Children and Authors to Collaborate on The Story Seeds Podcast, Launching this Fall
Librarian, author, and kidlit influencer Betsy Bird will host a new podcast that celebrates creativity and imagination
Sep 24, 2019, 08:38 ET
NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The independent and award-winning children's media studio, Literary Safari, will launch The Story Seeds™ Podcast this fall, matching children ages 7-12 with best-selling, diverse authors who grow original stories inspired by kids' story ideas. (Listen to the trailer here.)
"By recognizing children as the creative rockstars that they are, Story Seeds will empower young people as creators, thinkers, and storytellers," says host Betsy Bird.
A librarian, blogger with School Library Journal, and book reviewer for Kirkus Reviews, host Betsy Bird is a kidlit powerhouse. She was recently elected to the American Library Association's Children's Literature Legacy Committee. She is also the author of two picture books, The Great Santa Stakeout and Giant Dance Party, and editor of the anthology Funny Girl: Funniest Stories Ever which features stories by popular female children's authors.
The Story Seeds Podcast will combine the easy and charming conversational style of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee with an audio "story time" unboxing reveal. In each episode, listeners will follow along as a child and an author meet up to collaborate on developing a story seed, or idea. The author then writes a story and documents his or her creative process while doing so. Finally, the big reveal: An original short story grown from the child's story seed.
Story Seeds producers received submissions from around the country, and have selected 10 children to be featured on the podcast's inaugural season. Participating authors include New York Times best-selling authors Tracey Baptiste, Chris Grabenstein, and Dan Gutman, Newbery Honor author Veera Hiranandani, Rick Riordan Presents author Carlos Hernandez, Bank Street Library's Best Children's Books author/illustrator Aram Kim, and debut author Rajani LaRocca whose middle grade book Midsummer's Mayhem was recently featured in Forbes Magazine's roundup of "Ten 2019 Children's Book Recommendations From Children's Bookstores."
Sandhya Nankani, creator of the podcast and an award-winning founder of children's educational media studio Literary Safari, says, "As a mother, I have observed how after 3rd grade, the pressures of children's formal academic experiences nudge them to unlearn their creative instincts. Creativity is an essential 21st century survival skill and my vision in creating Story Seeds is to inspire families and educators to celebrate and nurture it. By showcasing and modeling a collaborative creative process, Story Seeds will demonstrate that when children are given their rightful place at the table, amazing things can happen."
For the podcast's premiere episodes, New York City recording locations include The Blue School, Dear Mama Coffee at Columbia University, Pippin Home & Vintage, and Children's Museum of the Arts New York.
About The Story Seeds Podcast:
The Story Seeds Podcast is a production of Literary Safari. It puts kids and their imaginations at the table with diverse and award-winning children's authors as they collaborate to create original stories. Find "The Story Seeds Podcast" online (storyseeds.co), Instagram (@storyseedspod), and Twitter (@litsafarimedia).
About Literary Safari:
Literary Safari is a studio and consulting firm that creates inclusive media for children and families everywhere. Its award-winning app HangArt has been featured as a Best of EdTech by Common Sense Media and it has created books, games, apps, and curriculum for clients including UNESCO, Sesame Workshop, Scholastic, and Benchmark Education.
Direct Links
Podcast Trailer: https://soundcloud.com/storyseedspod/trailer
Podcast Website: https://www.storyseeds.co
Company Website: https://www.literarysafari.com
Media Contact:
Kayla Fedeson
[email protected]
917-830-4325
SOURCE Literary Safari Media