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 for WBUR as an intern. Since coming to NPR in 2014, she has reported on a , traveled to Mexico to meet actor (and cover the elections), ridden with border patrol officers along the , eaten very well in , interviewed a and used her waterproof fanny pack to help keep her mic dry during hurricanes. She's also responsible for , 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.
Person Page
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Ana is so excited that her abuela is coming to live with her — until it means saying goodbye to her babysitter. No More Señora Mimà is an ode to caregivers from Meg Medina and Brittany Cicchese. -
Dictionary wants to bring her pages to life but then a hungry alligator chasing a donut crashes into a queen who slips on some soap and chaos ensues. Can Dictionary put herself back together again? -
In an historic Brooklyn cemetery, a death educator and a professional knitter have been holding an event series called "Grieving & Weaving" to help people process loss through collective crafting. -
A little boy must go on a hero's quest — through woods full of oak trees and a bamboo forest — to discover "The Truth About Dragons" in Julie Leung and Hanna Cha's Caldecott Honor children's book. -
Ellie Barber, who performs as Ollella, talks about memory, loss and ongoing love with her Tiny Desk Contest entry, "Tea Kettle Tea."
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Ernesto's mom gives him a quarter every morning. "For emergencies," she says. "If you need me, look for a pay phone." Hey, it was the '90s! But how will Ernesto spend his Emergency Quarters? -
Detroit's population is growing, a first since the 1950s. The uptick is small but significant for a city that's struggled for decades.
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Did you know on average a sloth will fall out of a tree once a week for its entire life? It's true — and the inspiration for Brian Cronin and Doreen Cronin's new children's book, Mama in the Moon. -
There's trouble in the town of Bad Göodsburg! A wishing well has stopped working! NPR's Tamara Keith talks with Jess Hannigan about her new children's book, "Spider in the Well." -
When actor George Takei was 4 years old, he was labeled an "enemy" by the U.S. government and sent to a string of incarceration camps. His new children's book about that time is My Lost Freedom. -
'Buffalo Fluffalo' may seem big and intimidating, but it's all puffery. He really just needs some snuggalos from his friends in this rhyming book from author Bess Kalb and illustrator Erin Kraan. -
Little Tato sneaks a few cherry plums before grabbing a mop and a hose to help Bábo — her grandmother — with a favorite chore.
