The Fire of Stars by Kirsten W. Larson

2024/1/24

29:26

Kirsten W. Larson shares The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of (Chronicle Books), a poetic picture book celebrating the life and scientific discoveries of the groundbreaking astronomer Cecilia Payne.

Visit Kirsten online at https://kirsten-w-larson.com/

You can pick up your own copy of The Fire of Stars: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made of wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

 Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

 Our music is by Podington Bear. 

 Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

 You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

 Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

This is Not My Home by Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Chang

2024/1/17

30:36

Eugenia Yoh and Vivienne Chang share This Is Not My Home (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers), a humorous and heartfelt reverse immigration story that will resonate across cultures and show us how a place can become home.

Visit Eugenia and Vivienne online at https://www.vivienneandeugenia.com/

You can pick up your own copy of This Is Not My Home wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

You Are a Universe with Jason Chin

2023/9/7

18:29

Jason Chin shares The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey, a dive into the microscopic building blocks of life.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin

Jason Chin, winner of the Caldecott Medal for Watercress, dives into the microscopic building blocks of life in this companion to the award-winning Your Place in the Universe.

In Your Place in the Universe, Jason Chin zoomed outward, from our planet, solar system, and galaxy to the outer reaches of the observable universe. Now, Chin reverses course, zooming in past our skin to our cells, molecules, and atoms, all the way down to particles so small we can't yet even measure them.

Like its companion, The Universe in You is a mind-boggling adventure that makes complex science accessible and enjoyable to readers of any age.

Impeccably researched, wholly engrossing, and with extensive backmatter for additional learning, The Universe in You is another knockout from the award-winning creator of Redwoods, Grand Canyon, and other distinguished works of nonfiction for young readers.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Jason Chin website - jasonchin.net

• Purchase the Book - The Universe in You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What is the biggest thing you know on Earth? What about the smallest? How does your size compare to these things?

2. How does it make you feel to know that you are made of the same molecules and atoms that make up every single thing in the universe?

3. What do you wonder about things bigger than you? What do you wonder about things smaller than you?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

One Hundred Percent Loving Who We Are As Humans with NoNieqa Ramos (R)

2023/8/31

28:37

Nonieqa Ramos shares Beauty Woke, a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale, and readers looking for a next-generation Sleeping Beauty will fall in love with the vivid art and lyrical text.

This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on March 7, 2023.

This is a Story with John Schu and Lauren Castillo (R)

2023/8/17

28:32

John Schu and Lauren Castillo share This Is a Story, inviting us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world.

This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on March 14, 2023.

The Power in Our Hands with Torrey Maldonado (R)

2023/8/10

29:07

Torrey Maldonado shares HANDS, a story about Trevor, a twelve-year-old who is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and would do anything to protect his mom and sisters.

This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.

Your Story Matters with Alphabet Rockers (R)

2023/8/3

26:44

Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd share You Are Not Alone, a story reminding us that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong.

This is a rebroadcast of an episode that originally aired on February 14, 2023.

The Common Language of Tea with Andrea Wang

2023/7/27

20:37

Andrea Wang shares Luli and the Language of Tea, a story that reminds us that when you're looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

Though they may speak different languages, kids from all over the world come together to enjoy the shared pastime of tea in this delicious book for young readers.

When five-year-old Luli joins her new English as a Second Language class, the playroom is quiet. Luli can't speak English, neither can anyone else. That's when she has a brilliant idea to host a tea party and bring them all together.

Luli removes her teapot, thermos, and teacups from her bag and calls out "Chá!" in her native Chinese. One by one, her classmates pipe up in recognition: in Russian, Hindi, Turkish, Persian, Arabic, and Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. Tea is a tasty language they all know well, and it gives them a chance to share and enjoy each other's company. When all the tea is gone and it's time for dessert, Luli gets to use her favorite English word, cookie! After that, the playroom isn't so quiet.

Informed by her own experience as the child of Chinese immigrant parents, Andrea Wang makes the point that when you're looking to communicate with people, you look for a common bond. The word for "tea" is similar in many languages, and tea becomes the unifying metaphor that brings a diverse group of children together. Additional material at the back of the book explores the rich and ancient history of tea drinking across cultures all around the world and contains maps, statistics, and fascinating details that will delight young readers.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(7:33) “I write the kind of stories I do to keep a connection to [my parents]. And it's sort of my way of keeping a conversation with them because they're no longer with us. I feel like I didn't really understand my parents until I was a grownup and what they had gone through in their childhoods in China. And so this is just my way of honoring them and writing about some of the things that we shared as I was growing up with them.”

(8:31) “It's really hard to give up everything you've ever known and move somewhere completely different, where you don't speak the language that well or at all.”

(13:45) “Just being respectful of people from different cultures is huge. Just instead of reacting with fear, but reacting with curiosity perhaps.”

(14:19) “We all have our own story that's going on from day to day. And then, when someone comes in or we're put into a new situation, we're suddenly thrust into the middle of someone else's story. I. We have to observe and react and figure out what's going on.”

(18:22) “Reach out and make a new friend. You might not think that they look like you or that you have anything in common, but if you just try a little bit, share some of yourself, like Luli shared some of herself and her culture, you might find that you actually have a lot in common.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Andrea Wang website - andreaywang.com

• Purchase the Book - Luli and the Language of Tea by Andrea Wang; illustrated by Hyewon Yum

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Have you ever had tea? What kind of tea did you have last? Were you drinking tea with someone else? Where were you? Try to bring back memories of why, what, when, where, and why in order to bring even more details to mind.

2. Have you ever welcomed a new student into your classroom? What words or actions did you share to help make that person feel more comfortable and welcomed? What things did you and your class do to get to know the new person better? 

3. What does it mean to belong? How does it feel to belong? What types of words or actions could you share with someone new in order to make them feel like they belong?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Our Differences Are a Good Thing with Tiffany Jewell

2023/7/20

21:25

Tiffany Jewell shares The Antiracist Kid, a book that teaches young children the words, language, and methods to recognize racism and injustice--and what to do when they encounter it at home, at school, and in the media they watch, play, and read.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: The Antiracist Kid: A Book about Identity, Justice, and Activism by Tiffany Jewell; illustrations by Nicole Miles

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Book Is Anti-Racist, Tiffany Jewell, with art by Eisner-nominated illustrator Nicole Miles, The Antiracist Kid is the essential illustrated guide to antiracism for empowering the young readers in your life!

What is racism? What is antiracism? Why are both important to learn about? In this book, systemic racism and the antiracist tools to fight it are easily accessible to young readers.

In three sections, this must-have guide explains:

Identity: What it is and how it applies to you

Justice: What it is, what racism has to do with it, and how to address injustice

Activism: A how-to with resources to be the best antiracist kid you can be

This book teaches young children the words, language, and methods to recognize racism and injustice--and what to do when they encounter it at home, at school, and in the media they watch, play, and read.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:07) “Anti-racism is making a choice to be active and resist racism.”

(6:58) “All of those questions have been questions that real kids have asked me over time, my own students, my own kids, kids I've come across, worked with my friend's kids. 

So, when I look at certain questions, I am picturing very specific people.”

(7:19) “It's a book I wanted in my classroom, but never had. I want it in my home. And now it can be.”

(10:53) “With my friends, we have similarities that brought us together. But then it's the things that make us different that keep our friendships going. Otherwise, I think we'd get bored with each other.”

(12:14) “Sometimes we don't feel like family, but we can be friends. And I think that's really important, too. And we don't even have to be friends. We just have to know that other people exist and we're not the same.”

(13:57) “All of the things that made us different, made us a whole community.”

(14:37) “The thing that makes us really special is we're all really different and we know how to be together and get along even though we're different.”

(15:31) “I love not just teaching kids new things, but I love when the adults have those a-ha moments, too.”

(19:22) “There's always some grownup who is there, ready to listen and redistribute some power. Cuz we got you and we trust you to move us along in a direction that is like more liberatory and anti-racist than where we are now.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Tiffany Jewell website - tiffanymjewell.com

• Purchase the Book - The Antiracist Kid: A Book about Identity, Justice, and Activism

• “Arkansas Gov. Sanders signs a law that makes it easier to employ children” (NPR; March 10, 2023; accessed July 19, 2023) - view article

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What are words that you use to describe yourself? What words, attributes, characteristics, interests, practices, and observations make up your identity? Which of these things are describers that someone might notice just from seeing you for the first time? Which are things that take time to know? Or may be things about yourself and your identity that you keep private from others?

2. What does justice look like? Can you think of any times when you have witnessed injustice, whether at school or on the news or in your community? What are ways that you might respond to these incidents of injustice? Who are people you could share with or work with in order to bring about positive change?

3. Tiffany shared that this book was formed around many, many questions she received from readers and students. What question(s) do you have about identity, justice, activism, and/or antiracism?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

When That Flag Flies with Tameka Fryer Brown

2023/7/13

21:42

Tameka Fryer Brown shares That Flag, an affecting picture book that challenges the meaning behind the still-waving Confederate flag through the friendship of two young girls who live across the street from each other.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: That Flag by Tameka Fryer Brown; illustrated by Nikkolas Smith

An affecting picture book from Tameka Fryer Brown and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Nikkolas Smith (The 1619 Project: Born on the Water) that challenges the meaning behind the still-waving Confederate flag through the friendship of two young girls who live across the street from each other.

Bianca is Keira's best friend. At school, they are inseparable. But Keira questions their friendship when she learns more about the meaning of the Confederate flag hanging from Bianca's front porch. Will the two friends be able to overlook their distinct understandings of the flag? Or will they reckon with the flag's effect on yesterday and today?

In That Flag, Tameka Fryer Brown and Nikkolas Smith graciously tackle the issues of racism, the value of friendship, and the importance of understanding history so that we move forward together in a thought-provoking, stirring, yet ultimately tender tale.

A perfect conversation starter for the older and younger generations alike, this book includes back matter on the history of the Confederate flag and notes from the creators.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:51) “They started a civil war to protect their ability to own Black people. And throughout the course of the war, they adopted a particular battle flag. And that's the version that most of us know as the Confederate flag today.” 

(7:28) “All of that is a part of a system called white supremacy. And the Confederate flag, unfortunately, is still the go-to flag for white supremacists today. You know, they use it whenever they want to intimidate people of color, especially Black people.”

(8:24) “I think that a lot of times people either don't understand that impact that a thing has on someone else, or sometimes, unfortunately, they don't care, or sometimes they don't care to learn and understand. And I think the center of it all is selfishness or self concern or self-centeredness.”

(10:11) “The Confederate flag is a symbol best saved for museums and history books and not public celebration.”

(12:12) “When you disagree with someone you love and care about, about something that really matters to you, it's going to hurt.”

(12:41) “We all have been guilty of hurting other people as much as we've been hurt.”

(14:32) “It takes a willingness to admit that what you may have done that impacted the other person was indeed harmful. And a heart to apologize sincerely. And then a willingness again to do the hard work, you know, for however long it might take, in an effort to build up that trust and hopefully that closeness again, or at least some level of closeness.”

(17:59) “I have the hope that with understanding and with knowledge and with the sharing of truth and holistic history, that change within people is possible.”

(19:34) “Never be afraid of the truth, knowing it, understanding it, embracing it, all of it. That's what makes us better people.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Tameka Fryer Brown website - TamekaFryerBrown.com

• Purchase the Book - That Flag

• Educator Guide for That Flag - download file

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What are some of the flags you have noticed in your community? What meaning does each flag hold or represent? Is this a flag that you’ve seen in lots of places? Or maybe at just this one place? What might this flag tell us about the person displaying it? Or what do you think the person displaying it is trying to say?

2. Have you ever been in a disagreement with a classmate, friend, or family member? Was the harm repaired in any way after the disagreement? If so, how did you both repair harm so that you could move forward together? What did that look and feel like?

3. Is it ever okay to display a symbol or slogan that offends or upsets someone else? When might it be okay to use such a symbol or slogan to communicate your beliefs? When might displaying that symbol or slogan be harmful to others?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Strawberry Teachings with Jenny Kay Dupuis

2023/7/4

23:38

Jenny Kay Dupuis shares Heart Berry Bling, a story incorporating the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act into an intimate conversation between grandparent and child.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Heart Berry Bling by Jenny Kay Dupuis; illustrated by Eva Campbell.

On a visit to her granny, Maggie is excited to begin her first-ever beading project: a pair of strawberry earrings. However, beading is much harder than she expected! As they work side by side, Granny shares how beading helped her persevere and stay connected to her Anishinaabe culture when she lost her Indian status, forcing her out of her home community--all because she married someone without status, something the men of her community could do freely.

As she learns about patience and perseverance from her granny's teachings, Maggie discovers that beading is a journey, and like every journey, it's easier with a loved one at her side.

In this beautifully illustrated book, children learn about the tradition of Anishinaabe beadwork, strawberry teachings, and gender discrimination in the Indian Act.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:48) “To me it's been such an important art form for me to be able to find strength within myself and also to find joy.”

(6:42) “[Powwow bling has] become this cultural expression that we have in communities, but it's mixed often with, you might see the glass beads, but it's mixed with crystals and rhinestones and maybe some pieces of metal or metal work, and it just shines. It shines so, so brilliantly. It's quite beautiful and it's very, very attractive. And especially when you see it on the dancers when they're competing, it's a beautiful sight.” 

(7:32) “The story really was written to educate everybody about, sort of, a period of history that really hasn't been talked about amongst young people. And it was created for those young people who are struggling when it comes to finding their culture and their identity, and also their community, which they may feel that they're not really part of, for various reasons, could have been torn from them for various reasons as well, too”. 

(8:52) “I really wanted to bring this story to life, to speak for people to see the importance of what happens when a culture and a community when there's loss. I thought it was so, so important. But also what happens, too, when a family sits and works together to reclaim that history or to bring back those history and those cultures and how much joy that can bring.”

(10:32) “[The Indian Act] impacted a lot of First Nations women and a lot of children as well, too. So, you know, for many generations when you look at it, if you were a First Nations woman and you married somebody who was not First Nations, you lost your rights, you lost your status, and you often had to leave your community as well, too.”

(13:26) “This particular what we call gender discrimination in the Indian Act, or this law, had a lot of impact on women and children in our communities. And it still does even today, over time.”

(15:26) “I think we can really draw on those teachings to think about how we can look towards caring for ourselves and also others when we're struggling, whatever that is.” 

(20:37) “There's a lot that really goes into when you're creating a book. It's not just writing the words of a story, but it's how do you illustrate it to make it really come to life. And this was so, so important as a tribute to, to my family and, and to our histories as well, too.”

(21:44) “Take time to find joy in everyday life and take time to find strength as well too.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Jenny Kay Dupuis website - jennykaydupuis.com

• Purchase the Book - Heart Berry Bling

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Have you ever met your grandparents? If so, are there any special just-with-grandma or grandpa things you like to do? How does being with your grandparent make you feel? Next time you are with your grandparent (or your grownup) ask them about what their childhood was like and see if you’re able to make a connection to one of their memories.

2. Of the strawberry teachings (truth, love, respect, trust, acceptance, peace, hope), is there one you see reflected in your actions or in the actions of the people in your life? In what ways can the strawberry plant help remind you of these teachings?

3. Think of a location outside of your home that is special to you. Name as many details about this location as you can. When you picture it in your mind, what do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? What do you smell? Are there taste things that come to mind when you think of this place? Using these skills to reconstruct a vivid image of a place is similar to what authors and illustrators do to bring their readers into a setting or location.

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

The Power to Believe with Jackie Azúa Kramer, Jonah Kramer, and Zach Manbeck

2023/6/27

26:01

Jackie Azúa Kramer, Jonah Kramer, and Zach Manbeck share Manolo & the Unicorn, a story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary--unicorns and oneself.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Manolo & the Unicorn by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer, illustrated by Zach Manbeck

To Manolo the world is a magical place--a place where he searches for the most magical creature of all: a unicorn. Manolo loves unicorns. When the Wild Animal Parade is announced at school, and Manolo declares that he will come as his favorite animal, his classmates say there is no such thing as unicorns, making the world feel ordinary. That is, until Manolo meets a real unicorn--wild and graceful--and discovers that the world is truly extraordinary.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(9:20) “The two of us started to think, “What if instead of the crayon, a boy is teased because he believes in unicorns.” Now, we had a story with a foundation that touched on themes of gender stereotypes and gender identity.”

(10:21) “But we really don't have to look or think that hard. There really is magic all around us, especially in nature. We just have to stop to take a look and see it.”

(10:40) “He has this ability to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, and what greater gift is there than that? Which is why I think it's so important to nurture and encourage kids to use their imagination and encourage everyone, you know, imagination really has no age.”

(11:45) “Color can tell a story, just like words can.” 

(13:51) “There he is, having had the most incredible experience with the unicorns, and yet he is staring out at that morning star and he's thinking of home. You know, like the classic Wizard of Oz line, “There's no place like home”. And even more important is that he wants to go home and share the magic with everyone, even after he was teased. And that says a lot about Manolo as a person. And that's why the unicorn appears to him, because he is pure of heart.”

(16:50) “When we saw the illustrations that Zach came up with, I was kind of blown away because he found a way to show the unicorn hidden, but in and of nature, like the unicorn is a part of the natural world that Manolo is in, which is such a, a central theme in the book.”

(18:47) “Growing up, I often felt intentionally excluded from the group because of my interests. I suppose that's why I relate to Manolo so much. I love the ending because it reminded me of what a younger version of myself needed from my classmates. I'm so happy that Manolo got his happy ending because honestly, for me, it was healing in a way.”

(20:32) “Take a deep breath and give yourself a hug.” 

(23:20) “If there is something that you love to do, I promise you it will bring you so much joy and you never know where your passions can take you.”

(23:34) “In a room full of people who tell you that unicorns don't exist, don't be afraid to be the only one who's brave enough to believe. I still believe and I'm proud of it.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Jackie Azúa Kramer website - jackieazuakramer.com 

• Jonah Kramer website - jonahkramer.com

• Zach Manbeck website - zachmanbeck.com

• Purchase the Book - Manolo & the Unicorn

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What animal would you honor in costume in the Wild Animal Parade? What thoughts or ideas led to your decision?

2. Do you believe in unicorns? Does something have to be real in order to believe in it? How can believing in something connect you to others?

3. Think of a time when you shared something new about yourself to someone? How did that experience feel? What are some ways we can make others feel loved and welcomed when they share something new with us?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Strong and True with Eric Rosswood

2023/6/20

19:38

Eric Rosswood shares Strong, a picture book biography co-authored with Rob Kearney and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani. Strong is a fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Strong by Rob Kearney and Eric Rosswood; illustrated by Nidhi Chanani

A Stonewall Honor Book!

Strong is a fresh, charming picture book that shows there are lots of ways to be STRONG.

Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks -- and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can't fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?

With bold illustrations and an engaging, informative text, Strong introduces readers to Rob Kearney and his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world's first openly gay professional strongman.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(6:12) “There's a lot of ways we can be strong. And there are a lot of different places we can pull our strength from, and get our strength.”

(9:04) “And for me, growing up as a kid, in high school I was always last picked for sports. I was openly gay in high school. And I think that that came with a lot of people believing that I wouldn't be good at sports. I wouldn't be strong. And because of that it was like I didn't have that place. So I never put myself forward in that place.”

(13:35) “We can all be strong in our own ways, but sometimes we can help other people be strong just by being there for them and helping them through their own challenges.”

(14:46) “We also need to see real life people as role models being open about who they are and thriving in life.”

(15:30) “We don't know we can do something because we've never seen it done before. We don't know openly queer people can do things if we've never seen them do those things before.”

(15:43) “Having those role models in literature for kids to see is very important. One, for those kids who are LGBTQ themselves. They can see that and they can strive to those goals. But also for people who are not part of the LGBTQ community, they can see queer people doing things as well, and I think that can help break a lot of stereotypes.”

(17:04) “I think just that we're all strong in our own unique ways. We all get our strength from different areas. And sometimes it may feel like we're not strong, but I think it's important to remember that when we stick to remembering who we are and being true to yourself, you are strong and you can do anything as long as you stay true to yourself.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Eric Rosswood website - ericrosswood.com

• Rob Kearney, first openly gay Pro ‘Strongman,’ on personal challenges and victories - Nightline (ABC News)

• Purchase the Book - Strong

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. How do you define “strong”? Who is someone in your life (yourself included) that you consider strong? How would you describe how strength looks in this person?

2. Do you have any outfits or pieces of clothing that make you feel more like yourself? What do these items look like? Why do you think they’re special to you?

3. What is something you hope to accomplish at some point in your life? Has anyone ever accomplished this before? What steps can you take to help lead you to your goal?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

You Can Be You with Lesléa Newman and Maya Gonzalez

2023/6/13

28:24

Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez share I Can Be... Me!, a joyful picture book celebration of individuality, uniqueness, and children's freedom to express themselves while engaging in whatever kinds of play they choose.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: I Can Be... Me! by Lesléa Newman and Maya Christina Gonzalez

From bestselling author Lesléa Newman -- a joyful picture book celebration of individuality, uniqueness, and children's freedom to express themselves while engaging in whatever kinds of play they choose.

I can be everything I want to be,
I can be all of magnificent me!

In this lighthearted story, a group of six, colorfully clad children exuberantly explore -- through play -- the many ways they can be themselves. They are free to embrace all kinds of activities, reveling in the fun of trying new things and discovering new ways of being. They can shoot baskets, dance around a room, weave ribbons through their hair, swim like a mermaid, and more. There is no right way or wrong way. There are no binary expectations. Children explore their individuality through whatever kinds of play appeal to them.

With lively, gender-neutral rhyming verses and fun, gender-bending images, author Lesléa Newman and illustrator Maya Christina Gonzalez invite young readers into a space where creativity and acceptance are enjoyed by all, and where each child will be inspired to say, "I can be... me!"

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(10:42) “I there's something you love, like Maya was talking about how much she loves art, if you love sports, if you love dance, if you love cooking, whatever it is, you can do that your whole life. And it can be a really good friend to you, whether it becomes your profession or not. But if you love something, it's great to just explore that forever.” 

(12:28) “If you had nothing to conform to and nothing to rebel against, who would you be?” Right? So if you take all those expectations away and just let your true north, I'll say again, or your authentic self emerge, who would that person be?”

(13:08) “The kids that don't fit in, the kids that are, you know, they're kind of non-conforming in multiple ways. Those are the ones that are always drawn to me and I'm always drawn to as well. And so those are the ones that stay caught in my memory.”

(14:04) “The space of the book, too, is a place where you can also release those and you can just like grow into whatever feels right to you from that deeper, authentic, more nature-based place.”

(15:23) “I always want my books to almost feel like an ongoing mural. And a lot of times my art is compared to murals because I think of that vibe.”

(20:24) “When I started seeing myself as an adult, as a part of that diversity, as a part of that power of nature, I started feeling really good. I started feeling like I belong, like this is my world. Like the woods are mine. Like the sky is mine. And that's what I want my kid to have.”

(23:15) “I just learned to assert myself and to become myself, even if it meant dis pleasing people who I really loved and who, whose approval I sought. But it was just not worth the price of not being myself.” 

(25:14) “Each of them is special and important and has a place in this world and the entire world would be incomplete without any one of them in it.”

(25:27) “If there's something that they think they're not supposed to do in the world, like a way that they're not supposed to behave, something, they're not supposed to wear something, they're not supposed to like to kind of press into that and be like, “Oh, you know what? I'm not gonna buy this, this lie this time. I'm gonna actually press into this and I'm going to play with whatever this toy is that I'm not allowed this outfit, this idea, this color.” 

And, and then tie that big back into what Lesléa was saying, is that that thing, doing that thing and listening to that part of theirself is actually nature flowing through them and reminding all of us, right, that they're part of infinity and they belong. And that, like Lesléa said, we cannot be whole without them. So, do that thing. Press in. See where you go. Cuz that's just gonna bring all of us into this greater flow of nature.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Lesléa Newman website - lesleakids.com

• Maya Christina Gonzalez website - mayagonzalez.com 

• Reflection Press website - reflectionpress.com

• Purchase the Book - I Can Be... Me!

• I Can Be…Me! Teacher Guide

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Describe yourself using “I am…” statements. What do you notice about the things you shared? Have your grownup share a few of their own “I am…” statements. Where there any connections? 

2. Have you ever thought about what you might do (or continue to do) as you grow up? What role or occupation might be a good fit for you, based on what you are thinking about today?

3. What are ways that you can help others be the person they want to be, today and in the future? How can you offer support? Or, how might you yourself ask for support from others?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

The Importance of Juneteenth with Kim Taylor

2023/6/6

28:00

Kim Taylor shares A Flag for Juneteenth, a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor

Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.

On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, General Gordon Granger of the Union Army delivered the message that African Americans in Texas were free. Since then, Juneteenth, as the day has come to be known, has steadily gained recognition throughout the United States. ln 2020,a powerful wave of protests and demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality brought new awareness to the significance of the holiday.

A Flag for Juneteenth depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a plantation in Texas, the day before the announcement is to be made that all enslaved people are free. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can’t possibly anticipate how much her life will change that Juneteenth morning. The story follows Huldah and her community as they process the news of their freedom and celebrate together by creating a community freedom flag.  

Debut author and artist Kim Taylor sets this story apart by applying her skills as an expert quilter. Each of the illustrations has been lovingly hand sewn and quilted, giving the book a homespun, tactile quality that is altogether unique. 

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(12:19) “So I wrote a little story just really to help young people, students, and some adults know a little bit more about the history of Juneteenth. But it wasn't a book idea yet. It was really just sort of a story to help me explain my quilts.”

(14:22) “When I was a little girl, I was an avid reader. I mean, really, literally everything I could get my, anything I could get my hands on. I love to read. But I also recognize that while I was reading, I was taken to so many amazing places and I was able to use my imagination and ama, um, guess what the characters look like and you know, really see them.”

(15:42) “One of the things I wanted my readers to do was to connect deeply with the characters. I wanted them to care about the characters. But more than anything else, I wanted them to see themselves in the characters.”

(18:52) “Sometimes when we talk about the time of enslavement, we think about a group of people having a shared collective experience, which is true, but we failed to look at the individuals in that story.”

(20:06) “I wasn't just writing about a time, I was writing about people.”

(21:22) “They had families and they tried really hard to make sure they connected with their families. And it wasn't always easy to do that outside of their labor. And they didn't have a lot of time, a lot of free time to be with their families, but they worked really hard to figure out how to do that.”

(24:48) “I'd like for you to make this promise to yourself that you will always remember that Black history is American history and that we are all very important and that that time in history is important, just like any other time in history. It's really important to be always curious and always wanna learn more.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Kim Taylor Website - MaterialGirlStoryQuilts.com

• Purchase the Book - A Flag for Juneteenth

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What is Juneteenth? What two words are combined together to make the name of the holiday? What celebration does Juneteenth seek to preserve?

2. Kim Taylor talks about intentionally leaving off the faces of her characters in her quilts as an opportunity for readers to see themselves in a book. Can you recall an experience of connecting to a book character so closely it felt as if you were being seen? What book were you reading? Over what experience or quality or characteristic did you connect?

3. Kim is not only an expert quilter, she uses the medium to tell stories. Explore some of the quilts on Kim’s portfolio page and consider what stories she is telling through her craft.

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Rest Stop

2023/5/22

03:14

Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew.

And, in lieu of a new episode today, I am pulling off to a rest stop.

When I was a kid, my parents took us on lots and lots of road trips. My younger brother, baby sister, and I would pile into the family station wagon, hitch the pop-up camper, and away we went. 

Disney World. Niagara Falls. Kittyhawk. Williamsburg. Dearborn. Sandusky. Rehoboth. 

We would drive and drive and drive from our home in central Pennsylvania, and, without fail, one of us kids would drink too much Hawaiian Punch and need to pull over. And because we were often traveling on highways, the easiest place to stop was at a rest stop. My mom would task one of us with carrying the cooler to a nearby picnic bench and we’d fill our tummies with lunch meat sandwiches, sliced apples, and Teddy Grahams. After an impromptu game of tag or frisbee or Disney Yahtzee, we’d visit the restroom one more time, and then pile back into the car for another several hours down the highway.

It is an absolute joy for me to serve as your kidlit librarian podcaster, but I find myself in need of pulling over to a rest stop so that I can stretch my legs, regain my energy, take care of some things that need my attention, and then return rested and ready.

This will mean no new episodes for now. I’ve got lots and lots of great interviews recorded, but you’ll just hear them a few weeks later than originally planned. 

In the meantime, I hope you’re taking care of yourself, too.

The school year is winding down. You and your family are transitioning into summer. And maybe you even have a few changes or happenings on the horizon that you’re thinking about. 

I’m rooting for you. And I can’t wait to reconnect over a great book soon.

Take good care.

And read some great books.

Bye bye, readers. See you soon.

Aloha Everything with Kaylin Melia George

2023/5/16

20:07

Kaylin Melia George shares Aloha Everything, a story celebrating a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George and Mae Waite 

In this exciting adventure, you'll encounter mighty canoes crashing over ocean waves, royal hawks soaring high above the clouds, and brilliant lizard creatures jumping nimbly through forest trees! Most importantly, you'll meet a courageous young girl named Ano who learns, grows, and comes to love her island home with all her heart.

Since the day that Ano was born, her heart has been connected to her home. But, this adventurous child has a lot to learn! When Ano begins to dance hula — a storytelling dance from which carries the knowledge, history, and folklore of the Hawaiian people — Ano comes to understand the true meaning of aloha.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(4:46) “The word aloha has a lot of different meanings and it primarily, for me, the way that I kind of root myself in it, the way that I think about it, means love. But aloha can also mean hello. It can mean goodbye. It can mean affection. It can mean a kind of caring or respect. And I like to think of it as when you say hello or goodbye to someone, you're greeting them with love and you're saying goodbye to them with love. That's the way that I like to think of it.” 

(6:08) “‘Aloha everything’ is really a reminder to ourselves to give love, care, respect, and appreciation to everything and everyone around us.”

(7:32) “It is first and foremost a form of storytelling. And through the hula, through the dance form, through the stories that are told, it is a way that the Hawaiian people pass on from generation to generation, information. Information, wisdom, knowledge, stories, folklore, genealogies. 

(14:22) “It's remarkable to me the things that I learned, not only about the islands, not only about the history of the Hawaiian people, but also about my own family and about myself throughout the creation of this book.”

(16:00) “All should remember from time to time the importance of aloha everything, the importance of giving love and care and respect to everything and everyone around us. And that also includes ourselves giving love to yourself and self-love and self-care and self-respect. 

And I think that that's something that I've learned a lot through the course of this process and something that I would love for every child to feel.  I hope that we can all remember to aloha everything. Aloha our friends, our family, our earth, our plants and animals, and also ourselves.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Aloha Everything Website - www.mythify.com/aloha-everything

• Purchase the Book - Aloha Everything

• Hula Preservation Society - website

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Kaylin shared that ‘aloha’ and, specifically, to ‘aloha everything’ is to give love, care, respect, and appreciation to everything and everyone around us. What are some of the things that come to mind for which you give love and thanks?

2. Hula is a form of storytelling through dance. In fact, hulu is a way that the Hawaiian people pass on from generation to generation, information. Information, wisdom, knowledge, stories, folklore, genealogies. What are ways that your family has passed down information from one generation to the next?

3. What are some ways that you can show love, care, respect, and appreciation for the people and the living things in your life?What might that look like if you were to share with someone who is near you right now?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

All of Life Makes More with Katherine Roy

2023/5/9

23:40

Katherine Roy shares Making More: How Life Begins, distilling the science of reproduction into its simplest components and highlighting the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from ferns and butterflies to trout, hawks, rabbits, and more.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Making More: How Life Begins by Katherine Roy

Page Length: 72 pages

Ages 9 to 12, Grades 4 to 7

From fish to mammals and plants to insects, every organism on Earth must reproduce, and the survival of each species--and of life itself--depends on this and on the diversity it creates. In this groundbreaking book, Katherine Roy distills the science of reproduction into its simplest components: organisms must meet, merge their DNA, and grow new individuals; and she thoughtfully highlights the astonishing variety of this process with examples from across the natural world, from ferns and butterflies to trout, hawks, rabbits, and more.

Lucid, informed, and illuminated by beautiful paintings, Making More weaves a story that seamlessly explains life's most fundamental process, answers children's questions, and provides an essential tool for parents, caregivers, and educators.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:01) “Over time you can get variation through a population and life can change, which gives us biodiversity on our planet, which I absolutely love because we live in a gorgeous planet, um, a beautiful world. And I love looking at life through this lens of thinking about the system of genes and inheritance and how we are all connected. And that makes me feel really alive.”

(7:32) “It's all connected. Every living thing has parents and every cell in our body, every living organism has this story written into itself that go back and back in time to the earliest life on earth.”

(8:51) “What is it that kids wanna know?

These are geography questions. How does the baby get out? How did the egg get in? Like, that's a location question. That's a transportation question, right? I can answer this. There's nothing wrong with this.”

(12:52) “I think people get funny when kids ask a question about how a baby gets out of its mom. Right? And I don't think there's anything wrong with that question, and I don't ever want a kid to feel like they asked a bad question, because that's a great question and it deserves an answer. And I want kids to feel like they can come to their trusted adult, or their teacher or their parent and ask this question and not be turned away.”

(14:10) “I just wanted to give kids a chance to ask these questions and to get answers from a safe and trusted source. And I've done my absolute best to make the information as beautiful and accurate as possible so that kids can have an understanding of how this process works without somebody getting funny on them.” 

(19:23) “You know, this book was set in a forest ecosystem because that's where I live, but you live in a different place and maybe a book needs to be written about your habitat and what's making more near you, and it's just a totally different way to look at where you live. So I hope that you go out and enjoy your backyard, your neighborhood, and just have a whole new way to look at it.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Katherine Roy Website - www.katherineroy.com

• Purchase the Book - Making More: How Life Begins

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Why do living things make more? What is a benefit to creating more of something that shares your same genes?

2. Do you think it’s hard to talk about the subject of making more? What about the topic of making more do you think makes some people uncomfortable?

3. Katherine Roy shared that all living things are first developed in one of three different kinds of ponds. Can you remember what this pond is like for fish? What about for reptiles and birds? For mammals?

4. What was a term or fact you learned from this episode that you found interesting or might want to share with someone else?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

What It Feels Like To Be American with Darshana Khiani

2023/5/2

25:54

Darshana Khiani shares I'm an American, a beautifully depicted, thought-provoking look at the many ways we define what it means to be an American.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated by Laura Freeman

Page Length: 48 pages

Ages 4to 8, Grades P to 3

I'm an American by Darshana Khiani; illustrated by Laura Freeman

What does it mean to be American?

A classroom of children across many races, cultures, and origins explores the concept of Americanness as they each share bits of their family history and how their past has shaped their own personal American experience. Whether as new immigrants, or those whose family came to this country generations ago, or other scenarios, these children's stories show some of the broad range of cultures and values that form the history and identity of our nation.

A beautifully depicted, thought-provoking look at the vast expanse of cultures that exists in America, the values that bring us together as one people despite our differences, and the many ways we define what it means to be an American.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(7:01) “This book, honestly, I think it's for ages eight to a hundred. I think it's a conversation starter. What does it mean to be an American?”

(8:32) “There's a term that I learned and I hope we hear it more in the media. It's called “representational belonging”. And it's about when you see yourself in history, it makes you feel that, “Oh my God, I'm an American, too. I belong here.” Right? “I'm not just that immigrant or part of that immigrant family that came post 1965.”

(8:59) “I'm hoping it can open up discussion about what are the challenges we have of living up to our American values, cause we certainly have plenty. And where have we succeeded as a nation and where do we still have work to do?” 

(11:23) “And I also wonder if it's the fear of the unknown, right? Because we understand ourselves and so if we see people talking and we don't understand what they're saying, then, you know, we might worry, “Oh, are they talking about us? What do they think about?” You know, it's just that fear of the unknown.”

(12:29) “Being in the writing world has allowed me to diversify and to learn. I've learned about so much about other cultures by being a writer because I just have the ability to come into contact with more people. So, I personally am grateful of how it has changed my life by being a writer.

(13:27) “I'm hoping now we're at a time where we can really broaden our definition of American. Obviously, we can't get away from the colonial history and our foundings, but I think as we talk about the other groups  and their achievements during those times, which were, you know, in the 1800s or in the early 1900s where there's just so much focus on white history. And if we talk about the accomplishments and the contributions of these other people, I think that will then help ingrain into kids from an early time that America was diverse from the beginning.”

(22:01) “No group of people, you know, ethnicity or religion or class, is a monolith. And to truly learn about anyone, you have to dig deeper. So like, if you see something that's interesting, don't assume that that represents the kid next to you that might be from that culture, because it may, but most likely it may not. 

So it's always best to go into a conversation about something with an open mind and rather than assumption.” 

(21:08) “No matter your skin color, religion, ethnicity, or even your citizenship, if you feel America is your home, then you are American. And for those of you who have a stronger connection to another country and don't consider yourself American, that's okay too. You still belong and are welcome here.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Darshana Khiani Website - darshanakhiani.com
• South Asian Kidlit Newsletter - darshanakhiani.com/southasiankidlit
• Purchase the Book - I'm an American
• Educator’s Guide (discussion questions and extension activities)
• Fold n’ Share Craft Activity – make an origami fortune teller
  
  

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Who do you consider an American? What qualities, characteristics, or qualifications do you think one must possess in order to be considered an American?

2. What is a part of your identity for which you feel pride? This could be literally anything from the place where you live to a skill you have or an identifying feature. Anything at all. What makes you proud about this part of yourself? Is it something you’ve shared with others?

3. What does it feel like to share something about your identity with someone who is different from you? Have you ever felt like a part of your identity has kept you out of being included? If so, in what way? Have you ever felt like a part of your identity was the very reason for being included? If so, what was that experience like for you?

4. Name three ways that our differences can actually make us stronger together. 

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Padma Venkatraman shares a Poem About Catnaps

2023/4/30

04:33

Padma Venkatraman, contributor to Things We Do, edited by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, shares a poem for Poetry Month.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Padma Venkatraman website - padmavenkatraman.com

• Purchase the book - Things We Do

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Sally J. Pla Shares a Poem About Speaking Up

2023/4/29

03:56

Sally J. Pla, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Sally J. Pla website - sallyjpla.com

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

Rajani LaRocca Shares a Poem About Insecurities and About Protection

2023/4/28

04:18

Rajani LaRocca, author of Mirror to Mirror, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Rajani LaRocca website - www.rajanilarocca.com

• Purchase the book - Mirror to Mirror

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

JaNay Brown-Wood Shares a Poem About the Power to Make a Change

2023/4/27

03:56

JaNay Brown-Wood, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• JaNay Brown-Wood website - www.janaybrownwood.com

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Thushanthi Ponweera Shares a Poem About Feeling Beautiful

2023/4/26

03:38

Thushanthi Ponweera, author of I Am Kavi, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Thushanthi Ponweera website - www.thushanthiponweera.com

• Purchase the book - I Am Kavi

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

A Kids Book About (Friends of the Children’s Book Podcast)

2023/4/25

20:25

Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew.

I am a teacher, a librarian, and a fan of kids. And, honestly? I’m angry. 

I’m angry about guns and about gun violence and I’m angry most of all that so many of these incidents involve young people, kids. And specifically, young Black kids and other kids of color.

These incidents can be prevented. They can be stopped. And yet we see them on the rise in America, happening more and more, year after year.  

Today, and for the past several days, the name on my mind and on my heart is Ralph Yarl from Kansas City, Missouri. 

Maybe your grownups already talked to you about this incident. Maybe your friends at school were talking about it. Maybe you’re hearing about it here for the first time. If you have questions, I encourage you to reach out to your grownup. They might not yet have the just-right words to say, but it’s important they know that you’re thinking about it. 

I’d like to use our time together today to share an episode of A Kids Book About: The Podcast. This was the show I used to work on when I worked at A Kids Co. in 2021 and 2022. The episode I’d like to share is “Jelani Talks About Racism”, because what happened to Ralph Yarl and what’s been happening to young Black and brown kids is about gun violence, but it’s also about racism. And I want to make sure that this is a word you know and understand.

The show is not currently producing episodes, but you can find the archive of over 50 episodes on a whole range of tough and relevant topics by searching for the show wherever you find podcasts. 

So, from my voice to my voice, I hope you enjoy this episode. I hope the conversation connects with you. I hope this can serve you and the people in your life. And I hope that you, dear listener, can know that you are loved and you are beautiful and that your voice matters. It does. 

Here we go. “Jelani Talks About Racism” on A Kids Book About: The Podcast.

Heidi Stemple Shares a Poem About Solar Power

2023/4/24

03:51

Heidi Stemple, contributor to No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Heidi E. Y. Stemple website - www.heidieystemple.com

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Laura Shovan Shares a Poem About How Overwhelming Feelings Can Be

2023/4/23

03:55

Laura Shovan, author of Welcome to Monsterville, illustrated by Michael Rothenberg, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Laura Shovan website - laurashovan.com

• Purchase the book - Welcome to Monsterville

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Charles Waters Shares a Poem About Forgiving Ourselves

2023/4/22

04:12

Charles Waters, co-author of Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Charles Waters website - www.charleswaterspoetry.com

• Purchase the book - Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Meg Eden Kuyatt Shares a Poem About Being Overwhelmed with Emotion

2023/4/21

03:41

Meg Eden Kuyatt, author of Good Different, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Meg Eden Kuyatt website - www.megedenbooks.com

• Purchase the book - Good Different

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Lyn Miller-Lachmann Shares a Poem About the Pain of Leaving Someone Behind

2023/4/20

04:06

Lyn Miller-Lachmann, co-author of Moonwalking, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Lyn Miller-Lachmann website - lynmillerlachmann.com

• Purchase the book - Moonwalking

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Teresa Robeson Shares a Poem About a Bio Bus

2023/4/19

03:51

Teresa Robeson, author and contributor on No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Teresa Robeson website - www.teresarobeson.com

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Kids Ask Authors (Friends of the Children’s Book Podcast)

2023/4/18

12:21

Welcome to the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew.

I am a teacher, a librarian, and a fan of kids. And today I want to introduce you to a podcast where kids ask authors their burning questions about books and how they’re made. The show is hosted by my friend Grace. She’s an author, an illustrator, a podcaster, a reader, and, of course, a fan of kids, too!

Kids Ask Authors (subscribe here!) is  a weekly 5-10 minute podcast where children’s book author/illustrator Grace Lin and a guest author answer one question from a child reader.  Most episodes end with a book review, poem, short story or a joke by kids! It’s a terrific show for student writers and those helping them on their journey!

The episode we’re sharing today is with author and illustrator Remy Lai, whose books include Pie in the Sky, a New York Public Library Best Book of the Year, and Pawcasso, a New York Public Library and Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year! Clearly, readers of all ages and librarians alike are big, big fans of Remy's books. Remy answers the question, “What takes longer: writing the story or doing the pictures?”

I cannot wait for you to hear Remy’s answer! 

Let’s not waste another minute! Enjoy! And don’t forget to follow or subscribe to Kids Ask Authors wherever you get your podcasts!

Suzy Levinson Shares a Poem About Animals in Pants

2023/4/17

02:37

Suzy Levinson, author of Animals in Pants, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Suzy Levinson website - suzylevinson.com

• Purchase the book - Animals in Pants

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Reem Faruqi Shares a Poem About Taking Something That Doesn’t Belong to You

2023/4/15

03:34

Reem Faruqi, author of Golden Girl, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Reem Faruqi website - reemfaruqi.com

• Purchase the book - Golden Girl

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Chris Baron Shares a Poem About Shyness

2023/4/14

03:02

Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Chris Baron website - www.chris-baron.com

• Purchase the book - The Magical Imperfect

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Irene Latham Shares a Poem About a Cat Inspired by a Work of Art

2023/4/13

03:26

Irene Latham, author of A Poem is a Nest, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Irene Latham website - www.irenelatham.com

• ArtSpeak project - www.irenelatham.com/artspeak.html 

• Purchase the book - A Poem is a Nest

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Andrea J. Loney Shares a Poem About Activism in Response to Gun Violence

2023/4/12

04:33

Andrea J. Loney, contributor on No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Andrea J. Loney website - andreajloney.com

• Purchase the book - No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

The Book Club for Kids (Friends of the Children’s Book Podcast)

2023/4/11

24:57

Today I want to introduce you to a podcast where middle grade readers talk about books. And to a friend of mine named Kitty. She’s a journalist, podcaster, reader, and, of course, a fan of kids, too!

The Book Club for Kids is the place where young readers meet to talk about books. The show includes a celebrity reader and an interview with the author. The host is award winning public radio journalist Kitty Felde. Book Club won the California Library Association Technology Award and the DC Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Humanities. And get this… this podcast was named one of the top 10 podcasts for kids by THE TIMES of London.

The episode we’re sharing today is with author and Prinz Honor winner Lisa Fipps. She wrote an exceptional novel in verse called Starfish. If you’ve been listening to the pod this week, you heard her read a poem from Starfish called “Lucky Dog.”

Well… if you’re new to the Book Club for Kids, you are in for a treat! 

Let’s not waste another minute! Enjoy! And don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the Book Club for Kids wherever you get your podcasts!

Lisa Fipps Shares a Poem About Food and Body Acceptance

2023/4/10

04:07

Lisa Fipps, author of Starfish, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Lisa Fipps website - authorlisafipps.com/about

• Purchase the book - Starfish

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Robert Schechter Shares a Silly Poem About a Horse

2023/4/8

03:12

Robert Schechter, author of The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Robert Schechter website - https://www.bobschechter.com/

• Purchase the book - The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Vanessa Brantley Newton Shares a Poem About Self-Love

2023/4/7

02:25

Vanessa Brantley Newton, author and illustrator of Just Like Me, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Vanessa Brantley Newton website - https://www.vanessabrantleynewton.com/

• Purchase the book - Just Like Me

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Lindsay Metcalf Shares a Poem About Composting

2023/4/6

03:58

Lindsay Metcalf, co-editor of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Lindsay Metcalf website - https://lindsayhmetcalf.com/

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Keila Dawson Shares a Poem About Earth

2023/4/5

03:23

Keila Dawson, co-editor of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, shares a poem for Poetry Month. 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Keila Dawson website - https://www.keiladawson.com/

• Purchase the book - No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Filling in What is Missing with Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki

2023/4/4

31:06

Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki share Seen and Unseen, an important work of nonfiction featuring powerful images of the Japanese American incarceration captured by three photographers--Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams--along with firsthand accounts of this grave moment in history.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki

Page Length: 132 pages

Ages 10 to 14, Grades 5 to 9

This important work of nonfiction features powerful images of the Japanese American incarceration captured by three photographers--Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams--along with firsthand accounts of this grave moment in history.

Three months after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the incarceration of all Japanese and Japanese Americans living on the West Coast of the United States. Families, teachers, farm workers--all were ordered to leave behind their homes, their businesses, and everything they owned. Japanese and Japanese Americans were forced to live under hostile conditions in incarceration camps, their futures uncertain.

Three photographers set out to document life at Manzanar, an incarceration camp in the California desert:

Dorothea Lange was a photographer from San Francisco best known for her haunting Depression-era images. Dorothea was hired by the US government to record the conditions of the camps. Deeply critical of the policy, she wanted her photos to shed light on the harsh reality of incarceration.

Toyo Miyatake was a Japanese-born, Los Angeles-based photographer who lent his artistic eye to portraying dancers, athletes, and events in the Japanese community. Imprisoned at Manzanar, he devised a way to smuggle in photographic equipment, determined to show what was really going on inside the barbed-wire confines of the camp.

Ansel Adams was an acclaimed landscape photographer and environmentalist. Hired by the director of Manzanar, Ansel hoped his carefully curated pictures would demonstrate to the rest of the United States the resilience of those in the camps.

In Seen and Unseen, Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki weave together these photographers' images, firsthand accounts, and stunning original art to examine the history, heartbreak, and injustice of the Japanese American incarceration.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(7:50) “There was a kid in my class named Paul Yanamora who said in front of the whole class that his family had not been allowed to buy a house in our neighborhood after the war because they were Japanese American. And I was absolutely shocked. That's when it totally hit me that something really bad had happened in our country that I did not understand.”

(8:44) I didn't know my grandparents' involvement until working on this book, how their families were involved. And it, it was just something that… “Oh, we left. We got over it. We left it behind. Look how successful we are. We don't have to talk about it.”

(12:30) “The two of us got to work together in a collaboration that's almost never allowed in doing a book together, which is usually the writer writes their bit and then they pull out and then the illustrator gets to work. But there was too many overlaps. I mean, I had the photos and then Lauren had these ideas and then she was like, “Well, if you could do this photo, I could do this illustration.” I'm like, “Huh! That's a fantastic idea. Let's swap photos.” So we just really shifted things around and it ended up letting both of us go so much deeper than we would've individually.”

(19:55) “Because you can talk in these grand kind of monolithic ways about an experience and about a people, but when you personalize it, that's when you can touch people.” 

(25:33) “There was so much of myself in this book.”

(25:42) “It's never too late to discover parts of yourself, like, these big parts of yourself.”

(26:47) “Today, everybody has a cell phone and there's a camera in the cell phone. So we have a very powerful tool for social justice in our back pocket. And I just wanna encourage people when you see something that just doesn't feel right, you can bear witness to that by taking a photograph.” 

(27:45) “You can't let fear make the decisions for you.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Elizabeth Partridge website - elizabethpartridge.com. 

• Lauren Tamaki website - laurentamaki.com

• Purchase the Book - Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams's Photographs Reveal about the Japanese American Incarceration

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What is an event that took place in history that you learned about recently? What was it like for you to learn this information? If able to make the connection, how do these historic events connect with our world today?

2. Look up photos by one of the three photographers mentioned in this podcast episode: Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, or Ansel Adams. How would you describe the moment captured in the photograph? What does it make you feel? What do you think the photographer was communicating through this photograph?

3. Talk with a grownup about the Japanese American incarceration. What (if anything) do they remember about this event? When did they learn about the incarceration? If able to recall, what did they feel when they first learned about the incarceration? And how do they feel about the incarceration now? Share your own reflections with the grownup.

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

A Golden Shovel Poem for the Authors Take Action #ClimatePoemProject

2023/4/1

05:19

Students, teachers, and librarians, you’re invited to participate in the Authors Take Action #ClimatePoemProject! I’m joining other children’s poets and authors to share poetry prompts on the theme of “climate” for National Poetry Month and Earth Day, April 2023.

• Authors Take Action website - #ClimatePoemProject

Happy, Healthy, Me, and You with Divinity Roxx and NaShantá Fletcher

2023/3/28

30:29

Divinity Roxx and NaShantá Fletcher share Me + You and Happy & Healthy, two stories celebrating diverse families and moving and grooving to your own beautiful beat. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Me + You by Divinity Roxx; illustrated by NaShantá Fletcher

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 3 to 8

Diverse families and children celebrate one another in this catchy, hip-hop look at what family really means.

Happy & Healthy by Divinity Roxx; illustrated by NaShantá Fletcher

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 3 to 8

Joyful children move and groove to their own beautiful beat in this vibrant hip-hop celebration of life and health. Every book purchase includes exclusive access to the catchy song...to sing along!

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(9:35) “Growing up, my mom made sure that we always had nutritious dinners and lunches, and so I am still very much… I still very much do that for myself.”

(10:44) “I recently started (very recently started) working from home, and I didn't realize how much being at a workplace and being surrounded by people makes me happy until I started working by myself and in this home.”

(13:16) “Generally, when I think about writing for kids, I think about what I wanted to hear when I was a kid and what I may not have heard, what was missing.”

(15:44) “I come up with song ideas based off of the children around me and my experience as a child. I still feel like that child inside of me. I really connect to her in so many ways.” 

(18:56) “I wanted to make it, like, this authentic world, like the world I see around me, cuz I grew up in urban neighborhoods. I'm from Chicago. I live just outside the city now, but I wanted to illustrate the people that I see every day, like the people I see at the grocery store, at the park, or at the laundromat, because there are so many different types of people around us.” 

(25:48) “Whatever you can imagine for yourself in your life, you can make it happen. Your imagination is so powerful that something that exists in your mind only can be output into the world as a very real and tangible thing. So go and dream big.”

(26:17) “Don't feel like you have to be like everyone else. It's okay to be different. And we have to be kind to each other and respect what makes us all unique.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Divinity Roxx Website - www.diviroxxkids.com

• NaShantá Fletcher Website - nashanta.com

• Purchase the Book - Me + You

• Purchase the Book - Happy & Healthy

• Me + You Video (password required)

• Happy & Healthy Video (password required)

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Who is in your family? Who do you live with that is in your family? Who lives somewhere else, but is in your family? What makes someone (or something) family to you? Share your answers with a grownup. How are they similar? How are they different?

2. What are ways you and your family stay healthy? What ways do you take care of your body? Your heart? Your mind? What is a new healthy habit that you would like to try?

3. How does it feel to be noticed or celebrated by somebody? Have you read a book with a character that looks or acts or celebrates or believes similar to you? How does that feel to find a character similar to you and your family? How does it feel to read about characters different from you and your family? 

4. We heard parts of three songs from Divinity Roxx today: “Me Plus You”, “Happy and Healthy”, and “Feeling Good”. Which song caught your attention? What was it about this song that made you sit up and notice? How did the song make you feel?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

We Can All Be Grumps with Katrina Moore

2023/3/21

25:02

Katrina Moore shares Grumpy New Year, a story about spending time with the special people in our lives, but also making plans to sleep, too, because nobody wants to be grumpy. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Grumpy New Year by Katrina Moore; illustrated by Xindi Yan

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

"You should sleep on the long flight," said Mama.

Daisy should have slept-

but she didn't.

She was too excited to see Yeh-Yeh!

Daisy is traveling to China, and she's excited to see her Yeh-Yeh again! She has big plans for all the fun they'll have together in preparation for Lunar New Year, like flying kites and making jiao zi. But when she arrives, she has trouble sleeping and is less jolly than she hoped. Throughout the week, Yeh-Yeh tries all sorts of things to help her have a fun holiday and get her past her grumpiness. Will Daisy be able to get some rest and have one perfect day before she goes home?

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(6:03) “That was always me. That still is me. If I know something is coming up, I'm just thinking of 500 things that I wanna do and how it's gonna go, and a lot of times, as you all know, in life things don't work out that way.”

(8:05) “When I was younger, I remember thinking, “Gosh, [my grandpa is] so grumpy.” And so I have that memory like, “He's grumpy. He's my grumpy grandpa.” 

When I look back on it now as a grownup, I realize he wasn't grumpy. We were just missing each other in communication.”

(9:13) “When I wanted to write a story for children that would really resonate with them, I was thinking about one of my favorite relationships. And that's the one with my grandpa.”

(12:24) “You have to eat really, really, really long noodles, that you have a long life. I made the mistake one year of cutting my noodles. And I never saw my grandpa cry like he cried when I cut my noodles. You can't cut your noodles because you'll cut your life short. And so he threw out those noodles and he gave me a new bowl with like, really, really long noodles, cause you need to have a long life, so you eat long noodles.”

(13:20) “So that's really what I remembered: everybody laughing, everybody sitting around the table, eating food, being together. Those are the sounds that I remember growing up and bring a smile to my face.” 

(14:38) “On nights where my sleep is interrupted, the next day I'm really grumpy. I'm really grumpy. Things that would not normally bother me do. And so I find myself just being very, very irritable because I haven't gotten a good rest. So I know that about myself and especially on days where I know I need to be well rested, I make sure that I am otherwise I am a very, very grumpy person.”

(18:28) “The way that Xindy has brought these characters to life. It, it just feels so, so real. And I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that Xindy feels that this story is very personal to her, too. And I think that's a lot of the magic of picture books as I wrote this based off of my relationship with my grandpa and my experience.”

(22:04) “Share the things that you love to do with the people that you love. And that way when you're doing that thing, but you're not together it's like you still are. 

And I will also end with a note to remember the importance of a good night's sleep.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Katrina Moore Website - www.katrinamoorebooks.com

• Purchase the Book - Grumpy New Year

• Purchase the Book - Grandpa Grumps

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Do you have a special relative in your family or with a person outside of your family? What do you value most in your relationship with this person? What is a memory you’ve shared with them that means a lot to you? 

2. How do you feel after not getting enough sleep? How does it affect your mood? How does it affect your ability to concentrate at school? Or your ability to do things at home?

3. Katrina talked about eating long noodles to symbolize long life as part of a New Year tradition observed by members of her family. What are some foods you eat during special holidays or occasions? What makes these foods significant or important to your celebration? (For example, do you have a birthday cake to celebrate the birthday of someone in your home?)

4. What is something that you love or that means a lot to you? How might you share this with others? (For example, can you show it and tell them about it? Is it something you can see or do together?)

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

This is a Story with John Schu and Lauren Castillo

2023/3/14

27:26

John Schu and Lauren Castillo share This Is a Story, inviting us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: This Is a Story by John Schu; illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

Children's literacy advocate John Schu and Caldecott Honor recipient Lauren Castillo celebrate the power of finding the perfect book--in a story that's more relevant than ever.

This is a word on a page.

This is a page in a book.

This is a book on a shelf . . . waiting.

With a sea-horse kite in hand, a child heads out with Dad to the library. On the way they stop at a park, joining lots of people, some of whom are flying kites, too. At the library, a person toting a big pile of books hands over a story on a favorite subject: the sea horse. All around, there are readers poring over books, each with their own questions, ideas to explore, hopes for the future, and imaginations ready to spark. With a warm, lyrical text and tenderly expressive illustrations, John Schu and Lauren Castillo invite us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding--and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(7:44) “[Finding that just-right book] feels very soothing and it makes me think of the books that are the ones that I return to over and over again. Those are like comfort objects to me.”

(8:30) “A book often walks into our life when we need it the most.”

(8:45) “We know that books can make our hearts grow. They can make our hearts change. And they can make our hearts more compassionate.”

(12:11) “And right away we see [that] the way that I define story is probably different from how you define story, Matthew. And how you define story, Matthew, is probably different from how Lauren defines story, so I love how everyone has their own personal definition of what the word story means.”

(13:39) “Reading can be a workout for your heart, and reading can be a workout for your imagination.” 

(14:23) “I feel that I am a better person because of all of the kids who I've met around the world.”

(15:15) “Cities are the places I like to call home. And that's because I love to be surrounded by diversity and experience different cultures and different types of people. And when I illustrate, I always want the art to be representative of the many types of people in our communities.”

(17:52) “Sometimes humans need help connecting.”

(24:07) “Is there a book that feels like a best friend to you?”

(24:33) “Don't be shy to ask your librarian or your teacher or your friends for suggestions if you're having a hard time finding books that you love. Because I know that, you know, for me as a kid sometimes it was hard for me to find those books that I loved without help. And so I would, I would urge you to, to reach out and ask for help because they're, those books are out there and they're waiting for you to find them.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• John Schu Website - MrSchuReads 

• Lauren Castillo Website - laurencastillo.com.

• Purchase the Book - This Is a Story
  

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. How would you describe the just-right book for you right now? What format (picture book, novel, graphic novel, novel in verse, etc.) does it use to share the story? What topic(s) is it about? What makes this book such a good fit for you?

2. What is your relationship to story? What word or words come to mind when you hear the word “story”? What feelings come to heart? What memories?

3. It can feel really satisfying when someone shares a recommendation with you that makes you feel like the are knowing or seeing you/your true self. Have you experienced this yet? If so, what did it feel like? If not, can you think of an opportunity you might have to make someone else feel seen in this way?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

One Hundred Percent Loving Who We Are As Humans with NoNieqa Ramos

2023/3/7

28:22

Nonieqa Ramos shares Beauty Woke, a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale, and readers looking for a next-generation Sleeping Beauty will fall in love with the vivid art and lyrical text.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Beauty Woke by Nonieqa Ramos; illustrated by Paola Escobar

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 4 to 7, Grades P to 3

Beauty Woke is a powerful story of pride and community, told with bold lyricism and the heart of a fairy tale, and readers looking for a next-generation Sleeping Beauty will fall in love with the vivid art and lyrical text.

Beauty is a Puerto Rican girl loved and admired by her family and community. At first, she's awake to their beauty, and her own--a proud Boricua of Taíno and African descent.

But as she grows older, she sees how people who look like her are treated badly, and she forgets what makes her special. So her community bands together to help remind her of her beautiful heritage.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(6:50) “You are loved. You are adored. There are teachers who love and adore you. There are so many people out there who think you matter. You're special. And you do [matter].”

(8:58) “What do we do when we know that the child is going to experience hurtful things? We prepare them. We say to them that, “No matter what you hear, if anybody says something mean about your skin color or that you're from, you know, from Puerto Rico or Cuba or wherever it is, or that's your LGBT, that's all false. That's not true. That's all lies. The truth is your beauty.” 

(10:49) “[Being woke] means to appreciate the beauty of where you come from, your history, the beauty of who you can become. All of the parts of you. All of the parts of you, no matter what it is that is out there or that's going to confuse you and try to make you think otherwise.”

(13:05) “Sometimes when we create something, we can change something that's sad or that makes us feel helpless into something good.”

(14:30) “There are so many adults who have never, ever, ever gotten to experience a picture book that not only represented, you know, what they look like, what they sounded like, which is absolutely vital. But also, you know, what they were going through. And validating them and saying, “Yes, that's real. What you went through is real.And,” for example, “if you're hearing hurtful words, I'm sorry that happened.” And “This is a process of healing for you.” 

(20:38) “t's a great opportunity to just really be a hundred percent loving who we are as humans.”

(25:22) “I would like to ask, have you hugged yourself today? Have you talked to yourself today and said something kind to you? How are you going to take care of your mind and your body and your heart today? That's what I want you to ask. ”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• NoNieqa Ramos Website - nonieqaramos.com

• Purchase the Book - Beauty Woke

• Purchase the Book - Your Mama

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What can you recall from the telling of Sleeping Beauty you first heard? In what ways does NoNieqa’s Beauty Woke sound similar? In what ways does the story differ?

2. How would you describe your roots? What place do you most associate with home? What feelings come to mind when you think of this place?

3. What is one flag with which you associate strongly? Maybe it’s a flag that represents your favorite sports team, or your Scout troop, or you state or country, or part of your identity. How would you describe this flag? What makes it significant to you?

4. How might you reimagine a different fairy tale so that it told your story? What elements of the fairy tale feel similar to your story? What parallels might you draw?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

In the Purple Veil of Twilight with Natasha Khan Kazi

2023/2/28

26:26

Natasha Khan Kazi shares Moon's Ramadan, a debut picture book and modern holiday classic capturing the magic and meaning of one of the world's most joyful and important celebrations.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Moon's Ramadan by Natasha Khan Kazi

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

With radiant and welcoming art, this debut picture book and modern holiday classic captures the magic and meaning of one of the world's most joyful and important celebrations.

It's Ramadan, the month of peace, and Moon watches over Ramadan traditions with excitement and longing in this sweetly illustrated debut.

In Egypt, India, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates, in Somalia, New Zealand and Indonesia, in Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, children and their families do good deeds in honor of those who have less.

Cleverly blending glimpses of different countries' celebrations with the corresponding phases of the moon, Moon's Ramadan makes Ramadan, one of the world's most widely celebrated traditions, accessible and exciting for all readers. 

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(6:54) “[Ramadan] feels light because everyone's on their best behavior, hopefully, and trying to be kind and trying to be patient.”

(8:07) “[Ramadan is] all about feeding the other person first” 

(10:06) “It was one of the top three best experiences in my life because small children are so…  They're so open-minded. They're so honest. And they felt the joy that our family felt. And they like, they just met us there in that place of joy.”

(10:38) “When I wrote and illustrated this book, I really hoped that other Muslim kids would feel proud, but I also wanted their friends, um, to support them and be even better friends.”

(17:46) “Veil means a cloth that covers the head. And I am surrounded by smart, strong Muslim women who wear something called the hijab, which is a veil that covers the head, including my mom.” 

(18:31) “Since I knew the story was gonna be from the point of view of Moon, I wonder what she was thinking in that moment when twilight was happening and she was slowly appearing to the world. She might feel like she's a little veiled and that no one has yet noticed her, but she is noticing everyone.”

(20:55) “I feel in our heart that we are all, no matter what you believe, we are all different types of bread. And the bread itself is the same. I think we all believe in compassion and kindness, but it takes different forms and we practice that form in different ways.”

(21:52) “They say sometimes when you illustrate, you have to draw the world as you want to see it. And this was really one of those moments.”

(22:47) “Go and read other Ramadan books because every perspective is different. And I love that you would read my perspective, but there's a lot of perspectives out there.”

(23:18) “Always stay curious, open-minded and honest. When we learn from each other, we learn something about ourselves. I want you all to look around the room and see that we are all unique and that's a beautiful thing. Same is boring. So please be proud of your identity.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Natasha Khan Kazi Website - www.natashakhankazi.com

• Purchase the Book - Moon's Ramadan

• IslamiMommy - IslamiMommy

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What phase is the moon in as you look up in the sky tonight? How would you describe it? When will the new lunar cycle begin?

2. If this was your first time hearing about Ramadan, what details can you remember that Natasha shared? What are some of the things you might see, smell, or taste during the holy month of Ramadan?

3. If you observe Ramadan in your family, what are some of the traditions that you and your loved ones practice? What are some of the things you most look forward to throughout the month? Who are some of the people with whom you celebrate?

4. Natasha reminded us that a main focus during Ramadan is practicing acts of kindness. What are some ways you could show kindness in your classroom? In your home? When you’re out in your community?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Fellow teachers and librarians, want a way to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities? In The Reading Culture podcast, Beanstack co-founder Jordan Bookey hosts conversations that dive into beloved authors' personal journeys and insights into motivating young people to read. And I am a big fan! Check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack. Available wherever podcasts are found.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Our Child Sunrise and Elder Sunset with Kim Rogers

2023/2/21

19:15

Kim Rogers shares Just Like Grandma, a story about wanting, more than anything, to be just like the special elder in your life. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Just Like Grandma by Kim Rogers; illustrated by Julie Flett.

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

In this lyrical picture book by Kim Rogers (Wichita), with illustrations by Boston Globe-Horn Book Honoree Julie Flett (Cree-Métis), Becca watches her grandma create, play, and dance--and she knows that she wants to be just like Grandma.

Becca loves spending time with Grandma. Every time Becca says, "Let me try," Grandma shows her how to make something beautiful.

Whether they are beading moccasins, dancing like the most beautiful butterflies, or practicing basketball together, Becca knows that, more than anything, she wants to be just like Grandma.

And as the two share their favorite activities, Becca discovers something surprising about Grandma.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:00) “I wanted to write a story about the beautiful relationship that grandchildren and grandparents have, specifically a granddaughter with her grandmother.”

(6:04)  “Our elders are so full of life and joy and experience and they keep doing things, you know, later and later in life.”

(7:39)  “So many of us, no matter what our family background is, if we're Native or non-Native, when we get together to have a meal, it's a big deal and it's how we show one another love and we fellowship together.”

(11:18) “One thing about elders and my Wichita culture is we hold them in such high esteem, but, and I'm trying not to cry here telling you this story, but they also hold children in high esteem. And my grandfather held me in such high esteem, and so it's just so touching for me to think about.”

(12:39) “If you're a reader and you're a kid and you think you wanna be a writer someday, the cool thing about being a writer is you don't have to sit down and just write continuously. You need to go out into the world and experience it.”

(15:58) “A child is in the sunrise phase of their life, and an elder is in the sunset phase of their life.”

(16:56) “Find your joy. Find the beautiful things in life that you want to do, and go and do them. And you may just inspire someone like your mom or your dad, or your aunt or uncle, big brother, little sister. You just never know. Just go out there and do the things that you “

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Kim Rogers Website - kimrogerswriter.com

• Purchase the Book - Just Like Grandma
  

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Who is a special elder in your life, whether a grandmother or grandfather, parent, or community member? What makes this individual special to you?

2. What is something you have learned from an elder in your life?  What is something you have taught an elder?

3. What does it feel like to think of this special elder in your life? What senses light up as you think of them? Is there something particular you see in your mind? Smell? Feel? Or, perhaps, taste or remember tasting?

4. Watch a sunrise or sunset this week. What do you notice? How does it change over time? How does it make you feel? 
   

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Your Story Matters with Alphabet Rockers

2023/2/14

25:27

Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd of Alphabet Rockers share YOU ARE NOT ALONE, a story reminding us that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: You Are Not Alone by Alphabet Rockers; illustrated by Ashley Evans.

Page Length: 56 pages

Ages 4 to 8

It can be scary to feel like you're all on your own, especially in the face of prejudice and injustice. But always remember: you are not alone! With uplifting text and colorful art, You Are Not Alone shows readers that when we step up to support one another, we can make a world where everyone knows they belong.

Featuring a heartfelt message and stunning illustrations, this special story makes for a read-aloud that parents, caregivers, and children will want to return to again and again.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(8:48) “It's really our job as your adult friends, in a way, to make sure that other adults and kids know that your story matters and you're actually like, ‘We believe you’.” 

(11:57)  “ When you sing you actually can let go of some stuff. You can just be really in your soul for a minute. And even if you're feeling the sad parts or the mad parts, it's still you. You're you.”

(12:29)  “Sometimes you sing out and dance out and people don't make you feel good, but that's about them. It's not about you.”

(12:36) “The biggest time that I feel like  I wish I was being heard was when I'm, unfortunately, talking about something some type of injustice or some type of way that isn't okay.”

(21:47) “Point to your neighbor and tell 'em, “I got your back” on both sides. I got your back. You know you shine.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Alphabet Rockers Website - alphabetrockers.com

• Purchase the Book - You Are Not Alone

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What are ways that you help your friends and classmates feel included? What are ways that others have included you in activities or games?

2. Who is an adult that you trust? What is it about this adult (the language they use with you, their behavior, their overall approachability) that makes them someone who you feel like you can turn to?

3. What are some things that make you feel good? Do they include games? Activities? Doing something with others? Doing something by yourself? Make a list of five things that make you feel good, then share your list with someone who also listened to this podcast episode. How are your lists similar? How are they different? What might be an activity that you could do together that would make you both feel good?

4. Who is someone you could reach out to today to say, “I got your back”? What does it mean to have someone’s back? What does it look like?
   

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award 2023 Winners and Honors

2023/2/10

37:16

Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2023), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Sydney Taylor Book Award Website - link

• 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - link

• Purchase any of the Books - link

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What types of stories are honored by the Sydney Taylor Book Award? What other book awards have you encountered? And what kinds of special stories or characteristics do they celebrate?

2. What was one of the books that stood out to you from the 2023 Sydney Taylor Book Award winners and honors? What made this book sound especially appealing to you?
   

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

A Powwow Celebration with Traci Sorell and Madelyn Goodnight

2023/2/7

23:44

Traci Sorell and Madelyn Goodnight share POWWOW DAY, an uplifting, contemporary Native American story about a girl named River, who is recovering from illness and can't dance at the powwow this year. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Madelyn Goodnight

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 8 to 8, Grades P to 3

In this uplifting, contemporary Native American story, River is recovering from illness and can't dance at the powwow this year. Will she ever dance again?

River wants so badly to dance at powwow day as she does every year. Follow River's journey from feeling isolated after an illness to learning the healing power of community.

Additional information explains the history and functions of powwows, which are commonplace across the United States and Canada and are open to both Native Americans and non-Native visitors. 

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(4:55) “There's so much to see and do. The sights and smells. So much good food. So much great dancing and music. [Powwow is] just such a beautiful event that lasts all day that really helps you connect with that heritage and that culture and become immersed in it. ” 

(5:12)  “For myself, being at a powwow is a sensory overload sometimes because there are wonderful smells from the food, and the sound of the drum, the laughter, the singing. I am overwhelmed visually by all the different regalia that everyone's wearing and all of the just gorgeous colors. And you know that so many people's families and friends have taken time to put that regalia together. So it's just visually so beautiful.”

(7:17)  “Everyone is welcome at the powwow.”

(11:58) “All of us at various times have to ask for help or have to take time out from things that we wanna do, that we love to do. And other people care for us, right? And love us and pray for us, and, um, help us through those things. ”

(20:52) “You all have so many stories inside you and I can't wait to experience what you're gonna share with the world. So please, please share your stories with us. ” 

(21:03) “I think Powwow Day and powwows in general about are all about celebration, celebration of heritage and culture and the things you like to do and dance, so I would encourage everybody to read Powwow Day and learn about powwows, but also just do something to celebrate yourself and celebrate your own culture and something you like to do. And, um, dancing is always a good way to do it.”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Traci Sorell’s Website - TraciSorell.com
• Madelyn Goodnight’s Website - MadelynGoodnight.com
• Purchase the Book - Powwow Day
• Purchase the Book - Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids 
• Gathering of Nations - https://www.gatheringofnations.com/

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What is a powwow? Can anyone participate in a powwow? What are some of sensory details (things you might see, hear, smell, touch) that Traci and Madelyn shared?
2. Can you think of a time when you or someone in your family wore special clothes for an event? (baptism, wedding, powwow, bar or bat mitzvah, Eid al-Fitr, etc.) What were you (and others) celebrating? How did it feel to wear these special clothes?
3. Have you ever missed out on something that you were anticipating or looking forward to? Share your memory with someone near you. What happened? What emotions did you feel at the time? How did things turn out?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Love Without Bounds with Drs. Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi

2023/2/1

26:44

Drs. Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi of CLC Collective share LOVE WITHOUT BOUNDS, a story honoring the diversity of family life and what family can mean based on our intersecting identities and experiences.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Love Without Bounds: An Intersectionallies Book about Families by Drs. Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi

Page Length: 48 pages

Ages 6 to 12

This follow-up to the critically acclaimed IntersectionAllies: We Make Room For All honors the diversity of family life and what family can mean based on our intersecting identities and experiences.

Written by three celebrated women of color sociologists, Love without Bounds: An IntersectionAllies Book about Families is a joyful, heartwarming celebration of family in all its forms: multicultural families; LGBTQ+ families; adoptive and foster care families; single-parent and blended families; transnational families; families impacted by incarceration, detention, and deportation; chosen families; military families; and more. By focusing on the choices families make to persistently love and care for one another in the face of inequality and inequity, Love without Bounds is a necessary resource to make sure all kids feel seen and loved for who they are in community with each another.

Features gorgeous illustrations throughout by Ashley Seil Smith and a colorful, informative discussion guide that explains the concepts shown in the book.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(13:05) “Family can be really complicated.” 

(13:22)  “Throughout the course of our lives, we may lose family, we may find family, we may rediscover family, we create our own families.”

(14:09)  “There is no type of family that is normal or best.”

(16:01) “We need to advocate for all families to be able to live and love and, you know, exist alongside one another.”

(19:26) “The readers we have in mind are youth that are going through ups and downs of family life and transformation, as well as the adults who continue to process the impact of childhood families and our current experiences as adults, creating families of our own.” 

(18:06) “All of [your] hopes, feelings, and struggles matter. Even in the moments and times that [you] don't feel family, [don’t] worry because [you] will discover family again and again throughout life. Starting with this library room. “

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Website - CLC Collective
• Purchase the Book - Love Without Bounds: An Intersectionallies Book about Families
• Purchase the Book - IntersectionAllies: We Make Room For All
• Dottir Press - https://www.dottirpress.com/love-without-bounds

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Who is in your family? Who do you consider part of your family? What different types of relationships do you have with the people in your family?
2. What is a “nuclear” family? Do you live in a nuclear family? If not, what word might you use to describe the kind of family in which you live?
3. Dr. Chelsea mentioned that illustrator Ashley Seil Smith hid an animal on each page of Love Without Bounds as well as IntersectionAllies. Can you remember what kind of animal appears on each page?
4. Why do you think it’s important to learn about families that look different from yours? How does your family look similar to the family in which your grownup grew up? How is it different?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Being a Great Listener with Benson Shum

2023/1/24

20:18

Benson Shum shares ANZU THE GREAT KAIJU, a story about a kaiju with an unconventional gift, and it’s sequel, ANZU THE GREAT LISTENER, which asks us to consider how not all acts of kindness are perceived as intended.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Anzu the Great Kaiju by Benson Shum

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8

All great Kaiju are born with a super power to strike fear in the heart of the city. But Anzu is different.

Instead of mayhem, he likes May flowers. Instead of striking fear, he prefers to be sincere.

Can Anzu find a way to make his family proud and stay true to his kind self?

From Disney animator and illustrator Bensom Shum comes an adorable and heartwarming picture book about making your own way and the unexpected power of gentleness.

Anzu the Great Listener by Benson Shum

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8

Anzu the kaiju loves to tend to his bonsai.

Whenever he feels overwhelmed or unsettled, it helps him pause and reminds him to just . . . breathe.

One day, when Anzu hears crying in the distance, he's eager to help! The flower-power that makes his bonsai bloom has a way of making others smile.

But when Anzu's flowers seem to lose their power, hurting more than they help, he's not sure where to turn--until he remembers some valuable lessons he learned from his bonsai tree.

In Anzu the Great Listener, creator and Walt Disney Studios animator Benson Shum illustrates the importance of patience, empathy, and above all, taking the time to listen.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:53) “What if not all of kaijus want to destroy? What if they wanna bring joy or kindness? What would that look like in their world?” 

(7:13)  “Sometimes I  think it's a nice reminder to just listen, you know? And that silence between the two can make all the difference.”

(10:45)  “I think even kids, when they find something that's individual to them, making them happy, would actually make people around them just as happy, ”

(14:53) “We all listen in different ways. Just letting the person finish what they're saying is an act of listening, you know? …And maybe not trying to solve a problem if they have a problem and just kind of let them speak what they're saying. And then,  if they ask for help, then maybe you can jump in and have a suggestion.  I think that's an act of listening as well.“

(18:06) “Be kind. Listen to one another. Ask your teacher, a librarian like yourself, a friend, a family member, “How are you doing today?” And listen to what they have to say. To be heard and listened to can make a person's day from just those few words.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Website - Benson Shum
• Purchase the Book - Anzu the Great Kaiju
• Purchase the Book - Anzu the Great Listener
• Teachers guide and activities - https://bensonshum.com/activities/
• Anzu the Great Listener (Teacher’s Guide) - http://bensonshum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Anzu-the-Great-Listener-Guide-w-Activity-Kit.pdf
• Anzu the Great Kaiju (Teacher’s Guide) - http://bensonshum.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Anzu-the-Great-Kaiju-Guide.pdf

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What are some examples of kaiju that you can think of? What kind of kaiju would you be okay with discovering was coming for a visit? What kind of kaiju would you definitely want to avoid?
2. What are some ways in which Benson is similar to Anzu? In what ways are they different? What are ways that you are similar (or different) to Benson? 
3. What does being a good listener look like to you? How does it sound? How does it feel? How does it make others feel?
4. Why do you think the book jacket is called a “book jacket”? What purpose does the book jacket serve? Can you think of any other books you’ve encountered where the cover art differs from the jacket art? Why do you think an artist might do this?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Craft Webinar: Becoming a Better Storyteller Through Podcasting

2023/1/18

02:10

Visit thewritingbarn.com and click on “Classes” to sign up for “Becoming A Better Storyteller Through Podcasting” with me, Matthew Winner.

Registration for the webinar is $25 and you can join live from 11-12:30 CT or view the archived recording via REPLAY within 48 hours of the event.  Or both!

PLUS, you’re one step closer to bringing your podcast idea AND your voice into the world. Which means we’re one step closer to being colleagues! I love it!

Namaste and Music as Activism with Suma Subramaniam

2023/1/17

22:42

Suma Subramaniam shares NAMASTE IS A GREETING, a sweet, universal text shining a light on a word with significance far beyond yoga class, and SHE SANG FOR INDIA, a picture book biography about M.S. Subbulakshmi, a powerful Indian singer who advocated for justice and peace through song. 

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Namaste Is a Greeting by Suma Subramaniam; illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

Page Length: 32 pages

Ages 4 to 8, Grades P to 3

What is namaste? It's found in a smile, a friendship, a celebration. It exists in silence; it can be said when you're happy or when you're feeling low. 

For one small girl in a bustling city, namaste ("I bow to you") is all around her as she and her mother navigate a busy marketplace--and when she returns with a little plant and chooses to give it to an elderly neighbor, it can be seen in the caring bond between them. In a sweet, universal text, debut author Suma Subramaniam shines a light on a word with significance far beyond yoga class, while artist Sandhya Prabhat makes the concept of mindfulness come alive in delightful illustrations likely to draw children in again and again.

She Sang for India: How M.S. Subbulakshmi Used Her Voice for Change by Suma Subramaniam; illustrated by Shreya Gupta

Page Length: 40 pages

Ages 4 to 8

Before M.S. Subbulakshmi was a famous Carnatic singer and the first Indian woman to perform at the United Nations, she was a young girl with a prodigious voice.

But Subbulakshmi was not free to sing everywhere. In early 1900s India, girls were not allowed to perform for the public. So Subbulakshmi busted barriers to sing at small festivals. Eventually, she broke tradition to record her first album. She did not stop here. At Gandhi's request, Subbulakshmi sang for India's freedom. Her fascinating odyssey stretched across borders, and soon she was no longer just a young prodigy. She was a woman who changed the world.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(5:26) “My family was not made rich by wealth, but we were made rich by people.” 

(10:59)  “The power of such diverse friendships is the, you know, is, is the bonding and the hope that it brings in times of adversity.”

(12:42)  “There is no Carnatic music without M.S. Subbulakshmi, and there is no M.S. Subbulakshmi without Carnatic music.”

(18:11) “Art and music are great tools to channel our energy and bring about a positive change, especially in the minds of young people.” 

(18:57) “One doesn't need to know the language to appreciate good music.” 

(20:14) “You are loved. And this holiday season I hope you pay attention to species of all kinds who are lonely or who are having a difficult winter, and you give them a little bit of your time.” 

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Website - Suma Subramaniam
• M.S. Subbalakshmi performing "Bhaja Govidam"
• Purchase the Book - Namaste is a Greeting
• Purchase the Book - She Sang for India

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Namaste is a sanskrit word. Can you recall what it means? What moments in your day have you practiced namaste? And what opportunities might you have to practice namaste before the day’s end?
2. M.S. Subbulakshmi was a famous carnatic singer. How would you describe the music that she made? What does it make you feel? Does it remind you of any music you’ve heard before? What instruments could you hear in the recording that was shared?
3. What is activism? And what barriers or limitations did M.S. Subbulakshmi work to break down or to make possible for others after her through her music? 
4. BONUS: Suma mentioned her dog in her introduction and said that the dog likes to do something that, I’m guessing, is not a typical thing that dogs like to do. Can you recall what she shared?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Anchor. 

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Sharing Folktales with Rebecca Sheir

2023/1/10

13:54

Rebecca Sheir shares THE GREAT BALL GAME, a classic folktale originating from the Cherokee, Creek, Ojibway and Menominee people of North America, adapted for a contemporary audience by the host of the Circle Round podcast. 

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(3:28) “So I do try to think of a bunch of different children. So I'm not just writing for one person because our listeners physically, literally span the globe.”

(5:25)  “Why is the ocean salty? Why don't cats and dogs get along? Why do skunks have a weird smell when they spray? Where does thunder and lightning come from? There have been folktales written about all of these things.”

(7:27)  “Most importantly, many valuable lessons are imparted about the importance of embracing individuals who are different, about embracing diversity, celebrating non-conformity, including others, and realizing that being different can make you stronger.”

(10:15) “Don't be afraid to tell your stories. You don't have to rely on a famous author or podcast host or movie maker to tell a story. You have your own stories you can tell. It can be a story about you, how you spent your summer vacation. That could be a fascinating tale. Or you could go ahead and make up characters. Make a talking bat, you know?

You've got stories. You just have to use your imagination. It's ready and waiting for you. ”

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Website - Circle Round
• The Great Ball Game podcast episode - Circle Round Episode 56
• Purchase the Book - The Great Ball Game by Rebecca Sheir

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. What is a folktale? What are some examples of folktales you have heard or heard shared with you?
2. How would you describe a bat to someone who has never seen one? What characteristics make a bat similar or different to a bird? To an animal?
3. Ms. Sheir shared that artist Joshua Pawis-Steckley included severals examples of Ojibwe symbolism and iconography throughout the illustrations in this book. What are some symbols or icons you see in your classroom, home, or neighborhood? What do these symbols represent? Or what message are they trying to communicate?

CREDITS: This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Anchor.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

The Power in Our Hands with Torrey Maldonado

2023/1/3

26:33

Torrey Maldonado shares HANDS, a story about Trevor, a twelve-year-old who is a gifted comic-book artist, a good student, and would do anything to protect his mom and sisters.

NOTABLE QUOTES:

(6:19) “I wrote this book for lots of kids who feel alone and feel that they have to solve their problems by themselves, because the book Hands helps show that using hands doesn't mean you're strong. And external strength and being muscley, that doesn't mean you're strong. There are lots of ways to show strength.”

(14:32)  "It was fuel that has driven me through the years and drives me today to write books, to show young people that in these moments where you are angry or you are confused, there is a way that you could use your hands and you can use your mind to reroute and to make things right."

(17:04) "So this book really is about revealing that each of us hold a tremendous amount of power in our hands and that we have a firmer grasp on things than we think. And how can we identify those areas where we have a little grasp so that we can make it a stronger grip in a positive way."

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Website - torreymaldonado.com
• Social Media - @torreymaldonado
• Purchase Book - Hands by Torrey Maldonado

TALK ABOUT THE EPISODE:

1. Who did Mr. Maldonado say he had in mind as he wrote Hands? I’ll give you a hint: remember the lyrics of that Michael Jackson song?
2. Torrey Maldonado wanted to be like a certain heavyweight champion when he was a kid, but he remembers having a different reaction when he looked through the magazine that his mom brought home with a cover photo of this boxer. What were some of the things that connected with Mr. Maldonado when he looked at this magazine? And how did they make him feel?
3. It what ways shared by Mr. Maldonado are his mom and Star Wars’ Yoda similar? Do you have any Yodas in your life?

CREDITS:

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/).

Our music is by Podington Bear.

Podcast hosting by Anchor.

We are a proud member of Kids Listen, the best place to discover the best in kids podcasts. Learn more at kidslisten.org.

Welcome to The Children's Book Podcast

2022/12/15

01:39

The authors and illustrators you love, and some who may be new to you.

The stories you can’t stop thinking about, and some that have been waiting for you to discover.

The messages on the hearts of those who write stories just for you.

This is the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew. I’m a teacher, a librarian, a reader, and a big fan of yours. I’m glad you’re here.

Tune in each week to meet the authors and illustrators making books just for kids like you. From award winners, to up-and-comers, to the storytellers behind those forever books you’ll never forget.

Find the Children’s Book Podcast wherever podcasts are found.

Read on, readers! Read on!

TBCP Origins: Why Make Podcasts for Kids?

2022/12/6

08:33

Kids are full of wonder. They effortlessly ask questions about why things are as they are.They delight in seeing something new. They make new connections with what they’re learning, or connections with their classmates, or connections with their thoughts and ideas that help push the world around them to be bigger and bigger.

Kids deserve better than we can give them. But that should not stop any one of us from trying. On today’s retrospective episode, we’re looking at why making things for kids is so hard and so important. The Children’s Book Podcast is changing its focus in order to adopt a more classroom-ready format so that it can serve readers more directly and more fully.

Matthew lays out his tenets for making things for kids as we prepare to launch the new iteration of the show.

Enjoy!

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• John Schu - https://www.johnschu.com/
• Kids Listen - https://www.kidslisten.org

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

TCBP Origins: How Are Your Values Represented?

2022/12/2

10:53

The things we make say a lot about the people who make them. In every detail, from the language used on the show to the guests who join for interviews, from the publishers whose works are celebrated and amplified to the underrepresented stories and voices who are given the spotlight, these choices communicate a lot about the values of the person making the show. And that’s not something I take lightly.

On today’s retrospective episode, we’re looking at what you do when you find yourself uncomfortable with the story the thing you make is saying about you. And, specifically, we looking through a lens of this show’s history and of my personal and professional growth.

Self-indulgent? Perhaps. But maybe hearing about my “why” will help impact your work or how you approach your work in some way.

Enjoy!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• PART 1–HAVING STUDENTS ANALYZE OUR CLASSROOM LIBRARY TO SEE HOW DIVERSE IT IS - https://blog.leeandlow.com/2016/07/07/part-1-having-students-analyze-our-classroom-library-to-see-how-diverse-it-is/
• Picture This: Diversity in Children’s Books 2018 Infographic - https://readingspark.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/picture-this-diversity-in-childrens-books-2018-infographic/
• Dr. Laura M. Jimenez - https://booktoss.org/
• Edith Campbell - https://edicottonquilt.com/
• Dr. Debbie Reese - https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/
• Cynthia Leitich Smith - https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/cynsations/
• Heidi Rabinowitz - https://jewishbooks.blogspot.com/
• The Brown Bookshelf - https://thebrownbookshelf.com/
• Queer Kid Stuff - https://www.queerkidstuff.com/
• Disability in Kidlit - http://disabilityinkidlit.com/?wref=bif
• Latinx in Kidlit - https://latinosinkidlit.com/?wref=bif
• We Are Kidlit Collective - https://wtpsite.wordpress.com/?wref=bif
• Cool Stuff for Queer Kids - https://www.leewind.org/blog/

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

• Kelly Yang - https://www.kellyyang.com/
• Kids Listen - https://www.kidslisten.org

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

TCBP Origins: Can A Podcast Really Change?

2022/11/29

10:54

The Children’s Book Podcast does not look or sound the same today as it did when it debuted its first episode in July of 2013. But is podcast growth just part of the natural life cycle of a show? Can a podcast really stay the same?

On today’s retrospective episode, we’re examining how the blueprint on the show has changed as its host (and the world around us) changed. We look at how the format and focus have shifted as the impact of the show expanded, and look toward what impact the show will make in the future.

Enjoy!

SHOW NOTES:

• Kids Listen - https://www.kidslisten.org

* Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

TCBP Origins: What’s In A Name?

2022/11/22

12:15

The Children’s Book Podcast released its first episode in July of 2013. Only it wasn’t called “The Children’s Book Podcast”. And it didn’t sound like the show with which most listeners are familiar.

On today’s retrospective episode, we’re taking a look back at the different names the show has used and why finding the right name matters. We’ll also play some of the different theme music the show has incorporated over the past nearly 10 years.

Enjoy!

SHOW NOTES:

• Let’s Get Busy podcast blog - http://lgbpodcast.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
• All The Wonders podcast blog - http://www.allthewonders.com/podcasts/atwpodcast/
• The Best Book in the World by Rilla Alexander
• Hooray for Hat by Brian Won
• Tuning Radio sound effect from Pixabay
• Kids Listen - https://www.kidslisten.org

* Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent book stores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

(Worth Noting) Worth Noting on Pause

2022/11/12

01:40

Worth Noting is going to go on break. In the meantime, check out past episodes and watch the feed for something new and exciting in the future. We're cooking up a whole bunch of goodness and cannot wait to share it with you soon.

(Worth Noting) A Kids Co. Presents: Newsy Pooloozi

2022/11/5

27:07

From the Hungry Ghost Festival, Halloween, the Day of the Dead to Diwali, Guru Nanak, Bonfire Night and Thanksgiving!

This episode is brought to you by Newsy Pooloozi.

Show Contributors

• Jackson Hosking
• Saadhana Nagaraj
• Nirbhay Singh Chauhan
• Yuching Liu
• Adhyant Singh Chauhan
• Reyaansh Zaveri
• Yuvraj Singh Sahni

(Worth Noting) Fascism and National Elections in Italy and Brazil

2022/10/29

13:00

Over the past few months, two far-right candidates, Georgia Meloni and Jair Balsanaro, have received a lot of global news coverage in the lead-up to national elections in Italy and Brazil. The outcomes of these elections are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) A Kids Co. Presents: Everyday Feels

2022/10/22

18:21

Let’s talk about feeling social anxiety. Grace shares a memory of feeling nervous before an event, and Dr. Lockhart and Nakita discuss how we can check in with our anxiety. This is a rebroadcast episode of Everyday Feels. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) A Kids Co. Presents: Is That True?

2022/10/15

18:06

Is it true that Antarctic rivers run red? Follow the fact-finding journey with today’s guest Karen Romano Young, kid’s author, illustrator, and traveling science communicator. This is a rebroadcast episode of Is That True?. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Lizzo and the 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute

2022/10/8

10:41

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, Lizzo visited the Library of Congress as their guest and was treated to the largest flute collection in the world. The instrument she played and, indeed, the very act of playing it, are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Water Protectors Amid the Water Crisis

2022/10/1

13:14

At this moment, across the United States, in places like Baltimore, Maryland and Jackson, Mississippi, access to clean and safe water is becoming almost impossible. This water crisis in the United States is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Water Crisis in the United States

2022/9/24

12:16

Right now around the United States, in places like Baltimore, Maryland, and Jackson, Mississippi, getting access to clean and safe water is becoming almost impossible. The water crisis in the United States is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Update: Rethinking Mascots

2022/9/17

11:16

The Cleveland baseball team, known for over a century as the Indians, is getting a name change for the 2022 season. The reason behind the decision is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) A Kids Co. Presents: Sarah Jones Breaks It Down

2022/9/10

17:22

What did the FBI find during the search of former president Trump’s property? Sarah talks about the investigation at Mar-a-Lago. And what is monkeypox? Susan Michaels-Strasser, the assistant professor of epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center, shares about this zoonotic disease. This is a rebroadcast episode of Sarah Jones Breaks It Down. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Historic Flooding in Pakistan

2022/9/3

06:13

Historic flooding is impacting nearly 1 in 7 people living in Pakistan as the country enters its second month in the monsoon season. The reasons behind the floods and the catastrophic impact on the Pakistani people are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Megaflood to Impact California

2022/8/27

07:13

In 1862, a catastrophic flood in California claimed the lives of over 4,000 people, destroying one-third of all property in the state. What new research is uncovering for the future of California is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Harmful Ableist Words

2022/8/20

11:41

Recently, Lizzo and Beyonce removed harmful words from songs on their new albums after being pushed and encouraged by their fans. These changes in ableist language are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) It’s a Heat Wave

2022/8/6

13:06

Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed how very hot it is! Across the northern hemisphere, countries like the United States, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and many others are experiencing hotter temperatures than ever before. This global heat wave is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) On the Topic of Mass Shootings

2022/7/16

11:10

In the first 6 months of 2022 alone, there have been over 250 mass shootings in America—in schools, at grocery stores, in churches, and as people were going about their everyday lives. No matter how sad and scary they are to talk about, these mass shootings are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Roe v. Wade Overturned

2022/7/2

11:14

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a ruling on women’s reproductive rights that has stood for nearly 50 years. The implications of this decision are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Casting Expectations on Adaptations

2022/5/21

11:13

In early May, 2022, Disney announced the cast of the highly anticipated series adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians. The overwhelming reaction to one particular casting choice, as well as the author’s response, are Worth Noting --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) The Kids Are (Not) Alright

2022/4/23

10:56

On March 31, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of its first nationally representative survey of high school students during the pandemic. The findings of this survey are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) The “Don’t Say Gay” Bill Passes in Florida

2022/3/12

09:47

The Florida Senate passed the Parental Rights in Education Bill on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in a 22-17 vote. The implications of this bill are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Florida, Texas, and Ukraine

2022/2/26

15:05

Anti-LGBTQ legislation is on the rise and political leaders behind landmark bills in Florida and Texas claim these actions are to protect children. Meanwhile, Russia has launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Behind each of these actions lie reasons that are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) The Tonga Undersea Volcano Eruption

2022/2/5

09:38

The Kingdom of Tonga in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and Fiji, is made up of around 170 islands. On January 15, 2022, several islands were impacted by the massive eruption of an undersea volcano. The effects this volcano had on the islands as well as on the people of Tonga are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Love for Others (A Kids Mindful Moment)

2022/1/29

16:07

Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “Love for Others”, a big picture meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Unplugging from Tech (A Kids Mindful Moment)

2022/1/22

12:48

Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “Unplugging from Tech”, a situational meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) I Am Love (A Kids Mindful Moment)

2022/1/15

09:51

Introducing A Kids Mindful Moment, supporting healthy minds, bodies, and spirits. In this preview, we share “I Am Love”, an affirmations meditation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Voter Access and the January 6th Insurrection

2022/1/8

13:16

On January 6, 2021, and for the first time in our nation’s history, the US Capitol was invaded. The results of this insurrection and the impact on voter access to millions across our nation is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) The Harm in Historical Reenactments

2021/10/8

10:06

Historical reenactments can be a way to bring history to life for students as well as for sightseers visiting historical landmarks. But the harm and the trauma that can be reintroduced in doing so is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Are Banned Books the Problem?

2021/10/1

07:08

Last October, the all-white school board of the Central York School District in York, Pennsylvania, unanimously banned a list of educational resources. The books included on this list are Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) S.B. 8 and Losing the Right to Choose

2021/9/24

08:44

Earlier this month, Texas legislators passed Senate Bill 8, making abortions illegal after the sixth week of pregnancy. How this bill was written and the implications it can have on abortion rights throughout the country is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Can Schools Require Masks?

2021/9/17

08:07

The Delta variant is spreading quickly across the United States, and COVID cases are on the rise. So why are some schools requiring all students wear masks while others are banning such mandates? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) The 20th Anniversary of the September 11 Attacks

2021/9/10

10:40

Twenty years ago, on September 11, 2001, a major event happened in the United States in New York City, the effects of which we are still confronting today. That event is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) At the 2020 Paralympics

2021/9/3

08:56

The 2020 Paralympics are currently underway in Tokyo, following the 2020 Olympic Games. What sets the Paralympic Games and their athletes apart from the Olympic games? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Rethinking Mascots

2021/8/27

09:42

The Cleveland baseball team, known for over a century as the Indians, is getting a name change for the 2022 season. The reason behind the decision is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Climate Change Forcing Tribal Relocation

2021/8/20

09:34

Rising sea levels are affecting tens of thousands of lives along the coasts across the globe. How is climate change impacting the people of the Quinault Indian Nation, located on land now called the state of Washington, and other tribes along the coast? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Not In My Class

2021/8/13

11:37

It’s back-to-school season for many of the nation’s 73 million children, but in Texas—and in other parts of the country—what’s being taught in the classroom about our nation’s history is under question. What’s being left out and why? The answer is Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Simone Biles, GOAT

2021/8/6

10:54

The rhinestone-emblazoned leotard worn by Simone Biles boasts GOAT, greatest of all time, and if you have any doubt about the 24-year-old gymnast or the path that led her to where she stands today, well, stick around because it’s Worth Noting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

(Worth Noting) Introducing Worth Noting

2021/7/25

00:49

Introducing Worth Noting, a kids podcast about current events. Join me, Matthew Winner, each week for a look at what’s going on in the world and how it impacts you and others. From scientific breakthroughs to historic achievements. From political upheaval to social justice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

BONUS: Swimming Caps for All

2021/7/22

13:04

This bonus episode is presented by A Kids Podcast About. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

BONUS: Evelyn Talks About Sexual Abuse

2021/4/19

23:08

Evelyn Yang, author of A Kids Book About Sexual Abuse, talks in the newest episode of A Kids Book About: The Podcast about speaking up in any situation that makes you feel uncomfortable. In it, I also tell my abuse story for the first time with my voice on a public and recorded forum. I know that many, too many of you were also affected by sexual abuse. I want to give you some of my strength. I also want others to know how you can help to give strength to all of us victims and survivors. Because we cannot break down the taboo and stop this cycle from happening over and over if we’re not willing to discuss this issue aloud.  Find more episodes of A Kids Book About: The Podcast by visiting https://a-kids-book-about-the-podcast.simplecast.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

We'll Be Back

2021/4/8

04:14

This is the Children’s Book Podcast. I’m Matthew Winner. Your host, guide, and companion. I started this podcast in July of 2013 and have since published over 700 episodes on this RSS feed. I’ve spoken with authors, illustrators, editors, agents, publishers, librarians, booksellers, kids, and fans. But the one thing I’ve never done in these past 8 years is take a break. And so that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’ve learned over so many years that I find it quite natural to put others needs and voices first, and very unnatural to prioritize my own mental health needs. So I know you’ll excuse me if even this language doesn’t come naturally to me. Enjoy listening through the archives, or to recent episodes you may have missed, and I’ll be back when it’s the right time for me to come back. Take care of yourselves. And I promise to do the same. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Carole Boston Weatherford - Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

2021/4/5

41:47

Today, with a full and grateful heart, I am welcoming back to the podcast Carole Boston Weatherford, author of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre, illustrated by Floyd Cooper. May 31st, 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the Tulsa Race Massacre, a horrific event that devastated the wealthiest African American community in the entire nation. What provoked the event, beyond that elevator ride where Dick Rowland, and African American teen, either stumbled or stepped on the foot of Sarah Page, a young white elevator operator in a downtown office building, resulting in Rowland being jailed on assault charges… what provoked the event was Black advancement. As Carole reminds us in this interview, Black advancement is the single greatest threat to White Supremacy. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ilyasah Shabazz - The Awakening of Malcolm X

2021/4/1

34:14

Today I am joined by Ilyasah Shabazz, author of The Awakening of Malcolm X, written with Tiffany D. Jackson. Bryan Stevenson said “We are all more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.” And yet our criminal justice system might have us thinking otherwise. Ilyasah illuminates the humanity of inmates while also discovering the truth about who Malcolm is in this exceptional young adult novel. I myself listened to the audiobook adaptation and highly recommended it as well. There is so much in this book and in this conversation, that the best way I can think to share is, as in many cases, for me to get out of the way and let the stories be heard. If you are not yet acquainted with Ilyasah Shabazz, I hope that this discussion serves that introduction well.  Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jason June and Lori Richmond - Porcupine Cupid

2021/3/29

42:13

Jason June and Lori Richmond share Porcupine Cupid. Jason June talks of the magic we create when we’re connected and this story laces that magic throughout. Much like Porcupine Cupid, Jason June is in love with love and works throughout this story to ensure not to define what it means to be in love. Lori’s illustrations are laced with love and hearts and connection throughout and it was just so wonderful to be in conversation with them both, I never wanted it to end. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Archaa Shrivastav - We Are Little Feminists: Families

2021/3/25

44:58

Archaa Shrivastav is the author of Families, Hair, and On-The-Go, three delightful board books in the We Are Little Feminists series. And We Are Little Feminists: Families is the 2021 recipient of the Stonewall Book Awards – Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award. This is an award given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience and the committee made history by selecting a board book as their winner. But not just any board book. This one… this whole series… is truly like nothing you’ve seen before. Exceptionally crafted, designed, and brought into this world to shine a light on and hold up a mirror for all families. All families. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Soyeon Kim - Once Upon an Hour

2021/3/22

40:27

Today I’m welcoming to the podcast by Soyeon Kim, illustrator of Once Upon an Hour, Sukaq and the Raven, You are Never Alone, and A Last Goodbye. Soyeon’s diorama illustrations are unlike anything I’ve seen before in picture books, each built within a wooden frame with individual components illustrated, cut out, and then suspended with fishing line. It’s breathtaking and whimsical, and when we’re all able to travel again I am making it a priority to see her art in person. I think you’ll want to as well once you hear this conversation.  Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Melissa Stewart - Ick! Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses

2021/3/18

46:00

Melissa Stewart, the author of Ick!: Delightfully Disgusting Animal Dinners, Dwellings, and Defenses and the editor of Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep. Melissa is an unwavering advocate for nonfiction in all places, whether that is at storytimes, in classroom instruction, on book lists, or wherever will make space for it. And whenever she talks nonfiction advocacy, I am here for it. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Eric Gansworth - Apple (Skin to the Core)

2021/3/15

38:03

Eric Gansworth shares Apple (Skin to the Core). Eric’s memoir in pictures and verse is also an exceptional audiobook which Eric reads himself. It’s a privilege for me to bring you this conversation today. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith - I Talk Like a River

2021/3/11

53:44

Jordan Scott and Sydney Smith share I Talk Like a River, a most exceptional picture book by two most exceptional individuals. If you have not yet come to know I Talk Like a River, I can think of no better place to start. So I will leave you with three thoughts shared with me in this conversation by Jordan and Sydney that I think deserve being heard over and over. #1: Stuttering makes language visible. #2: The production of speech is a physical act. And #3: The idea of fluency is kind of fictional. I hope you enjoy this episode a whole lot.  Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ilima Loomis and Kenard Pak - Ohana Means Family

2021/3/8

30:46

Ilima Loomis and Kenard Pak share Ohana Means Family. Poi is an important and traditional food to native Hawaiian islanders, made from taro, and in this building rhyme story a family prepares the poi for their ohana's luau. Many stories have employed the structure of “The House That Jack Built” in order to tell a cumulative story, but the format serves this book especially well alongside Pak’s illustrations to celebrate a food, an island nation, a family, and a tradition. I hope you’re able to hold a copy of this book soon so that you, too, can be transported. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Duncan Tonatiuh - Feather Serpent and the Five Suns

2021/3/3

32:37

Duncan Tonatiuh shares Feather Serpent and the Five Suns, a creation story using Duncan’s iconic pre-Columbian Meso-American-influenced art style that takes readers into the depths of Mictlān, the underworld of Axtec mythology. It’s an epic story, and hearing Duncan tell it is testament to how strongly these influences move Duncan’s hands to create such wonderful stories. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Raúl The Third - ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat

2021/3/1

36:27

Raúl The Third is no stranger to the podcast, but the books he brings to share today are easily some of my favorite work he’s done yet. ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market and ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat are the first in a multi-book and multi-format series which includes picture books, easy readers, and board books. Raúl’s world-building is truly mind-blowing. Every character feels important. Every character matters, regardless of their role in the main story. It’s a universe I think many, many readers will find a welcome home within and it’s one, quite frankly, I escape to every chance I get. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Monique Gray Smith and Nicole Neidhardt - When We Are Kind

2021/2/26

43:34

Monique Gray Smith and Nicole Neidhardt share WHEN WE ARE KIND. This book is a beautiful rumination on what it feels like when we are kind and when someone or something is kind to us. Monique talks about kindness as a salve and the relationality and connection we have to one another and to the earth comes across powerfully and, in moments, disarmingly as Nicole brings representation of all types of families and family structures throughout the art. It’s a centering of diversity and the vibrancy of Native communities as they exist in the here and now and it’s a book that I think will deeply, deeply resonate with any reader, no matter the age. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Shane W. Evans - My Friend!

2021/2/23

47:34

Shane W. Evans shares shares MY FRIEND!, his latest picture book with his best pal Taye Diggs. This book has such terrific rhythmic language, made only greater by Shane’s beautiful and evocative color blocking throughout the art. One of my most favorite things Shane shared in our conversation was how he is constantly working to stay aware of the child in him. It’s so clear as I read Shane’s art. Truly, one only needs to spend a moment with one of Shane’s books to hear that voice and that value come calling out. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lulu Delacre - Luci Soars

2021/2/19

36:19

Lulu Delacre shares LUCI SOARS. Lulu and I have been talking about recording a podcast for a long while now, but I’ve got to say that LUCI SOARS was the very perfect book to bring us together. This beautiful picture book about a girl without a shadow speaks to discovering yourself and your voice. Lulu’s talks about how easy it is to be overcome by your difference, but that you find power by changing the way you look at things. We also get the chance to talk about her RAFI AND ROSI easy reader series, which my daughter and I return to often! Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Levithan - The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as Told to His Brother)

2021/2/16

37:01

David Levithan shares THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF AIDAN S. (AS TOLD TO HIS BROTHER). It’s David’s middle grade debut and the premise rests on what it means to tell your truth and what it means for someone to believe you. Aiden disappears and is missing for six days before suddenly being discovered in the attic of his house by his younger brother. The attic was searched multiple times, and yet here he is. Stranger still, Aiden mumbles something about visiting another world and Lucas, his brother, cannot shake the importance of believing his brother, no matter how unbelievable the story. Truly, this one is awesome. And every comparison you might draw to other portal travel novels is so beautifully met with David Levithan’s world-building in the small town that now needs to reconcile with Aiden’s mysterious return. Cannot wait for you to read it so we can talk about it. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Awards

2021/2/12

29:45

Today’s episode is produced in partnership with the Association of Jewish Libraries as we celebrate the winners of the 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Award, recognizing outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. Let’s first hear more about the award. Please welcome back Rebecca Levitan, the Chair of the 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee.  The Sydney Taylor Book Award recognizes outstanding books in three categories: picture books, middle grade, and young adult. We’ll hear from a number of the winners and honorees today, but for a full list of those recognized, visit the homepage of the Association of Jewish Libraries. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nikki Grimes - Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance

2021/2/9

37:40

Nikki Grimes, poet author and longtime friend of the podcast, shares LEGACY: WOMEN POETS OF THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE. Nikki’s new book showcases poems from the Harlem Renaissance written by Black women. Each poem is then followed by a Golden Shovel poem written by Nikki in response to the original. The Golden Shovel poetic form, created by Terrance Hayes and described to readers by Nikki, “calls poets to take a short poem in its entirety, or a line from the poem, called a striking line, and to create a new poem using the words from the original.” I found many of these poems to be striking if not transcendent. These are beautiful, modern responses to the work of Harlem Renaissance poets that affirms and resonates our connects and experiences over a century passed. The poems are also accompanied by original art by Black female artists, many of whom have illustrated some of your favorite works for children today. All told, this is Nikki at her best and I say as much to her in our conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vincent X. Kirsch - From Archie to Zack

2021/2/2

45:15

Vincent X. Kirsch shares FROM ARCHIE TO ZACK. I feel the need to be completely frank with you here. There are so many wonderful picture books out there and so many great stories of boys crushing on girls and girls crushing on boys. Some flirt with using the word “love”. Many embrace the innocent, complicated, and wholly earnest feelings we feel at a young age toward those who, often for reasons inexplicable, become the objects of our affections. But very rarely do we ever see books where a girl expresses love for a girl, or a boy expresses love for a boy. No matter what the reason, this strikes me as a great loss at reflecting the pureness of childhood look, which never needs any deeper interpretation beyond recognizing “it is what it is.” Vincent has created a beautiful book of two boys in love. Without a doubt, both boys know their love for the other. Their whole class knows and every classmate would tell you with a great big smile on their face. But also, neither boy will say it to the other. It’s a wonderful story of finding the just right words to tell someone how you feel, and also the just right courage. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Peter Sís - Nicky & Vera

2021/1/29

49:08

Peter Sís shares NICKY & VERA: The Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued. Peter has had a storied career in children’s literature with many, many beloved books on many, many library shelves throughout the world. But today Peter brings to us a book that’s been with him his whole life. And it’s all centered around a single question: How does one do good things in life? You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Anastasia Higginbotham - What You Don't Know

2021/1/26

54:50

Anastasia Higginbotham shares WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW: A Story of Liberated Childhood. It wasn’t that long ago that Anastasia joined me on the podcast to talk about NOT MY IDEA: A Book About Whiteness. Anastasia gets right to the heart of conversations, always working to secure the dignity, humanity, and power of her readers, our children. She talks about kids being raised by people who know what the world is and, in the process, how it feels to sweat every detail in crafting a story of liberated childhood. This, my friends, is a conversation I am so proud of, and one I hope connects deeply with you (and sticks with you long after). You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Natasha Yim - Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum

2021/1/19

46:07

Natasha Yim shares LUNA’s YUM YUM DIM SUM, a new picture book written by Natasha and illustrated by Violet Kim. Natasha talks about being invited to submit a story for the Storytelling Math series for Charlesbridge, which includes titles by Grace Lin, Sara Levine, and Ana Crespo. She started with an idea to set the story in a Chinese restaurant and asked herself the question, “Is being equitable the same as being fair?” The result was a fun and engaging sibling story over how to fairly divide portions when “fair” looks different from person to person. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jackie Azúa Kramer and Cindy Derby - The Boy and the Gorilla

2021/1/15

58:35

Jackie Azua Kramer and Cindy Derby share THE BOY AND THE GORILLA, a book about a difficult topic, and one handled with great grace and care. It’s a story that addresses the “800 pound gorilla in the room” while walking the reader down a path to healing. You have no doubt faced grief in your life, listener. This story invites us to start with answers and find the questions. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susan Kusel and Sean Rubin - The Passover Guest

2021/1/12

1:07:09

Susan Kusel and Sean Rubin share THE PASSOVER GUEST, a new picture book that takes place in Depression-era DC and follows a young girl named Muriel home from the Tidal Basin to her parent’s empty table side on the evening of Passover. On her way home Muriel meets a strange magician who encourages her to hurry home. What miracle awaits for her and her family causes Muriel to run out and seek the rabbi in order to ask if they could proceed with the astonishing meal. The book is beautifully illustrated and a reminder that Passover is for everyone. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Yesenia Moises - Stella's Stellar Hair

2021/1/5

40:43

Yesenia Moises shares STELLA’s STELLAR HAIR, her debut picture book as both author and illustrator. There has been a surge of wonderful picture books featuring Black girls and boys and centering on hair thanks, in part, to the natural hair movement. Yesenia takes the topic interplanetary with, in her words, “big hair and bright colors”. The story is inspired by Yesenia’s own hair journey and centers on Stella, a young girl preparing for the Big Star Little Gala who visits her aunts on each of the different planets in order to try out their suggestions for how she should style her hair. This book is absolutely a delight for the eyes and one that had me smiling page after page. I know your readers are going to love it up a whole lot as well! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lamar Giles - The Legendary Alston Boys Adventures

2021/1/1

42:20

Lamar Giles shares the LEGENDARY ALSTON BOYS ADVENTURES and THE LAST MIRROR ON THE LEFT, the most recent book in the series. I connected hard with the Alston Boys and am all-in for every page turn with Otto and Sheed and the memorable cast of characters that seem to threaten the very existence of time itself at every turn. Each book passes at breakneck speed and the stories, akin to what would happen if The Hardy Boys series crashed into The Phantom Tollbooth, remind readers that the small things you do can have a big affect on your future. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michelle Meadows and Ebony Glenn - Flying High

2020/12/29

34:18

Michelle Meadows and Ebony Glenn share FLYING HIGH: THE STORY OF GYMNASTICS CHAMPION SIMONE BILES. Michelle’s skill at crafting detailed and engaging biographies for the very young in rhythmic, rhyming text is perfectly paired with Ebony’s caring touch in bringing important individuals and their lives to life on the page. Michelle talks in our conversation about the music of language and how Simone Biles was, as Michelle puts it, an individual whom you could not help but look at as she took to the mats. Simone’s is a story of family love, facing obstacles, and facing hardships. There’s much for young readers to draw inspiration from and FLYING HIGH makes that information readily accessible and inviting to return to over and over. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cathy Camper - Ten Ways to Hear Snow

2020/12/22

40:22

Cathy Camper shares TEN WAYS TO HEAR SNOW, her debut picture book illustrated by Kenard Pak. A child named Lina heads out across a newly snow-laden neighborhood to visit her grandmother at an assisted living home and notes the sounds of snow along the way. Lina prepares grape leaves with her grandmother, as is a tradition and bond in their relationship, but her grandmother is also losing her eyesight, and so the child wants to make sure she collects as much of the snow through memory or experience as she can. Cathy’s best known for her LOWRIDERS graphic novel series. In her debut picture book, she attempts to capture the feeling that perhaps you have experienced too, of waking up in the morning and seeing that the whole world has changed. Cathy also wanted to tie her Arab-American and midwest roots into this story, centering Arab-American kids just doing regular stuff, but also in a very deliberate setting of a midwest neighborhood as a means of breaking stereotypes for readers who may have a different idea in their head when they consider stories of Arab-Americans. This is definitely one to make sure you don’t miss. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner or on Paypal at paypal.me/childrensbkpod --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Victoria Bond - Zora & Me: The Summoner

2020/12/18

48:20

Victoria Bond shares ZORA & ME: THE SUMMONER, the 3rd and final book in the ZORA & ME trilogy, co-authored by T.R. Simon and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award. Victoria shares about starting with children at their beginnings because, as she puts it, there’s “no better time to meet a reader than at the very beginning.” The books in the ZORA & ME series center on the imagined childhood of Harlem Renaissance luminary Zora Neal Hurston, author of THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD. Each of the novels takes place in Eatonville, FL, one of the first all-black incorporated towns in the nation. And in this story, Victoria asks herself how the town could get someone elected to a position that seems so unbelievable and, ultimately, leads to Zora leaving town. I was so grateful for this connection with Victoria. She feels like a kindred soul and I very much hope our paths cross again. For now, we have this truly exceptional book series to keep us good company. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Meg Medina - Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away

2020/12/15

37:59

Meg Medina shares EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez. Meg has written many, many beautiful books, but this latest picture book is one that really moved me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. In EVELYN DEL REY IS MOVING AWAY we meet two friends making the very most of their last playdate together. It’s every bit as wonderful as you could imagine, beautifully rendered in illustrations by Sonia Sanchez. The pang of falling in best friend love only to have to say goodbye is a feeling I hope not many of you have had to suffer, but it is one told with poetic honesty in the pages of this story. Meg also takes a moment to share a preview of MERCI SUAREZ CAN’T DANCE, the sequel to the Newbery award-winning MERCI SUAREZ CHANGES GEARS. All of these stories of moments and experiences that become part of who we become. Oh, I’m so excited for you to hear this conversation! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

KA Holt - BenBee and the Teacher Griefer

2020/12/8

50:42

KA Holt shares BENBEE AND THE TEACHER GRIEFER. KA’s first book in the KIDS UNDER THE STAIRS series introduces readers to Ben B., Ben Y., Javier, and Jordan, four children forced to take a summer school class in order to improve their scores on the state assessment. It’s a story about learning how to exist together and also one about learning how not to censor yourself. KA pours a lot of heart into this story in order to bring us close to a group of kids who, in my opinion, don’t get seen often enough in schools. As you might guess, I saw a lot of my students in this book, their interests, their friendships, and the way they fight to be seen day after day, even when they might not feel like they’re seen. As for Ben B., Ben Y., Javier, and Jordan, they have a lot more story to tell and I’m so glad that KA is working to help them tell it. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marilyn Singer - Ways To Say I Love You

2020/12/4

43:20

Marilyn Singer shares WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU, illustrated by Alette Straathof. WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU is a beautiful, inclusive story about animals courting and finding their mate. And it's about humans doing the same. Do you know that experience of picking up a book unsure of what to expect, only to end up talking and talking and talking to your friend about it? And all the while your friend says “I know, right? I KNOW, right?!” Well, WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU happens to be one of those books to me, and my good pal Mel Schuit happens to be one of those friends. Marilyn and I talk as if two long-separated friends with a lifetime of stories with which to catch up. I have known and loved her reverso poems including MIRROR, MIRROR since my very first year in the library. It’s quite possible that this invented poetic form gave rise to me writing poetry myself. All told, this conversation around this particular book feels like one that was a long time in the making and I’m so glad that it all happened just when it did and just as it happened. I very much hope you enjoy this conversation.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner   Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Wendell Minor - Southwest Sunrise

2020/12/1

36:14

Wendell Minor shares SOUTHWEST SUNRISE, a new picture book written by Nikki Grimes. Wendell has worked on many widely recognized books and is a longtime collaborator with several prolific authors, including Jean Craighead George, author of JULIE AND THE WOLVES, Robert Burleigh, author of TINY BIRD: A HUMMINGBIRD’S AMAZING JOURNEY, and Brenda Peterson, author of WILD ORCA. What Wendell brings to SOUTHWEST SUNRISE is a lifetime of experience as an artist and as a resident of the world and of nature. We talked about the land of enchantment and of the feeling of vibration or energy whenever Wendell is there. I felt my heart sway at his mention of feeling small under such a big sky. I hope this conversation, listener, transports you as well. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store. Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner   Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christopher Paul Curtis - The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

2020/11/24

39:38

Christopher Paul Curtis shares THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963, celebrating its 25th anniversary. Christopher Paul Curtis is the author of many widely-loved and critically-acclaimed books including BUD, NOT BUDDY (Newbery winner and the Coretta Scott King winner), THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 (Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King honor), and ELIJAH OF BUXTON (Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King winner). THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963 was Christopher’s debut middle grade novel. Christopher and I hopped on the phone to talk about his time working at the automobile factory in Flint, MI, his choice to write an adult story narrated by a 10-year-old, and the real life experiences that made their way into the book. Plus, if you have not yet had the pleasure of meeting Christopher Paul Curtis, I think you’re going to feel immediately at home and in good company with Christopher. I personally didn’t want this conversation to end.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner   Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Arthur A. Levine - The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol

2020/11/20

36:29

Arthur A. Levine shares THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. When Arthur and I last spoke at ALA midwinter 2020 in Philadelphia, it was to launch Levine Querido, the independent publisher bearing his surname. THE HANUKKAH MAGIC OF NATE GADOL is a new picture book that introduces readers to Nate Gadol, a Hanukkah spirit who can make anything last as long as it is needed. It’s an exquisite story told best by Arthur himself, so I won’t waste another moment. A quick note just to say that Arthur was driving while we spoke. You’ll notice it in his audio track and I didn’t want it to catch you off guard.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner   Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jelani Memory and Company - A Kids Book About

2020/11/17

46:24

Jelani Memory and company share titles from A KIDS BOOK ABOUT. Jelani is the founder of A KIDS BOOK ABOUT, an innovative company bringing difficult conversations to readers through lived experiences and #ownvoices. Taking on such topics as racism, divorce, failure, and belonging, A KIDS BOOK ABOUT is doing something different in the children’s book market and the impact these books are making on readers and reading communities, as I’ve experienced firsthand, is powerful. Today you’ll hear ten different voices representing ten different topics addressed in the A KIDS BOOK ABOUT series, why each author wrote their book, and what advice they would share to their childhood selves if given the chance. We’ll hear about RACISM from Jelani Memory, DIVORCE from Ashley Simpo, BELONGING from Kevin Carroll, EMOTIONS from Nakita Simpson, ADVENTURE from Ben Tertin, FAILURE from Dr. Laymon Hicks, FEMINISM from Emma Mcilroy, DISABILITIES from Kristine Napper, SHAME from Jamie Letourneau, and EMPATHY from Daron K. Roberts. You can browse these and even more titles by visiting A KIDS BOOK ABOUT.    You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/matthewcwinner   Thank you to this week's sponsors: TeachingBooks.net Professor Bookworm (offer code CHILDRENS20) Libro.fm (offer code WINNER) Consider starting a 3-, 6-, or 12-month Libro.fm membership And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Oliver Jeffers - What We'll Build

2020/11/10

24:36

Oliver Jeffers shares WHAT WE'LL BUILD. In many ways it is a love letter to his daughter about our future together, in relationship with one another, and all that our collective knowledge and collective experience will do to help move us forward. Oliver notes in our conversation that “all art is reactionary”, and we spend time in this conversation noticing details that appeared and reappeared in his art, what some of those details or characters mean, and what it means to take note of who or what’s around you, whether or not you fully understand why.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison - I Got the School Spirit

2020/11/6

44:06

Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison share I GOT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT. This book and others in the series star a spirited girl named Miraculous and her luminous ability to bring joy, space, and light into wherever she is. It won’t surprise you to know that Connie and Frank are much the same as their lead character. Truly, I feel blessed just to have spent time in conversation with them. And now that I get to share this conversation with you I am absolutely all smiles. Enjoy in a very big way.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright - Twins

2020/11/3

54:31

Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright share TWINS, an all new middle grade graphic novel. It’s fair to say that both Varian and Shannon put a lot of themselves into making this comic, but what surprised me most was how much of all of us are in these panels. Twins Maureen and Francine are off to middle school and Fran has had just about enough of always being mistaken for her sister. So she sets out to carve her own path. Unfortunately there’s collateral damage to making such big attempts and it sets the girls as literal opponents in the race for class president. You and your readers are gonna love this one a whole lot!   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.   Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Thrity Umrigar - Sugar in Milk

2020/10/27

30:23

Thrity Umrigar shares SUGAR IN MILK and BINNY’S DIWALI. These books represent two different strands of Thrity's life this year, as she puts it. Artist Khoa Le lends exquisite illustrations to SUGAR IN MILK to tell a story within a story of a girl who has recently immigrated to America and struggles to feel she belongs. The girl’s auntie comforts her with the timeless tale of an Indian king, a group of Persian refugees, and a full glass of milk. BINNY’S DIWALI is a celebration in lights and community, brought vibrantly to the page with the help of Nidhi Chanani’s colorful art.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Zetta Elliott - A Place Inside of Me

2020/10/26

50:21

Zetta Elliott shares A PLACE INSIDE OF ME. Zetta is a force on this earth and I had the good great fortune to connect with her to discuss A PLACE INSIDE OF ME, her new picture book illustrated by Noa Denmon. Zetta’s passion for writing as both a space for growth and for taking risks has led to her having more than a few really great stories to tell, and more than a few friends readily volunteering her name as a truthsayer and a beacon of light. In A PLACE INSIDE OF ME, Zetta helps readers honor all of their emotions as a community responds to an act of racial violence and the story’s protagonist processes the trauma. I can scarcely put into words how A PLACE INSIDE OF ME moved me except to say that it’s a book I think about and return to even now, a long while after that first read.   You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Eva Chen - Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex

2020/10/23

38:08

Eva Chen shares 3 2 1 AWESOME! and ROXY THE LAST UNISAURUS REX. Eva’s JUNO VALENTINE series brings forth the world of fashion in an inviting and inclusive way that Eva herself describes as something of a fashion feminist fairy tale. The latest in the Junoverse is 3 2 1 AWESOME!: 20 Fearless Women Who Dared to be Different. Illustrated by Juno Valentine artist Derek Desierto, this book counts down amazing accomplishments by women across the globe in a format that adds up to a whole lot of awe. Eva’s latest book is called ROXY THE LAST UNISAURUS REX. It’s illustrated by Matthew Rivera and in this story Eva embraces biracial representation and feeling like you’re the only one. As Eva shares, “every kid goes through a phase where they’re unsure of themselves or their place in the universe.” Eva Chen is on a mission to make sure that every kid knows that they’re home is right here. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Fred Bowen and James Ransome - Gridiron

2020/10/19

43:39

Fred Bowen and James Ransome share GRIDIRON: STORIES FROM 100 YEARS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE. GRIDIRON is a work of love and devotion and history and fandom. It tells in a collection of brief chapters a history of a sport made up in moments, from memorable plays to memorable leaders and memorable events that allowed more people into the game. And it does it with gorgeous, energetic, and often emblematic illustrations. Through it all, the sport, the figures, and the history, is an opportunity to bring people together. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton - Julie's Library

2020/10/13

27:18

Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton share JULIE'S LIBRARY. Julie Andrews is a woman who needs no introduction, so perhaps you’ll humor me as we do this a little differently. You, I’m guessing, have grown up with Julie Andrews. So have I. Her film works alone were staples of my childhood and, in turn, we have shared them with our kids over and over again. Julie has appeared in movies we’ve streamed and she is a face our son readily recognizes when she appears on screen. Her life and career are an inspiration to many, but she is also someone whom my wife has looked to for strength and inspiration throughout her career as a vocalist and music teacher. We quickly binged all of the episodes of Julie’s Greenroom on Netflix as soon as it launched. And now the universe has given me something amazing in common with Julie because Julie Andrews is now a podcast host. Launched in May of 2020, JULIE’S LIBRARY is a brand new podcast from American Public Media with Julie and her daughter, children’s author and educator Emma Walton Hamilton. Julie and Emma invite you into their library to read their favorite children's books. Every story comes to life with sound, music and activities. Authors, kids and other special guests chime in, too! It’s a show that will inspire lively conversations and a lifelong love of reading. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tami Charles - All Because You Matter

2020/10/9

52:08

Tami Charles (@TamiWritesStuff) shares ALL BECAUSE YOU MATTER, a new picture book illustrated by Bryan Collier. Tami wrote this book for her son while thinking how to protect him from the cruelties of the world while also exposing him to the beauties. Is it not a parent’s job to protect their child and help to prepare them for the world they are entering? And if you don’t tell them how much they matter, who will? Much like children growing up, this is a conversation that went by much too fast. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Linda Sue Park - Prairie Lotus

2020/10/6

1:00:21

Linda Sue Park (@LindaSuePark) shares PRAIRIE LOTUS and GURPLE AND PREEN. Linda Sue’s newest middle grade novel, PRAIRIE LOTUS, takes place in Dakota Territory in the 1880s. Fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will note that this is the same time and location of LITTLE TOWN ON THE PRAIRIE. That isn’t by coincidence. Linda Sue was also an emphatic fan of Wilder’s LITTLE HOUSE books and would often imagine herself in the world of those stories. This was a world, though, that would have harshly rejected Linda Sue and her family. In a novel nearly a lifetime in the making, Linda Sue shares how she reconciled her childhood love of an iconic book series with a need to hear the voices who were silenced throughout Wilder’s writings. In Park’s words, “All kids need books about all kids.”  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Deborah Wiles - Kent State

2020/9/29

45:40

Deborah Wiles (@DeborahWiles101) shares KENT STATE. Deborah is known for a great number of outstanding middle grade novels, but her YA debut is one that I believe will fully stop you in your tracks. KENT STATE is a novel in verse or perhaps more accurately a novel in voices about the events on May 4th, 1970 which led to members of the Ohio National Guard opening fire into a crowd of Kent State University demonstrators, killing four and wounding nine Kent State students. It is a book about events that took place over 50 years ago, but it is also inseparably a story about what is going on right now. It’s a novel that examines the importance of social justice and what it means to be an American. It is a retelling that will move you. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Meera Sriram - A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India

2020/9/25

39:47

Meera Sriram (@Meeratsriram) shares A GIFT FROM AMMA: MARKET DAY IN INDIA, illustrated by Marionna Cabassa. I am always keeping an eye out for books that take the familiar and reshape and reshare in a new way. In this book, we take a color walk alongside our main character, noticing pinks and blacks and reds and all of the other colors of the market. But this isn’t just a walk for the eyes. It’s a walk for all the senses. Readers watch the charcoal black roast sweetcorn and kebabs while hearing the black drums beat and boom. They smell the powdery spice scent of turmeric, yellow like sunshine dust, while hearing a yellow rickshaw pass. Meera has captured the sensory experience of the markets she grew up visiting and she shares them with all of our readers. It is a place you’ll want to visit over and over again. And centering all of this is a child’s love for her mother. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Frank Murphy and Kayla Harren - A Girl Like You

2020/9/22

56:50

Frank Murphy (@frankmurphy2009) and Kayla Harren share A GIRL LIKE YOU, co-authored with his wife Carla Murphy. Frank affirms with this sequel to A BOY LIKE YOU why the world needs every kind of kid. Sensitive, outgoing, smart, brave, caring, energetic, creative, and whatever other words that might come to mind as you think of the kids in your life. The first book was written in response to Frank’s observation of all the problems going on in the world, and to how the media continued to blame those problems most often on guns and on boys. We talk a lot about addressing toxic masculinity, but not all masculinity is toxic. As Frank shares, “there are great ways to be a man.” Under the talented hand of Kayla Harren’s pencil and brush strokes, boys from all kinds of families, neighborhoods, interests, and skin tones are seen and loved and valued on the page. The same care and respect was taken in centering girls for the sequel, A GIRL LIKE YOU, only now Frank invited in another voice to help tell the story and one that could help reflect the experience and identity of the book’s focus. What resulted was another beautiful marriage of words and art that affirm the reader and remind each child of their agency in the world. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Gidwitz and Emma Otheguy - The Madre de Aguas of Cuba

2020/9/19

44:14

Adam Gidwitz (@AdamGidwitz) and Emma Otheguy (@EmmaOtheguy) share THE MADRE de AGUAS OF CUBA, book #5 in the UNICORN RESCUE SOCIETY series, illustrated by Hatem Aly. If you have been following along with this chapter book series, you have no doubt noticed that it’s doing something a little different than the other books out there. Series frontrunner Adam Gidwitz has paired up with a different #ownvoices author for each of the books since the first sequel. The resulting titles have taken readers all around the world to explore region-specific mythical creatures while also exploring the intersection of culture and current events. The latest installment takes place in Cuba and at the hands of skilled storyteller Emma Otheguy the characters seek to rescue a mysterious creature amid a threat to the area’s water supply. As Adam would say, this book and the others in the series are filled with “serious fun”. And if this is your first entry into the series, have no fear. This book is a great starting point and catches readers up within the first few pages. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Samara Cole Doyon and Kaylani Juanita - Magnificent Homespun Brown

2020/9/15

43:09

Samara Cole Doyon (@HeartRoot_Fire) and Kaylani Juanita (@kaylanijuanita) share MAGNIFICENT HOMESPUN BROWN. This picture book is so many things and, whether you are reading it the first time or the twenty-first time, there is something new to discover with each new read. This is due in large part to the terrific balance between rich, poetic text and lushly detailed, beautiful illustrations. Samara’s and Kaylani’s combined gifts resulted in a stunning and resonant story that is, itself, a gift to read. It is a celebration of all shades of brown and the faces and families whose deep, secret brown, whose feathery brown, whose amber brown, whose radiant brown, whose magnificent, homespun brown is part of what makes them so magnificent. And because the two did not connect by voice previously, this conversation is a first connection and a shared appreciation captured on digital “film”. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rashmi Bismark - Finding Om

2020/9/8

56:16

Rashmi Bismark (@rashmibismark) shares FINDING OM, her debut picture book illustrated by Morgan Huff and published by Mango & Marigold Press. In the story, Anu explores the mantra Om with her much-loved grandfather Appuppa. Rashmi was drawn to writing about the southeast asian experience and reflects on the #ownvoices responsibility in communication through art in a picture book. I found it fascinating to learn about the balance between leaving space for the illustrator in a picture book as an author and the importance of communicating details in order to assure, as an #ownvoices author, an authentic representation of Anu and her Indian-American family. This attention to detail extends all the way to how Anu’s family members are sitting as the center on Om. There’s so much more to share, but I’m going to let my conversation with Rashmi do the talking. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Farhana Zia - Lali's Feather

2020/9/6

47:21

Farhana Zia shares LALI’S FEATHER, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman and published by Peachtree Publishing Company. It’s a story about a girl who finds a feather and sets about trying to find the owner. What she finds instead is a good number of other birds who think their feathers are superior in beauty or sturdiness or usefulness. Of course, none of these opinions are useful for Lali. But what’s more is that Lali is unperturbed by their comments. She seems to be consumed with an irrepressible joy for this small treasure. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kelly Starling Lyons - Going Down Home with Daddy

2020/9/1

47:52

Kelly Starling Lyons (@kelstarly) shares GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY. Kelly is a wonder to me. Her books live in nearly every collection of our school library. Her JADA JONES series is so well-loved, that just mentioning her name in our library had students literally giddy to read her next book. She had not one but two picture books included in our mock Coretta Scott King award last year including GOING DOWN HOME WITH DADDY, a book illustrated by Daniel Minter for which he was awarded a Caldecott honor. Kelly’s newest book is called TIARA’S HAT PARADE, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell, and it centers on a daughter’s love for her mother and the heartfelt way she responds when momma’s millinery business is forced to close. We squeeze a whole lot into this one conversation, so be sure to put in a list of holds requests at your library to check out all of Kelly’s books for yourself. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mike Curato - Flamer

2020/8/25

57:58

Mike Curato (@MikeCurato) shares FLAMER, his YA graphic novel about a boy at scout camp the summer of 1995. This book is a lot of things. It’s a coming-of-age story. It confronts ideas of racism and homophobia. It looks at body image and coming to terms with identity in every sense of the word. It deals with issues of religion and of suicidal ideation. It is a powerful and moving story with a climax that rises like a phoenix from the flames. But we’ll get to all of that in our conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lynnette Mawhinney - Lulu the One and Only

2020/8/21

48:24

Lynnette Mawhinney (@lkmawhinney) shares LULU THE ONE AND ONLY, her debut picture book. There is a lot to be said for the question, “What are you?” It’s a question that dehumanizes the person at which it’s directed, but it also reveals a lot of it’s asker. Lynnette wrote the story as a means of showing real realities for biracial kids. To quote Lynnette,“We constantly want to put people in categories.” This conversation, dear listener, is an attempt to get to the bottom of why that is, to acknowledge the humanity in everyone, and to hold space for courageous conversations that seek to  create spaces where we preserve the dignity of every kid. If you can’t tell, I had a really amazing time talking with Lynette. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Chad Sell - Doodleville

2020/8/18

52:31

Chad Sell (@chadsell01) is the co-creator of the CARDBOARD KINGDOM series and author-illustrator of DOODLEVILLE. In the world of DOODLEVILLE, doodles take on a literal life of their own. What you create might say a lot about you or your personality, but how you manage with your doodles when they start playing by their own rules is a completely different story. Drew is a doodler and she creates an entire world for her and her classmates' doodles to inhabit. She also creates a giant doodle which she nicknames Levi. But Levi doesn’t turn out to be what her classmates expect, and as Drew tries to undo her doodle she unleashes a monster. Now Drew needs to figure out how to get things under control before Levi gobbles up or destroys everything the kids have worked so hard to create. It’s an all-ages graphic novel sure to inspire doodlers everywhere, and one that will leave you looking differently at your sketchbook for sure. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan - A Place at the Table

2020/8/10

46:53

Saadia Faruqi (@SaadiaFaruqi) and Laura Shovan (@LauraShovan) share A PLACE AT THE TABLE. This new middle grade novel in two voices examines the growing awareness of who you are outside of your family, an experience many of us go through as we enter middle school. It’s also available as an audiobook, and one so good, if I can just say, that I finished it in nearly a day. What brings Sara and Elizabeth together may start at an after school cooking club, but their friendship has all of the complexity of two individuals who are at the same time similar and different as can be. Saadia and Laura explore the experience of being a first-generation American through their main characters, drawing from each of their childhoods to tell a rich and beautiful story of navigating bias, confronting prejudice, defending friends, and protecting who you are uncompromisingly. The story asks readers to consider what makes a person privileged, and what to do if you recognize that privilege in your own experiences. As Saadia and Laura note in our conversation, so many kids want to stand up but don’t know how. This story is one answer to that question. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tameka Fryer Brown - Brown Baby Lullaby

2020/8/6

39:50

Tameka Fryer Brown (@teebrownkidlit) shares BROWN BABY LULLABY, illustrated by AG Ford. It’s a story about the intimacy of new parenthood, that time when everything else disappears and the whole world becomes baby. I find that the selection of baby books centering families of color created by authors and illustrators of color is lacking. Moreover, I find the beauty of this book in particular to be really outstanding. Find a baby or an audience of a new parent or two, and enjoy reading aloud this beautiful book to them. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christina Soontornvat - A Wish in the Dark

2020/8/4

50:30

Christina Soontornvat (@soontornvat) shares A WISH IN THE DARK. Christina’s newest middle grade novel brings readers to a city on the brink of revolution. For Pong, Nok, and Soomkit, there is much to be learned about life. Who can you trust? Who is worthy of love and light? Where do you turn when the ones you looked to are gone? It is a sweeping and exceptional story, a retelling of Les Miserables set in Thailand, and a reminder that every person has the potential to change the world and share a light. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alice Faye Duncan and Charnelle Pinkney Barlow - Just Like a Mama

2020/7/31

45:25

Alice Faye Duncan (@AliceFa41743636) and debut children’s book illustrator Charnelle Pinkney Barlow share JUST LIKE A MAMA. JUST LIKE A MAMA shines a light on caregivers and children not connected by blood, but by love. There are many different reasons why kids might not live with their biological parents and this is a truth that Alice has had on her heart a long time as this book idea germinated. What resulted, I think you’ll agree, was well-worth the wait. Listeners, please make sure you find the opportunity to read this story and to be moved by the care that brought it into being. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Juana Medina - Juana and Lucas

2020/7/28

45:30

Juana Medina (@juanamedina) shares JUANA AND LUCAS: BIG PROBLEMAS. The JUANA AND LUCAS series are among my favorite chapter books ever. Juana, as it turns out, is also one of my favorite people. We first connected two or three years ago at the Baltimore Book Fest. Since then we’ve been trying to plan a time to chat, but we’ve also had the privilege of watching one another’s kids grow up in the process. Juana writes a lot of herself into her JUANA AND LUCAS series. And she talks in this recording about how the sense of otherness often gets pushed into our lives. We also connect over the realization that we can all identify with struggling and learning something new. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lil Miss Hot Mess - The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish, Swish, Swish

2020/7/25

36:42

Lil Miss Hot Mess (@LilMissHotMess) shares about her debut picture book, THE HIPS ON THE DRAG QUEEN GO SWISH, SWISH, SWISH. Lil Miss Hot Mess has been performing in drag for many years now, more than the age of her readers at Drag Queen Story Hour, but it’s because of those readers and those story hours that led to the creation of this picture book. Set to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”, Lil Miss Hot Mess’s invitation to swish, stomp, shimmy, snap, and bling pairs with the vibrant and energetic art of Olga de Dios to create a moment with readers full of fun, fabulousness, and truth. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rahele Jomepour Bell - Our Favorite Day of the Year

2020/7/21

44:47

Rahele Jomepour Bell (@RaheleJomepour) shares OUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR, a new picture book written by author A. E. Ali that takes place in a classroom where every child’s favorite holiday is celebrated throughout the school year. Do you have a favorite day of the year? I share mine in this conversation, as does Rahele. The favorite days shared by the children in this story make me smile not only for the reasons that make those days favorites, but also for the glimpse into the lives and families we see centered and honored throughout this book. It’s clear Rahele and A. E. Ali took great care to bring this story to readers. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Flavia Z. Drago - Gustavo the Shy Ghost

2020/7/14

45:28

Flavia Z. Drago (@Diafla) shares GUSTAVO THE SHY GHOST. In her debut picture book, Flavia tells the story of Gustavo, a ghost who really wants company and to be around friends, but when he’s around others just can’t seem to be noticed. It’s also about sharing with others that thing that you really love. Shyness can be a complicated thing, can’t it? It’s not always that you’re afraid of others or of other situations. Sometimes it boils down to just wanting others to invite you into their play or their conversations. Flavia and I talk all about shyness and monsters and how other people can be just as scared as you are to meet others, and that makes being shy a little less lonely in a way, doesn’t it? You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Valerie Bolling - Let's Dance!

2020/7/10

48:16

Valerie Bolling (@valerie_bolling) shares LET'S DANCE! with a team of 5th grade student co-hosts. Valerie’s debut picture book is called LET’S DANCE  and it’s illustrated by Maine Diaz. All told, there are less than 75 words in the main text, but with those selectively chosen verbs and adjectives Valerie leave a lot of space for the illustrator to bring the movement of dance to the page, and that’s exactly what happens. Valerie talks with us about growing up the only child in a house of seven adults. She shares her favorite dance, which is kuku in case you’re curious. And she shares how she’s only responsible for a third of the book (and talks lovingly on the other two thirds that helped to make this book what it is). You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Picture Book Summit Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw - Papa Brings Me the World

2020/7/8

43:10

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (@KosteckiShaw) shares PAPA BRINGS ME THE WORLD with a team of 5th grade student co-hosts. There’s a part in all of us that longs for opportunities granted with age, but for now held just-out-of-reach. In this story, Lulu’s dad is a photojournalist. His work takes him all over the world, but he always sends bits of his experiences home to his daughter in the form of these gifts. Lulu longs to travel with her papa, but for now these treasures must suffice. But what Lulu holds most closely in her heart are the stories in which her papa envelopes these items. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Derrick Barnes - I Am Every Good Thing

2020/7/4

39:24

Derrick Barnes (@Author_DDB) shares I AM EVERY GOOD THING and We're joined by my 4th and 5th grade podcast cohosts. CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT was received widely with praise and fanfare and awards and state book lists and my students, as well, were fully enamored with the story of the confidence carried along with a fresh haircut. So when there was an opportunity to speak with Derrick about I AM EVERY GOOD THING, his next book with longtime friend and illustrator Gordon C. James, I thought bringing on my students would be extra special. Derrick talks about the importance to see each other through the same lens, but also recognize our differences in the process. He reminded my students that we define who we are. He left a mark both in this book and in our conversation that will endure and resonate with my readers and with me for a long time. We’re so excited for you to hear this conversation, too. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow - Your Name is a Song

2020/6/29

40:27

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (@jtbigelow) shares YOUR NAME IS A SONG and my 4th and 5th grade podcast students join as cohosts! Jamilah’s newest picture book is illustrated by Luisa Uribe, and Luisa’s art absolutely dances all across the pages to help bring this story to life. The girl who leads our story is upset after her teacher and classmates struggle to pronounce her name. As they walk home, the girl’s mom shares that her name is a song, and that names can stretch out like love songs, they can come from your chest and your heart, they can be fire, or strong like a storm. For any child who has ever felt, for any reason, ashamed or embarrassed by their name, Jamilah’s story sings through the noise and the anger and the hurt to offer comfort. We had so much fun with this interview and we hope you’ll enjoy it as well. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sonja K. Solter

2020/6/26

40:55

Sonja K. Solter (@SolterK) shares WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW. Tori, our young protagonist, tells us her story, beginning with why she does not want anything to do with uncle Andy. But it’s those around Tori whose job it is to believe her, and that does not come easily at first. Sonja’s book is as much about being a survivor as it is about believing the victim. It is about sexual assault, but it’s also about the ripples traveling outward from trauma. It is a story I read, was challenged by, and returned to several times, and it’s a story I think belongs in your awareness and on your bookshelves as well. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Seamus Kirst

2020/6/23

38:35

Seamus Kirst (@SeamusKirst) shares PAPA, DADDY, & RILEY, which is illustrated by Devon Holzwarth. This book, I think, speaks to a question many of our kids ask themselves: “Is my family right? Is this how families are supposed to look?” That question is one no child should ever have to ask, but it can come up as kids form their understanding of the world. We compare. We learn. We try to figure out what’s right, what’s wrong, and what is just different from our own experience. In the case of this story, a classmate questions Riley, who is dropped off at school by her two dads. The classmate wants to know who is Riley’s mom. And the way Riley is confronted causes in her a lot of internal questioning.  “But the thing that makes a family a family, as Riley’s Daddy reminds, “is…” an answer I’ll make you wait to hear. And it will be worth it! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Danielle Dufayet

2020/6/20

38:40

Danielle Dufayet (@DanielleDufayet) shares YOU ARE YOUR STRONG and FANTASTIC YOU!. I first connected with YOU ARE YOUR STRONG, Danielle’s debut picture book, when I was moved by the way her text gave space for readers to acknowledge their feelings. Using language that affirms difficult or confusing feelings and exploring where we find our strength or what pulls strength out was, to be frank, an approach I found quite disarming as I read. It was as if I hadn’t realized what feelings I was holding onto and encountering YOU ARE YOUR STRONG held up a mirror to what emotions I was afraid to face. Her next book, FANTASTIC YOU!, similarly spoke the words I knew I needed to hear as a child, and I needed to hear even now as an educator and a parent and a person walking in the world. Naturally, Danielle and I spend time in this conversation exploring that very idea of self-acknowledging hurt or pain or sadness and self-regulating in order to love and care for yourself and others. I hope you, too, find strength in these words and in this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Anastasia Higginbotham

2020/6/16

54:36

Anastasia Higginbotham (@AHigginBooks) shares NOT MY IDEA: A BOOK ABOUT WHITENESS. Anastasia’s Ordinary Terrible Things book series has taken on the topics of divorce, death, and sex using straightforward language and respecting the reader with each page. Her most recent entry in the series is called NOT MY IDEA: A BOOK ABOUT WHITENESS and it has been one of my most-talked about books ever since a colleague shared it with me at the beginning of this school year. Anastasia talks at length about the work that went into creating this book, laying the art from found materials, handwriting the text, and crafting the story around her own experience of processing racial injustice and White supremacy. It’s an absolutely exceptional book and one that provides the necessary space and language for confronting Whiteness and working against the historic and ongoing oppression of Black men, women, and children. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Genhart

2020/6/12

46:25

Michael Genhart (@MGenhart) shares ACCORDIONLY, a picture book about two grandfathers with, at first glance, not a whole lot in common. What they do share is not only a love of the accordion but, more importantly, a family. Michael’s work tends to live in a space of welcoming and family. I know him previously from RAINBOW: A FIRST BOOK OF PRIDE, a soft introduction to rainbow families, as well as LOVE IS LOVE, a picture book that reminds us, as Lin Manuel Miranda once said, that love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love, and that love is for everyone and between anyone. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jewell Parker Rhodes (2020)

2020/6/9

56:49

Jewell Parker Rhodes (@jewell_p_rhodes) shares BLACK BROTHER, BLACK BROTHER. In her new middle grade novel, Jewell explores colorism, the school-to-prison pipeline, the history of Alexandre Dumas, and the sport of fencing. Donte and Trey are brothers, but Donte’s skin is dark, like his mom’s, and most new people have a hard time believing that they’re brothers, especially because Trey’s skin is light. Donte’s school, it’s fair to say, labels him as a problem because of the color of his skin. The people in Donte’s life all play critical roles in his survival, for help or for harm, and when Jewell weaves fencing and an Olympic medaled coach into the whole mix, what results is a moving and thoughtful story about race, dignity, and family. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Commitment to Black Lives Matter

2020/6/6

05:55

I want to take a moment to speak directly to all of you about recent events. Eric Garner. Michael Brown. Trayvon Martin. Freddie Gray. Janet Wilson. Pamela Turner. Christopher Whitfield. Breonna Taylor. Ahmaud Arbery. George Floyd. Their deaths alongside the deaths of countless others at the hands of the police and the hands of fearful White people are tragic, intolerable, and remembered.  These black lives matter. ALL black lives matter. These black experiences matter. ALL black experiences matter. These black voices matter. ALL Black voices matter. These black stories matter. ALL black stories matter. As I continue to record and produce episodes with people from all across our country writing stories for all different children, I want to reiterate my commitment to using this platform to lift marginalized voices and their stories. This work is ongoing, though it is also of the moment, and I will continue to communicate my value of these stories and these voices through the interviews I conduct and share in the weeks and months and years to come, bringing you voices speaking their truths, speaking for justice and visibility, sharing stories that see and lift up our children, especially those who so seldom are seen and lifted up. I encourage you to listen again to voices you’ve heard on this show. Voices like Cheryl and Wade Hudson and their book WE RISE, WE RESIST, WE RAISE OUR VOICES. Voices like ANGELA JOY and her book BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR. Voices like Breanna J. McDaniel and her book HANDS UP! Voices like TONY MEDINA and his graphic novel I AM ALPHONSO JONES. And voices like MAHOGANY BROWNE and her book WOKE: A YOUNG POET’S GUIDE TO JUSTICE. These and other books are here and have been here for you and for readers. There are other exceptional books, for more than I could possibly cover through interviews on this show, but I will continue to bring forward and lift up those books that are changing our world by seeing our kids and affirming their beauty and strength and world-changing presence. For now and for always, in solidarity. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Aram Kim

2020/6/1

41:26

Aram Kim (@StudioAram) shares LET’S GO TO TAEKWONDO!, a picture book that follows the same characters we met in NO KIMCHI FOR ME! into a setting not just about learning the martial arts, but also about bringing awareness to your mental health. I asked Aram if taekwondo was an interest shared from childhood. It wasn’t and, in fact it was something she spent time and experience learning. And from that comes this quote that I think introduces our conversation perfectly: “If I resist learning something new, I’m not qualified to write this book.” My friends, what Aram delivers readers is both qualified and beautiful. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Charles Waters

2020/5/31

52:14

Charles Waters (@waterscharles) shares DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD: POEMS, QUOTES, AND ANECDOTES FROM A TO Z. Charles and Irene Latham were last on this podcast two years ago to share CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES, AND FRIENDSHIP. Their new book together, DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD, is beautifully illustrated cover to cover by Mehrdokht Amini. The layout of the book is stunning, beginning with a poem addressing a culturally responsive topic, explaining the poetic form, expanding on the poem with an anecdote, and then inviting readers to take one small action or do one small activity relating to the topic. It’s a powerhouse of a book and I think this interview will speak for itself in that regard. Plus, hearing Charles recite poems is one of my favorite things ever! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

2020/5/26

38:47

Victoria Jamieson (@JamiesonV) and Omar Mohamed (@dantey114) share WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED, a graphic novel based on Omar's experience as a Somalian refugee Kenya. Omar's story is one that you won’t soon forget. It is a story about family and about surviving. It’s a story about education and advocating for yourself. In Omar’s experience, he says “the worst part about being in a refugee camp is that it’s monotonous and boring.” This is where Victoria’s skills as a storyteller and cartoonist shine. The comic has a strong sense of setting, helping give purpose to all of it’s characters and how their lives intersect. WHEN STARS ARE SCATTERED is the first book since safe-at-home that I’ve connected over with a student. Emma, one of my 3rd graders, share it over Zoom during one library class and we each immediately fell into a moment of book love as we realized we were each reading the same story. Emma and her sister Hannah are mentioned throughout this conversation, as well as the amazing ways these readers were touched by Omar’s story, a glimpse of how readers are connecting with the book across the country. I’ll end with Omar’s words, as they’ve been on my heart since recording this interview. “The simple thing we do for a human being may change their entire life.” You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hallee Adelman

2020/5/22

35:57

Hallee Adelman (@HalleeAdelman) shares WAY PAST MAD and THE QUIET SHIP. Hallee’s books reflect big emotions and normalizing these big emotions we feel. WAY PAST MAD involves the quickly escalating feelings of anger and frustration when one thing after another feels like it’s working against us. Those feelings can be hard to get over, but the frustration can also be compounded when we pass those feelings on to others. Emotional intelligence is a strength afforded to some. And what a gift it is when one of those individuals helps us all to understand those big feelings that we’re feeling. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Bethan Woollvin (2020)

2020/5/19

35:39

Bethan Woollvin (@bethanwoollvin) shares BO THE BRAVE, a new picture book about a young princess on the hunt for monsters. All of Bethan’s picture books up to this point have been retellings of well-known fairy tales, but with a twist. LITTLE RED featured an empowered child unwilling to be bested by the wolf. RAPUNZEL refused to be confined by fear in the witch’s tower. HANSEL & GRETEL has wicked children who tease a witch unrelentingly, and they get what’s coming to them. Bethan’s newest picture book is an original fairy tale and it centers on Bo, a young princess who yearns to be invited along on her brothers’ quest for monsters. When Bo sets out on her own, she discovers that monsters are, quite unjustly, what we make them out to be. And from that point forward, Bo seeks to see the individuals she encounters as who they are, not what the stories say they should be.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Irene Latham, Karim Shamsi-Basha, and Yuko Shimizu

2020/5/15

36:04

Irene Latham (@Irene_Latham), Karim Shamsi-Basha (@arabinalabama), and Yuko Shimizu (@yukoart) share THE CAT MAN OF ALEPPO. This true story is set in Syria in the town of Aleppo during recent wartime. While most of the city sought refuge and fled the city, many could not leave or chose to stay behind to help. This is a story about one of those helpers. Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, known to all as Alaa, is an ambulance driver who stayed behind to serve his city. I’m going to let the conversation do the talking here because this is a conversation I think will really move you. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Bookclub (Patreon) Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Introducing... Bookclub!

2020/5/12

05:24

Hello my beautiful booknerds.  I am hard at work on another batch of episodes to share with all of you and I am really, really excited about what’s coming up. There is no shortage of truly stunning books being published. Books that I know will be on my shelves and on my mind for a long while. Books that I want to talk about and I want you to hear about. Books made even better by listening to the creators share how these stories came to be what we are holding in our hands or listening to in our earbuds. Today, I’m bringing back the monthly bookclub, new and improved. For $25 you can receive one book per month from a title featured on the podcast. Books are hand-selected in partnership with Brain Lair Bookstore, ship anywhere in the U.S. (shipping included), and are also accompanied by a special Bookclub mini podcast episode available to all patrons at this tier, breaking down just what makes this book so special and set apart. You love children’s books. You love independent bookstores. You love this podcast. Let’s combine all of that into one awesome piece of mail each month that can be enjoyed over and over for many months to come. The feature book we picked for May is HELLO, NEIGHBOR!: The Kind and Caring world of Mr. Rogers by Matthew Cordell. It’s outstanding. And if you haven’t picked it up yet, this is the perfect chance. Visit https://www.patreon.com/matthewcwinner if you feel like it’s a good fit for you and where you’re at right now. And if it’s not, sharing the podcast with friends over social media, word of mouth, or any other means still goes a long way.  Thanks. For listening. For sharing. For allowing me into your ears and your laundry folding and your dog walking and your dish washing each week. I love every minute of it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matthew Cordell (2020)

2020/5/8

49:49

Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew) shares HELLO, NEIGHBOR!: THE KIND AND CARING WORLD OF MR. ROGERS. Matt was first on the show back in 2015 for a book called WISH. At the time I used to close each episode with this question: I’m assembling an all-star kidlit kickball team? Who would you want to be on your team? Fred Rogers, he answered without hesitation. Like many, I’ve watched Matt’s career over the past decade and I’ve been moved by the stories he’s chosen to work on. The works are often quiet, centering on children and speaking strongly about safety and protection and care. Matt’s newest book is his first work of nonfiction and it centers the life of a man which many, many of us are inseparably familiar. In a journey 10 years in the making, HELLO, NEIGHBOR is the first authorized picture book biography of Fred Rogers, and it resonates with the soul and mission and gentled approach of the man himself. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dylan Glynn

2020/5/6

40:46

Dylan Glynn (@DylanGlynn) shares RAIN BOY, his picture book debut, and BE AMAZING, written by Desmond is Amazing. In RAIN BOY, the title character is ridiculed at a party for bringing everything down. But rain is going to rain, right? When being who you are is what you do, it can be awfully difficult to feel welcome in any space where who you are is rejected. Similarly, the cultural climate of homophobia is changing, but that doesn’t keep queer-centered stories from now taking up most of the spots in ALA’s Most Frequently Banned Books lists. We have a long way to go, but in this queer ugly duckling story we can all be reminded that there’s enough room under the sun to make room for everyone. Time to be brave. Time to be fierce. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Connecting with the Soaring '20s

2020/4/30

22:12

I gave the Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts group the keys to the podcast for the week. Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What ways do you hope readers and teachers will connect with the book?” I’m joined by a very special group of bookmakers, including Rajani LaRocca, Elisa Boxer, Christina Soontornvat, Kirsten Larson, Abi Cushman, NoNieqa Ramos, and Kelly Carey. Check the link in the show notes or visit the Children’s Book Podcast on BookShop to browse many of the books featured throughout this week’s episodes. When you shop there, your books are sourced from independent bookstores across the country. It also supports the Children’s Book Podcast. Double the good with a single click! And now, let’s turn it over to The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Moments from Childhood with the Soaring '20s

2020/4/30

17:36

It’s our 4th day with the members of the  Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts and we are going all the way back to childhood! Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What aspects of childhood do you see expressed through your art and/or your writing?” Joining me to share their responses are Kelly J. Baptist, Rob Justus, Candy Wellins, Sam Wedelich, and Kjersten Hayes. Check the link in the show notes or visit the Children’s Book Podcast on BookShop to browse many of the books featured throughout this week’s episodes. When you shop there, your books are sourced from independent bookstores across the country. It also supports the Children’s Book Podcast. Double the good with a single click! And now, let’s turn it over to The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Getting Down to Details with the Soaring '20s

2020/4/29

22:45

The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts return for day 3 of 5, taking over this here humble podcast space! And today it’s all about the details! Writers and illustrators take in their surroundings and experiences and sometimes put it into their craft. Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “Are there any details in your book that have come from your life?” Illuminating us with their responses, today I’m joined by Julie Rowan-Zoch, Vicky Fang, Joana Pastro, Isabella Kung, Melanie Ellsworth, Susan Kusel, and Hope Lim. Check the link in the show notes or visit the Children’s Book Podcast on BookShop to browse any of the books featured throughout this week’s episodes. When you shop there, your books are sourced from independent bookstores across the country. It also supports the Children’s Book Podcast. And now, let’s turn it over to The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Learning from Writing and Illustrating with the Soaring '20s

2020/4/27

21:13

It’s Day 2 of the Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts! Today a group of kidlit bookmakers is answering the question, “What did writing or illustrating your book teach you about your craft or about yourself?” Answer that question today is none other than Carrie Finison, Shelley Johannes, Anna Crowley Redding, Gregory Barrington, Qing Zhuang, and Colleen Paeff. Check the link in the show notes or visit the Children’s Book Podcast on BookShop to browse any of the books featured throughout this week’s episodes. When you shop there, your books are sourced from independent bookstores across the country. It also supports the Children’s Book Podcast. Double the good with a single click! And now, let’s turn it over to The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Experiencing the World with the Soaring '20s

2020/4/27

22:56

It’s my first ever podcast takeover! Let’s get into it! The Soaring ‘20s High Flying Picture Book Debuts feature some really outstanding books by kidlit authors and illustrators debuting in 2020. Today, we’re going to hear a handful of new and debut picture book folks take on the question “What experiences or observations of the world compelled you to write your story?” Long time friend of the show Darshana Khiani and I were first talking about the idea of a podcast takeover back in July of 2019. Today, as we’re all safe inside and adhering to quarantine guidelines, it seems the landscape has temporarily changed. However, readers are still reading. Writers are still writing. And books are finding their way into read alouds and activities and Instagram posts and bedtime. For answers to the question “What experience or observation of the world compelled you to write this story?“ I'm turning today to Darshana Khiani, Mary Wagley Copp, Lindsay Metcalf, Jen Malia, Angela Burke Kunkel, Keith and Larissa Marantz, and Saira Mir. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Torrey Maldonado

2020/4/24

49:28

Torrey Maldonado (@TorreyMaldonado) shares WHAT LANE?!. This is a story about Stephen, a young black boy trying to find his way, one circumstance at a time. It’s a story about a neighborhood and a bunch of kids. It’s a story about confronting racism, confirmation bias, white privilege… all of it. And what it looks like to be an ally. It’s a story, as Torrey puts it, for anyone who has to navigate a duality. It is an outstanding story, and a really exceptional audiobook, to boot. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mahogany L. Browne

2020/4/21

38:58

Mahogany L. Browne (@mobrowne) shares WOKE: A YOUNG POET’S CALL TO JUSTICE, written with Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood and illustrated by Theodore Taylor III. This evocative picture book companion to WOKE BABY is an emotional powerhouse, laying groundwork for conversations about advocacy, anti-bias practices, intersectionality, disability acceptance, youth empowerment, and more. This book was constructed to hold a volume of voices, meaning that these poems can and should be read by more than one voice at once. That was a new thought for me, choral poetry. And then I realized what might be already obvious to you, which is that when we combine our voices in unity we shine a brighter light on the dark places, we make more room for everyone at the table, we, to borrow a phrase from a friend, bring the distant near. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jillian Tamaki

2020/4/17

34:26

Jillian Tamaki (@dirtbagg) shares MY BEST FRIEND, written by Julie Fogliano. Jillian won a Caldecott honor for her art in THIS ONE SUMMER, a graphic novel written by Mariko Tamaki, her cousin. She later turned a lot of heads in a picture book she wrote and illustrated called THEY SAY BLUE. But in choosing to make the art for MY BEST FRIEND, Jillian shares that there was one line in the manuscript that definitely sealed the deal. In this story of best friends at first sight, one child narrates an encounter she has with another on the playground. The text is playful and light, but carries a weight of sincerity undeniable in childhood friendships. What Jillian brought to the story through her expressive art brings a sense of whimsy and play, and reiterates the feeling of the whole world slipping away when it’s just you and your best friend. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade

2020/4/14

42:56

Carole Lindstrom (@CaroleLindstrom) and Michaela Goade (@MichaelaGoade) share WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS.  The story was inspired by Standing Rock, by indigenous people fighting pipelines and fracking, fighting for the earth. It’s a story for everyone, because we all have a part in this. But it’s also a story about acknowledging those who care deeply for our earth and our waters. We all can be water protectors, even from our homes. This April 22, 2020 we are celebrating the 50 anniversary of Earth Day. One action you might take is to sign the water protectors pledge created in connection to this beautiful book. There’s also a virtual kit that can be shared with students. Both are available below in the show notes so that you can help share these resources widely. As Carole reminds us, “everything revolves around us being together as one.” You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tami Charles and Jacqueline Alcántara

2020/4/11

50:16

Tami Charles (@TamiWritesStuff) and Jacqueline Alcántara (@_jacqueline_ill) share FREEDOM SOUP. What food traditions do you have in your family? And how do these traditions speak to your family’s history? This is a story about making soup, but it’s also a story about making traditions while looking back on the past. The origin of freedom soup dates back to the Haitian Revolution and it’s that revolution that lives inside the characters in the story as well the many, many ancestors of those involved in the battles. We are made from everything before us. As Tami shares, "we are each so subconsciously affected by the things around us." You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann

2020/4/7

44:34

Lily Williams (@lwbean) and Karen Schneeman (@themeanmagenta) share GO WITH THE FLOW, a comic about menstruation. Period. It's a story about getting your first period and how not all periods are the same from one woman to the next, but it’s also about destigmatizing menstruation in our society. It’s about public embarrassment, but it’s also about barriers to access of feminine hygiene products to the general public. It’s about friendship, and it’s also about demonstration, protest, and advocacy. From a webcomic called THE MEAN MAGENTA to  a full length comic, GO WITH THE FLOW is a welcomed and needed addition to libraries and bookshelves everywhere. I hope it finds its way into your hands very soon. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marcie Colleen (2020)

2020/4/3

34:38

Marcie Colleen (@MarcieColleen1) shares THE BEAR’S GARDEN, illustrated by Alison Oliver. The story, inspired by a community garden in Brooklyn, centers on a girl caring for a seedling until she can’t any longer. It’s a story about those hidden spaces that become worlds for the person or people who find them. And it’s also a story about the worlds that can be created when we give trust over to others. THE BEAR’S GARDEN is a bit of a fantastical prequel to a garden you can imagine passing in Brooklyn today. Look in past the gates. See what’s growing. The bright pinks and blues and yellows among the leaves of green. Know that everything here started from just a seed and some care and cheering on of a community.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Minh Lê (2020)

2020/3/31

39:54

Minh Lê (@bottomshelfbks) shares GREEN LANTERN: LEGACY, a brand new graphic novel from DC Kids. Stepping into the DC universe was an experience for Minh and how he made his mark was something truly unique and authentic. What results is a fast-moving, page-turning comic with depth and heart. One of the qualities I especially loved in the story was Minh’s exploration of coming-of-age through Tai Pham, his main character, and what Tai assumes about where strength is derived as well as what he ultimately learns. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katrina Moore (2020)

2020/3/27

53:09

Katrina Moore (@kmoorebooks) shares ONE HUG and GRANDPA GRUMPS. ONE HUG is Katrina’s picture book debut. It’s about what a hug can mean to someone else and speaks to the nature of hugs as a means of comfort, communication, and companionship. GRANDPA GRUMPS is about communication between generations despite a language barrier. The earnestness of the main character in this story as she tries to interact with her grandpa is something I found to be so sweet and so genuinely childlike. Each of these books is quite special in their own way, but this guest is also really special to me personally. Katrina was my first critique partner. Seeing her books published and finding them to be stories of my own heart makes me feel a special closeness to her. Perhaps you’ve shared similar feelings toward the authors of the books you love: a kinship that transcends words. I hope this conversation does that for you in some small way, too. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.   Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ryan Andrews

2020/3/24

38:36

Ryan Andrews (@HeyRyanA) shares THIS WAS OUR PACT, a graphic novel about a band of friends determined to see where the lanterns end up after being sent down the river by the folks in their town as part of the Equinox Festival. There’s a legend that they turn into stars, but no one has actually ever followed them to see. Where the river and these lanterns lead Ben and Nathaniel is beyond anything you could ever dream. I found Ryan’s story to be moving and wondrous and beautiful. It’s by far one of the best graphic novels I’ve read, both in it’s fantastical story arc and also in Ryan’s command of color in telling the story. In short, I cannot wait for you and for all readers to experience this story. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kidlit These Days Combats the Coronavirus

2020/3/22

47:28

I cohost a podcast on Book Riot called Kidlit These Days, where we examine the intersection between current events and children’s literature. It’s a lot of fun and feels like the most NPR thing I’ve ever done, which is pretty awesome in my mind. We’re about to record an episode celebrating our first anniversary of the show, but I thought I’d invite you to listen to an episode we just recorded in response to what’s on all of our minds right now. On this episode Nicole Young, that’s my cohost, and I discuss the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of racism and social media, how the virus is impacting school kids and families, and how the kidlit community is responding. Already information is changing, but I think this conversation will give you a great light into what the show is all about, plus you’ll walk away with a bunch of resources, books, and authors related to the topic doing cool things. If you like the episode, I encourage you to subscribe to Kidlit These Days using your favorite podcast app or go to BookRiot.com/listen where you can listen to all 25 episodes of Kidlit These Days, ranging from topics including activism, xenophobia, and body positivity., all thru a lens of what’s going on in the world of kidlit today. Okay. Enjoy the show! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Deborah Marcero (2020)

2020/3/19

40:13

Deborah Marcero (@deborahmarcero) shares IN A JAR, a picture book about storing memories, shared or gathered on your own. It’s about making what’s distant near. There’s something very special about experiencing something with someone else and Deborah’s book speaks to being present, to stopping and noticing. I know we’re distant now, but I hope you can call on those memories and feelings you’ve stored in jars and I hope they can make you feel comforted. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Scott Simon

2020/3/17

38:59

Recorded live at ALA Midwinter 2020, Scott Simon shares SUNNYSIDE PLAZA, his middle grade debut about a group home for developmentally disabled adults. The story is loosely based on Scott’s own childhood experiences and I think it says a lot about who we see and who we make invisible in our society. We recorded this conversation in front of a packed audience in a very, very noisy exhibit hall, but I think our voices come through clearly above the din of the giant room. And it’s a good conversation about a seldom-discussed representation in children’s literature. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

We Are Little Feminists

2020/3/10

57:02

Little Feminist Book Club (@Little_Feminist) team founder Britt Murlas and educational director Archaa Shrivastav join me to share the WE ARE LITTLE FEMINISTS board book series, including HAIR, FAMILIES, and ON-THE-GO. Each board book is full of beautiful photos depicting all kinds of kids and families from all different backgrounds, traditions, ages, shapes, and skin tones. The accompanying text in each book is pragmatic and joyful, creating a board book that transcends age. Seriously. I read this set of book to my 4th graders and they were transfixed! Britt and Archaa also talk a bit about the founding of LITTLE FEMINIST and how they hope the monthly book boxes from this intersectional feminist company are reaching readers of all ages. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Traci Sorell (2020)

2020/3/6

43:41

This is a dedication to the life and light of Charlene Willing McManis, and the story she told the world. Traci Sorell (@tracisorell) joins me to share INDIAN NO MORE, a debut middle grade novel by the late Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell. Charlene poured a lot of life and a lot of history we don’t get taught in schools into the writing of her debut novel. The result is an unforgettable protagonist named Regina Petit who has always been Umpqua and has always lived with her family on the Grand Ronde Tribe’s reservation. Following true events, the federal government enacts a law determining that it will no longer acknowledge the existence of the Umpqua or several other tribes on this land. Regina’s family moves to Los Angeles as part of the federal Indian Relocation Program and the family attempts to start life anew amid the backdrop of the Civil Rights era. I reference in our conversation an outstanding review of INDIAN NO MORE on the blog Indigo’s Bookshelf by a 13 year old member of the Children of the Glades group of Seminole and Miccosukee teens  and I’ve linked that review in the show notes for this episode. Hearing how this author processed this book profoundly affected the way I read it. And I loved reading this book. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog. Thank you to this week's sponsor: The Complete Picture Book Submissions System Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Margarita Engle (2020)

2020/3/3

43:16

Margarita Engle (@margaritapoet) shares DREAMS FROM MANY RIVERS: A HISPANIC HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TOLD IN POEMS. Margarita blends voices of real people with fictionalized accounts in order to create a book of many voices and many experiences in order to represent hispanic history in the U.S. Choosing poetry as her vessel helped to make the history personal, bringing us closer to the characters and speaking to our present through moments of the past. It’s quite an exceptional work and I hope you’ll be equally moved when you read it, let alone from this conversation. Something that really stuck with me is Margarita’s reminder that we often fail to acknowledge the diversity within the diversity. DREAMS FROM MANY RIVERS does an outstanding job of doing exactly that through intimacy and a shared historical context.  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Helena Ku Rhee

2020/2/28

37:30

Helena Ku Rhee (@HelenaRhee) shares THE PAPER KINGDOM, a new picture book illustrated by Pascal Campion. In our conversation Helena talks about the invisible people of our society or, rather, those that we have a tendency to make invisible. Helena’s parents were night janitors, much like the parents in THE PAPER KINGDOM, and Helena recounts stories of going into work late at night with her parents and the fantastical stories they would make up about the people who worked in the offices during the day. I had a lot of fun recording this conversation and I hope you enjoy listening! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Weshoyot Alvitre

2020/2/25

40:44

Weshoyot Alvitre (@weshoyot) shares AT THE MOUNTAIN’S BASE, a poetic story written by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Weshoyot about a family nervously awaiting the return of a family member serving in WWII. This is a story where you notice the silence. The large illustrations and colorful thread framing and connecting the art draw eyes to the hands and faces we meet in a cabin at the base of a mountain, but the waiting and the working in silence builds such terrific tension that I personally found myself at a loss of breath by the story’s end. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nikki Grimes (2020)

2020/2/21

35:23

Nikki Grimes (@nikkigrimes9) shares ORDINARY HAZARDS, a memoir in verse that has not only garnered six starred reviews on top of being named a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and a Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book, but it is also without question one of the most beautiful, heart-breaking and heart-mending audiobooks I have ever heard. For those familiar with Grimes’ body of work, you will find through lines throughout pointing back to childhood trauma, family separation, and yearning to be cared for, but also a fierce resilience earned by assurance of the strength found within. For those new to Grimes’ work, it is a powerful reminder of the influence of adults in a child’s life and our ability to protect and nurture or to inflict harm. It had me thinking about my family as well as my students throughout. Nikki also shares her latest picture book, BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES and the great fun she’s having writing stories. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kat Leyh

2020/2/18

48:23

Kat Leyh (@kaymlay) shares SNAPDRAGON, solo debut graphic novel about a girl named Snap, an old lady named Jacks (who might actually be a witch), and a favor that turns into something of an apprenticeship. Snapdragon is a kid who’s not afraid to question or explore an ominous setting or situation, being a bit of an outcast herself. Her curiosity leads to a kind of compassion and affinity toward those lucky few in her life and, I think, after reading SNAPDRAGON you’ll know just how lucky it would be to be friends with someone like Snap. A mystery of magic and of familial connection pervades throughout this graphic novel, but you’ll have to read the book to find out more about that. Enjoy! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Introducing Levine Querido

2020/2/14

55:49

Today I’m welcoming Arthur A. Levine (@ArthurALevine1), head of Levine Querido and a publisher and advocate responsible for bringing many widely loved books in our world and in front of our readers. Arthur previews his Fall 2020 titles as well as what else is to come from Levine Querido. Our conversation looks broadly at publishing and at the world, but it also focuses on that one reader that needs the book you’re publishing. The one that needs to know they’re not alone in their experiences or in the world. To quote Arthur, “sometimes healing the world is healing one person.” Joining us also is Susan Kusel (@susankusel), synagogue librarian, book seller, and author. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The 2020 Sydney Taylor Book Awards

2020/2/11

32:48

There are countless individuals working throughout publishing to center historically marginalized voices. Perhaps none do it more publicly or with greater lasting impact than those serving on award committees through the Association for Library Service to Children, or ALSC. That’s the branch of the American Library Association responsible for awarding medals such as the Newbery, the Caldecott, the Coretta Scott King, the Pura Belpré, the Stonewall, and many others. These medals often have direct correlation to what librarians purchase for their libraries. These medals drive book sales. These medals help to assure the book’s availability in print for years to come. Today’s episode features the 2020 Sydney Taylor Book Award Chair along with a handful of the award winners named by the Association of Jewish Libraries, an affiliate of the ALA. I’ve linked to the full list of winners and honors in the show notes and I encourage you to check out this exceptional list of books recognized by the committee. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elizabeth Lilly

2020/2/4

30:52

Elizabeth Lilly (@elizabethmlilly) shares GERALDINE, a picture book about a giraffe whose family moves to a new town where they are the only giraffe family. Geraldine tries to fit in as much as she can, but an encounter with a schoolmate and a conversation centered on labels gives new light to what it looks like to see and make space for another. Elizabeth Lilly is local to our school and so my 3rd graders had the chance to interview her in person. We also went totally off script, asking Elizabeth questions on the fly. The end result was what I think is a sincere and genuine conversation between a bookmaker and her readers. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Redefining the Boy Hero (NCTE panel)

2020/1/31

1:05:34

Last November I had the esteemed privilege of moderating a panel at NCTE, the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English. The panel was titled “Redefining the Boy Hero: Empowering Sensitive Boys and Bucking Gender Stereotypes Through Middle Grade Fiction”. Sitting on the panel among a standing room only crowd were four exceptional children’s book authors: Elana K. Arnold, Erin Entrada Kelly, Kekla Magoon, and Katherine Marsh. We only had one mic and it was affixed to the podium, so I wasn’t sure how this recording would turn out. Thankfully my Zoom H4n Pro went above and beyond, allowing this panel and the noteworthy thoughts of my panelists to be recorded for others to hear. It gives me great pleasure to share this conversation with you. I sincerely hope you enjoy listening. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Readers' Thoughts on Reading

2020/1/28

28:32

Today I am joined by a team of 3rd graders at my school. Specifically, these are 3rd graders who signed up to take a podcasting class with me. You may have heard them on previous episodes interviewing Ricardo Cortes about his illustrations in PARTY: A MYSTERY or asking Adam Rex about ARE YOU SCARED, DARTH VADER? or writing PLUTO GETS THE CALL, which is illustrated by Laurie Keller. I’ve got one more episode with them after this where they interview debut picture book author Elizabeth Lilly. GERALDINE, her debut, is one we all loved quite a lot and we had the special opportunity to interview her in person. But today is a little different. I reached out to all of you over Facebook and asked what questions about books, podcasting, and, most importantly, being a reader you might have for a class full of 3rd graders. We had a lot of fun recording this episode and I hope you enjoy listening. And if you submitted a question, listen for your name! Please welcome my 3rd graders, here to take your questions! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Frané Lessac

2020/1/21

37:54

Frané Lessac (@franelessac) shares UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS and UNDER THE MILKY WAY. Frané has made many beautiful books, but it was Traci Sorell’s debut picture book, WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA, in 2018 that really made me sit up and pay attention. Today Frané brings two picture books about the stars, both sharing a U.S. publication date. Frané tours the northern skies over our United States in UNDER THE MILKY WAY, highlighting different activities and occurrences that happen beneath the stars. In UNDER THE SOUTHERN CROSS she turns to the southern skies and a series of stars that point to True South. There are tiny turtles scrambling down the beach, shooting stars, clouds of bats, Nations coming together, and even a staircase of gold, and they are all visible beneath our skies. It’s enough to make anyone want to get out a night and experience all that’s going on in the world. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elizabeth Zunon

2020/1/17

38:55

Elizabeth Zunon (@ElizabethZunon) shares BEDTIME FOR SWEET CREATURES, which is written by Nikki Grimes. It is a bedtime story of a parent telling the story of putting her child to bed. Elizabeth’s illustrations play alongside the text in enticing the child to bed by likening the child to different animals throughout this bedtime process. It’s just the right amount of silly with a sincere through line that’s caught in the parent’s eyes at the hand of Elizabeth’s brush. And it’s become our bedtime story companion of late. Elizabeth also shares GRANDPA CACAO, her author-illustrator debut. A whole family history of farmers and chocolate and working the land is shared between father and daughter while they bake a chocolate cake for a special visitor. I loved this one and it’s a story I still carry with me, sharing it often with readers. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Angela Joy

2020/1/14

54:47

Angela Joy shares BLACK IS A RAINBOW COLOR. This beautiful book, illustrated by one-to-watch and the one-to-wow Ekua Holmes, is Angela’s debut to the children’s book world. The book answers a question from her daughter, and it also bears witness to history, to legacy, and to community. Angela included robust back matter, incorporating an author’s note, an explanation of phrases referenced, a selection of poems from poets mentioned, a timeline entitled “And What Shall We Call You?”, and a playlist. This picture book has its own playlist! But what I will also say is that this picture book has its own presence, and it’s one that I hope many, many adults will welcome into their reading spaces and those spaces they share. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ann Braden

2020/1/7

32:47

Ann Braden (@annbradenbooks) shares THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. This is a story about the strength of a 12-year-old girl named Zoey, even from before the moment when she realized she possessed such strength. It is a story about the things people tell us about ourselves and others, and how those things can become truths if we believe them, for good or for harm. It is a story about depending on someone to provide for you, and being taken advantage of and degraded because of your dependence. But most of all, it is a story that is true for many, many children and families. And it’s on us to see these children. It’s on us to see these families. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rajani LaRocca

2020/1/4

39:47

Rajani LaRocca (@rajanilarocca) shares MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM. Mimi, the main character in Rajani’s middle grade debut, enters a baking competition at her town’s newest sweet spot, but things aren’t quite as they appear. The baked goods they sell are awful and overpriced, the employees seem to be speaking exclusively in rhyme, and crowds of locals are inexplicably showing up in droves for the bakery’s latest confections. Mimi’s dad is a food writer and has just returned from a trip abroad, but he won’t be any help to her because he’s not acting himself, though Mimi seems to be the only one to notice. Has he completely lost his sense of taste? It’s not long before everyone around her is just acting… off, but Mimi is determined to let nothing distract her from creating the most inventive and memorable treats this bakery has ever known. I’ve been waiting a long while to read this book and it’s just so good, there’s no way I could resist kicking off the new year with a read so sweet! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Introducing Matthew in the Stacks

2019/12/30

16:46

Let's get up-to-date on plans for the podcast in 2020, including the introduction of Matthew In The Stacks, a brand new podcast available to Patrons. This show follows an ask-me-anything style format in which authors and illustrators submit questions they have about the libraries, librarians, and all things bookish. It’s a chance to turn the tables and for me to offer insight into how libraries work from the perspective of one school librarian. The episodes are about 10-minutes in length and they release on the 15th and 30th of every month exclusively on Patreon. The first two episodes are already up and I’m including one here for you to enjoy with a question submitted by Margarita Engle, renowned poet and children’s book author. She asks, “Are librarians aware that some authors are wounded by the phrase "weeding?" Is there a less demeaning word that could be used for removing our older books?” Enjoy listening! Visit our Patreon --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jin Xiaojing

2019/12/27

33:47

Jin Xiaojing shares I MISS MY GRANDPA. This stunning picture book examines remembering a lost loved one through the memories and characteristics of other family members. It is without doubt a book that will stop you in your tracks, without question one of the most stunning and memorable picture books I read this year. This is our last interview episode of the year, and it’s one I hope that will carry you into the new year with the promise and hope and wonder of all that children’s publishing has to offer. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Fogliano

2019/12/24

48:59

Julie Fogliano (@oneredhen) shares JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO FLY, illustrated by Christian Robinson. Julie’s stories express themselves in poetic verse and they are some of my most beloved on our bookshelves. JUST IN CASE YOU WANT TO FLY grew from a playful game she used to engage her daughter. It’s lines and page turns are filled with sincerity and humor. IF I WAS THE SUNSHINE, illustrated by Loren Long, praises the way our love and presence in one another’s lives has the power to complete and complement the other unmatchingly. And we also talk about the origins of WHEN GREEN BECOMES TOMATOES: POEMS FOR ALL SEASONS, illustrated by the incomparable Julie Morstad. But mostly, we talk poetry. And we talk it a lot. Do enjoy. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Thanku Contributors

2019/12/18

44:54

Today I invited contributors of THANKU: POEMS OF GRATITUDE to share their work with you today. This picture book, beautifully illustrated by Marlena Myles and edited by Miranda Paul, is something really special and I credit that to the exceptional list of contributors that made it possible. Each poet used a different poetic style and each gives thanks in a uniquely personal way, but I’ll let them tell you about that. Contributors on today’s episode (as they appear): Joseph Bruchac Kimberly Blaeser Padma Venkatramen Janice Scully Charles Waters Carole Lindstrom Carolyn Dee Flores Sarvinder Naberhaus JaNay Brown-Wood Diana Murray Megan Hoyt Jamie McGillen Vanessa Brantley-Newton Traci Sorell Edna Cabcabin Moran Liz Garton Scanlon  You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Rex (2019)

2019/12/13

29:09

Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex) shares ARE YOU SCARED, DARTH VADER?, which is nominated for our state book award. Adam also shares PLUTO GETS THE CALL, which is illustrated by Laurie Keller. Exploring fear, identity, and value through the context of humor (and Star Wars) takes just the right touch, and these books do so in wonderful ways. I’ve been working with a group of 3rd graders in a special podcasting seminar. Students nominate books for us to consider. Once we select the book and reach out to the author for an interview we begin creating questions based on the books on which our episode will focus. Our students had their fingers crossed about this particular interview and we all had a really, really great time interviewing Adam. We hope you enjoy! You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Gilly Segal (Live at the Baltimore Book Festival)

2019/12/10

45:00

Gilly Segal (@really_gilly) shares I’M NOT DYING WITH YOU TONIGHT. This episode was recorded live at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland as part of the Baltimore Book Festival. Kimberly Jones, Gilly’s co-author, had to cancel at the last minute and was sorely missed in this conversation. I’M NOT DYING WITH YOU TONIGHT is a YA novel told in two voices about two high school students, Lena and Campbell, who are forced to flee their school football game when a fight breaks out and a student is shot. Their path home sends them downtown through a coalescing riot akin to that of the 2015 riots in Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray. It’s a powerful and compelling novel that confronts racism and racial bias, all the while exploring what it looks like to be a survivor. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tiffany Jewell

2019/12/6

50:34

Tiffany Jewell (@tiffanymjewell) shares THIS BOOK IS ANTI-RACIST, her debut book. Listeners, I cannot even do this interview justice in this intro. Tiffany Jewell is an anti-bias, anti-racist educator and leader. This book dropped like a bomb into my professional learning and having the opportunity to interview Tiffany was both an inspiration and an education. Tiffany speaks on allowing her students to show her where to go. That’s something I’ve been working hard on as well. I’m going to keep on learning, and it’s in no small way because of the work that Tiffany and others are doing to help show the way. By the way, I highly recommend participating in the Anti-Racist Book Club Tiffany co-hosts with Britt Hawthorne on Instagram. As Tiffany puts it regarding doing the work of anti-racism, we can’t not talk about it. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Paula Chase

2019/11/30

42:02

Paula Chase shares DOUGH BOYS, her latest novel and a companion to SO DONE. There are not an abundance of stories reflecting the diversity of black identity. Many stories being published today center on black pain. They take place in similar settings. They portray characters in similar ways. But there are many, many talked authors who are black and who are portraying black lives in ways communicate the complexity and diversity of blackness. Wait. Let me back that up. These diverse stories are being published. The question I want us to consider is, are we centering, purchasing, and celebrating these books? DOUGH BOYS, in my humble opinion, is a book that deserves to be read and celebrated widely. It centers on two boys, Rollie and Simp, whose friendship grows more complex as each boy’s interests pull them through life. Simp wants to be captain of the basketball team and stands a shot. He also wants to provide for his mom and four brothers, something that he’s able to do from the cash he gets from playing lookout for Coach Tez’s drug ring. Rollie loves basketball, too, but his talents as a drummer have earned him a chance to audition for an up-and-coming go-go band. We meet the boys at a crossroads, and that’s exactly where I’m going to leave you as you prepare to listen to this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mina Javaherbin

2019/11/26

37:22

Mina Javaherbin (@minajuna) shares MY GRANDMA AND ME, her latest picture book. The story weaves memories from Mina’s own childhood with the observation of what your heritage brings to a place. Mina’s grandmother was a devout Muslim and this story speaks to the revelation that everyone, no matter what religion you observe, what part of the world you live in, or what time in history you observe… everyone wants to teach love. Not a bad thought to carry you through your week. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ricardo Cortés

2019/11/19

27:11

Ricardo Cortés (@Rmcortes) shares PARTY: A MYSTERY. When my students first read PARTY: A MYSTERY they were stunned, they had lots and lots of questions, and they were each confident that he or she knew the solution to the mystery. But the more we discussed the book, the more their predictions changed. It was the perfect candidate for a group interview. Ricardo discovered Jamaica Kincaid’s “PARTY” in  a book of her essays, a collection of New Yorker “Talk of the Town” pieces she wrote in the beginning of her career. In the story three girls are hanging out at an extravagant book party celebrating the Nancy Drew novels. Two of the girls see something that shocks and shakes them and the third is left as in the dark as the readers. The mystery is over as abruptly as it starts and the youngest girl, as well as the reader, is left not seeming to learn the explanation of what was just experienced. Definitely a context that’s enough to drive a reader wild with guesses, perhaps by design or perhaps as the clues are laid out in front of us. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Joanna Rudnick

2019/11/15

34:27

Joanna Rudnick shares STORY AND PICTURES BY, a feature-length documentary exploring the power and reach of children's picture books through the lens of three of today's most original authors/illustrators: Mac Barnett, Christian Robinson, and Yuyi Morales. Joanna is the film's director and producer and she's also a mom of two really adorable readers. The project launched on Kickstarter at the end of October and as of posting this they are in their final week of raising funds for the project. With over 70% of funds raised and an end date of Friday, November 22nd, I felt this was a story, a mission, and a project many of you might stand behind. I’ve linked to the Kickstarter in the show notes so that you can see the trailer, but be warned. It’s gonna make you feel all the feels. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Karina Yan Glaser

2019/11/12

51:20

Karina Yan Glaser (@KarinaYanGlaser) shares THE VANDERBEEKERS TO THE RESCUE. In her third and latest installment in the VANDERBEEKERS series the five Vanderbeeker children find themselves in dire circumstances when new pets begin mysteriously arriving at their door. This might not seem like trouble alone, but the timing is less than ideal when the inspector shows up at their door in order to assess if the premises is up to regulation standards for mom to open her at-home bakery. And it really is top priority they get the house in order before the photo crew come to shoot for the article that will feature mom and her glorious baked goods. I would say what could possibly go wrong, but there is no wrong where the Vanderbeekers kids won’t feel called to the rescue. It’s exactly this earnestness and sincerity and stick-with-it-ness that keeps me coming back to the Vanderbeekers over and over and over. As Karina points out in our conversation, it can be really hard to follow your dreams. But with any luck, you’ve got good people by your side as you try. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Meenal Patel

2019/11/9

36:24

Meenal Patel shares PRIYA DREAMS OF MARIGOLDS AND MASALA. In this picture book, a life is India is recounted through an intergenerational connection between Priya and her Babi Ba, her grandmother. There is an intimacy evident in their relationship and a fondness for where you come from and where you call home. The answer is not always straightforward, of course, but helping make a house a home for those around you is a love that goes beyond words. Meenal has filled this story with those moments, providing space both for memory and longing as well as for acts of welcoming and family. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Joyce Wan (2019)

2019/11/5

41:03

Joyce Wan (@joycewanbooks) shares DREAM BIG. This new board book engages our youngest readers with affirming language to take on the world, and it does so through micro-biographies of women who have done exactly that. As we discuss in our conversation, Joyce used DREAM BIG as a means to help give parents the tools for discussing the lives of these women throughout the world and throughout history. This isn’t just for the benefit of our youngest readers, of course, but also for the adults reading aloud the story and for the big siblings and older listeners who might be within earshot. The 0-3 age is such a sweet spot, and I think this conversation and Joyce’s books help make it easy to see why. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hena Khan (2019)

2019/10/31

58:03

Hena Khan (@henakhanbooks) shares MORE TO THE STORY, a novel is inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and centering on a Pakistani-American family with four daughters: Jameela, Aleeza, Bisma, and Maryam. We experience the story through Jameela, a writer and budding journalist who passionately wants to make her mark on the school’s newspaper. The story is a lens through which readers experience that how we are in the world and how we react and respond to things going on in the world has everything to do with who we are and who we are becoming. There are so many moments throughout MORE TO THE STORY where a side of our characters is revealed and they must confront what this truth means. Fairness, microaggressions, exploitation, trauma. They are part of life, and our reactions to them communicate our values. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Little Feminist Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laurel Snyder and Chuck Groenink

2019/10/29

48:20

Laurel Snyder (@LaurelSnyder) and Chuck Groenink (@ChuckGroenink) share HUNGRY JIM. In this new picture book, a boy awakens to realize that he is a lion... and that he is hungry. Moreover, his appetite seems insatiable and his urges irresistible. If you detect a hint of Sendak, you won’t be wrong. But this is the kind of story where Sendak and childhood and relationships and all of the little bits that make up you were all swallowed up. And the story that’s been churning inside feels a bit subversive and yet totally relatable. You’re gonna like this one. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Little Feminist Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Celia C. Pérez

2019/10/22

57:15

Celia C. Pérez (@CeliaCPerez) shares STRANGE BIRDS: A FIELD GUIDE TO RUFFLING FEATHERS. Celia’s sophomore release is about four girls and one hat that bonded them in sororal friendship. It’s about the Floras and how traditions are made to be challenged. It’s about activism and how others will stand in your way. And as Celia says, it’s about how small actions can lead to big changes. Celia’s characters unite around a common cause, but their success depends on something more than friendship; it depends on each member’s ability to be an ally. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Little Feminist Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic

2019/10/20

42:30

Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic (@grubreport) shares THE END OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL. Stephanie’s debut takes on a challenging topic through a compassionate voice. The death of a pet can be practice for children for when a family member passes, but it can also be an opportunity for a child to care deeply for another living thing. This is a big, awful thing, regardless of the fortitude or strength it may lend itself to later in life. Stephanie’s approach to the loss of your something wonderful is, in my opinion, the way we should always be seeking to respond: by seeing the child and by meeting them in their grief. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Little Feminist Storyteller Academy Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tonya Engel

2019/10/15

41:51

Tonya Engel (@tonyaengel) shares RISE! FROM CAGED BIRD TO POET OF THE PEOPLE, MAYA ANGELOU, written by Bethany Hegedus. Tonya talks about allowing her stream of consciousness to guide her when creating the art for RISE!. The result is a series of paintings rich in imagery and an inner strength that undeniably links that artist to her subject. Tonya speaks on how illustrating Maya Angelou’s life was like telling the story of one of her ancestors and how this book project shed light on how she and Angelou’s life somewhat mirrored one another. Like a beautifully crafted poem, there’s a lot to take in here in this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Daria Peoples-Riley

2019/10/8

46:45

Daria Peoples-Riley (@dariaspeoples) shares I GOT NEXT. In her sequel to THIS IS IT, Daria explores allyship through a coming-of-age story on a community basketball court where decisions are made in a moment, and where how you play and what space you make for others is on display for all to see. Daria’s beautiful, layered work says volumes on how she sees children, development, activism, and resilience among failure. I hope this conversation resonates with you as it did me. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Raakhee Mirchandani

2019/10/1

38:31

Raakhee Mirchandani (@Raakstar) joins the podcast to share SUPER SATYA SAVES THE DAY. When readers meet Satya, the story’s namesake, we have only to take Satya at her word that her beloved cape makes her super. Unfortunately, her cape is still at the dry cleaners and Satya will need to face a day of school without it. Lots of things go wrong for Satya, leading the reader to acknowledge alongside Satya that maybe this cape really does contain some super special powers. Or maybe what we all need is a chance to step back and reframe these circumstances with a fresh perspective. Raakhee has poured a whole lot of love and truth-seeing into her debut and it translates to a story that meets children where they are, makes space for them to feel and believe whatever they choose, and is there to celebrate the child’s affirmation of their inner strength and fortitude. In short, we need a whole lot more people like Raakhee in front of children. Lucky us, we have this beautiful book. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ishta Mercurio and Jen Corace

2019/9/27

47:49

Ishta Mercurio (@IshtaWrites) and Jen Corace (@corachacha) share SMALL WORLD, their new picture book. The story circles around Nanda, a girl who dreams of space. As Nanda grows, her experience of the world and also her view of the world grows. In that way it’s a story of expanding circle, like tossing a stone into a pond and observing the ripples outward. Ishta talks of searching for those right words that feel good in your mouth. The result is a poetic text that mimics in feeling the patterned and precise and vibrant illustrations Jen created. Jen comments that the work she was doing at the time on the book felt innate and that she had in mind the science and math that surrounds us all the time. What we are left to hold in our hand is a book and a story that resonates out to readers and out through readers. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. You can support The Children's Book Podcast through: PayPal (one time donation of support) Patreon (sustaining support) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal

2019/9/20

59:44

Kevin Noble Maillard (@noblemaillard) and Juana Martinez-Neal (@juanamartinez) share FRY BREAD, their upcoming picture book. We talk about culture and tradition and family and history. We also talk a lot about Kevin’s Aunt Fannie. There is a story behind the entire nature of fry bread and the way Kevin’s text approaches that story is through affirmation statements of what fry bread is and what it means. The book’s narrator walks the readers from the concrete and tangible into the abstract and ineffable, and the journey is helped along with great care from Juana’s beautiful illustrations. The way this book’s characters are in relation to one another, at times following, or playing, or participating, or listening draws out an intimacy in their togetherness, and it’s in that intimacy that the reader is invited into this experience. Kevin reminds us all in this conversation that there are many different ways that people can be Native, and I think it’s fair to say that this author-illustrator pairing accomplishes that message beautifully. There is also wonderful and robust narrative back matter waiting for readers of any age to explore and expand their knowledge even further. In short, this book has a bounty of goodness to go around and I think you will find yourself quite comforted and cared for and brought into the story, allowing space for you, in turn to comfort and care for and bring closer those cultures and customs of our Indigenous brothers and sisters so that they may be honored and respected. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. You can support The Children's Book Podcast through: PayPal (one time donation of support) Patreon (sustaining support) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Keith Henry Brown

2019/9/17

53:01

Illustrator Keith Henry Brown shares BIRTH OF THE COOL, which is written by Kathleen Cornell Berman. This picture book biography of the great jazz legend Miles Davis and his journey to find a sound that was beautifully and uniquely his own. That sound took him places. That sound was the birth of the cool. Keith’s depiction of Miles Davis is art that shouts music, and art that lives and breathes its subject matter. We follow Miles through childhood and into his formative years, through success to the threat of being forgotten to history and back out again on the stage of the Newport Jazz Festival. It’s a story rich with means and desire and the reminder that we all have to face something in this life. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. You can support The Children's Book Podcast through: PayPal (one time donation of support) Patreon (sustaining support) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Miranda Paul

2019/9/10

41:15

Miranda Paul (@Miranda_Paul) joins to share LITTLE LIBRARIES, BIG HEROES. With more than 75,000 registered Little Free Libraries (LFLs) in eighty-eight countries around the world, there is great chance you’ve passed an LFL in your neighborhood at some point. This simple idea designed to build and support community around reading provides no-cost access to books any time of day and they’ve been popping up in some really unexpected locations, including restaurants, grocery stores, and barbershops as well as those you’ll find nestled into neighborhoods. I was not aware of LFLs’ founders, Todd Bol and Rick Brooks, or that the idea took some time to finally take root.  Reading Miranda’s story feels part love letter to the LFL founders and part reminder that we all have the capacity to be heroes in our neighborhoods. The text in this story is straightforward and empowering, and John Parra’s art brings something more in the form of seamlessly blending together the dreaming and the doing. It’s a book you will want to put in readers’ hands over and over. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm And to the generous support from our Patrons. You can support The Children's Book Podcast through: PayPal (one time donation of support) Patreon (sustaining support) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Shannon Hale, Dean Hale, and LeUyen Pham

2019/9/3

22:53

Shannon Hale (@haleshannon), Dean Hale (@Halespawn), and LeUyen Pham join to share their bestselling PRINCESS IN BLACK series. There’s a bit of a conference din hovering throughout the background of this recording, but there is also a whole lot of humor and a whole lot of heart. As Shannon shares about making books with Dean, “we coauthor a lot of things, and some are alive”! We were in the middle of a very huge exhibit hall at the American Library Association’s annual conference in Washington DC this past June. We had just recorded a live episode with Cece Bell and Kate DiCamillo on a great big stage in front of a whole bunch of super nice people who got up early in the morning to join us. The exhibit hall was just getting busy with crowds and signing lines and giveaways and sales pitches. And we snuck into some unmarked tabled area behind some big heavy curtains, because that’s how we roll. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Candlewick Press And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Theresa Thorn and Noah Grigni

2019/8/31

46:35

Theresa Thorn (@theresathorn) and Noah Grigni join to share IT FEELS GOOD TO BE YOURSELF: A BOOK ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY. There are more conversations about gender going on than perhaps ever before, but there are also lots and lots of adults and kids alike who are not quite sure exactly how to talk about gender. In Theresa and Noah’s debut picture book, readers meet four different children who each identify differently from one another in terms of gender. The narrator introduces each child by sharing how that child identifies now and how that may have changed, then the narrator provides language to help describe each of these varying gender identities. As we discuss in the conversation, the narrator is that of a guide and onlooker with us, the readers, but the narrator also uses lots of non-definitive language in order to help communicate the fluidity and varied nature of gender identity.  Theresa puts it best when she says, “We all have a sense of gender that belongs to us”. I hope that you, dear listener, find that there is space for you in this conversation as well. And for your students, your friends, and your family members. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm Storyteller Academy And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dallas Hunt

2019/8/27

41:09

Dallas Hunt (@Dallas_Hunt) shares AWASIS AND THE WORLD-FAMOUS BANNOCK. Awâsis is bringing some of her Kôhkum’s bannock to a relative but she accidentally drops the world-famous bannock off a bridge. She meets several forest relatives on her way back to Kôhkum including a duck,  a rabbit, a frog, an owl, and a bear. And while each is not able to provide bannock, one-by-one the forest relatives offer comfort and generosity in the form of ingredients. Dallas speaks to me about the importance of putting Cree first when writing this story. He also shares a brief and complex history of bannock, an important food to Indigenous people, both now and during historic times of massive and purposeful starvation. There is so much to talk about in this beautiful, beautiful picture book. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm Storyteller Academy And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adib Khorram

2019/8/25

41:35

Adib Khorram (@adibkhorram) shares DARIUS THE GREAT IS NOT OKAY. In Adib’s debut novel we meet Darius, a nerdy, overweight, Iranian-American boy who you will love deeply from the outset. I was rooting for Darius hour by hour as I listened to this audiobook, and what I was left with each time I paused to step away from the story was the picture of a complex if not broken kid who is seeking the realest connection to those around him, but feels perhaps like he’ll be denied it because he’s not what he thinks others want him to be. But perhaps I’m putting too much of myself onto the story and onto my description here. Because Darius was a character with whom I identified with strongly. The book, as Adib puts it, is a love story of a friendship. You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm Storyteller Academy And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mariana Llanos and Anna López Real

2019/8/21

35:41

Author Mariana Llanos (@marianallanos) and illustrator Anna López Real join Matthew in conversation to share LUCA'S BRIDGE/El puente de Luca. LUCA’S BRIDGE is a border story. It is a family story. It is a story that centers on the universal language of emotion. Luca is an American citizen, but his parents are not. And when his parents are deported, the whole family must leave, which means Luca is forced to leave his own country in order to go to a country he has never known where people speak a language he has never spoken. But there’s hope. As Mariana reminds us, there’s always hope.   Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm Storyteller Academy And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susie Ghahremani

2019/8/19

56:47

Susie Ghahremani (@boygirlparty) is the author-illustrator of BALANCE THE BIRDS and STACK THE CATS. Susie’s books attempt to engage our youngest readers through simple shapes and eye-catching colors, exploring foundational skills such as balancing, counting, comparing, and predicting. In making these books Susie shared that she was trying to create a way for kids to go out and have meaning in the world. And in BALANCE THE BIRDS, Susie's readers will find that wobbliness is quite relatable. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Libro.fm Storyteller Academy And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andrea Beaty

2019/8/13

17:11

Andrea Beaty (@andreabeaty) is the author of ROSIE REVERE, ENGINEER and its sequels as well as author of the QUESTIONEERS (@questioneerkids) chapter book series, all illustrated by David Roberts. Andrea shared much insight to how she crafts stories in rhyme and how, when searching for words, the right one is the right one. She also shares the idea of holding onto a dream for somebody else and how books help make room. Andrea’s newest picture book in the series will be SOFIA VALDEZ, FUTURE PREZ, which will release this November. As we take you into the “Live at 25” Podcast Booth at the Sound Garden Pavillion in the exhibit hall at the American Library Association’s annual conference in June, remember: even the smallest things have back stories.   Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Abrams And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rashin Kheiriyeh

2019/8/9

16:46

Rashin Kheiriyeh (@rashinkheiriyeh) is the illustrator most recently of THE BOOK TREE, authored by Paul Czajak, and STORY BOAT, authored by Kyo Maclear. Rashin is the illustrator or author-illustrator of over 70 books published around the world. Her voice as an illustrator is distinct and playful and her work has been celebrated the world over. Rashin and I have been planning to record a conversation some time, but I don't think that either of us anticipated that it would end up being recorded live in front of conference attendees at the American Library Association’s annual conference in June. Despite our brief time together in the "Live at 25" Podcast Booth, we don't waste a moment getting to the heart of the discussion. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Abrams And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Angie Manfredi

2019/8/6

17:09

Angie Manfredi (@misskubelik) is the editor of THE (OTHER) F WORD: A CELEBRATION OF THE FAT & FIERCE. The book releases in late September from Amulet Books an imprint of Abrams. Angie and I met only briefly before heading into the “Live at 25” Podcast Booth at the American Library Association’s annual conference in June, but we fell into this conversation quickly. Angie has assembled an impressive team of contributors to THE (OTHER) F WORD, using this opportunity to center numerous authors of color, Indigenous authors, and queer authors. It's a book about being seen as much as it is a book about seeing the reader.  Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Abrams And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kyle Lukoff

2019/7/30

34:24

Kyle Lukoff (@Shekels_Library) is author of A STORYTELLING OF RAVENS and WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER, the latter of which was our focus in this conversation. WHEN AIDAN BECAME A BROTHER is about a trans boy who wants to make sure everything is just right for the arrival of his new sibling. Aidan considers throughout the story what growing up was like for him, the experience of trying different clothes, different pronouns, of identifying differently now then when he was younger. It’s a beautiful book with the most wonderful illustrations by Kaylani Juanita and it’s one that deserves shelf space in everyone’s library. Thank you to Angie Manfredi, author of the Fat Girl, Reading blog, for connecting us. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña

2019/7/30

37:28

Isabel Quintero (@isabelinpieces) and Zeke Peña (@zpvisual) share MY PAPI HAS A MOTORCYCLE. The story is based on memories from Isabel’s childhood, but it’s also more than that. The story centers on Daisy, her father, and their nightly tradition of riding on Papi’s motorcycle through the neighborhood and town. We take in a lot as we ride along with Daisy and Papi. We see the construction site where Papi and his coworkers have labored all day. We take in the citrus iconography throughout town, nodding to the importance of the crop to the town. We see how the city is changing at the hands of gentrification. We recall historic car races on the very paths that take Daisy and Papi through town. Isabel and Zeke talk throughout our conversation about asking if what is being written or illustrated is serving a memory or serving the story. I think you’ll find it’s the right amount of both at play here that makes this picture book so exceptional. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Highlights Foundation Little Feminist And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mia Wenjen and Nat Iwata

2019/7/26

46:47

Mia Wenjen (@pragmaticmom) and Nat Iwata (@NatIwata) share SUMO JOE. SUMO JOE is a story told in rhyme about a boy and his friends upholding a centuries-old tradition considered through a modern lens. It’s the first picture book I’ve read that addresses the practice of sumo and it does so against challenges to gender restrictions while providing a historical context. I’m especially impressed with the economy of words at work here. With the help of Nat’s illustrations, Mia accomplishes breadth and depth on the topic using just a handful of words. The result is a story that’s easy to read over and over and easy to enjoy for an even wider audience. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Kidlit These Days Storyteller Academy Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Torben Kuhlmann

2019/7/23

18:41

Torben Kuhlmann shares ARMSTRONG, his best-selling picture book about a mouse who dreams of setting foot on the moon gets a special anniversary edition to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. Torben and I found a private conference room on the exhibit hall that offered us space from the crowded show floor, but not a total escape from the noise. I hope you’ll enjoy leaning in as Torben and I talk about film, performing, and the dreams of mice. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: North South And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ashley Franklin

2019/7/17

40:25

Ashley Franklin (@DifferentAshley) shares NOT QUITE SNOW WHITE. In this debut picture book readers meet Tameika, a theater-loving, stage-starring girl. She’s so excited for her school’s production of Snow White that she signs up for both audition dates. But after Tameika overhears classmates criticising that she’s too tall and too chubby and to black for the part, Tameika is crushed. There’s more to the story, of course, but you’ll need to listen for that. Ashley brings up our responsibility, no matter the age, to not make people feel hurt. And in our conversation she talks about the need to dismantle the idea of complete perfection as we engage young people. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Kidlit These Days Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Megan Lacera and Jorge Lacera

2019/7/12

40:16

Megan Lacera (@MeganLacera) and Jorge Lacera (@jlacera)  share ZOMBIES DON’T EAT VEGGIES! In their debut picture book readers meet Mo, a zombie and chef with a taste for cuisine his parents, quite frankly, find revolting. But this isn’t exactly a story about picky eaters or about food aversions. Instead, Lacera and Lacera share a story of feeling outside of one’s culture and how to reconcile that. I think you’re really going to connect with Mo (and I just know you’ll connect with Megan and Jorge!). And because the book is being printed in both English and Spanish a whole lot more readers will connect to Mo’s story as well! You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Kidlit These Days Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lorena Alvarez

2019/7/9

22:37

Lorena Alvarez shares HICOTEA, a companion graphic novel to her 2017 debut, NIGHTLIGHTS. Guest host Mel Schuit interviews Lorena at the American Library Association's annual conference and they discuss the art and inspiration behind the graphic novels. For those not yet familiar, NIGHLIGHTS is a beautiful story about fear, insecurity, and creativity. In HICOTEA, Sandy, the protagonist from NIGHTLIGHTS, returns to explore a magical new dimension. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Kidlit These Days Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Live at ALA's PopTop Stage with Cece Bell, Kate DiCamillo, and Shannon Hale

2019/6/30

46:04

Recorded live on the PopTop Stage at the American Library Association's annual conference, three Newbery Honorees and powerful female voices in the children's literature share the stories behind their successful and upcoming middle grade novels. Cece Bell introduces readers to SMELL MY FOOT!, the first book in her CHICK AND BRAIN series featuring a small cast of characters whose ensuing and hilarious mishaps are the result of miscommunication and misunderstanding. Kate DiCamillo shares BEVERLY, RIGHT HERE, a companion novel to RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE and LOUISIANA'S WAY HOME. In this new novel Beverly Tapinski runs away from home, but this time for good, in hopes of finding herself and a place to belong. Shannon Hale brings the newest installment of THE PRINCESS IN BLACK, a series cowritten with Dean Hale and illustrated by LeUyen Pham. The PRINCESS IN BLACK books host a diverse cast of multidimensional characters, including monsters seen beyond the binary of good or bad. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsor: Candlewick Press And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Padma Venkatraman

2019/6/30

40:31

Padma Venkatraman (@padmatv) shares THE BRIDGE HOME, a 2019 Global Read Aloud choice. The story centers on two sisters, Viji and Rukku, who are orphaned at the hands of an abusive father and a mother who is too afraid to leave him. Viji is the caretaker of her sister, and in no small way these girls are survivors. Padma writes from a place of experience, strength, and survival herself and she shares a sentiment on recording that I want you to listen for because I think it’s such an important and powerful phrase. About being a survivor she says, “You are not going to shape who I am.” This conversation is just for you, dear listeners. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler

2019/6/28

40:14

Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler (@byronegg) share OPERATIC, a graphic novel they made together. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that, as with making picture books, Kyo wrote OPERATIC’s story in words and dialogue and left space for Byron to tell the story through paneled illustrations. The story in OPERATIC centers on a girl named Charlie and her teacher’s assignment to identify a song to include in the “soundtrack of our lives”. Emile, Charlie’s classmate and, consequently, Charlie’s crush, is also searching, but not for a song. Luka has been missing from school, and no one’s quite sure why, but not many are searching on his account. And then there’s Maria Callas, renowned opera singer, who has her own story to tell. Where Kyo ties narratives together with thread, Byron maps colors to transition in and out of different stories for an effect that I felt showed great care for both the characters and the reader. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rowboat Watkins (2019)

2019/6/18

40:10

Rowboat Watkins shares MOST MARSHMALLOWS, a story about things that most marshmallows do, like celebrating birthdays and going to school. Things that most marshmallows do not do, like dreaming. And the rarely discussed things that some few marshmallows secretly know. I love how Rowboat created the art for this story and I cannot wait to try it with my students. But I also love how he makes room for his readers to dream of all the things they might accomplish, no matter who might tell them otherwise. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Meera Sriram

2019/6/11

35:46

Meera Sriram (@Meeratsriram) shares her debut picture book, THE YELLOW SUITCASE. In Meera’s debut we meet Asha, who is traveling to India as she does with her family each year to visit her grandmother. But this year, they travel to mourn. Asha always brings a yellow suitcase which her grandmother fills with treats and trinkets to bring home. The suitcase in this way becomes a character in the story as well, waiting to be filled, expectant, but empty. This story is about processing loss, and I think that readers will leave grateful to have walked alongside Asha through her grieving. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vincent X. Kirsch

2019/6/9

38:01

Vincent X. Kirsch (@VincenzoXKirsch) shares HOW I LEARNED TO FALL OUT OF TREES. In Vincent’s story we meet Roger and Adelia, two best friends since forever. Adelia is helping Roger learn to climb and to fall from trees. But she’s also helping Roger learn how to let go and how to trust that you’ll be able to pick yourself up after the fall. Adelia is moving away. It’s going to be a pretty big fall in Roger’s life Vincent’s care for his characters and his approach to telling this story from two separate timelines that meet in the middle culminates in some profound moments of truth and understanding. His respect for the readers and for all it means to let go is something that I think goes right to the core, both in this story and in his upcoming FROM A TO Z. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Storyteller Academy  Bharat Babies And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sarah and Ian Hoffman

2019/6/4

44:07

Sarah Hoffman (@sarahhoffman101) and Ian Hoffman share JACOB'S ROOM TO CHOOSE, the follow-up to the 2014 release JACOB'S NEW DRESS. In this newest story Jacob and his friend Sophie encounter a confrontation from classmates when Jacob enters the boys restroom wearing a dress. Sophie experiences a similar issue in the girl's room and the later their teacher leads the class in a discussion over gendered spaces. Which leads me to ask... Have you met Jacob yet? Have you been invited into Ms. Reeves’ classroom? Have you experienced teachers and schools at their greatest and also at their most vulnerable? It’s a place we each encounter throughout our days, that space where we ask ourselves if we’re going to allow someone else in. Someone who maybe doesn’t look just like us or dress just like us or act just like us. But as Sarah and Ian share in our conversation, the kids are often already showing the way for us. We adults just need to watch and to listen. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kathy Macmillan, Manuela Bernardi, and Kathrin Honesta

2019/5/28

45:51

Kathy MacMillan (@kathys_quill), Manuela Bernardi (@the_mahnoo), and Kathrin Honesta share SHE SPOKE: 14 Women Who Raised Their Voices and Changed the World. SHE SPOKE incorporates historical recordings from women throughout history, making history through their words, ideas, and actions. And the collaboration all started 15 years ago over some Harry Potter fan fiction. A critical point my guests return to over and over is that their subjects each had someone who believed in them. When designing a book to inspire and empower young people, this is something that was kept in mind: the ability to see and to name that person in your life who believes in you. This is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s something we as adults in the lives the these young people can work to secure in and throughout their lives. I think this conversation is really going to stick with you. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Colleen AF Venable and Ellen T. Crenshaw

2019/5/21

41:35

Colleen AF Venable (@colleenaf) and Ellen T. Crenshaw (@etcillustration) are the author and cartoonist, respectively, of KISS NUMBER 8, a "layered, funny, sharp-edged story of teen sexuality and family secrets". Identity, self-discovery, and safe places. This conversation and today’s book take these three themes and weave them together to create something important, something timely, something needed. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

LeUyen Pham

2019/5/14

48:01

LeUyen Pham is the illustrator of over one hundred books for children. You have no doubt encountered Uyen’s work, whether through the bestselling PRINCESS IN BLACK series written by Shannon and Dean Hale, Anne Marie Pace’s VAMPIRINA BALLERINA series (which was adapted into a hit show on Disney), THE ITCHY BOOK (an Elephant & PIggie Presents title), STOP THAT YAWN! by Caron Levis, GRACE FOR PRESIDENT by Kelly DiPucchio, or any number of countless others. Uyen is constantly challenging and exploring her voice as an illustrator, giving each book its own unique look and feel in service of the story. We also talk at length about BEAR CAME ALONG, Uyen’s upcoming picture book with Richard T. Morris. The conversation will leave you with a clear sense of how Uyen’s approaches visually storytelling and how she continues to learn and grow as an artist. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nic Stone

2019/5/11

44:49

Nic Stone (@getnicced) shares ODD ONE OUT, a young adult novel whose story centers on the dynamic between three friends: Courtney “Coop” Cooper, Jupiter “Jupe” Charity Sanchez, and Rae Chin. Their friendships to one another are complex, at times fragile, at times exciting, and always growing and expanding outward. ODD ONE OUT breaks the love triangle archetype to offer something more real, more vulnerable. And I latched so closely onto one of the character’s experiences in the story that I ended up learning a bit about myself as well. And aren’t those the best kinds of reading experiences? You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Donalyn Miller

2019/5/7

21:07

Happy Teacher Appreciation week! I hope you’re sharing a whole lot of love for those individuals who work with our young minds each and every day. Schools are magical places and for many they are the source of countless formative memories in our journey of growing up and into the world. So… I recently started a new podcast with Karina Yan Glaser, New York Times bestselling author of the VANDERBEEKERS series. It’s called KIDLIT THESE DAYS, it’s produced by Book Riot, and on the show Karina and I examine the intersection between current events and children’s literature. We’re sort of your kidlit connoisseurs, shining a light on what’s going on in the world and the books that can help us navigate through it. On our most recent episode we celebrated teachers both in the classroom and in our favorite books. The episode also features an interview with Corrina Allen, host of the Books Between Podcast and a 5th grade classroom teacher in New York. I’d love for you all to go check that episode out and you can find a link in the show notes below just by scrolling down on your podcast listening device. As a sort of bonus, it brings me great pleasure to share this interview with you today. Donalyn Miller (@donalynbooks) is renowned in education for her work in literacy and as an unflinching, unparalleled advocate for readers. Donalyn and I discuss the important role of teachers in raising readers, and she shares a moving story about a teacher who inspired her while she was in high school. Never have I felt closer to Donalyn than after this conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andrea Tsurumi

2019/4/30

46:21

Andrea Tsurumi (@AndreaTsurumi) shares CRAB CAKE, a picture book about a cake-baking crab who does its thing among the ocean fauna, baking confections for all of the neighborhood animals. But crab's world is turned upside down when a garbage barge spills some of its load into the ocean. There’s something Andrea said in our conversation that I’m still thinking about today, weeks after we spoke and that is, “In moments of extreme calamity it is a human thing to help.” Andrea’s blend of animal facts with humor and a beckoning for her readers to look close is something that I think makes CRAB CAKE absolutely irresistible. I love her line work and especially love her handle of story, pacing, and visual storytelling. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Victoria Jamieson, Kelly Gilday, and Julianna Wilson

2019/4/27

39:39

Victoria Jamieson (@JamiesonV), Newbery honor-winning cartoonist of ROLLER GIRL is joined by audio producers Kelly Gildea (@gildeak) and Julianna Wilson (@JuliannaNWilson) to share the process of adapting a graphic novel for the audiobook format. ROLLER GIRL tells the story of Astrid, who decides that this summer she’s going to forego the camp she’s attended year after year with her best friend in order to try out roller derby camp. The book has a ton of heart and a fair share of bangs and bruises around the derby court. The ROLLER GIRL audiobook was produced by Kelly Gildea and Julie Wilson and they each join us to share a peek behind the scenes of casting and accomplishing a graphic novel adaptation for listeners. But wait?! Doesn’t removing the visual element go against  what a graphic novel is at its core? Oh believe me, dear listener, what we discuss in terms of serving the listeners and expanding access in this conversation is just awesome! You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Linda Sue Park

2019/4/23

46:21

Linda Sue Park (@LindaSuePark), Newbery Medal-winning author of A SINGLE SHARD shares her new picture book, GONDRA’S TREASURE. The story centers on a dragon whose mom’s family comes from the West and while dad’s family comes from the East. Gondra, like many children, is curious and open to her world and everything in it. She finds strength in all facets of her mixed race family and what I found reading the story was a strength in the definition of family, itself. Which is to say that this story has everything to do with belonging, ancestry, asking big questions, and discovering how you tell the story of your family. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Breanna J. McDaniel

2019/4/19

42:09

Breanna J. McDaniel (@readwellbewell) shares HANDS UP!, new picture book reframes the emotionally charged phrase by following a child throughout her morning, her family time, and her time in the community. There is intergenerational support illustrated throughout HANDS UP! and as I’ve been reading it aloud to children I am so in awe of how their eyes light up with each page turn, basking in the beautiful illustrations created by Shane W. Evans. Today I am feeling so, so grateful not only because I get to share this book and this conversation with you, but also because this book is out in the world, perhaps already being loved in your home or your classroom or library. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Highlights Foundation Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Melanie Gillman

2019/4/16

28:18

Melanie Gillman shares AS THE CROW FLIES, a graphic novel following a group of queer teens who meet while stuck on a week-long Christian youth camp backpacking trip. AS THE CROW FLIES is a full-color, hand drawn webcomic that was published as a print volume in 2017 from generous Kickstarter backing. Melanie is an American queer non-binary cartoonist, illustrator, and lecturer, specializing in LGBTQ comics for Young Adult readers. Their award-winning comic has been recognized widely, receiving an Ignatz, an Eisner, the Society of Illustrators gold medal, and was named a Stonewall Honor by the American Library Association. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Little Feminist Book Club Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nidhi Chanani (2019)

2019/4/9

40:43

Nidhi Chanani (@nidhiart) shares SHUBH RAATRI DOST/GOOD NIGHT FRIEND, a new board book in which two children say goodnight in both Hindi and Engilsh to all of the animals in their Indian farm home. There’s an intimacy to sharing this moment with the characters in the book, as the sun goes down and as each goodnight offered is accompanied by thankfulness to what gift the object has given the children. Nidhi shares at one moment in our conversation the sentiment that caring for one another can look like sharing with someone or something and noticing when they are sharing with you. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Artwalks Bharat Babies Little Feminist Book Club Storyteller Academy  And to the generous support from our Patrons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hayley Barrett and Juana Martinez-Neal

2019/3/31

41:04

Hayley Barrett (@hayleybwrites) and Juana Martinez-Neal (@juanamartinez) are the author and the illustrator of BABYMOON, a new picture book about that period just after a baby is born, when time is intentionally set aside for a new family to rest and to fall in love together. The experience of motherhood is complex and our guests talk about their memories of wanting to do it all just right or perfect for their children. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Children's Book Podcast at 500

2019/3/31

05:01

A number of you have asked about plans to celebrate the 500th episode and, the truth is, you’re all part of the plan. I end every episode of the show by asking guests, “I’ll see a library full of children tomorrow morning. Is there a message I can bring to them from you?” And as most of you know, I really do see a library full of children each day. Actually, it’s a school of about 600. Located just west of Baltimore. These students are on my mind with every single interview I record, and so I thought I’d use this milestone to center them a little more. I would love to give each of our students a book and a message. Maybe you’re an author or illustrator and you have a book of your own you want to share. Maybe you’re a teacher or a librarian or a parent and you have a favorite book you think a child would love. In celebration of 500 episodes of The Children’s Book Podcast, I’m asking you to consider sending a message in a book to my students. My hope is that over the course of a month we’ll gather 500 books or maybe even enough so that each child can have a book. It’s a tall order, but it’s also the very best way I can think to celebrate this milestone. Books can be mailed throughout the month of April to: Matthew C. Winner c/o Swansfield Elementary School 5610 Cedar Lane Columbia, MD 21044 Thank you for listening to the podcast, for caring about the guests I have on, and for helping spread the love for their books. I’m glad to have you on this journey with me. I’m including a mailing address in the show notes which you on right now on the device you’re using to listen to this. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susan Verde

2019/3/29

39:17

Susan Verde (@susanverde) shares I AM HUMAN: A BOOK OF EMPATHY, which is illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. I AM HUMAN carries with it an important yet all-too-overlooked truth: that you are flawed, but that does not make you bad. Susan reminds us all in this conversation that being seen is so important. I AM HUMAN is the third book in a series that includes I AM YOGA and I AM PEACE. If you have not yet discovered this series, I think they’ll make you see your classroom, your children, or your readers, and maybe even yourself in a whole new way. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Pat Zietlow Miller

2019/3/27

36:25

Pat Zietlow Miller (@PatZMiller) shares REMARKABLY YOU and WHEN YOU ARE BRAVE, two recent picture book releases that see kids from all sides and complexities. REMARKABLY YOU was inspired by the Seven Ways of Being Smart, also known as the Seven Intelligences, and celebrates everything that makes every kid different. WHEN YOU ARE BRAVE calls the reader to look deep inside themselves for the strength to be brave, despite all your circumstances or subconscious might be feeding you. Two books speaking many truths and affirming many beauties in the children who will read them (and in the grown-ups who will read to those children). You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christian Robinson (2019)

2019/3/19

35:30

Christian Robinson makes his author-illustrator debut with ANOTHER, a wordless picture book exploring the literal experience of seeing yourself in a book and of others seeing themselves in the same book. Christian talks about relying on his strengths and owning that we all have blind spots. He also shares how his art is driven by his thoughts on helping as many kids as possible see themselves in his work. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Anika Aldamuy Denise

2019/3/17

55:57

Anika Aldamuy Denise (@AnikaDenise) is the author of PLANTING STORIES: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Bepré, an exceptional picture book biography about one of perhaps the best know librarians of our time or any. Anika also shares her CARMEN series, including STARRING CARMEN and LIGHTS, CAMERA, CARMEN!, featuring a tenacious, vibrant, creative force of a kid and the dynamics she brings to her loving family. One of the things we come back to over and over in our conversation is that there's a certain special recognition that happens when you see somebody that looks like you. It's an unspoken recognition and, for the right reader, being seen can mean everything. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Amanda Moeckel and Kristen Nobles (Page Street Kids)

2019/3/12

49:22

Amanda Moeckel (@AmandaMoeckel) is the author and illustrator of KHALIDA AND THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SONG, a picture book published last September that centers on a child who is visited in the night by a song and is compelled thereafter to find the song’s melody and play it herself. The book plays with the ephemeral quality of inspiration and pursuing creative or inspired ideas. Joining also is Kristen Nobles, the publisher of Page Street Kids (@PageStreetKids), an imprint of Page Street Publishing focused on inspiring young readers with thoughtful stories and distinctive art. Kristen shares the brief, but vibrant history of Page Street kids and also brings along some of their recent releases to share. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

2019/2/28

51:49

Mac Barnett (@macbarnett) and Jon Klassen (@burstofbeaden) are the award-winning team of many beloved books including EXTRA YARN and SAM AND DAVE DIG A HOLE. Today we’re focusing our attention of three books that are part-trilogy and part perspective. TRIANGLE, SQUARE, and now CIRCLE are each stories following story structures informed by their titular shapes. But there is no room here for unearned epiphanies. Answers, after all, are cheap morals and my guests remind that the goal is the pit, the place devoid of handed-over answers where, instead, we must look for meaning. These are books I engaged with in altogether different ways and I’m grateful for the chance to go on that thought exploration in front of you all.  Especially, after all, because I found one of these books to be quite polarizing and I tell as much to our guests. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sebastian Kadlecik, Kit Steinkellner, and Emma Steinkellner

2019/2/26

32:49

QUINCE is a 15-issue comic book series created by Sebastian Kadlecik (@smkaddy), authored by Kit Steinkellner (@BooksAreMyBFs) and illustrated by  Emma Steinkellner (@emsteinkellner) that was collected into a print trade paperback in 2017. The story follows Lupe, just your average, insecure, well-meaning, occasionally cranky teenage girl whose life is completely turned upside down when she discovers she has superpowers at her quinceañera. Her quince powers only last as long as she's fifteen, so over the course of this rollercoaster year, we follow the adventures of Lupe as she figures out what it really means to be a hero. Today's episode is guest hosted by Mel Schuit (@spiky_penelope), friend and author of the LET'S TALK PICTURE BOOKS blog. QUINCE (@QuinceComic) is AWESOME and I’m so glad Mel shared it with me. I hope you, too, get a chance to check it out! You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cathy Camper and Raul the Third (2019)

2019/2/22

54:32

Cathy Camper (@cfastwolf) and Raul the Third (@raulthe3rd) are the creative team behind the LOWRIDERS graphic novel series, including LOWRIDERS IN SPACE, LOWRIDERS TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, and the newest title, LOWRIDERS BLAST FROM THE PAST. The latest book in the series introduces the pivotal characters in the prime of their youth. Lupe Impala, El Chavo Flapjack, and Elirio Malaria discover their unique strengths over the course of the story amidst helping the ensure that lowrider Lupe's moms are entering into the car show will prove they deserve a place with the male-dominated space. There's also an emphasis throughout the story on indigenous words and the importance of understanding where words come from. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jacob Kramer, K-Fai Steele, and Claudia Zoe Bedrick

2019/2/19

53:47

Noodlephant is an elephant who loves pasta. The kangaroos do not like pasta. In fact, they make a law so that no one can enjoy pasta. But Noodlephant will not stand for this and sets out to protest the unfairness of the law and gathers others to demand change. NOODLEPHANT author Jacob Kramer (@jknotjk), illustrator K-Fai Steele (@kfaisteele), and publisher Claudia Zoe Bedrick of Enchanted Lion Books (@EnchantedLion) share the journey of this "pasta to protest" book, and how the trio is using the story to inspire and educate readers of all ages. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (2019)

2019/2/15

39:19

Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen (@SudiptaBQ) is the author of CHICKS RULE!, a book about confronting "no", having enough, and taking action. Nerdy Chick wants to join the rocket club, but when confronted with a sign reading "No Chicks Allowed" she decides to gather friends and neighborhood chicks to lend each of their unique interests and talents for the greater good of creating together. Sudipta talks about labels feel like death sentences, and how sometimes standing up for yourself requires a team. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The 2019 Sydney Taylor Book Award

2019/2/12

58:37

Susan Kusel and Rebecca Levitan join today on behalf of the SYDNEY TAYLOR BOOK AWARD, presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. The two joined me to talk about the award, what’s it’s like to serve on a Youth Media Awards committee, and trying to change conversations around Jewish literature through the work done during committee tenure. We’re also joined by the authors and illustrators whose works represent the winners, honors, and notables from the 2019 Sydney Taylor Book Awards. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Francie Latour

2019/1/31

45:59

Francie Latour (@francielatour) is the author of AUNTIE LUCE'S TALKING PAINTINGS, a vibrant and beautiful picture book about a young girl's visit to Haiti to see her Autie Luce and to sit for one of her paintings. The story not only unites family, but it instills a sense of belonging or origin that speaks to the strength of the Haitian people throughout history. Francie reminds us that Haiti is the location of the most successful slave revolt ever, that it's the place where the first Black republic was born, and that America would not be American without the Haitian revolution. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Congratulations to the 2019 Youth Media Awards Winners!

2019/1/31

07:37

The 2019 Youth Media Awards were announced and a number of this year's award-winners were guests on the Children's Book Podcast this year! I've gathered them all together in one convenient place so you can hear the stories behind the books, including Veera Hiranandani for THE NIGHT DIARY, Juana Martinez-Neal for ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME, Brian Lies for THE ROUGH PATCH, Oge Mora for THANK YOU, OMU! , Mark Oshiro for ANGER IS A GIFT, Yuyi Morales for DREAMERS, Traci Sorell for WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA, Jessica Love for JULIÁN IS A MERMAID, Vesper Stamper for WHAT THE NIGHT SINGS, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka for HEY, KIDDO: HOW I LOST MY MOTHER, FOUND MY FATHER, AND DEALT WITH FAMILY ADDITION. The compilation blog post can be accessed by visiting matthewcwinner.com/blog or by clicking here: http://www.matthewcwinner.com/single-post/2019/01/30/2019-Youth-Media-Awards-Announced?fbclid=IwAR017a3tKGMOPvuWIsltsD-IinTIek4VUmwoQcEj7hLDEPBhtBiwu7rEu9w --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hilary Leung

2019/1/29

44:20

Hilary Leung (@hilary_leung) is the author/illustrator of WILL GIRAFFE LAUGH?, the fourth in a series about a friend group of animals and their interactions with one another, including WILL BEAR SHARE?, WILL LADYBUG HUG?, and WILL SHEEP SLEEP?. The series explores kindness, consent, respect, and friendship. Hilary is also the co-creator of THE LEGEND OF NINJA, COWBOY, BEAR, a cornerstone picture book of every school library I’ve worked in. The journey of this story from self-publishing to fast food kids meals boxes is nothing short of inspiring, and you and your readers will love participating in your own ninja-cowboy-bear showdowns. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cheryl Willis Hudson and Wade Hudson

2019/1/22

57:32

Cheryl Willis Hudson (@diversitymom_ch) and Wade Hudson (@hudsonwade) are the founders of Just Us Books and the editors of WE RISE, WE RESIST, WE RAISE OUR VOICES. In this anthology of stories, poems, art, and photographs, fifty of the foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander-- share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" Wade and Cheryl found themselves asking the same question after the 2016 election and so they reached out to friends and colleagues who, in turn, answered with words of support and love and comfort to empower young readers across the country. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Casey W. Robinson and Rob Broder (Ripple Grove Press)

2019/1/18

50:57

Rob Broder (@RGrovePress) is the co-founder of Ripple Grove Press, an independent, family-run children's book publisher. Ripple Grove's passion for well-told and beautifully illustrated stories for children comes out in its titles and their mission is to bring together great writers and talented illustrators to make the most wonderful books possible is something I think you'l see evidenced in our conversation. Joining us also is Casey W. Robinson (@CaseyWRobinson), author of IVER & ELLSWORTH, which published in 2018 from Ripple Grove Press. In the story, an elderly building manager says goodbye to an inflated rooftop polar bear. This quirky story friendship speaks to what it means to be seen and what it means to be loved. Hearing the journey of a story from idea to publication at a small press captures a certain sense of intimacy and wonder, and I think much of that is captured in this conversation conversation. We also talk about some of Ripple Grove’s other books including THE FULL HOUSE AND THE EMPTY HOUSE, a picture book debut by LK James that has already taken center stage in our elementary school library. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck

2024/1/31

28:12

Hanna Mousabeck shares Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine (Chronicle Books), a story of a father and his daughters, who may not be able to return home . . . but they can celebrate stories of their homeland!

Visit Hannah online at https://hannahmoushabeck.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

The Sydney Taylor Book Award 2024 Winners, Honors, and Notable Books

2024/2/9

31:24

Introducing the winners and honors of the Sydney Taylor Book Award (2024), presented annually by the Association of Jewish Libraries to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience.

• Sydney Taylor Book Award Website - link

• 2024 Sydney Taylor Book Award Blog Tour - link

• Purchase any of the Books - link

This podcast episode of The Children’s Book Podcast was written, edited, and produced by Matthew Winner. For a full transcript of this episode, visit matthewcwinner.com. 

Write to me or send me a message at matthewmakespods@gmail.com. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

DISCLAIMER: Bookshop.org affiliate links provided for any book titles mentioned in the episode. Bookshop.org support independent bookstores and also shares a small percentage of any sales made through this podcast back to me, which helps to fund production of this show.

Raising a Hero by Laura Numeroff

2024/2/16

19:23

Laura Numeroff shares If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (HarperCollins) and Raising a Hero, a story of about a puppy with a lot to learn on his adventure of becoming someone’s life-changing friend and helper. 

Visit Laura online at https://lauranumeroff.com/

Canine Companions website

You can pick up your own copy of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

Rainbow Shopping by Qing Zhuang

2024/2/21

18:50

Qing Zhuang shares Rainbow Shopping (Holiday House), a heartfelt tribute to Chinatown and spending days-off together in which sharing a delicious meal helps a child feel loved.

Visit Qing online at qingthings.com

You can pick up your own copy of Rainbow Shopping wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

Make Way for Fenway by Victoria J Coe

2024/2/28

22:24

Victoria J. Coe shares the Make Way for Fenway books. The little dog with a GIANT personality from Fenway and Hattie is starring in his own chapter book series!

Visit Victoria online at https://www.victoriajcoe.com/

You can pick up your own copy of the Fenway and Hattie or Make Way for Fenway books wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Don’t forget to check out the Reading Culture Podcast with Jordan Bookey, from Beanstack, if you are a fellow teacher or librarian. It’s the perfect podcast to explore building a stronger culture of reading in our communities. It’s available wherever podcasts are found.

Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

2024/3/6

22:57

Rajani LaRocca shares Mirror to Mirror (Quill Tree Books), an evocative novel in verse  about identical twin sisters who do everything together--until external pressures threaten to break them apart.

Visit Rajani online at https://www.rajanilarocca.com

You can pick up your own copy of Mirror to Mirror wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu

2024/3/15

29:14

John Schu shares Louder Than Hunger (Candlewick Press), a wrenching and transformative novel-in-verse that explores anorexia--and self-expression as an act of survival.

Visit John online at https://www.johnschu.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Louder Than Hunger wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Dim Sum, Here We Come! by Maple Lam

2024/3/22

20:55

Maple Lam shares Dim Sum, Here We Come! (Harper), a celebration of the traditional Chinese customs passed on from generation to generation: togetherness, love, family--and FOOD!

Visit Maple online at https://www.maplelam.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Dim Sum, Here We Come! wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots by Lid’ya Rivera

2024/3/29

19:48

Lid’ya Rivera shares I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots (HarperCollins), a lyrical celebration of self-esteem, perseverance, and loving the skin you're in that will inspire all children to appreciate their spots or what makes them different. Illustrated by Niña Mata.

Visit Lid’ya online at https://www.lidyacrivera.com/

You can pick up your own copy of I Absolutely, Positively Love My Spots wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

2024/4/5

31:08

Kate DiCamillo shares Ferris (Candlewick), a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up.

Visit Kate online at https://www.katedicamillo.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Ferris wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Martina Has Too Many Tías by Emma Otheguy

2024/4/12

20:13

Emma Otheguy shares Martina Has Too Many Tías (Atheneum Books for Young Readers), a lively and magical bilingual picture book that reimagines the beloved Caribbean folktale "La Cucaracha Martina."

Visit Emma online at https://emmaotheguy.com

You can pick up your own copy of Martina Has Too Many Tías wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman

2024/4/19

31:34

Dave Roman shares Unicorn Boy (First Second), a magical journey about a boy who sprouts a unicorn horn and uses his newfound powers to help those in need!

Visit Dave online at http://yaytime.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Unicorn Boy wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

A Work In Progress by Jarrett Lerner

2024/4/28

29:54

Jarrett Lerner shares A Work in Progress (Aladdin Paperbacks), a poignant and "perceptive" journey to self-acceptance told through prose, verse, and illustration about a young boy who struggles with body image.

Visit Jarrett online at https://jarrettlerner.com

You can pick up your own copy of A Work in Progress wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Look Up!: Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution by Britt Gondolfi and Amanda Romanick

2024/4/30

29:47

Britt Gondolfi and Amanda Romanick share Look Up!: Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution (Paw Prints Publishing), the story of Fontaine, a small pigeon who is fed up with the world's addiction to technology. 

Visit Jarrett online at https://www.fontainethepigeon.com

You can pick up your own copy of Look Up!: Fontaine the Pigeon Starts a Revolution wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker

2024/5/8

27:21

Aaron Becker shares The Last Zookeeper (Candlewick Press), a wordless picture book imaging a futuristic Noah's Ark in a luminous sci-fi parable for our changing world.

Visit Aaron online at https://www.storybreathing.com

You can pick up your own copy of The Last Zookeper wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

No World Too Big edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley

2024/5/14

27:12

Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley share No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change (Charlesbridge Publishing), celebrating twelve young activists and three activist groups on front lines of the climate crisis who have planted trees in Uganda, protected water in Canada, reduced school-bus climate footprint in Indonesia, invented alternate power sources in Ohio, and more.

Visit Lindsay online at https://lindsayhmetcalf.com

Visit Keila online at https://www.keiladawson.com

Visit Jeanette online at http://www.jeanettebradley.com

You can pick up your own copy of No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

The Wild Ones by Megan Lacera and Jorge Lacera

2024/5/21

13:08

Megan Lacera and Jorge Lacera share The Wild Ones (Children’s Book Press), a heartwarming and epic tale of four best friends who turn to the mythical monsters from their respective cultures to help them save the only home they've ever known.

Visit Megan and Jorge online at www.studiolacera.com

You can pick up your own copy of The Wild Ones wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Whale Fall by Melissa Stewart

2024/5/28

18:13

Melissa Stewart shares Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem (Random House Studio), a fascinating nonfiction picture book filled with stunning illustrations by Robert Dunlavey detailing the end of life for a whale, also known as a whale fall, when its body sinks to the ocean floor and becomes an energy-rich food source for organisms living in the deep sea.

Visit Melissa online at www.melissa-stewart.com

You can pick up your own copy of Whale Fall: Exploring an Ocean-Floor Ecosystem wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Perfectly Lovable Exactly the Way You Are with Kaz Windness

2024/6/5

31:28

Kaz Windness, Bitsy Bat, School Star (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books) and Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends (Simon Spotlight), creates stories with themes of navigating relationships, building resilient friendships, and being accepted for the spicy little weirdo you are. 

Visit Kaz online at https://www.windnessbooks.com

You can pick up your own copy of Bitsy Bat, School Star (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books) or Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends (Simon Spotlight) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Going All-In on Interests with Lynne Kelly

2024/6/11

29:53

Lynne Kelly, author of The Secret Language of Birds (Delacorte Press), explores the ripples you make when you create a character who is all-in on her interests.

Visit Lynne online at https://lynnekellybooks.com

You can pick up your own copy of The Secret Language of Birds (Delacorte Press) and Song for a Whale (Yearling Books) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at www.matthewcwinner.com.

Be well. And read on.

Books Help You to Know Yourself with Jon Klassen

2024/6/18

23:52

Jon Klassen, author illustrator of The Skull (Candlewick Press), proposes there's something about books that make you braver.

Visit Jon online at https://www.instagram.com/jonklassen

You can pick up your own copy of The Skull (Candlewick Press) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Picture Book Podcast presents Teachers That Inspire Us

2024/6/25

35:14

In this Summer Episode Swap, Picture Book Podcast host Chris Marland shares his “Teachers That Inspire Us” episode featuring Why Teaching?, written by Dr. Jen Mott and illustrated by Sara Relojo.

Visit Picture Book Podcast online at Picture Book Podcast

You can pick up your own copy of Why Teaching? wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Wrapping the Coast in Art with Elisa Boxer and Susanna Chapman

2024/7/2

27:57

Elisa Boxer and Susanna Chapman, the author and illustrator of Covered in Color: Christo and Jeanne-Claude's Fabrics of Freedom, talk about memorializing the lives of two artists who did what everyone was telling them could not be done.

Visit Elisa online at https://elisaboxer.com/

Visit Susanna online at https://susannachapman.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Covered in Color: Christo and Jeanne-Claude's Fabrics of Freedom (Abrams Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Acts of Creative Defiance with Carter Higgins

2024/7/10

34:07

Carter Higgins, the author and illustrator of Circle Under Berry (Chronicle Books), Some of These are Snails (Chronicle Books), and her latest, Round and Round the Year We Go, talks about acts of creative defiance in bookmaking.

Visit Carter online at https://www.carterhiggins.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Circle Under Berry (Chronicle Books), Some of These are Snails (Chronicle Books), and Round and Round the Year We Go wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Breaking the Rules with Justin Colón

2024/7/16

30:20

Justin Colón, the author of The Quacken (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), illustrated by Pablo Pino, talks about breaking the rules in the kidlit space and contributing to the horror/comedy picture book canon.

Visit Justin online at https://justincolonbooks.com/

You can pick up your own copy of The Quacken (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org or by downloading the audiobook through Libro.fm. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Brian Lies

2019/1/15

51:51

Brian Lies (@BrianLiesbooks) is the author/illustrator of the best-selling BATS IN THE LIBRARY series. He shares in our conversation that he's always had an interest in drawing animals and that, for him, casting animals as main characters in his books helps to make the story more universal to the readers. Brian joins me today to share his latest picture books. In GOT TO GET TO BEAR’S!, chipmunk receives an urgent notice from her friend and sets out in a blizzard against all odds in order to get to Bear’s home. Izzy, the chipmunk, is the kind of friend everyone of us wants to have in our life and the kind of friend I think we all hope to be to someone in our life. In THE ROUGH PATCH, a male fox laments the loss of his dog and, in his pain and suffering, first lets his beloved garden go, and then decides in his anger and sadness that he is going to make his garden the saddest and most desolate place he can. And soon it is. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Keith Negley (2019)

2019/1/8

40:58

Keith Negley (@keithnegley) is the author/illustrator of MARY WEARS WHAT SHE WANTS. The story follows a young Mary Edwards Walker, determined to swap the confining, uncomfortable dress expected of her and other girls and women for a more sensible pair of pants. Keith shares that the idea grew from media coverage of transgender individuals being restricted access to bathrooms, as well as a podcast episode of The Memory Palace regarding the norm-defying life of Mary Walker. All in all it is a story of a woman who, even as a girl, enjoyed the opportunity to prove someone wrong by enacting change in her surroundings. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sharee Miller (2019)

2019/1/2

42:05

Sharee Miller (@coilyandcute) is the author/illustrator of DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR! The story follows Aria, a young African American girl who loves her hair but cannot stand when people touch her hair without permission. Sharee talks in our conversation about consent, and how most people would never touch a complete stranger's hand, and yet don't hesitate to touch a stranger's hair, even though your hair is just as much a part of your body. DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR was included in our school's mock Coretta Scott King Award and out 600+ students connected so much so with the story that they selected it as this year's winner. I hope you enjoy it just as much! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Our "Don't Miss" Books of 2018 PART 4 with Grace Lin (Kidlit Women* Podcast and Other Notable Kidlit Podcasts)

2018/12/30

47:03

Grace Lin (@pacylin), award-winning author and podcast host, joins to share the origin of Kidlitwomen* and the Kidlit Women* podcast. There are a small handful of kidlit podcasts I listen to regularly and that continue to contribute to my professional growth and, quite frankly, I think help make me a better human being. LIFELINES: BOOKS THAT BRIDGE THE DIVIDE is one of those podcasts. Hosts Saadia Faruqi and Ann Braden share book recommendations from marginalized voices and experiences. They offer up insightful interviews. And I honestly walk away feeling like I’ve got another set of tools to make my library program even stronger and more inclusive. THE BEGINNING OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB with Emily Akins is a new podcast on the block, but the exploration of literacy and building lifelong reading habits through the voice of an inquisitive host bent on lifelong learning is just something I’m so absolutely drawn to. BOOKS BETWEEN with Corrina Allen has been a mainstay on my podcast feed for years. What Corrina brings as a book advocate as well as an educator makes this a must-have resource for everyone working with middle grade readers, from teaching them to writing for them. And finally there’s THE KIDLIT WOMEN* PODCAST, the show that’s always at the top of my playlist, the one I cannot imagine this world without, the one that has started conversations that resonate, challenge, affirm, and inspire. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Our "Don't Miss" Books of 2018 PART 3 with Alex Gino and Dr. Laura Jimenez (Books Centering on LGBTQ experiences, issues, and identities)

2018/12/26

58:28

Alex Gino (@lxgino) and Dr. Laura Jimenez (@booktoss) join to share books centering on LGBTQ experiences, issues, and identities. Alex Gino is the author of GEORGE and, most recently, YOU DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING, JILLY P! They are joined by Dr. Laura Jimenez, author of the BookToss blog, a site “where the serious business of reading in schools meets the absurd notion that research-based literacy practices don’t have to suck the life out of literature.” I asked Alex and Laura if they’d like to join me to share those “don’t miss” titles they’ve been recommending to friends, colleagues, and readers of all ages. Little did I realize we’d all get on so well and burst into frequent bouts of giggles and bookjoy! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Our "Don't Miss" Books of 2018 PART 2 with Dr. Debbie Reese and Traci Sorell (American Indians in Children's Literature & Cynsations)

2018/12/21

59:41

Dr. Debbie Reese (@debreese) and Traci Sorell (@tracisorell) join on behalf of AMERICAN INDIANS IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE and CYNSATIONS. Dr. Reese writes regularly at AMERICAN INDIANS IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE (AICL), which provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. Traci Sorell is the author of WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA and is a regular contributor to CYNSATIONS, a blog founded by Cynthia Leitich Smith centering on reflective conversations, publishing information, writer insights & inspiration, bookseller-librarian-teacher appreciation, children's-YA literature news & author outreach. I asked Debbie and Traci if they’d like to join me to share those “don’t miss” titles they’ve been recommending to friends, colleagues, and readers of all ages. You’re gonna love watching your TBR pile grow with these fantastic titles! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Our "Don't Miss" Books of 2018 PART 1 with Paula Chase Hyman and Kelly Starling Lyons (The Brown Bookshelf)

2018/12/18

54:45

Paula Chase Hyman (@PaulaChase) and Kelly Starling Lyons (@kelstarly) join on behalf of THE BROWN BOOKSHELF to share a collection of "don't miss" books from 2018. THE BROWN BOOKSHELF is a website and collective designed to push awareness of the myriad Black voices writing for young readers. Their flagship initiative is 28 Days Later, a month-long showcase of the best in Picture Books, Middle Grade, and Young Adult novels written and illustrated by Black creators. Paula Chase Hyman is an inclusion jedi and author of the novel SO DONE. Kelly Starling Lyons is a teaching artist and author of the JADA JONES series.  They each have an innate interest in uplifting Black kidlit creators and so I was so excited to ask Paula and Kelly if they’d like to join me to share those “don’t miss” titles they’ve been recommending to friends, colleagues, and readers of all ages. And, lucky for us, they even brought a couple books just for you! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Heidi Stemple

2018/12/11

44:55

Heidi Stemple (@heidieys) is the author of COUNTING BIRDS: THE IDEA THAT HELPED SAVE OUR FEATHERED FRIENDS. This true story of Frank Chapman, the man who founded the first annual bird count, pays homage to a simple act of shaking up habits and traditions that resulted in a lasting conservation initiative that continues today thanks to the help of hundreds of citizen scientists. Heidi is also the co-author, alongside Jane Yolen, Adam Stemple, and Jason Stemple, of FLY WITH ME: A CELEBRATION OF BIRDS THROUGH PICTURES, POEMS, AND STORIES. FLY WITH ME is a nonfiction book unlike anything I’ve seen before. Not only are the photos stunning page after page, but there are also new, original poems included throughout the book. The book has a presence and layout the appeals to curiosity and invites readers to explore its rich content any which way the reader pleases. Two beautiful bird books and an invitation to go owling! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Martha Brockenbrough

2018/12/7

49:45

Martha Brockenbrough (@mbrockenbrough) is the author of UNPRESIDENTED: A BIOGRAPHY OF DONALD TRUMP, the first biography of our 45th president written for teens. Martha approached her research with a mindset of presenting information fairly and with a lens of looking for patterns in actions and what those patterns tell us about the subject matter. It won’t surprise you that what the patterns pointed to was winning. At all costs. Sometimes by redefining the game in or to resubstant the win. And all too often claiming win to the detriment of already historically marginalized peoples. Some of the information Martha presents may make you or your readers uncomfortable. To that, Martha reminds us that “uncomfortable is different from unfair.” You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alice Faye Duncan

2018/12/4

1:01:28

Alice Faye Duncan (@AliceFayeDuncan) is an author and poet, and she's also a school librarian. Alice brings two new picture books to the show. The first is called MEMPHIS, MARTIN, AND THE MOUNTAINTOP: THE SANITATION STRIKE OF 1968 and through the voice of a young girl the story recounts the sanitation strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Memphis and that would reach all corners of Memphis in its breadth and scope. R. Gregory Christie illustrated the story and his art beckons readers to sit with the varied emotions that hang on the faces of those involved and affected by the strike. Alice also shares A SONG FOR GWENDOLYN BROOKS, a picture book told in poetry about the gifted and glorious life of an American Treasure. The format of this book is that of a love poem to Gwendolyn’s life and legacy, and, quite frankly, I found myself clinging to every word. Two beautiful picture books, and a conversation worthy of their merit. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tomie dePaola

2018/11/27

51:42

Tomie dePaola is the author and illustrator of over 260 books for children, including STREGA NONA, 26 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE, and OLIVER BUTTON IS A SISSY. His newest picture book is called QUIET, and it’s as much about noticing the noise around us and in us as it is about finding the quiet around us and, ultimately, in us. Tomie wrote the book, in part, after noticing that children are so busy today and it’s not their fault. He wants children to be able to sit and be quiet and just be, and so we find Tomie expressing himself once again and so thoughtfully through his art and his stories, inviting readers to step into the story and find a place where quiet is protected. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Oge Mora

2018/11/20

47:51

Oge Mora (@ogemora) is the author and illustrator of THANK YOU, OMU! In the story, the scent of the stew Omu has been laboring over draws a number of neighbors to her door and Omu is all too eager to share with her visitors. But when it comes time for her to eat, Omu finds she has nothing left. Oge’s debut is not only an homage to her own grandmother, but also one grown out of inspiration for all of the amazing women who carried her and us all to where we each are today. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lauren Castillo (2018)

2018/11/17

50:49

Lauren Castillo (@studiocastillo) is the illustrator of IMAGINE, a picture book adaptation of Juan Felipe Herrera inaugural's speech as the 21st Poet Laureate of the United States of America. Lauren’s work on this picture book is beautiful and it adds a rhythm to the poetic story that moves readers along with each sentiment, each memory. She speaks of being okay with any sort of accidents that happen with the art when specifically referring to the foam printing used in the illustrations, but it should come as no surprise that these "accidents" are exactly what gives the art its voice and character. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Brigid Kemmerer and Nisha Sharma (Live at the Baltimore Book Festival)

2018/11/14

40:40

Brigid Kemmerer (@BrigidKemmerer) is the author of MORE THAN WE CAN TELL, a book centering on the separate but soon-intertwining lives of two teens, one growing up in a foster home and the other the creator of an MMO first person shooter. The story calls into question what it means to be family, how well we think we know one another online, and how we perceive what we mean to those who raise us. Nisha Sharma (@Nishawrites) is the author of MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE, a story in which the protagonist wrestles with futures, both the ones that are predicted, the ones we plan out for ourselves, and also the ones that just happen to us when we allow life to follow its course. We recorded this episode live on the Enoch Pratt Free Library stage at the Baltimore Book Festival. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Podcast Survey + GIVEAWAY!

2018/11/10

04:13

I'm collecting survey data for the podcast and need your help to collect 250 responses. Complete the brief survey using this link (https://survey.libsyn.com/lgbpodcast) and the go here to enter in our 5-book Giveaway and to score yourself some Children's Book Podcast stickers! Here's a shareable link: http://www.matthewcwinner.com/single-post/Podcast-Survey-GIVEAWAY Thanks in advance for your support and help. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tony Medina (Live at the Baltimore Book Festival)

2018/11/6

54:21

Tony Medina (@PoetTonyMedina) is the author of I AM ALFONSO JONES, a graphic novel inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement about a teen who is shot and killed by police while shopping for a suit in a clothing store. The novel retraces the events leading to that day while also following the timeline forward as both life itself a the ghost of Alfonso Jones struggle against a nation's history of violence toward people of color. It is a powerful and timely story and one that will remain with readers long after hearing Alfonso's story. We recorded this episode live on the Enoch Pratt Free Library stage at the Baltimore Book Festival. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jarrett J. Krosoczka (2018)

2018/10/30

53:42

Jarrett J. Krosoczka (@StudioJJK) is the cartoonist of HEY, KIDDO: HOW I LOST MY MOTHER, FOUND MY FATHER, AND DEALT WITH  FAMILY ADDICTION. You may already know Jarrett from his best-selling LUNCH LADY graphic novel series, THE PLATYPUS POLICE SQUAD books, or from the JEDI ACADEMY series titles that bear his name, not to mention his many wonderful picture books. But today we’re focusing on something a little different. HEY, KIDDO is Jarrett’s graphic memoir and it’s intended for an older audience. A warning to listeners with young children: there are curse words in this episode that we do not bleep. Actually, side note, these occur during the times when Jarrett and I are reading excerpts from the book and they’re some of my favorite moments in our conversation. Jarrett shares how HEY, KIDDO was a story he needed to write, yet he admits that it would have been easier not to make the book at all. There are many, many challenging moments in Jarrett's life, but there is always love, and there is always hope, and there is always someone there that Jarrett can look to for wisdom and guidance. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lily Williams and Emily Feinberg

2018/10/23

48:38

Lily Williams (@lwbean) is the author illustrator of IF POLAR BEARS DISAPPEARED and IF SHARKS DISAPPEARED and Emily Feinberg (@EmilyFeinberg) is the children’s book editor at Roaring Brook Press. Lily's powerful and engaging approach to big ecological topics invites readers to investigate the food chain, our changing climate, and other ways we are affecting our planet and, in turn, our planet is affecting all of us. Emily’s relation to Lily’s work, her hand in forming these books, is something I found especially gratifying. I also really loved that Emily said about Lily, "She's the only person that can make dead fish look cute." This conversation has everything to do with love and trust and truth. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

2018/10/16

54:30

Matthew Swanson (@writingmatthew) and Robbi Behr (@drawingrobbi) are the author and illustrator, respectively, of THE REAL McCOYS, a middle grade series centering on the McCoy siblings. Moxie McCoy believes everything she thinks so profoundly that it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks. That, along with her fandom and appreciation for Annabelle Adams, Girl Detective, makes her an interesting piece in a puzzling mystery Moxie is determined to solve. Matthew and Robbi discuss how working together brings out the best in one another and how Matthew has a bit of illustrative monogamy with Robbi. All told, there's a lot of each of the creators on the pages of the REAL McCOYS series, and that's a good thing. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Raúl Colón

2018/10/12

48:04

Raúl Colón is the author illustrator of IMAGINE!, a wordless picture book about a boy who finds himself called, perhaps beckoned even, to the art he finds in the Museum of Modern Art. He is drawn into the art and then he draws the art out into his world. It’s a book with a certain kind of magic, and I think you’ll find that the magic lies in Raúl’s own story of finding his way to art and to the great works. Raúl talks about worrying at points in his life that the sense of wonder toward the world could get lost as he progressed through life. But it's that sense of justice and injustice, instilled at a young age, that continues to inform Raúl's work today. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mark Oshiro

2018/10/9

51:33

Mark Oshiro (@MarkDoesStuff) is the author of ANGER IS A GIFT, a young adult novel a boy named Moss, the tragic loss of a friend and more than that, and a school responding to student protest and security in a way all too real for many of our pre-adult students throughout the country. The novel also contains the line, "I will counter your doubts every single time", which is probably one of the most beautiful string of words a parent can say to a child ever. Mark narrates the audiobook for ANGER IS A GIFT and we talk a bit about how it feels to be reading your own story and, in part, reliving it just as you did when you were writing the story and seeing the characters through their suffering. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Yuyi Morales

2018/10/2

51:29

Yuyi Morales (@yuyimorales) is the author illustrator of DREAMERS, a story recounting Yuyi’s immigration to the United States with her son. It is a book that will awaken your senses. It is a book that calls you to pay attention because everything you see, the words, the collage, the materials, everything is telling a story. Everything counts. Yuyi shares her story and talks of being just one of many voices. She tells us of her path, and that her path was to tell stories. And she talks of bringing close to her everything that she missed in order to create this book. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Airlie Anderson

2018/9/25

44:25

Airlie Anderson (@airliebird) is the author illustrator of NEITHER, a new picture book about a creature who is not this or that, but neither. It's a story of finding a place to belong, a place to feel welcome. It's also a story about making room for others who may be different from you. But one of the book's most powerful qualities is the space left for the reader to make his or her own connections, to see his or her own this, that, and neither. And for adults to do the same. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Calista Brill and Kenard Pak

2018/9/19

55:21

Calista Brill (@CalistaBrill) and Kenard Pak (@kenardpak) are the author and illustrator, respectively, of CAT WISHES, a new picture book about a cat who catches a snake but spares its life when the snake says it will grant the cat three wishes. In our conversation we discuss clinging to skepticism and characters who imagine themselves as cynical when really they're revealed to be quite caring. When reading CAT WISHES be sure to pay close attention to the syncopation of art and words. It's beautiful. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Francesca Sanna

2018/9/11

50:44

Francesca Sanna (@Frenci_San) is the author and illustrator of ME AND MY FEAR, a new picture book about how fear manifests in us, takes root, and, if we’re not careful, can form us in its likeness. I'm first became aware of Francesca's work from THE JOURNEY, her debut picture book universalizing the refugee experience and inviting readers to look, to ask questions, to feel, to understand that there are people in this world (and perhaps even in their lives) who have lived similar experiences. How many of us know intimately the experience of being pushed and pulled by hope? You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Traci Sorell

2018/9/7

48:16

Traci Sorell (@tracisorell) is the author of WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA, a new picture book featuring Cherokee men and women, children and grandparents, family and friends throughout the year, in all seasons, grateful. It’s a book that speaks loudly by asking readers to listen closely. Traci shares in our conversation the universal value of gratitude, emphasizing that life is not just about being grateful for the good things that happen to you. I think it's a message we all need to hear and I'm grateful for such a beautiful book to spark the conversation. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Suzanne Kaufman and Martha Rago

2018/9/4

48:46

Suzanne Kaufman (@lilmonkeydraws) and Martha Rago (@martharago) are the illustrator and art director, respectively, of ALL ARE WELCOME, a new picture book welcoming to school students of all races, ethnicities, beliefs, and backgrounds. The book was inspired by a piece of art made by Suzanne for her daughter's school and, once shared over social media, went viral throughout the kidlit community. It's a book spoken through the rhythm of kids' lives and it's the book I'll be reading to each of my K-5 classes throughout our first week of school. But more importantly, the story reminds readers that they belong and that they can feel confident knowing that they belong no matter what. This is the second of a 2-part podcast series on ALL ARE WELCOME. The first includes ALL ARE WELCOME author Alexandra Penfold and editor Erin Clarke. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alexandra Penfold and Erin Clarke

2018/8/29

46:45

Alexandra Penfold (@AgentPenfold) and Erin Clarke (@erinmclarke) are the author and editor, respectively, of ALL ARE WELCOME, a new picture book welcoming to school students of all races, ethnicities, beliefs, and backgrounds. The book was inspired by a piece of art made by Suzanne Kaufman for her daughter's school and, once shared over social media, went viral throughout the kidlit community. It's a book spoken through the rhythm of kids' lives and it's the book I'll be reading to each of my K-5 classes throughout our first week of school. But more importantly, the story reminds readers that they belong and that they can feel confident knowing that they belong no matter what. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christian Trimmer and Jessie Sima

2018/8/21

1:03:39

Christian Trimmer (@MisterTrimmer) and Jessie Sima (@JessieSima) are the author and illustrator, respectively, of SNOW PONY AND THE SEVEN MINIATURE PONIES, a new picture book inspired by the Snow White story, but with twists and humor and scrapbooking and magnificent hair braids. We also talk about Jessie's HARRIET GETS CARRIED AWAY and Christian's TEDDY'S FAVORITE TOY, two additional picture book releases that push back on gendering and celebrate books for all readers. These are narratives that shine a light for our readers and open up their worlds just a little more with each turn of the page. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Camille Andros and Julie Morstad

2018/8/17

47:07

Camille Andros (@camdros) and Julie Morstad are the author and illustrator, respectively, of THE DRESS AND THE GIRL, a new picture book about a girl, a hand sewn dress, and a very long journey. It's also a book about memory and, specifically, the memories we associate with specific items in our life, be they unique or commonplace, unusual or beloved. Or, perhaps, a little bit of each. It's also a book that was inspired by some very significant memories, which you'll hear from our guests. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Saadia Faruqi and Hatem Ally

2018/8/14

45:38

Saadia Faruqi (@SaadiaFaruqi) and Hatem Aly (@metahatem) are the author and illustrator, respectively, of MEET YASMIN, a new series of chapter books featuring spirited second-grader Yasmin Ahmad and her multigenerational family. Yasmin's curiosity about the world and the discoveries she makes regularly through observation of life and the world around her are great for young readers with eyes wide to the world. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mrs. P's 10th Annual Be a Famous Writer Contest

2018/8/7

28:21

Mrs. P (@MrsPstorytime) returns to share details around the 10th annual Be a Famous Writer Contest. The new school year is about to begin. It’s time for possibility and wonder and excitement and discovery. It’s time for students to find identity as scientists and coders and makers… and writers. Mrs. P has loved and inspired young authors for many, many years and the submissions she receives for the annual Be a Famous Writer Contest showcase some incredible works of creativity by students and classrooms. This year’s theme is HEROES and I’ve invited Mrs. P back to the podcast to tell you and your students all about it. You can access all of the information you and your students will need to get started by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Gayle Forman

2018/7/31

45:46

Gayle Forman (@gayleforman) is the author of I HAVE LOST MY WAY and the New York Times bestselling IF I STAY. In her newest YA novel Gayle explores the idea that the most important story is the backstory, that all of us come from a place and that one thing informs the next to take us to where we are today. But none of that has to define who we are. It’s a story of losing your way and trying to find it again. It’s a story of coming to realize that we all walk around really, really scared. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Debbi Michiko Florence

2018/7/24

43:04

Debbi Michiko Florence (@DebbiMichiko) is the author of JASMINE TOGUCHI series, which recently saw the publication of it's fourth book, JASMINE TOGUCHI, FLAMINGO KEEPER. Jasmine's imagination, stick-to-itiveness, and occasional stubborn insistence makes her a compelling and endearing character, and one who's hard to forget. Debbi shares how she previously considered herself a middle grade writer and that she tried for a time not to write this chapter book series. It's a good thing for all of us that her main character was determined to have her stories told. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Francesca Cavallo and Julianna Wilson

2018/7/17

44:23

Francesca Cavallo (@francescavallo), co-author of GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS (@rebelgirlsbook) with Elena Favilli, made history when REBEL GIRLS became the most successful crowdfunding book campaign in history. The REBEL GIRLS books have recently gotten treatment as audiobooks at the hands of audio producer Julie Wilson (@JuliannaNWilson) and Julie assembled a striking cast to add to the orchestra of women's voices present throughout the book series. You can access even more information about the audiobooks, their print counterparts, and more by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dr. Debbie Reese

2018/7/14

41:14

Dr. Debbie Reese (@debreese) is the author of the popular blog, American Indians in Children’s Literature. A Nambe Pueblo Indian woman, Debbie is a founding member of the Native American House and American Indian Studies program at the University of Illinois. Debbie joins me to talk about ALSC’s recent decision to change the name of their lifetime achievement award from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award to the Children's Literature Legacy Award. The change has not come without criticism by certain members of the public and we discuss that and more in our conversation. You can access even more information about the books and articles referenced by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Selina Alko and Sean Qualls

2018/7/10

1:03:21

Selina Alko (@SelinaAlko) and Sean Qualls (@sean_qualls) are the illustrators of CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES, AND FRIENDSHIP, an powerful and unmistakable work of poetry for children and readers of all ages. This is part two of a two part interview focused on the book. The previous episode featured CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? authors Irene Latham and Charles Waters. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Irene Latham and Charles Waters

2018/7/3

44:44

Irene Latham (@Irene_Latham) and Charles Waters (@waterscharles) are the authors of CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?: POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES, AND FRIENDSHIP, an powerful and unmistakable work of poetry for children and readers of all ages. This is part one of a two part interview focused on the book. The following episode features CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? illustrators Selina Alko and Sean Qualls. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

5 Years of The Children's Book Podcast

2018/6/30

11:29

5 years. 450 episodes. What started as "What it...?" has grown in time to be an unmistakable presence in the children's literature community. How we got there, in large part, is because of listeners like you! And where we're going on the road ahead is just as exciting as where we've been. Thanks for being on this journey together with us. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Live from the Gaithersburg Book Festival

2018/6/29

23:03

The Gaithersburg Book Festival happens each May in beautiful, downtown Gaithersburg, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC. This year I was invited to interview bestselling YA author Gayle Forman during one of the festival sessions and I'll be sharing that conversation with you in an upcoming episode, but I also recorded a handful of quick pop-up conversations with authors and illustrators as we crossed paths throughout the day. Please enjoy these brief opportunities to catch up with today's guests, Steve Light (BLACK BIRD YELLOW SUN), Sarah Jacoby (FOREVER OR A DAY), Dan Santat (DUDE!, DRAWN TOGETHER), Megan Wagner Lloyd (FORT-BUILDING TIME), Gareth Hinds (POE: STORIES AND POEM), Hena Khan (POWER FORWARD), Ellen Oh (SPIRIT HUNTERS, We Need Diverse Books), Karina Glaser (THE VANDERBEEKERS OF 141st STREET), and Kate Beasley (LIONS & LIARS). You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Danielle Anderson-Craig

2018/6/26

39:39

Danielle Anderson-Craig (@Dandersoncraig) is the author of THE MAGIC OF WE, a beautiful debut picture book about what it means and how it feels to savor togetherness with someone special. It celebrates the instant connection we experience when we encounter a soul partner at any age or stage of life, and the story that inspired the book is something very special in and of itself. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sheetal Sheth

2018/6/21

50:41

Sheetal Sheth (@sheetalsheth) is the author of ALWAYS ANJALI, an affirming picture book about deciding for ourselves how we want the world to see us. Sheetals shares that she lavishes in books about the mundane, those stories that could take place on any day and in any place, but that show us something about ourselves. Sheetal has a storied background and it's fascinating to see all of those parts of her experiences and passions and memories come together into this beautiful story. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mitali Perkins

2018/6/15

39:43

Mitali Perkins (@MitaliPerkins) is the author most recently of YOU BRING THE DISTANT NEAR, but the paperback release and audiobook release of TIGER BOY, Mitali's 2015 novel, is what first drew me closer to her writing. This story of a boy living in Kolkata, attending school, and becoming involved in the rescue of a tiger pup was as beautiful as it was awakening to me, as life in the Sunderbans is unlike anything you or more readers have experienced before. Mitali's focus on social justice is ever-present in her writing and this conversation is rich in inspiration. I think it will stick with you for a long while, as I know it has me. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Arree Chung (2018)

2018/6/12

49:35

Arree Chung's newest picture book is called MIXED and it's due out at the beginning of July. It's a story of simple color theory, but it's also a story of what makes us the same and what makes us different. It's a story of mixing colors together, but it's also a story about new life and making the world more colorful. Arree (@arreechung) says that to make this story as relatable as possible, he had to make it as abstract as possible. I think the end result is nothing short of exceptional. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Let's Build This Thing. Together. (aka Have Podcast, Will Patreon)

2018/6/8

06:30

We can do more good together. Today I'm asking for your help. Consider becoming a patron of The Children's Book Podcast by visiting www.patreon.com/matthewcwinner. Your support will help fund more interviews here and on location. It will help raise greater awareness for diverse books and the people that make them. And it will help expand the listenership to new, like-minded folks who care deeply about raising and supporting readers. So what do you say? Want to join me? Let's make this happen. Together. (and thanks!) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rob Sanders

2018/6/6

54:57

Rob Sanders (@RobSandersWrite) recently published his first nonfiction picture book, entitled PRIDE: THE STORY OF HARVEY MILK AND THE RAINBOW FLAG. Rob shares that this book is "just like any other book about equality", and he's not wrong, but I think the strongest quality of this book, thanks both to Rob's words and Steven Salerno's art, is that PRIDE saves space for the reader to ask questions, to study the book and the people depicted in it to see the familiar faces in all of our lives, and for the reader to understand that "gay" is not a word spoken out of hatred, but one spoken out of love and pride. As Rob shares, what started out as a book of celebration quickly revealed itself as a book of necessity. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Eric Bell

2018/5/29

51:28

Eric Bell (@IAmEricBell) made his middle grade debut with ALAN COLE IS NOT A COWARD, a funny and poignant story about the trials of middle school when you’re coming of age—and coming out. Eric and I talk about writing boys that are the emotional core of the story and how their relationships to one another are, in so many ways, exactly what every child is seeking as they grow up. I know I did. The relationships in Alan's life to his parents, his brother, and even to his crush are complex and fragile and just so tangible your heart my ache as you read, but then again readers of all ages will see themselves in part in Alan's life, I think. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dave Eggers

2018/5/22

48:51

Dave Eggers recently published a middle grade novel called THE LIFTERS, which centers around a boy named Gran who's looking for a chance to be a hero and a small town named Carousel with a big mystery. A young woman catches Gran's eye, if for no other reason than her strong sense of purpose, and following her leads Gran into a world beyond anything he's ever seen. It's the kind of story with a magic that will make you hope and wish you yourself could just open a door in the hillside. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and Ebony Glenn

2018/5/15

46:30

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and Ebony Glenn are celebrating their picture book debut with MOMMY'S KHIMAR, a story about young Black American Muslim girl who loves to play with her mother's khimars. Jamilah uses her debut to emphasize the importance that children find joy and happiness in their identity. I love Jamiliah's reminder that there are a lot of muslim girls who are just happy, so why not make space in picture books to show those girls. Ebony's art celebrates that and more, capturing "black muslim girl joy", as my guests put it. What a beautiful book for our young readers and their parents to encounter! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jessica Love

2018/5/8

51:02

Jessica Love makes her picture book debut as both author and illustrator in JULIAN IS A MERMAID, a story about a young boy who imagines himself turning into a mermaid after encountering three women dressed as mermaids on the subway. The story is spacious, and here is what I mean by that. There is room in this story for readers to make their own connections, to build their own understandings. As Jessica so beautifully puts it in our interview, it's as if the artist is throwing a ball into the unknown and the reader has the chance to catch it. All of the magic is held or contained there in the suspense. I cannot wait for you to encounter this book. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

REMOVED: Junot Diaz

2018/5/6

04:10

Hey there, podcast listeners. Today, May 5th, some news was brought to my attention that relates to a recent episode of The Children’s Book Podcast. Author Junot Diaz faces sexual conduct allegations and an overwhelming number of women shared their own testimonies through the #metoo hashtag over the past 24 hours. Junot Diaz was featured on a recent episode of the podcast along with illustrator Leo Espinosa for ISLANDBORN, a picture book the did together. I have since removed that episode from the archive and updated the blog post promoting the episode to include this message. I, Matthew Winner, and The Children’s Book Podcast will not support the works of individuals accused of misogynistic acts, sexual predation, or any other offense against women. That behavior is intolerable and individuals recently or historically exhibiting that behavior are not welcome here.   I welcome you to listen to my conversations with some exceptional Latina authors and illustrators, including Juana Martinez Neal, Monica Brown, Margarita Engle and Emma Otheguy.   Thank you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Highlights Foundation

2018/5/1

48:28

Alison Green Myers and George Brown are the Program Director and Executive Director, respectively, of the Highlights Foundation, a retreat center in the beautiful Pocono Mountains in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Each year, the Highlights Foundation offers more than 40 workshops covering a wide range of topics and offering encouragement for both beginning and published authors and illustrators. Workshops are led by children's publishing professionals, including editors, authors, art directors, publishers, agents, academics, and others who are there to help you realize your creative goals. I invited Alison and George onto the show to learn more about how the Highlights Foundation began, their role in supporting diverse and own voices, and where they'd like to lead the organization into the future. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Veera Hiranandani

2018/4/28

48:13

Veera Hiranandani is the author of THE NIGHT DIARY, a middle grade novel that takes place during the Partition of India in 1947. The story centers around Nisha, a 12-year-old girl who journals daily to her late mother. Nisha uses this channel to process the events going on around her, and to find her place among a country newly divided. Nisha is half-Muslim, half-Hindu, an as her family is forced to flee to the recently established Pakistan she encounters a world turned upside-down as she, her twin brother, her father, and grandmother make the plight north. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jewell Parker Rhodes

2018/4/17

47:45

Jewell Parker Rhodes is the best-selling author of NINTH WARD and TOWERS FALLING. In GHOST BOYS, her newest middle grade novel, Jewell shares a beautiful and devastating story about a young black boy killed by a police officer. About writing the story, Jewell says "I wasn't sure I was going to make it through." Jewell writes with great strength, conviction, and love, leaving an undeniable story through which readers of all ages, colors, and backgrounds can connect. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Juana Martinez-Neal

2018/4/10

42:22

Juana Martinez-Neal makes her picture book debut as both author and illustrator in ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME, a story that carries with it a simple and sincere message: everybody has a name, and every name has a story behind it. Juana talks about not have the distance from her own story to maintain a more autobiographical focus, and yet in turning her gaze to the fictional Alma she opens up the story to be that much more universal. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Megan McDonald

2018/4/3

44:00

Megan McDonald is the best-selling author of the JUDY MOODY series which see's the release of it's 14th book this month in JUDY MOODY AND THE RIGHT ROYAL TEA PARTY. Megan talks about how she came to know Judy and how, through exploring stories from her own childhood as the youngest of five daughters, Judy came to be in the format we know her from today. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Samantha Berger and Mike Curato

2018/3/30

44:15

Samantha Berger is the best-selling picture book author of CRANKENSTEIN, SNOOZEFEST, and MARTHA DOESN'T SAY SORRY. Mike Curato is the author illustrator of the LITTLE ELLIOT series, and the illustrator of WORM LOVES WORM by JJ Austrian and ALL THE WAY TO HAVANA by Margarita Engle. They first picture book together is called WHAT IF... and it publishes on April 10, 2018. Sam and Mike are no strangers to this podcast, and I learn something new each time I talk to them. Today our conversation illuminated turning pain into art, the indomitable triumph of the human spirit and creativity, but one of the things I valued most was the emphasis on the truth that nothing can take away from you, who you are, and what you have to say. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ben Clanton (2018)

2018/3/27

45:43

Ben Clanton is the author illustrator of PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY, the newest book in his NARWHAL AND JELLY graphic novel series. In this newest installment Narwhal breaks his meal routine of all waffles all the time in order to try a new treat at Jelly's suggestion with hilarious results. This series is hilarious and one of the things I love most about these books has been the opportunity to read them aloud with my 7-year-old son. They never fail to crack us up. There's a scene in this new book that we also connected over: Jelly hesitates to give Narwhal a peanut butter cookie without first making sure that Narwhal isn't allergic. Like many kids, my son has a peanut allergy. The way that Ben handled this scene and empowered Narwhal's friend as a source of concern and protection was something that really spoke to us both. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vesper Stamper

2018/3/20

48:07

Vesper Stamper is the author illustrator of WHAT THE NIGHT SINGS, a lushly illustrated novel about a teen Holocaust survivor, who must come to terms with who she is and how to rebuild her life. The question driving Vesper's writing was this: How do people subjected to unfathomable tragedy not just survive, but go on to thrive? The human spirit is a curious and, at times, unbreakable thing. Stories of strength and survival are always garnering our attention, but amid all of that I found this story to be doing something new to me. And that is that it followed survivors from the moment they grasped hold of their freedom through the months and years of tragedy, wartime fallout, and family up-ending to follow. This is a story that I hope you'll read and discuss and share. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Maria Dismondy

2018/3/13

1:00:34

Maria Dismondy is the author of THE FRUIT SALAD FRIEND and founder of Cardinal Rule Press, an independent publishing company. Maria's newest picture book addresses the notion that people are not always kind, but surrounding yourself with friends who are kind and trustworthy can go a long way. It's a story I'd guess Maria has lived a number of times throughout her life. I admire Maria for the work she's done to bring such positive and empowering stories to our young readers, and to do so over years of hard work, research, and assembling a noteworthy team. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Baptiste Paul and Jacqueline Alcántara

2018/3/6

42:18

Baptiste Paul and Jacqueline Alcántara are the author and illustrator of THE FIELD, a picture book about pick-up game of soccer in a village in St. Lucia that could be any pick-up game in any town with any kids. It's Baptiste's debut as a picture book author and Jackie's debut as a picture book illustrator. What stories and storied backgrounds each bring to THE FIELD will enrich your experience with this beautiful book even more so, and so it's my pleasure to bring this conversation to you. You can access even more information about this book and its author and illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jane Yolen (2018)

2018/2/27

1:18:18

Jane Yolen is the beloved and prolific author of over 365 books for children and teens, including this year's releases of A BEAR SAT ON MY PORCH TODAY, MAPPING THE BONES, and MEET ME AT THE WELL. To celebrate such a milestone publication year, Jane and daughter Heidi have kicked off #Yolen365, a daily celebration and book pairing of each title in Jane's catalog to a calendar holiday, festivity, or fun fact. Our conversation includes stories that span of Jane's experiences in publishing that span her career so far. Rest assured, we were in no shortage of things to talk about in laughs and wonder, reflection and celebration. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kate Hoefler and Noah Klocek

2018/2/20

45:53

Kate Hoefler and Noah Klocek are the author and illustrator of Great Big Things, a picture book about a mouse who journeys beyond great obstacles and ever greater distance to deliver something to the one love. Kate talks about how picture books are all about the space between and how it's up to the reader to fill in the gaps. They both share how every book, in some way, is about perspective. This is a quiet picture book with a whole lot to say. You can access more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James

2018/2/14

39:53

Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James are the award-winning author and illustrator of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, recently the recipient of the Newbery Honor, the Caldecott Honor, the Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. And no wonder! The heart and voice both Derrick and Gordon poured into every page of this story gives it presence.  In our conversation Derrick talks about writing a story of self-affirmation for black boys to see themselves and feel good about themselves. The story taps into a universal feeling, and the work affirms the truth that everyone wants to feel valued. You can access more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lee Wind

2018/2/12

53:40

Lee Wind is the author of Queer as a Five Dollar Bill, a novel for teens about a boy named Wyatt, some little known research about our 16th president, and a social media post that goes viral. In this conversation Lee talks about his Kickstarter campaign for the book, a decision he made after the publisher that previously acquired his manuscript dropped the book just a few months prior to production. You're going to love hearing Lee tell that story. It was a total surprise to me. Lee also talks openly about being a gay teen who became a gay adult and struggled throughout much of his teens and twenties to be authentic to himself and, more importantly, to love himself. You can access more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast and  you can support Lee's Kickstarter directly by visiting https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1325588893/queer-as-a-five-dollar-bill-empower-lgbtq-and-alli. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kobi Yamada

2018/2/6

43:38

Kobi Yamada is the author of What Do You Do with a Chance?, the final picture book in a best-selling series including What Do You Do with an Idea? and What Do You Do with a Problem?. In this conversation Kobi talks about the varied languages of creativity and how we're all finding our way through life. One of the most important concepts Kobi emphasizes in this conversation, to me, is that a book is incomplete without the reader. The implicit responsibility a reader has to trust the story and to invest a piece of themselves in the story is something that is at the center of the stories he writes. You can access more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Sehgal

2018/1/30

38:29

Kabir Sehgal and Surishtha Seghal are the authors of Festival of Colors, a new picture book celebrating Holi, the traditional Hindu spring festival. In this conversation Kabir and Sue talk about the celebration as a representation of true Indian culture. The share the harmony and respect for others that's at the heart of Holi and Kabir and Sue lift up the colors as the star character of the story. You can access more information about this book and its authors by going to www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

All The Wonders says 'Farewell'

2018/1/26

06:42

Dear readers, listeners, and friends, For over two years, our team has celebrated great children’s books and their creators by building what we hope has been a trusted resource for parents, teachers, and librarians. The website has been a labor of love, but in light of shifting demands on our time and energy, we've made the difficult decision to end the project. Therefore, on February 1, 2018, All The Wonders will publish its final post.  Please note, this does not affect our podcasts: All The Wonders, Picturebooking, and Books Between will immediately resume production at new homes (see below). Behind the scenes, All The Wonders has been like a family. Our team is made up of authors and illustrators, most of whom are also working parents. We are teachers, librarians, and media professionals. We are activists and volunteers. In many ways, the world shifted on its axis this past year, and so too did our individual lives. We were forced to reflect on how we spend our time and consider where our energy might best serve our families, our communities, and ourselves. We are so thankful to the amazing group of people who donated their time to this cause—our past and present team, contributors, and bookmakers—and are grateful to you, our audience. Thank you for appreciating the importance of delivering beautiful, meaningful, and diverse books into the hands of children. And thank you for trusting us as a conduit. We have appreciated every moment.  Please note that allthewonders.com and its current content will remain online in perpetuity so that it may continue to serve as a resource for the books and artists already celebrated. For future podcast episodes, please visit: All The Wonders (rebranded: The Children’s Book Podcast with Mathew Winner): www.matthewcwinner.com Picturebooking: www.picturebooking.com Books Between: www.booksbetween.com And now we say goodbye—not forever, but to this particular chapter in our team’s shared pursuit of making great content for children. We have much work yet to do. Please keep in touch.  For a complete list of our current team members and their personal websites, please see our about page here. Keep reading. Keep sharing. Keep creating. Love and respect, Blake and Matthew Co-Founders --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susan Hood

2018/1/23

35:54

Susan Hood (@sHood125), author of Shaking Thing Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World, stops by the podcast to talk about standing up, speaking out, and opening up the conversation to other women by commemorating in poetry the lives and accomplishments of a selection of historically impactful girls and young women. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

5-Minute Survey

2018/1/21

03:20

Hey there, podcast listeners! Can you spare 5 minutes? I’ve made a survey in an effort to better know who listens to the show, how you’re reacting to the episodes, and what you’d like to see more of. In just 5 questions and 5 minutes or less you can help me in a big, big way. And to to thank you, I’m going to give away a set of some recent favorite books including picture books, middle grade, and graphic novels. In fact, the greater number of people who take the survey, the more books I’ll give away. Simply go to tinyurl.com/atwsurvey18. I promise it will take you less than 5 minutes. The survey closes at the end of the month. Thank you in advance (and always). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dashka Slater and The Fan Brothers

2018/1/16

41:27

Dashka Slater (@DashkaSlater) and The Fan Brothers (@opifan64 and @igo2cairo), author and illustrators respectively of The Antlered Ship, stop by the podcast to talk about the spirit of asking questions, a thread of melancholy, and how sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vanessa Brantley-Newton

2018/1/9

43:17

Vanessa Brantley-Newton, author and illustrator of Grandma's Purse, stops by the podcast to talk about connecting with her readers, kids giving their parents a do-over, and the universal quest to give others what you never got. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Barclay Moore

2018/1/3

41:51

David Barclay Moore (@dbarclaymoore), author of The Stars Beneath Our Feet, stops by the podcast to talk about art's healing ability, Harlem as a symbol for blackness, and being different as an act of resilience. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Bryan Collier

2017/12/29

35:59

Bryan Collier, author and illustrator of It's Shoe Time (Elephant and Piggie Like Reading series) and illustrator of Hey Black Child, stops by the podcast to talk about being different, beautifully perfect flaws, and creating the world you want to be in. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ben Hatke (2017)

2017/12/27

34:55

Ben Hatke (@BenHatke), cartoonist of Mighty Jack and the Goblin King, stops by the podcast to talk about his modern retelling of a classic fairy tale, an overgrown, scrappy garden, and a tale that grew in the telling. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susanna Reich

2017/12/23

41:20

Susanna Reich (@ReichWriter), author of Stand Up and Sing! and Fab Four Friends, stops by the podcast to talk about really enjoying the hunt of research, singing for a purpose, and the experience of how people become who they are. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Drew Daywalt (2017)

2017/12/20

53:17

Drew Daywalt (@DrewDaywalt), author of The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors and BB-8 On The Run, stops by the podcast to talk about writing things that all kids have access to, kids loving to be the villain, and trying to lose with all your might. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Penny Thomas

2017/12/15

37:58

Penny M. Thomas, author of Nimoshom and His Bus, stops by the podcast to talk about Cree becoming a lost language, the respect shown toward elders among First Nation people, and her grandfather, a very resilient man who was always her favorite person. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katherine Roy (2017)

2017/12/12

1:07:44

Katherine Roy (@KRoyStudio), author and illustrator of How To Be an Elephant, stops by the podcast to talk about learning by copying, finding the balance and letting the watercolor do the talking. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matt Tavares

2017/12/8

35:57

Matt Tavares (@tavaresbooks), author and illustrator of Red and Lulu, stops by the podcast to talk about dealing with change, words (where they feel necessary), and filling the bird feeder. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vashti Harrison

2017/12/5

1:00:12

Vashti Harrison (@VashtiHarrison), author and illustrator of Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History, stops by the podcast to talk about finding the truth in her subjects' stories, seeking a language for serenity and happiness, and how being true means something. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Shawn Harris

2017/12/1

52:24

Shawn Harris, illustrator of Her Right Foot, stops by the podcast to talk about the importance of balancing text and art, helping to create a casual text book, and reminding us what She means now. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Melissa Stewart

2017/11/28

46:36

Melissa Stewart (@mstewartscience), author of Can an Aardvark Bark?, stops by the podcast to talk about good solid science, layered text, and the pacing of nonfiction picture books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jannie Ho

2017/11/24

39:52

Jannie Ho (@JannieHo), author and illustrator of Bear and Chicken, stops by the podcast to talk about having the sensibility of a kid, getting over fears, and loving colors. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Bao Phi

2017/11/20

39:15

Bao Phi, author of A Different Pond, stops by the podcast to talk about expressing gratitude, a generation working hard invisibly, and being thankful for having distance from childhood attitudes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ronald L. Smith, Renee Watson, and Carole Boston Weatherford

2017/11/17

41:24

Live onstage at the Baltimore Book Festival with Ronald L. Smith (@RonSmithbooks), Renee Watson (@reneewauthor), and Carole Boston Weatherford. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Toni Yuly

2017/11/14

37:00

Toni Yuly (@toniyuly), author and illustrator of Thank You Bees, stops by the podcast to talk about her simple and spontaneous message of gratitude. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jared Reck

2017/11/10

43:25

Jared Reck (@reckj), debut author of A Short History of the Girl Next Door, stops by the podcast to talk about writing in front of students, books that can make you a sniveling mess, and the sting of unrequited love. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Segal Walters and Brian Biggs

2017/11/7

56:11

Julie Segal Walters (@J_S_Dub) and Brian Biggs (@mrbiggsdotcom), author and illustrator of This is Not a Normal Animal Book, stop by the podcast to talk about creating a metafiction book over animal classifications, incorporating the voices of a parent and a precocious child, and asking "what the heck is going on here?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tillie Walden

2017/11/3

46:42

Tillie Walden (@TillieWalden), cartoonist of Spinning, stops by the podcast to talk about creating love and empathy with other people, the strong feeling of not wanting to be in fear of your own story, and the difficulty of defining coming out in any universal way. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Melissa Iwai

2017/10/31

42:03

Melissa Iwai (@meliwai), author and illustrator of Pizza Day, stops by the podcast to talk about a past life full of syllable structure, learning from Marla Frazee, and having a different world to explore. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sharee Miller

2017/10/27

36:02

Sharee Miller (@coilyandcute), author and illustrator of Princess Hair, stops by the podcast to talk about creating a self-affirming book, incorporating the twelve styles of natural hair, and promoting a positive representation of self image. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Duncan Tonatiuh

2017/10/24

37:35

Duncan Tonatiuh (@duncantonatiuh), author illustrator of Danza!: Amalia Hernandez and Mexico's Folkloric Ballet, stops by the podcast to talk about folkloric dances, an expression of nationalism, and important things shown in a way that feels new and interesting. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Kim

2017/10/20

42:34

Julie Kim, author illustrator of Where's Halmoni?, stops by the podcast to talk about being a bridge to bank of experience, the revealing nature of folk tales, and the experience of the 2nd generation immigrant. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Debbie Ridpath Ohi

2017/10/17

51:04

Debbie Ridpath Ohi (@inkyelbows), author illustrator most recently of Sam & Eva, stops by the podcast to talk about figuring out how to collaborate, proving your own lightning rod, and being able to interact with people of the same interests. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Monica Brown and John Parra

2017/10/13

39:43

Monica Brown (@monicabrownbks) and John Parra (@johnparraart), author and illustrator of Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, stop by the podcast to talk about a mother's muse, paralleling an artist's life with her pets, and the extraordinary life of the great artist before she was famous. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nidhi Chanani

2017/10/10

46:24

Nidhi Chanani (@nidhiart), debut cartoonist of Pashmina, stops by the podcast to talk about working within an economy of words, the burden of the art, and never wanting to use an asterisk. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dan Santat (2017)

2017/10/6

55:16

Dan Santat (@dsantat), author illustrator most recently of After The Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again), stops by the podcast to talk about overcoming obstacles, an obsession with negative space, and a story synonymous with falling. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Todd Parr

2017/10/4

35:48

Todd Parr (@toddparr), author illustrator of Love The World, stops by the podcast to talk about confidence, denial, and never forgetting what it means to need someone. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laurie Berkner

2017/9/28

49:38

Laurie Berkner (@LaurieBerkner), children's singer songwriter and author of Pillowland, stops by the podcast to talk about giving as much freedom as possible to concert attendees, exponential expansion, and one of the most wonderful things about preschool. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Monique Gray Smith

2017/9/27

49:48

Monique Gray Smith (@ltldrum), author of Speaking Our Truth and You Hold Me Up, stops by the podcast to talk about moral courage, living with what you learn, and the gift of the wind. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Mahin and Evan Turk

2017/9/22

45:09

Michael Mahin (@MahinWriter) and Evan Turk (@evanturkart), author and illustrator respectively of Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters, stop by the podcast to talk about stumbling through life, hearing the blues in the place it was born, and the structure and motifs overlayed by improvisation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Susan Middleton Elya and Juana Martinez-Neal

2017/9/19

38:48

Susan Middleton Elya (@susanpolkadot) and Juana Martinez-Neal (@juanamartinez), author and illustrator respectively of La Princesa and the Pea, stop by the podcast to talk about wanting the character in their story to be everybody/anybody. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Victoria Jamieson

2017/9/15

49:06

Victoria Jamieson (@JamiesonV), cartoonist of All's Faire in Middle School, stops by the podcast to talk about childhood nuances, bringing things to a low point, and just wanting to fit in. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

John Rocco

2017/9/12

49:02

John Rocco (@johnroccoart), illustrator of Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton, stops by the podcast to talk about the responsibility to create a promise, projecting yourself onto the cover, and how a good book for you is good for a reason. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ruth Spiro and Irene Chan

2017/9/9

43:07

Ruth Spiro (@RuthSpiro) and Irene Chan, author and illustrator respectively of the Baby Loves... board book series, stop by the podcast to talk about science topics relating to baby's world, inspiration at Jane Yolen's picture book boot camp, and making science accessible for small children. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rebecca Green

2017/9/5

40:50

Rebecca Green, debut author illustrator of How To Make Friends with a Ghost, stops by the podcast to talk about world building, finding greys you really love, and tying the book together. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katey Howes

2017/9/2

38:10

Katey Howes (@Kateywrites), author of Grandmother Thorn, stops by the podcast to talk about letting go of things you fear, feeling lucky as a picture book author, and the balance between order and chaos. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Roxie Munro

2017/8/29

37:15

Roxie Munro, author illustrator most recently of Masterpiece Mix, stops by the podcast to talk about designing a book from the title alone, letting intuition take over, and never having a job in all her life. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Pam Smy

2017/8/25

35:01

Pam Smy (@pam_smy), author illustrator of Thornhill, stops by the podcast to talk about reading pictures and symbols, decoding the world through visuals, and the critical point of learning that life is not ideal. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mike Curato (2017)

2017/8/22

49:51

Mike Curato (@MikeCurato), author illustrator of Little Elliot Fall Friends and illustrator of All The Way to Havana, stops by the podcast to talk about asking yourself the big questions, the vehicle through which we explore Cuban culture, and those days when the big city is just a little too much. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sylvia and Arthur Call

2017/8/18

36:43

Arthur Call, author of Into the Deep, Deep Brave, and mother Sylvia Call stop by the podcast to talk about the profound thoughts of children, hyperlexia versus dyslexia, and a collection of poems Arthur composed at age 3. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Greg Pizzoli (2017)

2017/8/15

44:08

Greg Pizzoli (@gregpizzoli), author illustrator most recently of The Quest for Z: The True Story of Explorer Percy Fawcett and a Lost City in the Amazon, returns to the podcast to talk about a time and a place and a culture that wasn't kind to people around the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Samantha Berger, Martha Brockenbrough, and Dave Pressler

2017/8/8

38:04

Samantha Berger (@BergerBooks), Martha Brockenbrough (@mbrockenbrough), and Dave Pressler (@davepressler), authors and illustrator of Back To School With Bigfoot, stop by the podcast to talk about co-writing picture books, using an unapologetically rude narrator, and feeling like nothing fits. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hannah Barnaby

2017/8/1

55:13

Hannah Barnaby (@HannahRBarnaby), author of Bad Guy and Garcia and Colette Go Exploring, stops by the podcast to talk about linking words with emotion, exploring being bad in a safe place, and the weight of responsibility. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mike Wu

2017/7/28

40:02

Mike Wu (@tinyteru), author and illustrator of Ellie in Concert, stops by the podcast to talk about championing the arts, trying to fit in, and experiencing the music. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Emma Otheguy

2017/7/25

42:22

Emma Otheguy (@EmmaOtheguy), author of Marti's Song For Freedom/Marti y Sus Versos Por la Libertad, stops by the podcast to talk about political parallels, the message a book can carry, and encouraging kids to raise their own voices. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hena Khan

2017/7/21

49:09

Hena Khan (@henakhanbooks), author of Amina's Voice, stops by the podcast to talk about a sense of betrayal over names, helping a character feel comfortable in her own skin, and a deeper ideas of assimilation and acceptance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tom Booth

2017/7/18

38:10

Tom Booth (@TallTomsTales), author illustrator of Don't Blink!, stops by the podcast to talk about character drawings staring out from his sketchbook, pressure and anticipation kicking in, and an elephant named Harvey. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jennifer Adams

2017/7/14

39:10

Jennifer Adams (@BabyLitJen), author of the My Little Cities board book series with Greg Pizzoli and the BabyLit board book series with Alison Oliver, stops by the podcast to talk about integral design, paring down to what's essential, and people's strong feelings toward class literature. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Daniel Miyares

2017/7/11

38:19

Daniel Miyares (@danielmiyares), author illustrator most recently of That Neighbor Kid, stops by the podcast to talk about making childhood friends, how good stories come from good problems, and the great joy found in not knowing your story fully until it's in the hands of readers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hope Larson and Rebecca Mock

2017/7/7

38:57

Hope Larson (@hopelarson) and Rebecca Mock (@rebeccamock), author and illustrator of the Four Points series, including Compass South and Knife's Edge, stop by the podcast to talk about intimate story moments, the benefits of too much detail, and the fun of making tiny drawings. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jessixa Bagley

2017/7/4

40:46

Jessixa Bagley (@JessixaBagley), author illustrator of Laundry Day, Before I Leave, and Boats for Papa, stops by the podcast to talk about art as a mirror of her life, creating a world through illustration, and the city that took her best friend away. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andrea J. Loney

2017/6/29

54:51

Andrea J. Loney (@AndreaJLoney), author of BunnyBear and Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee!, stops by the podcast to talk about understanding and appreciating yourself, the extra layer of beauty, and how it's all about the dance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jane Yolen

2017/6/27

45:17

Jane Yolen (@JaneYolen), author of On Duck Pond and over 350 books for children, stops by the podcast to talk about the rhythm in the words, being engaged with the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David A. Robertson

2017/6/23

32:38

David A. Robertson (@DaveAlexRoberts), author of When We Were Alone, stops by the podcast to talk about the inquisitiveness of a grandchild, channelling the stories of others while writing, and making intergenerational connections. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laurel Snyder and Emily Hughes

2017/6/20

54:23

Laurel Snyder (@LaurelSnyder) and Emily Hughes (@plaidemily), author and illustrator of Charlie & Mouse, stop by the podcast to talk about focusing on the quiet, working from muscle memory, and how truth and facts are different. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Teagan White

2017/6/17

54:15

Teagan White (@teaganwhite), author illustrator of the Barefoot Critters series, stops by the podcast to talk about thinking of the text as an image, working in limitations, and adding practical elements to the story and illustrations. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Isabel Minhós Martins and Bernardo P. Carvalho

2017/6/12

40:37

Isabel Minhós Martins and Bernardo P. Carvalho, author and illustrator of Don't Cross The Line!, stop by the podcast to talk about exploring the frontier of a book, asking if we should always obey, and inviting the reader to participate in the storytelling. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez

2017/6/6

44:06

Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez, poet and illustrator of Bravo!: Poems About Amazing Hispanics, stop by the podcast to talk about capturing the spirit of a person through poem and portrait, creating a first person-voiced time travel experience for children, and seeking to show the emotional essence of the individual. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Corinna Luyken

2017/5/30

39:00

Corinna Luyken (@CorinnaLuyken), debut picture book author illustrator of The Book of Mistakes, stops by the podcast to talk about loving the strangeness, paying attention, and laying bare some real mistakes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Shana Corey and R. Gregory Christie

2017/5/23

34:49

Shana Corey (@shanacorey) and R. Gregory Christie, author and illustrator of A Time To Act: John F. Kennedy's Big Speech, stop by the podcast to talk about an obsession over primary documents, making the choice to listen to wisdom, and the difference between painting from the outside in or the inside out. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Basak Agaoglu

2017/5/16

37:41

Basak Agaoglu (@BasakAgaoglu), author illustrator of The Almost Impossible Thing, stops by the podcast to talk about collaborating with the reader, putting yourself out there, and thinking like a bronze medal winner. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Chris Van Dusen

2017/5/9

41:32

Chris Van Dusen, author illustrator most recently of Hattie & Hudson, stops by the podcast to talk about a lake in Maine, accidents happening their way to beauty, and seeing the struggle in the art. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katrina Goldsaito and Julia Kuo

2017/5/5

44:24

Katrina Goldsaito (@inlovethere) and Julia Kuo (@juliaskuo), author and illustrator of The Sound of Silence, stop by the podcast to talk about time stretching out, a complex, layered idea, and the color of vintage toys. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jason Bays

2017/5/2

36:43

Jason Bays (@MrJBays), author and cartoonist of The Adventures of Kung Fu Robot: How to Make a Peanut Butter, Jelly, and Kung Fu Sandwich, stops by the podcast to talk about intensifying the story, designing an organic app, and writing without a safety net. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jabari Asim

2017/4/30

32:50

Jabari Asim (@jabariasim), author of Preaching to the Chickens, stops by the podcast to talk about envisioning a life in letters, the moment when you know what you are going to become, life's presences of a gentle, guiding hand. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jason Chin

2017/4/28

50:30

Jason Chin (@authorjasonchin), author and illustrator of Grand Canyon, stops by the podcast to talk about windows to the past, following the signs, and designing a book to be a reflect of the way you learn when you research. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tim Miller, Donna Bray, and Dana Fritts

2017/4/25

45:37

Tim Miller (@TM_Illustration), Donna Bray (@DJBray), and Dana Fritts stop by the podcast to talk about Moo Moo in a Tutu from idea to finished book. Moo Moo in a Tutu is Tim Miller's debut picture book as both author and illustrator. Donna Bray edited the book and is co-publisher at Balzer + Bray. Dana Fritts, associate art director at HarperCollins, was the art director on the book. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laura Shovan

2017/4/21

42:10

Laura Shovan (@LauraShovan), author and poet of The Last 5th Grade of Emerson Elementary, stops by the podcast to talk about classrooms as small communities, tuning an ear to what's working well, and her mission to get poems taught in every school. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Joseph Kuefler

2017/4/18

44:02

Joseph Kuefler (@josephkuefler), author illustrator of Rulers of the Playground, stops by the podcast to talk about enjoying the wonder, playground politics, and a complete willingness to grow. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Silvia Borando

2017/4/16

34:49

Silvia Borando, graphic designer on the MiniBombo (@minibombo) team, stops by the podcast to talk about a book as an open experience, witnessing different interpretations of a single book, and storytelling through graphic communication. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Nikki Grimes

2017/4/12

42:07

Nikki Grimes (@nikkigrimes9), author and poet of Garvey's Choice and One Last Word: Wisdom From the Harlem Renaissance, stops by the podcast to talk about putting story first, giving herself a challenge, and the universal experience of not being seen. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ryan T. Higgins

2017/4/6

46:10

Ryan T. Higgins (@RyanT_Higgins), author illustrator most recently of Be Quiet!, stops by the podcast to talk about a grumpy bear,  some gosling offspring, and a mouse who just wants some peace and quiet in order to share his wordless picture book. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Debbie Levy and Gilbert Ford

2017/4/3

40:34

Debbie Levy (@debbielevybooks) and Gilbert Ford (@gilbertford), respective author and illustrator of Soldier Song: A True Story of the Civil War, talk about bringing to life a story a different views, warring sides, and a song that brought the soldiers together. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

PJ Lynch

2017/4/2

39:03

PJ Lynch (@PJLynchArt), illustrator most recently of Patrick and the President, stops by the podcast to talk about getting the work right, painting the town for an important visit, and the 50th anniversary since JFK's landmark trip to Wexford, Ireland. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elana K. Arnold and Charles Santoso

2017/3/31

45:07

Elana K. Arnold (@ElanaKArnold) and Charles Santoso (@minitreehouse), author and illustrator, respectively, of A Boy Called Bat, stop by the podcast to talk about respecting the people whose lives you borrow from, feeling like autism is always in the foreground when talking about neurodiversity, and creating a book with a whole lot of heart. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laura Amy Schlitz

2017/3/27

38:38

Laura Amy Schlitz, author of Newbery medal-winning Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!, shares Princess Cora and the Crocodile, her new early chapter book illustrated by Brian Floca. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christopher Browne

2017/3/24

38:19

Christopher Browne (@loyaldogmarlo), author illustrator of Marlo, stops by the podcast to talk about his tribute to the imagination, creating worlds beyond the page, and how creating a webcomic helped to hold himself to deadlines. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant

2017/3/21

37:01

Anna Kang (@annakang27) and Christopher Weyant (@chrisweyant05), author and illustrator of I Am (Not) Scared, stop by the podcast to talk about creating safe places to talk to children about their emotions, letting thoughts and feelings out, and how not all fears are scary for the same people. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Giuseppe Castelano

2017/3/21

1:31:42

Giuseppe Castellano (@pinocastellano), executive art director at Penguin Random House and founder of the Illustration Department (@illusdept), stops by the podcast to answer publishing and illustration questions submitted by our listeners. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Peter H. Reynolds

2017/3/17

43:08

Peter H. Reynolds (@peterhreynolds), author illustrator of The Dot, Ish, and, most recently, of Happy Dreamer, stops by the podcast to talk about being a very distracted kid, the power we all possess to make things better, and the idea that technology isn't as cool as innovative thinking. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jon Chad

2017/3/15

47:06

Jon Chad (@jon_chad), cartoonist behind Volcanoes, the newest in First Second's Science Comics series, stops by the podcast to talk about his underlying love of science, looking for narrative beats, and the emotion you get from Darth Vader just from his slight tip of the helmet. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Jacobson and Toshikado Hajiri

2017/3/10

44:20

David Jacobson and Toshikado Hajiri, author and illustrator of Are You An Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko, stop by the podcast to talk about the life and works of Misuzu, her sense of vulnerability in her poems, and the universal nature of her words, written 100 years ago. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli

2017/3/7

42:03

David Wiesner and Donna Jo Napoli, illustrator and author of Fish Girl, stop by the podcast to talk about understanding things in your own way, trusting that the words will elicit the art, and an idea of a story about a house full of water. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alessandra Balzer

2017/3/6

58:40

Alessandra Balzer (@ABBalzer), co-publisher of Balzer + Bray, stops by the podcast to talk about work as an editor, a publisher, and a person who passionately loves children's books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Liz, Audrey, and Matthew

2017/3/3

42:18

Audrey Vernick (@yourbuffalo), Liz Garton Scanlon (@LGartonScanlon), and Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew), authors and illustrator of Bob, Not Bob!, all stop by the podcast to talk about one disgusting cold. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Carter Higgins

2017/2/28

45:01

Carter Higgins (@CarterHiggins), author of A Rambler Steals Home, stops by the podcast to talk about growing up a resolute kid, repopulating ghost towns, and how, quite frankly, it's hard to write a novel. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Sampson and Brian Won

2017/2/24

29:01

Michael Sampson (@michaelsampson) and Brian Won (@bwon1), co-author and illustrator respectively of Spunky Little Monkey, stop by the podcast to talk about reading the pictures, referencing jazz album covers, and a reflection of what it means to be a kid. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matthew Loux

2017/2/21

43:32

Matthew Loux (@mattloux), cartoonist of The Time Museum, stops by the podcast to talk about being a little quiet, a little self-conscious, and aware of the potent and important qualities of friendship. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Bethan Woollvin

2017/2/20

34:28

Bethan Woollvin (@bethanwoollvin), author illustrator of Little Red, stops by the podcast to talk about taking issue with the classic Little Red Riding Hood, enjoying a challenge, and thinking first in terms of colors when approaching a story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matthew Cordell

2017/2/17

38:20

Matthew Cordell (@cordellmatthew), author illustrator of Wolf in the Snow, stops by the podcast to talk about words becoming unnecessary, preconceived notions, and the decision to save yourself or the wolf pup. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sherri Duskey Rinker and Tom Lichtenheld

2017/2/14

40:35

Sherri Duskey Rinker (@SherriRinker) and Tom Lichtenheld (@tlichtenheld), the award winning team behind Steam Train, Dream Train and Good Night, Good Night Construction Site, stop by the podcast to share their newest collaboration, Mighty, Mighty Construction Site, in addition to talking about their complete and utter adoration for big machines. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jessie Sima

2017/2/10

39:28

Jessie Sima (@JessieSima), debut author illustrator of Not Quite Narwhal, stops by the podcast to talk about her anthropology background, #kidlitart, and creating a character who is "stylistically adorable". --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elaine Magliaro

2017/2/7

39:27

Elaine Magliaro, author of Things to Do, stops by the podcast to talk about the best way to teach kids how to write, the wonderful feeling of getting something out of your head and onto the page that looks like you, and the importance of going outside. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Raina Telgemeier

2017/2/3

41:00

Raina Telgemeier (@goraina), cartoonist most recently of Ghosts, stops by the podcast to talk about growing up in noisy houses, always ending a page on a punchline, and using speculation as a tool. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jackie Azúa Kramer and Maral Sassouni

2017/1/31

38:59

Jackie Azúa Kramer (@JackieKramer422) and Maral Sassouni (@MaralSassouni), author and illustrator of The Green Umbrella, stop by the podcast to talk about their story about journeys, the walk we're each on, and a call for our "little ambassadors" to stay openminded, curious, and approach life and others with understanding. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Patricia Hruby Powell and Shadra Strickland

2017/1/27

41:55

Patricia Hruby Powell (@PatriciaHPowell) and Shadra Strickland (@ShadrasArt), creators of Loving Vs. Virginia, stop by the podcast to talk about the landmark civil rights case, visual journalism, and the balance between the stiff and sacred, the relaxed and calm. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steven Malk

2017/1/24

52:15

Steven Malk (@stevenmalk), literary agent at Writers House, stops by the podcast to answer your questions and to talk communication, giving back to things that inspire you, and how to identify the mark of a good book. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marcie Colleen

2017/1/20

1:04:46

Marcie Colleen (@MarcieColleen1), author of the Super Happy Party Bears series, stops by the podcast to talk about being a huge fan of kids television, planting easter eggs for parent readers, and the general adage that it's easy to be kind. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Claire Legrand

2017/1/17

49:15

Claire Legrand (@clairelegrand), author most recently of Some Kind of Happiness, stops by the podcast to talk about her homage to the feeling of possibility experienced when you find something in nature that is that magical place for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ed Young

2017/1/13

50:34

Ed Young, author illustrator most recently of The Cat From Hunger Mountain, stops by the podcast to talk about being disciplined as an architect, walking the book, and celebrating that stories are for everybody. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Erica Perl

2017/1/10

36:32

Erica Perl (@ericaperl), author of The Capybara Conspiracy, stops by the podcast to talk about inspiration from an episode of This American Life, naming the most ridiculous mascot, and avoiding a straight narrative by keeping things dramatic. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andrea Davis Pinkney (R)

2017/1/9

26:48

This rebroadcast of my interview wth Andrea Davis Pinkney is part of our feature celebrating All The Wonders of A Poem for Peter. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steve Light (2017)

2017/1/6

37:32

Steve Light (@SteveLight), author illustrator most recently of Lucky Lazlo, stops by the podcast to talk about theater superstitions, the most unlucky theater in the world, and a fountain pen nib custom designed by Richard Binder. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Megan Maynor

2017/1/3

40:07

Megan Maynor (@megan_maynor), author of Ella and Penguin: A Perfect Match, stops by the podcast to talk about three visceral things to try, concerns feeling mixed up but not silly, and how it's sometimes easy to brush aside the criticism even though you know you should be listening. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Booki Vivat

2016/12/28

45:59

Booki Vivat (@thebookiv), debut author illustrator of Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom, stops by the podcast to talk about doodles taking over the pages of her planner, being the kind of kid who is always freaking out, and trying to figure out who you are and where you belong. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jack and Holman Wang

2016/12/21

43:05

Jack and Holman Wang (@JackandHolman), creators of the Cozy Classics series (@CozyClassics), stop by the podcast to talk about eliminating sub plots, thinking about sound in storytelling, and the "illustrate-ability" of a word. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Philip C. Stead

2016/12/12

44:21

Philip C. Stead, author illustrator of Samson in the Snow, stops by the podcast to talk about being a natural worrier, using various materials to express the whole rainbow of what snow can be, and what time means to a creative person. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Molly Bang

2016/12/7

40:22

Molly Bang, author and illustrator of Picture This: How Pictures Work, celebrating it's 25th anniversary with a revised and expanded version from Chronicle Books, stops by the podcast to talk about the darkest and brightest and warmest and softest of our feelings. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Denis Markell

2016/12/2

1:04:02

Denis Markell (@DenisMarkell), author of Click Here to Start, stops by the podcast to talk about setting a mystical adventure in a mundane space, making the kid characters feel real, and the notion that just because you haven't found the solution doesn't mean that there isn't one (you just have to keep trying). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Box Brown

2016/11/29

39:21

Box Brown (@boxbrown), cartoonist of Tetris: The Games People Play, stops by the podcast to talk about the first game his dad would play, moments of accessing a meditative state when creating comics, and the noble act of making a game just for the sake of making it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Robert Sabuda

2016/11/26

42:58

Robert Sabuda, author and paper engineer most recently of The Christmas Story, stops by the podcast to talk about the magic of storytelling and drama in 3D, working with the 4th dimension of time, and his great appreciation for the other hands that make his books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matthew Holm

2016/11/22

45:34

Matthew Holm (@mattholm), Babymouse co-creator and now co-author of Marvin and the Moths, stops by the podcast to talk about drawing on the horrors of the middle school experience, humor as a social function, and the idea that you don't tell a story, you find it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Vera Brosgol

2016/11/18

38:11

Vera Brosgol (@verabee), author illustrator of Leave Me Alone!, stops by the podcast to talk about story solutions achieved through scheduled massages, needing to be along before others can see her work, and the idea that you can't be in love with your art if it's not working for the story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann

2016/11/15

51:02

Candace Fleming (@candacemfleming) and Eric Rohmann, author and illustrator team behind Giant Squid, stop by the podcast to talk about fascinating readers, a guy who could tell a story, but just couldn't tell a true one, and phrases that feel great when they land on the ear. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marla Frazee

2016/11/11

42:33

Marla Frazee (@MarlaFrazee), author illustrator most recently of The Bossier Baby and illustrator of Is Mommy?, written by Victoria Chang, stops by the podcast to talk about channeling her inner 5-year-old, words taking over, and giving kids a place where there's comfort. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Grace Lin

2016/11/8

50:28

Grace Lin (@pacylin), author of When The Sea Turned to Silver, the companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky, stops by the podcast to talk about thinking in English, being a writer worth her salt, and the very special people behind pushing her newest story forward. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cathy Camper and Raul the Third

2016/11/4

48:26

Cathy Camper (@cfastwolf) and Raul the Third (@raulthe3rd), author and illustrator respectively of Lowriders to the Center of the Earth, the sequel to Lowriders in Space, their graphic novel debut, return to the podcast to talk about the mythic journey that is every road trip, loving when things don't make sense, and writing a book for the future. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Liz and Jimmy Reed

2016/11/1

46:23

Liz and Jimmy Reed (@cuddlesandrage), debut author-illustrators of Sweet Competition, stop by the podcast to talk about sibling rivalry, positive trickery, and endless time spent with desserts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andrea Davis Pinkney

2016/10/28

27:51

Andrea Davis Pinkney (@AndreaDavisPink), author most recently of A Poem for Peter: The Story of Ezra Jack Keats and the Creation of The Snowy Day, stops by the podcast to talk about her love letter to Peter, the great equalizer, and the power art can take on even when not trying to make a statement. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elly Swartz

2016/10/25

36:27

Elly Swartz (@ellyswartz), author of Finding Perfect, stops by the podcast to talk about listening to her characters, listening to her heart, and becoming a better writer through writing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andy Runton

2016/10/21

45:46

Andy Runton (@Owly), cartoonist and creator of the Owly graphic novel series, stops by the podcast to talk about growing up in the picture book section of the library, drawing people as long as he didn't have to draw faces, and earning the nickname of "night owl" from his mom. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Drew Weing

2016/10/18

47:02

Drew Weing (@drewweing), cartoonist and creator of The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo, stops by the podcast to talk about needing the Watson character in a story, creating believable backgrounds, and drawing monsters on his terms. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jon Klassen

2016/10/14

48:07

Jon Klassen (@burstofbeaden), author-illustrator most recently of We Found A Hat, the final book in his Hat trilogy, stops by the podcast to talk about raising the stakes, nostalgia earned from looking at illustrated novels, and solving a problem no one wants him to solve. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Abby Hanlon

2016/10/10

49:44

Abby Hanlon, author Dory Dory Black Sheep, the newest title in her Dory Fantasmagory series, stops by the podcast to talk about learning how to draw stick figures, how real experiences are to kids, and having stubborn and blind determination. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Neal Porter

2016/10/7

52:33

Neal Porter (@nporterbooks), renowned publisher and beloved children’s book advocate, stops by the podcast to talk about being selfish, playing hunches, and only wanting to work with people that he likes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kate Beasley

2016/10/4

43:10

Kate Beasley (@_katebeasley), author of Gertie's Leap to Greatness, stops by the podcast to talk about bringing half of ourselves to the story, the kind of books she read as a kid, and the guardian angel tense. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Gidwitz

2016/9/30

38:15

Adam Gidwitz (@AdamGidwitz), author of The Inquisitor's Tale, stops by the podcast to talk about his natural mode of storytelling, writing by reading aloud, and preserving space in the story for breathing room. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Deborah Freedman

2016/9/27

37:10

Deborah Freedman (@DeborahFreedman), author-illustrator of Shy, stops by the podcast to talk about bring situationally shy,conveying the departure of a character the reader cannot see,, and how talking about one's own book is always a little awkward. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mike Lowery

2016/9/23

55:06

Mike Lowery, author-illustrator of The Pursuit of the Pesky Pizza Pirate!, the newest in his Doodle Adventures series, stops by the podcast to talk about reaching the reluctant artist, writing a book that a kid can co-author, and food jokes... lots and lots of food jokes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jake Parker

2016/9/20

39:19

Jake Parker (@mrjakeparker), author-illustrator of Little Bot and Sparrow, stops by the podcast to talk about the transition to when you're not needed anymore, developing positive drawing habits, and being dragged into writing for children. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Elise Parsley

2016/9/16

50:04

Elise Parsley (@eliseparsley), illustrator of The Magic Word, a new picture book written by Mac Barnett, stops by the podcast to talk about what you can learn about a person from the stuff they keep around them, making illustrations for kids to go back and study, and the basic desire of wanting a cookie. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mac Barnett and Adam Rex

2016/9/13

36:37

Mac Barnett (@macbarnett) and Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex), author and illustrator of How This Book Was Made, stop by the podcast to talk about Mac's interest in form and the picture book as a live performance, as well as the value Adam sees in taking time to make distance from your work in progress in order to reach a final illustration that feels, to the reader, inevitable. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Danielle Smith

2016/9/9

59:19

Danielle Smith (@the1stdaughter), literary agent at Red Fox Literary, stops by the podcast to talk about asking "what's important to you?", knowing not everybody works well with everybody, and wearing her heart on her sleeve. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Brendan Wenzel

2016/9/6

41:39

Brendan Wenzel (@BRENDAN_WENZEL), author-illustrator of They All Saw A Cat, stops by the podcast to talk about expressing perception, building in a lot of questions, and aspiring to create a book that children could use as a diving off point. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jenni Holm

2016/9/2

36:08

Jenni Holm (@jenniholm), author most recently of Full of Beans and perhaps most widely known for the Babymouse graphic novel series, stops by the podcast to talk about learning about things slowly, listening to radio archives, and that point when she became enthusiastic over reading. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rich Wallace and Sandra Neil Wallace

2016/8/30

40:40

Rich Wallace (@RWallaceBooks) and Sandra Neil Wallace (@SandraNWallace), authors of Blood Brother: Jonathan Daniels and His Sacrifice for Civil Rights, stop by the podcast to talk about breaking through to the humanity in all of us, the hope that there will always be people who help, and how one person can change history. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mrs. P

2016/8/26

34:28

Mrs. P (@MrsPstorytime), founder of Mrs. P's Magic Storytime, stops by the podcast to talk about her annual "Be A Famous Writer' contest, the first rule of comedy, and how the need to be perfect stops us from writing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kelly DiPucchio and Greg Pizzoli

2016/8/23

53:56

Kelly DiPucchio (@kellydipucchio) and Greg Pizzoli (@gregpizzoli), author and illustrator of Dragon Was Terrible, stop by the podcast to talk about making kids livid while reading aloud, a story beginning to tell itself, and being surprised by the voice that comes out while writing a first draft. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Aaron Zenz

2016/8/19

41:59

Aaron Zenz (@AaronZenz), author-illustrator of Monsters Go Night-Night, stops by the podcast to talk about a guessing game, the idea that the world is too open, and getting kids to pick the wrong choice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ellen Potter

2016/8/15

35:23

Ellen Potter (@Ellenpotter), author of The Sea Pony, the third book in her Piper Green and the Fairy Tree chapter book series, stops by the podcast to talk about free-range kids, the gnome tree, and approaching the book's plot as a puzzle. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laura Murray

2016/8/12

49:33

Laura Murray (@LauraMurrayBook), author of The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo, stops by the podcast to talk about needing a creative outlet, going on the hunt for literary devices, and not getting anywhere if we're not persistent. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Aaron Becker

2016/8/8

43:10

Aaron Becker (@storybreathing), author-illustrator of Return, his final book in the Journey trilogy, stops by the podcast to talk about the power and limits of the imagination, his parable for growing up, and how a parent can be saved by their own kid. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lin Oliver

2016/8/5

57:18

Lin Oliver (@linoliver), SCWBI cofounder and author most recently of the Fantastic Frame series, stops by the podcast to talk about loving a painting from the inside out, measuring success by how you feel, and having kids that are not at all interested in trips to the art museum. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Slack

2016/8/2

48:02

Michael Slack (@michaelslackart), illustrator of Pirasaurs, written by Josh Funk, stops by the podcast to talk about being inspired by the "Convoy" trucker song, find the characters of your story and realizing them, and that point in his drawing career when he erased the tail of his monkey drawing and instinctually drew a pick-up truck instead. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Randy Cecil

2016/7/26

35:32

Randy Cecil, author-illustrator of Lucy, stops by the podcast to talk about a little lost dog named Lucy, breaking a story into acts and scenes, and requiring so much to tell so little. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Debora Marcero

2016/7/22

35:28

Deborah Marcero (@deborahmarcero), author-illustrator of Ursa's Light, stops by the podcast to talk about attending nErDcamp, failure and how having a big dream is always good, and assuring that every detail points to the story moving forward. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Beth Kephart

2016/7/19

51:19

Beth Kephart (@BethKephart), author of This is the Story of You, stops by the podcast to talk about the choreography of sentences, the willingness to wait within the complex, and the unconquerable urge to write. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Evan Turk

2016/7/12

39:49

Evan Turk (@evanturkart), author-illustrator of The Storyteller, stops by the podcast to talk about the thousand-year-old tradition, what happens in the moment when you aren't drawing, and capturing life as it happens. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lucy Ruth Cummins

2016/7/8

51:08

Lucy Ruth Cummins (@lucyruth), author-illustrator of A Hungry Lion, or a Dwindling Assortment of Animals, stops by the podcast to talk about knowing when to stop, playing it close to your chest, and the essential role of predators when make-believe playing as animals. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Esme Shapiro

2016/7/5

35:44

Esme Shapiro (@EsmeShapiro), author-illustrator of Ooko, stops by the podcast to talk about creating art intuitively, the many rebirths of her protagonist fox, and feeling connected to what she's doing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Minh Le and Isabel Roxas

2016/6/28

41:09

Minh Le (@bottomshelfbks) and Isabel Roxas (@studioroxas), author and illustrator respectively of Let Me Finish!, stop by the podcast to talk about writing yourself into a corner, putting an idea out into the world to fail, and how much the interplay between text and illustration makes or breaks the book. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

John David Anderson

2016/6/21

39:42

John David Anderson (@anderson_author), author of Ms. Bixby's Last Day, stops by the podcast to talk about trying to find the hero of the story, the shared narrative that exists among any group of friends, and the presence of Obi Wan Kenobi teachers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kelly Light

2016/6/14

37:13

Kelly Light (@KellyLight), author/illustrator of Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship, the sequel to 2014's Louise Loves Art, stops by the podcast to talk about drawing from her imagination, what happens when a teacher really notices and supports, and having similar interests, but seeing things differently. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lisa Brown

2016/6/10

37:32

Lisa Brown (@lisabrowndraws), author/illustrator of The Airport Book, stops by the podcast to talk about text thievery, gender parity, and matching people to their luggage. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jerzy Drozd

2016/6/7

51:57

Jerzy Drozd (@Jerzy), creator of Boulder and Fleet, stops by the podcast to talk about practical ways to be a good person, why kids need to be reading comics now more than ever, and a cartoonist's greatest allies. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kate DiCamillo and the Collaborative Summer Library Program

2016/6/3

33:12

Kate DiCamillo, author Raymie Nightingale and the 2016 National Summer Reading Champion, stops by the podcast to talk about reasons to read this summer, some titles from her recommended reading list, and her habit of always making other people read books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Scott McCormick and R.H. Lazzell

2016/5/31

32:22

Scott McCormick (@I_am_Mr_Pants) and R.H. Lazzell, author and illustrator team behind Mr. Pants: Camping Catastrophe and other books in the Mr. Pants series, stop by the podcast to talk about breaking convention, kids who never read, and how to remain funny. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christopher Silas Neal

2016/5/27

42:43

Christopher Silas Neal (@csneal), debut author/illustrator of Everyone..., stops by the podcast to talk about a big philosophy captured in a few words, the universality of feelings, and making space for the sadness along with the happiness. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Brianne Farley

2016/5/24

36:28

Brianne Farley (@briannefarley), author/illustrator of Secret Tree Fort, stops by the podcast to talk about reading in trees, finding the story's voice, and the universality of tree forts. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Lubar

2016/5/20

35:04

David Lubar (@davidlubar), author most recently of Character, Driven, stops by the podcast to talk about his metafictional experiment, pulling from many of the most demeaning times of his life, and turning to his main character whenever he ran into a problem with writing his story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Suzanne Kaufman

2016/5/17

39:39

Suzanne Kaufman (@lilmonkeydraws), illustrator of Samanthasaurus Rex, written by B. B. Mandell, stops by the podcast to talk about brain over brawn, the sadness that comes from finishing a book, and visiting the morgue of poses. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

John Patrick Green

2016/5/13

36:11

John Patrick Green (@johngreenart), author/illustrator of Hippopotamister, stops by the podcast to talk about making comics, figuring out the beats, and the fact that being good or bad at something is not what defines you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julia Denos

2016/5/9

33:12

Julia Denos (@JuliaDraw), author/illustrator of Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color, stops by the podcast to talk about trusting the materials, listening to the story, and asking herself, "What is a color tamer?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cale Atkinson

2016/5/6

40:44

Cale Atkinson (@2dCale), author/illustrator of Explorers of the Wild, stops by the podcast to talk about the scarier parts of the woods, breaking his habits, and two different characters with the same voice. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andy Griffiths

2016/5/3

35:41

Andy Griffiths (@AndyGbooks), author of the 52-Story Treehouse, the newest book in the 13-Story Treehouse series illustrated by Terry Denton, stops by the podcast to talk about the world's most dangerous treehouse, confidently trying to fix a problem, and understanding that every word for an emergent reader costs effort. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Molly Idle

2016/4/29

39:26

Molly Idle (@MollyIdle), author illustrator most recently of Flora and the Peacocks, and Caldecott honor winner for Flora and the Flamingo, returns to the podcast to talk about wanting to be liked best, exploring the dynamic that happens when you have more than one friend, and struggles to maintain balance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sergio Ruzzier

2016/4/26

41:44

Sergio Ruzzier (@SergioRuzzier), author/illustrator of This Is Not a Picture Book, stops by the podcast to talk about things that cannot be named, words that shake you, and making something that has the potential to stay forever. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Pseudonymous Bosch

2016/4/22

29:55

Pseudonymous Bosch (@isthisPBosch), author most recently of Bad Luck, the newest book in the Bad Magic series, stops by the podcast to talk about constantly writing for a new audience, the weight of responsibility, and how he started writing for one particular girl. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kate DiCamillo

2016/4/19

40:05

Kate DiCamillo, two-time Newbery-winning author most recently of Raymie Nightingale, stops by the podcast to talk about her time as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, how you can't write anything without revealing yourself, and likening writing a story to trying to get a wild animal to eat out of your hand. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Dan Santat

2016/4/12

1:02:48

Dan Santat (@dsantat), author illustrator of Are We There Yet? and Beekle, which won the Caldecott medal in 2015, returns to the podcast to talk about enduring every minute of a road trip, parents doing the best they can, and his son's complete lack of patience. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Blake Hamilton

2016/4/9

44:46

Blake Hamilton (@BlakeHamilton), filmmaker, writer, and, most important to this episode, co-founder of All The Wonders, stops by the podcast to talk about making barriers, conceptualizing a home for readers and books, the moment when he "finally found his way home". --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Peter Brown

2016/4/5

39:12

Peter Brown (@itspeterbrown), author/illustrator of The Curious Garden, Children Make Terrible Pets, and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, and now debut middle grade author of The Wild Robot, stops by the podcast to talk about paying attention to wording and phrasing, telling the story as efficiently as possible, and certain subjects you can't avoid. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Faith Erin Hicks

2016/3/29

35:56

Faith Erin Hicks (@FaithErinHicks), author/cartoonist of The Nameless City, stops by the podcast to talk about drawing like a kid, unstable ground, and putting the readers in the shoes of the characters. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steve Light

2016/3/20

41:49

Steve Light (@SteveLight), author illustrator of Swap!, stops by the podcast to talk about the greatest joy, using items in unconventional ways, and feeding clues to the reader by way of a monkey. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Karen Rivers

2016/3/15

37:34

Karen Rivers (@karenrivers), author of The Girl in the Well is Me, stops by the podcast to talk about casual cruelty, feeling anxiety start at an early age, and her metaphor for popularity. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Philip C. Stead

2016/3/11

50:03

Philip C. Stead, author illustrator most recently of Ideas Are All Around, stops by the podcast to talk about how he views inspiration, accidental bungling grace, and the beauty in the way polaroids look just a little bit off. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Tony Cliff

2016/3/8

57:42

Tony Cliff (@TangoCharlie), cartoonist behind Delilah Dirk and the King's Shilling, the newest book in the Delilah Dirk graphic novel series, stops by the podcast to talk about controlling the flow of the story, starting small, and comics being a good solution to a problem that film couldn't accomplish. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Aaron Reynolds and Sara Varon

2016/3/1

32:01

Aaron Reynolds (@areynoldsbooks) and Sara Varon (@saravaron1), author and illustrator respectively of President Squid, stop by the podcast to talk about taking inspiration from a 5-year-old, the importance of having confidence in your brand when you're a squid, and main characters committed to putting in 110%. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Fred Koehler

2016/2/26

40:20

Fred Koehler (@superfredd), author illustrator of Super Jumbo, stops by the podcast to talk about striving to create a character that embodies every child everywhere, a perdiod of time where he was redrawing his entire portfolio from one writing conference to the next, and the important understanding that kids have to make mistakes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

JJ Austrian and Mike Curato

2016/2/22

52:05

JJ Austrian (@JJAustrian) and Mike Curato (@MikeCurato), the author and illustrator respectively of Worm Loves Worm, stop by the podcast to talk about Pants-of-the-Month, having conversations with children through children's books, and the impact of two worms falling in love. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Keith Negley

2016/2/19

39:53

Keith Negley (@keithnegley), author illustrator of Tough Guys (Have Feelings Too), stops by the podcast to talk about mixed-up emotions, picking five colors and sticking to them, and the memory of not wanting his son to see him cry. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hannah Barnaby

2016/2/16

46:30

Hannah Barnaby (@HannahRBarnaby), author of Some of the Parts and Wonder Show, stops by the podcast to talk about having a good sense of humor, trusting the author, and the realization that sometimes what you think you needed is what you needed at all. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sara Varon

2016/2/12

34:33

Sara Varon (@saravaron1), cartoonist of Sweaterweather: & Other Short Stories, stops by the podcast to talk about signs of being on the right track, her love for stationary, and her trip to the Fumetto Comic Festival. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Charise Harper and Anna Raff

2016/2/9

40:59

Charise Harper (@ChariseHarper) and Anna Raff (@annaraffNYC), author and illustrator respectively of A Big Surprise for Little Card, stop by the podcast to talk about a rainbow of books, thinking with pictures, and the fact that when you come to a song in a book, you have to sing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

James Kennedy

2016/2/5

52:52

James Kennedy (@iamjameskennedy), author of The Order of Odd Fish and founder of the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival (@90secondnewbery), stops by the podcast to talk about the stink of worthiness, blood-thirsty monsters, and the most frequently adapted Newbery winner. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Falatko and Tim Miller

2016/2/2

49:21

Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) and Tim Miller (@TimMiller), author and illustrator respectively of Snappsy The Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), stop by the podcast to talk about belligerent main characters, the biggest riddle in creating their debut picture book, and answers arrived through countless mistakes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Daniel Miyares

2016/1/31

59:12

Daniel Miyares (@danielmiyares), author illustrator of Float and illustrator most recently of Surf's Up, stops by the podcast to talk about the third dimension of picture book making, a willingness to let kids discover, and scanning art before you ruin it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jess Keating

2016/1/29

42:37

Jess Keating (@Jess_Keating), author of Pink is for Blobfish and How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes are Untied, stops by the podcast to talk about toning down the voiceyness, using all 88 keys to show everything you love about life, and to share a concept reveal of her upcoming Monsters of the Natural World. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sara O'Leary

2016/1/25

40:31

Sara O'Leary (@saraoleary), author of This is Sadie, which is illustrated by Julie Morstad, stops by the podcast to talk about creating a fondness to the voice of the narrator, one certain Max, and leaving room within a character to see yourself --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Madelyn Rosenberg

2016/1/22

41:23

Madelyn Rosenburg (@madrosenberg), author of How to Behave at a Dog Show and Nanny X Returns, stops by the podcast to talk about the sweet spot of talking to kids, pushing the reset button a lot, and how her stories are helping her fiure out what kind of person she wants to be. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Leslea Newman and Marcus Ewert

2016/1/19

1:10:15

Leslea Newman (@lesleanewman), author of Heather Has Two Mommies and, most recently, of Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed, along with Marcus Ewert (@MarcusEwert), author of 10,000 Dresses and, most recently, Mummy Cat, stops by the podcast to talk about books with LGBT themes, the lineage of the poetic, prophetic voice, respecting the power of the words, and the only cat to ever have an obituary in the New York Times. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Fred Bowen

2016/1/15

38:11

Fred Bowen (@FredBowenBooks), author most recently of Out of Bounds, stops by the podcast to talk about dealing with disappointment, the best place for kids to learn to lose, and how sometimes you try your best and it still doesn't work out for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kwame Alexander

2016/1/12

40:32

Kwame Alexander (@kwamealexander), author most recently of Surf's Up, illustrated by Daniel Miyares (@danielmiyares), and winner of the 2015 Newbery Award for The Crossover, stops by the podcast to talk about the economy of words, the spiritual journey through the white space left on the page, and the joy and power of reading. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Andy Rash

2016/1/8

36:40

Andy Rash (@iotacons), author illustrator of Archie The Daredevil Penguin stops by the podcast to talk about the truth hidden within a joke, how we're always hardest on ourselves, and that sometimes you can trust your friends. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Salina Yoon

2016/1/5

46:29

Salina Yoon (@SalinaYoon), author illustrator of Be A Friend, stops by the podcast to talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve, her childhood struggle with reading and writing in English when Korean was the only language spoken at home, and a focus on the universality of art. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michelle Schusterman

2016/1/1

42:46

Michelle Schusterman, author of Dead Air: The Kat Sinclair Files (Book #1), stops by the podcast to talk about writing a gritty, urban Nancy Drew story, being a skeptic, and how's there's a logical explanation to most things that spook people. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kristen Kittscher

2015/12/30

39:06

Kristen Kittscher (@KKittscher), author of The Tiara on the Terrace, stops by the podcast to talk about creating a surreal world perfectionism gone awry, and how nothing that anyone writes is void of self. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Penny Parker Klostermann

2015/12/26

37:50

Penny Parker Klostermann (@pklostermann), author of There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight, illustrated by Ben Mantle (@BenMMantle) stops by the podcast to talk about writing books about things being eaten, finding online writing challenges, and not letting the rhyme rule the book. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Carson Ellis

2015/12/21

38:50

Carson Ellis (@cfellis), author illustrator of Home, stops by the podcast to talk about making something more than an art book, starting with what she likes to draw, and creating a story she's been thinking her whole life. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lori Degman

2015/12/18

37:41

Lori Degman (@LoriDegman), author of Cock-a-Doodle Oops!, stops by the podcast to talk about a rooster who needs a vacation, the way books should read like music, and liking to make people laugh. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ben Clanton

2015/12/15

39:39

Ben Claton (@Clantoons), author illustrator of Something Extraordinary, stops by the podcast to talk about the feel of traditional medium, crafting good re-read alouds, and a question about the color orange. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Brightly

2015/12/13

39:49

Brightly co-founder Christine McNamara (@ReadBrightly) stops by the podcast to talk about making books part of what people are doing rather than taking away from anything else. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Zack Giallongo RETURNS!

2015/12/11

47:00

Zack Giallongo (@Zackules), cartoonist of Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents: Romeo & Juliet, stops by the podcast to talk about snowmen versus talking rocks, contributing to the Ewoks mythology, and the Galaxy of Super Adventure! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Arndt

2015/12/8

34:50

Michael Arndt (@animalopoeia), author of Cat Says Meow, stops by the podcast to talk about starting with a circle and some nondescript blobs, letting the letters create an animal, and the fact that letters are just shapes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Gus Gordon

2015/12/7

45:23

Gus Gordon (@IllustratorGus), author of Herman and Rosie, stops by the podcast to talk about ideas starting at the sketch stage, drawings that ask lots of questions, and two characters that need to find one another. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ellen Fischer

2015/12/5

41:02

Ellen Fischer, author of If an Elephant Went to School, stops by the podcast to talk about getting into a good writing group, editing to make a story stronger, and asking "what if?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kris Remenar and Matt Faulkner

2015/12/1

57:54

Kris Remenar (@RemenarReads) and Matt Faulkner (@MattFaulkner1), author and illustrator of Groundhog's Dilemma, stop by the podcast to talk about treating the process like a business partnership, a writer who can write to the child in us all, and how the best revenge is living well. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steven Malk RETURNS!

2015/11/27

41:49

Steve Malk (@stevenmalk), literary agent at Writers House, returns to the podcast to talk about connections on a deeper level, the surreal feeling of seeing books on a bookstore shelf that you helped get published, and 20 years of representing talented folks working in children's literature. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Grace Lin

2015/11/24

41:24

Grace Lin (@pacylin), author of Ling & Ting: Together in All Weather, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, and Dim Sum for Everyone, stops by the podcast to talk about seeing herself in books, sharing stories from her childhood, and the final book in her outstanding easy reader series. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Fulk

2015/11/23

32:50

David Fulk (@DavidFulkWrites), author of Raising Rufus, stops by the podcast to talk about discovering your inner hero, exploring in the woods, and planners and pantsers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Lehrhaupt and Matthew Forsythe

2015/11/20

40:40

Adam Lehrhaupt (@Lehrhaupt) and Matthew Forsythe (@mattforsythe), author and illustrator respectively behind Please, Open This Book!, stop by the podcast to talk about keeping everything in tact and in the service of the story, leaving white space in the writing, and thinking of books sonically. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alexis Frederick-Frost

2015/11/17

46:11

Alexis Frederick-Frost (@afrederickfrost), contributing cartoonist to Gryphons Aren't So Great, the newest story in the Adventures in Cartooning series, stops by the podcast to talk about bonding over ping pong, how it takes a stronger writer to write a shorter story, and empowering kids to tell their stories through simple pictures. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sophy Henn

2015/11/14

42:37

Sophy Henn (@sophyhenn), author illustrator of Pom Pom Panda Gets the Grumps, and Where Bear?, stops by the podcast to talk about instinctive writing, letting the characters tell you the story, and those days you get up and it's just wrong. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Rubin

2015/11/10

33:55

Adam Rubin (@Rubingo), New York Times bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos, Those Darn Squirrels, and most recently of Robo-Sauce, all illustrated by Daniel Salmieri (@DanielSalmieri), stops by the podcast to talk about writing what you like, feelings of being a person in a position of authority doomed to screw stuff up. and how this is definitely not a presentation about monkeys. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sigmund Brouwer

2015/11/6

44:12

Sigmund Brouwer (@BrouwerSigmund), author most recently of Unleashed, published by Orca Book publishers (@orcabook) and one of three books in the Retribution trilogy, stops by the podcast to talk about great stories connecting like great songs, lettering the story dictate the characters, and how a book is just a delivery system for stories. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ginee Seo

2015/11/3

44:17

Ginee Seo, children's publishing director at Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks, @ChronicleKids), stops by the podcast to talk about constant magic around every corner, missing train stops on account of reading, and making books that matter. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matt Phelan RETURNS!

2015/10/30

52:07

Matt Phelan (@MattPhelanDraws), illustrator of Marilyn's Monster, which is written by Michelle Knudsen (@michelleknudsen) and published by Candlewick Press (@Candlewick), stops by the podcast to talk about studying theater, the parallels between drawing and playing an instrument, and the one scene in any book that's the real reason for doing it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Philip and Erin Stead

2015/10/27

1:21:57

Philip Stead and Erin Stead, author and illustrator respectively of Lenny & Lucy, which is published by Roaring Brook Press (@MacKidsBooks), stop by the podcast to talk about infusing work with sincerity, living by the "don't say mean things" motto, and trying to create content just as relevant now as the day it was published. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jon Scieszka

2015/10/23

37:50

Jon Scieszka (@Jon_Scieszka), editor of Guys Reads: Terrifying Tales, which is published by Walden Pond Press (@WaldenPondPress), and other of a ton of bestselling books including The Stinky Cheese Man, Knucklehead, and the Frank Einstein series, stops by the podcast to talk about storytelling with a purpose, appreciating the ways that kids are intelligent, and how giving readers choice in what they read is a huge thing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lou Anders

2015/10/20

50:55

Lou Anders (@LouAnders), author of Nightborn; Thrones and Bones (Book 2), which is published by Crown Books for Young Readers (@randomhousekids), stops by the podcast to talk about creating an accessible, appropriate, and modern secondary world fantasy, the epic task of world-planning, and creating games to play with readers. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Sternberg

2015/10/16

56:37

Julie Sternberg (@SternbergJulie), author of Secrets Out!; The Top Secret Diary of Celie Valentine (Book 2), which is published by Boyds Mills Press (@boydsmillspress), stops by the podcast to talk about incorporating podcasts into the general school curriculum, what results when you book's structure is fighting with the format, and the happiest time in her childhood. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

KA Holt RETURNS!

2015/10/13

48:40

K.A. Holt (@karianneholt), author of House Arrest, which is published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleKids, @ChronicleBooks), returns to the podcast to talk about writing out of order, pulling all the story threads apart, and accepting help doesn't mean you're accepting weakness. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lizi Boyd RETURNS!

2015/10/9

39:54

Lizi Boyd, author illustrator of Big Bear, Little Chair, which is published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleKids, @ChronicleBooks), returns to the podcast to talk about unexpected opposites, the way a good editor knows how to mine the good stuff out of you and your work, and the value of acknowledging you just need to "go and draw sheep." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mike Curato RETURNS!

2015/10/5

38:57

Mike Curato (@MikeCurato), author illustrator of Little Elliot, Big Family, which is published by Henry Holt and Company (@HenryHolt, @MacKidsBooks),  returns to the podcast to talk about setting a story in a time predating modern technology, seeing your character come to life with the help of Merrymakers (@merrymakersinc), and celebrating the family that you have and the families that you make. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alison Oliver

2015/10/2

39:55

Alison Oliver, illustrator of the Babylit (@babylitbooks) board book series written by Jennifer Adams (@BabyLitJen) and published by Gibbs Smith Books (@GibbsSmithBooks),  stops by to talk about the way a parent can bring even more to the story, the highest compliment a book illustrator can receive, and the greatest character ever (Take a guess! You know you want to!). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Josh Funk

2015/9/29

35:23

Josh Funk (@joshfunkbooks), debut picture book author of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, published by Serling Children's Books (@SterlingKids), stops by to talk about culinary chaos, emoting food, and creating story ideas by asking "what do I want to see illustrated?" --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Joel Grayson

2015/9/27

57:38

Joel Grayson (@BOWJoel), beloved bookseller at NYC's renowned Books of Wonder (@BooksofWonder), stops by to talk about who determines if it's a "boy book" or a "girl book", the two kinds of people who work in children's bookstores, and doing whatever it takes to get you to the story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rubin Pingk

2015/9/25

46:50

Rubin Pingk (@RubinPingk), debut picture book author illustrator of Samurai Santa, published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (@SimonKIDS), stops by to talk about creating a book trailer, the hinderance of having everything at your fingertips, and how storytelling can be like a magic trick. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Katherine Applegate

2015/9/22

46:17

Katherine Applegate (@kaaauthor), author most recently of Crenshaw, published by Feiwell and Friends (@FeiwelFriends), and recipient of the Newbery Award in 2013 for The One and Only Ivan, stops by to talk about considering sound more than plot, a sophisticated and charming way to deal with things, and finding just the right word. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ed Vere

2015/9/18

36:08

Ed Vere (@ed_vere), author illustrator most recently of Max the Brave, which is published by Sourcebooks (@SBKSLibrary), stops by to talk about storytelling with a jazz trio, a stubborn and tenacious cat, and how it's all in the eyes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jarrett J. Krosoczka RETURNS!

2015/9/15

44:27

Jarrett J. Krosoczka (@StudioJJK), author illustrator most recently of It's Tough To Lose Your Balloon, which is published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers (@AAKnopf @MacKidsBooks), stops by to talk about writing a self-help book for young readers, giving a positive twist to awful things, and how a beloved Peanuts character made his way into the new Comics Squad collection. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Emily Arrow

2015/9/13

45:27

Emily Arrow (@HelloEmilyArrow), the talented singer songerwriter behind The Dot Song and many other amazing song adaptations of picture books, stops by to talk about finding the melody in her favorite picture books, feeling happiest when people are singing along, and how her life experiences led her to performing storytimes for young children. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

John Hendrix

2015/9/11

44:55

John Hendrix, illustrator most recently of McToad Mows Tiny Island, written by Tom Angleberger (@OrigamiYoda) and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers (@abramskids), stops by to talk about thinking of himself as a design-a-strator, creater a charactor that's way bigger than explained, and the third thing that comes from working together. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Loren Long

2015/9/7

57:21

Loren Long (@lorenlong), author illustrator most recently of Little Tree, published by Philomel Books (@PhilomelBooks), stops by to talk about a simple story about a simple tree, finding a safe harbor in picture books, and letting go. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Don Tate

2015/9/4

38:17

Don Tate (@Devas_T), author illustrator of Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton, published by Peachtree Publishers (@peachtreepub), stops by to talk about the first African American to be published in the South, seeing the world with big-headed people, and the history of the SuperSoaker. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Eric Wight

2015/9/1

37:20

Eric Wight (@Eric_Wight), illustrator most recently of Everyone Loves Bacon, written by Kelly DiPucchio (@kellydipucchio) and published by Farrar Straus & Giroux (@fsgbooks), stops by to talk about candied pickles, the six hours until agent Steven Malk said "yes", and how being able to draw is like learning another language. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Best Books Ever (Summer 2015, part II)

2015/8/30

43:02

More books. More reviews. More friends. It’s the Best Books Ever, with special guests Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) and Carter Higgins (@CarterHiggins), here on the Let’s Get Busy podcast! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Christian Robinson RETURNS!

2015/8/28

40:03

Christian Robinson, illustrator most recently of Leo: a Ghost Story, written by Mac Barnett (@macbarnett) and published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about stories meant to be told visually, challenging himself and his art by limiting resources, and his influence from illustrators from a different time in picture books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Mac Barnett RETURNS!

2015/8/25

37:36

Mac Barnett (@macbarnett), author most recently of Leo: a Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson and published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about ghosts versus imaginary friends, intense connections, and how the lived experience of being a kid is different from just being a kid. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

KidLitCon

2015/8/21

38:04

Paula Willey of Unadulterated, the popular kidlit blog of children's book reviews for grown ups, stops by to talk about KidLitCon (@KidLitCon), a bloggers conference for people who write and talk about kidlit. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Laurel Snyder and Julie Morstad

2015/8/18

44:21

Laurel Snyder (@LaurelSnyder) and Julie Morstad, the author and illustrator of Swan: the Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova, published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks, @ChronicleKids), stop by to talk about revising out as much as you can, an obsession with Anna Pavlova, and helping your childhood self to finish writing the story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker present...

2015/8/16

40:33

Colby Sharp (@ColbySharp) and Travis Jonker (@100scopenotes), stop by to reveal The Yarn, an all new podcast they've created to illuminate the process and the people behind getting a book to publication. The inaugural season features Sunny Side Up, a new graphic novel from Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm published by Scholastic Graphix (@GraphixBooks). --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jay Hosler

2015/8/13

41:18

Jay Hosler (@Jay_Hosler), author and illustrator of Last of the Sandwalkers, published by First Second (@01FirstSecond), stops by to talk about finding the tedium we can endure, a tale of prolonged stupidity (or obliviousness), and trying to capture the joy of Snoopy dancing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kate Messner RETURNS

2015/8/11

35:59

Kate Messner (@KateMessner), author Tree of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree, published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleKids, @ChronicleBooks) and illustrated by Simona Mulazzani, stops by to talk about assigning herself a research project as a kid, messing around as part of the writing process, and the details you would never find if you didn't go there. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - August 9, 2015

2015/8/9

10:53

Five excellent picture books reviewed, including a monster who runs for president and a monster who turns out to be not such a monster after all. - Monster Needs Your Vote by Paul Czajak, Illustrations by Wendy Grieb (Mighty Media Kids) - One Day on Our Blue Planet ...in the Savannah by Ella Bailey (Flying Eye Books) - How to Behave at a Dog Show by Madelyn Rosenberg; Illustrated by Heather Ross (Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins Publishers) - If an Elephant Went to School by Ellen Fischer; Illustrations by Laura Wood (Mighty Media Kids) - Max the Brave by Ed Vere (Sourcebooks) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Phil Bildner and John Parra

2015/8/6

38:44

Phil Bildner (@PhilBildner) and John Parra, author and illustrator of Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans, published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleKids, @ChronicleBooks), stop by to talk about the 10th anniversary of the worst man-made disaster in New Orleans' history, conducting visual research, and toxic gumbo. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Lynne Jonell

2015/8/3

57:15

Lynne Jonell, author most recently of The Sign of the Cat, published by Henry Holt and Company (@HenryHolt, @MacKidsBooks), stops by to talk about a special 3rd grade teacher, a green piece of paper with a curved line, and learning to serve your story and cut your ego. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - August 2, 2015

2015/8/2

08:49

Five outstanding picture books reviewed. - Pool by Jihyeon Lee (Chronicle Books) - The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton (Arthur A. Levine Books) - Melissa's Octopus and Other Unsuitable Pets by Charlotte Voake  (Candlewick Press) - Peanut Butter and Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale by Joe McGee; pictures by Charles Santoso (Abrams Books for Young Readers) - One Day, The End: Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than-Ever Stories by Rebecca Kai Dotlich; illustrated by Fred Koehler (Boyds Mills Press) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jennifer Gray Olson

2015/7/31

39:28

Jennifer Gray Olson (@jgrayolson), author and illustrator of Ninja Bunny, published by Alfred A. Knopf (@AAKnopf), stops by to talk about abounding confidence, her mental commute to work, and how one day ninja bunny just sort of showed up in her sketchbook. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Adam Rex

2015/7/28

54:07

Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex), author and illustrator of Smek for President, published by Disney Hyperion (@DisneyHyperion) and sequel to the best-selling The True Meaning of Smek Day, stops by to talk about writing as he goes, his massive project for which no one was paying him and no one knew about, and the standard of bad kickball playing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - July 26, 2015

2015/7/26

11:05

Five exceptional graphic novels reviewed. - Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales #5: The Underground Abductor by Nathan Hale (Amulet Books) - Fable Comics edited by Chris Duffy (First Second) - Dragons Beware! written by Jorge Aguirre, art by Rafael Rosado  (First Second) - Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Scholastic Graphix) - The Last of the Sandwalkers by Jay Hosler (First Second) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Russ Cox

2015/7/24

48:54

Russ Cox (@smilingotis), author and illustrator of Faraway Friends, published by Sky Pony Press (@skyhorsepub), stops by to talk about playing outside, always learning, and knowing when "it's just not the right person for me." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown

2015/7/21

40:27

Marcus Ewert (@MarcusEwert) and Lisa Brown (@lisabrowndraws), author and illustrator of Mummy Cat, published by Clarion Books (@HMHKids), stop by to talk about writing with ideograms, how Yale is a good word for capricorns, and doing something you aren't supposed to do. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - July 19, 2015

2015/7/19

09:44

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - Welcome to the Neighborwood by Shawn Sheehy (Candlewick Press) - The Cow Tripped Over the Moon: a nursery rhyme emergency by Jeane Willis, illustrated by joel Stewart (Candlewick Press) - Nuts in Space by Elys Dolan (Nosy Crow) - Hungry Roscoe by David J. Plant (Flying Eye Books) - Marilyn's Monster by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Matt Phelan (Candlewick Press) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jory John

2015/7/16

57:21

Jory John (@joryjohn), author most recently of I Will Chomp You!, illustrated by Bob Shea (@bobshea) and published by Random House (@randomhousekids), stops by to talk about solving problems in a really nice way, complimentary characters, and stop sign food. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Louise Borden

2015/7/14

41:42

Louise Borden (@LouiseBorden), author most recently of Kindergarten Luck, illustrated by Genevieve Godbout and published by Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about the sounds of words, writers as witnesses to a historical event, and the great things going on at Nerd Camp. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - July 12, 2015

2015/7/12

10:13

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - The Fly by Petr Horacek - Sophie's Animal Parade by Amy Dixon, illustrated by Katia Wish - Sock Monkey Takes a Bath by Cece Bell - The Big Princess by Taro Miura - Migloo's Day by William Bee --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kody Keplinger

2015/7/10

52:12

Kody Keplinger (@Kody_Keplinger), author most recently of Lying Out Loud, published by Scholastic Press (@Scholastic), stops by to talk about being a cautious pessimest, the difference between writing responsibly and writing honestly, and the universal feeling of insecurity. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Matt Tavares

2015/7/7

48:35

Matt Tavares (@tavaresbooks), author illustrator most recently of Growing Up Pedro, published by Candlewick Press (@Candlewick), stops by to talk about pacing by pages, being a Redsox fan, and his crash course in making picture books. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Biedrzycki

2015/7/2

41:15

David Biedrzycki (@artofdavid), author illustrator most recently of Breaking News: Bear Alert, published by Charlesbridge (@charlesbridge), stops by to talk about selling homemade comics for a quarter, getting kids on your side at the very beginning of any author visit, and a couple of pairs-turned-media darlings. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Best Books Ever (Summer 2015)

2015/6/30

41:27

Cynthia Alaniz (@utalaniz) joins me to talk about our favorite books of 2015 so far in this all new segment of the Let's Get Busy podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Gwendal Le Bec

2015/6/29

35:50

Gewndal Le Bec, illustrator and author most recently of Danny, published by Flying Eye Books (@FlyingEyeBooks), stops by to talk about the collaborative process of writing a book with his brother, writing in French with a lisp, and how the crocodile in Danny didn't mean to eat the dentist. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kidlit.TV with Julie Gribble and Rocco Staino

2015/6/26

36:23

Julie Gribble (@JulieGribbleNYC) and Rocco Staino (@RoccoA), founders of Kidlit.TV (@nymediaworks), stop by to talk about the journey so far of their online resource to children's literatures, developing a show in the vein of Inside the Actor's Studio meets The Tonight Show, and picking up dance moves from Tim Federle. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre

2015/6/23

44:57

Rafael Rosado (@rafael_rosado1) and Jorge Aguirre (@jorgeagu), creators of Dragons Beware!, published by First Second (@01FirstSecond), stop by to talk about building a graphic novel with the start of a paragraph, the miusplaced confidence of their lead character, and how during the creative process it's sometimes best to admit, "we're not thinking about the audience". --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - June 21, 2015

2015/6/22

08:41

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - Monty's Magnificent Mane by Gemma O'Neill - So Cozy by Lerryn Korda - Hippos are Huge! by Jonathan London; illustrated by Matthew Trueman - Danny by Yann & Gwendal Le Bec - Yard Sale by Eve Bunting; illustrated by Lauren Castillo --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Paul Volponi

2015/6/18

35:35

Paul Volponi, author most recently of Game Seven, published by Viking (@VikingChildrens), stops by to talk about teaching incarcerated youth on Rikers Island, faking it by listening, and El Fuego, the greatest Cuban baseball player of all time. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cale Atkinson

2015/6/17

40:40

Cale Atkinson (@2dCale), author illustrator of To The Sea, published by Disney Hyperion (DisneyHyperion), stops by to talk about big and chunky and strange and overcomplicated manuscripts, what it means to be seen by another, and a subtle detail in his debut picture book reflected in the eyes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - June 14, 2015

2015/6/14

12:06

Five (plus) books reviewed in five (plus) minutes. - Ruffer's Birthday Party by Soon-jae Shin; illustrated by Min-jung Kim - A Day at Grandma's by Mi-ae Lee; illustrated by Yang-sook Choi - "Could You Lift Up Your Bottom?" by Hee-jung Chang; illustrated by Sung-hwa Chung - The Flying Birds by Eun-sun Han; illustrated by Ju-kyoung Kim - Math at the Art Museum by Group Majoongmul; illustrated by Yun-ju Kim - Who Eats First? by Ae-hae Yoon; illustrated by Hae-won Yang --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Julie Paschkis

2015/6/12

39:34

Julie Paschkis (@jpaschkis), author illustrator of P. Zonka Lays an Egg, published by Peachtree Publishers (@PeachtreePub), stops by to talk about her sister's egg decorating party, the imprint a special library bag made on her as a young reader, and feeding the creativity in every way possible. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Ovi Nedelcu

2015/6/9

48:22

Ovi Nedelcu (@OviOvined), author illustrator of Just Like Daddy, published by POW! Kids Books (@POWkidsbooks), stops by to talk about being a visual storyteller, giving yourself permission to not be in love with the dialogue, and losing arts supplies to the dog and kids. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steven Malk

2015/6/7

37:34

Steven Malk (@StevenMalk), literary agent at Writers House, stops by to talk about the way every single decision an author makes has a large or small impact on a career, how his clients all believe making a picture book is *the best* thing in the world, and the reverential feeling he experienced meeting authors at his parent's bookstore when he was young. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Maripat Perkins

2015/6/5

37:07

Maripat Perkins (@MaripatPerkins), author of Rodeo Red (@PeachtreePub), illustrated by Molly Idle (@MollyIdle), stops by to talk about writing "sturdy" girls, respecting the boundaries of your siblings, and reading Chinese folktales in a Western accent. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Leslie Bulion

2015/6/1

39:15

Leslie Bulion (@LeslieBulion), author of Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse (@PeachtreePub), illustrated by Mike Lowery, stops by to talk about the rhythmic language of science, double dactyls, and determining what is the most obvious for of poetry for each part of the body. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - May 31, 2015

2015/5/31

08:43

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - Bird & Diz by Gary Golio; art by Ed Young - Spots In a Box by Helen Ward - The Death of the Hat: a Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka - Orion and the Dark by Emma Yarlett - Sweep Up the Sun by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rowboat Watkins (Ep. 154)

2015/5/29

40:37

Rowboat Watkins, debut picture book author illustrator of Rude Cakes (@ChronicleBooks), stops by to talk about trust, avoiding ego as much as possible, and learning how to be a better listener. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jake Marcionette

2015/5/26

39:58

Jake Marcionette (@jakemarcionette), author of the Just Jake series (@GrossetPSS), stops by to talk about the newest installment in the Just Jake series, his work as a motivational speaker, and how "a book by a kid, for a kid, and from a kid's perspective" allows him to connect with his readers in a way few can. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Play, Memory with Julie Sternberg

2015/5/24

35:31

Play, Memory is a new podcast started by Julie Sternberg (@SternbergJulie), author of Like Pickle Juice on a Cupcake and The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine series. Julie graciously allowed me to share her debut episode "Secrets within Secrets" with all of you. In her first episode, Julie explores the power of secrets to change us and to inform our actions. Everyone has a secret they're keeping from the world and, most pertinent to the Play, Memory podcast, so does every author. These secrets can reveal the "why" behind our favorite book characters and stories and help us to understand and appreciate them even more deeply. Enjoy the listen! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Miriam B. Schiffer

2015/5/22

34:44

Miriam B. Schiffer, author of Stella Brings the Family (@ChronicleKids), illustrated by Holly Clifton Brown (@HollyRCB), stops by to talk about knowing your family is enough, the dilemma that occurs when a child doesn't see him or herself in the commonplace, and feeling liberated knowing the illustrations would share in carrying the story. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Karen Rostoker-Gruber

2015/5/19

37:31

Karen Rostoker-Gruber (@KarenRostokerGr), author most recently of Ferret Fun in the Sun (Two Lions), stops by to talk about author visits, her past life writing adult humor, and her goal to make a pun everyday. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

2015/5/15

37:23

Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (@KosteckiShaw), author illustrator most recently of Luna & Me:  The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest (@HenryHolt), stops by to talk about how art can be magic, the life and discovery waiting in a goosepen, and how "you just get it" when you're there among the old growth redwoods. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Erin Hagar

2015/5/12

40:20

Erin Hagar (@HagarErin), author of Julia Child: An Extraordinary Life in Words and Pictures (@duopress), stops by to talk about investigating CIA records, breaking the norm of "leaving room for the illustrator", and the impact of Julia Child had on the world by writing for the beginning cook. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - May 12, 2015

2015/5/11

08:53

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - Faraway Friends by Russ Cox - Toby and the Ice Giants by Joe Lillington - Vincent and the Night by Adele Enersen - The Elephantom by Ross Collins - Where's the Pair? by Britta Teckentrup --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Deborah Underwood

2015/5/8

47:16

Deborah Underwood (@UnderwoodWriter), author most recently of Interstellar Cinderella (@ChronicleKids), illustrated by Meg Hunt (@MegHunt), stops by to talk about being six when she writes, creating sketches to accompany her Here Comes Cat books, and how the thing with writing rhyme is that you kind of get it or you don't. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Michael Buckley

2015/5/5

42:09

Michael Buckley (@MichaelWBuckley), author of Undertow (@HMHKids) as well as the best-selling Sisters Grimm series (@AbramsKids) and NERDS series, stops by to talk about how dreaming of sand castles, facing moralistic decisions alongside your characters, and the notion that some of the best science fiction is about people. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - May 3, 2015

2015/5/3

10:21

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - Sea Bones by Bob Barner - Her Idea by Rilla - Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins - Red Yellow Blue and a Dash of White, Too! by C. G. Esperanza - A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Jennifer Ann Mann

2015/5/1

42:39

Jennifer Ann Mann (@JenAnnMann), author of Sunny Sweet Can So Get Lost (@Bloomsbury), the third book in her Sunny Sweet series, stops by to talk about being born sandwiched between geniuses, being siblings for life, and the history and stories one can discover on a walk in the woods. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Royden Lepp

2015/4/29

36:10

Royden Lepp (@Royden Lepp), author of Death of the Rocket Boy (@Archaia), the third and penultimate volume in his Rust graphic novel series, stops by to talk about humanity, writing an open letter to his father, and leaving questions open for good. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - April 25, 2015

2015/4/25

09:33

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - How to Read a Story by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel - This is My Rock by David Lucas - The Little Gardener by Emily Hughes - Beach House by Deanna Caswell, illustrated by Amy June Bates - Just Like Daddy by Ovi Nedelcu --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

David Ezra Stein

2015/4/23

38:45

David Ezra Stein, author illustrator most recently of Tad and Dad (@NancyRoseEp @PenguinKids), stops by to talk about being a dad advocate, illustrating with a Crayola marker, and the idea that exploration is dangerous, but the pay off can be high. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alison Formento

2015/4/20

41:51

Alison Formento (@AFormento), author of These Rocks Count (@AlbertWhitman), the newest offering in the These Count nature series illustrated by Sarah Snow, stops by to talk about book hangovers, searching for the pith in every story, and the tension of words moving forward and pictures keeping you hooked. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Best Book Ever [this week] - April 19, 2015

2015/4/19

08:40

Five books reviewed in five minutes. - On My Beach by Sara Gillingham, illustrated by Lorena Siminovich - Hop, Hop Bunny by Betty Ann Schwartz and Lynn Seresin, illustrated by Neiko Ng - Polar Bear's Underwear by Tupera Tupera - Hypnotize a Tiger: Poems about just about everything by Calef Brown - A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi (Star Wars Epic Yarns) by Jack and Holman Wang --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Timothy Young

2015/4/16

41:00

Timothy Young (@TimSYoung), author illustrator most recently of The Angry Little Puffin (@SchifferBooks), stops by to talk about creating animations for Pee Wee's playhouse, hiding hundreds of his favorite pictures books into one of his stories, and the amazing way he's connecting with his school visits this year. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Steve Light RETURNS

2015/4/13

45:53

Steve Light (@SteveLight), author illustrator most recently of Have You Seen My Monster? (@Candlewick), stops by to talk about incorporating the 20 Motessori shapes into his newest book, turning new mistakes into better drawings, and why every illustrator needs a good fountain pen. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Best Books Ever (Spring 2015)

2015/4/12

43:27

Carter Higgins (@CarterHiggins) and Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) join me to talk about our favorite books of 2015 so far in this all new segment of the Let's Get Busy podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Kimberly Willis Holt

2015/4/10

34:43

Kimberly Willis Holt, author most recently of Dear Hank Williams (@henryholt, @mackidsbooks), stops by to talk about writing letters to her great grandmother, adding little things in the story to say big things, and how sometimes the pieces all come together when you finally sit down to write. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The Research Before the Research with Kari Lavelle

2024/7/23

29:38

Kari Lavelle, the author of the Butt or Face? series (Sourcebooks) and Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers), illustrated by Bryan Collier, talks about the research before the research in crafting her unique nonfiction series that uses play to engage readers of all ages.

Visit Kari online at https://www.karilavelle.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Butt or Face? series (Sourcebooks) and Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. 

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Summer Episode Swap with The Lil Leaders Podcast

2024/7/27

14:06

In this Summer Episode Swap, The Lil Leaders Podcast host Tina Shepardson talks about ways to make recess more inclusive. Essie shares her experiences of helping kids during recess who feel lonely and/or look sad.  How? By listening to them and at the same time trying to figure out the best way to help. Inspired by the wonderful picture book, The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld, Essie shows compassion, advocacy, empathy, patience, connection, and true friendship through her actions. 

Visit The Lil Leaders Podcast online at thelilleaderspodcast.com

You can pick up your own copy of The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org. You can also use my affiliate link by clicking on the book’s name in our show notes.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Curiosity Comes From Everywhere with Loren Long

2024/7/30

36:53

Loren Long, author illustrator of The Yellow Bus (Roaring Brook Press), talks about his contemplative exploration of the life of a bus.

Visit Loren online at https://lorenlong.com/

You can pick up your own copy of The Yellow Bus (Roaring Brook Press) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Summer Episode Swap with Tree House Together

2024/8/2

16:56

In this Summer Episode Swap, Tree House Together hosts Kara and “T” ask, “Have you ever thought about how all the things you eat start with dirt?” Whether growing food to eat or flowers for beauty, gardening can be a rewarding and fun activity to do as a family. From earthworms to tools to the right amount of water, Kara and “T” talk about all the ingredients needed to help a garden to grow.

Visit the Tree House Together podcast online at Tree House Together.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

Snapping Candids of Summer with Renée Watson and Bea Jackson

2024/8/6

25:13

Renée Watson and Bea Jackson, author and illustrator of Summer is Here (Bloomsbury Publishing), talk about capturing in book form all that summer brings back to you.

Visit Renée Watson online at https://www.Renéewatson.net/

Visit Bea Jackson online at https://www.beagifted.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Summer is Here (Bloomsbury Publishing) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through Bookshop.org.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

How We See Each Other with Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

2024/8/13

56:51

Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr, author and illustrator of Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie War (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers), talk about creating a nexus of goodwill and curiosity that draws into conversation people from all over the place.

Visit Robbi and Matthew online at https://robbiandmatthew.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie War (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through https://bookshop.org/shop/ChildrensBkPod.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.

It’s Happening In Real Time with Maddie Frost

2024/8/20

27:43

Maddie Frost, illustrator and author of Wombats!: Go Camping (Viking Books for Young Readers), talks about the graphic novel space and new female creators of comics coming out of the woodwork.

Visit Maddie online at https://www.maddie-frost.com/

You can pick up your own copy of Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie War (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers) wherever books are found. Consider supporting independent bookstores by shopping through https://bookshop.org/shop/ChildrensBkPod.

Our podcast logo was created by Duke Stebbins (https://stebs.design/). 

Our music is by Podington Bear. 

Podcast hosting by Libsyn. 

You can support the show and buy me a coffee at matthewcwinner.com or by clicking the link in the show notes.

Be well. And read on.