So, you don’t want to be redundant with your words and the artwork. People think picture books are very easy to write, but actually trying to address top tough issues with fewer words-every word is precious when you’re writing a picture book story because you know that the pictures are also going to be telling a story. It’s a way you can peel back the layers of the story. And I love that expression because, really, you’re dealing with complex issues in soundbite-able ways, so to speak. I love educator and librarian Molly Pearson-she says that picture books are big ideas in small packages. So, I’m not only trying to educate kids on tough issues, but I’m also trying to educate adults about what their kids are going through. Trudy Ludwig: Yes, I think I’m a very sneaky children’s author because what I do is I write books that I know adults will read with their kids and share with their kids.

But can you speak to the value your children’s stories also have for adults? So, I think often when we talk about children’s books-there’s an assumption that they’re just for children. When I was trying to find books for my children when they were younger, I found a real resource gap for these kinds of books, and I wanted to fill that gap.īianca Schulze: Yeah, that’s great. I want kids to understand that what they’re going through in their social world is normal-and when it becomes abnormal when friendships cross unhealthy lines. My books are fiction, but they’re realistic fiction.

So, I think it’s really important for kids to have more realistic resources on what they’re dealing with-tough social and emotional issues that they have to face on a daily basis.įluffy bunnies and happy stories-they’re fun and fictional. Kids are exposed to a lot more twenty-four-seven and the world is much more complex. Trudy Ludwig: Well, I feel that kids are navigating a very complex world since the Internet has blossomed and social media has blossomed. So, before we dive into Brave Every Day, I’m hoping you’ll talk us through your mission and what motivates you to write stories that can make a difference in kids’ lives? You have a motto on your website or a guiding principle: Making a difference in kids’ lives one book at a time. You have no idea how thrilled I am to have you on the podcast today because I love, love, love what your books bring to the lives of children and the adults who choose to read with them. Thanks for joining me today to talk about your newest picture book, Brave Every Day. It’s so much fun to be here with you.īianca Schulze: Yeah. Trudy’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Gold Award, the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award, and the NAPPA Gold Award, and have also been recognized as NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents at schools and conferences around the US for her passion and compassion in addressing peer aggression and friendship issues.Īn active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with organizations like the Committee for Children and, and has served as a content adviser for Sesame Street Workshop. Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children’s books that help kids cope with and thrive in their social world, including The Invisible Boy, My Secret Bully, and The Power of One. We discuss her new book, Brave Every Day, and how reading books can promote empathy and kindness.

The Children’s Book Review In this episode, I talk with the highly sought-after speaker and children’s book author Trudy Ludwig! Her work focuses on promoting empathy, kindness, inclusion, and diversity in the classroom and beyond.

Brave meaning for kids