Samantha Balaban
Samantha Balaban is a producer at Weekend Edition.
After receiving her M.A. in Journalism and Latin American studies from New York University, she got her start in public radio covering the James "Whitey" Bulger trial for WBUR as an intern. Since coming to NPR in 2014, she has reported on a perfume-loving tiger, traveled to Mexico to meet actor Diego Luna (and cover the elections), ridden with border patrol officers along the Rio Grande River, eaten very well in Houston, interviewed a Bangle and used her waterproof fanny pack to help keep her mic dry during hurricanes. She's also responsible for Picture This, a series of conversations with authors and illustrators.
Most days, you can find her under a pile of books and mail coordinating Weekend Edition's book coverage. On weekends, she's hanging out with her dog, Winnie.
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In many places, students dress up as Pilgrims and Indians to learn the familiar story of the first Thanksgiving. If you're a teacher in the United States, how are you teaching Thanksgiving this year? -
"Growing up I would hear about our peoples being 'discovered' ... " says author Brittany Luby. "I would go home and my parents would tell me: That's not actually how things happened." -
The Dog Who Lost His Bark is a story in two halves, says author Eoin Colfer: "In the first half the boy heals the dog, and in the second half the dog heals the boy." It's illustrated by P.J. Lynch. -
Veterinarians have suicide rates of more than double that of the general population. One group is building an online community to give advice and help out when stress adds up. -
NPR's Leila Fadel first met Rosa Gutierrez Lopez in January, after she sought refuge at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church. If she leaves the property, she risks being deported to El Salvador. -
We're all different and that's good, says the U.S. Supreme Court justice. Her new children's book about embracing diversity portrays kids of all abilities working together to create a gorgeous garden. -
Fourteen years ago, Rosa Gutierrez Lopez sought safety in the U.S. after fleeing violence in El Salvador. To avoid deportation, she's been claiming sanctuary at a Maryland church for nine months.
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Author Isabel Quintero and illustrator Zeke Peña worked together on My Papi Has a Motorcycle, a homage to Quintero's childhood in California's Inland Empire, and to her hard-working father. -
For her new book, author Kate DiCamillo gave illustrator Jamie Kim a challenge: A manuscript with only one word, "la." And Kim created a story of a lonely young girl who makes friends with the moon. -
Author Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrator Brian Pinkney have been together for 30 years and collaborated on nearly 20 books. "It's fun to work with the one you love," Andrea says.
