Courtney and Jen take on the children’s picture book Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, with illustrations by Jennifer Zivoin.

This book cuts through the noise with a rare clarity—offering a way to talk about racial injustice to kids without drowning them in despair. It also exposes a harsh truth: white children often grow up cocooned from these realities in ways children of color never do.

Amid these weighty discussions, Jennifer and Courtney find lighter moments such as: If Mad Men were a drink, would it be whiskey? And procedurals like Bones—are they more like wine coolers or Kirkland Light? And why must significant others be so judgy about the TV shows we like?

It’s near impossible to unpack every crisis swirling around us today, but this episode’s mantra seems to be: “Know better, do better.” Keep those tough conversations alive about the value of every life, and keep pushing back against the idea that white lives hold more worth than Black, Brown, Indigenous, or any other lives. In 2026 alone, at least 9 people have lost their lives due to the Trump administration’s illegal and inhumane policies. Say their names just as much as you say the names of Pretti and Renee Good, and if you don’t know them, educate yourself: Keith Porter, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Victor Manuel Diaz, Parady La, Luis Beltran Yanez–Cruz, Heber Sanchez Dominguez, and Luis Gustavo Nunez Caceres.

If this episode resonates, share it, rate it, or give us a shout out. If not, well—there’s always something else to listen to.

Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Sources:

Listen in as Jennifer and Courtney sit down to talk with this book’s amazing and inspiring author, Elisa Stone Leahy. Topics range from silencing the loud minority (Moms for Liberty) 🤡, the importance of amplifying stories anonymously 📣, the dangers of quiet censorship 🤫, and the power of reading 📖.

Why are bestsellers always about things like dogs 🐶 and dragons 🐉 ? Nothing against books about dogs or dragons…We love them! ❤️ But we have to wonder…Why do books that spotlight sensitive topics, (like a 7th grader juggling the science fair 🔭 , challenging relationships with friends 👯‍♀️ and family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, and looming deportation threats by ICE 🧊) more often find themselves on the “banned” list, and not the “bestseller” list? 📚

And no, it’s not because kids do not find these books relatable… “Tethered to Other Stars” has the awards🏆 to prove that:

* Garden State Book Award Nominee for Fiction (Grades 6-8) (2026)

* CYBILS Award Nominee for Middle Grade Fiction (2023)

Young readers (and their adults!) need books like “Tethered to Other Stars” now more than ever…If not to serve as mirrors 🪞 that support their own experiences, then as windows 🪟 to help build empathy ❤️ and awareness 🧐 for others.

🚨What can YOU do?🚨

✅ Request "Tethered to Other Stars” at your local library, ✅ your kids school library, and ✅ buy it from your local bookstore! Don’t have a local bookstore? Buy it here!

Courtney tells Jennifer about the 1954 Guatemalan coup and how the United States’ was involved…Spoiler alert…They weren’t great.

Let’s be honest, 2026 is shaping up to be a real doozy…why not start it out with an informational podcast about the history of United States corruption? Remember, knowledge is power and reading is resistance.

Tune in to learn how the United States used bananas as an excuse 72 years ago and how they’re using cocaine as an excuse now.