In this special live episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast, Katie sits down with colleague and friend Kindred Obas for a conversation about joyful reading culture, complex texts, identity, and the kinds of classroom experiences that help children see themselves as readers.

Together, Katie and Kindred discuss:

• how to build a classroom culture where reading feels joyful, social, and meaningful
• why classroom libraries should include both mirrors and windows
• what Kindred learned from watching students move from books like Dog Man to much more complex texts over time
• how her sixth grade Jane Austen book club is helping students grow as readers, thinkers, and community members
• why exposure to complex text, paired with support and belonging, can strengthen comprehension and confidence
• how families can talk with children about harder histories with honesty, empathy, and care
• why it matters to offer books about children of color that are not only rooted in struggle, but also in joy, curiosity, and possibility
• Kindred’s next chapter at Stanford, where she will study curriculum, teaching, race, language, and healing-centered approaches to teaching hard history

This episode is a beautiful reminder that reading growth is not just about skill. It is also about identity, access, belonging, and the communities we build around books.

Katie Megrian | 10:15 AM (0 minutes ago) |  | 
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Fundraiser by Kindred Obas : Fund Our Journey to Jane Austen's England https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-our-journey-to-jane-austens-england https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-our-journey-to-jane-austens-england?attribution_id=sl:e9fcfcf6-52f6-4666-8406-5c5cc968e35a&lang=en_US&ts=1773612248&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp17_tb-amp20_t2&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Books and Texts Kindred Discusses

• Kindred by Octavia Butler
• Emma by Jane Austen
• A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L’Engle
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
• Persuasion by Jane Austen
• Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
• One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
• Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
• The Youngest Marcher by Cynthia Levinson and Vanessa Brantley-Newton
• Love Is by Diane Adams
• The Great Cake Mystery by Alexander McCall Smith
• The Breakfast Club Adventures series by Marcus Rashford
• The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
• Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
• Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time by Lisa Yee