{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Tours, Turkeys, and Tiny Towns","description":"In this heartwarming episode of the Reading With Your Kids Podcast, Jed welcomes author Sara Amini and illustrator Juana Medina to celebrate their beautiful new picture book, \u201cLuisa at Your Service.\u201d Inspired by Sara\u2019s mother\u2019s childhood in the small Colombian town of Salento, the story follows young Luisa, a spirited girl who guides international backpackers through her beloved community, proudly sharing its culture, joy, and sense of togetherness. Sara explains how her mother\u2019s memories of an open, trusting town\u2014where \u201ceveryone knew each other and nobody locked their doors\u201d\u2014sparked the book. Seeing Juana\u2019s finished illustrations was an emotional moment: Juana not only captured the spirit of Salento but quietly slipped in visual tributes to Sara\u2019s family and history. For Sarah, this book is also a gift to her eight\u2011month\u2011old son, a way to connect him to his Colombian roots and show him that his family\u2019s stories matter. Juana shares how meaningful it was to honor Sara\u2019s mother\u2019s life while still bringing her own artistic vision, creating a kind of love letter to Colombia and to all who feel nostalgic for home. Together, they and Jed talk about books as mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors\u2014helping children see themselves, encounter other cultures, and recognize our shared humanity. In the second half of the episode, Jed is joined by author Becky Cerling Powers to discuss her picture book \u201cWherever I Go,\u201d a child-friendly retelling of Psalm 139. Becky talks about kids learning through play, the power of rhyme and movement in faith formation, and why honoring children\u2019s development\u2014rather than rushing it\u2014is crucial for raising joyful readers. ","author_name":"Reading With Your Kids Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/readingwithyourkids.libsyn.com\/site","html":"