The Children's Book Podcast

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

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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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, 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 (@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 (@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 (@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 (@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