conversations about what it means to live in–and be impacted by–our shared American democracy.
This podcast is produced by Prime Time Family Reading for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, and made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Community Foundation of Northwest Louisiana in partnership with WWNO New Orleans and Red River Radio.
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The second season of Little Voices, Big Ideas, kicks off with a SPLOT. Daniel Manus Pinkwater’s 1977 book, The Big Orange Splot, highlights a key tension encountered by all of us living in a shared democracy: that of individual freedom versus collective responsibility. Where does one end and the other begin? -
In this episode, we explore what makes this tale so endearing--and enduring--and why Where the Wild Things Are allows parents and children to have tame talks about the pain of punishment, and the healing power of the imagination. -
Anansi the spider, the thieving trickster at the heart of Eric Kimmel’s Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, offers up an opportunity for pushing past mere moralizing toward more nuanced conversations about when tricks cross over into deception territory--and even when a seemingly harmless little lie may not be seen as such by others. -
In this episode, we discuss Jacqueline Woodson’s The Other Side, a beautifully illustrated picture book set during the segregation era--and how to use it to invite safe, non-didactic conversations about how our racial differences have divided us, and how we can take the conversation forward. -
In Episode 3 of “Little Voices, Big Ideas,” we hear from the big bad wolf, himself, in John Scieszka’s The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, and offer strategies for encouraging kids to think critically before jumping to conclusions. -
Episode 2 of “Little Voices, Big Ideas,” makes the case for discussing the big ideas found in the book that everyone loves to love--or loves to hate--Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. -
In episode 1 of “Little Voices, Big Ideas,” we take on the Cinderella myth through Fanny’s Dream a retelling of that tale by Caralyn Buehner.
