August 23, 2025 • 32 mins
Barbara J. Meredith 📚🐾 returns to Vigilantes Radio Live with her newest release in the Daisy and Friends series, Waiting for the School Bus 🚌✨. A retired preschool teacher and daycare co-owner with over 20 years of experience, Barbara draws inspiration from children’s behaviors and her beloved pets 🐶🐱 to create stories that blend fun with learning. This fourth installment introduces kids to vehicles like dump trucks, fire trucks, and motorcycles while reinforcing friendship and curiosity. With proceeds benefiting animal shelters ❤️🏠, Barbara’s books aren’t just stories—they’re acts of love, learning, and giving back. 🌟
https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Friends-Waiting-School-Bus-ebook/dp/B0FHJGPZWM
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Artwork designed by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
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https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Friends-Waiting-School-Bus-ebook/dp/B0FHJGPZWM
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/vigilantes-radio-live--2166168/support.
Vigilantes Radio Live! by The Only One Media Group ℗©2025
Episode Credits:
Produced, edited, mixed, and written by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Artwork designed by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Show Introduction by Kate
Segment jingles composed & produced by Demetrius "Whodini Blak" Reynolds, Sr.
Additional music licensed through 7th Sign Recordings
Links:
onlyonemediagroup.com
https://www.instagram.com/vigilantesradio/
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/966-vigilantes-radio-live-29999229/
https://www.instagram.com/whodiniblakin3d/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26009230/
To support our show, please leave reviews, ratings, or you can help fuel the passion over at buymeacoffee.com/vigilantesradio
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You are now listening to Vigilantes Radio, presented by the
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Call in to join the mix at seven oh one,
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(00:23):
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Speaker 2 (00:43):
Good morning, Good morning, good morning. I'm so glad that
you guys are here with us this morning. My name
is Deanie, and you're listening to VRL. That's Vigilantes Radio live.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
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to say that this is the frequency of the fearless.
You know, children see the world with wonder and sometimes
(01:18):
the best way to nurture that wonder is through stories
that teach, inspire, and entertain.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Today's guest has dedicated her life.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
To shaping young minds, first in the classroom and now
through books that blend imagination, education, and the love for animals.
With every page, she shows children how to learn, grow,
and care. You're not just here for a talk show,
and this isn't just radio. This is revival for your mind, body,
(01:49):
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Stini, and change is possible.
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Are you ready?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Are huge ready?
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Are you ready?
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Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Well, let's go, let's go, All right, all right again,
Welcome to the show. You're listening to VRL.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
That's Vigilantes Radio Live right here on iHeartRadio, and I
am your host, Aenie.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Our interviews are designed to go.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Beyond music, news, books, art, acting, films, technology, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, spirituality,
and sometimes even past that thing that we call the ego.
Our interviews are designed to go behind the scenes into
the minds of these brilliant people, you know, the ones
who are out there giving it. They're all or me
(02:56):
for you and for the world. Well, ladies and gentlemen.
She has spent her life nurturing children's growth, from running
a daycare to writing stories that spark imagination. Barbara Jay
Meredith is an author of the beloved Dais in Your
Friends book series, inspired by her own pets and years
(03:17):
of teaching. Her latest title, Waiting for the School Bus,
blend's playful storytelling with educational lessons while also supporting animal
rescue organizations. Barbara shows us how books can be both
meaningful and magical. So please join me in saying welcome
friend to Barbara J.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Meredith. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Good morning.
Speaker 6 (03:42):
Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Absolutely how are.
Speaker 6 (03:45):
You good, very well in yourself.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Doing good, doing good. Thank you for asking.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So, Barbara, before we get into the details of your
latest book, what's been on your heart and mind.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
These Well, I've been thinking of all the shelters, animal shelters,
and I donate to the shelters, and anyone that buys
(04:21):
the books through Daisy and Friends also donate through the
shelters to the shelters.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
And there's four of them that.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
I donate too, and it's the ASPCA and its place
of Connecticut and protect us of the animals of Connecticut
and Kitty Angels and Kenny Angels is where I rescued Daisy.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Nice. I love that. So Daisy and Friends began with
your PIDs.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What made you first look at them and think this
could be a children's book?
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Well, actually it was like a fluke nowa days in
Friends How to Stay Healthy. It's part of the curriculum
that I taught. It's Express Learning Center in daycare, and
I was my husband was in the hospital for many months,
(05:29):
he had pancreatic cancer, and I was alone most nights.
So I thought that I would take some of the
curriculum and make it easier for the staff to teach
the curriculum by putting it into a book form.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
And then I thought one night, well what would.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Happen if I sent it into publishers? And to my surprise,
I didn't get at any denials because that's what I expected,
because that's why I've always heard that you get these
hundred denials before someone picks it up.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Well, no one denied me. So what I did was take.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
The publisher that was meeting my needs at the time
because my husband was in the hospital, I had to
travel two hours a day to see them and also
work and take care of the house, take care of
the pets, and so it was a busy time for me,
(06:40):
and I didn't think that I would be able to
go out and do what's required of a new author,
all the book fairs and all the little towns tag
sales and all that, because when I hadn't got out
(07:00):
at the hospital, I was a soul forgiver. So that's
how the book evolved from curriculum to children's book.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And inspiration comes from years of observing stildren. Do you
have like one specific classroom moment that sparked an idea
later that turned into a book.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
Well, everything that the kids kind of did at the daycare,
like looking out our window. It was part of part
of the curriculum, but they were supposed to describe the
season plus the weather for the day, and that's how
(07:50):
looking out our Windows started. But I wrote it from
a different aspect as trying to teach kids to changing
of the seasons and what the trees look like. In
winter there's no leaves, and spring there's buds, and then
in summer there are full, full leaves on the trees
(08:13):
and fall the leaves during colors. So I kind of
brought that idea into the book.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
Outside that window.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I like that, and waiting for the school bus introduces vehicles.
Why did you choose transportation as to focus and how
do kids respond when they recognize these in real life?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Well, but it's also well, it wasn't curriculum, but I did.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Teach part of the curriculum transportation. But it was a game.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
The pre and pre K kids would do, well, they're
waiting for the school age kids.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
To get off the bus.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
I had noticed that they would stand off, stand up
in a rown from the windows and wait for the
school bus. So I thought, well, we can turn this
into a little game and a learning teaching moment. So
I would say, it's a vehicle approached going by the daycare, what.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Vehicle is that?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
Is that the school bus?
Speaker 5 (09:31):
And they would say no.
Speaker 6 (09:33):
They'll give me a name of the vehicle with hers
the car or around, a truck or a tractor trailer
because we were on one of the main roads, so
we had a lot of traffic. And then when the
school bus arrived, I would say, is that the school bus?
And then all the kids would get excited and say, yes,
(09:53):
it's the school bus. So it was kind of a
game in a rhyming game that we would play every day.
It turned into something fun. And then what I did
with the book instead of just rhyming it, and I
(10:15):
decided that we can take this particular book and turn
into a teaching moment by given a description of what
each vehicle actually does, Like a fire engine, it carries
the firefighters and all the equipment to a fire and
(10:38):
has everything that they need to put the fire out.
So I kind of based it on a learning experience
and fun. And all the dogs in the camp were
my pets. Smoky was my Italian Master, HD was a
(11:03):
rock wilder and Rocky was a shepherd. And for the
first book, How to Stay Healthy, I followed took me
a year. I followed the dogs around with a camera
and they got used to having their picture taken.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
They actually turned to Davis and they.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
As they were acting things out, Like when I was
loading the dishwasher, the cat Daisy would climb on the
door of the dishwasher and sit there while I put
the dishes in, and so I took a picture of
that and said she's helping cleaning the dishes. And then
(11:51):
other pictures throughout the book was nutrition and Rocky was
the strangest dog ever. Loved Corner and the Cob, And
there's a picture my husband holding Corner and the Cob
and Rocky eating it. And I said, well, it's good vegetables,
(12:14):
this is good nutrition, and kind of worked it into
the nutrition theme. And when I did.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Stranger Danger, I had.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
A friend sit in my truck, opened the door and
Rocky ran right up to her. And I felt that
you have to be careful in parking lots. You have
to be careful of people who you're meeting. If you
don't know them, don't approach.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
Get mum or dad or an adult.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
So that's how that book evolved and how I satured
these in the animals.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yeah, first book used actual photographs of your pets. Like
you mentioned, they turned into divas. How did the move
to illustrations changed the fill of the series.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
Well, I decided that I can't actually like on Rocky's
new front, I could not have photographs of the dogs
going down to the dog park and playing at the
dog park. So that's when I decided that I needed
(13:34):
an actual illustrator. So from then on, I used an
illustrator to help bring the story to life.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You've donated portions of your proceeds to animal shelters. Why
is that cause so personal to you? And do you
remember the first pet that you've rescued.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Well, I've been rescuing pets for many years. One time
we had six cats that were feral. You know, I
would tell my husband, I don't know where it came from,
just walked in the door, and that was the first one,
then the second one, and up to six six at
(14:21):
a time. So it's always kind of rescued animals.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
And when I.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Decided, my husband and I decide to get a kitten,
we went to Kitty Angels because we did we wanted
an animal that was looking for forever home. And that's
how we got Daisy by going.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
To Kitty Angels.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
When my sister and Laura decided that she wanted a cat,
she went to protect us of the animals and I
went with her and I had the tour of the
facility and I liked how it was being run, So
that's why I chose that one. And Bandad's Place is
(15:10):
more than a dog cat rescue. It has all animals
from rabbits to horses, whatever someone can no longer take
care of they bring to their rescue, and it takes
a lot of funding to be able to provide the
(15:32):
that nearing care they need, the food that they need,
keep the shelter just running with electricity and everything heat
and everything else that the daily routine brings. So I
thought if I took proceeds for my books, and.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
I have been giving them checks.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
And I decided that would help them out somewhat.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
I won't be saving the shelters, but I would be.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
Doing a little more on my part other than just
rescuing the animals, but helping them support the animals at
the shelters.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, and I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
Oh, I'm sorry, and Dasy and friends waiting for the
school bus. That book is actually in its second edition.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
And I'm the publisher.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And what I decided to be the publisher is because
I used to have on the other books. I divide
the profits three ways, the actual publishing company, myself, and
the shelters. Well, if I decide with I go as
(16:51):
my own publisher.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
I only have.
Speaker 6 (16:53):
To divide the profits two ways, to the shelters and
to myself. And I thought that would bring in a
lot more funding than what I have been given them.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I agree with that. Is that working?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yes, it is, it is And I've had actually on
Amazon's bestsellers list for Daisy and Friends Waiting for the
school Bus.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
So these interviews and helping shelters and everything has really
helped the growth.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Of my books.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Not only did you republish, you know, Waiting for the
School Bus under your own publishing name.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
How empowering empowering was that decision?
Speaker 6 (17:50):
Well? Right now, I feel like everything's surreal. I didn't
think any of anyone will be interested in any of
my books.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
And once I.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
Finish at book fairs and chun fairs, after all my
relatives bought the book and all my friends and everyone
that's in town, I thought that was.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Going to be the end of it. I can not believe.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
How successful my books are, and from I think that's fantastic,
and I'm an air.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
I still can't believe it.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Nice, nice.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Educational lessons. How do you balance fun storytelling the responsibility
of teaching?
Speaker 6 (18:48):
Well, Broncki's no friend, that's about bullying and it was
a sub that our town school system was having issues
with and they wanted to go zero tolerance.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
So I thought, if I wrote a book.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
To explain how to resolve problems as the person being
bullied against the person bullying without the adult supervision.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
It would also give the.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Child being bullied some a little more self respect for
himself standing up to this person that has been making
their life miserable.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
So that's why.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
I wrote Rocky's New Friend. In most of these books
like take a lot of thought and a lot of research,
and I do spend a long time researching. But the
(20:04):
book Daisy and Friends What Happened to Yesterday, a COVID
nineteen story that just Monday popped in my head, took
me twenty minutes to write, and then I did the research.
It was such difficult time for doubts as well as
(20:28):
the children. The kids went to school on a Monday,
I'm not excuse me on a Friday, and on Monday,
schools were closed and they were being homeschooled.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
And I thought.
Speaker 6 (20:43):
This book would help at the time to reinsure their transition.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
From a Tolley.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
New lifestyle from their own lifestyle and why it was happening,
And that's why I wrote What Happened Yesterday. So now
it's more of a historical book than a current times
book because It's just a reminder of what everyone went
(21:17):
through during twenty twenty and how we had to change
our life and then make our turn everything around from
being in isolation to back out in the public. And
I wanted people to kind of understand that in the
(21:38):
future what really happened during that time and how did
people live through it?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, strange time, indeed, Yes, So looking back, what did
Running Kids Express Learning Center teach you?
Speaker 3 (21:56):
About? How children absorb stories?
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Children love stories and the more books we read to them.
We would have a circle time, and the circle time
would have a curriculum. I got one for a month,
and one month it would be dinosaurs, So we would
teach the kids all about dinosaurs, but we would also
(22:24):
read stories about dinosaurs. We would have a story one
day about the facts, the actual facts about a dinosaur,
and then we would read next day, probably read a
funny book about dinosaurs. So I wanted kids to actually
experience more than structure. I wanted them to understand that
(22:50):
learning could be fun and that brought everything to life
by my goals to life, by actually practic to sing
what I wanted.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
Them to learn and how to learn.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
All Right, Your writing process often begins with poems and notes.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Can you walk us through how an.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Idea transformed from a note to a finished book?
Speaker 6 (23:20):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Well, it.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
It's really.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Trying to decipher my.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Notes, because I.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Would like I started Roncky's New Friend three years before
I even thought about publishing it. So my notes were
on little scraps of paper, and whenever anything popped in
my head, I would write it down. And then when
(23:56):
it came to trying to put the final product to together,
I had scratchings out.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
I had arrows from.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Half a page up to the top of the page,
or from the top down to the middle, and I
had to kind of figure out what I wrote. And
I think all our office go through that same thing
when they're trying.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
To make their final product.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
It's just that's the fun part now, sending mine at
the supermarket and then all of a sudden I start writing,
and people behind me getting annoyed.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Move up, move up, Like wait, I have a thought,
I get right this down in just know what I'm doing.
I had no glue.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
So looking forward, what's next for Daisy and her friends?
More adventures, new characters, or a different style of story.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
Well, I have two that I'm working on. One is
very close subject to my family. It's the old timers,
because I have quite a few family members that have it.
And I wanted children to understand that it's still their
(25:29):
grandparents that hasn't changed, it's just their memory has. So
I saw that story It's called Grandpa, Why does Grandpa forget?
And their stats off with Grandpa taking the grandchildren out
(25:50):
for ice cream, But she did every week, nothing new,
same place, same flavors, and all of a sudden he
can't remember how to get there, and then when he
got there, he forgot how to order and he did.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
He was very confused.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
So I wanted to explain to kids that sometimes this
is a normal aging process and there's nothing you can
do about it but give them understanding, love and patience.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
And that's what I base that book on.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
The other book I'm writing writing is.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Smokey's New Necklace. We always call.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Their callers necklaces and to them, how beauti they looked
when they got new callers, And.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
It's about jealousy. Smokey gets the new collar and Rocky doesn't.
Speaker 6 (26:58):
And Rocky is very very tell us about that. Why
didn't he get one when she got one? And it
was The intention wasn't just to give Smoky the caller.
It just happened to be she needed a caller. So
it brings a child through jealousy, stages the jealousy that
(27:23):
then the the collar breaks the necklace Rocky accidentally breaks it,
and then brings them through.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Remorse and regret.
Speaker 6 (27:36):
And then the book ends with forgiveness that Smoky understood.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
And they gave Rocky at the end of the story.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And how since their family, little things like that doesn't
intervene fear with the true love of a family.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
So those are the two books I have coming up,
all right?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
And where can our listeners connect with you on internet
and be on the lookout for these new books.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
Well, I have a web page, It's Barbara Jameredith Books
all one word dot com that bring you right to
my website and then online Amazon's carrying it, Walmart's carrying it.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
Online and throughout the country.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
There's about ten small individual bookstores that that also carrying
my book. And it's been in bookstores in England, Ireland,
Australia and Germany. So it's easy to find, easy to
(28:55):
get to any one to purchase it. They just have
to remember them getting a book that's enjoyable, but helping
animal shelters as well.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Absolutely, and listeners, just in case you need those links,
I will have them in the description of this episode
and in the show notes, So all you guys have
to do is just click those links.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Barbara J.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Meredith reminded us today that storytelling isn't just about entertaining children,
it's about guiding them, teaching them, and sparking joy. We
explored how her pets became characters, why transportation was the
theme of Waiting for the School Bus, her commitment to
animal shelters, and her journey from preschool teacher to author. Barbara,
(29:41):
your stories prove that education and compassion go hand in hand.
So listeners go pick up Daisy and friends Waiting for
the school Bus. Follow Barbara's work and support the causes
her books uplift. Be sure to subscribe to Vigilinantees Radio.
Weave a rating and share this episode with anybody who
has children or just like stories. Until next time, keep
(30:04):
reading and keep caring.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
Thank you so much, Thank you, Thank you, Benner Pleasure Likewise,
thank you, Hey bye bye bye.
Speaker 8 (30:17):
He's to all. My name is Denie and I am
the host of Vigilantes Radio Live. I think that we
are beyond just asking cool questions and getting cool responses.
I think that we are here as creatives to provide
(30:38):
an example that you can do things different outside of expectations,
because some of us simply were not born into the club.
But there is perhaps a door window or back gate
that we can leave a clue for you to get into.
(30:59):
Life is sure, but there are plenty of moments to
try and get it right. Pursuing your dreams and learning
from mistakes may be tough, but regret it's tougher to
book your interview. Email us at v Radio at only
onemediagroup dot com. That's a v as a Victorious or
(31:22):
visit only one MediaGroup dot com.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
I'm counting on you, Heaven.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
We all are counting on you to step into your
purpose and your passion. You are listening to Vigilantes Radio
Live on iHeartRadio, providing you with an opportunity to dive deeper.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
You and now listening to vigil Lancy's Radio, the people's
choice for quality interviews, art, music and art topics, hosted
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are available for free download at www. Dot only one
Media group dot com
You are now listening to Vigilantes Radio, presented by the
only One Media Group. This is the people's choice, but
quality interviews celebrities and special guests, hosted by Demitrius. Denny Reynolds.
Call in to join the mix at seven oh one,
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(00:23):
sure to like us on Facebook. At Vigilantes Radio, we
welcome all enjoy the show. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
your host Demitrius who Denie Black Reynolds. Enjoy the show.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Good morning, Good morning, good morning. I'm so glad that
you guys are here with us this morning. My name
is Deanie, and you're listening to VRL. That's Vigilantes Radio live.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Right here on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I do have to say that this particular episode is
pre recorded and I can't wait to deliver it to
your inboxes. And for you guys who subscribe to the show,
you'll be the first to know. And I always a
pra before I bring my guest on, I do want
to say that this is the frequency of the fearless.
You know, children see the world with wonder and sometimes
(01:18):
the best way to nurture that wonder is through stories
that teach, inspire, and entertain.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Today's guest has dedicated her life.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
To shaping young minds, first in the classroom and now
through books that blend imagination, education, and the love for animals.
With every page, she shows children how to learn, grow,
and care. You're not just here for a talk show,
and this isn't just radio. This is revival for your mind, body,
(01:49):
and spirit. This is Vigilantes Radio Life. My name is Coach.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Stini, and change is possible.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Are you ready?
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Are huge ready?
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Are you ready?
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Are you ready?
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Well, let's go, let's go, All right, all right again,
Welcome to the show. You're listening to VRL.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
That's Vigilantes Radio Live right here on iHeartRadio, and I
am your host, Aenie.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Our interviews are designed to go.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Beyond music, news, books, art, acting, films, technology, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, spirituality,
and sometimes even past that thing that we call the ego.
Our interviews are designed to go behind the scenes into
the minds of these brilliant people, you know, the ones
who are out there giving it. They're all or me
(02:56):
for you and for the world. Well, ladies and gentlemen.
She has spent her life nurturing children's growth, from running
a daycare to writing stories that spark imagination. Barbara Jay
Meredith is an author of the beloved Dais in Your
Friends book series, inspired by her own pets and years
(03:17):
of teaching. Her latest title, Waiting for the School Bus,
blend's playful storytelling with educational lessons while also supporting animal
rescue organizations. Barbara shows us how books can be both
meaningful and magical. So please join me in saying welcome
friend to Barbara J.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Meredith. Good morning, good morning.
Speaker 5 (03:41):
Good morning.
Speaker 6 (03:42):
Thank you for having me on.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Absolutely how are.
Speaker 6 (03:45):
You good, very well in yourself.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Doing good, doing good. Thank you for asking.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So, Barbara, before we get into the details of your
latest book, what's been on your heart and mind.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
These Well, I've been thinking of all the shelters, animal shelters,
and I donate to the shelters, and anyone that buys
(04:21):
the books through Daisy and Friends also donate through the
shelters to the shelters.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
And there's four of them that.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
I donate too, and it's the ASPCA and its place
of Connecticut and protect us of the animals of Connecticut
and Kitty Angels and Kenny Angels is where I rescued Daisy.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Nice. I love that. So Daisy and Friends began with
your PIDs.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
What made you first look at them and think this
could be a children's book?
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Well, actually it was like a fluke nowa days in
Friends How to Stay Healthy. It's part of the curriculum
that I taught. It's Express Learning Center in daycare, and
I was my husband was in the hospital for many months,
(05:29):
he had pancreatic cancer, and I was alone most nights.
So I thought that I would take some of the
curriculum and make it easier for the staff to teach
the curriculum by putting it into a book form.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
And then I thought one night, well what would.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Happen if I sent it into publishers? And to my surprise,
I didn't get at any denials because that's what I expected,
because that's why I've always heard that you get these
hundred denials before someone picks it up.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
Well, no one denied me. So what I did was take.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
The publisher that was meeting my needs at the time
because my husband was in the hospital, I had to
travel two hours a day to see them and also
work and take care of the house, take care of
the pets, and so it was a busy time for me,
(06:40):
and I didn't think that I would be able to
go out and do what's required of a new author,
all the book fairs and all the little towns tag
sales and all that, because when I hadn't got out
(07:00):
at the hospital, I was a soul forgiver. So that's
how the book evolved from curriculum to children's book.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And inspiration comes from years of observing stildren. Do you
have like one specific classroom moment that sparked an idea
later that turned into a book.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
Well, everything that the kids kind of did at the daycare,
like looking out our window. It was part of part
of the curriculum, but they were supposed to describe the
season plus the weather for the day, and that's how
(07:50):
looking out our Windows started. But I wrote it from
a different aspect as trying to teach kids to changing
of the seasons and what the trees look like. In
winter there's no leaves, and spring there's buds, and then
in summer there are full, full leaves on the trees
(08:13):
and fall the leaves during colors. So I kind of
brought that idea into the book.
Speaker 5 (08:23):
Outside that window.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
I like that, and waiting for the school bus introduces vehicles.
Why did you choose transportation as to focus and how
do kids respond when they recognize these in real life?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Well, but it's also well, it wasn't curriculum, but I did.
Speaker 5 (08:49):
Teach part of the curriculum transportation. But it was a game.
Speaker 6 (08:54):
The pre and pre K kids would do, well, they're
waiting for the school age kids.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
To get off the bus.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
I had noticed that they would stand off, stand up
in a rown from the windows and wait for the
school bus. So I thought, well, we can turn this
into a little game and a learning teaching moment. So
I would say, it's a vehicle approached going by the daycare, what.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
Vehicle is that?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
Is that the school bus?
Speaker 5 (09:31):
And they would say no.
Speaker 6 (09:33):
They'll give me a name of the vehicle with hers
the car or around, a truck or a tractor trailer
because we were on one of the main roads, so
we had a lot of traffic. And then when the
school bus arrived, I would say, is that the school bus?
And then all the kids would get excited and say, yes,
(09:53):
it's the school bus. So it was kind of a
game in a rhyming game that we would play every day.
It turned into something fun. And then what I did
with the book instead of just rhyming it, and I
(10:15):
decided that we can take this particular book and turn
into a teaching moment by given a description of what
each vehicle actually does, Like a fire engine, it carries
the firefighters and all the equipment to a fire and
(10:38):
has everything that they need to put the fire out.
So I kind of based it on a learning experience
and fun. And all the dogs in the camp were
my pets. Smoky was my Italian Master, HD was a
(11:03):
rock wilder and Rocky was a shepherd. And for the
first book, How to Stay Healthy, I followed took me
a year. I followed the dogs around with a camera
and they got used to having their picture taken.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
They actually turned to Davis and they.
Speaker 6 (11:29):
As they were acting things out, Like when I was
loading the dishwasher, the cat Daisy would climb on the
door of the dishwasher and sit there while I put
the dishes in, and so I took a picture of
that and said she's helping cleaning the dishes. And then
(11:51):
other pictures throughout the book was nutrition and Rocky was
the strangest dog ever. Loved Corner and the Cob, And
there's a picture my husband holding Corner and the Cob
and Rocky eating it. And I said, well, it's good vegetables,
(12:14):
this is good nutrition, and kind of worked it into
the nutrition theme. And when I did.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Stranger Danger, I had.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
A friend sit in my truck, opened the door and
Rocky ran right up to her. And I felt that
you have to be careful in parking lots. You have
to be careful of people who you're meeting. If you
don't know them, don't approach.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
Get mum or dad or an adult.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
So that's how that book evolved and how I satured
these in the animals.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
Yeah, first book used actual photographs of your pets. Like
you mentioned, they turned into divas. How did the move
to illustrations changed the fill of the series.
Speaker 6 (13:12):
Well, I decided that I can't actually like on Rocky's
new front, I could not have photographs of the dogs
going down to the dog park and playing at the
dog park. So that's when I decided that I needed
(13:34):
an actual illustrator. So from then on, I used an
illustrator to help bring the story to life.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
You've donated portions of your proceeds to animal shelters. Why
is that cause so personal to you? And do you
remember the first pet that you've rescued.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
Well, I've been rescuing pets for many years. One time
we had six cats that were feral. You know, I
would tell my husband, I don't know where it came from,
just walked in the door, and that was the first one,
then the second one, and up to six six at
(14:21):
a time. So it's always kind of rescued animals.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
And when I.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Decided, my husband and I decide to get a kitten,
we went to Kitty Angels because we did we wanted
an animal that was looking for forever home. And that's
how we got Daisy by going.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
To Kitty Angels.
Speaker 6 (14:48):
When my sister and Laura decided that she wanted a cat,
she went to protect us of the animals and I
went with her and I had the tour of the
facility and I liked how it was being run, So
that's why I chose that one. And Bandad's Place is
(15:10):
more than a dog cat rescue. It has all animals
from rabbits to horses, whatever someone can no longer take
care of they bring to their rescue, and it takes
a lot of funding to be able to provide the
(15:32):
that nearing care they need, the food that they need,
keep the shelter just running with electricity and everything heat
and everything else that the daily routine brings. So I
thought if I took proceeds for my books, and.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
I have been giving them checks.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
And I decided that would help them out somewhat.
Speaker 5 (16:00):
I won't be saving the shelters, but I would be.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
Doing a little more on my part other than just
rescuing the animals, but helping them support the animals at
the shelters.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Yeah, and I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
Oh, I'm sorry, and Dasy and friends waiting for the
school bus. That book is actually in its second edition.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
And I'm the publisher.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
And what I decided to be the publisher is because
I used to have on the other books. I divide
the profits three ways, the actual publishing company, myself, and
the shelters. Well, if I decide with I go as
(16:51):
my own publisher.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
I only have.
Speaker 6 (16:53):
To divide the profits two ways, to the shelters and
to myself. And I thought that would bring in a
lot more funding than what I have been given them.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
I agree with that. Is that working?
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yes, it is, it is And I've had actually on
Amazon's bestsellers list for Daisy and Friends Waiting for the
school Bus.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
So these interviews and helping shelters and everything has really
helped the growth.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Of my books.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Not only did you republish, you know, Waiting for the
School Bus under your own publishing name.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
How empowering empowering was that decision?
Speaker 6 (17:50):
Well? Right now, I feel like everything's surreal. I didn't
think any of anyone will be interested in any of
my books.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
And once I.
Speaker 6 (18:03):
Finish at book fairs and chun fairs, after all my
relatives bought the book and all my friends and everyone
that's in town, I thought that was.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Going to be the end of it. I can not believe.
Speaker 6 (18:20):
How successful my books are, and from I think that's fantastic,
and I'm an air.
Speaker 5 (18:31):
I still can't believe it.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Nice, nice.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
Educational lessons. How do you balance fun storytelling the responsibility
of teaching?
Speaker 6 (18:48):
Well, Broncki's no friend, that's about bullying and it was
a sub that our town school system was having issues
with and they wanted to go zero tolerance.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
So I thought, if I wrote a book.
Speaker 6 (19:15):
To explain how to resolve problems as the person being
bullied against the person bullying without the adult supervision.
Speaker 5 (19:29):
It would also give the.
Speaker 6 (19:32):
Child being bullied some a little more self respect for
himself standing up to this person that has been making
their life miserable.
Speaker 5 (19:42):
So that's why.
Speaker 6 (19:44):
I wrote Rocky's New Friend. In most of these books
like take a lot of thought and a lot of research,
and I do spend a long time researching. But the
(20:04):
book Daisy and Friends What Happened to Yesterday, a COVID
nineteen story that just Monday popped in my head, took
me twenty minutes to write, and then I did the research.
It was such difficult time for doubts as well as
(20:28):
the children. The kids went to school on a Monday,
I'm not excuse me on a Friday, and on Monday,
schools were closed and they were being homeschooled.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
And I thought.
Speaker 6 (20:43):
This book would help at the time to reinsure their transition.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
From a Tolley.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
New lifestyle from their own lifestyle and why it was happening,
And that's why I wrote What Happened Yesterday. So now
it's more of a historical book than a current times
book because It's just a reminder of what everyone went
(21:17):
through during twenty twenty and how we had to change
our life and then make our turn everything around from
being in isolation to back out in the public. And
I wanted people to kind of understand that in the
(21:38):
future what really happened during that time and how did
people live through it?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
Yeah, strange time, indeed, Yes, So looking back, what did
Running Kids Express Learning Center teach you?
Speaker 3 (21:56):
About? How children absorb stories?
Speaker 6 (22:01):
Children love stories and the more books we read to them.
We would have a circle time, and the circle time
would have a curriculum. I got one for a month,
and one month it would be dinosaurs, So we would
teach the kids all about dinosaurs, but we would also
(22:24):
read stories about dinosaurs. We would have a story one
day about the facts, the actual facts about a dinosaur,
and then we would read next day, probably read a
funny book about dinosaurs. So I wanted kids to actually
experience more than structure. I wanted them to understand that
(22:50):
learning could be fun and that brought everything to life
by my goals to life, by actually practic to sing
what I wanted.
Speaker 5 (23:01):
Them to learn and how to learn.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
All Right, Your writing process often begins with poems and notes.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Can you walk us through how an.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Idea transformed from a note to a finished book?
Speaker 6 (23:20):
Oh?
Speaker 7 (23:20):
Well, it.
Speaker 5 (23:23):
It's really.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Trying to decipher my.
Speaker 5 (23:30):
Notes, because I.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Would like I started Roncky's New Friend three years before
I even thought about publishing it. So my notes were
on little scraps of paper, and whenever anything popped in
my head, I would write it down. And then when
(23:56):
it came to trying to put the final product to together,
I had scratchings out.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
I had arrows from.
Speaker 6 (24:06):
Half a page up to the top of the page,
or from the top down to the middle, and I
had to kind of figure out what I wrote. And
I think all our office go through that same thing
when they're trying.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
To make their final product.
Speaker 6 (24:28):
It's just that's the fun part now, sending mine at
the supermarket and then all of a sudden I start writing,
and people behind me getting annoyed.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
Move up, move up, Like wait, I have a thought,
I get right this down in just know what I'm doing.
I had no glue.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
So looking forward, what's next for Daisy and her friends?
More adventures, new characters, or a different style of story.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
Well, I have two that I'm working on. One is
very close subject to my family. It's the old timers,
because I have quite a few family members that have it.
And I wanted children to understand that it's still their
(25:29):
grandparents that hasn't changed, it's just their memory has. So
I saw that story It's called Grandpa, Why does Grandpa forget?
And their stats off with Grandpa taking the grandchildren out
(25:50):
for ice cream, But she did every week, nothing new,
same place, same flavors, and all of a sudden he
can't remember how to get there, and then when he
got there, he forgot how to order and he did.
Speaker 5 (26:06):
He was very confused.
Speaker 6 (26:08):
So I wanted to explain to kids that sometimes this
is a normal aging process and there's nothing you can
do about it but give them understanding, love and patience.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
And that's what I base that book on.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
The other book I'm writing writing is.
Speaker 5 (26:38):
Smokey's New Necklace. We always call.
Speaker 6 (26:42):
Their callers necklaces and to them, how beauti they looked
when they got new callers, And.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
It's about jealousy. Smokey gets the new collar and Rocky doesn't.
Speaker 6 (26:58):
And Rocky is very very tell us about that. Why
didn't he get one when she got one? And it
was The intention wasn't just to give Smoky the caller.
It just happened to be she needed a caller. So
it brings a child through jealousy, stages the jealousy that
(27:23):
then the the collar breaks the necklace Rocky accidentally breaks it,
and then brings them through.
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Remorse and regret.
Speaker 6 (27:36):
And then the book ends with forgiveness that Smoky understood.
Speaker 5 (27:44):
And they gave Rocky at the end of the story.
Speaker 6 (27:49):
And how since their family, little things like that doesn't
intervene fear with the true love of a family.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Wow.
Speaker 6 (28:02):
So those are the two books I have coming up,
all right?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
And where can our listeners connect with you on internet
and be on the lookout for these new books.
Speaker 6 (28:14):
Well, I have a web page, It's Barbara Jameredith Books
all one word dot com that bring you right to
my website and then online Amazon's carrying it, Walmart's carrying it.
Speaker 5 (28:31):
Online and throughout the country.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
There's about ten small individual bookstores that that also carrying
my book. And it's been in bookstores in England, Ireland,
Australia and Germany. So it's easy to find, easy to
(28:55):
get to any one to purchase it. They just have
to remember them getting a book that's enjoyable, but helping
animal shelters as well.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Absolutely, and listeners, just in case you need those links,
I will have them in the description of this episode
and in the show notes, So all you guys have
to do is just click those links.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Barbara J.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Meredith reminded us today that storytelling isn't just about entertaining children,
it's about guiding them, teaching them, and sparking joy. We
explored how her pets became characters, why transportation was the
theme of Waiting for the School Bus, her commitment to
animal shelters, and her journey from preschool teacher to author. Barbara,
(29:41):
your stories prove that education and compassion go hand in hand.
So listeners go pick up Daisy and friends Waiting for
the school Bus. Follow Barbara's work and support the causes
her books uplift. Be sure to subscribe to Vigilinantees Radio.
Weave a rating and share this episode with anybody who
has children or just like stories. Until next time, keep
(30:04):
reading and keep caring.
Speaker 7 (30:05):
Thank you so much, Thank you, Thank you, Benner Pleasure Likewise,
thank you, Hey bye bye bye.
Speaker 8 (30:17):
He's to all. My name is Denie and I am
the host of Vigilantes Radio Live. I think that we
are beyond just asking cool questions and getting cool responses.
I think that we are here as creatives to provide
(30:38):
an example that you can do things different outside of expectations,
because some of us simply were not born into the club.
But there is perhaps a door window or back gate
that we can leave a clue for you to get into.
(30:59):
Life is sure, but there are plenty of moments to
try and get it right. Pursuing your dreams and learning
from mistakes may be tough, but regret it's tougher to
book your interview. Email us at v Radio at only
onemediagroup dot com. That's a v as a Victorious or
(31:22):
visit only one MediaGroup dot com.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
I'm counting on you, Heaven.
Speaker 8 (31:28):
We all are counting on you to step into your
purpose and your passion. You are listening to Vigilantes Radio
Live on iHeartRadio, providing you with an opportunity to dive deeper.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
You and now listening to vigil Lancy's Radio, the people's
choice for quality interviews, art, music and art topics, hosted
by Demetrius Houdini Black Reynolds. All episodes of this podcast
are available for free download at www. Dot only one
Media group dot com
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