Picturebooking - interviews with authors and illustrators

Guest host Nadia Salomon chats with author Anne Wynter about her debut picture book,  Everybody in the Red Brick Building , illustrated by Oge Mora. Salomon and Wynter compare their experiences of being debut picture book authors. And in the spirit of today's featured book, Nick Patton edited this show in the middle of the night, holding his month-old baby.

Guest host Nadia Salomon chats with New York Times bestselling creator Rafael López about his collaboration with Jacqueline Woodson. Woodson and López remind us how strong we can be in this breathtaking picture book,  The Year We Learned to Fly . López also talks about the importance of illustrating emotions over a more literal interpretation. This episode will inspire you to look up and fly!

Go inside the pages of the picture book  I'll Love You Till The Cows Come Home  by Kathryn Cristaldi and illustrated by Kristyna Litten. How can you use a page turn to make an object dramatically bigger? And how do you create motion in the art when everyone is standing still?

Go inside the pages of the 2022 Caldecott Honor picture book  Have You Ever Seen A Flower?  by Shawn Harris. Why do you think Shawn illustrates rows of flowers and then asks us if we've ever seen one? How does he use the white paper and the medium of color pencils to help tell this story?

Author Nadia Salomon shares why rhyming is complex and why you need to write from the heart. We also discuss her debut picture book  Goodnight Ganesha . This story, illustrated by Poonam Mistry, celebrates the nighttime rituals of two young children visiting their grandparents in India. picturebooking.com/nadia-salomon

Author Paul Hoffman shares the first time he met Nick and how, together, they turned words written on a placemat into the picture book Sam and the Seven-Pound Perch .

After this episode originally aired A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR was named a Caldecott Honor book.  Rebroadcast from Sept. 12, 2018: Grace Lin , a NY Times bestselling author/illustrator, won the Newbery Honor for "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" and the Theodor Geisel Honor for "Ling and Ting." This episode's featured book, " A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR " is a picture book that celebrates...

Rebroadcast from Sept. 12, 2016: Rafael López is the illustrator and inspiration for the picture book MAYBE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL: HOW ART TRANSFORMED A NEIGHBORHOOD. There is so much to love about Rafael's true story and the picture book that captured the spirit of this neighborhood art project.

Rebroadcast from Jan. 27, 2016: Antoinette Portis stops by to chat about her amazing picture books, including WAIT , NOT A BOX and BEST FRINTS .

Rebroadcast from Nov. 5, 2014: Author-illustrator Peter Brown shares his creative thought process along with some of his author-illustrator picture books, including  Mr. Tiger Goes Wild  and  My Teacher is a Monster! No I'm Not .

Author David Bowles shares his life on the U.S.-Mexico border, and he translated that experience into his picture book debut, MY TWO BORDER TOWNS. This story, illustrated by Erika Meza, follows a boy and his father visiting the family, friends and community found on the other side. Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/summer-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email su...

Author Anitra Rowe Schulte shares her journey into picture books and how she found the right story for her character. Today's featured book, DANCING WITH DADDY, is about the excitement of a first father-daughter dance told from the point of view of a character with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/summer-2021-picturebooking-list Become an...

Today's show includes an interview with children's book author Bianca Schulze and a picturebooking message by illustrator Ashley Belote. In the interview, Bianca shares her journey into the world of picture books and her debut picture book, DON'T WAKE THE DRAGON. This interactive bedtime story features a sound-asleep dragon who hopefully will not wake up! Books featured on the show this spring: ht...

Author-illustrator Sean Rubin shares his thoughts about trauma and resilience. Today's featured book, THIS VERY TREE, is a profoundly moving story told from the point of view of the Callery pear tree that survived the attacks on September 11. Books featured on the show this summer: https://bookshop.org/lists/summer-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email subscriber to enter the monthly book givea...

Author Arielle Hobbs shares her mission to see a society that embraces us, all of us, as we are. Today's featured book, SULLY THE RACCOON, is based on Hobbs' son Sullivan (Sully). Told from the perspective of Sully's big brother, this book shares the family's humorous tale of embracing Sully's intellectual disability after he began wearing a raccoon costume. SULLY THE RACCOON: https://www.amazon.c...

Author Dave Eggers shares his passion for helping kids reach their full potential. Today's featured book, FARAWAY THINGS, is about a boy and his sword and how giving away something precious leads to an even more important discovery. Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/spring-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email subscriber to enter the monthly book giveaway: https...

Children's book author Shelli R. Johannes shares her creative wisdom and talks about her Loves Science series and the new picture book THEO THESAURUS. Today's featured book is about Theo, the dinosaur who loves big words! Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/spring-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email subscriber to enter the monthly book giveaway: https://pictureb...

Two-time Caldecott Honoree Marla Frazee talks about how making picture books help her through life's challenges. Today's featured book is her conclusion to the farmer trilogy, THE FARMER AND THE CIRCUS. Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/spring-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email subscriber: https://picturebooking.com/email

Today's featured guest is children's book author and illustrator Paddy Donelly. We also have a picturebooking message from author Elsa Anderson about her new book; THE LITTLE MANDARIN REACHES THE STARS. In the interview with Paddy, we discuss stories that combine and blur fiction and non-fiction. Today's featured book, THE VANISHING LAKE, is about a young girl's determination, a granddad's wisdom,...

Caldecott Medal-winning children's book author-illustrator Jon Klassen shares deadpan humor in his latest book, THE ROCK FROM THE SKY. Today's show also features THE DOG'S GARDENER and THE HAPPINESS OF A DOG WITH A BALL IN ITS MOUTH. Picturebooking Episode Page: https://picturebooking.com/jon-klassen-the-rock-from-the-sky Books featured on the show this spring: https://bookshop.org/lists/spring-20...

Children's book author-illustrator Annelouise Mahoney shares her journey and debut picture book, JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT. Today's featured book is an enchanting woodland tale about bravery and friendship. Books featured on the show this winter: https://picturebooking.com/winter21 Become an email subscriber to enter the monthly book giveaway: https://picturebooking.com/email

Today's guest is children's book author Leda Schubert . In the interview, Leda discusses writing, awe of picture books, and family. Today's featured book, NATHAN'S SONG , is a positive portrayal of the Jewish immigrant experience in the early 1900s, based on Leda's grandfather. Books featured on the show this winter: https://bookshop.org/lists/winter-2021-picturebooking-list Become an email subscr...

Today's guest children's book author Kathleen Krull passed away on January 15 following a brief illness. We recorded this talk on January 13. Here is her publisher's weekly obituary: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/85350-obituary-kathleen-krull.html Today's show also includes a picturebooking message by author Hilary Robinson. In the interview, Kath...

Today's show includes an interview with children's book illustrator Kaylani Juanita and picturebooking messages by authors Ruth Spiro and Ruth Forman. 
 In the interview, Kaylani discusses racism and children's literature. Today's featured book, A HOUSE FOR EVERY BIRD, is about a young artist whose drawings rebel against her when she tries to put her sketched birds in houses that match how they lo...

Today's guests include an interview with children's book author Kate Hoefler and a picturebooking message by author Katherine Picarde. 
 In the interview, Kate helps us find common ground by examining the phrase "nothing in common." Today's featured book, with that same phrase, NOTHING IN COMMON, is a thoughtful, compassionate story that has the power to bring us together. Books featured on the sh...