Twain Story Discovered, Taming the Wild Text

Historical figures can sometimes be larger than life. But, they led real lives as well – like something as simple as telling their children a bedtime story. Today, Rachel visits with children’s book author, Philip Stead, who along with his illustrator wife Erin brought to life a bedtime story that Mark Twain made up for his daughters. It was never published in his lifetime. Stead shares the backstory – of the recent discovery of the manuscript and he and his wife being sought out to re-purpose and expand the story that is entitled The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine. Philip and Erin Steed are also the author and illustrator of the Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee, as well as Bear Has a Story to Tell and Lenny & Lucy. The Steeds live in northern Michigan.

Up next, literacy expert and author Pam Allyn talks to Rachel about the book that she co-authored with Monica Burns, Taming the Wild Text, a valuable resource that helps kids become better readers in the 21st century – across the vast spectrum of material available both digitally and in print. She’s founding director of LitWorld, a global literacy initiative serving children across the United States and in more than 60 countries. Allyn is author of a number of books including: Every Child a Super Reader, Your Child’s Writing Life, and What to Read When.

We finish up the show with Ally Lybbert, a BYU student who is studying Elementary Education, reviewing a book entitled, Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket. Additional book reviews are available on the Worlds Awaiting page on byuradio.org.