The Reader’s Heart | Guest: Chris Barton

In this conversation, Chris Barton joins Jennifer to chat about his reading habits, research process for nonfiction books, and the importance of balancing serious topics with joy in children's literature. They discuss the role of personal experiences in writing and the impact of books in helping children cope with tragedy. Chris shares his love for book dedications and the inspiration behind his webcast on the topic. They also touch on upcoming projects.

 

Show notes and other information related to this episode (including a discount code from Bookelicious) can be found here.

Chapters

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Fan Moment

00:54 Connecting Story to a Reader's Heart

01:37 Chris Barton's Reading Habits

03:03 Setting Reading Challenges

04:27 The Research Process for Nonfiction Books

06:34 Balancing Serious Topics with Joy

08:34 Making Historical Events Relevant and Safe for Kids

09:48 Personal Experiences and Writing for Young Readers

11:39 Children's Literature as a Guide Through Life

13:11 The Influence of Personal Experiences on Writing

14:14 The Role of Reading in Coping with Tragedy

17:23 Meeting Favorite Authors

18:27 Recommendation for Jennifer Ziegler's Book

19:16 The Importance of Joyful Reading

20:41 The Power of Graphic Novels and Personal Reading Preferences

23:34 Nonfiction as a Joyful Pursuit

24:46 The Fascination with Book Dedications

29:51 Working on Multiple Books Simultaneously

31:43 Upcoming Books and Projects

34:46 The Book Dedications Podcast

38:19 Conclusion