{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Reading Inspires by Reading Is Fundamental","title":"The Power of Picture Books with Dr. Deborah Pope & Jocelyn McCarthy","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1713,"description":"In this episode of Reading Inspires, host Dr. Erin Bailey speaks with Dr. Deborah Pope, Executive Director, and Jocelyn McCarthy, Associate Director of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation, about the legacy of beloved children's author Ezra Jack Keats and the foundation's mission to champion diversity in children's literature. The foundation, established in 1964 after the publication of The Snowy Day, was created to fulfill Keats' vision that all children should see themselves reflected in the books they read—a vision born from his own experience as a child who felt invisible. The foundation's programs include the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Award, which recognizes early-career authors and illustrators (with no more than four books published) who create diverse, high-quality children's literature, and the innovative Bookmaking Program where students in grades 3-12 write and illustrate their own books.The conversation highlights the foundation's Mock EJK Award program, which brings the award process into classrooms across the country, allowing students to evaluate books using kid-friendly criteria that mirror the actual award rubric. Through this program, students engage in critical thinking discussions about diversity, illustration quality, and storytelling while developing a deeper connection to literature—some even write to authors and illustrators to share their evaluations. Both guests emphasize how reading provides power and perspective, enabling children to see themselves in stories while also opening their hearts to new adventures and wider worlds. The foundation continues to evolve its programs to meet educators' needs while staying true to Keats' core mission of making all children feel visible and valued through literature.Watch Tell Me Another Story, a documentary on the power of picture books. About Dr. Deborah Pope, Executive Director:Deborah Pope has focused the work and mission of the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation on increasing diversity in children’s...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/PLM71TVYaKrIK0b-G2NoWp7Xdi0RdKxkYAKLXdYb2tA/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS83NjQz/ZTdmZTE2ODA3OGJh/ZmM5NDkyMmZkNjI3/OWJkMy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}