SCBWI Conversations

In this week's episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Nova Ren Suma!Nova Ren Suma is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling The Walls Around Us and A Room Away from the Wolves, which were both finalists for the Edgar Award. She also wrote Imaginary Girls and 17 & Gone and co-edited the story & craft anthology Foreshadow: Stories to Celebrate the Magic of Reading and Writing YA. She has an MFA in fiction from Columbia University and has taught creative writing at the University of Pennsylvania and Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from the Hudson Valley, she spent most of her adult life in New York City, and now lives in Philadelphia. Her new novel Wake the Wild Creatures is out now from Little, Brown.Check out her website: novaren.comBuy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781616206727Follow her on IG here: www.instagram.com/novarenSupport the show

In this week's episode of the SCBWI Podcast we are joined by Kate Messner. New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner is passionately curious and writes books that encourage kids to wonder, too. Kate's titles include both fiction and nonfiction; she writes award-winning picture books, easy readers, chapter book series, and novels for young readers. Her books are frequently nominated for state book award lists and have been honored with the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, Golden Kite and Crystal Kite Awards, Riverby Award for Natural History Writing, and Nerdy Book Club Awards. Kate's science themed books have also been selected as finalists for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize and named to the NSTA/CBC list of Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12.  Kate is a frequent speaker at conferences for writers and educators and visits schools all over the world to talk with students about books, writing, and the power of curiosity. Purchase her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-trouble-with-heroes-kate-messner/21573976?ean=9781547616398&next=tFollow her on IG here: www.instagram.com/katemessnerSupport the show

In this weeks episode we are joined by Barbara McClintock!Barbara McClintock is an American illustrator and author of over 40 books for children. Her books have received numerous awards and citations, including five New York Times Best Illustrated Picture Book Awards, four ALA Notable Book Citations, a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Award, a China Times Best Illustrated Books Award, and a British Fantasy Award. One of her books is a best-selling title in Japan.Her artwork has been exhibited and is in the collections of libraries, museums and galleries around the world.She has lectured about her work nationally and internationally, and is currently teaching classes on creating children's books at Wesleyan University. She has served on the board of directors of the Eric Carle Museum, and chaired the Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators.Barbara is self-educated as an illustrator, learning by studying and copying artwork from books checked out of public libraries.Originally from New Jersey and North Dakota, she now resides in northeastern CT with her partner, the illustrator David Johnson, and their three overly-helpful cats.Buy her latest book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781534418509Follow her here: https://www.instagram.com/barbaramcclintockart/Support the show

This week we are joined by author Kyle Lukoff and illustrator Levi Hastings! From Newbery Honor and Stonewall Book Award–winning author Kyle Lukoff and celebrated picture book illustrator Levi Hastings comes an “approachable, engaging” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) picture book about how people found community in a time when they had to keep their true selves secret.“Are you a friend of Dorothy?”In a time when the LGBTQ+ community was forced to hide in the shadows, a woman named Dorothy helped her people find each other in the dark and celebrate themselves in the light.But who was Dorothy? Was she from the neighborhood, someone's wife, mother, or sister? Was she that clever writer, who threw parties where there were no rules about who you could and couldn't dance with? Or was she a girl from Kansas, who dreamed of leaving her black-and-white, small-town life and finding a vibrant, colorful world that loved her?Dorothy might have been all these things—because Dorothy, as known by the post-WWII queer community, wasn't real. Still, she helped a community find connection and care amidst adversity.Buy the book here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781665931663Follow Kyle Here: www.instagram.com/kylelukoffwritesFollow Levi Here: https://www.instagram.com/levihastingsart/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast we are joined by Donna Barba Higuera!Donna grew up in Central California surrounded by agricultural and oil fields. As a child, rather than dealing with the regular dust devils, she preferred spending recess squirreled away in the janitor's closet with a good book. Her favorite hobbies were calling dial-a-story over and over again, and sneaking into a restricted cemetery to weave her own spooky tales using the crumbling headstones as inspiration. ​Donna's Middle Grade and Picture Books are about kids who find themselves in odd or scary situations.​ From language to cultural differences in being biracial life can become…complicated. So like Donna,  characters tackle more than just the bizarre things that happen to them in their lives. Donna likes to write about all things funny, but also sad, and creepy, and magical. If you like those things, she hopes you will read her books! ​Donna lives in Washington State with her family, two dogs and a frog.​Buy here latest novel:https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781646144129And check out the rest of her books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/donna-barba-higueraVisit Donna's website here: https://www.dbhiguera.com/Follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/donnabarbahiguera/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast we are joined by Maria van Lieshout!Maria is a Dutch-American illustrator and graphic novelist.She was born and raised near Amsterdam, and studied Visual Communications at George Washington University in DC. Maria has illustrated and written 15 picture books for kids. Her graphic novel Song of a Blackbird is inspired by historic events, including those that affected her own family, during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. Maria lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and their son.Buy here latest novel: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781250869814And check out the rest of her books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/maria-van-lieshoutVisit Maria's website here: https://www.vanlieshoutstudio.com/Follow her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/vanlieshoutstudio/Support the show

In this episode of the podcast we are joined by Maggie Tokuda-Hall!Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in creative writing from USF, and BA in art from Scripps College. She's the author of numerous award winning, best-selling children's and young adult books including Love in the Library, The Mermaid the Witch and The Sea duology, Squad, and The Worst Ronin. She has been called “... one of the most unflinching voices in contemporary genre literature.”Maggie is a founding member and national leader of Authors Against Book Bans. She is the co-host of the Failure to Adapt podcast. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, children, and objectively perfect dog. Buy Maggie's books here: https://bookshop.org/shop/MaggieTokudaHallCheck out her website here:https://www.prettyokmaggie.com/Follow her on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/maggietokudahall/Support the show

In this episode we are joined by Erin Entrada Kelly!Erin Entrada Kelly has received numerous awards and recognition for her work, including the 2025 Newbery Medal for The First State of Being, 2018 Newbery Medal for Hello, Universe, a 2021 Newbery Honor for We Dream of Space, the 2023 NAIBA Book of the Year Award for Those Kids From Fawn Creek, and 2017 APALA Award for The Land of Forgotten Girls, among many other honors. She is also a National Book Award Finalist and author/illustrator of Marisol Rainey and Felix Powell, stand-alone stories for younger readers. Her books are New York Times bestsellers.Before becoming a children's author, Erin worked as a journalist and magazine editor in her home state of Louisiana. She received numerous awards from the Louisiana Press Association and the Associated Press for community service journalism, feature writing, and editing. She has published more than thirty short stories and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Philippines Free Press Award for Short Fiction.Erin has a bachelor's degree in women's studies and liberal arts from McNeese State University and an MFA in fiction from Rosemont College. She lives in Delaware and teaches in the MFAC program at Hamline University.Buy Erin's books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/erin-entrada-kelly  This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Listen In: conversation & cultivation, a writing program from award-winning authors Elana K. Arnold and Nina LaCour @elanakarnold @nina_lacourLearn more at ninalacour.comSupport the show

In this episode we are joined by Neal Shusterman!Neal Shusterman is the New York Times bestselling author of more than fifty award-winning books for children, teens, and adults, including Challenger Deep, which won the National Book Award, Courage to Dream, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Scythe, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, the Unwind Dystology, which won more than thirty domestic and international awards, and the highly acclaimed novels, Dry, and Roxy which he co-wrote with his son, Jarrod   For his body of work, Neal won the 2024 Margaret A. Edwards Award, and the ALAN Lifetime Achievement Award. His novel, Unwind, has become part of the literary canon in many school districts across the country-and has won more than thirty domestic and international awards. Many of his novels are in development as TV series and movies.Shusterman has also received awards from organizations such as the International Reading Association, and the American Library Association, and has garnered a myriad of state and local awards across the country. His talents range from film directing, to writing music and stage plays, and has even tried his hand at creating games.Shusterman has earned a reputation as a storyteller and dynamic speaker. As a speaker, he is in constant demand at schools and conferences. Degrees in both psychology and drama give him a unique approach to writing, and his novels always deal with topics that appeal to adults as well as teens, weaving true-to-life characters into sensitive and riveting issues, and binding it all together with a unique and entertaining sense of humor. Neal lives in Jacksonville, Florida, but spends much of his time traveling the world speaking, exploring, and signing books for readers. . Visit Neal at www.storyman.com, facebook.com/NealShusterman, and on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @nealshustermanPurchase his latest book, All Better Now here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781534432758This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Listen In: conversation & cultivation, a writing program from award-winning authors Elana K. Arnold and Nina LaCourLearn more at ninalacour.comSupport the show

In this episode we are joined by Paul O. Zelinsky!Paul O. Zelinsky grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, the son of a mathematics professor father and a medical illustrator mother. He drew compulsively from an early age, but did not know until college that this would be his career. As a Sophomore in Yale College he enrolled in a course on the history and practice of the picture book, co-taught by an English professor and Maurice Sendak. This experience inspired Paul to point himself in the direction of children's books. His first book appeared in 1978, since which time he has become recognized as one of the most inventive and critically successful artists in the field.He now lives with his wife in Brooklyn, New York. They have two grown daughters.Among many other awards and prizes, he received the 1998 Caldecott Medal for his illustrated retelling of Rapunzel, as well as Caldecott Honors for three of his books: Hansel and Gretel (1985), Rumpelstiltskin (1987), and Swamp Angel (1995). In 2018, Paul was given the Carle Honor Award for Illustration.Check out his books here: https://www.paulozelinsky.com/Support the show

In this episode we are joined by Oliver Latsch!Translator and agent Oliver Latsch grew up bilingual in German and English in East Africa and Germany. He trained to be a scientist and had just completed his PhD in Biology in the U.K. when he was asked to help get some best-selling German children's books published in English. This led to a career as a literary agent and translator. Since then, he has accumulated 17 published book translations both from German to English and vice versa. His translation of Cornelia Funke's The Thief Lord from German into English was shortlisted for the 2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding translated book and his most recent translations include The Magicians Map by Mikki Lish and Kelly Ngai (into German) , The Silver Tracks (Mirrorworld 4) by Cornelia Funke, Robin Hood and Erik the Red by Tilman Röhrig, and Save Our Freedom: A Wake-Up Call in Digital Times by Bijan Moini (into English).Check out his site here: https://latschlit.wordpress.com/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Erin Lee!Erin Lee is an elementary school teacher and artist living in Long Sault, Ontario. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with an Honors degree in Fine Arts, Visual Arts. Erin has published three award-winning children's books: Benjamin and the Backyard Beast, Out of Season, and Maggie the Magnificent. Erin has written short stories and novels since she was a child. As a young student, she idolized authors such as Robert Munsch, Dr. Suess, and Roald Dahl. Having adventures of her own that she wanted to share, Erin began to write stories herself. Erin's love of literature is what inspired her to become a teacher, so that she could share her passion for reading and always be surrounded by books. Erin currently teaches Kindergarten and though, at times, she feels like Ms. Frizzle with her wild avant-garde lessons, she adores her students and often draws upon memorable classroom moments in her stories. It is also through childhood stories that she addresses important topics, such as bullying, inclusion, and anxiety within the classroom setting. She believes that no matter how subtle or minuscule these issues may manifest within the classroom, ensuring that they do not go unheard is crucial for the growth of a child.https://www.erinleeauthor.com/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by artist John Parra!John Parra is an award-winning artist, illustrator, author, and educator, best known for his, Latino themed, children's picture books. His work on, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year. His MTA artcard poster, Birdhouse Subways, was displayed throughout NYC subways and his art was seen on six U.S. Forever Postage Stamps titled: Delicioso. He regularly speaks as a visiting artist at schools and literary conferences across the country, advocating art and reading education and was also invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY to present a special event about his career and illustrations. His book, Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son, is his debut as both author and illustrator and has received numerous starred reviews and recognitions. John currently lives with his wife, Maria, in Queens, New York.You can check his books out here: https://johnparraart.com/books/Follow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/johnparraart/?hl=enSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Michael Dante DiMartino!Michael Dante DiMartino is an American animator, producer, writer, and director. He is best known, together with Bryan Konietzko, as the co-creator of the animated TV series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, both on Nickelodeon.He has also written for podcasts and has authored novels. You can purchase his latest, Both Here And Gone on his website: https://www.michaeldantedimartino.com/product-page/both-here-and-thenFollow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/mike_dante_d/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Desmond Hall!Desmond Hall was born in Jamaica, West Indies, and moved to Jamaica, Queens. He has worked as a high school biology and English teacher in East New York, Brooklyn; counseled teenage ex-cons after their release from Rikers Island; and served as Spike Lee's creative director at Spike DDB. Desmond has served on the board of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids and the Advertising Council and judged the One Show, the American Advertising Awards, and the NYC Downtown Short Film Festival. He's also been named one of Variety magazine's Top 50 Creatives to Watch. Desmond is the author of the gritty YA novel Your Corner Dark which confronts the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family. He lives outside of Boston with his wife and two daughters.Purchase his book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/better-must-come/18934206?ean=9781534460744Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Margaret Finnegan!Margaret Finnegan is the author of the Junior Library Guild Selections Sunny Parker Is Here to Stay, New Kids and Underdogs, We Could Be Heroes, and Susie B. Won't Back Down. Her work has appeared in FamilyFun, the Los Angeles Times, Salon, and other publications. She lives in South Pasadena, California, where she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, and baking really good chocolate cakes. Visit her online at MargaretFinnegan.com.Purchase her book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/sunny-parker-is-here-to-stay-margaret-finnegan/20163181?ean=9781665930086Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Dan Gutman!New York Times best-selling and award-winning author Dan Gutman has written more than 190 books for readers from kindergarten through middle school. Dan's My Weird School series includes 100+ titles, and has sold more than 35 million copies globally over the past 20 years. Dan also is the author of the best-selling Genius Files series, the Baseball Card Adventure series, and many more.Dan's books have been named Junior Library Guild Selections and Bank Street College's Best Children's Books of the Year, and have been awarded numerous state book awards, including: The California Young Reader Medal, the Massachusetts Children's Book Award, and the Iowa Children's Choice Award, among others. When he's not writing books, Dan loves to ride his bike, play pickleball, throw Frisbees, and explore New York City where he lives with his wife Nina. To find out more, follow Dan on Facebook, X, and Instagram.Buy his books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/dan-gutman-3f460210-405d-476a-b005-507ccb560d15https://bookshop.org/p/books/my-weirdtastic-school-4-miss-nichol-is-in-a-pickle-dan-gutman/20097761?ean=9780063207066https://dangutman.com/https://dangutman.com/books/Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess !Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess first became a teacher as a young teen during the Bosnian Genocide. In a letter written by President Joe Biden himself, he wrote: “I am inspired by the bravery and strength you have shown in the face of heartbreaking tragedy and persecution.” Reflecting on Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess' award-winning memoir The Cat I Never Named (Bloomsbury, 2020), the President described her as “the very idea of America” itself. As a Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) woman and survivor of the Bosnian Genocide, who immigrated to America, Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess has transformed from being an object of hate-fueled violence to a renowned scholar, author, activist, and storyteller who is an exemplar of resilience in the face of hate and extremism. Today, Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess is a professor and researcher at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has taught, researched, and published on a range of issues in education, including Educational Displacement, hate prevention, and storytelling. Dr. Sabic-El-Rayess engages regularly with diverse audiences around the world.Buy her books here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/three-summers-laura-l-sullivan/18643174?ean=9780374390815https://www.sabicelrayess.org/https://www.sabicelrayess.org/booksSupport the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Phil Bildner!Phil Bildner is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books for young people including the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award Honor-winning middle grade novel, A High Five for Glenn Burke, the Margaret Wise Brown Prize-winning picture book, Marvelous Cornelius, and the Texas Bluebonnet Award-winning picture book Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy. Phil is also the author of A Whole New Ballgame, Rookie of the Year, Tournament of Champions, and Most Valuable Players in the critically acclaimed middle grade Rip & Red series. His other picture books include Martina & Chrissie, Twenty-One Elephants, and The Soccer Fence. His latest is the biography, Glenn Burke, Game Changer.Phil grew up on Long Island, studied political science at Johns Hopkins University, and then attended law school at New York University School of Law. After passing the bar in New York and New Jersey and working for a short time as an associate at a large Manhattan law firm, Phil went back to school and earned a master's degree in early childhood and elementary education at Long Island University.For eleven years, Phil taught in the New York City Public Schools. He taught fifth and sixth grade in the Tremont section of the Bronx in the 1990s and middle school Language Arts and American History in Manhattan in the 2000s.After leaving the classroom to write full time, Phil began chaperoning student-volunteer trips to New Orleans to help in the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. He founded The NOLA Tree, a non-profit youth service organization and served as the co-Executive Director for several years.In 2017, Phil founded The Author Village, an author booking business and speakers bureau. He now represents over eighty book creators for young people, educators, and librarians.Phil also serves on the Board of Directors of Baldwin for the Arts, the non-profit organization founded by Jacqueline Woodson and whose mission is to create a safe and nurturing space for Artists of The Global Majority.These days, Phil lives in Newburgh, New York with his husband in a two-hundred-year-old farmhouse. Most of the time, you'll find him out in the yard playing with his dog named Kat, hanging with his cats named Primrose and Rue, or working on the back porch (aka, his office) overlooking the Hudson River.Buy his latest book here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/glenn-burke-game-changer-the-man-who-invented-the-high-five-phil-bildner/19745586?ean=9780374391225Phil's Websitehttps://philbildner.com/Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Tracy van Straaten!TRACY VAN STRAATEN, Founder and PresidentFounded in 2019, TvS Media Group LLC  is an award-winning boutique public relations and consulting firm specializing in book publishing, entertainment, and brand management, with particular expertise in children's and young adult media. Founder and President Tracy van Straaten has more than 30 years of publicity, communications, and marketing experience, and she has created hundreds of campaigns for bestselling, award-winning, and debut authors, as well as beloved characters, celebrities, and brands.Over the course of her career, she has directed media campaigns and strategy for more than 200 New York Times bestsellers, including Suzanne Collins's bestselling The Hunger Games series; He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo; Olivia by Ian Falconer; and the re-launch of the Eloise series by Kay Thompson and Hilary Knight, for which van Straaten received a Literary Marketplace (LMP) Award for publicity campaign. Her longstanding media and industry relationships and vast network of national contacts across all media platforms have resulted in an impressive track record of high-profile placements. In 2023, TvS Media Group was awarded a Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Chicago Skyline Award of Excellence and a Publicity Club of Chicago Golden Trumpet Award for the media campaign for the 30th Anniversary of Goosebumps by R.L. Stine.Tracy van Straaten has held publicity and marketing positions at Little, Brown and Company, HarperCollins, William Morrow, Simon & Schuster, and, from 2006-2019, Vice President of Communications, Publicity, and Educational Marketing for the Scholastic Trade publishing division. She served on the board of the Children's Book Council, holds a B.A. in English and Art History from Hamilton College, and earned a master's degree in Children's Literature from Simmons University in Boston. In 2017, she received the Simmons University Alumni Achievement Award for Excellence in Children's Literature. She currently serves on the board of The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction.Check out their services here: https://www.tvsmediagroup.com/servicesSupport the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by F.T. Lukens!Debbie Ridpath Ohi is a children's book author and illustrator who has helped create over 20 books for young people. She loves her job. She is the author and illustrator of I WANT TO READ ALL THE BOOKS, WHERE ARE MY BOOKS?, and SAM & EVA (Simon & Schuster). Her illustrations have appeared in books by Judy Blume, Michael Ian Black, Linda Sue Park, and others. You can find Debbie on Bluesky, SubStack, Instagram, her Bookstagram, Facebook, YouTube, X,https://debbieohi.com/PreOrder Debbie's Book Here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/i-want-to-read-all-the-books-debbie-ridpath-ohi/21108507?ean=9781481416306and check out the rest of Debbie's books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/debbie-ridpath-ohi-f05414b5-6e3d-4c1b-b0e0-74bae07489b5Support the Show.

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by F.T. Lukens!F.T. Lukens is a New York Times bestselling author of YA speculative fiction including the novels Spell Bound, So This Is Ever After (2023 ALA Rainbow Booklist; 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards nominee), In Deeper Waters (2022 ALA Rainbow Booklist; Junior Library Guild Selection), and the forthcoming Otherworldly as well as other science-fiction and fantasy works. F.T. resides in North Carolina with their spouse, three kids, three dogs, and three cats.Buy Otherworldy here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/otherworldly-f-t-lukens/20163013?ean=9781665916257and check out the rest of F.T.'s  books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/f-t-lukensFollow them on IG here:@ftlukensF.T.'s website:https://www.ft-lukens.com/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by renowned illustrator/cartoonist/graphic novelist Cece Bell!Cece Bell has written and illustrated many books for children, among them the beloved Sock Monkey books, the Geisel Award-winning Rabbit and Robot: The Sleepover, and the Newbery Honor-winning graphic novel El Deafo. She and her husband, author Tom Angleberger, have also collaborated on the picture book Crankee Doodle and the Inspector Flytrap chapter book series. She lives in Virginia with her family.Check out Animal Albums here:https://animalalbums.com/Purchase it here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781536226249and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/cece-bell-74593ea1-f31a-48fa-9d96-63a49686525bFollow her on IG here: @cecebellbooksCece's websitececebell.wordpress.comTwitter @CeceBellBooks.A transcript of this episode is available here or if you are a member under Member Resources:  https://scbwiprdstorage.blob.core.windows.net/scbwiprdfiles/attachments/Cece_Bell_Transcript_Final.pdfSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by John Schu aka Mr. Schu!John Schu has made a career out of advocating for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, and the people that connect them. He was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker for his dynamic interactions with students and his passionate adoption of new technologies as a means of connecting authors, illustrators, books, and readers. He is the children's librarian for Bookelicious, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and shares his love of reading with countless educators and students around the world. He served as the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs for almost 6 years. He is the author of This Is a School (Candlewick Press, 2022) illustrated by Veronica Miller Jamison, This Is a Story (Candlewick Press, 2023) illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Lauren Castillo, Louder Than Hunger (Candlewick, 2024) and The Gift of Story: Exploring the Affective Side of the Reading Life (Stenhouse, 2022). He is a contributor to The Creativity Project (Little, Brown, 2018), edited by Colby Sharp. John Schu lives in Naperville, Illinois. Buy Louder Than Hunger Here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781536229097and check out the rest of John's books here:https://www.johnschu.com/Follow him on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/mrschureads/Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Cátia Chien!Cátia Chien is a 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. She has produced work for several publishing companies, including Random House, Penguin Books and Candlewick Press.Buy The Bear and the Moon here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-bear-and-the-moon-matthew-burgess/14350474?ean=9781452171913and her other books here: https://bookshop.org/contributors/catia-chien-00827b04-86e9-47f1-82d2-fbf0ddba864eand check out the rest of her art here:https://www.catiachien.com/SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Richard Jesse Watson!Port Townsend painter, illustrator, and sculptor, Richard Jesse Watson, has received numerous awards and several of his books were New York Times Bestsellers. His paintings hang in museums, corporate and private collections internationally. Watson is an accomplished artist and perpetual experimenter. He often breaks out of boxes in his quest for originality. "His work is a process of thinking: …to balance and nod to the extremes on either end of an idea.” Kristin Tollefson, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.“I love being in this zone coaxing dreams into reality or caressing reality back into a dream.”  Buy The Legend of Saint Christopher: From the Golden Legend, Englished by William Caxton, 1483 here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-legend-of-saint-christopher-from-the-golden-legend-englished-by-william-caxton-1483-margaret-hodges/12578003?ean=9780802853608and check out the rest of his art here:https://www.rjwatsonart.com/SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this Podcast Replay, we are joined by James Ransome, the iconic illustrator of classics like Before She Was Harriet (written by Lesa Cline-Ransome), Uncle Jed's Barbershop, Visiting Day, and so many more incomparable titles. James never does the same thing twice, and in our expansive and focused conversation, we discussed ways of seeing, color and quilts, his mentorship with the great Jerry Pinkney, and how his love of Parliament Funkadelic keeps him experimenting.Follow James on Instagram: jransomillustrFollow James on Facebook: James Ransome IllustrationJames's Website: https://jamesransome.comSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Kwame Mbalia!Kwame is a husband, father, writer, a New York Times bestselling author, a former pharmaceutical metrologist, and a publisher with Freedom Fire Books, an imprint of Disney-Hyperion. His debut middle-grade novel, TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY was awarded a Coretta Scott King Author Honor, and it—along with the sequels TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD and TRISTAN STRONG KEEPS PUNCHING—is published by Rick Riordan Presents/Disney-Hyperion. He is the co-author of LAST GATE OF THE EMPEROR with Prince Joel Makonnen, from Scholastic Books, and the editor of the #1 New York Times bestselling anthology BLACK BOY JOY, published by Delacorte Press. A Howard University graduate and a Midwesterner now in North Carolina, he survives on Dad jokes and Cheezits.Buy Rick Riordan Presents Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (a Tristan Strong Novel, Book 1):https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781368042413and check out the rest of his books here:https://www.kwamembalia.com/Follow him on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/mbalia1/Register for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Eugene Yelchin!Eugene Yelchin is a graduate of the Academy of Theater Arts in St. Petersburg, Russia where he designed sets and costumes for stage productions until his immigration to the United States. In Los Angeles, CA, he earned his graduate degree from the USC School of Cinematic Arts after which, he went on to direct television commercials and illustrate advertising campaigns (designing the original polar bears for Coca Cola). His first character designs were for the animated movie Rango, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, as well as Annie Award for Character Design. While illustrating for editorial publications, creating character design for animation, and directing commercials, Yelchin were also painting. His paintings were shown in nine solo and dozens group exhibitions, and today, they are in important art collections in the US, Europe, Australia, and Japan.In 2006 at the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators conference in New York, Yelchin received Tomie DePaola Illustration Award and began writing and illustrating books for children. Since then, Yelchin received numerous awards for his books. Among them are Newbery Honor (Breaking Stalin's Nose), National Book Award Finalist (The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge co-authored with M.T. Anderson), Sydney Taylor Award (The Genius Under the Table), National Jewish Book Award (The Rooster Prince of Breslov), Golden Kite Award (The Haunting of Falcon House), Crystal Kite Award (Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku), and many more.Buy The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain here:https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781536215526and check out the rest of his books here:https://www.eugeneyelchin.com/booksRegister for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

Theo Baker talks with the chart-busting illustrator and book creator, Vashti Harrison, about how she anticipated success, and built her incredible career. Theo even got in a few questions about experimental film. For all the latest on Vashti, head over to her website www.vashtiharrison.com, and follow her on Twitter at @VashtiHarrison and Instagram at @vashtiharrison. For more info about the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, please visit SCBWI.org. Support the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Brandy Colbert!Brandy Colbert is the award-winning author of several books for children and teens, including Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which was the winner of the 2022 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Nonfiction and a finalist for the American Library Association's Excellence in Young Adult Nonfiction Award. Her other acclaimed books include Pointe, The Only Black Girls in Town, and Stonewall Book Award winner Little & Lion. Her writing has been published in the New York Times, and her short stories and essays have appeared in several critically acclaimed anthologies for young people. She is on faculty at Hamline University's MFA program in writing for children, and lives in Los Angeles.https://www.brandycolbert.com/Buy The Blackwoods here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-blackwoods-brandy-colbert/19646205?ean=9780063091597and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/brandy-colbertRegister for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Lee Rowland!Lee Rowland served for over a decade as a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the New York Civil Liberties Union.  She has extensive experience as a litigator, lobbyist, and public speaker. She has served as lead counsel in federal First Amendment cases involving public employee speech rights, the First Amendment rights of community advocates, government regulation of digital speech, and state secrecy surrounding the lethal injection process. She is also a prolific author of amicus briefs and blogs, where she provides insightful analyses of issues such as speech and privacy intersection, student and public employee speech, obscenity, and the Communications Decency Act. She also has represented several NCAC Partner Organizations.How to Get Involved:https://ncac.org/project/the-kids-right-to-read-project/kids-right-to-readFollow the NCAC here:https://www.instagram.com/ncacensorship/Register for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Bobbito Garcia!NYC native Bobbito García is a visionary creative who has put an indelible footprint on multiple urban movements.During the 1990s, the legendary air personality was one-half of the “Stretch and Bobbito” program on WKCR. The duo introduced the world to an unsigned Nas, Biggie, and Wu-Tang, as well as an unknown Jay-Z, Eminem, and the Fugees. The total record sales for all the artists that premiered on their platform exceed 300 million. In 1998, the Source Magazine voted them as “The Best Hip Hop Radio Show of All Time,“ and in 2023, they were inducted into the NAB Radio Hall of Fame.As the progenitor of sneaker journalism, García penned his landmark Source article “Confessions of a Sneaker Addict” in 1990, then in 2003 became the critically acclaimed author of Where'd You Get Those? NYC's Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 (Testify Books). In 2005, ESPN's “It's The Shoes” series, hosted by Bobbito, became the first show on the subject in broadcasting history. A founding member of the Kennedy Center's Hip Hop Culture Council and a 2018 Wesleyan University “Distinguished Alumni Award” recipient,  "Kool Bob Love” currently produces his b-ball tournament Full Court 21™ in four continents, co-produces Stretch & Bobbito + The M19s Band music, is a DJ/Host on Apple Music Hits' “Stretch and Bobbito Radio,“ and is the proud author of his first children's book titled Aim High, Little Giant, Aim High!www.koolboblove.comFollow Bobbito on Instagram @koolboblove Buy Aim High, Little Giant, Aim High! here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/aim-high-little-giant-aim-high-bobbito-garcia/20576498?aid=79539&ean=9798888901533&listref=books-i-ve-authored-c15b87e5-577b-482c-8763-8ef0ed6c1ac7&and check out his bookshop:https://bookshop.org/shop/koolbobloveRegister for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Kate DiCamillo!Kate DiCamillo is the author of many books for young readers. Her books have been awarded the Newbery Medal (Flora & Ulysses in 2014 and The Tale of Despereaux in 2004); the Newbery Honor (Because of Winn-Dixie, 2001), the Boston Globe Horn Book Award (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, 2006), and the Theodor Geisel Medal and honor (Bink and Gollie, co-author Alison McGhee, 2011; Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride, 2007). She is a National Ambassador for Young People's Literature Emerita, appointed by the Library of Congress.A native of Florida, Kate now lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.https://www.katedicamillo.com/Buy The Puppets of Spelhorst here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-puppets-of-spelhorst-kate-dicamillo/19660446?ean=9781536216752and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/kate-dicamillo-c2ac26f8-7768-41eb-b8ca-92dbd9cbba12Register for the 2024 In-Person Conference Here: https://www.scbwi.org/events/scbwi-in-person-winter-conference-2024SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Sally J. Pla!In addition to being an advocate for neurodiversity and autism acceptance, Sally J. Pla is the award-winning author of The Someday Birds and Stanley Will Probably Be Fine (HarperCollins), and the picture book Benji, The Bad Day, And Me (Lee and Low). Her next middle-grade novel, The Fire, The Water, and Maudie McGinn (HarperCollins/QuillTree), is slated for Summer 2023.She's also co-founder and editor of A Novel Mind, a web resource on mental health and neurodiversity in children's lit. Find out more at https://linktr.ee/SallyJPla, and follow her on Twitter @sallyjpla.https://sallyjpla.com/https://www.instagram.com/sallyjpla/Buy The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-fire-the-water-and-maudie-mcginn-sally-j-pla/18968427?ean=9780063268791and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/sally-j-plaSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Dhonielle Clayton!Dhonielle Clayton is a New York Times Bestselling author of The Belles series, Shattered Midnight, co-author of Blackout, and the co-author of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books, and President of Cake Creative, an IP story kitchen dedicated to diverse books for all ages. She's an avid traveler, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Up next: The Marvellers, her middle grade fantasy debut. You can find her on social media @brownbookworm. https://www.dhonielleclayton.com/https://www.instagram.com/brownbookworm/Buy The Marvellers here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-marvellers-dhonielle-clayton/16191610and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/dhonielle-claytonSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Naz Kutub!Naz Kutub was born and raised in Singapore, and currently lives in Los Angeles with his partner Benson, and his two furry garbage collectors – Alex and Raffe. He will forever be grateful to fried chicken for being a primary motivator in his early years, and also for preventing him from becoming a fitness model, because writing is much more fulfilling.https://nazkutub.com/https://www.instagram.com/nazkutub/Buy The Loophole here: https://bookshop.org/a/19191/9781547609178SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Katherine Marsh!Katherine Marsh is an award-winning author of novels for middle-grade readers including The Lost Year (coming January 2023!); Nowhere Boy, winner of the Middle East Book Award; The Night Tourist, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery; Jepp, Who Defied the Stars, a New York Times Notable; and The Door By The Staircase, a Junior Library Guild selection. Katherine grew up in Yonkers, New York in the home of her Ukrainian grandma who taught her to love stories and borscht. A former journalist and managing editor of The New Republic, Katherine lives in Washington, DC with her husband, two children and an astonishing array of pets.https://katherinemarsh.com/https://www.instagram.com/katherinemarshauthorBuy  The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Faminehttps://bookshop.org/p/books/the-lost-year-katherine-marsh/18231657?ean=9781250313607and check out the rest of her books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/katherine-marshSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Chris Grabenstein!CHRIS GRABENSTEIN is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mr. Lemoncello, Smartest Kid in the Universe, Dog Squad, and Welcome to Wonderland series, and many other books, as well as the coauthor of numerous page-turners with James Patterson and of Shine!, cowritten with Chris's wife, J.J. Grabenstein. Chris lives in New York City. Visit him at ChrisGrabenstein.com and on Twitter at @CGrabenstein.Facebook: Chris.Grabenstein Instagram: @chrisgrabensteinBuy  No is All I Know! By Chris Grabenstein Illustrated by Leo Espinosa : https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/647090/no-is-all-i-know-by-chris-grabenstein-illustrated-by-leo-espinosa/Buy The Smartest Kid In the Universe here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-smartest-kid-in-the-universe-chris-grabenstein/14371307?ean=9780525647782and check out the rest of his books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/chris-grabenstein-086f1049-f650-4ffd-8e82-8604eea5706f?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7aqkBhDPARIsAKGa0oJJkFgWMQ6b-VeP67nk4CsUW1jgzD_Qf1QnBdNvWp78KvP3IuoTz4AaAh80EALw_wcBSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Shaun Tan!Shaun Tan grew up in Perth and works as an artist, writer and film-maker in Melbourne. He is best known for illustrated books that deal with social and historical subjects through dream-like imagery, widely translated throughout the world and enjoyed by readers of all ages. Shaun is the recipient of an Academy Award for the short animated film The Lost Thing, the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in Sweden and the Kate Greenaway Medal in the UK.https://www.shauntan.net/Follow Shaun Tan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shauncytan/Buy  Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/creature-paintings-drawings-and-reflections-shaun-tan/18261950?ean=9781646142002and check out the rest of his books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/shaun-tan-94745734-66e5-4e2b-8728-4db2dd8a090fSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Lawrence Schimel!Lawrence Schimel is a full-time author, writing in both Spanish and English, who has published over 120 books in a wide range of genres. He is also a prolific literary translator, working into both English and Spanish, of over 140 books.His picture books have won a Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, been selected for the White Ravens from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany and have been chosen for IBBY's Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities three times, among many other awards, honors, and distinctions.For his adult books, he has won the Lambda Literary Award (twice), the Spectrum Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, and many others.His translations have won a PEN Translates Award from English PEN three times and a National Endowment for the Arts Translation Fellowship (with Layla Benitez-James for HIJA DEL CAMINO by Lucía Asué Mbomio Rubio), and have been an Honor Title for the Américas Award and the Global Literature in Libraries Best Translated YA book Award, and been finalists for the Eisner Award, the Thom Gunn Award, and the Lambda Literary Award, among other honors.His writing has been published in over 50 languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Armenian, Basque, Catalan, Changana, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Esperanto, Estonian, Farsi (Dari), Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Isindebele, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Luxembourgish, Macua, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romansh, Romanian, Russian, Scots, Sena, Sepedi, Serbian, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish, Tshivenda, Turkish, Ukrainian, Welsh, and Xitsonga translations.He started the Spain chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and served as its Regional Advisor for five years. He also coordinated the International SCBWI Conference in Madrid and the first two SCBWI-Bologna Book Fair conferences.Follow Lawrence Schimel on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LawrenceSchimelBuy BEDTIME, NOT PLAYTIME! here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/bedtime-not-playtime-lawrence-schimel/16170723?ean=9781459826731 and check out the rest of his books here:https://bookshop.org/contributors/lawrence-schimelSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the showSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Elana K. Arnold!ELANA K. ARNOLD is the author of critically acclaimed and award-winning young adult novels and children's books, including the Printz Honor winner Damsel, the National Book Award finalist What Girls Are Made Of, and Global Read Aloud selection A Boy Called Bat and its sequels. Several of her books are Junior Library Guild selections and have appeared on many best book lists, including the Amelia Bloomer Project, a catalog of feminist titles for young readers. Elana teaches in Hamline University's MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program and lives in Southern California with her family and menagerie of pets. Follow Elana K. Arnold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elanakarnold/Buy An Ordinary Day here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/an-ordinary-day-elana-k-arnold/218301?ean=9781481472623SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Shadra Strickland!Shadra Strickland studied, design, writing, and illustration at Syracuse University and later went on to complete her M.F.A. at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She won the Ezra Jack Keats Award and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent in 2009 for her work in her first picturebook, Bird, written by Zetta Elliott. Strickland co-illustrated Our Children Can Soar, winner of a 2010 NAACP Image Award. She has published with Lee and Low Books, Simon and Schuster, Random House, Candlewick, Chronicle Books, and Little Brown. Her books have received recognition from the American Library Association, Junior Library Guild, and other prominent literary organizations. Shadra currently teaches illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. Her  online picture book course, The Art of the Picturebook is available at Craftsy.com.https://www.jumpin.shadrastrickland.com/Follow Shadra Strickland on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadrieka/Buy Jump In here:https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/jump-in-9781619635807/SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Varian Johnson!Varian was born in 1977, and grew up in the thriving metropolis of Florence, SC (population 30,248—2000 Census). He has a twin brother and a younger sister, and his parents, unlike many of his characters, were actually pretty good in the parenting department.Varian excelled in many subjects while growing up, specifically math and science. He was the typical high school “geek”—he played the baritone in marching band, was a member of the Wilson High School Academic Challenge Team, and he counted his Hewlett-Packard 48G calculator as one of his most prized possessions. However, Varian also enjoyed English—especially creative writing.After writing novels for older readers, Varian began writing middle grade novels. His caper novel, The Great Greene Heist, is his first work for younger readers. It was recently named a Publishers Weekly Best Summer Book of 2014. Kirkus praised the novel in a starred review, stating, “The elaborate bait and switch of this fast-paced, funny caper novel will surprise its readers as much as the victims. They'll want to reread immediately so they can admire the setup.”Varian's puzzle mystery, The Parker Inheritance, has been called The Westing Game meets The Watsons Go To Birmingham—1963. The Parker Inheritance, released in 2018, reviewed starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Horn Book, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, and was named a 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book and a 2018 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book among other accolades.Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, is Varian's debut graphic novel. It received five starred reviews, and was named an NPR best book, and a Washing Post Best Children's Book, and a Texas Library Association Little Maverick Reading List Selection among other accolades.Varian loves traveling around the world (seriously, the world!) talking about writing and books. Please contact him if you're interesting in having him speak at your school or event.https://varianjohnson.com/Follow Varian Johnson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrvarianjohnson/Buy Playing the Cards You're Dealt here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/playing-the-cards-you-re-dealt-varian-johnson/17371581?ean=9781338348538SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Deborah Halverson!Deborah Halverson was an editor at Harcourt Children's Books for ten years—until she climbed over the desk and tried out the author's chair on the other side. Now she is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies, Writing New Adult Fiction, the teen novels Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth, the picture book Letters to Santa, and three books in Remix series for struggling readers. Armed with a master's degree in American literature and a fascination with pop culture, she sculpts stories from extreme events and places—tattoo parlors, fast-food joints, and, perhaps most extreme of all, high schools.In addition, Deborah is a freelance editor, writing instructor, and founder of the popular writers' advice website DearEditor.com. She serves on the advisory board for the University of California San Diego Extension “Children's Book Writing and Illustrating” certificate program and speaks extensively at writing conferences and workshops. She has been working with authors—bestsellers, veterans, debut, and aspiring—for over twenty-five years. She specializes in editing picture books and middle grade, teen, and new adult fiction and nonfiction. The books she's edited have garnered awards and rave reviews, and many of the aspiring writers she's coached have landed agent representation and book deals. She lives with her husband and triplet sons in San Diego, California. For more about Deborah, visit www.DeborahHalverson.com.Follow Deborah Halverson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deborahhalversonbooks/Buy Writing YA Fiction for Dummies here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/writing-young-adult-fiction-for-dummies-deborah-halverson/8821834?ean=9780470949542SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Jessixa Bagley!JESSIXA BAGLEY grew up in Portland, OR. Upon becoming an adult, she decided to follow her childhood dreams of being a picture-book maker. Her debut picture book, Boats for Papa, has earned many accolades and awards, including a Junior Library Guild selection, 2016 ALA Notable, the SCBWI 2016 Golden Kite Award for Best Picture Book Text, as well as the 2016 Washington State Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award. Her recent picture book Laundry Day was a Junior Library Guild Selection and also received a 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor. She lives in Seattle, WA, with her husband, son, and a slew of houseplants that all have names.http://www.jessixa.com/Follow Jessixa Bagley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessixabagley/Buy Courage Hats here:https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/courage-hatsSCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the showSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Tracey Baptiste!Tracey Baptiste is a New York Times bestselling author of Minecraft: The Crash, as well as the creepy Caribbean series The  Jumbies, which includes The Jumbies (2015), Rise of the Jumbies (2017), and The Jumbie God's Revenge (scheduled for 2019). She's also written the contemporary YA novel Angel's Grace and 9  non-fiction books for kids in elementary through high school.She is a former elementary school teacher, she does lots of author visits, and she is on the faculty at Lesley University's Creative Writing MFA program.Her name is pronounced buhTEEST.https://traceybaptiste.com/Follow Tracey Baptiste on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traceybaptistewrites/Buy Mermaid and Pirate here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/mermaid-and-pirate-tracey-baptiste/18417484?ean=9781643750774Buy The Jumbies here : https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-jumbies-tracey-baptiste/12562827?ean=9781616205928SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Golden Kite Winner Ariel Henley!Ariel Henley is an author, DEI consultant, and thought leader with expertise in disability rights, disfigurement, and belonging.Ariel aims to educate, empower and partner with individuals and companies in creating accessible environments and products so that everyone can thrive.  As a DEI consultant, she partners with individual and corporate clients to create more inclusive workplaces, incorporate accessible processes and materials, navigate difficult conversations, and thoughtfully meet clients on their journey by providing them with customized tools, guidance, and educational resources to better foster inclusive and diverse environments and create sustainable change. With a passion for writing as a form of activism, much of Ariel's work explores her experiences growing up with a facial disfigurement, as a result of Crouzon syndrome — a rare craniofacial disorder where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. She writes to explore issues related to beauty, equality, human connection, and trauma. She shares her story in an effort to help eliminate stigma, educate others about the importance of facial equality, and promote mainstream inclusion for individuals with physical differences. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Bright Magazine, Teen Vogue, The Washington Post, The Rumpus, and Narratively. In her work on disfigurement, Ariel combines the history around lookism, ableism, and disfigurement; current data; and personal narratives to help clients gain a nuanced understanding of what it means to exist in an appearance-based society with a face that is different. Research shows that looking at statistics and reading about trends isn't enough to drive change. By using a narrative approach, Ariel provides a comprehensive overview of how pervasive discrimination against individuals with disfigurements is. With a passion for bridging the gap between ableism and lookism, Ariel also believes in the importance of taking an intersectional approach to help clients unpack their own biases and understand the links between topics like ableism and lookism, and racism.As a thought leader, Ariel has appeared in The New York Times, The Lily, CBC Radio's Ideas, BBC World Service, The New York Times' Dear Sugars, SXSW, and The Atlantic. She is represented by Rachel Letofsky at CookeMcDermid Literary Management.Ariel earned her B.A. in English and political science from the University of Vermont and her Master's in Education, with a specialization in Organizational Leadership and Student Affairs. She combines her educational background, professional experience in disability support services, and her lived experience, to offer unique, tailored services to fit client's needs. — Her  memoir, A Face for Picasso, is out now from Farrar, Straus, Giroux (BYR), an imprint of Macmillan — https://www.arielhenley.com/Follow Ariel Henley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arielhenley/Buy A Face for Picasso here : https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-face-for-picasso-coming-of-age-with-crouzon-syndrome-ariel-henley/18581599?ean=9780374314071SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the showSupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Jason June!You've come here wondering, “What is the meaning of life?” Er, I mean, Jason June's life. Jason June (it's a two-name first name, like Mary-Kate without the hyphen or the Olsen twin) is a New York Times best-selling author who loves to create picture books that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark, and young adult contemporary rom-coms full of love and lust and hijinks.When not writing, JJ zips about Austin, Texas. He loves dinosaurs, unicorns, Pomeranians, and anything magical that takes you to a different world or time. JJ is a tried and true Laura Dern stan, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend.​​His picture books include WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, illustrated by Jess Pauwels, and PORCUPINE CUPID, a queer-inclusive Valentine's Day story, illustrated by Lori Richmond, both from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster. For under-the-sea whimsical adventures, check out the MERMICORN ISLAND chapter book series from Scholastic! For YA queer YA rom-coms, check out JAY'S GAY AGENDA and the finstant NYT ​best-seller OUT OF THE BLUE, both from HarperTeen!https://www.heyjasonjune.com/Follow Jason June on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyjasonjune/Preorder Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball here:  https://bookshop.org/p/books/riley-weaver-needs-a-date-to-the-gaybutante-ball-jason-june/18811863?ean=9780063260030Buy Jay's Gay Agenda here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/jay-s-gay-agenda-jason-june/17354307?ean=9780063015159SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Lamar Giles! Lamar Giles writes for teens and adults across multiple genres, with work appearing on numerous Best Of lists each and every year. He is the author of the acclaimed novels Fake ID, Endangered, Overturned, Spin, The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, Not So Pure and Simple, The Last Mirror on the Left, The Last Chance for Logan County, and The Getaway as well as numerous pieces of short fiction. He is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books and resides in Virginia with his family.Follow Lamar on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lamargilesFollow Lamar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LRGilesPurchase The Getaway here  https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-getaway-lamar-giles/18073727SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show

In this episode of the SCBWI Podcast, we are joined by Corinna Luyken!  Corinna Luyken is the author-illustrator of ABC AND YOU AND ME (June 2023); THE TREE IN ME (an NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Indie Bestseller); MY HEART (A New York Times Best Seller); and THE BOOK OF MISTAKES (which The Wall Street Journal called “sublime”). She is also the illustrator of IN THE DARK (Aug 2023) and NOTHING IN COMMON, both written by Kate Hoefler; PATCHWORK (A New York Times and Kirkus Best Picture Book of 2022), written by Matt de la Peña; SOMETHING GOOD and ADRIAN SIMCOX DOES NOT HAVE A HORSE, both written by Marcy Campbell; and WEIRD LITTLE ROBOTS, written by Carolyn Crimi. She was raised in Oregon, California, and Hawaii; and studied dance improvisation, poetry, and printmaking at Middlebury College in Vermont. She now lives near the Salish Sea in Olympia, WA with her husband, daughter, and two small cats.Follow Corinna on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinnaluyken/Purchase ABC and You and Me (2023): https://bookshop.org/p/books/abc-and-you-and-me-corinna-luyken/18822676?ean=9780593530467SCBWI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi/SCBWI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/scbwiBecome an SCBWI member today: https://www.scbwi.org/join-scbwi/Shop the SCBWI Bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/shop/SCBWISupport the show