We often think of summer reading, but autumn has its own great book vibe. It’s a good time for cozy (or maybe creepy!) titles, for kids and adults alike.
In this episode, Sarah and I share our recommendations for fall reading. Then Sarah interviews Dr. Lakeisha Johnson, a professor at Florida State University who specializes in children’s literacy. She shares advice on how to cultivate a love of learning in children of all ages, and on how to curate a diverse children’s bookshelf. You can check out some of her choices at Maya’s Book Nook.
Then Sarah and I address a listener from overseas who is wondering how to navigate a potential third long maternity leave while keeping her career on track.
Please give the episode a listen, and as always we welcome a rating or review. And if you’d like to discuss issues of work and family with others in a private community, Sarah and I now have a Best of Both Worlds Patreon page. Please come check it out!
I loved this episode so much!! I’m a passionate reader and really want to instill that love of reading in my kids. I will definitely check out her website. Laura, can you remind me what the title of the fall kids book you read recently was? I want to check it out from the library or purchase a copy for our seasonal library!
@Lisa – it’s Fletcher and the Falling Leaves! I’m still hunting for a few more good fall children’s books so I’ll report back on what I find…
Thank you! You probably already know about “Room on the Broom” which is also a netflix show that I’ve heard good things about. A less-known fave in our house is Pumpkin Soup!
Oh and regarding the UK question, does her company have a policy about the amount of time you need to be back at work before you are eligible for a leave? If so, that should somewhat alleviate the guilt of taking another maternity leave. At my company, you need to be back for a year before you are eligible for another leave. If she is feeling guilty or shamed for decisions that comply with policy, it might be a sign that the culture isn’t the right fit for her? I had babies in March 2018 and December 2020. So just shy of 3 years apart. My company gives us 16 weeks but in both cases, I used vacation time to extend it to 20. I felt completely supported and no one shamed me for taking extra time – and I work in financial services which is an extremely male-dominated environment. Those leaves could feel like a high % of the time you’ve spent at a company/in an industry, but looking at the lifespan of your career, 3 maternity leaves ends up being small compared to what you will achieve in your career over a span of years. It’s kind of how Laura and Sarah say to not make a short-sighted decision based on the expense of having a nanny/child care in the early years.
Hey you should consider placing some affiliate links for the books and products you describe. That way you might get a commission and we can find it easily, even if we just reserve it at the library.
I generally listen to the podcast while driving and then can’t remember/didn’t write down the name of the book. I’m going to try to listen through the first part again to get the adult fall books recommendations.
Great episode! I especially loved the idea of having a seasonal/ special bookshelf. We have a lot of books and it can feel like I’m always reading the same ones!