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New Books in Children's Literature

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Jan 19, 2025 • 43min

Rachel Michelle Wilson, "How to Pee Your Pants: The Right Way" (Feiwel & Friends, 2024)

In our engaging interview, Rachel talks about her hilarious new [picture book, How to Pee Your Pants: The Right Way (published by Feiwel & Friends, October 15, 2024) and the embarrassing real first-grade event which prompted her to write it (According to Rachel, it was 'directed by my little kid self'). Rachel grew up in Utah in a book-loving family, and talked about her dream trips to the Draper Library in the mountains, where they would pile the car full of books. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE turned into a 'book of revelation' and helped chart out her storytelling journey, giving her permission to 'pee her pants and still be loved and appreciated.' In high school, she discovered writing (a poem a day) and loved art, but connected them only when she began to write children's stories. Rachel found her agent, Lindsay Auld, through the slush pile (!) and now has multiple book deals, including a ghost book coming out this summer. Rachel likes to vary her text between simplicity and complexity, adding layers to the story, and drawing humorous elements in the artwork (i.e., tooth braces on the giraffe). Rachel's mantra is "Follow the Fun." A great recipe for us all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Jan 14, 2025 • 54min

David Miles Talks Children's Books

David Miles is co-founder (together with his wife, Stephanie) and Publisher, Bushel & Peck Books, an up-and-coming West Coast children's publisher. In our illuminating interview, he talks about growing up with books, becoming a successful author, illustrator and industry professional, and then the sudden out-of-nowhere urge that led him and his wife to set up their own publishing house. David talks about the steps in creating a successful picture book, and gives sage and somewhat unorthodox advice to authors on their writing journey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 29, 2024 • 50min

Lesléa Newman, "Hanukkah" (Words & Pictures, 2024)

Lesléa Newman is the author of over 85 books for readers of all ages, including the pioneering Heather Has Two Mommies. She has received many literary awards, and her books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Serbian, Kazakh, and Chinese.In this, our second interview, we celebrate her new picture book, entitled Hanukkah (Words & Pictures, October 1, 2024), illustrated by the award-winning Israeli illustrator Rotem Teplow. We talk about how the book came to be, her writing process in general, and advice for other authors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 15, 2024 • 45min

Maya Schleifer, "The Giant's Home" (2022)

Maya Shleifer is a multi-disciplinary author, illustrator, and designer who has illustrated over a dozen children's books. Drawing helped Maya survive a difficult childhood in the Soviet Union, but only after becoming a mother did she begin to realize a growing passion for illustrating, and subsequently writing her own, picture books. We discuss her recent, award-winning picture book, The Giant's Home, which has been translated into several languages (for example La maison du géant, Des Elephant, 2022), as well as A Lion Named Anna (published in Hebrew), and Too Many Golems, written by Jane Yolen, which she recently illustrated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Dec 10, 2024 • 32min

Danielle Sharkan, "Sharing Shalom" (Holiday House, 2024)

Considering the alarming rise in hate and intolerance these days, Danielle Sharkan's new picture book, Sharing Shalom (Holiday House, Sept. 2024, illustrated by Selina Alko) is a welcome injection of positivity. Based on a true story of human kindness following vandalism of a Jewish synagogue, it is a book of unbridled hope. In our interview we talk about Danielle's meteoric rise as a children's author, her rediscovery of Judaism, and her advice for aspiring authors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 29, 2024 • 56min

Mark Hoffmann, "Dirt Cheap" (Knopf Books for Young Readers; 2020)

Mark Hoffmann is an award winning illustrator, painter, author and professor. He was raised in Minnesota and earned his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, and his MFA from UMass-Dartmouth. In our excellent discussion, we talk about what Mark calls "Virtual Vision," and how writing and illustrating picture books interact, focusing on the two wonderful picture books which he both wrote and illustrated, FRUIT BOWL (Knopf Books for Young Readers; 2018) and DIRT CHEAP (Knopf Books for Young Readers; 2020). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 26, 2024 • 43min

Talk to the Editor: A Discussion with Elizabeth Law

In this episode, I talk with children's book editor, Elizabeth Law about her two great loves: children's books and the theater. Specifically, what can picture book authors learn from the theater to make their children's books shine. We talked about similarities in pacing, cadence, anticipation, the importance of the story, and the challenge of turning the adult picture book reader into an actor. Elizabeth's conclusion is that it is fine to learn from plays, musicals, songs and movies, and to study the so-called rules of the picture book mavens. But at the end of the day, it's all about assimilating what fits and doing one's own thing to create the magic that ends up becoming a wonderful book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 18, 2024 • 47min

Highlights Foundation: A Discussion with Executive Director George Brown

George Brown is the executive director of the Highlights Foundation, scion to the Myers family, which created Highlights Magazine. The Highlights Foundation runs workshops for small groups of authors and illustrators in its bucolic surroundings, the homestead of Garry and Caroline Myers, who co-founded Highlights for Children in 1946. George discusses his fascination with children's books and the people who create them, offering tips based on his lifelong experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Nov 3, 2024 • 52min

Sarah Aronson, "Abzuglutely!:Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug" (Calkins Creek Books, 2024)

In this lively interview with author Sarah Aronson, we celebrate her brand new picture book, Abzuglutely!: Battling, Bellowing Bella Abzug, illustrated by Andrea D'Aquino ‎ (Calkins Creek, October 15, 2024), which focuses on Bella's determination to fight for what is right, as part of her belief in Tikun Olam (repairing the world). We talk about Sarah's life and career, and her own quest for Tikun Olam through writing and helping other authors. We also discuss her biography on Rube Goldberg (Just Like Rube Goldberg, illustrated by Robert Neubecker), and the importance of pursuing our passions, and finding joy in the creative process. The interview is interspersed with Sarah's sage advice for authors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Oct 27, 2024 • 1h 7min

Childrens' Books in Public Libraries: A Discussion with Pat (Patrick) Gracey

Pat (Patrick) Gracey is a senior librarian at the Toronto Public Library where he is a children's services specialist, leading the team that selects new picture books for 17 downtown locations (!). In our interview, Pat talks about the magic inherent in picture books, and focuses on some of his favorite Canadian (and semi-Canadian) picture books, including The Log Driver's Waltz by Wade Hemsworth, Illustrations by Jennifer Phelan , Think Again by JonArno Lawson, Illustrated by Julie Morstad, Nana's Cold Day by Adwoa Badoe Pictures by Budshra Junaid, Down by Jim Long's Stage: Rhymes for Children and Young Fish by Al Pittman Illustrated by Pam Hall, Canada Counts (A Charles Pachter Counting Book), Canada in Words by Per-Henrik Gürth, The Night Gardner by The Fan Brothers (Terry and Eric), A Face is a Poem by Julie Morstad, Sleep Little Creep by David Quinn and Ashley Spires (illustrator), The Paper Boat by Thao Lam, and What Happened on Thursday by Ayo Oyeku, illustrated by Lydia Mba. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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