Mindful, Happy Kids

This is a heart-wrenching and fascinating interview with Nora Lester Murad: Activist, Educator, and Writer About Palestine. Nora is Jewish and married a Palestinian, Muslim man. Together they raised three daughters in the West Bank during the Israeli occupation. 

Her middle grade novel, "Ida in the Middle" was inspired by her daughter and her own experiences living in the West Bank and coming back to the US to share her experiences. “Ida in the Middle” was a way for Nora to talk about the life she and her family were forced to endure under the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

She talks about her book and the horrific living situation in Palestine and how she believes the only true peace can come if "equality is the only way they'll be a settlement that respects all the people. So, the whole land needs to be decolonized. Whoever wants to live there, should live there, but equally not with rights that are more than other people, which is what they have right now. Jewish people have more rights than non-Jews. That's not stable, it's not defendable, and it will lead to continued conflict until that's, that's fixed." 

Please visit my website for more information: www.mindfulhappykids.com.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

The Petitation Companion: Enhance the Lives of You and Your Pets with Mindfulness Meditation are the adventures of Pago and Pippi, Schipperke pups trying to teach Norman, the negative cat to Petitate. I will be reading you the book, written by myself, Dr. Elisabeth Paige and Joanne Leslie chapter by chapter. I will also be adding the Petitations 1 by 1 set to music composed and recorded by Steve Gruskin. 

You can buy the book on Amazon and visit my website www.mindfulhappy kids.com and my Substack, "Mindful, Happy News" for the written versions.

The book is dedicated to Pippi and Pago, I loved tghem with all my heart.]

Elisabeth

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Julio and Jacoby created Latinx awesome graphic novels focusing on immigration, border crossing, bullying, and radicalization of white supremacies. They are both interviewed in this engaging conversation with Elisabeth Paige and Mike Rosenstein. They talk about their processes, books and futures. 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

In this extremely engaging and interesting conversation, Hannah talks about her book; "Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine;" Interlink Publishing, her family's publishing company where they publish books from Palestine and the Global South; and her role as a "queer, fat, Palestinian activist." 

She identifies the historical and current plight of Palestinians both in Palestine and in the United States. 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

In our house, we start the year with a day of thanks. And, with Bobbie reaching a healthy and happy two and us in good health with meaningful jobs and podcast/writing and great people in our lives, we've got a lot to be grateful for. Bobbie and I appreciate all of you who are listening to this podcast and hope that you visit the website: www.mindfulhappykids.com to read about the authors/illustrators we interview.  

About a decade ago, I wrote a book, "The Petitation Companion" with my Mom, Joanne Leslie, from the perspective of Pago the Schipperke dog as he has adventures with his friends Pippi the Schipperke and Norman the Negative Cat. I read the gratitude chapter for this podcast, along with adding The Gratitude Petitation set to music for you to do with your pets.

Enjoy! Let me know how you like it at [email protected].

Elisabeth and Bobbie

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Dan Gutman author of over 200 children's books for all ages talks with Dr. Elisabeth Paige about his writing process, his newest book, "The Picasso Curse" (particularly relevant given the recent heist in Paris), and his many other book series. A particularly entertaining and fun conversation.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Jenan Matari wrote a powerful book about the connection of her Jiddo's to his garden and how he was forced to flee Palestine, important for Palestinians, other indigenous children, and their friends to understand.

She also talks about Palestine pre and post October 7th 2023. Finally, she gives recommendations for how one can help Palestinians. 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

It’s the tail end of Latinx Heritage Month and we’re approaching Halloween and Los Dios de Los Noches the perfect time to highlight “Lost on Doll Island,” by Cassandra Ramos-Gomez. 

In this conversation, middle grade, Mexican American, horror author Cassandra talks about her writing journey, her debut novel and her future.  The book is spooky, creepy and loads of fun. You’ll find plenty of spooky dolls, spiders, and even Mexican magic.  

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Taqwa Ahmed Al-Wawi is a 19-year-old journalist born and raised and currently living through the horrors of Gaza. She's written over 40 articles and 25 poems for international publications. As she says, she went from her writing being her private therapy to a "duty" to portray the struggles of her people. This powerful interview is intense, heartbreaking and can bring tears to your eyes. 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Welcome to Mindful Happy Kids! I’m Dr. Elisabeth Paige, and today we have a truly special guest—award-winning author Dana Alison Levy. In this episode, we dive into the world of banned books, explore the importance of diversity in science, and discover how hope can empower young readers. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or book lover, you won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation. Let’s get started!

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.