Dystopian Adventures & Fish With Weird Teeth

You are going to love this episode of Reading With Your Kids! First up is author Megan Schaulis. She is on the show to celebrate her YA dystopian novel "Protector". Megan explained how her book takes place in a near-future world where the king's bodyguards have been genetically enhanced. The main character Noah must compete against these enhanced women to become a protector, despite being a normal athlete.

Megan and the host Jed Doherty discussed how dystopian novels allow authors to address real issues through fictional stories. They brought up ethical questions around genetic manipulation and enhancement. The conversation also touched on themes from the biblical story of Esther, which inspired Megan's book.

We  then switch gears and welcome author and illustrator Bonnie Kelso to the show. She introduced her new children's book "Sea Smiles", which takes a humorous look at sea animals with unusual teeth. Bonnie discussed how the book is part of a three-book series relating child milestones to ocean creatures. She also shared her background in exhibit design for museums like the Smithsonian.

Throughout the episode, Bonnie and Jed shared personal anecdotes about their experiences with the ocean. They also debated the importance of encouraging children to dream and discussed creating art that introduces kids to real concepts.

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