Second lady Usha Vance unveiled her new story time podcast of reading children’s stories on Monday.
The podcast, Storytime with the Second Lady, features either her reading books or inviting a special guest to read, and is part of her initiative to increase childhood literacy rates. Three episodes, approximately 10 minutes long, have been released with the podcast’s launch, with the first featuring her reading The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.
“Reading for pleasure at home builds stronger literacy and classroom skills and opens the door to a world of opportunity for children,” Vance said in a statement. “I’m excited to invite special guests to share great stories, spread their love of reading, and help reverse the decline of childhood literacy rates in our country.”
The other two episodes feature guests, former NASCAR racer Danica Patrick and Brent Poppen. Patrick, who conducted a town hall with then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance in 2024, read a pair of books from the Disney Pixar Cars franchise, and Poppen, an author and Paralympian, read a section from a book he wrote, Playground Lessons.
The second lady spoke about her podcast ahead of its premiere on Friday, as well as occasionally having disagreements with her husband. Vance said there’s no expectation the couple will see eye-to-eye on everything, but that they will be “open-minded and have a conversation, and that I’ll provide meaningful input.”
“So even if we don’t agree, it’s — I think it’s always very productive,” Vance said to NBC News.
Vance announced a summer reading program to address the “reading loss” among children last year. The program encouraged children to read 12 books between June 1 and Sept. 5, and gave participants who completed it a chance to visit the White House.
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“The Second Lady is passionate about childhood education, and hopes to inspire a lifelong love of learning in children across the country,” a White House spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “Last year, the Second Lady’s Summer Reading Challenge received overwhelming support, and Ms. Vance hopes to continue sharing her passion for literature with children across the country in this new age-appropriate and accessible format.”
The second lady announced in January that she is pregnant with her fourth child. The Vance family wrote that they are “looking forward” to welcoming their new baby boy in July.