Reading With Your Kids Podcast

In this episode of Reading With Your Kids we meet two talented children's book creators, Katie Mazeika and Michael Cooper. You're really going to love learning about their inspiring stories and the important messages behind their books. First, we chatted with Katie Mazeika, the author and illustrator of the picture book "Maybe Just Ask Me." Katie shared her personal journey of losing her eye to cancer as a young child, and the challenges she faced going to school with an eye patch and head scarf. She emphasized how crucial it is to teach kids to talk openly and honestly about disabilities, rather than pretending not to notice differences. Katie had such a positive and upbeat attitude, which she credits to the support of her amazing mom. She explained why she chose not to use a prosthetic eye, and how she's worked to turn her experiences into empowering stories. Jed and Katie discussed the importance of inclusive language and not othering people with disabilities. It was a really thoughtful conversation about