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 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.

AUTHORS

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.

ILLUSTRATORS

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.

EXPERTS/PANELS

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

Cátia Chien – The Bear and the Moon

Children’s book illustrator Cátia Chien shows us that something beautiful can come from creative struggle. Today’s featured book, THE BEAR AND THE MOON is a picture book that follows what happens when the gift of a balloon floats into a bear’s life.

Jon-Erik Lappano – Maggie’s Treasure

Children’s book author Jon-Erik Lappano tells us why nurturing a sense of wonder in kids is essential. Today’s featured book, MAGGIE’S TREASURE, is about a child who turns her passion for collecting into a pleasure for her community.

Alex Willan – Unicorns Are the Worst

Children’s book author-illustrator Alex Willan discusses the power of humor in storytelling, and his picture book UNICORNS ARE THE WORST.

Mac Barnett – Jack, Santa and a Polar Bear in Snow

New York Times-bestselling author Mac Barnett talks about making things (like books) with his friends (like Greg Pizzoli and Shawn Harris) for kids. Today’s featured books are JACK AND SANTA by Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli and A POLAR BEAR IN SNOW by Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris.