Reflection on forced reading and forced writing leads to a simple action: let kids choose the story first, then worry about grammar. In this One Moment Podcast episode, middle-grade author SA Schneider explains why fiction is a mental reset, how standardized tests and screens starve imagination, and why a short story or a Space Invaders-level game can give someone a reason to keep going.

Evergreen takeaways for parents, teachers, and adults who quit reading in high school: interest first, canon later; start small; kids are the resource that actually matters.

Timestamps:

03:56 - Bio and Northeastern Ohio

06:12 - Don’t write the book that isn’t yours

09:10 - Escape, badges, and good adults

15:49 - Stories before spelling

1:16:23 - Bigfoot as imagination vehicle

1:24:25 - Where to find the books

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