{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Mistakes, Magic, and Mystery: How Gareth P. Jones Writes Wildly Interactive Books","description":"In this episode of the Reading With Your Kids Podcast, Jed welcomes the wildly inventive Gareth P. Jones, author of the Solve Your Own Mystery series. Gareth shares how he writes his twisty, choice-filled mysteries without a strict plan, often discovering the solution right alongside his readers. He talks about the joy and chaos of letting kids help shape the story\u2014both on the page and in his live \u201cMystery Makers\u201d shows, where the audience becomes the cast, the co-writers, and sometimes the comedians. Gareth also dives into his work turning picture books into \u201cmini musicals\u201d, including Rabunsel (Rapunzel as a rabbit) and Cinderavilla. Armed with a ukulele, trumpet, loop pedal, and a healthy respect for mistakes, he explains how slip-ups on stage often spark his best ideas. He previews his new project, the diary of Ugg, a cave boy whose different way of thinking may just nudge his whole community forward. In the second part of the episode, intern host Madison Lucchesi sits down with Kieonna Risher, author of the tender debut picture book Nana\u2019s Garden. Kieonna shares how the book honors her grandmother, Sandra Risher, and helps children\u2014especially her son Micah, who is autistic\u2014navigate grief using memories, ritual, and tangible keepsakes like a treasured pendant. She describes family traditions that keep Nana\u2019s love alive and teases an upcoming second book about helping kids manage \u201cbig feelings.\u201d Together, these conversations celebrate interactive storytelling, emotional honesty, and the many ways books can help kids feel, choose, and grow. ","author_name":"Reading With Your Kids Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/readingwithyourkids.libsyn.com\/site","html":"