Mindful, Happy Kids

In this episode of 'Mindful, Happy Kids', hosted by Dr. Elisabeth Paige, we delve into the creative journey of Pedro Martin – author and illustrator of "Mexikid," a graphic memoir for middle graders. Pedro shares his experiences from his early beginnings in California to his career at Hallmark as a greeting card artist, and eventually transitioning into a graphic novelist. He discusses the importance of Mexican culture and representation in his work, as well as the unique challenges and joys of creating graphic novels for middle-grade readers. Join us for an inspiring conversation about storytelling, cultural identity, and creative passion.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Ever wondered how to blend art, history, and storytelling? 🎨📖 Don't miss our latest podcast episode featuring the incredible Marissa Moss! Discover her secrets behind beloved series like Amelia's Notebook and more. Listen today! In this extensive interview, Marissa Moss, a prolific author and illustrator, discusses her diverse body of work, including narrative prose, graphic novels, a hybrid between the two, historical fiction, and biographies, spanning from picture books to young adult literature. She shares her journey from starting as an illustrator to becoming an accomplished writer, her interest in history, and her mission to highlight lesser-known but heroic figures, particularly women, in her books. Moss delves into specific series like Amelia's Notebook and Max Disaster, explaining their origins and themes. She discusses the ways in which her life is reflected in a lot of her work. She also talks about her research process, the challenges of writing and illustrating, and her future projects. The conversation touches on the importance of persistence for budding authors and illustrators, the need for better math and science education for girls, and her passion for encouraging kids to be creative and think critically 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

In this episode of 'Mindful Happy Kids', hosted by Dr. Elisabeth Paige, children's book author Ann Marie O'Brien discusses her journey as a writer, her love for dogs, particularly Borzoi, and the inspiration behind her middle-grade novel 'Lara's Gift'. O'Brien shares her experience working in Russia during the late 1980s, her fascination with Russian culture and history, and how these influenced her writing. She also talks about the challenges she faced in her writing career, the importance of persistence, and her goals for the future, including her ongoing projects and personal aspirations. The conversation touches on her blog about dog books and her commitment to authenticity and detailed research in her storytelling.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Navigating Writing and Publishing with Book Coach Julie Artz

In this episode, Elisabeth interviews Julie Artz, a seasoned book coach and author who assists writers crafting empowerment and justice-driven stories. Julie discusses her journey from technical writing to book coaching, her services, and the importance of finding the right critique partners and support systems. She also introduces the WYRD Writers Collective, a community for writers to gain craft knowledge and peer support. Julie emphasizes the importance of writing communities, sharing experiences, and navigating the publishing landscape. She offers insights into her own writing process and aspirations, providing valuable advice for both budding and experienced writers.

00:00 Introduction to Julie Artz
01:04 What is a Book Coach?
01:34 Motivating Writers and Overcoming Challenges
03:28 Julie Artz's Journey to Becoming a Book Coach
08:14 Finding the Right Authors to Coach
10:39 The WYRD Writers Collective
19:26 The Importance of Critique Groups
24:29 Writing Conferences and Retreats
29:23 Personal Insights and Advice for Writers
32:44 Diversity in Publishing
34:48 Final Thoughts and Advice

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Join an interview of Nicole Chen and Elisabeth Paige as we wrap up Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with an insightful interview featuring children’s author, Nicole Chen. Amidst Covid-related tensions, Nicole shifted her focus to portraying Taiwanese families, aiming to dismantle Asian stereotypes. Her debut, "How We Say I Love You," emphasizes actions over words in expressing affection across cultures. From challenging misconceptions in "Lily Xiao Speaks Out" to defying familial expectations in "It’s Boba Time for Pearl Li!," Nicole advocates using privilege to uplift others. Embrace Nicole's narrative journey, anticipating more enriching literature ahead.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

NYT best-selling graphic novelist and syndicated cartoonist Maria Scrivan have a lively discussion about Maria's process, her books and her comic strip, "Half Full." Maria lives her dream as both a syndicated cartoonist and graphic novelist, where everyday emotions blend into her creative canvas. Amid deadlines, she finds joy in her craft, using exercise and yoga to break creative blocks. Maria believes humor lightens even heavy subjects, infusing laughter into her storytelling. Pets hold a special place in her heart, adding warmth to her comics. Writing, to her, is a time capsule of history and emotion. In her Nat series, preteen Nat navigates who she is and coping with friendship issues, self-doubt, identity, romantic crushes, courage, and learning how to deal with an unexpected adventure 

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

 Picture book author and illustrator Steven Salerno has written and illustrated 5 books and illustrated an additional 32. His books range from initiating a conversation about death to a fashion designing carrot. He illustrated a book on the history of Hershey’s chocolate and a Ferris wheel as big as the Eiffel Tower. His future plans include writing nonfiction books, but so far, the books he has written are fiction. He has illustrated many nonfiction books.

We take a deep dive into his writing and illustrating process, taking classes with Maurice Sendak, and many of his books. He also gives us a peak into what we can expect of him in the future.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Rebecca Balcarcel, award winning middle grade novelist and poet takes us into her life through her work. As a half Guatemalan woman, she believes it important to be authentic in her writing. Her characters, struggle with identity issues along with autism, cancer, Parkinson's disease, and even death. She believes that middle graders are ready to hear the truth and read about their own experiences both the joyful and the challenging.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

Jerry Craft, #1 NYT best selling author and only winner of the John Newbery Medal for outstanding contribution to children’s literature for a graphic novel as well as other awards speaks with Dr. Elisabeth Paige about his life, his writing and publishing journey, and his work. He wrote over 30 books, primarily for African American kids that were, in his eyes, less about what you usually see in children’s books targeting African American kids such as single parenthood, gun and police violence and slavery, and more about other issues confronting African American kids such as fitting into primarily white schools, differing socioeconomic statuses, parental relationships and friendships. As he hoped, the primarily African American characters in his trilogy, New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip have become iconic characters in kids lit. He began his adventures in children’s literature by starting his own publishing company where he published like-minded almost exclusively African American authors.                           

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.

 Dr. LaRocca's joy and brilliance are obvious as we take a deep dive into her award-winning middle grade novels and her picture books. Her books capture her love of medicine, Shakespeare, cooking, baseball, math, and her SE Asian heritage. She confronts tough issues like cancer, anxiety, and loneliness and fun topics like magic and music. I can't recommend more highly her books for kids of all ages.

You can find my website at: www.mindfulhappykids.com.

You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.