Accessibility links
Samantha Balaban Samantha Balaban is a producer at Weekend Edition.
Samantha Balaban in the field.
Stories By

Samantha Balaban

Samantha Balaban in the field.
Enlarge this image
Tanya Habjouqa/NPR
Samantha Balaban in the field.
Tanya Habjouqa/NPR

Samantha Balaban

Producer, Weekend Edition

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 James "Whitey" Bulger trial for WBUR as an intern. Since coming to NPR in 2014, she has reported on a perfume-loving tiger, traveled to Mexico to meet actor Diego Luna (and cover the elections), ridden with border patrol officers along the Rio Grande River, eaten very well in Houston, interviewed a Bangle and used her waterproof fanny pack to help keep her mic dry during hurricanes. She's also responsible for Picture This, 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.

Story Archive

Sunday

Emergency Quarters

Emergency Quarters Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang hide caption

toggle caption
Illustrations © 2024 by Gracey Zhang

Picture This

'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

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?

'Emergency Quarters' are for pay phones (remember those?) in a new book by ‘90s kids

Listen · 6:59
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-4953375/nx-s1-4c33399c-e85a-4e7e-b674-5f0d576de171" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

National

Behind the scenes of Detroit's urban resurgence

Detroit's population is growing, a first since the 1950s. The uptick is small but significant for a city that's struggled for decades.

Behind the scenes of Detroit's urban resurgence

Listen · 10:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-4985855/nx-s1-d35099a9-0428-462d-9803-555f68d915ed" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y

Illustrations © 2024 by Brian Cronin/Rocky Pond Books hide caption

toggle caption
Illustrations © 2024 by Brian Cronin/Rocky Pond Books

Picture This

When Baby Sloth tumbles out of a tree, Mama Sloth comes for him — s l o w l y

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.

PICTURE THIS: MAMA IN THE MOON

Listen · 7:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1249942047/nx-s1-b6a418a5-b2a0-4a78-9b00-dc5c1955d15f" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunday

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'
Illustrations © 2024 Jess Hannigan

Author Interviews

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

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."

Hold on to your wishes — there's a 'Spider in the Well'

Listen · 7:40
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1252085641/1252350878" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids
Crown Books for Young Readers

Picture This

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

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.

George Takei 'Lost Freedom' some 80 years ago – now he's written that story for kids

Listen · 10:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1245844347/1246083045" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

Oriya Dahan, 11 poses for a portrait at Alon Sciences elementary school in Sderot, Israel on March 20, 2024. Maya Levin for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Maya Levin for NPR

State of the World from NPR

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

Sderot, Israel, near the border with Gaza, was the biggest city attack by Hamas on October 7th. At the beginning of the war, Israel evacuated nearly everyone. Our correspondent visits Sderot and finds that people are returning.

Israelis Return to a City that was Attacked

Listen · 7:31
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196980077/1242115585" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Thursday

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

Luis Har, who was taken hostage during the October 7 Hamas attacks and freed by an Israeli special forces operation in February, sits for a portrait in Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 27, 2024. Tamir Kalifa for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Tamir Kalifa for NPR

State of the World from NPR

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

We hear the story of an Israeli man taken captive by Hamas on October 7th. He was freed by Israeli special forces 129 days later and talks about his ordeal.

The Story of an Israeli Man Taken Hostage By Hamas, Now Free

Listen · 7:47
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196980029/1241496380" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sunday

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo
Illustrations © 2024 by Erin Kraan

Picture This

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

'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.

'Buffalo Fluffalo' has had enuffalo in this kids' bookalo

Listen · 8:39
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1227170452/1227453768" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'
Illustrations © 2023 by Anait Semirdzhyan

Picture This

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

Little Tato sneaks a few cherry plums before grabbing a mop and a hose to help Bábo — her grandmother — with a favorite chore.

Mop-mop-swoosh-plop it's rug-washing day in 'Bábo'

Listen · 6:57
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1224459521/1224585691" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunday

Music News

How sweet the sound: 'Amazing Grace' turns 250

2023 is the 250th anniversary year of "Amazing Grace." It was first performed on New Year's Day, 1773, and has gone through many changes over the years.

How sweet the sound: 'Amazing Grace' turns 250

Listen · 12:51
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1221467563/1221467564" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

Rose Previte's stuffed summer squash with lamb and rice, from her new cookbook, Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond. Elissa Nadworny/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Elissa Nadworny/NPR

Food

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

The word maydan means a gathering place. And that's what Rose Previte wants her debut cookbook, Maydān: Recipes from Lebanon and Beyond, to be: a way for people to come together around table.

Rose Previte, of D.C.'s Michelin star restaurant Maydān, releases her debut cookbook

Listen · 10:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1215904679/1216716090" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sunday

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'
Illustrations Copyright © 2023 by Jon Klassen

Picture This

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

"How does he do it?" Author Mac Barnett and illustrator Jon Klassen squeeze, squash and generally put Santa through the wringer while trying to answer an age-old Christmas mystery.

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

Listen · 9:14
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1215909495/1216836596" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh
Illustrations © Axel Scheffler

Picture This

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

From the author and illustrator of The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom now comes The Baddies: a witch, a troll and a ghost like being bad so much they compete to see who can be the very worst.

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

Listen · 7:54
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1214776038/1215185345" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Monday

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

U.S. President Bill Clinton and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat inaugurated the Gaza International Airport in 1998 in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip. The presidential visit and the launching of the airport were seen as an important steps in the effort to establish a Palestinian state. Santiago Lyon/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Santiago Lyon/AP

State of the World from NPR

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

We hear about a time when an airport opened in Gaza, a U.S. president visited and it seemed like Palestinian statehood was close to being a reality.

We rewind to a time when Israel and Gaza were close to peace

Listen · 10:50
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196978494/1214285821" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

Aid trucks queue to enter Palestinian territories from the Egypt side of the Rafah Border Crossing on Nov. 15, 2023. Gehad Hamdy/picture alliance via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Gehad Hamdy/picture alliance via Getty Images

State of the World from NPR

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

There's only one place goods or people are allowed to enter or leave Gaza. Our reporter is in Rafah, Egypt and sees the trickle of aid going into Gaza.

An aid lifeline to Gaza: we go to the only crossing point in or out of the territory

Listen · 13:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196978487/1213905502" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

Shira Albag, (c) mother of hostage Liri Albag protests with family outside the ministry of defense base on November 04, 2023 in Tel Aviv Israel. Liri Albag, 18, is a surveillance soldier at the Nahal Oz army base, was taken captive by Gazan militants on Saturday, October 7, as they took control of the Israeli army base. Maya Levin for NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Maya Levin for NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

About 240 Israeli and foreign nationals have been held hostage in Gaza for a month. Many Israelis are calling for Israel to release all Palestinian detainees in exchange for the captives' freedom.

What will it take to free the hostages in Gaza? Many Israelis support a prisoner swap

Listen · 6:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1210775385/1211041248" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Sunday

Hamas attacked Israel 1 month ago. Here's where things stand now

Families of kidnapped hostages join thousands of supporters in a protest at the Family of Hostages Square outside The Kiryato on Saturday to demand that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secure the release of Israeli hostagesl. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

Middle East crisis — explained

Hamas attacked Israel 1 month ago. Here's where things stand now

About 1,400 people were killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel and more than 240 people were kidnapped. In the four weeks since, almost 10,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Friday

As Israel forces workers from Gaza back, thousands more remain stuck in the West Bank

Ibrahim Alfarany has been staying at Al-Istiqlal University for several weeks. He usually works and lives near a store south of Tel Aviv, where he stocks vegetables for a few weeks at a time, and travels back to Gaza. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Claire Harbage/NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

As Israel forces workers from Gaza back, thousands more remain stuck in the West Bank

Palestinians from Gaza were working in Israel when Hamas attacked the country on Oct. 7. Now, many are unable to go back and in limbo in the West Bank.

As Israel forces workers from Gaza back, thousands more remain stuck in the West Bank

Listen · 6:43
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1210441078/1210515662" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

Gaza's 34-hour phone and internet blackout, as told in voice memos

Anas Baba, a producer for NPR, has been reporting on the war from his base in Gaza. Anas Baba/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Anas Baba/NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

Gaza's 34-hour phone and internet blackout, as told in voice memos

Voice memos recorded by NPR's producer in Gaza during a 34-hour communications blackout convey a weekend of anxiety and uncertainty for Palestinians as Israeli ground troops invaded.

Gaza's 34-hour phone and internet blackout, as told in voice memos

Listen · 4:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1209549210/1209559717" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Monday

Middle East

Thousands of workers from Gaza are trapped in the West Bank and can't go home

Thousands of Palestinians from Gaza were working in Israel when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7. Now, they're unable to go back and in limbo in the West Bank.

Thousands of workers from Gaza are trapped in the West Bank and can't go home

Listen · 6:43
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1209529090/1209529091" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

New details emerge about the Hamas-led attackers who massacred Israelis

Men working with a search and recovery team from the organization ZAKA look for human remains in Kibbutz Be'eri. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Claire Harbage/NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

New details emerge about the Hamas-led attackers who massacred Israelis

NPR has interviewed neighbors and relatives of one of the attackers and reviewed footage and information the Israeli military says it collected from villages and militants.

New details emerge about the Hamas-led attackers who massacred Israelis

Listen · 7:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1208836319/1208875124" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

Attacked by Hamas at home, Israeli survivors find solace in a hotel

Shefayim Hotel, just north of Tel Aviv, is hosting hundreds of survivors of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, a community that suffered some of the most catastrophic losses in the Hamas attacks two weeks ago. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Claire Harbage/NPR

Middle East crisis — explained

Attacked by Hamas at home, Israeli survivors find solace in a hotel

Residents of a kibbutz near Israel's border with Gaza are living in a hotel after Hamas killed dozens of people and destroyed homes in their community.

Attacked by Hamas at home, Israeli survivors find solace in a hotel

Listen · 6:45
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1208217232/1208260483" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Monday

How do Palestinians feel about the war and Hamas now?

People carry bodies of Palestinians 22-year-old Muhammad Alyan Hamid and 20-year-old Mahmoud Nahle killed by Israeli forces near Al-Jalazun Refugee Camp in Ramallah, West Bank on October 23, 2023. Issam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Issam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images

State of the World from NPR

How do Palestinians feel about the war and Hamas now?

Though Gaza has been the focus of Israel's response to attacks by militants, the West Bank is also seeing an increase in violence. Residents there react to recent events. We also hear from members of a community that was hit hard by the Hamas attacks. They've been relocated to a hotel and are trying to make sense of what they've lost.

How do Palestinians feel about the war and Hamas now?

Listen · 11:46
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196978276/1208053517" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

State of the World from NPR

An explosion at a Gaza hospital. And making sense of life after the Hamas attack

A blast at a crowded hospital in Gaza could become a turning point in the war. And people who lost their family and homes in Hamas' attack on Israel try to reckon with the aftermath.

An explosion at a Gaza hospital. And making sense of life after the Hamas attack

Listen · 19:05
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1196978234/1206619958" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org