Author-Illustrator Interview: Ellie Peterson Reflects on Her Creative Process & Winning the Washington State Book Award

Cynsations is celebrating its 20th anniversary by switching to a quarterly publishing schedule, featuring in-depth interviews and articles. Thank you for your ongoing support and enthusiasm!

By Suma Subramaniam

We’re thrilled to have Author-Illustrator Ellie Peterson on Cynsations today.

Congratulations on winning the Washington State Book Award! How has winning the award changed or affected your creative life?

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Guest Post: Author Tamara Ellis Smith & Illustrator Nancy Whitesides on Tackling Stories Close to the Heart

Today we welcome author Tamara Ellis Smith and illustrator Nancy Whitesides to Cynsations to discuss the joys and challenges of creating a book that’s close to the heart. Their new book, Grief is an Elephant (Chronicle, 2023) is available now. It’s Nancy’s debut book, so Tamara kicks off the interview with questions about Nancy’s path to publication.

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Cynsations Intern: Mitu Malhotra Reflects on “Where I’m From”

By Mitu Malhotra

In the foothills of the Himalayas, when the fireflies danced and the moon rose over the sharp silhouettes of the world’s tallest peaks, I listened to my grandfather and father recite Urdu poetry: ghazals, nazms and shers—songs, poems and couplets reminiscing about life. Those are indeed my favorite childhood memories. Those were the long summer holidays before electronic media invaded our lives.

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Author-Illustrator Interview: SD Nelson on the Power & Magic of Picture Books & Grandma’s Tipi

By AJ Eversole

I’m excited to share an interview with picture book author-illustrator, S.D. Nelson. He is the author of many picture books featuring his Native heritage, his newest release, Grandma’s Tipi (Abrams, 2023) released in early May.

What is at the heart of your new non-fiction picture book Grandma’s Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story?

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Throwback Thursday: Don Tate’s Journey to Becoming an Artist

Congratulations to illustrator Don Tate and author Sherri Duskey Rinker on the publication of Roto and Roy: To the Rescue! (Little Brown, March 21, 2023).

From the promotional copy: When a flash flood threatens a nearby town, helicopter Roto and pilot Roy soar to the rescue! Quick—a truck needs to be hoisted to safety!

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Guest Interview: Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson & Jeanette Bradley on Collaboration & Poetry Anthologies

By Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley

Lindsay: Thanks to Cynsations for inviting us to discuss the collaboration process for our latest picture-book poetry anthology, No World Too Big: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change, co-edited by Keila V. Dawson, Jeanette Bradley,

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Throwback Thursday: Michaela Goade Shares Her Illustration Process

Congratulations to Michaela Goade (Tlingit) on Berry Song (Little, Brown Young Readers, 2022)! It’s the first book Michaela has authored as well as illustrated, and it received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, The Horn Book, and School Library Journal.

Take a look back at Michaela’s 2020 Cynsations interview discussing the creation of her Caldecott-award winning We Are Water Protectors,

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Illustrator Interview: Ale Díaz Bouza on Publishing in Spain

By Elisabeth Norton

Spotlight image: Ale Díaz Bouza at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy.

Today I’m talking with Ale Díaz Bouza, an illustrator who also serves as the Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators chapter in Spain, about publishing for young readers there.

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Native Voice: Natasha Donovan Talks About Her Artistic Journey

By: AJ Eversole

I am happy to welcome Natasha Donovan to the blog today! Natasha is the illustrator of children’s books such as Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell (Lerner, 2021) and the forthcoming A River’s Gifts: The Might Elwha River Reborn by Patricia Newman (Lerner,

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