As the new school year gets started, I’ve been thinking a lot about the important teachers in my life, the ones who left an indelible impression. Those special educators helped me see and, as importantly, they made me feel seen. They gave me tools with which to engage the world around me, exciting me about it — and me in it.

No surprise: Slovakian educator and author Veronika Darwell caught my eye when she popped up with When You Are Curious, a children’s picture book with delightful illustrations by Johnny Plasil.

What I didn’t expect was that our conversation would take us to how teaching finds us, the magic of learning multiple languages, and the importance of representation and inclusive design.

Veronika maintains a robust and joyful social media presence on Instagram at @BooksWithMeaning.

Theme music by Sean Balick. “UpUpUp and Over” by The Balloonist, via Blue Dot Sessions.