The Children's Book Podcast

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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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

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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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, 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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@_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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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