Zetta Elliott writes the kinds of books that she wanted to read when she was younger. They are sweeping, fantastic, and crackling with energy. Zetta and I discuss the latest addition to her Dragons in a Bag series, entitled The Oracle’s Door, and what it means to kids to read about aspirational protagonists with whom they share experiences, gender, and skin color. More information about Zetta, including a link to her books, is at talkingaboutkids.com.

There is a simple equation when it comes to raising a healthy and happy kid: the more competent and caring adults there are in the life of a kid, the better off that kid will be. Unfortunately, policies and prejudices often prevent fathers from being present to their own children. My guest today to discuss these problems and what is being done to address them is the dedicated father, public servant, and public policy researcher at MEF Associates, Sundjata Aya. More information about Sundjata, including a links to his research projects, is at talkingaboutkids.com.

By several measures, 2024 is on course to be one of the worst ever in terms of gun violence on school campuses. My guest this episode to discuss these tragic incidents is David Riedman. David is the founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database, arguably the most complete accounting of school shootings in the United States. As you will hear, David's own analysis of the data has revealed some chilling findings that suggest that many schools’ prevention efforts and active shooter plans are, at best, inadequate and ill-informed, and, at worst, making students more vulnerable. This episode was intentionally produced to support the formation and coordination of adolescent-centered care and services, so you also will hear from Tracy Pedrotti of the Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health. It was recorded live using a webinar platform to encourage questions from alliance members and other listeners. More information about David, the K-12 School Shooting Database, and the Arizona Alliance for Adolescent Health is at talkingaboutkids.com.