Curiosity, Learning, and the Power of Storytelling with Kelly Copperthite Ranalli

What happens when curiosity meets storytelling?

In this episode of the Nutmeg Lit Fest Podcast, host Janaya Hernandez sits down with children’s author Kelly Copperthite Ranalli to explore how stories can spark learning, imagination, and confidence in young readers.

Kelly is the author of The Tale of the Polka Dotted Tardigrade and Friends, a heartwarming and educational children’s book that introduces science, friendship, and curiosity in a way that is both engaging and accessible.

Together, Janaya and Kelly dive into the inspiration behind the book, the importance of early learning through storytelling, and how creativity can help children see the world in new and exciting ways.

This conversation is a reminder that storytelling is not just about entertainment. It is a powerful tool for growth, discovery, and connection.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:18

Welcome to the NutMek Litfest Podcast or Story Speak. This is a space that celebrates authors, storytellers, poets, and creatives from Connecticut and Beyond. Here we are lifting voices, sharing stories, and spotlighting the creativity that brings our literary community to life. Whether you're a writer, a reader, or simply someone who loves a powerful story, this podcast is for you. Get ready for conversations that inspire, connect, and celebrate the magic of storytelling. This is NetMag Lipfest Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Hello everyone. Very excited for this rainy morning. So wherever you are listening from, we are hoping from where we are in Connecticut that you have sun. Because Kelly and I, who I'll introduce you to shortly, are gloomy, but we won't take away the day because it's actually a great day to talk about a book. Welcome back to the Nutmeg Lip Fest Podcast. This is where stories come to life through voices of the authors who write them and the moments that inspire them. I'm your host, Janae Hernandez. In each episode, we take time to slow down and explore the story behind the page. The why, the journey, and the impact. So today's conversation is such a meaningful one. I'm joined by Kelly, author of The Tale of the Polka Dotted Terrotgrade? I hope I got that right. And friends, it's a children's book that brings together curiosity, learning, and imagination in a way that is both engaging and empowering for young readers. Kelly, first you have to reiterate the title because I know I got one of those words wrong, right? I'm an author, guys, not a reader, but we'll get there. And I want you to introduce yourself and do it the justice that it needs. Kelly, welcome.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Thank you. Um, my most recent book is called The Polka Dotted, The Tale of the Polka Dotted Tardigrade and Friends. Um, and I co-authored it with my son, which is very special. I had previously written a book about him. It's called Magnificent Nick and his canine companions.

SPEAKER_01 2:45

Wow. And then you tell us, tell us, listeners, you also have another book out.

SPEAKER_03 2:52

Well, my other book is coming out next month, and it will be called Keeping Magnificent Nick Safe. So it's the same character who's based on my son, and he has autism, anxiety, and ADHD. So the first book was how we can kind of support him and how everybody's um profile looks a little bit different, just like everyone's different. So are autistic or neurodivergent people. And this latest book that I will have coming out for Autism Acceptance Month in April is about the different struggles that autistic or neurodivergent people can have, such as how they're attracted to water or they might not recognize people who are trying to keep them safe.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

I love this. You this is empowering, especially going into Autism Awareness Month. I love everything about this. The fact that you actually co-wrote a book with your eight-year-old is amazing. Please walk us through the journey of that and how you decided to do it. What gave you the courage to do something like this?

SPEAKER_03 3:52

Um, well, I had written my first book and he was part of the process in as much as okaying things that I was writing about him. And then while I was working on my second book, Keeping Magnificent Nick safe, it was during a stretch where we had really bad weather and he couldn't get outside. So he said, Mom, maybe I could try to help you write a book. So we came up with the idea. Um he came up with the basic storyline. I had to rein him in a little bit to keep it on track. Yes. Um, and he would draw pictures to coincide with what he wanted it to look like. So he would tell me the story, I would put it to words, he would draw the pictures, we would create them on the computer, and then I formatted it for him.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Kelly, this is amazing. Do you see in the future co-writing another book with him?

SPEAKER_03 4:44

Or do you if he's if he's interested, I would help him. I mean, I think especially for kids, all kids, but especially for kids who have had their share of struggles, it's a really big way of boosting their confidence and um giving them ownership over our projects and something that can increase their self-esteem and their pride. So I really was um very happy to help him when he wanted to do it. And my husband and I kind of discussed how we were going to make it happen for him, and there we go.

SPEAKER_01 5:15

I I'm first of all astonished because writing a book alone is already difficult, as we both know. And then bringing in, I don't want to say challenges, but you know, we all have challenges, just keeping focus. Um, spoken from someone who has um ADHD, if you met me, you would know. Uh, it could be a real challenge to even just sit down and write, even for any any child. So kudos to you. This is amazing. Walk us through your three stories. It sounds like these are trilogies, or do they stand independent on their own?

SPEAKER_03 5:50

They stand independent on their own. So the tale of the polka dotted tardigrade and friends is completely separate from the other books. Um, it does have a boy in it who is modeled after a magnificent Nick, but it is a story about the tardigrade, which is an animal, it's a microscopic invertebrate that he learned about. And he um, you know, he researched facts, which he knew a lot because it's his special interest, but I verified them. And um, he took the tardigrade through multiple seasons in Vermont, which is a place where he really likes to visit, and he kind of brought it to places where he is familiar with and created a little story to go along with it. And then um Magnificent Nick and his canine companions was my first book, and I wrote that because I really felt like people didn't understand how neurodivergence looks different in everyone, and Nicholas, my son, can be very behavioral at times, and I always thought that he was being labeled as the bad kid, and I wanted people to understand that his behaviors were a symptom and not um just him not caring. Um so that's what really initially inspired me. And then I did friendship. Go sorry.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

It's okay. Don't worry, listen, we're gonna get into it. Life and life happens. We this is why we have the podcast set up to how we have it. It gives us everything we need.

SPEAKER_03 7:28

He's um so my second, my other book about magnificent Nick is called Um Keeping Magnificent Snick Safe. And that's about how people, it's helping people understand that they don't always come off the same way as a neurotypical person would in the face of an emergency, and certain things put them at more risk. So, for instance, um autistic people are often attracted to water, or sometimes they'll elope, or um they don't sense danger like other people would. And if first responders do try to help them, they might not recognize that they're trying to help them and they might run more or whatever. So it kind of talks about that and it does incorporate the linked autism safety program, which is a program based out of Connecticut, and um the woman who runs it goes to different fire departments and police departments and things and provides education for first responders and sensory kits um so they can help people with autism or neurodivergent issues when they encounter them in an emergency.

SPEAKER_01 8:36

Wow. So that is amazing. I wish it was modeled in more states um because it breaks my heart when I see on the news, you know, you're not trained as a first um defender to handle all situations. And to your point, you know, sometimes we're looking for a look, and that may not be the look, and you may not know. There's also high functioning, and you don't know until you assess the complete situation. So that training being provided is amazing, and I hope that it um carries on and resonate as people listen to have it in their state and not just Connecticut.

SPEAKER_03 9:14

So kudos to it is um she has done trainings in other states, but it's obviously most she's based in Connecticut, so it's started here and is kind of taken off here.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Now, advocacy comes in different forms, and it seems like you are doing yours through storytelling, which is amazing. What gave you the courage to do so?

SPEAKER_03 9:34

Um, I don't really know. I just kind of came up with the idea that I wanted to write a book um that children could read or could be bought into school so people could understand uh Nicholas better. And um I like writing. I never really thought I would write a book, but it wasn't like a bucket list item for me, but it just kind of seemed to flow um once I got the idea.

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Now your books are more towards young readers, correct? Uh early young readers. Any chance, I mean, we can't do like a magic wand and see the future, but any chance because education, you know, doesn't stop at a certain age, you would take this same platform and make it for adults?

SPEAKER_03 10:22

Um, yeah, I have not said I would not do that. Um I feel like because Nicholas is young, I feel like I'm just kind of getting to the point where I can help people with younger children understand the struggles that we've gone through, but I don't have like that full map yet because I don't know what he is gonna look like when he's 12 or 16. So I feel like in a few years maybe I'll have enough insight to take on that project. But right now, um I think I have to stick to where my voice and my experience level is.

SPEAKER_01 11:00

I love that. So the journey is kind of following your family with Nick as he is, you know, developing and growing in his ages and making it a fun way for people, you know, parents and children to kind of adapt to the story and the platform. Kelly, this is amazing. I I just really want you to know, and I've probably said that word a few times, but it really resonates with me. And you know, I don't want to speak on behalf of our listeners, but I probably can speak on the behalf of our listeners that this is needed and necessary and love the way that you're handling the prop platform. Question When you think about young readers today, what do you feel they are missing or needing more? And when it comes to learning and engagement, I know a hard question. Almost put you in the hot seat with that one.

SPEAKER_03 11:51

I think that um, and even part of what I've seen is like as Nicholas has struggled to learn to read, part of this problem is is the stories can be a little bit immature for the reader. So I think that it's really important to follow the children's lead in picking the books that they are interested in and like, and not to not to handicap them once. Um that's my son trying to cause trouble. We'll have to can Nick say hello? Sure, he can say hello. He's dying to say hello.

SPEAKER_01 12:30

Author is always welcome to the seat at the table. We love this. I would love for Nick. I'll have his father send him in. Fairy Family Oriented Show. This would be the first in NutMeg history to have two authors, let alone a small child. So I love it, I welcome it. While we wait for Nick to come, because he could probably sit with us, guys. And when it comes to our off-the-page segment and you read, I would love to have him on. So can you hang on? Of course we can. Hi Nicholas, how are you? Good. I am a fellow author, and you are on a podcast hosted by Nutmeg Lipfest. How are you doing this morning? Great. I want you to know that you are the first guest under the age of 18 to hit our podcast, right? I'm excited for you just as much. And you and mom are going to read us a few pages from your book. Are you ready? You have to be ready for this. I need I can see your excitement, but the listeners can't feel it. So I need a huge, like happy sound if you are excited about this happening. Yes, if you can see the smiles, guys, and we'll make sure we post this on our Nutmeg Witfest YouTube page. Yes, yes, I'm very excited. It is always a great thing to be the first. This one and this one. All right, all right, guys. I'm going to introduce you in, and you and mom are going to take it away, okay? Because this is like one of our favorite moments on the podcast. It is a segment that we call from the page, and this is where we give our authors, and you're one of us, a moment to share their voice directly through a short reading or patches that captures the heart of their work. Guys, there is hugs happening. I have never felt so much joy on one of these episodes. This smile is contagious, so you have to go over to the YouTube page so that you can take a clip of this segment. Kelly and Nick, whenever you're ready, I want you to read from the page. Okay. All right, you guys take it away. Floor is yours.

SPEAKER_03 14:47

So this is two pages from the tale of the polka dotted tardigrade and friends. I have seen this creature before, and she seems okay. She runs all over the place with the other one that looks like her. I am pretty sure they are dogs. At least that's what the boy who comes to play calls them. Not many people know what I am, but that little guy is pretty smart and he is always talking about peculiar animals. We have a lot of fun when he is here and he keeps me on my toes. I have to be careful to not get caught, but I am pretty sure he won't hurt me.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Guys, so Nick, this question is for you because mom's had a lot of this spotlight. What do you hope your readers get? How do you hope they feel after reading your book?

SPEAKER_02 15:37

Um, well, there's multiple, so I'm gonna talk about one first. Wait, I talked about them already. So you're just talking about this one. I just wish that they could learn about the the the tardigrade because it because it's one of the my favorite animals, and not like she said, not many people know what it is. So I so I just wish they could learn about it.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

I love that. I love that. I hope the both of you have great success on this book. Like I said, your smile is contagious. I hope you get to go around reading the book to many listeners and engaging, and you actually get to enjoy this moments of being an author. How have you liked being an author so far? It's so it's so fun. It is, it is so fun.

SPEAKER_02 16:21

Yeah, it's do you want to tell her about Magnificent Neck? Yes! Yeah, I'll I'll pull out a copy. This Magnificent Neck is me. This is our first book. And what's it about? It's about how I how I get to how it how autism affects you, affects me. And here's a little clip. Is it something you're proud of? Very proud of.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

I love this very I I love everything about this. This is one of my favorite segments, and you are one of the coolest authors that I've met. And I've met a lot. I know, I'm telling you, this is amazing. Millions of listeners are going to get to hear your story, and I hope it reaches and resonates. Kelly and Nick, I want to thank you both for sharing your voice, your creativity, and your work with us today, and your smile, Nicholas. This smile is amazing, right? Like you just have to shadow and map it around. For our listeners, if today's conversation resonated with you, we encourage you to support both Kelly and Nick as they venture off in their author journey. Spend some time with them on their page. Kelly, if we want to purchase your book, how can we do so?

SPEAKER_03 17:37

Um, it's available on news, they are available on Amazon. $15. Some local stores have them as well. Or if you reach out to me directly, I can coordinate something.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

I love it. We'll make sure to drop your information on the YouTube page and in this segment chat. So thank you for spending time with us today on the Nutmeg Lipfist podcast where stories speak. This story definitely spoke, and it is definitely going to get views because I love everything about this. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Until next time, keep reading, stay curious, and continue letting stories speak. You want to give a huge goodbye to your listeners? Goodbye, everybody. Hi,