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.
Congratulations to Christina Soontornvat on the publication of Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test, illustrated by Kevin Hong (Scholastic, March 2023). From the promotional copy:
Young Plum is shocked to discover that she’s been accepted to the Guardian Academy on Lotus Island, an elite school where kids learn how to transform into Guardians,
I recently chatted with Austin author Carmen Oliver about her latest release—Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music from Trash, illustrated by Luisa Uribe (Eerdmans, 2022)—and finding balance, given the many hats she wears. In the photo above,