Is this show still making new episodes for kids?

Not really. The original series ended its run and the feed transitioned into Raising Us, which is a podcast for adults. To find the kid-targeted episodes, you'll need to scroll back to the 2021 archive.

Is it too heavy for a 6-year-old?

It depends on the episode. Topics like 'Belonging' or 'Imagination' are great for 6-year-olds. Topics like 'Divorce' or 'Cancer' are handled gently but are very real—save those for when the topic is actually relevant to your life or when you're right there to talk through it.

Do we need to have read the books first?

No. The podcast stands alone. It explores the same themes as the A Kids Book About series, but you don't need the physical books to follow along.

How does this compare to other kids' podcasts like 'Brains On!'?

It's much more serious and emotional. While Brains On! focuses on science and curiosity, this show focuses on the 'internal' world of feelings, identity, and social dynamics. It's less 'fun' but more 'meaningful'.

A Kids Book About: The Podcast – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

A Kids Book About: The Podcast

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

podcast2021

88%

WISE Score

A podcast that treats kids like the deep thinkers they are, letting them lead conversations on everything from anxiety to what it means to belong.

A Kids Book About: The Podcast

podcast

2021

88%

WISE Score

A podcast that treats kids like the deep thinkers they are, letting them lead conversations on everything from anxiety to what it means to belong.

Jump to

Screenwise Verdict

This is the 'anti-brain-rot' podcast. If your kid's media diet is usually high-octane YouTube stunts and bright colors, this is the palate cleanser. It’s quiet, intentional, and handles massive topics like body image and belonging with more grace than most adult news programs.

Since the feed rebranded to Raising Us, it’s a bit harder to find the kid-facing episodes in a modern podcast app, but the archive is a goldmine. It’s essentially a masterclass in building empathy. It doesn't just tell kids to be kind; it gives them the context to understand why people are hurting or feeling out of place.

Age Fit

Best for ages 6 to 12. It hits that sweet spot where kids are starting to notice the world is complicated but still need a safe, structured way to talk through it. Younger kids might find the talk-heavy format dry, and teens might find the 'A Kids Book About' branding a bit young.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

It models radical honesty and empathy. The tone is calm, respectful, and treats kids as capable of handling complex emotional truths without being condescending.

Imaginative

While it's a talk-format show, it encourages kids to imagine life from perspectives wildly different from their own, which is the foundation of moral imagination.

Safe

Extremely safe in terms of production and intent. However, it explicitly covers heavy topics like death and divorce, which might be a 'surprise' if you just hit play without looking at the episode title.

Enriching

This is top-tier literacy practice. It builds the language comprehension strands of the reading rope—vocabulary, background knowledge, and verbal reasoning—through high-level conversation.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Kid-led perspectives keep the show from feeling like a lecture from a grown-up.
Short runtimes (around 18 minutes) make it the perfect length for a quick school run or a single chore.
Matthew Winner is a former librarian who knows exactly how to pitch high-concept ideas to a middle-grade audience.
It builds real-world vocabulary and background knowledge on topics that most kids' media avoids.

⚠

What to Watch For

The feed was renamed Raising Us and shifted toward parenting advice; you'll need to scroll back to the 2021-2022 episodes to find the original kid-facing content.
Episodes on death and divorce are gentle but very direct—listen to these together rather than handing over the headphones.
Some topics like systemic racism or immigration might require you to pause and provide more context based on your family's history.

Conversation Starters

"Which kid in that episode sounded most like you, and why?"
"Was there a word they used today that we should look up or talk about more?"
"If you were the host, what's a 'big topic' you think more kids should hear about?"
"Did anything the adult said in this episode surprise you?"

Deep Dive

The Reading Rope and Audio Literacy

We talk a lot about 'reading' as eyes-on-paper, but literacy is actually a multi-stranded rope. While kids need print time to work on their decoding skills, podcasts like this one are doing the heavy lifting for the other half of the rope: language comprehension. By listening to Matthew Winner and his guests, kids are building background knowledge and verbal reasoning that will eventually make them much stronger readers of complex texts.

Why the Kid Voices Matter

The magic of this show isn't just the host; it's the kids. When a child shares their lived experience with anxiety or moving to a new country, it removes the 'lesson' vibe. It stops being a topic and starts being a story. This is the best way to use audio in the car—it’s short enough that no one gets bored, but meaty enough that you’ll still be talking about it when you're walking into the grocery store.

Navigating the Archive

Because the publisher shifted the feed to focus on parents (under the name Raising Us), you have to be a bit more intentional about how you find these. Look for the episodes released in 2021. They are clearly titled by topic ('A Kids Book About Racism', 'A Kids Book About Cancer'). These are the ones designed for the kid's ears. The newer stuff is great for you, but it's a different vibe entirely.

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