By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Zonia’s Rain Forest by Juana Martinez-Neal (Candlewick Press, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
A Hero Like Thurgood: Author Guest Post by Kekla Magoon from Harper Stacks. Peek: “Considering the human behind the hero…makes it seem much more possible that anyone can be part of creating change.
Kat Cho is the founder of Asian Author Alliance—a group to celebrate Asian Kidlit and the diversity of stories that originate from the Asian Continent.
When did you first become interested in going into writing and publishing? What sparked your interest?
I always loved to write stories ever since I was really young, but I didn’t write to pursue publication until a few years ago.
Continue Reading Author Interview: Kat Cho & The Asian Author Alliance »
As the parent of children on the autism spectrum and who also struggle with anxiety, I am a big fan of Sally J. Pla‘s books and their representations of neurodiversity. Her most recent middle grade novel Stanley Will Probably Be Fine illustrated by Steve Wolfhard (HarperCollins, 2018), and her debut The Someday Birds, illustrated by Julie McLaughlin (HarperCollins,
By Kelly Jensen
It was mid-2014 when I got a rush of frantic messages on Twitter from a number of authors telling me to be in touch with Elise Howard at Algonquin Young Readers (AYR). She really wanted to talk with me.
One talk quickly led to a group call with Krestyna Lypen, editor at AYR, and in January 2015, I sold my first in a trio of nonfiction anthologies to Krestyna and Elise.
I am so pleased to welcome author-illustrator Isabella Kung to discuss her journey to publication and to share her inspiration for her debut picture book No Fuzzball! (Scholastic, 2020).
What first inspired you to illustrate for young readers?
I always loved reading children’s books and the love only grew as I aged.
By Cynthia Leitich Smith, Gayleen Rabakukk, Stephani Eaton, Suma Subramaniam, and Gail Vannelli for Cynsations
Spotlight Image: Laxmi’s Mooch by Shelly Anand, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali (Kokila, 2021).
Author/Illustrator Insights
Alice Childress by Crystal Allen from The Brown Bookshelf.
My chronicles explore the heart and spirit of writers, the emotional and psychological issues and strengths that stir our creativity and are stirred by our work and the obstacles that impact our processes.
What strengths does each writer have that create and maintain emotional resilience?
How does an author’s or illustrator’s own internal process and state of mind intertwine with the narrative arc of her work?
Continue Reading Heart and Spirit: An Interview with Ami Polonsky »
Picture book author Sue Ganz-Schmitt had two new picture book releases last fall, and both contained storylines that embrace differences and fostered inclusion.
In That Monster on the Block, illustrated by Luke Flowers (Two Lions, 2020), which won the 2020 Northern Book Lights Award for Humor, Monster learns that his new neighbor is not a greedy goblin,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Sue Ganz-Schmitt on Vulnerability in Picture Books »
My most recent release, Soraya and the Mermaid, illustrated by Jen Naalchigar and Atieh Sohrabi (Reycraft, 2020), is the first in a series. The second book, Soraya and the Dragon, releases this spring.
Working on a series means constant collaboration and communication with an editor. I am so thankful that my editor, Sarah Jane Brian,
Continue Reading Guest Post: Salima Alikhan & Editor Sarah Brian Discuss Collaboration »
I’m excited to introduce our readers to Roseanne A. Brown, author of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (Balzar + Bray, 2020), and Diana Ma, author of Heiress Apparently (Abrams, 2020). While these two YA debut novels may seem different in genre and tone, their authors both realized the goal of creating characters that validated themselves.