Plenty to Learn From the October Children’s Book Podcast Episodes

Nov 5, 2025 | Asian American Voices, Black Voices, Muslim Storytellers, Podcasts

This year, the Highlights Foundation is partnering with The Children’s Book Podcast. As partner, we’ll be helping to bring some of our friends, faculty, scholarship recipients, and alumni onto the show.

This roundup features faculty and community members Hannah Sawyerr, Natasha Khan Kazi, Erin Entrada Kelly, Heidi EY Stemple and Katie Yamasaki.

Hannah Sawyerr

Photo of Hannah Sawyerr and her books
Hannah V. Sawyerr, author of Truth Is: A Novel in Verse (Amulet Books), joins Matthew to talk about making a decision that belongs to you.

More About Hannah Sawyerr

Hannah Sawyerr Bio
Hannah Sawyerr Website

Natasha Khan Kazi

Photo of Natasha Khan Kazi and her books
Natasha Khan Kazi, author illustrator of Bela and Lily (Kokila), joins Matthew to talk about bravery through being a multi-language learner.

Erin Entrada Kelly

Photo of Erin Entrada Kelly and her books
Erin Entrada Kelly, author of At Last She Stood (Greenwillow Books) and The Last Resort (Scholastic Press), joins Matthew to talk about crafting stories as meaningful as possible to the reader.

Heidi E.Y. Stemple

Photo of Heidi E.Y. Stemple and her books
Heidi EY Stemple, author of The Poetry of Car Mechanics (Wordsong), joins Matthew to talk about becoming curious and making every bit of your writing intentional.

Katie Yamasaki

Photo of Katie Yamasaki  and her books
Katie Yamasaki, author illustrator of Mural Island (Norton Young Readers), joins Matthew to talk about building upon the tradition of making public art through relentless expression.

More About Katie Yamasaki

Katie Yamasaki Bio
Katie Yamasaki website