Totally Booked with Zibby Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio, THE INVISIBLE PARADE
Jan 12, 2026
Leigh Bardugo, a bestselling author renowned for her Grishaverse series, teams up with John Picacio, a celebrated illustrator and Hugo Award winner. They dive into their collaborative picture book, The Invisible Parade, exploring themes of grief and memory through the lens of Día de Muertos. The duo discusses their friendship, the emotional journey depicted through color, and the importance of storytelling for both kids and adults. They share personal insights into rituals for remembrance and the book's impact on readers processing loss.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Story Chooses Its Audience
- The story revealed itself as both a children's adventure and an adult meditation on mortality.
- Leigh framed the book as a way to offer grief conversations without heavy philosophical weight.
Invite Others Into Rituals
- Use cultural rituals to offer lifelines to people who feel lost in grief.
- Offer accessible ways for grieving children and adults to connect, instead of avoiding the topic.
Color Tracks Emotional Journey
- John and Leigh used color as an emotional map, starting sepia then moving to technicolor by the end.
- Each horseman introduces a new color that mirrors Kala's emotional journey through grief.
