New Books in Children's Literature

Jan 29 2025 188 ep. 47 mins 51
New Books in Children's Literature Podcast artwork

Interviews with authors of children's literature about their new books

  Arts  Kids & Family
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Erica Lyons, "On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India's Bene Israel" (Levine Querido, 2024)

Jan 29 2025 54 mins  
In this lively and fun interview, we celebrate award-winning author Erica Lyons' new picture book, On a Chariot of Fire: The Story of India’s Bene Israel, illustrated by Siona Benjamin (Levine Querido, 2024). We talk about her childhood passion for writing, and how her careers in law and publishing gave her the tools that helped catapult her into the world of children's publishin

Henry Herz, "I Am Gravity" (Tilbury House, 2024)

Jan 23 2025 39 mins  
In our captivating interview (pun intended), we celebrate Henry Herz's new book I AM GRAVITY (Tilbury House, April, 2024), which combines lyrical text and fascinating artwork by illustrator Mercè López, and crisscrosses splendidly between science and art, fact and fancy. We also discuss his background in engineering, and how he morphed into a leading children's author. Henry has

Rachel Michelle Wilson, "How to Pee Your Pants: The Right Way" (Feiwel & Friends, 2024)

Jan 19 2025 42 mins  
In our engaging interview, Rachel talks about her hilarious new [picture book, How to Pee Your Pants: The Right Way (published by Feiwel & Friends, October 15, 2024) and the embarrassing real first-grade event which prompted her to write it (According to Rachel, it was 'directed by my little kid self'). Rachel grew up in Utah in a book-loving family, and talked about her dream tri

David Miles Talks Children's Books

Jan 14 2025 54 mins  
David Miles is co-founder (together with his wife, Stephanie) and Publisher, Bushel & Peck Books, an up-and-coming West Coast children's publisher. In our illuminating interview, he talks about growing up with books, becoming a successful author, illustrator and industry professional, and then the sudden out-of-nowhere urge that led him and his wife to set up their own publishing h

Lesléa Newman, "Hanukkah" (Words & Pictures, 2024)

Dec 29 2024 50 mins  
Lesléa Newman is the author of over 85 books for readers of all ages, including the pioneering Heather Has Two Mommies. She has received many literary awards, and her books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Serbian, Kazakh, and Chinese.In this, our second interview, we celebrate her new picture book, entitled Hanukkah (Words & Pictures, October 1

Maya Schleifer, "The Giant's Home" (2022)

Dec 15 2024 44 mins  
Maya Shleifer is a multi-disciplinary author, illustrator, and designer who has illustrated over a dozen children's books. Drawing helped Maya survive a difficult childhood in the Soviet Union, but only after becoming a mother did she begin to realize a growing passion for illustrating, and subsequently writing her own, picture books. We discuss her recent, award-winning picture bo

Danielle Sharkan, "Sharing Shalom" (Holiday House, 2024)

Dec 10 2024 31 mins  
Considering the alarming rise in hate and intolerance these days, Danielle Sharkan's new picture book, Sharing Shalom (Holiday House, Sept. 2024, illustrated by Selina Alko) is a welcome injection of positivity. Based on a true story of human kindness following vandalism of a Jewish synagogue, it is a book of unbridled hope. In our interview we talk about Danielle's meteoric rise a

Mark Hoffmann, "Dirt Cheap" (Knopf Books for Young Readers; 2020)

Nov 29 2024 56 mins  
Mark Hoffmann is an award winning illustrator, painter, author and professor. He was raised in Minnesota and earned his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, and his MFA from UMass-Dartmouth. In our excellent discussion, we talk about what Mark calls "Virtual Vision," and how writing and illustrating picture books interact, focusing on the two wonderful picture books which he bot

Talk to the Editor: A Discussion with Elizabeth Law

Nov 26 2024 42 mins  
In this episode, I talk with children's book editor, Elizabeth Law about her two great loves: children's books and the theater. Specifically, what can picture book authors learn from the theater to make their children's books shine. We talked about similarities in pacing, cadence, anticipation, the importance of the story, and the challenge of turning the adult picture book reader

Highlights Foundation: A Discussion with Executive Director George Brown

Nov 18 2024 46 mins  
George Brown is the executive director of the Highlights Foundation, scion to the Myers family, which created Highlights Magazine. The Highlights Foundation runs workshops for small groups of authors and illustrators in its bucolic surroundings, the homestead of Garry and Caroline Myers, who co-founded Highlights for Children in 1946. George discusses his fascination with children'