The Children's Book Podcast

Francie Latour (@francielatour) is the author of AUNTIE LUCE'S TALKING PAINTINGS, a vibrant and beautiful picture book about a young girl's visit to Haiti to see her Autie Luce and to sit for one of her paintings. The story not only unites family, but it instills a sense of belonging or origin that speaks to the strength of the Haitian people throughout history. Francie reminds us that Haiti is the location of the most successful slave revolt ever, that it's the place where the first Black republic was born, and that America would not be American without the Haitian revolution. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

The 2019 Youth Media Awards were announced and a number of this year's award-winners were guests on the Children's Book Podcast this year! I've gathered them all together in one convenient place so you can hear the stories behind the books, including Veera Hiranandani for THE NIGHT DIARY, Juana Martinez-Neal for ALMA AND HOW SHE GOT HER NAME, Brian Lies for THE ROUGH PATCH, Oge Mora for THANK YOU, OMU! , Mark Oshiro for ANGER IS A GIFT, Yuyi Morales for DREAMERS, Traci Sorell for WE ARE GRATEFUL: OTSALIHELIGA, Jessica Love for JULIÁN IS A MERMAID, Vesper Stamper for WHAT THE NIGHT SINGS, and Jarrett J. Krosoczka for HEY, KIDDO: HOW I LOST MY MOTHER, FOUND MY FATHER, AND DEALT WITH FAMILY ADDITION. The compilation blog post can be accessed by visiting matthewcwinner.com/blog or by clicking here: http://www.matthewcwinner.com/single-post/2019/01/30/2019-Youth-Media-Awards-Announced?fbclid=IwAR017a3tKGMOPvuWIsltsD-IinTIek4VUmwoQcEj7hLDEPBhtBiwu7rEu9w --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Hilary Leung (@hilary_leung) is the author/illustrator of WILL GIRAFFE LAUGH?, the fourth in a series about a friend group of animals and their interactions with one another, including WILL BEAR SHARE?, WILL LADYBUG HUG?, and WILL SHEEP SLEEP?. The series explores kindness, consent, respect, and friendship. Hilary is also the co-creator of THE LEGEND OF NINJA, COWBOY, BEAR, a cornerstone picture book of every school library I've worked in. The journey of this story from self-publishing to fast food kids meals boxes is nothing short of inspiring, and you and your readers will love participating in your own ninja-cowboy-bear showdowns. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Cheryl Willis Hudson (@diversitymom_ch) and Wade Hudson (@hudsonwade) are the founders of Just Us Books and the editors of WE RISE, WE RESIST, WE RAISE OUR VOICES. In this anthology of stories, poems, art, and photographs, fifty of the foremost diverse children's authors and illustrators--including Jason Reynolds, Jacqueline Woodson, and Kwame Alexander-- share answers to the question, "In this divisive world, what shall we tell our children?" Wade and Cheryl found themselves asking the same question after the 2016 election and so they reached out to friends and colleagues who, in turn, answered with words of support and love and comfort to empower young readers across the country. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Rob Broder (@RGrovePress) is the co-founder of Ripple Grove Press, an independent, family-run children's book publisher. Ripple Grove's passion for well-told and beautifully illustrated stories for children comes out in its titles and their mission is to bring together great writers and talented illustrators to make the most wonderful books possible is something I think you'l see evidenced in our conversation. Joining us also is Casey W. Robinson (@CaseyWRobinson), author of IVER & ELLSWORTH, which published in 2018 from Ripple Grove Press. In the story, an elderly building manager says goodbye to an inflated rooftop polar bear. This quirky story friendship speaks to what it means to be seen and what it means to be loved. Hearing the journey of a story from idea to publication at a small press captures a certain sense of intimacy and wonder, and I think much of that is captured in this conversation conversation. We also talk about some of Ripple Grove's other books including THE FULL HOUSE AND THE EMPTY HOUSE, a picture book debut by LK James that has already taken center stage in our elementary school library. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Brian Lies (@BrianLiesbooks) is the author/illustrator of the best-selling BATS IN THE LIBRARY series. He shares in our conversation that he's always had an interest in drawing animals and that, for him, casting animals as main characters in his books helps to make the story more universal to the readers. Brian joins me today to share his latest picture books. In GOT TO GET TO BEAR'S!, chipmunk receives an urgent notice from her friend and sets out in a blizzard against all odds in order to get to Bear's home. Izzy, the chipmunk, is the kind of friend everyone of us wants to have in our life and the kind of friend I think we all hope to be to someone in our life. In THE ROUGH PATCH, a male fox laments the loss of his dog and, in his pain and suffering, first lets his beloved garden go, and then decides in his anger and sadness that he is going to make his garden the saddest and most desolate place he can. And soon it is. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Keith Negley (@keithnegley) is the author/illustrator of MARY WEARS WHAT SHE WANTS. The story follows a young Mary Edwards Walker, determined to swap the confining, uncomfortable dress expected of her and other girls and women for a more sensible pair of pants. Keith shares that the idea grew from media coverage of transgender individuals being restricted access to bathrooms, as well as a podcast episode of The Memory Palace regarding the norm-defying life of Mary Walker. All in all it is a story of a woman who, even as a girl, enjoyed the opportunity to prove someone wrong by enacting change in her surroundings. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Sharee Miller (@coilyandcute) is the author/illustrator of DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR! The story follows Aria, a young African American girl who loves her hair but cannot stand when people touch her hair without permission. Sharee talks in our conversation about consent, and how most people would never touch a complete stranger's hand, and yet don't hesitate to touch a stranger's hair, even though your hair is just as much a part of your body. DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR was included in our school's mock Coretta Scott King Award and out 600+ students connected so much so with the story that they selected it as this year's winner. I hope you enjoy it just as much! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Grace Lin (@pacylin), award-winning author and podcast host, joins to share the origin of Kidlitwomen* and the Kidlit Women* podcast. There are a small handful of kidlit podcasts I listen to regularly and that continue to contribute to my professional growth and, quite frankly, I think help make me a better human being. LIFELINES: BOOKS THAT BRIDGE THE DIVIDE is one of those podcasts. Hosts Saadia Faruqi and Ann Braden share book recommendations from marginalized voices and experiences. They offer up insightful interviews. And I honestly walk away feeling like I've got another set of tools to make my library program even stronger and more inclusive. THE BEGINNING OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB with Emily Akins is a new podcast on the block, but the exploration of literacy and building lifelong reading habits through the voice of an inquisitive host bent on lifelong learning is just something I'm so absolutely drawn to. BOOKS BETWEEN with Corrina Allen has been a mainstay on my podcast feed for years. What Corrina brings as a book advocate as well as an educator makes this a must-have resource for everyone working with middle grade readers, from teaching them to writing for them. And finally there's THE KIDLIT WOMEN* PODCAST, the show that's always at the top of my playlist, the one I cannot imagine this world without, the one that has started conversations that resonate, challenge, affirm, and inspire. You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message

Alex Gino (@lxgino) and Dr. Laura Jimenez (@booktoss) join to share books centering on LGBTQ experiences, issues, and identities. Alex Gino is the author of GEORGE and, most recently, YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, JILLY P! They are joined by Dr. Laura Jimenez, author of the BookToss blog, a site "where the serious business of reading in schools meets the absurd notion that research-based literacy practices don't have to suck the life out of literature." I asked Alex and Laura if they'd like to join me to share those "don't miss" titles they've been recommending to friends, colleagues, and readers of all ages. Little did I realize we'd all get on so well and burst into frequent bouts of giggles and bookjoy! You can access even more information about this book and its author illustrator by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/childrens-book-podcast/message