In this episode, we explore the work of contemporary author Kate DiCamillo. Known for beloved novels like Because of Winn-Dixie, The Tale of Despereaux, and Flora & Ulysses, DiCamillo’s writing captures deep truths about the human condition through accessible and engaging stories for young readers. Jenna Allen and Steven Ronen join us to discuss how DiCamillo, despite being a relatively newer author, contributes meaningfully to the "Great Conversation" of literature — engaging with timeless themes like hope, friendship, loss, and redemption — and why her works have resonated so deeply with readers of all ages.

Books Mentioned In This Episode

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Tale of Despereaux

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Because of Winn-Dixie

Tiger Rising

Watership Down by Richard Adams

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About the Episode

Art can seem elusive, and so many of us feel unequipped to pass judgment on an artwork. One of the most powerful tools in artistic analysis is aesthetic theory. The practice of using aesthetic theories can help us first classify the function of an artwork. After we classify the function, then we can more confidently determine the success. This episode walks listeners through the more common aesthetic theories and applies them to some of our favorite artworks.

Imitationalism
Symbolism
Emotionalism
Formalism
Instrumentalism
Institutionalism
Artists/Artworks Referenced:
Michelangelo
John James Audubon
Yosemite Valley by Ansel Adams
Nighthawks by Edward Hopper
I and the Village by Marc Chagall
The Last Supper by Leonard DaVinci
Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali
The Scream by Edvard Munch
Andrew Wyeth
Passing Storm over the Sierra Nevadas by Albert Bierstadt
Edgar Degas
Paul Cézanne
Piet Mondrian
Wassily Kandinsky
Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange
Fountain by Marcel Duchamp
Campbell's Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
Shibboleth by Doris Salcedo
Comedian by Maurizio Cattelan

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Although Latin is often called a "dead language," its influence is very much alive in modern culture. From film and literature to science and law, Latin continues to shape the way we communicate and think. Latin Instructor Jake Bryan dives deep into the beauty behind the language and why it is still relevant today.

About Jake BryanJake started at Liberty Common in the fall of 2022. Before that, he taught Latin at a college preparatory school in Oklahoma City for five years. Originally from Dallas, Texas, he attended the University of Oklahoma, where he majored in Letters with a minor in Latin.

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This episode explores the origins and influence of jazz as America’s truly original art form. Guest Dave Lunn, a saxophonist and music educator, joins hosts Brett Harkey and Chris Reynolds to discuss jazz’s deep roots, key figures, and lasting impact on American culture and music.

About Dave Lunn

Dave Lunn is in his 25th year of teaching at Liberty Common School, where he teaches instrumental music, music theory and music history. He received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Colorado State University, and in 2018, he was a finalist for Colorado Teacher of the Year. In addition to his work at Liberty, he is involved in many other musical endeavors, including leading the Fort Collins Youth Jazz Project, working as a clinician, and performing with many ensembles around the area. He and his wife, Lori, live in Fort Collins and have 3 children and when not teaching or making music, he is an avid mountain biker and rock climber.

Mentioned In This Episode:

• Spyro Gyra
• Charlie Parker
• John Coltrane
• Tijuana Brass
• Thelonious Monk
• Louis Armstrong
• Benny Goodman
• Duke Ellington
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
• Cannonball Adderley
• Bill Evans - Sunday Night at the Village Vanguard
• Ella Fitzgerald
• Bing Crosby
• Frank Sinatra
• Nat King Cole
• Billy Holiday
• Robert Glasper
• Snarky Puppy
• Dave Brubeck - Time Out
• Esperanza Spalding
  

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This episode delves into the fascinating role of jewelry in sixteenth-century Anglo-Scottish diplomacy. Our guest, Cassie Auble, explores how Mary, Queen of Scots, and Elizabeth I used jewelry as tools of political negotiation, self-representation, and material culture. About Cassie Auble

Cassie has been a Liberty Common School Latin instructor since 2018. She has an M.A. in history with a certification in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from the University of Nebraska Lincoln.

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About the Episode:

The episode explores what makes a book a "classic" and how books shape the moral and idyllic imaginations of young readers. Our guest, Paige Gowing, a librarian at Liberty Common School, shares insights on the value of classic literature and dispels common misconceptions, while broadening the definition of what makes a book timeless and enduring. About Paige Gowing:

Paige is a Librarian at Liberty Common School’s Plato Campus. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Concentration in Creative Writing from Colorado State University and has been working at Liberty since graduation. Before becoming an employee of Liberty Common School, Paige was once a student here. She began attending Liberty in 1997, the same year the school opened.

Referenced Books:

• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
• Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Invisible Man by Ralph Elison
• A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
• Lord of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein
• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
• Because of Win Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
• Climbing Parnassus: A New Apologia for Greek and Latin by Tracy Lee Simmons
• The Republic by Plato
• Stick Man by Julia Donaldson
• The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy
• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
• Square by Mac Barnett
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong by William Kilpatrick
• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

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In the late Middle Ages, the city-states of Italy witnessed the rebirth of an ancient form of government: the republic. These Italian republics provide the backdrop for the impressive cultural achievements of the Renaissance, and arguably made them possible. We will consider the conditions which led Italian cities to adopt republican governments, how their republican experiments managed to overcome the threat of warfare and social division, and why they ultimately fell. We will also consider the legacy of Italy’s Renaissance republics and how they might help us understand our own republic better. About Joel Penning

Dr. Penning started teaching history at Liberty in 2018. He received his B.A. in history at Clemson University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University. In addition to Colorado, he has spent time living in Kansas, South Dakota, Illinois, South Carolina, Australia, and Italy. When not in the classroom, he can usually be found with his nose in a book.

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In this episode, we explore the deep classical roots of musical theater, an art form widely recognized for its collaborative nature. While today’s Broadway musicals might seem like a modern invention, they owe much to the traditions of ancient Greece, where music, poetry, dance, and dramatic storytelling first came together in public performances.

We’ll delve into the historical origins of musical theater, beginning with the grand theatrical festivals of Athens, where playwrights competed to create the best combination of music, drama, and spectacle. We’ll also discuss how many theatrical conventions—like the chorus, special effects, and the orchestra—find their roots in Greek theater and how these ancient practices continue to influence the musicals we know and love today.

About Becky Pollyea

Becky is a music and theater instructor at Liberty Common School where she directs the junior-high and high-school theatrical productions. Her career in theater education spans three decades, and her focus has been on facilitating transformational learning experiences for young people through the performing arts.

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