A Heartful of History
A Heartful of History
Podcast Description
This weekly show invites listeners into the process of producing compelling historical literature for young readers. Host Selene Castrovilla speaks with creators about everything from concept to publication. Episodes drop on Wednesdays.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The show focuses on various aspects of creating kidlit history books, such as the writing process, the importance of research, and collaboration between authors and illustrators. Episodes cover unique topics like the role of Walt Whitman during the Civil War, the true nature of George Washington through picture books, and historical events like the 1979 farmers' protest and the Supreme Court case about tomatoes, all designed to inspire young readers.
If you care about how history is told to children, this is a podcast about the work behind the work.
A Heartful of History is a biweekly podcast hosted by author Selene Castrovilla that explores the creative process behind writing and illustrating historical literature for young readers. New episodes drop every other Friday and take listeners inside the making of nonfiction picture books, biographies, and narrative history for kids.
Through candid conversations with authors, illustrators, and publishing professionals—including creators such as Sarah Aronson, Sarah Albee, and E.B. Lewis—the show traces the journey from first spark of an idea to finished book. Episodes dig into research methods, archival discoveries, artistic interpretation, editorial challenges, and the ethical responsibility of bringing real people and real events to life with accuracy and empathy.
From the American Revolution to the Civil War and beyond, A Heartful of History examines how complex moments in American history can be transformed into compelling, age-appropriate storytelling. The podcast is designed for educators, parents, librarians, writers, illustrators, and anyone invested in how we teach the past to the next generation.
If you’ve ever wondered how historical truth becomes a book—or how creators balance authenticity, craft, and heart—this show pulls back the curtain.
Episodes drop every other Friday.
What does it take to transform a complicated chapter of American history into a children's book that informs, engages, and inspires?
In this episode of A Heartful of History, Selene Castrovilla welcomes award-winning author Alice Faye Duncan for a rich conversation about Juneteenth, historical storytelling, and the responsibility of bringing difficult truths to young readers with both accuracy and heart.
Together, they explore the history behind Juneteenth and discuss the real people whose stories shaped their books. Alice Faye shares the creation of Opal Lee and What It Means to Be Free, the true story of the woman known as the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," whose persistence helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday. She also offers a fascinating preview of her forthcoming book, Robert Johnson's Juneteenth Jamboree, which celebrates the joy, music, and community at the heart of the holiday.
Selene discusses the research behind Twice Enslaved: Liberty & Justice for Henrietta Wood, the remarkable true story of a woman who was kidnapped back into slavery after gaining her freedom—and who, along with her son, was ultimately liberated on Juneteenth. Through Henrietta's extraordinary journey, young readers encounter not just a historical event, but a human face of Juneteenth and its enduring meaning.
The conversation also explores Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America, which tells the story of the freedom seekers and pivotal events that helped launch the chain of events leading to the Emancipation Proclamation and, ultimately, Juneteenth itself.
Alice Faye also discusses her poignant picture book Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop, sharing the creative and ethical challenges of writing about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination for young readers. How do authors tell difficult truths without overwhelming children? How do they honor history while remaining developmentally appropriate? Their conversation offers a fascinating look at the decisions historical authors must make when writing about tragedy, injustice, and hope.
Along the way, the authors discuss primary-source research, archival discoveries, the role of empathy in historical storytelling, and why children's literature can illuminate aspects of history often absent from traditional textbooks. They explore how books help young readers connect emotionally with the past and why that emotional connection is often the key to understanding history itself.
Whether you're an educator, librarian, parent, writer, illustrator, or history enthusiast, this thoughtful conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the craft of historical storytelling—and a reminder that the stories we choose to tell children help shape how they understand both the past and the world around them.
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