Podcast interviews with authors and illustrators
Listen to in-depth interviews about the joys and struggles of children’s book authors and illustrators.
Search for your favorite picture book people below.
Adam Rex
author-illustrator
New York Times bestseller
Featured Book: WHY?
Oliver Jeffers
OLIVER JEFFERS is an artist, storyteller, father, cartographer and part-time explorer. His work encompasses many forms, from picture books to portraiture, using a variety of media.
Sophie Blackall
Sophie Blackall is an Australian artist and illustrator of children’s books based in Brooklyn, New York. She won the 2016 Caldecott Medal for Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear and the 2019 Medal for Hello Lighthouse.
Grace Lin
Grace Lin, a NY Times bestselling author-illustrator, won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, the Theodor Geisel Honor for Ling and Ting, and a Caldecott Honor for A Big Mooncake for Little Star.
Dan Santat
Dan Santat is a prolific author and illustrator whose picture book The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend won the 2015 Caldecott Medal. He also created the Disney Channel animated series The Replacements.
Helena Ku Rhee
Helena Ku Rhee’s picturebooking podcast interview featuring THE PAPER KINGDOM. Ku Rhee is an author based in Los Angeles. She draws story ideas from her travels as well as her childhood. THE PAPER KINGDOM (illustrated by Pascal Campion) is a story based off of a difficult time made magical by her parents.
Annie Barrows
Annie Barrows – John Marco & Iggy picturebooking 138 | author episode | hosted by Nick Patton | March 4, 2020 Picturebooking Newsletter Apple Podcast ReviewsAnnie Barrows | author Annie Barrows is a New York Times bestselling author, best known for the Ivy...
Anika Denise
Anika Aldamuy Denise writes stories that tickle her funny bone, tug her heartstrings, feed her curiosity, and celebrate her bicultural Puerto Rican-Italian heritage.
Chelsea Clinton
Chelsea Clinton is the picture book author of the #1 New York Times bestseller She Persisted: 13 American Women Who Changed the World and She Persisted Around the World: 13 Women Who Changed History.
Aaron Reynolds
Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times best-selling author and has written many highly acclaimed books for kids, including DUDE!, Creepy Pair of Underwear, Caveboy Dave, and the Caldecott Honor-winning Creepy Carrots.
Ebony Glenn
Ebony Glenn is an Atlanta based illustrator who enjoys bringing stories to life with whimsical imagery.
Holly Hatam
Holly Hatam is an illustrator whose art always makes me smile and whose books inspire me. She lives in Whitby, Ontario.
Stevie Lewis
Stevie Lewis is an illustrator who has been living on the road in a van (she mostly built out herself!) for the past three years, furthering her passion art and the outdoors.
Catia Chien
Catia Chien is an award-winning children’s book illustrator from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is currently working in New York City. She graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California in 2004.
Vanessa Brantley Newton
Vanessa Brantley Newton is a diversity expert and storyteller whose illustrated many books for young readers, including Mary Had a Little Glam.
Why Books?
32 authors and illustrators come back on the show to answer the question … Why picture books are important?
Our Story Begins
26 award winning authors and illustrators share things they wrote and drew as kids in the inspirational book, OUR STORY BEGINS.
Classics
Bruce Handy is currently a contributing editor of Vanity Fair. A former writer and editor at Spy and Time, his articles, essays, reviews, and humor pieces have appeared in such publications as The New York Times Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, New York magazine, Rolling Stone, Vogue, The Village Voice, and The New Yorker.
Self-publishing
Mike & Jonathan Sundy teach us about self-publishing children’s picture books and transitioning from traditional jobs to self-employed creatives.
Struggles
13 authors and illustrators tell us what they find as the most painful thing about the picture book industry. It’s some honest picturebooking therapy. Take a listen and I’m sure you’ll be inspired to continue creating despite the struggles.
LATEST PODCAST INTERVIEWS
David Bowles – My Two Border Towns
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.
Anitra Rowe Schulte – Dancing with Daddy
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.
Bianca Schulze – Don’t Wake the Dragon
Author Bianca Schulze 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!
Sean Rubin – This Very Tree
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.
Arielle Hobbs – Sully the Raccoon
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).
Dave Eggers – Faraway Things
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.
Shelli R. Johannes – Theo Thesaurus
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.
Marla Frazee – The Farmer and the Circus
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.
Paddy Donnelly – The Vanishing Lake
Today’s featured guest is children’s book author and illustrator Paddy Donelly. We also have a picturebooking message from author Elsa Anderson.
Jon Klassen – The Rock from the Sky
Caldecott Medal-winning children’s book author-illustrator Jon Klassen shares deadpan humor in his latest book, THE ROCK FROM THE SKY.
Annelouise Mahoney – A Very Brave Night
Children’s book author-illustrator Annelouise Mahoney shares her journey and debut picture book, JULIUS AND MACY: A VERY BRAVE NIGHT.
Leda Schubert – Nathan’s Song
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.