Bonus Interview: Meet the Tiny T-Rex Children's Book Author!

Welcome friends! In this special bonus Interview episode, Todd is joined by New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Stutzman and returning guest Bea, age 8, who you may remember from our Friendship Kidventure episode.

Together they dig into what it really means to build stories around friendship, from the origins of Tiny T-Rex and his best friend Pointy, to why honest storytelling connects with readers of all ages. Jonathan talks about growing up loving books before he could even read, writing hundreds of songs before a good one comes through, and what it felt like to collaborate with his wife Heather Fox on Llama Destroys the World.

Bea brings some of the best questions of the season, including what Jonathan's favorite book is, what his favorite hobby is, and whether sock monkeys might actually be behind all those missing socks.

Perfect for kids ages 3 to 11 and for listening together as a family.

In This Episode, Kids Will:

Hear how a New York Times bestselling author got his start telling stories with stuffed animalsDiscover that writing lots of bad stories is part of writing a great oneLearn why friendship and always being there are at the heart of the Tiny T-Rex seriesFind out about Jonathan's upcoming books including Uh-Oh Hugo and Beware the Sock MonkeysBe inspired to tell their own stories through drawing, writing, or pretend playGrown-Ups, You Can Extend the Listening By:

Asking your child: "If you wrote a book about friendship, who would the characters be?"Reading Tiny T-Rex and the Very Dark Dark or Llama Destroys the World together after listeningEncouraging your child to make up voices for their stuffed animals or toysTalking about what it means to have a friend who is always there, even when things are hardAbout Jonathan Stutzman: Jonathan Stutzman is a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of picture books for children. He is best known for the Tiny T-Rex series, Llama Destroys the World, and Fitz and Cleo. His books have been translated into over a dozen languages and are in development for television and film. Jonathan lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, illustrator Heather Fox, and their French bulldog Hugo, who has his own book coming out soon. Find him on Instagram at @thedustdancestoo or visit jonathanstutzman.com

About Little Kids, Big Hearts:

Little Kids, Big Hearts is a social and emotional learning podcast where kids lead the conversation. Through real discussions, imaginative stories, songs, and Kidventures, children explore feelings, relationships, kindness, and what it means to care for others.

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Credits:

Little Kids, Big Hearts is hosted by Todd Loyd. It's produced by Julia Levy at Sparkler Learning, with support from Meaghan Penrod and Adrianna Arocho. Sound design and mixing by Ryan Marth. Special thanks to Noggin for their support and the song “Like Nobody Else” from the Big Heart Beats album.

🌈 Visit The Little Kids, Big Hearts Podcast website:

 https://playsparkler.org/podcast