{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Dragons, Ghosts, and Librarians: Haley Neil Takes Us Inside Greta Grimsdark","description":"In this joyful episode of Reading With Your Kids, Jed welcomes librarian and debut middle grade author Haley Neil to celebrate her spooky-silly new book, Greta Grimsdark and the Normal New Neighbor. Haley shares stories from her work in the library, where she spends her days covered in slime, leading \u201cMake and Play\u201d programs, and helping kids discover books they truly love\u2014especially those transitioning from graphic novels to more text-heavy stories. Haley and Jed shine a big spotlight on librarians as unsung heroes, describing libraries as hubs for early literacy, STEM, crafts, and community support, especially for families who rely on them for internet access and free programming. Haley encourages families to \u201clibrary hop,\u201d talk to their librarians, and never hesitate to ask for book recommendations. They dive into Greta Grimsdark\u2019s world, where Greta\u2019s parents are dragons, her brothers are ghosts, vampires, and zombies\u2014and Greta herself is the \u201cscariest\u201d thing of all: a human child. Haley describes the book as \u201cAddams Family meets Junie B. Jones\u201d with \u201ccute Wednesday Addams vibes\u201d\u2014a lower middle grade, highly illustrated story perfect for bedtime read-alouds, classroom reading, and precocious independent readers. Beneath the funny, eerie surface, Greta\u2019s story explores friendship, identity, difference, and belonging, including casual representation like a brother who uses sign language. Haley also talks about bibliotherapy\u2014using books to help kids process big feelings and tough topics\u2014and the joy of writing for kids, caregivers, teachers, and librarians all at once. Throughout, Jed and Haley return to their shared mission: helping families read together, talk together, and grow together through stories. Jed also welcomes back Ginny Neil, former longtime teacher turned nature-loving picture book author, to celebrate her new title A River of Wind. Ginny shares how a magical encounter with tiny \u201cspiderlings\u201d floating on silvery threads sparked the idea for the book, which explores all the surprising things that travel on the wind\u2014from familiar sights to hidden wonders high above our heads. Drawing on more than 38 years in the classroom and her life in the mountains, Ginny reflects on how nature, curiosity, and hands-on exploration shape both her writing and her teaching. She and Jed talk about the lasting impact of COVID on kids\u2019 social and fine motor skills, the loss of unstructured play, and the pressure to \u201cschoolify\u201d young children too early. Ginny argues passionately for giving kids time outdoors, space to ask questions, and freedom from constant screens and supervision so their natural curiosity\u2014and STEM thinking\u2014can flourish. They also discuss bullying prevention, the importance of building a culture of respect instead of just running short-term programs, and how parents can nurture curiosity simply by modeling it themselves and involving children in everyday problem-solving. Throughout, Ginny\u2019s deep love for kids, learning, and the natural world shines through, along with her joy in visiting classrooms and creating books that invite children to look closer, wonder more, and fall in love with the world around them.   ","author_name":"Reading With Your Kids Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/readingwithyourkids.libsyn.com\/site","html":"