Category: Education

Minibabble: Carol Fisher Saller on Inclusivity in Children’s Fiction

In this mini-episode, we focus on a change that has both energized and confused writers: the push for representation and the elimination of cultural appropriation. Author Carol Fisher Saller speaks with refreshing candor about the difficulties she faces as a white writer who genuinely wants to write representative, inclusive kidlit. She talks about the myths and misperceptions, as well as the challenges, as she tries to make her way in a changed industry.

Take the scaffolding down: Mothering neuroatypical adults

“What to Expect”-style books are very popular amongst moms, and for good reason. Most children follow relatively closely to what we expect from them. But some children deviate from the norm in ways that create great struggle: for caregivers, educators, medical professionals, and most of all, the parents raising them. In this episode, Wendy and Rebecca detail the struggle to get support for their children, the toll it took on their own sense of self, and finally, the growth and understanding that they achieved in the process of helping them to adulthood.

The Science of Connection: Global Women in Herpetology

The Global Women in Herpetology Project culminated in the book, Women in Herpetology, 50 Stories from Around the World. But the effect on the women who took part was much more profound than a simple book. In this episode of The Babblery, two founders of the organization and one of the authors speak about the project that connected them to so many of the women around the world who practice this unusual profession.