MATTHEWCWINNER

Grace Lin, 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.

Adam Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of Dragons Love Tacos, Those Darn Squirrels, and most recently of Robo-Sauce, all illustrated by Daniel Salmieri, 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.

Adam Lehrhaupt and Matthew Forsythe, 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.

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.

Alexis Frederick-Frost, 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.

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.

Christian Robinson, illustrator most recently of Leo: a Ghost Story, written by Mac Barnett and published by Chronicle Books, 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.

Frané Lessac 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.

Matt Phelan, illustrator of Marilyn's Monster, which is written by Michelle Knudsen and published by Candlewick Press, 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.

Mac Barnett, author most recently of Leo: a Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson and published by Chronicle Books, 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.

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.

Philip Stead and Erin Stead, author and illustrator respectively of Lenny & Lucy, which is published by Roaring Brook Press, 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.

Sophy Henn, 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.

Loren Long, author illustrator most recently of Little Tree, published by Philomel Books, stops by to talk about a simple story about a simple tree, finding a safe harbor in picture books, and letting go.

Elizabeth Lilly 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.

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.

Ed Vere, author illustrator most recently of Max the Brave, which is published by Sourcebooks, stops by to talk about storytelling with a jazz trio, a stubborn and tenacious cat, and how it's all in the eyes.

Nikki Grimes 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

Lizi Boyd, author illustrator of Big Bear, Little Chair, which is published by Chronicle Books, 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."

Jyoti Rajan Gopal, author of Over in the Mangroves (Orchard Books), illustrated by Dikshaa Pawaskar, joins Matthew to talk about a place so magical and so important.