39 episodes

One Page at a Time is a podcast to give inspiration, encouragement and support to anyone wanting to bring books and their families closer together. We know that books and reading can bring out the best in your family, and we strive to connect you with the books, ideas and techniques that suit your family’s unique situation and personality.

One Page At a Time Podcast Amanda Fristrom - One Page at a Time co-host

    • Kids & Family
    • 4.8 • 10 Ratings

One Page at a Time is a podcast to give inspiration, encouragement and support to anyone wanting to bring books and their families closer together. We know that books and reading can bring out the best in your family, and we strive to connect you with the books, ideas and techniques that suit your family’s unique situation and personality.

    Episode 37: Reading: Helping to Heal Trauma

    Episode 37: Reading: Helping to Heal Trauma

    Did you ever think of reading for helping to heal trauma? We talk to Jessica Sinarski about her books and reading as a way to help connect with those who have experienced trauma and help them heal.















    This week we are joined by Jessica Sinarski, a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health who works with children and has so much knowledge and experience to share with us!







    In this episode we talk about:







    1. Jessica’s experience and background working with children and people who have experienced significant trauma in their early lives as well as her passion for digging into the effects of early trauma on the brain and the different paths to healing.







    2. Why and how stories and reading can play a role in helping and working with kids who have experienced trauma.







    “Story is a powerful tool for connecting and healing.”















    3. Why it is important to bring the “big” and “scary” parts of ourselves or our experiences to the surface and process them.







    4. Why picture books are a good medium for kids to be able to engage with different parts of the story, depending on their situation and needs.







    “That is my goal- to start young and often, dealing with the tough stuff in life.”















    5. Jessica’s experiences seeing picture books help people of all ages- even adults- recognize, express or process their feelings.







    6. The books that Jessica has written and how they came to be.







    “There are kids who desperately need these stories, ...but then they are empathy builders for kids who haven’t had a lot of stressors yet so they can be a friend.”















    7. How the books can help take the shame out of having these big feelings and help both kids and adults understand where the feelings come from and how to handle them.







    8. What types of books can be helpful when trying to connect with kids who have experienced trauma and a few ideas on when and how to use them.







    “Humans... have these little windows where we can learn... and where we’re receptive and ready and can soak things up. Sometimes that’s at bedtime during reading, but that’s where we have to be really tuned into the child, because sometimes it’s during play or it’s when we’re out for a walk…”















    9. Heaps of book recommendations to help kids with their feelings and experiences!







    10. Extra resources for parents and adults trying to parent and work with kids who have gone through trauma.







    “We can’t fix everything. Sometimes you just have to sit with it.”















    In Reading: Helping to Heal Trauma we mention







    We are so grateful to Jessica for taking the time to talk with us! More information about her, her books, and her work can be found in the following places:







    Instagram:







    @rileythebrave (Jessica Sinarski)







    Websites:







    Brave Brains









    https://bravebrains.com









    Riley the Brave









    https://www.rileythebrave.org









    Common Sense Media Book Reviews









    https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews









    Books we mentioned:









    Riley the Brave 







    by Jessica Sinarski

    • 45 min
    Episode 36: Helping Kids Take Control of their Reading with Dr. William Stixrud

    Episode 36: Helping Kids Take Control of their Reading with Dr. William Stixrud

    This week we are joined by Dr. William Stixrud, neuropsychologist, and co-author of the widely known and regarded book, The Self-Driven Child. We talk with Dr. William Stixrud about becoming and helping your child become a self-driven reader.















    In this episode we talk about:







    1. What is motivation in relation to the issues Dr. Stixrud addresses in The Self-Driven Child.







    2.. The connection between some things we have researched and read about in Scholastic’s Kid and Family Reading Report, especially the “Decline by Nine” with the principles of child self-motivation.







    “I love you too much to fight with you about reading.”















    3. Some words of encouragement for those who are skeptical of handing over more control of their reading and academic habits to their children.







    “Making peace with the fact that you really can’t force a kid to do something is really liberating as a parent.”















    “I want to support kids in every way to become a good reader, but I also want to pay attention to what we know about the brain. If at the end of the day, at night when a kid is tired and done with school, the idea that making them read is going to make them better, it just doesn’t make any brain sense at all.” 







    4. How we can help kids who are struggling with reading.







    “What I recommend is that they...be allowed to listen. We know that the same brain systems activate if you are listening to a story or if you are reading it yourself- the same brain systems having to do with comprehension.”















    5. How we can prioritize our relationship with a child when there are struggles or friction.







    6. How the difference in boys’ and girls’ physiology and development can play a role in their reading development and how important it can be to bear this in mind. 







    7. Some thoughts on rewards and incentives and how we can use them to our and our kids’ advantage.







    “It’s not trying to bribe them to do stuff we want to do, it’s...helping them beat their own goals.”















    We are so grateful to Dr. Stixrud for taking the time to talk with us! More information about him, his work and what we chatted about can be found in the following places:







    Resources we mention in Helping Kids Take Control of their Reading







    Instagram:







    @simplyonpurpose with Ralphie Jacobs







    Websites: 







    Simply on Purpose







    The Stixrud Group









    https://stixrud.com









    Scholastic’s Kid and Family Reading Report









    https://www.scholastic.com/readingreport/home.html









    Books









    The Self-Driven Child by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson



















    What Do You Say? by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson







    (coming Fall 2021)











    Grit by Angela Duckworth









    You may also be interested in:









    Fighting the Decline by Nine with Lauren Tarshis











    You may have missed our last episode with Kai Gomeau...

    • 49 min
    Episode 35: Read With a Teen with Kai Gomeau

    Episode 35: Read With a Teen with Kai Gomeau

    This week we are joined by a very impressive teenager! Earlier in 2020, Kai Gomeau was looking for ways to get involved in some community service, but, as it has for so many of us, Covid threw a wrench into his plans. Kai was determined, however, and decided to start his own virtual reading program- Read With a Teen. 















    In this episode we talk about:







    1. Kai’s reading habits as a busy teenager, how and when he fits time to read in and what he likes to read.







    2. How Kai's project, Read With a Teen, went from a memory from Kindergarten to a successful online program with connections all over the country and even world!















    “I had to go out and find another way…”







    3. What Read WIth a Teen is and how it works.







    “He started the program not liking reading, but as a couple weeks went by… when I would offer to read a book he’d be like, ‘no no no, let me read, let me read!’”















    4. Some of the sessions and experiences that Kai has had that have made an impact on him.







    “Part of that might have been reading with someone else that wasn’t his mom and doing it for fun!”















    5. What Kai’s vision of the future of Read With a Teen is and the goals he has for himself and his program.







    “I’ve heard from a lot of my high school friends that they don’t like reading and that they never liked reading, so I was like, ‘huh...I should fix that.’” 















    In Read with a Teen with Kai Gomeau we mention:







    We are so grateful to Kai for taking the time to talk with us! More information about him and Read With a Teen can be found in the following places:







    Facebook:









    https://www.facebook.com/ReadwithaTeen









    Books we mentioned:







    Pete the Cat (series) by James Dean







    Fox in Socks by Dr Seuss







    Scooby Doo Storybook Collection edited by Beth Dunfey







    The Book with No PIctures by BJ Novak







    Don’t the Pigeon Drive the Bus (series) by Mo Willems







    Elephant and Piggie (series) by Mo Willems







    Mercy Watson (series) by Kate DiCamillo







    Shel Silverstein (author)







    To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee







    William Shakespeare (author)







    The Odyssey by Homer







    Percy Jackson (series) by Rick Riordan







    Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling







    Devil in the Grove by Gilbert King







    Catch a Fire by Timothy White















    If you liked Read with a Teen with Kai Gomeau, be sure to check out our interview with Sarah Wood about what your child's teacher wants you to know about reading.

    • 35 min
    Episode 34: 2020 Favorite Reads with Jill Berrett Given and Amanda Fristrom

    Episode 34: 2020 Favorite Reads with Jill Berrett Given and Amanda Fristrom

    We both had reading goals we mastered in 2020 and want to share with you some 2020 favorite reads from us, One Page at a Time hosts, Jill Berrett Given and Amanda Fristrom















    As we look forward to a new year in our podcast, we wanted to take a minute and look back at the last year. It was a big year in reading for both of us, so before we dive back into the awesome guests we get to chat with, we decided to share some of our favorites of all the books we read! In this episode we talk about:







    What our 2020 reading goals were and how they changed and developed as the year went on.







    Our top five books for the year! We each had our own criteria for picking our top books, so we ended up with a pretty diverse list! We will link to all the books we picked below.







    How the pandemic and other events in 2020 changed our (and so many other people we have talked to!) reading habits and limited the scope and type of books we read.







    And finally, we wrapped up the episode sharing our 2021 reading goals with each other (and all of you)!







    We talk about our reasons for reading fluffy fiction. Interested in learning more about just one of the benefits of reading fiction? Here's the Harvard Business Review article and the research study Amanda refers to about how fiction positively affects decision making.







    In 2020 Favorite Reads we mention:







    Amanda's reads:









    Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli











    Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain











    The Book of Eels by Patrik Svensson











    Lovely War by Julie Berry











    The Four Kingdoms (series) by Melanie Cellier









    Jill's reads:









    The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff











    Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin











    Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder











    Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan











    The War That Saved My Life/The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley









    We also mention:









    Holes by Louis Sachar











    Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C. S. Lewis











    Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling



















    Hatchet by Gary Paulsen











    Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine











    A Boy Called Bat (series) by Elana K. Arnold











    Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 











    Sophie Kinsella (Author)











    Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach











    The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern











    Shannon Hale (author)











    Gail Carson Levine (author)

































    In 2020 Favorite Reads we also mention these resources:







    Everyday Reading and here is the 2021 Reading Log







    Adam Sockel, Professional Book Nerds for a podcast on book recommendations (here's our interview with Adam about Professional Book Nerds)







    Superhero Book List (from yours truly)

    • 52 min
    Episode 33: How We Read with Jean and Mark Yockey

    Episode 33: How We Read with Jean and Mark Yockey

    The (first?) grandparent edition of How we read with Jean and Mark Yockey helps us all to gain the perspective of a parent who raised their kids on books and now read to their grandchildren as well - wherever in the world they are.















    This week we are joined by Jean and Mark Yockey, parents of our one and only Amanda! They wear so many hats, including educators, PhD holders, a nurse, an entrepreneur, and, what they joined us especially to talk about: grandparents! Books were always a huge part of their lives as they raised their family and the theme has carried on into their grandparenting.







    In this episode we talk about:







    1. A little bit about how their family’s book collection evolved through the years, through many moves to new cities, states and homes and now as the kids have grown up, left home and started families of their own.







    2. Their experiences being the parents of teenagers with different reading styles and interests.







    3. The evolution of their experiences from parents to grandparents when it comes to reading. 







    “it’s different if you see somebody in a picture or on a computer screen, vs seeing them in person... After one story, though, then it’s like, ‘okay... I remember this and life is good.’”















    4. What do they like about reading with their grandchildren?







    5. Their experiences reading with one of their grandchildren who is on the Autism spectrum.







    “Books are a good way to introduce him to other things in the world that he is a little more reluctant to open up to.”















    6. The benefits of revisiting a familiar or favorite book to help kids through concerns or difficult times.







    “There’s a fair amount of uncertainty and loss of structure [right now]..that we can’t control, but you can always go back and revisit the magic of your friends that are in books, even if you can’t see your real friends as much.”















    7. How they juggle and manage to read to as many of their 7+ grandkids as possible at one time- both in person and virtually!







    “I don’t run around as much as I used to; I can’t keep up with them! It’s a good opportunity for me to sit down and relax and rejuvenate, too.”















    8. What are some of their favorite things to read with their grandkids?







    9. How they tailor their reading and discussion about books to their grandkids’ different ages.







    10. Thoughts on how parents of adult children can help encourage their children to make books a part of their grandkids’ lives.







    We are so grateful to Mark and Jean for taking the time to talk with us! 







    In this How We Read with Jean and Mark Yockey we mentioned:









    The Monster at the End of This Book







    by Jon Stone











    Mercer Mayer







    (author of the Little Critter series)











    The Berenstain Bears







    by Stan and Jan Berenstain











     Go Dog Go!







    by P. D. Eastman











    Chickens to the Rescue







    by John Himmelman











    Robot Bot Bot







    by Fernando Krahn











    Llama Llama (series)







    by Anna Dewdney











    Never Let a Unicorn Scribble!

    • 45 min
    Episode 32: How did a dyslexic become an author,.?!

    Episode 32: How did a dyslexic become an author,.?!

    Just how does a dyslexic become an author of a series of picture books teaching language and grammar rules to children? Kimberlee Gard shares her story with us.















    This week we are joined by children’s book author Kimberlee Gard, who is an inspiration for anyone who has a loved one who struggles with reading or is experiencing the struggle themselves. Growing up with dyslexia, she, in her own words, “spent her childhood running from books instead of reading them.” As time went on, she gained the tools and skills she needed to not only unlock the joy of books, but has become the author of them! She has written several picture books and is passionate about the power that books have to change children- especially ones who may not follow the same path to a love of reading that their peers might.. 







    In this episode we talk about:







    1. What it was like for her growing up with dyslexia and not being able to read by herself until she was about ten years old.







    “That really set me apart and way behind my peers...it makes you feel different; it makes you struggle with who you are.”















    2. A few of the tools that Kimberlee learned along the way in her journey of learning how to read and form a positive relationship with reading and writing.







    “It can change a child’s life to be encouraged by focusing where their attributes are instead of where their struggles are.”















    3. How her struggle reading actually helped to turn her into a storyteller and led to her writing career and how it affects her writing today.







    “I think that struggles can sometimes become a gift, and I know that is true for me.”















    4. Why Kimberlee decided to write a children's book about punctuation of all things!







    “The majority of the time, punctuation is not taught until children are far past the initial stages of reading and because of this, children have to go back and relearn how to use punctuation or they just discount it and don’t use it at all!”















    5. How her “Learning is Fun” book series was born out of her desire to focus on where she struggled as a kid and create tools to help other children.







    In How Did a Dyslexic Become an Author,.?! we mention:







    We are so grateful to Kimberlee for taking the time to talk with us! More information about her and her books can be found in the following places:







    Instagram:







    @kimberlee.gard







    Websites:







    Kimberlee's website







    Books we mentioned:

















    The Day Punctuation Came to Town by Kimberlee Gard



















    The Mighty Silent e! by Kimberlee Gard



















    The Little i Who Lost His Dot by Kimberlee Gard











    Karma Wilson (author)









    If you like this episode, you may be interested in listening to episode 23: Building Character with Picture Books with Mary Costello

    • 26 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
10 Ratings

10 Ratings

AJDWA ,

Another great bookish podcast!

There’s nothing I love more than a good bookish podcast and these two do a lovely job. They have fantastic guests and they ask them great questions. I’ve received so many good tips to incorporate books better into our family’s life. I always look forward to it each week.

cjcia ,

Episode 4 was A-MAZE-ING!!!

Sydney had such great advice. Love love loved it!!! Thank you, ladies!

Top Podcasts In Kids & Family

Greeking Out from National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids
Good Inside with Dr. Becky
Dr. Becky Kennedy
Circle Round
WBUR
Wow in the World
Tinkercast | Wondery
Story Pirates
Story Pirates
Raising Good Humans
Dear Media, Aliza Pressman