The DTALKS Podcast The DTALKS Podcast

How interested were you in animals growing up?
Ok, but do you EVEN KNOW a sloth!?
Where is your San Diego Zoo CD-ROM?
Animals always leave an impression on us. Whether through our pets, or through engaging with animals at a zoo, we all form opinions on animals early on. 
In this episode, Joe gets to talk all about animals, the zoo, and the journey certain animals take and how we can learn from them with Georgeanne Irvine.
Enjoy!

About Georgeanne Irvin
San Diego native Georgeanne “George” Irvine has devoted her career to raising awareness about animals and wildlife conservation. She is the director of publishing for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, where she has worked for 45 years, as well as the author of nearly 30 children’s books about wildlife. Her award-winning Hope & Inspiration collection features true stories about individual animals from the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park that have overcome challenges in their lives. These hardcover books are illustrated with photographs and include wildlife facts and conservation information. 
 
Prior to publishing, George served in many capacities during her tenure with the Zoo--she worked in public relations and marketing as well as philanthropy. Her duties ranged from being a media spokesperson to escorting celebrities around the Zoo and animals to television shows (such as Johnny Carson’s “Tonight” show) to creating collateral that helped the Zoo raise millions of dollars each year for conservation and new habitats. 
 
 

 
About the 'The Hope and Inspiration Collection'
 
These colorful, non-fiction stories are illustrated with engaging photographs and include a section on fun animal facts. They also feature each animal's foot or handprints on the endpapers of the books as well as a list of things kids and their families can do to help wildlife. The concept behind the Hope & Inspiration collection is that if children can relate to the individual animals featured in the books, they will be inspired to care about each animal, its species, and all other wildlife species. 
 
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to noted author Patrice Karst about her latest book "Ruby and Lonely". However, the conversations spans to include Patrice's original book "The Invisible String" and even touches on her book "The Invisible Leash" and the unique connection Joe has to the book.
Enjoy!
About Patrice Karst

Patrice Karst is the author of the bestselling, contemporary classic children’s (and adults’!) book The Invisible String, which has sold over 1.5 million copies and been translated into seventeen languages. It is the story of the String (made out of love!) that connects us all. The Invisible String book series offers children a tangible understanding of love and teaches the world about the String that “even though you can’t see it with your eyes, you can feel it in your heart and know that you are always connected to everyone you love.”
Patrice has been on a lifelong mission to share the message that this energy called love transcends time and space and is the most powerful force in all the universe.
About Ruby and Lonely

Ruby’s got a problem. At school and at home, everyone is so busy all the time, and no one seems to notice her at all. Ruby finds herself feeling kind of…lonely. It’s a big problem! But one day, while walking home alone after school, she decides to look at her problem from a new angle. She even gives it a name―Lonely―a seemingly small but significant decision that transforms her problem, and entire life, in the most surprising and extraordinary way. Join Ruby as she discovers her inner best friend in this relatable and heartwarming story. A note from the author and discussion questions are included.
 
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/


 

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to Ruchira Gupta about her latest book "I Kick and I Fly". However, the conversation spans far beyond the realm of the book as both Joe & Ruchira discuss how folks can truly raise inclusive kids and make the world a better place.
Enjoy!
About Ruchira Gupta

Ruchira Gupta is an Emmy winning journalist and founder of the anti sex trafficking NGO Apne Aap, that empowers women and girls to exit systems of prostitution. I Kick and I Fly is her debut fiction novel.
Ruchira has worked for the United Nations in Nepal, Thailand, Kosovo, Iran, and the USA. She occasionally teaches at the New York University’s Center for Global Affairs as a visiting faculty.
Ruchira divides her time between New York and Forbesganj, her childhood home in the foothills of the Himalayas, where she furthers the work of Apne Aap and paints her mother’s garden.
About 'I Kick and I Fly'

 
 
What would you do today, if you had to fight for your life tomorrow?
Fourteen-year-old Heera knows she is living on borrowed time when she is expelled from school. There is no food at home and her father wants to sell her into the sex trade. She has no means to fight back until a woman’s rights advocate enrolls her in her Kung Fu class. Through it, Heera learns that her body isn’t an object to be preyed upon, but a vessel to free herself.
 
Make sure to check out the Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Get ready to go BACK! Back in time through food!?
Yes!
On today's episode of the podcast we welcome author Flora Ahn to the show to discuss her latest book "A Spoonful of Time". 
This book will warm your heart and provide you with all the recipes you need to fill your stomach!
Seriously though, Joe & Florah get into a fantastic discussion about representation, food, ancestry, and how we can continue to learn from older generations (and others) when we take the opportunity to sit down with them, over a meal, and listen.
Enjoy!
About Flora Ahn

Flora Ahn is an attorney by day and an author and illustrator by night. Her work includes a children’s chapter book series, Pug Pals (Scholastic) and an Audible Original, The Golden Orchard. Raised in California by her Korean immigrant parents, Ahn lives in Virginia with her three pugs and practices law in DC.
 
About 'A Spoonful of Time'

Maya’s grandmother, Halmunee, may be losing her memory, but there’s something almost magical about the way she cooks. Whether Halmunee serves salty miyeokguk or sweet songpyeon, her stories about Korea come to life for Maya.
Then one day, something extraordinary happens: a single delicious bite of patbingsu transports Maya and Halmunee back into one of Halmunee’s memories. Suddenly they’re in Seoul, and Halmunee is young.
This is just the first of many secrets Maya will uncover: that she and her grandmother can time-travel, and they aren’t the only ones with this ability. As Maya eats her way through the past, her questions multiply—until a shocking discovery transforms everything she thought she knew about family, friendship, loss, and time itself.
A middle grade novel about 13-year-old Maya who discovers she can travel across time through her Halmunee's memories by cooking Korean treats. A reimagined version of The Golden Orchard.
 
Make sure to check out the NEW Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

In this episode of the podcast Joe talks to both author Megan Wagner Lloyd and illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter about their fantastic book Squished!
Megan & Michelle dig into themes of the book, why representation matters, and how kids can use books to help them ground their emotions as they group up feeling all different types of 'squished' 
It was a fantastic conversation and Squished is a fantastic book - be sure to pick it up from your favorite local bookstore today!
About Megan Wagner Lloyd

Megan Wagner Lloyd is the author of the bestselling kids’ graphic novels Allergic and Squished, co-created with illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter, and the Super Pancake kids’ graphic novel series, co-created with illustrator Abhi Alwar. Megan is also the author of the children’s novel Haven: A Small Cat’s Big Adventure, the kids’ activity book The Creative Writing Playbook, illustrated by Madeline Garcia, the picture book Finding Wild, illustrated by Abigail Halpin, and several more picture books. She lives with her family in the Washington DC area.
About Michelle Mee Nutter

Michelle Mee Nutter is the co-creator, with Megan Wagner Lloyd, of Allergic, an instant bestseller. Michelle graduated with a degree in illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, 3x3 Illustration, Creative Quarterly, and more. Michelle lives in Boston.

About 'Squished'

Eleven-year-old Avery Lee loves living in Hickory Valley, Maryland. She loves her neighborhood, school, and the end-of-summer fair she always goes to with her two best friends. But she’s tired of feeling squished by her six siblings! They’re noisy and chaotic and the younger kids all love her a little too much. All Avery wants is her own room — her own space to be alone and make art. So she’s furious when Theo, her grumpy older brother, gets his own room instead, and her wild baby brother, Max, moves into the room she already shares with her clinging younger sister Pearl! Avery hatches a plan to finally get her own room, all while trying to get Max to sleep at night, navigating changes in her friendships, and working on an art entry for the fair. And when Avery finds out that her family might move across the country, things get even more complicated.
 
Make sure to check out the NEW Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/

Are you ready for an adventure of an 11th century lifetime!? 
What will you do when every village you encounter sends an assassin after your guardian?
This is the premise of the story "The many assassinations of Samir, the seller of dreams". Our guest today, Daniel Nayeri, talks to us about how he came to write this story, why the magic of the silk road fascinates him, and what he hopes everyone gets out of the book.
Enjoy!
About Daniel Nayeri

Daniel Nayeri was born in Iran and spent some years as a refugee before immigrating to Oklahoma at age eight with his family. He is the author of several books for young readers, including Everything Sad is Untrue (A True Story), winner of the Michael L. Printz Award, the Christopher Medal, and the Middle Eastern Book Award. He lives in the US with his wife and son.
About 'The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams'

A new all-ages adventure tale from Printz Medal Winner, Daniel Nayeri

This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called “Seller of Dreams”. The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey’s life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir— furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life—as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he’ll be a free man...but will they all survive that long?

For fans of The Little Prince and Salman Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories.



Make sure to check out the NEW Dtalkspodcast.com website!

Thanks to Empire Toys for this episode of the podcast!

Nostalgia is something everyone loves and Empire Toys in Keller Texas is on nostalgia overload.
 
With toys and action figures from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and today, Empire Toys is a one-stop-shop for a trip down memory lane and a chance to reclaim what was once yours (but likely sold at a garage sale)
 
Check out Empire Toys on Facebook, Instagram, or at TheEmpireToys.com

AND Thanks to Self Unbound for this episode of the podcast:

Your quality of life: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, is a direct reflection of the level of abundant energy, ease, and connection your nervous system has to experience your life! 
 
At Self Unbound, your nervous system takes center stage as we help unbind your limited healing potential through NetworkSpinal Care. 
 
Access the first steps to your Unbound journey by following us on Facebook, Instagram, or at www.selfunbound.com
 
The DTALKS Podcast has also been ranked #9 in the "Top 40 Detox Podcast You Must Follow in 2020" according to Feedspot.com for our work in the Cultural Detox space. Thank you so much to the Feedspot team! 
https://blog.feedspot.com/detox_podcasts/