The economy was such a focus of the president's speech last night that we thought it was appropriate to check in with NPR's senior business editor, Marilyn Geewax. Marilyn, thanks for coming in once again.
MARILYN GEEWAX, BYLINE: Hi.
MARTIN: Now, you just heard from Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett. And the president said that, quote, "the state of the union is getting stronger," but I think you heard Ms. Jarrett say that a lot more is yet to do. So where are we, really?
I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News.
Coming up, award season is here. We're going to take a closer look at the Oscar nominees and this year's winning children's books. That conversation is just ahead.
I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News.
Coming up, when you are looking for selections for your child's library or for gifts for the other little people in your life, you may have looked for books with that gold or silver sticker from the American Library Association. It's their seal of excellence, if you will. Well, their picks for best kids' books came out yesterday and we will speak with one of the winners a bit later in the program.
Now we'll talk prizes for a different type of storytelling: children's books. And you might remember those special books in your school library, the ones with the shiny gold, silver or bronze seals. Those books were winners of the John Newbery Medal or Randolph Caldecott Medal for excellent writing and illustrations in children's books. The awards are given out each year by the American Library Association.
Lego's new play sets, which are geared toward girls, include a beauty shop, cafe and pool. Critics say the toys are too focused on image and gender stereotypes. Others, including Lego, say they're simply what girls want to play with. Host Michel Martin and a diverse panel of moms explore gender-focused marketing.